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I had composed
the story of Rama earlier and I had imparted it to
my beloved disciple Bharadvaja. Once when he went
to the mount Meru, Bharadvaja narrated it to
Brahma, the creator. Highly pleased with this, the
latter granted a boon to Bharadvaja. Bharadvaja
sought a boon that "all human beings may be freed
from unhappiness" and begged of Brahma to find the
best way to achieve this.
Brahma said to Bharadvaja: "Go to the sage Valmiki
and pray to him to continue to narrate the noble
story of Rama in such a way that the listener may
be freed from the darkness of nescience." Not
content with that, Brahma accompanied by the sage
Bharadvaja arrived at my hermitage.
After receiving due worship at my hands Brahma said
to me: "O sage, your story of Rama shall be the
raft with which men will cross the ocean of
repetitive birth and death [samsara].
Hence, continue its narration and bring it to a
successful completion." Having said this, the
creator instantly disappeared from the scene.
As if puzzled by the abrupt command of Brahma, I
requested the sage Bharadvaja to explain to me what
Brahma had just said. Bharadvaja repeated Brahma's
words: "Brahma would like you to reveal the story
of Rama in such a manner that it would enable all
to go beyond sorrow. I, too, pray to you, O sage:
kindly tell me in detail, how Rama, Laksmana and
the other brothers freed themselves from
sorrow."
I then revealed to Bharadvaja the secret of the
liberation of Rama, Laksmana and the other
brothers, as also their parents and the members of
the royal court. And, I said to Bharadvaja: "My
son, if you, too, live like them you will also be
freed from sorrow here and now."
VALMIKI
continued:
This world-appearance is a confusion, even as the
blueness of the sky is an optical illusion. I think
it is better not to let the mind dwell on it, but
to ignore it. Neither freedom from sorrow nor
realisation of one's real nature is possible as
long as the conviction does not arise in one that
the world-appearance is unreal. And this conviction
arises when one studies this scripture with
diligence. It is then that one arrives at the firm
conviction that the objective world is a confusion
of the real with the unreal. If one does not thus
study this scripture, true knowledge does not arise
in him even in millions of years.
Moksha or liberation is the total abandonment of
all vasana or mental conditioning, without the
least reserve. Mental conditioning is of two types
– the pure and the impure. The impure is the
cause of birth; the pure liberates one from birth.
The impure is of the nature of nescience and
ego-sense; these are the seeds, as it were, for the
tree of re-birth. On the other hand, when these
seeds are abandoned, the mental conditioning that
merely sustains the body is of a pure nature. Such
mental conditioning exists even in those who have
been liberated while living: it does not lead to
re-birth as it is sustained only by past momentum
and not by present motivation.
I shall now narrate to you how Rama lived an
enlightened life of a liberated sage: knowing this
you will be freed from all misunderstanding
concerning old age and death:
Upon his return from the hermitage of his
preceptor, Rama dwelt in his father's palace
sporting in various ways. Desirous of touring the
whole country and visiting the holy places of
pilgrimage, Rama sought the presence of his father
and asked to be permitted to undertake such a
pilgrimage. The king chose an auspicious day for
the commencement of this pilgrimage; and on that
day, after receiving the affectionate blessings of
the elders of the family, Rama departed.
Rama toured the whole country from the Himalayas
downwards, along with his brothers. He then
returned to the capital to the delight of the
people of the country.
VALMIKI continued:
Upon entering the palace, Rama devoutly bowed to
his father, the sage Vasistha and other elders and
holy men. The whole of the city of Ayodhya put on a
festive appearance for eight days, to celebrate the
return of Rama from the pilgrimage.
For some time Rama lived in the palace, duly
performing his daily duties. However, very soon a
profound change came over him. He grew thin and
emaciated, pale and weak. The king Dasaratha was
worried over this sudden and unaccountable change
in his beloved son's appearance and behaviour.
Whenever he questioned Rama concerning his health,
the latter replied that there was nothing wrong.
When Dasaratha asked Rama, "Beloved son, what is
worrying you?" Rama politely replied, "Nothing,
father", and remained silent.
Inevitably Dasaratha turned to the sage Vasistha
for the answer. The sage enigmatically answered:
"Surely, there is some reason why Rama behaves in
this manner. Even as, in this world, no great
changes take place before the coming into being of
their cause [viz. the cosmic elements],
changes like anger, despondency and joy do not
manifest in the behaviour of noble ones without
proper cause." Dasaratha did not wish to probe
further.
Soon after this the sage Visvamitra, of world
renown, arrived at the palace. When the king was
informed of the holy visit, he rushed forward to
greet him.
