Stories from Yoga Vasishtha

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It is the crest jewel of all the works on Vedanta. It is a masterpiece. A study of the book raises a man to the lofty heights of divine splendor and bliss. It is really a vast store of wisdom. Those who practice Atma chintana or Brahma Abhyasa or Vedantic meditation will find a priceless treasure in this marvelous book. He who studies the book with great interest and one pointedness of mind cannot go without unique. Even the most worldly minded man will become dispassionate and will attain peace of mind solace and consolation.

The name is derived from the Sage Vasishtha. Though the book is called Yoga Vasishtha it treats of Jnana only. Practical Yoga is dealt with in two stories. The word yoga is used in the title of this work in its generic sense. It is known by the name Jnana Vasishtham also.

The yoga Vasishtha contains a system of ancient philosophical thought unique in its kind. This is a valuable heritage from the hoary past of this sacred land known as Bharatavarsha or Aryavarta. The system of thought that is presented in this book is a highly valuable contribution not only to Indian philosophical though but also to the philosophical thought of the world at large.

Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.

His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a health journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission.

It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practised intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, saint, sage and Jivanmukta.

In 1932 Swami Sivananda started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organised. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 Swamiji undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 Swamiji convened a ‘World Parliament of Religions’. Swamiji is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read Swamiji’s works is to drink at the Fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 Swamiji entered Mahasamadhi.

The earliest work in Sanskrit on Vedanta of the highest order is the Vasishtha Maha Ramayana or Yoga Vasishtha. This monumental work is one without a second in Sanskrit literature. Vasishtha, the great sage, taught the principles of Vedanta to his royal pupil, Sri Rama, the victor of Ravana and hero of the epic, Ramayana. He narrated beautiful and interesting stories to illustrate the principles. The book is written in the language of Valmiki.

It is the crest-jewel of all the works on Vedanta. It is a masterpiece. A study of the book raises a man to the lofty heights of divine splendor and bliss. It is really a vast store of wisdom. Those who practice Atma Chintana or Brahma Abhyasa or Vedantic meditation will find a priceless treasure in this marvelous book. He who studies the book with great interest and one-pointedness of mind cannot go without attaining Self-realization. The practical hints on Sadhana are unique. Even the most worldly-minded man will become dispassionate and will attain peace of mind, solace and consolation.

The Yoga Vasishtha was once one of the most widely read books in India. It greatly influenced the general philosophical thought. The late Pundit Brindawana Saraswati of Benares had read the Yoga Vasishtha one hundred and sixty-five times. It is a comprehensive, deep, systematic and literary philosophical work of ancient India.

The name is derived from the sage Vasishtha. Though the book is called Yoga Vasishtha, it treats of Jnana only. Practical Yoga is dealt with in two stories. The word “Yoga” is used in the title of this work in its generic sense. It is known by the name Jnana Vasishtham also.

Rishi Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana, compiled this remarkable book. He related the whole of the Yoga Vasishtha to Rishi Bharadwaja as it passed between Sri Rama and sage Vasishtha.

There are two books, namely, the Brihat Yoga Vasishtha and the Laghu Yoga Vasishtha. The former is a big book containing 32,000 Granthas or Slokas or 64,000 lines. “Brihat” means big. The latter book contains 6,000 Granthas. “Laghu” means small.

The Yoga Vasishtha contains a system of ancient philosophical thought unique in its kind. This is a valuable heritage from the hoary past of this sacred land known as Bharatavarsha or Aryavarta. The system of thought that is presented in this book is a highly valuable contribution not only to Indian philosophical thought but also to the philosophical thought of the world at large.

Those whose minds are turned from this world, who have become indifferent towards the objects of this world and who are thirsting for liberation, will be really benefited by a study of this precious book. They will find in this book a vast mine of knowledge and practical spiritual instructions for guidance in their daily life. The Yoga Vasishtha first enunciates a doctrine in its various aspects and then makes it very lucid through interesting stories. This is a book for constant study as many times as possible. It must be read and re-read, studied and mastered.

The Yoga Vasishtha deals with the subject of effecting union of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul amidst all the trials and tribulations of life. It prescribes various directions for the union of the Jivatma and Paramatma.

The nature of Brahman or Sat and the various methods of attaining Self realization are vividly described in this book. The main enquiry regarding the final beatitude or summum bomum is beautifully dealt with. This book embodies in itself the sciences of ontology the knowledge of the self the principles of psychology the science of emotions the tenets of ethics and practical morality discourses on theology etc. the philosophy of Yoga Vasistha is sublime and unique.

