Sarga 2¶

Mumukṣu Prakaraṇa · Viśvāmitra's request to Vasiṣṭha (28 verses)

Sarga 2 at a glance

The request to Vasiṣṭha.

Like Śuka, Rāma needs only a final polishing (2.2.1).
Viśvāmitra's proof: pleasures no longer taste sweet to him. The thinning of tendencies is liberation; their hardening is bondage (2.2.2–2.2.12).
He asks Vasiṣṭha to teach Rāma the knowledge Brahmā gave on Mount Niṣadha, for knowledge bears fruit in a worthy student (2.2.13–2.2.22).
The sages approve; Vasiṣṭha accepts and prepares to teach (2.2.23–2.2.28).

Verse 2.2.1¶

विश्वामित्र उवाच ।
तस्य व्यासतनूजस्य मलमात्रोपमार्जनम् ।
यथोपयुक्तं ते राम तावदेवोपयुज्यते ॥ २.२.१ ॥

राम (O Rāma), तस्य व्यास-तनूजस्य (for that son of Vyāsa) यथा (just as) मल-मात्र-उपमार्जनम् उपयुक्तम् (the mere wiping away of impurity was useful), ते (for you) तावत् एव उपयुज्यते (just that much is needed).

Translation: Viśvāmitra said: "Rāma, just as the son of Vyāsa needed only the last trace of impurity wiped away, so that much alone is needed for you."

Pointers for Reflection:

The story applied. Viśvāmitra draws the moral: Rāma, like Śuka, needs not a new teaching but the removal of a final film. The mirror of 2.1.3 again.
Little remains, but it matters. A thin film can still hide the whole face. The final step of a long journey is still a step.

Verse 2.2.2¶

ज्ञेयमेतेन विज्ञातमशेषेण मुनीश्वराः ।
स्वदन्तेऽस्मै न यद्भोगा रोगा इव सुमेधसे ॥ २.२.२ ॥

मुनि-ईश्वराः (O lords of sages), एतेन (by this one [Rāma]) ज्ञेयम् अशेषेण विज्ञातम् (what is to be known has been fully known), यत् (since) अस्मै सुमेधसे (to this wise one) भोगाः (pleasures) रोगाः इव (like diseases) न स्वदन्ते (have no taste).

Translation: "Great sages, this one has fully understood what is to be known — for pleasures have no more taste for him, wise as he is, than diseases have."

Pointers for Reflection:

Viśvāmitra turns to the assembly. He testifies before all the sages that Rāma is a knower, giving the evidence in the next verse.
Pleasures as diseases. No one longs for a fever. For one who sees clearly, pleasures that bind have the same appeal.

Verse 2.2.3¶

ज्ञातज्ञेयस्य मनसो नूनमेतद्धि लक्षणम् ।
न स्वदन्ते समग्राणि भोगवृन्दानि यत्पुनः ॥ २.२.३ ॥

नूनं हि (surely) एतत् (this) ज्ञात-ज्ञेयस्य मनसः लक्षणम् (is the mark of a mind that has known what is to be known): यत् (that) समग्राणि भोग-वृन्दानि (all the hosts of pleasures) पुनः न स्वदन्ते (no longer taste sweet).

Translation: "This is surely the sign of a mind that has known the truth: no pleasure, of all the many there are, tastes sweet to it any more."

Pointers for Reflection:

The test of knowledge. Not how much one can say, but what one no longer wants. The Gītā: प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् । आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते — when one gives up all desires of the mind, content in the Self by the Self, one is called steady in wisdom (2.55).

Verse 2.2.4¶

भोगभावनया याति बन्धो दार्ढ्यमवस्तुजः ।
तयोपशान्तया याति बन्धो जगति तानवम् ॥ २.२.४ ॥

अवस्तु-जः बन्धः (bondage, born of the unreal) भोग-भावनया (by dwelling on pleasure) दार्ढ्यं याति (grows firm); तया उपशान्तया (when that subsides) जगति बन्धः तानवं याति (bondage in the world grows thin).

