The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
13. Here the white bones of his body, seemed to be sleeping unmoved on
the naked shore; and lying in quiet rest on the bed of greyish ashes,
appearing as the powder of camphor strewn on the ground.
14. These ashes and bones were borne aloft by the winds, and were
heaped at last on his body; which looked like the person of Siva
besmeared with ashes, and wearing the string of bones about it.
15. Afterwards the high winds of the air, flying to the face of the
upper sky, bore aloft and scattered about those ashes and bones,
resembling an autumnal mist all about the air.
16. The saint attained to this state, in the second or middle stage of
his _pranava_ Yoga; and it was by his _kumbhaka_ breathing, and not by
_hatha yoga_ (which is difficult to practise), that he effected it.
17. He then came to the third stage, of his _pranava yoga_, by means of
the _púraka_ or inhaling breathing, which confers a quiet rest to the
Yogi, and is called _púraka_ for its fulfilment of his object.
18. In the process of this practice, the vital breath is carried
through the intellect to the region of vacuum; where it is cooled by
the coldness of its climate.
19. From the region of vacuum, the breathing ascended to that of the
lunar sphere; and there it became as cold as when the rising smoke,
turns to the watery cloud in the upper sky.
20. Then the breath rested in the orb of the full moon, as in the ocean
of ambrosial waters, and there became as cool, as in the meritorious
samádhi meditation.
21. The respiring breaths were then exhaled as cooling showers of rain;
and were brightened by the moon-beams to the form of fine wires of gold.
22. The same fell as a dew drop on the remaining ashes, as the stream
of the heavenly Gangá fell on the crest of Siva; and this resuscitated
the burnt body to its former form.
23. It then became as bright as the orb of the moon, and the body was
bedecked with the four arms of Vishnu. It glistened like the párijáta
tree on the sea shore, after it was churned out by the Mandara mountain.
24. The body of Uddálaka, stood confest as that of Náráyana to view;
and his bright eyes and lotus-like face, shone with a celestial light.
25. The vital breaths filled his body with a humid juice, as when
the lake is filled with sweet water, and the trees are supplied with
moisture by the breath of spring.
26. The internal airs filled the lungs, and the cavity of the heart; as
when the waters of the sea, run towards and roll into the whirlpool.
27. His body was afterwards restored to and regained its natural state;
as when the earth regains its prior and purer state, after it is washed
by the waters of rain.
28. He then sat in his posture of _padmásana_, and kept his body fixed
and firm in its straight and erect position. The five organs of his
sense, were bound as fast, as the feet of an elephant with strong
chains.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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