STORIES WITHIN STORIES
STORY OF SUTEEKSHNA
Once there lived a Brahmin
named Suteekshna. As his name itself suggested he was of a sharp brain. He
thought a lot. He questioned a lot. He had heard from his elders that
liberation was the goal of all those who were born as humans. But nobody could
give a clear-cut way of how to do it.
Some said ‘you perform your
daily rites and sacrifices without fail and you will enjoy pleasures of the
heavens for ever like the gods.’
Some said that unless one attained
the knowledge of oneself and the world, true liberation was not possible.
Suteekshna was puzzled. He did
not understand whose advice he should follow. So he went to Sage Agastya and
presented his problem to him. He asked the Sage, what was the right course to
follow, Karma or Jnaana (Action (rites) or Knowledge).
Should he work as if nothing
was amiss or should he stop working and think?
Agastya related to him the
story of a Brahmin named Kaarunya.
STORY OF KAARUNYA
Once there lived a Brahmin
named AgniVeshya. He had a son named Kaarunya. Kaarunya was very intelligent
and mastered all the sciences under a Guru. He was well versed in all the
Vedas. After completing the studies he returned home. But he never performed
any rites or actions as ordained by the scriptures and remained doing nothing.
His father was irritated by his behavior and asked him as to why he was
behaving like this when scriptures proclaim that ‘rites’ (Karma) alone bestowed
the fulfillment of life.
Kaarunya answered that the
scriptures on the one hand advised that a man should do his daily duties as
ordained by them which was known as the path of Pravritti, involvement with the
world. On the other hand it was mentioned in the scriptures that liberation was
not possible through any action, or begetting children or earning wealth; and
that one should renounce everything; and attain the eternal state. Since both
statements were contradictory to each other, he was confused and had abstained
from all actions.
Agniveshya related to him the
story of Suruchi, a divine damsel.
STORY OF SURUCHI
Suruchi was an apsaraa (divine
damsel) residing in the heavens. Though surrounded by various types of
pleasures, she felt disinterested in them. She never missed an opportunity to
listen to the profound teachings of great Sages and spent her time in analyzing
their statements.
Once she had come to the earth
along with her friends and all of them were sporting in the beautiful forests
situated in the Himalayan
Mountains
At that time she saw a
messenger of Indra moving in the sky and called him to her side. She asked him
as to where he was going so urgently and for what purpose.
The messenger of Indra related
to her the story of King ArishtaNemi.
STORY OF KING ARISHTANEMI
There was a king named
ArishtaNemi who was well-known as a Rishi among kings (Raajarshi). He had no
attachment to the world and desired only the liberation from worldly existence
(Samsaara). When his sons came of age, he left the kingdom in their charge and
went to the forest to perform penance.
At present he was living in
the GandhaMaadana
Mountain
Indra had been slightly
apprehensive about the penance performed by the king.
Before ArishtaNemi had
acquired merits enough to dethrone him, he had hurriedly sent the messenger
along with a huge retinue of pretty damsels, ‘Gandharvas’ and ‘Kinnaras’,
accompanied the wondrous orchestra group of the heavens to invite the king to
enjoy the pleasures of the heaven unlimitedly.
The idea was that if the king
succumbed to the temptation he would spend off all his merits in the heaven;
fall back into the earth again and get lost in the worldly attachments. But the
mission had failed. The king was not an ordinary person to fall for Indra’s
tricks.
He had asked the messenger
straight away what were the advantages and disadvantages of a life in heaven.
The honest messenger had told him that there were various levels of heavenly
enjoyments and only the men of excellent merits had the fortune to enjoy the
excellent pleasures and he had also explained to the king that merits were like
measures of enjoyments and the meritorious souls retained all their vices and
virtues of their mortal identities and that they were pushed back to earthly
existence once the merits were over with.
The mortal king had then refused
the invitation offered by the immortal king of the heavens and had stated that
he will continue the penance and give up the body like some dirty skin
discarded by a snake. He politely but firmly had sent the messenger back
disregarding all his pleadings to come to heaven.
The messenger had gone back to
Indra and reported the king’s refusal to enjoy the heavenly pleasures. Indra
had been surprised and pondered for a while about his next course of action. If
the king did not want heaven well and good! So he decided to offer some help to
the king who was after liberation from the Samsaara.
Indra had again sent the
messenger to the king to inform him that he should immediately leave for the
hermitage of Sage Vaalmiki and request the renowned Sage to impart knowledge
leading towards liberation.
The king had likewise gone to
the hermitage of the great Sage and told him that he had come there at the
behest of Indra and requested the Sage to impart him the ‘Knowledge Supreme’ so
he could escape from the suffering of the worldly existence.
The ever-compassionate
Vaalmiki told him to listen to the Great Ramayana where Rama was instructed by
Sage Vasishta about the same topic. The king had asked him who that Rama was.
Vaalmiki told him that Rama was Lord Vishnu born on earth because of a curse.