Translation: "Bondage, which springs from what is unreal, grows strong when the mind dwells on pleasure; when that dwelling subsides, bondage in this world wears thin."

Pointers for Reflection:

Bondage is born of the unreal. It has no real substance, so it lives only on attention. Feed it with thought and it thickens; withdraw attention and it starves.
The Gītā's chain: ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते — as one dwells on objects, attachment to them is born (2.62). Dwelling (भावना) is the first link.

Verse 2.2.5¶

वासनातानवं राम मोक्ष इत्युच्यते बुधैः ।
पदार्थवासनादार्ढ्यं बन्ध इत्यभिधीयते ॥ २.२.५ ॥

राम (O Rāma), बुधैः (by the wise) वासना-तानवं (the thinning of latent tendencies) मोक्षः इति उच्यते (is called liberation); पदार्थ-वासना-दार्ढ्यं (the hardening of tendencies towards objects) बन्धः इति अभिधीयते (is called bondage).

Translation: "Rāma, the wise call the thinning of tendencies liberation, and the hardening of tendencies towards things bondage."

Pointers for Reflection:

A working definition of mokṣa. Not a distant event after death, but a direction one can measure now: are one's tendencies thinning or hardening? This verse is one of the most practical in the whole text.
The Buddha gives the same measure: rāgakkhayo dosakkhayo mohakkhayo — idaṃ vuccati nibbānaṃ — the wearing away of greed, hatred and delusion — this is called nibbāna (Saṃyutta Nikāya 38.1).

Verse 2.2.6¶

स्वात्मतत्त्वाभिगमनं भवति प्रायशो नृणाम् ।
मुने विषयवैरस्यं कदर्थादुपजायते ॥ २.२.६ ॥

मुने (O sage), नृणां प्रायशः (for people, as a rule) स्व-आत्म-तत्त्व-अभिगमनं भवति (approach to the truth of one's own Self comes about [this way]): विषय-वैरस्यं कदर्थात् उपजायते (distaste for objects arises out of affliction).

Translation: "Sage, for most people the turn towards the truth of the Self comes like this: distaste for worldly things is born out of suffering."

Pointers for Reflection:

The usual way. Most come to the spiritual path through pain: loss, illness, disappointment. Suffering wears down the taste for the world.
Rāma's way differs. Vasiṣṭha will say that Rāma's dispassion arose without any such cause (2.11.20–22). Viśvāmitra contrasts the common road with Rāma's rare one.

Verse 2.2.7¶

सम्यक्पश्यति यस्तज्ज्ञो ज्ञातज्ञेयः स पण्डितः ।
न स्वदन्ते बलादेव तस्मै भोगा महात्मने ॥ २.२.७ ॥

यः सम्यक् पश्यति (one who sees rightly), तत्-ज्ञः (who knows That), ज्ञात-ज्ञेयः (who has known what is to be known) — सः पण्डितः (he is a wise one); तस्मै महात्मने (to such a great soul) भोगाः बलात् एव न स्वदन्ते (pleasures simply cannot taste sweet).

Translation: "One who sees rightly, who knows That and has known what is to be known, is the truly wise. To such a great soul pleasures cannot taste sweet, however they press themselves on him."

Pointers for Reflection:

पण्डित. The Gītā redefines the word: ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः — the one whose actions are burnt in the fire of knowledge, the wise call a paṇḍita (4.19). Not a scholar, but a seer.

Verse 2.2.8¶

यशःप्रभृतिना यस्मै हेतुनैव विना पुनः ।
भुवि भोगा न रोचन्ते स जीवन्मुक्त उच्यते ॥ २.२.८ ॥

यस्मै (to whom) भुवि (on earth) यशः-प्रभृतिना हेतुना विना एव (without any reason such as fame) पुनः भोगाः न रोचन्ते (pleasures no longer appeal) — सः जीवन्मुक्तः उच्यते (he is called liberated while living).

Translation: "One to whom the pleasures of the earth no longer appeal — not for any reason such as reputation, but of themselves — is called liberated while living."

