No78.— I am the body, I am the eense oigAns, the life breaths, I am a Brahman*, a Kshatrva, I an born, X am happy, miserable, 1 have lost this, gained this, all these and other functions of ordinary overy day life are due to the indentificalion of the atma (self) with the action of the buddhi. In reality all these notions are in the buddhi, not in the self. But through beginninglees nescience they are taken to be in the self. So long as this oontinues, the course of worldly life runs on.
34. ** Let one having sublated the whole of the phenominal world through not this, not this and having by a mind residing in pure satava (goodness), tasted the nectar of intelligent Atma, renounce the world like one leaving a fruit after having sucked off the juice.
Note.— For one who has through not this, not this (neti, neti) arrived at the stage of realitation of his self as the supreme self, the phenominal wdrld ceases to assert itself and he becomes perfectly indifferent to it« joys and sorrows. This is, however, the condition of the jivanmukta, emancipate) in life, not of every one. By not this, not this, is meant here that the atma is beyond all that is within the range of speech and thought, 35. “ The self never dies nor is born, nor is it subject to increase or decrease. It is never new, (never old), beyond all additions to its great- ness, of the uature of bliss itself, self-illumined, all pervading and without a second.
Note.— The meaning is that this embodied seif svhich is t iken to bo subjeoi to birth, death, and the like is not subject to any of these conditions. Free from all these, it is the limitless unborn, undecaying, all pervading Brahmana itself. This self is Brahmaua, Ayam atma Brahma, eo says the Upaniahad.
36. “ When such is the nature of the self, which is all intelligence, all bliss, bow can tho sansAra, which is full of sorrow, appear to exist in it or for it. It appears to exist from nescience and superimposition of the attributes of the self upon the notself. On the arising of knowledge, this world disappears insbantly, being lits contrary it cannot live in the same place.
Note. — Tho atma is bliss itself, the world is sorrow and misery. Tt is not of the atma but appears to be so through nescience. When nescience is destroyed, like darkness dis* Appearing on the advent of knowledge, it leases to exist, 37. “ The wise call superimposition to be that which although differ- ent from one thing is yet imposed upon it through illusion. Just as the rope is not the snake, yet is mistaken for it; in the same way the world is superimposed upon the supreme Lord, i. e., the self is taken to be of the world, happy, miserable, born, dying, etc.
38. 4t In the AtmA (self) which is the cause of all, which is free from imperfection, which is one supreme BrahmA, which is without confliftcing notions, which is free from all modifications of the thinking principle, which is above mAyA, the superimposition of the notion of I is the first superimposition.
Noth. — The atma, the self of all, is above the notion of “ I. ” The notion I am (ahamaami) is the first superimposition, like the first wave in the unruffled ocean. In the Upaniahad* this is called the tapas of the supreme self, " I am one, may I be many.*' 39. “ The functions of the intellect, in the shape of desire and the like, attachment and happiness and the like are the causes of the world process in the supreme; for in the condition of deep sleep, when all these functions of the thinking principle cease, the supreme self is cognized by us as of the nature of bliss itself.
Notb. — “D esire and the rest mean desire and aversion, 11 attachment and the rest and happiness and the rest” mean attachment and non-nttHchment, happiness and misery. All tln»e are conditions of the buddhi, not of the self, for they all disappear in deep sleep when the buddhi ceasc9 to function, and the atma is cognized in all its blissful glory. Like one in the embraces of dear wife not knowing anything outside nor inside, this is the fulfilment of all desires, this i9 his desire to his own self, this is his freedom from all desires, this is the end of all sorrow. There the father becomes no father, the mother, no mother, the worlds no worlds, the gods no gods, the Vedas no Vedas, thief no thief, a destroyer of foetus, no destroyer of fcetus, a dntfidala* (an outcast) no chandala! one born of a nislntd Cpnlkas) no pulkasa, mendicant no mendicant, an asectic no ascetic, untouched by good acinous, untouched by evil actions, lie becomes free from all the sorrows of the intellect. (Briadarauyaka Up. Chapter IV, lirahmana S, ‘verses 21 and 22.)
40. In the Buddhi (conditioned intelligence; created through begin- ningiess reflection of the nescience, the chit is called the embodied self (t/iyab 'In truth th q dtmd is separate from the being its witness uncondi- tioned by huddhi lie is That (Brahmd).