Dasaratha said: "Welcome, welcome, O holy sage!
Your arrival at my humble abode makes me happy. It
is as welcome to me as vision to a blind mind, rain
to parched earth, son to a barren woman,
resurrection of a dead man and recovery of lost
wealth. O sage, what may I do for you? Pray,
whatever be the wish with which you have come to
me, consider that wish already fulfilled. You are
my worshipful deity. I shall do thy bidding."
VALMIKI continued:
Visvamitra was delighted to hear Dasaratha's words
and proceeded to reveal his mission. He said to the
king: O king, I need your assistance in the
fulfilment of a religious rite. Whenever I
undertake a religious rite, the demons, who are the
followers of Khara and Dhusana, invade the holy
place and desecrate it. Under the vows of the rite,
I am unable to curse them. You can help me. Your
son Rama can easily deal with these demons. In
return for this help I shall confer manifold
blessings upon him which will bring you unexcelled
glory. Do not let your attachment to your son
overpower your devotion to duty. In this world the
noble ones do not consider any gift beyond their
means. The moment you say yes, that very moment I
consider that the demons are dead, for I know who
Rama is; even so does the sage Vasistha and the
other holy ones in this court. Let there be no
procrastination, O king. Send Rama with me without
delay".
Hearing this highly unwelcome request, the king
remained stunned and silent for a while, and then
replied: "O sage, Rama is not even sixteen years
old, and is therefore not qualified to wage a war.
He has not even seen a combat, except what goes on
in the inner apartment of the palace. Command me
and my vast army to accompany you to exterminate
the demons. But I cannot part with Rama. Is it not
natural for all living beings to love their young;
do not even wise men engage themselves in
extraordinary activities for the love of their
children; and do not people abandon their
happiness, their consorts and wealth rather than
their children? No, I cannot part with Rama.
"If it is the mighty demon Ravana who causes
disturbance to your rite, nothing can be done to
help you. Even the gods are powerless against him.
Time and again, such powerful beings are born on
this earth; and in time they leave the stage of
this world."
Visvamitra was angry. Seeing this, the sage
Vasistha intervened and persuaded the king not to
go back on his promise, but to send Rama with
Visvamitra." O king, it is unworthy of you to go
back on your promise. A king should be an exemplar
of righteous conduct. Rama is safe in the care of
Visvamitra, who is extremely powerful and who has
numerous invincible missiles."
VALMIKI continued:
In obedience to the wishes of the preceptor
Vasistha, the king Dasaratha ordered an attendant
to fetch Rama. On his return he announced that Rama
would follow, and added: "The prince seems to be
dejected, and he shuns company." Bewildered by
this, Dasaratha turned to Rama's chamberlain and
asked for the facts concerning Rama's state of mind
and health.
The chamberlain was visibly distressed. He
said:
"Lord, since his return from the pilgrimage a great
change has come over the prince. He does not seem
to be interested even in bathing and in worship of
the deity. He does not enjoy the company of the
people in the inner apartments, nor is he
interested in jewels and precious stones. Even when
offered charming and pleasing objects he looks at
them with sad eyes, uninterested. He spurns the
palace dancers, regarding them as tormentors! He
goes through the motions of eating, walking,
resting, bathing and sitting like an automaton, or
one who is deaf and dumb. Often he mutters to
himself: "What is the use of wealth and prosperity,
of adversity or of house? All this is unreal." He
is silent most of the time, and is not amused by
entertainment. He relishes only solitude. He is all
the time immersed in his own thought. We do not
know what has come over our prince, what he
contemplates in his mind, or what he is after. Day
by day he gets more and more emaciated.
"Again and again, he sings to himself: "Alas, we
are dissipating our life in various ways, instead
of striving to reach the Supreme! People wail aloud
that they are suffering and that they are
destitute, but no one sincerely turns away from the
sources of their suffering and destitution!".
Seeing all this and hearing all this, we, his
humble servants, are extremely distressed. We do
not know what to do. He is bereft of hope, he is
bereft of desire, he is attached to nothing and he
depends on nothing. He is not deluded or demented,
and he is not enlightened, either. At times
however, it looks as if he is overwhelmed by
suicidal thoughts spurred on by the feelings of
despondency: "What is the use of wealth or of
mothers and relations, what is the use of the
kingdom, and what is the use of ambition in this
world?" Lord, only you can find the appropriate
remedy for this condition of the prince."
VISVAMITRA said:
If that be the case, may Rama be requested to come
here. His condition is not the result of delusion,
but it is full of wisdom and dispassion and it
points to enlightenment. Bring him here; and shall
dispel his despondency.
