Vivekananda Page 1

WHO AM I?
YOGA VASISTHA
by Swami Shyamananda Paramahansa
SECTION 2

THE STORY OF JHIWAT

"Holy Sire, like a dream city, like an illusion, like a fantasy, Bramha has
conceived the world and body in his mind. How come and why has it become so
true to us?" Sri Rama asked.

In the beginning the creation feels to Bramha like it is false. But later, he
becomes so convinced of its reality, because by a widespread maya he too becomes
part of an everlasting dream. And because this dream is created by each
individual, like waves in the ocean by wind of each individual's former will from
former creations. Out of his own will lingering from former life to enjoy
supremacy of Bramhahood, he too stays bound. And he remains so until its
fulfillment.
Answering your question of how come and why this impossible became
possible, I would say dreams, illusions, hallucinations are always controversial, full
of contradiction as they are by nature. And that is how they are and have to be
and we ought to accept as they are--see, fire exists in water of the ocean that is
why it is called badavagni. From pure water lotuses are bloomed. People live and
fly in space. Himalayas have both simultaneously frozen ice and flowers of all
seasons. As water flows from stones, nectar drips from chandrakant gems, one
sees one's own death in dream while still alive. Ganga flows in the sky. So also
this entire show is a vast indrajal, gandharva nagar, a shambari maya. A myth is
appearing as truth and truth has become a myth.
A deer has fallen in a ditch; he is miserable, but then falls in another,
greater ditch again with lots of mud in it. Same way ignorant man falls in the mire
of illusion, and then begins to see series of connected illusions declaring them
professionally analyzed, scientifically proven truth. Through laboratory tests,
expert's tests, history tests, archeological proofs and politician's
recommendations, he solidifies his personal illusions and turns them into truth and
falls in the ditch creating the total impossibility of ever attaining the Truth.

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A monk was practicing Yoga.
Systematically he succeeded to master states of non-violence, non-
falsehood, non-sensationalism, non-alluring and non-possessiveness of mind.
He mastered then inner and outer cleanliness, contentment, austerity, study
of scriptures and abiding by the will of the cosmic.
Then he mastered pyramidical posture, then balanced prana and prana airs.
Then he disconnected the urges of senses from their moorings towards
their objects.
Then he focused concentration, then penetrated deeper recesses of his
consciousness crossing all the way from sub, unconscious and deeper unconscious
to the state of Mystica Trancensia. He enjoyed it so much. He stayed on that
ascended state of timeless, breathless and bodiless state of relaxation longer and
longer. When he descended down back to body consciousness he strolled around,
ate something, smelled some flowers growing outside, then entered into the state
of trance again. A long time passed.
Then one day some visitors came. They left a book of someone's
autobiography in the cottage. Before going to rest he read the book and entered
in sleep. His system was so clean, whatever he thought reflected in and through
his mind all the way. His name became Jhivat in his dream. He was both a
drunkard and serviceful man to the wise men. After service he drank his favorite
Double Scotch and slept. In dream he became a bramhin. He studied the
scriptures well and became an evangelist and began preaching the word of God.
Exhausted one day after long hours of giving a sermon and collecting enormous
amounts of tithings he slept, while still counting all the dollar bills. In dream he
became a President of United States of America and began making his army bases
in every third world country and almost buying them.
He slept again one night in his White House and saw another dream in which
he had become the most prosperous President of the world. He was successfully
able to place electrodes in the skull of governing leaders of every nation of the
world. And sitting in the White House in a huge laboratory with a group of
scientists, he began operating the brains of every leader of the world. One day a
most beautiful lady from Moscow came to visit him. In the White House they
dined together. Music played. After everybody left they retired to the bedroom
where they fell in love and made love together. Both together, embraced, fell
asleep.
He entered then in another dream. He had become a most beautiful woman,
a nymph in heaven. There he grew up as a dancer. While dancing her eyes met
with one of her audience who was a very handsome angel. After dance he rushed

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onto the stage and took her in his warm embrace. They married and started living
happily. Then one evening they went for a walk in a picturesque garden. From
there in a computer they saw all the most beautiful gardens of the earth.
Together they started visiting the planet earth in their well built flying saucer.
Kashmir, Switzerland, Disneyland, Vedaland, Niagra Falls, they traveled, strolled,
sported and played music.
One day she saw a wonderful golden deer. Large eyes charmed her and she
took her to her planet as her pet. She kept her in the next room. She slept in
the night with her angel husband and saw a dream in which she became a deer.
She was wandering forest to forest in lush, green grass and trees surrounded with
vines blooming with flowers. Seeing these she slept and saw herself being a
bumble bee humming around the flowers. Then she saw herself being a lotus
flower. One day an elephant came and ate the lotus. Then lotus became an
elephant in next life. Rushing towards his girlfriend he fell in a ditch and was
beaten by hunters so much that he swooned and saw in dream he became a
creeper. A swan came from somewhere and ate it. Then becoming a swan he
started swimming in Manasarovar lake.
One day he heard about Bramha. He wanted to become his vehicle swan.
Then as water becomes a wave he became a swan of Bramha and began carrying
him to all different planets of the three worlds. Then Bramha one day initiated
him into the wisdom of Absolute Truth and he entered into deep meditation. He
became enlightened.
Then one day that swan was flying around Himalayas and he felt, I must
become Lord of yogis--Shiva. And he became Shiva. Being Lord Shiva he then
peeped in and saw all his former bodies sleeping and was highly surprised to see
that he suffered out of illusion just for nothing. He decided to go to each of
them and wake them up. He stood up, rose into the sky and flew. He arrived to
the spot where the monk was resting. He woke him up. Monk was highly surprised
and happy to see that Lord Shiva himself came to give him his darshan. He felt
there are more of me. Now they both proceeded further. They arrived at the
place of Jhiwat. His body laying like a corpse, wine pots lying all around. They
awoke him too. He was happy to be awakened before too late to go to work and
fishing. He too felt there is more of his parts.
They went further, arrived at the sea beach residence of the evangelist
where on the heap of a billion dollars, project maps and documents of a new
Biblical University were lying around. They awoke him. Arrived at the White
House, then awoke Mr. President. Then all the five people came to the new
bedroom of Mr. President. He got up and joined them. They went to the heaven in

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the home of the wife of an angel, woke her too. They all began to feel the entire
universe is myself, and all these bodies and suffering I went through were in vain.
And we are in ourself pure consciousness. Their bodies were separate. Activities
too different but decision was one single piece. Their name became one hundred
Rudras.
"Dear Rama,"
World is just like this. All diversity is due to ignorance. Through perspective of
knowledge when you see it is nothing ever happened. Many waves arose from the
sea. They look different but all are made of water. All forms of the world too
are the same. They all are trying to have peace and happiness. All don't want
trouble. But apparently seems quite opposite from each other. Wise one sees the
world as his own true nature. Ignorant sees differently and conceives himself
totally separate from them. Others do not know the former one and the former
does not know what he became later.
"Dear Rama,"
This world is an extension of oneself. It is not at all out of oneself. Out of severe
folly one conceives separateness all along. In one along seeing multiplicity--this is
serious ignorance.

"Holy Sire, the monk was only one. How come so many bodies and all
conscious and alive?" Prince asked.

"Dear Rama,"
When your nervous system is clean and pure through yoga your will and desires
gain tremendous potency which are almost inconceivable by common men. But I
have seen many of such strong willers.
One of them was King Sahastrabahu Arjuna. He used to be sitting in his
Royal Assembly on his golden throne under a gemmed and pearl hanging canopy.
And he had dismissed his army and policemen and turned them into musicians.
Instead of being soldiers and police they used to play flute standing in the squares
and parks. And he himself took charge of protecting his citizens. Wherever
anyone even thought of doing any unrighteous act, a heavy slap of the king would
fall on his cheeks and that would go on until he or she dropped that impious
thought entirely. Whatever was required he became that and served his nation.
He became breeze, cloud, warmth of sun and innumerable things daily and be
useful to all. Remaining one he was able to multiply himself.
Lord Visnu keeps relaxing in his palace in Milk Ocean beach and incarnates
in the world in most beautiful forms. He plays so sweet and heart captivating

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pastimes that devotees cannot believe he was Lord Visnu. They feel Lord Visnu is
too small for their Lord who in reality is incarnations of Lord Vasudeva. He keeps
resting millions of miles away yet becomes present in any part of the world and
accepts whatever food we offer to him--Even flowers, fruits and water with love.
He is connoisseur of love he says.
Same way, Devis of yajna. Indra of Planet Svah. He lives there yet appears
wherever invoked in yajna or temple in any part of the world. Great yogi's desires
are always like thunderbolt, like steel and rock. Has to be materialized.
Great wind blows in great hills. Yogi's and meditator's mind are always
ascending to the highs of evolution. But ignorant mind never gets out of illusion.
And they descend down, down, down, possessed by ego-ghost and infatuation.
Just like a huge stone when it falls from top of a mountain goes on rolling down
and down till it falls in some mud filled ditch where it cannot move and shake loose
at all. Like wise is body identified, unwise people--losing the path of Self-
Realization go on rolling, on and on down the hills--In the pitfalls of suffering and
pain.

"Holy Sire, is there some more story similar to that monk? Oh that is so
fascinating. Could you please tell us one more story?"

"Dear Rama,"
You are so wonderful that I wish to talk to you for eternity. Well, now in the
night during meditation I will spread my Mystic Torch all over the world and in the
past and future and tomorrow I shall tell you.

Assembly was dissolved. Music echoed in evening melody. Flowers

showered. All departed to their places. Next morning they returned, sat on their
seats still and calm as lotuses in a windless pond.

STORY OF FREEDOM FROM ACTION'S BONDAGE

"Dear Sri Rama,"

As I promised you yesterday, I shed my search light of Mystic Torch all over the
world. In all planes of existence, space, subterranean and seven dvipas too, but
like the monk I didn't find any other. But I kept searching. About 3 A.M. I saw in
Chinmachin City in the northeast, outside of the cottage were his hundreds of
disciples and inside a long, white haired, big bearded holy man was absorbed in the

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trance of meditation. All doors were closed and locked. Sitting like a statue,
twenty-one days have been passed. But in the trance of meditation he
encountered events occurred in thousands of years. Also he went through many
lifetimes. He saw many creations. And wandered and traveled extensively.

"Reverend Gurudev, if you allow me, I would like to send a messenger to go

there and awaken him." King Dasaratha said.

"That holy man too became swan of Bramha and by his blessing has become
enlightened. This body of his is no more alive now. After a month his disciples will
open the doors and will find him dead." Answered the Sage.

"Why in the creation same things happen again and again?" Asked a prince
from the audience.

"Because, waves in the ocean always rise as before. Its swelling and spilling
and ebbs and tides, although completely different but are similar to the former.
Without extinction of passion Self-sun does not shine--Even if it shines, light
remains covered by dark clouds of sight, seen and actor. Therefore dear
audience, find this Self of the universe within you and like deep, deep sleep go
silent and absorbed into it." Said the Sage.

"Holy Sire, I know verbal silence, sense silence and log like silence. What is
this sleep silence?"

"Dear Rama,"
All these three silences belong to austere ignorants. Sleep silence belongs to
cosmically awakened, enlightened one. Just not to speak at all is silence. Closing
eyes and other senses is sense silence. Forcefully stopping the mind and senses
inside is log silence.
Verbal, physical and sensual movement continues but deep down a flame of
understanding prevails that I am atma, the pure Self. I am neither part of the
world nor world has any existence, nor I have existence as body and mind.
Experiencing twenty-four hours that this all I am, I am this all and I am that
Bramha. This is the best Sleep Silence. To sleep in the duality and awakened in
pure awareness of the Self and understanding that waking, dreaming and sleeping
are alien to me, this is the Turiya Silence. When you neither stop the senses and

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mind, nor desire to travel around but remain aware and alert in whatever comes
unasked, that is the Supreme Silence.

"Holy Sire, yesterday you spoke about Lord Shiva. Is that Shiva original
Shiva or paraphernalia of Lord Shiva?" A Minister asked.

"The one who is Lord Shiva. He is his paraphernalia too. Both are Lord
Shiva." Sage answered.

"How can all be Shiva, are they like kindling of flames to flame?" The
minister asked.

"There is one savarana-covered, second niravarana-uncovered state of

intellect. The one which is covered, great deal of efforts are needed to fulfill the
desire as soon as it arises. Unto uncovered, as soon as desire arises
instantaneously fulfillment follows. The uncovered one is cosmic intelligence.
That is Lord Shiva. That is the Self." Sage replied.

"But Shiva does not wear nice silk suits, neither ornaments, nor any kind of
decorations. He is a yogi but wife is beside him. Instead of sandalpaste he
smears ashes. How do you say he is uncovered?"

"Clean, unclean, pure, impure, are words coined to evolve. Those who are
gone beyond the apex of purity and cleanliness are not expected to follow the
elementary rules. In the beginning a child learns to solve problems of math on
paper with pencil. Later when he becomes expert he solves in his mind. But great
mathematicians solve just by glancing at the problem.
"Those who are too much a body for them shower, clothing and applying
perfume, staying clean in and out, working hard to relax and keep cleaning the dirt
of laziness is recommended. Lord Shiva is so high, so supreme. You cannot know
him through your elementary, outdated tools. One who does not see action in
himself he has no likes and dislikes of pure and impure. Shiva is transcendental.
So is Lord Visnu. He incarnates and makes a lot of bloodshed killing all demons.
But because no vibration of desire ever occurs in himself he stays beyond likes and
dislikes, ego of doership, as well as results of what he did. Action has just flown
like water flows in a river. Therefore they are niravarana. You too dear
Sumantra, soon you are going to ascend the apex of devotion and attain the state
of niravarana cosmic-brilliance."

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"Holy Sire, you spoke of stilling the prana. If by stilling prana one becomes
liberated then what about the dead?" A citizen asked.

"Every individual's passions are recorded and stored in his astral body.
According to his passion he gets certain quality of breathing from very childhood.
Unless and until a radical change occurs, implemented by the person himself,
breath goes on in the same manner. By stopping it he will only suffocate. It stops
only after death. In order to purify your breath you have to tinify your passion.
When passion is reduced to the point required, breath is balanced and prana it
draws is balanced with apana. Then naturally it becomes suspended. Then like a
boiled seed cannot sprout one cannot get passionate and cannot go on migrating.
He goes free. So it is not a matter of just prana; it is deeply tied with vasanas,
samskaras, pre-natal habits, manner and state of psychological condition. And
this just reflects on the physical. And all you can see is physical. So begin seeing
including all the layers of beyond."

STORY OF A WISE VAMPIRE

In a mountain of south India there lived a vampire of ferocious outlook, but

he had great interest in spiritual subjects. He was able to assume any form he
liked. So assuming normal human form he would go to the hermitages of holy men,
talk nicely, listen and learn, but then when he grew hungry he would eat the holy
men from whom he learned a lot.
After a long time of devouring holy men he became scared and thought, "I
am doing great sins by bramhanicide. Therefore, I shall never eat the holy men
nor wise men. I shall eat only the stupid and ignorant." He would recognize them
by their materialistic way of doing, living and appearance. But many times he
would be confused whether he or she was wise or foolish. So he noted down a
series of questions in his mind to ask and if he failed to respond properly he would
drink his blood and eat the body.
One day he was very hungry. He had decided not to eat good people. He
saw a king going, surrounded by his ministers and army.
"O King, you are my god-sent food for today. I will drink your blood and eat
you."

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"O vampire, if you eat me unjustly your head will break in one thousand
pieces." King said.
"I am not afraid of you. I will eat you unless you successfully reply my
questions. I've taken a vow to eat only to ignorants not to wise. You have to show
me you are wise. So here are my questions."
"I am not going to prove myself wise. That is contradictory to wisdom. But
if you ask me with humility and reverence then only I shall answer."
Vampire was impressed. He knew that was the first criterion of a wiseman,
so he became humble and respectful and asked--
(1) O King, please tell me what is that one sun in whom this entire universe
is one of the innumerable dust particles floating around?
(2) What is that breeze in which the atom of sky floats?
(3) What is that tree like banana trunk peels nothing comes out at the
end?
(4) Who is that guy who enters a dream, then enters in another dream,
then another, and another, in and in and in. Remains one but is not able to see his
oneness?
Answer these, please."

"Dear Vampire, listen to the answer carefully. This cosmic egg has billions
of universes populated by intelligent, civilized people. This cosmic egg has one
seed of black pepper. The Self, the pure consciousness is its sharpness. There is
a tree which has hundreds of branches. Each branch has millions of such black
peppercorns. There is a vast forest where there are millions of such trees. There
is a mountain and on its summit there are thousands of such trees. There are
thousands of such mountains, around such there is a city. Millions of such cities
there are in a continent. There is an ocean in which there are thousands of such
continents. There are thousands of such oceans which are just waves in a vaster
ocean. Such thousands of oceans are in the belly of a person. Made of beads of
such thousands of persons there is a necklace which a Virat person is wearing.
This Virat person is that sun who is illuminating all. Ignorance of him pushes one
to slip and plunge into the dream of diversity. This is creation. Going through all
these dreams--dream after dream yet he remains one. He has been one all along.
But never able to feel this. He never even conceives, what to speak of experience.
But as soon as he does experience he is out of it. This age-old sun is the Self.
This Self is Super existence. From this Self existence of time emanated, then
others as well as, at last will--when will is dissolved all are dissolved.

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"You asked me who is that sun in whose rays billions of cosmic eggs float
like atoms. The world is that banana tree. Bramha is that breeze in which
universes fly like dust particles. It is Virat himself passing from one dream to
another, to another, goes on in trillions of them, in and in and in and never out.
But all along he is out only he doesn't know it. As soon as he knows the result he
slips out of the trillion mile long tunnel in a finger snap."
Hearing the wonderful answer of his question, Vampire then and there sat
in deep meditation which continued for thousands of years. Visualizing billions of
universes like dust particles in the ray of his own Self, he merged into Bramha.

STORY OF KING BHAGIRATHA

"Your ancestor, King Bhagiratha, look at him how glorious he looks." Sage
Vasistha indicated at one of the portraits drawn by the artist on the auditorium
wall. All looked at that artwork.
A majestic, beautiful king. He was the one who brought holy Ganga on
planet Earth. In his time, I was too busy in the affairs of my own Star and our
relationship with Bramhalok. Whoever approached him he fulfilled his desires no
matter what. His heart always melted in sufferings of others. To the enemies he
would shower arrows like raindrops. He was established in a state of apatit-
pravah--which means, equal in auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, happiness and
misery.
While he was still young he became despondent seeing all people doing their
same work over and over. It appeared to him as a great stupidity. People eat
everyday, sleep everyday, use the bathroom everyday, and doing any kind of
business is even greater folly because this repetition is done with greater speed
through scientifically invented tools.
He was a prince, a youth, educated, handsome and powerful. These are
deserts and dry lands for the birth of lotuses of wise inspirations. But wisdom did
visit him and he received it with all warmth of his heart. He approached his
teacher, Sage Trital, and asked, "Holy Sire, what is that which irradicates the
pain of old-age and death? All joys of the world are worth nothing?"
"O great king, you are right. World has nothing to offer. Whatever it
offers, enjoying all its joys are just a waste of time. It is tatvajnana alone which
can eradicate the sufferings of old-age and death. And offers substantial joy
attaining which all other physical joys become like a toothache. Tatva is the Self.
Jnana means, knowledge through experience. When the wisdom of Self shines in

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its effulgent glory the knots of mind and body are cut loose. It is ego that has
bound them together. And this ego can be dismissed by self-effort."
"How to start self-effort?" Bhagiratha asked.
"First, develop an attitude of nauseatic, elementary rudeness toward sense
enjoyments.
Second, analyze your mind and be aware how deep the roots of allurations
have gone in yourself.
Third, like ripping off weeds to protect and strengthen the harvest of
atmic experience, remove the deep rooted vasanas--prenatal, bad habits which are
coming on since childhood--fear, sex, irritation, greed etc. Pull them out.
Fourth, experience the pure Self within you. Again and again ponder over
the wisdom of Absolute Bramha. O good king, when your ego-ghost will be thrown
out, then you will see the Self everywhere and supreme peace will reign, instead of
I-ness, my-ness, hankering, lamentation, misery and desire to be called good and
prestigious."
"Holy Sire, all you say is very convincing but I cannot think out my urgent
duty to realize my Self immediately. Could you please guide me?"
"If you ask me seriously, I would say, give your kingdom to your enemy. Give
up your love for your family, give up your love even for your body. And go in
silence somewhere. Then come back and live on alms begged from the door of your
enemies, so that you will not have ego to be called great and good. Now get up and
go."

