THE WORLD OF BRAHMAN

 Sage Yajnavalkya came to Janaka, king of Videha with a determination that he would not talk at all. But he had offered a boon to the king earlier according to which Janaka was entitled to ask any question that he liked. Hence, when the sage visited him Janaka seized the golden opportunity and started questioning him on his favorite topics. “ What light does a person here have?” said the king. It is sunlight through which all activities are done said the sage. After sunset it is the light of the moon by which man continues to work said Yajnavalkya replying to the king’s query. To the next question the sage replied that after the setting of both the sun and the moon fire is the light that guides man in his activities. King Janaka was happy to hear these answers. He did not stop there. When all the three are gone speech is the light leading man in his work said the famous sage.To the next question the sage replied that Self is the light  when the sun, moon, fire and speech aren't there! To the next question which is Self Yajnavalkya replies that it is ‘knowledge among the senses--the light within the heart’.

The Self remains the same and “ wanders along the two worlds seeming to think and seeming to move about. In dreams he transcends this world--all forms of death”. The same Self when inside the body mixes with evil and leaves it on dying! The Self, according to the sage, has two states, one in this world and the other in the other world. The intermediate state is the sleeping state! In this sleeping state, the Self sees both the states in the and the other world. The Self equips himself with whatever is needed for the other world and sees the evils of this world and the joys of the other world. He dreams by his own light and becomes self illuminated! The Self creates for himself roads, horses, and chariots where there are none, as well as non-existent joys, pleasures, delights, tanks, lotus ponds and rivers! The Self himself is the agent. After experiencing, he comes to the place from which he started, to dream. Then he returns to the waking state. But He is not affected by it for this person is not attached to anything. From the waking state he returns to the state of dream! The sage says that the person moves about between the waking and dreamy states like a fish moves along both banks of a river.

Like a falcon or an eagle, weary after its flight folding its wings and reaching its nest, the Self reaches a state “ where he desires no desires and sees no dreams”. Like the person, embraced by his dear wife, forgets what is within and without, “ when embraced by the intelligent Self, knows nothing that is without and nothing within! The Self is his only desire, and in which he is without any other desire and free from any sorrow”. In that state all relationships of father,mother,  worlds, Gods, Vedas, thief, murderer, outcaste, mendicants, ascetic, good and evil are totally non-existent! In that state he sees without seeing as he is the seer and imperishable.There is ‘nothing else different from him that he could see’. He smells without smelling, tastes without tasting, speaks without speaking! He hears without hearing, thinks without thinking,he touches without touching! There is no other person but the Self!

Yajnavalkya told king Janaka that “ An ocean is that one seer, without any duality. This is the world of Brahman”. He continued and declared that this is the highest goal, treasure, world, and the  highest bliss! ‘All other creatures  are a fragment of this bliss!’ Sage Yajnavalkya now compares the bliss of an ideal man to that of the Celestials. Hundreds of human bliss equals one bliss of pitris! Hundred bliss of pitris make one unit of the bliss of the Gandharvas! The hundred bliss of Gandharvas is equal to the one bliss of God's! One hundred times of that bliss is equal to one unit of bliss of gods by birth and great Vedic scholars! Prajapati’s bliss is a hundred times of the gods by birth! A hundred times the bliss of Prajapati is that of Brahmana and one without sin and desire! That is the highest bliss! Sage Yajnavalkya said that is the world of Brahman.

Yajnavalkya compares the corporeal self (Jiva) to a heavily laden creaking cart presided over by the intelligent Self as a man breathes his last! The sick and senile man separates himself from his organs like a mango or a fig or a pippla fruit from its stalk and returns to the place from which he started--to new life! Like a caterpillar at the end of a blade of grass drawing itself towards another, the Self, throwing off this body and all its ignorance reaches another body! Like a goldsmith turning gold into new and beautiful shape, the self takes a newer and more beautiful one akin to the pitris, or Gandharvas, or of gods or of Prajapati or of Brahma or of other beings! According as a man acts, or conducts himself, so does he become. Virtuous action makes him virtuous and  sinful acts make him a sinner! The attachment of man decides the type of birth he takes next. After experiencing the results of his karma totally he returns to this world for work again!not it. One without desire or who desires the Self only does not depart elsewhere. “ Being Brahmana he goes to Brahman! ”Yajnavalkya quotes a verse and declares that when all the desires are cast away from the heart completely the mortal becomes immortal and Brahman! The body lies dead and cast away like the slough of a snake on the anthill!’ The Self is incomprehensible and cannot be defined. We can only say, ‘ not this, not this’! One who knows the Brahman transcends all good and evil! He sees the Self in his own self and sees all in the Self! So saying, Sage Yajnavalkya declared that this is the world of Brahman and that King Janaka had attained it!! Very much pleased, king Janaka said that he and his entire kingdom of Videha are at the service of the Sage!!