Lessons from Yayati - Swarga

    Yayati has been a wonderful summary of entire human life. Lessons from Yayati have provided extremely valuable insights through the episodes in – Prelude, Endless desire and Renunciation. We have realized the metaphorical connection between Yayati and our own lives. This veritable treat from Mahabharata (with references in Srimad Bhagavatam) showcases more than the ancestral connections of Krishna and the Kurus.

Storytime:

    Yayati having realized that desires will never be quenched and the fire keeps growing as one feeds it, retires to Vanaprastha life, having developed Viveka and Vairagya. Giving up on the perpetual chase of pleasures in samsara with a resolve to realize one’s true nature is the first step. As a Grihastha he had an exemplary dharmic life, yet this pleasure chase and desire hankering/satisfying game grew weary on the dharmic mind. He focuses more on the internal rearrangement through tapasya, atma vichara and sense/anger control, pleasing the devas and pithrus with his actions. The Mahabharata catalogs his spiritual feats at great length. This results in him going to Swarga.

    Owing to his Tapasya strength he was even able to visit Brahmaloka. Once when he was in Swarga, Indra struck a conversation with Yayati, eager to know the advice given by him to his son, Puru, on the eve of regaining his youth and his coronation. It maybe prudent and profitable for us to get a deep insight into this timeless wisdom.

Yayati’s advice to Puru (and us)

• Human beings must give up poverty, anger, cheating, greed and hate. Not only they cannot be under their spell, but must also not promote it.

• Wise people never cross their bounds with mother, father, elders, learned, rishis and the patient. One endowed with strength tolerates, ones who are weak get angry.

• Kali Yuga characteristics: Characterless people will deem the Sadhus as enemies. In the same way, powerless ones will display hate against the powerful (here it is understood as arajaka/anarchy over dharmic rulers), hideous ones will hate the beautiful, poor will hate the wealthy, ones not observing dharma or not following their karma will despise the ones who observe dharma and perform karma.

• Satya Yuga characteristics: Irrespective of their Varnashrama, everyone is focused on promoting Saatva through their actions and gain fame. The implication here is our actions as a society can create the Yuga characteristics we live in.

• Anger control: The one who controls anger is far superior to the one who cannot; the patient controller of senses is superior to the ones who cannot; the silent suffering of a sense controller is enough to burn the aggressor for the transgression.

• Choice of words: One must always use sweeter choice of words as opposed to harsher ones that cause wounding of the heart. Bad choice of words spread inauspiciousness. Learn to tolerate the harsh words of the fickle. Words are like arrows, cannot be recalled. Hence care must be shown on where it is deployed. There is parity for the virtues of showing kindness to animals, charity and sweetness of words.

Fall of Yayati:

    Indra was very pleased with Yayati’s response. He wanted to know how he would rate his tapasya. Yayati humbly stated that there was no equal to him in Tapasya amongst the devas, humans, gandharvas and rishis. This created a huge offense. Yayati had discounted all the ones who excelled or equaled him in Tapasya thus indirectly abusing them. Indra stated due to this huge fault, Yayati’s stay in swarga has been terminated due to the taint.

    Yayati was quick to realize this blunder, he sought Indra’s grace that when he falls from swarga, he must fall amongst those who excel in sattva, sadhus. Indra granted him the wish and informed that his fall amongst sadhus will elevate his thinking and he will regain his status. The fall was instantaneous.

    Ashtaka, Vasuman, Pratardana and Sibi, the best amongst sadhus, saw the falling Yayati. Ashtaka inquired at the falling Yayati, “Who are you who looks like Indra, with the tejas of Agni, falling from the dark clouds shining like a bright sun?” We are anxious to learn why someone who is akin to Indra and Agni has to have a grave fall. Seeing a shade of fear in Yayati, Ashtaka assured that Yayati can give up any reason that is disturbing his mind.

