EXTRACT FROM MUMUKSHU
VYAVAHAARA PRAKARANAM
VISHVAAMITRA
COMMENDS RAMA’S WISDOM
विश्वामित्र उवाच तस्य
व्यासतनुजस्य मलमात्रोपमार्जनं यथोपयुक्तं
ते राम
तावदेवोपयुज्यते ।
Vishvaamitra spoke: For Shuka the son of Vyaasa, the need
was only for the cleansing of a little dirt.
Rama, for you also the same need is there.
ज्ञेयमेतेन विज्ञ्नातमशेषेण मुनीश्वराः स्वदन्तेऽस्मै
न यद्भोगा
रोगा इव
सुमेधसे ।
ज्ञातज्ञेयस्य मनसो नूनमेतद्दिलक्षणं
न स्वदन्ते
समग्राणि भोगवृन्दानि
यत्पुनः ।
Hey Best of Sages! This Rama has understood thoroughly what
needs to be known. For this lad of intelligence, the enjoyments do not provide
any taste, as if they are diseases to be avoided.
The characteristic of the mind which has known the ‘Reality
which is to be known’ is indeed this much alone: the hosts of the enjoyments in
their entirety do not feel tasty again.
भोगभावनया याति बन्धो
दार्ढ्यमवस्तुजः तयोपशान्तया याति
बन्धो जगति
तानवम् ।
वासनातानवं राम मोक्षेत्युच्छते
बुधैर्पदार्थवासनादार्ढ्यमवस्तुजः बन्धेत्यभिधीयते
।
The bondage arising out of unreal objects becomes firm by
the desire for enjoyments; the bondage thins out by subduing them. Hey Rama!
The reduction of Vaasanaas (latent tendencies) is called liberation by the
wise; the thickening of Vaasanaas produced by the attraction towards the
objects is known as bondage.
स्वात्मतत्त्वाभिगमनं भवति प्रायशः
नृणां मुने विषयवैरस्यं कदर्थादुपजायते ।
Usually, the disinterest towards sense objects which leads
to the knowledge of the Self rises in men through difficult methods of ascetic
practices only. (Not so in the case of
Rama!)
सम्यक्पश्यति यस्तज्ञो ज्ञातज्ञेयः
स पण्डितः
न स्वदन्ते
बलादेव तस्मै
भोगा महात्मने
।
यशःप्रभृतिना यस्मै हेतुनैव
विना पुन:
भुवि भोगा
न रोचन्ते
स जीवन्मुक्तोच्यते
।
He who has the correct understanding of the true nature of
objects is alone the true man wisdom; and he is a man of learning . For such a
noble one, the enjoyments fail to attract completely. He is called a JeevanMukta,
‘liberated while living’, for whom the enjoyments have no attraction at all;
not due to any worldly reason, like the desire for fame (or as a form of
pretense asceticism).
(Pandaa-learning/Pandita
– a man of learning)
ज्ञेयं यावन्न विज्ञातं तावत्तावन्न जायते विषयेष्वरतिर्जन्तोर्मरुभूमौ लता यथा
।
As long as ‘That
which is to be known’ (the essence-less nature of the world) is not known, till
then the dislike towards sense pleasures does not arise in a person, like a
creeper cannot grow in a desert.
(You need the fertile
soil of Vichaara, for such a dispassion to develop.)
अत एव हि विज्ञातं ज्ञ्नेयं विद्धि रघूद्वहं येनेदं रञ्जयन्त्येता न रम्या भोगभूमयः।
That is why you must understand that Rama is already in the state of a
knower, for the main reason that these pleasure fields which always attract any
ordinary person do not affect his mind in the least.