King Bagiratha returned to his palace. He started agnistoma yajna. He

offered gifts to sages, his son, his wife and all citizens, so much that he became
poor. Then enemies attacked. He just called them with respect and gave them all
and walked out empty handed. He wandered forest to forest. Meditated and
attained a certain state-of-evolution; then, he came back to his capital, stayed
under a tree near the river, begged alms from his enemy's door and meditated.
Enemies came and bowed down to him, and requested, "Sir, please take your
kingdom, please." But he did not accept. Then he went to a forest and visited his
guru, Sage Trital. He affirmed he is in the right state of mind. He educated him
in advanced techniques of meditation. Then they both together traveled far and
wide. Siddhas, angels and nymphs came and offered them gifts and heavenly joys,
but they did not feel its worth, but a trash. They remained established in their
inner space. After some time they separated. Bhagiratha walked towards the
north. Trital to the east.

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Walking along the riverbank Bhagiratha arrived in a State whose king had
recently died. Begging alms, Bhagiratha happened to go to the home of the prime
minister. When he saw him he became so convinced by his royal symptoms he
requested him to become the king. Bhagiratha accepted. King was coronated on
an auspicious day. Sitting on a tall, black elephant, wearing silk and golden crown,
the procession went through the streets while kettledrums and flutes echoed,
ladies sang songs and showered fragrant flowers. The news spread far and wide.
Then many citizens of Ayodhya came to visit King Bhagiratha and said--
"His Majesty, your enemy is dead. It's a natural death. Please come and
accept your kingdom. This State belongs to Solar dynasty. Even though you have
no desire, but we want you. Please come be our king." And he accepted to become
king of both States.
Several years passed. He knew his ancestors committed offenses to Sage
Kapil and out of his curse they had been turned into a heap of ashes. He decided
to go meditate and bring holy Ganga on the planet Earth.
He meditated for almost a thousand years. Like a sea remains still in a
windless climate he remained still, devoid of desire of any kind. And he
successfully brought holy Ganga on the planet Earth. King Sagar, King Amshuman,
King Dilip had performed long austerities but hadn't been able to bring Ganga.
Bhagiratha did. Lord Shiva was sitting on Mount Kailash. Ganga like a stream of
milk flew upon his head, then onto the earth, then followed the lines made by the
chariot wheels of Bhagiratha, thus came near the ashram of Sage Kapil. In a
single stroke, Ganga flushed the heap of ashes and 60,000 ancestors were lifted
to heaven.
After King Bhagiratha, his son Prince Sruta was coronated. He became a
great king. Then later Rituparna, Soudas, Khatvang, Raghu, Aja and His Majesty
King Dasaratha--your father was born. Prince Rama, you will be greater than King
Bhagiratha.

STORY OF KING SHIKHIDHVAJ

"Dear Prince,"
We are living in 28th cycle of four million, twenty-two hundred thousand years of
Vaivasvat manvantara. One manvantara lasts for seventy-one cycles of four
million, twenty-two hundred thousand years. Ours is the seventh manvantara. I
am going to tell you the wonderful story of Prince Shikhidvaja, his growth and

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enlightenment. He was born in the fourth Copper Age of our manvantara in the
valley of Kashmir.
He was very powerful, brave, prosperous and generous Prince. He was free,
luxurious, but just and patient. When he was sixteen years old he went out for
hunting. It was spring season. He stayed in his marble palace in the forest. It
was like Nishat and Shalimar garden. Green thick grass carpeted lawn, distant
snow clad hills and flower filled Dal lake. Pollen in the breeze, cockoos chirping,
peacocks dancing, deers leaping. All directions as if celebrating the festival of
Shikhidhvaj's youth, sweet sixteen.
Shikhidhvaj saw the beauty of nature and heard in the distance a farmer
girl singing some song of love. And he felt, "Oh, what a wonder it would be if I
could have my wife, I would play with her, sleep on a soft bed of flower petals, and
we would make love together."
The ministers knew the subtle nuances of his feelings. They went looking
for a match. They did find a most beautiful maiden. They found princess of
Kakeshia, her name was Chudala. She was as if made of flowers and perfumes.
Her eyes were like fish, silky long black hair, she spoke as if cuckoo cooed. Love
and elegance flowed from her personality. Marriage was settled. On an auspicious
day their wedding ceremony took place. King loved her with all of his heart and
she too. Whatever he wished, she fulfilled it before he told her.
It was as big an airplane as an entire city. Gardens, bedrooms, showers,
swimming pool and every possible comfort was there. Young king and queen
traveled all around the world in that plane. Both together joined parties at Rome
where they danced tarantella. In Madrid they danced flamenco. In France they
danced ballet and in USA they square danced. They made love in royal gardens of
every country of the world. They tasted delicatessens discovered by every
country of the world. They were guests of every top, high man in every part of
the world. Chudala was smarter than the king. She felt robot like in the
repetitive nature of material life and began searching for something real,
satisfying.
King was too busy but queen made time to visit poets, artists, philosophers
and wise men. And she began to think--
"Oh, this wonderful music will deafen me someday. And delicious taste and
touch will blunt my tongue and skin. Beauty of the sight will blind me, perfumes
take away my power to smell. My ignorance will take away my whole life. Like a
lightening young age is too short-lived. Lifetime passes away like stream of a
fountain falling from the high cliff. Body perishes like water bubbles. Like
vulture's eye is focused towards corpse, piece of meat, people's eyes are always

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looking for happiness and new excitement. Wherever ignorance is, suffering
follows happiness like vulture to the meat. Like a ripened mango, like a dry leaf,
this body falls off and we are no longer part of this colorful world to make which
we invested our every single minute of life. All our energy, all our wealth and
those hard labors all go in vain. What is the way out?"
Queen Chudala was thinking while sitting one evening at the Grand Canyon
hills, overlooking the blue stream of Colorado river and the tall hills, open sky
above, sunrays shifting above and above and above from treetop to hilltop to high
above in the sky turning it crimson. And she was lost in oblivion of thinking. She
was startled when she felt the warm loving touch of her husband who had just
returned after finishing his business. Ministers were still standing at a distance.
"What are you thinking, dear Sweetheart?" He asked, kissing on her lips.
After returning to Kashmir, King became very busy in State affairs, and
queen visited holy men. Her mind pondered nonstop over--
"What is this world? How it originated? What is this body? Who I am?
What is my goal of life? So on and so forth.
"Oh, this body is as dead a part of the soul like hair and nails to the body.
It is only a tool for the senses. Senses too are inert like the body. They are tools
of senses of perception
which are run by the mind. Mind too is just a tool because its thinking and anti-
thinking is operated by intellect. Intellect too is inert and a dead thing, because
the consciousness of decision comes into it from the ego. That too is a dead part
because awareness comes into it from soul. And that too I am not at all because
there is no soul, in fact, but a soulhood. Soulhood is merely vibrations, sensations,
air bubbles. It borrows awareness from the Self and Self is nothing but
individualized form of Bramha. In it, in this dimension of reality I am free,
immortal, eternal and blissful. I am far beyond duality, oneness, birth, youth, old-
age and death. This all illusory appearance is caused by possession of ego-ghost.
And now since ego is terminated, I and world are simple formations of sound and
light. Deep down the screen of sight is Bramha."
Knowing the Bramha she sat in deep meditation, so happy and cheerful she
became as a lovely cow becomes happy when she finds lush, green grass in the
summit of a hill.
One morning, Chudala was sitting in the morning sun. Marble palace was
shining like silver, parks greening, parrots flying, peacocks walking, ducks and
swans swimming in the nearby pond. Chudala had just finished her meditation and
was enjoying the morning breeze and sunshine. Then here came Shikhidhvaj. He
was on his way to the Royal Assembly. He was in a hurry, but as soon as he looked

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Vivekananda Page 15
at his wife he became wonderstruck. He walked up to her, sat near her. Looking
deep into her eyes, said--
"My dear beloved wife, you look so illustrious. Have you drank some nectar?
Have you found the empire of the three worlds? Have you attained such an ocean
of bliss which has no share. Like an autumn sky your face is so clean. When I look
into your eyes you seem to be so pure like pond filled with water of crystals. Your
hair being gray, but to my heart you are as alluring as never seen even in the
youth. Tell me what did you find in life?" King asked.
"Dear beloved, all the prosperity and joys of the world are insignificant.
That which is significant in attaining, of that I have become prosperous. That
which is devoid of all conceivable joy and prosperity, finding that I have become
immortal and emperor of the three worlds. Where all enjoyments are discredited
and highest credit is given to non-enjoying attitude, that nectar I have drunk full
well and became timelessly young. I have found eternal rest in my true Self,
therefore all other physical joys have become kid's play. Whatever is seen by
eyes, known by senses, thought by mind, are all false as dream. Where senses and
mind have no access at all, where ego gets electric shock and electrocuted, there
I found my permanent rest. Ego, the destroyer of my youth, that is over with.
Now I am fountain of youth. Dear husband, I am glad you liked my beauty, my
youth. I want you too to become young again."
"Chudala, you are a funny lady. You are meditating all night long since a long
time. I need you to rest with me and you are never around. It seems your mind is
going berserk. Do a little less meditation, dear, I also do but only to relax and
work harder. I also meditate but to be efficient and produce more and be
effective in my thought, speech and action, not like you losing your senses, dear. I
am in a hurry running to the work. So much is to be done today. But no matter
what, when I come tonight I will give your head a good massage." Telling her like
this King went away.
Queen felt heartbroken upon the King's failure to comprehend the meaning
of her words. And she felt an urgency of acquiring some siddhi. She kept full
control upon her nature. She behaved exactly as she did when she was ignorant
and not as enlightened, not as even seeker of Truth--just bare ignorant. But she
was enlightened and in the process to attain a few siddhis including traveling
through space. Disappearing from sight of people and appearing. Assuming any
form at will etc. Sitting in lotus pose, closing eyes, she began pranayam.

"Holy Sire, world is a tree, will is its seed. What is that pranayam air
through which one travels through sky?"

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Vivekananda Page 16

"Dear minister,"
There are three kinds of siddhis:
(1) Upadeya, "I want this; I must get it." This is will the ignorant makes.
(2) "This is my misery, I must get out of it and be happy." This is will of a great
ignorant.
(3) "I am doing it, I must derive the best fruit." This is also from an ignorant.
He considers himself the doer.
The wise one makes effort transcending all these. He constantly
remembers in his or her very being that he is neither doer nor enjoyer of all
supernatural powers of controlling time, place, object and action. All nine powers
and eighteen sub-powers come to his/her disposal.

STORY OF KUNDALINI POWER

Night after night after night Chudala sat in her yoga room. In siddhasana
with mulabandha, jalandhar and uddiyan bandha. Which is done by pulling lower
organs up, stomach back and fixing chin up straight.
Then by shocks of regulated, bhastrika pranayam, awakened the kundalini
which is lying in sleep three and a half circles in between both lower organs. She
is like serpent of energy. Passion is her poison, 72,000 nerves throughout the
body are her world to make them poisonous in ignorance state. She is condensed
form of all those.
When kundalini thinks, mind is born. When decides, intellect is born, when
feels, I am ego is born. When remembers, heart is born; when desires to touch,
air is born. All tanmatras (power of five perceptions) are born from this group of
four thinking principles. All nerves are born of kundalini and the Self too.

"Holy Sire, how can that be Self which is beyond time, space and object;
world is just reflection upon the Self?"

Just like reflections of sun are seen only in the water, mirrors and any
transparent thing. Self is perceived only in mode of utter peacefulness. That
situation is created by awakening kundalini. Transforming her poison into speed
and light. The soul resides in the kundalini and stills the air. All nerves and senses
are born according to state of sleeping kundalini. Just like all the forces of the
nation are under the control of the king, same way all the senses are under the

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Vivekananda Page 17
control of kundalini. If one fails to control the air through balancing the breath,
one suffers mental and physical disease, known as adhi and vyadhi.

"Holy Sire, how are they born?"

"Prince,"
The origin of mental problem is the will. When one wills to find certain happiness
and does not make it, one feels pain through worry, stress, anxiety and depression.
Origin of physical problem is when air, fire and water in the system become
imbalanced. When both combine together or come separately the qualities of
suffering are different and diverse.
The enlightened one has neither mental nor physical problems. Poison of
kundalini is of four kinds--
One is sleep,
Second is dream,
Third waking, and,
Fourth, reduced state of all.
Inert objects and trees have sleep passion.
Insects, worms and animals have dream passion which they are not aware of.
Humans, astrals and celestials have waking passion. These three passions
happen to ignorants.
And reduced passion state belongs to the wise. Because reality of passion
is dissolving to him everyday soon to be evaporated.
When passion arises from kundalini power then five perceptions enable you
to feel the existence of the world. Seed of world tree is the same passion. All
ten directions are leaves, auspicious and inauspicious actions are flowers.
Daffodils and skunk cabbage, both flowers, are here. All animate and inanimate
beings are fruit. However whatever kind of passion combines with astral body,
soul derives those kinds of fruit.
"Therefore Prince,"
Drop this passion. Passionlessness is the supreme self effort. That is the secret
of heroism, beauty and grace. Then as darkness is finished by sunrise upon Self
sunrise, darkness of world existence is evaporated. Psychological and physical--
both pains are great diseases and are born of mind.

"How can disease of body be born of mind?"

There are two categories of physical diseases--short and long.

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Vivekananda Page 18
Short can be healed by bath in sacred water, mantra therapy and medicine.
Second, long one is birth and death.
They cannot be healed unless your breaking point in samadhi comes for which mind
has to be suspended by finding great bliss. After mind is transcended fully and
lived then all past will flows out and no disease will ever come to you.
Whatever food you have you cook and eat. Then kundalini which is united
with astral body lifts up the udana prana air, then udana and apana strikes and
fire is born. And food is cooked once again. Then juice is created. Then all
72,000 nerves pick up their share. When you are possessed by ego-ghost you have
always chances to be overwhelmed by love and hate, likes and dislikes. This
agitates the nerves and their work. Food is not cooked properly. Uncooked or
half cooked juice, when nourishes the nervous system it remains weak and slow and
has an unpredictable outcome. When mind is peaceful, calm and collected, then
like a good king, army and citizens are united and peaceful, the nervous system
stays in its place and functions efficiently. No disease ever bothers then.

"How can mantra heal?"

First step is trust. One has to have faith that this mantra is powerful to
work on my problem. Then associating punyas, charity and communicating with
wisemen, then chanting mantra ya ra la va (all mantras are composed of these
letters) diseases are healed.
When prana and apana stay in kundalini force. Then as mosquito has air in
it, same way pressed by air kundalini penetrates in susumna and swims all the way
to bramharandhra. When you stay in there for twenty-four minutes you see the
siddhhas traveling in the astral world.
Kundalini can be pushed in bramharandhra through inhaling or twelve inches
out at the edge of your aura through exhaling. Both are ways to see the astral
yogis traveling around the world.

"When the soul is stuck in bramharandhra how can he see. Seeing is

possible through eyes?"

You see dreams then you do not use eyes. But you do see everything clearly
and accurately. Same way when you have to see far superior people, things and
world than ours, then too these flesh eyes are of no use. When you are ready,
divine eyes are supplied to you. Then you see them. Just like what you saw in
dream you do not see them in waking state, same way what you see in astral,

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Vivekananda Page 19
celestial and transcendental world and personalities cannot be seen in waking
state. You have to go entranced with divine consciousness. When the divinity is
extremely predominant then waking barriers between other dimensions of reality
are dissolved and one total expansion of realm of you can say, God's kingdom is
flung open. And you are associating with all wise men, what to speak of Babaji
Nagaraj from 200 A.D. but also characters of Mahabharata, Ramayana,
Upanisadas and Vedas. Agastya, Atri, Vyasa and innumerable celestials you have
personal acquaintance. Then only you will understand what I mean by
Intergalactic civilization.
Outside the nose, twelve inch space is the area of apana. One has to
exhale; when you stay there long enough you see the far edges of the universe.
Just as cutting a piece of wood into two halves and rubbing them hard--fire is
ignited. Fire is entirely different from wood but it happens like this. Same way in
the flesh stomach there is heart lotus, in there you see sun and the moon. In that
lotus there are lotuses, one above and second below. Below is moon, above is sun.
In between resides kundalini Laksmi. Like a small box made of padmarag gem
studded with pearls. It is shiny and brilliant. It sounds shala-shala. As if serpent
sound when it is shaken. Aum is resounding. From there flows like thin thread of
bright thread of lotus. One is known as prana, another is apana. Both turn into
vibrations. As by shaking of trees, rubbing of bamboos, fire oozes, same way
prana and apana creates fire, lights up all sky of heart. The pond of heart is place
of the fire. Water is fuel. It burns the water. Then cool apana blows. Warm
prana symbolizes sun, cool apana symbolizes moon. Both created the world. Both
are cause and effect of each other, like sprout comes from seed and seed from
sprout, from day comes night and night from day, like shadow from sun and sun
from shadow, likewise sun and moon are cause and effect to each other.
When prana blows out twelve inches it is known as apana. In between is
sacred moment sankranti. Queen Chudala became spiritually prosperous by
mastering this phase of life--sankranti. And became owner of all twenty-seven
supernatural powers. Then one night when the entire palace was fast asleep she
traveled through space all over the world. Every night she began traveling to
different planets--Earth, stars, planets Svah, Janah, Maha; siddha, vidyadhara,
Surya, Chandra and many lokas described in Puranas she traveled. She explored
the ocean depths and went into fire, air; went to Naga's loka and danced among
them. All forests, mountains, riverbanks, ocean beaches, stars and planets in the
sky became fully acquainted to her as parts of her own palace.
Many great sages, rishis and munis started visiting the palace. Queen
organized many programs which King, his friends and ministers too participated in

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Vivekananda Page 20
and listened to the discourses attentively. In several years King also began to
contemplate and slowly Truth did rise in the heart of the King.
Through Self alone Self can be cognized. Without hole thread cannot enter
a pearl bead. Hole has to be there. Same way your self has to be ready to receive
the Cosmic Self. It is not object of mind and senses. Unless and until you forget
them totally and aspire for Self it is impossible to attain. Scriptures and guru can
only indicate, your discretion and efforts have to have great strength to get it,
assimilate it and make it your own. No matter how nice oratory you have and can
explain a blind man to see the moonshine, he cannot until he has his own eyes.
There was a miser man, Kranta was his name. He was very rich. He had
enormous wealth, grain and land but he would never share his belongings with
anyone. He had great desire to get a gem called paras (if you touch an iron with it
iron turns into pure gold). He was crazy in the search. He wouldn't eat properly,
nor wear good clothes, nor buy good cars. All he would spend was as those yankies
who spent to go to Colorado in the gold rush. He bought the entire land where
archeologists predicted.
Day and night he searched. He found a shell, picked it up and began looking
at it. He moved further and found more shiny shells. He collected them, held
them to his bossom and walked further--there was illuminating paras laying near a
tree. It was lovely but he looked at what he had collected. It didn't match with
those so he kicked it out. It fell on a nearby river and disappeared. When the
jeweler came at night he looked and said, "Negative. These are cheap shells and
not that."
"How is that then?" he asked. The jeweler described and miser cried on
the top of his voice and lamented that he lost it. He himself kicked it out.
Same way all what you know and get by hard work--money, fame, religious
doctrines and disciplines are not the Self. It is obtained by one's own self, in
one's own self, for one's own self. That is the Self. When our ears hanker for
music we throw away the paras. When we hanker for taste, smell, touch, craving
for a lover or to be loved, we are kicking the paras. When we go to work for
selfish reasons, just for oneself, we have just kicked the paras in the trash. We
are that miser and none else.
By and by, Shikhidhvaj's quest for Truth went deep and deeper and he
became more charitable. He donated cows, land, gold, food and built temples. He
went to sacred places, took a dip in holy Ganga, visited temples and holy men. He
shopped in spiritual markets and bought many things that created his room and
appearance more unworldly and unconservative Royal Leader of the nation.

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Vivekananda Page 21
At night, resting with the queen in his bedroom, he said, "Dear Chudala, we
have been enjoying in royal pleasure for such a long time. I never felt fulfillment.
I want to go to the forest and aspire for Truth, the very meaning of life."
"O King, how old are you? Fruit and blossoms on mango trees look beautiful
in spring and not in winter. We are too young to go to the forest. Stay some more
years. Let our son grow older and we both will go to the forest together. Please
stay. When our hair will become as white as hair of the corn flower then we shall
go to the forest. Now just sleep with me," and queen embraced him and took him
to bed with her. But King didn't feel comfortable as a lily cannot feel peace
without the moon.
After a few days, King brought the point up again and requested, "Please do
not stop me. Let me go. My state, palace and royal life are tasteless, barren and
desert like. Earth herself will serve me as you do here. The paths of woods will
be maids, little deer will be my children, sky my clothes and flowers ornaments."
Queen explained, consoled and tested how far is the strength of his quest.
Every night King would ask for permission but queen was very smart. By her logic
and quotations, she would prove it is not necessary. Enlightenment can be attained
right in the palace, right in the midst of the busy world. But mind always likes to
jump to the other polarity. King was in utter materialism, too busy. Now he
wanted to take off. Unless there is gross total change outside he cannot believe
he became spiritual.
One midnight he opened his eyes. He looked left and right, saw his wife is
asleep. He gently covered the sheet over her and looked at her beautiful face
once again. And quietly walked out. Then he walked fast. He came out, looking at
the palace with folded hands, he said, "O Royal Prosperity, I bow down to you."
He walked fast and arrived in a dense forest. The whole night he walked.
Early morning when sun rose he bathed in the river, offered oblutions of
fruit and walked on. Crossing a huge mountain, rivers, forests, inhabitations of
villagers, in twelve days he arrived in a most picturesque summit of Himalayas. He
saw a beautiful spot. There was river Vitasta flowing with a fast current. Cave
was warm and cozy. He made a cottage inside, sowed flower trees, vines and made
a seat to meditate. Picked up tree bark and flower petals for his clothes and
bedding. He made some pots for water and worship.
Early morning he would wake up, take bath and recite holy mantras for
three hours. Then he would go outside on the forest paths, pick flowers and
worship. Then meditate. Practice asanas and pranayamas.
At 12:00 noon he would bathe again, eat some fruit such as bananas, apples,
honey, lotus seeds, stems and roots. He would do nothing.

