{"id":92,"date":"2019-09-06T04:26:19","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T04:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/icp05.epgpbooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/?post_type=chapter&p=92"},"modified":"2019-09-06T04:31:36","modified_gmt":"2019-09-06T04:31:36","slug":"yogavasi%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%adha","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/ebooks.inflibnet.ac.in\/icp05\/chapter\/yogavasi%e1%b9%a3%e1%b9%adha\/","title":{"rendered":"Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha"},"content":{"raw":"
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Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha is an unique text which combines the two greatest traits of ancient India: story-telling and philosophy. In ancient India, we have an intuitive presentation of philosophy in the Upanishads and a systematic presentation in the various S\u016btras. On the other hand, there is a huge repertoire of stories in Ramayana, Mahabharata, the eighteen main Puranas and the eighteen Upa-puranas. While the Puranas teach various aspects of Dharma, they do not directly deal with the main questions of Philosophy, namely whether there is an Isvara or not; if yes, what is the nature of Isvara; who is a Jiva; what is the relation between Isvara and Jiva; what is the nature of the seen Universe (Jagat); how creation came about; what happens to a man after he dies; why is there misery in Jagat; what is the means of getting rid of this misery; what is Moksha (liberation or salvation); what is the nature of Moksha; and what one desirous of Moksha needs to do. All these questions are answered in the text Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha. These are weighty questions and are usually taught by a teacher (Guru) to a disciple (Sishya) as they need deep and repeated contemplation. Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha presents one more device: that of stories, where the characters deal with the same set of questions.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In a modern context, this is akin to the Case Study method of pedagogy. For many major points to be established, say the way M\u0101y\u0101 works, the way stories work reinforce the learning from Sastra. For instance, in the story of G\u0101dhi (which occurs in the fifth book Upa\u015bamaprakara\u1e47a <\/em>from 5.44.1 to 5.49.47), a Brahmin calledG\u0101dhi does a penance for eight months and when Vishnu presents himself, asks for the boon of knowing how M\u0101y\u0101 works. Vishnu grants while the boon and disappears. One day while G\u0101dhi is in meditation, he starts seeing a series of incidents. Firstly G\u0101dhi dies and his body is cremated after much crying by his relatives. Then he is reborn as a tribal, acquires a family, grows old, loses his kith and kin, then accidentally becomes a king, rules for eight years, and then loses the kingdom when his true identity as a tribal is recognized. To propitiate the sin of being ruled by one who ate dog-flesh, the elite of the kingdom commit suicide. The dethroned king also ends his life as so many people died due to his actions. Having seen all this, G\u0101dhi comes out of meditation and resumes his normal life. After a few days, a Brahmin arrives as a guest to whom G\u0101dhi offers his hospitality. After meals, they start talking and the Brahmin narrates that he came from the kingdom ruled by a tribal which resulted in mass suicides twelve years ago and narrates the\u00a0exact sequence of events that G\u0101dhi had earlier \u201cseen\u201d. Puzzled, G\u0101dhi sets out to investigate, travels to the tribal hamlet and the kingdom and every detail is confirmed. When G\u0101dhi asks Vishnu as to what is real and how in the same time two separate sequence of events happened, it is explained that initially for G\u0101dhi, the events seen in meditation were an illusion and his present life real. Then when the Brahmin guest arrived and G\u0101dhi verified the facts, both set of events were apparently \u201creal\u201d. In reality both are equally unreal, being mental modifications. The kind of details provided in the story make the mystery of M\u0101y\u0101 clear and provide a basis for a more detailed discussion. In this way, the text Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha presents intricate concepts of a philosophy in an innovative way.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha is the dialogue between Rama (the hero of Ramayana) and his guru Vasishtha concerning the questions of Philosophy, or spiritual matters. After finishing their education Rama and his brothers go on a pilgrimage to various sacred places and get exposed to the life of ordinary people. Rama realizes that life is full or sorrow and becomes despondent. At this stage sage Visvamitra arrives at Ayodhya seeking the help of Rama to protect his sacrifice. When Rama is summoned, he does not initially appear in the court due to his despondency. Knowing the reason, Visvamitra requests that Rama be brought to court so that the reason for his despondency can be known and can be resolved. Rama comes to the court and mentions his reasons, which are dispelled by preceptor of Ikshavakus, Vasishtha. This dialogue is the book Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha, also called V\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dhamah\u0101r\u0101m\u0101ya\u1e47am orP\u016brvar\u0101m\u0101ya\u1e47am (Ramayana with seven Kandas being the Uttarar\u0101m\u0101ya\u1e47a), Valmiki being the author of the present work as well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

