Part 2 - The Story of Līlā or Sport

Summary. Having shown that it is Paramātma, the Self-Consciousness, which manifests itself as Jīva, Īśvara and Universe and which is identical with them, though appearing different, the author deals in this story with the heterogeneous actions of the Manas Māyā arising out of the One Consciousness and the means of arresting that Māyā.

The Story of Padma

Now, Oh Rāma, in order to relieve thee from this dubious predicament of thine and to attain quiescence of mind, I shall relate to thee an archaic story which thou shalt hear. There reigned, upon the earth, a king named Padma. He rejoiced in the possession of Sattva-guṇa and ripe discrimination. On his puissant arms rested Vijaya-Lakṣmī (or the Goddess of Victory). His royal partner went by the name of Līlā and had the good qualities of strictly conforming to her husband’s mind. She lived inseparable from him, like his shadow and mind.

Līlā’s doings

In this state, a thought flashed across her mind to adopt some means by which she could ever perpetuate the youth of her lovely lord, free from dotage and death and so enjoy his company always. For this purpose, she consulted with the Brahmins well versed in all the ancient four Vedas. They were unable to hit upon any means of arresting death in this world; Japas (utterances of Mantras), Tapas (religious austerities) and others conducing to the mere development of Siddhis (psychical powers). Thereupon Līlā soliloquized within herself thus: “If I should pre-decease my lord, then I shall enjoy Nirvāṇic bliss unattended by any pains. But if he should die before me, I can be happy only in the event of his Jīva living in my house and casting it’s gladsome glance on me. To this end, I shall worship the feet of Saraśvatī, the imparter of the Vedas and eulogies her. So without apprising her lord of her intentions, she strode the path pointed out by those great men, the masters of powerful Mantras and Śāstras and worshipped the Devas and Brahmins. Having refrained from tasting food for three nights together, she took a slight refreshment on the fourth day and that only once. Thus she was engaged in sweet Niṣṭhā (meditation) for ten months, when Sarasvati overjoyed (at her meditation), appeared visibly before her with the radiance of a full moon in the sky and said “Oh Līlā, what is thy desire?”

Whereupon the spouse of Padma saluted her and addressed her thus “Oh thou, who art like the moon’s rays which do not disappear before Agni (the fire) or like the sun’s light which dispels the gloom of mental grief, please grant me the two boons: firstly of allowing my lord’s Jīva (ego) to remain in my house, even after his death, and (2nd) of thyself appearing before me visibly, whenever I should think of thee.” Which boons, the noble Saraśvatī conferred upon her with good grace and returned happily unto her state. Then the wheel of time rolled on rapidly with its nave of Pakṣa (fortnight), month and Rithu (seasons, each of two months), its spokes of days, its axle of years, and its axle-hole of moments with all the vibrations. When thus Līlā had passed her days in the company of her lord in illimitable bliss, he suddenly in a short time died. Fearing lest the elegant Līlā should pine away under the fire of her excessive grief, Saraśvatī stayed in the Ākāśa invisibly prior to the separation of the king’s Jīva (from his body); and in order to dissipate her delusion, gave vent (on her husband’s death), to the following words “Cover up thy deceased husband’s body with flowers. Then the flowers only will fade and not the body. The (king s) Jīva without quitting the body will rest in the golden harem. Then resting on the arms of the king, thou shalt assuage thy grief.” So saying, Saraśvatī vanished from view. According to the words of the “Voice of Silence,” viz., Saraśvatī, Līlā buried her husband’s body amidst flowers.

Then fainting at the separation from her lord, Līlā contemplated internally upon Saraśvatī who, no sooner appeared before her than she addressed her thus “I can no longer endure the parting from my lord; thou shouldst take me soon to where he is.”

