Rama in his teens requested his father to send him on a pilgrimage. After obtaining permission, Rama along with his brothers visited all the pilgrimage centers and returned looking more despondent and dull. He became more and more apathetic towards life and its offerings. He had lost interest in all worldly activities including food and sleep. At about the same time, sage Viswamitra came to Ayodhya and requested Dasharatha to send Rama to slay the demons Khara and Dhushana who were disturbing the holy rituals. Dasharatha was unhappy about this request, but as he had already committed to Vishwamitra, and after assurance from sage Vasista, summoned Rama to the court. Rama’s attendant at that time mentioned to the king and the sages about the state of Rama.
Sage Viswamitra summoned Rama and asked him the reason for his apathy, to which Rama in great detail described the uselessness of the world and the life. He spoke about childhood, adult hood and senility and how each was an illusion and how each promised a lot but delivered nothing. He also spoke about the stranglehold of ego and sensory pleasures on human existence and how life has been crippled by their dominance. He spoke that in spite of being free from ego, he wasn’t able to attain peace. Viswamitra was greatly pleased with the level of dispassion that had been established in Rama and asked sage Vasista to dispel Rama’s myths and enlighten him of the true nature of existence.
Vasista then started narrating to Rama the truth of existence, which was narrated to him by Brahma himself. He said that everything that permeates is consciousness. When a vibration arose in the consciousness, just like a wave in the ocean, Vishnu was born and from Vishnu, Brahma came forth. Brahma then made the entire creation. Over a period of time, Brahma noticed that all living beings especially human beings were unhappy and sorrowful. To keep them out of their suffering he created places of pilgrimage and holy rituals. But then soon he realised that this was only a temporary rescue. To make life worthwhile, to keep the human life established in peace and bliss, he created Vasista and soon after creation imposed the veil of ignorance on him. Vasista like a mere mortal underwent the pleasures and sufferings till he was so fed up that he came to the surrender of Brahma. Brahma then removed the veil of ignorance from Vasista, thereby enlightening him. Brahma explained to Vasista that he kept him in ignorance so that he could understand the sufferings of the human beings and then enlightened him so that he could realise the real purpose of existence. He then asked Vasista to share this divine knowledge and help people out of suffering.
Sage Viswamitra summoned Rama and asked him the reason for his apathy, to which Rama in great detail described the uselessness of the world and the life. He spoke about childhood, adult hood and senility and how each was an illusion and how each promised a lot but delivered nothing. He also spoke about the stranglehold of ego and sensory pleasures on human existence and how life has been crippled by their dominance. He spoke that in spite of being free from ego, he wasn’t able to attain peace. Viswamitra was greatly pleased with the level of dispassion that had been established in Rama and asked sage Vasista to dispel Rama’s myths and enlighten him of the true nature of existence.
Vasista then started narrating to Rama the truth of existence, which was narrated to him by Brahma himself. He said that everything that permeates is consciousness. When a vibration arose in the consciousness, just like a wave in the ocean, Vishnu was born and from Vishnu, Brahma came forth. Brahma then made the entire creation. Over a period of time, Brahma noticed that all living beings especially human beings were unhappy and sorrowful. To keep them out of their suffering he created places of pilgrimage and holy rituals. But then soon he realised that this was only a temporary rescue. To make life worthwhile, to keep the human life established in peace and bliss, he created Vasista and soon after creation imposed the veil of ignorance on him. Vasista like a mere mortal underwent the pleasures and sufferings till he was so fed up that he came to the surrender of Brahma. Brahma then removed the veil of ignorance from Vasista, thereby enlightening him. Brahma explained to Vasista that he kept him in ignorance so that he could understand the sufferings of the human beings and then enlightened him so that he could realise the real purpose of existence. He then asked Vasista to share this divine knowledge and help people out of suffering.
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