Young Rama toured the whole country from the Himalayas downwards, alongwith his brothers. Upon returning he is found growing thin and full of grief. Upon being asked by Sage Vashistha, who is about to begin Rama's education, Rama replies thus:
O sage, neither in childhood nor in youth nor in 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 tree: one who comes into contact with it is knocked un- conscious 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. 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. 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 to thee: 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. 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 nor severed from its root. I wish to restrain my mind but do not have the wisdom to do so.
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. 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.
Excerpted from Yoga Vasistha translation by Swami Venkatesananda
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