Chapter LXV - Life and conduct of the etherial nymph

Argument:—How nymph has come to approach before Vasishtha, her statement of facts of her life.

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After the lapse of a long time, I found my passions subsiding, and I grew as callous to my susceptibilites, as the tender greens become juiceless and dry after the autumn is over.

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Seeing my husband grown old, and shorn of all his susceptivity and vivaciousness; and sitting quietly in his steadfast devotion with an unwavering mind, I thought my life to be useless to me.

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And methought that early widowhood, and even premature death, or rather a lingering disease or lasting misery, are preferable to a female's living without a loving husband.

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It is the boon of life, and the greatest good fortune of a woman, to have a young and loving husband, who is of good and pleasant humour, and pliant in his manners.

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A woman is given for lost, who has not a sweet and lovely spouse; as the understanding is lost which is not fraught with learning. In vain is prosperity when she favours the wicked, and in vain is a woman that is lost to shame. (Because modesty is the best quality of women).

6. [Sanskrit available]
She is the best of women, who is obedient to her husband; and that is the best fortune, which falls in the hands of the virtuous and good. That understanding is praised which is clear and capacious; and that goodness is good, which has a fellow feeling and equal regard for all mankind.

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Neither disease nor calamity, nor dangers nor difficulties, can disturb the minds, or afflict the hearts of a loving pair, (bound together by mutual affection).

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The prospect of the blossoming garden of Eden, and the flowery paths of paradise, appear as desert lands to women, that have no husbands, or such as wicked and unmannerly in their behaviour.

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A woman may forsake all her worldly possessions, as of little value to her; but she can never forsake her husband, even for any fault on his part.

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You see, O chief of sages, all these miseries to which I am subjected these very many years of my puberty.

11. [Sanskrit available]
But all this fondness of mine, is gradually turning to indifference;and I am pining and fading away as fast, as the frost-beaten lotus flower, is shrunken and shrivelled for want of its sap and juice.

12. [Sanskrit available]
Being now indifferent to the pleasure of my enjoyment of all things, I come to seek the felicity of my nirvana-extinction; and stand in need of your advice for my salvation.

13. [Sanskrit available]
Otherwise it is better for them to die away than live in this world, who are unsuccessful in desires and ever restless and perplexed in their minds; and such as are buffeting and borne by the waves of deadly troubles.

14. [Sanskrit available]
He my husband being desirous of obtaining his nirvana liberation, is now intent both by day and night upon the subduing of his mind by the light of his reason, as a prince is roused to conquer his foe in company with his princess.

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Now sir, please to dispel both his as well as my ignorance, by your reasonable advice, which may revive our remembrance of the soul (which may destroy our faith in the body).

16. [Sanskrit available]
Because my lord sitting solely upon the meditation of the soul, without the company or any thought about me; has created in me an indifference and distaste to all worldly things in toto.

17. [Sanskrit available]
I am now set free from the influence of worldly desires, and have girt myself fast with the amulet of aeronautic expedition, for journeying through the regions of air. (This amulet is called the khechari mudra).

18. [Sanskrit available]
I have acquired the power of locomotion amidst the air, by means of this amulet of mine; and it is by virtue of this power, that I am enabled to associate with the siddha spirits, and to converse with you.

19. [Sanskrit available]
Having girt myself with this charm, I have acquired such potency, that though remaining in my dwelling house on earth, which is the basis and centre of all the worlds, I can see all its past and future events (by means of my intuition and yoga meditation).

20. [Sanskrit available]
Having then beheld within my mind, all and everything relating to this world; I have come out to survey the outward world, and seen as far as the gigantic polar mountain (which has perpetual light and darkness on either side of it).

21. [Sanskrit available]
Before this, O sage, neither I nor my husband, had ever any desire of seeing anything beyond our own habitation. (i.e. Or the internal world contained within the world).

22. [Sanskrit available]
My husband being solely employed in meditating on the meanings (doctrines) of the vedas; has no desire whatever, to know anything relating the past or unpassed (i.e. the present and future) time.

23. [Sanskrit available]
It is for this reason (of unacquaintance with the world), that my lord has not been able to succeed to any station in life; and it is today only, that both of us are desirous to be blest with the best state of humanity (the knowledge of the Deity).

24. [Sanskrit available]
We therefore beseech you, O venerable sir, to grant our request, as it is never in the nature of noble persons to refuse the prayer of their suppliants.

25. [Sanskrit available]
I who have been wandering in the etherial regions, among hosts of the perfected spirits of siddhas; do not find any one except yourself, O honourable sir, who may put fire to the thick gloom of ignorance as a conflagration.

26. [Sanskrit available]
And as it is the nature of good people to do good to others, even without the knowledge of any cause of pity in their suppliants; so should you, O venerable sir, do to your suppliant one without refusing her suit.