YOG VASISHTA
Book II – Mumukshu khanda (mumukshu-vyavahara khanda)
Chapter 14 – On the ascertainment of an argument.
It must be the duty of one, whose understanding is cleared and purified by a knowledge of the Sastras, to argue incessantly with a guide knowing how to reason aright. The understanding when sharpened by reasoning, comes to view the transcendent state. It is reasoning which is the only best medicine for the chronic disease of worldliness. The world is of the form of a wood of troubles, shooting in sprouts of endless desires which being once felled under the saw of reason, will germinate no more.
O wise Rama! our understandings are shrouded under unconsciousness at the loss of our friends, at times of danger, and even of quiet. It is reason that is our only companion. There is no expedient for the learned and wise except reason; it is by means of reason that the minds of good people can avoid evil and secure their good.
All our strength and understanding, our valour and renown, and the ends of our actions, result from our reasoning with the intelligent.
Reason is the lamp to show us the right and wrong, and the instrument for accomplishment of our desires:—by reliance on right reason, one crosses over easily the wide ocean of the world. Pure reasoning like a strong lion, tears asunder the elephants of great error, which ravage the lotus beds of the mind.
If ignorant men have at any time attained a better state in life, it was all owing to the light of the lamp of their reasoning.
राज्यानि संपदः स्फारा भोगो मोक्षश्च शाश्वतः । विचारकल्पवृक्षस्य फलान्येतानि राघव ॥ १० ॥ Know O Raghava that, dominion and fair prosperity, together with our enjoyments and eternal salvation, are all but fruits of the celestial Kalpa plant of reasoning.
या विवेकविकासिन्यो मतयो महतामिह । न ता विपदि मज्जन्ति तुम्बकानीव वारिणि ॥ ११ ॥ The minds of great men, which are expanded by reasoning here, are never liable to be immerged under the currents of calamity (but float above them) like gourds upon water.
विचारोदयकारिण्या धिया व्यवहरन्ति ये । फलानामत्युदाराणां भाजनं हि भवन्ति ते ॥ १२ ॥ Those who conduct themselves with their intellects shining forth with reason, become the recipients of its most liberal gifts.
मूर्खहृत्काननस्थानामाशाप्रथमरोधिनाम् । अविचारकरञ्जानां मञ्जर्यो दुःखरीतयः ॥ १३ ॥ Want of reason is like the thorny and sour plant of Karanja sprouting forth with blossoms of woe, and growing in the brakes of ignorant minds in order to shut out their hopes and prospects.
कज्जलक्षोदमलिना मदिरामदधर्मिणी । अविचारमयी निद्रा यातु ते राघव क्षयम् ॥ १४ ॥ Do you, O Raghava! shake off the lethargy caused by your neglect of reasoning. This torpor darkens your vision as it were by the inky powder of collyrium, and maddens your mind as it were, by the ebriety of wine.
महापदतिदीर्घेषु सद्विचारपरो नरः । न निमज्जति मोहेषु तेजोराशिस्तमःस्विव ॥ १५ ॥ The man of right judgement is not liable to fall into the long and dangerous maze of error (like others); but remains as a blaze of light amidst the gloom.
मानसे सरसि स्वच्छे विचारकमलोत्करः । नूनं विकसितो यस्य हिमवानिव भाति सः ॥ १६ ॥ The reasoning faculties shine, as a bed of lotuses in the limpid lake of the mind: whoso has such a reasoning mind, exalts his head as high as the Himalayan height.
विचारविकला यस्य मतिर्मान्द्यमुपेयुषः । तस्योदेत्यशनिश्चन्द्रान्मुधा यक्षः शिशोरिव ॥ १७ ॥ The man having a dull mind and incapable of reasoning (of reason) as a flash of lightning, like boys, sees false apparitions about him.
दुःखखण्डकमस्थूलं विपन्नवलतामधुः । राम दूरे परित्याज्यो निर्विवेको नराधमः ॥ १८ ॥ Rama, you must shun at a distance the base unreasonable man, who grows as plump as a Khanda cane to cause sorrow and resembles the spring season to grow fresh weeds of evil.
ये केचन दुरारम्भा दुराचारा दुराधयः । अविचारेण ते भान्ति वेतालास्तमसा यथा ॥ १९ ॥ Whatever misdeeds, misconducts and mischances present themselves to man, they are all the effects of his want of the light of reason, and lay hold on him like ghosts appearing in the dark.
अविचारिणमेकान्तवनद्रुमसधर्मकम् । अक्षमं साधुकार्येषु दूरे कुरु रघूद्वह ॥ २० ॥ O support of Raghu’s race, do you shun at a distance the unreasonable man of the nature of a solitary wild tree, which comes to no good use.
विविक्तं हि मनो जन्तोराशावैवश्यवर्जितम् । परां निर्वृतिमभ्येति पूर्णचन्द्र इवात्मनि ॥ २१ ॥ The mind that is fraught with reason and devoid of the impatience attendant on worldly desires, feels the light of transcendent quietism shining in the soul with the full lustre of the moon.