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Vivekananda Page 22
At 3:00 P.M. he would drink some juice or milk, study the scriptures and
contemplate.
At 6:00 P.M. he would bath again, offer oblutions, do meditation and chant
mantras.
He would light a light and go for a walk in the moonshine. Then coming back
he would eat some more fruit, drink milk, study and rest. He began a strong
ascetic life and felt in a few days he is growing. Now he is not wasting his time.
Now he will soon attain the Truth by power of meditation, study and purity. He
became absorbed day by day by day.
When queen awoke, she saw King was not there. His side of the bed was
empty. Shower too was empty. She knew he left for the forest. She closed her
eyes, shed her search light of Mystic Torch in the future and knew that there is a
great deal of time left for their reunion. King has to clean himself. And at last
she has to make him enlightened. She was concerned. She flew through sky and
saw how the King was moving ahead on his way. She returned to the palace and
next day she instructed all the ministers how to carry on their duties. "King has
left for holy pilgrimage. Until then she will rule the empire." All accepted her
reign happily.
Eight years passed. Like a gardener takes care of plants, trees and vines,
queen took care of all the citizens. But it was like loving two separated birds.
Queen decided to go and visit her husband. She disappeared and flew through the
sky passing through clouds, lightening, over mountain tops, rivers, forests, and she
arrived in a dense forest. She sat in meditation and explored where was her
husband. She looked at the lotus blossoms of Nandan garden and said, "Oh,
where is he, my Lord. Where are you, my dear Shikhidhvaj?" At last she spotted
him in a cave cottage near a river. It was an inaccessible place. She looked and
looked, then she opened her eyes and flew.
She saw him from the sky and said, "Oh, like a ghost he came out in the
midnight. Ignorance is very wicked that the King is involved in austerity. Due to
lethargy in understanding he has gone almost inert. He must attain the knowledge.
But he will attain it through this my form. His ego, that I am his wife, wife is a
bondage and will not let him take my words seriously."
She assumed a very handsome, angelic, ascetic, celibate form wearing
rudraksa beads, holy ashes on forehead, long black hair, large, wise eyes. She
descended from the sky in angel form.
King stood up with folded hands to greet him. He offered a handful of
flowers at his feet. And eyes gleeming with delight he offered him a comfortable
seat outside his cottage where flowers, leaves and herbs were perfuming.

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Vivekananda Page 23
"All glories to you, O reverend Sir, I am so fortunate to see you. Please tell
me what service I can do for you?" he said.
"O dear King, I came from my planet to visit holy places and shrines which
are available only on the planet Earth. I saw you are a great austere person. You
appear to have conquered your senses. Your asceticism is as sharp as edge of the
sword. But may I ask you--have you performed some austerity for Self
realization?"
"Dear Sir, your limbs are so beautiful. Your face, hands and feet are almost
like my wife's. But she is in my capital and you are coming from a higher planet.
Please kindly tell me whose son are you, what is the purpose of your visit and
where would you like to go?"
"Dear King, once upon a time great sage Narada was meditating in a cave of
Mount Meru. Nearby holy Ganga was flowing softly and sweetly with sound of
music. It was not accessible except to astral and celestial beings. Forest was
adorned by spring season. Flowers were blooming in the trees. Vines were
eneveloping the trees. Cuckoos were cooing and peacocks were dancing. Nearby,
Urvasi, Tilottama, Pramlocha and other nymphs were swimming in the river. All
were bathing, taking off all their clothes to facilitate swimming. When Narada
opened his eyes he heard sweet, soft, resounding laughters of the nymphs. As
there is custom, when they saw, they ran down to the sage and offered
obeisances. Narada was young and handsome. One of the nymphs received
permission to stay there and do tapas. While they lived together, through their
mutual love and affection, I ws born."
"Dear Sire, Narada is a great sage, why he fell in love with a nymph?"
"Dear King, as long as there is body the nature of body is not totally
finished.
"svabhavastu pravartate"
Nature prevails. Nature dominates.
"There is only one difference, Enlightened one does not suffer nor action
makes any reproductive impressions. Whereas body identified one is overwhelmed
by outer turmoils and gathers binding influences of karmas (actions). To a white
cloth saffron colors it instantly, but not to the red one. To the raincoat water
does not touch, so the wise ones' actions don't make them restless and stressful.
There are different nerves of joy and misery. When soul is in joy nerve he cannot
feel misery. When he is in misery nerve he cannot see the joy. Misery agitates
the mind."
"Dear Sir, were you born of semen or mind? If by semen, how did it flow
downward?"

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Vivekananda Page 24
"When mind is taken over by passion it becomes agitated. Then nerves too
become agitated. When conjugalar sensation related nerves are thus sensitized,
semen is moved naturally. And this is how I was born."
"What is natural?"
"Spontaneous vibration in Bramha which manifests in creation. And then
everything has its natural. Water's nature is coolness, fire's warmth, semen
flows, that is natural. It has to flow, if flows downward, a child is born. If it
flows upward and passed through Bramharandhra enlightenment is born. This is
natural."
"How the soul suffers?"
"Soul sitting inside kundalini has identified with outer sights which is mind,
intellect, heart and ego. Then feels agitated from their concocted and make
believe problems taking them as one's own. Thus he suffers. As soon as he
withdraws his projection he becomes wise and never suffers."
"Dear Sir, your words are like nectar. Could you please tell me how you
were born?"
"There was a pure gold shining pitcher as token of their love. They put milk
over it. After a month I was born like moon from the ocean. My father flew to
Bramhaloka with me in his lap. Bramha put me on his lap and blessed me to become
omniscient and Self realized. He gave a name, Kumbha. So here we are. O King,
now you tell me your story."
"Oh great sage, I am truly fortunate in my life today. O angelic man, my
name is Shikhidhvaj--king of Kashmir. Observing the sufferingfulness of the
world I became detached. And in order to attain the Truth I came here.
Performing austerity. You are omniscient. What is there to conceal from you. I
worship and do japa everyday but never feel peace. I went to sacred places,
visited holy men, performed my duties, did abundance of meritorious acts, still I
could not feel peace. Sovereign emperorhood could not give me peace. For peace
I came to this forest doing tapas, still I haven't found the peace. Please, shower
your mercy on me."
"O great King, you relinquished the sovereign emperorhood of so good
family, friends and royal pleasures, but you fell in a new ditch of austerity. As a
worm of clay remains on clay, same way you just abandoned one ditch only to fall in
another ditch. Never knew the purpose why you sacrificed your emperorhood.
There is your cottage, here is your deer skin, water pot and beads. They do not
give peace. They don't have peace. To attain peace you have to awaken in your
Self.

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Vivekananda Page 25
"In the same subject long ago, I had asked my grandpa, 'Which one action
or understanding is supreme, o Grandpa?'
"Then he told me, 'By understanding no suffering is left behind to go
through. Understanding is bliss of all bliss. Its nature is pure awareness. But for
unaware ones, for body identified ones, work is the best. That will at least save
them from hell of devilish attitude and intention, and lead him to heavenly
pleasures. As silk is better than cotton, but if you could not be rich enough to buy
a silk suit, then you must not dare to throw away your cotton pajamas. Because
that is all you can afford right now. For a materialistic, work is as important as
god. Then he must advance to know that honesty in work is more important than
work. Then honesty towards righteous cause is more important. Then honesty
towards the very goal of life, the very purpose of living is more important. That is
god.
'From a barbarious and rude, or lazy and procrastinator, you have to evolve
into a fine worker. Then even if you become workoholic you develop to be an
efficient, skillful one. In time, maturity will come to you. Keep working hard till
the last breath with do or die spirit. And understanding will come to you one day.
Sure. Just stay honest.
'Understanding is always of the nature of everything is understood and
gained. It is always an understanding of the world through science, oneself,
through philosophy. And self and the world both are illusory appearance upon
Absolute Bramha, the Truth, and that is me--is understanding. It is another
polarity of life. Loving God you become Him and there it shines. This
understanding is the goal. When you know this, no passion overtakes then.
Understanding is always a freedom--Eternal one.'
"King, why have you fallen in this ditch of ignorance? Get out. Wake up.
Fast. Hurry up."
"Holy Sire, oh you are a great person. You are my father, teacher and
liberator. I suffered a lot from my passion. Like fruitless, flowerless, leafless
tree is just a log, a ghost. Likewise I have become. Please show me the path of
peace?"
"King, renouncing the empire you should have gone to join the association of
wise men. And have questioned there as what is bondage, what is liberation? Who
am I and what is this world? How it is born and in whom it dissolves? You missed
that. You lost it. You destroyed great opportunities. What did you do...not the
holy man but this log like forest is what you took shelter of?"
"You are the wise. Yes, I did miss. I lost opportunities. Now you are my
teacher. Please educate me into the way of understanding."

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Vivekananda Page 26
"King, yes I shall educate you. But you must do self effort to digest it. If
you don't, what will be the use of my teaching? A crow does not listen, he keeps
on his own tune--the ear irritating tune. He does not give up his bad habit. Parrot
learns fast. Hope you too show some smartness."
"My lord, be assured as people revere the words of Vedas and scriptures, I
will follow your instructions like that."
"King, first you should tell yourself with an iron will--that this is the only
way for my peace. Second, what father teaches to his son is always for his good.
What I am telling you is for your great good. So not to underestimate my word
like that philosopher."
"Which philosopher, my lord?"
"He was rich, a scholar and famous. But he had only one fascination to find
a Chintamani diamond bigger and finer than the Kohenoor. He traveled far and
wide--in the hills, forests, mines and near seashores. Everywhere he went. At
last, that night also came of his achievement. He really saw it shining like a pearl,
like the moon in a forest, on bare earth. 'Is it the true diamond which had been
the goal of my life? Is it the one which I have been seeking so desperately all my
life? Oh, no, how can that be...? Because diamond is attained by great effort. If
it is available so easly the whole world would have become rich.' So he didn't pick
it up. And it disappeared.
"The higher things of life are always such. If you do not adore, they
disappear. He traveled again far and wide in the mines, in the beaches. One early
morning, he saw an imitation of a gem--a piece of glass. He was fascinated by its
luster and believed, 'That's it?' He found what he had been working for all life.
Just as soul misperceives false as reality, rope as a cobra, enemy as friend, poison
as nectar, double moon in the sky, same way to the piece of glass he declared a
Chintamani and relinquished all his belongings. Just for that piece of glass.
"King, what you have done with your life is exactly like this man. You have
sacrificed all your life's work for a piece of glass. You have disrespected the
understanding and valued asceticism. Please turn the clock back.
"King, you are like the elephant, so powerful that he could lift up the entire
mountain. Somehow he was caught with chains. The hunter starved him for many
days. Then he climbed on a tree to jump on his back to control him with his gode.
Meanwhile, the elephant thought, 'Once he will get on my head I will be subdued
forever. It is best to get out before he jumps.' So as soon as he jumped,
elephant broke the chains with all his might. Hunter fell on the ground near his
feet. He was full of fear, anytime he can be crushed to death. Elephant look and

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Vivekananda Page 27
felt, 'Now I am free, he is almost like a dead man. One paw and he is finished.'
He did not kill him.
"Elephant walked out and began enjoying his freedom, roaming forest to
forest. But hunter had to make his living. To him it was a matter of business. He
followed from a distance. Then he created a ditch, covered it from the top with
cardboard, sowed lush, green grass and placed a beautiful, romantic lady elephant.
Elephant saw, rushed to embrace her and fell down in the ditch. He was tied with
heavier fetters and this time, hunter jumped on his head very carefully. And lo,
he was subdued forever.
"Dear King, now get me. If you can understand my two puzzles, I will deem
you to be eligible for my education."
"Yes my lord, I got it. Long ago I asked my wife, Chudala, the mystery
behind her brilliant, new beauty, and she told me the wisdom of the Self--that
was the Chintamani. I gave it up for glass pieces of my duty, work and ambition. I
told her it was silly, and that her mind was goind berserk by too much meditation
so do that a little less. I was so foolish, like that miser of your story. I left the
diamond and chose this new glass piece of austerity. I remain a pauper still. Oh, I
abandoned my everything for this glass piece." Said King Shikhidhvaj.
"That is right. You got it. The start of action is desire. Desire is the glass
piece. You grabbed that and abandoned Mystica Trancensia. And remained
miserable by your own choice. King, you never did sarva-tyaga. You are like that
mighty elephant who spared the hunter. He did one but you did again and again.
And still are doing it. Killing the hunter means sarva-tyage. If you did not do it,
then whatever desire is left, like a cloud, no matter how tiny left by the wind, still
when ocean air will join it it will become mountainous. So big that it covers the
entire orb of the sun which is bigger than even the earth. The ego, the
attachment of kinghood, being a husband, a father, a donor, a winner, is like cloud-
-big and mountain like. Through wind of attachment born of your quest for Truth
you sacrificed them all. Cloud was dispersed. But subtle ego in body still remained
like a small piece of cloud. It has grown. You projected your ego upon the non-
Self and started a new desire. Now many connected with them, related to your
ascetic life, have obscured your Self sun. Chintamani of wisdom is overshadowed
by the glass piece of body identification. But as soon as you will know the Self
through understanding about your own self, the Self sun will shine again.
"You are a wise man and as a stone cannot stay in the sky for too long, so
also misunderstanding will not remain in you, I suppose."
"Now, tell me of my next puzzle?"

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Vivekananda Page 28
"I am that elephant. Hope and expectation are fetters and chains.
Discretion and detachment are my big teeth through which I broke those steel
chains before. When I renounced, then chains of hopes were cut off; hunter
ignorance fell at my feet. But to the ignorance hunter I just hit him only once or
twice through my teeth of discretion and detachment. I did not kill him through
sarva tyaga. Then hunter ignorance ran away, but kept observing from a distance.
Then from body identification the leftover cloud of all desires and settlement as
ascetic life and identity jumbled up. I became somebody again. Formerly a king,
now ascetic--a seeker of Truth. Missed the point again. Projecting my ego upon
objects or non-self I started new beliefs, new actions, new determinations. I am
fallen in a ditch again.
"I am not fallen in this ditch by my own. There was artificial grass and
lady-illusion of joy thus I was tricked.
"First, I failed to kill ignorance enemy by inner sarva tyaga. I escaped full
of fear of bondage and chains expecting the forest will take care of it. I will be
peaceful in the silence. I failed to perceive words of scripture and enlightened
ones. Their instructions of freedom from suffering fell into my deaf ears. I
relinquished all but failed to relinquish my doership. I could not understand how I
am not a doer, not an enjoyer of the fruit of action.
"Actionlessness of my nature never popped up in my thick head. I did not
think if that is my nature then what is the point in my new beginning. I did not cat
off the chains of hopes and expectations with my teeth of discretion and
detachment. Detachment is born from discretion and it stays only if discretion is
applied over and over constantly."
Kumbha said, "Discretion is born only when you know everything else other
than Self as illusion and only the pure Self as the Truth with full experience of its
nature--power, awareness and bliss. And out of its nature peace naturally flows.
"In this peace, contentment is born and no attraction arises towards
illusion-created objects of the world--that is detachment. Both are born from
each other. Break your fetters of I-ness and My-ness with use of these
instruments.
"King! Queen Chudala was the knower of Bramha, you dishonored her words.
Second, you avoided sarva tyaga and adopted a forest life. These two fetters you
have made."
"My lord, now what shall I do, I renounced emperorhood, family, job,
wealth, comforts of life. Everything I know of I renounced, how come you say I
have not done sarva tyaga?"

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Vivekananda Page 29
"O King, what have you sacrificed, tell me? What was yours in the kingdom,
in your empire? What were before they are still there. All wealth, all citizens,
the palace and all cows, elephants, horses are still there. What was yours in
them? Sarva tyaga is done when something belongs to you in a legitimate manner.
Since there was nothing in them as yours it is vain to say you renounced them.
Renounce that which is yours."
"Oh lord, this forest, these trees, which I have planted by my own hands,
these fruits and flowers I renounce. Is now sarva tyaga done, please?"
"No, not yet. Because they exited before you came. These plants and trees
you planted existed in seed form long before you came. So there is nothing yours
in them."
"Okay, then I relinquish this dear skin and cottage. Have I become sarva
tyagi?"
"What is there yours in the deer skin. It is the skin of the deers. And this
cottage is made of clay, wood, grass and stones. Nothing yours is in it."
"Here goes my water pot and beads, I renounce these."
"This water pot is the skull of a pumpkin. The beads are also seeds of
rudraksa plant. Nothing yours is in these. Whatever is yours, please renounce
that."
King began to think, 'What is mine?' Then he collected all his belongings,
put them inside the cottage and set fire in it. Holding each item he bade
farewell--
"Dear deer skin, long time I sat upon you and felt good with you, but did not
attain peace. Now by the mercy of sage Kumbha, I will attain. Farewell." And he
threw it in the burning fire.
"O water pot, thanks, long time I carried you, drank water from you and
quenched my thirst, now please go. I am on the path of peace." He offered that
too in the fire.
"O beads of rudraksa, thousands of times we spent great times together. I
chanted millions of mantra with your help. We traveld together in all corners of
this forest. Now I am on a peace mission. I gotta go. Farewell, dear." And he
offered into the burning fire. Same way he collected all things of his use, even
clothes and offered them all in the fire.
As to the rippened fruit trees drop, as after a great storm the place
becomes dustless, King renouncing all things became free from disturbances. As
in the yajna of Daksa all things were destroyed in the fire, same way, great
burning took place. Birds began to flee, animals and worms ran away. Fire burned
in flames. King and Kumbha looked at it for a moment. Then King looked at

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Vivekananda Page 30
Kumbha and said, "Now I think I have done all what was possible. I have no
lamentation nor worry nor any anxiety for them. Now I became knowledgeable."
And with folded hands he said, "My dear sir, now sky is my clothes, earth is my
bed. I did sarva tyaga?"
"King, not yet. It has not happened at all."
"But nothing I have. I am standing before you stark naked. Now all I have
is this body. So okay, I am going to drop this too." Saying this he ran fast
towards the fire. But Kumbha ran faster and held him.
"Not the body, but through which sarva tyaga happens, renounce that.
Body is the means of all finer attainments. Don't be so silly to give it up. When
flowers, fruit--a big bilva fruit or coconut falls on your head, it is not the tree but
the wind is responsible. Same way, damage done by the body, but body was just an
instrument. The dictator sitting in the body is ego. That is the real culprit. Body
is innocent--Poor and helpless. Whatever you give, eats it. Wherever you place it,
sleeps there. Guilty verdict for the body is injustice. By valcano tree shakes, by
earthquake city crumbles, by wind and storm ocean sweeps away the houses at the
shore. Same way, not the body but that forced, pushed and pulled by whom body
does damage and creates chaos in life, renounce that monster. That is the real
demon, like a ghost he possess the body and makes it do un-do-able things. All
useless, waste of time. Because of whom life after life a long series of wonderful
opportunities have gone lost, renounce that.
Because of whom all this is. In whom all this is who is the only dictator bigger
than Hitler and Stalin--Renounce that. Electrocute that." Kumbha said.
"My lord, you are wonderful, who is that who is all, in whom all is and who is
renounceable from all sides? Renouncing whom old-age and death is completely
finished, who is it?"
"Cobra is sitting in the hole. Hole is not guilty. Corbra is. Because it
contains poison and stings, injecting poison. Same way in the hole of this body, the
cobra of seven dimensional ego is sitting. Mind, intellect, heart, ego, soul,
ignorance, maya, all these are his name. Ego is allness inclusive. Because of ego all
this is. Time, space, expectation, illusion, fruit orientation are all due to seven
dimensional ego. By renouncing this guilty you will find peace. Drop it and you will
be free from old-age and death. Do not drop it and you will suffer for billions of
years. When the field is burned all seeds are burned too. The field is this seven
dimensional ego. All causes of sufferings of the world are seeds and roots of all
grains. When ego-field is burned all suffering roots of the world too are burned.
Therefore renounce that havoc first. Family, society, nation, east and west all are

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concoctions of mind and intellect constantly being pumped up by ego. This is
mental projection of mind and intellect.
"It is mind alone which when involves in sinful actions reaps the
consequences of suffering. When involves in meritorious actions enjoys all
prosperity. But both keep turning into each other. Both are misery and both are
joy. Misery and joy depend on what mind likes and what mind dislikes. Your love
and hate, that distinguishes between joy and suffering. Both are just mind's
game. Therefore renounce the mind. It is a complete ghost and has turned your
body into a haunted house.
"The spirit of this ghost is passion. As soon as you become passionless your
ego is dead. When you tell people you want this and this and this, people don't like
you. Or they know your weak point. When you don't want anything by heart you
are worshipped. So become like sky. Become like vastness of light.
"Ego association is grounded upon your laziness. Laziness creates heart.
Heart is conscious as well as inert. That is why its name is knot of alert-inert
twist or chijjadagranthi. When the knot is flung open, sarva tyaga takes place.
Tree of worldliness is cut down. As there is tree in the seed so is the world in the
mind. When seed is burned, tree inside it too is burned. When passion is burned,
world too is burned.
"These are chemicals in a container. When we destroy the chemicals,
container is not destroyed. But if container is destroyed, chemicals too are
destroyed. Same way, by destroying the body you destroy the opportunities of
destroying the chemicals which will keep poisoning all the oncoming bodies. When
you destroy the chemicals, body is not destroyed. When body will be cleansed of
the dust of ego you will become expanded vast sky. This is sarva tyaga."
"Oh my God, how do I do that, holy Sire? Mind is the dust of the world sky.
Mind monkey is the eternal dweller of world tree which never stays still. It keeps
jumping from one tree to another. How will I do that?"
"O King, it is easy to stop its jumping. You may have to make efforts even in
closing and opening of eyes, but stopping the mind is the easiest. Yes, but only to
the wise not to the ignorant. It is difficult for a bum to become U.S. President.
It is difficult for a dust particle to become Himalaya Mountain. Same way, to the
ignorant stopping the mind is most difficult."
"Holy Sire, it is most difficult to break the mountain but it can be broken,
but stopping of mind is too difficult. A little baby cannot stop an alligator,
similarly I cannot stop this mind. Sir, a blind man cannot even see a painted art
work on a canvas, how can he lift the nymph out of the painting with his two
hands, could you please tell me the nature of mind?" King asked.

