VI.2 Nirvana Prakaranam - Section Dealing with Liberation - chapters 101 to 150

  section VI.2 - chapter 101 - curnatam yantu me 'ngani santu merupamani ca ka ksatih ka ca va vrddhiscidrupavapuso mama (14)

Vasistha continued:

Everyone is pure consciousness alone. What else can there be except this consciousness? When consciousness alone exists, what is there to gain, and what to reject? When there is no other, raga (attraction or affection) and dvesa (rejection or aversion) become meaningless.

Consciousness alone is human beings, god, naga (inhabitants of the nether world), mountains, and moving objects. I am pure consciousness, and so are you. We shall die some time or the other, but consciousness does not perish. Consciousness does not have an object for it to become aware of; hence, all talk of unity and diversity is meaningless.

Even the materialists (they who believe in the reality of the physical world) allude to this consciousness, only because they do not deny the self, the intelligence or consciousness that makes them think and say what they say. This consciousness is called Brahman by some, jnanam (self-knowledge), sunya (void), the power of delusion, purusa (the self), cidakasa (space or plane of consciousness), Siva, self (atman), etc., by others. All these descriptions are consciousness, because it is consciousness alone that considers itself thus (i.e., the intelligence in each one of these people who holds a different view).

May my limbs be pulverised, or may they become as powerful as the Meru-mountain. What is lost and what is gained (increased) when it is realised that I am pure consciousness? My grandfather and others are dead, but consciousness is not dead. Consciousness is unborn and undying. It is like space. How can sky die? Just as the world is unseen (is destroyed) by the darkness of the night, and just as the world is seen (created) again at dawn, even so is birth and death. One should therefore regard death as a joyful event, for one goes from one body to another; only fools grieve on such joyful occasions. Or, if you think that one is not born again in another body, even then there is no cause for grief, for then death puts an end to the disease of birth and death. Hence, the wise man does not grieve or rejoice in life or in death. If one who is conscious of his own evil-doings fears death, even that is meaningless, since such a person suffers here as well are in the other world. Hence, why do you wail, "Oh, I die, I die, I die", instead of exclaiming in joy, "I shall be, I shall be, I shall be." Even these are meaningless words when you realise that the infinite consciousness alone exists. Space exists in space. What is the meaning of words like 'birth' and 'death'? Knowing that you are pure consciousness, eat, drink, and live without the sense of 'I' and 'mine'. You are like the sky. How can desires arise in you? The wise man enjoys what is pure if it comes to him unsought, borne down by the river of life. If there are impurities borne down by the river of life or by circumstances, the wise man is unconcerned about them, as in deep sleep.

  section VI.2 - chapter 102 - upala api mitrani bandhavo vanapadah vanamadhye sthitasya 'pi svajana mrgapotakah (3)

Rama asked:

When one has realised the supreme truth, what does he become?

Vasistha replied:

To such a one, even the rocks become friends, and the trees in the forest are relatives; even when he lives in the middle of a forest, the very animals become his kith and kin. A kingdom appears to be void in his eyes, calamities become great good fortune; even when he lives in a kingdom, he rejoices in (celebrates) his misfortunes. Disharmony becomes harmony, sorrow is great joy, and even when engaged in intense activity he experiences deep silence. He sees utter non-action in action. Awake, he is in deep sleep; alive, he is as good as dead. He does everything but nothing. He enjoys without tasting the pleasure. He is a very dear friend of all. He is free from pity for others, but full of compassion. Free from craving, he appears to want. He is only interested in the proper performance of his actions.

He appears to be happy and unhappy in the respective situation. He does not abandon what is natural, and plays his appropriate role in this drama of life. He sympathises with the sorrowful, and rejoices with the happy ones, without being tainted at heart.

Rama asked:

But some clever though ignorant people can also pretend to be in that state (observing celibacy like a horse, without the right spirit). How does one distinguish the true from the false?

Vasistha replied:

Whether it is true or false, such a nature is praiseworthy. The truly wise ones live as if they had various desires, and they laugh with the fools, though they themselves are wise. No one knows their inner peace and illumined state. Only wise ones know other wise men. The true men of wisdom do not expose their wisdom, nor parade it to win the admiration of the masses. The latter are distractions in the eyes of the wise. 'I wish everyone to know how good I am, so that they may worship me' - such thoughts arise in the mind of the vain man, not of the wise one.

Powers like levitation, etc., are gained by mantras, drugs, etc., even by the ignorant people. He who is prepared to make the necessary effort, can gain these, whether he is enlightened or not. It is the ego that makes the effort, and gains the powers. These powers intensify the vasanas or mental conditioning. But the enlightened man is not interested in any of these. He regards the world as a blade of grass. The enlightened one lives a non- volitional life, engaging himself spontaneously in appropriate action. Even the celestial pleasure-gardens do not make one as happy as the wisdom of the enlightened man. The latter sees, when his own body is subjected to heat and cold, etc., as if all these happened to someone else. He lives for the sake of others, with a heart full of compassion for all beings. He may live in a cave, in a hermitage, or a house, or he may be wandering constantly. He may be a teacher or a student. He may have psychic powers, or he may be forever in samadhi.

  section VI.2 - chapter 103 - asmacchastradrte sreyo na bhutam na bhavisyati tatah paramabodharthamidameva vicaryatam (25)

Vasistha continued:

The infinite consciousness alone shines as this world-appearance. How can it perish? There is no possibility for the existence of another other than consciousness. When the body perishes, consciousness does not perish. If it is said that consciousness ceases when the body perishes, then it is a matter for rejoicing as there is cessation of samsara and sorrow! If it is said that consciousness exists as long as the body exists, how is it that the dead body is not conscious? All these arguments are not valid. The infinite consciousness alone is real, and whatever it wishes to experience, it does experience as existence, because there is no obstruction to the realisation of its notions. The world has never been created; what is, is the infinite consciousness.

This consciousness itself wishes to experience its infinite potencies. It knows itself when it is aware of itself, and it is ignorant of itself when it is unaware of itself. Therefore, even knowledge and ignorance are pure consciousness, and there is no such division, in truth. Hence, one should engage oneself seriously in the realisation of the self; self-knowledge bestows on one the best of both worlds.

Abandon every kind of mental agitation, and devote every moment of your life to study and investigation of this scripture. One surely gains that for which one strives; if one neglects it, he loses it. The mind flows along the course of wisdom or of ignorance, in whichever direction you make it flow. 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. This scripture does more good to you than your father and mother and all your friends put together.

The dreadful illness known as samsara or bondage to worldly existence is not cured by any remedy other than self-knowledge. It is a great pity that you waste your time, and await the hour of death. Foolish people who run after wealth and fame, pawn their very lives in gaining and preserving them. Why do they not spend their life and their time in the investigation of the scripture and the attainment of immortality? It is through self- knowledge that one can destroy misfortunes and calamities by their very roots.

It is for your good that I cry aloud day and night and declare the truth. Listen to this, and realise the self by the self. If you do not rid yourself now of this dire illness, what will you do after death? There is no scripture like this to help you in attaining self-knowledge. Let it shine like a lamp, let it awaken and instruct you like a father, and let it bring you joy like a wife. In this scripture, there is nothing new; but the truth has been presented in a pleasant fashion with a number of stories. It is the truth that is proclaimed in this scripture, that is important; not the one who has declared the truth or composed the scripture.

  section VI.2 - chapter 103 - na ' buddhipurvam tatkarma sambhavatyanga kasyacit buddhipurvam tu yad vyartham kuryidunmattako hi kah (69)

Vasistha continued:

One should not associate with another who derides and belittles this scripture, either through ignorance or through delusion. I know what I am, and I know who you all are. I am but your own consciousness, seated here, in order to instruct you; I am neither human, nor celestial, nor divine. I am here as the fruit of your merit. In fact, I am neither this nor the other.

One should find here in this world the appropriate remedy for the illness known as samsara (world-illusion). Unless one cultivates a disinterest in the objective and material existence of this world, the belief or the notion of its existence cannot be weakened. There is no other means to rid the self of its impurity of self-limitation. The only way is to weaken the vasana (self-limitation, or conditioning or the notion that the world exists). If the object does exist, then such a notion of its existence is natural; but it does not, though it seems to be, in the absence of the light of enquiry.

The apparent world-existence has no real cause; how can the effect of an unreality be other than unreal? How can a non-material (spiritual) cause bring about a material effect? How can matter arise in pure consciousness any more than a shadow exist in the sun? It is not correct to say that the world is a pure and accidental combination of atoms; they are inert substances. The world-creation is not the action of ignorance; but, on the other hand, if it is the action of intelligence, why will an intelligent being indulge in such futile action, like a madman? Hence, it is clear that the world is an appearance, and not existence. We appear to exist in pure void, like objects in a dream. The world is but pure consciousness, and there is no difference between the two; the one is expressed in two ways, like 'air' and 'motion in space'. The infinite consciousness plus the appearance is known as the world; the world minus its form (appearance) is the infinite consciousness (appearance is illusory and illusion does not exist). Just as consciousness creates dreams in a dreamer, it creates the world in the waking state; the two are constituted of the same substance. Where then is the reality of the body, even of Brahma the creator? It arose as the first dream-object in consciousness.

Brahman alone exists, not even the cosmic person. But all these are experienced, as if they were real, over a long period of time. Yet, what is unreal is unreal, even if it has been experienced for a long period of time, and by all. From the creator Brahma right down to the pillar, all appearance of materiality is unreal, like objects seen in a dream. These objects appear to have a form, even as the objects seen in a dream seem to have a form during the dream. Therefore, tell me what is material existence and what are the objects of this world-appearance? Where are they? What are they? What is unity? What is diversity? What am I? What are notions concerning the objects of existence? What are notions and vasanas or self-limitation or psychological conditioning, which perpetuate the notion of world-existence? Where are they? They are not! Realise this, and rest in a state of nirvana.

  section VI.2 - chapter 104 105 - mrnmayam tu yatha bhandam mrcchunyam nopalabhyate cinmayam tu tatha cetyain cicchunyam nopalabhyate (105/38)

Vasistha continued:

The subtle sound-vibration constitutes space, and the subtle touch-vibration constitutes air. Their friction causes heat, or the fire-element. When the fire subsides, there is water. When all these get together, earth arises from it. But all these are a play of simple vibrations which are formless. How does form arise? After reflecting on this for a considerable time, one comes to the understanding that it is consciousness that gives rise to form. Why not understand this truth right in the beginning? Neither the gross elements nor the forms exist in truth; they arise as they arise in a dream. As forms arise in dreams, so do they arise in the waking state, too. If this is realised, there is liberation. Whether the body continues to exist or ceases to exist, there is no sorrow.

Neither in the waking state nor in dream is there a real world. Consciousness experiences itself as such, and that experience is known as the world. Just as the world seen in a dream is 'nothing', even so, the world seen in the waking state is 'nothing'. Just as one man's dream-experiences are unknown to the person sleeping next to him, one man's experiences in this world are unknown to another.

In dream, the barren woman seems to have a son; in the waking state, the impossible seems to have happened. The unreal appears to be real. Something which has not really been experienced appears to be a real experience, even as one experiences one's own funeral in a dream. When one dreams of falling into a pit, his bed becomes that pit. In blinding light, one sees nothing (it is like darkness).

In dream, the dreamer dies, abandoning his dream-relatives. But, then he wakes up, freed from that dream-life and death. Even so, after experiencing joy and sorrow here for a long time, one dies. The dreamer wakes to experience another dream known as the world.

Even so, after experiencing this world, he goes on to yet another. While dreaming, the dreamer does not realise that a previous dream was unreal (dream). Even so, one does not remember the past life, but considers the present life alone to be real. The dreamer is said to 'wake up' when his sleep comes to an end; even so, the person who lives in this world and dies, wakes up elsewhere. The distinction between dream and waking is, therefore, purely arbitrary and academic. Both of them are based on the sole reality of the infinite consciousness.

All the moving and unmoving things are but pure consciousness. When an illusory notion of division arises in it, consciousness comes to be known as the world. A pot is but clay; in the absence of clay there is no pot. All objects are pure consciousness; and, if consciousness is not, nothing is seen. Water is liquid; minus its liquidity, it is not water (what is dehydrated water?). Even so is consciousness. Everything here is pure consciousness; minus pure consciousness, nothing is.

  section VI.2 - chapter 106 - tgnagulmalatadinam vrddhimagacchatamrtau yah syadunmamato bhavah sa cidakasa ucyate (8)

Vasistha continued:

The same thing has been given two names for the sake of convenience: the two (waking and dreaming) are the same, like two cups of water. That which is common to them, which is their common substratum, is pure consciousness.

The attitude or the nature of a tree, which draws nourishment through its roots and exists, is pure consciousness. Similarly, when one's desires have turned away, and when the mind is at perfect peace, then there is pure consciousness. In the case of a healthy man, when his mind is free from objective notions, and sleep has not yet come, there is pure consciousness. That nature which exists in grass and creepers growing in their proper seasons without the feeling of mine-ness, is pure consciousness. The nature of one who is free from percepts and concepts, but is not dead, and whose being is clear and pure like the winter sky, is pure consciousness. The pure being of wood and rock, which are as they were created, as also the mind of pure beings, is pure consciousness. That is pure consciousness (cidakasa) in which all things exist, from which they emerge, which is everything, and which is all in all.

When sleep has ceased, the world-appearance rises; when that ceases, there is pure consciousness (cidambaram). That 'nothing' which remains after everything has been negated as 'not this, not this', is pure consciousness (cidambaram). The entire universe is but pure consciousness, as it was, and as it is. Even when there is perception of forms and apprehension of notions and concepts, that consciousness alone exists.

Knowing this, be free from conditioning, even while perceiving the objects of the senses, just as a man who sleeps is yet inwardly 'awake'. Remaining inwardly silent like a rock, talk, walk, drink, and take. This world has not been created at all, for it has no cause; no effect arises without a cause. Hence, consciousness remains as consciousness, without change. When its experience of its own inherent potentialities is continued, it appears as this world. Thus, this objective world has not been created at all, does not exist, and will not come into being; it will not perish either; for, how can non-existence perish? What appears to be is the reflection of consciousness within itself. However, since there is no duality, there is neither a reflection nor an appearance. Who knows whether 'what is' is real or unreal?! Who knows why and how a man dreams, or what the dreams are, except that they are his own consciousness? The Creator and all things are but pure consciousness. When this is realised, it is known as Brahman; when it is not realised, it is known as illusion, Maya, ignorance, and the world. It is that consciousness alone that knows itself as 'I am mountain', 'I am Rudra', 'I am the ocean', and 'I am the cosmic person', just as a person, while dreaming, thinks that all these exist in his dream. All external objects are reflected in the mirror of one's consciousness which, when enquired into, is seen immediately. When thus investigated, their true nature as pure consciousness is realised.

