( French translation of Yogavasishtha )
THE INFLUENCE OF YOGA-VASISHTHA AND ITS KASHMIR CONNECTION
“When pots , etc.
are broken , the space within them becomes unlimited. So also when bodies cease
to exist, the self remains eternal and unattached .” .....Yogavasishtha
Vasishtha
Yog Samhita or Yogavasishtha is named after sage Vasishtha who is mentioned and
revered in the seventh book of the Rigveda, and who was called the first sage of the Vedanta school of Hindu
philosophy by Adi Shankara.
ABHINANDA BHATTA ‘S LAGHU YOGAVASISHTHA
Yogavasishtha
is traditionally attributed to Maharishi Valmiki, the author of Ramayana. However, this vast work was summarised some
centuries ago by Gauda Abhinanda ( also known as Abhinanda Pandita ), a
Kashmiri scholar, into 6,000 couplets, which go by the name
of "Laghu Yogavasishtha".Abhinanda Pandita was the
illustrious son of Jayanta Bhatta.Abhinanda, gave details of his family
tree in the introduction to his Sanskrit book ,
"Kadambari-katha-sara" . It is a versified abridgement of
Bāṇabhaṭṭa’s prose-romance called the Kādambarī
.In eight cantos , this work belongs to the class of poetical works composed in
the age of decadence. Abhinanda’s work is quoted by Abhinavagupta, Kṣemendra
and Bhoja . He was also known as
Abhinanda Bhatta.
Abhinanda Bhatta( Pandita) 's father, Jayanta Bhatta
was a poet , logician, philosopher, playwright and critic from Kashmir who
lived during the rule of King Shankeravarman ( 883-902 AD) of the
Utpala dynasty. Jayanta was also a scholar who had mastered Shastra and Agma .
His great-grandfather, Shaktiswamin Bhatta was a minister of King Lalitaditya
Muktapida. Jayanta was a prolific writer whose maximum work has been lost .
Many Western scholars consider Jayanta as a master-scholar of Indian logic. About
Jayanta Bhatta , the well-known scholar , R D Hegde writes this :-
“ Jayanta Bhatta’s contribution to Indian philosophy
is no less . He composed two Nyaya works ; Nyayakalika and Nyayamanjari . He
also composed an allegorical drama Agamadambara apart from a commentary on
Paninian Grammar . Except the Panini’s grammar , all other works have been
located, edited and translated into English. “
Laghu Yogavasishtha of Abhinanda Bhatta gained
worldwide popularity and was subjected to regular translations. Abhinanda
Bhatta ( Pandita) also retained the six chapters of the original
text but did pruning and summarization.In
this abridged text, almost all the words of the bigger one are reproduced
verbatim but the author has extracted the quintessence after clipping the
expansive descriptions etc. The text also has a commentary called
Vasistha-chandrika by Atmasukha.
Yogavasishtha has been translated into
Persian, English , Russian , German , Polish, French, Portuguese , Latvian,
Tamil , Telugu ,Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi and many other languages.This
philosophical treatise is divided into six chapters known as:-
(1) Vairaagya Prakarana( The State of Dispassion )
(2) Mumuksu Vyavahara Prakarana in (Exposition of the Behavior of the
Seeker), (3) Utapatti Prakarana Exposition of the arising and birth)
(4) Sthiti Prakarana (Exposition of the existence and settling),
(5) Upasama Prakarana (Exposition of the Patience and Tranquility)
(6) Nirvana Prakarana ( Exposition of the Liberation )
Thus
, Yogavasishtha consists of six books and about 32000 verses. Within these six
books are stories told by sage Vasishtha in the form of a dialogue with Sri Rama.
When Sri Rama realises the futility of existence and the misery it brings with
itself, he is struck with sorrow. When he seeks refuge in Rishi Vasishtha, the
enlightened Rishi takes him to the pinnacle of truth through a dialogue between
the two that later was captured in the scripture, Yogavasishtha. The timeless
dialogue interspersed with deep philosophical stories brings out astounding
truths about existence to destroy Sri Rama’s sorrow. In Ramayana, we
don't come across what Rishi Vashishtha taught to Sri Rama. Neither the
teachings of Rishi Vashishtha nor the circumstances that led to the
dialogue between Sri Rama and Rishi Vashishtha are elaborated upon
anywhere. For this, one needs to read Yogavasishtha to know both . It recounts
a discourse of the sage Vasishtha to the young Prince Sri Rama.