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Vivekananda Page 32
"King, the nature of mind is passion. When passion is destroyed mind is
finished. Destroy the passion seed. Then mind tree will be destroyed. Neither
there will be leaves nor flowers nor fruit."
"Dear Sir,
World is perfume of mind flower.
World is a pond of mind lotus.
Mind is a wind, a storm to lift up the body grass.
Old age, death, physical, psychological and
natural calamities are oil of mind sesame.
World is an utter darkness in mind sky."
"Ego is the seed in the vast field of Self-consciousness. Ego is always seven
dimensional. The vibrations in ego bubble out as senses, body and a solid
determination that "it is like this"--is called intellect. In this intelligence the
false belief that "this I am", this notion is the world and that is the ego of this
individual.
"Ego is the seed of this tree. Mind is the branches. Joy and pain are two
fruits of this tree. Sitting along in silence, in cozy corners and doing austerity,
worship, meditation, contemplation, concentration and all methods are like cutting
the branches of the tree of the world. By cutting the branches, tree will not be
destroyed. Its root is "I am". This seed has to destroyed. And King, you can do
it. And you got to do that."
"Holy lord, I can now understand well what you mean. Superior than
renouncing the world is the destroying the mind. All along I have been cutting
only branches. That is why my miseries didn't reduce but grew more. You said,
ego alone is the cause of misery. So tell me how ego is born?"
"O King, in the still silent ocean, waves arise by wind. Similarly in vast ocean
of pure awareness the "I am" notion arose. This "I am" bubble of sensation
accumulated with innumerable similar bubbles spread all over in the form of this
sight, surroundings, family, society, nation and the world. So drop "I am-ness" and
be established in peace and serenity of Bramha."
"What is it that is burnable? What is the fire in which it burns?" Asked
the King.
"O King, think intensively who you are? What is this world? What is the
meaning of life? What is my real duty? What is the purpose of life? This is fire.
The ego of senses and body and identification is required to burn in above thought
fire. When ego seed is completely burned only pure awareness; still, calm and
luminous will remains. Now tell me what do you know of yourself?"

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Vivekananda Page 33
"I am not at all king, flesh, blood, bones, senses, mind, intellect and ego. I
am pure Self. But my lord, I am unable to trace out where ego blemish has stuck
on me and how to separate it."
"Without cause there is no effect. If there is effect and effect has no
cause then that is false. Therefore tell me what is the cause of ego?" Kumbha
asked.
"The 'I am' vibration that looms up as sensation and sight-moving fluid that
is the cause."
"What is the cause of that sight cognizing moving fluid?
"Pure Self consciousness."
"What is the cause of cognizing the sight and moving towards it?"
"The cognizable objects are at the front then cognizing takes place. When
body and senses are there knowing flows towards the sights. So the cause of
cognition is the body."
"The body is part of vast illusion since it has no cause."
"The cause of body is the father, holy Sire, why do you say it has no
cause?" said King.
"Who is the cause of father?"
"Grandfather," said the king.
"Well, when you go all the way back to millions of generations the last
person will be Bramha. And Bramha created this world out of his mind. Ten
mental sons were his first creation. And they are the origin of human race. And
name and form of Bramha are misconceptions in True Self like water in mirage,
like silver in shell, two moons in sky, a vast dream upon the reality."
"Holy Sire, then tell me how action appears to be true?"
"It is like saying, I decorated the son of a barren woman. Barren woman
cannot have a son. If woman has a son she is not barren. Barren woman's son is
illusion, then decorating the barren woman's son is a double illusion. Indicating
serious discrepancies in the vision of the speakers. Therefore as your body is
illusion so is Bramha's body and his vast activities of creation. Awake now from
this illusion." Kumbha demanded.
"I see. I can see now, I got your point. Wow!" And a great silence spread,
then the king said, "I am awakened. My illusion is gone, Holy Sire."
"The cause which is ended or destroyed by place, time, object and situation,
that is illusion. Because it is part of falsity. There is no place, time andobject in
Absolute Reality. All are pure consciousness the Self."
Ignorance of king began to flow out like a doll of ice melting away with the
sunrise of Kumbha's words. He began to see the Self illuminating effulgently. In

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Vivekananda Page 34
which not only his life but also his father's, forefathers, till the starter of the
race. All their empires, till Bramha are parts of darkness outside the brilliance of
blissful Self. There is no space and time, no past, present and future at all. The
Self is, has been, and will be full in all situations and conditions of life and
existence. This is the cause of all causes. From this true cause false effect
cannot come out so there is no effect. Since no effect, no comparison. So there
is neither effect nor cause. Only all permeating pure Eternal Self.
King Shikhidhvaj felt this Eternal Self so intensively that his body and
everything became nonexistent. His eyes became closed and body utterly still.
Like flame in a windless spot he remained. Kumbha observed for fourty-eight
minutes, and woke him up.
"Dearest one, there is no point in meditation and not meditation. You are
Pure Self. Shine with it always. As long as gem is inside the container its shine
doesn't reach out. When it is out, shine illumines all. You are now established in
pure True Self. You have attained peace, you have found the meaning of life
today. Now radiating peace and understanding you should roam everywhere
freely."
"Kindly pour on me some more nectar?"
"In which is vast sky is as small as an atom, in which these cosmic universes
are situated like an insignificant blade of grass, which is subtler than the subtlest
and grosser than the grossest, you are established in that. From which no one,
nothing has ever been born. In which upon mere vibrations the creations are
projected like television screen. You are that."
"Holy Sire, from where these vibrations came?"
"This too is the display of power of the Self. Vibrant and novibrant both
are powers of the Self. Incorrect vision sees the diversity of the world in
vibrations. Correct view finds wherever I am is all my Self. World appearance is
caused by funny little emotionalism. To many, poison became nectar just by
emotion, like Meera. To others, all the nectar of prosperity became poison, like
Howard Hughs and Marilyn Monroe. Therefore nectar and poison both exist in
emotion. Wherever you focuse it, out of the blue things become alive and
existent.
World is only a matter of emotionalism.
One who knows, this suffering never afflicts him or her.
Those who argue against it or they avowed not to understand
it and stay ignorant, no one can help him to be happy.
Peace will keep playing catch-22 game all life.

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Vivekananda Page 35
"Sky, void, firmament--are names of sky; they are names of the Self too.
Same way, all are the names of the Self. There nothing out or beyond the Self.
You, he, she, that this all are names of the Self. When gold ornaments are made
they become separate from gold as far as name, use and form is concerned by still
remaining gold. Because it came out of gold and will dissolve in gold and even now
it is gold. Whatever sight, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching is goind on and had
gone one, was and is pure Self. In the sky whatever you see, or in imagination
whatever home, place, city you see, have sky in them too. The forms you see in
burning fire, the clouds you see rolling in the sky too have many forms. But they
are only appearance. So momentary. Lightening can last for four billion years.
And cities, earth, water, sky inside then what... In the water too there is space
and time. A wave rose in certain place in certain time, to certain height creating
these results, dissolving in certain place. You can gather up all the data anywhere
and announce this is the world. And then projecting it upon yourself you begin to
suffer.
Then who is responsible?
When someone comes to tell you the Truth then you say,
'Oh, it is eastern philosophy. Oh, it is impersonal,
it is mayavada. It is too dry.' --So on and so forth.
By doing so, one makes one's own hell so vast and
dangerous that no one will be able to get you out.
"As soon as you know time and space you are fallen from the grace. Great
effort has to be made very seriously to get it back. It is only through mind and
senses you know it is this place, this time. So one thing is sure, you are enveloped
by mind and senses. Get rid of these and see. You will find only Bramha through
Bramha. Fullness through fullness. Self through Self. All will indicate only you
and you alone. The words and meanings introduced by the world will be finished.
"Not that world was and it is now over. No, world never was, nor is, nor will
ever be. Self is established in the Self. Everything else is illusion. Speech cannot
reach intuition, cannot cognize. It is far beyond all the way out. When vibrant
sensation bubble becomes extrovert bondage comes, when it becomes introvert
liberation comes. It is up to oneself in which direction, in which field one wants to
be sensitive. When you are sensitive to all directions you are insensitive to your
inner realm of the Self. As soon as you focus your sensitivity inwards your world
disappears. It appears only as mere appearance like blueness of sky. Blueness is
just appearance, sky is void. Words and meanings too are temporarily associated.
It is context and stingy. When you evaporated this entire show of appearance

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Vivekananda Page 36
then there is vast expansion of clean, pure awareness. To this the wise call
NIRVANA.
"Dropping all affiliations of words and meanings. Deconditioning oneself
from all emotional projections is Bramhajnana."
"Dear Sire, what if I take Self as the cause and world as effect?"
"Self is pure consciousness, world is inert, how can effect be completely
apposite from the cause? Cause can be known through effect. If we know the
Self through world it would prove to be inert as the world is in itself. Only
another inert can be known through inert. Pure consciousness can be known only
through pure consicousness.
It is neither cause or effect nor creation.
Like vast, void sky of consciousness cosmically
shimmering, translucent. And universe is on some
insignificant place, that could only be covered by
point of a needle, is looming and lurking up.
No cause, no effect.
Like sweet blue river in mirage, like silver in shell, like cobra in rope, like ghost in
dead tree at dark night, same way, this world is looming and lurking up in the Self
due to one's lethargy and foolishness.
"The cause of foolishness and lethargy of mind is only mind itself.
Therefore through mind make the mind subtle and refined. If you have extra fat
in your body, through dieting you can make your body lean, thin, trim and very
flexible. Same way, mind is prejuditional, programmed, conservative, traditional,
whatever society has dumped into one's head which is used as ultimate dumping
hazzard--clean your mind from all these varieties of thicknesses. If you are a
great, hard worker, a nuclear physicist, famous engineer, the best U.S. president,
record breaker athlete, efficient actor/actress, and yet have no ability to
convince yourself of this fact, then you are still very lethargic. Work hard.
Remove these thicknesses of mind. By pure mind, subtle and fine you can destroy
the passion. With thick mind you can only identify with passion. If talked
anything against it you may feel offended. And turn inimical to the very topic
which can free you from all troubles of life. But with subtlefied--well operated,
lean, thin and trim mind, you can destroy passion, then to the mind iteself. Then
atma will shine in its effulgent, glory and grace."
When Kumbha completed his speech, peace inundated in and thoughtout
King Shikhidhvaj. His eyes became closed. He remained still and silent like curved
statue of stone for forty-eight minutes. Then he opened his eyes.

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Vivekananda Page 37
"Did you rest in atma which is like cosmic stone of awareness? Did you know
the knowable? Has your ignorance gone? Have you attained peace? Asked
Kumbha with great compassion.
"Yes, my lord, by your grace I have attained the supreme status. The
nectar of joy I have received from your association has been unavailable anywhere
else. It is sweeter than the nectar of the milk ocean. Now I am established in my
own Self. I am awakened. I am such by me all are illuminated. Knowing which I
wasted thousands of my life times. I have only one question, why I didn't know
before, even I heard and read thousands of times before and only now I know?"
"It is now alone that the dirt of your mind has fallen off. When fruit is
ripe only then it falls off on its own. When mind is dirty words of saints don't
touch the heart. Soft stem of lotus is easy to be pierced by an arrow. Words of
saints are easy to be pierced when heart is clean. Where there is transparency
sun reflects. In white clothes saffron colors fast. It is just like that.
Detachment from worldly pleasure, establishment in Self pleasure, and then my
word works as whole room is lit as soon as I put the switch on. Ignorant is bound
by mind. Wise has no connection with mind as a stone cannot sprout into a plant.
"When you see the ocean as a whole, waves, bubbles and water whirls all are
simply water, the same way, without instrumentality of mind when you see the
world, all are atma and atma alone. Without seeing ocean when you see waves,
bubbles one by one, all are separate, small and distinct. Now you can see the
whole as a whole. You have done well. And now I wish to proceed. Narada is in
the assembly of Bramha, I'm most expected there. Please remember until I come,
stay established in your true Self. Never lose track for a single moment."
Saying thus, Kumbha stood up. And King too, rushed, flowers and fruit in
his hand but lo...what happened, angelic sage suddenly disappeared in the thin air.
"Oh, like embodiment of God's mercy the sage materialized and now
disappeared. What a wonderful event. So great now, I am out of the muddy ditch
of ignorance. I am awakened from billion year long sleep. And he stood on the
summit of the mountain. Saw all around. Sat down and applying his discretion
began to ponder over the entire teaching. He became absorbed in deep nirvikalpa
samadhi. He remained seated like a beatufully carved statue. Deer, cubs walked
around, parrots, peacocks flew around, swans and geese came and looked around,
and he remained seated firm and resolved.
Kumbha rose high above in the sky. Abandoned the male form and resumed
her original queen Chudala form. Crossing the range of rolling clouds, stars and
planets, she came to her capital. Landed straight in the yard of her gynaceum and
called for the ministers and listened to their news, gave them different

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Vivekananda Page 38
assignments. Then she came to the chambers of CIA and listened to the special
reports they had on different persons and situations. Then she gave them more
instructions and new assignments. She came to the palace and spoke with other
authorities. Rested in the night. Morning she came to the Royal Assembly. All
rose up. She was seated on her husband's throne. Ordered all to take their
seats. She discussed all issues of the States. Gave orders to all home, food,
finance, foreign, travel and religious ministers to do their duties in more efficient
ways. Everyone felt she is as successful as King Shikhidhvaj himself and much
more to him. She stayed there for three days.
She flew again and arrived at the forest where King was sitting in deep
trance atmic experience. She assumed the form of angel like male Kumbha and
came closer. She flew around as airplane takes a flight around the city before
landing. Then she thought, 'I should wake him up. But he is in deep trance.
Pyramidical posture, spine straight, lotus pose. As if statue of marble in open sky
mountain top.' She was satisfied. Then by her yoga power she roared like a lion.
All wild animals and birds became afraid and ran helter skelter. But King didn't
wake up. She shook him by her hands but he didn't wake up. As if mountain top
does not move by thunders of cloud, likewise, King remained still and silent like
rock or log.
She came close and touched his body with hers and felt life still exists.
She went into future scenes and saw his sattva-sesa still continues. Life will still
continue in the future. As long as astral body remains, body stays alive with shine
of life. Kumbha sat in a nearby bush and entered in deep meditation. Then
collected her soul, came out of her body and entered the body of King. Then she
went deep into his all layers of consciousness--sub and unconscious and subtle unto
his Mystica Trancensia level of consciousness. And split it up with satvasesa. King
shook and became disconnected from atmic level of trance. She returned and
came out of King's body, entered in her own body like bird enters its nest after
flying high in the sky. Settling in her body she began singing the psalms of the
Vedas. Sweet melody echoed all around.
King heard someone is singing Samaveda hymns. He opened his eyes and saw
Kumbha is sitting under the tree near the bush. He was very pleased. He stood up
and picked some flowers and fruit and offered at the feet of the sage. With
folded hands he sang.
"Thank you my lord, so much. No one can enter your heart which is
absorbed in solemnness of Bramha. But memory of me dawned on it, I am
fortunate. Before you sanctified my hermitage, now remembering me, you have
done a great, indescribable favor."

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Vivekananda Page 39
"Dear King, love like yours never I saw anywhere before. I came for you
from heaven. All plesures are insignificant before your meeting. I shall not go
now, I shall stay here with you."
"My lord, oh so great, so compassionate you are. This is the forest, there is
the cottage. Please rest here. It is my past meritorious deeds of which fruit has
fructified."
"Like a tiny vine at the bank of river flown away by the gushing stream of
rainy season, have your all seeds of desire destroyed by flood of awakening into
your pure Self? Are you now satisified in whatever comes? Have you attained
peace? Tell me your experiences."
"By your favor, I did attain the Supreme Status beyond the boundaries of
the world. I have no doubts. Whatever was to be known I have known. I have no
passion, no stress at all. I am not just peaceful but I am peace itself, bliss itself."
Thus both enjoyed conversation for two hours, and forty-four minutes.
Then...
Both stood up and walked to the nearby pond where many lotuses were
blooming, swans floating and birds chirping. They took bath. Then whispered
Gayatri mantras, performed oblutions and worshipped the Lord with lotuses,
jasmine and fruit. They ate prasad. Then they took rest. Then Kumbha said,
"Let's go."
"Fine, let's go." King said without any whys and wheres. Both walked. Many
villages, woods, ponds and rivers they passed. Many cities they visited. Many
satvic places like holy and sacred places, rajasic places like beautiful gardens and
cities. tamasic places like deserts and uneven thorny landscapes. The purpose of
travel was to inspect and examine the atmic stability of the king. But everytime
King passed. He was not overwhelmed by hunger and thirst, exhaustion and
comfort, respect and insult, heat and cold, suffering and pleasure. His face
remained pleasant. His respect to Kumbha remained constant.
They stayed together under many trees, upon many, green grass, thick
carpets. Swam in many rivers and ponds. Both walked together, whispered
mantras together and worshipped together. They became like friends. They wore
clothes of different colors, layed on long banana leaves or soft flower petals or
sand dunes. But they never complained of anything, neither about each other, nor
anyone else, nor they talked negative. They remained like sea--calm, serene and
placid. They stayed in satva suddha and pratibha functioned all along instead of
intuition, and none else they saw and experienced and talked except atma in very
many contexts and forms.

