Chapter II: Preface

In this age of the cultivation of universal learning and its investigation into the deep recesses of the dead languages of antiquity, when the literati of both continents are so sedulously employed in exploring the rich and almost inexhaustible mines of the ancient literature of this country, it has given an impetus to the philanthropy of our wise and benign Government to the institution of a searching enquiry into the sacred language of this land. And when the restoration of the long lost works of its venerable sages and authors through the instrumentality of the greatest bibliomaniac savants and linguists in the several Presidencies,[1] has led the literary Asiatic Societies of the East and West to the publication of the rarest and most valuable Sanskrit Manuscripts, it cannot be deemed preposterous in me to presume, to lay before the Public a work of no less merit and sanctity than any hitherto published.

The Yoga Vasishtha is the earliest work on Yoga or Speculative and Abstruse philosophy delivered by the venerable Vedic sage Vasishtha to his royal pupil Ráma; the victor of Rávana, and hero of the first Epic Rámáyana, and written in the language of Válmiki, the prime bard in pure Sanskrit, the author of that popular Epic, and Homer of India. It embodies in itself the _Loci Communes_ or common places relating to the science of Ontology, the knowledge of _Sat_—Real Entity, and _Asat_—Unreal Non-entity; the principles of Psychology or doctrines of the Passions and Feelings; the speculations of Metaphysics in dwelling upon our cognition, volition and other faculties of the Mind (ज्ञान, ज्ञेय, ज्ञाता, इच्छा, द्वेषादि) and the tenets, of Ethics and practical morality (धर्म्म कर्म्म). Besides there are a great many precepts on Theology, and the nature of the Divinity (आत्मानात्म विवेक), and discourses on Spirituality and Theosophy (जीवात्मा परमात्मा ज्ञान); all delivered in the form of Plato’s Dialogues between the sages, and tending to the main enquiry concerning the true felicity, final beatitude or _Summum bonum_ (परम निःश्रेयस्) of all true philosophy.

These topics have singly and jointly contributed to the structure of several separate Systems of Science and Philosophy in succeeding ages, and have formed the subjects of study both with the juvenile and senile classes of people in former and present times, and I may say, almost among all nations in all countries throughout the civilized world.

* * * * *

It is felt at present to be a matter of the highest importance by the native community at large, to repress the growing ardour of our youth in political polemics and practical tactics, that are equally pernicious to and destructive of the felicity of their temporal and future lives, by a revival of the humble instructions of their peaceful preceptors of old, and reclaiming them to the simple mode of life led by their forefathers, from the perverted course now gaining ground among them under the influence of Western refinement. Outward peace (शान्ति) with internal tranquility (चित्त प्रशान्ति) is the teaching of our Sastras, and these united with contentment (सन्तोष) and indifference to worldly pleasures (वैराग्य), were believed according to the tenets of Yoga doctrines, to form the perfect man,—a character which the Aryans have invariably preserved amidst the revolutions of ages and empires. It is the degeneracy of the rising generation, however, owing to their adoption of foreign habits and manners from an utter ignorance of their own moral code, which the publication of the present work is intended to obviate.

From the description of the Hindu mind given by Max Müller; in his History of the Ancient Literature of India (p. 18) it will appear, that the esoteric faith of the Aryan Indian is of that realistic cast as the Platonic, whose theory of ontology viewed all existence, even that of the celestial bodies, with their movements among the _precepta_ of sense, and marked them among the unreal phantoms (मिथ्या दृष्टि) or vain mirage, (मरीचिका) as the Hindu calls them, that are interesting in appearance but useless to observe. They may be the best of all _precepta_, but fall very short of that perfection, which the mental eye contemplates in its meditation-yoga. The Hindu Yogi views the visible world exactly in the same light as Plato has represented it in the simile commencing the seventh book of his Republic. He compares mankind to prisoners in a cave, chained in one particular attitude, so as to behold only an ever varying multiplicity of shadows, projected through the opening of the cave upon the wall before them, by certain unseen realities behind. The philosopher alone, who by training or inspiration is enabled to turn his face from these visions, and contemplate with his mind, that can see at-once the unchangeable reality amidst these transient shadows.