21. The Story of Vipascit

  section VI.2 - chapter 107 108 - ato jivannapi mrta iva sarvo 'vatisthate asavaham ca tvah ceti jivanto 'pi mrta iva (107/2)

Vasistha continued:

The whole universe is pure consciousness; but, as an object, it is inert appearance. Hence, though alive, everything is as if dead; even so, I and you are as if dead, though alive. Abandoning the world-idea in the world, and the I-you-idea in ourselves, engage yourself in appropriate action. Why? Why does this world-appearance arise at all? There is no reason, even as in the play of a young child there is no reason or motivation. Hence, one should not waste one's life-time in useless pursuit of knowledge concerning matter and mind. If one seeks gold, one does not clean the sky!

Listen to the following story: In this universe, in this continent known as Jambudvipa, there was a famous city by name Tatam, which was ruled by a king known as Vipascit (lit: learned, wise). His glory was indescribable. Even the court poets had exhausted all their talents without exhausting a description of his virtues. But they loved and enjoyed his company. He was fond of them and gave them lavish gifts every day. He was devoted to the brahmanas (priests), and also to the fire which he devoutly worshipped every day.

He had four ministers who were zealously guarding his kingdom at its four boundaries. On account of their wisdom and valour, the king was victorious and unassailable. One day, he was visited by a wise man from the east. He had harsh and unpleasant words for the king.

He said, "O king, you have bound yourself hand and foot to this earth. Now listen to what I have to say and decide what to do. Your minister who was guarding the eastern side of your city is dead. The one guarding the south endeavoured to cover the eastern side, too, but he was overcome by the enemy. He, too, is dead. When the minister guarding the west rushed to the southern side, he was intercepted by the enemy and killed."

As he was saying this, another man rushed into the court, and announced that the minister guarding the north was at the palace gate. The king alerted his army, and asked that the minister be brought in. The minister entered and saluted the king. He was weak and his breathing was laboured. He had been overpowered by the enemy on account of his weakness. He said to the King, "Lord, all the other three ministers have gone to the world of death, to win that realm for you. Only you have the power to quell the enemy."

In the meantime, yet another man entered the royal presence and reported, "Lord, the city has been completely surrounded by the enemy. Their weapons are seen everywhere. They are extremely powerful like demons. Their armour shines with the light equal to your own glory. Their armies are in excellent array. They are angry, and their battle cries are fierce. The lord of that army sent me to convey this news to you. Now do what is appropriate."

After having conveyed this message, that man went away. Everyone in the king's army got ready for the battle with their arms and weapons uplifted.

  section VI.2 - chapter 109 110 - papa mleccha dhanadhyas ca nanadesyah susamhatah bahavo labdharandhrasca samaderna 'spadam dvisah (109/4)

Vasistha continued:

In the meantime, all the ministers had assembled around the king. They counselled him thus: "Lord, we have duly considered the situation concerning our enemy. We have come to the conclusion that the three peaceful courses of dealing with the enemy are inappropriate in this case, and that only the fourth - punishment or violence - is adequate. In fact, we have not shown friendship or alliance with these enemies at any time before; hence, it is of no use now. Enemies who come under the following classification are not amenable to peaceful negotiation: sinners, barbarians, foreigners, they who are firmly united among themselves, as well as they who know our weakness very well. Therefore, let there be no delay. Order general mobilisation and preparation for a full-scale war."

The king issued the necessary orders, and sent the ministers to the battlefield, saying that he would soon join them after his customary worship of the sacred fire. He then had his bath, and approached the sacred fire for worship. He prayed: "Lord, I have effortlessly overcome all my enemies so far, and ruled this far-flung empire, exercising my sovereignty over many islands and continents. I held sway over many peoples, including demons. But now, perhaps I have grown old. Therefore, these my enemies have thought it fit to invade my territory. Lord, just as till now I have made different oblations to this sacred fire, today I shall offer my own head as oblation. I pray that out of this fire, four powerful beings may emerge, like the four arms of lord Narayana."

So saying, the king cut off his head with the greatest ease, and the next instant his body fell into the fire, along with the severed head. Out of that fire, the king re-emerged as four radiant warriors of extraordinary radiance and vitality, and equipped with the very best of weapons of every description. It was obvious that they could not be overcome by any warlike device that the enemy might adopt, whether it be missiles or mantras, drugs, etc.

The enemy forces were advancing at the same time. There was a terrible battle. The sky was covered with smoke and also with missiles. Swords gleamed, revolvers emitted fire continuously; it was terrible to look at. There was a river of blood in which even elephants were borne down. Here and there, two missiles collided in the sky, which was illumined by the light emitted by them. In the mind and the heart of every warrior, there was only one thought, "I should kill the enemy or be killed by him". The war was also bringing out the good and noble qualities in the people, which were dormant till then. On the other hand, there was also extremely cruel behaviour. Here and there, warriors killed even refugees, and looted whatever they could.

The people who were not directly involved in the war, the non-combatants, fled the place. The battlefield was filled with warriors to whom the distinction between life and death had vanished.

  section VI.2 - chapter 111 112 - pravistu yacanam sahye labdah surabilad dvayam atnarthena 'rtha ayati kakataliyatah kvacit (112/30)

Vasistha continued:

The king in his four forms proceeded in the four directions on the battlefield. He saw that his army was much weaker than the enemy's well-prepared and well-equipped army. He contemplated, "The sage Agastya drank the ocean; I should become another Agastya now, and dry up this ocean of the enemy forces". He thought of the wind-missile which instantly reached him. He once again saluted and offered a prayer on behalf of his subjects, and directed the missile at the enemy forces. Instantly there were rivers of missiles and weapons everywhere. The gale that blew resembled the winds of cosmic dissolution. Surely enough, by the power of the missile, the enemy forces were reduced to nothing very soon. The wind-missile also caused torrential rains, gale-force winds, and dense dark clouds.

The different units of the enemy army fled in different directions. The Cedi-army (from the land of pearls and snakes) fled in a southerly direction. The Parsis perished in the forest known as Vanjula. The Darada soldiers hid themselves in caves. The Dasarna warriors who went into the nearby forests were killed by the lions there. The warriors from Saka territory could not bear the missiles made of iron, and they ran trembling in fear. The forces of Tungana (whose colour was golden) were robbed by robbers of their clothes, and then they were eaten up by demons.

The survivors in the enemy army hid themselves in the mountain known as Sahya-adri, and rested for a period of seven days. Their wounds were attended to by the celestials (vidhyadhara-women) who were from the territory known as Gandhara. The warriors from Huna, Cina and Kirata had motored dreadful disfigurement from the missiles of the king Vipascit. Even the trees were frightened of the king's power, and stood still for a very long time even after the war.

The air force of Vidura territory was caught up in the winds, and crashed into the lakes. The infantry could not even run on account of the blinding rain that fell. The Hunas who fled to the north were caught up in the quicksands and perished. The Sakas who fled to the east were caught and emprisoned by the king for one day and then released.

The soldiers from the Mandra territory climbed up the Mahendra mountain to seek a refuge. They literally dragged themselves up little by little, and then fell near the hermitage of sages who served them with food, drink, etc. They climbed the hill for the purpose of avoiding death on the battlefield, and of begging for food; but they got from the cave of the gods two things (immediate safety and the company of sages which ensures permanent peace). Good follows evil sometimes, by accidental coincidence (the crow and the cocoanut). The Dasarna soldiers accidentally ate poison and died. The Haihaya soldiers accidentally ate a healing herb, which turned them into celestials, with ability to fly in the air.

  section VI.2 - chapter 113-115 - itah svapiti kesavah kulamitastadiyadvisa mito 'pi saranarthinah sikharipatrinah serate ito 'pi vadavanalah saha samastasamvartakai raho vitatamurjitam bharasaham ca sindhorvapuh (115/6)

Vasistha continued:

Thus pursuing their fleeing enemies, the four kings (which were Vipascit) had traversed a long, long distance. Impelled by the indwelling consciousness, which is omnipotent, they had embarked on a campaign for the conquest of the world, known as digvijaya. For a considerable distance, they were accompanied by their own forces. As they were marching without rest or respite, these forces and their equipment, as also the forces of the enemy which they pursued, weakened and perished. The missiles that the kings had, had also ceased to be effective, just as fire is quenched after burning all its fuel.

The four kings going in the four different directions, were met by huge oceans. The remaining missiles that they had, fell into mud created by the terrible rain that fell, and they disintegrated. The four brothers beheld that limitless ocean with great wonder. (nb: there follows a highly poetic description of the ocean.)

The kings' ministers, who had followed them on this expedition, pointed out to the kings the various beautiful sights - the forests, the trees, the oceans, the mountains, the clouds, and also the hill tribes. (nb: again, there is a poetic description of all these in the text; there is also a 'reverse' - comparison ...) Just as Brahman, though one, appears to be divided into diversity and, though infinite, appears to have created this finite and perishable world, even so this ocean, though one, appears to be divided into several oceans, and it appears to be both eternal and the transient waves.

The ministers pointed to more oceans, and said: "Lord, here on this ocean, lord Narayana rests. Here in the other ocean, his enemies, the demons, lie hidden. In that other ocean, mountains lie hidden. Beneath this ocean, there is the cosmic fire of unimaginable heat, along with the clouds of cosmic dissolution. How wonderful it is that this ocean is so vast, so firmly established, and able to support so much of burden. Look at the moon. As it rises on the eastern horizon, it spreads its soft light everywhere, and thus brings auspiciousness to all, ridding all of their fear of darkness and night. But even this moon is tainted with dark spots. When such is the case with these celestial bodies, what can we call an untainted object in this world, what shall we call good and excellent in this world, which time or fate will not tarnish in the twinkling of an eye? Surely, there is no such thing on earth."

  section VI.2 - chapter 116 - ahni prakasamasi rakttavapurdinante yamasu krsnamatha ca 'khilavasturikttam nityam na kincidapi sadvahasiti mayam na vyoma vetti viduso 'pi vicestitam (17)

The Ministers and others said:

Behold, O king, the rulers of the boundaries of the earth engaged in battle. The celestial nymphs are driving the space vehicles, carrying away those noble ones who are slain in battle. This is considered as the best of all fruits of living: that one should live a life of prosperity, health, and wealth, which does not incur the displeasure of society, and should engage oneself in righteous warfare for the sake of others. He who kills another when the latter comes to fight with him, without transgressing the moral code that applies to warfare, he is a hero, and he goes to heaven.

Behold the sky, O king, where the mighty gods and demons appear in the form of stars, which is also the field for the movement of mighty planets and stars, like the sun and the moon. Fools regard it as empty void even now. In spite of the movement of all these stars and planets, in spite of the bottle between gods (light) and demons (darkness), this space is not polluted or tainted or altered in any way.

O space! Though you bear the sun on your lap, and even lord Narayana and all his divine retinue, yet you have not abandoned the darkness that resides in you. This is indeed a great mystery. Yet, we consider the space wise and enlightened, as it is unaffected by the defects and shortcomings of the worlds which abide in it (the space).

O space! During the day you are bright. At dawn and dusk, you are crimson. At night, you are dark. You are devoid of materiality. You do not hold or bear the burden of any substance. Hence, you are regarded as Maya. No one, not even the learned and the wise, can truly understand you and your function. O space, he who owns nothing achieves everything. You are pure void within yourself, and yet you cause everything to grow and to be exalted.

In space there are no cities or villages, no forests or parks, no trees or shade, yet the sun courses through space every day. Truly, the noble ones do their duty without fail, however difficult and irksome it may be.

Though apparently doing nothing, space regulates the growth of plants and trees, by preventing them from excessive growth. That in which infinite universes are born, and into which they dissolve - how can that space be considered devoid of everything? There is something wrong with the scholars.

  section VI.2 - chapter 117-121 - sphurati ca ghanam smrtva smrtva na ca 'pi vipadyate gunavati jane baddhasanam sramo 'pi sukhavahah (118/26 )

(The next few - chapters are also full of highly poetic and artistic descriptions of natural phenomena, the flora and the fauna, with interesting spiritual parallels, from which the following two are but samples.)

The Ministers and others continued:

O lord, behold the crane. How diligent and efficient it is in capturing and consuming the fish. Wicked people see in the natural behaviour of the crane the justification for their own vicious doctrine, that, even so, one should destroy others for the attainment of one's own selfish ends.

Look at the peacock. It quenches its thirst from the purest rainwater. It does not drink of the polluted waters of the drains and the canals. However, it continuously remembers the clouds and the rain that falls from them and derives satisfaction. When one's heart is fixed in devotion to the holy ones, even unpleasant experiences become pleasant.

O king, behold that young couple, talking to each other and refreshing themselves over there. The young man, smitten with love for his beloved, met her just now after a very long separation. This is what he said to her:

"Beloved, listen to what happened to me one day during our separation. I looked at the cloud and prayed to the cloud to convey a message to you. I was so greatly overcome by longing for you that I fainted. My breathing stopped. My memory failed. My body became cold and rigid like a log of wood. Who can ever describe adequately the unhappiness caused by separation from a beloved one?

"Travellers who witnessed this, thought I was dead and made preparations for the cremation of the destitute body. I was taken to the crematorium. They laid me on the pyre, and set it alight. In a few moments, I experienced all kinds of strange feelings and sensations and visions. I felt that I was falling into a hole in the ground. I was protected by the armour of your love, and of contemplation of your form. I enjoyed your company in my own heart. I remember even now the smallest detail of the amorous dalliance in which we self-forgetfully enjoyed each other. In the meantime, I saw flames around me." Hearing this, the girl swooned, but the lover revived her and continued the narrative:

"At once, I shouted 'Fire, fire', and woke up from the swoon. The people around the funeral pyre thought that I had returned from the dead, and they were thrilled. They sang and danced. We all returned home."

