Posts
Yoga Vashishtha 3.51.1–11
(These verses describe the sudden chaos that follows the death of a king in battle. They show how a strong kingdom can turn into a scene of fear and disorder in moments)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
हतो राजा हतो राजा प्रतिराजेन संयुगे।
इतिशब्दे समुद्भूते राष्ट्रमासीद्भयाकुलम्॥ १॥
भाण्डोपस्करभाराढ्यं विद्रवच्छकटव्रजम्।
साक्रन्दार्तकलत्राढ्यं द्रवन्नागरदुर्गमम् ॥ २॥
पलायमानसाक्रन्दं मार्गाहृतवधूगणम्।
अन्योन्यलुण्ठनव्यग्रलोकलग्नमहाभयम् ॥ ३॥
परराष्ट्रजनानीकताण्डवोल्लाससारवम्।
निरधिष्ठितमातङ्गहयवीरपतज्जनम् ॥ ४॥
कपाटपाटनोड्डीनकोशान्तरवघर्घरम्।
लुण्ठितासंख्यकौशेयप्रावृताभिभटोद्भटम् ॥ ५॥
क्षुरिकोत्पाटितार्द्रान्त्रमृतराजगृहाङ्गनम्।
राजान्तःपुरविश्रान्तचण्डालश्वपचोत्करम् ॥ ६॥
गृहापहृतभोज्यान्नभोजनोन्मुखपामरम्।
सहेमहारवीरौघपादाहतरुदच्छिशु ॥ ७॥
अपूर्वतरुणाक्रान्तकेशान्तःपुरिकाङ्गनम्।
चोरहस्तच्युतानर्घ्यरत्नदन्तुरमार्गगम् ॥ ८॥
हयेभरथसंघट्टव्यग्रसामन्तमण्डलम्।
अभिषेकोद्यमादेशपरमन्त्रिपुरःसरम् ॥ ९॥
राजधानीविनिर्माणसारम्भस्थपतीश्वरम्।
कृतवातायनश्वभ्रनिपतद्राजवल्लभम् ॥ १०॥
जयशब्दशतोद्धोषसिन्धुराजन्यनिर्भरम्।
असंख्यनिजराजौघधृतसिन्धुकृतास्थिति ॥ ११॥
Sage Vasishta said:
3.51.1–5
> The King is killed! The King is killed by the enemy King in battle. When these words spread, the whole kingdom was filled with fear and panic.
> Carts loaded with household goods and utensils were fleeing in large groups. The city fortress was being abandoned by people with crying and distressed wives and families.
> People were running away while crying loudly, and groups of women were being dragged on the roads. Everyone was busy looting one another, and great terror had gripped the people.
> The enemy army from another kingdom was dancing and shouting in victory. Riderless elephants, horses, and fallen warriors lay scattered everywhere.
> The sounds of doors being smashed and treasuries being broken open echoed loudly. Bold enemy soldiers, wrapped in countless stolen silk clothes, were everywhere.
3.51.6–11
> In the palace courtyards, the bodies of the dead had their wet intestines pulled out with knives. The King's inner quarters were filled with low-caste Chandala people and dog-eating scavengers resting there.
> Common people were eagerly eating the food and grains looted from houses. Little children were crying as they were trampled under the feet of the hordes of great warriors in golden armor.
> The women's apartments in the palace were being invaded by unfamiliar young men. The roads were scattered with priceless jewels that had fallen from the thieves' hands.
> The group of ministers was in chaos from the crowding and collisions of horses, elephants, and chariots. The chief minister was leading them and giving orders for the new King's coronation.
> The chief builder was starting the work of building a new capital city. The king's favorite companion was falling from the window into a dug pit.
> The air was filled with hundreds of loud victory shouts from the Sindhu King's warriors. The new order was firmly established by the countless troops of the conquering king.
Summary of the Teachings:
This section teaches that worldly power, wealth, and royal glory do not last forever. Even the mightiest ruler can fall, and everything he built can crumble quickly. The story reminds us that life is full of sudden changes, so we should not cling too tightly to position or possessions.
The pictures of fleeing people, looting, and suffering families highlight the pain caused by war and greed. When fear takes over, even good people start robbing each other. Women and children face the worst harm. These verses teach that attachment to material things and the illusion of safety in kingship only bring more sorrow. True peace comes when we learn to stay calm inside, no matter what happens outside.
The victory dance of the enemy army and the ruin of the palace show how power keeps shifting between winners and losers.
No one stays on top forever. The old King is gone, and the new one takes his place, but the cycle of conquest and defeat goes on. Vasishta uses this scene to explain that the whole world is like a dream or a play. We should not get lost in its ups and downs but look for the unchanging truth within ourselves.
Even the new rulers are shown rushing to build a new capital and hold a coronation. Yet this too is part of the same short-lived drama. The fall of the King's favorite from the window reminds us that yesterday's glory can become today's ruin. The teaching is that all human efforts for fame, control, and comfort are temporary. Only Knowledge of the True Self can give lasting Freedom from this endless game.
In the end, these verses help us understand the nature of illusion, called Maya in the Yoga Vashishta. By seeing the full picture of destruction and new beginnings, we learn to give up the desire for worldly success. Sage Vasishta wants Rama, and all readers, to turn inward and find the Eternal Peace of the soul. This path of Self-Realization ends the cycle of birth, death, and suffering, leading to complete liberation.
No comments:
Post a Comment