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Vivekananda Page 40
Then one day, Kumbha wanted to test Shikhidhvaj's attainment on a very
special context.
"O King, long time has passed. First day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra
month, the auspicious time when Bramha started creation. That is tomorrow. I
have to go. I want to visit all my family members. Until I return, please stay in
the trances of atmic experience. When you get out of Mystica trancensia just
look at these flowers. And he gave a flower garland into the hands of the King.
King also gave him one. Then Kumbha flew above and above and above. As peacock
keeps looking at a new rumbling cloud, same way, King kept looking at departing
Kumbha with unwinking eyes. As far as King's eyes followed he held his gift.
When she disappeared she showered heavenly flowers on the King and assumed his
original queen Chudala form again. Flying through clusters of clouds and astral
yogis' inhabitations she arrived at her palace. And busied herself in the
necessary duties of her husband. Then in a week or so she arranged everything
rightly for some more months and flew back to the grove through the path of
sunrays where she had left the King. She saw King was despondent. She appeared
as Kumbha and he too was despondent.
"My lord, here, please accept my worship," King offered handful of flowers.
"And why you look so sad? If you consider me capable of worth knowing, please
let me know?"
"O King, I am shocked and dazed upon a very serious trouble which has
befallen on me. But it is the way of friends to tell the truth. Cloud is inert and
black but its friend is earth and fields. When it shares and showers upon them his
heart then his inertness and blackness disappears. That is why I am telling you,
in the assembly of Bramha, a great festival was celebrated. Beings from all
different planets joined together. There were many programs. It was fine, but
when I was returning through the space, through the passage of clouds and stars,
I saw sage Durvasa speedily going, dressed in blue clothes, his red hair flowing
looked like a woman and I happened to call him, "O beautifu lady, I am also the
traveler of the same path, why don't you join me. I need guidance to reach to my
planet. I am lost."
"Durvasa looked at me with great wrath and said, 'You silly ignorant youth.
How dare you call me lady? Drunk with wine of passion you youngsters see the
whole world nothing but ladies as we see nothing but atma. But I must see you
don't go unpunished. So I curse you to become a woman.'
"I then persuaded him. I was not aware. It happened unknowingly. He too
realized I had no intention to ridicule or seduce somebody, so he doing a favor on

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Vivekananda Page 41
me blessed with staying woman only for the night. But still to me it is so
degrading. That is why I am sad."
"You are wise man, my lord. You have nothing to be worried about. Body is
like a log somewhere far away in Antartica. You are Pure Self atma as you taught
me."
"You are right. I have no worry. Whatever is destined to the body that
happens. It is folly to fight with the nature of body instead of staying there
where one can grow in knowledge. There is no problem in enjoying what came
unasked and allowed by scriptures. Ignorant sees troubles on him, wise does not."
While they talked like this, sun began to set. Reddish light spread. They
went to the pond. Took bath, Performed their oblutions and did chanting. Night
fell. Stars rose. Lotus closed their petals. And there scream of Kumbha echoed
from behind the bush.
"O King, my hair is being long, breasts growing, clothes too changing. All
like woman I became."
Seeing Kumbha in the form of a most beautiful lady, King became sad for a
moment. Then he arranged himself and spoke--
"O great wise one, only your body became that of a woman. You are still
atma, the Self beyond the formations of any kind of body. Please lament not.
Stay still in your Self." King consoled like a good friend.
Then both made beds of flower petals, and rested. They talked of wisdom
as before and never of anything lower than that.
As dawn broke, woman's body turned into male form of Kumbha again. King
was neither surprised nor uncomfortable with the situation. Every night he would
turn into a beautiful woman and at day usual Kumbha form. After a short time
spent, they moved further. Traveled to many hills, valleys and holy places. Their
perspective was one. They had neither pleasure nor sorrow. As Himalayas does
not shake they stayed undaunted, unshakable in their true Self--the atma.
Then one day, Kumbha in the Valley of Flowers, said to the King, "O King,
when I become woman at night I feel like making love with you. Even if you are
desireless, still please accept this situation as fallen upon you by the destiny. We
are young and fresh."
"O wise one, to me all directions are hollow as sky. I have no pleasure in
attainment, no sorry in loss. Whatever you wish, please do."
"It is full moon tonight. Auspicious day. Let us marry today in the nearby
cave. And in moonlit night we will sail out boat in this pond."
"As you wish, my lord. All is fine with me." King said. Both stood up. Took
bath in the pond. Collected clothes, flowers, fruit, wood and other required

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Vivekananda Page 42
materials for marriage. At sunset both did their worship. Then Kumbha
decorated the King by his own hands. He wore silk clothes, gold ornaments and a
crown on his head. As soon as the stars spread their shine he became lady and
said, "You decorate me now." Then King by and by adorned her with all clothes
and ornaments of gold, gems and jewels. She became as beautiful as a heavenly
maiden. She then said, "My name is Madanika and I am your wife now. You are my
reverend husband. You are more handsome then cupid--the god of passion."
Many such enticing words she said, but King remained firm and unwavered
from his original Self, the atmic unanimity. Then marriage ceremoney started.
They performed all rites of the marriage as enjoined in the scriptures. Then they
pronounced the words of wedding to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to
hold from this day forward for better or for worse, for riches or for poor, in
sickness and in health, to love and to cherish--this ring I give thee in token and
pledge of my constant faith and enduring love. With this ring I thee wed."
It was now 9:00 P.M. Adorned in their bridal dresses they placed the boat
on the water. And sat together hand in hand, sailing with ore in other hand. Moon
shone brilliantly. Forest was silvery. Reflection of moonbeams on lake were
gorgeous. Madanika sang songs of love. By her yoga power she created so many
fantastic sights far greater and more beautiful and exciting than Disneyland. But
King remained still and firm in his Self-awareness. At 12:00 P.M. they came back
to the cave where some invisible hands had fixed a warm cozy soft bed and
perfume was spreading all around. They layed down on the bed together and
talked wisdom all night. They didn't make love. As the morning broke, Madanika
turned into Kumbha. They took bath and worshipped, meditated. Every night they
lived as husband and wife and in the day as friends. Thus one month passed.
Every third night she would be traveling to the capital and make necessary
arrangements in the State Affairs and would return and rest beside the King who
was still resting.
They traveled extensively. They went for holy pilgrimage and visited
Makkesvar Mahadev in Mecca, Yadavesvar temple in Jerusalem, Vedic Vatica in
Vatican Rome. Mount Olympus in Greece. Lived as royal guests in the palace of
goddess Athena and Minerva and other satvic places. They visited Switzerland,
Alps, Venice, Mascow, Mount Alburge, Lhasa, Cambodia, Bali, Mexico and all parts
of North and South Americas. Somewhere one month, ten months, five days, and
seven days. They came back to Mount Gandhamadan. While they were sitting on
the summit of a hill there appeared the great Indra. Kinneras and gandharvas
were singing, siddhas and apsaras were dancing around him. King stood up. Picked

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Vivekananda Page 43
some flowers and fruit and with great devotion he offered them at his feet and
offered his respect and asked--
"Reverend Sire, let me know what service I can do for you. May I know the
purpose of your arrival, please?"
"Dear King Shikhidhvaja. Just like a thread bound bird has to come back on
earth, same way, we celestials who live in higher planes of existence feel pulled
and drawn by someone like yourself who have threads of tapas and meditation and
higher qualities. I have some for you. I implore you to come and live in my planet.
Earth is not good enough place for you who are so highly evolved. Benign King,
come with me, I'll offer you a gorgeous mansion with all modern amenities. All
valuables I have you will have easy access to have them for personal use. I also
have anima, mahima, garima etc. and siddhis and nine nidhis. However, you wish to
live, whatever you wish to have, my duty will be to facilitate your living in my
planet. You are knower of the Truth. Whatever comes unasked, wise do not
reject. But accept them all, enjoy them all, remaining even minded and serene.
Therefore come with me to my place." Said Indra and all with him expectantly
looked at the King.
"O great Indra, one should go there which is further away from where we
are. No, I shall not. Wherever I am heaven is there. Ever heaven, atma is in what
I am established always. That is why I have nothing less than heavenly at all. I
am all peace, all bliss and all fulfilled." King said.
They argued back and forth quite awhile. But King remained unallured.
And Indra returned as waves merge into sea. Flowers showered and Shikhidhvaj
emerged into bliss of trance of great understanding.
Chudala was very satisfied upon the King's passing this new test. She
decided to test one more puzzle which was too tough to pass.
That was a busy day. Because whole day Kumbha and King had been busy
making the home more comfortable for the night. By the end of the day when the
cave was turned into a palacial apartment and all means of luxuries were collected,
including soft drinks of pomegranite juice. Then Kumbha chose to stay home,
shower and do oblutions in their deluxe cottage. And any moment he was to be
turned into woman. King went today alone. He took dip in the river, offered
oblutions and sat in meditation. Around 9:00 P.M. his eyes opened, and he walked
back. He was looking around for his wife Madanika, waiting for him, but couldn't
see her anywhere. When he entered the cottage there was she. On the soft,
silky bed, almost naked being repeatedly embraced and kissed by another young
man. They both were passionate. In the joy of sex their eyes were half closed,
and were facilitating each others' sexual advances. King saw and stepped back,

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Vivekananda Page 44
"Both are resting comfortably, why bother them by imposing my presence
unnecessarily." He didn't lament, he didn't look for any shotgun. He didn't
become even angry and hurt. He remained established in his true Self. Firm.
Strong. Undaunted. With do or die spirit. He saw only Self all around
everywhere. He walked back to the riverbank and bliss of his Self advanced so
much that his eyes became closed, body still and he entered Mystica Trancencis
state.
After awhile his eyes automtically opened, then he saw Madanika standing
before him fixing clothes upon her naked body, full of shame and moroseness.
Her cheeks, eyes and lips still showed recent amorous play. "Madanika, why are
you here? You were in great joy. Why you left. I have seen your play with
another man."
Bent head in shame and repentance, Madanika said, "As soon as you went,
this lusty man appeared from the bush. He held me hard with his two strong
hands. I was helpless. You were away. I shouted loudly but no one came to help.
He raped me. My lord, you are my husband, I have not done any mistake. Please
do not be angry on me." Madanika lied and rationalized her offense. And it was
too much. But, King said--
"Madanika, I have no anger at all. I see atma everywhere, then where is the
object to be angry at and what for?"
"Then, please accept me as your wife, I am innocent." She begged.
"But what you have done, wise call it adultery. It is considered degraded
act as announced by sages and divinely ordained scriptures. Whether you are
innocent or guilty, adultery has happened and I saw you enjoyed in unrighteous act
so I abandoned you. Now you go. Association with fallen person is cause of all evil
and problems, therefore now I shall resume my journey back to Himalayas. My
guru is Kumbha. He is always in my heart. You are born of Durvasa's curse. So I
have nothing to do with you. Please get out of here." King said strongly.
"Oh, wonderful, King is perfectly established in the divinely ordained
verdicts of scriptures as well as having attained rock like firmness in his pure
Self. Now I must appear in my original form. Thinking thus, she appeared in
Queen Chudala form.
"Oh, so surprising, how come. When you arrived here?" King asked with his
eyes wide open.
"Yes, I am your wife Chudala, O King. From the form of Kumbha to
Chudala's form, all displays are performed by me only to awaken you. All these
have been severe tests of your firmness in awakened state. In order to be

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Vivekananda Page 45
cleared of this whole, please go deep into meditation and use the search light of
Mystic Torch. And see all by yourself." Said Queen Chudala.
Immediately King closed his eyes. And remained absorbed for forty-eight
minutes and saw everything very clearly. He opened his eyes and stood up and
embraced his wife. Both became so happy that even all great scholars of the
world describe for one hundred years it wouldn't be complete and accurate.
King was thrilled and tears came to his eyes of joy of love, of gratefulness
and so many more and he said--
"You are goddes not human. I shall be ever grateful to you. I cannot
eulogize you. You are great, indescribably great. Oh, so great efforts you made
to deliver me from the mire of ignorance. Thanks, so much, thanks."
"Dear husband mine, no need to praise me, I have done only my duty. When
you renounced the State and you went to the forest you went with your ignorance.
Giving up holy waters of Ganga you just fell in heavy mud of ascetic life and didn't
try for state of rising above the mire of duality. I did what I knew was the best
and that is all."
"I wish, all those who are chaste ladies should try to be Self realized and
deliver their husband, sons, daughters and other kinsmen too. But still I feel no
one, even Arundhati and Savitri have not done such an outstanding heroic
performance, as you did. In the whole history, I find just one--Queen Madalasa,
who made her sons enlightened on the cradles inspiring Bramhajnana through the
songs of lullabies and bedtime stories. Perhaps the well honored chaste ladies of
the world may have been puffed up and Bramha would have gone upset and thus
produced you--the supermost one. O great wife of the century, of the Age, or
Kalpa, I am fortunate to find you as my wife. Please come in my embrace. And
united they met. They sat together there on the riverbank and began talking.
"My dear husband, tell me who are you? What do you know of yourself?
What do you consider yourself?" Asked Chudala smilingly.
"The universe emerges and submerges in the needle point space of which
that atma the Self I am. I am peace-eternal, bliss-infinite and awareness-
supreme. I always reside in my original status from where Indra, Bramha, Vishnu
and Shiva, all divine forms appear lamentable. From where there is no fall. Even a
tiniest possibility of world's existence is impossible, I am that. I consider myself
that great. But all the way you led me accross the mire of worldly existence,
therefore you are my guru. I bow down to you." And King really fell at her feet.
"Touched by paras gem copper becomes gold, now never it will go back to
copperhood. I crossed the mire of mud, I am free. My mind--that terrible jumble
of complex liking and disliking is gone now forever. I am in light. As sunbeam

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Vivekananda Page 46
reflects in water, and when water is gone still reflection exists in the sun as the
sun because it has always been the sun, so also my mind, my ego too, have merged
and transformed into atma. Attaining to nirvana I am in all. Just as sky is in all
and everywhere still beyond and uninvolved so also I am--everywhere, in
everything yet beyond and uninvolved. All are in me but I am not in them."
"Why, husband? Why all are in you and you are not in all?" Chudala asked.
"Because all are illusions whereas I am the reality. The Absolute Truth."
"How husband?"
"World is awakened by sunshine. But sunshine neither wakes up anyone nor
puts anyone to sleep. Sunshine exists always the same no matter what part of the
globe. All all activities and life on earth are attributed to sun but sun neither
makes anyone alive nor kills anyone. Same way I am just existing the pure
existence doing nothing yet doing all."
"Now dear husband, what would you like to do?"
"O goddess mine, neither I have any desire to accept nor reject. Neither
renunciation nor indulgence. All are too small and insignificant. Therefore
whatever you say I'll do. Like crystal accepts anything to reflect, likewise
whatever you say I'll accept."
"Dearest mine, my wish is you and I wander over the globe free from any
tinge of infatuation."
They came to the cave cottage and saw the bed waiting for them unused.
All what was seen was magic hypnosis only. They rested all night conversing great
wisdom. At dawn they stood up, saw outside lotus blooming, sunrays goldenizing all
the directions. Both came to the river, bathed, worshipped and meditated. Then
at breakfast, Queen Chudala said--
"Dear husband, the whole universe is our empire. We can stay and enjoy
anywhere we like. But ancestrally we are assigned to be the King of Kashmir. All
citizens are still awaiting our arrival there. To protect them, to take care of
them, to help them to grow in the same Absolute Truth according to their
capacity is our venerated duty. Although we are beyond all duties. Still satva
suddha is left to be gone through. Destiny is still to be paid its dues. Therefore
remaining equal in loss and gain, pleasure and pain, let's go and reign our States.
Please will for me the illustriousness in your personality required for a King."
Queen said. And King did likewise. He illuminated kingship by his presence. He
became majestic, royal and elegant.
"You are my queen, I am your husband, yet we are one. When I am king
where is the army?"

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Vivekananda Page 47
And Chudala willed and there arose crowds of great soldiers on chariots,
elephants and horses; clarinet, drum and flute music echoed. King and queen rode
on a tall black elephant adorned with silk, gold throne with pearl hanging canopy
above, and marched towards the capital.
On the way, King showed the places where he had lived and done austerity.
Ministers, citizens and kinsmen heard the king and queen are returning from the
holy pilgrimage. They all rushed with great tributes in their hands, with all the
warmth and joy in their heart. They welcomed their king and felt great peace.
Procession went on. Flowers showered upon them. Rooftops, windows, balconies,
footpaths were filled by citizens. They sang songs of delight and danced for eight
days. Kings, princes and wise men from all over the world and other planets kept
coming and visiting the king and queen. Sitting on a gorgeous, billion dollar throne
they reigned the earth for ten thousand years. Remaining unmoved, unshaken
from their Self experience they performed all duties of a king and queen. All
actions of theirs took place for lokasiksha--for the education of the world. When
prarabdha was over they became videh mukta and merged in the reality of
Absolute Bramha.

"Dear Rama," Vasistha ji said.

"You too, like King Shikhidhvaj and Queen Chudala become enlightened, and sage
Visvamitra will get you married with a Chudala like princess. And together you will
reign and wander all around the globe."

STORY OF KACHA

"Dear father, how should I get out of this cage of the world? The whole
world is bound by soulhood--the identification with anti-Self items. Can you show
me how?" This is how little Kacha in his childhood used to ask his father
Brihaspati.
"My dear good boy, it is sarvatyaga through which this iron cage is flung
open. With all your might you should therefore do sarvatyaga." The spiritual
master of heaven told his son.
He had a fire of search burning in his heart. He left the prosperous life of
heaven's priest family and went to a dense forest of Himalayas on the planet
Earth. Sitting in a cave near Valley of Flowers he began intense austerity which
continued for eight years. Then one day, looking for him, his father came.
Pleased, Kacha ran and worshipped him as his guru and in a choking voice said,

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Vivekananda Page 48
"Father, it is eight years I did sarvatyaga, peace has not arrived to me yet. What
is wrong? Please tell me the way Eternal Peace can dawn on me?"
"Dear son, do with do or die spirit the same one process sarvatyaga bitting
your lower teeth by upper teeth." Brihaspati said, and rose into the air and left
for his planet.
Kacha left that forest. He went to another one. He sat for three years
meditating. Brihaspati came. Kacha worshipped him. He embraced his son.
"Father, see I did everything all kings of sarvatyaga did, but Eternal peace has
not come yet. Do something through which I could become enlightened?"
"Dear son, sarvatyaga has not happened yet. When you wiull renounce the
cause of all causes, the heart, the instrument, all emotions, then sarvatyaga will
take place." Delivering this piece of information he disappeared in the thin air.
Kacha threw away all his belongings. He threw away even his clothes. He
began to see in an investigative view to all things of the forest.
These are all separate and distinct so they cannot be heart. Eyes cannot be
heart it cannot listen. Ears cannot be heart it cannot see. All senses cannot be
heart because they cannot do all independently through which emotion is formed.
So what is this heart renouncing through which sarvatyaga happens? He stood up
and as he was stark naked he rose up in the sky and entered his planet and
worshipped his father and asked--
"O the guru of thirty three million angels. Please tell me what is the nature
of heart?"
"Son, the nature of heart is emotion and that is born of subtle samskaras,
the impressions of accumulated heaps of past likings and dislikings. And these are
directed by 'I am attitude' which is ego. Therefore ego is the nature of emotion.
This ego is born of ignorance and this darkness of ignorance can be dispelled by
kindling the light of Bramhic understanding. Renouncing this ego 'I am attitude'
be established in Absolute Bramha." He said.
"Father, how do I renounce the I am-ness from me? That is too difficult as
renouncing one's own existence. Then what will remain. Then if someone wants to
take over my life he will just hypnotize and make me slave for eternity?"
"No son, the nature of search is infinite power. Just by searching
intensively you have become so powerful you will never know until you leap unto a
couple of higher stages. No one's negative power can hurt or enslave you, rather
your electrodynamic field will transform them. And secondly, renouncing the ego
is easy. It is just a piece of cake. In crushing a flower, in opening and closing your
eyes, you may need some power, but in renouncing the ego no power is needed. It
is done in a fingersnap."

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Vivekananda Page 49
"Then how come I have not done it, Father, in so many years, with so much
effort?"
"Because, efforts have been made in incorrect directions."
"Then why didn't you tell me before? You visted me thrice before?"
"It is something which one has to discover oneself by oneself in oneself.
Ready made Truth is not worth anything and borrowed Truth only germinates
hypocracy. So all I was able to do is to indicate to you." Brihaspati said.
There was pin drop silence. And drops of tears rolled down young Kacha's
face. His father continued. "Dear son, ego is not something which you have to
attack on or crush or push out. It is an illusion. Just like a stupid boy
misconceives a ghost in his own shadow, a cobra in a rope in the dark night, and
river of water in mirage, same way, by one's own stupidity ego is born out of one's
own lethargy. Bramha is beyond space, time and objects and is of the nature of
pure awareness. That is what you are. Remaining established in your true nature,
O son, wander over the globe freely like a bird, like air, like perfume of a flower."
And Kacha understood. His feelings and emotions like stream of water
rolled down inwards and he became Enlightened right then and there. Same way O
Rama, you too become Enlightened right away.
It is only to the fool diversity appears and not one absolute unity. You say I
am suffering vehemently. In fact, suffering as such has no existence. All forms
are mithya. The very adhisthan is sat. But fools protect the mithya and let go of
sat. Do you see the situation?" Completed, sage Vasistha.

HOLLOW FOREST

"Holy Sire, what is mithya and what is sat and how one protects?"