NoTBr — The reflection of the chit (intelligent self) in the buddhi is the embodied self. When the reflection is gone as in samadhi er in deep slumber, then the Buddiih (conditioned intelligence) do not remain. What causal this reflection is not the subject of discussion in the Vedanta. Tt is beginniugless avidya. It takes the fact and tries to explain 14 away and by knowledge sublate it. Freed from technicality the condition of every day life is due to the limitation of the self by the buddlii. Without an intelligent self on the one hand and without the instrument of cognition on the other, there will be no cognizatiou of the world, nothing to sublate.no emancipation to achieve, no knowledge to acquire. All those are figments of nescience and disappear with the latter.
41. “ The dtmd (chit' and the buddhi (intellect) appear each to partake of the attributes of the other through mutual connection. The intelligent nature of the self appears in the buddhi and the nori-intelli- genb nature of the buddJii in the self. The cause of this connection is the combined reflection of tho'Self, the embodied self, and the sense organs in the buddhi, like the contact of tire with iron which makes the iron capable of burning and radiation.
Not* — This is a highly difficult 'verse. Tho meaning in pfiain language is that the atma (self) is all intelligence. The buddhi, the cognizing principle, is intelligent not of it* own nature, hut because of it9*pioximity to the «ell‘, but like a piece of heated iron it do to Ihi looked upon an itself intelligent, throw'ing the atma in the back ground. Ah i. 11 »uL«i in the buddhi, vhj atma becomes the embodied self (jiva) and takes himself to Ini happy or niiaorable born or dying whilst the buddhi comes to be looked upon as iutelli- gwnl (chain). This is the mutual superimposi tion. The idea of the buddhi being non- liiUlligttiil in rMontially a Hindu idua, and it has its root in th*t great saying of the 11 paiilshads, Brahms in truth, inlellig nice and bliss (satyam.jnaimm lumiidum iiittlutiu) thus predicating iiitolUgeuoo absolute of Bruiniiu and oi nothing else.
42. “ Having through the company of the leather and the declaration of the VoduH realized the nature of supreme knowledge, let him see the supreme self, us fieo from all adjuncts let him renounce all that is nou- iiitelligent and the cause of this worldly life.
43. “‘ I am of the nature of light, I am unborn, I am without a second, highly effulgent aiu I, very pure am I, the embodi, ent of absolute knowledge, free from all defect, I am full, I am bliss itself, •* am no doer of action.
44. Ever free am 1, of incompassible power am I, my “knowledge transcends the senses, free from modification am I, unlimited, unfathom- able am I, I am He who is ever realized in their own sel/s by the wise devoted to the study of the Vedas.* 45. In this manner with an intellect directed to no other object, always contemplating upon his own dtmd, one acquires purity of thought whereby in a short time he destroy* all actions which cause rebirth, to- gether with avidyd, the cause thereof, like a sick person overcoming dis- ease by taking the elixir of life.
46. “ Sitting in a lonely place, with all senses withdrawn from their objects, with a mind brought under control, with the internal organ purified, arising above all means of knowledge, except realization of self through introspection, having his eye directed towards jndna (supreme knowledge) wisdom alone and abiding in his own self, let him think only of the seif ( dtmd ).
Note. — H ere it will be well to indicate briefly the various stages of self-relization, the seven stages (Bhumikas) of yoga. The first is that of subhichha or right desire when man begins to cherish the desire of crossing this ocean of worldly life. He now begins to live a puro and abstemious life, watches his surroundings, avoids the company of the evil initidod and the worldly minded. All idle conversation becomes distasteful to him and ha tries to overcome the evils of desire, anger, avarice, delusion, fear, idleness, Ac., that may be lurking in his heart. Ho does nothing which is likely to give pain to others. On the contrary, he does all the good he can. He is thus gradually becoming a true Ary a (a great man). The next stage is suvichara (right thought) i. e., of study and meditation of the truths of the Vedanta as taught in the Upanishads. This soon becomes a part of his daily life. In the third stage asansakti non-attachment ho seeks to get rid of the attachment that may be still there in him to objects of the world. The mind is not allowed to run to the things of the world but self-centered finds its satisfaction into its own self. He now practises to the fullest extent the lesson taught in the Vedanta in order to realize his own self as truth, intelligence and bliss. In the fourth stage satva patti (accession of purity) when this reflection becomes ripe the world ceases to appear the reality it did. It does not entirely disappear from view but ceases to assert itself as it did before. In the fifth stage padarthabh&vni non-cognition of object, like one in slumber the mind becomes completely detached from the world and yet duality has not yet completely merged into unity. This is reserved for the sixth stage turya, which is the fullest realization of the truth. 4 I am Brahmana’. Ail that is is Brahtnana. The last stage is turyatita which is beyond the range of speech and thought. These are the seven stages of yoga. Nowadays it is raro to see any, passing beyond the third stage. This is alluded to in the next verse.