Pointers for Reflection:

Without a motive. Some renounce to be praised, or to gain heaven, or to gain power. That is a trade, not freedom. The जीवन्मुक्त turns from pleasure because it simply no longer appeals.
Jaina monks were warned against austerity done for fame (kīrti) or for rebirth in heaven; only austerity for the soul's purity counts.

Verse 2.2.9¶

ज्ञेयं यावन्न विज्ञातं तावत्तावन्न जायते ।
विषयेष्वरतिर्जन्तोर्मरुभूमौ लता यथा ॥ २.२.९ ॥

यावत् ज्ञेयं न विज्ञातं (as long as what is to be known is not known), तावत् तावत् (so long) जन्तोः (in a creature) विषयेषु अरतिः न जायते (disinterest in objects does not arise), मरु-भूमौ लता यथा (as a creeper [does not grow] in the desert).

Translation: "So long as the truth has not been known, a person cannot lose interest in sense-objects, any more than a creeper can grow in the desert."

Pointers for Reflection:

Dispassion needs knowledge. Forcing oneself to dislike pleasure is like planting in sand. Real dispassion grows naturally once the soil of understanding is there.
Both directions. Verse 3 said knowledge brings dispassion; here, without knowledge, no true dispassion. They grow together — a theme Vasiṣṭha returns to at 2.20.6–7.

Verse 2.2.10¶

अतएव हि विज्ञातज्ञेयं विद्धि रघूद्वहम् ।
यदेनं रञ्जयन्त्येता न रम्या भोगभूमयः ॥ २.२.१० ॥

अतः एव हि (for this very reason) रघु-उद्वहं (the best of the Raghus) विज्ञात-ज्ञेयं विद्धि (know to be one who has known what is to be known), यत् (since) एताः रम्याः भोग-भूमयः (these delightful realms of pleasure) एनं न रञ्जयन्ति (do not charm him).

Translation: "Know, then, that the best of the Raghus has understood the truth, since these delightful realms of pleasure do not charm him."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rāma's credentials. His despair in Book 1 is now read as knowledge, not weakness. What looked like depression was, in fact, the first sign of awakening.
Arjuna's despair, too, opened the Gītā. The question is only whether it is turned towards knowledge; for Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa did that, and for Rāma, Vasiṣṭha will.

Verse 2.2.11¶

रामो यदन्तर्जानाति तद्वस्त्वित्येव सन्मुखात् ।
आकर्ण्य चित्तविश्रान्तिमाप्नोत्येव मुनीश्वराः ॥ २.२.११ ॥

मुनि-ईश्वराः (O lords of sages), रामः यत् अन्तः जानाति (what Rāma knows within) तत् वस्तु (that is the reality) इति एव सत्-मुखात् आकर्ण्य (just hearing this from the mouth of the good) [सः] चित्त-विश्रान्तिम् आप्नोति एव (he will surely find rest of mind).

Translation: "Great sages, if Rāma simply hears from the lips of a good teacher that what he knows within is the truth, his mind will surely come to rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

The seal again. As Janaka for Śuka, so a teacher for Rāma. He needs to hear, from one who knows: what you see is real.
सन्मुख — the mouth of the good. The confirming word must come from one whose life embodies it; the same sentence from another would not settle the mind.

Verse 2.2.12¶

केवलं केवलीभावविश्रान्तिं समपेक्षते ।
रामबुद्धिः शरल्लक्ष्मीः खलु विश्रमणं यथा ॥ २.२.१२ ॥

राम-बुद्धिः (Rāma's intellect) केवलं केवली-भाव-विश्रान्तिम् (only the repose of the state of absolute oneness) समपेक्षते (needs), यथा शरत्-लक्ष्मीः खलु विश्रमणम् (as the beauty of autumn [needs only to] settle).

Translation: "Rāma's intellect needs only to rest in the state of pure oneness — as the beauty of autumn needs only to settle into calm."