विवेकितोदिता देहे सर्वं शीतलयत्यलम् । अलंकरोति चात्यन्तं ज्योत्स्नेव भुवनं यथा ॥ २२ ॥ When the light of reason shines in any person, it imparts the coolness and good grace of moon-beams to all things around him.
परमार्थपताकाया धियो धवलचामरम् । विचारो राजते जन्तो रजन्यामिव चन्द्रमाः ॥ २३ ॥ The reasoning power of man accompanied with the flag of divine knowledge and the silvery flapper of good understanding, shines as moon-light in the darkness of night.
विचारचारवो जीवा भासयन्तो दिशो दश । भान्ति भास्करवन्नूनं भूयो भवभयापहाः ॥ २४ ॥ Men with the good grace of their reason, throw a radiance like that of the sun on all sides about them, and dispel the gloom of worldliness.
बालस्य स्वमनोमोहकल्पितः प्राणहारकः । रात्रौ नभसि वेतालो विचारेण विलीयते ॥ २५ ॥ Reasoning serves to destroy the false apparitions of errors which present themselves to the minds of boys like ghosts in the sky at night.
सर्वं एव जगद्भावा अविचारेण चारवः । अविद्यमानसद्भावा विचारविशरारवः ॥ २६ ॥ All things in the world appear as charming (as if they were realities); but they are (in fact) but unrealities, and liken the clods of earth that are broken (to pieces) by the hammering stone of reason.
पुंसो निजमनोमोहकल्पितोऽनल्पदुःखदः । संसारचिरवेतालो विचारेण विलीयते ॥ २७ ॥ Men are their self tormenters by the false imagination of their own minds; it is reason alone that can drive away this inveterate spectre from the mind.
समं सुखं निराबाधमनन्तमनपाश्रयम् । विद्धीमं केवलीभावं विचारोच्चतरोः फलम् ॥ २८ ॥ Know the fruit of the high larbor of reason, to be the even, unobstructed, interminable and independent happiness called Kaivalya.
अचलस्थितितोदारा प्रकटाभोगतेजसा । तेन निष्कामतोदेति शीततेवेन्दुनोदिता ॥ २९ ॥ It is by means of reason and its evident influence on the deprivation of (physical) gratifications, that there rises an unshaken and exalted disinterestedness in the mind, like the cooling beams of the moon.
स्वविचारमहौषध्या साधुश्चित्तनिषण्णया । तयोत्तमत्वप्रदया नाभिवाञ्छति नोज्झति ॥ ३० ॥ When the saint has reached his perfection by means of the elixir of judgement seated in his mind, he neither desires for more nor leaves.
तत्पदालम्बनं चेतः स्फारमाभासमागतम् । नास्तमेति न चोदेति खमिवातिततान्तरम् ॥ ३१ ॥ The mind relying on that state of equanimity and perceiving the clear light (of truth within itself), has neither its fall nor elevation, but enjoys its inward expansion as that of vacuum for ever.
न ददाति न चादत्ते न चोन्नमति शाम्यति । केवलं साक्षिवत्पश्यञ्जगदाभोगि तिष्ठति ॥ ३२ ॥ One unconcerned with the world, neither gives nor receives any thing, nor feels himself elated or depressed at any event, but views every thing as an indifferent spectator.
न च शाम्यति नाप्यन्तर्नापि बाह्येऽवतिष्ठति । न च नैष्कर्म्यमादत्ते न च कर्मणि मज्जति ॥ ३३ ॥ He is neither torpidly cold nor does he dwell on anything internally or externally. He is neither inactive nor merged in activity.
उपेक्षते गतं वस्तु संप्राप्तमनुवर्तते । न क्षुब्धो न च वाऽक्षुब्धो भाति पूर्ण इवार्णवः ॥ ३४ ॥ He slights the loss of anything, and lives content with what he has;he is neither depressed nor elevated; but remains as full as the (tideless) sea.
एवं पूर्णेन मनसा महात्मानो महाशयाः । जीवन्मुक्ता जगत्यस्मिन्विहरन्तीह योगिनः ॥ ३५ ॥ It is in this manner that the high-souled and high-aspiring Yogis conduct themselves in this world, with their fullness (of joy) and living as they are liberated in this life.
उषित्वा सुचिरं कालं धीरास्ते यावदीप्सितम् । ते तमन्ते परित्यज्य यान्ति केवलतां तताम् ॥ ३६ ॥ These saintly sages having lived as long as they like (in this earth), abandon it at last, and gain their [Sanskrit: kaivalya] eternal unity.
कोऽहं कस्य च संसार इत्यापद्यपि धीमता । चिन्तनीयं प्रयत्नेन सप्रतीकारमात्मना ॥ ३७ ॥ The sapient man should intently consider within himself, who and whose he is, what is his family and by whom he is surrounded, and think on the remedy.
कार्यसंकटसंदेहं राजा जानाति राघव । निष्फलं सफलं वापि विचारेणैव नान्यथा ॥ ३८ ॥ It is the king, O Rama! who well knows the difficult and doubtful state of the business (before him); and his success or failure depends solely on his right judgement and on nothing else.
