The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 2 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 2 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
39. Now Ráma, that hast a bodiless soul of the form of pure intellect,
thou canst have no cause to fall into the error, of being sorry for or
afraid of the vanities of the world.
40. How can the unembodied soul be affected by the passions and feelings
of the body? It is the ignorant and unintelligent only, that are subject
to vain suspicions about unrealities.
41. The indestructible intellect of the unintelligent even, is not
destroyed by the destruction of their bodies, how then should the
intelligent be afraid of their dissolution?
42. The intellect is irresistible in its course, and roves about the
solar path (ecliptic); it is the intellectual part that makes the man,
and not the outward body. (Puri sete purushah; it is the inner soul that
is called man).
43. The soul called the _purusha_ or inner person, whether it abideth in
the body or not, and whether it is intelligent or otherwise (rational or
irrational), never dies upon the death of the body.
44. Whatever miseries you meet with, Ráma! in this transient world, all
appertain to the body, and not to the intangible soul or intellect.
45. The intellectual soul being removed from the region of the mind
(which is but an inward sense, and of the nature of vacuity, and not the
grains of the brain composing the mind), is not to be approached by the
pleasures and pains affecting the body and mind.
46. The soul that has curbed its earthly desires, flies to its seat in
the spirit of Brahma, after the dissolution of its prison house of the
body; in the same manner as the bee lying hid under the coverlet of the
lotus petals in the darkness of the night, takes to its heavenward
flight by the dawning light of the day.
47. If life is known to be frail, and the living state to be a transient
scene, then say, O Ráma! what it is that is lost by loss of this
prison-house of the body, and what is it that you mourn for?
48. Think therefore, O Ráma! on the nature of truth; and mind not about
the errors of ignorance. Be freed from your earthly desires, and know
the sinless soul to be void of all desires.
49. The intellectual soul being tranquil and transparent, and a mere
witness of our doings, without any doing or desire of its own, receives
the reflexion of the undesirous God, as a mirror reflects the images of
things.
50. The soul being, as said before, a translucent particle, reflects the
images of all worlds in itself; as a polished gem reflects the rays of
light in its bosom.
51. The relation of the indifferent soul with the world, is like that of
the mirror and its reflexions; the difference and identity of the soul
and the world, are of the same kind.
52. As the activities of living beings, have a free play with the rising
sun; so the duties of the world, are fully discharged by the rising of
the intellect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account