Yoga Vasistha - The Art of Self Realization

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Yoga Vasistha - The Science of Self Realization
PREFACE
One of the greatest spiritual classics ever recorded, the Yoga Vasistha is a min
d blowing account of adetailed conversation between Sri Rama and his Spiritual t
eacher Vasistha Maharshi. The book goes into
great detail surrounding the subtle intricacies of the mind, unraveling the mult
itude of layers to our very
existence along the way.
Much of the text is told through parable stories, which hold many hidden depths
within them. The ongoingtheme throughout the book revolves around the notion of
worldly miseries being caused by our ownillusion of the world, and how whatever
we perceive on the outside is merely a reflection of how we feelinside. Moving b
eyond these temporary illusions is the path to true enlightenment and Vasistha M
aharshi
goes into great depth as to how such a journey can be undertaken.
Yoga Vasistha contains a system of ancient philosophical thought unique in its k
ind. Those whose minds
are turned away from the worldly desires and have become indifferent towards the
objects of this world
and those who are longing for liberation will be really benefited by this book.
The nature of the stories and their deep rooted philosophies are designed to ope
n our levels of
awareness, and legend states that those who complete the book will have their sp
iritual growth
significantly accelerated. Yoga Vasistha is the essence of all the Hindu Philoso
phical texts
BhagawadGita, Vedas and Upanishads.
The nature of the ParaBrahma, Supreme God consciousness and the methods to attai
n Self Realization
are vividly described in this book.
This Atman (Eternal Self) is certainly different from the body, senses, mind, and p
rana. It is blissful,
supreme, non dual, permanent, formless, sinless, and pure. The moment this realizati
on comes to you,
you are liberated."
' If you constantly think of the Atman, your mind will be purified and your ignoranc
e will be uprooted along
with the past tendencies, just as your ailments will completely disappear by you
r taking medicine daily.When the mind is pure, you will get unalloyed bliss."
"When one realizes the truth of the unity between the Jivatma (soul of man) and
the Paramatma (God)
whether by instruction from the guru or from spiritual texts, that every moment
the source of ignorance,
along with the cause and effect, will mingle with Paramatma. The state mentioned
above is called
moksha (liberation). The self is ever free."
[Vasistha to Rama:]
When the mind is at peace and the heart leaps to the supreme truth, when all the
disturbing thoughtwaves in the mind stuff have subsided and there is unbroken flow of peace and the he
art is filled with thebliss of the absolute, when thus the truth has been seen i
n the heart, then this very world becomes
an abode of bliss. (H212) Aum Namoh Narayana
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Aum Loka Samastha Sukinou Bhavantu

May all the beings in all the worlds be happy;

Peace, peace and peace be everywhere.
Table of contents
INTRODUCTION --II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II-I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I------------------------What are the four Gatekeepers (Pillars) to Freedom?.............................
.................................................................13
Inspirational Verses from Yoga Va5istha ........................................
..........................................................................
The story of HaStAma|aka .......................................................
................................................................................
...
Para Pooja II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II-I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I------------------------Rama and Dispassion I--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--I-II--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II----------------------Story of Suka
How Suka attained the Highest State of Bliss".......................
.....................................................15
What are the impediments of Yoga? How to abandon them? .........................
......................................................15
Eight limbs Of Meditati0n ......................................................
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....16
Greatest Verses from Yoga VaSiStha .............................................
..........................................................................24
Story of Li a--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--I
I--II--I--II--I--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------32
Stoiy of S0n of lndhu (Moon) ...................................................
................................................................................
33
The story of deCeitfu| Indra ...................................................
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...37
Story of Karkati I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I-II--I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------45
Story of King Janaka III--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II-I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------49
Story of Bali III--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II-I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------52
Story of Prah ada II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--I
--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------56
Story of Gadhi--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I-II--I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------60
Story of Uddalaka I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II
--I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------65
Stoiy of King Bhageeratha ......................................................
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Story of Bilwa fruit.-II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--I
I--I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I---------------

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Story of King Sikhidwaja .......................................................
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...85
The Story of Kacha II--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II-I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------86
Story of Bhringisara --II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II-I--II--II--I--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------88
Story of King lkshwaku III--I--II--I--II--II--I--I--II--II--I--II--II--I--II--I-II--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--I--II--II--I--II--II--I-----------------------91
The story of Muni and a Huntef .................................................
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The conclusion of NirvAna Prakarana ..
SUMMARY OF THE YOGA VASISTHA ...
What is Sri Satya Narayana Homam or Puja
Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Story1..
Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Story 2..
Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Story 3..
m 4 m a
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