Sarga 31¶

Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · Rāma falls silent (27 verses)

Sarga 31 at a glance

The end of Śrī Rāma's speech.

In this fragile life, beset by tendencies, false hope, greed and death — what is the means, the way, the refuge? (1.31.1–1.31.6)
The wise make even the trivial beautiful. How can one live in the world without being burned, since action cannot be avoided? (1.31.7–1.31.15)
Tell me the method — how did the good become free of sorrow? (1.31.16–1.31.19)
If there is no answer, Rāma says, he will give up the body; "I am not its, it is not mine." Then he falls silent, like Arjuna before Kṛṣṇa (1.31.20–1.31.27).

Verse 1.31.1¶

श्रीराम उवाच ।
प्रोच्चवृक्षचलत्पत्रलम्बाम्बुलवभङ्गुरे ।
आयुषीशानशीतांशुकलामृदुनि देहके ॥ १.३१.१ ॥

आयुषि (when life is) प्रोच्च-वृक्ष-चलत्-पत्र-लम्ब-अम्बु-लव-भङ्गुरे (fragile as a drop hanging from a moving leaf of a tall tree) देहके (and the poor body) ईशान-शीतांशु-कला-मृदुनि [सति] (tender as the crescent moon on Śiva's head) …

Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "When life is as fragile as a drop of water hanging from a trembling leaf on a tall tree, and the body as delicate as the crescent moon on Śiva's head …"

Pointers for Reflection:

The last of Rāma's speech. Sarga 31 gathers his questions one final time and ends in silence. Verses 1–5 form one long sentence of 'when …' clauses; the question comes in 1.31.6.
The drop on the leaf — the image of 1.14.1, here on a tall tree, even more precarious.

Verse 1.31.2¶

केदारविरटद्भेककण्ठत्वक्कोणभङ्गुरे ।
वागुरावलये जन्तोः सुहृत्सुजनसंगमे ॥ १.३१.२ ॥

केदार-विरटत्-भेक-कण्ठ-त्वक्-कोण-भङ्गुरे (fragile as the throat-skin of a frog croaking in a rice-field) जन्तोः वागुरा-वलये (in the creature's circle of snares) सुहृत्-सुजन-सङ्गमे [सति] (when the meeting of friends and good people is so) …

Translation: "… when the company of friends and good people is as fragile as the throat-pouch of a frog croaking in a rice-field, and becomes a ring of snares for the creature …"

Pointers for Reflection:

The frog's throat. It swells and empties with each croak. So friendships fill and empty.

Verse 1.31.3¶

वासनावातवलिते कदाशातडिति स्फुटे ।
मोहोग्रमिहिकामेघे घनं स्फूर्जति गर्जति ॥ १.३१.३ ॥

वासना-वात-वलिते (when [the sky of life] is stirred by the winds of tendencies) कदाशा-तडिति स्फुटे (when the lightning of false hope flashes) मोह-उग्र-मिहिका-मेघे (when the cloud of fierce delusion and fog) घनं स्फूर्जति गर्जति [सति] (thunders and roars heavily) …

Translation: "… when gusts of old tendencies whirl about, false hopes flash like lightning, and the heavy, fog-laden cloud of delusion rumbles and booms …"

Pointers for Reflection:

A storm of the mind. Tendencies as wind, hope as lightning, delusion as thunder-cloud.

Verse 1.31.4¶

नृत्यत्युत्ताण्डवं चण्डे लोले लोभकलापिनि ।
सुविकासिनि सास्फोटे ह्यनर्थकुटजद्रुमे ॥ १.३१.४ ॥

[यदा] चण्डे लोले लोभ-कलापिनि (when the fierce, fickle peacock of greed) सु-विकासिनि स-आस्फोटे अनर्थ-कुटज-द्रुमे हि (and when the kuṭaja tree of misfortune is in full, bursting bloom) उत्ताण्डवं नृत्यति (dances wildly) …

Translation: "… when the fierce, fickle peacock of greed dances wildly, and the kuṭaja tree of misfortune is in full, bursting bloom …"

Pointers for Reflection:

The peacock dances in the storm. Peacocks dance when rain-clouds gather. Greed dances in the storm of delusion.