While the text is held to be authored by Valmiki by traditional institutions (it is a recommended text for those studying philosophy in \u015a\u1e5b\u1e45gerip\u012b\u1e6dham, a traditional and revered institution of Advaita established by Sankaracarya), academicians date the text to not earlier than the sixth century A. D. It is possible that a kernel of original traditional text has been expanded by interpolations by later authors. One scholar T. G. Manikar postulates that the work went through three phases.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The text was extremely popularin the second millennium, especially in a condensed form known as <\/span>Laghuyogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha.<\/em> This was one of the earliest works of Hindu philosophy translated into Persian as <\/span>Muntakhab-i Jug-basasht<\/em> and is quoted by various teachers from Jnanesvara to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

2. Structure of the Text<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The text has nearly 29,000 verses and is longer than Ramayana (which has 24,000 verses) divided into six books, called Prakaranas. The last Prakarana is very large and constitutes half the book, and so is divided into two parts. The names of Prakaranas and the number of verses in them (as per the Nirnayasagar edition, as given in the Footnote 8, xii of <\/span>The Concise Yoga<\/em> V\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha<\/em>) are given below:<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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Except the first book, every other book has Up\u0101khy\u0101nas or stories, some of which have nested stories. Though the stories themselves involve characters mentioned in other sources, the particular details are usually (though not always) unique to the text. The stories also involve long dialogues and discuss the very question being treated in the text. Yet, they are different from the Upanishadic stories in character in that the sequence of events described in the story is what clarifies the issue, rather than the dialogue.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Another aspect of the text is the context. At a time when action is required (to go with Visvamitra and protect his sacrifice from demons), Rama is despondent due to the sorrow in the world and the teaching of a Guru dispels his despondency and propels him to action. Thus there is a rejection of fatalism and a resounding message that the message of Scripture is to act and discharge one\u2019s duty. This is remarkable because the main thesis of Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha is that the universe is not real, and merely a modification of the mind. The text shows how such a world-view still requires one to act.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

3. Contents of the Text<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the first book, Rama describes his realization that nothing is permanent. He examines wealth, life, Ahamkara (egotism), desire, the body, childhood, middle-age, old-age, women, time and fate and shows that nothing is permanent, cannot lead to happiness and only results in sorrow. The world is transient with people being born and dying all the time; the relationship between people is simply conjured by the mind. Not merely relationships but everything in the world is dependent on the mind, and the mind itself appears to be unreal. How can there be happiness in such an ever-changing world? Wealth is useless and a long life-span is actually fleeting. Just like a sieve can never be filled with water, the mind can never reach a state of fulfilment. At every stage of life \u2013 childhood, middle-age and old-age man\u2019s life is full of misery. Time overpowers and destroys everything. Having described the all-pervasive sorrow thus, he asks to be instructed the state where there is no sorrow, how one can reach the supreme state of bliss and how a Jivanmukta lives. Rama\u2019s questions were so weighty and wise that the assembled sages desire that all other sages be invited so that every being in the world can know the answers to these questions.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Vasishtha, at the behest of Visvamitra, then answers the questions of Rama which forms rest of the book. In the second book, Vasishtha starts off by praising Rama for developing this detachment to the seen world and declares him fit to receive further instruction. Then he first with human effort, rating it as superior to Daivam or fate.<\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u092a\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0924\u0928\u0902\u091a\u0948\u0939\u093f\u0915\u0902\u091a\u0947\u0939\u093f\u0939\u093f\u0939\u093f\u0927\u0902\u0939\u093f\u0939\u093f \u092a\u094c\u0930\u0941\u0937\u092e\u094d\u0964 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0924\u0928\u094b\u093d\u0926\u094d\u092f\u093f\u0928\u0947\u0928\u093e\u0936\u0941\u092a\u0941\u0930\u0941\u0937\u093e\u0930\u094d\u0925\u0947\u0928\u091c\u0940\u092f\u093f\u0947\u09652.4.17\u0965<\/p>\r\n \r\n

Karma is of two types: old Karma and present Karma. The old Karma is instantaneously over-come by present Karma. (Here two words are used to refer to Karma: \u092a\u094c\u0930\u0941\u0937\u092e\u094dand \u092a\u0941\u0930\u0941\u0937\u093e\u0930\u094d\u0925\u0925\u0903\u2013 both mean \u201chuman-effort\u201d. This is nothing but Karma).<\/p>\r\n \r\n

