AVIGNYATA COMES BACK

Puranjana's last thoughts were of the woman Puranjani when he died and so, in his next birth he was born as a woman. He was born as the daughter of the king of Vidarbha.  The princess grew up to be a beautiful woman.  Malayadhvaja the King of Pandya married this daughter of Vidarbha.  The King of Pandya was a great devotee of Narayana.

In course of time, seven sons and a daughter were born to them.  When he became old Malayadhvaja Pandya left the kingdom in the hands of his sons and went to seek peace insolitude.  His wife followed him. She abandoned her children and the comforts of the Palace and went with him like moonlight following the moon.  Pandya performed tapas and, strictly following the rules set down for Ashtangayoga he gave up his body having realized the Brahman. 

Vaidarbhi, his wife had been serving him and attending to his wants.  Dressed in tree bark, with her form emaciated because of her austerities,  her hair all knotted and unkempt because of negligence,  she shone with her lord like a smokeless flame. emanating from pure fire.

When she found that her lord was dead she set up a wail of pain and bathed her husband's body with her tears.  She then collected wood and placed his body in it.  She had made up her mind to ascend the funeral pyre along with him.

While she was weeping and moaning and preparing herself for the last journey there came to her side a Brahmin.  The Brahmin was Avignyata, the companion of Puranjana in the days of long ago.  He stood by her side and said:  "Consider my words for a moment.  Who are you?  Whose wife are you?  You are now mourning the death of this man who is lying on rhe funeral pyre.  Who is he?  Try and think what there is between you and him that you should weep for him."

Vaidarbhi stopped crying and looked at him in bewilderment. The Brahmin said: "My friend, do you not recognize me at all?'  Do you remember that long ago, long before you became involved with the things of the world you had a friend called Avignyata?"  There seemed to be a spark of recognition in the eyes of Vaidarbhi.  The Brahmin went on:  "We were together.  We were inseperable in those days.  We were called "the inseperables".  You and I were like two swans floating on the surface of the Manasa lake. You were very dear to me and so was I to you.  Suddenly you left my company. You were restless for the pleasures of the senses and you went away from me.  You came to the city with nine gates, Bhogavati.  Then you forgot all about me.  But I have had your welfare at heart and I have always thought of you.  The time is now ripe for me to do what I have been longing to do since ever so long.  I have been waiting to reveal myself to you and to take you back with me.  I have come to tell you all about yourself.  Forget this man and the misery you are going through because of his death.  You do not belong here.  Come with me and let us be happy once again".  You are neither the man who married Puranjani nor are you the Princess Vaidharbhi who married Malayadhvaja the Pandya.  It has all been an illusion created by yourself because of your ignorance: ignorance of your real nature."

Puranjana who was now Vaidarbhi looked at the Brahmin with faint traces of recognition and waited for more words from him.  Avignyata said: "I will explain the entire phenomenon to you.  You and I are the same.  There is not an iota of difference between us. I am the Paramatma and you are the Jivatma.  The Manasa lake is the heart where we lived together.  We have always existed together.  Your getting involved in the city Bhogavati guarded by the serpant with five heads and with the woman Puranjani is all because of Maya.  Bhogavati is the human body with the nine openings.  Puranjani is the mind which enjoys the pleasures of the senses.  When you become involved in them you forget your real nature.  Avidya enveloped you and your involvement in the meshes of Maya and the bondage resulting from all these,  became inevitable.  You are really caught up in the web of Maya  which is the resultant of your own desire to get involved with the things of the world.  The more you tried, the deeper you became drowned in the ocean called Samsara. 

You are really neither Puranjana the lord of Puranjani, nor the wife of Malayadhvaja.  The Atman is without sex and it has no attachment.  You are the reflection of me in the mirror. It so happens that the mirror has become clouded as a result of Avarana and so, you were under the illusion that you belonged to the body.  The body was so easily destroyed by Chandavega which is another name for Time:  destroyed by old age which is Jara and Prajvara which is all the diseases put together.  You are now rid of all of them.  You had forgotten the truth about yourself.  Now you are one with me and let us go back to the lake where we used to float together, the lake Manasa."