Verse 1.31.5¶

क्रूरे कृतान्तमार्जारे सर्वभूताखुहारिणि ।
अश्रान्तस्यन्दसंचारे कुतोऽप्युपरिपातिनि ॥ १.३१.५ ॥

[यदा] क्रूरे सर्व-भूत-आखु-हारिणि कृतान्त-मार्जारे (when the cruel cat, Death, which carries off all beings like mice) अश्रान्त-स्यन्द-सञ्चारे (moving without rest) कुतः अपि उपरि-पातिनि [सति] (pouncing from somewhere above) …

Translation: "… and when the cruel cat of Death, carrying off all beings like mice, prowls without rest and pounces from somewhere above —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Death as a cat — again (1.14.19). The long sentence reaches its climax.

Verse 1.31.6¶

क उपायो गतिः का वा का चिन्ता कः समाश्रयः ।
केनेयमशुभोदर्का न भवेज्जीविताटवी ॥ १.३१.६ ॥

कः उपायः (what is the means?) का वा गतिः (or what is the way?) का चिन्ता (what is the right thought?) कः समाश्रयः (what is the refuge?) केन (by what) इयं जीवित-अटवी (this forest of life) अशुभ-उदर्का न भवेत् (may not have an evil end)?

Translation: "— what way through is there, what road, what thought to hold, what shelter to run to? What could keep this jungle of a life from ending badly?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Four questions: उपाय (means), गति (way), चिन्ता (thought), आश्रय (refuge). The whole of the teaching that follows will answer them.
Gītā 18.66: सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज — taking refuge in me alone. The Gītā's answer to 'what is the refuge?'

Verse 1.31.7¶

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा क्वचित् ।
सुधियस्तुच्छमप्येतद्यन्नयन्ति न रम्यताम् ॥ १.३१.७ ॥

पृथिव्यां वा दिवि वा देवेषु वा (on earth, in heaven or among the gods) क्वचित् (anywhere) तत् न अस्ति (there is nothing) यत् (which) सुधियः (the wise) तुच्छम् अपि (though trivial) रम्यतां न नयन्ति (do not make beautiful).

Translation: "On earth, in heaven, among the gods — wherever one looks there is nothing so slight that the wise cannot make it lovely."

Pointers for Reflection:

The wise transform everything. A turn of hope. This is exactly the reflection at 1.14.3: situations do not decide experience; the wise make even the trivial beautiful.
Rāma has seen this. He knows it can be done. He asks how.

Verse 1.31.8¶

अयं हि दग्धसंसारो नीरन्ध्रकलनाकुलः ।
कथं सुस्वादुतामेति नीरसो मूढतां विना ॥ १.३१.८ ॥

अयं हि दग्ध-संसारः (this wretched world) नीरन्ध्र-कलना-आकुलः (crowded with endless calculations) नीरसः (tasteless) मूढतां विना (without delusion) कथं सु-स्वादुताम् एति (how can it become sweet)?

Translation: "This wretched world, crowded with endless scheming and without any real flavour — how can it become sweet, except through delusion?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Sweet without delusion? The real question: can the world be enjoyed without being deceived by it? The jīvanmukta's answer is yes.

Verse 1.31.9¶

आशाप्रतिविपाकेन क्षीरस्नानेन रम्यताम् ।
उपैति पुष्पशुभ्रेण मधुनेव वसुंधरा ॥ १.३१.९ ॥

वसुन्धरा (the earth) पुष्प-शुभ्रेण मधुना इव (as by honey white as flowers) आशा-प्रतिविपाकेन (by the ripening of hope's opposite, that is, giving up hope) क्षीर-स्नानेन (as by a bath of milk) रम्यताम् उपैति (becomes lovely).

Translation: "The world becomes lovely, as if bathed in milk and honey white as blossom, when hope is turned around and given up."