STORY OF LORD VISHNU’S CURSE
One of the four sons of Brahmaa,
Sage SanatKumaara the desire-less one, lived in Brahmaa’s abode. Lord Vishnu
once visited BrahmaLoka. He was worshipped by all the residents of SatyaLoka
and also by Brahmaa. SanatKumaara did not even move from his seat. Vishnu
cursed him to be born on the earth as SharaJanma and live a life succumbing to
passion. SanatKumaara cursed him back saying that if he was an all-knower, it
was better that he lost his knowledge for some time and lived as an ignorant
man on earth.
Bhrgu had also cursed Vishnu
once seeing his wife fallen dead, that Vishnu should also suffer the pain of
separation from his wife taking birth as a human being on earth.
Jalandhara’s wife Vrindaa had
cursed Vishnu that he will be separated from his wife as he had used deceit to
have her company.
Devadatta’s wife who had died stuck
by fear by looking at the terrifying form of NaraSimha had cursed Vishnu that
he should be separated from his wife for some time.
All these curses made Vishnu
take birth as Rama on the earth and he was born as the eldest son of DashaRatha
the king of Ayodhyaa.
STORY OF BHARADVAAJA
Sage Vaalmiki recounted the
conversation that took place between Sage Vasishta and Rama to his close
disciple Bharadvaaja. Bharadvaaja recounted that again to Lord Brahmaa in the Meru Mountain
Bharadvaaja the noble one
asked Brahmaa for some easily accessible knowledge by which ordinary people
could free themselves from all sufferings. Brahmaa told him to request his Guru
Vaalmiki to write the entire conversation that took place between Rama and Sage
Vasishta in the form of a scripture and spread it all over the world; and that
the unique nature of the stories in that scripture will liberate any one who
heard them with sincerity and devotion.
Brahmaa accompanied
Bharadvaaja and went to the hermitage of the great Sage. He instructed the Sage
to write the same in the form of a scripture and help the world by guiding the
ignorant beings towards liberation. He vanished immediately.
Later Bharadvaaja told Vaalmiki
about the boon he had asked from Brahmaa.
He requested his Master to
write the second Raamaayana as a scripture imparting Supreme Knowledge.
He sat at his Master’s feet
and asked him to explain as to how Rama attained liberation after being born in
this world as a human being.
Vaalmiki recounted to him the
entire conversation that took place between Rama and Vasishta and told him how
Rama attained the Supreme state of the Self just by understanding the truth
through Vasishta’s words without undergoing any hardships of penance or
austerities.
RAMA’S DEPRESSION AND
DISPASSION
Rama completed his education
and returned home. Though the days in palace were spent in various sports
befitting his royal status, his mind longed for a visit to all the sacred
resorts and hermitages in the country. He expressed his desire to his
affectionate father and permitted by him went on a long tour along with his
brothers Bharata, Shatrughna and Lakshmana accompanied by a huge retinue.
After returning from that
journey there was a noticeable change in Rama’s behavior. He became very
morose; avoided all enjoyments; talked less; sought solitude; ate almost nothing;
uttered words decrying his royal status and wealth; paid no attention to the
masters when they taught administrative sciences; became emaciated; did not
bathe; did not do his daily duties; kept his face stone-like without any
expressions.
He just withered away slowly
pining away for some unknown unattainable thing.
His brothers observed all
these changes and they also were depressed.
His mothers observed all these
changes and they also were depressed.
His servants observed all
these changes and they also were depressed.
The harem where the young
princes stayed wore a gloomy look as if a great calamity was waiting at the
corner.
Dasharatha also heard about
all this and he consulted Sage Vasishta, his preceptor about this. Vasishta
brushed away the topic as if it was not of much importance and told the king
not to worry about it so much.
Rama was sitting alone. His
eyes were wet. His lotus-like face looked pale and life-less. He bit his teeth
in frustration. The pale lips trembled trying to dam his flooding emotions.
Rama was angry; angry with
himself; his body; his birth as a prince; his royal status; his duties; his
future life as a king; in short he did not want to be himself. He wanted to run
like mad towards some forest; fall at the feet of some kind Sage; serve him
like an ordinary student; contemplate on the Supreme state whatever it was; be
away from all the hustle bustle of the princely life and be a Sage doing
penance! Was it possible? Never! Again a flood appeared at the threshold of his
eyes. He held it back for fear of getting seen by his brothers in that awkward
position.
(Yes! His brothers! He loved them a lot! If they knew
what his thoughts were like, they will feel worried about his mental health. If
they see his tears, they will have broken hearts. His mothers were of course
very concerned; but how could he confide to them, all his weird thoughts. Yes!
He had broken down once in front of his younger mother Kaikeyi, the wisest
woman ever-born! She had held him to her bosom and listened to all his
outpourings. She had melted like wax by just listening to his worries. She was
surprised that he wanted to live in a forest with matted locks wearing bark
garments the rest of his life. She was shocked to learn that he despised the
throne of Ayodhyaa waiting for him, which will be his on his forthcoming
birth-day. She had also cried along with him and had hugged him to her bosom.
