yog vasisth Chapter 1

Yogavasishta

The first verse

ॐ Śrīmahaganapaticharanaravindābhyāya namaḥ ।

॥ Shri: ॥

From Him all things appear and exist.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Soul, the Supreme Soul, wherever one finds rest.

The knower is knowledge and the knowable is the seer, the sight is the sight.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Soul of knowledge, from whom the doer, the cause, and the action originate. 

The sky and the earth are covered with bliss, and the seeds of the Lord are quivering.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the life of all living entities. 

There was a certain brahmin who was very sharp and whose mind was attracted by doubt

He went to the hermitage of Agastya and politely inquired of the sage 

Sutikshna said.

O Lord, you know the truth of religion and are convinced of all the scriptures.

There is a great deal of doubt about it. Please tell me this. 

The cause of liberation is action or knowledge, which is the means of liberation.

Decide whether you are both or not, and tell me one of the reasons. 

Agastya said.

Just as birds move in the sky with both wings

In the same way, by knowledge and action one attains the supreme abode. 

Knowledge of action alone does not lead to liberation.

But both are known to be the means of attaining liberation. 

For this purpose I shall relate to you an ancient history.

In the past there was a brāhmaṇa named Kāruṇya who studied the Vedas 

The son of Agnivesya was a man who was well versed in the Vedas.

Having studied the Vedas with his spiritual master, Sanna returned home. 

He stood there doing his duty in silence, and then he was in doubt at home.

Then Agniveśī saw her son devoid of any duties. 

The spiritual master spoke these blasphemous words to his son for his own good.

Agniveshya said.

My son, why are you not taking care of your own work? 

Tell me how you can attain perfection without engaging in action.

Please tell me the reason for your refraining from this action. 

Karunya said.

As long as one lives, one should daily worship the evening sacrifice.

This religious principle in the form of instinct is encouraged by the Vedas and Smṛti. 

Wealth does not bring liberation, nor does action or progeny.

By mere renunciation, however, these ascetics enjoy the nectar. 

What should I do between these two scriptures, my master?

Having thus become confused, I remained silent in my activities. 

Agastya said.

Having spoken thus, my dear son, the compassionate brāhmaṇa became silent.

Seeing his son in such a state the spiritual master again addressed him 

Agniveshya said.

My dear son, please hear one story that is entirely within my heart.

My dear son, please understand Me and do whatever you wish. 

There was a woman named Suruci, who was one of the best of the nymphs.

She sat on the peak of the Himalayas covered with peacocks 

Where the kinneras, tormented by lust, enjoy themselves.

When the flood of the ocean of heaven was created it destroyed the great floods 

She saw the messenger of Indra flying in the sky

The most fortunate Suruci the best of the apsaras addressed him 

Suruchi said.

O most fortunate messenger of the gods, where are you coming from?

Please tell me where you are going now. 

The angel said.

You have asked well, beautiful-eyed one, and I shall explain to you exactly what I have done.

The saintly King Ariṣṭanemi gave the kingdom to his son. 

Devoid of attachment the righteous Rama went out into the forest to perform austerities

The king is performing austerities on the Gandhamādana mountain. 

I’ve done my work and I’m coming back from there now.

I shall go by the side of Indra to tell him the whole story 

The nymph said.

Please tell me what happened there, my lord.

I am humbled to ask you something. Please do not be anxious. 

The angel said.

O gentle lady, please hear me as I tell you in detail what happened.

In that forest, O King, he performed severe austerities. 

Then the beautiful-eyed King of the demigods ordered me to do so.

Messenger, go there immediately and take this airplane. 

It was accompanied by a host of nymphs and adorned with various musical instruments.

It was adorned by gandharvas, siddhas, yakshas, ​​kinneras and others. 

They played palm trees, flutes, mṛdaṅgas and other instruments on the Gandhamādana mountain.

After reaching that auspicious mountain crowded with various trees 

The messenger placed King Arishtanemi in an airplane

Bring me to the city of Amaravati to enjoy heaven. 

The messenger said.

Having thus been commanded by Indra he took the aerial chariot

I went to the river with all the utensils. 

I arrived at the mountain and went to the king’s hermitage.

She reported all the orders of Lord Mahendra to Ariṣṭanemaya. 

Hearing my words, he was skeptical and said, “O beautiful one.

The king said.

I wish to ask you, messenger, what you should tell me. 