रामो यदन्तर्जानाति तद्वस्त्वित्येव
सन्मुखादाकर्ण्य चित्तविश्रान्तिमाप्नोत्येव
मुनीश्वराः ।
केवलं केवलीभावविश्रान्तिं समपेक्षते रामबुद्धिर्शरल्लक्ष्मीःखलु
विश्रमणं यथा
।
Hey Muneeshvaraas! Whatever Rama already understands by
himself about the existence of the Supreme reality will be ascertained well by
hearing the same as the truth from the mouth of Vasishta himself; and his mind
will then indeed be put to rest.
Just the tranquil state of ‘that which alone remains’ is
needed by Rama’s intellect like the autumn season is waiting for the clouds to
dissolve so that its taintless beauty can shine forth.
(Autumn season has to be cloudless for sure! Rama’s mind is
also similarly very pure.)
अत्रास्य चित्तविश्रान्त्यै राघवस्य महात्मनः युक्तिं कथयतु
श्रीमान्वसिष्टो
भगवानयम् ।
रघूणामेष सर्वेषां प्रभु:
कुलगुरुः सदा
सर्वज्ञ: सर्वसाक्षी
च त्रिकालामलदर्शनः
।
Let this revered sage Bhagavaan Vasishta explain the method
of attaining the mental tranquility for
this Rama who is indeed is excellent in wisdom. This Vasishta has always been the lord of all Knowers, and the
renowned family priest of Raghu dynasty. He is an all knower; he is the witness
of everything (as Brahman-state itself) and a seer who can see the events of
all the three modes of time fully well.
वसिष्ट भगववन्पूर्वं कच्चित्स्मरसि
यत्स्वयमावयोर्वैरशान्त्यर्थं श्रेयसे च महाधियां
निषधाद्रेर्मुनीनां च सानौ सरलसम्कुले उपदिष्टं भगवता ज्ञानं पद्मभुवा बहु
येन युक्तिमता ब्रह्मन्ज्ञानेनेयं हि वासना सांसारी नूनमायति शमं श्यामेव भास्वता
तदेव युक्तिमज्ज्ञेयं रामायान्तेवासिने ब्रह्मनुपदिशाशु त्वं येन विश्रान्तिमेष्यति ।
Bhagavan Vasishta! Do you remember anything of the abundant
instructions given to both of us for removing the enmity between us (to settle
an argument about Reality that ensued between us), and for the good of the wise
men (other Rishis and gods who were there in the assembly), by Lord Brahma the
Lotus-born, on the summit land of the Nishadhaa Mountain filled with Sarala
Trees?
By that wonderful knowledge Hey Brahman, the Vaasanaa connected to the Samsaara
will definitely disappear like the dark night by the arrival of the Sun. That very
instruction on knowledge which no one else is aware of, you please teach Rama
your disciple so that he will attain the Supreme restful state.
DISPASSION IS THE MARK OF A GOOD DISCIPLE
कदर्थना च नैवेषा रामो हि गतकल्मषः निर्मले मुकुरे वक्त्रमयत्नेनैव
बिम्बति ।
तज्ज्ञानं च स शास्त्रार्थस्तद्वैदग्ध्यमनिन्दितं सच्छिष्याय
विरक्ताय यत्किंचिदुपदिश्यते
।
अशिष्यायाविरक्ताय यत्किन्चिदुपदिश्यते तत्प्रयात्यपवित्रत्वं गोक्षीरं
श्वदृताविव ।
वीतरागभयक्रोधा निर्माना गलितैनसः वदन्ति त्वादृशा यत्र तत्र विश्राम्यतीह धीः ।
It will not be a wasteful venture because Rama is free of
all faults of the mind. The face will get reflected in the taintless mirror
easily without much effort. (His mind also is pure enough to absorb knowledge.)
That alone is considered as true Knowledge, the essence of
scriptures and unbroken intelligence, which is taught to a disciple who has
dispassion. Whatever is taught to an unworthy disciple who has no dispassion becomes
unholy like the cow’s milk poured into a bag made of dog’s skin.
When people like you, who are free of likes and dislikes and fear, who
do not have any type of arrogance or vanity, who have never committed any
sinful acts, give instructions, then any intellect will easily rest in the
Supreme state.