The
six books of the Yogavasishtha unfold the major Yogic and Hindu
philosophical and religious themes. According to Yogavasishtha, happiness
visits a human being should he sincerely work for it. His action or effort must
always be in four components. These components of effort are, Samo (quietude of
mind), Vichara ( spirit of Enquiry), Santosha ( contentment ) and Satsang (the
company of the realized ones). The philosophy of Yogavasishtha says that true
happiness resides in our nature. And our true nature is beyond pain and
pleasure. Pain and pleasure are reactions that arise from our cravings and bind
our consciousness. These verses have a philosophical foundation similar to
those found in Advaita Vedanta. It is a treatise on the universe, the human
mind, Maya, Brahman and the principles of non-duality.I am of a firm belief
that Yogavasishtha is the highest form of knowledge on subjects that have
tormented human minds since ancient times. I mean issues like : the Nature of
Self , Nature of Mind, Nature of Non-doer , Nature of attachment ,aversion
acceptance and Rejection,Nature of Liberation, Nature of Maya or Illusion,
Nature of Universe, Nature of Brahaman, Nature of Atman, Relative Nature
of Time, Life Outside Earth, Nature of Divine Dispensation or Fate ,
Practice of Yoga, Causes is Human Suffering, Purpose of Existence and
Creation, Self Correction Through Neti Neti, Theories of Existence and Free
Will , Role of Meditation and many many similar issues .
According
to Yogavasishtha , the world is as real as a mirage. In other words, it does
not exist! Modern physics seems to agree. A 2017 CERN (The European
Organization for Nuclear Research) study observes a complete symmetry between
matter and anti-matter in the universe. So, all the anti-matter in the universe
should have cancelled the matter in the universe, which further suggests that
the universe should not exist in the first place. Rishi Vasishtha explains this
mind-boggling truth when Sri Rama asks him where the world goes during dissolution. To this
query , Rishi Vasishtha says this :-
“Water in the mirage does not come into being and go
out of existence; even so, this world does not come out of the absolute nor
does it go anywhere. The creation of the world has no cause, and therefore it
has no beginning. It does not exist even now; how can it reach destruction?”
SOME
LOVERS OF YOGAVASISHTHA
Apart
from Hindus and many Western writers and philosophers , many Muslims have
also been lovers of Yogavasishtha .Dara
Shikoh was not only a lover of Upanishads but more profoundly a lover of
Yogavasishtha .The message and fame of Yogavasishtha reached the Safavids of
Iran. In the late sixteenth century , Nizam-ud-Din
Panipati translated Yogavasishtha into Persian and the translation came to
be known as Jug-Basisht. He did so at the specific request of Jalaluddin Akbar and dedicated his
translation to Prince Salim ( later Jahangir ). Akbar had heard about
Yogavasishtha from many Brahmins whom he met. Akbar also became an admirer and
lover of Yogavasishtha . The Safavid-era mystic Mir Findiriski (d. 1641) also got a translated copy of Jug- Basisht
and commented upon its various passages. Mirza
Abdul Qadir Bedil (1642-1720), a Sufi poet of the Indian School
known as ‘Sabk e Hindi’ was a lover of Yogavasishtha.It may not be out of place
to mention that Sultan Zain ul Abdin
of Kashmir, fondly known as Budshah was also a lover of Yogavasishtha. It was
Sanskrit scholar and his court historian Srivara who read passages from
‘Yogavasishtha ‘ and explained these to the liberal Sultan. Dr Zabiollah Safa ( former Professor
Emeritus, University of Tehran ) ,the renowned Persian scholar was also a
lover of Yogavasishtha .Dr Gopi Chand Narang, the well-known scholar and
authority on Ghalib writes this :-
“ Ghalib was highly
influenced by the Persian poetry of Mirza Abdul Qadir Bedil ( 1642-1720 ). Bedil was a
lover of Upanishads and had with him a Persian translation of “Yogavasishtha”
that he read and that influenced his thought."
Amongst Western scholars, David Gordon ( Professor University of California) , Christopher Chapple( American scholar
and Indologist ) , Eleonora Meier(
renowned Vedic scholar and author) Inese Kausa( Indologist from Belgium )
, Peter Thomi( German Indologist )
,Francois Chenet( French scholar and
Indologist ) , Walter Slaje(
Austrian Indologist ) ,Dr. Peter F
Freund( American Scholar and Indologist )and many more have done extensive
work on Yogavasishtha .There is hardly any university in Europe and the US that
has not encouraged work on ancient Indian scriptures including
Yogavasishtha .
Guru Gobind Singh ,Swami Vivekananda, Vinobha Bhave,Gurudev Tagore,
Sri Aurobindo , Swami Ram Tirath , Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan
are some names amongst many many lovers of Yogavasishtha in India. Indian
freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
has praised Yogavasishtha. I Quote from his Autobiography "My Transportation
For Life"
"All
of a sudden I fell upon the Yogavashistha, and I found it of such absorbing
interest that I have come to regard it ever since as the best work on the
Vedanta Philosophy. The propositions were so logical, the verse is so
beautiful, and the exposition is so thorough and penetrating that the soul
loses itself in raptures over it. Such a fine combination of philosophy and
poetry is a gift reserved only for Sanskrit poets"
I
end with some quotes from Yogavasishtha :-
(1) When pots, etc. are broken the space within them
becomes unlimited. So also when bodies cease to exist, the Self remains eternal and unattached.