VALMIKI said:
Thereupon, the king urged the chamberlain to invite
Rama to the court. In the meantime, Rama himself
got ready to meet his father. Even from a distance
he saw and he saluted his father and the sages; and
they saw that, though young, his face shone with
the peace of maturity. He bowed to the feet of the
king, who embraced him, lifted him up, and said to
him: "What makes you so sad, my son? Dejection is
an open invitation to a host of miseries."
RAMA said:
Holy sir, I shall duly answer your question. I grew
up happily in my father's abode; I was instructed
by worthy teachers. Recently I went on a
pilgrimage. During this period a trend of thought
has taken hold of me, robbing me of all hope in
this world. My heart begins to question: "What do
people call happiness and can it be had in the
ever-changing objects of this world?" All beings in
this world take birth but to die, and they die to
be born! I do not perceive any meaning in all these
transient phenomena which are the roots of
suffering and sin. Unrelated beings come together;
and the mind conjures up a relationship between
them. Everything in this world is dependent upon
the mind, upon one's mental attitude. On
examination, the mind itself appears to be unreal!
But we are bewitched by it. We seem to be running
after a mirage in the desert to slake our
thirst!
Sir, surely we are not bond slaves sold to a
master; yet we live a life of slavery, without any
freedom whatsoever. Ignorant of the Truth, we have
been aimlessly wandering in this dense forest
called the world. What is this world, what comes
into being, grows and dies? How does this suffering
come to an end? My heart bleeds with sorrow, though
I do not shed tears in deference to the feelings of
my friends.
RAMA
continued:
Equally useless, O sage, is wealth which deludes
the ignorant. Unsteady and fleeting, this wealth
gives birth to numerous worries, and generates an
insatiable craving for more. Wealth is no respector
of persons; both the good and the wicked can become
wealthy. However, people are good, compassionate
and friendly only till their hearts are hardened by
the passionate pursuit of wealth. Wealth taints the
heart even of a wise scholar, a hero, a man of
gratitude, a dexterous and a spoken person. Wealth
and happiness do not dwell together. Rare is that
wealthy man who does not have rivals and enemies
who scandalise him. To the lotus of right action,
wealth is the night; to the white-lotus of sorrow,
it is the moonlight; to the lamp of clear insight,
it is the wind; to the wave of enmity, it is the
flood; to the cloud of confusion, it is the
favourable wind; to the poison of despondency, it
is the aggravating agent. It is like the serpent of
evil thoughts and it adds fear to one's distress;
it is destructive snowfall to the creeper of
dispassion; it is the night-fall to the owl of evil
desires; it is the eclipse of the moon of wisdom.
In its presence a person's good nature shrivels.
Indeed, wealth seeks him who has already been
chosen by death.
Even so is the life-span, O sage. Its duration is
like that of a water droplet on a leaf. It is
fruitful only to those who have Self-knowledge. We
may encompass the wind, we may break up space, we
may string waves into a garland, but we cannot pin
our faith in the life-span. Man vainly seeks to
extend his life-span, and thereby he earns more
sorrow and extends the period of suffering. Only he
lives who strives to gain Self-knowledge which
alone is worth gaining in this world, thereby
putting an end to future births; others exist here
like donkeys. To the unwise, knowledge of
scriptures is a burden; to one who is full of
desires, even wisdom is a burden; to one who is
restless, his own mind is a burden; and to one who
has no Self-knowledge, the body [the
life-span] is a burden.
The rat of time gnaws at the life-span without
respite. The termite of disease eats
[destroys] the very vitals of the living
being. Just as a cat intent on catching a rat looks
at it with great alertness and readiness, death is
ever keeping a watch over this life-span.
RAMA
continued:
Holy sir, I am
bewildered and scared when I contemplate the coming
into being of the dreadful enemy of wisdom known as
egotism. It comes into being in the darkness of
ignorance, and flourishes in ignorance. It
generates endless sinful tendencies and sinful
actions. All suffering surely revolves around
egotism [it is the "I" who suffers]; and
egotism is the sole cause of mental distress. I
feel that egotism is my worst disease! Spreading
the net of worldly objects of pleasure, it is this
egotism that traps the living beings. Indeed, all
the terrible calamities in this world are born of
egotism. Egotism eclipses self-control, destroys
virtue and dissipates equanimity. Giving up the
egotistic notion "I am Rama" and giving up all
desires, I wish to rest in the Self [one's true
nature]. I realise that whatever I have done
with an egotistic notion is vain. Non-egotism alone
is Truth. When I am under the influence of egotism,
I am unhappy; when I am free from egotism I am
happy. Egotism promotes cravings; without it they
perish. It is this egotism alone, without rhyme or
reason, that has spread the net of family and
social relationships to catch the unwary soul. I
think I am free from egotism; yet, I am miserable.