She knew that his tears were not the ordinary tears of a teenager bored of
life. They were the tears of a trapped lion. She knew at that moment that he
was not an ordinary soul born to rule a puny land but some great Rishi of the
yore who was born to save the earth. She decided then and there that she would
leave no leaf unturned till Rama’s desire for a forest-life was fulfilled. She
had gently kissed his wet cheek; caressed his uncombed hair and gone off
immediately lost in deep thoughts. Rama wondered what her thoughts had been
like. )
Rama sighed hard! He decided
there was no use in holding on to this body of a prince anymore! He decided to
kill it and be rid of the dirty bundle of elements labeled Rama, the son of an
emperor! What easy way to kill this fragile animal was there other than starving
it to death! Stop the food and one day it will remain lifeless. Better be a
dead prince if he cannot live the life of a Sage as an ordinary person! He
quickly removed the delicacies from the plate left there next to him by his
dear servant and threw them to the birds. The food vanished the moment it
touched the ground. He threw a look of gratitude at the crows which unknowingly
helped in hastening his journey towards the world of Yama! May be in his next
birth he will be born as an ordinary son of an ordinary Sage and do penance in
a forest!
His dried up lips widened in a
smile!
VISHVAAMITRA, THE OCEAN OF COMPASSION
Vishvaamitra’s heart gave a
jump. Some uneasy feeling swept through his body. He felt like crying. His
dispassionate heart was melting suddenly with compassion. He dismissed the
students who were listening to his discourse on Brahman and entered his private
abode. He sat in contemplation and tried to find out the reason for the sudden
sadness that had taken over him. A pale dark handsome face floated in his
mind’s eye.
Rama! Dear Dear Rama! Why was
he crying? Why was he looking so forlorn?
The Creator of the Gaayatri
Mantra peeped into the young prince’s heart and he was shocked! The poor child
was ready to give up his life and nobody knew about it!
Vishvaamitra felt as if a
mountain was falling over him!
The Supreme Lord Vishnu who
had come here to save the world from ignorance was ready to give up life
because he was ignorant!
And what Vasishta was doing,
he wondered! Why was he not doing anything at all to alleviate Rama’s
suffering?
‘No use in trying to fathom the mind of that
great Brahmarshi! Better do something myself!’ thought the great Sage and he
started immediately for the city of Ayodhyaa
DASHARATHA IS WORRIED
Dasharatha was sitting in the
court room attending to his daily royal affairs. He felt disinterested in
everything. The whole palace was gloomy in mood. Nobody talked much! Nobody
laughed much! Play-grounds were silent! Dance arenas were gathering dust! Even
food had become very simple as if prepared for namesake rather than for
enjoying!
All because of Rama! What had
happened to him, he wondered! What did he lack that he should move about like
an orphan deer lost in a forest full of lions and tigers!
He as a father had tried all
means of pacifying him!
He had taken him to nearby
forests to hunt wild boars and personally accompanied him to all places! But
Rama never even lifted the bow! He even released some of the trapped animals
shouting “Be free! Be free!”
His behavior was very weird
nowadays. He was always lost in some deep thinking!
He would suddenly laugh for no
reason; and again for no reason tears would well up inside his eyes!
He refused to wear the royal
garments woven with the excellent gems and wore the simple clothes of the
ordinary people.
When the king had tried to
discuss about the future life of his as the crown prince, Rama had stared as if
hit by a lightning and yet laughed aloud mumbling “Ah the wealth and riches!
They are ephemeral and bind one to the Samsaara!”
He hugged the servants and sat
with them in their lowly chambers!
He looked at the varieties of
delicacies offered to him like poison and moved away.
He pitied the dancing girls as
if they were slaves imprisoned in the palace.
How many times he had tried to
drag him into his embrace and ask the reason for his odd behavior. Rama never said
anything; just moved away saying nothing was the matter.
Vasishta, his preceptor only gave
an understanding smile when he had discussed about Rama to him.
Moreover even his three prime
wives were looking forlorn and depressed.
Kaikeyi turned her face away
as if she was very much in anger with him.
Kousalyaa was always in tears
and had a lot to complain about Rama!
Sumitraa was the only one who
managed to handle everything efficiently.
He sighed in relief as at
least one normally acting person was there to handle things.
VISHVAAMITRA ARRIVES
Dasharatha was suddenly woken
up from his reverie by the loud voice of the door-keeper who was announcing
that Sage Vishvaamitra was waiting outside the palace gates.
Dasharatha felt as if a
million lightning had stuck him.
Why was that Sage here, now?
What did he want? Was he there to curse? Had he done anything wrong?
Dasharatha had no time to
think! Vasishta was already there with his group of disciples and Sages. Ministers
had already arranged for a grand welcome for the renowned Sage.
DashaRatha quickly made his
steps towards the palace gates; saluted by falling on the ground as soon as the
Sage was seen at a distance! He ran; fell at the feet; washed his feet; offered
flowers at the feet; held the royal umbrella for the old Sage; brought him
inside with all the auspicious ceremonies properly conducted; made him get
seated on the most excellent golden throne; and poured out words in a torrent!
“O Great Sage! Why you took
the trouble of coming here! One word from you and I would have come to your
hermitage to fulfill your wishes! What cannot be done to please a great Sage
like you! You are Brahman in person! You are the blessing incarnate that has
descended from the God-world! Tell me whatever you want! I will fulfill it in
no time!”