The first record that we have of Vasishtha is, that he was the author of the 7th _Mandala_ of the Rig Veda (Ashtaka v. 15-118). He is next mentioned as _Purohita_ or joint minister with Viswámitra to king Sudása, and to have a violent contest with his rival for the (पौरोहित्य) or ministerial office (Müll. Hist. S. Lit. page 486, Web. Id. p. 38). He is said to have accompanied the army of Sudása, when that king is said to have conquered the ten invading chiefs who had crossed over the river Parushni—(Hydroates or Ravi) to his dominions (Müll. Id. p. 486). Viswámitra accompanied Sudása himself beyond Vipása,—Hyphasis or Beah and Satadru—Hisaudras-Sutlej (Max Müller, Ancient Sanscrit literature page 486). These events are recorded to have occurred prior to Vasishtha’s composition of the _Mandala_ which passes under his name and in which they are recorded. (Müll. Id. p. 486).

The enmity and implacable hatred of the two families of Vasishthas and Viswámitras for generations, form subjects prominent throughout the Vedic antiquity, and preserved in the tradition of ages (Müll. Id. p. 486, Web. Id. p. 37). Another cause of it was that, Harischandra, King of Ayodhyá, was cursed by Vasishtha, whereupon he made Viswámitra his priest to the annoyance of Vasishtha, although the office of Bráhmana was held by him (Müller Id. page 408 Web. pp. 31-37). In the Bráhmana period we find Vasishtha forming a family title for the whole Vasishtha race still continuing as a _Gotra_ name, and that these Vasishthas continued as hereditary _Gurus_ and _purohitas_ to the kings of the solar race from generation to generation under the same title. The Vasishthas were always the Brahmanas or High priests in every ceremony, which could not be held by other Bráhmanas according to the Sáta patha Bráhmana (Müll. Id. page 92); and particularly the Indra ceremony had always to be performed by a Vasishtha, because it was revealed to their ancestor the sage Vasishtha only (Web. Ind. Lit. p. 123); and as the _Sátapatha Bráhmana-Taittiriya Sanhitá_ mentions it.

ऋषयो वा इन्द्रं प्रत्यक्षं नापश्यन् । तं वशिष्ठः प्रत्यक्षमपश्यत् ।
सोऽब्रवीत् ब्रह्माणं ते वक्ष्यामि । यथात्वत् पुरोहिताः प्रजाः प्रजनिष्यन्ते ।

“The Rishis do not see Indra clearly, but Vasishtha saw him. Indra said, I will tell you, O Bráhman, so that all men who are born, will have a Vasishtha for his Purohita” (Max Müll. Anc. Sans. Lit. p. 92. Web. Id. p. 123). This will show that the Sloka works, which are attributed to Vasishtha, Yájnavalkya or any other Vedic Rishi, could not be the composition of the old Rishis, but of some one of their posterity; though they might have been propounded by the eldest sages, and then put to writing by oral communication or successive tradition by a distant descendant or disciple of the primitive Rishis. Thus we see the _Dráhyáyana Sutras_ of the Sama Veda is also called the Vasishtha Sutras, from the author’s family name of Vasishtha (Web. Id. p. 79). The _ásvaláyana Grihya Sutra_ assigns some other works to Vasishtha, viz., the Vasishtha _pragáthá_, probably Vashishtha Hymni of Bopp; the _Pavamánya_, _Kshudra sukta_, _Mahásukta_ &c. written in the vedic style. There are two other works attributed to Vasishtha, the Vasishtha Sanhitá on Astronomy (Web. Id. p. 258) and the Vasishtha Smriti on Law (Web. Id. p. 320), which from their compositions in Sanscrit slokas, could not be the language or work of the Vedic Rishi, but of some one late member of that family. Thus our work of Yoga Vasishtha has no claim or pretension to its being the composition of the Vedic sage; but as one propounded by the sage, and written by Válmiki in his modern Sanskrit. Here the question is whether Vasishtha the preceptor of Ráma, was the Vedic Vasishtha or one of his descendants, I must leave for others to determine.

