(33) Rama states his wretchedness

​ EXTRACT FROM MUMUKSHU VYAVAHAARA PRAKARANAM

श्री राम उवाच

भगवन् सर्वधर्मज्ञ प्रतिष्टामलमागतं यल्लोके तद्वद ब्रह्मन्दैवं नाम किमुच्यते ।

Rama spoke: Bhagavan! You know all the Dharmas! Tell me what this thing called Daivam which is so well established in the world?

श्री वसिष्ट उवाच

पौरुषं सर्वकार्याणां कर्तृ राघव नेतरत्फ​लभोक्तृ च सर्वत्र न दैवं तत्र कारणम् ।

दैवं न किञ्चित्कुरुते न भुङ्क्ते न च विद्यते न दृश्यते नाद्रियते केवलं कल्पनेदृशी ।  

Vasishta spoke:  Rama, Paurusha alone is the agent of action of all actions; and gets the experience of the fruit; not anything else. Daivam causes nothing.

Daivam does not do anything, does not enjoy anything, and does not exist; is not seen; is not considered as real by wise ones; it is just an imagined concept.

सिद्धस्य पौरुषेणेह फलस्य फलशालिना शुभाशुभसंपत्तिर्दैवशब्देन कथ्यते ।

पौरुषोपनता नित्यमिष्टानिष्टस्य वस्तुनः प्राप्तिरिष्टाप्यनिष्टा वा दैवशब्देन कथ्यते ।

भावी त्वश्यमेवार्थः पुरुषार्थैकसाधनः यः सोऽस्मिँल्लोकसंघाते दैवशब्देन कथ्यते ।

Paurusha definitely gives fruit; and when the fruit is obtained as good bad, it is known by the word of Daivam. A result is obtained through the application of Paurusha as liked or disliked; and the liked or disliked is known by the name of Daivam. That result which is definite to occur, which is made possible only through Paurusha, is known by the name of Daivam by the people when they meet together.

ननु राघव लोकस्य कस्यचित्किंचिदेव हि दैवमाकाशरूपं हि करोति न करोति च ।

Raaghava! Something that belongs to the world as emptiness and known as Daivam does everything (for the ignorant), does not do anything (for the wise.)

पुरुषार्थस्य सिद्धस्य​ शुभाशुभफलोदये इदमित्थं स्थितमिति योक्तिस्तद्दैवमित्युच्यते ।

When the fruits rise up by the means of Paurusha only, yet when success or failure is met with, it is described as ‘this is how it happened (as driven by Daivam)’; and that alone is spoken of as Daivam.

इष्टानिष्टफलप्राप्ताविदमित्यस्य वाचकमाश्वासनामात्रवचो दैवमित्येव कथ्यते ।

When result is obtained as liked or disliked, ‘this’ as referred to by just a word as matter of consolation, is known by the name of Daivam.

श्री राम उवाच भगवन् सर्वधर्मज्ञ यत्प्राक्कर्मोपसंचितं तद्दैवमियुक्तमपमृष्टं कथं त्वया ।

Rama spoke: Bhagavan! SarvaDharmajna! The collected result of the past actions alone is termed as Daivam. How can you contradict that?

श्री वसिष्ट उवाच साधु राघव जानासि शृणु वक्ष्यामि तेsखिलं दैवं नास्तीति ते येन स्थिरा बुद्धिर्भविष्यति ।

Vasishta spoke: Spoken well Raaghava! Listen, I will prove to you how Daivam is not there so that your intellect will be free of doubts and be steady.

या मनोवासना पूर्वं बभूव किल भूरिशः सैवेयं कर्मभावेन नृणां परिणतिं गता ।

जन्तुर्यद्वासनो राम तत्कर्मा भवति क्षणाद​न्यकर्मान्यभावश्चेत्येतन्नैवोपपद्यते  ।  

The Vaasanaa which lurks in the mind for a prolonged time alone manifests fully and gets known by the name of Karma. (Thought becomes words; and words become actions.)

Vaasanaa of a person alone becomes the Karma instantly.

Different action and different want cannot happen ever.

ग्रामगो ग्राममाप्नोति पत्तनार्थी च पत्तनं यो यो यद्वासनस्तत्र स स प्रयतते सदा ।  

A man who wants to go to village goes only to the village; a man who wants to go to the city goes only to the city. Whatever Vaasanaa is there in a man, he tries to fulfill it always.

यदेव तीव्रसंवेगाद्दृढं कर्म कृतं पुरा तदेव दैवशब्देन पर्यायेणेह कथ्यते ।

Whatever action has been done in the past with high intensity (moved by a thick Vaasanaa), that alone is referred to as a synonymous word for Daivam.

एवं कर्मस्थकर्माणि कर्मपौढा स्ववासना वासना मनसो नान्या मनो हि पुरुष स्मृतः ।

In this manner, all the actions belonging to the performers of actions is one’s own Vaasanaa maturing into an action. Vaasanaa is not different from the mind; Mind alone is considered as the man.

