Vasistha's Yoga - if you have interest.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~~

Namaste,

For those that have been on the path for a bit, and wish to go deeper into this most profound study of Para-atman , you may want to consider reading Vasistha's Yoga. This is a conversation of the brahmrishi Vasistha with Sri Rama.

For me, this is most inspiring and it develops a keen undersanding of the SELF. Let me share a few thoughts from brahmrisi Vasistha....

He says to Rama " there are 4 gatekeepers at the entrance to the realm of enlightenment that is: self-control, spirit of enquiry, contentment, and good company" ( Good company in this case is the surroundings of those in the Spirit . This site is a good 'surrounding' for us)

" He who wears the armor of self control is not harmed by sorrows." With enquiry, " the intelligence becomes keen and is able to realize the Supreme". Hence the study of wisdom, the Vedas, the Upanishads, the bible, is a good source for this enquiry.

With Contentment - "one does not crave" and one that is not content in the SELF will be subjected to sorrow. The company of the wise and enlightened "enlarges ones intelligence" and "is superior to all other forms of religious practice like charity, austerity, pilgrimage, rites, etc".
He concludes by saying "if you cannot practice all 4 , practice one."

"when the infinite vibrates, the worlds appear to emerge" - rishi vasistha

[Skull]

This is my favorite scripture! I have every translation (I think) in English - abridgements and the one complete one by Mitra/Arya.

Does anyone know of another complete English version or one in process of being translated?

[atanu]

This is my favorite scripture! I have every translation (I think) in English - abridgements and the one complete one by Mitra/Arya.

Does anyone know of another complete English version or one in process of being translated?

Namaste Skull

I have "The Supreme Yoga" by Swami Venkatesananda of Sivananda School (Divine Life Society). This a complete translation of Yoga Vashista but is not presented in verse form.

Om Namah Shivaya

[Skull]

Namaste Skull

I have "The Supreme Yoga" by Swami Venkatesananda of Sivananda School (Divine Life Society). This a complete translation of Yoga Vashista but is not presented in verse form.

Om Namah Shivaya

Sorry atanu; unless there is a new edition, that version which I have (re-titled Vasistha's Yoga by SUNY) is an abridgement. Every sub-section is quoted by Swami V., but not each and every verse in full.

I did find an online new translation ongoing - but the site is cluttered and I am not sure if this group is still translating or not?

http://groups.google.ca/group/yoga-vasishtha

The earlier Divine Life version was in two volumes (1976) and arranged as a daily reader - one passage per day. But it was not a complete translation either.

[atanu]

Sorry atanu; unless there is a new edition, that version which I have (re-titled Vasistha's Yoga by SUNY) is an abridgement. Every sub-section is quoted by Swami V., but not each and every verse in full.

I did find an online new translation ongoing - but the site is cluttered and I am not sure if this group is still translating or not?

http://groups.google.ca/group/yoga-vasishtha

The earlier Divine Life version was in two volumes (1976) and arranged as a daily reader - one passage per day. But it was not a complete translation either.

namaste Skull

You are correct. Verse by verse translation it is not. But as per author and other commentators, it is not an adridgement either -- all verses and all essential points are covered.

Om Namah Shivaya

[Skull]

atanu: Verse by verse translation it is not.... all verses ... are covered.



It is a wonderful presentation and I understand the spirit of your response - but your logic and words contradict. Every verse is not translated, nor is every verse represented, even in condensed form.

Wiki is not always correct, but this entry is. Go to the bottom of the page, under English translations:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Vasistha#English_translations_of_Yoga_Vasistha

[atanu]

It is a wonderful presentation and I understand the spirit of your response - but your logic and words contradict. Every verse is not translated, nor is every verse represented, even in condensed form.

namaste

I understand your point. Each page in this book is a summary of verses contained in a chapter. That is why i said that the essential teachings are all captured.

But if you have the full verse by verse translation that should be great.