Pointers for Reflection:

केवलीभाव. "The state of being alone" — not loneliness, but the Self without a second. Jaina thought calls the liberated knower kevalin, and his knowledge kevala-jñāna, "knowledge that stands alone" — a striking shared word.
Autumn. After the storms of the rainy season, the sky clears and waters settle. Rāma's storms (Book 1) are over; now comes the clear season.

Verse 2.2.13¶

अत्रास्य चित्तविश्रान्त्यै राघवस्य महात्मनः ।
युक्तिं कथयतु श्रीमान्वसिष्ठो भगवानयम् ॥ २.२.१३ ॥

अत्र (here) अयं श्रीमान् भगवान् वसिष्ठः (let this illustrious, blessed Vasiṣṭha) अस्य महात्मनः राघवस्य (for this great-souled Rāghava) चित्त-विश्रान्त्यै (for the rest of his mind) युक्तिं कथयतु (tell the method).

Translation: "Let the glorious and blessed Vasiṣṭha now tell this great-souled Rāghava the means by which his mind may come to rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

Viśvāmitra hands over. He does not teach Rāma himself; he invites Rāma's family teacher. The right teacher for the right student — the lesson of Śuka and Janaka.
युक्ति. Not dogma but a reasoned method, an argument and a skill together. Vasiṣṭha's teaching will appeal constantly to reason and experience (2.18.2–3).

Verse 2.2.14¶

रघूणामेष सर्वेषां प्रभुः कुलगुरुः सदा ।
सर्वज्ञः सर्वसाक्षी च त्रिकालामलदर्शनः ॥ २.२.१४ ॥

एषः (he) सदा (always) सर्वेषां रघूणां प्रभुः कुल-गुरुः (the lord and family teacher of all the Raghus), सर्वज्ञः (all-knowing), सर्व-साक्षी (witness of all) च त्रि-काल-अमल-दर्शनः (and of clear vision in the three times).

Translation: "He has always been the master and family teacher of all the Raghus; he knows all, witnesses all, and sees past, present and future clearly."

Pointers for Reflection:

The family teacher. Vasiṣṭha has guided Rāma's ancestors for generations. A teacher who knows the student's whole line and nature.

Verse 2.2.15¶

वसिष्ठ भगवन्पूर्वं कच्चित्स्मरसि यत्स्वयम् ।
आवयोर्वैरशान्त्यर्थं श्रेयसे च महाधियाम् ॥ २.२.१५ ॥

भगवन् वसिष्ठ (O blessed Vasiṣṭha), कच्चित् स्मरसि (do you remember) यत् पूर्वं स्वयम् (what [happened] before, yourself) आवयोः वैर-शान्ति-अर्थं (for the ending of the enmity between us two) महाधियां श्रेयसे च (and for the good of the great-minded)?

Translation: "Blessed Vasiṣṭha, do you remember what took place long ago — to end the enmity between the two of us, and for the good of the great-minded?"

Pointers for Reflection:

An old feud healed. Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha were famous rivals: a king who fought a brahmin and, through fierce austerity, himself became a brahmin-sage (see 2.8.20). That he now invites his former adversary to teach shows what knowledge does to old enmities.
Śāntideva: hatred is the greatest evil and patience the highest austerity (Bodhicaryāvatāra 6.2). Two great sages, reconciled, sit together to teach a young prince.

Verse 2.2.16¶

निषधाद्रेर्मुनीनां च सानौ सरलसंकुले ।
उपदिष्टं भगवता ज्ञानं पद्मभुवा बहु ॥ २.२.१६ ॥

निषध-अद्रेः (of the Niṣadha mountain) सरल-संकुले (thick with pine) मुनीनां च सानौ (on the slope of the sages) भगवता पद्म-भुवा (by the blessed lotus-born [Brahmā]) बहु ज्ञानम् उपदिष्टम् (much knowledge was taught).

Translation: "On the pine-covered slope of Mount Niṣadha, where the sages dwell, the blessed lotus-born Brahmā taught much knowledge."