Thereupon Saraśvatī said thus “Of the three kinds of Ākāśa^[1], viz., Chit-Ākāśa, (Chidākāśa or Spiritual Ākāśa), Chitta-Ākāśa, (or mental Ākāśa) and Bhūta-Ākāśa (or elemental Ākāśa), Cidākāśa is that intermediate state in which the mind is, when it flits from one object to another in the elemental Ākāśa of objects. When the hosts of Saṃkalpas (in us) perish, then it is that the light of Chit will shine in us which is quiescent and immaculate and manifests itself as the universe. If one becomes convinced of the unreality of the visible objects, then, through that Jñāna, he will attain at once Cidākāśa. Mayest thou attain through my grace that Cidākāśa.” Through this blessing, Līlā went into Nirvikalpa Samādhi and was able to escape, like a bird from its cage, out of her body which is generally replete with stains and desires through the longing mind. There in the heart of Jñāna-Ākāśa (or Cidākāsa), she saw, in a large town, a much beloved valiant prince sixteen years old, reclining on a soft cushion and surrounded and extolled by innumerable kings, women of intense desires and the four-fold armies.” Having recognized him to be her dear lord, she entered the king’s synod which she found graced on the eastern side by Munis and Brahmins well versed in Vedas, on the southern side by handsome ladies, on the western side by kings, and on the northern side by the fourfold armies and others. Then having visited many fertile tracts of earth, hills, cities, towns, many holy rivers and others, she, sparkling like lightning, returned unto her abode and entered her body lying entranced in her harem, where she contemplated with great love upon Saraśvatī of white complexion.

Having saluted Saraśvatī who made herself visible as seated in her supreme throne, Līlā questioned her thus: How is it that my lord even after his death, has subjected himself to another Amūrtha (formless) creation which is as illusory and bondage-giving as the present state? Please remove my doubts with reference to this, so that I may know the real truth.”

To which Saraśvatī replied thus “The original evolution of the supreme Brahman differentiated out of the one Jñāna-Ākāśa brought about in its turn through delusion of (mental) regality the Padma creation and thus it is, a fresh creation arose. Similarly has thy husband now a second birth as Vidūratha. Therefore after giving thy ears to what I am going to relate to thee, thou shalt have thy doubts therein cleared by me.

In the stainless and immaculate Cidākāśa, there is, on one side of it, a Māyāvic dome. This vault is covered by countless peacock’s feathers, viz., the immeasurable Ākāśa. On its golden pillars, large and small, viz., Mahāmeru, are engraved the picturesque beauties of Indrani and others, the spouses of Indra and the regents of the quarters. On one side of that dome are hillocks called (the elements), Prithivi (earth) and others as well as the tiles called the seven mountains. It is the state of the residence of the revered and old Brahmā surrounded by his sons^[2], Mārici and others full of desires. It is ever reverberating with the songs of Devas, roving on their beautiful vehicles which songs vibrate from the Vīṇa (lute) of Ākāśa. It is ever resonant with the buzzing sounds of the gnats of Siddha hosts living in the Ākāśa. It resounds with the never ceasing sound arising out of the strife between Devas and Asuras, the mischievous imps of great egoism. It is, in such an incomparable Māyāvic dome, that there was a town called Girigrāma in the midst of a certain tract on one side and that, in a certain spot of that dome. That town was a fertile tract boasting of the possession of hills, rivers and forests. There lived in it a great Brahmin householder who had sacrificial fire and was well versed in Śāstras and Dharmas, away from the reach of kings. He equaled Vasiṣṭha in beauty, wealth, age, humility, actions, and education, but could not be called Vasiṣṭha himself in real knowledge. In name at least, this Brahmin may be called Vasiṣṭha. The name of her who worshipped his feet (as his wife) was equal unto Arundhati but had not her knowledge; yet she passed by the name of Arundhati. The wife of Vasiṣṭha was this lady on Bhūloka (earth) but the true Arundhati in Devaloka. No compeers to these two ladies could be found in all the three lokas.

“While this Vasiṣṭha, the lord of the above mentioned Arundhati, was residing with her in the valleys, a crowned king came to the forest there on a hunting excursion along with his retinue. The Ṛṣi saw them and reflected within himself thus (The wealth of kings is indeed beneficent and enviable. When shall I be able to be the ruler of the earth with retinues encircling me and with Chamaras (chowris) waving? When shall I be able to reign triumphant as a monarch, having all under my sway and be locked in the embrace of sweet females of beautiful breasts bedaubed with red ointment? From that day forward, Vasiṣṭha was seized with intense desires and though, in eager anticipation of the realization of such desires, he went on performing Karmas regularly. Dotage having come upon him like the frost upon a lotus, his lady implored me for aid like yourself and was blessed by me with the similar boon of her husband’s Jīva not leaving her house. The Brahmin, Vasistha expired thus with his longing after regality ungratified. Thus was he of the nature of Jīva-Ākāśa in his house.