Om Namah Shivay

[Skull]

atanu:
But if you have the full verse by verse translation that should be great.



I wish the Mitra/Arya one was "great", but the english is often odd or opaque. A Sanskrit knowing friend said it was a paraphrase in many verses. That is why I am looking and hoping for a better complete version.

[atanu]

I wish the Mitra/Arya one was "great", but the english is often odd or opaque. A Sanskrit knowing friend said it was a paraphrase in many verses. That is why I am looking and hoping for a better complete version.

Namaste

:) To have a perfect product, a sanskrit scholar and a competent english writer must collaborate. Among small books, I like most the translation of Yoga Sutra by Swami Prabhavananda and Isherwood. The book is a delight to read becuase of depth of concepts of yoga conveyed by swami and depicted lucidly by Isherwood. Most english translations by indian writers tend to become heavy and dry.

For a massive book like Yoga Vasista that may be a difficult task yet our wishes may come true.

Om Namah Shivaya

[Skull]

A friend wonders what these terms mean, as used in Yoga Vasistha:

adhibhautika body
ativahika body
chin-maya form
manomaya deha
jynyan body

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté skull (et.al)


A friend wonders what these terms mean, as used in Yoga Vasistha:

adhibhautika body
ativahika body
chin-maya form
manomaya deha
jynyan body
These are considered the 5 kośa's - sheaths or coverings over one's SELF. Some say 3 coverings. The definition is also given as a cask , vessel for holding liquids , (metaphorically) cloud.

Names and numbers differ pending who you read.

annamaya - physical layer or cover
prāṇamaya - vital or life force cover
manomaya -mind/mental cover
vijñānamaya - ~consciousness~ - yet a deeper discussion on this one word is needed
ānandamaya - bliss coverThe 5 mentioned above are inferred in the taittirīya upaniṣad if my memory serves me correctly - I will need to revist it.

Here are the 3 ( vs. 5) that I have also read:

ānanda-maya kośa- which forms the kāraṇa-śarīra or causal frame, some call the essense of bliss.
vijñāna-maya kośa - (or buddhi-maya kośa or mano-maya kośa) the sheath of the intellect, sūkṣma-śarīra, considered the subtle frame
anna-maya kośa - or the sheath of nourishment, forming the sthūla-śarīra or our gross frame Hope this helps.

praṇām

[Skull]

I am familiar with the kosas yajvan. Why do you think these terms are synonyms, since only manomaya is identical?

For example, two translations said ativahika body was a "subtle mind or thought body".

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté skull (et.al)


I am familiar with the kosas yajvan. Why do you think these terms are synonyms, since only manomaya is identical?

For example, two translations said ativahika body was a "subtle mind or thought body".

For example, ativāhika is defined as 'swifter than the wind' . There are many examples of 'mind' being like this.Yet if we take it apart we get the following:

ati = going beyond +
vāhika - from vāha a car or vehicle ( usually drawn by oxen)We could then say this ati + vāhika is 'beyond' + vāhika. Our bodies are considered a car or a vehicle. We could align this meaning to mean beyond the body as in your offering of 'thought body' .


Is your 'jynyan' not jñāna perhaps? Then there is the match to vijñāna - 'the act of distinguishing or discerning , understanding' and indicates knowledge .

'Chin' is cin ( as 'c' is pronounced 'ch' ) and this 'cin' = 'cit'. This 'cit' is to understand , comprehend , know , to remember , have consciousness. We arive back at consciousness and knowlege again.

So from my POV the 5 kośa's offered ( as I see it) are different views of the coverings. The alignment is not as tight to the typical 5 we know of. Yet if you would be so kind as to point out where this occurs in Yogavasișțharāmāyaṇa, also known as the Yoga Vasișțha, I will be happy to review this section and see.


praṇām

[Skull]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté skull (et.al)



For example, ativāhika is defined as 'swifter than the wind' . There are many examples of 'mind' being like this.Yet if we take it apart we get the following:

ati = going beyond +
vāhika - from vāha a car or vehicle ( usually drawn by oxen)We could then say this ati + vāhika is 'beyond' + vāhika. Our bodies are considered a car or a vehicle. We could align this meaning to mean beyond the body as in your offering of 'thought body' .


