A Tale For A Bala (Child)

By

Sri Swami Sivananda

This article is a chapter from the book Stories From Yoga Vasishtha.

Vasishtha said: “O undaunted Rama! the mind of a sage is not any different from Brahman. The mind of the unenlightened one is the cause of his ignorance and error. There are infinite Shaktis in Brahman, namely, Iccha Shakti, Kriya Shakti, Jnana Shakti, Bhuma Shakti, Akarta Shakti, etc. The Supreme Brahman is full, perfect and undecaying. His power of fluctuation is present in the air; His power of hardness is present in the stone; of heat, in fire; of vacuity, in ether; and of fluidity, in water. His bliss is felt in the hearts of the holy; His prowess is seen in Yogis; His creative power in the works of His creation; and His power of destruction in the cosmic Pralaya at the end of a great Kalpa. Just as the tree is contained in the seed, so also everything is contained in Brahman. Brahman is One. He manifests as many through His illusory power. Brahman Himself manifests as Manas or mind through thinking, as the Jivatma or the individual soul through the Upadhi or limiting adjunct of Avidya, as Ishwara through the Upadhi of Maya, and as the universe through Vikshepa Shakti or projecting power.

“Bondage and freedom are conceptions of the ignorant. It is wrong to speak of the bondage of the soul, which is ever free. It is futile to seek the emancipation of the soul, which is always emancipated. To the men of this world who are sunk in the mire of ignorance the world is as real as the fabulous old grandmother’s tale narrated by a mother to her little boy.”

Rama said: “O venerable Guru! please narrate the story to me. I am eager to hear it.”

Thereupon, Vasishtha narrated the story: “A certain boy once asked his mother to narrate to him some pretty story for his amusement. Whereupon the mother related the following mythical story:

“ ‘Once upon a time, three princes lived in a city called Void. They were very noble, virtuous and brave. Of these three, two were never born and the third never entered the womb for being conceived. They started on a journey and took rest in the garden of Akasa. They ate various kinds of fruit and continued their journey in the upward direction. Having gone a long way, at midday they came across a confluence of three rivers, running with its rapid currents and swelling waves. Of these three rivers, two had no water in them, while in the third there was nothing but white sand. They all took their bath in the last river and sported for a long time and drank some water which was as sweet as milk, and thus they cheered their spirits. They resumed their journey and reached a town at sunset which was not then in existence and there built three houses. One house had no foundation, the second had no walls and the third had neither walls nor roof. The three princes dwelt very comfortably in these three beautiful houses that were built in an invisible town in the Akasa. They found three pots in their houses. The first two broke into pieces upon being lifted, and the third was reduced to dust on being touched. They placed in these pots eight measures of rice minus twelve measures, and cooked the same in a wonderful manner without water and fire. They distributed the food to countless mouthless, tongueless and toothless Brahmins. The three princes partook of the remaining food with glee. In the evening they went out hunting and spent their time in a pleasant manner:’

“When the mother had finished her story, the boy was very much pleased at what he had heard. He believed that the story was quite a true one.

“Similarly, ignorant persons who possess neither discrimination nor Atmic enquiry believe that this world is quite real. This air-built castle of the world, which is taken as a reality, is like the story narrated to the boy, which is only a fabrication of the imagination of the boy’s mother. The mother has given a name and a form to an airy nothing. Even so, the mind has given a name and a form to these illusory objects of this false world. This universe is nothing but of the nature of Sankalpa. The mind generates this world. Nothing is really existent save the creations of your imagination. The imagination fashions all the objects in their peculiar fanciful forms. The heavens, earth, sky, air, rivers, mountains, trees, etc., are all creations of your Sankalpa or imagination, like the visions in your dreams. Imagination gives a shape to an airy nothing. Expansion of this mind alone is Sankalpa and Sankalpa generates this world through its power of differentiation. The whole universe is the network of Sankalpa. Sankalpa is the most active power of the mind. Therefore, O Rama, annihilate all Sankalpas and attain the Nirvikalpa state wherein there are no modifications of the mind or Sankalpas.

“O Rama! only ignorant persons are subject to errors caused by their false imagination. They take this illusory world as a reality. They attribute perishable properties to the imperishable Atman or Soul. Their minds ever fluctuate through their Sankalpas or thoughts. They identify themselves with their bodies. But the sages are entirely free from wrong conceptions and errors. This world is like a mirage for them. They always identify themselves with the immortal Atman.

“O Rama! abandon your wrong view of the reality of the world. Give up all that is false and untrue. Brahman or the immortal, all-pervading Self, who is the true substratum and support of all, is the only Reality. Enquire into the nature of the Truth. You are never bound. You are ever free. When Brahman alone is the only Reality, where is Jiva? Where is mind? Where is bondage? Where is freedom? Who is bound? Who attains salvation? Bondage and freedom are all false imaginations of the mind.

“The connection of the perishable body with the immortal soul is like that of a pot and the ether in it. The unreal world appears as a reality to us and the imaginary duration of the universe is like a long dream in our sleep. This world is a long dream. This world is a huge forest. It is filled with the serpents of disease and death. Mind is the lord of this forest. It drives us to all sorts of pitfalls and difficulties. It is the thought or idea of the world that is the cause of its existence. O Rama! annihilate this world from your mind through enquiry, reason and discrimination. The mind through its restless desires involves you in pain and death.

“Do not give a loose rein to the mind. Curb it ruthlessly. Restrain it. Annihilate it. You will soon cognise the Truth and attain the final emancipation. All pains, sorrows and delusions will terminate.”