“Through the Saṃkalpa of the mind which led, into the pleasures of regality, Vasista who was originally of the nature of the Jñāna Ākāśa, he became a King. In that state, after his wife found him dead who was a Brahmin of great Tapas, there arose a two-fold thought in her of leaving the corpse of her husband’s gross body and joining him in his subtle body. While the Brahmin’s sons, house, lands, forests, mountains, and others were thus (in the gross state), his Jīva was living separate for about 8 days and was of the nature of Cidākāśa in that very house. In your former birth, this Brahmin of your husband was a king. Then you were his wife, going by the name of Arundhati of peacock-like gait. Both of you who reign here as husband and wife, like the loving fresh Chakra-vaka ^[3] couples or Parvatī and Parameśvara, living on the left side of the earth are no other than Arundhati and Vasiṣṭha. Therefore, Oh Līlā, who has a face like unto the waxing third moon, the first creation as a Brahmin when regality was longed for, which I described to you before is itself illusory. Likewise is this Padma creation. Even the third creation of Vidūratha birth which you were a witness of, is also unreal, like the reflected image in water.” So said Saraśvatī, the world’s mother.

On hearing these words, Līlā questioned her thus: “Oh Goddess, thou hast uttered untruth only. How can thy words hold? Where is the Jīva of the Brahmin that lived in this house? Where did we, who separated here, meet together? How did those who were in the other world as well as its hells, the ten quarters ((Besides the eight principal and intermediate quarters, the Nadir and the Zenith are taken into account.)) and others join together and come to this pleasant habitation of ours? Is it possible to bind the infuriated Indra’s elephant within a part of a mustard seed? Will the Mahāmeru mountain enter a lotus seed and be crushed by a small bee sitting over it? Will the lions be vanquished in a war with the angry paltry gnats and then enter an atom? All thy words are as incredible as these and will not fit in with truth.”

To which the Goddess replied thus” I never told thee an untruth. I will now explain thee how my words are true. Persons like myself will never derogate from the laws of Esvara but will hold to them as the true ones. The Brahmin’s Jīva lives invisibly in his own house in the city. All his kingdom and Padma regality are of the nature of Jñāna-Ākāśa only. Now, Oh Līlā, with eyes bedaubed with black ointment, Vasiṣṭha of the nature of Cidākāsa, when he became overjoyed (with the sight of the king), saw all these things in the Manas Ākāśa. This old thought (or creation) of Vasiṣṭha without manifesting itself as such to thee now appears to thee as different (as Padma creation). Just as the many events of the Jāgrat (waking) state are not enacted in the dreaming state, Padma creation and its thoughts do then predominate without the reminiscences of the Vasiṣṭha state. Out of the above mentioned all-pervading Jñāna-Ākāśa shining through Sat which is its own power and form part essence of that (Jñāna)Ākāśa arose this terrible universe through the Saṃkalpa of the mind, like an image reflected in a glass. All the shining universes will be latent as light within the Jñāna Reality which is the illuminated supreme Atom. There fore it is that the abovementioned earth and others of the Brahmin will manifest themselves in (and out of) Jñāna. Now thou shalt know all these directly.” So said Sarasvati, when Līlā asked her “It was stated by thee, that the Brahmin expired on the eighth day. That period passed with me as millenniums. Please explain this to me.” Then the goddess continued thus “Just as space, which, as mentioned before, is nothing but a play (or mode) of consciousness, is not all-pervading and hence not real, so also is time. As it is the Jñāna light alone devoid of the modifications of Māyā, that manifests itself as time and space, hence there is no such thing as the limit of time or space. Through the illusion of death, the body became entranced for a moment and the Jīva parted from it. Becoming oblivious of all the thoughts of its former body, it is filled with the thoughts of this life only. It is only when the Jīva revives from the fatal trance of such false conceptions as I am greatly supported by these, “My body is getting fat, he is my parent, I am going to die in so many years, My relatives are augmenting in number, this is my beloved state and so on it is only then that the Jīva will begin to know its real state. Therefore thou forgottest all about thy former birth, remembering only this birth.”

