Yoga Vasistha

जीवन्मुक्तस्थितिं ब्रह्मन् कृत्वा राघवम् आदितः । क्रमात् कथय मे नित्यं भविष्यामि सुखी यथा

O Brahman, describe to me step by step the state of the liberated while living, as it was established in Raghava from the beginning, so that I may always be happy.

भ्रमस्य जागतस्यास्य जातस्याकाशवर्णवत् । अपुनस्स्मरणं मन्ये साधो विस्मरणं वरम्

O noble one, for this world-delusion that has arisen, colorless like space, I consider it better to forget entirely, rather than to remember it again.

दृश्यात्यन्ताभावबोधं विना तन् नानुभूयते । कदाचित् केनचिन् नाम स बोधो ऽन्विष्यताम् अतः

Without the knowledge of the absolute non-existence of the perceived, that is never truly experienced; therefore, let someone, at some time, seek out that knowledge.

स चेह सम्भवत्य् एव तदर्थम् इदम् आततम् । शास्त्रम् आकर्णयसि चेत् तत्त्वं प्राप्नोषि नान्यथा

If that knowledge is indeed possible here, then this scripture is set forth for that purpose; if you listen to it, you will attain the truth—otherwise, not.

जगद्भ्रमो ऽयं दृश्यो ऽपि नास्त्य् एवेत्य् अनुभूयते । वर्णो व्योम्न इवाखेदाद् विचारेणामुनानघ

This world-delusion, though appearing to be seen, is truly not there, as is experienced; O sinless one, by this inquiry, it disappears like color in space.

दृश्यं नास्तीति बोधेन मनसो दृश्यमार्जनम् । सम्पन्नं चेत् तद् उत्पन्ना परा निर्वाणनिर्वृतिः

When, through the knowledge that the perceived does not exist, the mind's attachment to the perceived is cleansed, then supreme nirvana-bliss arises.

अन्यथा शास्त्रगर्तेषु लुठतां भवताम् इह । भवत्य् अकृत्रिमज्ञाना कल्पैर् अपि न निर्वृतिः

Otherwise, for those who wander in the pits of scriptures here, there is no natural knowledge, nor liberation, even in countless ages.

परित्यागो वासनाया उत्तमो मोक्ष उच्यते । ब्रह्मन् स एष विमलक्रमो ज्ञानप्रकाशकः

The highest liberation is said to be the abandonment of latent tendencies; O Brahman, this is the pure path, the revealer of knowledge.

क्षीणायां वासनायां तु मनो गलति सत्वरम् । क्षीणायां शीतसन्तत्यां ब्रह्मन् हिमकणो यथा

When latent tendencies are exhausted, the mind quickly dissolves; when the stream of cold ceases, O Brahman, so does the snowflake.

अयं वासनया देहो ध्रियते भूतपञ्जरः । तनुनान्तर्निविष्टेन मुक्तौघस् तन्तुना यथा

This body, a cage of elements, is sustained by latent impressions, just as a bundle of threads is held together by the thread running within.

वासना द्विविधा प्रोक्ता शुद्धा च मलिना तथा । मलिना जन्मनो हेतुश् शुद्धा जन्मविनाशिनी

Latent impressions are said to be of two kinds: pure and impure; the impure is the cause of birth, the pure brings about the end of birth.

अज्ञानसुघनाकारा घनाहङ्कारशालिनी । पुनर्जन्मकरी प्रोक्ता मलिना वासना बुधैः

The impure latent impression, according to the wise, is dense with ignorance and strong with ego, and is said to be the cause of rebirth.

पुनर्जन्माङ्कुरत्यक्ता स्थिता सम्भृष्टबीजवत् । देहान्तं ध्रियते ज्ञातज्ञेया शुद्धेति सोच्यते

The pure impression, having abandoned the seed of rebirth, remains like a seed that has been roasted; it endures until the end of the body and is called 'pure' because the knower and the known are realized.

अपुनर्जन्मकरणी जीवन्मुक्तेषु देहिषु । वासना विद्यते शुद्धा देहे चक्र इव भ्रमः

In embodied beings who are liberated while living, there exists a pure impression that does not cause rebirth, like the turning of a wheel in the body.

