Chapter LXXIX - Princess coming to the sight of the supreme soul

Argument:—The prince's wonder of the sight of the princess, and her relation of her Abstract meditation.

Vasishtha continued:—

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Thus did the princess live day by day in the rapture of her soul; and with her views concentrated within herself, she lived as in her own and proper element.

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She had no passion nor affection, nor any discord nor desire in her heart; she neither coveted nor hated anything, and was indifferent to all; but persistent in her course, and vigilant in her pursuit (after her self perfection).

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She had got over the wide gulf of the world, and freed herself from the entangling snare of doubts (and the horns of dilemmas);she had gained the great good of knowing the supreme soul, which filled her inward soul.

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She found her rest in God after her weariness of the world, and in her state of perfect bliss and felicity; and her name sounded in the lips of all men, as the model of incomparable perfection.

Thus this lady said:—

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the princess Chudala, became in a short time, acquainted with the true God (lit. knowing the knowable one), by the earnestness of her inquiry.

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The errors of the world subside in the same manner, under the knowledge of truth, as they rise in the human mind by its addictedness to worldliness. (The world is an abode of errors and illusion. Persian Proverb).

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After she had found her repose in that state of perfect blessedness, wherein the sight of all things is lost in its dazzling blaze. She appeared as bright as a fragment of autumnal cloud, that is ever steady in its place.

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Apart from and irrelated with all, she continued in the meditation of the spirit in her own spirit, as the aged bull remained careless on the mountain top, where he happened to find a verdant meadow for his pasture.

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By her constant habit of loneliness, and the elevation of her soul in her solitude, she became as fresh as the new grown plant, with her blooming face shining as the new blown flower.

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It happened to pass at one time, that the prince Sikhidvaja came in sight of the unblamable beauty, and being struck with wonder at seeing her unusual gracefulness of her person, he addressed her saying:—

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How is it, my dear one, that you are again your youthful bloom like the flowery plant of the vernal season;you appear more brilliant than the lightsome world under the bright beams of full moon.

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You shine more brightly, my beloved, than one drinking the ambrosia or elixir of life, and as one obtaining the object of her desire, and filled with perfect delight in herself.

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You seem quite satisfied and lovely with your graceful person, and surpass the bright moon in the beauty of thy body; methinks you are approaching to me as when the Goddess of love or Laxmi draws near her favourite Kama.

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I see thy mind disdaining all enjoyments and is parsimonious of its pleasures; it is tranquil and cool, and elated with spiritual ardour, and is as deep as it is tranquil in its nature.

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I see thy mind spurning the three worlds as if they were straws before it, and tasted all their sweets to its full satisfaction; it is above the endless broils of the world, and is quite charming in itself.

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O fortunate princess, there are no such gratifications in the enjoyment of earthly possessions, which may equal the spiritual joy of thy tranquil mind. The one is as dry as the dryness of the sandy desert, compared with the refreshing water of the milky ocean.

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Being born with thy tender limbs resembling the tendrils of young plantains, and the soft shoots of lotus stalks, thou seemest now to have grown strong and stout in thy frame of body and mind. (It is the spirit and spiritual power that strengthens both the body and mind).

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With the same features and figure of thy body as before, thou hast became as another being, like a plant growing up to a tree, under the influence of the revolving seasons.

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Tell me, whether thou hast drank the ambrosial draught of the Gods, or obtained thy sovereignty over an empire; or whether thou hast gained thy immorality by drinking the elixir of life, or by means of thy practice of yoga meditation in either of its forms of Hatha or Raja yoga.

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Hast thou got a Kingdom or found out the philosopher's stone (which converts everything to gold); hast thou gained aught that is more precious than the three worlds, or that thou hast obtained, O my blue eyed lady! something that is not attainable to mankind.

Chudala responded said:—

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I have not lost my former form, nor am I changed to a new one to come before thee at present; but am as ever thy fortunate lady and wife. (There is a far fetched meaning of this passage given in the gloss).

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I have forsaken all that is untrue and unreal, and have laid hold of what is true and real;and it is thus that I remain thy fortunate consort as ever before.

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I have come to know whatever is something, as also all that which is nothing at all; and how all these nothings come to appearance, and ultimately disappear into nothing, and it is thus that I remain thy fortunate lady as ever.

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I am as content with my enjoyments as I am without them, as also with those that are long past and gone away; I am never delighted nor irritated at anything whether good or bad, but preserve my equanimity at all events and thus I remain for ever thy fortunate consort.

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I delight only in one vacuous entity, that has taken possession of my heart, and I take no pleasure in the royal gardens and sports, and thence I am thy fortunate princess as ever.

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I rely constantly in myself (or soul) only, whether when sitting on my seat or walking about in the royal gardens or palaces; I am not fond of enjoyments nor ashamed at their want, and in this manner I continue thy fortunate wife as ever.

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I think myself as the sovereign of the world, and having no form of my own; thus I am delighted in myself, and appear as thy fortunate and beauteous lady.

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I am this and not this likewise, I am the reality yet nothing real of any kind; I am the ego and no ego myself, I am the all and nothing in particular, and thus I remain your charming lady.

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I neither wish for pleasure nor fear any pain, I covet no riches nor hail poverty; I am constant with what I get (knowing my god is the great giver of all), and hence I seem so very gladsome to thee.

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I disport in the company of my associates, who have governed their passions by the light of knowledge, and by the directions of the sastras, and therefore I seem so very pleasing to thee.

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I know, my lord, that all that I see by the light of my eyes, or perceive by my senses, or conceive in my mind, to be nothing in reality;I therefore see something within myself, which is beyond the perception of the sensible organs, and the conception of the mind; and this bright vision of the spirit, hath made me appear so very brightsome to thy sight.