After Sarasvatī had finished these words, Līlā said “Having been blessed by thee with Divine vision, I have understood all things truly. Now to gratify my desires, please show me the abode of Vasiṣṭha and others.”

To which Sarasvatī of the form of Vedas thus said “This gross body of thine bred out of Karmas is an impediment in the way of thy getting such knowledge. If thou shouldst become entirely oblivious of thy body and know thyself as distinct from it and then become of the nature of Pure Bliss Enjoyer that is also Jñāna light and Sat after being cleansed of all Māyā impurities, then thou shalt be able to visit the hallowed state. Thou shalt then know, with delusions off thy mind, that Brahman only is thyself and all the universe, like one gold converted into many ornaments. It is not the worldly desires but the pure Vāsanās that tend to develop the true Jñāna. Thou are not yet bereft of the easily performed (or the desires for) worldly objects. Therefore it is not possible for thee to attain it. Persons like myself can easily get into the pure Brahman. But those who are like thyself, have a subtle (lunar) body of the nature of mind, replete with desires and hence it, in turn, generates the gross body. Just as a snow ball melts with the rays of the sun and is converted into water, so thy gross body will be changed permanently into the subtle body through development of the true Jñāna and the abandoning of the Vāsanās. This is the Jīvanmukta state. Then the all-full Jñāna alone will prevail in thee. Therefore thou wilt have to perceive the former creation through thy original subtle body (of Adhivahya), after stopping (or entrancing) then this body of thine.”

When Sarasvatī had blessed her thus, the latter asked the former as to the efforts that should be made to realize that end. To which Sarasvatī replied thus: “Those only can cognize experimentally the higher states who have developed in themselves the processes of Śravaṇa (hearing and study of spiritual books), Manana (contemplation) and Nidhidhyāsana (reflection from all standpoints), uninterrupted bliss arising through concentration upon that ancient (one) Principle, renunciation of all, non-desires, and the intense reasoning practice followed through the path of Vedas that this great world is not ever-existent. Those only are in that path of Brahman, who are ever engaged in the intense practice of deriving bliss through the certain knowledge that the universes, which are no other than ‘I’ or “It”, do not really exist, as they did not exist from the very beginning and who are engaged in liberation, through such knowledge, free from the seer and the visual and from the enemies of love and hatred. After one is convinced that that knowledge which renders itself oblivious of all the visible things is the true one and the obtainer of Ātma, ceaseless endeavors in the certainty of Brahman is alone Liberation. With such a practice, the pure Jñāna will dawn.”

Sarasvatī and Līlā who had thus conferred together that night, went into Svarūpa Samādhi free from the trammels of their body and remained motionless. In this state, Sarasvatī shining with her former Jñāna body along with Līlā with her newly assumed Jñāna one, rose up high in the Ākāśa, as if 10 digits high. Having penetrated far into the Ākāśa which is like an ever-ebbing great ocean at the time of deluge, they observed there the following. In the immeasurable, transparent and subtle Cidākāśa replete with the bliss arising from zephyrs, there were to be found the hosts of Siddhas who journeyed fleeter than wind. In it whirled, in all quarters, Rākṣasas and Piśacas well as successive rows of innumerable yogins, having the faces of dogs, cows, camels and asses. There were also the multitudinous Dākinīs (elementals), dancing about gleefully and the white Gaṅga running with its speedy current. There the songs of Nārada and Tumburu were heard vibrating on their lyre in non- immured space. Clouds, as at the end of a Kalpa, rained down their currents without any noise like a painted picture. To wit, they saw bevies of fair women collected together. Then they passed through diverse places for the immeasurable ten Ghātikas distance, some replete with petrified sable gloom inaccessible to any and others, radiant with the luster of Agni (fire) or the Sun journeying on his swift car. Thus waded they through the Ākāśa of the three worlds, wherein abode the myriads of Jīvas created by Brahmā buzzing like the swarms of flies collected in a ripe fig fruit.