Again in the later _Áranyaka_ period we have an account of a theologian Vasishtha given in the _Árshikopanishad_, as holding a dialogue on the nature of _átmá_ or soul between the sages, Viswámitra, Jamadagni, Bharadwája, Gautama and himself; when Vasishtha appealing to the opinion of Kapila obtained their assent (Weber Id. p. 162). This appears very probably to be the theological author of our yoga, and eminent above his contemporaries in his knowledge of the Kapila yoga sástra which was then current, from this sage’s having been a contemporary with king Sagara, a predecessor of Rama.

In the latest Sútra period we find a passage in the _Grihya-Sútra-parisishta_, about the distinctive mark of the Vasishtha Family from those of the other _parishads_ or classes of the priesthood. It says;

दक्षिणकपर्दोवशिष्ठाः आत्रेयास्त्रिकपद्दिनः ।
आङ्गिरसः पञ्चचूडाः मुण्डाभृगवः शिखिनोऽन्ये ॥

“The Vasishthas wear a braid (lock of hair) on the right side, the Átreyas wear three braids, the Angiras have five braids, the Bhrigus are bald, and all others have a single crest,” (Müller Id. p. 53). The Karma pradípa says, “the Vasishthas exclude meat from their sacrifice; वसिष्ठोक्तविधिः कृत्स्नो द्रष्टव्यात्र निरामिषः ।” (Müller A. S. Lit. p. 54), and the colour of their dress was white (Id. p. 483). Many Vasishthas are named in different works as; वशिष्ठ चेकितायनः, वशिष्ठ आरिहणीयः, वशिष्ठ मैत्रावरणिः, वशिष्ठः राणायणः, वशिष्ठ लाठ्यायनः, वशिष्ठ द्राह्यायनः, वशिष्ठकौण्डिन्यः, वशिष्ठइन्द्रप्रमदः, वशिष्ठः आभरद्बसुः, and some others, bearing no other connection with our author, than that of their having been members of the same family (Müller’s A. S. Lit. p. 44).

Without dilating any longer with further accounts relating to the sage Vasishtha of which many more might be gathered from various sastras, I shall add in the conclusion the following notice which is taken of this work by Professor Monier Williams in his work on Indian Wisdom p. 370.

“There is,” says he, “a remarkable work called Vasishtha Rámáyana or Yoga Vásishtha or Vasishtha Mahárámáyana in the form of an exhortation, with illustrative narratives addressed by Vasishtha to his pupil the youthful Ráma, on the best means of attaining true happiness, and considered to have been composed as an appendage to the Rámáyana by Válmiki himself. There is another work of the same nature called the Adhyátma Rámáyana which is attributed to Vyása, and treat of the moral and theological subjects connected with the life and acts of that great hero of Indian history. Many other works are extant in the vernacular dialects having the same theme for their subject which it is needless to notice in this place.”

Vasishtha, known as the wisest of sages, like Solomon the wisest of men, and Aurelius the wisest of emperors, puts forth in the first part and in the mouth of Ráma the great question of the vanity of the world, which is shown synthetically to a great length from the state of all living existences, the instinct, inclinations, and passions of men, the nature of their aims and objects, with some discussions about destiny, necessity, activity and the state of the soul and spirit. The second part embraces various directions for the union of the individual with the universal Abstract Existence—the Supreme Spirit—the subjective and the objective truth—and the common topics of all speculative philosophy.

Thus says Milton; “The end of learning is to know God.”

So the Persian adage, “Akhiral ilm buad ilmi Khodá.”

Such also the Sanskrit, “Sávidyá tan matir yayá.”

And the sruti says, “Yad jnátwá náparan jnánam.”

_i. e._ “It is that which being known, there is nothing else required to be known.”

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Dr. Rajendra Lala Mitra in Bengal, Benares and Orissa; Dr. Buhler in Guzrat; Dr. Kielhorn in the Central Provinces; Dr. Burnell and other Collectors of Sanskrit manuscripts in the Presidencies of Bombay, Madras and Oudh, whose notices and catalogues have highly contributed to bring the hidden treasures of the literature of this country to light.