47. “ All this universe is in truth the supreme self. Let the sage, therefore, merge it in the self, the cause of all causes. He who has done so abides in his own self which is full and bliss itself, not knowing aughb inside nor outside.
Note. — * All this shines by His light’ This is the declaration of the Upanishad. ‘He is the light of all lights. All this is verily Brahmana. There is here no diversity. He gosa from death to death who sees here the semblance of diversity.* All these declarations of the Upanishads embody truths to be realized by introspection. For the sage who docs so Brahmana alone is in and out.
48. “ Beforo the attainment of samddhi, (trance-cessation of all func- tions of the thinking principle) let him contemplate all this universe mobile and immobile as nothing, but Om. Om is the expression and the universe the thing expressed. The meditation is also possible in the condition of nescience, not on the arising of true knowledge.
Notb. — “ Om this word is all this”. All that was. All is, will bo, is verily Om. All that transcends the three conditions past, present and future, is Om.” This is the declaration of the Mandukya Upanishad referred to here. The world is nothing but Om, the expression no other than the thing-expressed. This is to be realized through introspection till the condition when the wo cd ami the significance thereof, are both merged in that which is beyond speech and thought is reached. Even the state of contemplation where the three- fold relation of knower, the thing known and the act of knowing is present is not outside the pale of nescience. It is only where all specific eognition is completely merged, that vidya (knowledge) arises, all else is avidya.
49. The letter A in A U AT expresses the Visxca, the U in order ex- presses the taijas, the M as prdgya, AH the Vedas read him thus. But this is before the attainment of samddhi, notin reality.
Notr. — The first letter of the AUM is A. It is to be taken as representing the gross cosmic body of the universe known as the Virata. It is the waking condition of the self with its seven angas (limbs), twenty mouths and its enjoyment of the gross. The seven angas or organs are heavens, the sun, the wind, the ether, the water, the earth and the ahavinya fire. The nineteen mouths are the five organs of perception, five of aetion, five pranas, the four condition of the mind-manas, buddhi, ohit and ahankara, (mind-intellect raticio- nation, and egoism): It is called vaisvanara as all beings are contained in Him. The secoud letter U represents the subtle or the sukshma body of the supreme known as Hiranyagarbha or Taijas. It has the same seven angas and nineteen mouths like the above nnd cognizes the subtle. Pragya is made up of desire. It is the cosmic desire body of the universe. The third letter M represents the condition known as the pragya or the Ishwnra or the Antaryamin the Sutratma, wherein nothing is cognised in or out, but which is a condition of sound slumber, or deep bliss. The viswa is so enlled because it covers all, the taijas because it illumines all, and the pragya because it knows all.
50 — 51. “ Let him merge the Viswa represented by A in the U, (taijas) into which it often abides. Then having merged the Taijas in the M, the last letter of the Prdnava r let him merge the M, in the supreme Chit - ghana, the intelligence absolute, for the 'pragya is the cause of the other two Vision and taijas, leading bo them. Let him, then, ever realize him- self as *‘1 am the supreme self, ever free, having knowledge for my eve, free of all adjuncts, and ever pure.
Noth. — This is the process of realization-through absorption of the gross into the subtle, and the subtle in the causal and the causal in the absolute represented by A, U, M, ^ and the (*W*TraT) of the Prana va. The final stage is the condition of nirvikalpa samadhi where all 'specific cognition is gono» 52. 11 Having in this way reached the condition of realifc>tion of the supreme self, having found his happiness in his own self, and having for- gotten all, the sage sits, ever abiding in his own effulgent nature, in the bliss of his own dlt)ul y free from all limitation, unfathomable as the ocean without a wave to ruffle its surface.