"There is one hollow forest in the sky. Inside there lives a foolish boy who
is mithya (non-existent). He is working hard to protect his forest residence. But
the adhisthan (the foundation or land where it is built and located, the truth and
facts of his property) he does not know. He suffers foolishly. Because he thinks
and believes that this is sky, I am sky, sky is mine. I will protect the sky. He has
constructed a solid home for safeguarding the sky. He has decorated his home
with all the materials--chandeliers, carpeting, furniture and wallhangings. Its
shining gorgeously. Whenever anything becomes old he changes it. After
sometime the whole building collapsed and he began to cry. Then he created a
Rolls Royce and drove happily. He felt like a hero and dignified, but that too

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Vivekananda Page 50
broke down one day. He lamented and cried. Then he built a motor home and
enjoyed that for a long time. That too broke and he cried vehemently. Then he
made an airplane. He enjoyed flying all around the globe, but at last that too
broke in pieces. He made a ship and sailed all seven oceans and rivers, enjoyed.
He wrote dozens of books on sailing and his adventures and he enjoyed Noble
Prizes, but his ship broke too. Then he made a Buckingham Palace and acted
royally. At last, the day came that it also collapsed. "Oh, my sky is destroyed, I
am ruined," he cried. Foolish body went on suffering like this. He is still there
crying and suffering. Prince Rama, would you please go there, console him and
calm him down a little bit?

"Holy Sire, who is this foolish boy making all these and what is sky and what
is truth?" Sri Rama asked.

Foolish boy is ego. Ego is the mithya (non-existent) man.

Sky is chidakasha, means sky of pure consciousness, the Bramha.
Building, Rolls Royce, airplane, ship and palace are different forms of bodies
the soul goes through which he builds to protect the Bramha sky, means his own
true Self. But he does not know his true Self at all.
Through non-existent instruments he tries to safeguard it. The problem is-
-in the dimension of reality in which Bramha's existence is his physical bodies
have no existence nor they have any access to it. Therefore not knowing himself
he suffers. Out of foolishness, soul creates ego, mind, intellect, heart, maya,
prakriti and all sights in which he goes on remaining entangled forever. Obsessed
by these nightmarish humbugs he imagines different set-ups of life, ideals,
principals, family, society, nations, judiciary systems, constitutions and all those.
Hell, heaven, god, ten commandments and all things of those kinds are civilization,
culture and religion he imagines and proudly remains trapped and entangled, and
not only this, heroically he goes on tying, binding the knots of his bondage
limitlessly.
This entire catastrophe is mental projection. Never happened, nor will
happen, nor happening anywhere. The Bramha is expanded in and out all over. By
not seeing this Truth properly one sees nightmarish hullucinations of all kinds.
Bramha is never born, never dies. Never disappeared nor present. It is the name
of that which is ever existent effulgently. Only due to cataract one misses to see
it.
As soon as you look at the sun then the rays are instantaneously known as
Sun itself. Same way, who realizes Bramha, world too is for him Bramha.

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Vivekananda Page 51
Established in this Truth of Bramha one becomes mahakarta, mahabhokta and
mahatyagi.

"Holy Sire, what is that? Please tell me immediately."

Long ago, Lord Shiva explained to Bhringi that which is pure Being of
creatures take shelter of that and wander you will be free from suffering. Do
this--whatever auspicious act comes along in life perform it with no tinge of
either or attitude. Then you are mahakarta. One who performs action free from
attachment, excitement, knots of traps of likes and dislikes, he or she is great
actor. Whatever comes unasked, unexpected, one who does egolessly not
considering oneself meritorious upon meritorious deeds and sinner upon sinful
deeds, he or she is great performer.
Whatever is obtained enjoys without tinge of like and dislikes, neither
hates in great trouble nor goes excited in great success. Neither feels happy in
being emperor nor feels worried in being a pauper. If anyone offers does not feel
himself taker and in doing auspicious acts feels himself neither doer, nor enjoyer.
Such a one is great enjoyer. One who is absolutely equal in tasting sweet, sour,
pungent, bitter, sharp, hot and salty, he is the great enjoyer. One who has no
fear of death nor hankers for life, no anguish in financial fall nor flattened in
financial rise, enemy, friend and family who is all equal. All urges of senses
gushing down to their objects one who bears in calm and quietness like an ocean is
a great enjoyer, the mahabhokta.
One who renounced the existence of world, body, senses and ego, and
knows--I'm neither body nor body is mine, but I'm witness of all--is great
renouncer, the mahatyagi.
One who performs all actions yet has no likes and dislikes. One who is free
from desire related to body, senses and mind, who is ever forgiving, organized
senses and equal visioned, he is the great renouncer.
Rama, you too become likewise the great actor, the great enjoyer and the
great renouncer.
To suppose oneself something or someone by identifying oneself with quality
of maya is called ego. When this ego cloud will disappear effulgent sun of Bramha
will shine out. Because of rope cobra appears, because of Bramha world appears.
Disperse the ego through study of scripture, practice of bramha vidya and
association of wise men.

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Vivekananda Page 52
"Holy Sire, if ego of yours is finished then how do you teach, how can you
give discourses and how you speak at all? If not ego then from where all
scriptures and knowledge are born? In teaching all four thinking principles are
compulsory. When you desire to teach or enlighten others or even give saktipat--
ego is proved. When you remember you have knowledge which others don't have
and feel compassionate on other's condition--heart and emotion is proved. Whom
to bless, whom not to, got to decide--intellect is proved. Shall I speak or not to
speak--mind is proved. So how have you transcended?"

Prince Rama, when sight desert hallucinates as sense objects of flowing blue
river with sanskaras of sunrays and sense deer rushs and suffers unimaginably.
Then through shower of wisdom when flood of Bramha experience rises then
where will the mind deer run and escape? By rain of understanding flood level of
experience rises then water effort sensations were vibrating in mind deer, that all
vanishes.
Ego is solidified by unwise patterns of thinking. Wise way of thinking
destroys it. Doll of snow melts as soon as sun's heat hits then it becomes water.
It is no more ice. So also ego snow melts by way of thinking. When wise thought
pattern is solid ego not only melted into water but also evaporated into air.
Then from the curtain of air only cosmic speaks. Bramha assumes the role
of pratibha and functions as mind, intellect, heart, ego and all that is needed to
fulfill the purpose of the universal consciousness as whole.
In the Self, in the Bramha, thinking principles are just imagined. We just
ask a scared person--do not be afraid, this rope, this atma it is not a cobra, the
ego or the world. And this is all what the scripture is. This and all what the role
of guru is. When eyes are hurting we apply ointment. Same way, we are applying
ointment of teachings of scriptures and guru, then your bramhic perspective is
restored. And this we have done. Dear Rama, just like a fried seed looks like a
seed but cannot sprout, burnt cloth looks like cloth but cannot be used to be worn.
Same way, to the wise no desire, no ego remains to sprout the plants and germs of
miseries. My all activities are like that. Bramha alone speaks through me.

"Could you please describe to me the characteristics of those whose ego is

vanished?"

"Dear Prince,"
World is a ditch of ignorance. Egoless person never falls in it. Unto him like
rivers flowing fast unto ocean peace, forgiveness, compassion, love, naturally unite

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Vivekananda Page 53
into his heart from all sides of interactions. As autumn cloud thunders but never
rains, same way, senses use their objects but remain without involvement and
greed. As wild fire burns the forest then animals and birds run away from the
forest, same way, passion, hankering, craving, desiring, all these wild animals run
away from his life and performances. As in the sunshine no owl, no goblin hovers
around, same way, in the shine of Bramha experience all owls of likings and
dislikings are vanished away.
A laborer carries two heavy burdens under the scorching heat of the sun.
Each person on earth, like a laborer carrying two loads of passion and desiring
under the scorchings of ignorance (body identification), goes miserable, exhausted
and broken in two halves. And when he sees the shadowy, lush, green tree of
wisdom then passion burdens are dropped and he breathes the fresh air of peace
and contentment.
By seeing the equal of understanding the cobras of sensational hankerings
run away and never come close. Attaining to the Self peace flame lightens all
directions. And nothing infatuates him anymore. Therefore please approach to
the wise and ask--Who am I? What is this world? What is God? What is
happening to me? How shall I get out of this whole mess?

STORY OF KING IKSVAKU

"Prince Rama,"
Do you remember your ancestor Iksvaku? He was cosmic conscious. He was
enlightened. The grandson of Surya, son of Manu, the mighty Iksvaku was cool by
nature but to the unjust and wicked he was scorching heat of the sun. All became
happy seeing him like lily to the moon. He was an axe to the trees of sinfulness.
He was like cloud to the peacocks of friends and kin and so handsome he was that
Laksmi stood still in his home and lands. Successfully he was governing his states
when the quest of Truth arose. Right then Sage Shambhu arrived from
Bramhaloka, eighth planet above the Pole Star.
King Iksvaku was very pleased and he hosted him in his guest house and
brought him next morning into the Royal Assembly. He wanted him to share his
wisdom to all his courtiers.
"Like hunger burns the stomach this quest is burning me day and night--
kindly explain unto me--From where did this world come about? What is the
nature of this sight? How is it dispersed? Like a bird entangled from a net I
want to be free from this bondage?"

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Vivekananda Page 54

Like a cosmic-mirror whatever imagination out of passion you are

entertaining, O King, is just reflecting upon this cosmic-mirror. Upon these
reflections your this identification is more due to lethargy. As out of liquidity
waves rise in the ocean, as juice flows in trees all over, same way, Bramha
permeates all over out of your liquidity of passion these waves, tides and ebbs are
swelling of which you are deeply smothered. But this understanding alone can
mother you. Your desire alone is rope to tie you. The pulsation of desire makes
you separate from Bramha and you fall into soulhood. Entangled then in the net
works of action and reaction you assume you are the doer.
Like a magnate the Bramha resides in you as your Self and mind, senses and
body function like iron pieces. Like sun Bramha alone exists and mind, body,
senses, world and everything else functions of their own accord. As waves rise in
ocean bodies rise in Self. As ornaments are imposed and projected upon gold,
same way, suffering and happiness are speculated upon the Self. Only ignorant
people conceive mind, ego, senses and innumerable stuff out of their past
impressions.
Just like reflection of a mountain falls upon a mirror and water but never
touches it, same way, to the wise neither action nor their impressions ever touch
at all. As due to turbulence of water reflection on mountain looks like moving and
shaking, same way, due to body and senses and mind's restlessness Self appears to
be moving. As destruction of jar does not make any difference in the clay and the
earth so also by destruction of body Self is not destroyed.
As in a gem all reflections fall, same way, upon the Self mind, senses and
body too reflect. As in cashew burfi, kheer, rasagulla and gulab jamun, same one
sweetness is infused and permeating, same way, in all things of the world one Self
is permeating. To the running boy sun appears running. Just like when you drop
gold in the fire dirt burns away but gold remains as pure, same way, by
destruction of the body atma never parishes.
Just like Rahu is invisible therefore during eclipse when it unites with moon
it becomes visible, same way, atma is invisible due to being very subtle but it is
cognized by conscious perception. As cleaner reflection is possible only in a clean
mirror so also atma is reflected upon purified, subtlefied mind nature of which is
stillness, calmness and serenity. As much your intellect is dirtified so long Self is
very obscure and mystical. When it becomes clean and pure it naturally reflects.
When you are traveling you see innumerable things but they are just a
passing show. In the Self body, senses, mind and the world around all are
hallucination of a magical feat. Just false.

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Vivekananda Page 55
You are friend of yourself when you retreat from sight ghosts and merge in
the pure Self and when you let your self indulge in non-Self things and objects you
are your own enemy. In the ocean there is nothing else except water, water
everywhere, same way, apart from atma there is nothing in the world.
Innumerable water-filled jats one alone sun reflects in innumerable forms, same
way, one lone Self is reflecting in all beings of the world. It neither sets nor
rises. One imperishable entity existing all along from last billions of years to
oncoming billions of years. It never sets nor rises, in it due to ego ghost you
visualize the world. As in chitamani you misconceive a mere glass piece in Bramha
you confuse as world. As in rainy season all rivers go overglooded, same way, due
to such abounding confusion and knotted identity upon non-Self all troubles and
problems fall on one's head. Even in confusion and troubles the same Self is
shining just like in waves and bubbles too the same water is permeating as there is
no arnamentness in gold, same way, in the Self there is no world, no mind, no
senses, no body.
Dear Iksvaku, this world is not in atma but atma alone is in the forms of all
these. Just like lakes, rivers and oceans are just names and not reality. Only
water is reality and that is all over, same way, world in sky of consciousness is
merely a name, just appearance. As ocean eats up all water from rivers so also
time as death keeps eating up all objects of the world. Objects and situations are
like soap bubbles only to be devoured by time. Better you become far greater and
devour the time monster--long before it does things of yours which are favorable
to become mighty and great--As Agastya drank up the ocean, as he bent up the
mountain so also you too being atma can devour the time ocean.
Birth and death are caused by illusion. Illusion is caused by lethargy. As
long as you have not known rope as rope only so long it appears as a cobra. When
you know atma as atma no birth, no death, no suffering at all.
Holding her baby on her lap if a mother falls asleep and dreams to have lost
her baby and cries aloud, then what would you do? All efforts to calm her down
will go in vain except waking her up. Same way, Iksvaku, you too wake up dear
from the dream of body identification.
Acknowledging as 'This is me' to the sights of body, senses and mind this is
the dream. As a child projects king, queen, horse, soldiers, ministers in clay but
none of them are truly there, so also this mind like a child has made up family,
society, nation and the world in clay of atma are simply illusion.
Do one thing if you wish to destroy your miserableness, the mountainous
heap of passion (vasana) represented by 'I am This'--drop it down. This anti-
atmic will has been a source of all trouble.

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Vivekananda Page 56
Toss away this dirt and atma gem will shine out effulgently. When you will
know the atma uncovered by waking, dreaming and sleeping states of
consciousness then you will find peace. Therefore O King, know this atma through
words, use of words, although it is beyond words, still it is known through words.
Be unvibrant and still and get yourself spread onto it. Then perform all sacred
deeds according to scriptures. As actor performs acting likewise you do all
activities in life.
A worm makes a cage for itself and closes the door and dies, same way, man
suffers due to his own wishes and desires. The world is solidified state of one's
will.

"If atma is non-dual existence then how do we feel the mountain, ocean,
rock and the world. Could you please explain?" King asked.

In the atma there exists no world as such. It is pure power. To dimension

this power has--vibrant and non-vibrant. In vibrant state like nightmare the
stony, solid world appears. It is all miracle of atma and nothing else. In regular
life too things feel different according to one's mood. When you are busy, noises
don't disturb. When you are absorbed and concentrated you become oblivious of
everything.
Only because of the stability of the will the world is appearing to you. As
through juice of the earth itself is appearing in the form of banion tree, its
leaves, branches, flowers, fruit etc., same way, the Self has assumed innumerable
forms of this world still it has not become anything. Nothing else other than
himself. It is just as it was and will be it is now. Only it is subtler than the
subtlest. As in dream all wahtever is seen are all only inner perception and not
reality. Same way is this world. It is just feeling, just appearance but that the
fact of its being only an appearance will convince only you when when get into solid
reality of the Self, of the Bramha.

"Holy Sire, if atma is so subtle then how come these rocks and mountains
are appearing so gross and solid?"

Atma has innumerable kinds of power. As rays are not separate from the
sun so also power of atma is inseparable part of it. It is this power which
manifested as vibration. As air forms into H2O and becomes water. Water
freezes and becomes ice. Icebergs are so mountainous that whole city can be
inhabited upon it but it is just water and ultimately air. Same way is this world.

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Vivekananda Page 57
One by one by one it has hardened and rock and mountain are appearing. In the
form of that in fact the loss of your inner subtlity is reflecting which has to be
regained. And that for what life is.
When the water is deep it does not seem to be moving. Same way atma is
very deep, unfathomable, that is why world is difficult to be traced out as where
and when it all got started. World too is not apart from atma. It is atma itself--
like spark and fire, like love and joy, like dance and dancer, like music and musician,
like singer and song. Know your Self, Iksvaku, like this and be enlightened, Then
as dust cannot dirtify the sky suffering and problems too cannot pressure upon
you. No stress, no depression at all. You have to disallow the very first bubbling
up of energy.

For that there is a process to start with--

First step of evolution of consciousness is to develop a desire for association of
wise men. Strong desire to study the literatures of Sarvam Kalvidam Bramha
Foundation and listen to discourses on the meaning of life.
Second step of evolution is by association of wise men and study of these
transcendental literatures you develop a special new quality of intelligence which
loves to contemplate and ponder over and speak over extensively upon this topic--
Who am I? What is this world? What is the purpose of my life?
Third step of evolution is repeated application of discretion which spreads
detachment by analyzing everything--up to its futility. Momentary glimpses of
awakening from ignorance slumber-experience such as there is no world as such.
World is an illusion.
Fourth step of evolution is all passionate urges are gone, no sensational pull
and push, you abide in the atma for hours, then when you descend to the body
level you find the world as illusion, as dream only to get lost forever. Then no
sensation arises.
Fifth step of evolution comes when you see the world as unanimous or
synonimous to your Self. Then bliss oozes out and spreads around. To abide in
this bliss is very fascinating.
Sixth level of evolution is then to abide up this bliss nonstop.
Seventh level comes in which bliss of Bramha becomes so intense and dense
that you become oblivious to everything. Then you attain Nirvana.

The first three stages are of waking state.

Fourth stage is dream like. World appearance ceases to be.
In fifth you go merged in bliss.

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Vivekananda Page 58
In sixth you become witness of waking, dreaming and sleeping.
In seventh there is no even bramhakarakarit vritti. All are submerged in
fathomless ocean of Bramha.

"Dear son," his father Manu spoke.

Then as the wave in the ocean, cold in ice, light in sun, warmth in fire, emptiness in
sky, same way is this world in your true Self.
As doll dances pulled by a string attached to the operator, same way,
desirelessly you too act with your life attached by string of venerable duty with
your Dharma. Passion is the world, passionlessness is liberation.
Whatever you hear and see know it Bramha. Nothing is apart from Bramha
and Bramha is synonymous to all. Solidify this new will. Biting teeth with teeth,
do or die spirit, plunge into self effort. This is impenetratable armor. Wear it.
And no weapon will ever pierce you.

Dusk was fast approaching. All rose up and went to the holy bank of the
river, bathed, meditated and went to their homes to rest. Next morning, they
assembled again and sage continued his speech.

Diamond and ice both are white. Both shine but when you test them in
front of sunshine ice melts away. There is not a diamond. Self and Ego are also
very similar but when placed in front of the sun of investigation ego melts and
evaporates away. It is always dependent on non-Self and so not lasting nor all
permeating. When you will act without identification with mind, senses and body
the fruit of action will not bind you. They will not leave any binding impression.
So no vasana, no samskara will grab you and smear your true nature. When you will
know your Self beyond the territories of senses and mind your gigantic tree of
sanchit and flowers and fruit of kriyamana are dissolved. As you sprinkle
patroloeum on a dry, dead tree and set fire it burns, same way, burns karmas of
sanchit and kriyamana through fire of knowledge.
Limbs of a child move all in innocence, he has no bondage of ego, likewise you
also act. But there will be no passion, and it will be like a fried seed therefore it
will not be the cause of birth and death. As lotus leaf stays in the water but
water cannot touch it, same way, meritorious deeds and sins will never touch you.
As clouds in the sky don't touch and wet the sky, as poison does not kill to
someone who does not eat it, same way, when you know even while acting you are
not the doer, bondage of action does not smear you up. Then you never suffer.

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Vivekananda Page 59
But one who controls the senses and holds on to the hankerings or
sensations, attachment and aversion, has thickened the brain, making huge,
unending projects and plans, he is a hypocrite. Dear son, get rid of this passion of
ignorance.
All the arts you have learned vanish when you drop or slacken in the
practice, the art of actualizing oneself also disappears when you do not practice.
After sowing seeds as harvest grows lush green, same way, grows the knowledge.
Once you sow the seeds never the seed is destroyed. This seed is a personal
experience through deep meditation that I'm beyond birth and old-age and
death, all illuminous and immortal. When you become sold in it then as milk
becomes curd and curd becomes butter then butter cannot return to be milk,
same way, you will never touch the infatuation. O son, abiding in oneself and
dropping off all which is in you that is non-Self this self effort is the only
purusartha. As long as world-consciousness goes on dominating one is still
vegetating on.
As long as river flows it does not find the sea, whenever it finds it does not
then flow. When you will attain to the Bramha no desire will ever intrude upon
you. Then even as thunderbolt like suffering will not shake you at all. As dry leaf,
ripened fruit, fully bloomed flower falls off from the tree, same way, when your
Bramha-experience ripens up mind, intellect, ego falls off. Unification with
prakriti and separation from Bramha then disappears, separation from prakriti
and union with Bramha takes place. In this unification as no part of flower is
without fragrance, same way, no part of world is without yourSelf. No part of
yourself is without Bramha-experience. Then you will shine like spotless, clear
sky. Bramha experience is not in some place, not in some time, it is not an object
you will obtain. It is attained by dropping off the ego. As without smoke fire
illuminates, you will illuminate without fire. As crystal clear, sparkling water filled
pond on a hilltop, likewise you will become beautiful. As lion freed from a cage
wanders freely roaring in joy so will be you.
Such a wise one is always adorable and worshipable. Where he sits that
place too is adorable. To whom he speaks, he or she too, upon whom he glances
with mercy he too becomes adorable. Through his glances the bliss which one
attains is unavailable from austerity, charity, yajna and all merotorious deeds.
Body, mind, ego are no more in his way. They block his path no more.