Vasistha continued:

After listening to all this, the fourfold Vipascit worshipped the fire. The fire-god appeared to them. They prayed to him: "We wish to behold the universe composed of the five elements in its totality. Grant that we may do so, and that we may not die till we have seen all - as much as possible with the physical body and beyond that through the mind." The fire-god granted this boon, and vanished.

  section VI.2 - chapter 124 - ekadebagata visvagvyapya karmani kurvate yoginastrisu kalesu sarvanyanubhavantyapi(8)

Rama asked:

Lord, how was it that, though the fourfold Vipascit was but one person with a single consciousness, the four of them entertained different desires?

Vasistha replied:

Though consciousness is one, non-dual, and omnipresent, it seems to become diverse like the mind of the sleeping (dreaming) person. Even as the mirror reflects diverse objects within itself, because it is pure, even so, consciousness, being absolutely pure, reflects everything within itself. Though mirrors may be made of the same metal, they reflect diverse objects in one another ad infinitum. Similarly, consciousness reflects within itself whatever is placed before it.

Thus the diverse appears to be one, but it is both diverse and non-diverse (one); because it is neither diverse nor non-diverse, it is both diverse and one. Therefore, whatever appeared before, each of the four Vipacits reflected in his consciousness, and was experienced by him. Yogis can perform actions everywhere and experience all things in all the three periods of time, though apparently remaining in one place. Water, which is one and all-pervasive, does several things at the same time, and seems to undergo diverse experiences. The one Visnu, with his four arms or four bodies, performs diverse functions in protecting the world. A being (animal) with many arms, holds something with two arms, and with the others kills that thing. It was in that manner that the kings Vipascit engaged themselves in diverse activities.

They diversely slept on the grassy beds on earth. They lived and enjoyed themselves in different continents. They sported in different forests. They roamed the deserts. They dwelt on the peaks of mountains, and in the bowels of the oceans. They sometimes hid themselves in mountain-caves. They sported on the oceans and in the wind, on the waves, as well as on the seashore and in the cities.

The Vipascit, who went east, slept for seven years on the slopes of the sunrise mountain on the continent known as Saka, for he had been charmed by the celestials there; having drunk of the water that was in the rock, he lead become like stone. The Vipascit who went west to the sunset mountain, on the same continent fell a victim to the charms of a nymph, who enjoyed him for a whole month. The Vipascit who went east, remained incognito in the turmeric forest for some time. On account of the charm of a celestial, he lived as a lion for ten days. Overpowered by a goblin, he lived as a frog for ten years. The Vipascit who went north, dwelt for a hundred years in a blind well in the Nilagiri (blue mountain) in the Saka continent. The one who went west, learnt the method of becoming a celestial, and lived as a celestial (vidyadhara) for fourteen years.

  section VI.2 - chapter 125 - prabodhamanugacchantya apraptayah param padam ekasya apyanekasyah sarvam sarvatra yujyate (18)

Vasistha continued:

When the king that went east was under the spell of the water he had drunk, it was the one that went west who rescued him. When the king that went west became a rock, it was the one that went south who rescued him by the use of beef, etc. When the king that went west had been transformed into a bull by a female goblin who had the form of a cow, it was the one that went south who rescued him again. When the king that went south was turned into a celestial, he was rescued by another celestial at the intercession of the one who went west. When the king who went east was turned into a lion, it was the one who went west that rescued him.

Rama asked:

But how do these yogis perform such varied actions in the three periods of time? Pray tell me this.

Vasistha continued:

Whatever be the explanation that the unenlightened people may give for this, let them; but, listen to the enlightened explanation.

In the vision of the knowers of the truth, there is nothing other than the pure and infinite consciousness, and the objective universe is completely and totally non-existent. There is neither a creation nor its opposite. He who rests for ever in this pure and infinite consciousness, is the omnipresent and omnipotent Lord; he is the all, and he is the self of all at all times. Tell me, who can restrain him, how, where, and when. The omnipresent shines as and when he likes, for he is the self of all. What is not present in the self of all? Hence, he shines how, when, and where he likes, whether it is the past or the future or the present, and whether it is the gross or subtle field in which such action takes place. Without ever abandoning his reality as pure consciousness, he functions at a distance and near, creating an epoch or the twinkling of an eye. All this is in the self but the appearance is Maya (illusory); he is unborn and uncreated, and has not been restrainted or inhibited. What 'is', is as it is. Whatever 'is', is a mass of consciousness; and that itself is the three worlds. It is the self of the world, it is the form of the world which has arisen on account of the polarisation of consciousness into the subject and the object. Who has created this seer of all, the subject of all - how and when?

Nothing is impossible for this consciousness. The consciousness of Vipascit had become awakened, but it had not attained the supreme state. Hence, though it is one, it manifests as the all everywhere. In a state in which there is both awakening and non-awakening, all these things are possible; when the supreme truth has not been attained, such materialisation is possible. It is when there is such partial awakening that one enjoys psychic powers. Thus, the four Vipascits experienced the states that the others had.

  section VI.2 - chapter 125 - dharanayogino hyete varena pr-aptasiddhayah avidya vidyate tesam tens to 'tadvic5rinah (28)

Rama asked:

If Vipascit was an enlightened person, how could he consider himself a lion, etc.? Vasistha replied:

My description of these kings as awakened or enlightened was only a figure of speech: in fact, Vipascit was not enlightened. The four Vipascits were neither enlightened, nor were they ignorant; they were swinging in-between. In such people, the signs of enlightenment or liberation are seen, as also the signs of ignorance and bondage. They are half-awakened. Whatever Vipascit had attained, had been attained through contemplation, not because he had reached the supreme state. All these siddhis or psychic powers are had by such contemplation.

In those who have reached the supreme state, there is no ignorance or delusion. How can they have a deluded vision, and how can they see falsehood? The yogis who practise contemplation, and who attain various psychic powers, through grace or boons, are subject to ignorance, which is noticed in them. Hence, they contemplate not the truth, but something which is other than the real.

There is something more. Even in the case of those liberated sages who are still alive, there is comprehension of materiality while they are engaged in day-to-day activity. Moksa or liberation is also a state of the mind. The natural function of the body adheres to it, and does not cease. One who is freed from ignorance, or the mind, is never again bound by the mind; even as once the fruit has fallen from the tree, no amount of effort can connect it to the tree. The body functions as is natural to it, even in the case of the liberated person; but the consciousness in that person is stable, and is not affected by the states of the physical body.

The powers gained through contemplation, etc., can be seen by others; but the state of liberation that one attains cannot be seen by others. Even as the taste of honey is capable of being tasted only by oneself. When one who has experienced the state of bondage and also pain and pleasure is liberated from all these, he is said to be liberated. He is considered a liberated person whose inner consciousness is cool and peaceful; he is in bondage whose mind and heart are disturbed and distracted. Bondage and liberation are not noticed in physical functions.

Whether his body is cut into a thousand pieces or he is crowned an emperor, the liberated one is liberated even if he apparently weeps and laughs. Within himself he is neither elated nor depressed. He experiences neither happiness nor unhappiness, even while receiving all these experiences. He is not dead even when he is dead, he does not weep though he weeps, he does not laugh though he laughs - such is a liberated one. He is free from attraction or attachment, though he is attracted and attached. He gets angry though he is not angry, he is not deluded though he is deluded.

  section VI.2 - chapter 125 - naiva tasya krtena 'rtho na 'krteneha kascana yadyatha nama sampannam tattatha 'stvitarena kiln (46)

Vasistha continued:

The notions 'This is happiness' and 'This is unhappiness' do not arise in the liberated ones. When they have realised the truth that there is neither 'the world' nor 'the self', and that the one is the all, 'happiness' and 'unhappiness' are seen as meaningless words. Their grief is superficial, for they are free from sorrow.

It is said that lord Siva plucked off one of the five heads of lord Brahma. The latter was surely capable of growing one more to replace it. But he did not, for he knew "When all this creation is illusory, what shall I do with one more head?". He had nothing to gain from doing something, or from refraining from doing something. Whatever happens, let it happen even so; why should it be otherwise?

Lord Siva has his consort in one half of his body, though he has the power to burn up even the god of love. He has the power to abandon all attachment or affection, but he behaves as if he is attached to his consort. He has nothing to gain by remaining so attached, nor does he gain anything by non-attachment. Let it be as it is.

Even so, lord Visnu engages himself in various activities, and inspires others to engage themselves in such activities, too; he 'dies' and he kills others; he is born and he grows - though all the time he is totally free from all this. He could easily refrain from all this, but what is to be gained from such restraint? Let all these be as they are. Such is the attitude of one who is established in the realisation of the infinite consciousness.

Even so do the sun, the moon, and the fire perform their natural functions, though they are all liberated beings (jivanmukta). The preceptors of the gods (Brhaspati) and of the demons (Sukra) are also jivanmuktas, though they play the roles of the leaders of opposing forces, fighting each other like ignorant men. King Janaka is also a liberated royal sage; yet, he engages himself in dreadful wars. There were also several royal sages who engaged themselves in royal duties while inwardly remaining free from bondage. While discharging his worldly duties, the enlightened person behaves in the same way as the ignorant person. The distinction between bondage and liberation lies in the state of one's consciousness, which is conditioned in bondage and unconditioned in liberation. Even several demons had attained liberation - like Bali, Prahlada, Namuci, Vrtra, Andhaka, Mura, etc. The enlightened consciousness is unaffected by the rising and setting of likes and dislikes, mental action and supra-mental consciousness. When one is firmly established in the infinite and unconditioned consciousness, even these distinctions vanish. The diversity which people experience in this creation is but an appearance, like the colours of a rainbow.

The world appears to be in relation to the infinite consciousness, just as spatiality (void or distance) appears to be in relation to space.

  section VI.2 - chapter 126 - ativahikasamvitteste 'vyomni vyomatatmakah ndhibhautikadehatvabhavan dadr'suragratah (12)

Vasistha continued:

Now, listen to what happened to the four Vipascits. One of them was killed by an elephant. The second was taken away by some celestials (yaksas), who dropped him into blazing fire, and he perished. The third one was taken up to heaven by the celestials known as vidyadhara; there, that Vipascit did not bow to the king (Indra) who cursed him and reduced him to ashes. The fourth was killed by a crocodile.

Remaining in their subtle bodies, these four saw their own previous history in their own minds, where they had created subtle impressions. In the space of their own consciousness, they saw the whole universe, with all its oceans and mountains, towns and cities, the sun and the moon, the stars and the clouds. They even saw their own bodies as before. Endowed with the subtle (ativahika) bodies, they saw in the space before them their own physical bodies. On account of their past-life impressions or memories, they saw themselves as being clothed in physical bodies, in order to witness the magnitude of the world. In order to see the actual extent of the earth, they roamed other realms.

The western Vipascit crossed seven continents and seven seas, and had the good fortune to meet lord Visnu. From him Vipascit received the highest wisdom, and remained immersed in samadhi for five years. After that, he abandoned the physical body, and attained nirvana.

The oriental Vipascit remained close to the rays of the moon, and contemplated the moon constantly; hence, he attained the realm of the moon.

The southern Vipascit destroyed all his enemies, and even now he rules the country, because he did not lose his memory or his convictions.

The northern Vipascit was eaten by a crocodile in whose body he lived for a thousand and one years. When that crocodile died, he emerged from its body as another crocodile. Then he crossed oceans and ice-packs of unimaginable distance, and reached the lake of the gods known as Suvarna. There he died. Because he died in that realm of the gods, this Vipascit became a god, even as a piece of wood lying in the midst of coals of fire instantly becomes fire.

This last Vipascit reached the boundaries of the earth-plane known as the Lokaloka mountains, which he emembered from his past-birth experiences. These mountains are several thousand miles in height; one of its sides is illumined, whereas the other is not. From there he saw the earth, etc., as if they were distant stars. Then he went to that side of these mountains which was forever shrouded in darkness. Beyond that is the great void, in which there is no earth, no beings, and nothing mobile or immobile. In it, even the potentiality of creation does not exist.

  section VI.2 - chapter 127 - sarvadikkam mahagole nabhasi svarkatarakam kimatrordhvamadhah kim syatsarvamurdhvamadhasca va.(22)

Rama asked:

Lord, pray tell me: how does this earth exist, how does the stellar sphere revolve, and how do the Lokaloka mountains exist.

Vasistha replied:

Just as a little child imagines a plaything in the empty space and thinks it is there, the notion of the existence of this earth arises in the infinite consciousness. He whose vision is defective, sees little balls of 'hair' in space, where no such balls exist. Even so, such notions, as the existence of the earth, arose in the infinite consciousness, at the moment which has come to be known as creation. A city which exists in the mind of the daydreamer, needs no support (with the imagination as its sole support); even so, this world is supported only by the experiencing of the infinite consciousness.

Whatever appears in the consciousness, and however it appears to be, and for whatever duration, it seems to exist in that consciousness in that manner for that duration, on account of the inherent power in consciousness. Therefore, just as in the eyes of one with eye-defect the 'ball of hair' does float in space, this earth, etc., does exist in consciousness. If consciousness had 'seen' water flowing up and fire burning down in the very beginning, such would have been the nature of these elements even now. But, it is because that consciousness 'saw' the earth as falling in space that it seems to fall even now and consciousness correspondingly seems to 'rise' in relation to the earth. Thus duality or diverse motion arises.

The Lokaloka mountains are the boundary of the earth-plane. Beyond that is the great spatial pit, filled with total darkness, though something exists in it here and there. Because the stellar sphere is at a considerable distance, there seems to be some light somewhere, and some darkness elsewhere. These stars are at a very great distance from the Lokaloka mountains. The entire stellar sphere, with the exception of the pole star, constantly revolves around its own axis. But all this is non-different from the notion that arises in pure consciousness.

Beyond the worlds or the earth-plane whose boundaries are the Lokaloka mountains, the stellar sphere appears something like the skin of a fruit. However, all this is but the firm notion that arises in the infinite consciousness; it should not be taken that these worlds exist as reality.

Beyond even this stellar sphere, there is another sphere twice its size; that, too, is illumined in part, and is sunk in darkness elsewhere. All this is enclosed in two skull-caps, as it were: one is above, and the other is below, and between them is space. This universe, which is a cosmic circle, is illumined by the sun and stars. What is 'above' and what is 'below' in all this? Rising, falling, moving, or remaining steady - all these are notions that arise in consciousness. None of these exist in truth.

  section VI.2 - chapter 128 - jagatsvapnesu ca 'nyesu samsthanakathanena kim nahyopayogikadanya katha bhavati dhimatam (3)

Vasistha continued:

The description of the universe I have given you is the fruit of direct experience, not inferential guesswork. Besides this, there are other universes of which I have not told you. For, of what use is investigation into the nature of the world and others, which are but of the nature of a dream; wise men do not waste their time talking about useless things.