इत्युक्ते गाधिपुत्रेण व्यासनारदपूर्वकाः
मुनयस्ते तमेवार्थं
साधुसाध्वित्यपूजयन् ।
When Vishvaamitra the son of Gaadhi spoke like this, all the
Sages along with Vyaasa and Naarada approved of the same with repeated
exclamation of ‘Saadhu Saadhu’ (well-said well-said).
अथोवाच महातेजा राज्ञः
पार्श्वे व्यवस्थित:
ब्रह्मेव ब्रह्मणःपुत्रो
वसिष्टो भगवान्मुनिः
।
मुने यदादिशसि मे
तदविघ्नं करोम्यहं
को समर्थ: समर्थोsपि सतां लङ्गयितुं वचः ।
अहं हि राजपुत्राणां रामादीनां मनस्तमः ज्ञानेनापनयाम्याशु दीपेनेव निशातमः ।
स्मराम्यखण्डितं सर्वं संसारभ्रमशान्तये
निषधाद्रौ पुरा प्रोक्तं यज्ज्ञानं पद्मजन्मना ।
Then the Great Sage Vasishta of great luster, the son of
Lord Brahmaa who was seated next to the king spoke as if he was Brahmaa himself
who was manifest there.
“Hey Muni! Whatever you intend me to do, I will do the same
without any objection.
Which capable man can dare to disobey the words of great
people?
I will remove the darkness enveloping the minds of Rama and other
princes through knowledge, like lighting a lamp to remove the darkness of the
night.
I fully remember everything of that Knowledge without
anything missing! It was taught by the lotus-born Brahmaa long time ago on the
hill of Nishaada for removing the delusion of Samsaara.
VASISHTA’S DISCOURSE BEGINS
वाल्मीकिरुवाच इति निगदितवानसौ महात्मा
परिकरबन्धगृहीतवक्तृतेजाः
अकथयदिदमज्ञतोपशान्त्यै परमपदैकविबोधनम्वसिष्टः॥
Vaalmiki spoke: Having spoken like this, the Great Sage
Vasishta explained that Knowledge which was the only means to attain the
Supreme state of Brahman, for the cessation of ignorance. His face shone with
divine luster by accepting the lustrous words addressed to him binding him to
this task.
श्री वसिष्टोवाच पूर्वमुक्तं भगवता
यज्ज्ञानं पद्मजन्मना सर्गादौ लोकशान्त्यर्थं तदिदं कथयाम्यहम् ।
Vasishta spoke: I will now relate for the good of the world, the
knowledge given to me in the past by Lord Brahmaa at the beginning of the
creation process.
RAMA’S DOUBT
श्री
रामोवाच कथयिष्यसि विस्तीर्णां भगवन्मोक्षसंहितामिमं तावत्क्षणंजातं संशयं मे निवारय ।
पिता शुकस्य सर्वज्ञो गुरुर्व्यासो महामतिर्विदेहमुक्तो न कथं कथं मुक्तः सुतोsस्य सः ।
Rama spoke: Bhagavan, if you are going to explain in detail the great
knowledge leading towards liberation, then please first clear this doubt of
mine which I now have.
Vyaasa the father of Shuka was a great teacher
of the world; was an all-knower; was highly learned.
He did not attain the bodiless liberation
(Videha Mukti); but his son did! How is that so?
श्री
वसिष्टोवाच परमार्कप्रकाशान्तस्त्रिजगत्त्रसरेणवः उत्पत्योत्पत्य लीना ये
न संख्यामुपयान्ति ते । वर्तमानाश्च या सन्ति त्रैलोक्यगणकोटयः शक्यन्ते ताश्च संख्यातुं
नैव काश्चन केनचित् ।
भविष्यन्ति पराम्भोधौ जगत्सर्गतरङ्गकाः तांश्च वै परिसंख्यातुं सा कथैव न विद्यते ।
Vasishta spoke: The countless dust particles of the tri-worlds
floating in the light of the Supreme Brahman have risen again and again and
vanished away; their number is beyond counting.
