The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 1 (of 4)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 1 (of 4)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
5. Know Ráma that it is the curtailing of desires which the wise call
liberty, and the fastening of our desires to earthly objects, is what
is termed our confinement here.
6. Spiritual knowledge is easily obtainable by most men here, but a
distaste to (pleasurable) objects is hard to be had (however painful it
is to procure them).
7. He who fully comprehends a thing, is said to know it, and who so
knows what is knowable, is called a learned man; no earthly enjoyments
can be delectable to such high minded men.
8. The mind that has no zest for earthly pleasures, except the glory of
disinterested deeds, is said to be liberated even in the present life.
9. As there grows no vegetable in a sterile soil, so there grows no
disinclination to worldliness, until one comes to know the knowable
reality (_i.e._ to say: neither the godly can be worldly, nor the
worldly be godly).
10. Hence know this supporter of Raghu’s race to have verily known the
knowable, which has made him disgusted with his princely enjoyments.
11. I tell you great sages that, whatever Ráma has come to know by his
intuition, requires to be confirmed by Vasishtha for the tranquility of
his mind.
12. It is only a reliance in the Unity, that Ráma now requires for his
repose, just as the beauty of autumn depends on the clearness of the
firmament.
13. Let the venerable Vasishtha then reason with the high minded Ráma,
and restore the peace of his mind.
14. For he is the master and family preceptor of the whole race of
the Raghus; besides he is all knowing and all seeing; and has a clear
insight (into all things) of the three times (present, past and future).
15. Then addressing himself to Vasishtha he said:—you _well remember
sir_, the instruction given us of old, for pacifying our mutual enmity,
and promoting the welfare of the high minded sages.
16. When our lord the lotus-born Brahmá, seated on the table land of
Nishadha mountain, and shaded by the Sarala trees, delivered his wise
lectures to us and the sages.
17. It is by means of that knowledge of liberation that our worldly
desires are dispelled like the darkness of night by sun-beams.
18. Please now, O Bráhman, to communicate that rational knowledge of
the knowable to your pupil Ráma, whereby he may gain the peace of his
mind.
19. It will be no difficult task for you to teach the spotless Ráma,
whose mirror-like mind is quite clear to take the reflection.
20. The wisdom of the holy, their learning of the Sástras, and the
scholarship of the learned, are then only praiseworthy, when they are
communicated to a good student, and those who are disgusted with the
world.
21. But instruction given to one who is no student nor disgusted with
the world, becomes as polluted as milk put in a hide vessel.
22. Again the instruction imparted by one devoid of passions and
affections, fear and anger, pride and sin, serves to infuse tranquility
into the mind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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