Yoga Vashisht or Heaven Found: Introduction

Yoga Vashisht or Heaven Found, by Rishi Singh Gherwal, [1930], at sacred-texts.com

My sincere thanks to J. Muir, whose Poems I have quoted in these pages, from his well known Metrical Translations, of the Sanskrit Writers, and also to Irene Ward, Grace Curtis and Clare Mc Kinney for their wonderful help in the revision of this volume.

INTRODUCTION

We have two Yoga Vashishts, one going under the name great, the other small. This is the small book; both hooks are the work of the Rishi Vashisht, and it is the book for those who are seeking truth but not for the ignorant. It is the best book on wisdom and gives seven states of wisdom by understanding the liberation easily to be attained, and it also gives us the seven states of ignorance. It gives spiritual food for those who hunger. "No one can miss the God consciousness within," Swami Ram Tritha once said. It is true and I agree with the Swami. It is the best work for self realization. In it, one will find the answer to, who created this universe; the cause of and how to cure diseases. It reveals the mastery of the Kundalini, the Mother of the Universe, and her power; how to perform levitation, and the secret of the long lived Yogi. How to master mind, and control matter

and all the miseries of the world. In the story of Bali, it gives us encouragement and faith, that even a great egoist can attain liberation,—the goal of the Yogi or the truth seeker.

More than a year ago, I was at Los Angeles and for the first time, heard that the truth seekers were searching for this book.

Many asked if I would get some copies of it, for them. I wrote to India and also tried here, but was unable to find a copy. I then advertised in Europe but could not find it there.

A student of mine, in Los Angeles, brought a copy to my class but the owner refused to part with it, even when offered thirty dollars. I then decided to translate this work for the truth-seeker.

The reader will find this work contains the records of spiritual truths, the secret doctrine or eternal teaching of the Munis and Rishis, of India.

The ideals are wonderfully clear. They always begin on the gross and gradually take the student to a higher and finer stage of self realization. They do that because the thought, at first,

The Hindus in their attempt to find a solution to the problems of life and death in the external world, failed, as the nations of the West do to-day. They found that the senses could not help them in the problems of life, therefore, they gave up the external world and turned their attentions upon the internal. They gave all their time to the study of the Atma, which gave them finally, the solution of the problems of life and death. Their teachings give us a glimpse of the Atma that is the Absolute. They found that the individual soul is no other than the Brahma, Himself.

Those readers who will follow closely the teachings of this work and concentrate upon them will surely reach the goal "where the sun cannot shine, nor the moon nor the stars—the lightning cannot illumine, how can they? For when the Self shines, all shine."

I have put here the way my Master taught me about this work, for the benefit of the truth-seeker.

It is the guidance for the daily life. The work of the Great Master, who has it made so very easy, by illustrations.

VRIDDHA CHANAKYA XV. 10

The list of books is long; mishaps arise
To bar the student's progress; Life is brief;
Whatever, then, in books is best and chief.
The essence, kernel—that attracts the wise.
J. Muir—Metrical Translation.