Chapter LXXV - Suchi’s regaining her former frame

Argument. Brahma's appearance, admonition and blessing to Suchi and her resuscitation to life.

Vasishtha continued:—

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After the lapse of a thousand years of long and painful devotion, the great father of creation (Brahma), appeared to her under his pavilion of the sky, and bade her accept the preferred boon.

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Suchi who was absorbed in her devotion, and her vital principle of life, remaining dormant in her, wanted the external organs of sense (to give utterance to her prayer), and remained only to cogitate upon the choice she should make.

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She said to herself: "I am now a perfect being, and am delivered from my doubts; what blessing therefore is it, that I have need of asking (either for myself or others), beyond this state of beatitude; which I already possess in my peace and tranquillity, and the bliss of contentment and self-resignation.

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I have got the knowledge of all that is to be known, and am set free from the web of errors;my rationality is developed, and what more is requisite to a perfect and rational being?

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Let me remain seated as I am in my present state, I am in the light of truth; and quite removed from the darkness of untruth; what else is there for me to ask or accept?

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I have passed a long period in my unreasonableness, and was carried away like a child, by the demon of the evil genius of earthly desires. (As a child wants to have everything he sees, not knowing whether it is good or bad for him to have it).

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This desire is now brought under subjection by my power of ratiocination, and of what avail are all the objects of my desire to my soul?" (There is nothing of any good to the soul, for nothing temporal is of any spiritual good).

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The lord of creatures kept looking on Suchi sitting with her mind fixed in her silent meditation, and resigned to her destiny; and quite abstracted from all external sensations, and the use of her bodily organs.

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Brahma with the kindness of his heart, again accosted the apathetic dame, and said unto her: "Receive thy desired blessing, and live to enjoy for sometime longer on earth".

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Then having enjoyed the joys of life, thou shalt attain the blissful state from which thou shalt have no more to return here, and this is the fixed decree destined for all living beings on earth.

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Be thy desire crowned with success, by merit of this devotion of thine, O best of the womankind! Resume thy former corpulence, and remain as a Rakshasi in this mountain forest.

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Regain thy cloud-like shape whereof thou art deprived at present, and revive as a sprout from thy pinnate root, to become like a big tree growing out of its small root and little seed.

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Thou shalt get an inward supply of serum from thy pinnate tendon, as a plant gets its sap from the seeded grain; and the circulation of that juice will cause thy growth like that of a germ from the ingrained seed.

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Thy knowledge of truth has no fear of following into the difficulties of the world; while on the contrary, the righteousness of thy soul will lead thee like a huge cloud, that is heavy, with its pure water high in the heaven, notwithstanding the blasting gusts of wind (i. e. the pure and contrite spirit goes on its wonted course, in spite of the tribulations of the world).

15. If by thy constant practice of Yoga meditation, thou hast accustomed thyself to a state of habitation (death like Samadhi), for thy intellectual delight, and hast thereby become assimilated to the anaesthesia of thy meditation (to the state of a stock and stone).

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But thy meditativeness must be compatible with thy worldly affairs, and the body like the breeze, is nourished best by its constant agitation (i. e. meditation must be joined with utility, and the body with its activity).

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Therefore my daughter! thou dost act contrary to nature, by withstanding the action which thy nature requires; nor can there be any objection to thy slaughter of animal life under proper bounds. (Because the carnivorous are made to live upon flesh, as the omnivorous man upon all kinds of food).

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Act therefore within the bounds of justice, and refrain from all acts of injustice in the world; and stick steadfastly to reason, if thou shouldst like to live liberated in this life. (Justice is the source of liberty, but injustice leads to bondage).

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Saying so far, the god disappeared from below to his heavenly sphere, when Suchi said to him "be it so and I have nothing to oppose to this". Then thinking in her mind, that she had no cause to be dissatisfied with the decree of the lotus-born Brahma, found herself immediately in possession of her former body.

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She came to be of the measure of a span at first, and then of a cubit; and next a full fathom in length; and increasing fastly in her height, she grew up as a tree; till at last she was of the form of a cloud. She had all the members of the body added to her instantly, in the manner of the growth of the arbour of human desire. (Our growing desires and their increase, are compared with the growth and ramifications and fructification of trees).

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From the fibrous form of Suchi (the needle), which was without form or feature, body, blood, bones, flesh or strength, there grew up all the parts and limbs at once. Just so the fancied garden of our desire, springs up on a sudden with all its verdant foliage and fruits and flowers from their hidden state.