Day 265 - The Essence of Liberation: The Teachings of Vasistha to Rama

Day 265 - The Essence of Liberation: The Teachings of Vasistha to Rama

1. Ignorance and Liberation

Valmiki begins by discussing the nature of ignorance and how it leads to suffering. Ignorant individuals, trapped in the illusion of worldly existence (samsara), experience fleeting happiness amidst their sorrows. In contrast, the enlightened are always in a state of bliss and joy, unaffected by external events. Despite the apparent reality of the world, the self (consciousness) remains untouched by ignorance. Valmiki emphasizes that while evil karma binds the ignorant, worship, self-effort, and contemplation of the absolute can lead one to liberation.

2. The Path to Inner Peace

Valmiki continues by prescribing practical steps for those seeking peace and control over the mind. He recommends meditation, pranayama (breath control), and the gradual withdrawal of the senses from external objects. Through self-enquiry, one must trace the origin of the body, senses, mind, and intellect and return them to their source—cosmic consciousness. The ultimate aim is to dissolve the individual ego and merge into the universal self, beyond form and duality.

3. Dissolution of Elements and the Self

Valmiki explains the process of merging the elements of the body (earth, water, fire, air, space) back into their cosmic origins. By transcending the three states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, one can reach turiya—the fourth state of consciousness, a state of pure awareness. In this state, all individuality is dissolved, and the yogi realizes oneness with the infinite.

4. Bharadvaja’s Realization

The sage Bharadvaja, having followed Valmiki’s teachings, declares that he has now dissolved the subtle body and is experiencing the ocean of bliss. He likens his realization to a salt doll dissolving into the sea—completely merging with the infinite. Bharadvaja realizes that he is none other than the supreme Brahman, the eternal, pure, and indivisible consciousness.

5. Actions and Non-Actions of the Liberated

Bharadvaja, now enlightened, asks Valmiki about the role of actions for those who have attained self-knowledge. Valmiki explains that enlightened beings perform only actions free from selfish motives and desires. They realize that the self is beyond the body and mind and are no longer bound by the ego-sense of “I” and “mine.”

In this state, they are free from attachment to the waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states and remain in transcendental consciousness. Valmiki urges Bharadvaja to immerse himself in the ocean of peace and wisdom, abandoning all notions of diversity.

6. Rama’s Awakening and Visvamitra’s Praise

As Rama becomes absorbed in the self through Vasistha’s teachings, the sage Visvamitra recognizes the profound transformation in him. He praises Vasistha for the spiritual energy (shakti-pata) he has transmitted to Rama, awakening him to his true nature. Visvamitra reveals that Rama is none other than the supreme being, the creator, protector, and redeemer of all.

Vasistha, recognizing Rama’s potential, reminds him of his duties to the world and urges him to return to body-consciousness to fulfill his role in the cosmic order. Vasistha enters Rama’s heart through his sushumna nadi (central energy channel), awakening his physical consciousness. Rama, now fully enlightened, acknowledges that there is nothing to do or not do but promises to honor Vasistha’s words.

7. The Final Teachings on Liberation

Rama asks Vasistha how one can live without the will to act, as abandonment of actions might seem to lead to the cessation of life. Vasistha clarifies that abandoning the egosense and mental conditioning, not the body, is the path to liberation. The wise abandon notions and memory, living in the present without clinging to the past or future.

Vasistha encourages Rama to live like a potter's wheel, continuing action without mental activity, just as the wheel spins from previous momentum. He emphasizes that action should be performed without attachment to its outcomes or the desire for pleasure or profit. When this is done, the external world no longer binds the mind, and sensation leads inward toward the self.

8. The End of Delusion

Valmiki concludes by reminding Bharadvaja that delusion (samsara) ends when one becomes a lover of Brahman, the supreme self. The abandonment of thoughts of “I” and “mine” leads to emancipation. Valmiki encourages Bharadvaja to tread the path of wisdom and yoga to attain the highest realization and eternal bliss.

Vasistha’s teachings, conveyed through Valmiki, present a clear path to liberation: abandonment of mental conditioning, realization of the self, and the cessation of ego-driven actions. Rama’s journey to self-realization exemplifies the power of inner transformation and the attainment of supreme bliss.