Pointers for Reflection:

Giving up hope makes the world lovely. A profound reversal. When nothing is demanded of the world, the world becomes beautiful.
Reading note. आशाप्रतिविपाक is difficult; it is read here as 'the reversal of hope', in line with 1.17.3 and 1.17.43.

Verse 1.31.10¶

अपमृष्टमलोदेति क्षालनेनामृतद्युतिः ।
मनश्चन्द्रमसः केन तेन कामकलङ्कितात् ॥ १.३१.१० ॥

अमृत-द्युतिः (the moon) क्षालनेन (by washing) अपमृष्ट-मलः उदेति (rises with its stain removed); मनः-चन्द्रमसः (of the moon of the mind) काम-कलङ्कितात् (stained by desire) तेन केन (by what washing)?

Translation: "The moon rises with its stain washed away. By what washing can the moon of the mind be cleansed of the stain of desire?"

Pointers for Reflection:

The moon's stain. The dark mark on the moon (कलङ्क) is a classic image of a flaw on a pure thing. The mind is pure by nature; desire is only its stain.

Verse 1.31.11¶

दृष्टसंसारगतिना दृष्टादृष्टविनाशिना ।
केनेव व्यवहर्तव्यं संसारवनवीथिषु ॥ १.३१.११ ॥

दृष्ट-संसार-गतिना (by one who has seen the course of the world) दृष्ट-अदृष्ट-विनाशिना (by one who has destroyed [attachment to] the seen and unseen) संसार-वन-वीथिषु (on the paths of the forest of the world) केन इव व्यवहर्तव्यम् (how should one act)?

Translation: "How should one act on the paths of this forest of the world, once one has seen its course and let go of all attachment to things seen and unseen?"

Pointers for Reflection:

After seeing — how to act? The question of the jīvanmukta. Rāma does not want to escape action; he wants to know how to act freely.

Verse 1.31.12¶

रागद्वेषमहारोगा भोगपूगा विभूतयः ।
कथं जन्तुं न बाधन्ते संसारार्णवचारिणम् ॥ १.३१.१२ ॥

राग-द्वेष-महा-रोगाः (the great diseases of attraction and aversion) भोग-पूगाः (heaps of pleasures) विभूतयः (powers) संसार-अर्णव-चारिणं जन्तुं (a creature moving in the ocean of the world) कथं न बाधन्ते (how do they not trouble)?

Translation: "How can a creature moving in the ocean of the world remain untroubled by the great diseases of attraction and aversion, by heaps of pleasures and by power?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Gītā 2.64: रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् । आत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधिगच्छति ॥ — moving among objects with senses free of attraction and aversion, self-controlled, one attains serenity. The Gītā's direct answer.

Verse 1.31.13¶

कथं च धीरवर्याग्नौ पततापि न दह्यते ।
पावके पारदेनेव रसेन रसशालिना ॥ १.३१.१३ ॥

धीर-वर्य (O best of the steadfast), च (and) अग्नौ पतता अपि (though falling into fire) पावके रस-शालिना रसेन पारदेन इव (like potent mercury in fire) कथं न दह्यते (how is one not burned)?

Translation: "And, best of the steadfast, how is one not burned, even falling into the fire, as potent mercury does not burn in the fire?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Mercury in fire. In Indian alchemy, properly prepared mercury (rasa) was said to withstand fire. The free person lives in the fire of the world without being consumed.

Verse 1.31.14¶

यस्मात्किल जगत्यस्मिन्व्यवहारक्रिया विना ।
न स्थितिः संभवत्यब्धौ पतितस्याजला यथा ॥ १.३१.१४ ॥

यस्मात् किल (since indeed) अस्मिन् जगति (in this world) व्यवहार-क्रिया विना (without practical action) स्थितिः न सम्भवति (life is not possible), अब्धौ पतितस्य अजला यथा (as for one fallen into the ocean, [a state] without water [is not possible]).

Translation: "For in this world life is impossible without action — just as one who has fallen into the ocean cannot be without water."