Then contemplating upon reaching their longed-for place } they crossed Brahma’s egg- and reached Girigrāma in the Loka where Vasiṣṭha lived. As the new arrivals were invisible to the menials, relatives and offspring of the Brahmin suffering from dire pains, Līlā, of Satya-Saṃkalpa willed that the inmates of the house should see her and her co-mate. Thereupon taking these two, who were like Lakṣmī and Parvatī, to be some sylvan goddesses, the menials, etc., worshipped them and paid them proper respects. Of these, the eldest son ad dressed them thus “You should lighten us of the load of grief under which we are groaning ever since the demise of our parents. Oh ladies of great knowledge, are there any results not attainable through the visits, of great personages like yourselves?” Thereupon the effulgent, Līlā touched their forehead and relieved them of their grief. Then both these disappeared from view, from that spot that very instant.

Now that we have accomplished our object of seeing the different states of the universe according to our thought please acquaint me with thy further wish. So said Sarasvatī to Divine Līlā, at which the latter asked the former. “How came it that during our Samādhi, the persons seated in the regal assembly were unable to see me whilst those in the beautiful house alone were so able?”

Sarasvatī replied “It is only through the development of Jñāna that all the dual substances in this world will become non-dual. As thou wert in possession of Jñāna (knowledge) not freed from the thoughts of ‘I’ (or individuality), the true (or voluntary) Saṃkalpa did not arise in thee. Hence it was that all those in the royal assembly were not able to see thee. But then in the second case, with the possession of the true Jñāna divested of all thoughts of individuality, thou created the conception of u I” through thy own Saṃkalpa and it was only then that the sons, etc., did see thee.”

Then Līlā overjoyed gave vent to the following words “Through thy grace, Oh Sarasvatī, I have known all my former births as clear as daylight. I have cleansed myself of all sins arising from the three guṇas. After being differentiated as a separate entity out of the one Brahman, 1 have undergone different births in 800 bodies^[4]. Like bees in a lotus flower, I have been inhabiting the many worlds created through Māyā-Vikalpa (or the modifications of Māyā). I was born as a Vidyādhara lady and then as a human being through the force of Vāsanās. In another Loka of Māyā-Vikalpa, I went through a series of births in the different bodies of Indrānī, a huntress clad in leaves, a bird rending the snare it was enmeshed in, a king of Saurasthra country and a mosquito. Thus have I been whirling in many births, and having been tossed too and fro in the clutches of Māyā, like a straw in ocean waves, I have now been landed safely on the shore of Mukti (Liberation) through thy aid.” Thus did Līlā eulogies her and both then mounted up the Ākāśa.

Passing through the Ākāśa by dint of Yoga power, they went to where Padma was and saw his body. After that was over, they went to where the king Vidūratha was, who was the second incarnation of king Padma. At this juncture, both these peacock-like ladies observed the incomparable king of Sindhu of tremendous prowess march against Vidūratha. A fierce war was waged between the two armies, striking terror into the heart of Death even. Vidūratha’s innumerable army was reduced by the enemy to an eighth of its original number. Then the sun disappeared from view, as if afraid of either this terrible war or the mountain heap of carcasses. With the setting in of intense darkness, both the armies ceased to battle. With the disappearance from the field of the enemies hosts, king Vidūratha returned with a broken heart along with the shattered remnants of his army to his own palace. Whilst he rested upstairs in sleep, Sarasvatī and Līlā came up to where he lay. Being quite refreshed by their Tejas (radiant effulgence) which was like the nectary rays of the moon, his lotus-like eyes began to bloom and beheld, before him, these two ladies whom he saluted and eulogized.