The northernmost extremity is the Meru mountain; and the southernmost extremity is the Lokaloka mountain-range. The inhabitants of the various planes of consciousness and the different worlds experience the materialisation of those worlds, not others.

I told you of the skull-caps of the universe. Beyond them, the whole universe is enveloped by water which is tenfold in extent. Beyond that, there is another envelope, this time of fire, which is tenfold the previous one. Beyond that is the wind-envelope, and then the plane of space, which are each ten times the extent of the previous one.

Beyond even that is the infinite space; this is neither illumined nor is it dark. It is full of pure consciousness. It is beginningless, middleless, and endless. In that, countless millions of universes arise again and again at different points, and again and again they are dissolved in it. There is no being in this infinite space to entertain a notion of these universes, but they exist in whatever form and manner they exist.

Now, listen to the story of the king Vipascit who was on top of the Lokaloka mountains. After he died, he saw his body being eaten by a huge vulture. In his consciousness, the notion of another physical body did not arise, nor did he reach enlightenment. Hence, he wished to engage himself in further activity. For pure mental activity, a physical body is unnecessary. In the case of illusion, dream, daydreaming, and hallucination, the mind creates its own field, which is known as the subtle body (ativahika). Only when that is forgotten or abandoned does the physical body arise. When one realises the unreality of the physical body through proper investigation, then, once again, the subtle (ativahika) body arises.

Hence, investigate the nature of the ativahika body till the knowledge that the infinite consciousness alone is the truth arises. The realisation 'Where is duality, where is hate or affection? All this is pure Siva, beginningless, and endless', is enlightenment.

Vipascit was still in the subtle body, unenlightened. He was enveloped by darkness, as if in a foetus. He then experienced the earth-plane, water-plane, fire-plane, and space-plane. Then he began to investigate the nature of his own subtle body and wondered: "What sustains me who am pure consciousness?" He entered the infinite space of Brahma, and saw everything there. But, not having investigated the illusory nature of ignorance, he rests in it even now, though in fact there is no ignorance, and Brahman alone exists.

  section VI.2 - chapter 129 - desakalakriyadyetadekata vasanaikata tayoryadeva balavattadeva jayati ksanat (7)

Vasistha continued:

Another of the Vipascits also attained the same state, after wandering from continent to continent for a long time, and after reaching the infinite space of Brahma, in which he saw millions of universes. There he exists even now. Yet another of the Vipascits fell a victim to his own mental conditioning and, after renouncing his body, became a deer, and lives on a mountain.

Rama asked:

Lord, when the vasana (mental conditioning) of the king Vipascit was but one, how did it become diverse, producing diverse results in the four Vipascits?

Vasistha replied:

The vasana of beings becomes either dense or light by repeated exercise and repetition of its effects. It is also subject to the influence of time, place, and activity. If it becomes 'light', it undergoes change into something else; if it is deep-rooted, it does not change. On the one hand are the time, place, and activity (repetition of the habit born of the vasana); on the other is the vasana (mental conditioning) itself. The two (circumstances and vasana) act upon each other. Whichever be the stronger wins instantly. Thus, the four Vipascits were drawn in different directions, though they had the same vasana to start with; two of them were caught in the net of ignorance, one was liberated, and the other became a deer.

Even now, the two who were caught up in the net of ignorance, have been unable to find a way out. Ignorance is also infinite in a manner of speaking, because it has no real existence. However, if one develops the inner light, and begins to examine it in that light, this ignorance vanishes in the twinkling of an eye.

The Vipascit who went from one country to another, from one world to another, saw an illusory creation. He saw an illusory world, which in fact was Brahman only. He somehow came into contact with a holy man. With his help, Vipascit realised the truth concerning the illusory perception of the world, and instantly realised the infinite consciousness or Brahman. At that very instant his ignorance (as also his body) ceased to be.

Thus have I told you, O Rama, the story of Vipascit. This ignorance, too, is infinite even as Brahman is infinite, because the ignorance has no independent existence apart from Brahman. It is the infinite consciousness alone that sees countless universes and worlds here and there, now and then. When this truth is not realised, it is known as ignorance; when this truth is realised, the very same consciousness is known as Brahman. There is no division between the two, for the division is unreal ignorance, which in reality is Brahman. The division seems to arise in consciousness and is, therefore, non-different from consciousness. Thus, Brahman alone is the world-appearance; and the division is consciousness.

  section VI.2 - chapter 129 - avayavanavayavi nityam vetti yatha 'khilan tatha sarvanaham vedmi brahmanyatmanyavasthitan (38)

Rama asked:

How was it that the Vipascit could not reach the skull-cap of the universe which Brahma the creator had created?

Vasistha replied:

At the very moment he came into being, Brahma the creator pushed space apart with his two arms. That which was above, was pushed far, far above, and that which was below, went far, far below. All the created elements rest in it, being supported by these two extremities. That which is between these two extremities is known as space, which appears to be limitless, and of a blue-colour. Water and such other elements do not taint this space; in fact, they are not in it (for space is independent of them and exists where one thinks water, air, etc., exist). These elements are but the notions that arise in others.

Vipascit took that path, in order to examine the extent of ignorance, and he began to investigate the stellar sphere. Brahman is infinite; and therefore ignorance of Brahman is also infinite. Ignorance exists when Brahman is not realised; and when Brahman is realised, ignorance is seen not to exist. However far Vipascit went, he was still wandering in the realm of this ignorance.

Of the others, one attained liberation, another became a deer, and an other is also wandering in ignorance. The two who thus wander in distant worlds, are not seen in our consciousness. But the one that became a deer, is within the field of our understanding. That world in which that Vipascit lives as the deer (after having wandered in distant worlds), is this very world which is in one distant corner of the infinite space of consciousness.

Rama asked:

Lord, Vipascit lived in this world itself and went away from here. How is it that he has become a deer in this world?

Vasistha replied:

Even as one who is endowed with limbs knows them, even so I know everything which may exist in Brahman, as Brahman is my own self. The past does not know the future and vice versa; but consciousness, which is not divided by time, is aware of all this. In that consciousness, everything is 'here', though to ordinary perception something may be far away. Thus I see the worlds in which Vipascit wandered, and how he became a deer in this very world. In fact, I know where that deer is right now, O Rama. It is the doom that was presented to you as a gift by the king of the Trigartha.

Valmiki said:

When the sage Vasistha said this, Rama and the assembled sages and others were wonderstruck. Rama despatched a few boys to go and fetch the deer. Seeing it, the assembly was amazed, and everyone exclaimed: "Truly, maya (illusion) is limitless and infinite."

  section VI.2 - chapter 130 - yenaiva 'bhyudita yasya tasya tena vina gatih na sobhate na sukhada na hitaya na satphala (2)

Rama asked:

O sage, how, by whom and by what means will this deer be freed from its unfortunate state of existence?

Vasistha replied:

The way out of this misfortune is that which was its original cause. Any other path is not the right one, and it will not be productive of happiness, welfare, or fruition. The king Vipascit adored the fire; and by entering into the fire, this deer will regain its former state, just as gold regains its lustre by being purified in the fire. Behold, I shall make this deer enter into the fire.

Valmiki said:

So saying, the sage Vasistha sipped water from his sacred water-pot, and created a fire in the middle of the hall, without any fuel. It burned brightly without any sparks and without any smoke. The people in the assembly moved away from the centre of the hall. The deer was delighted to see that fire. It began to frisk about in delight. Vasistha was in a deep state of contemplation, and blessed the deer that it should be freed from its past sinful tendencies. He further prayed to the fire-god: "Remembering his previous existence, O fire, please restore to this deer his old form as the king Vipascit."

The moment the sage uttered these words, the deer rushed with great joy into the fire. It rested for a few minutes in the fire while everyone was looking; gradually its form changed into that of a human being. He was radiant and handsome. As soon as he arose in the fire, the fire vanished from sight. All the assembled sages with one voice exclaimed, "Ah, what radiance (bha) does this person possess! He shines (bhasa) like the sun. Surely, he shall become famous as Bhasa." Hence, he came to be known as Bhasa.

Bhasa realised in a moment, by deep contemplation, all that had happened in his previous incarnations.

In the meantime, the excitement and the conversation in the assembly had subsided, and there was silence once again. Bhasa arose and proceeded towards the sage Vasistha and bowed to him. The sage, in turn, blessed him saying, "May the ignorance, under which you have been labouring for so long, leave you". Then Bhasa saluted Rama and hailed him.

After this, the king Dasaratha welcomed Bhasa:

"Welcome, O king. Be seated here. You have wandered far and wide and for a very long time in this samsara. Now rest here." Bhasa took his seat among the sages in the assembly. King Dasaratha continued: "Alas, like a tethered elephant, this king Vipascit had to undergo countless trials and tribulations. What a great calamity follows imperfect vision of the reality and the perverse understanding of the truth. Though essentially unreal and non- existent, it is amazing what power this illusion has, that it can seemingly create such diverse worlds in the infinite consciousness, and such varied experiences."

  section VI.2 - chapter 131 - kalpanam tatparam brahma param brahmaiva kalpanam cidrupam na 'nayorbhedah sunyatvakasayoriva (20)

Visvamitra said:

Even so, O king, there are very many people who wander in this samsara, because they have not gained the best knowledge or enlightenment. There is a king who has wandered in this samsara for the past one million and seven hundred thousand years. These ignorant people are interested in investigating the nature of worldly objects; and they continually flow in this samsara, without ever turning away from it.

This creation exists in the infinite space as a mere notion in the mind of the creator Brahma. Just as little ants move here and there on the surface of a ball, people move about on the surface of this earth. In space, there is no 'below', and there is no 'above'. The direction in which an object falls is known as 'below', and the direction in which birds rise to fly is called 'above'.

In this world, there is a place known as Vatadhana. In that kingdom, there were three princes. They resolved to go to the very limits of this world, to investigate all that it contains. For some time, they examined the objects of the earth, and then they examined the objects in the oceans. They took birth after birth, and continued to pursue their goal of gaining a complete knowledge of this earth. They could not go to the 'ends' of the earth, because, like ants moving on a ball, they were only going from one part of the earth to another, all the time. They are thus wandering on the earth even today.

Thus, there is no end to the illusion in this samsara. Since this illusion arises as a notion in the infinite consciousness, it also seems to be infinite. The essence (reality or substance) of the notion is the supreme Brahman and vice versa. They are both pure consciousness, and there is no difference or division in consciousness, just as there is no distinction between space and emptiness. The currents and whirlpools that appear on the surface of water are only water. Since there can be nothing other than consciousness, how can there be something other than consciousness? The infinite consciousness alone shines of its own accord as this world, without even intending to do so. Wherever the infinite consciousness wishes to appear in whatever form, it does so and experiences its own nature in that form for as long as it pleases.

Within the smallest atom of the infinite consciousness exists the potentiality of all experiences, just as there are stones and rocks within the mountain. All these experiences exist, constantly experiencing their own particular modes of experience everywhere. In reality, of course, they do not exist as experiences, but only as the infinite consciousness. These manifold experiences are collectively known as the world, which is the shining appearance of Brahman. But it indeed is a great wonder that this infinite consciousness, without ever abandoning its reality, thinks of itself "I am a jiva". Now, O king Bhasa, tell us of your past experiences.

  section VI.2 - chapter 131 - bahu drstam maya drsyam baba bhrantamakhedina bahveva bahudha nunamanubhutam smaramyaham (30)

Bhasa said:

I saw many things, and I wandered a lot, without experiencing fatigue. I experienced many things in many different ways. All this I remember. I experienced many pleasures and much sorrow, in many bodies, over a long period of time, and in distant places, in this limitless space. I attained various bodies on account of boons and curses, and in those embodiments, I saw countless objects and scenes. I was also determined to see and experience everything. This was the original boon that I obtained from the fire-god. Therefore, even though I had different bodies on different planes, I still pursued the original intention of gaining a thorough knowledge of this world.

For a thousand years, I lived as a tree. I had to endure many sufferings during that period. My mind was totally centred within myself, and without mental activity, I produced flowers and fruits. For a hundred years, I was a deer on the mount Meru. I had a golden colour. I lived on grass, and I loved music. I was very small, and therefore non-violent. For fifty years, I was a sarabha (an eight-footed animal, more powerful than the lion). After that, I became a vidyadhara-celestial. Then I became the son of the swan, which is the vehicle of the creator Brahma. I lived as a swan for fifteen hundred years. For a hundred years, I listened to the divine music of the celestial attendants of lord Narayana (Visnu). Then I became a jackal, and lived in a forest. A huge elephant ravaged the bush in which I lived. While I was dying on account of this, I saw that elephant killed by a lion. After this, I became a nymph in another world, and lived alone for half an epoch, on account of the curse of a sage. After this, I lived for a hundred years as a valmika-bird. When our nest was destroyed along with the tree on which we lived, I lost my partner, and then lived the rest of my life alone in a far-off place. Then I became an ascetic, having gained a certain amount of dispassion.

I saw many amazing things. I saw a world which was made entirely of water. Elsewhere, I saw a woman, in whose body the three worlds were reflected as in a mirror. When I asked her who she was, she replied: "I am pure consciousness, and all the worlds are my limbs. Even as I create such bewilderment in you, even so are all things. Till you see everything with the same bewilderment and wonder, you cannot know their real nature. All the worlds are one's own limbs. I hear them all as one hears sounds and expressions during one's dream." I saw countless beings emerge in her, and then dissolve in her, too. Elsewhere, I saw an unusual form of cloud, which produced a dreadful sound of clashing missiles, and which rained weapons on the earth. I saw another wonder: the whole earth was covered in darkness, and whole villages were flying away to a distant world. I saw your village in another world. Elsewhere, I saw that all beings were of the same nature. Elsewhere, I saw a world without a sun, moon, and stars, and there was no darkness; all its inhabitants were radiant and illumined. There is no world I have not seen, nothing I have not experienced.

  section VI.2 - chapter 132 - nedam nedam sadityeva vicaranubhave sthitam tatha 'pidamidam ceti durdrstirna nivartate (17)

Bhasa continued:

Once I was asleep with a celestial nymph in a garden. Suddenly I woke up to find myself floating downstream, like a blade of grass. Surprised, I asked the nymph: "What is this?" She explained to me: "There is a moonstone mountain nearby. When the moon rises, the springs that issue from that mountain swell, and there is a sudden flood. In the supreme delight I experienced in your company, I forgot to warn you of this."