Pointers for Reflection:

Action cannot be avoided. A key insight. Rāma sees that renouncing action is impossible while embodied.
Gītā 3.5: न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् — no one can remain even for a moment without acting. The student reaches by himself the teacher's insight.

Verse 1.31.15¶

रागद्वेषविनिर्मुक्ता सुखदुःखविवर्जिता ।
कृशानोर्दाहहीनेव शिखा नास्तीह सत्क्रिया ॥ १.३१.१५ ॥

इह (here) राग-द्वेष-विनिर्मुक्ता (free of attraction and aversion) सुख-दुःख-विवर्जिता (beyond pleasure and pain) सत्-क्रिया (good action) न अस्ति (does not exist), कृशानोः दाह-हीना शिखा इव (like a flame of fire that does not burn).

Translation: "Yet here, action that is free of attraction and aversion and untouched by pleasure and pain seems not to exist — like a flame that does not burn."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rāma's dilemma. Action is unavoidable (1.31.14), but action without attachment seems impossible. This is precisely the knot the teaching will untie. The Gītā calls it the art of action: योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् (2.50) — yoga is skill in action.

Verse 1.31.16¶

मनोमननशालिन्याः सत्ताया भुवनत्रये ।
क्षयो युक्तिं विना नास्ति ब्रूत तामलमुत्तमाम् ॥ १.३१.१६ ॥

भुवन-त्रये (in the three worlds) मनः-मनन-शालिन्याः सत्तायाः (of existence, which consists in the mind's thinking) युक्तिं विना (without a right method) क्षयः न अस्ति (there is no ending); ताम् उत्तमाम् अलं ब्रूत (tell me that best method fully).

Translation: "In the three worlds, this existence made of the mind's thinking cannot be ended without the right method. Tell me that best method fully."

Pointers for Reflection:

युक्ति — method, skilful means. A key word of the Yoga Vasiṣṭha. The teaching is not only truth but also the means to realise it.
Existence made of thinking. Rāma's own insight (1.16.25): the world as we live it is made by the mind.

Verse 1.31.17¶

व्यवहारवतो युक्त्या दुःखं नायाति मे यया ।
अथवा व्यवहारस्य ब्रूत तां युक्तिमुत्तमाम् ॥ १.३१.१७ ॥

व्यवहारवतः मे (to me, who am engaged in the world) यया युक्त्या (by which method) दुःखं न आयाति (sorrow does not come), [तां ब्रूत] (tell it); अथवा (or) व्यवहारस्य ताम् उत्तमां युक्तिं ब्रूत (tell me that best method of acting in the world).

Translation: "Tell me the method by which sorrow will not come to me while I am engaged in the world — or else tell me the best way of acting in the world itself."

Pointers for Reflection:

Engaged in the world. Rāma does not ask how to escape, but how to live engaged without sorrow — the very question the whole Yoga Vasiṣṭha answers.

Verse 1.31.18¶

तत्कथं केन वा किं वा कृतमुत्तमचेतसा ।
पूर्वं येनैति विश्रामं परमं पावनं मनः ॥ १.३१.१८ ॥

तत् (then) पूर्वम् उत्तम-चेतसा (by someone of noble mind in the past) कथं केन वा किं वा कृतम् (how, by whom, or what was done) येन (by which) मनः परमं पावनं विश्रामम् एति (the mind reaches supreme, purifying rest)?

Translation: "How, and by whom, and by doing what, did noble minds in the past bring the mind to supreme, purifying rest?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Precedent. Rāma asks for a living tradition: who has done this before, and how?

Verse 1.31.19¶

यथा जानासि भगवंस्तथा मोहनिवृत्तये ।
ब्रूहि मे साधवो येन नूनं निर्दुःखतां गताः ॥ १.३१.१९ ॥

भगवन् (revered one), यथा (as) जानासि (you know) तथा (so) मोह-निवृत्तये मे ब्रूहि (tell me, for the ending of my delusion) येन (by which) साधवः नूनं निर्दुःखतां गताः (the good surely became free of sorrow).