Pointers for Reflection:

The source named. The knowledge Vasiṣṭha will give is not his invention; it comes from Brahmā. Sargas 10–11 tell how. The Muṇḍaka too begins: ब्रह्मा देवानां प्रथमः संबभूव … स ब्रह्मविद्यां सर्वविद्याप्रतिष्ठामथर्वाय ज्येष्ठपुत्राय प्राह — Brahmā arose first of the gods … and taught the knowledge of Brahman, the foundation of all knowledge, to his eldest son (1.1.1).

Verse 2.2.17¶

येन युक्तिमता ब्रह्मन्ज्ञानेनेयं हि वासना ।
सांसारी नूनमायाति शमं श्यामेव भास्वता ॥ २.२.१७ ॥

ब्रह्मन् (O brahmin), येन युक्तिमता ज्ञानेन (by which knowledge, full of method) इयं सांसारी वासना (this worldly conditioning) नूनं शमम् आयाति (surely comes to rest), भास्वता श्यामा इव (as the night by the sun).

Translation: "Brahmin, that reasoned knowledge by which worldly conditioning surely fades, as night fades before the sun —"

Pointers for Reflection:

Knowledge as light. Darkness is not fought; it vanishes when light comes. The Gītā: नाशयाम्यात्मभावस्थो ज्ञानदीपेन भास्वता — I destroy the darkness with the shining lamp of knowledge (10.11).

Verse 2.2.18¶

तदेव युक्तिमज्ज्ञेयं रामायान्तेनिवासिने ।
ब्रह्मन्नुपदिशाशु त्वं येन विश्रान्तिमेष्यति ॥ २.२.१८ ॥

ब्रह्मन् (O brahmin), त्वम् आशु (you, quickly) अन्ते-निवासिने रामाय (to Rāma, who dwells near you as a student) तत् एव युक्तिमत् ज्ञेयम् उपदिश (teach that very reasoned knowledge), येन [सः] विश्रान्तिम् एष्यति (by which he will come to rest).

Translation: "— teach that same reasoned knowledge to Rāma, your student, without delay, so that he may come to rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

अन्तेनिवासिन्. "One who lives close by" — the old word for a resident student, as in the Upaniṣads (Chāndogya 2.23.1). Rāma is already a student; he needs only to be taught.

Verse 2.2.19¶

कदर्थना च नैवैषा रामो हि गतकल्मषः ।
निर्मले मुकुरे वक्त्रमयत्नेनैव बिम्बति ॥ २.२.१९ ॥

एषा कदर्थना च न एव (and this is no troublesome task), हि (for) रामः गत-कल्मषः (Rāma is free of impurity); निर्मले मुकुरे (in a clean mirror) वक्त्रम् अयत्नेन एव बिम्बति (a face is reflected without effort).

Translation: "Nor will this be any labour, for Rāma is free from impurity. In a clean mirror a face is reflected without effort."

Pointers for Reflection:

The clean mirror. The third time the image appears (2.1.3, 2.2.1). In a clean mind, truth reflects at once. The labour of teaching is mostly cleaning.
Reading note. The online text prints गतकल्पषः; corrected here to गतकल्मषः ("free of impurity").

Verse 2.2.20¶

तज्ज्ञानं स च शास्त्रार्थस्त्वद्वैदग्ध्यमनिन्दितम् ।
सच्छिष्याय विरक्ताय साधो यदुपदिश्यते ॥ २.२.२० ॥

साधो (O good one), यत् (when) सत्-शिष्याय विरक्ताय उपदिश्यते (it is taught to a good, dispassionate student) — तत् ज्ञानं (that is knowledge), सः च शास्त्र-अर्थः (that is the meaning of scripture), त्वत्-वैदग्ध्यम् अनिन्दितम् (that is your blameless skill).

Translation: "Good sir, knowledge, the meaning of scripture and your own faultless skill are truly themselves only when they are taught to a worthy, dispassionate student."

Pointers for Reflection:

Knowledge fulfilled in teaching. A teacher's wisdom reaches its purpose in a fit student. The Muṇḍaka: तस्मै स विद्वानुपसन्नाय सम्यक् प्रशान्तचित्ताय शमान्विताय — to him who has come near in the right way, whose mind is calm and who is self-controlled, the wise one should teach (1.2.13).

