From the Archives of Swami Jyotirmayananda
Why is the world full of misery if it comes from a source that is Full (Purnam)? This is the profound question Sri Rama poses to Sage Vasistha in the Sthiti Prakarana.
We often approach spirituality like a mechanic trying to fix a broken engine. We want to know why the anxiety is there, why the relationship failed, or why the world is chaotic. But in this profound lecture on the Yoga Vasistha, Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda offers a radical shift in perspective: You don’t solve the problems of a dream; you simply wake up.
Imagine wearing blue-tinted glasses and asking, “Why is the world blue?” You could write a thesis on the “blueness” of the trees and the sky, but the question itself is flawed. The world isn’t blue; your vision is conditioned.
The Master explains that our questions about misery proceed from a mind conditioned by Avidya (ignorance). As long as we look through the lens of the ego, we will see separation and pain. The ultimate goal is not to answer the question, but to remove the glasses entirely.
Your Brain is “Brahma’s iPad”
In a striking modernization of ancient wisdom, the Master compares the brain and nervous system to a divine “iPad” given to you by the Creator.
“Your brain and nervous system is Brahma’s given iPad to every individual. It operates exactly in the same way. You switch your attention… and within a moment, you are in Brazil.”
The device itself is neutral. It has the power to project heaven or hell, depending on the user. The problem arises when we let the app of “Worldly Attachment” run in the background, draining our battery and overheating the system. The practice of Bhakti (Devotion) and Integral Yoga is the art of outfoxing the iPad—using the device to reveal the user, rather than getting lost in the screen.
The Armor of Samata (Equanimity)
How do we navigate the ups and downs of life while we strive to wake up? The answer lies in Samata.
The Master describes Samata not as a passive, stone-like state, but as a “mystic armor.” When you are armored with equanimity, praise and insult simply bounce off you. You might still feel the initial pinch of an insult—the Master jokes, “You can show yourself you’re hurt”—but internally, your peace remains undisturbed. This unwavering balance is the hallmark of spiritual maturity.
Cutting the World Tree
The lecture concludes with the powerful allegory of the World Tree (Samsara Vriksha). This tree is:
- Decked with the buds of expectations.
- Burdened with the fruits of pleasure and pain.
- Entwined with the creeper of craving.
We cannot prune this tree. If we try to solve one problem (cut one branch), two more grow in its place. The instruction from the scripture is absolute: “Cut down this tree with the sword of discriminative knowledge (Viveka).”
By realizing “I am not this body, I am not this mind,” you strike at the root. When the root is severed, the illusion of the forest vanishes, and you are left with the freedom to roam like a mighty elephant in the open space of Brahman.
Scholar’s Corner: Scriptural Citations
- Purnam adah purnam idam: “That is Full, This is Full.” (Invocation).
- Shuddho’si buddho’si niranjano’si: “You are pure, you are enlightened, you are spotless.”
- Atmanas tu kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati: “For the sake of the Self, all things become dear.” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad).
- Asanga-shastrena dridhena chittva: “Cut [the tree of Samsara] with the strong weapon of non-attachment.” (Bhagavad Gita, Ch 15, Verse 3).
Glossary of Terms
- Mala: Gross impurities of the mind (anger, greed). Removed by Karma Yoga.
- Vikshepa: Distraction/tossing of the mind. Removed by Bhakti and Dhyana.
- Avarana: The veil of ignorance hiding the Truth. Removed by Jnana (Wisdom).
- Samata: Evenness of mind; equanimity.
- Samsara: The cycle of birth, death, and worldly existence.
Watch the full lecture to deepen your understanding: https://youtu.be/rTsIxUVKqK0
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