(2) Whatever is seen does not truly exist. It is
like the mythical city of Gandharvas or a mirage. That which is not seen, though
within us, is called the eternal and indestructible Self.
(3) The world is full of misery to an ignorant man
and full of bliss to a wise man. The world is dark to a blind man and bright to
one who has eyes.
(4) Just as the cloth, when investigated, is seen to
be nothing but thread, so also this world, when enquired into, is (seen to be)
merely the Self.
(5) He who realizes that the whole universe is nothing but consciousness and remains quite
calm is protected by the armour of Brahman; he is happy.
(6) Just as a crystal is not stained by what is
reflected in it, so also a knower of truth is not affected by the result of his acts.
(7) He who neither likes nor dislikes the objects
seen by him and who acts (in the world) like one asleep, is said to be a liberated
person.
(8) O Rama, the mind has, by its activity, bound
itself; when it is calm it is free.
(9) The mind is bound by the latent impressions (Vasanas).
When there are no impressions it is free. Therefore, O Rama, bring about
quickly, through discrimination, the state in which there are no impressions.
(10) O Raghava ! You are bound firmly on all sides
by the idea, I am the body’. Cut that bond by the sword of knowledge ‘I am
Consciousness’ and be happy.
(
Avtar Mota)
PS
(1)…This author is beholden to many Sanskrit scholars and
translators from South India who made it possible for us to know Kashmiri poets , scholars, critics,
historians, aestheticians, logicians, chemists, musicians, rhetoricians,
philosophers, grammarians,translators, playwrights and artists right up to the
rule of Lohara Kings. Some of these great men from Kashmir who rose to eminence
the world over for their original contributions are, Rishi Vasugupta ,
Abhinavgupta , Khemraja , Kshemendra , Bilhana, Kalhana, Somadeva , Sharangadeva,Bhatta Narayana , Jayanta Bhatta,Rajanka Bhatta ,Ratnakara
,Sivaswamin,Srivara ,Bhallaṭa,Vamana,Jonaraja,Anandavardhana,
Udbhata, Kuntala , Mahima Bhatta,Silhana,Abhinanda Bhatta,
Panini, Charaka, Bhamaha, Gopendra, Namisadhu, Rudrata, Kuntaka, Mammaṭa, Vallavadeva,Dandin, Varahamihira, Utpala, Visakhila, Vamanagupta,
Manoratha, Padmagupta, Ratnakara, Mukula Bhatta, Kumarila Bhatta, Poetess
Vijjika, Sabaraswami, Bhatta Nayaka, Bhatta Tauta, Hemachandra,
Vidyadhara,Rajashekhara,Narendra, Ruyyaka, Sri Shankuka, Sambhunatha ,
Sumatinatha , Lollata ,Somendra,
Cakrapala, Muktakana, Bhogendra, Prakasendra and many more .
In the rich history of Sanskrit literature, Kashmir stands out for its remarkable
contribution. This author is also beholden to ‘The Adyar Library and Research
Centre’, Chennai for preserving these translations for posterity and also for
the scholars the world over. This author’s also
gratitude goes to ‘The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute’, Pune for
preserving some rare books and Sharada and Sanskrit manuscripts from Kashmir.
The contribution of the Kashmiris to the Sanskrit literature of India remains
unparalleled. Even the Chitrasutra part of Vishnudharmotrapuran is believed to
have been written by a Kashmiri Pandit. The best commentators on Rasa and
Dhvani theory of Natyashastra have been Kashmiris. And Bilhana remains a
distinguished poet from Kashmir in this contribution.
(2)…Rishi
Vasishtha is a sage in Hindu religion. He is one of the seven seers or
Saptarishi in the first Manvantara, and is considered one of the mind-born sons
of the god Brahma. He is also the author of many hymns in the Rigveda and is
considered one of the most respected Rishis in Hindu tradition. He is also
known for being the teacher of Sri Rama. According to Ellison Findly – a professor of Religion,
Vasishtha hymns in the Rigveda are
among the most intriguing in many ways and influential. Vasishtha emphasizes
means to be as important as ends during one's life encouraging truthfulness,
devotion, optimism, family life, sharing one's prosperity with other members of
society, among other cultural values. Rishi Vasistha is considered to be one of the most powerful
sages in Hindu mythology for his immense knowledge, wisdom, and power to control the elements of nature. His
teachings and wisdom have been immortalized in various Hindu scriptures and are
still relevant today.
(3)…Swami
Tejomayananda , a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda has done a wonderful work
by bringing out the essence of 32000 verses of Yogavasishtha in
only 86 verses that have been beautifully translated into English with
lucid commentary . These 86 verses are spread over 151 pages of his
book titled, 'A Glimpse Into Yogavasishtha ' available for just 135
rupees.
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