And Vishvaamitra stuck him
with another jolt of million lightning when he asked for Rama to be sent with
him to fight the demons!
VISHVAAMITRA’S REQUEST
Vishvaamitra wanted to see Rama
immediately! He wanted to take him away to his hermitage; make him sit on his
lap and teach him the Brahmaa-Jnaana and remove the pain in his heart. His
heart was reciting the name ‘Rama’ ‘Rama’ continuously.
‘Where was his Rama?’ He
suffered like a mother separated from the son!
And here was the king talking
some meaningless words covering up all his fears and apprehensions of seeing
him! No wonder Rama feels lonely in a palace ruled by ignorance!
What plausible excuse to give
this king to remove Rama from his palace?
Vishvaamitra wondered!
A few days of personal
training and instruction; Rama would be normal and can handle the royal affairs
in the future. But how can he explain the king what was going on in Rama’s
mind? How could he tell him that Rama was ready to give up his life?
Vishvaamitra glanced at
Vasishta! That cunning Sage was just hiding a smile at all the dramas that were
taking place in his presence!
Vishvaamitra suddenly found a
reason to take away Rama with him! He informed the king that he had to do some
sacrifices for the good of the world (when did he not do?) and that demons were
disturbing the sacrifices (when did they not disturb?) and only Rama could
fight them and destroy those demons (as if he himself had no powers to destroy
those puny demons).
DASHARATHA BREAKS HIS PROMISE
Dasharatha refused outright!
What? Rama? Fight the demons!
My poor child! Already weak and emaciated after his tour of sacred places!
Couldn’t even kill a boar!
And he to stand in front of
the blood-thirsty demons? No! Never!
His voice choked as he blurted
out to the great Sage that he was not going to send Rama anywhere! Rather he
will bring his own army and fight the demons!
VISHVAAMITRA IS ANGRY
A volcano erupted!
Yes Vishvaamitra was unable to
control his anger!
There the lord of the universe
was ready to give up his mortal coil and here a stupid king was blocking him
from meeting his cherished God!
Why wouldn’t he get angry! He
felt like slicing the head of this king and rushing towards his Rama withering
away in the inner palace!
But he heard the soothing
voice of Vasishta talking sense to the king.
Soon the king was pacified and
servants were sent to bring Rama there immediately. But the servants came
without Rama and just reported his odd behavior and pleaded with the king to
console their young master.
However Rama, the ever-perfect
one had been informed of the Sage’s arrival and came there with his brothers.
He saluted the elders in the due manner. As Dasharatha pulled him to his side
affectionately, he avoided his hand and sat on the ground on a simple mat
spread out by his servants.
DASHARATHA’S IRRITATION
Dasharatha was slightly
shocked by Rama’s behavior. He felt offended too.
Yet looking at the emaciated
body of his pet son he could not give vent to anger at his behavior. Instead he
saved his own face just by advising Rama that it did not behoove a prince of
Raghu’s dynasty to pine away like this for no reason. Rama just had to take the
advice of his elders and do what they said and he would soon achieve the
meritorious states. He need not act so confused and worried and suffer
unnecessarily like this.
What could that ignorant king
who was given to the pleasures of senses and dreams of heavenly life know of
Rama’s state of mind? What did he know about liberation? What did he know what
a pain it was if one knew that he was bound yet had no means to escape? What
did he know the torment of a Jeeva which was searching for its source?
How could he understand that a
wave which felt separated from the ocean had no rest till it became one with
the ocean?!
He knew only heavens and
tensions!
VASISHTA AND VISHVAAMITRA
QUESTION RAMA
Vasishta looked at the king
and signaled him to stop his stern speech. He looked at Rama with extreme
affection and asked-
“My child! I know you are no
more interested in the sense pleasures. You have succeeded in conquering your
mind! Yet why do you suffer like this thinking that you are ignorant?
You are not what you think you
are!”
Vishvaamitra had no patience for
these round-about talks.
Poor child was suffering! And
no one had the patience to ask what he was distressed about!
He interrupted Vasishta’s calm
speech and questioned Rama directly.
“Tell us Rama, what makes you
feel so sad? What is gnawing your mind like a rat?
What worries can be there for
a prince like you?
What do you want? What for are
you pining like this?
Confide in us whatever
thoughts you are having. We will see to it that you get what you want without
any difficulty! Never again shall you be tormented by worries any more!
I promise you for sure!”
RAMA POURS OUT HIS PROBLEMS
Rama raised his eyes slightly
and saw the great Sage who was pleading like this! What love, what affection
poured out of those eyes, only Rama could understand it!
He felt hugged, caressed,
consoled by the love oozing out of those eyes.
There was someone who could
understand his feelings!
There was someone who would
not laugh at his problems!
He felt reassured! He felt
confident!
Like a child crying on the lap
of the mother giving vent to all its pains, he poured out all his thoughts at
once in the benign presence of those two Sages!
He told them everything; every
thought of his; how he had completed his education without a flaw; how he had
gone on a tour of all sacred centers of the country; how he had visited many
hermitages; how his thoughts had changed; how his life looked wasted away; how
his very identity of a prince was disgusting; so on and on!
