Day 251 - The Story of the Philosopher's Stone: A Lesson in Enlightenment

Day 251 - The Story of the Philosopher's Stone: A Lesson in Enlightenment

Queen Cudala’s Powers and Her Unwavering Devotion

Vasistha began by recounting the story of Queen Cudala, a great Siddha-Yogini endowed with extraordinary psychic powers. She could travel across the skies, explore the deepest oceans, and even move effortlessly through substances like wood, rock, and water. She mingled with celestial beings and sages without leaving the side of her husband, King Sikhidhvaja.

Despite her powers, Cudala's husband remained ignorant of higher spiritual truths. She made many attempts to enlighten him, but her efforts were met with laughter and dismissal. Sikhidhvaja was blinded by delusion and did not respond to her wisdom. Sensing his resistance, Cudala wisely refrained from flaunting her abilities before him.

Rama’s Question: How Can One Attain Enlightenment?

Rama was puzzled and asked, "If even a powerful yogini like Cudala couldn’t bring enlightenment to her husband, how does one attain it at all?"

Vasistha’s Answer: The Role of Purity in Enlightenment

Vasistha explained that while a teacher's instruction is valuable, it is not the sole cause of enlightenment. True self-knowledge comes from within, much like a snake knows its own way. He likened the journey of a disciple to that of a miserly villager searching for a lost coin.

One day, this villager lost a single copper coin in the forest and began searching for it tirelessly. As he searched, calculating how the coin could grow his wealth, onlookers mocked him. However, after three days of relentless searching, he found something far more valuable—a philosopher’s stone.

The Moral of the Story: A Deeper Search Leads to True Treasure

The lesson, Vasistha explained, is that just as the miser’s miserliness led him to find a treasure he wasn’t seeking, the disciple’s pursuit of knowledge often reveals something far greater than expected. The true cause of enlightenment is the purity of one’s consciousness. Although the guidance of a teacher can set the disciple on the right path, the ultimate discovery is made by the disciple alone.

Sikhidhvaja's Delusion and Search for Solitude

Vasistha continued, recounting how King Sikhidhvaja, devoid of self-knowledge, became overwhelmed with grief and delusion. He sought solace in solitude, performing royal duties only when forced by his ministers. He indulged in charity and austerities, but none of these actions brought him peace.

Finally, after much deliberation, Sikhidhvaja decided to renounce his kingdom and retreat into the forest as an ascetic. He shared his decision with Cudala, describing his love for the forest and comparing its beauty to hers. He firmly believed that only the ascetic life could bring him peace and enlightenment.

Cudala’s Counsel and the King's Departure

Queen Cudala, sensing the inappropriateness of her husband’s decision, advised him against abandoning his duties at such a young age. She argued that ascetic life is suited to old age and urged him to wait. However, Sikhidhvaja was resolute. He left that very night, secretly departing for the forest.

In the forest, he built a simple hermitage and devoted his days to meditation, worship, and the repetition of mantras. For years, he lived a life of austerity, far removed from the kingdom and its pleasures.

Cudala’s Search and Realization

Upon waking the next morning and discovering her husband’s absence, Cudala was distressed. She decided to find him and accompany him in his journey. Using her psychic abilities, she flew through the skies in search of Sikhidhvaja. Upon finding him in the forest, she realized through her psychic vision that events would unfold as they were destined.

Cudala returned to the palace, maintaining the affairs of the state while her husband lived as an ascetic. For eighteen years, they lived apart, until one day she saw that her husband's mind was finally ripe for enlightenment.

Cudala’s Disguise and the Path to Enlightenment

Deciding that the time had come to help her husband, Cudala once again flew to the forest. She observed that Sikhidhvaja had grown old, emaciated, and disillusioned. He had lost his youthful appearance and was clothed in the rough garments of an ascetic, his once radiant color now dulled.

Realizing that her husband might reject her teachings as before, Cudala cleverly transformed herself into a young brahmana ascetic. She descended from the sky in this disguise and stood before Sikhidhvaja.

The king was delighted by the radiant young ascetic and welcomed him warmly, offering worship and expressing admiration for the ascetic’s peace and tranquility. Sikhidhvaja, unaware that this ascetic was his wife in disguise, praised the guest for his austerity and begged to know his identity.

The True Cause of Enlightenment

In this way, Vasistha concluded, the queen Cudala, through patience, wisdom, and careful strategy, sought to guide her husband toward the self-knowledge he had been searching for all along. Just like the philosopher’s stone found by the miser, enlightenment often comes when least expected and through methods that may not always seem direct.

Key Takeaways: The Path to Self-Knowledge

1. Enlightenment Comes From Within: A teacher can guide, but the true cause of self-knowledge is the purity of the seeker’s consciousness.
2. Persistence in the Journey: Like the miser who found the philosopher’s stone, seekers often find the greatest treasures when they pursue their quest relentlessly, even if the path seems unclear.
3. The Role of Delusion: Sikhidhvaja's journey shows that delusion and ignorance can cloud even the purest of intentions, but through right guidance and persistence, one can achieve self-realization.
4. Disguises in the Journey: Sometimes, truth and wisdom come to us in unexpected forms, much like how Cudala disguised herself to bring enlightenment to her husband.

In the end, self-knowledge is a deeply personal journey, where the guidance of a teacher, while invaluable, must be paired with the seeker’s own inner purity and dedication.