Yoga Vasishta - Post 22

Vasishta speaking:—  Within a moment they passed beyond the regions of the earth, air, fire, water and space and the tracks of the ten planetary spheres.  They reached boundless space from where the universe appears like an egg.  Under its vault they saw millions of luminous particles floating in the air,  like innumerable bubbles floating on the waters of the unlimited ocean of the sphere of Consciousness.  

These different motions were only apparent as they saw them from different sides.  Here there were no ups or downs, no upside or below, and no going forward or backward. There is only one indefinite space in nature, as there is only one consciousness in all beings. Yet everything moves in its own way, just like wayward children take their own course.

Rama said, “Tell me sage, why do we refer to up and down, forward and backward, if there is no such thing in space and nature?”

Vasishta said:— There is only one space enveloping all things. The worlds seen in the infinite and indiscernible womb of emptiness are like worms moving on the surface of water.  All these bodies that move about in the world by their lack of freedom are thought to be up and down relative to our position on earth. 

So when there are ants on an earthen ball, all its sides are reckoned below that are under their feet, and those as above which are over their backs.  Such is this ball of earth in one of these worlds, covered by vegetables and animals moving on it, and by gods, demons and men walking upon it.  It is also covered by cities, towns and mountains and their inhabitants and productions, like a walnut by its shell.

Like elephants appearing as pigmies in the Vindhyan Mountains, these worlds appear as particles in the vast expanse of space. Everything anywhere is produced from and exists in space. It is always all in all things, which are contained like particles in it. Such is the pure empty space of Divine Consciousness which, like an ocean of light, contains these innumerable worlds which are forever revolving in it like the countless waves of the sea.

The world is filled with creatures beyond the conception of even yogis. Even we cannot form even a guess of all the beings that fill infinite space. 

I have told you all about the grandeur of the universe to my best knowledge. I have no knowledge or power to describe anything beyond this.

Vasishta said:— After having seen the worlds in their aerial journey, the ladies arrived on earth and quickly entered King Padma’s inner apartment.  There they saw the king’s dead body lying in state under heaps of flowers, Leela’s spiritual body sitting beside the corpse. It was the dead of night and the residents had fallen into sound sleep one by one. The room was perfumed with the incense of resin, camphor, sandalwood and saffron.

Leela, seeing the house of her late husband and wishing to enter it, came to his tomb in her assumed body.  Then she passed through the fictitious spacious palace of her lord by breaking out of the confines of her body and head, that in yoga terminology, are called earthly and worldly environs. Then with the goddess she went again to the bright and spacious temple of the world and quickly entered. She saw her husband’s imaginary world (that of King Viduratha) like a dirty and mossy pool, just like a lioness beholds a mountain cave covered by darkness and clouds. Then the two goddesses entered that empty world with their airy bodies, like weak ants make their passage through the hard crust of the wood-apple.

During this time they saw a certain prince (the ruler of Sindh), strengthened by other chiefs, making an attack on this land which was the beauty of the world. They saw the air crowded by people of the three worlds who had assembled to see the conflict. 

Rama asked, “Tell me, sage, what sort of a warrior is called a hero and becomes a jewel in heaven, and who is an insurgent?”

Vasishta answered:— He who engages in a lawful warfare and fights for his king, whether he dies or becomes victorious in the field, is called a hero and goes to heaven. Whoever otherwise kills men in war for an unjust cause and dies is called an insurgent and goes to hell. 

Whoever fights for unlawful property and dies in battle becomes subject to everlasting hellfire. Whoever wages a war justified by law and custom, that warrior is called both loyal and heroic in deed. 

The king who is steadfast protecting his subjects and his own country is called just, and those who die in his cause are called brave. 

It was in expectation of seeing such heroes that the maidens of the gods were standing in the air and talking among themselves about becoming the wives of such warriors. 

The air was decorated by an illumination on high, and by rows of beautiful heavenly cars of gods and masters, and by the presence of celestial maidens who sang in sweet notes and decorated their hair with mandara flowers.

Love.