The book consists of six Prakaranas or sections namely 1. Vairagya Prakarana (on dispassion or indifference), 2. Mumukshu Prakarana (on longing for liberation); 3. Utpatti Prakarana (On Creation or origin); 4 Sthiti Prakarana (on preservation or existence); 5. Upasanti Prakarana (on dissolution or quiescence); and 6. Nirvana Prakarana (on Liberation). According to Yoga Vasishtha this world of experience with various objects time space and laws is a creation of the mind that is an idea or kalpana. Just as objects are created by the mind in dream so also everything is created by the mind in the waking state also. Expansion of the mind is Sankalpa through its power of differentiation creations. Through the play of the mind in objects nearness seems to be a great distance and vice versa. Through the force of the mind a kalpa is regarded as a moment and vice versa. A moment of waking experience may be experienced as years in dream. The mind can have the experience as a span only. Mind is not anything different and separate from Brahman. Brahman manifests himself as mind. Mind is endowed with creative power. Mind is the cause of bondage and liberation.

The doctrine of Drishti Srishtivada is expounded in the Yoga Vasishtha. In some places Vasishtha speaks of the Ajatavada of Sri Gaudapadacharya the great guru of Shankara. You begin to see and then there is creation. This is Drishti Srishtivada. This world does not exist at all in the three periods of time. This is Ajatavada or non origin of the universe.

This is a most inspiring book. Every student of Vedanta keeps this book for constant study. It is a constant companion for a student on the path of Jnana Yoga. It is not a Prakriya grantha. It does not deal with the Prakriyas or categories of Vedanta. Only advanced students can take up this book for their study. Beginners should first study the Atma Bodha, Tattwa Bodha and Atamanatma Viveka of Sri Shankara and the Pancheekaran before they take up the study of Yoga vasishtha.

Moksha according to yoga vasishtha is the attainment of the essence of the bliss of Brahman through knowledge of the self. It is freedom from births and deaths. It is the immaculate and imperishable seat of Brahman wherein there are neither Sankalpas nor Vasanas. The mind attains its quiescence here. All the pleasures of the whole world is a mere drop when compared to the infinite bliss of Moksha.

That which is called Moksha is neither in Devaloka nor in Patala nor on earth. When all desires are destroyed the extinction of the expansive mind alone in Moksha. Moksha has neither space nor time in itself nor is there in it any state external or internal. If the illusory idea of ‘I’ or Ahamkara perishes the end of thoughts (which is maya) is experienced and that is Moksha extinction of all Vasanas constitutes Moksha Sankalpa is only Samsara its annihilation is Moksha. It is only Sankalpa destroyed beyond resurrection that constitutes the immaculate Brahmic seat or Moksha. Moksha is freedom from all sorts of pains and the attainment of supreme bliss duhkha means pain or suffering. Births and deaths generate the greatest pain. Freedom from births is freedom from all sorts of pains. Brahma Jnana or knowledge of the self alone with give Moksha. The quiescence produced in the mind by the absence of desires for objects is Moksha.

Moksha is not a thing to be achieved. It is already there. You are in reality not bound. You are ever pure and free. If you were really bound you could never become free. You have to know that you are to immortal all pervading self. To know that is to become that. This is Moksh this is the goal of life. This is the summum bonum of existence. That state of non attraction of the mind when neither ‘I’ nor any other self exists for it and when it abandons the pleasures of the world should be known as the path that leads to Moksha.

The absolute according to the Yoga Vasishtah is Satchidananda Para Brahman who is non dual partless infinite self luminous changeless and eternal. He is the ocean of being in which we all live and move. He is beyond the reach of the mind and senses. He is the ultimate substance. He is the unity behind the subject and the object of experience. He is one homogeneous essence. He is all pervading he is beyond description. He is nameless, colorless, odourless, tasteless, timeless, spaceless, deathless and birthless.

He whose mind is calm who is endowed with the four means of salvation who is free from defects and impurities can realize the self intuitively through meditation. The scriptures and the spiritual preceptor cannot show us Brahman. They can only guide us and give us a hint by way of analogies and illustrations.

Shanti (quiescence of mind), Santosh (Contentment), Satsang (association with sages) and Vichara (atmic enquiry) are the four sentinels who guard the gates of Moksha. If you make friendship with them you will easily enter the kingdom of Moksh. Even if you keep company with one of them he will Surely introduce you to his other three companions.

The student should have an unshakable conviction that Brahman is the only Reality that everthing is Brahman that Brahman is the very self of all beings. Then he should realize this truth through direct cognition or intuition. This direct knowledge of Brahman alone is the means of liberation.

There is no difference between the waking and dream experiences. The waking state is a long dream. The dream experiences become unreal as soon as man comes back to his waking state. Even so the waking state becomes unreal for a sage who has attained self realization. For the man who dream the waking state becomes unreal.

A Jivanmukta roams about happily. He has neither attractions nor attachments. He has nothing to attain nor has he anything to give up. he works for the well being for the world. He is free desires egoism and greed. He is in solitude though he works in the busiest part of a city.

May you all drink the nectar of Yoga Vasishtha! May you all taste the honey of wisdom of the self! May you all become jivanmuktas in this very birth! May the blessings of sage Vasishtha sage valmiki and other Brahma vidya gurus be upon you all ! may you all partake of the essence of the bliss of Brahman!.