He talked about the ephemeral
nature of the world.
He described the worthlessness
of wealth.
He ridiculed the stupidity of
the childhood; the insanity of the youth; the sufferings of the middle aged man
with a family; the infirmities and helpless nature of the old age!
He described the desires which
haunted every man and woman of the earth!
He tearfully explained his
fear of this limited identity and death!
He confided his helplessness
in front of the all-consuming god of death!
He said that life was nothing
but a hell-fire masked as happiness.
He had nothing to live for;
all relations and friends were just unreal entities; life had no meaning; there
was no use holding on to the ugly mass of flesh called the body.
And he finally concluded his
detailed speech by announcing firmly that since nobody could change his identity
or limitations and since he will never find any answers to his questions he
will abstain from food and water; not bathe; not do anything and remain stone-like
till the body dies of itself and thus be free forever of bondage!
THE COURT WAS STUNNED
It was like the silence after
a heavy thunder shower!
Dasharatha just sat there
unable to understand the grief of his beloved son who did not want the
emperorship of the kingdom! He felt puzzled! Maybe Rama had been poisoned in
the mind by some wicked enemies and had lost his mind!
He looked again at his own son
who looked a complete stranger to him!
He remained silent!
All the courtiers also
remained silent!
The queens seated behind the
screen also remained silent!
The birds in the garden also
stopped their chirping.
It was as if the entire world
was drowned in the ocean of dispassion.
A deathly silence prevailed.
Before anybody knew what was
happening, a huge shower of extremely fragrant flowers rained in the court
filling all those assembled there in the court with exhilaration.
All the courtiers heard the
voices of Siddhas who were enamored by the words of Rama and had come there to
hear the answers for his questions.
And immediately they descended
down with forms and stood before the two Sages.
(Siddhas were realized beings with great powers with no identity as
such. Unless they willed no one could see them with any form.)
Rama saluted the great beings
with reverence. They praised him with exquisite words and commended his
beautiful words of dispassion.
After everybody was
comfortably seated, Vishvaamitra spoke encouraging words to Rama with extreme
affection and told him the story of Shuka.
VISHVAAMITRA SPEAKS
ENCOURAGING WORDS TO RAMA
Vishvaamitra said-
“My dear child! You are not an
ordinary person! Everyone does not have the capacity to think in this manner.
You already seem to know everything! You just need a little guidance; that is
all! You must have heard of Sage Shuka, son of Vyaasa! He also was like you. He
needed no Guru to guide him! He just sat in solitude; pondered in his mind
about the reality of the world; and he knew the answers by himself.
You are no less than that
Shuka. Listen I will tell you how he attained the Supreme state.”
STORY OF SHUKA
Great Sage Vyaasa, the black-hued
Sage lived in the Himalayan mountain region.
He had a son named Shuka.
Shuka was a Jnaani (KNOWER) from birth.
Sitting in solitude he by
himself pondered about the reality of the world, about his birth, his identity
as Shuka etc.
As he analyzed all these
questions he realized the state of the Self and understood everything
instantly. He needed no teacher to guide him to such a state. By his own
discriminative power, by himself, he analyzed about all these matters for long
and understood the truth.
However, he could not verify
the knowledge attained by his own enquiry with any one else. He was doubtful of
the validity of the knowledge attained without any hardship of a penance. How
could he attain such a supreme state extolled in scriptures just by simple
intellectual analysis? He felt dissatisfied. He could not ascertain firmly
that, what he had realized was the Ultimate Truth. But his mind was free of any
wants and did not enjoy any pleasures of the world, like a Chaataka bird does
not care for any waters on the earth but that which pours down from the clouds.
Once Shuka of taintless
Knowledge approached his father Vyaasa who was performing penance on the Meru Mountain
“O my father! How did this
entire world of deluding character arise?
How can it be put an end
to? Wherefore is it from, of whose, whence forth?”
Vyaasa the ‘enlightened one’
explained everything he knew to his son in detail. But Shuka felt nothing new about it. He
already knew what his father had told. He was disappointed by the whole
discourse and remained silent with bent head. Vyaasa read the thoughts in his
mind through his penance-power and understood his son’s predicament.
He said:
“My dear son! I do not know much about all
this. You go down to the Earth. There lives a King of excellent wisdom named
Janaka. He knows completely whatever is to be known. You will get whatever you
want through him.”
Shuka went down to the Earth
and reached the city of Videha
The guards with sticks
standing at the gateway stopped him there itself. They went to the King and
informed him that some young man named Shuka was waiting at the doors. Janaka
understood that Shuka was sent to him by Sage Vyaasa to get some lessons from
him. He decided to test Shuka in many ways. So he nonchalantly replied the
guards as if he did not care for the guest at all and said with a slight nod,
“Let him be there” and went off to attend to his normal duties.
Seven days passed.
Shuka patiently stood at the
gates without any annoyance or irritation.
Then Janaka ordered his guards
to allow him just up to the courtyard and leave him alone there. Seven days
passed this way. There was no perturbation in Shuka’s mind even then.