In fact, Vasishtha emphatically states that \u201cDaivam\u201d is nothing but the result of earlier karma:<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u093f\u0938\u094d\u092e\u093e\u0924\u094d\u092a\u094d\u092a\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u092a\u094c\u0930\u0941\u0937\u093e\u0926\u094d\u0926\u0948\u093f\u0902\u0928\u093e\u0928\u094d\u092f\u093f\u094d (2.5.1). Then he goes on to state how one gets the desire for\u00a0<\/span>liberation:<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0938\u093e\u0926\u093e\u0924\u094d\u092a\u094d\u092a\u0930\u092e\u0947\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0930\u0938\u094d\u092f\u0928\u093e\u0930\u094d\u0925\u0938\u094d\u092f \u092a\u0930\u092e\u093e\u0924\u094d\u092a\u094d\u092e\u0928\u0903\u0964\u00a0<\/span>\u0924\u094d\u092a\u094d\u093f\u093e\u0926\u0943\u0936\u0938\u094d\u092f\u0936\u0941\u092d\u093e\u092c\u0941\u0939\u093f\u0930\u094d\u093f\u0925\u093f\u0947\u0915\u092e\u0928\u0941\u0927\u093e\u093f\u0939\u093f\u09652.10.30\u0965<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

By the grace of the lord, the ultimate soul Paramesvara, auspicious minds such as yours follow the path of discrimination (between what is permanent and what is not).<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Four qualities are mentioned as desirable for the one who seeks Moksha.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\u092e\u094b\u0915\u094d\u0937\u093f\u093e\u0930\u0947\u093f\u093e\u0930\u092a\u093e\u0932\u093e\u0936\u094d\u091a\u0924\u094d\u092a\u094d\u093f\u093e\u0930\u0903 \u092a\u0930\u0930\u0915\u0940\u0930\u094d\u093f\u0925\u093f\u093e\u0903\u0964\u00a0<\/span>\u0936\u092e\u094b \u0939\u093f\u091a\u093e\u0930\u0903 \u0938\u0928\u094d\u093f\u094b\u0937\u0936\u094d\u093f\u0941\u0930\u094d\u0925\u0925\u0903\u0938\u093e\u0927\u0941\u0938\u0902\u0917\u092e\u0903\u0965 2.11.59\u00a0 \u0965<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

It is widely known that there are four gatekeepers at the door of Moksha: Sama (control of senses), Vicara (critical thinking), Santosha (contentment) and Sadhusangama (company of good people).<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The seeker is advised to serve these four, or at least one, as they will open the door to Moksha.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the third Prakarana, Creation is described as emanating from Brahman, who is described as Bhasvan (the one who is shining), Deva, Niramaya, Paramatman, Mahesvara, the one beyond words, the one who is understood by the Jivanmuktas, who is called by names such as Atman, the Purusha of Sankhyas, the Brahman of Vedantins, Vijnana of Vijnanavadins, Sunya of Sunyavadins, and the one who is always the speaker, thinker, the Truth, the enjoyer, the seer and the agent (4.4.3 \u2013 7). From him innumerable gods like Vishnu are born (4.4.9). Prakriti (=M\u0101y\u0101) is born in pure consciousness from which results the world (4.4.17). His mere thoughts materialize into the seen world (4.4.23). The world as such is not real. When this Supreme Being, who is pure consciousness is known after a cessation of thoughts, the sorrow of the world comes to an end (4.7.9). Rama then expresses the doubt which all seekers have: \u201cO Sage, how can there be non-existence of this seen and extant universe?\u201d (4.7.32) This question is answered at length in the third book.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The fourth book deals with the mystery of existence. It is a mystery because it seems so real and yet is not real. That the universe does not exist is made clear by Vasishtha in the beginning of the fourth book itself when Rama asks how the Universe exists in Parabrahman in seed form during Pralaya. Vasistha does not admit that the Universe exists in seed form and calls it foolishness. Through various stories the power of mind which projects the Universe is explained. Hence, in order to understand the true nature of the Universe, one needs to have a pure mind, bereft of connections to the perceived things or beings, and should be fixed on contemplation of consciousness, having given up all desires. Then the reality would be known that Brahman alone exists and that everything else is a modification of the mind.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The next book, Upa\u015bamaprakara\u1e47a explains how the perceived world dissolves, once one obtains a pure mind and realizes the seen world to be a modification of the mind. In this book the means to become a J\u012bvanmukta (living-liberated) is described, as are the qualities of a J\u012bvanmukta. The J\u012bvanmukta is bereft of all desires, and is not attached to the results of actions though he performs actions. He is full of bliss and happiness though he appears to be\u00a0<\/span>an ordinary man. The realization of the true nature of the world, achieved by cleansing the mind of Avidy\u0101 (nescience), then is the answer to Rama\u2019s questions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

