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
[A] By a figure of speech light and knowledge are synonymous terms, and
so are their sources the sun and soul interchangeable to one another.
And as the Divine spirit is the creator of all things, so is the sun
producer and grower of everything in the visible world. Hence has risen
the mistake of taking the sun--the savitar or producer for the Divine
soul the creator among the sun worshippers, who believe the sun to be
the soul of the universe. (Súrya atmájagatah in the sruti). Hence has
grown the popular error of address in the Gáyatrí hymn to the sun,
which was used as an invocation of the supreme soul, and is still
understood as such by theists.
CHAPTER LXXII.
ANSWERS TO THE REMAINING QUESTIONS.
Argument:--The Rájah's replies to the five remaining questions of the
Demon.
The Rájah replied:--The essences of time, vacuum and of force, are all
of intellectual origin; it is the pure intellect which is the source
of all, as the air is the receptacle of odours and dusts. (The mind
contains all things).
2. The supreme soul is as the universal air, which breathes out the
particles contained in the intellect; as the etherial air bears the
fragrance from the cells of flowers. (The soul is called _átmá_
corresponding with the Greek _atmos_ air, in which sense it is the same
with the spirit). (This is the answer to the second question).
3. The great Brahma of the conscious soul, passing through the dreaming
world (it being but a dream only passes from one scene to another
without changing its form). (The soul is conscious of the operations of
the mind, but never changes with the mental phenomena).
4. As the stem (stambha) of plantain tree, is a folding of its
pellicles plaited over one another, and having its pith hidden in the
inside; so everything in the world presents its exterior coats to the
view, while its substance of Brahma is deeply hid in the interior.
5. The words ens, soul and Brahma by which God is designated, are not
significant of his nature, who is devoid of all designations like the
empty void, and indescribable (avyapadesa) in any word in use. (So the
sruti: na tatra vak gachchhate, to Him no words can approach; _i.e._ no
words can express Him).
6. Whatever essence is perceived by one as the product of another, is
like the upper fold or plait of the plantain tree, produced by the
inner one; and all such coating are but developments of the Divine
Intellect lying at the bottom. (As the essence of the cloth is the
thread, which is the product of cotton produced by the pod of the
cotton plant, which is produced from the seed grown by the moisture of
the water &c., the last of which has the Divine essence for its prime
cause and source.)
7. The supreme soul is said to be a minute atom, on account of the
subtility and imperceptibility of its nature; and it is said also to be
the base of mountains and all other bodies, owing to the unboundedness
of its extent. (This is in answer to the fifth question).
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