Having said this, the nymph took me with her, and flew into space without any difficulty. For a period of seven years from then, I lived with her on the top of the mount Mandara.

After this, I roamed other worlds, in which the people were self-luminous. I saw a world in which there were no directions like east and west, no days and nights, no scriptures and no polemics, no distinctions between gods and demons. Then I became a celestial, by name Amarasoma, and lived for fourteen years as an ascetic.

Endowed with the boon granted to me by the fire-god, I moved in space with extraordinary speed. Somewhere I fell into a great ocean, and somewhere I experienced the sensation of falling through space. Moving about in space was my only occupation. I became fatigued, and I slept for a considerable time.

While asleep, I entered into the world of dreams. There again I experienced various worlds and various objects, and there was great restlessness in me. Whatever my eyes saw, I was there in a moment. From there I saw something else, and there I was again in an instant, regardless of the distance.

Thus wandering from one world to another with great speed, I spent many years. But I had not seen the end of the manifestation of ignorance known as 'the objective universe'; for, it was an illusion which had somehow got itself firmly rooted in my heart, just as the fear of a ghost gets hold of the heart of a child. However well I realise 'This is not real', "This is not real' after intense enquiry, the feeling 'This is' does not cease. From moment to moment, new experiences of pleasure and pain arise and cease, like the flowing stream of a river.

I also remember a great mountain peak, which shone by its own light, though there was neither the sun nor the moon there. It was so beautiful that it charmed the heart of those sages who love to live in solitude.

  section VI.2 - chapter 133 - badhava hatvangasrnge kapilamurujatamandalam padmayoneh krtva daityotttamangaih srajamurasi siratsekharam tarksyapaksaih ya devi bhukttavisva pibati jagadidam sadribhupithabhutam sa devi niskalanka kalitatanulata patu nah palaniyan (30)

Vipascit (Bhasa) continued:

I shall now relate to you another great wonder, which I saw in another world. There is a shining world in the great space, which is beyond your reach. That world is as different from this as the dream-world is different from the world of the waking-state experience. While I was roaming that world, in order to find the extent of the objective universe, I noticed a gigantic shadow, enveloping the whole of that earth. As I lifted my eyes to the sky, in order to find out what the cause of that shadow might be, I saw an enormous thing, looking like a person falling in space, and descending upon the world I was in. It even hid the sun so effectively that the world was totally enveloped in darkness.

It fell on the earth, even as I was thus gazing at it with awe and wonder. I felt that my end was near and, overcome by fear, I quickly entered into fire. I had worshipped the fire- god in very many incarnations; hence, the fire-god reassured me with the words "Do not be afraid". I, too, prayed to the fire-god for his protection. The fire-god commanded me to ascend his own vehicle and said, "Let us both go to the world of fire". The fire-god then made a small hole in that huge body that had fallen on the earth, and both of us escaped into the outer space.

It was only from there that we could realise the colossal nature of that body which had fallen on the earth. By its fall, it had agitated all the oceans, and destroyed all the cities, towns, and forests. It had stopped the flow of the rivers. There was weeping and wailing everywhere. The earth itself was groaning under its weight. Gale-force winds and torrential rains reminded one of the cosmic dissolution. The peaks of the Himalayas had descended into the netherworld. The sun fell on the earth. The entire earth had been shattered. The celestials who were coursing the heavens, saw this enormous body, and thought that it was another newly-created earth, or another half of the universe, or perhaps a portion of space which had fallen from its place!

But when I saw it with great attention, I saw that it was made of flesh, and that the entire earth could not even cover a limb in that body. Having seen this, I turned to my tutelary deity, the fire-god, and asked him, "Lord, what is this?"

The fire-god replied:

"Child, wait till the disturbances caused by the fall of this corpse subside. I shall then tell you all about it."

Then the space around the earth was filled with sages, siddhas, and celestials, the manes, and the gods, all of whom had etheric bodies. They bowed their heads, and offered a prayer to the divine mother Kalaratri: "May the divine mother, who is endowed with a black body, who consumes the entire universe, who holds the head of Brahma at the tip of her sword, and who wears the garland of the heads of the demons, and who is yet absolutely pure, protect us."

  section VI.2 - chapter 134 - deva ucurayam devi upararikrto mbike sardham svaparivarena sighramahriyatamiti (14)

Vipascit (Bhasa) continued:

In response to the prayers of the sages and the siddhas, the divine mother appeared in the sky. She was 'dry' and bloodless. She was accompanied by countless goblins and other spirits. She was several thousand miles tall. She was established in the supreme being. She was seated on the corpse.

The gods said to her: "O divine mother, this is our offering to you. We pray that you may consume it quickly, along with your attendant hosts." As soon as the gods said this, the divine mother began sucking the life-blood of the dead body with the help of her own prana-sakti (life-force). As this blood flowed into her mouth, her own lean body filled with blood, and her belly became distended. She began to dance. The gods, seated on the Lokahika mountains (the boundaries of the earth-plane), witnessed this dance. The goblins began to eat the corpse. The state of the world at that time was indeed pitiable.

The mountains of the earth had disappeared. The firmament appeared to be dressed in a red cloth. As the mother danced, swirling her divine weapons in all directions, whatever remained of the towns and cities of the earth was destroyed; only their memory remained. The whole world was populated now only by the goblins and the hosts that formed the retinue of the divine mother. Seeing all this utter destruction, the gods seated on the Lokaloka mountains were distressed.

Rama asked Vasistha:

When it was said that the corpse covered the whole earth-plane, how is it hat the Lokaloka mountains were still visible?

Vasistha said:

Those mountains were visible over the shoulders of the corpse. The distressed gods reflected thus: "Alas, alas, where has the earth gone, where have the oceans gone, what happened to the people and to the mountains? Where has the Malaya mountain gone with all its sandalwood forests and various fragrant flower-gardens? Alas, the pure white snow of the Himalaya mountains appears to be muddy now. Alas, the ocean of milk (the abode of lord Visnu), the wish-fulfilling tree, all other oceans (those full of curd, wine, or honey) and the mountains full of cocoanut palms have vanished. Alas, the Kraunca continent with its own beautiful mountain, the Puskara continent (in which the swan, which is the vehicle of Brahma the creator, lived in a lake full of lotuses, and in whose mountain-caves the celestials used to enjoy themselves), the Gomedha continent surrounded by fresh-water ocean, and the Saka continent whose very remembrance is auspicious, have all been destroyed. All the gardens and forests have vanished. Where will the people, who are tired and fatigued, take rest now? When shall we again taste the sweetness of sugar and the little figurines made of sugar, since all the sugar cane fields have been destroyed? Alas, the Jambudvipa, which was the support of all other continents, has also been destroyed. Alas, where has the good earth disappeared?"

22. The Story of the Hunter and the Deer

  section VI.2 - chapter 135 136 - brahmanidam trnantanam dvidha bhavati sambhavah eko brahmamayo 'nyastu bhrantijastavimau srnu (136/22)

Vasistha (or Bhasa) continued:

The gods continued to say thus among themselves: "The goblins have now eaten the flesh, and drunk the blood of this corpse; hence, one can see the earth again. The very bones of that body form the new mountains." As the gods were saying so, the satisfied goblins began to dance in space. The gods saw that there was some blood left on the earth; they filled the oceans with it, and willed that it should become liquor. The goblins drank of this liquor, and continued to dance; even now they do so. This earth was made out of the flesh (meda) of the corpse, and hence it is known as 'medini' (earth). Thus the earth and its inhabitants were brought again into being. The Creator created a new mankind.

Bhasa said:

Then I asked the fire-god: Who was this person before he died? The Fire-God narrated to me the following story:

Listen, there is infinite space which is full of pure consciousness. In it are countless worlds, floating like so many atoms. In that there arose a cosmic person endowed with self- awareness. That person experiences his own light as you see an object in a dream. From those experiences arise the various senses and their respective organs, which together form the body. These senses perceive their own respective objects, which become the world.

In that world, there arose a person named Asura (demon). He was proud of his might. Once he destroyed the hermitage of a sage who cursed him thus: "You have done this because you are proud of your gigantic body. You will die, and become a mosquito." The fire of that curse burnt Asura to ashes. He became a disembodied personality, just like the mind of an unconscious person. It became one with the physical space. It then became united with the wind in that space. This wind is the life-force (prana). The Asura now awoke as a living being, and acquired energy, water, etc. Once again, endowed with the five elements (the tanmatras) and a particle of the infinite consciousness, he began to vibrate as an individual. There arose in him self-awareness, just as a seed sprouts in favourable conditions. In that self-awareness lay the sage's curse, and therefore the notion of a mosquito. Therefore he became a mosquito.

In answer to Rama's question, Vasistha said:

"Right from Brahma, down to the blade of grass, all beings are subject to two forms of birth: the first is Brahma's creation, and the other is illusory creation. The creation that arises spontaneously in the mind of the Creator which he had not experienced before is the creation of Brahma, not 'birth through the womb'. That which arises on account of latent delusion is the illusory birth, born of subject-object relationship.'

The mosquito dwelt happily on a blade of grass with its partner. This grass was eaten by a deer. Because he died looking at the deer, he became a deer. The deer was killed by a hunter; hence, the deer was born as a hunter in the next birth. While the hunter was roaming the forest, he had the good fortune to meet a holy sage, who awakened him: "Why do you engage yourself in this cruel life of a hunter? Abandon this sinful life, and seek to attain nirvana."

  section VI.2 - chapter 137 - vivesa manasa mauni tatah sastravivekitam dinaireva yatha puspamamodena narasayam (4)

The Hunter asked:

If that is so, O sage, tell me how can one overcome sorrow without engaging oneself in 'hard' or 'soft' practices.

The Sage replied:

Abandon the bow and the arrows this very moment. Remain here, resorting to a life of silence, free from sorrow.

Vasistha continued:

´` The hunter did so, without hesitation. In a matter of days, he entered into the wisdom of the scriptures, just as a flower enters a man's body as its fragrance. One day he asked the sage: "How is it, O sage, that dream which takes place within, appears to be outside?"

The Sage replied:

This question arose in my mind, too, in the very beginning. In order to find an answer to this question, I practised concentration. I sat in the lotus-posture, and remained as pure consciousness. I gathered all the rays of the mind, which were dissipated over a thousand things, and focussed them on my own heart. Along with the life-force, I 'exhaled' the mind outside the body. That prana entered into a living being, which appeared in front of me. That being 'inhaled' that prana, and received it in its own heart.

Then I entered into the very heart of that being. Bound by my own intellect, I followed it into that being. I saw that the inside of that person was rift of countless channels, as if they were all outside. It was also filled with various organs and viscera like the liver, spleen, etc., just as a house is full of furniture. It was warm inside. The cool breeze that flowed into that body from outside, kept it alive and conscious. The channels bore the essence of food. It was very dark inside, like hell. The flow of the life-force along these channels gave ample indications of the physical disturbances that followed the irregular flow of the life-force. In a channel, which resembled the lotus stalk, there flowed a radiant and fiery force, making a distant noise of a wind flowing through a narrow tube. It was filled with all sorts of objects. It was bound together by the movement of air. It was pleasant in places, and agitated in others. It appeared as if the celestial musicians were singing somewhere below the tongue- area, and elsewhere it was as if there were fine music.

I entered the heart of that being. In that heart, I attained the principle of light. In it are the three worlds reflected. It is the light of the three worlds. It is the very essence of all things. The jiva is there in it. The jiva pervades the entire body, but this 'ojas' (inner light) is its special seat. It is protected on all sides by the life-force. I entered it, as water permeates an earthen pot. Remaining there, I saw the entire universe, as if I were seeing it from my own 'ojas'.

  section VI.2 - chapter 137 - svapnah svapno jagarayamesa svapne tu jagara svapnastu jagaraiveti jagaraiva sthfta dvidha (38)

The Sage continued:

In that dream-world, too, there were the sun, the mountains, and the oceans, as also the gods and the demons and human beings; there were the cities and the forests, the time- scales and the directions. That dream-vision appeared to be permanent; it was as if it arose after the termination of my sleep. I asked myself: "How is that I see this dream, though I am not asleep?" After considerable enquiry I realised: "This surely is the divine form of the truth concerning consciousness. Whatever that consciousness manifests in itself, is known as the world." Wherever this seed of consciousness sees its own form, as it were, there and then, it sees the world, without ever abandoning its own reality as the infinite consciousness.

I have realised now that this world, which is said to be the dream-object, is the perception of this infinite consciousness. The manifestation (shining) of this consciousness is called the waking-world, and also the dream-world. It is one consciousness; there is no division in it. Dream is dream in relation to the waking state, but a dream is waking state in relation to the dream itself. Dream is non-different from the waking state; waking state itself is twofold.

A person is but consciousness. Even if a hundred bodies perish, consciousness does not perish. Consciousness is like space, but it exists as if it is the body. The infinite appears to be divided into infinite objects, with and without form. This is because countless particles of experiences shine within the infinite consciousness. When the jiva turns away from the experiencing of the external world and towards the inner world in the heart, then dream arises. When the jiva has externalised consciousness, there is the waking state. When the same jiva turns its gaze upon itself, dream arises. The jiva itself is spread out as the space, the earth, the wind, the mountains, and the oceans, whether they are seen outside or inside. When this truth is realised, one is freed from vasana or mental conditioning.

I then asked myself, "What is sleep?" I began to investigate sleep. When one thinks, "What have I got to do with these objects of the world? Let me rest in utter peace for some time", sleep arises. Just as in the same body there are sentient and also insentient (like nails, hair) parts, sleep is characterised by both sentience and insentience. 'Let me rest in peace' - when this one notion prevails in the mind, there is sleep. This can arise even in the waking state.