Translation: "Revered one, tell me, as you know it, for the ending of my delusion: how did the good become free of sorrow?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Gītā 18.73 — the ending of delusion: नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाच्युत — my delusion is destroyed; I have regained my memory by your grace. Arjuna's last words; Rāma's request asks for the same.

Verse 1.31.20¶

अथवा तादृशी युक्तिर्यदि ब्रह्मन्न विद्यते ।
न वक्ति मम वा कश्चिद्विद्यमानामपि स्फुटम् ॥ १.३१.२० ॥

अथवा (or) ब्रह्मन् (O sage), यदि (if) तादृशी युक्तिः न विद्यते (no such method exists) वा (or) विद्यमानाम् अपि (even if it exists) कश्चित् मम स्फुटं न वक्ति (no one tells it to me clearly) …

Translation: "Or else, O sage, if no such method exists — or if it exists but no one tells it to me clearly …"

Pointers for Reflection:

If there is no answer. Rāma considers the worst case. The sentence continues in his last resolve.

Verse 1.31.21¶

स्वयं चैव न चाप्नोमि तां विश्रान्तिमनुत्तमाम् ।
तदहं त्यक्तसर्वेहो निरहंकारतां गतः ॥ १.३१.२१ ॥

च एव (and indeed) स्वयं च (by myself too) तां अनुत्तमां विश्रान्तिं न आप्नोमि (I do not reach that supreme rest), तत् (then) अहं (I) त्यक्त-सर्व-ईहः (giving up all striving) निरहंकारतां गतः (having become free of ego) …

Translation: "… and if I cannot reach that supreme rest by myself — then I, having given up all striving and become free of ego …"

Pointers for Reflection:

The resolve. The sentence runs on to verse 23. The verse between, 1.31.22, is missing in the online text.

Verse 1.31.22¶

Verse missing in the source

The online text used for this study skips from verse 21 to verse 23. This verse will be added when it can be checked against a printed edition.

Verse 1.31.23¶

न च तिष्ठामि कार्येषु संपत्स्वापद्दशासु च ।
न किंचिदपि वाञ्छामि देहत्यागादृते मुने ॥ १.३१.२३ ॥

च (and) कार्येषु सम्पत्सु आपत्-दशासु च (in affairs, in good times and bad) न तिष्ठामि (I will not take part); मुने (O sage), देह-त्यागात् ऋते (except the giving up of the body) किंचित् अपि न वाञ्छामि (I want nothing at all).

Translation: "… I will take no part in affairs, in good fortune or bad. O sage, I want nothing at all except to give up this body."

Pointers for Reflection:

Misplaced detachment, like Arjuna's. As at 1.10.46, Rāma's sorrow has reached its depth. Wanting to give up the body is not wisdom; it is the last form of the very aversion the teaching will dissolve. The Gītā's Arjuna reached the same point — यदि मामप्रतीकारमशस्त्रं शस्त्रपाणयः । धार्तराष्ट्रा रणे हन्युस्तन्मे क्षेमतरं भवेत् ॥ (Gītā 1.46), better that the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra kill me unarmed and unresisting — and Kṛṣṇa answered not by agreeing but by teaching.
Not a threat, but a plea. Rāma's words are a measure of how much he needs the teaching. Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra will answer at once (Sarga 33 and the Mumukṣu Prakaraṇa).

Verse 1.31.24¶

केवलं विगताशङ्को निर्ममो गतमत्सरः ।
मौन एवेह तिष्ठामि लिपिकर्मस्विवार्पितः ॥ १.३१.२४ ॥

केवलं (simply) विगत-आशङ्कः (free of doubt) निर्ममः (without 'mine') गत-मत्सरः (without envy) इह (here) लिपि-कर्मसु अर्पितः इव (like a figure set in a painting) मौनः एव तिष्ठामि (I will remain silent).

Translation: "Simply, without doubt, without possessiveness, without envy, I will stay here silent, like a figure in a painting."