Note. — This is the condition where all impurities having been washed off, the mind has become merged in tho atma or self, and the sugo attains to That which is idoscribablo in words and yet whioh is known to those who abide- in it. It is. not a condition of void or nothingness but something very real, before which all that is now taker* as real vanishes as unreal, this is tho goal of all religion, for which no sacrifice lias been found to be ever loo great.
53. 11 In ibis manner to the yogin who has practised samddhl, who has completely withdrawn all his senses from their objects, who has conquered all enemies in the shape of desire, anger, awarfce, delusion, fear and lassi- tude, who has subdued (as it were by his hhalcti) the (Supreme) Self the Lord of six attributes Himself; (to such a yogin } I become visible.
Note.— T ile six attributes of the supremo self are omniscience, ever abiding in bliss* •elf illuminnkion, freedom and absence of limitation and eternity.
They are, however, in one sense eognized as such till there is complete merging of. the scon and the unseen in thaself. when that takes pluce nothing is cognized. By whom should ho know tho kuowor. That by which he knows this, by what should he know bun?
54. “ Thus meditating upon his own self day and night, let the sage abide free from all bonds, till the exhaustion of the karma which gave him this present incarnation. On the dissolution of the body he is absorb- ed into Me.
Note — Tho prarabdha karma of one who has realised his ewiv self is not completely destroyed, only that which has not vet borne fruit fagami) and which he has accumulated (sanchita) js destroyed. The karma which has given him this incarnation (prarabdha) re- mains till it is exhausted by fruition. Then the sage becomes a videhamukta. If the f >rarabdlm karma were destroyed on the arising of self realization, then no teachers will be eft in the world. The experience of those who know, however, is that communication of knowledge through teacher aud pupil is possible before the attainment of the final stage. Where visible disappears completely from. view., the body does not last for more than a few days, some say for not more than a fortnight.
55. Knowing fcjie course of worldly life to be the cause of fear and sorrow in the beginning, middle and end, and having renounced all that appertains to the ftiarma kanda. (the action portion) of the systras, let him devote himself to the contemplation of Me who is the sell of all beings.
56. On the realization of the unity of his own self with the self of all, he becomes one with my own self, like the water of the ocean when poured into the ocean, becoming the ocean, the milk into milk milk, the ether into ether ether, that the air into air.air* Note. — The condition here described is that of complete unification of the embodied eelf with the self of all, the jiva with the Iswara. On the attainment of that condition like a piece of salt dropping into the ocean from which it came, becoming the ocean itself, the sage beeomes that from whom he came. Like rivers losing all name and form, when merged into the wide ocean, freed from all name and form, the sage finds absorption into his own self.
57. f ‘In this manner even through living in the world for the exhaus- tion of his karma bhe sage realizes through the declaration of th6 Vedas and process of reasoning the world as a thing to be got rid of and false, like the appearance of two moons iu the sky or the turning of the quarters through defect of sight. If he does so, it will disappear from view on the disappearance of avidyd the cause thereof.
Noth.— T ho meaning is that even when living in the world, let the sage ever realize the illusive charaoter of the phenomena like two moons in the sky. If lie does so, it will not affect him.
58. “ So long as one does not see all as my own self, let him be ever devoted to my worship. Ever do I abide iu the heart of him svho is endowed with deep faith and has great devotion to me.
Note.— Rama thus declares the secret of knowledge to lie in uninterrupted devotion to the Lord. Those who wish toreacn the goal through jn&na alone find it beset with diffi- oulties. For the man of devotion the lord removes them without his knowing it. This was the path trodden by Prahlada, Bhishma, Vyaaa, Narada and others, the wisest amongst the sag is of India.
59. “ This essence of all the Vedas, this great mystery has, ray dear, been declared by me unto thee, after full consideration. The sage who meditates upon it, is freed from hia load of impurities that very moment.
60. “My brother, all this seen universe is nothing but mdyd (nescience.) Having thus withdrawn thy mind from it and purified it through con- templation upon me alone, do thou be happy, free from all sorrow and full of bliss.
61. u He who through a purified mind, meditates on me thinking of Me sometimes as above all attributes, as possessing no attributes or thinks on Me as possessed of the attributes, of omniscience, &c., beoomes my own self and s&uctifies by the dust of his feet all the three worlds, like the sun which purifies bhe world by his light.