यद्दैवं तानि कर्माणि कर्म साधो मनो हि तन्मनो हि पुरुषस्तस्माद्दैवं नास्तीति निश्चयः  ।

What is referred to as Daivam is the action; action hey good one, is the mind; mind is the man; so it is certain that Daivam does not exist.

एषैव​ मनोजन्तुर्य​द्यद्प्रयतते हितं कृतं तत्तदवाप्नोति स्वत एव हि दैवतः।

This living thing acting as the mind indeed attains whatever he strives for getting his benefit by becoming his own Daivam.

मनश्चित्तं वासना च कर्म दैवं च निश्चयः राम दुर्निश्चयस्यैताः संज्ञाः सद्भिरुदाहृताः ।

एवंनामा हि पुरुषो दृढभावनया यथा नित्यं प्रयतते राम फलमाप्नोत्यलं तथा ।

Rama! Mind, Chitta Vaasanaa, Karma, Daivam, determined; are the terms invented for the fools with unstable minds by the wise.

Rama! The ‘man’ who is referred to by all these terms, if he tries hard with firm mind at all times, he obtains the fruit for definite.

एवं पुरुषकारेण सर्वमेवेह रघूद्वह प्राप्यते नेतरेण तस्मात्स​ शुभदोsस्तु ते।  

In this manner, Raghoodvaha, everything is obtained through human endeavor only, not through anything else. May such an effort become fruitful to you!

श्री राम उवाच प्राक्तनं वासनाजालं नियोजयति मां यथा तथैव तिष्ठामि मुने कृपणः किं करोम्यहं ।  

Rama spoke: I am a wretched person walking on the path set by the net of Vaasanaas of the past.

What can I do?

श्री वसिष्ट उवाच अतैव​ हि राम त्वं श्रेयः प्राप्नोषि शाश्वतं स्वप्रयत्नोपनीतेन  पौरुषेणैव नान्यथा ।

Vasishta spoke: That is why, Rama you will attain the best result that lasts forever, by the effort made by oneself, not otherwise.

द्विविधो वासनाव्यूहच्छुभ​भश्चैवाशुभश्च ते प्राक्तनो विद्यते राम द्वयोरेकतरोsथ वा  ।

Hey Rama, the aggregate of Vaasanaas of the past which is in you - is of two varieties- auspicious and inauspicious; both also may exist or just one type only.

वासनौघेण शुद्धेन तत्र चेदद्य नीयसे तत्क्रमेण शुभेनैव पदं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतं ।

अथ चेदशुभो भावस्त्वां योजयति संकटे प्राक्तनस्तदसौ यत्नाज्जेतव्यो भवता बलात् ।

If cultivating a host of pure Vaasanaas, you replace the impure ones, and then gradually you will reach the Eternal state through the pure ones itself. If by chance, an inauspicious want of the past pushes into difficulty, then you must conquer it with effort forcefully.

प्राज्ञश्चेतनामात्रस्त्वं न देहस्त्वं जडात्मकः अन्येन चेत्यसे तत्ते चेत्यत्वं क्वेव विद्यते  ।

अन्यस्त्वां चेतयति चेत्तं चेतयति कोsपरः क इमं चेतयेत्तस्मादनवस्था न वास्तवी ।

You are a person who is intelligent and capable of analyzing everything; and are made of this understanding nature only, as your essence.

You are not the body which is inert in nature (it cannot think or understand anything by itself). If you are forced by another thing to make you think, then how can the consciousness be there for you? 

If another person makes you conscious, then which other one makes that conscious, and still which other one makes that again conscious..? Therefore this thought-mode will lead to the logical flaw of ‘infinite regresses. It is not true.

शुभाशुभाभ्यां मार्गाभ्यां वहन्ती वासनासरित्पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन योजनीया शुभे पथि ।

With the best of human endeavor and extreme effort the River of Vaasanaas which flows through two paths, auspicious and inauspicious, must be forcefully diverted in the auspicious path.

अशुभेषु समाविष्टं शुभेश्वेवावतारय स्वं मनः पुरुषार्थेन बलेन बलिनां वर ।  

अशुभाच्चालितं याति शुभं तस्मादपीतरज्ज​​न्तोश्चित्तं तु शिशुवत्तस्मात्तच्चालयेद्बलात् ।  

समता सान्त्वनेनाशु न द्रागिति शनैः शनैः पौरुषेण प्रयत्नेन लालयेच्चित्तबालकं ।

Hey Greatest among the Mighty! Make effort and make your mind established in the impure Vaasanaas to descend into pure ones.

Led away from impure ones, the mind goes towards the pure ones; from there to another one and so on. The mind of the man in the world is like a child; therefore it should be forcefully guided.