Then in order to acquaint Līlā with the glorious lineage of this race, Sarasvatī willed that the minister lying hard by the king should wake up from his deep sleep. Instantaneously, the minister shook off his lethargy and seeing Sarasvatī saluted her. At which she asked him to trace from the beginning, the history of the king’s family. The minister then began thus In the race of Manu Vaivasvata^[5], the most esteemed of kings, there was born a king of the name of Kumbharatha (or Kundaratha) who had a son Bhadraratha, the king of kings. The last had in his turn Akhila-ratha (or Viśva-ratha) as son and through him a grandson by the name of Manoratha. This grandson brought forth Viṣṇu-ratha who, in his turn, had as his offspring Bṛhad- ratha. This last king, had, in his line of descendants, Sindhu-ratha, Śailaratha, Kāmaratha and Mahāratha, till at last the last king Mahāratha begat, in this place, the present king of kings, Vidūratha. The mother who begat the present king, went by the appellation of Sumitrā. His father, having con trolled his mind, abdicated his kingdom in favor of his son, then 10 years old, and led the life of a recluse in the forest. Now Vidūratha, our king, reigns with perfect justice”.

As soon as the minister had finished these words, Saraśvatī, in order to enable the king to easily know the events of his former births through his Jñāna (spiritual) vision, touched lovingly, with the palm of her hand, the king’s head and blessed him with Divine vision. Whereupon the gloom of Māyā that had obscured his mind like a great antagonist flitted away from it and he was able to recognize himself in the previous body of king Padma sporting with Līlā. Then the pleasant sensation of marvel and joy arose in him, the former on account of the diverse workings of Māyā, and the latter, since the knowledge of Māyā he derived through the grace of these, the (world s) mothers. With these thoughts in his mind, he wore their feet on his head and said “In the one day that passed from the extinction of my former body up to now (as seen through my Divine vision), I have spent 70 years with this my present body. I have also known all the events that transpired during that period. Whence are all these curious anomalies of Māyā?”

Thereupon Sarasvatī of the form of Divine grace vouchsafed the following reply- -” The trance called Death is always accompanied at that very spot and in that very instant, by the great delusion of rebirths (and vice versa). Now the conception of the duration of 70 years arose only through the delusion of the Karmas performed by thee, while in life. Know therefore and perceive for thyself that when thy mind was rendered immaculate like Ākāśa free from all illusions, such conceptions of time vanished, (as all conceptions of time arise through the vikalpas of the mind only). They the events of 70 years) are only like long-drawn dreams of many events enacted in one Muhūrta (48 minutes). Even our life during the waking state appears prolonged in diverse ways through the many unreal events performed. To tell thee truly, there is no such thing as births or deaths to thee. Thou art the true Jñāna alone. Thou art the eternal supreme state. Hence though seeing the whole universe, thou seest it not. Being of the nature of all, thou art shining through thy wisdom in the Ātmic Reality. The old adage runs to the effect that a non-lisping baby, which is obsessed while in the cradle, will be freed from such pos session in the crematorium only. Similarly is the Ajñāna (illusion) in man; and to the ignorant full of this painful Ajñāna, the universe appears to be real. Persons ignorant of gold will assert an ornament made of gold to be the former 8 alone and not the latter. Likewise, persons devoid of spiritual vision will maintain this universe to be the inert one only, (and not spirit, the seer free from the seen). Know also all the universes, arising through the egoism of “T” and “mine,” etc, to be nothing but a dream and the different objects seen therein to be as illusory as things in a dream. Such objects and universes are no other than of the nature of that Jñāna (Reality) which is all permanent Param-Ākāśa, actionless, full, vast and immaculate. It is the one reality which, being all and having all with the different Śaktis (potencies), manifests itself, without being diminished thereby, in different forms according to the fructification of time and Karmas. Through Līlā, I have initiated thee into the mysteries of the true Jñāna state. Thy mind has been illumined through the undecaying Tattva (Truth). Therefore we shall depart.”