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CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.

PROLEGOMENA.

PROL. PAGE.
1. The Yoga Philosophy ” 1

2. The Om Tat Sat ” 34

VAIRÁGYA KHANDA.
BOOK I.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION. Page

SECTION I.

Divine Adoration 1

SECTION II.

Narrative of Sutíkshna 1

SECTION III.

Anecdote of Kárunya 2

SECTION IV.

Story of Suruchi 3

SECTION V.

Account of Arishtanemi 3

SECTION VI.

History of Ráma 6

CHAPTER II.

Reason of writing the Rámáyana 8

SECTION I

Persons entitled to its Perusal 8

SECTION II.

Brahmá’s Behest 9

SECTION III.

Inquiry of Bharadwája 10

CHAPTER III.

Válmíki’s Admonition 12

SECTION I.

On True Knowledge 12

SECTION II.

Early History of Ráma 13

SECTION III.

Ráma’s Pilgrimage 15

CHAPTER IV.

Ráma’s Return from Pilgrimage 17

CHAPTER V.

Of Ráma’s Self-Dejection and its Cause 19

CHAPTER VI.

Advent of Viswámitra to the Royal Court 21

SECTION II.

Address of King-Dasaratha 24

CHAPTER VII.

Viswámitra’s Request for Ráma 26

CHAPTER VIII.

Dasaratha’s Reply to Viswámitra 29

CHAPTER IX.

Viswámitra’s Wrath and his Enraged
Speech 33

CHAPTER X.

Melancholy of Ráma 36

CHAPTER XI.

Consolation of Ráma 41

CHAPTER XII.

Ráma’s Reply 45

CHAPTER XIII.

Vituperation of Riches 48

CHAPTER XIV.

Depreciation of Human Life 50

CHAPTER XV.

Obloquy of Egoism 53

CHAPTER XVI.

The Ungovernableness of the Mind 56

CHAPTER XVII.

On Cupidity 59

CHAPTER XVIII.

Obloquy of the Body 64

CHAPTER XIX.

Blemishes of Boyhood 70

CHAPTER XX.

Vituperation of Youth 73

CHAPTER XXI.

Vituperation of Women 77

CHAPTER XXII.

Obloquy of Old Age 81

CHAPTER XXIII.

Vicissitudes of Times 85

CHAPTER XXIV.

Ravages of Time 90

CHAPTER XXV.

Sports of Death 91

CHAPTER XXVI.

The Acts of Destiny 95

CHAPTER XXVII.

Vanity of the World 100

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Mutability of the World 105

CHAPTER XXIX.

Unreliableness of Worldly Things 109

CHAPTER XXX.

Self-Disparagement 112

CHAPTER XXXI.

Queries of Ráma 115

CHAPTER XXXII.

Praises of Ráma’s Speech 118

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Association of Aerial and Earthly Beings 121

BOOK II.

MUMUKSHU KHANDA.

CHAPTER I. PAGE

Liberation of Sukadeva 127

CHAPTER II.

Speech of Viswámitra 132

CHAPTER III.

On the Repeated Creations of the World 135

CHAPTER IV.

Praise Of Acts and Exertions 139

CHAPTER V.

Necessity of Activity 142

CHAPTER VI.

Refutation of Fatalism 145

CHAPTER VII.

On the Necessity of Activity 150

CHAPTER VIII.

Invalidation of Destiny 154

CHAPTER IX.

Investigation of Acts 157

CHAPTER X.

Descension of Knowledge 161

CHAPTER XI.

On the qualifications of the Inquirer
and Lecturer 166

CHAPTER XII.

Greatness of True Knowledge 173

CHAPTER XIII.

On Peace and Tranquility of mind 176

CHAPTER XIV.

On the Ascertainment of an argument 184

CHAPTER XV.

On Contentment 189

CHAPTER XVI.

On Good Conduct 191

CHAPTER XVII.

On the Contents of the Work 195

CHAPTER XVIII.

Ascertainment of the Example or Major
Proposition 201

CHAPTER XIX.

Ascertainment of True Evidence 208

CHAPTER XX.

On Good Conduct 212

BOOK III.

UTPATTI KHANDA.

EVOLUTION OF THE WORLD.

CHAPTER I.

CAUSES OF BONDAGE TO IT.

SECTION I. Page

Exordium 215

SECTION II.

Worldly Bondage 216

SECTION III.

Phases of The Spirit 216

SECTION IV.

Nature of Bondage 218

CHAPTER II.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST CAUSE.

SECTION I.

Narrative of the Air-born and Aeriform
Bráhman 223

SECTION II.

State of the Soul 224

CHAPTER III.

Causes of Bondage in the Body 229

CHAPTER IV.

SECTION I.

Description of the Night-Fall 234

SECTION II.

Nature of the Mind 237

SECTION III.

Kaivalya or Mental Abstraction 239

CHAPTER V.

On the Original Cause 243

CHAPTER VI.

Admonition for attempt of Liberation 246

CHAPTER VII.

Recognition of the Nihility of the
Phenomenal World 249

CHAPTER VIII.

Nature of good Sástras 255

CHAPTER IX.

On the Supreme cause of All 257

CHAPTER X.

Description of the Chaotic State 266

CHAPTER XI.

Spiritual View of Creation 273

CHAPTER XII.

The Idealistic Theo-Cosmogony of Vedánta 277

CHAPTER XIII.

On the Production of the Self-Born 281

CHAPTER XIV.

Establishment of Brahma 288

CHAPTER XV.

Story of the Temple and its Prince 299

CHAPTER XVI.

Joy and Grief of the Princess 303

CHAPTER XVII.

Story of the Doubtful Realm or Reverie
of Lílá 309

SECTION I.

Description of the Court House and the
Cortes 313

CHAPTER XVIII.

Exposure of the Errors of this World 315

CHAPTER XIX.

Story of a Former Vasishtha and his Wife 319

CHAPTER XX.

SECTION I

The Moral of the Tale of Lílá 322

SECTION II.

State of The Human Soul after Death 325

CHAPTER XXI.

Guide to Peace 328

CHAPTER XXII.

Practice of Wisdom or Wisdom in Practice 336

SECTION I.

Abandonment of Desires 336

SECTION II.

On the Practice of Yoga 338

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Aerial Journey of Spiritual Bodies 340

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Aerial Journey (continued) 342

SECTION II.

Description of the Heavens 343

CHAPTER XXV.

Description of the Earth 349

CHAPTER XXVI.

Meeting the Siddhas 353

CHAPTER XXVII.

Past lives of Lílá 359

CHAPTER XXVIII.

SECTION I.

Exposition of Lílá’s Vision 365

SECTION II.

Description of the Mountainous
Habitation 366

CHAPTER XXIX.

Account of the Previous Life of Lílá 372

CHAPTER XXX.

Description of the Mundane Egg 378

CHAPTER XXXI.

SECTION I.

Alighting of the Ladies on Earth 382

SECTION II.

Sight of a Battle Array in Earth and Air 383

CHAPTER XXXII.

Onset of the War 386

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Commingled Fighting 389

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Description of the Battle 392

CHAPTER XXXV.

Description of the Battlefield 398

CHAPTER XXXVI.

SECTION I.
Collision of Equal Arms and Armigerents 401

SECTION II.

Catalogue of the Forces 403

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Catalogue of the Forces (continued) 408

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Cessation of the War 414

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Description of The Battle Field Infested
by

Nocturnal Fiends 420

CHAPTER XL.

Reflections on Human Life and Mind 423

CHAPTER XLI.

Discrimination of Error 431

CHAPTER XLII.

Philosophy of Dreaming 438

CHAPTER XLIII.

Burning of the City 442

CHAPTER XLIV.

Spiritual Interpretation of the Vision 448

CHAPTER XLV.

Theism consisting in True Knowledge 454

CHAPTER XLVI.

Onslaught of Vidūratha 457

CHAPTER XLVII.

Encounter of Sindhu and Vidūratha 461

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Description of Daivástras or
Supernatural Weapons 465

CHAPTER XLIX.

Description of other kinds of Weapons 473