Then I began to investigate the state of turiya (the fourth one). If one is established in turiya, the world-appearance ceases on account of perfect illumination. Then the world exists as it is, nothing ceases to be. It is because of the existence of this turya that waking, dream, and sleep exist as they do. The realisation that 'The world has not been created at all, since there is no cause for it to arise', and that ' It is Brahman alone that shines as this world', is turya.

  section VI.2 - chapter 138 - yada tadatmakatmaikaparo hrdi sahasthitam upradhanikarotyetaccittam svarthasvabhavatah (21)

The Sage continued:

Then I desired to become one with the consciousness of that being. When I left that being's 'ojas', in order to enter into the consciousness, my own senses were immediately awakened. However, I restrained them at once, and entered into the consciousness. As I entered that consciousness, I experienced two worlds at the same time. Everything appeared double. However, since the two perceiving intelligences were similar, the duality appeared to be similar and mixed well, like water and milk.

In a moment, I drew into myself the consciousness of that other being with the help of my consciousness. At once, the 'two worlds' merged into one, even as for one who is suffering from diplopia, the perception of two moons gives way to the perception of a single moon when he is cured. I had not abandoned my own wisdom, but my own thought- form had greatly weakened, and taken on the thought-form of the other being. Hence, I began to experience the world as he did.

After some time, he retired to sleep. He collected the rays of his mind. Even as a tortoise draws its limbs into itself, his senses were drawn into his heart along with their functions. His sense-organs became as if they were dead, or as if they were but painted images. I was within him, and I followed the course of his mind, and entered into his heart. For a moment, I enjoyed the happiness of sleep, having abandoned the experience of external objects, and having entered into the 'ojas'. All the channels within him were dense and congested, on account of fatigue; and on account of food, drink, etc., the life-breath flowed slowly through the nostrils. The life-force turns upon its own source within the heart, and relieves the mind of materiality (or, makes the mind unimportant), because naturally it is its own object. The self is its own object now, and there is no other externalising activity. Hence, it shines in itself as itself.

Rama asked:

The mind is able to think only on account of the life-force, and it has no existence in itself. Then, what is it in itself?

Vasistha replied:

Though the body is experienced to be real, it does not exist in truth.

Mind is as real as the mountain seen in a dream. Since no 'object' has ever been created on account of the absence of any cause, the mind (citta) does not exist. All this is Brahman and, since Brahman is everything, this world exists as it is. Even the body, the mind, etc., are Brahman only; but, how the knowers of truth see this is not for us to describe.

The one indivisible, infinite consciousness perceived itself as its own object, and that is said to be the mind. When there arose the notion of motion, that notion manifested as prana or life-force. Prana gives rise to the experience through the senses, and thus arises the world.

  section VI.2 - chapter 139 - yada svakarmani spande vyagrah prano bhrsam bhavet tada tadihitavyagrah prano na 'tmodyami bhavet (12)

Vasistha continued:

The mind (citta) is the creator of the world, with all that is real, unreal, or mixed which is in it. Prana (life-force) was brought into being by the mind with the idea: 'Prana is my movement, and I shall not be without prana or life-force. Hence it shall be my goal. Even if I am without prana for some time, I shall immediately be with prana again.' The moment this prana gets united with the mind, it sees the illusory world. Because of the firm notion 'I shall never again be without the life-force and the body', it does not regain its true nature as pure consciousness.

It experiences sorrow, since it swings from one extreme to the other, on account of doubt. This sorrow cannot cease, except when the self-knowledge arises. Nothing other than self-knowledge can remove the wrong notion 'I am this'. Self-knowledge does not arise, except through the investigation of the means for liberation. Hence, by every means, one should investigate the means for liberation.

The mind constantly entertains the notion that 'The life-force is my own life,' and therefore the mind rests in prana. When the body is in a state of well-being, the mind functions well, but when the body does not enjoy a state of well-being, the mind does not see anything other than the physical disturbance. When the prana life-force) is busily engaged in its own vigorous movement, then it is absorbed in its own movement, and is unable to exert in self-knowledge.

Thus, the relationship between the mind and the prana is that of a rider and the vehicle. Such was the notion entertained by the infinite consciousness right in the beginning; and therefore this relationship prevails even today. One who is not enlightened is unable to transcend it. The ignorant person continues to entertain unshakable notions concerning time, space, matter, mind, prana and body. When the mind and the prana function in harmony, the person engages himself in various activities. When there is disturbance, there is disharmony. When both are at rest, there is sleep. When the nadis (channels of energy) are clogged by food, etc., and there is inertia, the movement of prana becomes dull, and there is sleep. Again, even when the nadis are not clogged by food, etc., but when there is weakness or fatigue, the prana is unable to move properly, and one sleeps. When the nadis themselves become soft and weak, for whatever reason, when they are loaded with all sorts of impurities, and when the prana is thus engaged in soma extraordinary activity, then, too, sleep arises.

The Sage said:

When darkness fell, then the person into whose heart I had entered fell into deep sleep. I too enjoyed this deep sleep. Then, when the food he had eaten had been digested, and when the nadis were clear, the life-force began to move vigorously, and sleep weakened.

  section VI.2 - chapter 139 - susupte tanutam yate hrdayadiva nirgatam apasyamahamatraiva bhuvanam bhaskaradimat (23)

The Sage continued:

When thus sleep had been weakened, I saw the world with its sun etc., as if it arose in the heart. I saw all this where l was. But, this world was being overwhelmed by the flood of cosmic dissolution. I saw myself seated with my bride in a house. The flood was carrying us all away, with the whole house, etc., floating as if to try to fight the flood, and stay alive. Soon, the house in which I was seated, which was being carried down by the flood, broke into pieces. I jumped into the water. I had abandoned the family and friends, being solely interested in the preservation of my life. Sometimes I went down under, and sometimes I rose to the surface. When I obtained a foothold on a rock, and tried to rest a while, a huge wave came and knocked me into the flood again. There was not a single form of suffering that I did not experience during this period, and I was subjected to every type of painful experience.

In the meantime, because I was in a state of utter despair - though quite conscious - I recollected a previous life-time experience in a state of samadhi. Then I was an ascetic. I had entered another person, eager to witness the dream-state. I knew that I was perceiving an illusion. At the same time, I also perceived the present experience; though I was being carried away by the flood, I experienced joy.

While observing the flood and the destruction caused by it, I reflected thus: "What cannot fate do? Even the three-eyed god is being crushed by this flood. In this flood, all the gods and the demons are being whirled around. These mountainous waves rise right up to the seat of Brahma the Creator. These waves look like elephants; they are as powerful as lions, and they seem to float in the sky like clouds. Even the protectors of this earth, along with their palaces and vehicles, fall into this flood and get drowned. The gods and the demons float in this flood together and hold onto one another. Because of the falling cities and the floating palaces, the waters of the flood appear to be solid walls. Even the sun has been overcome by this flood and the sun is being led into the netherworld. Only the knowers of the truth (the sages of self-knowledge) experience no sorrow at all; they see their bodies being borne down the stream, but without the false notion 'I am that body'. Helpless women are drowning. In this flood of cosmic dissolution, where all are being chewed by death, who can save whom? The entire universe now seems only to be an infinite ocean. Where are all the gods headed by Indra?"

  section VI.2 - chapter 140 - balam buddhisca tejasca ksayakala upasthite viparyasyati sarvatra sarvatha mahatimapi (6)

The hunter asked:

Do such hallucinations arise even in such great ones like you, O sage? Does not the practice of meditation put an end to them?

The Sage replied:

Everything ceases at the end of a world-cycle. Some things come to an end gradually, while others end abruptly. Again, what has to happen will happen inevitably. Moreover, with the advent of adversity, strength, intelligence, and vitality (radiance) are all adversely affected everywhere, at all times, even in the case of the great ones. Lastly, what I described so far was but a dream. What is impossible or irreconcilable with a dream?

Yet, it is important that I should narrate this dream-experience to you. Now, I shall tell you the truth.

While I was thus witnessing this great flood of cosmic dissolution, I came upon the peak of a mountain. I got on top of it. The very next instant, the entire scene changed. I do not even know how the flood-waters disappeared. The whole earth was a mass of mud, in which the gods like Indra, and animals like elephants, were all sunk neck-deep. Soon I was overcome by fatigue and sleep.

After this, though I remained in my own 'ojas', I still carried the psychological conditioning of the previous experience. After thus experiencing a sort of double-consciousness, when I awoke, I saw the mountain-peak in the other person's heart. On the second day, I saw the sunrise there. After this arose all other objects of the world.

I tried to forget everything else, and to engage myself in my usual activity in that world. I said to myself, "I am sixteen years of age, these are my parents, etc." Then I saw a village and in it a hermitage. I began to live in that hermitage which became real to me; the memory of the previous experience began to fade; I considered the body to be my only hope. Wisdom was far from me. Vasana or mental conditioning was the very essence of my being, and I was devoted to wealth. I observed all my social and religious duties. I knew what to do, and what not to do.

One day, a sage came to me as my guest. I entertained him well. At night, he told me a story. He described the limitless universe in detail, and concluded by saying that all that was the infinite consciousness. My own intelligence was awakened. At once, I remembered all the past, how I entered into anther's body, etc. I thought that the other person was the cosmic person, and tried to get out of it. I entered into that person's prana. Becoming one with it, I came out. Then I saw immediately in front of me my own body, seated in the lotus-posture, in a hermitage, attended to by disciples. According to these disciples, only an hour had passed after I entered into samadhi. The person into whose heart I had entered was another traveller, who was asleep. I did not tell all this to anyone, but quickly re-entered the heart of the sleeping person. In his heart, the cosmic dissolution had been completed. And the village in which I lived with my relatives had disappeared. Everything was ablaze with the fire of dissolution. I practised the wind-contemplation, and roamed in it.

  section VI.2 - chapter 141 142 - tatra damdahyamano 'pi na 'bhavam duhkhabhagaham svapne svapno 'yamityesa janannagnavapi cyutah (141/1)

The Sage continued:

Though I was surrounded by that terrible fire there, I was not unhappy at all . When you know while dreaming that it is dream only, you are freed from even fire. While I was investigating the nature of the fire, unaffected by it, because I knew the truth that it was dream, a dreadful heat-wave arose. In that gale, everything began to fly around and to get totally burnt. It was like the dance of destruction.

I began to wonder: after all, all this is only a dream dreamt by me while I am living in someone else's heart. Why should I not get out of all this, instead of witnessing this suffering?

The hunter asked:

You had entered that person's heart in order to know what dream was. Why did you decide to pull out? Did you find out the truth?

The Sage replied:

To begin with, the creation has no cause for coming into being. Hence, neither the word 'creation' nor the object 'creation' are real. They do not exist. But this ignorance or unreality is also a notion which arises in consciousness or reality, and in consciousness or reality what exists (as 'creation') is obvious. I can only tell you the truth from the point of view of one in whom ignorance and foolishness have ceased; what is true from the point of view of the ignorant and the foolish, I do not know. The truth is: all this is pure consciousness, which pervades everything.

Where is body, where is the heart, what is dream, where are water and flood, etc., where is awakening and the cessation of such awakening, where is birth, and where is death? There is only pure consciousness. In the presence of this consciousness, even the smallest and the subtlest of space appears macrocosmic. Spontaneously this consciousness 'thinks' for a moment, and the notion of the world arises, though it is still pure space. Just as in dream, only consciousness puts on various guises, and there are no cities, etc.; the world is pure consciousness only. For us, there is no appearance, nothing unreal or real, no space; but there is only one formless, beginningless, endless, non-dual infinite consciousness. Dream arises without any cause, and there is only the pure consciousness of the perceiver (without an independent object). Here, too, there is no cause, and therefore there is neither a subject nor an object; what exists is the pure consciousness or whatever it is, but it is pure experiencing which is non-dual and beyond description.

Time is both existence and destruction; the seed is itself all that emerges out of it, right up to the flowers and the fruits. Even so Brahman is all this. Consciousness always shines pure. Just as during dreaming the dream has the quality of wakefulness, even so wakefulness is also of the nature of dream only. When all mental activity ceases, you are that which is.

  section VI.2 - chapter 142 - yatha svapnesu drstanam na prakkarma nrnam bhavet adisargesu jivanam tatha cinmatrarupinam (40)

The hunter asked:

Lord, who are affected by past karma, and who are not?

The Sage replied:

They who come into being at the very commencement of creation - like Brahma the creator - have no birth and no karma. To them, there is no notion of duality, no samsara, and no notions; their consciousness is pure. Surely, at the very beginning of creation, no one has any karma; for, before that, only the infinite and absolute Brahman existed. Therefore, at the beginning of creation, it was Brahman who manifested as the creation. Just as Brahma the creator and the others manifested at the beginning of creation, even so did countless jivas manifest then. But, they who consider themselves other than Brahman, consider themselves ignorant, and perceive duality. In their case, birth and karma arise of their own accord, because these beings lean on the unreality. But, in the case of those who do not thus consider themselves different from Brahman (like Brahma, Visnu, diva, etc.), they are unaffected by karma.

The infinite consciousness is absolutely pure. Brahman rests in himself. However, in it, there arises just a little notion of the jiva. Where this notion of jiva arises, there ignorance arises; that itself is considered as creation by the same consciousness. Of its own accord, consciousness awakens itself to its own true nature, and realises that it is, and has always been, Brahman.

Water itself takes on the appearance of a whirlpool; Brahman itself takes on the appearance of this creation. This creation is manifest Brahman; it is neither a dream, nor a waking state reality. In that case, what is karma, to whom is it, and of how many types is it? In truth, there is no karma, no ignorance, no creation; all these notions arise only because of one's own experience.

Brahman alone shines as creation, individual selves, karma, birth, and such other notions. Because it is the Lord, it experiences these notions as if they were true. In the beginning of creation, the jiva is not subject to any karma; after this, however, it gets involved in karma, on account of the notions it entertains. What is the body or personality of a whirlpool, and what is its karma? It is water, and even so is everything Brahman.

The persons seen in a dream have no past karma. Even so, the jivas that arose in the beginning of creation have no karma, because they are pure consciousness. It is only when one becomes firmly rooted in the notion of this world-appearance as the reality, that the notion of karma arises. Then the jivas roam here, bound by their karma. If it is realised that this creations itself is no-creation, and that Brahman alone exists, then where is karma, whose is karma, and who belongs to that karma? Karma exists only in ignorance; the moment right knowledge arises, karma ceases to bind.

  section VI.2 - chapter 143 - sargadavatha dehante bhatam yadvedanam yatha tattatha ‘moksameva ‘ste tadidam sarga ucyate (17)

The Sage continued:

The pandita (one who has self-knowledge) is like the sun which makes the lotus of all dharma, karma, and knowledge blossom. Compared to the wisdom of the sage of self- knowledge, even the status of the king of the gods is like a worthless straw. When self- knowledge arises, the illusory notion of a world-existence vanishes, and the realisation of Brahman as the only truth arises; just as when light dispels darkness, the garland which had been mistaken for a snake, shines as a garland.