Billions and trillions of hosts of
tri-worlds exist at present; they are also beyond counting by anyone anytime.
The waves of created worlds will exist later also in the ocean of Supreme Brahman
श्री
रामोवाच या
भूता या भविष्यन्त्यो जगत्सर्गपरंपराः तासां विचारणा युक्ता वर्तमानास्तु का इव । Rama spoke: The succession of worlds which had been there or
will be there are as you say; but the present is limited as in-between them.
श्री वसिष्टोवाच तिर्यक्पुरुषदेवादेर्यो नाम स विनश्यत्यस्मिन्नेव प्रदेशेsसौ तदैवेदं प्रपश्यति ।
(Worlds are not solid worlds existing in space. As
and when any one dies, a new world gets created within his mind.)
Vasishta spoke: Whoever dies, whether he is a creature at the lower rung of the species
or a man of the earth or a god of heavens, he sees his world around him in that
very place where he died.
(Gods also die if they have no Self-knowledge.)
आतिवाहिकनाम्नान्त: स्वहृद्येव जगत्त्रयं व्योम्नि चित्तशरीरेण व्योमात्मानुभवत्यजः
।
Each Jeeva is in
essence the unborn Self and is made of emptiness alone (and not of five
elements).
He has a body made of Chitta
(mind-content) which is known as the AatiVaahika body (carried mind content). He sees the three worlds
in his own heart in the empty expanse of nothingness.
एवं मृता म्रियन्ते च मरिष्यन्ति च कोटयः भूतानां यां जगन्त्याशामुदितानि
पृथक्पृथक् ।
In this manner, crores of
beings have died, are dying and will die; and for them the worlds rise up
separately for each one. (Can you count
them all?)
WHAT IS A WORLD SEEN BY
ANYONE?
संकल्पनिर्माणमिव मनोराज्यविलासवदिन्द्रजालामालेव कथार्थप्रतिभासवद्दुर्वातभूकंपेव त्रस्तबालपिशाचवत्मुक्तालीवामले व्योम्नि नौस्पन्दतरुयानवत्स्वप्नसंवित्तिपुरवत्
स्मृतिजातखपुष्पवत्जगत्संसरणं स्वान्तर्मृतोsनुभवति स्वयम् ।
Like a city conceived
by ideas; like a scene imagined in the kingdom of the mind; like a series of
magical performances; like a narration in a story; like the illusion of an
earthquake felt when afflicted by the gas in the body; like a harassing ghost
imagined by a child; like a garland of pearls seen in the empty sky; like the
movement of trees on land when travelling by boat; like a city seen in a dream;
like a flower seen in the sky, the dead person experiences the moving pattern
of the world within his own mind.
तत्रातिपरिणामेन तदेवं घनतां गतमिहलोकोऽयमित्येव जीवाकाशे विजृम्भते ।
By constant rumination,
that alone becomes dense and shines as this world in the Jeeva-space.
पुनस्तत्रैव जन्मेहामरणाद्यनुभूतिमान्परं लोकं कल्पयति मृतस्तत्र
तथा पुनः ।
तदन्तरन्ये पुरुषास्तेषामन्तस्तथा परे संसार इति भान्तीमे कदलीदलपीठवत् ।
न पृथ्व्यादि महाभूतगणा न च जगत्क्रमाः मृतानां सन्ति तत्रापि तथाप्येषां
जगद्भ्रमाः ।
Having experienced the
birth, desire fulfillments and death, he dies; and again conceives another
world after death there itself. Inside that world other people exist who again see
the world as their own conception; in those worlds again more people and
animals exist conceiving their own worlds; so it shines like the many layered
plantain trunk.
There are no elements
like earth water etc; there are no methodical creations and destructions of the
worlds for the dead ones; the worlds are just delusory perceptions of worlds
with similar activities and life experiences.