What are the virtues and faults of that heavenly planet? Please tell me in front of me.

After understanding the situation there, I shall do whatever I please. 

The messenger said.

In heaven, one enjoys the supreme happiness with the materials of piousness.

By the best of pious deeds one attains the highest heavenly planets. 

By the middle, the middle is heaven, and nothing else.

By the youngest of these pious men one attains heaven 

Intolerance of the arrogance of others and competition with equals

One should be satisfied with the younger ones until one’s merits are destroyed. 

When the merit is exhausted, human beings enter this mortal world.

O King, these are the qualities and evils that exist in the heavenly planets. 

On hearing these words, O gentle lady, the king replied.

The king said.

I, the messenger of the demigods, do not desire any reward like this in heaven. 

After this he performed severe austerities in his body

Just as a snake abandons its worn-out skin, I shall abandon it because it is impure. 

O messenger of the gods, you have taken this plane as you came.

Therefore, please go to the presence of Lord Mahendra. I offer my respectful obeisances unto you. 

The angel said.

Having thus been advised, O gentle lady, I went to report this to Indra.

Then he related to them all that had happened and was greatly astonished. 

Again Lord Mahendra spoke to me in a charming, sweet voice.

Indra said.

Messenger, go back to the king’s new hermitage. . 

He was detached from the self-realization of the known truth of Valmiki.

Please convey my message to the great sage Valmiki 

O great sage, you are very kind to this humble king, who is free from attachment.

O great sage, we do not desire heaven to awaken the Absolute Truth. 

By this he will gradually attain liberation from the miseries of this world.

Having spoken thus, the King of the demigods sent me to his presence. 

When I returned there, the king was born in the anthill.

King Indra offered her the means of liberation. 

Then he asked the king about the birth of the ant.

She was very pleased to be healthy and asked questions about her well-being. 

The king said.

O Lord, you are the knower of the truth of religion, the knower of the knowable, and the best of the learned.

I am fulfilled in your sight, and that is all that is good for me. 

My lord, I wish to ask you something, please tell me without hindrance.

Please tell me how I can be freed from the misery of the bondage of this material world. 

Valmiki said.

O King, please hear me as I recite to you the unbroken Ramayana.

If you hear this and understand it, you will become alive and liberated. 

The auspicious story of the conversation between Vasishta and Rama and the means of liberation

O best of kings, I shall now speak to you, O wise one. Please listen to me. 

The king said.

Who is Rama, what is he like, to whom is he bound or free?

O best of those who know the Absolute Truth, please tell me this certain knowledge. 

Valmiki said.

Because of the curse, Lord Hari disguised himself as a king.

He is your master, endowed with ignorance and somewhat knowledgeable. 

The king said.

For in the form of consciousness and bliss, Rama is the conflict of consciousness.

Tell me the reason for the curse and who was cursed. 

Valmiki said.

Sanatkumara lived in the abode of the Brahmins without any desire.

Lord Viṣṇu, the master of the three worlds, has come from Vaikuṇṭha. 

He was worshiped by Lord Brahmā and by the inhabitants of Satyaloka.

Seeing him without the boy the lord of the gods addressed him as follows 

O Sanat-kumāra, you are stunned by your unwillingness to act proudly.

Therefore, you should become lustful and be known as Sharajanma. 

He also cursed Lord Viṣṇu, saying that you are omniscient.

After giving up that for a while you will become ignorant 

Seeing his wife killed, Bhṛgu, overcome with anger, spoke as follows.

O Lord Viṣṇu, you too will be separated from your wife. 

Lord Viṣṇu was cursed by Vṛndāvana for the deception you committed.

Therefore, on My word, you will go away from your wife. 

The wife of Devadatta lived on the bank of the river Payoṣṇī.

Seeing Lord Viṣṇu disguised as Nṛsiṁhadeva, she became fivefold. 

He cursed Nṛhari, who was distressed by the separation from his wife.

You too will be separated from your wife. 

Thus cursed by the young Bhṛgu, Devaśarmā,

Cursed by Vṛndāvana, Lord Viṣṇu became a human being. 

I have told you all this about the reason for the interest in the curse

Now I shall explain everything to you. Please listen with careful attention. 

This is stated by the angel of the gods in the sage Srimad Vasishta Maharamayana by Valmiki

In the chapter on renunciation in the thirty-two thousandth Samhita of the means of liberation

The first verse is called Sutrapatanaka.