YOGA VASISHTA
Book II – Mumukshu khanda Chapter 16 – On good conduct
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
विशेषेण महाबुद्धे संसारोत्तरणे नृणाम् । सर्वत्रोपकरोतीह साधुः साधुसमागमः ॥ १ ॥ Vasishtha resumed saying said:—Know, O highly intelligent Rama! that the company of the virtuous is everywhere of the greatest benefit to men for their crossing over the ocean of the world.
साधुसङ्गतरोर्जातं विवेककुसुमं सितम् । रक्षन्ति ये महात्मानो भाजनं ते फलश्रियः ॥ २ ॥ It is the arbour of virtuous company that produces the fresh blossom of discrimination; which being cherished by high-souled men, yields to them its fruits of prosperity.
शून्यमाकीर्णतामेति मृतिरप्युत्सवायते । आपत्संपदिवाभाति विद्वज्जनसमागमे ॥ ३ ॥ The society of the learned makes solitude appear as company, and the evil of death as good as a festivity;and converts a difficulty to ease.
हिममापत्सरोजिन्या मोहनीहारमारुतः । जयत्येको जगत्यस्मिन्साधुः साधुसमागमः ॥ ४ ॥ It is the society of the virtuous which wards off all disasters, that like the frost, invade the lotus beds of our hearts; and baffle the icy breath of ignorance.
परं विवर्धनं बुद्धेरज्ञानतरुशातनम् । समुत्सारणमाधीनां विद्धि साधुसमागमम् ॥ ५ ॥ Know the society of the virtuous to be the best improver of the understanding, the destroyer of the tree of ignorance; and remover of all our mental diseases.
विवेकः परमो दीपो जायते साधुसंगमात् । मनोहरोज्ज्वलो नूनमासेकादिव गुच्छकः ॥ ६ ॥ The society of the virtuous produces the light of reason, which is as charmingly fair as a cluster of flowers after its being washed by rain-water.
निरपायां निराबाधां निर्वृतिं नित्यपीवरीम् । अनुत्तमां प्रयच्छन्ति साधुसङ्गविभूतयः ॥ ७ ॥ It is the influence of virtuous company that teaches us the best mode of life, which is never impaired or obstructed by anything, and is ever full in itself.
अपि कष्टतरां प्राप्तैर्दशां विवशतां गतैः । मनागपि न संत्याज्या मानवैः साधुसंगतिः ॥ ८ ॥ Let no man ever keep himself away from the association of the virtuous, though he is involved in utmost distress, and cast in irremediable circumstances.
साधुसंगतयो लोके सन्मार्गस्य च दीपिकाः । हार्दान्धकारहारिण्यो भासो ज्ञानविवस्वतः ॥ ९ ॥ The society of the virtuous, lends a light to the right path. It destroys the internal darkness of man, by the rays of the sun of knowledge.
यः स्नातः शीतसितया साधुसंगतिगङ्गया । किं तस्य दानैः किं तीर्थैः किं तपोभिः किमध्वरैः ॥ १० ॥ Whoever has bathed in the cold and clear stream of good company is not in need of the merit derived from acts of charity, pilgrimage, austerity and sacrifice.
नीरागाश्छिन्नसंदेहा गलितग्रन्थयोऽनघ । साधवो यदि विद्यन्ते किं तपस्तीर्थसंग्रहैः ॥ ११ ॥ Whoever has the society of virtuous men, and whose lives are free from passions and sins, and doubts and the knots (of scruples in their hearts), of what use is (the observance of) austerity, or (performance of) pilgrimage (to him)?
विश्रान्तमनसो धन्याः प्रयत्नेन परेण हि । दरिद्रेणेव मणयः प्रेक्षणीया हि साधवः ॥ १२ ॥ Blessed are the peaceful in their minds, who are viewed with as great an ardour by people, as poor men fondly dote upon gems and jewels.
सत्समागमसौन्दर्यशालिनी धीमतां मतिः । कमलेवाप्सरोवृन्दे सर्वदैव विराजते ॥ १३ ॥ The intelligent mind with its gracefulness derived from good company, shines always as the goddess of riches in the company of fairy nymphs.
तेनामलविचारस्य पदस्याग्रावचूलिता । प्रथिता येन धन्येन न त्यक्ता साधुसंगतिः ॥ १४ ॥ Therefore that blessed man is renowned as having attained the crown of a clear understanding, who never abstains himself from the company of the holy.
विच्छिन्नग्रन्थयस्तज्ज्ञाः साधवः सर्वसंमताः । सर्वोपायेन संसेव्यास्ते ह्युपाया भवाम्बुधौ ॥ १५ ॥ Hence all unscrupulous believers, holy men and those who are revered by people, are to be served by all means for crossing over the ocean of the world.
ते एते नरकाग्नीनां संशुष्केन्धनतां गताः । यैर्दृष्टा हेलया सन्तो नरकानलवारिदाः ॥ १६ ॥ Surely do they serve as dry fuel to hell-fire, who neglect the company of the saints, which is known as rain water to extinguish the flames of hell.
दारिद्र्यं मरणं दुःखमित्यादिविषयो भ्रमः । संप्रशाम्यत्यशेषेण साधुसंगमभेषजैः ॥ १७ ॥ The medicine of holy association, serves to allay entirely all the afflictions consequent to poverty and death and tribulations of worldly affairs.