After reflecting well upon the enjoyment (of bliss) into which he was now initiated, Vidūratha remarked thus “Even persons coming to me for aid are accustomed to receive at my hands whatever they long for. Therefore is it surprising for me to attain any object of my quest at the hands of you both who are like fresh Cintāmanī^[6]? When shall I be able to resume my former body of Padma?” To which Sarasvatī replied thus “You will perish in this war and with your death, you will resume your Padma body.” Here a herald came in with the following announcement to the king. “An ocean of army is discharging showers of arrows at us, and our town is reduced to ashes through the enemy’s flames. Oh puissant king, I have to announce to thee these painful tidings.” While the information was thus being given to the king, his ears were deafened by the terrible sounds of the enemy’s hosts which made the hearts of all in the three worlds to quail. The cries of shrieking roving townsman collided with those of the enemy and rent the air like a thunderbolt. The hissing flames which were like Vāḍava Agni, enveloped the whole welkin with its volumes of smoke. Thus all eyes and ears ceased to function and the whole town became nothing but a heap of ruins. All these devastations were personally witnessed by Sarasvatī and Līlā, the king and his minister. At this time, the queen of the king Vidūratha, came to where her husband was with great trepidation and giddiness. Her handmaids who accompanied her, apprised the king of the fact that all the damsels and wealth in the palace were being ravished and ravaged by the foe. Hearing which, he entrusted his wife to the custody of those near him and sallied forth for war.

Now Līlā, the spouse of Padma was extremely surprised to find Līlā, the spouse of Vidūratha, an exact counterpart of herself, like an image reflected in a glass. Thereupon she queried Sarasvatī as to how it was she was re-duplicated afresh? The moon-colored Sarasvatī cleared her doubts in the following manner “Actuated by an excessive love towards thee thy husband Padma thought, at the moment of death, of enjoying thy company without being ever separated. Accordingly he was able to get thee here. Whatever is thought of by one at the time of his agonizing death, that will be realized by him afterwards. Will a glass reflect other than that which is placed before it? Inasmuch as death, birth, mental delusion, the waking, dreaming and dreamless states are all one, not being in another as its cause (or each of them not having another as the cause), all things that are and that are not, are of the nature of delusion only and hence increase beyond number. Now the stainful enjoyments are of two kinds. Please hearken to them. Some experiences arise as the result of former ones. Others arise newly, being entirely different from the previous ones. Hence, as in the former case, the new Līlā with all your former form, observances, race and conduct of life, appeared not different from you like your shadow. It was through the thought of the king, that she was molded unto her present form like yourself. Vidūratha will perish in this war and then assume the body of Padma.”

So said Saraśvatī, when the new Līlā submitted thus “Oh thou, who seemest to be Saraśvatī herself whom I adored in former times, please confer on me the boon that, in the event of my partner perishing in this war, I may live in this body of mine along with him wherever he is.” To which Sarasvatī nodded assent.

Again the old Līlā questioned the Mother of Vedas thus “How was I able to journey to the higher Loka and the supreme Girigrāma with the aid of Adhibhautika body only and not with the Ātivāhika body (while the new Līlā was blessed otherwise)?” To which the goddess replied thus “I never give anything (without any cause) k to any person. People get all things according to (or as the result of) their thoughts. You thought of (acquiring) Jñāna before and implored me for it and I gave you therefore the Divine Vision longed for by you. This damsel, your shadow, prompted by excessive desire asked of me another boon which was, as promptly, granted. All men through my grace get what ever their minds long after.”

With a terrible angry face, the valiant Vidūratha mounted his car, marched into the field of battle with his multitudinous host and attacked his enemies so furiously as to drive them into the path of Death. Both the Līlās of un dying affection for their Lord and yet in anticipation of his death addressed Sarasvatī thus “Oh mother, how comes it that in spite of our Lord’s dauntless courage and your grace, our husband should die so soon in this war?” Sarasvatī replied “As the learned Vidūratha longed after the higher spiritual state, he has to merge secondless into the supreme state. This king of Sindhu who has come to oppose him will gain the day over Vidūratha in accordance with my mandates at his propitiation of myself and will become a king.” Whilst these were discoursing thus, the day broke and the battle field on both sides became completely void of all its living contents. Then both the kings alone survived and took up their bows and filled the sun, the moon, the quarters and the welkin with showers of arrows. The arrows hissing flames everywhere, it seemed as if the end of the Yuga was approaching. Then Vidūratha was left alone without his car and driver. His bow was unstrung; his diamond amour was shattered to pieces by his enemy’s semi-circular arrows; all his limbs were rent asunder and thrown promiscuously; and then Vidūratha’s trunk came flat upon the ground. Whereupon the new Līlā addressed her of the white lotus thus “My husband is about to breathe his last; please allow me to join my husband,” Sarasvatī having prepared the way for it, the new Līlā became light and ascended the Ākāśa. Having crossed one after another the Maṇḍalas (spheres) of clouds, Vāyu, the hot Sūrya (Sun) and the Nakṣatras (stars) and then Satyaloka and other divine lokas and then breaking open the Mundane egg and piercing through the septenary veils of (Āp) water and others, she reached soon the immeasurable and endless Reality of Cidākāśa at last. There she went into the harem where Padma’s dead body was lying, after crossing the Jñāna-Ākāśa with its Āvaraṇas (veils) in the midst of the many mundane eggs which are as innumerable as the fig fruits in a fig forest and which are uncrossable even in a long time with the speed of Garuḍa (eagle). Concluding that the dead body covered up with flowers, was her Lord’s and that some how, through Saraśvatī’s grace, she came ahead of him, she sat beside his body and fanned it gently.