Then by the king’s order the
guards took Shuka to the inner harem of the ladies and left him there saying
that the King was still very busy in his administrative duties. Shuka spent the
next seven days in the inner harem (Anthahpura). He was provided all sorts of
royal entertainments; pretty girls surrounded him ready to fulfill any desire
of his; foods of exotic taste were offered to him; pleasures equal to heaven
were ready to be shown to him by the ladies residing there. But Shuka did not
see anything or hear anything. He was like a mountain unmoved by winds. He
stayed in the bliss of his Self and did not waver in his mind by the pleasures
surrounding him. Janaka who was observing the young Sage unknown to him was
highly pleased by the dispassionate state of Shuka.
He ordered the guards to bring
the young Sage to his private chambers. He welcomed the Sage with proper
rituals and said: “Young Sage! You do not seem to have any action left to be
done in the world. You seem to have attained whatever there is to be attained.
What can I do for you?”
Shuka said:
“O Master! How does this
delusion of the world- perception occur? How can it be removed? Please explain
to me everything as it is!”
Janaka repeated to him
everything exactly as his father had told him when questioned by him in the
past.
Shuka said:
“I already came to know all
this by my own thinking. My father told me the same thing. You, wisest among
men, are also repeating the same thing. Even the scriptures speak the same
thing. I know for certain that this delusory world comes into existence by
one’s own particular mental processes and disappears by the disappearance of
those mental processes. This burnt up world-appearance is worthless; this is
for sure! But tell me what is all this about? Put my puzzled mind to rest by
ascertaining the truth which I have attained by my own enquiry.”
Janaka said:
“There is no other truth to
be ascertained any more, o Sage. You comprehended it by your own efforts; you
heard the same from your father. There is only the Supreme Purusha (Conscious
Principle), who is the undivided second less Consciousness.
One is bound by one’s own
volition; one becomes free by removing the volition.
You completely know that
which is to be known. You have no craving for any sort of pleasures of the
world which are just appearances perceived by the mind.
Child! You are truly a
person of courage; you have conquered your own mind and have attained
disinterestedness towards all pleasures which are nothing but chronic ailments.
What else is there for you to listen to?
This sort of a complete
realization has not been attained by your own father who is performing penance.
You are a great treasure-house of Knowledge.
I am slightly better than
Vyaasa; you are the disciple and son of Vyaasa. But you do not even have the
least interest in enjoyments of any sort.
By that you have proved
yourself as a greater Knower than me.
You are a fulfilled mind.
You will never slip down by any perception of the world.
You are a liberated one.
Throw away this apprehension of yours.”
Listening to the words of
Janaka, the young Sage remained silent in the blissful state of the Supreme
Reality. He was bereft of sorrows, fears and anxieties. Without any more desire
in his heart, with his doubt cleared, he went to the peak of the Meru Mountain
Being freed from the taint of
the delusory world, bereft of any Vaasanaa (latent tendency), he became one
with the Supreme state of the Sacred Self like a water drop dissolving in the
ocean.
VISHVAAMITRA REQUESTS VASISHTA
After
cheering up Rama, Vishvaamitra turned towards Sage Vasishta and said-
“Lord
Vasishta! Don’t you remember that in the past both of us were imparted the
Supreme knowledge by Lord Brahmaa when we met him on the summit of Naishada Mountain
All
the others seated there supported his words.
Vasishta
agreed to what Vishvaamitra said and began his discourse!
VASISHTA’S DISCOURSE BEGINS
BRAHMAA
Brahmaa is the lotus-born who
lives in SatyaLoka. This Brahmaa is the Creator of the world and appears in the
lotus coming out of Naaraayana’s navel. This Brahmaa is the father of Sage
Vasishta.
The first story is an account
of how this Brahmaa created Vasishta and how he imparted the knowledge to his
son.
STORY OF BRAHMAA
From the Supreme principle of
Chidaakaasha – the ‘conscious space’ Vishnu appeared like a wave from the
ever-vibrating ocean.
From his heart-lotus arose the
Supreme Lord Brahmaa, the Creator.
He created all the perceived
phenomenon of the world as per his ideas.
He created all types of beings
in the Bharata-Varsha, in a corner of the Jamboo Dveepa.
{According to Puraanas, the
entire Cosmos is divided into seven concentric islands (Dveepa) separated by
the seven encircling oceans, each double the size of the preceding one. Jamboo Dveepa is one of them. It has seven
zones. Bharata Varsha is one of them (not just the present India
Brahmaa observed all the
created beings undergoing unending sufferings forced by Vaasanaas (latent tendencies). His heart
melted in compassion like the father is pained when his children suffer. He
started to ponder intensely about some means of alleviating their suffering.
The Lord then created
Tapas/Daana/Satya/Teertha (Penance/Charity/ Truth/Sacred places) so that the
created beings could use them to gain merits and thus be rid of their
sufferings.
Even then Brahmaa observed
that the beings were not completely freed from their painful states of
mortality.
He again pondered for some
time. He thought that by performing penance or any other meritorious act, men
could not attain the final state of liberation. He knew that knowledge alone
could cure their ignorance and bestow on them liberation. Other than knowledge
nothing could free the beings from their bondage. Having decided so, he created
Vasishta.