The people seen in a dream do not have parents; this world-dream has no cause. The dream-people had no previous karma to cause their present birth. The apparently real people in this dream-world do not have a previous karma either. Even as the jiva perceives and experiences dreams here, even so it fancies and experiences, as if real, a previous existence and karma, in accordance with its own mental conditioning (vasana).

In the beginning of creation, and at the end of the existence of the body, the jiva experiences a dream-like state. Whatever it experiences seems to be - and that is both real and unreal. In a dream, there is contact with 'other' objects, though no such exist. Even so, the perception of the other objects in the waking state is possible, though they are unreal. 'Waking' and 'dreaming' are two words used to denote the movement in consciousness, which brings about awareness. That awareness or experience which arises in the beginning of creation (sargadi), and at the end of the life-span of the body (dehanta), that awareness continues to exist till it ceases to be (or till liberation is attained), and that is known as creation.

There is no distinction between consciousness and awareness of objects seen either in the waking state or in a dream, just as there is no distinction between wind and movement. Brahman alone appears to arise, and to perish or to die, and to experience objects; but it is pure consciousness alone, which does not undergo any change, and which is for ever at peace and pure. Whatever that infinite consciousness or cosmic person becomes aware of within itself, becomes both cause and effect. This creation is in the heart of that infinite consciousness, even as the dream is in your heart, both as the cause and effect.

In whatever manner it appeared in the beginning, that has continued to be its natural order, time, space, etc. Whatever characteristic the creation acquired then, has continued to exist since then. First, there arises a notion or a feeling or a concept in the consciousness, and then follows what is known as creation; but all this is but the amazing work of consciousness. The immeasurable space appears to have a blue colour; the immeasurable consciousness appears to exist as this creation.

  section VI.2 - chapter 143 - mrtau na jayate tasmaccetasaiva sa kevalam iha ‘vamitthamityeva vetti khe vasanatmakam (42)

The hunter asked:

After leaving this body, how does one get another body for the purpose of experiencing pleasure and pain; what is the causal factor, and what are the co-operating causes?

The Sage replied:

Dharma (virtue), adharma (sin), vasana (latent tendency or mental conditioning), the active self and jiva - all these are synonyms which are notions with no corresponding reality. Consciousness entertains these notions in the space (or the plane) of consciousness. The self experiences the body-notion, because it is pure consciousness, totally independent of the body. Though the body-notion is unreal, it is experienced as if it were real, just like the dream-object. To the dead person, the 'other world' shines as a notion in his own consciousness. Because he sees this for some time, it is assumed to be real.

If it is contended that someone else gives birth to the dead person, how does the latter remember the past in the present incarnation? The dead one is not born again: but he experiences the notion 'I am here in this manner' etc., on account of his own mental conditioning, within his own consciousness. When this experience is sustained for some time, and it takes deep root, it takes on the quality of reality. The self, which is but pure space (void), sees a dream in that space (void) itself; it remembers that dream again and again, and thereby arise rebirth and another world. It then believes that world and that birth to be real, and begins to function in that world as that jiva.

In this way, there are millions upon millions of worlds; when their truth is clearly understood, they are but pure consciousness or Brahman, otherwise they appear to be the world-creation. They are nothing, and they belong to none. They have never been really created. Each jiva experiences each one of those worlds as 'this is the world'. It is this mutual relationship that confers reality upon this illusion; when their truth is realised, they are known to be the uncreated reality. What is real to the sage, is impenetrable illusion to the ignorant. What is unreal to the sage, is the most obvious truth to the ignorant.

Whatever the infinite consciousness experiences, that appears to be, then, and there; hence, those experiences are real in relation to the particular experiencer. But, then, since all these (the experiencer and the experiences) are pure consciousness, there is nothing to be spoken of as 'the other' or as duality. In the infinite consciousness, when the notion 'this is this' arises, it shines as 'this is this'; but, when it is seen as 'this is this', then of course it becomes unreal! If it is the experience of consciousness, then it is non-different from consciousness; only in the non-existent state of ignorance is the experience experienced independently. Thus, self-knowledge has no object to be known. When the knowledge is the known, then the self knows itself.

  section VI.2 - chapter 143 - ektam tatha ca cinmatram svapne laksatma tisthati punarlaksatma tat svapnadekamaste susuptake (58)

The Sage continued:

However carefully we look and investigate, we do not see anything other than the reality. What the ignorant and the foolish see, we do not know. In the enlightened vision of the sage, all this is the pure, indivisible consciousness; that itself appears to be countless separate objects (both sentient and insentient) in the eyes of the ignorant. The one pure consciousness appears as the diverse dream-objects in a dream. All these millions of objects which appear in the dream become one again in deep sleep. Similarly, when this dream-world appears in the infinite consciousness, that itself is called creation; when this itself enters into the equivalent of the deep sleep state, it is known as the cosmic dissolution. This is pure commonsense.

The one indivisible consciousness becomes both the diverse objects, and also the infinite individuals; it itself becomes both the void, and also the matter just like in dream. All this diversity is just experiencing. It is pure. It shines in the manner in which it is conceived of. It cannot be removed. This consciousness alone becomes fire, etc., in the beginning of creation, for the purpose of constituting this dream-world. It is pure experiencing alone that shines as the earth, etc., though in truth it is nothing but space or veil which shines as the created world. This awareness or experiencing appears to be impossible to overcome at times, and at times it seems to be capable of being put to an end; in fact it is not possible to put an end to it, because pure experiencing remains even after all the other things have been put to an end. It is like your going from the east to the west. Now you know the east, and now you know the west - but the experience of knowing remains the same. Whatever you think of intently for a considerable time, that you experience; or you rest in peace, and experience that peace. You go from the east to the west, and know these. Another does not go, but stays in one place, and still knows these. The infinite consciousness, being non- moving, remains the same, whether it is thus experienced or thought of. Both experiences arise, and both experiences cease. When the wish arises in one 'I shall go from the south to the north', both these arise in the non-moving consciousness; but when such a wish does not arise, the directions 'north' and 'south' do not exist. When the consciousness thinks, "May I become a city in the sky" or "May I become an animal on earth," these two come into being; when that notion is not there, they cease. To others, the world is something else.

Wheter the body is mortal or immortal, the truth is that this samsara and the jiva are like dream. Even among the foreigners there are accounts of people recalling events in their past-lives. Surely, they did not 'die'. Thus the infinite consciousness, which alone appears as all this, is undying, unchanging, and eternal. The unmoving consciousness remains, appearing to be whatever notion arises in it here and there. What is truth, and what is false? So, let one experience bodies, actions, sorrow, or pleasure, as and when they arise; or let them all go. There is no meaning in all this. Let it be 'this' way or 'that' way, let it be or not be; give up this delusion, and remain enlightened.

  section VI.2 - chapter 144 - svapne to jagratsamskaro yastajjagratkrtam navam ajagrajjagrada ‘bhasam krtamityeva tadvidah (19)

The Sage continued:

All that exists and all that does not exist are like dream-experiences. Such being the truth, what is bondage and who is liberated? The cloud-formations in the sky throw up ever-changing forms and patterns. Even so is the world-appearance ever changing. It seems to be stable and unchanging on account of ignorance. In this infinite space, there are countless worlds, even as we have our own world; one man's world is not experienced by another person. The measure and the experiences of frogs living in a well, lake, and ocean, are different from one another. They do not share one another's knowledge. People sleeping in one house have different dreams, in which they experience life in different worlds, as it were; even so, the people have different worlds in the same space, while some may not have. All this is but the mysterious and efficient work of the infinite consciousness.

Consciousness has the faculty of holding on to something; a notion so held is known as samskara. But, when it is realised that the notion is only reflected in consciousness, it is seen that there is no samskara independent of consciousness. In dream there is no previous memory, but only the experience of the objects that are experienced for the time being. One may even experience in a dream one's own death, as also objects that appear like those seen before.

This creation was but a mirror-reflection in the indivisible consciousness in the beginning, and hence it was non-different from that consciousness. Brahman (the infinite consciousness) alone shines as this world, which is not something new. The cause alone is the effect. The cause was there before the effect, and will remain even after the effect ceases to be. Because the cause 'acts efficiently' (samyak karoti) in bringing about the effect, it itself is known as samskara.

That which existed before the arising of the dream, but which shines as that which was seen before, that is known as samskara. There is no other external factor known as samskara (popularly translated into 'latent impressions of past experiences and actions'). Things seen and unseen, exist in the consciousness, which shines in its own light, and experiences all those things as if already seen. In dream, the samskaras created in the waking state arise; but, in the waking state itself, they are created anew. But, they who know the truth, declare that they were in fact created in a state that appeared to be the waking state, but which in fact is not. Just as movement arises in air spontaneously, even so notions arise in consciousness; where is the need for samskara to create them? When the experience of a thousand things arises in consciousness, it is known as creation; and when the experience of the thousand things ceases in consciousness, that is known as the cosmic dissolution. Thus, the pure consciousness (cidakasa) brings into being this diversity, with all its names and forms, without ever abandoning its indivisibility, just as you create a world in your dream.

  section VI.2 - chapter 144 - bhatyakaranakam brahma sargatma 'pyabudham prati tam pratyeva ca bhatyesa karyakaranadrgbhramah (49)

The Sage continued:

The perception or the experience of 'the world' exists within the atomic particle of infinite consciousness. Just as the reflection in a mirror is only mirror, however, it is non- different from the infinite consciousness. This Infinite consciousness is beginningless and endless; that itself is called creation. Wherever this consciousness shines, there this creation exists, non-different from it even as a body is non-different from its limbs. You and I are consciousness, the entire world is consciousness; by this realisation, the creation is seen as an integral part of consciousness, and therefore uncreated. Hence, I am that atomic particle of consciousness, and as such I am infinite and omnipresent. Therefore, wherever I am, I see everything from there itself. I am a particle of consciousness, but I am one with the infinite consciousness, on account of the realisation of this truth, even as water is the same as water.

Therefore, by entering into the 'ojas', I experienced the three worlds. All this happened within it, and within it I saw the three worlds - not outside. Whether it is called dream or waking, inside or outside, all this is within the infinite consciousness.

The hunter asked:

If this creation is causeless, how does it come into being? If it has a cause, what is the cause of the dream-creation?

The Sage replied:

In the beginning, creation had no cause whatsoever. Since the objects of this creation had no cause whatsoever, conflicting diversity of objects opposed to one another does not arise. The one absolute Brahman alone shines as all this, and is denoted by words like 'creation', etc. Thus, this causeless creation is Brahman, but it appears to be part of that which has no parts, to be diverse in the indivisible, to have a form in the formless. Because it is pure consciousness, it appears to assume various forms, like the mobile and the immobile objects. And, as the gods and the sages, it creates and sustains a world order, with all the injunctions and prohibitions. Existence, non-existence, the gross, and the subtle, etc., do not in any way affect the omnipresent consciousness.

However, from there on, effects do not arise without a cause. The world order and its lord (Brahman) act on one another, just like one arm restrains the other, though both belong to the same person.

Thus, this creation arises without desire, and without psychological cause The world order (niyati) exists within Brahman; Brahman does not exist without niyati. Thus, this creation has a cause, but only in relation to the one whose creation it is, and as long as that creation lasts in relation to him. The ignorant think that Brahman shines or appears as this creation without a cause; and it is again the ignorant that are caught up in this cause-and- effect tangle or deluded notion that causality is inviolably real. The creation takes place as a coincidence - the ripe cocoanut falls accidentally, just when a crow alights on it. Then niyati determines 'This is this' and 'That is that'.

  section VI.2 - chapter 145 - yadendriyani tisthanti bahyatasca samakulam tada mlananubhavana samkalpartho ‘nubhyate (2)

The Sage continued:

The jiva knows and experiences the external world with the externalised senses, and the inner dream-world with the inner senses. When the senses are engaged in the experience of the external world, then the field of the internal notions is vague and unclear. But, when the senses are turned within, then the java experiences the world within himself with the greatest clarity. There is no contradiction in this world-appearance whatsoever, at any time; it is as one sees it is. Therefore, when the eyes are extroverted, the jiva experiences the world as if it were outside in the infinite consciousness. The aggregate of the senses of hearing, touch (skin, sight (eyes), smell (nose), taste (tongue), and desire is, known as the jiva, which is of the nature of pure consciousness, endowed with life-force. This jiva exists therefore in everything, everywhere, as everything, and hence he experiences everything, everywhere.

When the jiva (the 'ojas' or the vital essence) is filled with 'phlegm' (slesma or kapha, one of the three humours that constitute the vital essence of the body), he sees its effects there and then. He 'sees' himself rising from the ocean of milk; he sees the moon floating in the sky; he sees lakes and lotuses, gardens and flowers, rejoicing and festivals, in which women sing and dance, feasts with a lot of food and drink, rivers flowing into the ocean, huge palaces painted white, fields covered with fresh snow, parks with deer resting in them, and mountain ranges.

When the jiva is filled with 'bile' (pitta, which is another humour), he experiences its effects there and then. He 'sees' flames which are beautiful, and which produce sweating of the nerves, and which throw up black smoke which darkens the sky, suns which are dazzling in their brilliance and scorching in their heat, oceans and mist rising from them, impassable forests, mirages with swans swimming in them; he sees himself running along the road in fear and covered with hot dust, he sees the earth scorched dry and hot. Wherever the eyes see, they see everything on fire, even the clouds rain fire; and because of this pervasive fire, everything looks brilliant.