    Owing to his attractive form and aura, the dominant question in their minds is to know about the reason for his fall. Having placed that question first, Ashtaka wanted to know his origins of the still falling Yayati. Ashtaka again assured that Yayati must give up his sorrow, fear and delusion. Being amongst Sadhus Yayati can be assured that even the powerful Indra cannot dare to hurt him, breaching their protection. The only refuge for anyone who has lost themselves from the path of felicity is Sadhu Satsangha. Sadhus are the sole refuge for everyone. Agni is the primary source of heat, Bhoomi alone infuses the life force for the seed, surya alone illuminates everything and for the sadhus only the athithi alone can command them. Thus commenced a wonderful discussion between Ashtaka and Yayati, which we will analyze in the next article.

Practical applications: The implications in our life is of utmost importance than a grand incident.

• Anger control: Throughout Yayati episode, we repeatedly hear the glorification of anger control from Shukracharya and Yayati. The feat is stupendous and a critical milestone in one’s spiritual journey. Shri Krishna highlights the same in Bhagavad Gita by calling lust, anger and greed as doors to naraka (त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं नाशनमात्मनः । कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभस्तस्मादेतत्त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥ trividhaṃ narakasyedaṃ dvāraṃ nāśanamātmanaḥ kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobhastasmādetattrayaṃ tyajet 16-21). Anger stored without expressing as forgiveness acts as a sure potent poison that one has consumed.

• Swarga is temporary: Yayati’s fall from Swarga reminds us that all the states the Jiva perceives is not its real state. They are mere projections of the body, mind and intellect to express the Karma Vasanas or enjoy the Karmaphala. Doing all good Karma only ensures that there is good Karmaphala, maybe Swarga, that awaits as a result. The results are definitely finite, however grandiose and most certainly temporary at best. This doesn’t mean one must stop doing good Karma. Instead one must accrue the punyaphala to strengthen their understanding and practice of Dharma, besides giving up the hankering for the Karmaphala.

• Humility: Yayati was an exemplar as a human being, in his tapasya. Indra’s question put him in a spot to highlight about his own achievement. An extremely minuscule pride was evident as he claimed that there was no equal to him. This was sufficient to nullify all the great spiritual achievements. The Mahabharata deems talking about one’s own glory, even if accurate, is akin to one’s death.
   

• Yuga characteristics: Apart from the human and cosmic Yuga scales that are used to measure time, Itihasapuranas repeatedly inform that the Gunas and Karmas expressed by the society creates the Yuga characteristics. This implies that each one of us are responsible the society’s Yuga traits and its repercussions.

• Kama, Krodha and Ahamkara: Yayati climbed this extremely arduous spiritual peak by overcoming his basal tendencies. He mastered kama/desires, despite being a slave for thousands of years. Due to his extraordinary sense control, he even mastered Krodha (anger/wrath). This allowed him access to Swarga. Yet when confronted by a question, a subtle hint of Ahamkara was still persistent. This made him declare himself as a superlative tapasvi. The Ahamkara made him ignore the feats of the ones who excelled or equaled him.

• Satsangha: The only desire that all the years of punya and dharma adherence made Yayati seek out was Satsangha. At times of distress there is no solace but Satsangha. This clears the confusion and provides safety amidst the tempest of Samsara. Even at the instantaneous throwing out of swarga, Yayati requests that he fall where sadhus are. Yoga Vasishta declares the Satsangha is one of the four guaranteed paths that lead us to Moksha.

    Adi Shankaracharya declares the significance of Satsangha and its effects in Bhaja Govindam as “Satsangatve nissangatvam Nissangatve nirmohatvam Nirmohatve nischalatattvam Nischalatattve jeevanmuktih” (Bhajagovindam – 9). Satsangha leads to non association (non attachment), which results in destroying the delusion. With no delusion, there is clarity in understanding the ultimate truth and reality thus liberating us. Satsangha is the bridge that can carry us away from the perpetual confusion of samsara to the supreme reality. May we strive hard to dissociate from the bad association causing our samaric bondage and proactively increase our satsangha thus keeping us always on the path of Dharma and Moksha.

ॐ तत् सत