The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 4 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 4 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
19. The Lord being the universal soul, is the soul or essence of all
things; and shines like the lustre of the vacuous Intellect; outwardly
he is quite calm, as I may say he is reposing in our remembrance.
20. So the remembrance of the Lord, is as he is seen in the light of
nature; hence the habitual meditation of the lord, corresponds with the
contemplation of external nature. (Because apart from nature we have no
idea of God, unless we think as the Lord of nature. This is called the
natural religion, or the worship of God in nature, the ancient vedic
religion).
21. Whatever is known to us is nature, and the same is the object of
our meditation. Hence the appearance of any thing (in the mind), is
called to be its remembrance.
22. And as anything which is absent or inexistent, appears visible (by
error) before our sight, like the false appearance of water in the
mirage: such is the case with our misleading memory also (which is
hence called a treacherous memory).
23. Again any prejudice which is rooted in the minds of men, and
appears as right by long habit of thinking it as such; this also passes
for memory also (though it is a wrong impression in the mind).
24. Any sudden accident or passing event, that strikes the mind for a
moment; pass also under the name of memory; though it may or may not
happen any more.
25. Any idea that rises of itself in the mind, becomes so impressed in
it, by its being fostered for any length of time; that any other thing
bearing resemblance thereto, passes for an object of our memory.
26. Any thing whether obtained or not by any means, passes also for an
object of memory; as the ventilation of wind by means of a fan. (It
means a negative idea is ever accompanied with its affirmative one in
thought and memory).
27. Again whatever occurs in the mind, by parts of the whole subject,
is also called its memory (how imperfect so ever it may be); just as
any part of the body is called the body also.
28. There are also many chimeras, rising of themselves before the mind,
like magic shows appearing before our sight; and if the remembrance of
these be called memory, then say what truth or reliance is there in it.
29. Consider then how very imperfect and erroneous, this faculty of
memory is to man; and as there is no visible creation at all, its
memory therefore is altogether meaningless.
30. Hence then the world being but a display, of the density or volume
of the Divine Intellect; it is reflected at present as a visible object
in the minds of the ignorant, who have given them the name of memory,
which in reality is nothing at all.
31. I cannot tell you about the means of liberation, nor do I know
wherein it consists; yet however to clear the doubt of the inquirer, I
will relate something about it at present.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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