Maintaining extreme patience and using conciliatory words like ‘quickly’, ‘not so fast’ etc, the child called the mind should be gradually guided in the correct path with effort. {O Mind-child, do not go after sense pleasures which are more harmful than the poison. Take shelter in equanimity which gives supreme bliss. Remain unaffected by joy or pain whether things are to your liking or not. }     

वासनौघस्त्वया पूर्वमभ्यासेन घनीकृतः शुभो वाप्यशुभो वापि शुभमद्य घनीकुरु ।  

The host of Vaasanaas expressing at present are there because you cultivated them by practice in the past

by repetition of the same thought, whether it was pure or impure.

But now select the pure ones only and thicken them up with practice.

प्रागभ्यासवशाज्जातो यदा ते वासनोदयः तदाभ्यासस्य साफल्यं विद्दि त्वमरिमर्दन ।

Hey Vanquisher of enemies! When good Vaasanaas rise in you because of the practice done till then, know it to be the fructification of practice.

इदानीमपि ते याति घनतां वासनानघ अभ्यासवशतस्तस्माच्छुभाभ्यासमुपाहर ।  

Hey Anagha! Any Vaasanaa you have now is the result of cultivating it in the past. The same rule applies now also. Cultivate good Vaasanaas and make them more dominant.

पूर्वं चेद्दन​तां याता नाभ्यासात्तव वासना वर्धिष्यते तु नेदानीमपि तात सुखी भव ।

Whatever other Vaasanaas are already there, they will not increase now because you are not cultivating them at present. So do not feel anxious about other existing Vaasanaas.

संदिग्धायामपि भृशं शुभामेव समाहर शुभायां वासनावृद्धौ शुभाद्दोषो न कश्चन ।  

If you ever are in a doubtful situation, then take recourse firmly in pure Vaasanaas only.

Nothing can go amiss when the pure tendencies are on the increase.

यद्यदभ्यस्यते लोके तन्मयेनैव भूयते इत्याकुमारं प्राज्ञेषु दृष्टं संदेहवर्जितं  ।

Whatever one cultivates, one becomes filled with that alone.

It is observed to be the case from a child to a wise man. There is no doubt about this.

शुभवासनया युक्तस्तदत्र भव भूतये परं पौरुषमाश्रित्य विजित्येन्द्रियपञ्चकं ।

Take recourse to good Vaasanaas; with effort conquer the senses and qualify yourself for the Supreme attainment.

अव्युत्पन्नमना यावद्भवानज्ञाततत्पदः गुरुशास्त्रप्रमाणैस्तु निर्णीतं तावदाचर ।  

As long as you are ignorant of that Supreme State, as long as your mind has not risen to that Highest State, act as guided by the teacher and the Scriptural dictum.

ततः पक्वकषायेण नूनं विज्ञातवस्तुना शुभोप्यसौ त्वया त्याज्यो वासनौघो निराधिना ।

Afterwards, by one who has completely cleansed the mind of all dirt, by one who has realized the Supreme in certainty, by one who has no trace of any anguish, this host of auspicious Vaasanaas also should be renounced completely.

(The clothes get cleaned of dirt by saline water; so also the dirt of desire and attachment etc also should be cleansed completely. When one’s mind is completely purified, then knowledge arises by itself. Later there is no necessity to cultivate any other Vaasanaa with effort or maintain it.)      

यदतिसुभगमार्यसेवितं तच्छुभमनुसृत्य मनोज्ञाभावबुद्ध्याऽधिगम्य पदं सदा विशोकं तदनु तदप्यवमुच्य साधु तिष्ट ॥

Pursuing the auspicious actions which are sought by the noble and which are highly acclaimed, through the state of mind seeped in goodness, attain the state completely free of afflictions; after that even renouncing them also O noble one, remain as you are.

यथास्थितं ब्रह्मतत्त्वं सत्तानियतिरुच्यते । सा विनेतुर्विनेतृत्वं सा विनेयविनेयता ।

अतः पौरुषमाश्रित्य श्रेयसे नित्यबान्धवमेकाग्रं कुरु तच्चित्तं शृणु चोक्तमिदं मम  ।

As it is (as all the perceived worlds that are going on everywhere) the principle of Brahman is alone the binding rule that controls this existence.

That alone is the ordained rule of the ruling principle; that alone is the rule to be observed.

(No other ruler or rule can raise obstacles in your path.)

Therefore, making Paurusha alone as your permanent companion in the quest of the highest good, pay single-minded attention to what I am going to say now.

अवान्तरनिपातीनि स्वारूढानि मनोरथं पौरुषेणेन्द्रियाण्याशु संयम्य समतां नय ।

The senses are capable of pushing one downwards towards the pleasures of here and hereafter away from your goal; they are tying to mount the chariot of the mind. Keep them controlled (using them for perception purposes only) and make the chariot go in the path of equanimity where the journey is smooth without joyous excitement or despondency.