Yoga Vasistha Ram Gita – The Crest jewel of Vedanta

It is not possible to kill the mind without proper knowledge of the Self, Satsangha and the restraint of Prana, which are the proven means to overcome the mind. Ignoring these and resorting to excessive practices in hatha yoga, austerities, pilgrimage, rites and rituals is a waste of time. Self knowledge alone bestows delight.

- Dr. Arun Madhavan

Spiritual knowledge is the remedy

Vasistha said to Ram: “An individual soul, Jiva, is not independent of ego; neither is it independent of the senses. But, once you awaken to cognise your non dual consciousness – Brahm, the entire complex ceases to exist - there is no distinction between the ocean and its waves, both are forms of water.

The pleasures or pains of the body do not cause happiness or unhappiness of the atma. The atma is beyond joy, sorrow, and death. A Jiva attains high or low birth when he has the body ego. Ignorant people always keep wandering with vasanas as they are not established in the Self. They end up adopting diverse bodies in accord with their wandering actions in the cycle of rebirths.

Atma is consciousness. The body being gross, Atma does not imbibe the attributes of a body. When there can be no bond between the two, why accept suffering by associating with the body?”

The Sage reminded that such faith and wisdom does not arise until desire is destroyed. It is with the pursuit of spiritual discipline and contemplation that one can overcome desire, illusions and vasanas. Atma is always the non doer.