The one question that is eternal for everyone is – “How I can have balance between my worldly duties and spiritual life?” Translated in other way – “How I can have a balance between Karma and Jnana?” This exactly was the question asked by a disciple called Sutikshna to his teacher called Agasti and the answer to that question is Yoga Vasishta. Teacher says – “How a bird needs two wings to fly? In the same way we need both to fly. Have a proper balance between your activities and withdrawal from activities.” Similar terminology is used by Bhagwan Sri Krishna when he speaks of “Engagement or Pravrutti” and “Disengagement or Nivrutti”.

Now let us see what is ‘scripture’? All the storehouse of knowledge that we have are called shastras. Shastra means ‘Shashanat shastram’. That which directs, that which enjoin instructions, that which gives directions. With the help of these instructions and injunctions we are able to get some direction of life. Then it is up to us how we use that in our life. About everything in the world there are scriptures e.g. physics, chemistry, maths etc. However the most important thing is “I” and about that also there are scriptures. Those scriptures are called “Adhyatma shastra”. Subject matter of Yoga Vasishta is “Adhyatma shastra”, which reveals the knowledge of “who am I?” that is the beauty of Yoga Vasishta.

We have to now see who is a qualified student for Yoga Vasishta? Here in this case qualified student is a one who has proper dispassion. “How we can give up what is not necessary in our life” - That is dispassion. There are two terminologies that we need to understand. One is called “Tyaga” where I have given up something but I still value it, I have taste for it. Another is “Viraga” (dispassion) where I don’t value it any more, whether it is there or not I don’t care - that is dispassion. The reason of emphasising on this aspect is because Lord Rama, who is going to be the student, has tremendous dispassion. Qualification of student is four fold qualification (Proper discrimination or right thinking, Dispassion (vairagya), the six fold qualifications which are withdrawal of mind, withdrawal of senses etc. and burning desire for liberation) of which dispassion is the primary one which is talked here.

The original Yoga Vasishta text is of 32000 verses (shlokas). It is composed by Valmikiji who has also composed Valmiki Ramayana of 24000 shlokas. In those 24000 shlokas, these 32000 are not there. If you see “Valmiki Ramayana” or “Tulsi Ramayana of Tusidasji” or “Veda Vyasaji’s Ramayana - which is called Adhyatma Ramayana” there is no mention of this episode. Let’s take a quick look at these 3 Ramayanas since Lord Rama is the deity of Yoga Vasishta. Valmiki Ramayana - takes Lord Rama as a human being, Lord Rama performs His activities and succeeds with proper control over His mind, His senses and gets knowledge and discrimination. Goswami Tulsidasji’s Ramayana - is where Lord Rama is portrayed as Ishwara so it is for cultivating devotion in us. Adhyatma Ramayana of Veda Vyasaji - is “Vedanta” where Ramchandraji is Brahma, He is Brahman alone and everything is talked only at that level.

This work which is originally 32000 verses or shlokas is very voluminous and has lots of stories within stories within stories. “What is the significance of these stories and then further stories?” One of the Mahatmas writes – “Our life is like a big dream, within that there is another dream, within that there is another dream. One big cycle of creation, sustenance and dissolution of world, is a dream. Within that my coming back and forth life after life is another dream. In one life this perceived world is another dream where I go through my waking, dream and deep sleep. And then my each state, waking state, dream state and deep sleep state are also dreams because they all are appearances only at different levels. Some are personal appearances; some are for collection of people. Some are for my one after other reincarnation and then some are at the world level. So all these are just stories within stories within stories and they go on. Unless we know the reality of the stories it will keep on continuing.” True awakening is what is really pointed out through all these stories.

There is another smaller version of Yoga Vasishta called “Laghu Yoga Vasishta” which is 6000 verses - Abridged version. Somebody has created another one of only 1000 verses. Our Pujya Guruji saw that 1000 verses may be too much for some of us so He created this book of only 86 verses. Since we study so many other texts of Vedanta lot of concepts are covered here and there and since background is given these 86 verses are enough for driving a point home. Therefore, this book is called “Yoga Vasishta Saara Sangraha” where only essence is taken.

Let’s see how Yoga Vasishta opens up. Sutikshna asks a question to Sage Agasti “How to balance between Karma and Jnana?” Sage Agasti says similar question was asked in the past and the answer was given and then it goes from one teacher-disciple to another teacher-disciple till it comes to teacher who is Valmiki and the disciple is Bharadwaj. Bharadwaj muni asks Valmikiji to tell him story of Lord Rama. Valmikiji tells 24000 verses of Ramayana. Very pleased with this knowledge Bharadwaj muni narrates this story to Brahmaji. Brahmaji gets very pleased and grants Him a boon. Bharadwaj muni says “How can everyone attain liberation? Tell me that!” Brahmaji says “You go back to Valmiki and ask Him.  He will tell you what He has not told you about Lord Rama”. That is these 32000 verses. So subject matter of Yoga Vasishta is how to attain liberation.