STORY OF VASISHTA
The moment a conception
appeared in the mind of Brahmaa, Vasishta stood in front of him like a wave
suddenly appearing in an ocean. He looked almost like Brahmaa except for the mortal
form he was endowed with. He held a Kamandalu (sacred water pot) in his hand
like his father; he wore a Rudraaksha (rosary) garland on his neck like his
father.
He wore a deer-skin as his
garment like his father. He too was an all-knower like his father.
Vasishta saluted his father
with reverence.
Lord Brahmaa called him
affectionately to his side; held his hand and made him get seated in the
topmost petal of the lotus he was seated on.
Brahmaa said to his son-
“Son! For a second your
mind will be covered by ignorance like the taint covering the moon and will be
restless like that of a monkey.”
{A doctor can prescribe the
medicine only by gauging at the level of the particular disease in a person who
is actually diseased. He cannot experiment on a healthy person. Likewise, Brahmaa
had to make Vasishta suffer like an ordinary man of the world and according to
his mental aptitude impart the knowledge. So he had to make Vasishta ignorant
first and then impart the suitable knowledge.}
Immediately Vasishta forgot
everything he knew including his identity as the Self. He felt that he was
limited to a form and attained a pathetic state. He was like a rich man who
lost all his wealth in a second and owned nothing.
He felt that he was suffering
in a worldly existence and no means of escaping the pains were there ever.
Sad and distressed he stood
there silently.
Brahmaa asked him-
“Son! Why are you so sad?
Whatever your trouble is, do confide in me; I will tell you how to get rid of
it.”
Then Vasishta asked him for
the cure for the disease of Samsaara.
He asked him-
“How did this Samsaara come
into being? How does it ever disappear?”
Then Brahmaa taught him in
detail the knowledge that will make one get freed of the bondage.
Vasishta now freed of his
ignorance shone like another Brahmaa by the new knowledge imparted to him.
At that time Brahmaa told him
–
“I purposely made you
ignorant for a second so that I could impart this knowledge to you. Now you are
enlightened by me. You are now purified by the fire of knowledge like an impure
gold burnt in fire. Now go to the Bhaarata Varsha situated in the Jamboo Dveepa
and remain there performing actions (rites) and instruct the proper rites to
the people. And to those filled with dispassion impart the knowledge I have
given you so that they can easily attain liberation.”
From then onwards Vasishta
remained in the Bhaarata-Varsha and gave this knowledge to any one qualified
enough to receive it.
(The term Bhaarata means
‘Attraction towards Knowledge’
Bhaa- Knowledge/Light; Rata
-one who is attracted)
RAAJA -VIDYAA
Like
Vasishta many others were created and sent to the earth like Naarada,
SanatKumaara etc. They instructed men about the rites (actions) to be performed
by a man and also the knowledge which will lead to the liberation.
At
the end of KritaYuga, as all the Sages left the earth, kings were appointed in
particular regions to maintain law and order and guide the people towards their
good. Various Smritis, Yajnas were brought into vogue for the fulfillment of
the four goals of life.
(Keep
righteousness as the foundation of all actions and thoughts; earn the needed
wealth; pursue your ambitions; attain liberation.)
As
the wheel of time rotated, as people were intent only on eating and
reproducing, the kings started to punish people who disobeyed the laws. As
kings disagreed among themselves and were dominated by the greed for land and
wealth, wars erupted everywhere for the least of the reasons. The kings also
attained a pathetic state like the ordinary populace of their country.
The
realized Sages then started instructing the secret knowledge to all the Kings
and tried to guide them in the right path. So this knowledge of the Self is
known as RaajaVidyaa (Royal Science), Raaja-Guhyam (Secret Knowledge belonging
to the kings).
The
kings attained the knowledge and became free of all sufferings.
Such
a king was Raghu. And on his lineage was born Dasharatha. And Rama was the
eldest son. So he was qualified to obtain this sacred knowledge because he was
a prince.
One
need not be born only in a Sage’s family to gain this knowledge.
THE DISCOURSE BEGINS
With
such assurances, Vasishta starts instructing Rama about the qualities to be
developed by a person after liberation.
Then
he relates the story of Aakaashaja, the Brahmin who never experienced the
results of his actions, though he performed all his allotted duties perfectly
well.
Only
when the idea of the limited ‘I’ is there, the ‘mine-ness’ can arise. Any
action colored by an ‘I’ will give the result and the agent of the action
enjoys the result of his action. But the Brahmin Aakaashaja had no ‘I’ sense.
He had no ‘mine-ness’. So he had no actions to his credit at all, though he is
actually the Creator of the entire perceived phenomenon.
ABSTRACT THINKING
The
first story of Vasishta is the beginning of the abstract thought processes.
After
recounting the story of Lord Brahmaa and how he himself was born of Brahmaa,
Vasishta starts breaking up the solid world perceived by Rama. The first thing
that gets the hammer blow of Vasishta is the concept of Lord Brahmaa as a
person with a solid body sitting and creating worlds.
Though
such a Brahmaa exists playing around with his creative ability, how did he
arise first of all from the changeless Brahman?
As
an answer to this question Vasishta relates the story of Aakaashaja.