Is your 'jynyan' not jñāna perhaps? Then there is the match to vijñāna - 'the act of distinguishing or discerning , understanding' and indicates knowledge .

'Chin' is cin ( as 'c' is pronounced 'ch' ) and this 'cin' = 'cit'. This 'cit' is to understand , comprehend , know , to remember , have consciousness. We arive back at consciousness and knowlege again.

So from my POV the 5 kośa's offered ( as I see it) are different views of the coverings. The alignment is not as tight to the typical 5 we know of. Yet if you would be so kind as to point out where this occurs in Yogavasișțharāmāyaṇa, also known as the Yoga Vasișțha, I will be happy to review this section and see.


praṇām

Unfortunately, my friend got these terms from an old booklet on the YV by Bhagavan Das that did not give section or verse or anything.

In Chinese there are programs that can search terms within the entire Buddhist corpus. I wonder if there is anything like that for searching Sanskrit works?

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté skull (et.al)


I wonder if there is anything like that for searching Sanskrit works?

I think I have an electronic version of the yoga vasișțha somewhere (yet prefer my hardcover). I will keep this topic in mind as I study and read and see what shows up.

And there is also the possibility that the 5 you have discussed in your previous posts are not kośa's at all and I have missed the mark.


praṇām

[chander]

Namaste.
I find many of you are aware of YV in print.
Indeed this is a great creation of Valmiki -- the Tattva gets conveyed with story-telling and information for "science-types".

1) HELP needed: Can someone help me with the details of availability of any publication (prefer in print) containing (preferably all) original sanskrit verses only (at least of Nirvana Prakarana)? ,

I have recently got Sri Vihari Lala Mitras' 4 vols (all prakaranas) from Low Price Publications, New Delhi. A great book indeed. The English reading, I feel, will be complete and enjoyable only by referring to the original Skt. verses

2) Other Info:
I began reading "Samkshipta Yoga Vasishta" -- it has translated virtually all verses, in Hindi. (from Gita Press, Gorakhpur Publn 574).
What prompted me to get this "full book" (of all Prakaranas) was the following book.
"Quietude" by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha. (visit www.brahmavidya.org for details, ordering) It is written in "Powerful English" and covers Upasama Prakarana.

Presently Swamiji is discussing Nirvana Prakarana in the monthly magazine Vicharasetu (English and Malayalam) of the Ashram.

[Skull]

Namaste.
I find many of you are aware of YV in print.
Indeed this is a great creation of Valmiki -- the Tattva gets conveyed with story-telling and information for "science-types".

1) HELP needed: Can someone help me with the details of availability of any publication (prefer in print) containing (preferably all) original sanskrit verses only (at least of Nirvana Prakarana)? ,

I have recently got Sri Vihari Lala Mitras' 4 vols (all prakaranas) from Low Price Publications, New Delhi. A great book indeed. The English reading, I feel, will be complete and enjoyable only by referring to the original Skt. verses

2) Other Info:
I began reading "Samkshipta Yoga Vasishta" -- it has translated virtually all verses, in Hindi. (from Gita Press, Gorakhpur Publn 574).
What prompted me to get this "full book" (of all Prakaranas) was the following book.
"Quietude" by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha. (visit www.brahmavidya.org (http://www.brahmavidya.org) for details, ordering) It is written in "Powerful English" and covers Upasama Prakarana.

Presently Swamiji is discussing Nirvana Prakarana in the monthly magazine Vicharasetu (English and Malayalam) of the Ashram.

I guess "Low Price" cut out the Devanagari. My Parimal pub. edition includes them. Of course it is much more expensive.