(30) VaiyaasikeeSarasvati (Vyaasa's words) enters

(enters VAIYAASIKEE SARASVATI (Vyaasa’s words))

SARASVATI-

“I have been sent by Goddess VishnuBhakti.

She said –

“Friend Sarasvati! Go and enlighten the mind who is distressed by the death of his children. Try to raise dispassion in him.’

So it is! I will approach him.

(going near ‘Manas’)

Child! Why are you suffering so much? Did you not know already that objects are ephemeral? You are well versed in historical texts and other narratives which explain the same!

 

As it is-

भूत्वा कल्पशतायुषोsम्बुजभवः सेन्द्राश्च देवासुरा

मन्वाद्या मुनयो मही जलधयो नष्टाः परम् कोटयः

मोहः कोsयमहो महानुदयते लोकस्य शोकावहः

सिन्धोः फेनसमे गते वपुषि यत्पञ्चात्मके पञ्चतां [14]

Countless Lotus-born Brahmas, along with Indras and other gods and demons,

Manu and other Sages, earths, oceans,

who have a life-span of hundreds of Kalpas (Kalpa-Four Yugas),

have perished.

Oh! Then why this great delusion is tormenting you,

when people who have foam-like bodies made of the five elements

 have dissolved into the five subtle principles?

Contemplate on the ephemeral nature of the objects. Drowned in sadness, you are not able to see that the objects are always perishing every moment.

Because-

एकमेव सदा ब्रह्म सत्यमन्यद्धि कल्पितं

को मोहस्तत्र कः शोक एकत्वमनुपश्यतः [15]

Brahman is always the single principle that exists; rest is all imagined.

When one realizes the oneness of all things, where can there be sadness or delusion?”

MANAH-

“Goddess! The mind which is suffering from intense pain cannot give way to discriminative thinking!”

SARASVATI-

“Child! This is the fault of attachment. It is a well-known fact that attachment alone causes all harms.

As it is-

उष्यन्ते विषवल्लीबीजविषमाः क्लेशाः प्रियाख्या

नरैस्तेभ्यः स्नेहमया भवन्ति न चिराद्वज्राग्निगर्भाङ्कुराः

येभ्योsमी शतशः कुकूलहुतभुग्दाहं दहन्तः

शनैर्देहं दीप्तशिखासहस्रशिखरा रोहन्ति शोकद्रुमाः [16]

Men sow the seeds of terrifying poisonous creepers namely the ‘loved ones’

which are nothing but sufferings.

Those (seeds) soon give out sprouts which have terrible blazing fires inside

 which have ‘attachment’ as their essence.

From them rise up the trees of sadness blazing with thousand flames,

burning the body slowly

as if hundred twisted straw ropes are tied around it and set on fire.”

(Twisted straw ropes were tied around the body and set on fire. This type of slow-burning was one of the capital punishments practiced in the ancient days.}

MANAH-

“Goddess! Even if it is so, I am unable to bear the lives being burnt any more by the fire of sadness. It is good that you were seen in my last moments.”

SARASVATI-

“This suicidal attempt is a very despicable act.

And also, why are so much affected because of the demise of these ungrateful ones?

Look here-

क्वचिदुपकृतिः कर्तामीभिः कृता क्रियतेsथवा

तव न च भवन्त्येते पुंसां सुखाय परिग्रहाः

दधति विरहे मर्मच्छेदं तदर्थमपार्थकं

तदपि विपुलायासाः सीदन्त्यहो बत जन्तवः [17]

Have these people ever done any good to you, or doing, or will do?

  These possessions (wife, children etc.) never ever give any happiness to men.

Alas! Men for no purpose suffer intensely in their separation;

  take a lot of trouble to please them; and wither away in that process.

And also-

तीर्णाः पूर्णाः कति न सरितो लङ्गिताः के न शैला

नाक्रान्ता वा कति वनभुवः क्रूरसंचारघोराः

पापैरेतैः किमिव दुरितं कारितो नासि कष्टं

यद्दृष्टास्ते धनमदमषीम्लानवक्त्रा दुरीशाः [18]

How many flooding rivers have not been crossed?

How many hills have not been climbed?

How many terrifying forest-lands filled with wild animals

have not been traversed by foot?

What difficult thing has not been done for these sinful creatures (family etc.),

that you had to even go through the humiliation

of seeing the well-acclaimed rich men with faces darkened by arrogance!”

 MANAH-

“Goddess! True, it is so! Even then-

लालितानां स्वजातानां हृदि संचरतां चिरं

प्राणानामिव विच्छेदो मर्मच्छेदादरुन्तुदः [19]

The pain of losing-

those who were born to oneself, who were caressed with great affection,

who were thought off in the mind for so long-

is more intense than the pain of losing one’s lives

and hurts more than the piercing of vital parts.

SARASVATI-

“Child! This grief is there because of the binding of the ‘mine-ness’ Vaasanaa!

It is said-

मार्जारभक्षिते दुःखं यादृशं गृहकुक्कुटे

न तादृङ्ममता शून्ये कलविङ्केsथ मूषके [20]

It hurts if the cat eats the cock that belongs to the house.

But if the same cat kills a rat or a bird which is not owned by one,

there is no sadness.

Therefore one should always try to destroy the ‘mine-ness’ which is the cause of all sufferings.

Look-

प्रादुर्भवन्ति वपुषः कति वा न कीटा

यान्यत्नतः खलु तनोरपसारयन्ति

मोहः स एव जगतो यदपत्यसंज्ञां

तेषां विधाय परिशोषयति स्वदेहं [21]

How many tiny worms are not produced in the body!

All of them are removed from the body with great effort.

The delusion of the world is such that they name some as their off-springs

and try to maintain them by wearing out their own bodies!”

MANAH-

“Goddess! Let it be so! Even then, the knot of ‘Mamatva’ (mine-ness) is difficult to cut off.

(thinks) (sighs)

I am always protected by you!”

(falls at Her feet)

SARASVATI-

“Child! Your heart is now ready to absorb the teachings.

So this is stated again-

वशं प्राप्ते मृत्योः पितरि तनये वा सुहृदि वा

शुचा संतप्यन्ते भृशमुदरताडं जडधियः

असारे संसारे विरसपरिणामि तु विदुषां

वियोगो वैराग्यं दृढयति वितन्वञ्शमसुखं [22]

If the father, or son or a friend dies,

the ignorant fools beat their chests hard and grieve intensely.

However for the wise,

 who know that the essenceless worldly existence always ends up in tragedies,

the loss of such people only strengthens the dispassion

 and bestows the bliss of quiescence.”

{After the study of various scriptures like Geetaa and others authored by Vyaasa, the mind is now in a quiescent state and is filled with dispassion.}