Teaching thus to King Iksvaku, sage Shambhu and Manu blessed the king.
He worshipped them. They flew into the sky--Shambhu went towards Bramhalok

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Vivekananda Page 60
and Manu to Ramyaka Varsa. King Iksvaku governed the earth for a long time
established in Absolute Bramha in full.

BORN WITHOUT KARMA

"Prince Rama,"
You are my dearest disciple. No one ever has been who failed to be awakened by
my teaching. I will awaken you at all cost. It is my word. There is destruction of
the truth that there is no truth in non-truth. You cannot make ghee out of sand
and even if you cut a frog into one hundred pieces and rub them on stone, when it
will rain they all will be alive. Feel the reality of truth. Dismiss the seeming
illusory truthfulness of non-truth. When you do this then like ghee in ghee, milk in
milk, water in water become one so also soul merges into Bramha and soulhood is
transcended. Whatever joy you experience through ego, body and senses are non-
truth. Like water in the burning sands of mirage, silver in a shell, ten moons in the
sky, they are appearing out of illusion. Drop sight feeling, be established in Self
feeling.

"Holy Sire, all the creatures of the world are born out of their past karma
or without karma?" Rama asked.

"Dear Rama,"
There are four categories of all creatures--
(1) Who have been born out of karma.
(2) Who are born without karma.
(3) Those who will be born in the future.
(4) Who have been born in the past.
In pure consciousness the first vibrations took place and those became
Transcendental Beings. They had a keen awareness 'I am Bramha and entire
cosmic eggs are display of my will.' Many of them like ocean which became
iceberg melts again by hot rays of the sun, same way, got melted up and became
merged into Bramha. They are called God.
Many of them descended downward from Bramha to Transcendental to
celestial, to astral and due to too many desires, weak and everchanging became
physical and then worse to it became materialistics. This is just like a lion forgot
and acts like a fox. When remembers again to be a lion he regains his power and
valor.

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Vivekananda Page 61
First manifestation is always karmaless. Karma ties up on the path much
later. Those who are born in first vibrations and have not lost their Bramhic-
awareness are called punya. Those who have lost and became identified with
matter are called ghana. It is easy to become ghana from punya. But difficult to
become punya from ghana. It is easy for a stone to fall down from the hilltop but
difficult for a stone to lift itself and ascend to the top of the hill. Those who
became punya from ghana are wise men. Enlightened one, liberated one.
Do not impose the religions of senses and mind upon your Self, dear Prince.
Attacking and repulsing due to likes and dislikes born of piles of non-Self related
vibrations called ego--traps you like bird in the net. This net is colossal and
cosmic. Takes eternity to get out.
Mind is moving like a potter's wheel, objects are being formed like pots of
the potter. Stop the wheel.
My blessing to you is let there be no attractions in you from Bramha to a
blade of grass. But go Self absorbed.
As washerman removes the dirt through soap you subside mind through your
mind.
When a wicked man becomes healthy he destroys his own kith and kin who
are nearby so when mind establishes in the Self it destroys its will and desires by
itself. Fire is born of bamboo by being rubbed by two pieces, but then it destroys
from which it is born of, same way, mind born of atma goes on burning it all along.
A servant kills the king and becomes king himself. Burning hot iron cuts the iron.
Like that you cut the mind through mind. Seed of karma is ego. In ego is this
body. As seed grows into a gigantic tree. This world grows from ego.
Dear Rama, there used to be a sage in a forest. His name was Kasthamouna.
He used to live in a grass and leaf thatched hut near a river with green grass
carpeted all around. One day a hunter came there perspired, breathing heavily.
"I chased a deer. I shot him but missed by an inch. He came this way
running fast, Holy Sire, have you seen him? Which way he went? Please tell me
quickly." Hunter said.
"Dear hunter, the eyes see but cannot speak. Mouth speaks but cannot see,
tell me how can I tell you where the deer went. On top of that like an artwork on
the wall my senses have become. Who can reply your question? Like autumn
clouds disperse away and clean open sky remains. Same way ego water assembled
the clouds of sensual perceptions, now that is all gone, so how can anyone tell you
about that deer? As all beads connected with thread in a garland, same way, all
senses are connected through ego. As army is dispersed by death of king in the
battlefield, as cowherd is dispersed by cowboy, as family is dispersed by

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disappearance of togetherness or harmony, so also senses are dispersed by
disappearance of ego.
As people move into their various engagements by mere presence of the
sunrise or at night by a flame light and the light does not do anything except just
existing, same way, I am just witness of all that is happening and not the doer, not
the seer.
"Holy Sire, that is fine but as a witness you may have seen the deer passing
by so just tell me which way you witnessed the deer going?" Hunter asked.
"Dear hunter, when I saw witness it also includes the mind, intellect,
emotion and ego through which gross cognition becomes possible. I am atma, the
Self and whenever the atma sees it only sees nothing else except atma with the
only exception either prarabdha working out or the cosmic wants to enlighten
certain seeker of Truth.
"Therefore as far as I am concerned I go through neither waking, nor
dreaming, no sleeping. I, my, me notions have completely evaporated. I am in
complete state of Mystic Trancensia. I am Bramha."
"Dear Rama,"
Hearing these amazing words of the sage, hunter got up and walked away.
This word is just sky like, hollow, empty, void. World is appearing out of
illusion. This too is magic of atma as lightening is magic of cloud. It is just
vibrations in the mind--chittaspandan. Sometimes when you close your eyes you
may see trees, hills, some character of Shakespeare's drama, a nightmare, a
Freidy's horror movie scene, Hitler's holocaust scene. As these flash through
eyes, same is this world flashing due to your paying attention towards it. Because
you are not in Mystica Trancensia, because you failed to operate discretion and
detachment and enter the state of samadhi that is why it is looming and flashing
around.

"Holy Sire, by your grace I came to know of illusoriness of the world. It is

a passion-bubble. Please now tell of the Truth, the atma, the peace?" Sri Rama
asked.

"Dear Rama,"
Atma is indescribable. As in dream a large audience is sitting waiting to hear
about life in waking state, its wonders and the surprises of Effel Tower, of
Tajmahal, of Empire State Building. How marvelous they are. All this they want
to know while still dreaming. What could be told. It is the cosmic void of voidists.
It is Purusa of the yogis. It is the Supreme Godhead of the devotees with all the

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fascinating qualities they can project of, with all the heart captivating pastimes
they can conceive of. It is the highest accomplishment of each man of ambition
whether he is most pious or most wicked. It is Bramha alone which materializes
into those situations and those forms. When these forms of ambition go astray
from the path and goal of dharma only suffering results out of their lifelong
efforts. Whatever form of heaven religion propogates Bramha assumes those
forms. And thus no option is left to doubt their belief system ever. And
traditions go on like this, but truth is truth, Rama. That this world along with its
different goals, material or spiritual, are only soap bubbles of passion. Your being
intense into its existence this has been materialized as reality and to the
multitudes the only reality.
"Rama,"
Your lethargy in actualizing the Self is the food for mind- demon. Your
procrastination is mind's pleasure. As when tree is set on fire, it never gets fruit,
the tree of self effort is also on fire that is why discretion fruit does not
fructify.
Self is like a desire-tree. Whatever you desire it is there. As there is no
union between two waves on the level of waves but there is on the level of ocean,
same way two person's desires never meet. All meetings are at the base. In the
Atma. When two flames are together light shines. Light is doubled but its flow is
always from in to out, center to periphery. When you desire to see the world it
flashes out.

"Holy Sire, then why each and every desire of all human beings is not
fulfilled instantly?"

Because Rama, you can choose one at a time. When I ask you to stand up
you stand. When I ask you to stand on your one leg, you stand on right leg. Now I
say, stand on left leg, you can't. You will fall down. But before you stood on right
leg you had choice to not stand on right but on left. Same way, whatever you have
chosen accordingly, the pattern of mind is made up. Next choice will definitely
come but former choice had to be wiped out first. Whatever you chose, joy or
suffering, love or hate, their impressions, tracks and roadways have been made.
This will require your next desire to go all the way to the edge of the universe and
come back, then you will be ready. Like when you touch a pond a wave circle goes
on expanding up to the next bank of the pond.

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Vivekananda Page 64
Likewise Rama, it is only in spring the forest blooms colossally. Only in
spring of mind the forest of misery blooms. Therefore understand the seven
stages of knowledge and by and by ascend from one after another.

"Holy Sire, what are the seven stages of knowledge?"

"Dear Rama,"
When fetus is in the womb he is in solid sleep stage. Inside him is the seed of
samskaras of former passion to unwind in the future. When he is born, family and
society inform him and train him into the timely established traditional
information. His identification as: I am prince, I am american, I am rich, so on and
so forth, is set. Then, this is parents, those are others, this is my church, these
are the ten commandments are set in the mind. He is informed of the local good
and local bad. He lives on. This is ignorant state.
When he works hard bound by duties and responsibilities following local
tenets of good and badness, this is pravritti marga -- the path of wisdom.
When he knows worldly attainments are not significant in front of joys of
heaven and he performs various kinds of meritorious deeds, follows divine
commandments, observes sacred vows, he is known as on the path of wisdom
through transworld attainment --nivritti marga. He does not think enlightenment
is any special thing. He is not convinced and so like a dry blade of grass floats
upon the ocean waters of the world.
When he understands the elementary status of all religions of the world
and transcends their goals from all the depths of his mind and develops quest for
Truth. In searching all joys of a sensational nature too are very little or childish.
Attainment of heaven, wealth, fame, family, all become insignificant and quest for
enlightenment becomes predominant, then his intelligence grows and shines like
the moon of the night after the night in bright fortnight. And he travels and
visits various holy men in various holy places. He disconnects relationships with
non-understanding beings. Then he uses his body and mind for services of knowers
of Truth. His words become more gentle and wise and then he ascends in first
stage of Enlightenment.
He becomes like a peacock to destroy the snakes of worldly mediocre
thoughts, and sees rejoicingly the clouds of dharma-men, spiritual literatures and
dharma way of life. This is called subhechchha stage of Enlightenment.
When your intelligence becomes more subtle and you are capable of
considering upon spiritual fact for hours at a time nonstop, uninterrupted, wisdom
of Bramha becomes more fascinating -- then you are well armored. Then your

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bullet proof armor is not pierced by bullets of the gun of urges of lust and
passions which are always in the hands of senses which are known as thief on this
stage of Enlightenment.
When you aspire for second stage you stop allowing taking any more shots
from the gun of senses. You disallow the company of fools as donkey drops the
grass grazing. You look towards sensations as serpents, hiding the venom of
hankering which spiritually kills the unawares. Forcefully stop your mind to not
associate with fools (in whom body identification is too strong) and become
indifferent from them. Drop all desires but remain compassionate towards all and
remain contented. Hypocrisy, ego, confusion, possessiveness and other don'ts
naturally disappear. As serpent dropping off his dry skin becomes beautiful so
also you become beautiful. Anger is momentary. Takes dip in holy waters and
grows in abilities of finer and finest use of discretion to be detached and analyzes
oneself as separate and distinct from all and everything. Dear Rama, this second
stage of Enlightenment is known as suvicharana.
During the ascendance into third stage as bumble bees start coming when
lotus blossoms, same way higher qualities and the true meanings of vedas and
sastras come to him and abide in his heart. Then he does not rejoice in palacial
mansions, rich living, king size beds and Rolls Royce cars and buying private jumbo
jets and gorgeous dresses.
He rejoices then in the sacred hills of Himalayas, on the holy banks of
Ganga river. His detachment grows like the moon in bright fort nights. He rests
on rocks. He enjoys tapas. He does not let his mind get involved in any person,
place or thing. Through deep meditation and self-analysis he detects the
sensational thoughts and objects from his mind. He labels all objects of comforts
and luxuries as speeding to decay and death including his body as well as ego. He
drops ego from body seeing it only a bundle of blood, flesh, urine and toilets. As
stool smeared grass is abandoned by holy cows, as financially non-benefiting
engagement is abandoned by a millionaire, as non-devotees are abandoned by a
striving pure devotee, same way in the third stage of Enlightenment the seeker
abandons the ego from body. He feels, after all these are just a blade of grass,
that's all. He wanders in flower and fruit filled groves, eats fruits and milk, and
serves the wiseman of the year. He is on the third stage of Enlightenment.
As in emergency period your intelligence expands, just like that your
intelligence functions in urgency in first stage of Enlightenment. This creeper of
intelligence then grows into youth covering most parts of life. Then fruits of
highest understandings are born. In whatever subject he introduces his intellect
he brings finer and finest of new ideas and understanding. He then performs

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great actions. Fame and prosperity rush down to him but as a gem, even if it
accepts the reflections still does not get colored by objects, same way he never
gets involved.
He remains profound in the glory of asanga. "Holy Sire, what is asanga?"
Prince Rama asked.

"Dear Rama,"
Asanga is the art of staying uninvolved like lotus leaf in the water. There are two
kinds of it -- saman and visesa. Samana state of uninvolvement can be observed by
symptoms of psychological expressions such as-- I do not give nor take, neither
anyone gives me nor takes from me, there is nothing in my hands. Neither I am
doer, nor enjoyer, nor speaker. All only God is doing everything. Whatever
meritorious deeds he performs, whatever worship, help, service and yajna he does
he offers them all to God. He loves God tremendously. He loves holy men. He
loves to do selfless services to them and he rejoices in their association as
peacock by seeing the clouds. He should practice the devotion in their midst until
the realization of seeing all in God and God in oneSelf and oneSelf in all. And
allness and God and the Self becomes synonymous. And this experience becomes
as easy and simple as a myrabalm placed on one's palm.
Visesa asanga seeker of Truth is he who experiences ceaseless
establishment in the Atma so much that he finds neither he does anything, nor
making others do, nor is any future doing in him nor there was any past. I am all
spacious, timeless Self vast like sky. Neither anyone is mine nor I belong to
anybody. I don't see anything apart from myself. It is impossible for anything to
exist as apart from myself. By my doing not anything is accomplished nor by not
doing anything is lost. There is nothing attainable nor abandonable. Wealth and
women are as unnecessary as useless stones of a highway.
"Prince Rama,"
This is a lotus which has arisen from the mud of ignorance and beautifying and
perfuming all around resting upon the crystal clear waters of atma. Non-
existence and non-perception of world is the seed. In this water there are fish of
hankering which are roaming around and around this life lotus. Wrong action and
miseries are thorns upon it. Lotus is closed by night of ignorance and sunrise of
auspicious will opens its petals. Contentment is the perfume in it. Its fruit is
asanga which fruitifies in third stage of evolution.
One has to sharpen and grow one's intelligence and safeguard it by ideas
from the scriptures. As farmer protects and guards his harvest, same way by
encouraging higher ideas, more refined spiritual insights, applying discretion,

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Vivekananda Page 67
intuition, auspicious thoughts, these are waters to irrigate the harvest. If you
don't get high ideas, please keep reading "Garland of Love", "Beloved of the
Beloved" and "Lord of Love" books and listen the "Nine Tough Yogis" tapes. When
your intellect grows into discretion and discretion into insights, insights into
intuition, intuition into subtle perceptions, then into Mystica Trancensia, then the
vine of intelligence is grown and the fourth stage is attained.
This stage is attained only by those who have performed innumerable
meritorious deeds.

"Holy Sire, those who die after attaining only one, two and three stages,
what happens to them?"

"Dear Rama,"
Those who are lethargic towards atma and attracted towards sense
gratifications it is not possible for them to attain the Truth as a delicate creeper
cannot sprout and grow in sands of the hot desert.
Due to their vasanas they are hurled, reeled, dashed and thrown around and
around in all the 8,400,000 species throughout all the planets of the cosmic egg.
But sometime per chance by kakataliya nyaya he comes in close contact with holy
men and satsang takes place and desire is developed for listening the holy
scriptures. Then discretion is born and he rises above the common mediocracy,
then only he can attain any further. As you travel by train or plane or car and
stay in a hotel overnight and sleep, then awake, then you proceed further. The
thought of going further naturally comes, same way after death, first, second or
third stage grown person also feels drawn towards his or her goal with the same
speed as before.
Yes, the urge comes naturally or by certain incident, accident, event, shock
or pain, but urge to proceed definitly comes; memories may or may not come but
urge, interest, desperateness does come. As wrestler doing his exercise sleeps
and remembers to do his daily push ups so is he. From ant all the way above up to
Bramha the great, in innumerable species traversing he keeps preparing himself to
receive the opportunity so that he can attain further and beyond what he aspired
to attain long ago.
"Dear Rama,"
Two options -- Either you perceive the entire world, its cause, astral, celestial
worlds, elements and gunas all one with Self or consider all these are non-existent.
This whole is a big fairytale. And Bramha alone is shining as witness in its own
Self. This entirety is mere illusion. Soul has become bound by his own desires

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just like a worm (kusavari) keeps sitting in his place feels bound up and dies like
that. Same way soul suffers projecting his I-ness upon everchanging matter
formations. This world is only mental projection and therefore useless. Rivers
and mountains, time and space, all are looming up due to illusion.
Wake up Rama, there is no world only Bramha alone. These huge, long
mountain ranges, Sumeru, Himalayas, Rockies, Andies, are as soft as rose petals.
As no effort is needed to close a lotus petal, same way effortlessly they are
evaporated in the shine of Bramha. Ignorant eges are too hazy, very blurred. Due
to this blurriness they see big rocks all around. As air blows people know, but
when it does not blow still air is there. Same way, when world is manifest atma is
here, when world is unmanifest still atma is here. When it is here it means always
everywhere. In different movements and conditions of the world atma alone is
shimmering covered by your desires, appears all disturbing, distracting and
irritating. But this all is one's own mental projection. In the log a baby is seeing a
ghost, in the rope is afraid of a cobra. In the sky seeing a city of flowers and so
is allured.
If you place all the world including USA, USSR, India, Himalayas, Sumeru,
heaven and demons in one side of the scale of discretion and put one quarter of a
gram of atma on the other side, they will be less than the quarter of gram. Those
who value the world, their breath blows in vain like a pump of an iron man. As
darkness in the sky rises uselessly their life and actions spread uselessly. They
are suiciders.
Dear Rama, this mind is at one's disposal. When it moves extrovert it is
world, when introvert it is Bramha. I see fire cold, water blazing, earth full of
stars, sky full of people, rain without cloud, and many strange things. The dead
are dancing. Presidents of all countries are holding begging bowls wearing torn
clothes begging food on the streets. Universes are floating in the space of my
room. A new Atlantis, a new USA have settled in the soap bubble of my bathtub.
Mountains are flying. Buddha is dancing like Chaitanya. And Chaitanya, Shankara
and Christ are getting married. I am preparing to join the wedding party. Would
you go with me? Princess Sita will be there to dance with you. She is your future
bride. All forests, rivers and mountains are coming there and dancing ecstatically.
Rays of the moon are fondling the wedding party lifting up like elevators and
moving all around like a merry-go-round. Rama, the world is not any different than
this at all. If you believe that, then only you are believing in the world's
existence. Truth and nontruth both are relative and therefore they do not exist
in atma -- in Absolute Truth.

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Just like a child makes a man, a house, elephants, cows, trees of wet sand,
same way, mind child has made this world out of his passionate projections.
Therefore Rama, whom do you fear? Stay fearless, please! Stablize yourself in
your Self through your ownself!

"Please tell me about the rest of the stages?"

"Sri Rama,"
When yogi of third stage leaves the body he is born in an angelic celestial species.
He enjoys the pleasures he desired and craved. After death he comes to the
Earth, born in a rich family or wise man's family. Then his old samskaras rise up.
As you sleep in the middle of writing a very important letter then whenever
you wake up you begin to write again. You keep on until you complete it. Same way
in a new birth he advances again in new further stages.
After third stage he never falls back into worldliness. By the third stage
world and Self both are as real as waking state.
In fourth stage world becomes like a dream.
In fifth stage world is in deep slumber. Self-sun is shining brilliantly.
Externally to us he looks sleepy.
Sixth stage is more sleepy but inside blindingly brilliant light of Bramha.
That is turiya.
Seventh stage is beyond that too -- the turiyatitam.

First stage is like a seed of knowledge.

Second stage is sprouting;
Third stage is branches along with green leaves and flowers.
Fourth stage is fruit of knowledge.
The third stage attained one is one who has relinquished all his hankerings. He is
asanga and patient. He has only one wish, how to attain the Truth -- to become
enlightened. He never leaves the path of the Shastras.

"After death before birth how millions of years pass like a moment? Or
one moment becomes millions of years?"

