Om Namah Shivaya
prayer
OM TAT SAT
OM NAMAH SIVANANDAYA OM NAMAH NARANAYANA OM NAMO VENKATESAYA yatah sarvani bhutani pratibhanti sthitani ca yatrai vo pasamam yanti tasmai satyatmane namah (1) jnata jnanam tatha jneyam drasta darsana drsyabhuh karta hetuh kriya yasmat tasmai jnaptyatmane namah (2 sphuranti sikara yasmad anandasya mbare vanau sarvesam jivanam tasmai brahmanandatmane namah (3) Salutations to that reality in which all the elements, and all the animate and inanimate beings shine as if they have an independent existence, and in which they exist for a time and into which they merge. Salutations to that consciousness which is the source of the apparently distinct threefold divisions of knower, knowledge and known, seer, sight and seen, doer, doing and deed. Salutations to that bliss absolute (the ocean of bliss) which is the life of all beings whose happiness and unfoldment is derived from the shower of spray from that ocean of bliss. OM TAT SAT OM NAMAH SIVANANDAYA OM NAMAH NARANAYANA OM NAMO VENKATESAYA |
dedication
This publication is dedicated to My Gurudev Swami Sivananda.
His Life was a symphony whose constant refrain was: In all conditions I am Knowlegde-Bliss-Absulute. Sage Vasistha incarnated as Swami Sivananda, to emboby the Supreme Yoga. In Gurudev, Yoga Vasistha was alive. Dust of Gurudev's Lotus Feet. Swami Venkatesananda |
introduction
Scholars speculate about the author of this monumental scripture and such other academic matters. May God bless them with success.
The Yoga-Vasistha is the greatest help to the spiritual awakening, and the direct experience of the Truth. This is certain. If this is what you want, you are welcome to Yoga-Vasistha. The text abounds in repetitions which are, however, not repetitious. If you do not like (or need) repetition, then read just this one verse: This world-appearance is a confusion: even as the blueness of the sky is an optical illusion. I think it is better not to let the mind dwell on it, but to ignore it. (I.3.2) This verse occurs several times in the scripture and it seems to be the very essence of the teaching. If that is not quite clear to you now, read the scripture. The numerous ways in which this truth is revealed will help open your mind. It is wise to read just one page a day. The teaching is revolutionary. The biased mind does not readily accept it. After the daily reading, meditate. Let the message soak through. An oft-recurring expression in this scripture is 'kakataliya' - a crow alights on the cocoanut palm tree, and that very moment a ripe cocoanut falls. The two unrelated events thus seem to be related in time and space, though there is no causal relationship. Such is life. Such is 'creation'. But the mind caught up in its own trap of logic questions 'why', invents a 'why', and a 'wherefore', to satisfy itself, conveniently ignoring the inconvenient questions that still haunt an intelligent mind. Vasistha demands direct observation of the mind, its motion, its notions, its reasoning, the assumed cause and the projected result, and even the observed and the observation - and the realisation of their indivisible unity as the infinite consciousness. That is the uniqueness of this scripture which hence declares itself to be supreme: Except through this scripture, one cannot gain what is good, now or at any time. Therefore, for perfect realisation of the supreme truth, one should fervently investigate this scripture alone. (VI.2.103) It is, however the teaching that is supreme, not a book or a sage. Hence, Vasistha is bold enough to say: If, however, one thinks it is not authoritative because it is of human origin, one can resort to the study of any other scripture dealing with self-knowledge and final liberation. (VI.2.175) Whichever be the scripture taught, by whomever, and whichever be the path you choose, stop not till the psychological conditioning ceases entirely. Hence, Vasistha exhorts the seeker: One should study at least a small part of this scripture daily. The beauty in this scripture is that its student is not abandoned to his despair; if something is not clear in the first instance, a further study of the scripture makes it clear. (VI.2.175) Dust of Gurudev's Feet Swami Venkatesananda |
contents
Vairagya Prakaranam - Section 1 - dealing with dispassion
Mumuksu Vyavahara Prakaranam - Section 2 - The behaviour of the seeker Utpatti Prakaranam - Section 3 - dealing with creation Sthiti Prakaranam - Section 4 - dealing with existence Upasama Prakaranam - Section 5 - dealing with dissolution Nirvana Prakaranam - Section 6.1 - dealing with liberation Nirvana Prakaranam - Section 6.2 - dealing with liberation The Laghu Yoga Vasistha (condensed version of sections 3 to 6) |