वेदवेदान्तस्रिद्धान्तस्थितयः स्थितिकारणम् । निर्णीयन्ते विचारेण दीपेन च भुवो निशि ॥ ३९ ॥ It is the dicta and data established by the Veda and Vedanta that form the grounds of our evidence, and these are to be ascertained by our reason as by the help of a lamp in the gloom of night.
अनष्टमन्धकारेषु बहुतेजःस्वजिह्मितम् । पश्यत्यपि व्यवहितं विचारश्चारुलोचनम् ॥ ४० ॥ The bright eye-sight of reason, is neither blinded by the darkness (of night), nor dimmed by the full blaze (of the day), even when it has to view things (situated) at a distance.
विवेकान्धो हि जात्यन्धः शोच्यः सर्वस्य दुर्मतिः । दिव्यचक्षुर्विवेकात्मा जयत्यखिलवस्तुषु ॥ ४१ ॥ He who is blind to reason is as one born blind, and a demented man is an object of universal pity; but the man with a reasoning soul is said to be possessed of divine eye-sight, and becomes victorious in all things.
परमात्ममयी मान्या महानन्दैकसाधिनी । क्षणमेकं परित्याज्या न विचारचमत्कृतिः ॥ ४२ ॥ The miraculous power of reason is acknowledged to be a divine attribute and an instrument to highest felicity; wherefore it is not to be lost sight of for a moment.
विचारचारुपुरुषो महतामपि रोचते । परिपक्वचमत्कारं सहकारफलं यथा ॥ ४३ ॥ The man graced by reason is loved even by the great, as the delicious and ripe mango fruit is delectable to all.
विचारकान्तमतयो नानेकेषु पुनःपुनः । लुठन्ति दुःखश्वभ्रेषु ज्ञाताध्वगतयो नराः ॥ ४४ ॥ Men with their minds illumed by the light of reason, are like travellers acquainted with their way, and are not liable to pit falls of incessant danger and misery.
नच रौति तथा रोगी नानर्थशतजर्जरः । अविचारविनष्टात्मा यथाऽज्ञः परिरोदिति ॥ ४५ ॥ Neither doth the sick man nor one beset by a hundred evils wail so bitterly, as the ignorant man whose soul is deprived of reason.
वरं कर्दममेकत्वं मलकीटकता वरम् । वरमन्धगुहाहित्वं न नरस्याविचारिता ॥ ४६ ॥ Rather leap as a frog in the mud, or creep as a worm in the dirt, rather lie as a snake in a dark cell or crawl on the ground, than walk as a man devoid of reason.
सर्वानर्थनिजावासं सर्वसाधुतिरस्कृतम् । सर्वदौस्थित्यसीमान्तमविचारं परित्यजेत् ॥ ४७ ॥ Therefore get rid of unreasonableness which is the abode of all your dangers, is reprobated by the wise (as the bane of mankind), and is the terminus of all your calamities.
नित्यं विचारयुक्तेन भवितव्यं महात्मना । तथान्धकूपे पततां विचारो ह्यवलम्बनम् ॥ ४८ ॥ Great men must always be in full possession of their reasoning, because those unsupported by their reason are liable to fall into the pits of darkness.
स्वयमेवात्मनात्मानमवष्टभ्य विचारतः । संसारमोहजलधेस्तारयेत्स्वमनोमृगम् ॥ ४९ ॥ Let every one keep his soul under the control (of his own reason), and by this means, deliver the fawn of his mind from falling into the mirage of this world.
कोऽहं कथमयं दोषः संसाराख्य उपागतः । न्यायेनेति परामर्शो विचार इति कथ्यते ॥ ५० ॥ It is the province of reasoning to consider logically in one’s self, whence the evil, known as worldliness, had its rise.
अन्धान्धमोहसुधनं चिरं दुःखाय केवलम् । कृतं शिलाया हृदयं दुर्मतेश्चाविचारिणः ॥ ५१ ॥ The thick mist of error is only for the continued misery of man, and it prevails on the stony minds of those that are demented by the loss of reason.
भावाभावग्रहोत्सर्गदृशामिह हि राघव । न विचारादृते तत्त्वं ज्ञायते साधु किंचन ॥ ५२ ॥ The wise that hold fast on the truth and forsake all untruth in this world, are yet unable to discern their true natures without the aid of reason.
विचाराज्ज्ञायते तत्त्वं तत्त्वाद्विश्रान्तिरात्मनि । अतो मनसि शान्तत्वं सर्वदुःखपरिक्षयः ॥ ५३ ॥ It is by means of reason that one comes to the knowledge of truth;and by means of truth that he gets the peace of his mind; and it is the tranquility of the mind that dispels the misery of men.
सफलता फलते भुवि कर्मणां प्रकटतां किल गच्छति उत्तमाम् । स्फुटविचारदृशैव विचारिता शमवते भवते च विरोचताम् ॥ ५४ ॥ Now Rama, do you take delight in such acts as may be productive of utility to the world, and whereby you may arrive to perfection. Weigh all things with the clear eye of reason, which will make you blessed for ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment