"On Understanding"

    Not all will understand what is said or written, however  clear! some people are intelligent enough to understand easily, but fail to understand the context in which the text is presented. Some misread and some are so perverted that they misunderstand what is said even in the Vedic Texts! This has given rise to a number of religions in India like the Buddhists, the Jain, and the Sikhs who read the same Texts differently! Even the Qur'on and the Bible say the same things differently and people understand differently! In fact all the spiritual Texts have the Vedic Texts at the substratum as the datum line. Hence, there is the need for understanding the very meaning and import of the term "Understanding". The term 'Understanding' has very broad meaning and connotation. It is age-specific and persons of different age groups understand the same thing differently! It also depends on one's ability and one can reach upto 'brahmn' here as the Vedic texts put it.

“ON UNDERSTANDING . . .”

   All said and done, everything depends on one’s intelligence level, ability to grasp, and capacity to ‘understand’, let alone experience and realize the truth. There is a beautiful explanation regarding this ‘Understanding’ in Chan. Upa. of Samaveda. Before going on a journey about our quest for ‘Truth’ let’s ponder over a few Upanishad doctrines in order to understand the deeper meaning of what we are searching for and what we may discover. The very term ‘understanding’ needs to be properly understood. Not everyone understands what understanding is! Each one understands what he can understand and nothing more, or beyond that. Much depends on the person’s sanskar (family background), opportunities, exposure, good teachers, personal effort, and a proper environment. Samaveda makes this point very clear when it speaks about Understanding….

“Understanding takes us as far as Brahman- the ‘sat’, the Eternal.”

   “Understanding is, verily, greater than meditation. Understanding makes one understand the Rks, the Rk Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, the Atharva Veda, the epics and the ancient lore as the fifth- the Upanishads- Veda of the Vedas, the rules of sacrifices by which the Manes are gratified, the science of numbers, the science of portents, the science of time, logic, ethics, etymology, Brahma-vidya, the science of elemental spirits, the science of weapons, astronomy, the science of serpents and the fine arts; heaven, earth, air, water, fire, gods, men, cattle, birds, herbs, trees; animals, together with worms, flies and ants; and also righteousness and unrighteousness, the true and the false, the good and the bad, the pleasant and the unpleasant, food and taste, this world and yonder world

   Narada said: Venerable Sir, is there anything greater than understanding?

  Of course, there is something greater than understanding.

  Please tell that to me, venerable Sir.”  

  “He who meditates on ‘Understanding as Brahman’ attains the worlds of understanding and knowledge and can, of his own free will, reach as far as understanding reaches- he who meditates on understanding as Brahman.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, VII –Understanding as Brahman 1-2].

   “Sanatkumara said: When one understands the True, only then does one declare the True. One who does not understand the True does not declare ‘It’, ‘the sat’. Only those who understand ‘It’ declare the ‘True’. One must desire to understand this understanding. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XVII - Truth depends upon Understanding, 1].

    “When one reflects, only then does one understand. Whoever does not reflect does not understand. Only one who reflects understands. One must desire to understand this reflection. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand reflection.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XVIII - Understanding depends upon Reflection, 1].

    “When one has faith, only then does one reflect. One who does not have faith does not reflect. Only one who has faith reflects. One must desire to understand faith. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand faith.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa, VII, XIX - Reflection depends upon Faith, 1].

  “When one is single-minded in one's devotion to the teacher, only then does one have faith. One who does not have single-mindedness does not have faith. Only one who has single-mindedness has faith. One must desire to understand single-mindedness. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand single-mindedness.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XX - Faith depends upon Single-Mindedness, 1].  

 “Memory is, verily, greater than the Space, akasha.” “Therefore even when many people assemble, if they had no memory they would not hear anyone at all, they would not think, they would not understand. But surely, if they had memory, they would hear, think and understand. Through memory one knows one's sons, through memory one's cattle. Meditate on memory.  “He who meditates on memory as Brahman can, of his own free will, reach as far as memory reaches-he who meditates on memory as Brahman.

Narada said: Venerable Sir is there anything greater than memory?

 Of course, there is something greater than memory. Please tell that to me, venerable Sir.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XIII - Memory as Brahman, 1-2].

     “Hope is, verily, greater than memory. Kindled by hope, a person endowed with memory reads the sacred hymns, performs sacrifices, desires sons and cattle; desires this world and the other. Meditate on hope.”

   “The akasha is, verily, greater than fire. For in the akasha exists the sun and moon, lightning, stars and fire. It is through the akasha that a person calls another (sound travels in space); it is through the akasha that the other hears; it is through the akasha that the person hears back. In the akasha we rejoice when we are together and in the akasha we rejoice not when we are separated. In the akasha everything is born and toward the akasha all things grow. Meditate upon the akasha. He who meditates on the akasha as Brahman obtains the worlds extending far and wide, luminous, free from pain and spacious; he can, of his own free will, reach as far as the akasha reaches-he who meditates on the akasha as Brahman.

   Narada said: Venerable Sir is there anything greater than the akasha?

   Of course there is something greater than the akasha. Please tell that to me, venerable Sir.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XII - The Akasha as Brahman, 1-2].

“When one performs one's duties (i.e. practices concentration, dharana), only then does one have single-mindedness. One who does not perform his duties does not have single-mindedness. Only one who performs his duties has single-mindedness. One must desire to understand the performance of duties. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand the performance of duties.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XXI - Single-Mindedness depends upon Concentration, 1].

   “When one obtains bliss, only then does one perform one's duties. One who does not obtain bliss does not perform his duties. Only one who obtains bliss performs his duties. One must desire to understand bliss. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand bliss.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XXII - Concentration depends upon Bliss, 1].

   “The Infinite is Bliss. There is no bliss in anything finite. Only the Infinite is bliss. One must desire to understand the Infinite. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand the Infinite.” “Where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, understands nothing else-that is the Infinite. Where one sees something else, hear something else, understands something else-that is the finite. The Infinite is immortal, the finite mortal. Venerable Sir, in what does the Infinite find its support? In Its own greatness- or not even in greatness does it lie? Here on earth people describe cows and horses, elephants and gold, slaves and wives, fields and houses, as 'greatness.' I do not mean this, he said, for in such cases one thing finds its support in another. But what I say is:” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XXIV - The Infinite is Bliss and the Finite 1-2].

 On Joy and Happiness, it is said, the joy and happiness enjoyed by a youth, rich and famous, on the earth is one as compared to the joy and happiness of the pitrus or manes who have no physical body as such but do possess mind, intellect, and ego. If it is a hundred times in pitru-loka, it is a hundred times hundred more in the deva-loka, the realm of Gods, and a thousand times more than all these in the realms of tapo-lok of the Jnyanis. It is sheer eternal bliss in the Brahma-loka for which all Jnyanis aspire.

   “You have no knowledge of Him, who created these worlds; some other thing has interposed between you. The reciters of hymns who ravish life in their ritual proceed with their muttering, enwrapped in confusion and ignorance.” [Rk Veda X, 82, 7]

   The universe has reached a state of flux and the next stage is crucial for its survival. The survival of Mankind that is at crossroads is also doubtful. Only a spiritual advancement can save it. However, at the end of Kaliyuga, the world is bound to revert to Brahmn. The spiritually attained will again appear as the tapo-janah, devatas, and pitru/manes in the next satyayuga.

“The divine element in us is the deepest essence of our being. Mind and intellect have no access to it. We will have to go beyond thoughts. That is a very difficult problem. When we go beyond thoughts what will then remain is the Absolute alone, and it is one without the second. We shall reach that state when we have gone beyond all sensations, perceptions, concepts, mental conditions and ideas, and impressions and will see not only by intellectual light, but in divine light. Then we by Christ or Buddha- the state of enlighten ment Divine communion, the transfiguration of the divine ego, delve into the Atman.”  [Swamy Abhedananda: Mystery of Death, p.149].

Mystery of Life and Death

   The Bhagavad-Gita emphatically states that "there is no birth or death to the Atma. Atman is eternal, immortal and unborn! This Atman is covered by numerous sheaths that make believe the existence! Actually, He, the Lord only exists, and nothing beside Him! He take any number of forms as He will and Wish! Everything is thus a manifestation of brahmn. 
  Hence what we call 'Life' is a mystery. It remains a mystery as long as this mystery aspect is not resolved and it cannot be resolved since the mystery does not exist! It is all open! Every living organism is just an automation, like a battery operated machine. The battery is charged by solar radiation in case of us, the humans. The Battery is he mystery! 
   We have the scientific explanation, as well as, details given in spiritual texts as regards the creation and dissolution of the Universe. The objective phenomenon world, including that of living beings, exist in 'Akasha', Space, that is almost nothing, for all practical purposes! The scientific view is one of matter (the Sun in the case of solar system) starting from Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, etc. and what the spiritual texts explain is also the same, but the language is different! The Vedic texts give all the details in the Purusha sukta, Shree sukta, Nadi sukta (symbolically seven rivers!), etc. There are also the eighteen epics, the 108 Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita giving details of creation and dissolution.

   For scientists, Life begins with the protozoa, the primordial substance that creates unicellular organisms, algae, and the like. The gaseous, metallic and non metallic elements, the organic and inorganic elements and compounds, etc. play important role as the building bricks of the plant and animal kingdom. The structure and composition of the stars hold the key and very little is known at present abut the distant stars and galaxies!

   Now, when we consider the human life, in particular, the secret is still a well a guarded mystery! The spiritual texts state that "Everything is brahmn"! sarvam khaluvidam brahma | But what is 'brahmn' is still a mystery! For all practical purposes, the 'brahmn' is almost 'nothing', an absolute abstract state bordering 'Existence' or 'Non-existence'! This is explained in the nasadiya sukta of the Rk Veda, Mandala X. This is verily the creation- how it begins, at 'almost nothing', and ends at 'almost nothing! "It is, It is not!"
    Thus, it is clear that we,as humans, are almost nothing at the beginning and, become nothing at the end! It is like the Onion. If one goes on peeling it off, layer by layer, nothing remains at the end. It all started from that 'beginningnless beginning', timeless eon! The jiva is covered by numerous layers like the annamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, vijnyanamaya kosha, anandamaya kosha, the three gunas- tama, raja, and sattva, svartha, lobha, moha, krodha, mada, matsarya, irshya, dreams, aspirations, endless desires, etc., Each desire works oy as a seed, prarabhda karma,  for the next birth! We appear and disappear, time and again, in different names, forms, and functions! If these names forms, and functions are removed even while we live and work we become nothing! In fact, we had no name, form and function at the time of birth and death. and will have none at the time of death! It is only during a short span of life that one gets the illusion of  'existence in name, form and function'. This is explained in the Atmabodha of Adi Shankara. Shree Shankara quotes the spiritual texts like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita in all his works. The Bhagavad-Gita beautifully explains how the jiva is tormented by its own foolishness and how He, the Lord, can redeem it once the jiva surrenders to Him. Death paves for the return journey instead of rebirth immediately, as soon as it surrenders to Him. The Lord is the magician, mayavin, waves His magic wand and thereby creates what He wish! The entire creation is thus a myth!
  Everything- the Time, Space, the phenomenal objective world, etc are all an illusion, myth, Bhavanopanishat explains how everything depends on our own thinking. yad bhavam tad bhavati |
  Time that begins with the radiation of energy, the electromagnetic waves of the Sun, As the rays move, they create space in all directions! Since Time is an illusion (that can never be detected in its minute form), the space created by it is also an illusion. Thus what all fills the space that is illusion also is illusory! The universe exists in our ignorance and it disappears as soon as 'knowledge', the true nature of the Self, is revealed! The Buddhu,(an ignorant person- 'U') becomes the Buddha ('A'- brahmn), the moment the buddhi (I''- the Atman/Self) reveals  its true nature! That's all!  

  The spiritual texts are a valuable guide to us. We can understand the secrets of creation only when an attained person, jnyani, pandita, or yogi explains the secrets of these Texts. Ordinary people cannot understand these since there is much symbolism, imageries, coded words involved here. Knowledge of the Self, Atma-jnyan or 'Self-Realization'is what is needed here.

  Coming back to our own short span of life and existence on the mundane plane, we, as humans, will never understand our true nature! We do not exist, at all, in the strict sense of the term! It is also true that we always exist and never cease to! This is the mystery. The mystery lies in our understanding, not the life! We never realize that we have taken a form of physical existence in various states of gaseous, liquid and solid- in gross forms of atoms, molecules, cells, tissues, organs and bodies and these minute building blocks working in harmony give us an illusion of living as a body. But what actually exists, lives is the spirit, the chaitanya, the 'chit' aspect of the 'sat', the 'parabrahmn',

 Thus. from 'nothingness' to 'nothingness', 'everything' appears and disappears and so also, 'Life'! This 'nothingness' is stated as 'shunya' in the spiritual texts. 'Shunya' is not vacuum. It is the invisibilty of that which exists in the subtlest form! It is like the Silence (shantata) that holds sound within in an inaudible state (0.1 Decible?)! From silence starts the spandhana (attraction), kampana (vibration), taranga (waves) like the alpha and beta, that gives rise to shabdha (sound). that creates the vowels and consonants (akshara) 'a' to 'ksha' which go to make pada (word) and the artha (meaning of the words) produce the padartha (objects) meant by the word! Thus, the entire material universe, the objective phenomenal world, is created by the sounds of alpha and beta that emanate from silence! The four states of Silence are also important here. The absolute state of silence is mahattanta shanta Its vibration gives rise to spandha of the anyonya, pradhvamsha, and pragbhava shantata. This is the mystery involved in creation. the true state of existence is thus the Silence! 

    This aspect of 'nothingness' is the bone of contention in the discussion among the various religious sects.  

Structure and Composition of the Jiva

  The Earth is called a 'Living Planet' for it supports life. It is not clear whether any other planet hosts life or not. However, it is certainly clear about what supports life.  Life or jiva is a biological entity, It is sustained by air, food and water. Thus, wherever air, food and water are available there is the possibility of formation of life.

    Now, what is life? This question is not easy to answer for it has several shades of meanings. Some think just living is life, whereas, some think there is something beyond just living! Life is, interestingly, Energy, Force, Intelligence and Light (L I F E). The motive power behind all living beings, jivas, is the Energy factor. It comes from Light (of the Sun). Life is essentially a by-product of food produced by sunlight. Food is created by a combination of elements and compounds and the jiva manifests from food! A little soil, moisture and light are enough to create miniature life forms.  The Viruses and germs that abound in atmosphere are very powerful physio-chemical entities that turn biological! Thus, chemistry is involved in creation of biological entities. The Ribose and the DNA are the basic factors in creation of jiva. There are hosts of proteins (almost 77 000!), enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, genes, harmons and chromosomes that go to build cells, which in turn construct tissues and organs of the jivas. The most intriguing factor of the jiva is the cell formation, cell division and cell  function. One single Cell can perform almost 60 000 functions in a fraction of a second! The same cell does different functions in different organs created by itself by permutation and combination. Just like a person performs different functions in family, society, and community, the same cell does the functions of creation, sustenance, development and dissolution. The cells constantly die out and create new ones and transfer all memory before they die out! The ageing process that depends on the cells development is a mystery yet to be solved! The number of cells in a jiva cannot be measured. There are a trillion cells in the brain of man! Each cell is a mini universe!
   Thus, the cell biology and genetics holds the clue in future of mankind on this planet.

The Matter-Spirit Continuum

   Now that the scientific discoveries have proved that there is no dichotomy in matters of 'Spirit' and 'Matter'. Spirit only becomes Matter and reverts to state of Spirit. Spirit leads to creation of Matter and the underlying factor is the intensity of waves. The fermi ions give rise to Bose ions and the mazorana bosons! The potential energy become kinetic due to internal friction, fusion and fission. All these are explained the coded languga eof the Vedic texts (Suktas). We have the spiritual texts including the Veda, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita that explain the process creation, sustenance, development, and dissolution in great detail. The following are the three major aspects that need careful study.

   First, there is a Creator and then the Creation. The Vedic Texts state that the Creator only manifests as vivid creation. Eko'ham bahusyam. He the Creator entered the creation. tad srushtva tadevanupravishat. So, the Spirit only becomes Matter. The Matter can revert to its true nature of Spirit. The Yoga helps in Matter reverting to Spirit!

  Now, Mahapurusha manifests as Purusha and Prakruti. Prakruti undergoes five-fold divisions, 'panchikarana', as Sat becomes Chit, chaitya, chetasa, chaitanya, later on chiti, chitta and the like. The Space becomes the pancha bhuta, pancha tanmatra, pancha jnyan and pancha karma indriyas. All that is Creation is sustained by the spirit like prana, prajnye, usiru and jivatman. The same principle is also there for the embodiment of the soul.

   On the material side, we have the space, filled by the myriads of stars, galaxies and the planets with their satellites and the Earth with its atmosphere- air (vayu) with gaseous elements such as oxygen, hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, ozone, argon, methane, etc. All these gaseous elements have their spirit components such as Energy, Light, Force, Intelligence! The chemical bonds create energy, too! Life is thus a combination of the physical elements, chemical composition and biological entity as a process!
   If the Sun as a Star provides Hydrogen and Helium as the basic ingredients of the Planets, the Earth provides Air with the gaseous elements like oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and water with Hydrogen and Oxygen, and the different minerals like iron, silicon, magnesium, aluminum, etc in rocks, soils and the various physical and chemical compounds. The chemical compound become biological entity when life-force, intelligence, and other divine forces enter them! Thus the same hydrogen, carbon and oxygen compounds turn into biological entities! The hydrocarbons (HCO) and carbohydrates (CHO) are termed fire aspects or Vaishvanara agnideva!

  Now, the Knowledge ('vid'),vidya is complete. One cannot isolate the physical world from the spiritual components that sustains it. Manas or Mind, Intelligence, Ego, are the emanates from from the soul, Atman. These create the evolution of life in stages. Man is now at the beginning stage pof evolution of Mind and may end at the scale of Spiritual Attainment! This is deification, the man evolving into human and divine. 

Vashishtha Gita

  Sage Vashishtha describes the stages of enlightenment in different prakaranas.

   The first chapter is Vairagya Prakarana, in which Sri Rama experiences a very deep and intense dispassion and distaste for all worldly objects and pleasures. Although in Sri Rama's case the desire for worldly objects was never described as being very intense, still it is the first stage of Sri Rama's spiritual evolution and the first requirement in spiritual life.

    The second chapter is the Mumukshu Prakarana, which describes the intense desire for Self-realization that Sri Rama experiences. After achieving vairagya, after attaining the state of being different from the world, of not being involved but being more of an observer, then the next stage is changing the quality of the   desires from worldly to spiritual. That is the second stage of Sri Rama's evolution.

   The third chapter is the Utpatti Prakarana in which Sri Rama learns from his guru the origins of the world. It is deepening the understanding of why we get caught up and involved with worldly objects and pleasures, and how those outside objects are identified in the mind.

    The fourth chapter is the Sthiti Ramayana in which, after having attained that firm understanding of the origin of the world process, Sri Rama sustains himself in the Self, in Brahman. That is the time of spiritual enlightenment.

    The fifth chapter is the Upasama Prakarana, which describes the deep peace that emerged from having attained that spiritual enlightenment. The sixth chapter is the Nirvana Prakarana, which is the final liberation.

From intellect to intuition

   The introduction to Vairagya Prakarana contains many stories within stories. These stories have a twofold meaning. There is always a superficial meaning and at another level a more spiritual and deeper understanding.

   In the first story Sutikshna approaches Agastya for spiritual guidance. Sutikshna means subtle, sharp, and Agastya means the effulgent sun. The movement of Sutikshna towards Sage Agastya represents the move of the intellect towards intuition. An aspirant with the ability to move from intellect to intuition is considered to be the highest type of aspirant. The scriptures say that intellect is considered to be a barrier in spiritual life, but this has to be understood properly. As the absence of intellect is not the key to overcoming this barrier, the key has to be something associated with intellect.

   Intellect begins with the letter 'I'. The purpose of intellect is also to serve 'I', so if intellect is not the barrier directly, it is this 'I-ness' associated with the intellect which becomes the barrier. Intellect and ego, 'I-ness', have a very intimate relationship, even more intimate than the relationship between a husband and wife. The way to transcend this barrier is therefore not to create an absence of intellect, but to change the purpose and application of intellect. Instead of applying the intellect for ourselves, we apply the intellect for others.

   The guru-disciple relationship is described as the way to transcend this barrier. In all these stories there is a guru and a disciple. In the guru-disciple relationship there is acceptance, faith and surrender: one is undergoing training, one is 'in-tuition'. This ability to move from intellect to intuition is considered to be a quality of the highest type of aspirant, because while letting go of family and possessions is not considered so difficult, letting go of that 'I-ness' is considered to be one of the toughest and rarest abilities.

Purification of the mind

The second story is between Karunya and Agnivesya. Karunya means one who is full of grief, confusion, and Agnivesya means an embodiment of fire. The movement of Agnivesya towards Karunya represents the need of the chitta to be purified by the superconsciousness, the need of the mind to be purified through raja yoga. Karunya is considered to be the second best type of aspirant on the spiritual path. In the first story Sutikshna approached Agastya for spiritual guidance, but here Agnivesya had to approach Karunya in order to relieve him of his grief and confusion.

Spiritual inclination The third story is between Suruchi, a damsel, and Devadutta, Lord Indra's divine messenger. Suruchi means good taste. Her calling out to Devadatta is a sign of spiritual inclination, because even though it may have been a mental diversion initially, it becomes the source of her being led to spiritual heights, as Devadutta then tells the story which eventually leads to the dialogue between Sage Vashishtha and Sri Rama. Suruchi also represents the integration of sentiments required in an aspirant on the path of bhakti. She is considered to be the third best type of aspirant on the spiritual path.

From rajas to sattwa

    In the next story, Arishtanemi approaches Sage Valmiki, not directly, but after having refused a first class invitation to the heavens. The movement of Arishtanemi towards Valmiki therefore symbolizes the movement of rajas towards sattwa, Arishtanemi representing rajas, the destroyer of evil, and Valmiki representing divine purity, sattwa.

Sri Rama and Sage Vashishtha

   In the next story revealed by Sage Valmiki to Arishtanemi, Sri Rama represents the embodied divine Self and Sage Vashishtha represents the Self in the highest state of liberation. This depicts the movement of the soul towards Self-realization. It is the waking up of the soul from the world, which is the theme of Yoga Vashishtha. Sri Rama is the ideal disciple, the best that one can find.

    In this teaching, Sage Valmiki expands on each and every aspect of spiritual evolution. These stories, therefore, are not only stepping stones leading into Yoga Vashishtha, but also describe the different types of aspirants on the spiritual path and the internal processes and movements they undergo as the personality is transformed. They also emphasize the need for a guru-disciple relationship. Before beginning the story between Sri Rama and Sage Vashishtha, Valmiki explains that he had composed the Poorva Ramayana. Yoga Vashishtha is known as the Uttar Ramayana and the Ramacharitamanas is considered to be the Poorva Ramayana. Valmiki says that he offered the Poorva Ramayana to his disciple Bharadvaja, who became so enlightened and so happy from reading it that he revealed the story to Brahma, the creator. Brahma also became so happy after hearing it that he offered Bharadvaja any boon he wanted. Bharadvaja asked for a way by which everyone could escape from and transcend the miseries of the world, and become liberated. Brahma then sent him to ask Sage Valmiki to write the Uttar Ramayana, which would be in the form of a dialogue between Sri Rama and his guru Sage Vashishtha. As a result, everyone who comes into contact with that spiritual teaching and who studies it with devotion will become liberated. It is from this point that the dialogue between Sri Rama and Sage Vashishtha begins.

Great Sages Vashshtha and Vishva Mitra

    We have two exemplary Sages, Brahma Jnyanis, in the Guru Parampara. Both these Sages are of the highest order in yajnya, dana, and tapas. However, there is a slight difference between the two. The great Sage Vashsishtha is said to be an attained soul, established in His Self, unperturbed by the happenings in the world, as could be seen from his advice to shree Ramachndra in Vashsishtha Gita. On the contrary, Vishva Mitra seems to be of unsettled mind, seeking worldwide acceptance, acclaim,  He wanted Vashishtha to acknowledge the attainment to Brahm-jnyan! A person who seeks recognition, acceptance, acclaim from others is not a jnyani, at all!

    A Sage or Rishi is supposed to have got a mantra from anahata state! He is a visionary, drushtara. Sage Vishva Mitra was a king who worked hard to become a rishi and got the Gayatri mantra with the grace of paramatma Narayana. The Gayatri is a song, a sacred mantra of the Metre Gayatri comprising of 23 and a half syllables- tat savitru varenyam bhargo devasya | All these syllables are the seed letters, bija mantra, and have 12 mantra and 12 tantra devata, deities who pay obeisance to the Sun God, and as such, Vishva Mitra is called friend of the world (Light). The significance lies in that the grace of Lord Narayana is the most important factor here. Thus, Vishva Mitra struggled hard for his attainments and failed several times in his attempts. Finally, he succeeded in becing a jnyani, but not necessarily attained the brahmn! No one will ever attain the state of brahmn unless everything, everything attained, including jnyan, is dropped! 

Sage Wisdom- Vashishtha

Concepts of the Yoga Vasistha

There is nothing except Brahman and its energy --

The Yoga Vasistha uses many names for Brahman -- Infinite Consciousness, the Self, the inner reality, witness consciousness, the homogeneity, the absolute, the eternal, the indivisible, CID (Sanskrit).

Brahman's energy (CIT in Sanskrit) has infinite manifestations including these three:

1) The movement which is the initial vibration of the 'creations' (the Big Bang and/or collision of branes)

2) Movement which is the atomic structure of the natural world (the string theory)

3) Movement in consciousness which is in a limited format (the Mind)

Movement (vibration) and limited consciousness (thought) are the same thing and are used interchangeably.

The Mind, in its creative aspect, is called Brahma. It is also the Ego. The Mind serves as a veil which prevents us from recognizing ourselves as Brahman, prevents us from recognizing everyone else as Brahman, and prevents us from recognizing Brahman as the underlying reality of every thing we see, hear, sense, etc. This veiling by the Mind is the root cause of sorrow.

The Mind seeks the Self (Brahman consciousness) only in order to dissolve itself in the Self. . .this is the supreme goal. p. 124 Yoga Vasistha

The following may help your initial reading of the book --

1) Distinguish Brahman (the infinite) from Brahma (the creator/mind)

2) Recognize that the development of dispassion is to take relationships, events, etc. beyond the limitations of the Mind/Senses to the unlimited Witness Consciousness.

You (Self) dwell in 'me' in a state of equilibrium, as pure witness consciousness, without form and without the divisions of space and time.  p. 248 Yoga Vasistha

3) Recognize that happiness/unhappiness are trivial compared to the bliss of the Self.

4) Understand that the word 'exist' is used in its classic sense -- which is to have separate reality -- hence, the Yoga Vasistha states: "The world does not exist".

5) Realize that the word 'awareness' refers to that state of mind wherein the Mind identifies some aspect of Brahman as being apart (that is, individual) and thereby creates a subject/object split.

6) About Stories. From the scripture --

    . . . when a truth that has not been personally experienced is expounded, one does not grasp it except with the help of an illustration. Such illustrations have been used in this scripture with a definite purpose and a limited intention. They are not to be taken literally, nor is their significance to be stretched beyond the intention. When the scripture is thus studied, the world appears to be a dream-vision. These indeed are the purpose and the purport of the illustrations. 

7)    A personal observation:

As a way to integrate the Yoga Vasistha into one's daily life, it may be beneficial to distinguish between "Witness Consciousness" and the "Knower of the Field". While the scripture at page 181 of Vasistha's Yoga would appear to equate these two terms, many other passages clearly attribute only "witnessing" to the absolute, indwelling self.

The recognition of the absolute "Witness Consciousness" by reference to this scripture --

"You (Self) dwell in me in a state of equilibrium as pure witness consciousness, without form and without the divisions of time and space."

gives one a touchstone for experiencing the Absolute. The recognition of the manifesting, self-experiencing, relativity-based "Knower of the Field" as

". . .the knower of the knowable and the doer of all actions, the experiencer of all experiences, the thinker of all thoughts. . ."

gives a reminder that one's ignorant identification with "individuality" is the basis of sorrow, so. . .

". . .liva as the sages of self-knowledge live. They know infinite consciousness and the world-appearance: hence they do not relish nor renounce activity in this world."

The Supreme Lord appears as Isvara, omniscient and omnipotent and as the jiva, of limited knowledge and power, both unborn. But this does not deny the phenomenal universe; for there exists further the unborn prakriti, which creates the ideas of the enjoyer, enjoyment and the object. Atman is infinite and all-pervading and therefore devoid of agency. When the seeker knows all these three to be Brahman, he is freed from his fetters. Prakriti is perishable. Hara, the Lord, is immortal and imperishable. The non-dual Supreme Self rules both prakriti and the individual soul. Through constant meditation on Him, by union with Him, by the knowledge of identity with Him, one attains, in the end, cessation of the illusion of phenomena. When the Lord is known all fetters fall off; with the cessation of miseries, birth and death come to an end. From meditation on Him there arises, after the dissolution of the body, the third state, that of universal lordship. And lastly, the aspirant, transcending that state also, abides in the complete Bliss of Brahman. [Yajur Veda, Svetasvatara Upanishad, Part I, Chapter 1, 9-11].

The enjoyer (jiva), the objects of enjoyment and the Ruler (Isvara)-the triad described by the knowers of Brahman-all this is nothing but Brahman. This Brahman alone, which abides eternally within the self, should be known. Beyond It, truly, there is nothing else to be known. Yajur Veda, Svetasvatara Upanishad, Part I, Chapter 1, 9-12]

Animals belong to him as objects of enjoyment and he becomes rich in animals who, knowing this, meditates on the fivefold Saman in animals.[Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad II,VI - Meditation on the Fivefold Saman in Animals, 2]

The most excellent objects belong to him, nay, he conquers the most excellent worlds who, knowing this, meditates on the fivefold Saman, which is the most excellent, as the senses. [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad II,VII - Meditation on the Fivefold Saman as the Senses, 2]

Shorten our path, O God, remove all stumbling blocks, Deliverer. Be at hand to guide. Scare from our road the wicked wolf, the ill-intentioned one who lies in wait to harm. The robber lurking round our path, who cunningly contrives our hurt, chase far away. From you, wise wonder-working God, we claim today that selfsame aid you gave our Fathers. [Rk Veda I, 42, 1-5]

He who inhabits the mind, yet is within the mind, whom the mind does not know, whose body the mind is and who controls the mind from within-He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. He who inhabits the skin, yet is within the skin, whom theskin does not know, whose body the skin is and who controls the skin from within-He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. He who inhabits the intellect (vijnana), yet is within the intellect, whom the intellect does not know, whose body theintellect is and who controls the intellect from within-He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. He who inhabits the organ of generation, yet is within the organ, whom the organ does not know, whose body the organ is and who controls the organ from within-He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. He is never seen, but is the Seer; He is never heard, but is the Hearer; He is never thought of, but is the Thinker; He is never known, but is the Knower. There is no other seer than He, there is no other hearer than He, there is no other thinker than He, there is no other knower than He. He is your Self, the Inner Controller, the Immortal. Everything else but Him is perishable. Thereupon Uddalaka, the son of Aruna, held his peace. [Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, VII-Yajnavalkya and Uddalaka, 16 (CONT)

Accept the healing remedy your mother and your father bring together with your sister and your brother. I make you one who reaches ripe old age. Live on, O man, with your spirit unimpaired. Do not follow the messengers sent by Yama! Remember the cities where the living dwell! Come back hither in response to our calls, you who know the path that lies ahead, the way and the ascent of every living person! [Atharva Veda V, 30, 5-7]

Atmabodha- 'Meditate on Brahmn'

   There is much confusion as regards 'meditation'. What is the object of meditation and how to meditate are important problems. The mind is a store house of energy, a generator, that constantly vibrates once it is initiated. The mind is activated by sources which are extremely difficult to trace. Once the source of generation of thoughts, ideas, images, imagination, aspiration, dreams are all traced it becomes easy to control the mind. Thus, the mind is the problem in meditation. Mind does not allow concentration and it is extremely difficult to concentrate on abstract things. Thus, the methods of concentration, meditation, are explained by Sri Shankaracharya, thus-

  Meditate on "That supreme brahmn, which cannot be comprehended by speech, but is accessible to the eye of pure illumination;which is stainless, the embodiment of knowledge, the 'Beginningless Entity' - that brahmn art thou.Meditate this in thy mind."

Atmabodha

   Atmabodha of Sri Adi Shankaracharya is a beautiful treatise on the Knowledge of the Self (Atma-jnyan). It gives a clear-cut idea about the nature of the jivatman and paramatman and how the jiva forgets its true nature and suffers due to ignorance. When knowledge dawns, the jiva reverts to its pure and pristine state shredding off all the acquired qualities. However, the task of shredding the acquired qualities, imparted by nature (prakruti) is not very easy. It is possible only with divine intervention and with the help of an attained guru. satsang,svadhyaya, nidhidhyasana, japa, tapa, and yogabhyasa will greatly help in attaining to the knowledge of the Self.

  The principles enunciated in the Text will be presented briefly in the following.
   The Vedic doctrine of "tattvamasi" is the central theme of Atmabodha. Sri Shankara takes all possible means of explaining this principle to his devotees and the debate still goes on! The most beautiful method of instruction is called 'dashamanyaya', the Tenth. It is interesting to find here how the ten persons crossed the stream by a boat and started counting whether anybody is missing. While counting each one missed himself and started crying that one person is missing! Then a came a passer-by who asked them the reason for their wailing and found that nobody was missing and all the ten were present. Then he asked each person o count again and touch his chest and say, "I am the tenth". Thus the problem was solved and everybody was happy. This, it is stated that one should find what is missing in himself, not elsewhere!
  The guru explains the Vedic doctrine of 'tattvamasi and exhorts his disciples to meditate.
    "That what is beyond caste and creed, family and lineage, which is devoid of name and form,merit and demerit; That which transcends space,time and sense objects- That brahmn art thou! Meditate on this in thy mind"'
(to be contd.),

Theories of Jiva

    According to the famous Text illuminating us about the Soul, the 'Atmabodha' of Sri Shankaracharya, there are three theories regarding the Jiva. Frst, the Jiva is defined as 'the Pure Consciousness limited by the upadhi of vijnyanamaya kosha, appears as a phenomenal being or individualized soul. The phenomenal existence makes it forget its true 'oneness with the Absolute (nouminal state). The upadhi is the buddhi. The phenomenal existence makes the buddhi limited since it comes under niyati, limitations of time, space, and causality. Hence it cannot think about the vast, abstract, silent nature of existence! The jiva is further enomoured by the sensuous world due to ignorance. This ignorance as to the true nature existence, the reality, causes all the illusions and disillusionment of the jiva.

  The jiva is a reflection of the Consciousness. This reflection makes it appear as real! The jiva experiences the illusion. A reflection assumes the characteristics of the medium in which the object is reflected. It is like the reflection of the sun in water. it appears as still or moving according to the medium in which it is reflected! Another theory is like a being seen in a dream! Here the Brahmn or Pure Consciousness appears in multitudes of animate and inanimate objects as in dream. Brahmn only appears as jiva! When the jiva realizes it is a dreamland in which it is rejoicing, it drops its ignorance realizes its true nature of sat, chit, and ananda. It is like a King dreaming as a beggar in a desert asking for water. He realizes it is a dream and soon forgets it! 
     Thus, jiva realizes the limitations imposed on it by dream, maya. The Maya theory is very important. The material objective phenomenal world comes into existence due to the yogic power of the Lord. The Lord projects and withdraws the world at His will! Nothing is real here.
   Thus, Reflection of Consciousness, Maya or Illusion, or state of dream determine the nature of the relative existence of the jiva on this earth. The jiva dons a role and lives a make-believe existence here! If the name, form and function and all limitations imposed on it are removed by yogabhyasa it becomes the true brahmn only!

   As we have already realized the fact that the world moves on whether we are here or not. Many of our kith and kin, loved ones, have departed and, so also, do we one day! All that is born here are sure to exit. Nothing is permanent! This is not just philosophy, negativity, or escapism that the Westerners think and believe. It is the reality. Only a yogi knows this truth. tasmad  yogirbhavaarjuna, says the lord!

Vedic Verses

Let them protect you, let them guard you! To them be homage, to them be all hail! May the Lord of the Wind, the Sky, the Creator, the saving Sun, restore you to communion with the living! Let not your breath or your strength forsake you! It is for your sake that we call back your life! Let not the friend of the snapping jaws find you, or darkness, or the tongue of the demon! Shall you be subject to Death? No, never! May all the powers raise you up, may the Lord of the sky and of Fire raise you up to well-being! Heaven and Earth and the Lord of creation have raised you up! The plants and the herbs, with the heavenly Drink, have saved you from Death! [Atharva Veda VIII, 1, 14-17]

Water when drunk becomes threefold. What is coarsest in it becomes urine, what is medium becomes blood and what is subtlest becomes prana..Fire when eaten becomes threefold. What is coarsest in it becomes bone, what is medium becomes marrow and what is subtlest becomes speech.The mind, my dear, consists of food, the prana of water and speech of heat. Please, venerable Sir, instruct me further. So be it, my dear. [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, V - The Threefold Nature of Food, 2-4]

That, my dear, which is the subtlest part of curds rises, when they are churned and becomes butter.In the same manner, my dear, that which is the subtlest part of the food that is eaten rises and becomes mind.[Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, VI - The Physical Nature of the Mind, the Prana and Speech, 1- 2].

With the breath that dwells in creatures of two legs or four, I blow upon you as one blows on a fire just kindled. To you, O Death, to your sight and your breath, I pay homage! Let him live, not die! This man we now revive. I bring him healing. O Death, do not strike this man! A life-possessing, life-bestowing plant, powerful, salvific, potent, I here invoke, to bring this man once more to health and strength!.  [Atharva Veda VIII, 2, 2-6]

His father said to him: Just as, my dear, of a great blazing fire a single coal, the size of a firefly, may be left, which would not burn much more than that, even so, my dear, of your sixteen parts only one part is left; and therefore with that one part you do not remember the Vedas. Now go and eat and you will understand me.

Svetaketu ate and approached his father. Then whatever his father asked him, he showed that he knew it.

Then his father said to him: Just as, my dear, of a great lighted fire a single coal the size of a firefly, if left, may be made to blaze up again by adding grass to it and will thus burn much more, Even so, my dear; of your sixteen parts only one part was left and that, when strengthened by food, blazed up. With it you now remember the Vedas. Therefore, my dear, the mind consists of food, the prana consists of water and speech consists of fire. After that he understood what his father said, yea, he understood it. [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, VII - How the Mind consists of Food, 3-6]

Uddalaka the son of Aruna said to his son Svetaketu: Learn from me, my dear, the true nature of sleep. When a person has entered into deep sleep, as it is called, then, my dear, he becomes united with Pure Being (Sat), he has gone to his own Self. That is why they say he is in deep sleep (svapiti); it is because he has gone (apita) to his own (svam). Just as a bird tied by a string to the hand of the bird-catcher first flies in every direction and then finding no rest anywhere, settles down at the place where it is bound, so also the mind (i.e. the individual soul reflected in the mind), my dear, after flying in every direction and finding no rest anywhere, settles down in the Prana (i.e. Pure Being); for the mind (the individual soul) is fastened to the Prana (Pure Being). [Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad VI, VIII - Concerning Sleep, Hunger, Thirst, and Death, 1-2]

Set up to the East of the sacred Fire, you accept our prayer, intense and unflagging. Hold yourself high to bring us prosperity. Drive far away dearth of inspiration. Girdled and adorned, he displays youthful beauty, yet is fairer by far when brought to new birth. With minds contemplative and godward directed, our sages of lofty intelligence rear him. Born anew, he is born on a day most auspicious, growing in wisdom in the assembly of men. Wise men and skillful consecrate him with song. Approaching the Gods, the priest calls aloud. [Rk Veda III, 8, 2, 4-5]

What deity, said Sakalya, are you identified with in the fixed direction (i.e. overhead)? With the deity fire. In what does fire find its support? Speech. In what does speech find its support? The heart. In what does the heart find its support?

  You ghost, said Yajnavalkya, that you think that the heart should be elsewhere than in ourselves! If it were elsewhere than in ourselves, dogs would eat this body or birds tear it to pieces.In what do the body and the heart find their support? asked Sakalya. In the prana. In what does the prana find its support? In the apana. In what does the apana find its support? In the vyana. In what does the vyana find its support? In the udana. In what does the udana find its support? In the samana. Here the Upanishad itself states: This self is That which has been described as Not this, not this. It is imperceptible, for It is never perceived; undecaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached; unfettered, for It never feels pain and never suffers injury. [Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX-Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha, 24-26].

Speak in his favor! Seize him not, but release him, yours though he be. Let him stay here with aYajnavalkay continued 5. Do not say: From the semen, for that is produced from the living man. A tree springs from the seed as well; after it is dead it certainly springs again. 6. If a tree is pulled up with its root, it will not spring again. From what root, tell me, does a mortal spring forth after he is cut off by death? 7. If you think he is indeed born, I say: No, he is born again. Now who should again bring him forth? The Upanishad states: It is Brahman, which is absolute Knowledge and Bliss, the ultimate goal of him who offers wealth and also of him who has realized Brahman and stands firm in It. [Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX-Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha, 28 (cont).

Om. Janaka, Emperor of Videha, was seated to give audience when Yajnavalkya arrived. The Emperor said to him: Yajnavalkya, for what purpose have you come here? With a desire for cattle, or to hear some subtle questions asked? For both, Your Majesty, said he.

    Yajnavalkya said: Let me hear what anyone among your teachers may have told you. Jitvan, the son of Silina, told me that the organ of speech (fire) is Brahman. As anyone who had the benefit of being taught by a good mother, father and teacher should say, so did the son of Silina say that the organ of speech is Brahman; for what can be attained by a person who cannot speak? But did he tell you about its abode (body) and support? No, he did not. This Brahman is only one-footed, Your Majesty. Then you tell us, O Yajnavalkya. The physical organ of speech is its abode and the akasha is its support. It should be mediated upon as intelligence. What is intelligence, O Yajnavalkya? It is the organ of speech, Your Majesty, said Yajnavalkya. [Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, I-Partial Definitions of Brahman, 1-2].

Through the organ of speech alone, O Emperor, are known the Rig-Veda, the Yagur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Atharvangirasa, history, ancient lore, the arts, the Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, explanations, commentaries, the results of sacrifices, the result of offering oblations in the fire, the results of giving food and drink, this world, the next world and all beings. The organ of speech, Your Majesty, is the Supreme Brahman. The organ of speech never deserts him who, knowing this, meditates upon it;all beings eagerly approach him; and being a god, he attains the gods. I give you a thousand cows with a bull as large as an elephant, said Emperor Janaka. Yajnavalkya replied: My father was of the opinion that one should not accept gifts from a disciple without fully instructing him.[Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV, I-Partial Definitions of Brahman, 2 (cont)

I drive to a distant place Malignity, Destruction, the Demon who grabs and ghosts who feast upon corpses. All demons and evil powers--like darkness I destroy them!, [Atharva Veda VIII, 2, 12]

All his strength! Have mercy upon him, O powers of destruction, protect him! Grant to him fullness of days, removing all evil!

Vedic Gods

Which are the six gods? asked Sakalya. 

  Fire, the earth, the air, the sky, the sun and heaven; for these six comprise all those.

Which are the three gods? asked Sakalya.

 These three worlds, because all those gods are comprised in these three. Which are the two gods? Matter and the vital breath (prana). Which are the one and a half? This air that blows.

Yajnavalkya said: Concerning this some say: 'Since the air blows as one substance, how can it be one and a half (adhyardha)?'

  The answer is: It is one and a half because by its presence everything attains surpassing glory adhyardhnot). Which is the one God? The vital breath (Hiranyagarbha); it is Brahman which is called That (Tyat).

[Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX-Yajnavalkya and Vidaghdha,7- 9]

  Do not give thought to the departed ones who lead men away to a far-off land. Arise out of darkness! Come to the light! Come, we grasp your two hands! From Yama's two watchdogs sent forth on the path, the black and the spotted, may you stay safe! Come, do not waver! Do not stand there with your mind deflected from here. [Atharva Veda VIII, 1, 8-9]