Verse 2.2.21¶

अशिष्यायाविरक्ताय यत्किंचिदुपदिश्यते ।
तत्प्रयात्यपवित्रत्वं गोक्षीरं श्वदृताविव ॥ २.२.२१ ॥

यत् किंचित् (whatever) अ-शिष्याय अ-विरक्ताय उपदिश्यते (is taught to one who is not a true student and not dispassionate) तत् अपवित्रत्वं प्रयाति (becomes impure), गो-क्षीरं श्व-दृतौ इव (like cow's milk in a dog-skin bag).

Translation: "Whatever is taught to one who is neither a real student nor free of passion becomes impure — like cow's milk poured into a bag of dog-skin."

Pointers for Reflection:

The vessel matters. Pure milk is spoiled by an unclean container. Teaching given to an unready mind is distorted — turned into pride, argument or excuse.
The Gītā's caution: इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन — this is never to be told to one without austerity or devotion (18.67).

Verse 2.2.22¶

वीतरागभयक्रोधा निर्माना गलितैनसः ।
वदन्ति त्वादृशा यत्र तत्र विश्राम्यतीह धीः ॥ २.२.२२ ॥

यत्र (where) त्वादृशाः (those like you) वीत-राग-भय-क्रोधाः (free of passion, fear and anger) निर्मानाः (free of pride) गलित-एनसः (whose faults have fallen away) वदन्ति (speak), तत्र इह धीः विश्राम्यति (there the mind finds rest).

Translation: "Where people like you speak — free of passion, fear and anger, without pride, their faults fallen away — there the mind comes to rest."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rest in the presence of the free. The words of a teacher matter, but so does who speaks them. The Gītā uses the very same compound: वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः — free of passion, fear and anger, absorbed in Me (4.10).
Satsaṅga in a sentence. Being near such people already calms the mind. Vasiṣṭha will praise this at length (2.16).

Verse 2.2.23¶

इत्युक्ते गाधिपुत्रेण व्यासनारदपूर्वकाः ।
मुनयस्ते तमेवार्थं साधुसाध्वित्यपूजयन् ॥ २.२.२३ ॥

गाधि-पुत्रेण इति उक्ते (when Gādhi's son had spoken thus) व्यास-नारद-पूर्वकाः ते मुनयः (those sages, Vyāsa, Nārada and the rest) तम् एव अर्थं (that very point) साधु साधु इति अपूजयन् (honoured, saying "well said, well said").

Translation: Śrī Vālmīki said: When Gādhi's son had finished, the sages — Vyāsa, Nārada and the rest — welcomed what he had said with cries of "Well spoken! Well spoken!"

Pointers for Reflection:

Vyāsa approves. The father in Viśvāmitra's story sits in the hall and agrees. The assembly as a whole confirms the request.
साधु. The Buddhist assemblies too responded to a good teaching with sādhu, sādhu, still heard in Theravāda temples today.

Verse 2.2.24¶

अथोवाच महातेजा राज्ञः पार्श्वे व्यवस्थितः ।
ब्रह्मेव ब्रह्मणः पुत्रो वसिष्ठो भगवान्मुनिः ॥ २.२.२४ ॥

अथ (then) राज्ञः पार्श्वे व्यवस्थितः (seated beside the king) महा-तेजाः (of great radiance) ब्रह्मणः पुत्रः (the son of Brahmā) ब्रह्मा इव (like Brahmā himself) भगवान् मुनिः वसिष्ठः उवाच (the blessed sage Vasiṣṭha spoke).

Translation: Then the blessed sage Vasiṣṭha, seated beside the king, radiant, the son of Brahmā and like Brahmā himself, spoke.

Pointers for Reflection:

The teacher speaks at last. From here to the end of the work, Vasiṣṭha is the main voice. Sixty-six sargas of Book 1 and Book 2 so far have led up to this moment.
Son of Brahmā. Brahmā's mind-born son (2.10.24). The Gītā: महर्षयः सप्त पूर्वे … मद्भावा मानसा जाताः — the seven great sages of old … born of My mind (10.6).

