The Yogis Wake While the World Dreams
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 93
Doha 93 · Movement 1 of 2
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Do not nourish anger, Lakshmana counsels, and do not lay blame upon another. The night of delusion covers the world, and beings sleep within it while countless dreams unfold. The riverbank itself seems to hold that teaching: darkness everywhere, a few wakeful figures, and Ram resting silently at the center.
The yogis remain awake in this worldly night because they seek the supreme and loosen their grasp upon appearances. True waking begins when fascination with sense pleasure recedes. Discrimination then arises, confusion departs, and love for Raghunath's feet flowers where delusion had bound the heart.
Lakshmana gives Guha the summit in intimate words. Supreme truth is love for Ram's feet through mind, action, and speech. The human form sleeping nearby is Brahman, beginningless, incomparable, beyond perception, free from change and division. The Vedas approach that mystery by saying not this, not this, while devotion sits near enough to keep watch.
The One whom the Vedas cannot contain sleeps beneath the tree, and two loving servants remain awake beside him.
Read the passage from the Manas
अस बिचारि नहिं कीजअ रोसू। काहुहि बादि न देइअ दोसू।। मोह निसाँ सबु सोवनिहारा। देखिअ सपन अनेक प्रकारा।। एहिं जग जामिनि जागहिं जोगी। परमारथी प्रपंच बियोगी।। जानिअ तबहिं जीव जग जागा। जब जब बिषय बिलास बिरागा।। होइ बिबेकु मोह भ्रम भागा। तब रघुनाथ चरन अनुरागा।। सखा परम परमारथु एहू। मन क्रम बचन राम पद नेहू।। राम ब्रह्म परमारथ रूपा। अबिगत अलख अनादि अनूपा।। सकल बिकार रहित गतभेदा। कहि नित नेति निरूपहिं बेदा।
Reflecting in this way, one should not harbor anger. No one should be blamed without cause. In the night of moha, all beings lie sleeping, seeing dreams of countless kinds. In the dark night of this world, only the yogis remain awake. They are the seekers of paramartha, detached from the prapancha of worldly illusion. Know that the jiva truly awakens in this world only when it grows dispassionate toward vishaya vilasa, the play of sensual enjoyments. When viveka arises and the confusion of moha takes flight, then love for the feet of Raghunatha blossoms in the heart. O dear sakha, this is the supreme paramartha: love for Rama's feet in mind, in deed, and in speech. Rama is Brahman, the very form of the Supreme Reality. He is avigata, beyond knowing; alakha, beyond perception; anadi, without beginning; and anupa, beyond compare. Free from all vikara, beyond all distinction, the Vedas can only describe Him by saying neti neti, 'not this, not this.'