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
31. I know, my lord, that all that I see by the light of my eyes,
or perceive by my senses, or conceive in my mind, to be nothing in
reality; I therefore see something within myself, which is beyond the
perception of the sensible organs, and the conception of the mind;
and this bright vision of the spirit, hath made me appear so very
brightsome to thy sight.
CHAPTER LXXX.
DISPLAY OF THE QUINTUPLE ELEMENTS.
Argument:--Description of the five siddhis or modes of consummation.
Vasishtha related:--Hearing these words of the beauteous lady, her
husband had not the wit to dive into the meaning of what she said, or
to understand what she meant by her reliance in the soul, but jestingly
told to her.
2. Sikhidhwaja said:--How incongruous is thy speech, and how unbecoming
it is to thy age, that being but a girl you speak of great things, go
on indulging your regal pleasures and sports as you do in your royal
state.
3. Leaving all things you live in the meditation of a nothing (_i.e._
leaving all formal worship, you adore a formless Deity); and if you
have all what is real to sense, how is it possible for you to be so
graceful with an unreal nothing? (Nothing is nothing, and can effect
nothing).
4. Whoso abandons the enjoyments of life, by saying he can do without
them; is like an angry man refraining from his food and rest for a
while, and then weakens himself in his hunger and restlessness, and can
never retain the gracefulness of his person.
5. He who abstains from pleasures and enjoyments, and subsists upon
empty air, is as a ghost devoid of a material form and figure, and
lives a bodiless shadow in the sky.
6. He that abandons his food and raiment, his bedstead and sleep, and
all things besides; and remains devoutly reclined in one soul only,
cannot possibly preserve the calmness of his person. (The yogis are
emaciated in their bodies, and never look so fresh and plump as the
princess).
7. That I am not the body nor bodiless, that I am nothing yet
everything; are words so contradictory, that they bespeak no sane
understanding.
8. Again the saying, that I do not see what I see, but see something
that is quite unseen; is so very inconsistent in itself, that it
indicates no sanity of the mind.
9. From these I find thee an ignorant and unsteady lass still, and my
frolicsome playmate as before; it is by way of jest that I speak so to
you, as you jestingly said these things to me.
10. The prince finished his speech with a loud laughter, and finding it
was the noon time of going to bath, he rose up and left the apartment
of his lady.
11. At this the princess thought with regret in herself and said, O
fie! that the prince has quite misunderstood my meaning, and has not
understood what I meant to say by my rest in the spirit, she then
turned to her usual duties of the day.
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