Pointers for Reflection:

Like a figure in a painting. Motionless, silent. This is the image of the अजगर-वृत्ति, the 'python's way' of the renunciant who simply lies still.
But silence is not yet peace. The teaching will distinguish this forced stillness from the natural peace of the knower, who can act or be still with equal freedom.

Verse 1.31.25¶

अथ क्रमेण संत्यज्य प्रश्वासोच्छ्वाससंविदः ।
संनिवेशं त्यजामीममनर्थं देहनामकम् ॥ १.३१.२५ ॥

अथ (then) क्रमेण (gradually) प्रश्वास-उच्छ्वास-संविदः (the awareness of breathing in and out) सन्त्यज्य (giving up) देह-नामकम् इमम् अनर्थं संनिवेशम् (this misfortune of a dwelling called the body) त्यजामि (I give up).

Translation: "Then, step by step, I will let go of the sense of the breath moving in and out, and leave behind this sorry dwelling we call a body."

Pointers for Reflection:

A yogic image. The withdrawal of breath is a classical way of leaving the body in yoga (Gītā 8.12, the yogī at death). Rāma pictures it — but this is the very thing the teaching will turn him away from, towards life lived free.
The pivot of the text. Everything up to here has been Rāma's question. Everything from here on is the answer.

Verse 1.31.26¶

नाहमस्य न मे नान्यः शाम्याम्यस्नेहदीपवत् ।
सर्वमेव परित्यज्य त्यजामीदं कलेवरम् ॥ १.३१.२६ ॥

न अहम् अस्य (I do not belong to this) न मे (nor is it mine) न अन्यः (nor is there another); अस्नेह-दीप-वत् (like a lamp without oil) शाम्यामि (I go out); सर्वम् एव परित्यज्य (giving up everything) इदं कलेवरं त्यजामि (I give up this body).

Translation: "I am not its, it is not mine, and there is no other. Like a lamp without oil, I go out. Giving up everything, I give up this body."

Pointers for Reflection:

नाहमस्य न मे — 'I am not its, nor is it mine'. The insight of 1.18.53 returns. Rāma has grasped the truth intellectually — he is not the body — but draws the wrong conclusion: that the body must therefore be abandoned. The teaching will show that knowing 'I am not the body' frees one to live in it.
A lamp without oil — the image of निर्वाण (1.15.13). Rāma uses it in its literal sense; the teaching will use it of the ego, not the body.

Verse 1.31.27¶

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच ।
इत्युक्तवानमलशीतकराभिरामो रामो महत्तरविचारविकासिचेताः ।
तूष्णीं बभूव पुरतो महतां घनानां केकारवं श्रमवशादिव नीलकण्ठः ॥ १.३१.२७ ॥

इति (thus) उक्तवान् (having spoken) अमल-शीतकर-अभिरामः (lovely as the spotless moon) महत्तर-विचार-विकासि-चेताः (his mind opened wide by deep inquiry) रामः (Rāma) महतां घनानां पुरतः (before the great clouds) श्रम-वशात् (from weariness) केका-रवं नीलकण्ठः इव (as a peacock [stops] its cry) महतां पुरतः (before the great ones) तूष्णीं बभूव (fell silent).

Translation: Śrī Vālmīki said: Having spoken thus, Rāma — lovely as the spotless moon, his mind opened wide by deep inquiry — fell silent before the great sages, as a peacock, tired, falls silent before the great rain-clouds.

Pointers for Reflection:

A closing verse in a longer metre (vasantatilakā). The narrator, Vālmīki, speaks again.
तूष्णीं बभूव — 'he fell silent'. The same words end Arjuna's despair in the Gītā (2.9): न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह — having said to Govinda, 'I will not fight', he fell silent. Both students end their questions in the same silence — and in both texts the teaching begins out of that silence. The Lord as student and the Lord as teacher meet here.
The peacock and the clouds. Peacocks cry before rain; then the rain falls. Rāma's long cry is over; the rain of teaching is about to fall.
महत्तरविचारविकासिचेताः — his mind opened by deep inquiry. The narrator honours Rāma's despair as विचार, inquiry. It was not mere sorrow but the beginning of wisdom.