Pray, enlighten me.
Bereft of the Grace earned through the service of
the holy holes, the impure mind-stuff remains
restless as the wind. It is dissatisfied with
whatever it gets, and grows more and more restless
by the day. The sieve can never be filled with
water; nor can the mind ever reach the state of
fulfilment however much of worldly objects one
acquires. The mind flits in all directions all the
time, but is unable to find happiness anywhere.
Unmindful of the possibility of reaping great
suffering in hell, the mind seeks pleasure here,
but even that it does not get. Like the lion in a
cage, the mind is ever restless, having lost its
freedom yet not happy with its present state.
Alas, I am bound by the knots of craving to the net
that has been spread by the mind. Even as the
rushing waters of a river uproot the trees on its
bank, the restless mind has uprooted my whole
being. I am being wafted by the mind like a dry
leaf in the wind. It does not let me rest anywhere.
It is this mind alone which is the cause of all
objects in the world; the three worlds exist
because of the mind-stuff; when the mind vanishes,
the worlds vanish too. You should try hard to find
treatment.
RAMA continued:
It is really when the mind-stuff is enveloped by
craving that innumerable errors arise in the
darkness of ignorance thus caused. This craving
dries up the good and noble qualities of the mind
and heart [like sweetness and gentleness of
disposition] and makes me hard and cruel. In
that darkness, craving in its different forms
dances like a goblin.
Though I adopt various methods to restrain this
craving, it overpowers me in a moment and carries
me astray, even as a gale carries a straw away.
Craving cuts away any hope I entertain of
developing dispassion [and such other
qualities] even as a rat snaps a thread; and I
helplessly revolve, caught in the wheel of craving.
Like birds caught in a net, we are unable, though
we have the wings for it, to fly to our goal or
abode of Self-knowledge. This craving can never be
appeased, even if I were to quaff nectar. The
characteristic of this craving is that it has no
direction; it drives me in one direction now and
the very next moment it takes me away in another
direction, like a mad horse. It spreads in front of
us a very wide net of son, friend, wife and other
relatives.
Though I am a hero, this craving makes me a
frightened coward; though I have eyes to see, it
makes me blind; though I am full of joy, it makes
me miserable; it is like a dreadful goblin. It is
this dreadful goblin craving that is responsible
for bondage and misfortune; it breaks the heart of
man and creates delusion in him. Caught by this
goblin, man is unable to enjoy even the pleasures
that are within his reach. Though it appears as if
the craving is for happiness, this craving leads
neither to happiness nor to fruitfulness in this
life; on the contrary, it involves vain effort and
leads to every kind of inauspiciousness. Even when
it occupies the stage called life on which several
happy and unhappy situations play, this craving,
like an aged actress, is incapable of performing
anything good and noble, and suffers defeat and
discomfiture at every turn. Yet, it does not give
up dancing on the stage!
Craving now ascends to the skies, now dives into
the depths of the nether world; it is ever restless
for it is based on the emptiness of the mind. In
the mind the light of wisdom momentarily shines,
but there is delusion the next moment. It is a
wonder that sages are able to cut this with the
sword of Self-knowledge.
RAMA continued:
This pitiable body composed of veins, arteries and
nerves is also a source of pain. Inert, it appears
to be intelligent. One does not know if it is
sentient or insentient, and it engenders only
delusion. Delighted with a little gratification and
distressed by the least adversity, this body is
indeed highly despicable.
I can only compare a tree to the body; with
branches for arms, trunk for the torso, holes for
eyes, fruits for head and leaves for numerous
illnesses. It is a resting place for living beings.
Who can say that it is one's own? Hope or despair
in relation to it is futile. It is but a boat given
to one for crossing this ocean of birth-and-death;
but one should not regard it as one's Self. This
tree which is the body is born in the forest known
as samsara [repetitive existence], the
restless monkey [mind] plays on it, it is
the abode of crickets [worries], it is
constantly eaten by the insects [of endless
suffering], it shelters the venomous serpent
[of craving], and the wild crow [of
anger] dwells on it. On it are the flowers
[of laughter], its fruits are good and
evil, it appears to be animated by the wind [of
life-force], it supports the birds [of
senses], it is resorted to by the traveller
[lust or desire] for it provides the shade
of pleasure, the formidable vulture
[egotism] is seated on it, and it is hollow
and empty. It is certainly not meant to promote
happiness. Whether it lives for long or falls in a
short time, it is still useless. It is composed of
flesh and blood, it is subject to old age and
death. I am not enamoured of it. It is completely
filled with impure substances and afflicted with
ignorance. How can it fulfil my hopes?
