From the Archives of Swami Jyotirmayananda
From a profound lecture by Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda, the last direct disciple of Swami Sivananda, we delve into a timeless lesson from the Yoga Vasistha.
Imagine a brilliant sun, and its fleeting reflection in a bucket of water. The reflection, unaware of its true source, believes its entire existence is confined to that bucket. When the water turns muddy, the reflection suffers. When the bucket is kicked over, the reflection panics, desperately hopping from one bucket to another, seeking a cleaner, calmer, more permanent abode.
This reflection isn’t stupid; it’s simply unaware of its true nature.
The Human Predicament
Sage Vasistha, in Lesson 141 of the Yoga Vasistha (Upashama Prakarana), uses this vivid image to describe the human predicament with surgical clarity. Here’s the breakdown:
- The Self is the sun.
- The ego is the reflection.
- The bucket is whatever form the ego has latched onto in this lifetime – our body, our roles, our possessions.
The problem, Vasistha teaches, is not the bucket itself. The problem is the forgetting of our true Self.
The Real I AM is Secure
Just as clouds of dust do not taint the vast sky, the illusions of the world do not spoil the Self. This is the first crucial point to grasp: the real I AM within you is absolutely secure, ever-untouched. It is the unreal I AM – the ego-reflection – that is constantly plagued by problems. The resolution, we learn, comes through developing bhakti, pure devotion.
The Ego as a Tamed Monkey
Sage Vasistha presents another striking and memorable image: the ego is like a monkey you’ve tamed purely for entertainment. This monkey has two feet: Raga (attachment) and Dvesha (aversion or hatred).
You keep this monkey on your shoulder, and it cunningly entwines your neck with its legs. Your mind then becomes consumed, trying to secure what you are attached to, while simultaneously trying to escape what you dislike. This creates a dizzying whirlwind of activity, leaving you lost in confusion. As long as the Self remains unrealized, you are constantly led astray by this “monkey mind.”
Gold in the Mud
Consider gold that has fallen into mud. The mud cannot contaminate the gold; the gold remains pure and can always be removed. Similarly, the I AM within you is like this pure gold.
The monkey of ego may have stirred up a lot of mud (illusions and impurities), but it can never contaminate the real I AM. Our true Self is never tainted. The essential task, then, is to turn your mind nirmal – free of impurities. When your mind becomes pure, you become truly normal, aligned with your authentic Self.
The Self may seem to have fallen into the muddy illusion of the five sheaths and three bodies. This illusion must be meticulously wiped clean through the practice of discrimination (viveka): clearly seeing the difference between the Self, which is the ultimate reality, and the not-Self, which is merely an appearance.
The Reflected Sun’s Deeper Insight
To truly understand “Who am I?”, let’s revisit the reflected sun. Initially, it might believe that if only it were in a different, better bucket, its problems would cease. So, it jumps from one bucket to another, creating a whole bucketful of new problems.
This restless search continues until it arrives at a profound, deeper insight: “I am the Sun. I do not need to go into buckets to be comfortable or complete. I should simply stay what I am.” This realization liberates it from the endless cycle of seeking external solutions.
The Mind as a Cloud
Vasistha declares with emphasis: it is this “sinful mind” that has brought about the erroneous predicament of bondage for the Self, which in truth is ever free. The sun is never trapped; it is not dependent on any water or any container. When the mind comes to its ultimate revelation, the mind itself is no longer needed in its limited form.
Stages of Mind’s Progress
The mind can be likened to a cloud, evolving through distinct stages:
- Obscuration: Initially, a dense cloud completely stops the sun’s light, representing a mind full of ignorance and impurity.
- Refraction: As the mind begins to clear, it refracts the light, creating beautiful rainbows and other illuminations. This signifies initial spiritual experiences and insights.
- Clarity and Translucence: As the mind progresses on the path of yoga, it gradually becomes free from impurity and distraction, developing profound clarity. The sun’s light starts pouring through. The cloud that once obscured now becomes ornamental, a beautiful conduit for divine light.