Like in dream in a few hours entire life history is seen. In painful night it
feels like a million years. It is due to lethargy of the Self soul sees innumerable
illusions. Without being enlightened it never ends. A drop of oil circles in the
water all around like a wheel, same way sensation power vibrates around in the

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Self and then appears as the whirlpool of this world; that is why world is round.
Jambudvip is round. Earth is round, all planets are round. Same drop of oil moving
in a circle. Just mental projection.

Bramha is a huge rock, cosmic universes are sculptured upon it. In the
Self-rock, mind artist is displaying his art and while playing has gone entrapped
and entangled but still goes on making more. Whatever he makes all seem to him
to become alive life-size and heavy. He goes afraid and does something more,
makes more, some of them give solace but they too become alive, go against and
bother him more. Body is withered and torn. He dies, but comes back again.
Takes birth again. Does the same thing again. All out of himself. Trap of art,
trap of misery. Misery deceives coming over and over in the form of joy. Soon
mask is tossed off and misery is standing there glaring, frightening, terrifying.
Joy soon turns into misery. It is your intelligence, your strength of clear vision as
how long you require to spot it. Nothing is there, Rama, only misery and misery
coming wearing different masks.
This misery is but caused by one's own mental projection. It is from there
all the art works of mind come from. In Bramha never anything has happened at
all yet. In Bramha voidness is the nature, in the world everchanging formations of
matter is the nature. Both are speeding fast on a parallel line. Anywhere and in
fact everywhere there is a way out. From wherever one descends or ascends or
transcends on to Bramha he goes free.

"Holy Sire, then why the Vedas and Upanisadas say as world is creation of
God? God is Truth and so is the world? Because it is creation of God?"

In the beginning the vibrant creativity of Bramha (the Self) manifested as

Bramhaa. Bramhaa fantasized of objects. Sky, air, fire, water, earth, duty, good
and evil are only as long as fantasy isle of Bramhaa continues. And so long is the
Vedas to establish maryaadaa to indicate distinction between rise and fall, okay
and not okay, the path of peace and happiness, and the path of war, chaos, misery
etc. This is a solid policy to run the fantasy island. As ordained by Divinely
powerful Vedas soul goes through in life led by his passion (vasana). Vedas are the
consent, an agreement letter of Lord Visnu, Lord Shiva and Divine Mother --
Tripur Sundari for all of us. As it is decided so they offer the fruits of every
karma. Since they are established in Bramha they are never bound. Vedas are
natural policy to facilitate the running of the fantasy island.

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Vivekananda Page 71
Those who avoid the maryaadaa of the Vedas and sastras, after death they
go fainted. Then in a moment they are taken to severe hellish perceptions. Those
who remain oblivious of the existence of hellish and heavenly hemispheres and act
belligerently, carelessly and insensitively without reverence for life, after death
it is they who turn into stones, rocks, trees, insects etc.
Those who have become established in Bramha and their establishment has
reached to third, to fourth stage, their world existence has started shimmering
as mere illusion, a nightmare, whether they act according to Vedas or not they
never get bound up. In the soil of mind whatever seed of decision you sow in
course of time becomes a gigantic tree. No doubt about it. Therefore I wish you
to sow the seeds of Bramhic-experience. Then only Pure Self will shimmer and
shine around you. Dear Rama, whatever is willed in the beginning continues to run
in that manner for one cosmic day (a kalpa consisting of approximately four billion
years).
In the second half of Bramhaa's life after passing six kalpas there lived a
mighty King Bali. He conquered the whole world including Indra and all celestials.
He invited the spiritual master of the conquered king of the celestials in his royal
assembly. He asked him--
"O reverend sage Brihaspati, kindly tell me about the mystery of life.
About birth and death. How after death soul reaps the harvest of his karmas?"
"Dear King Bali, as in the burning, hot desert sunrays reflecting through the
sand dunes give illusion of a water filled, sweet river, similarly birth, death and
karma harvest are just illusory sights misconceived due to misinformation and
lethargy towards one's own Reality. All bodies are just a mirage. As waves after
waves rise in the river of mirage and collapse and rise again endlessly; same way,
life as such as it is cognized related just to body and mind has no existence at all.
Bramha is established in Bramha and through passion watching this all. Due to
clinging and identifying with object of illusion going through karmas and freeing
off are appearing.
"There is oil in the mustard seed but mustard is not in the oil, as there are
ornaments in gold but in ornamenthood there is no gold; same way, world is in the
soul but soul is not in the world. In the world there is no soul. Because world
consists of mutual, congregational, complex illusions of all ignorant souls.
"As long as there is instability in the meanings of the sastras there is no
evaporation of world's existence. By the constant, looming and lurking of sights
of the world combined together, glued with super glue of ego which is deadly
inert, the soul motivates and gets allured towards sights of the world. Bramha is
conscious and alert but a bound-up condition is heavily superimposed upon it until

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alluration condition is finished. Being solified like steel it takes great efforts to
make it gone.
"Dear King Bali, this Bramha is none else but your Self. Self never goes nor
comes, neither is born nor dies. Sights of this collosal illusion is mindness.
Mindness of the mind is pumped with awareness due to ego. Free from these two
garbages self is the Self alone. This is Bramha. Abide in this. Stay in this and
remain there. Start right now."

Bali became enlightened right then and there. Rama, now it is your turn.
You too do it right now. Hurry up." Vasistha's voice echoed and reechoed in the
royal assembly of King Dasaratha. Many became enlightened.

Sage Brihaspati continued--

"Dear Bali, as long as the world feels real, true and solid, so long you are under the
jurisdiction of law; so long as you will do so, so shall you reap. And that kind of
physical structure will be dashed upon you. And you will be forced by the natural
laws to stay hypnotized by identification with that dashed nervous system and
related necessities and relationships.
"The feeling of your existence as soul, as an individual entity, as causal and
astral being, then giving up a destiny of physical being produces the idea of ego as
a man or woman. And this ego appears as the earth. Then with whatever feelings
you perform action your mind assumes those and those kinds of bodies. Then you
cannot stay a single moment without any action. According to action a series of
piles of impressions are stored upon your instruments of thinking process. And
those keep on pushing upon your outer and inner, physical and psychological
appearances and workings of senses. So your changes are constant. That is how
the world is everchanging so is the body and mind. According to the fruit of
karmas assuming particular but still everchanging kind of body he goes through
joys and sufferings."
"Holy guru of the celestials, please tell me if one does not believe in
sraaddha ceremonies and offerings of pindas offered by sons and grandsons
through water and pinda oblations, how he will gain the body after death and how
he survives?" asked King Bali.
"Dear King, whether one believes or not, if tinge of body identification is
left in the heart, he will gain the body. If pindas are offered it will reach to him.
If no one offered he will survive by his own meritorious deeds. If that too is
missing he will starve and suffer all kinds of missings, losings. As long as there is
passion, series of dream bodies are piled up and such a huge bundle is right there

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in his heart, it is being expressed through his emotions, likings and dislikings. One
has to rise so high into divine experience that from the sights of the whole world
he would become like stone. Because as long as you remain alive in the midst of
illusion you are stone amongst the Bramha -- the Self. So you have to choose
where you would like to stay a stone." The whole assembly was silent and still.

"Dear Rama,"
Educating thus to King Bali, sage Brihaspati departed to his planet. Whatever will
be touched by the mind he will definitely experience it. As there is juice of ovum
in the egg of the peacock it grows and rises in the form of a new technicolor,
feathered peacock. Same way the seed of passion like egg, even if does not
appear as anything like how and what it would become, still it does become that
and much more of innumerable varieties in course of time. All becomings are
illusions like blueness in sky, but soul unnecessarily identifies with them and
suffers. In order to dispell the darkness of sufferings we described the process
of rising into higher stages. One who is on any of these stages is a great man.
One who has risen to the third stage has the following symptoms--

(1) He has successfully transcended the desire for respect and clinging to
infatuations.
(2) He has no involvement and resentment.
(3) He is equal in suffering and happiness.
(4) As holding a flame in hand looking for darkness never to be found, just like
that to the world he does not see.

Then he enters the fourth stage. Then his conditions become no more as
waking ones. He appears sleepy.
(1) In his heart great wisdom shines like the full moon of autumn night.
(2) World appears as recently passed nightmare.
(3) He still interacts and deals with people and situations but no interest at all.
(4) Seer, seen and sight begin merging into the Seer.

"Dear Prince,"
Forgetfulness of the Self and identification of the object and acknowledging the
perishable objects as truth and fact and the only reality. This is waking.
Understanding the world existence by analytical investigation as illusion but acting
as all objects of needs as true and valid, this is dreaming state. In which your
acknowledgement of reality shifts to a higher stage and excludes the objects of

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needs and requirements too from the field of truth and fact and where waking and
dreaming both are merged, that is sleeping state. Where all the three are
submerged, that is turiya state.
In fourth stage one becomes occasionally aware of the world and finds it as
clouds of autumn season. Whereas ignorant ones find it as clouds of rainy season.
In fifth stage one finds it as fast, dispersing away clouds of autumn season.
And like clean, vast, infinite sky of Bramha expands in and out and all around.
Then he does not find or feel at all the world's existence. His normal functioning
of body is like opening and closing of a lotus flower. So effortless, delicate and
fragile are his movements and ambrossial glances. There is no tinge of I-ness and
my-ness in his actions. Words and meanings which denote the world's existence
are completely just sounds, resonances and echoes of some music of Radha and
Krishna's dance. Bird, animal, men, women, god, good and bad, all appear to him
just new and new shimmerings of Bramha.
If ego is mustard seed world is oil. If ego is flower world is smell. In fifth
stage when ego is evaporated, he never rejoices finding objects of senses and is
never offended finding he is being insulted. He at times does not know whether
he is standing, sitting or walking. He feels ceaselessly he is a vast sky. He sees
neither inside nor outside, nor sky, nor earth. He sees all Bramha everywhere.
This Bramha as himSelf is witness of all actions of senses, ego and even the whole
world. There is no touch in between. As a US President is not interested in
touching a criminal in the prison, same way, there is no touch in between.
As from seed sprout comes, from sprout branches shoot forth, but all the
while sky still remains. Same way he as Bramha always was, is, and will be ever and
ever. As water never was, never is, and never will be in the desert world also
never was, never is, and never will be anywhere, anytime. The eyes through which
world is visible, having such eyes one is simply a blind. With world hearing ears he
is deaf, world tasting delicatessen he is tongueless. Through skin which enjoys
the touchings of the world he is senseless. Why? Because this way you have only
made illusion alive and reality non-existent. Towards the Truth you turned deaf
ears and blinded your eyes. Only with which you can give your talent to sheer
illusion to become a reality.
As birds fly in the sky but never touch the sky so he acts. He acts all yet
nothing ever touches him. No impression, no bondage, no urge, no desire to re-
enjoy the same. Up to third stage it is half and half -- he is awake in both sides.
Aware of the world, aware of Bramha and he can communicate.
In fourth stage world becomes like dream.
In fifth stage world is as dark as you are in a fast deep sleep.

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In sixth stage light shines in.
In seventh stage light shines in and out both together. This light is of ever
aliveness, wisdom and bliss. As sun and moon makes lotuses open and close, his
limbs, his senses, his mind, his intelligence, his feelings too are continuously
functioning according to shastras, as ordained by the Divine directed directly by
the cosmic. As soon as ego is withdrawn no karma ever touches. Although his
eyes are open he sees no world. He sees only Bramha. He sees only himself in the
form of sun, moon, stars and birds.
From Buddha, Christ and Gandhi, from Loatze, Socrates and Sartre to
Stalin, Hitler, Changej, dog, pig, all are in Me but I am not in them. Because they
are fantasy like only appearance in me. Like mirage water they shimmered out of
illusion to people who too were illusions upon Me. And all the future. When Christ
returns back, when Kalki or Krishna comes back will be also in me, not out of me of
course. The great being Sathya Sai Baba, Sirdi Sai Baba and Prem Sai Baba are
just in me. I am them. They are shinings of my true glory and grace which I may
not have practically realized yet. Therefore I may go and visit them and enjoy as
explorations of my own Self. Now churning of Mandar Mountain in Ksira sagar is
over. Mandar has been taken out. Mountains of attachment and resentment have
been tossed out. Now heart ocean is clean. Now sun orb of understanding is
shining brilliantly. Like a flame in a windless spot his inner tranquility is
illuminating.
Just like someone is suddenly freed from the death sentence and elected as
President of USA, that much joy he is ceaselessly experiencing. Just like a
broken leg, broken neck, hand, ruined kidney or blind eyes, suddenly got healed and
became healthy, strong and wise like Hercules or Sampson or Jarathustra, that
much joy he enjoys always.
As full moon is filled with herbal nectar so is he, fulfilled by his own bliss.
As smokeless fire is blazing with all warmth so is he devoid of smoke of ignorance.
Standing on the top hill of the Mount Everest of wisdom he looks at the world and
finds it burning separately from himself. As mountain is one all over, all around so
is he ekarasa (equal, tranguil, calm, cool and collected) always. He shines like a
gem in and out alike. His soulhood vanishes away. His individuality dissolves and
cosmic emerges and remains ever and ever. This is the symptom of one who
attained the sixth stage.
In seventh stage he dissolves in the light of Bramha so much that only Self
remains. No perception of the world, objects and conditions ever come in his
perception. All his perception power is intensively merged in experiencing Bramha
within and without. He never gets out of his atma. Sky exists in his vast

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hollowness and spaciousness so is he in his own Self. As a baby moves his limbs in
the cradle his boarding, lodging, talking etc. continue naturally. As puppets move
attached to a string, same way by string of prarabdha-vega, the destiny flow, his
movements continue. He alone knows what goes on in and around him. Like a
picture on a cloth or a statue does not move, ego never rises from his person.
Seven staged understanding is the real path of Enlightenment. All
poassionate desires fall off by the third stage, only one remains with all the force,
how to attain the Truth. If one dies then he attains in the next birth. It is in
fourth stage he transcends birth and death. Meditate upon this--

World is a river.
Mental and physical diseases are waves.
Attachments and resentments towards millions of things of the world are
baby alligators.
Hankering is the big daddy alligator.
Ignorance and body identification is water.
Death and new birth are ebbs and tides.
Each individual on earth is caught by daddy and baby alligators.

Prince Rama, ride on the elephant of detachment and through your claws of
practice tear off the mouth of alligators and become free. Set fire of superb
understanding and dry up the waters. Meditate upon this too--

Look at your hankering, craving, like a serpent.

Urges of senses towards their objects is hissing with venom.
It burns the vines of discretion.
And seeker of Truth like a kind farmer suffers.

Therefore Prince, do burn up this serpent through fire of detachment.

As long as there is hankering, words of wisdom, literature of Sarvam

Khalvidam Bramha Foundation will not stick to your heart. You will remain
insensitive to this knowledge exactly as pearl does not stay stuck to the mirror.
In Sanskrit this hankering is known as trsna, abhilasa, ichchha, sansriti, kamana,
desire etc. It is this cloud of trsna that has obscured the sunshine of
understanding. You have to blow the wind of discretion and contempletion leading
to meditation. Wind of contemplation upon Sarvam Khalvidam Bramha Foundation

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literature and deep forceful pondering upon the statements and dictums, the
hankering clouds will disperse away and sun of Self, the atama will shine forth.
Dear Prince, you are the bird who always flies in the sky of eternal
freedom, but somehow got bound up by the string of karma. That is why you
cannot fly. Karma string is made of your own desires. Complex desires have made
trap-nets and you got entangled. You got to cut this trap off by the sharp knife
of detachment and practice.
Prince, listen to another koan. Meditate on this too--

Your body is a forest.

Desire is a mad lady elephant.
She lives in the cave of mind.
Senses are her ten sons.
Willings and anti-willings are her teeth.
She pierces her teeth on any and everyone whom she confronts.
You are the one whom she always attacks.

Here is another object of discretion to ponder over--

There is a river, current is constant.

Two sharks live in it. They never die.
Love and hate are two sharks.
Desire is a river of constant flow.
Evil deeds or selfish actions and meritorious deeds or selfless actions are
two riverbanks.
In this river there lives an alligator named anxiety attack.
Karmas are waves. And soul has gotten stuck on waves like a dry blade of
grass.

The alligator of hankering is too big. It keeps eating up your spiritual

muscles of patience. You got to destroy it by weapons of vairajna and bhyasa.
Ponder over your true nature. This will eliminate your hankersings. Then vasanas
will be vanished, desires will be gone.

"Holy Sire, pondering over my true nature vasanas will be destroyed, but
vasanas are ingrained in the soul from so long, how can that be gone so easily?
Once vasana is gone, desire for life too will be gone, then how a person will survive
to become jivanmukta?" Prince Rama asked.

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Vivekananda Page 78

"Dear Prince,"
There are three dimensions of Self-nature. Your true nature is beyond this five
elemental, physical body.
First dimension is soul and body both united.
Second dimension, body is inert, lifeless, inner Self is golden bright like the
sun's orb.
Third dimension is neither I am as body or even as a soul nor is there any
world.
When you understand I am atma and body, mind, ego are anti-atma; I am
consciousness and senses, mind, ego unconscious, then how can desire survive. And
when you master the third dimension, neither I as consciousness nor body, mind,
ego as inert nor the world. But these are all as a heap of unconscious garbage hill,
then your awareness returns to your origin and as petroleum catches fire there
combusts Bramhic-illumination. Or you can say the river of attention returns,
once you realize the world all the way to soul as a garbage hill, and makes a great
huge ocean. Unfathomable is depth of love, then bliss is indescribable. Then
wisdom is infinite, life too is immortal then.
Even when desire is no more for life the life itself is there in it is hundred
and thousand and billion times more aware, conscious and alert. Therefore life
still goes on. Desire and mind and ego are not needed at all. They are unwanted
mold like ugly stuff. Let them be gone and Pure Consciousness takes care of
everything in their place. It does a better job too. Desires are part of dark,
black ignorance. When you evolve, your silly, crazy thoughts organize and become
desire. They are stronger. Still they are too many and too weak. When you grow,
desires become will--the sankalpa. It is then more powerful. When it is refined
and evolved, becomes discretion, then intuition. Then you become enlightened.
After enlightenment this faculty transforms into pratibha. So in Jivanmukta
stage pure consciousness functions through pratibha which does all menial jobs
which mind, intellect, heart and ego are doing at present in ignorant state.
Then you will see effulgent light inside you. Outside somewhat sleepy. You
will act like a baby -- very natural and relaxed. Body still remains afloat among
the waves of prarabdha. As you travel for certain destination you can see and
enjoy the panoramic view of the pathway but never get involved, same way to you
becomes the world. So hold the attention in True Self and function effortlessly in
your duties and responsibilities. Where there is no sleep, no dream, no waking but
pure shimmerings of luminous consciousness, that is the turiya.

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Lifting up my hands above I announce to the world, O Prince, desire is the
cause of bondage of world and transcendence of all desires is liberation, that is
enlightenment. That which is already false illusion what is difficulty in
relinquishing it.

"What about memory, Holy Sire, I abandoned all but memories pop in?" a
minister asked.

Whatever you have seen, heard, tasted and relished; all your honeysuckle
days, successes, golden days, honeymoon nights were caused by only sensations.
Due to expectations those events have become too valuable and memorable. Just
like learning Transcendental meditation, there is nothing in it that you did not
know before. All it did; it manipulated your expectation of a unique experience,
inquisitiveness of something new. A faith, a longing, a desire becomes intense and
that is all. And something happens to you. But that too is most valuable according
to your grades in ignorance it is worth a million dollars. To a going lunatic
billionaire it helps and saves; it is a billion dollars worth. Not because it is
valuable but because a billion dollars too are just trash of the garbage hill. And
whatever you learn further too becomes items from the garbage hill.
You can understand only when you attain the costliest gem of Bramha
realization -- Sarvam Khalvidam Bramha. All your attainment which excited you,
all your winnings of lottery tickets, traveling to fantastic places of the world,
meeting with remarkable people, your welcome by thousands of people are
memorable golden, diamond days. But all were only fabrications of complex
emotions. Those sights, those events, those times of your stay in a palacial hotel
at Udaypur, boating in the blue pearlish water-filled lake, the delicious luncheon
with song and dance, all sights were compositions of the three gunas and five
elements. Had you developed a migrain headache or stomach pain that night all
would have been but miserable. If you were shot down and death came same place
would be inauspicious to your friends and family. The entire show is gone now
never to return again like dream. Whether it was painful or joyful -- memory is
based on sensation and upon it projection of particular kind of expectation.
You saw a cobra. Later you realized there was no cobra but a rope. What is
your standard of evaluation of that memory? False and illusory. The very
perception and experience was false, then why not memory also being false.
Memory too is false. Be sure. Use discretion and evaluate your honeymoon night.
Evaluate your days of peak success and accomplishments. Do not entertain

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foolishness that it is too cold. This is the way you become intelligent and intuition
is born. Otherwise no way to end the suffering nightmares.
Dear Prince, place my teaching in your heart. Value it as costlier than all
the wealth of the whole world and then act as you wish. My blessings are with
you.

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