Note.— Herd the contemplation of the supreme Sell, both with attributes as well &a without attributes, is enjoined as leading to the same goal. The one leads to the other. The devotee merges into the man of wisdom. In the initial stages the devotee contemplates the Lord with the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, as the cause of all causes as having the world for his body or even as an ombodied being like Rama, Krishna, Ac. Tbie leads iu the stage of contemplation of Him as the self of all. This also is merged in the •ondition where all distinction disappears *nd the devotee and the object of devotion become one. Bhishma and Prahlada attained to this condition through contemplation of the Lord with attributes.
Having no other thought but He, ever abiding in Him as his own Belf, ever seeing Hita as his sole refuge, the yogi becomes that whieh he meditates upon.
62. “ This wisdom which is the one essence of r! 1 the Vedas, has been thus sung by Me whose glory all the Ved&ntas declare, tie wbo reads it with devotion and faith in his guru (preceptor,) gets emancipation, and attains to my own form if he believes in my saying.
Note.— The lessons taught in the Ramagita are (1) the performance of worldly duty, m a spirt of interested devotion for the purification of the internal sell, (J) study and con- templation of the significance of the great saying of the Vedanta thou art That under a wise teacher (3) realisation of the full significance thereof through constant meditation (4) withdrawal of the mind and the senses from all verldly work and absorption in till the visible disappears from complete view, the mind is merged into the belf and the unity of the individual supreme self is realized and the sage lives happy in his own self.
CHAPTER VI.
(The Tux) Ministers) 1. Sri Mah&deva said Once upon a time all the Munis living on the banks of the Jumna came to see Raghava (RAma) for fear of the Rakshasa Lavana.
2. Having placed thrts best of Munis of the Bbrigu race oalled Chy&vana, at their head, those innumberable Brahmanaa came to RAraa desirouj of protection.
3. Having worshipped them with great devotion, that best of Raghus said to them in sweet words cheering them up.
4. H Whab shall I do for you, ye best of Munis, what is the cause of your coming? Blessed am I, when you have come to see me out of affection.
5. il Even if it be difficult of performance, 1 shall do your work, Do yon command me, your servant. Brahmanaa are my gods.’'
6 — 9. On hearing this Chy&vana greatly delighted forthwith said as follows: u O Lord, in days of yore a great Daitya, named Madhu, was a great follower of the path of Dharma aud a worshipper of the gods and Brabmaras. Pleaded with him, Mahadeya gave him a spear of inestim- able value and said, ‘ whomsoever thou strikesfc with it,shall be reduced to ashes. His wife known as Kumbhanisi was the sister of Ravana and she begot from him Lavana, a Rakshasa of terrific strength, unassailable by any one. That vile monster is a scourge to gods and Brahmanaa, Troubled by him we have, O king of kings, sought thy protection/' 10 — 13. Hearing this Raghava said Ye best of Munis, do not fear, 1 shall destroy Lavana. Do you go away fearlessly/* So saying Rtima said to his brothers '* which of you shall kill Lavana and give immunity from fear to these Brahmanaa/ 5 On hearing this, Bharata humbly said to K&ma “ I shall kill him. Let, ray lord, order me to do so.”
13 — 15. Then having bowed to Rdma, Shatrughana said: ‘‘O R&ghava, Lakahmana accomplished great feats in the war. Bharata of great soul lived in Naodigr&ma and suffcf acj trouble. J shall go to kill Lavana and by thy grace, O best of Raghus, kill that Rdkshasa in battle/* 16. Hearing this aud placing Shatrughana on his lap, the destroyer of foes R&ma said: u For this purpose I shall to-day inatal thee in the kingdom of MathurA.”
17. Having all things neoewary for the installation brought by Lakahm&na, be installed Shatrughana in a spirit of love, even though the latter did nob wish for ib.
18. Havipg given him a celestial bow, RAma said to Shatrughana, u Do thou kill with this Lavana who is a thorn on the side of the world.
19 — 20. u He goes oat to the forest after worshipping the spear given bo him by MabAdeva for the purpose of eating and destf<wing living creatures. Till he returns from the forest, do bhoc stand ready at the gate of the town, bow in hand.
21 — 23, *‘ Fierce with anger he shall fight with thee. Then he shall be capable of heing killed by thee. Having killed that cruel rAkahasa named Lavana, and established in that forest a city, do thou remain there by my command, “ Five thousand horses and half of that number of chariots and six hundred elephants and three millions of infantry shall follow thee, Do thou fight the rAkshasa before hand/' 24. Having said so and smelt Shatrughana on the forehead and blessed him, Rama despatched him along with the Munis.
