Yoga Vashishta is one of the most ancient books about yoga. The historians date it between the eleventh and fourteenth century. Written by Lord Valmiki, Yoga Vashishta contains around 32,000 slokas or lines. A person who reads this book is believed to attain moksha.
Content of Yoga Vashishta
Yoga Vashishta depicts the oration of the sage Vashishta to Lord Rama. Vashishta is claimed to be the wisest sage of his times. The sage guides Lord Rama through the path of spirituality by explaining him about the truth of life. Vashishta teaches Lord Rama about the principles of Vedanta through various short stories and demonstrations. The dialogues between the sage and Rama are believed to contain the answers for all the possible questions that would rise in a human’s life. It contains invaluable information about the human existence, path to happiness, human life, death and woes. The conversations are often cited as one of the rarest kind of verses which provide the truth at once.
Parts and the aspects
Yoga Vashishta is divided into six sections, namely dispassion, qualification, origination, subsistence, disintegration and emancipation. Actually, these parts sum up the method of spirituality mentioned in the seven bhoomikas.
- In the stage of subheccha, a yogi differentiates between stability and instability. He also hates the joys of the mortal world and gains control over his mind and body.
- In vicarna, the sadhaka contemplates on the knowledge acquired by him. He had perceived it in his own life.
- In the stage of tanumasa, the human mind is preset at one particular thing.
- In sattvapatti, the sadhaka or the yogi experiences the mindfulness of dualism.
- In the stage of asamsakti, the sadhaka performs his duties without any engagement.
- In padartha abhavana, the yogi is unable to see any of the external objects and feels the presence of Brahman in all the places.
- In the final stage of ‘turiya’ the sadhaka will not be able to do any other activity and he will lose the control of his body completely.
Extract
Beyond a doubt, Yoga Vashishta is the complete guide to acquire wisdom. The problem of moral existence can be cured by pondering on the question of ‘Who am I’. Vashishta advises Rama to detach himself from the benefits of his efforts.
The impressions of the mind that travel through the good chamber and bad chamber must be channelized to the good path. The human mind must be controlled to achieve moksha which is the aim of yoga. A person who had understood the truth that he is part of the cognizance will perceive that except mindfulness everything is a dream. Yoga must be practiced in the correct manner to enjoy its benefits.