Verse 2.2.25¶

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
मुने यदादिशसि मे तदविघ्नं करोम्यहम् ।
कः समर्थः समर्थोऽपि सतां लङ्घयितुं वचः ॥ २.२.२५ ॥

मुने (O sage), यत् मे आदिशसि (what you command me) तत् अहम् अविघ्नं करोमि (that I shall do without fail); कः समर्थः (who, being able), समर्थः अपि (even if able), सतां वचः लङ्घयितुम् (to disregard the word of the good)?

Translation: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said: "Sage, what you ask of me I shall do without fail. Who, however capable, would set aside the word of the good?"

Pointers for Reflection:

The teacher's humility. Vasiṣṭha does not take the stage on his own authority; he teaches because a good man asked. Old rivals now honour each other's word.

Verse 2.2.26¶

अहं हि राजपुत्राणां रामादीनां मनस्तमः ।
ज्ञानेनापनयाम्याशु दीपेनेव निशातमः ॥ २.२.२६ ॥

अहं हि (indeed I) राम-आदीनां राज-पुत्राणाम् (of the princes, Rāma and the others) मनः-तमः (the darkness of mind) ज्ञानेन आशु अपनयामि (shall quickly remove with knowledge), दीपेन निशा-तमः इव (as a lamp the darkness of night).

Translation: "I shall quickly remove the darkness from the minds of these princes, Rāma and the rest, with knowledge — as a lamp removes the darkness of night."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rāma and the others. The teaching is for Rāma's brothers too — and, through them, for every reader. The Yoga Vasiṣṭha was spoken in a public hall, not a secret room.
The lamp. A lamp does not argue with darkness. Vasiṣṭha's confidence is not pride; it is the confidence of one who knows that light works.

Verse 2.2.27¶

स्मराम्यखण्डितं सर्व संसारभ्रमशान्तये ।
निषधाद्रौ पुरा प्रोक्तं यज्ज्ञानं पद्मजन्मना ॥ २.२.२७ ॥

पुरा (formerly) निषध-अद्रौ (on Mount Niṣadha) पद्म-जन्मना (by the lotus-born) संसार-भ्रम-शान्तये (for the stilling of the illusion of saṃsāra) यत् ज्ञानं प्रोक्तम् (the knowledge that was spoken) — [तत्] सर्वम् अखण्डितं स्मरामि (I remember it all, unbroken).

Translation: "I remember, whole and unbroken, all the knowledge the lotus-born Brahmā taught long ago on Mount Niṣadha to still the illusion of saṃsāra."

Pointers for Reflection:

An unbroken transmission. Vasiṣṭha passes on what he received, complete. The Gītā: एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः — thus handed down in succession, the royal sages knew it (4.2).

Verse 2.2.28¶

वाल्मीकिरुवाच ।
इति निगदितवानसौ महात्मा परिकरबन्धगृहीतवक्तृतेजाः ।
अकथयदिदमज्ञतोपशान्त्यै परमपदैकविबोधनं वसिष्ठः ॥ २.२.२८ ॥

इति निगदितवान् (having said this) असौ महात्मा वसिष्ठः (the great-souled Vasiṣṭha) परिकर-बन्ध-गृहीत-वक्तृ-तेजाः (girding himself and taking up the power of a speaker) अज्ञता-उपशान्त्यै (for the stilling of ignorance) परम-पद-एक-विबोधनम् इदम् (this teaching that alone awakens one to the highest state) अकथयत् (began to tell).

Translation: Śrī Vālmīki said: So the great-souled Vasiṣṭha spoke; then, girding himself with the full power of a teacher, he began to tell, for the ending of ignorance, the teaching that alone awakens one to the highest state.

Pointers for Reflection:

Girding up. परिकरबन्ध — tying one's garment tight before a great task. Teaching is serious work. The teacher prepares as a warrior prepares for battle.
The highest state, alone. परमपदैकविबोधन — the one purpose of the whole teaching. Everything that follows serves this.