15 25* Shatrughana did as he was directed by R&ma. Having killed the son of Mddhu in battle, he established the town of MathurA.
26 — 28. He made it abound in villages and hamlets through gifts and favors. Sit& also gave birth to two sons in the dshrama of V&liniki. The muni gave the elder the name of Kusa and the younger of Lava.
In course of time those sons of Sit& became versed in the sacred lore. Invested with the saored thread by the Muni, they became devoted to the study of the vedas. The Mud then taught the whole of the poem of the R&m&yana to the two boys.
29, It was the same which had been told in days of yore by Shan- kara, the conqueror of the triple city to Pdrvati. If for the purpose of knowing the truths of the Vedas, the lord Valmiki communicated it to the two boys.
30. The two lads who were beautiful in appearance like the two Aswins went about singing it in the forest in harmonious tones to the accompaniment of musical instruments and the beating of time.
31 — 32. There they sang it in the assemblies of Munis. Seeing those boys like unto gods the Munis became struck with wonder and said: — " Neither amongst Gandharvas, nor amongst men upon the earth, nor amongst the gods in the heavens, nor in the lower regions, nor in the abode of the four-faced Brahmtl, nor in all the world have we known such singers, although we have lived so long and have seen all the quarters, such singing and music have never bee n seen or heard ere this.’* 33. Thus praised by all the Munis, day after day, those two boys lived for a long time happily in the hermitage ol V&lmlki.
34. Now Rdma of great gtory celebrated many an aswamedha and other sacrifices consisting of costly gifts to Brahmai^as, having made a Sifcd o i gold in place of the real SftA.
35. In that assembly all the rishfs and royal sages, all the Brah« m.inas and Kshatryas and Vuishyas cume to see the sacrifice.
36. The Muni Vdlmiki also taking with him the two singers Kusha and Lava, came to that assembly and arrived at the place where the rishis were assembled.
37. There as he was sitting in solitude at the conclusion of his Sam&dhf, calm and at peace, Kasha questioned V&lmiki about true knowledge during the interval of the recital of other stories.
38. I wish to hear from you, Sir, in brief, how this bond of worldly life originates for embodied creatures.
39. How does an embodied creature acquire freedom from this heavy confinement known as the world. Do thou, O Muui, who art omniscient, tell me thy disciple.
40. Vdlmfki said, "Hear, what I tell thee, all in brief, about bondage and freedom, the nature of the self, the means of the attainment thereof, and having heard it from me do thou act according to it. Thus thou shalt be emancipated in life. May good betide thee.
41—43. " The body is verily the great abode of the intelligent self which is without a body. He has made here the principle of egoism (ahank&ra) his minister. Having superimposed upon the intelligent self (chit) the sense of the I in the body which is his abode, he becomes identified with it and thus imposes upon the chit which is bliss itself, and through which it derives his light, his actions.
44. "It is he who has formed this body. Bound by the fetters of his own creation day and night, he imagines diverse things in the s^ape of sons, wives, house, etc., as his own* 45. “ Thus imaginiug himself as having a body, the self (dtmd) becomes constantly subject to grief. This sense of egoism gives him three kinds of bodies, high, middle and low.
46 — 49. "They are due to the attributes of goodness, activity and darkness, and are the causes of the sustenance of the world.
" Possessed of the notion of darkness, and actiug upon it he becomes subject to extreme darkness and attains to the condition of worms and insects. Possessed of the notion of goodness, he becomes attached to virtue and wisdom, and thereby attains to the condition of emancipa- tion which is the empire of his own self and lives happy.
" With the notion of activity in the ascendant he engages in work in this world and lives here attached to wives and sons.
49 — 50. " But he who leaves all three notions attains, 0 thou of great intelligence, to the supreme self, on the destruction of action of the mind (thinking principle).
" Having, therefore, relinquished all cognition by the senses and control led thy mind do thou destroy aII action of the mind in and out.
51 — 52. “ Even if thou engagest in dire austerities for a thousand years, and livest either in the nether regions, or on the earth, or in the heavens above, there is no means of emancipation for thee, except through the suppression of all actiou of the mind t 53. “ Do tnou by great effort strive to destroy this action of the mind for the purpose of attainment of that self which is free from all sorrow, all change, which is ever happy, ever pure, and which is thy own self.