This body is the home of illness, the field for
mental distress, changing emotions and mental
states. I am not enamoured of it. What is wealth,
what is kingdom, what is the body – all these
are mercilessly cut down by time [death].
At death this ungrateful body abandons the soul
that dwelt in it and protected it. What hope shall
I repose in it? Shamelessly it indulges again and
again in the same actions! Its only certain purpose
seems to be to burn in the end! Unmindful of old
age and death that are common to the rich and the
poor, it seeks wealth and power! Shame, shame upon
those who are bound to this body, deluded by the
wine of ignorance! Shame on those who are bound to
this world!
RAMA
said:
Even the part of life which people ignorantly
regard as enjoyable – childhood – is full
of sorrow, O sage. Helplessness, mishaps, cravings,
inability to express oneself, utter foolishness,
playfulness, instability, weakness – all these
characterise childhood. The child is easily
offended, easily roused to anger, easily bursts
into tears. In fact, one may say boldly that the
child's anguish is more terrible than that of a
dying, an aged man, a sick man or any other adult.
For, in childhood, one's state is comparable truly
to that of an animal living at the mercy of
others.
The child is exposed to the countless happenings
around it; they puzzle and confuse the child, and
arouse in it various fantasies and fears. The child
is impressionable and is easily influenced by the
wicked. In consequence, the child is subjected to
control and punishment by its parents. Childhood
seems to be a period of nothing but subjection!
Though the child may appear to be innocent, the
truth is that all sorts of defects, sinful
tendencies and neurotic behaviour lie hidden and
dormant in it, even as an owl lies hidden in a dark
hole during the day time. O sage, I pity those
people who foolishly imagine that childhood is a
happy period.
What can be worse suffering than a restless mind?
And, the child's mind is extremely restless. Unless
the child gets something new every day, it is
unhappy. Crying and weeping seem to be the child's
foremost activity. When the child does not get what
it wants, it looks as if its heart is broken. When
the child goes to school, it receives punishment in
the hands of its teachers; and all this adds to
their unhappiness.
When the child cries, its parents, in order to
pacify it, promise to give it the world; and from
then on the child begins to value the world, to
desire the worldly objects. The parents say, "I
shall give you the moon for a toy," and the child,
believing their words, thinks that it can hold the
moon in its hands. Thus are the seeds of delusion
sown in the little heart.
Though the child feels heat and cold, it is unable
to avoid it – how is it better than a tree,
then? Like the animals and birds the child vainly
reaches out to get what it wants. And it is fearful
of every elder in the house.
RAMA
continued:
Leaving this period of childhood behind, the human
being goes on the stage of youth – but he is
unable to leave the unhappiness behind! There he is
subjected to numerous mental modifications and he
progresses from misery to greater misery, for he
abandons wisdom and embraces the terrible goblin
known as lust that resides in his heart. His life
is full of desire and anxiety. They who have not
been robbed of their wisdom in their youth can
withstand any onslaught.
I am not enamoured of this transient youth in which
short-lived pleasure is quickly followed by
long-lasting suffering, and deluded by which man
regards the changing to be changeless. What is
worse, it is during youth that one indulges in such
actions that bring unhappiness to many others. Even
as a tree is consumed by a forest- fire, the
youth's heart is consumed by the fire of lust when
his beloved leaves him. However much he may strive
to develop purity of heart is stained with
impurity. Even when his beloved is not present near
him, he is distracted by the thoughts of her
beauty. Such a person who is full of cravings is
naturally not held in high esteem by good men.
Youth is the abode of diseases and mental distress.
It can be compared to a bird whose wings are good
and evil acts. Youth is like a sandstorm that
disperses and dissipates one's good qualities.
Youth arouses all sorts of evils in the heart and
suppresses the good qualities that may exist there;
it is thus the promoter of evil. It gives rise to
delusion and attachment. Though youthfulness
appears to be very desirable to the body, it is
destructive to the mind. In youth one is tempted by
the mirage of happiness, and in its pursuit he
falls into the well of sorrow. Hence I am not
enamoured of youth.
Alas even when youth is about to leave the body,
the passions that had been aroused by youth burn
the more fiercely and bring about one's quick
destruction. He who delights in this youth is
surely not a man, but an animal in human garb.
They are adorable, they are great souls, and they
alone are men who are not overcome by the evils of
youth and who survive that stage of life without
succumbing to its temptations. For, it is easy to
cross a great ocean; but to reach the other shore
of youth without being overcome by its likes and
dislikes is indeed difficult.
