The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
59. There are a hundred and some hundreds of Rudras, who are known
as very great beings in the world; among whom there are eleven only
(Ekádasa Rudras), that are situated in so many worlds (Ekádasa
Bhubanas). (The Vedas have thousands and thousands of Rudras in their
hymns as to them, as, [Sanskrit: sahashrena sahashrasah ye rudrá
adhibhúmyá]).
60. All living beings that are not awakened to reason, are ignorant of
the identity of one another; and view them in different and not in the
same light; they are not farsighted to see any other world. That which
is the most proximate to them.
61. Wise men see the minds of others and all things to rise in their
minds, like the wave rising in the sea; but unenlightened minds remain
dormant in themselves, like the inert stones and blocks. (Another
explanation of it is, that all wise men are of the same mind as Birbal
said to Akbar:--Sao Siyane ekmatá).
62. As the waves mix with themselves, by the fluidity of their waters;
so the minds of wise unite with one another, by the solubility of
their understandings, like elastic fluids and liquids. (So says
Mrityunjaya:--the oily or serous understanding ([Sanskrit: tailavat
vunvih]) readily penetrates into the minds of others).
63. Now in all these multitudes of living beings, that are presented
to our sight in this world; We find the one invariable element of the
intellect to be diffused in all of them, and making unreal appear as
real ones to view.
64. This real but invisible entity of the Divine intellect remains
for ever, after all the unreal but visible appearances disappear into
nothing; as there remains an empty space or hollow vacuity, after the
removal of a thing from its place, and the excavation of the ground by
digging it. (This empty vacuum with the _chit_ or Intellect in it, is
the universal God of the vacuist Vasishtha).
65. As you can well conceive the idea of existence, of the quintuple
elemental principles in nature; so you can comprehend also the notion
of the Omnipresence of the Divine intellect, which is the substratum of
the elemental principles.
66. As you see various statues and images, carved in stone and woods,
and set in the hollows of rocks and trees; so should you see all these
figures in the hollow space of the universe, to be situated in the
self-same intellect of the Omnipresent Deity.
67. The knowledge of the known and the visible world, in the pure
intellect of the unknown and invisible deity, resembles the view of the
variegated skies, with their uncaused and insensible figures, in the
causeless substratum of ever lasting and all pervading vacuity.
68. The knowledge of the phenomenal is the bondage of the soul, and the
ignoring of this conduces to its liberation; do therefore as you like,
either towards this or that (_i.e._ for your liberation and bondage).
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