YOG VASISHTA B2 15 On contentment

YOG VASISHTA

Book II – Mumukshu khanda Chapter 15 – On contentment

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

संतोषो हि परं श्रेयः संतोषः सुखमुच्यते संतुष्टः परमभ्येति विश्राममरिसूदन ॥ १ ॥ Vasishtha continued:—Contentment is the chief good; contentment is called the (true) enjoyment; and the contented man, O you destroyer of enemies, gets the best repose.

संतोषैश्वर्यसुखिनां चिरविश्रान्तचेतसाम् । साम्राज्यमपि शान्तानां जरत्तृणलवायते ॥ २ ॥ Those who are happy with their prosperity of contentment, and possess the calm repose of their souls, are as holy saints, and think a sovereignty no better than a bit of rotten straw.

संतोषशालिनी बुद्धी राम संसारवृत्तिषु । विषमास्वप्यनुद्विग्ना न कदाचन हीयते ॥ ३ ॥ Whoever retains a contented mind amidst all the affairs of the world, he is never disturbed O Rama, in adverse circumstances nor ever dejected.

संतोषामृतपानेन ये शान्तास्तृप्तिमागताः । भोगश्रीरतुला तेषामेषा प्रतिविषायते ॥ ४ ॥ The saints that are satisfied with the ambrosial draught of contentment, think the highest affluence and enjoyments (of the rich) but poison.

न तथा सुखयन्त्येताः पीयूषरसवीचयः । यथातिमधुरास्वादः संतोषो दोषनाशनः ॥ ५ ॥ Even the waves of liquid nectar fail to afford that pleasure, which the sweetest taste of contentment—the healer of all evils, gives to its possessor.

अप्राप्तवाञ्छामुत्सृज्य संप्राप्ते समतां गतः । अदृष्टखेदाखेदो यः स संतुष्ट इहोच्यते ॥ ६ ॥ Abandonment of unfruitful desires and calmness in those that are obtained, feeling no pain at and having no sense of pleasure (in any thing), constitute what is called contentment here below.

आत्मनात्मनि संतोषं यावद्याति न मानसम् । उद्भवन्त्यापदस्तावल्लता इव मनोबिलात् ॥ ७ ॥ Until the mind can enjoy the contentment rising spontaneously in the soul of itself, so long will troubles continue to grow in it as briars and brambles in a bog.

संतोषशीतलं चेतः शुद्धविज्ञानदृष्टिभिः । भृशं विकासमायाति सूर्यांशुभिरिवाम्बुजम् ॥ ८ ॥ The mind cooled by calm contentment, and purified by the light of philosophy, is always in its full bloom as the lotus under sun-beams.

आशावैवश्यविवशे चित्ते संतोषवर्जिते । म्लाने वक्रमिवादर्शे न ज्ञानं प्रतिबिम्बति ॥ ९ ॥ The ungoverned mind which is under the subjection of desires and devoid of contentment, does not receive the light of knowledge, as a soiled mirror takes no reflection of the face.

अज्ञानघनयामिन्या संकोचं न नराम्बुजम् । यात्यसावुदितो यस्य नित्यं संतोषभास्करः ॥ १० ॥ The man whose mind is always bright with the sunshine of contentment, does not shrivel itself like the lotus in the dark night of ignorance.

अकिंचनोऽप्यसौ जन्तुः साम्राज्यसुखमश्नुते । आधिव्याधिविनिर्मुक्तं संतुष्टं यस्य मानसम् ॥ ११ ॥ A man though poor, enjoys the happiness of sovereignty, who is devoid of diseases and anxieties, and whose mind is contented.

नाभिवाञ्छत्यसंप्राप्तं प्राप्तं भुंक्ते यथाक्रमम् । यः सुसौम्यसमाचारः संतुष्ट इति कथ्यते ॥ १२ ॥ He is called a contented man, who does not long after what he is not possessed of, and enjoys what he has in its right manner, and is always graceful in his manners.

संतुष्टिपरतृप्तस्य महतः पूर्णचेतसः । क्षीराब्धेरिव शुद्धस्य मुखे लक्ष्मीर्विराजते ॥ १३ ॥ There is a beauty shining in the face of one, whose mind has the satisfaction of contentment, the fulness of magnanimity and the purity of thoughts like that of the milky ocean in it.

पूर्णतामलमाश्रित्य स्वात्मन्येवात्मना स्वयम् । पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन तृष्णां सर्वत्र वर्जयेत् ॥ १४ ॥ Let a man entertain his self-possession within himself, and abandon his craving of all things, by reliance on his manly exertions.

संतोषाऽमृतपूर्णस्य शान्तशीतलया धिया । स्वयं स्थैर्यं मनो याति शीतांशोरिव शाश्वतम् ॥ १५ ॥ He whose mind is full with the ambrosia of contentment and a calm and cool understanding, acquires a perpetual composure within himself, as it were by the cooling beams of the moon.

संतोषपुष्टमनसं भृत्या इव महर्द्धयः । राजानमुपतिष्ठन्ति किंकरत्वमुपागताः ॥ १६ ॥ All great fortunes wait on him whose mind is strengthened by contentment, as if they were his servants, and as they remain in attendance upon a king.

आत्मनैवात्मनि स्वस्थे संतुष्टे पुरुषे स्थिते । प्रशाम्यन्त्याधयः सर्वे प्रावृषीवाशु पांशवः ॥ १७ ॥ One remaining content and composed in himself, quells all his anxieties and cares, as the rains set down the dust of the earth.

नित्यं शीतलया राम कुलङ्कपरिभिन्नया । पुरुषः शुद्धया वृत्त्या भाति पूर्णतयेन्दुवत् ॥ १८ ॥ Rama! a man shines by the contentment of his mind and the purity of his conduct, as the cooling and spotless moon when she is full.

समतासुन्दरं वक्रं पुरुषस्यावलोकयन् । तोषमेति यथा लोको न तथा धनसंचयैः ॥ १९ ॥ No one receives so much delight from his accumulation of wealth, as he derives from the sight of the beautiful placid countenance.

समतया मतया गुणशालिनां पुरुषराडिह यः समलंकृतः । तममलं प्रणमन्ति नभश्चरा अपि महामुनयो रघुनन्दन ॥ २० ॥ Know, O you delight of Raghu’s race! that the best of men who are decorated with grace of equanimity (the only quality that adorns the wise), are more honoured both by gods and sages than any.