संतोषः साधुसङ्गश्च विचारोऽथ शमस्तथा । एत एव भवाम्भोधावुपायास्तरणे नृणाम् ॥ १८ ॥ Contentment, society of the virtuous, rationalization and quietism, are the several means for crossing over the ocean of the world by
संतोषः परमो लाभः सत्सङ्गः परमा गतिः । विचारः परमं ज्ञानं शमो हि परमं सुखम् ॥ १९ ॥
Contentment is reckoned as the best gain,
good company the right course,
reasoning the true knowledge, and
quietism the highest bliss.
चत्वार एते विमला उपाया भवभेदने । यैरभ्यस्तास्त उत्तीर्णा मोहवारिभवार्णवात् ॥ २० ॥ These are the four surest means to break off the trammels of the world, and whoever is practiced in these, has surely passed over the erroneous waters of the terrestrial sea.
एकस्मिन्नेव वै तेषामभ्यस्ते विमलोदये । चत्वारोऽपि किलाभ्यस्ता भवन्ति सुधियां वर ॥ २१ ॥ Learn, O best of the intelligent! that the practice of some one of these pure virtues, leads to an assuetude of all the four.
एकोऽप्येकोऽपि सर्वेषामेषां प्रसवभूरिह । सर्वसंसिद्धये तस्मात्यत्नेनैकं समाश्रयेत् ॥ २२ ॥ Every one of these separately is a leader to the others; wherefore diligently apply yourself to one of these for your success in getting them all.
सत्समागमसंतोषविचाराः सुविचारितम् । प्रवर्तन्ते शमस्वच्छे वाहनानीव सागरे ॥ २३ ॥ Association with the good, contentment, right reasoning, and good judgement, joined with peace and tranquility, serve as cargo-ships in the ocean of the world.
विचारसंतोषशमसत्समागमशालिनि । प्रवर्तन्ते श्रियो जन्तौ कल्पवृक्षाश्रिते यथा ॥ २४ ॥ All prosperity attends on him who is possessed of reason, contentment, quietism and the habit of keeping good company, like the fruits of the kalpa tree.
विचारशमसत्सङ्गसंतोषवति मानवे । प्रवर्तन्ते प्रपूर्णेन्दौ सौन्दर्याद्या गुणा इव ॥ २५ ॥ The man possessed of reasoning, contentment, quietude, and a proclivity to keep good company, is attended by every grace, as all the digits unite in the full moon.
सत्सङ्गसंतोषशमविचारवति सन्मतौ । प्रवर्तन्ते मन्त्रिवरे राजनीव जयश्रियः ॥ २६ ॥ The happy mind which is fraught with contentment, quietness, reasoning power, and a tendency to good company, meets with the prosperity and success, as they attend on kings (who are) guided by (the counsels of) good ministers.
तस्मादेकतमं नित्यमेतेषां रघुनन्दन । पौरुषेण मनो जित्वा यत्नेनाभ्याहरेद्गुणम् ॥ २७ ॥ Therefore, O delight of Raghu’s race! do you bravely govern your mind, and always practise with diligence some one of these virtues.
परं पौरुषमाश्रित्य जित्वा चित्तमतङ्गजम् । यावदेको गुणो नान्तस्तावन्नास्त्युत्तमा गतिः ॥ २८ ॥ Exert your best manliness to subdue your elephantine mind, and know that until you have mastered one of these cardinal virtues, until then you can make no progress.
पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन दन्तैर्दन्तान्विचूर्णयेत् । यावन्नाभिनिविष्टं ते मनो राम गुणार्जने ॥ २९ ॥ It must be, O Rama! that you shall have to set your heart to work by the exertion of your manliness and the gnashing of your teeth, for your success in meritorious deeds.
देवो भवाथ यक्षो वा पुरुषः पादपोऽथ वा । तावत्तव महाबाहो नोपायोऽस्तीह कश्चन ॥ ३० ॥ For whether you be a god or yaksha or a man or an arbor, you cannot, O long-armed Rama! have a better course till then.
एकस्मिन्नेव फलदे गुणे बलमुपागते । क्षीयन्ते सर्व एवाशु दोषा विवशचेतसः ॥ ३१ ॥ As soon as one of these virtues is strengthened and made fruitful in you, it will serve to weaken the force of the faults of your ungovernable mind.
गुणे विवृद्धे वर्धन्ते गुणा दोषजयप्रदाः । दोषे विवृद्धे वर्धन्ते दोषा गुणविनाशनाः ॥ ३२ ॥ The cultivation of good gunas leads to their full growth and suppression of vice; but the fostering of adharma will (on the other hand) conduce to the increase of vices and suppression of good qualities.
मनोमोहवने ह्यस्मिन्वेगिनी वासनासरित् । शुभाशुभबृहत्कूला नित्यं वहति जन्तुषु ॥ ३३ ॥ The mind is a wilderness of errors, in which the stream of our desires is running with full force, amidst its two banks of good and evil whereon we hold our stand.
सा हि स्वेन प्रयत्नेन यस्मिन्नेव निपात्यते । कूले तेनैव वहति यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥ ३४ ॥ It bears away and throws the man on that bank which he strives to reach by his own exertion, therefore O Rama, do as you like to reach to either shore.
पुरुषयत्नजवेन मनोवने शुभतटानुगतां क्रमशः कुरु । वरमते निजभावमहानदीमहह तेन मनागपि नोह्यसे ॥ ३५ ॥ Now try by degrees with all the exertion of your manly force, to turn the course of your desires towards the happy shore in the forest of your mind; and know, O high-minded Rama; that one’s own disposition is as a rapid current to him, which must not be permitted to bear him away.
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