अविद्यैव ह्यनन्तेयं नानाप्रसरशालिनी जडानां सरिदादीर्घा तरत्सर्गतरङ्गिणी ।
All that is perceived is because of Avidyaa
(absence of true knowledge) which has no end; which is a very long river with
the waves of created worlds rising and vanishing continuously; it branches over
through many streams. It is endless expansive stretch of waters and the fools
can never cross it ever.
JEEVAS
परमार्थाम्बुधौ स्फारे राम सर्गतरङ्गकाः भूयोभूयोsनुवर्तन्ते त एवान्ये च भूरिशः ।
Rama, the waves of
worlds repeatedly rise and fall in the expansive ocean of the Supreme; more
follow in abundance with the same Jeevas also again and again.
सर्वतः सदृशाः केचित्कुलक्रममनोगुणैर्केचिदर्धेन सदृशाः केचिच्चातिविलक्षणाः ।
Sometimes the Jeevas
rise as the same identities with the same family, same culture, same mental
processes; some are only half-identical; some are completely different.
इमं व्यासमुनिं तत्र द्वात्रिंशं संस्मराम्यहं यथासंभवविज्ञानदृशा संदृश्यमानया । द्वादशाल्पधियस्तत्र कुलाकारेहितैः समाः दश सर्वे समाकाराः शिष्टाः
कुलविलक्षणाः ।
I remember this Sage
Vyaasa as the thirty second in line, with the natural state of the vision of
understanding, and his works composed in the same manner. When scrutinizing the wisdom level of all
his lives, twelve are of low intelligence, though equal in family and form etc; ten are of the same level,
learned and of different families.
{Brahmavid-Varaha/Brahmavid-Vareeyaan/Brahmanvid-Varishtaha
-
good/ better/ best of
Knowers of Brahman; low intelligence is the fourth and the lowest}
अद्याप्यन्ये भविष्यन्ति व्यासवाल्मीकयस्तथा भृग्वङ्गिरःपुलस्त्याश्च तथैवाप्यन्यथैव च ।
Even now other Vyaasas and Vaalmikis will arise again; so will Bhrghu,
Angirasa and Pulastya; in the same manner and as other types too (of different
families, different levels of understanding etc).
नराः सुरर्षिदेवानां गणाः संभूय भूरिशः उत्पद्यन्ते विलीयन्ते कदाचिच्च पृथक्पृथक् ।
All the humans, all the groups of divine Sages
and gods will appear abundant times and disappear; may be at the same time; may
be at separate times.
ब्राह्मी द्वासप्ततिस्त्रेता आसीदस्ति भविष्यति स एवान्याश्च लोकाश्च त्वं चाहं
चेति वेद्म्यहम् ।
In this creation of Brahmaa so far seventy two Tretaa Yugas have
occurred; more are there now; will be more in the future too; he too will occur
many more times; his worlds too; you and me too; I do know this.
क्रमेणास्य मुनेरित्थं व्यासस्याद्भुतकर्मणः सम्लक्ष्यतेsवतारोsयं दशमो दीर्घदर्शिनः ।
If you sort out the
occurrences of Vyaasa of amazing works who is the far seeing one, this appears
to be his tenth incarnation.
अभूम व्यासवाल्मीकियुक्ता वयमनेकशः अभूम वयमेवेमे बहुशश्च पृथक्पृथक्
अभूम वयमेवेमे
सदृशा इतरे विदः अभूम वयमेवेमे नानाकाराः समाशयाः ।
All of us including
Vyaasas and Vaalmikis occurred many a times. We alone occurred differently also
many more times. We alone occurred in a similar manner and differently as other
Knowers too. We alone occurred with same ideas but in different forms.