What is the context in which this takes place? Lord Ramchandraji after finishing His education goes on pilgrimage along with His brothers and ministers. There He sees all facets of life and like Lord Buddha He cultivates strong dispassion. He says, “These objects are like appearances in mirror. Ignorant people are trying to grab things in mirror. This is how we are running after objects of the world. How can we live life like this?” When He comes back from His pilgrimage He does whatever needs to be done by Prince externally, but His heart is not there in anything. He loses total interest in life. In this situation Vishwamitraji comes to Ayodhya seeking help from Rama and Lakshmana to protect His sacrifice from demons. Dasharath Maharaj agrees but points out the condition of Rama. When Vishwamitraji and Vasishtaji (Guru of Raghu Clan) see Ramchandraji’s condition they realise that Rama has developed strong dispassion and He is a fit student for Vedanta Shastra. Then the teaching begins. That whole episode is Yoga Vasishta.

Now we shall see how Yoga Vasishta is divided into. Actual Yoga Vasishta has six chapters. First chapter speaks of Vairagya (dispassion) of Lord Rama called Vairagya Prakarana. Second chapter is Mumukshu Prakarana which is - having gained total dispassion desire for liberation. Then there is Utpatti, Sthiti and Upashamanam which is creation, sustenance and dissolution of the world. And the last one is Nirvana or Jivan Mukti, liberation while living. So, these 32000 verses are divided into 6 chapters. Here Guruji has divided these 86 verses into 7 chapters. They are not one way or the other directly related to these 6 chapters but according to the flow of text which is convenient for us He has grouped them. All the portions of 6 chapters from original book have been covered in these 7 chapters - How Lord Rama gets dispassion, then how His desire for liberation becomes strong, then teachings and then the signs of man of Realisation.

There are some similes between Bhagwad Geeta and Yoga Vasishta. But, there is one difference and that is level of student. Arjuna is student who is deluded, who has Moha. He does not know what his duty is, whereas Ramchandraji is portrayed as student who has dispassion, so level of teaching has some difference, this being serious. Yoga Vasishta is for little serious students.

In Yoga Vasishta seven steps to realisation are given so we can monitor our progress. That is unique. We shall never find it anywhere. In Yoga Vasishta two things are addressed. One is Jnana Yoga and another is Raja Yoga. What is the difference between Jnana Yoga and Hatha Yoga? Vidyaranya Swami gives one example in His text - He says if there is a pole to which we have tied one cow and now if we let that cow lose to go around for grazing and she doesn’t want to come back then how do we bring that cow back? He says there are two methods. One way is you take a stick in your hand, grab the rope that is tied around her neck and pull her and try to bring her back to the pole where she was tied before. The other way is you show plenty of green grass and water to the cow near the pole. He says this method of “showing maximum joy here” is Jnana Yoga and performing methods where “we have to force ourselves” is Hatha Yoga. But, we can combine both.

The title of the first chapter is “Spiritual Yearning of Sri Rama”. First shloka is invocation, Mangalacharan Shloka.

Yatah Sarwani Bhutani
Pratibhanti Sthitanich
Yatraivo pashamam Yanti
Tasmai Sayatmne Namah

It covers the subject matter from the most Absolute standpoint. I bow down to that “Satya Atma”. Does that mean there is Asatya Atma also? No. Atma alone is Satyam. We shall only see word meaning today. Elaborately we shall see next time. Satya Atmane Namaha. To that Satya Atma..which is that Satya Atma? Yatah Sarwani Bhutani..That from which Yatah means from which sarwani bhutani ..all beings ..bhuta means beings ..bhu bhavati ..those who are in this becoming world ..World of becoming..Not being …becoming. Pratibhanti Sthitanich ..Pratibhanti..bha dhatu …bha means to shine. Shining in Vedanta never means light. Shining means consciousness…awareness. That from which all beings derive their consciousness or they appear as shining forth and Sthitanich .. they are sustained by it. This Chaitanya..consciousness ..awareness because of which all beings appear to be illumined and they maintain themselves. ..they sustain themselves. Yatraiwo pashamam yanti and that alone in which they all merge back. Tasmai Satyatmane Namaha..to that Satya..to that Atma is my Salutation. So, Salutation is to that Supreme Self which is Satyam, Chaitanyam, Anantam, ..sarwani bhutani means Anantam. Satyam means Satya Atma and Pratibhanti is Chaitanyam. Those who have studied Upanishad will know Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam Brahma. That is the upalakshan Vakya of Brahma and that in which birth, sustenance and dissolution takes place.