ये शुद्धवासना भूयो न जन्मानर्थभाजनम् । ज्ञातज्ञेयास् त उच्यन्ते जीवन्मुक्ता महाधियः

Those whose impressions are pure and no longer the source of further birth and suffering, who have realized the knower and the known, are called 'liberated while living,' the truly wise.

जीवन्मुक्तपदं प्राप्तो यथा रामो महामतिः । तत् ते ऽहं सम्प्रवक्ष्यामि जरामरणशान्तये

I shall now explain to you the state of liberation while living, as attained by the great-minded Rama, for the cessation of old age and death.

भरद्वाज महाबुद्धे रामक्रमम् इमं शुभम् । शृणु वक्ष्यामि तेनैव सर्वं ज्ञास्यसि सर्वथा

O Bharadvaja, great in wisdom, listen as I recount this auspicious path of Rama; by this you will come to know everything in every way.

विद्यागृहाद् विनिष्क्रम्य रामो राजीवलोचनः । दिवसान्य् अनयद् गेहे लीलाभिर् अकुतोभयः

Rama, whose eyes are like lotuses, having left the house of learning, spent his days at home, engaged in playful activities, free from any fear.

अथ गच्छति काले ऽत्र पालयत्य् अवनिं नृपे । प्रजासु वीतशोकासु स्थितासु विगतज्वरम्

Then, as time passed, while the king ruled the earth, the people, free from sorrow and established in stability, lived without distress.

तीर्थमुन्याश्रमश्रेणीं द्रष्टुम् उत्कण्ठितं मनः । रामस्याभूद् भृशं तत्र कदाचिद् गुणशालिनः

At that time, Rama, endowed with virtues, developed a strong longing in his mind to see the holy places and the rows of sages’ hermitages.

राघवश् चिन्तयित्वैवम् उपेत्य चरणौ पितुः । हंसः पद्माव् इव नवौ जग्राह नखकेसरौ

Having reflected thus, Raghava approached and took hold of his father’s feet, as a swan would grasp the fresh filaments of a lotus.

तीर्थानि देवसद्मानि वनान्य् आयतनानि च । द्रष्टुम् उत्कण्ठितं तात ममेदं हि भृशं मनः

Father, my mind is greatly eager to see the holy places, the abodes of the gods, the forests, and the sacred shrines.

तद् एताम् अर्थनां पूर्वां सफलीकर्तुम् अर्हसि । न सो ऽस्ति भुवने तात त्वया यो ऽर्थी विमानितः

Therefore, you ought to fulfill this previous request of mine; father, there is no one in the world who, having asked you, has been disappointed.

इति सम्प्रार्थितो राजा वसिष्ठेन समं तदा । विचार्यामुञ्चद् एवैनं रामं प्रथमम् अर्थिनम्

Thus entreated, the king, after consulting with Vasistha, considered and then granted permission to Rama, who was the first to make the request.

शुभे नक्षत्रदिवसे भ्रातृभ्यां सह राघवः । मङ्गलालङ्कृतवपुः कृतस्वस्त्ययनो द्विजैः

On an auspicious day under a favorable star, Raghava, adorned with auspicious ornaments, having received blessings from the brahmins, set out together with his two brothers.

वसिष्ठप्रहितैर् विप्रैश् शास्त्रतज्ज्ञैस् समन्वितः । स्निग्धैः कतिपयैर् एव राजपुत्रवरैस् सह

Accompanied by learned Brahmins sent by Vasiṣṭha, well-versed in the scriptures, and by a few affectionate, distinguished princes,

अम्बाभिर् विहिताशीर्भिर् आलिङ्ग्यालिङ्ग्य भूषितः । निरगात् स गृहात् तस्मात् तीर्थयात्रार्थम् उद्यतः

Blessed by his mothers, adorned with their embraces and good wishes, he departed from that house, intent on undertaking a pilgrimage.

निर्गतस् स्वपुरात् पौरैस् तूर्यघोषेण वर्धितः । पीयमानः पुरन्ध्रीणां नेत्रैर् भृङ्गौघभङ्गुरैः

Leaving his city, with its citizens raising the sound of musical instruments, he was gazed upon by the women of the city, their eyes like swarms of bees.

ग्रामीणललनालोकहस्तपद्मापवर्जितैः । लाजवर्षैर् विकीर्णात्मा हिमैर् इव हिमाचलः

His path was showered with rice grains by village women, their lotus-like hands extended, his being scattered like a snowy mountain with snowflakes.