STORY OF AAKAASHAJA
Once
there lived a Brahmin of great virtues. Nobody knew who he was or when he was
born. So he was known by the name of ‘Space-born’. He never moved out of his
house. He always spent his time in contemplation. He always wished for the good
of everyone.
Nobody
knew how long he had been living like this. Everyone wondered why he never
succumbed to death like the rest of them.
Even
the all consuming Death got worried about this. He felt it was a blemish on his
successful career that one puny Brahmin kept on living presenting a challenge
to his mighty powers. Of course Death had tried many a times to kill that
harmless Sage. He had invented many a situations where that Brahmin could have
died within seconds; but usually nothing happened; rather no ‘situations’ could
be created in the Brahmin’s lonely abode. That Sage lived alone. He had no
relatives to speak off; he seemed to have no possessions or properties. He
never made friends with anybody. He never talked; he never moved; he never ever
opened his eyes. He was always absorbed in deep meditation. Nothing could
disturb him; nobody could wake him up.
Death
wanted to report all this to his boss. But he wanted to have one last try before
accepting defeat at the hands of this strange little Brahmin. He stealthily
entered the Brahmin’s house. The house was like a picture drawn on the sky. He
could easily go through its walls. He saw in the centre the vague outlines of a
person sitting on a lotus seat. The Brahmin did not appear to have any physical
body. His entire person was aglow with light. The light emanating from that
lustrous form actually blinded Death. But undaunted he moved towards the
Brahmin.
Immediately
he was surrounded by huge flames engulfing him on all sides. Death himself
should have died; but he did not lose his courage. His desire to kill that
Brahmin was too strong. With extreme courage he tore open the fire wall and
entered further inside the house. Now he could actually see the clear image of
the Brahmin. Controlling his urge to fall at his feet in surrender, Death
produced out of his person thousands of arms and tried to catch the meditating
Sage. But his hands just passed through that figure and he could grasp nothing.
He was surprised. He was seeing that Brahmin in front of him just a step away.
But yet he could not even touch him. Death pinched himself. He knew that it was
not a dream. His powerful hand went towards the Brahmin’s neck to strangle it
and break it. But there was nothing to hold. It was like empty space. Death
tried and tried till his own limbs were completely tired out.
Death
got really anxious. He decided to consult his boss DHARMARAAJA, (King of
Righteousness) or the Divinity commonly known as Lord Yama. Lord Yama was the
controller of all the events of who should die, when etc. and was rightly named
the
‘Right
thinking Chief’.
In
the mortal world everyone went on acting without a break and DHARMARAAJA had to
keep perfect calculations about every thought and every act of everyone and
write down the judgments correctly. Nobody ever escaped his sharp scrutiny. His
heart was not filled with compassion like other divinities and he could not
afford to give way to any emotions in his work. He was perfect in his job and
perfect in his thoughts and actions. There was nothing he did not know.
He
was aptly named DHARMARAAJA; the king of Righteousness.
Death
approached him with a forlorn look and reported his anguish. He asked his
Master to teach him some tricks to catch that Brahmin.
Yama
was amused! He said that Death had not the power to catch anybody and everybody
and kill them. The actions performed by them alone should lead to such a
result. So he told Death to find out whether the Brahmin had done even a
tiniest act anytime in his life. If he had even breathed once, there was a
chance of stopping that breath and killing him. ‘Actions alone kill a man’, he
advised Death.
Death
felt relieved and tried to analyze the whole life of Brahmin and see where he
had acted even once. Whatever creations were approachable by him he searched
them for any incident or thought connected to that Brahmin. He was shocked to
find out that there was no information available anywhere about that Brahmin.
He wondered about the fact that the Brahmin never even thought about anything
and he never ever desired for anything.
Now
Death felt mentally exhausted. He returned with a forlorn face to his Boss and
reported his failure.
Lord
Yama was also surprised. He closed his eyes and meditated for a while. He
understood what was happening. He advised Death that there was not in the least
a chance of killing that Brahmin. The Brahmin never performed any action. He
had no thoughts belonging to him. He did not even have a physical body which
could be destroyed. He did not even breathe; the breathing act was observed by
others only. He had no solid body which could be destroyed. He was made of
empty space. He was like a lighted up space; he was only ‘Knowledge’ in
essence.
How
can knowledge be destroyed ever? Knowledge has no form or solidity.
The
Brahmin was an abstract entity. If at least he was an effect of some cause,
even then there was a chance of killing him. But there seemed to be no cause
for him.
‘He
was deathless’, informed DharmaRaaja and advised Death to leave him alone.
Death
had nothing to say. He had too much work on hand now. Better get on with work
than worry about one who never seemed to exist he decided and entered the
mortal world.
Immediately
the earth was alive with deaths; some volcano erupted somewhere; earth shivered
somewhere; waters jumped elsewhere; fire danced somewhere; and of course
mortals fought everywhere.
Death
felt relaxed and a smile lingered on his terrifying face. He will never go
hungry for a long time he thought and got ready to fill his ever-hungry belly.
(Aakaashaja is the quiver
of perception in the Reality; it never ends ever.)
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