Yoga Vashishtha 1.31.10–18
(Mind’s liberation from its afflictions is central to spiritual progress)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
अपमृष्टमलोदेति क्षालनेनामृतद्युतिः।
मनश्चन्द्रमसः केन तेन कामकलङ्कितात् ॥ १० ॥
दृष्टसंसारगतिना दृष्टादृष्टविनाशिना ।
केनेव व्यवहर्तव्यं संसारवनवीथिषु ॥ ११॥
रागद्वेषमहारोगा भोगपूगा विभूतयः ।
कथं जन्तुं न बाधन्ते संसारार्णवचारिणम् ॥ १२ ॥
कथं च धीरवर्याग्नौ पततापि न दह्यते।
पावके पारदेनेव रसेन रसशालिना ॥ १३॥
यस्मात्किल जगत्यस्मिन्व्यवहारक्रिया विना ।
न स्थितिः संभवत्यब्धौ पतितस्याजला यथा ॥ १४ ॥
रागद्वेषविनिर्मुक्ता सुखदुःखविवर्जिता ।
कृशानोर्दाहहीनेव शिखा नास्तीह सत्क्रिया ॥ १५ ॥
मनोमननशालिन्याः सत्ताया भुवनत्रये ।
क्षयो युक्तिं विना नास्ति ब्रूत तामलमुत्तमाम् ॥ १६ ॥
व्यवहारवतो युक्त्या दुःखं नायाति मे यया ।
अथवा व्यवहारस्य ब्रूत तां युक्तिमुत्तमाम् ॥ १७ ॥
तत्कथं केन वा किं वा कृतमुत्तमचेतसा।
पूर्वं येनैति विश्रामं परमं पावनं मनः ॥ १८ ॥
Sri Rama said:
10. "Just as a gem shines with ambrosial radiance when its impurities are washed away, by what means can the mind, tainted by the blemish of desire, be purified?"
11. "Having seen the course of worldly existence and the destruction of both the seen and unseen, how should one conduct oneself in the pathways of this worldly forest?
12. "How is it that the great diseases of attachment and aversion, and the enjoyments that bring suffering, do not afflict a being navigating the ocean of worldly existence?"
13. "How does the wise one, even when falling into the fire, remain unburned, like mercury in a flame, untouched by the fire due to its inherent nature?"
14. "Since, in this world, without engaging in action, existence is not possible—like a person fallen into the ocean without water—how can one live?"
15. "Free from attachment and aversion, devoid of pleasure and pain, like a flame without heat, is there no such thing as virtuous action here?"
16. "In the three worlds, the mind, immersed in its own contemplation, cannot be subdued without proper reasoning—tell me that Supreme method clearly."
17. "By what reasoning does one who engages in worldly actions avoid suffering, or else, tell me the Supreme method for dealing with worldly conduct?"
18. "How, by what means, or through what actions performed with a noble mind, does the mind attain Supreme, Pure tranquility as it did before?"
Summary of the Teachings
In these verses from the Yoga Vasishta, Sri Rama poses profound questions to the sage Vasishta, reflecting his deep inquiry into the nature of the mind, worldly existence, and the path to Realization. The verses capture Rama’s existential concerns about how to live wisely in a world filled with impermanence, desire, and suffering. Each question builds upon the previous one, revealing a systematic exploration of spiritual practice and philosophical understanding. The overarching theme is the purification of the mind and the attainment of Inner Peace through discernment, detachment, and proper conduct in the face of worldly challenges.
The first verse (1.31.10) uses the metaphor of a gem cleansed of impurities to describe the mind’s potential for purity. Rama asks how the mind, clouded by desires, can be purified to reveal its innate clarity. This sets the stage for the subsequent verses, emphasizing that the mind’s liberation from its afflictions is central to spiritual progress.
The question reflects the yogic understanding that desires (kama) obscure the mind’s natural luminosity, and only through specific practices or wisdom can this clarity be restored.
In verses 1.31.11 to 1.31.13, Rama grapples with the transient and destructive nature of worldly existence. He observes that everything in the world—both visible and invisible—is subject to decay, yet one must still navigate the “forest” of samsara (worldly life). He questions how one can act in the world without being consumed by attachment, aversion, or the suffering that accompanies sensory pleasures. The metaphor of a wise person remaining unburned in fire, like mercury, suggests the possibility of transcending worldly afflictions through a state of inner detachment or wisdom, which protects the individual from being “burned” by life’s challenges.
Verses 1.31.14 to 1.31.16 address the necessity of action in the world and the paradox of performing actions without being bound by their consequences.
Rama acknowledges that action is inevitable for existence, much like water is essential for someone in an ocean. However, he seeks a way to act without being entangled in attachment, aversion, pleasure, or pain. He further inquires about the “Supreme method” to subdue the mind, which incessantly generates thoughts and desires. This reflects the Advaita Vedanta principle of performing actions selflessly, with a mind free from egoistic motives, to avoid the cycle of suffering.
Finally, verses 1.31.17 to 1.31.18 culminate in Rama’s quest for a practical and philosophical approach to achieve mental tranquility. He seeks a method or reasoning (yukti) that allows one to engage in worldly duties without incurring suffering, or alternatively, a way to transcend the need for such engagement altogether. The emphasis on a “noble mind” and “Supreme tranquility” points to the Ultimate Goal of Self-Realization, where the mind rests in its Pure, undisturbed State. These verses collectively underscore the Yoga Vasishta’s teachings on cultivating wisdom, detachment, and disciplined action to attain Realization while living in the world.
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