In the last book, Rama finally obtains enlightenment. This book, as mentioned earlier, is nearly half as long as the whole work. Sargas 39 and 40 of the Uttar\u0101rdha are known as Vasi\u1e63\u1e6dhag\u012bt\u0101. This Prakara\u1e47a also has the story of Arjuna from the Mahabharata, but from the point of view of Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha, there is no contradiction involved. First, it is related as a future occurrence. Next, time is considered to be unreal according to Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha, so it is perfectly possible, as seen in the story of G\u0101dhi, that events of Dv\u0101parayuga would have happened even as Tretayuga was in progress. Vasi\u1e63\u1e6dha, the son of Brahm\u0101, is a Brahmaj\u00f1\u0101ni and would be aware of future events. Finally, as the story of Bhu\u015bu\u1e47\u1e0da shows, Kalpas run in cycles and events repeat themselves. The book ends with Rama attaining enlightenment and setting out to discharge his duties.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

4. The Philosophy of Yogav\u0101sis\u1e63\u1e6dha<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

While some scholars opine that Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha is a Kashmiri text incorporating tenets of the doctrine of Trika system, others have seen it combining strands of Jainism, different forms of Buddhism, Sankhya and Vedanta. The situation is further complicated when we consider that some part of the text could be a later interpolations. From the available text, the philosophy of the work could be stated thus:<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Ignorance is the root cause of all our sorrow.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Human effort is what is required to overcome the effects of earlier Karma. There is no other Fate (Daivam) apart from earlier Karma which can be overcome by present Karma.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

There is no difference in the nature of dream-state and waking-state \u2013 events in both states are equally experienced and are equally the construction of mind.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Neither time nor space is real and exist only with reference to the individual who experience them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The seen world is not real, it was never really created; it is merely a modification of the\u00a0 mind\u00a0 of\u00a0 the\u00a0 experiencer.\u00a0 Thus,\u00a0 among\u00a0 orthodox\u00a0 philosophies,\u00a0 along\u00a0 with\u00a0<\/span>Gaudapada\u2019s stance, Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha\u2019s stance is one of the strongest regarding the unreality of the Universe.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Brahman alone is \u2013 there are no two entities. Everything that is, is Brahman. This entity is referred to by different names in different systems.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Jiva is identical with the ultimate essence of the Universe, Brahman.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

By giving up desire, by attaining a clean mind (through many births), and by contemplating on consciousness one is rid of Ignorance and realizes the Truth and becomes a J\u012bvanmukta.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

There are four doorkeepers of Moksha: \u015aama, Vic\u0101ra, Santo\u1e63a and S\u0101dhusam\u0101gama, each of which should be assiduously cultivated by the seeker.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Once one attains Nirv\u0101\u1e47a, one is in a state of bliss without any sorrow.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

5.\u00a0 <\/strong>Uniqueness of Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

The uniqueness of Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha lies in its practical approach to teach philosophy. The focus is exclusively in clarifying the concepts, rather than negating the theses of other schools. In fact the opposite is seen: an attempt is made to include as many facets of other schools of Philosophy without compromising its main stance that there is one Brahman, of the nature of pure consciousness. There are Prakarana works which have a similar focus on explaining, rather than denouncing rivals \u2013 but there are two differences: first is the length and second the rich supporting material in Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha. Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha is much, much longer than Prakarana works. For instance the Vivekac\u016b\u1e0d\u0101ma\u1e47i, a Prakarana work of Advaita has about 550 verses, compared to the 29,000 verses of Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha. The additional volume is put to very good use in providing 55 stories each of which provides a reference to discuss one or more particular concepts. This discussion is not merely restricted to the text but actually happens between teacher and disciple, amongst disciples, and sometimes within the seeker himself.<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Summary<\/strong><\/p>\r\n \r\n

Yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6dha, a philosophical dialogue between Vasi\u1e63\u1e6dha and Rama, combines two main features of Indian way of life: philosophy and story-telling. Though it holds that the Universe is unreal and is merely a modification of the mind, the text shows that when it comes to day-to-day functioning one has to act, discharge one\u2019s duty rather than be despondent. The present work also shows how deep and difficult-to-grasp philosophical concepts can be made accessible to the seeker: through story-telling.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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