While so. the Jīva of king Vidūratha was winging its way in the Ākāśa and without noticing the two ladies of Sarasvatī and Līlā of Divine vision who were going behind it, reached the recess where Padma’s body was lying. There these two ladies accompanied it and saw the new Līlā before them. In the golden dome, the Jīva of Vidūratha was arrested in its progress and prevented by Sarasvatī from getting ingress into the body of Padma. Then the old Līlā looked about for her former body and not finding it there, asked Sarasvatī as to what became of it. The goddess replied thus: “When you fell into a profound trance of meditation, the ministers taking you for dead have disposed of it by consigning it to flames. If you stay on earth with Ātivāhika body, then it will only revolutionize the world with wonder that the deceased Līlā came corporeally here from Devaloka. And as you have divested yourself of all Vāsanās in this your Ātivāhika body, it is but right that you should abandon that Adhibhautika body of yours,” Saraśvatī then willed in her mind that the new Līlā should see her. Whereupon the latter was like one who had discovered the hidden treasure of a long lost personage and then saluting Sarasvatī by falling at her two feet, eulogized her.

The two Līlās ((It is thus clear that the two Līlās represent no other than the astral and the physical bodies of beings which are counterparts of one another.)) bearing thus the company of Sarasvatī, the latter let slip the grip she had on the Jīva of Vidūratha which therefore entered into the nasal orifice of Padma’s body in the form of Prāṇa and permeated the whole parched up body. Whereupon blood began to circulate freely throughout its fleshy tenement and the deceased king woke up, rubbing his eyes. With a thundering noise, Padma asked the by standers who those were, that were there. Thereupon the old Līlā prostrated herself before the king and saw that she herself was the wife congenial to him, that the new Līlā was the offspring of his mind which thought of a form similar to hers and came to enjoy with him, and that the third person age was no other than the immaculate Sarasvatī.

After she had pronounced these words, Padma fell at the feet of Sarasvatī who, laying her beautiful hands on the head of Padma, blessed him with a long life with his wives, an exalted fame and an ever increasing wealth in order to render people happy by extirpating vices and peopling the world with the great wise men. With these words, Sarasvatī withdrew unto her silent abode, when the king praised her with the following words “May Sarasvatī. the Goddess, who presides over the tongues of all men and the departments of all knowledge, prosper long in this world.” Then the Emperor Padma along with his wives wielded the scepter over the earth for 80,000 years. With the blessing conferred by Sarasvatī, he shortened then and there the seven kinds of births and attained on earth the Jīvanmukta State. At last he attained the state of Videhamukti which never perishes, even though great Kalpas come to an end.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

These three kinds of Ākāśa correspond to the three halls or bodies referred to in our books, viz., the Kāraṇa, Sūkṣma (subtle) and Sthūla (gross).

[2]:

Mārici and other Ṛṣis are associated here with those of desires, in accordance with the doctrine of The Secret Doctrine which calls them as Barhishads yielding to humanity their bodies of desires.

[3]:

Eśvara and his wife.

[4]:

The number above given tallies nearly with that given out in the Theosophical literature by Mr. A.P. Sinnett.

[5]:

The Manu of this Manvantara or Round.

[6]:

This is a stone supposed to yield anything the possessor of it thinks of.