Other “clouds” (worldly attachments, limiting beliefs) might warn: “If you do that, you will be done with!” But the evolving cloud doesn’t care. The light flowing through it is such a joyous thing. This cloud chooses ecstasy, ultimately leading to samadhi, and finally nirodha: absolute wiping out of mental modifications. This entire process is known as jivanmukti – liberation while living. Your mind transforms into a powerful basis for Godward movement.
Overcoming the Three Obstacles: Mala, Vikshepa, Avarana
The core message of Vasistha’s teaching is clear: remove mala, vikshepa, and avarana.
- Mala (Gross Impurity): This includes negative qualities like anger, hate, and greed.
- Vikshepa (Distraction): Once gross impurities are removed, you might experience immense energy but lack direction. This is distraction.
- Avarana (The Veil): The final obstacle, a subtle covering that prevents full realization.
The Mirror Analogy
Vasistha uses a simple mirror analogy to make these obstacles profoundly clear:
Imagine you want to see your face in a mirror. Three obstacles stand in your way:
- Dust on the Mirror (Mala): The mirror is covered in dust. This is mala – the gross impurities that obscure your true reflection. This is overcome by Karma Yoga (the path of action) and spiritual practices (sadhana).
- Shaking Hands (Vikshepa): As the dust clears and you begin to glimpse yourself with surprise, your hands start to shake, making the reflection unstable. This is vikshepa – the agitation and distraction of the mind, even after gross impurities are gone. Control it through devotion (bhakti) and meditation.
- Hair Falling Over Eyes (Avarana): Just as vikshepa subsides and you are about to see your face clearly in the light of truth, the sheer shock or subtle delusion makes your hair fall over your eyes, preventing full vision. This is avarana – the final veil of ignorance.
These three obstacles are systematically overcome by diligently following the right course of spirituality.
Practical Guidance: Om Upasana
With Om Upasana, you receive practical guidance for meditation:
- With the A aspect of Om, meditate upon: “I am the body, and therefore I am the cosmic body, cosmic matter.”
- With the U aspect, meditate upon: “I am the mind.” As a mind, you are a wave; the cosmic mind is the ocean. Calm your individual mind and discover it is not just a little wave. Go further, deeper into the unconscious, which at the cosmic level is God, Ishvara.
- When Om is completed, a transcendental awareness develops, an experience that goes beyond all imagination.
Maya and the Snake on the Rope
“O Rama, behold the miraculous potency of Maya!” Vasistha exclaims. This world, in essence, is merely an illusory modification of the Self, known as Vivarta.
The classic example illustrates this perfectly: there is nothing but a rope lying on the ground. In diffused light, your mind conjures up the image of a snake. Your imagination spices it up: the snake has raised its hood, bitten your pets, and you are its next prey! But the snake is neither truly real nor truly unreal. It is real only as long as you are deluded by the perception. If you are not deluded, the snake never existed.
This is the nature of Maya: it is anirvachaniya – indescribable, neither real nor unreal, yet powerfully compelling.
True Fulfillment: Beyond Desires
“O Rama, enjoy the fulfillment of desires in the Self in the same way as the ocean enjoys its own surging waves.” This profound statement reveals a radical truth: fulfillment is not based on fulfilling your individual desires.
Instead, true fulfillment arises from understanding that all your desires are ultimately illusory. Whatever you are desiring to become exists in the realm of ignorance, because you do not have to become anything. The sun does not have to become anything on this planet; it simply is. All karma-based attainment is a “becoming” process. You do not have to become; simply realize, “Who am I?”
Enlightenment in the World: The Example of King Janaka
Many people develop the misconception that because “I am Brahman and the world is Maya,” the ultimate goal is to renounce everything and live in a leafy hut, detached from the world. This is not necessarily so.
A healthy and complete understanding of these truths allows you to continue whatever role your karma has placed you in. If you have been a king, through enlightenment you will continue in a profound, liberated way. King Janaka, a renowned figure, attained enlightenment but found ruling his kingdom to be no obstacle whatsoever. It was like a flower that finds no contradiction with its wafting fragrance. Though performing actions, you will not be entangled in the world process.
Watch the full lecture: https://youtu.be/X0Ikte-eeQo
Join the Digital Ashram for daily wisdom on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/4dgDWKn
Support the Mission: https://bit.ly/3N3obPo