RAMA
continued:
In his youth, man
is a slave of sexual attraction. In the body which
is no more than the aggregate of flesh, blood,
bone, hair and skin, he perceives beauty and charm.
Even if this "beauty" is permanent there is some
justification to the imagination; but, alas, it
does not last very long. On the contrary, very soon
the very flesh that contributed to the
attractiveness, charm and beauty of the beloved is
transformed first into the shrivelled ugliness of
old age and later consumed by fire, or by worms or
by vultures. Yet, while it lasts this sexual
attraction consumes the heart and the wisdom of the
man. By this is the creation maintained; when this
attraction ceases, this birth-death cycle
[samsara] also ceases.
When the child is dissatisfied with its childhood,
youth takes over; when youth is plagued by
dissatisfaction and frustration, old age overpowers
it. How cruel is life. Even as wind tosses a
dew-drop from a leaf, old age destroys the body.
Even as a drop of poison when it enters the system
soon pervades it, senility soon pervades the entire
body and breaks it down, and makes it the
laughing-stock of other people.
Though the old man is unable to satisfy his desires
physically, the desires themselves flourish and
grow. He begins to ask himself, "Who am I? What
should I do?" etc. when it is too late for him to
change his life's course, alter his life-style or
make his life more meaningful. With the onset of
senility all the distressing symptoms of a physical
break-down like cough, white hairs, hard breathing,
dyspepsia and emaciation, manifest themselves.
Perhaps, the deity presiding over death sees the
white roofed head of the old man as salted melon
and rushes to take it. Senility vigorously cuts the
root of life like a flood that cuts away the roots
of trees standing on the river bank. Death follows
and carries it away. Senility is like the royal
attendants that precede the king, death.
Ah, how mysterious and how astounding it is! They
who have not been overcome by enemies and who have
taken their abode in inaccessible mountain peaks
– even they have been afflicted by the
demoness known as senility and degeneracy.
RAMA
continued:
All enjoyment in this world are deluded, like the
lunatic's enjoyment of the taste of fruits
reflected in a mirror. All the hopes of man in this
world are consistently destroyed by Time. Time
alone, O sage, wears everything out in this world;
there is nothing in creation which is beyond its
reach. Time alone creates innumerable universes,
and in a very short time. Time destroys
everything.
Time allows a glimpse of itself through its partial
manifestation as the year, the age and the epoch;
but its essential nature is hidden. This Time
overpowers everything. Time is merciless,
inexorable, cruel, greedy and insatiable. It is the
greatest magician, full of deceptive tricks. This
Time cannot be analysed; for however much it is
divided it still survives, indestructible. It has
an insatiable appetite for everything – it
consumes the smallest insects, the biggest
mountains and even the king of heaven! Even as a
young boy plays with a ball for his pastime, Time
uses the two balls known as the sun and the moon
for its pastime. It is indeed Time alone that
appears as the destroyer of the universe
[Rudra], the creator of the world
[Brahma], the king of heaven
[Indra], the lord of wealth
[Kubera] and the nothingness of cosmic
dissolution. It is indeed this Time that
successively creates and dissolves the universe
again and again. Just as even the great and mighty
mountain is rooted on earth, this mighty Time is
also established in the Absolute being
[Brahman].
Even though Time creates endless universes, it is
not wearied, nor does it rejoice; it does not come,
nor does it go; it does not rise, nor does it set.
Time the gourmet sees that the objets of this world
have been ripened by the fire of the sun, and when
he finds them fully ripe he consumes them! Each
epoch of Time is decked, as it were, by the lovely
jewels of colourful beings for the pleasure of Time
that playfully wipes them all out.
To the lotus of youthfulness, Time is the
nightfall; to the elephant of life-span, Time is
the lion. In this world there is nothing, high or
low, that Time does not destroy. Even when all
these are destroyed, Time is not destroyed. Just as
a man after a day's activity rests in sleep as if
in ignorance, even so Time, after the cosmic
dissolution, sleeps or rests with the
creation-potential hidden in it. No one really
knows what this Time is.
RAMA
continued:
Besides the Time I have just described, there is
another Time which is responsible for birth and
death; people refer to it as the deity presiding
over death. Yet again there is another aspect of
this Time, known as krtanta – the end of
action, its inevitable result or fruition. This
krtanta is like a dancer with niyati [the law
of nature] for his wife; the two together
bestow on all beings the beings the inevitable
fruit of their actions. During the course of the
existence of the universe they are indefatigable in
their labour, unwinking in their vigilance and
unflagging in their zeal. When Time thus dances in
this universe creating and destroying everything,
what hope can we entertain? Krtanta holds sway even
over those whose faith is firm, and makes them
restless. On account of this krtanta everything in
this world is constantly undergoing change; there
is no permanency here.
