The Yoga-Vasishtha-Maharamayana of Valmiki · 396 of 665

Book VI: Nirvana Prakarana (Extinction) — Purvardha: 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).

8. The endless being though likened to a minute atom, is yet as large as to contain all these worlds as its minutest particles; which are as evident to us as the very many aerial scenes appearing in our minds in the state of dreaming. (The small grain of the soul contains the universe, as the particle of the mind contains the worlds in it).

9. This being is likened to an atom owing to its imperceptibleness, and is also represented as a mountain on account of its filling all space; though it is the figure of all formal existence, yet it is without any form or figure of its own. (The Sruti says: "neti-neti, He is neither this nor that").

10. The three worlds are as the fatty bulb of that pithy intelligence; for know thou righteous soul! that it is that Intelligence which dwells in and acts in all the worlds. (The Sruti says: the vacuity of the heart is the seat of intelligence, which is the pith of the mássa or muscular body, and the vacuous air is the seat of the soul, whose body is the triple world).

11. All these worlds are fraught with design of Intelligence, which is quiet in its nature, and exhibits endless kinds of beautiful forms of its own, know, O young vetála, that irresistible power, reflect this in thyself and keep thy quiet.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

END OF THE STORY OF THE VETÁLA DEMON.

Arguments:--After part of Vetála's tale and Preamble to the tale of Bhagíratha.

Vasishtha resumed:--After hearing these words from the mouth of the prince, the vetála held his peace and quiet, and remained reflecting on them in his mind, which was capable of reasoning.

2. Being then quite calm in his mind, he reflected on the pure doctrines of the prince; and being quite absorbed in his fixed meditation, he forgot at once his hunger and thirst.

3. I have thus related to you, Ráma, about the questions of the vetála, and the manner in which these worlds are situated in the atom of the intellect and no where else.

4. The world residing in the cell of the atomic intellect, ceases to subsist by itself upon right reasoning; so the body of a ghost exists in the fancy of boys only, and there remains nothing at last except the everlasting one.

5. Curb and contract thy thought and heart from every thing, and enclose thy inward soul in itself; do what thou hast to do at any time, without desiring or attempting any thing of thy own will, and thus have the peace of thy mind.

6. Employ your mind, O silent sage! to keep itself as clean as the clear firmament, remain in one even and peaceful tenor of thy soul, and view all things in one and the same light (of tolerance and catholicism).

7. A steady and dauntless mind with its promptness in action, is successful in most arduous undertakings, as was the prince Bhagíratha with his unsevering perseverance.

8. It was by his perfectly peaceful and contended mind, and by the lasting felicity of the equanimity of his soul, that this prince succeeded to bring down the heavenly Ganges on earth, and the princes of Sagar's line were enabled to perform the arduous task of digging the bay of Bengal. (Where they were buried alive by curse of the sage Kapila, for disturbing his silent meditations).