When the jiva is filled with 'wind' (vata which is another humour), he experiences the following effects. He sees the world as if it is new, he sees himself and even rocks and mountains flying, everything revolves and rotates, flying angels and celestials, the earth and all that is in it quakes; he sees himself as having fallen into a blind well, or into a dreadful calamity, or as standing perilously on top of a tree of great height or a mountain peak.

  section VI.2 - chapter 145 - ksubdhairantarbahiscaiva svalpaih svalpam prapasyati samaih samamidam drsyam vatapittakaphadina (59)

The Sage continued:

When the jiva is filled with vata, pitta, and slesma (wind, bile and phlegm), he comes under the influence of the wind, and experiences distress. He sees a shower of mountains and of rocks, he hears dreadful sounds, with which trees revolve in the bowels of the earth. Whole forests whirl around with all the animals in the forests. All the trees are on fire, and there is the sound of burning issuing from all the caves. He sees the collision of mountains. He sees the oceans rising to till the entire sky, and carrying away whole forests, and even clouds lifting them up to the region of Brahma the creator. The whole sky seems to be clear and clean, because of all this friction and rubbing within it. The three worlds appear to be filled with the battle cries of soldiers and warriors.

When thus the jiva is agitated and distressed by all this dreadful vision, he becomes unconscious. Like a worm which lies buried in the earth, like a frog hidden in a rock, like a foetus in the womb, like the seed within the fruit, like the unborn sprout in a seed, like an atom in a molecule, like an uncut figure in a rock, he rests within himself, undisturbed by the movement of prana, because in his resting place there are no 'holes' or outlets. He enters into deep sleep, which is like resting inside a rock, or inside a blind well.

When mental effort makes a hole in that resting place, then he knows the world of dreams, having been made aware of it by the movement of the life-force prana. When this life-force falls from one nadi (nerve-channel) on to another, there is a vision of a shower of mountains. If there is too much of such movement caused by vata, pitta, and slesma, then there is a lot of such experience; if it is less, the experience is less.

Whatever the jiva experiences within (in dream, etc.) on account of the vata, pitta, and slesma, that he experiences outside, too, and in that field his own organs of action function appropriately. When agitated or disturbed inside and outside, he (the jiva) experiences a little disturbance if the disturbance of the vata, pitta and kapha (slesma) is slight, and he experiences equanimity if they are in a state of balance or equilibrium. The jiva experiences all these outside when the three humours are agitated or disturbed: burning, drowning, moving in air, resting on rocks and mountains, hell, rising and falling from the sky, hallucinations like drowning in a playground, sunshine at midnight, perversion of intelligence in which one's own appear to be strangers and enemies appear like friends. With closed eyes, these are all seen within oneself, and with open eyes, these are seen outside; but all these delusions are brought about by the disturbed equilibrium of the three humours. When they are in a state of equilibrium, the jiva residing within them sees the whole world as it is, as it really is, non-different from Brahman.

  section VI.2 - chapter 146 - jagratsvapnasusuptadi paramarthavidam vidam na vidyate kincidapi yathasthitamavasthitam (21)

The Sage continued:

While I was within the 'ojas' of that other person, there arose symptoms of the cosmic dissolution. Mountains began to rain from the sky. I saw it while I was sitting within the 'ojas' of the other person; in fact, it was particles of food that were coursing in the channels of his body that created this illusion of mountains being showered from the dark sky, and this darkness was the darkness of his own deep sleep. I also entered into deep sleep. After some time, I experienced the dawn of awakening consciousness.

As I was waking up from sleep, I experienced the dream state. Within the same 'ojas', I

saw a mighty ocean which appeared to be like me. Whatever appeared in that 'ojas', which was the field of experience, I saw without any distortion or perversion, because my consciousness was non-moving, and steady. Consciousness is spread all round, and in it, this world-appearance arises; this world-appearance issues from the deep sleep state, even as a baby is born of the mother.

The hunter asked:

You say that the world-appearance issues from the deep sleep, pray, tell me what one experiences in deep sleep.

The Sage continued:

'Is born', 'appears', 'arises as the world' , and such other dualistic expressions are but mere words, utterly meaningless. I shall tell you what 'is born' (jata) means. The essence of that expression is 'to come into being', and that 'being' alludes to the eternally existent reality. Even so, the word 'creation' (sarga) also has the same connotation, and it refers to 'existence'.

To us who are enlightened, there is no creation, no death or cessation; all is for ever unborn and peaceful. Brahman is pure existence. The world is pure existence, too. Whom do injunctions and prohibitions affect? The illusory power known as Maya alone is the subject of discussion and argumentation - 'it is' and 'it is not' . Therefore, such disputation is extended by ignorant people to Brahman or the infinite consciousness.

To those who know the truth or the supreme state, the states of waking, dream and sleep do no exist at all. Whatever is, is as it is. The dreamworld, as also the world which one sees in his own imagination is not real, even though they are experienced to be so for the time being. Even so, in the beginning of this world-creation, it did not exist or come into being. When thus the world is realised as pure consciousness, then it is not an object of perception; therefore, there is no subject or observer either, there is no experience or experiencer.

  section VI.2 - chapter 147 - yastu cinmatragaganam sarvamityeva bodhavan dvattena badhyate neha so 'nga tisthati kevalah (21)

The Sage continued:

When I had emerged from deep sleep, this world arose in my dream as from an ocean, as a statue emerges from a stone, as flowers emerge from the tree, as memory emerges from the mind, as waves emerge from the ocean. It was as if they dropped from the sky, as if they arose from the earth, as if they arose in the heart, as if they were food grains that sprang from the earth, as if the curtain that hid them had been lifted, as if they emerged from a temple. From where did the world arrive? One does not know. It is surely the figure fashioned in the stone called the infinite consciousness. It is an imaginary city made of walls which are pure space or void. It is the trick of the juggler known as ignorance. Though it seems to be a firm reality, it is essentially devoid of space and time. Though it seems to be diverse, yet it is non-dual, diverse, and nothing at the same time. Surely, it can only be compared to a castle in the air; for, it is seen and experienced even in the waking state.

Though it has never been created, it exists as if it had been created. It is pure consciousness. It seems to be endowed with time, space, matter, activity, creation, and destruction. It has gods, demons, human beings, and various other forms of creatures. In it are the rivers, mountains, forests, the sky, and the stars.

I saw this 'field of observation'. At the same time, I saw there the house I had seen before, along with all my relatives buildings, and everything as they were before. All these had been dragged into the field of observation, by the latent vasana or psychological tendency. On account of the vasana, I immediately engaged myself in greeting and embracing my relatives etc. , having temporarily lost the knowledge that it was illusory.

Just as a mirror reflects whatever object is placed in front of it, even so, consciousness takes on the form of whatever is presented to it. However, one who has realised that everything is the pure, infinite consciousness, is not affected by the apparent reality. He remains free, alone, and unaffected. One who never loses the knowledge of oneness is not troubled by this goblin known as perception of difference or division. They in whom this knowledge has arisen, due to the company of the holy ones and the study of this scripture, do not lose it again. At that time, however, my own understanding had not become clear and firm; hence, even I was swayed by the notions of relationship. But, now, nothing in the world can shake my understanding, nor cloud my realisation. Your mind, too, is not steady now, O hunter, because you have not had satsanga, company of the holy ones.

The hunter said:

True indeed, O sage. It is as you say. Therefore, even though I have listened to your illuminating words, there is still some doubt in me, "Can all this really be true?" Alas, what a great tragedy! Even when this ignorance seems to be obvious, it is hard to abandon it.

  section VI.2 - chapter 148 - atah svapnah kvacitsatyah kvacicci ‘satya eva va abuddhanam prabuddhanam na ‘sadrupo na sanmayah (14)

The hunter asked:

I have a great doubt, O sage: how can the dream-objects be regarded both as real and unreal?

The Sage replied:

In a dream there is the appearance of time, space, action, and materiality. This appearance arises because of the notion that arises in consciousness, by sheer coincidence. Therefore, that appearance shines as reality in the dream. In the case of hallucinations produced with the help of precious stones (magic wand?), mantras and drugs, they are sometimes real, and at others totally illusory. But, when one experiences real substantiality in a dream, it is only due to coincidence. Whenever a firm notion arises in consciousness, it materialises in that manner, because consciousness is endowed with such power to materialise. If this materialisation can be altered by another force, how can we affirm that the notion that arises in consciousness is firm?

There is no materiality, either inside or outside, except the materialisation of the 'wish', or the notion of the infinite consciousness. When the notion 'This is dream' arises, that dream becomes real; but, if there is the notion of doubt, the dream also takes on the characteristic of the doubt and becomes unreal. It is possible that simultaneously with the dreaming the dreamer may undergo experiences unrelated to the dream; but he attributes them to the dream itself. Thus, by sheer coincidence, the world-appearance which arises in consciousness undergoes some change sooner or later.

This notion of creation arises in consciousness in the very beginning, and it materialises; this materialisation is pure consciousness. Barring this, all else is both real and unreal, orderly and disorderly. Therefore, in the eyes of the ignorant, dreams appear to be true sometimes, and untrue sometimes; but, in the eyes of the enlightened, they are neither real nor unreal. The world-appearance is an appearance that arises in consciousness; the very word 'appearance' rules out any positive investigation concerning it.

After dream, one sleeps; and after the waking state, one sleeps. Hence, waking and dream are non-different. The inert 'object' of consciousness alone is regarded as waking, dream, and sleep states - words which have no real meaning. In this long-dream, there is neither order nor disorder. Whatever arises in dream, that alone is - like the movement that arises in air; in the absence of definite causation, order is irrelevant. Even so is the entire creation devoid of definite causation; whatever an object appears to be, that it is - and this is the world order. Dreams are sometimes real and sometimes unreal; hence, it is not subject to a fixed principle or order. It is pure coincidence. The vision that arises on account of magic, mantra, or drugs, also exists in the waking state. Hence, that which is not conditioned by the waking, dream, and deep sleep states, the unconditioned pure consciousness alone is real.

  section VI.2 - chapter 149 - karmakalpanaya samvitsvakarmaphalabhagini karmakalpanayonmuktta na karmaphalabhagini (23)

The Sage continued:

When I saw, while still in the heart of the other person, my own relatives, etc., I forgot momentarily that they were the products of my own notions, and I lived with them for a period of sixteen years. Then, one day, a great ascetic came to my house. I served him well and with devotion. I took this opportunity of asking him the following question: "In this world, people are said to experience the good and evil results of their own good and evil actions. Is this true in all cases?"

The ascetic looked surprised at this question.

The Ascetic replied:

Pray, tell we what it is in you that distinguishes good from evil. Who are you, where are you, who am I, what is this world? All this is but a dream. I am your dream-object, and you are my dream-object. The object has no form in truth. But, when consciousness considers this to have this form, it takes on that form. The notion that 'All this has a cause', gives rise to a causal relationship; the notion that 'There is no cause', sees no causality.

All of us are in the heart of a macrocosmic being, who is regarded as such by all of us. Even so, there will be other macrocosmic beings for others. This macrocosmic being is the cause for the experiences of pleasure and pain, and for the diverse types of actions. When the 'ojas' of this macrocosmic being is disturbed, it is agitated, and that effect is experienced by all of us who are in his heart. We are affected by natural calamities which cease when his heart regains equanimity. Therefore, this macrocosmic being is the reality of this particular creation. By coincidence, when some people engage themselves in evil actions, the resultant unhappiness befalls all.

Consciousness bestows reward on one when the actions arise from one's own personal notion ('I do this'); when the consciousness is freed from such a notion, such action is not followed followed by its fruits. Whatever notion arises, wherever, and of whatever magnitude, that bears fruits, whether there was a corresponding cause or not. As in a dream, the effect of an action is not governed by a definite cause. At times, the dream- experience has a cause; and, at other times, it has no cause. It is simply accidental coincidence. The waking state experience seems to have a definite causality; but that notion itself is a dream. For, all this is mere appearance of the infinite consciousness.

What is the cause of ignorance, of creation, of the creation of Brahma the creator; what is the original cause for air, fire, water, or space; why do people die and get into a subtle body? These have no cause at all; all these have happened like this from the beginning.

After some time, these notions or appearances have attained materiality. Whatever notions arose in the consciousness originally, have remained as such till now. However, the consciousness can alter this by a fresh effort in the present.

  section VI.2 - chapter 150 - astametadavidyaisa vyartharupa kimetaya bhrantya bhrantirasadrupa tyakttaivaisa maya 'dhuna (20)

The Sage continued:

Thus instructed by the ascetic, I was instantly enlightened. I could not leave him. At my request, he lived with me. That very ascetic is sitting right next to you.

The hunter was surprised, and he said:

It is wonderful and strange, O sage, that that which was considered dream, appears to have materialised in the waking state. How is it that this holy man who appeared in your

dream has become a reality even in the waking state?

The Sage continued:

Do not be in a hurry. I shall explain everything to you. When I had heard the admonitions of this holy man, I began to reflect: "Alas, on account of my desire for sense-pleasure and for the objects of pleasure, I have slipped away from my path, though I have been a wise man. Or, the notion 'This am I' is illusory and unreal; yet, it is able to give rise to a thousand strange happenings. Or, even if I consider all this to be unreal and that 'I am not', yet all this 'is'. What must I do now? I see the seed of division in me; I shall instantly renounce that. Let this illusion or ignorance remain; it is a vain appearance, what can it do? I have now given up delusion. Even the sage who instructed me is but an illusion. I am the infinite and absolute Brahman, and so is he; the relative form is but a passing cloud."

Having arrived at this knowledge, I said to the ascetic: "O sage, I am going, in order to see my own body, as well as the body which I had begun to investigate." When he heard this, he began to smile: "Where are those bodies? They have gone far, far away. If, however, you wish to verify this for yourself, please go." I requested him, "Please stay here till I return." After this, I ascended an aerial vehicle, and flew for a very long time. Yet, I could not find an exit from the heart of the person where I was. I was dejected. I realised that I was bound to that house. I returned there, and asked the ascetic: "Pray, tell me what is all this. The body into which I had entered, and that which was mine - where are they? How is it that I could not find an exit?"

The ascetic replied:

"Surely you will know everything if you see it with your inner vision. You are not this little personality; you are the macrocosmic person himself. Once you desired to enter into the heart of a being in order to experience a dream. That into which you entered is this creation. While you continued to dream in that body, a great fire arose, and it began to consume the forest in the body into which you had entered. That fire had destroyed your body as well as the body of the person into whose heart you had entered."

In answer to the Hunter's question, the sage replied: "The cause of the fire is but the movement of thought in consciousness, just as the cause for the appearance of the world is the movement of thought in the infinite consciousness, and the movement of thought in the consciousness of Brahma the creator."