All beings in this world are tainted with evil, all
relationships are bondage, all enjoyments are great
diseases and desire for happiness is only a mirage.
One's own senses are one's enemies; the Reality has
become unreal [unknown]; one's own mind has
become one's worst enemy. Egotism is the foremost
cause for evil, wisdom is weak, all actions lead to
unpleasantness and pleasure is sexually oriented.
One's intelligence is governed by egotism, instead
of being the other way round. Hence there is no
peace nor happiness in one's mind. Youth is fading.
Company of holy ones is rare. There is no way out
of this suffering. The realisation of Truth is not
to be seen in anyone. No one is happy at the
prosperity and happiness of others, nor compassion
to be found in anyone's heart. People are getting
baser and baser by the day. Weakness has overcome
strength, cowardice has overpowered courage. Evil
company is easily hard, good company is hard to
come by. I wonder wither Time is driving humanity.
Holy one, this mysterious power that governs this
creation destroys even powerful demons, robs
whatever has been considered to be Eternal of its
permanency, kills even the immortals – is
there then any hope for simple folk like me? This
mysterious being seems to dwell in all, and its
individualised aspect is regarded as egotism; and
there is nothing that is not destroyed by it. The
entire universe is under its control, its will
alone prevails here.
RAMA
continued:
O sage, thus neither in childhood, youth nor old
age does one enjoy any happiness. None of the
objects in this world is meant to give happiness to
anyone. The mind vainly seeks to find such
happiness in the objects of this world. Only he is
happy who is free from egotism and who is not
swayed by craving for sense-pleasure; but such a
person is extremely rare in this world. Indeed, I
do not regard him as a hero who is able to battle
successfully against a mighty army; only him I
consider a hero who is able to cross the ocean
known as the mind and the senses.
I do not regard that as a "gain" which is soon
lost; only that is a gain which is not lost –
and there is no such gain available to man in this
world, however hard he may struggle. On the other
hand, both fleeting gains and temporary adversities
come to a man, even without his seeking. I am
puzzled, Holy sir, that a man roams here and there
seemingly busy throughout the day, and is all the
time engaged in selfish activity; and though he
does not do one good turn during the day, he is
still able to sleep at night! Yet, even though the
busy man overcomes all his earthly enemies and
surrounds himself with wealth and luxury, and even
when he boasts that he is happy, death creeps in
upon him. How it finds him, only God knows! In
ignorance, man binds himself to wife, son and
friends; he knows not that this world is like a
large pilgrim centre where countless people come
together fortuitously – and they whom he calls
his wife, son and friends are among them.
This world is like a potter's wheel; the wheel
looks as if it stands still though it revolves at a
terrific speed – even so to the deluded person
this world appears to be stable even though in fact
it is constantly changing. This world is like a
poison free; one who comes into contact with it is
knocked unconscious and stupefied. All points of
view in this world are tainted, all countries in
the world are territories of evil, all the people
of the world are subject to death, all actions are
deceitful.
Many aeons have come and gone; they are but moments
in time – for there is essentially no
difference between an epoch and a moment, both
being measures of time. From the viewpoint of the
gods even an epoch is but a moment. Even so the
whole earth is but a modification of the
earth-element! How futile to pin our faith and our
hope on it!
RAMA
continued:
O holy one! Whatever appears to be permanent or
transient in this world is like a dream. What is a
crater today was a mountain before, what is a
mountain today becomes a hole in the earth in a
short while, what is a dense forest today is soon
transformed into a big city, what is fertile soil
now becomes an arid desert. Similar is the change
in one's body and in one's life-style and
fortune.
This life-and death cycle appears to be a skilful
dancer whose skirt is made up of living souls; and
her dancing gestures consist of lifting the souls
up to heaven, hurling them down in hell or bringing
them back to this earth. All the mighty deeds, even
the great religious rites that people perform here
are soon consigned to one's memory. Human beings
are born as animals and vice versa; gods lose their
divinity – what is unchanging here? I see even
the creator Brahma, the protector Vishnu, the
redeemer Rudra and others inexorably going toward
destruction. In this world sense-objects appear to
be pleasant to one only the till he remembers this
inevitable destruction. Just as a child playing
with earth makes different designs with a clod, the
ordainer of the universe keeps creating new things
and destroying them soon.