भाव्यमद्याप्यनेनेह ननु वाराष्टकं पुनः भूयोऽपि भारतं नाम सेतिहासं करिष्यति । कृत्वा वेदविभागं च नीत्वानेन कुलप्रथां ब्रह्मत्वं च तथा कृत्वा
भाव्यं वैदेहमोक्षणम् ।
This Vyaasa will
again redo the eightfold scripture; again he will write the history of
Bhaarata; again he will sort out the Vedas; again will make his family name
glow; then later he will perform the duties of Brahmaa and then in the last
attain the liberation without body.
वीतशोकभयः शान्तनिर्वाणो गतकल्पनः जीवन्मुक्तो जितमना व्यासोsयमिति वर्णितः ।
This present Vyaasa
is described as free of grief and fear; resting in the quiescent state of the
Supreme; with all his conceptions annihilated; liberated while living; his mind
fully under control.
वित्तबन्धुवयःकर्मविद्याविज्ञानचेष्टितैः समानि सन्ति भूतानि कदाचिन्नतु
तानि तु क्वचित्सर्गशतैस्तानि भवन्ति न भवन्ति वा ।
The beings which
occur might be similar in lives by wealth, relations, age, duties, learning and
understanding; or sometimes not similar too. Sometime they just occur for once;
sometimes even in hundreds of creations they may occur or not occur too.
कदाचिदपि मायेयमित्थंमन्तविवर्जिता गच्छतीयं विपर्यासं भूरिभूतपरंपरा बीजराशिरिवाजस्रं पूर्यमाणःपुनःपुनः।
This delusory Maayaa
is endless in this manner; and like the heap of seeds which perpetually keep on
increasing, these hosts of beings keep on changing endlessly.
तेनैव संनिवेशेन तथान्येन पुनःपुनः सर्गाकाराः प्रवर्तन्ते तरङ्गाः
कालवारिधेः ।
With the same
contexts or different ones the creations occur again and again in the ocean of Kaala
आश्वास्तान्तःकरणः शान्तविकल्पः स्वरूपसारमयः परमशमामृततृप्तस्तिष्टति विद्वान्निरावरणः ॥
Only a Knower of
Brahman remains without any veiling; his mind is in complete rest.
He exists with
subdued conceptions; established in his inner essence alone; fully satisfied in
the nectar of the Supreme Bliss.
सौम्याम्बुत्वे तरङ्गत्वे सलिलस्याम्बुता यथा समैवाब्धौ तथाsदेहसदेहमुनिमुक्तता ।
Hey Saumya (of calm
disposition)! The water is the same whether it remains as water or rises as
waves; ‘Sadeha (with form) and Videha (without form) liberations’ likewise are
of the same nature for the realized Sages.
सदेहा वास्त्वदेहा वा मुक्तता विषये न चानास्वादितभोगस्य कुतो भोज्यानुभूतयः
।
Whether endowed with
(the idea of) a body or without a body, the liberation is not concerned with
enjoying anything externally. When there is nothing to enjoy as a pleasure as outside, where is the
experience of enjoying something else as another thing?
जीवन्मुक्तं मुनिश्रेष्टं केवलं हि पदार्थवत्पश्यामः पुरतो नास्य पुनर्विघ्नोsन्तराशयम् ।
We are seeing Sage
Vyaasa who lives as a liberated man as our ‘object of perception’ seated in
front of us; but he is not disturbed in his mind by the perception of the body.
(He is bodiless only).
(We see a body as him; he does not.)
सदेहादेहमुक्तानां भेदः को बोधरूपिणां
यदेवाम्बुतरङ्गत्वे सौम्यत्वेsपि तदेव तत् ।
Where is the difference
of body-ness or bodylessness felt by the enlightened ones? The same water is
there whether it rises as a wave or stays subdued.
सदेहा वा विदेहा वा मुक्तता न प्रमास्पदमस्माकमपि तस्यास्ति स्वैकतास्त्यविभागिनी ।
With body or without
body the liberation is not going to be affected in any way.
The undifferentiated
Self-state alone is there for him (Vyaasa) and us too (myself, Vishvaamitra and
Others like us).
