Day 292 -The Epic Journey of Vipascit: A Quest Across the World

Day 292 -The Epic Journey of Vipascit: A Quest Across the World

Vasistha continued the narration:

The Conquest of the World (Digvijaya)

The four kings, who were manifestations of Vipascit, embarked on a campaign known as digvijaya, or the conquest of the world. Driven by the omnipotent indwelling consciousness, they pursued their enemies across great distances. Their journey was relentless, with no rest or respite. As they marched, both their own forces and the enemies they chased began to weaken and perish. Eventually, even the powerful missiles they wielded became ineffective, like a fire extinguished after consuming all its fuel.

The Encounter with the Limitless Oceans

The kings, each heading in a different direction, were met by vast and endless oceans. A terrible rainstorm had turned the land to mud, causing their remaining missiles to disintegrate. As they stood at the ocean's edge, they marveled at its boundless expanse. The ministers accompanying the kings pointed out the natural wonders that surrounded them: lush forests, towering mountains, drifting clouds, and the diverse tribes living in the hills.

The Ocean as a Metaphor for Brahman

The ministers drew a comparison between the ocean and the nature of Brahman, the ultimate reality. Just as Brahman, though one, appears divided into the diverse world, the ocean, though a singular entity, seems to be split into different seas and waves. It embodies both the eternal and the transient. The ministers pointed out that within these oceans lay various mysteries: Lord Narayana resting, demons hiding, and mountains submerged. Beneath the ocean lay a cosmic fire of unimaginable heat, alongside the clouds of cosmic dissolution.

The Mystery of Space

The ministers continued to reflect on the nature of space, comparing it to the incomprehensible and illusory nature of reality. Space, though appearing empty, is home to countless stars and planets, a battlefield where light (gods) and darkness (demons) clash. Yet, space remains unaffected, wise, and unchanged despite bearing the sun, the divine beings, and even darkness itself. It symbolizes the concept of Maya—the illusion that shapes the material world. Though space does nothing and holds nothing, it allows everything to grow and flourish.

Nature's Spiritual Parallels

The ministers also spoke of the lessons that could be drawn from observing nature. The crane, for instance, diligently catches fish, but its behavior is sometimes twisted by wicked people to justify selfish actions. Meanwhile, the peacock drinks only pure rainwater and constantly remembers the rain-bearing clouds, teaching that even unpleasant experiences become bearable when one is devoted to something higher.

A Tale of Love and Longing

During their journey, the kings came across a young couple reunited after a long separation. The young man, overcome with love, told his beloved about a day during their time apart. He had prayed to a cloud to send her a message and then fainted from longing. Mistaken for dead, he was taken to the cremation ground, where he was placed on a pyre. As the flames rose, he shouted, "Fire, fire," and miraculously returned to life, reuniting with his beloved to the joy of all present.

The Fire God’s Boon

After hearing these accounts, the fourfold Vipascit worshipped the sacred fire. The fire-god appeared and granted their wish to behold the universe in its totality. The kings prayed for the ability to see the world composed of the five elements as much as possible with their physical bodies and beyond that through their minds. The fire-god granted this boon and then disappeared.

Rama's Question and Vasistha’s Explanation

Rama asked how the fourfold Vipascit, though one person with a unified consciousness, could entertain different desires. Vasistha explained that consciousness, while singular and non-dual, can appear diverse like the mind in a dream. Just as a mirror reflects various objects due to its purity, consciousness reflects everything placed before it.

The Diverse Adventures of Vipascit

Each of the four Vipascits experienced unique adventures:

• The Vipascit who journeyed east slept for seven years on the slopes of the sunrise mountain in Saka, enchanted by celestial beings. After drinking water from a rock, he became like stone.
• The Vipascit who traveled west was captivated by a nymph and spent a month in her company.
• Another Vipascit remained hidden in a turmeric forest and transformed into a lion for ten days under a celestial's charm, later living as a frog for ten years.
• The Vipascit who ventured north dwelt for a hundred years in a blind well in Nilagiri (the blue mountain).

Each king's journey was a reflection of the one consciousness experiencing diverse realities, akin to Lord Vishnu performing multiple functions with his four arms.

The Philosophical Reflection

Vasistha concluded by explaining that consciousness, like water that takes many forms simultaneously, can perform various functions in different places and times. This story of Vipascit serves as an allegory for the non-dual nature of consciousness, which appears diverse yet remains one.