This perception of the defects of the world has
destroyed the undesirable tendencies in my mind;
and therefore, desire for sense-pleasure does not
arise in my mind, even as a mirage does not appear
on the surface of water. This world and its
delights appear bitter to me. I am not fond of
wandering in the pleasure-gardens, I do not relish
the company of girls, I do not value the
acquisition of wealth. I wish to remain at peace
within myself. I am constantly enquiring: "How can
I wean my heart completely away from even thinking
of this ever-changing phantasm called the world?" I
do not long for death, nor do I long to live; I
remain as I am, free from the fever or lust. What
shall I do with the kingdom, pleasure or wealth,
all of which are the playthings of egotism which is
absent in me?
If I do not get established in wisdom now, when
shall another opportunity arise? For, indulgence in
sense-pleasure poisons the mind in such a way that
its effects last several life-times. Only the man
of Self-knowledge is free from this. Therefore, O
sage, I pray, instruct me in such a way that I may
forever be free from anguish, fear and distress.
With the light of your instruction, destroy the
darkness of ignorance in my heart.
RAMA
continued:
By reflecting on the pitiable fate of living beings
thus fallen into the dreadful pit of sorrow, I am
filled with grief. My mind is confused, I shudder,
and at every step I am afraid. I have given up
everything, but I have not established myself in
wisdom; hence I am partly caught and partly freed.
I am like a tree that has been cut but not severed
from its root. I wish to restrain my mind but do
not have the wisdom to do so.
Hence, pray tell me what that condition or state is
in which one does not experience any grief? How can
one, who is involved in the world and its
activities as I am, reach the Supreme state of
peace and bliss? What is that attitude that enables
one not to be influenced by various kinds of
activities and experiences? Pray tell me how people
who are enlightened live in this world. How can the
mind be freed from lust and made to view the world
both as one's own Self and also as no more valuable
than a blade of grass? The biography of which great
one shall we study in order to learn the path of
wisdom? How should one live in this world?
Holy sir, instruct me in that wisdom which will
enable my otherwise restless mind to be steady like
a mountain. You are an enlightened being: instruct
me so that I may never again be sunk in grief.
Obviously this world is full of open and death; how
does it become a source of joy, without befuddling
one's heart? The mind is obviously full of
impurities. How can it be cleansed and with what
cleanser prescribed by what great sage? How should
one live here so as not to fall a victim to the
twin currents of love-and-hate? Obviously there is
a secret that enables one to remain unaffected by
the grief and suffering in this world – even
as mercury is not affected when it is thrown into
the fire: What is that secret? What is the secret
that counteracts the habit of the mind that is
spread out in the form of this universe?
Who are those heroes who have freed themselves from
delusion? And what methods did they adopt to free
themselves. If you consider that I am neither fit
nor capable of understanding this, I shall fast
unto death.
VALMIKI said:
Having said so, Rama remained silent.
VALMIKI
said:
All those who had assembled in the court were
highly inspired by the flaming words of Rama's
wisdom that are capable of dispelling the delusion
of the mind. They felt as if they themselves had
been rid of all their doubts and deluded
misunderstanding. They drank the nectarine words of
Rama with great delight. As they sat in the court
listening to Rama's words, it appeared as though
they were no longer living beings but painted
figures – they were so still with rapt
attention.
Who listened to Rama's discourse? Sages like
Vasistha and Visvamitra; citizens, holy one's,
servants, caged birds, animal pets, the horses of
the royal stable and the celestials –
including the perfected sages and heavenly
musicians. Surely, even the king of heaven and the
chiefs of the nether world listened to Rama.
Thrilled to hear Rama's speech, all of them
exclaimed: "Bravo, bravo" with one voice, and this
joyous sound filled the air. To felicitate Rama
there was a shower of flowers from heaven. Everyone
assembled in the court cheered him. Surely no one
but Rama, who was full of dispassion, could have
uttered the words that he gave expressions to
– not even the preceptor of the gods. We were
indeed extremely fortunate to have been able to
listen to him. While we listened it seemed as
though we were filled with the feeling, "There is
no happiness even in heaven".
THE PERFECTED SAGES in the assembly said:
Surely, the answer that the holy ones are about to
give in answer to the weighty and wise questions of
Rama are worthy of being heard by all beings in the
universe. O sages, come, come, let us all gather in
the court of king Dasaratha to listen to the answer
of the supreme sage Vasistha.
VALMIKI said:
Hearing us, all the sages of the world hastened to
the court, where they were duly received and
honoured. They were all duly seated in the court.
Surely, if in our heart the lofty wisdom of Rama is
not reflected, we shall indeed be the losers;
whatever be our abilities and faculties, we shall
thereby prove that we have lost our
intelligence!
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