Day 46

Recognizing the Nihility of the Phenomenal World

Understanding the Supreme Soul

In this chapter, Shri Ram seeks to comprehend the nature and location of the Supreme Soul. Sage Vasishtha explains that the Supreme Soul is present within our own bodies, and understanding it leads to liberation.

1. Immanence of the Supreme Soul

   - Vasishtha clarifies that the Supreme Soul is not distant but resides within every individual.

   - It is identified as pure Intellect, comprehensible only to those who have realized it.

2. Unity of the Supreme Soul

   - The Supreme Soul is all-encompassing, although the visible world is not the entirety of the omnipresent Divine.

   - Unity prevails, with the Supreme Soul being one and not merely the visible world.

3. Attributes of the Divine

   - The Intellect, present in deities like Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma, is a fragment of the Supreme Soul.

   - The sun, too, is a particle of this Divine Intellect.

4. Questioning the Purpose

   - Shri Ram questions the purpose of naming the world differently when it is inherently intelligent.

   - Vasishtha asserts that mere intelligence does not lead to liberation, emphasizing the importance of discernment.

5. Nature of Animal Soul

   - The animal soul, although incorporeal, is ignorant and susceptible to pain.

   - The mind, capable of intelligence, often inclines towards negativity.

6. Intellectual Liberation

   - True liberation arises from intellectual liberation, freeing the mind from worldly thoughts.

   - Understanding the distinction between rational and irrational states is essential.

7. Supreme Being and Liberation

   - One who perceives the Supreme Being transcends worldly doubts and the cycle of transmigration.

   - Longing for perceptibles persists until the mind's perception of the visible world is erased.

8. Effacing Perception

   - Erasing perception involves avoiding external stimuli, leading to a longing for the unintelligible Intelligence.

   - Vasishtha emphasizes the need to focus on the internal, intellectual aspect.

9. Recognition of the Animal Soul

   - Animal souls longing for the intelligent soul are considered wise.

   - Those considering the animal soul as the life force remain ignorant of true knowledge.

10. Liberation through Knowledge

    - Liberation comes when the Supreme Soul is known, putting an end to worldly woes.

    - Recognition of the Supreme Soul is the key to salvation.

11. Understanding the Supreme Soul's Form

    - Shri Ram inquires about the true form of the Supreme Soul that liberates the mind from errors.

    - Vasishtha explains that the Supreme Soul is realized within oneself, analogous to being conscious of the mind within.

12. Depth of Consciousness

    - The Supreme Soul is known within the depths of our minds, similar to the fading of external knowledge during meditation.

    - Awareness of the Supreme Soul extinguishes the perception of the beholder and the visible world.

13. Formless Unity

    - Knowing the Supreme Soul leads to the forgetting of both subjective and objective knowledge.

    - The Supreme Soul is a substantive vacuity, the substratum of all existence.

14. The Essence of the Supreme Soul

    - The Supreme Soul is the essence within, appearing as a vacuous plenum containing the entire universe.

    - It is the formless unity of vacuity and fullness.

In this chapter, Vasishtha elucidates the nature of the Supreme Soul, emphasizing internal realization and the cessation of external perceptions for true liberation.

Citation: THE YOGA-VASISHTHA MAHARAMAYANA OF VALMIKI, VOL. 1 (OF 4), Book III, Chapter VII.