54. “ All conditions of worldly life are strung in the string of mental activity, O thou sinless one, when the cord is broken, we do not know Where all these specific worldly conditions go.
55. " Having freed thyself from the rising of all thought in the mind, do thou' act thy part in the world. When this net of thought is destroyed, the embodied Self becomes the supreme BrahmA.
56. Having attained bo that supreme condition by the destruction of all this net of thoughts of diverse description, with great effort, do thou attain to that abode which is one without a second, and which is ever for bliss alone, and where all conditions of the mind disappear as in deep sleep.** N'otic. — T he oondition here described is thus summed up in the Upanitii&d, “ when all the five organa of perception, together with the mind, are at rest and the intellect docs not act, that is, the supreme oondition.'* CHAPTER VII.
{The appearance of Sitd,) 1. Thus awakened by V&lmiki, with his delusion gone forthwith Kusha with his eye directed inwards outwarldly did all his work in life.
2 — 3. V&lmiki also told those two highly intelligent sons of Sitd who were 6inging in the outskirts of the town to sing the RrimAyana before R&ma. “ If R4ghava serves you and gives you anything, do not accept it.** 4. Thus directed by the Muni, those lads went about singing, acting as they had been previously directed.
5. Rdraa heard the praise of the singing ofhis former achievements iu an extraordinarily musical tone throughout the town.
6 — *9. Hearing of the singing of those boys, Rima became filled with cariosity, and having, during the intervals of the saorifioe, called all the great Munis, the Pandits, the kings, scholars in Vedio learning.
(cnowers of Pardnas, those skilled in the science of Grammar, and the elder Brahmins, he caused the two singers to be seated in the assembly, All those kings and Brahmanas, having seen those lads, became greatly astonished and with gladdened hearts, with eyes staring in amazement said to Rdma as well as to each other.
10 — 12. “ These two lads are exactly like Rdma, like the reflection of an object in mirror. If they had not been wearing matted locks and barks of trees, we would not have made any difference between them and Rdma” As they were speaking in this manner in accents of wonder, those two ascetic boys began to sing. Then there arose a sweet super- human song like that of Gandharvas.
13. On hearing that sweet singing in the forenoon Rdma ordered Bharata bo give the boys ten thousand gold coins.
14. But those lads did not accept the gold that was given, saying, O king, what have we, who live upon forest produce, to do with tnis wealth.
15. Having thus refused all the wealth that was given to them, they went to the Muni. Having thus heard his own achievements sung by them Rdma became astonished.
16. Knowing the boys to be the sons of Sitd he bold Shatrughapa as follows 4< Do thou cause to be brought here Hanumana, Susaina, Vibhishana, Angada and that great amongst the rannia the sage Vdlmxki together with Sitd.
17. |( Let the daughter of J&naka take an oath, testifying to her purity, before this assembly to convince them of her innocence. Let them know her to be pure/* 19. Hearing the speech of Rdma all of them became filled with wonder and the attendants of the king informed Vdlmiki of it.
20. Knowing what was passing iu the heart of Rdma, Vdlmiki said, “To-morxow shall Sitd take the oath in this assembly/* 21. For a wife her husband is her supreme God, there is no doubt in this. Hearing this speech of the Muni Shufcrughana informed Rdma of it, 22. Rdma also hearing this said, “ Let all the kings and the Munis hear it.
23. u Leb all the people know of the oath of Sitd whether it is right or nob.*' 24. Thus addressed by Rdma all those people consisting of Brahma- ns, Kshatriyas, Vaiahyas, Sudras, the great rishia and the monkeys came there filled with ouriosifcy.
25— -29. Then the great Muni speedily entered that assembly with Sifcd. She was following him with her head bent, her hands clasped, her throat choked with tears and entered the sacrificial assembly. On seeing her like Lakshmi following Brahmd and walking behind Vdlmiki, there arose a loud chorus of applause. Having brought Sitd Co that assembly that great Muni who was her protector said to Rdma: “ O son of Daaharatha, this virtuous Sitd ever devoted to the path of duty was abandoned by thee for fear of public scandal in a lonely place in the forest near my Ashrama.
30. “ This; Sitd shall now satisfy thee of her innocence. Do thou give her permission. These two lads are her twin sons.
81. “ They are thy sons, unassailable by any one. Truly, I tell thee, I am the tenth son of Prachetas, O thou best of the Raghu race.