# 168 Dialogue between Sri Rama and Rishi Vaasishtha (a glimpse)

During this time leading to Sri Rama Navami, the birthday of Sri Rama on earth it would be nice to hear of a small dialogue between Sri Rama and Rishi Vaashishtha. The dialogue called Yoga Vaasishtha written by Rishi Valmiki spans almost 32000 verses, bigger than even Ramayana which has 24000 verses. Also called Uttara Ramayana it has been composed by Rishi Valmiki.  Now only about 29000 verses of this text are available and it being very long, Laghu Yoga Vaashishtha with 6000 verses has been extracted.

The context is that just before 16 years of age, Rama as a young teenager was despondent. Rishi Vaashishtha shares the knowledge which liberates him. This is done through six books. The first book presents Rama’s frustration with the limitations of the different stages of living, human suffering and indifference towards the world. The second book describes, through the character of Rama, the desire for liberation and the nature of those who seek such liberation. The third and fourth books show that liberation comes through a spiritual life, one that requires self-effort and  the framework of creation and manifestation. All of the teaching is presented through different stories. These two books emphasize free will and shakti of a human being.The fifth book discusses meditation and its role in the liberation of a person while the last book describes the joy of an enlightened Rama.

This teaching to Sri Rama by Rishi Vashishtha brings home many facts – 1. Avataaras in a human form like Sri Rama could also feel despondent and lose interest in life and living. And 2. Avataaras like Sri Rama valued the knowledge that would help them discover their freedom. 3. Despite one’s prowess and achievements, one seeks to know from a teacher.  It highlights that every being goes through difficult phases in a human form, can seek help and be liberated through self-knowledge despite the limitations of one’s form.  

Rishi tells Sri Rama

Mokshadvaare dvaarapaalaa: chatvaarah parikirtitaa:

Shamo vichaarah santoshah chaturthah sadhusangamah

In the gateway to moksha, it is declared that there are four door keepers. These are shamah – peace that comes from psychological resolution, vichaarah – enquiry, santosha – contentment and sadhusangama – association with wise people.

Rishi adds – efforts must be made to persevere with all the four, three or two of them, Or else persevere with one of them with full effort. Even if one is mastered all the others also come along.

Each of these doorkeepers to moksha are elaborated upon.

The first one is shamah. All difficulties, desires and unbearable mental agony perish if the mind is peaceful just like  darkness perishes with rays of light.

Shamah – peace is not gained by drinking some magical potions nor by Lakshmi aalinganena – an embrace by the goddess of wealth – but by a resolution and coming to terms with different aspects of life. It is only the one endowed with shamah that shines among sadhus, wise people, people who are strong, people who are rich in virtues and people who perform different ritual offerings.

Peace of mind that everyone seeks, is gained by dropping resistance to what is and accepting reality. What we have done in the past may disturb us and we can gain some peace if we forgive ourselves by extending compassion to oneself. Whatever I did was on the basis of the information and maturity that I had back then. I am much wiser now and will not repeat the same mistake. We focus on the present.

The second door keeper is vichaara or enquiry. By reflecting the intellect becomes sharp and can see the truth directly and clearly.

Dirgha sansaara rogasya vichaaro hi mahaushadham

For this prolonged disease of the struggle of becoming, enquiry into oneself is the great medicine.

Lest we think that the enquiry is into some aspect of the world around us, Rishi Vaashishtha adds the kind of enquiry to be done,

ko aham kasya cha samsaarah ityaapadyapi dheemataa

chintaneeyam prayatnena sapratikaaramaatmanaa

Who am I ? Whose is this worldly existence? These questions should be pondered over by the wise with perseverance, even in adversity.

He adds – Who am I ? How was this defect called samsara attained? Reflection based on logic such as this is called enquiry.

One must persevere with this and not leave it half way.

The third doorkeeper is santosha – contentment.

Rishi says that the one who is content approaches Ishvara too who is of the nature of sukha, happiness. Whoever is calm by drinking the nectar of contentment, he has reached satisfaction. A content person does not feel dejection or its opposite, having given up the wish that was not obtained and remains equanimous.

Rishi Vaasishtha is talking about an aspect of the disposition of karma yoga to results that are less than what we expected or different from what we expected.

We counter the restless frenzy of our repetitive patterns of ‘I am not enough and I don’t have enough’ by recognizing that ‘I am enough’ and ‘I have enough – I value what I have’. You can aspire for more but it begins with being content with what we already are and what we already have. Try saying this – I am enough… ‘I am enough for what needs to be done’. As you see the meaning of this, you recognize it to be true. If you feel you are not enough, there are people around you, whose help you can seek. As you say, ‘I am enough’, feel the breeze of contentment that sweeps over you.     

Rishi further adds, ‘He is called a content person who is of gentle and proper conduct – saumya samaachaara, who does not long for what has not been acquired and enjoys what has arrived in due order.’

In other words, he is encouraging us to describe ourselves not by the outcome of our karma or by external situations. We can describe ourselves by our enduring qualities that are inherent to us over which we have more control than over the external situation.

Since the situations are always changing how can one define oneself by the external situation?  

Finally, the fourth door keeper is sadhusamaagamah,  association with sadhus or virtuous people. Sarvatra upakaroti – the one who seeks to benefit all, who has no hidden agenda is a sadhu. In the presence of a sadhu, even a calamity appears like an advantage.

In other words we stop looking at situations as stacked against us. Rather we see situations as given, as opportunities for growth.

Rishi Vaashishtha says that being in the presence and associating with wise people is like   being bathed by the cool moonlight and the holy waters of the Ganga. These sages, who are knowers of the truth in whom the knots of ignorance have been broken, who are honored by all, should be worshipped by all means.

These four means – peace of mind, self enquiry, contentment and sadhusamagamaah will help us to cross over samsara which is filled with water of confusion. These must be practiced again and again.

One could walk through any doorway. The others will follow.

If there is adequate peace of mind then we have the leisure to do self-enquiry.

If we start with self enquiry due to disturbing events we will gain peace of mind as we clarify the real reason for our disturbance, namely our excessive identification with externals.         

 If we start with having a sense of contentment then we recognize the blessings that we have which lend itself to self enquiry.

If we start with sadhu samaagamah, company of the wise, then there is an experience of contentment as we see ourselves as completely acceptable. Further we also see that the cheerfulness and tranquillity they enjoy is because of self enquiry. And hence we are prompted to do it ourselves.

Thus we got a glimpse of the beginning of the teaching in the abridged version of the Yoga Vaasishtha. May we be blessed.