Origin and Glory
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.
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
Yoga Vasishtha to Rishi Bharadwaja as it passed between Sri Rama and sage
Vasishtha.
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 Jivatman and Paramatman.
Moksha According to 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 are 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 is 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.
Essence of Yoga Vasishtha
If you attain knowledge
of the Self or Brahma Jnana, you will be freed from the trammels of births and
deaths. All your doubts will vanish and all Karmas will perish. It is through
one’s own efforts alone that the immortal, all blissful Brahmic seat can be
obtained.
Persons
without Atmic enquiry will see as real this world, which is nothing but of the
nature of Sankalpas. The expansion of this mind alone is Sankalpa. Sankalpa,
through its power of differentiation, generates this universe. Extinction of
Sankalpas alone is Moksha.
The
enemy of the Atman is this impure mind only which is filled with excessive
delusion and hosts of worldly thoughts. There is no vessel on this earth to
wade through the ocean of rebirths other than mastery of the antagonistic mind.
The
original sprout of the painful Ahamkara, with its tender stem of rebirths, at
length ramifies itself everywhere with its long branches of “mine” and “thine”
and yields its unripe fruits of death, disease, old age and sorrows. This tree
can be destroyed to its root only by the fire of Jnana.
Dear
All,
In the upcoming posts,
we will take up some stories from Yoga Vasishta and through those stories, we
will try and understand the essence which each story tries to give us.
Please do glide along
with the author, in this sacred journey.
Love.
