YOGA VASISHTHA AND WESTERN PSYCHOLOGY:-The Vasistha Maha Ramayana is the earliest Indian philosophical work of the highest order on Vedanta. It is a monumental work wherein Sri Vasishtha, the great sage, taught the principles of Vedanta to his royal pupil Rama, the victor of Ravana & hero of the epic Ramayana. A study of this work raises any person to the lofty heights of divine awareness & splendor. Those who practice Atma-Chintana or Brahmabhyasa or Vedantic meditation will find in this marvelous work, a priceless treasure. Even the most worldly-minded person will become dispassionate & will attain peace of mind, solace & consolation by a study of this book. The practical hints on Sadhana are unique. METHODS OF MIND-CONQUEST Mind-conquest by Foue Traditional Methods:- A digest of Sivananda’s description of the four traditional methods of annihilating the mind, runs thus. A Vedantin destroys the mind through Self-expansion; he practices self-denial, identifies himself with the Supreme Brahman, & thus brings about the annihilation of the mind. A Raja Yogi achieves the same goal, by stilling the mind, eradicating the Vrittis. A Bhakti Yogi obtains the death of the mind by contracting & reducing it to zero; he practices self-surrender, places his mind at the feet of Lord. A Karma Yogi slays the mind by removing selfishness & by selfless service; he practices self-sacrifice identifies himself with the Cosmic Being, & expands his heart by total elimination of all selfish desires. Mind-conquest by the Method of Sakti Yoga :- Freedom from the thralldom of mind, matter & Maya, maintains the Sakti-guru, is impossible of achievement except through the Grace of the Endless Sakti or Power that the Divine Mother is. If the Mind is to be conquered, the Maya is to be transcended, the Matter is to be transfused into absolute Consciousness. One has to awaken the Supreme Power latent in one self, as the Kundalini Sakti, as the Divine Mother, by Dhyana, by Bhavana, by Japa, by the force & potencies released from Mantra Sakti. One attains Siddhi or Perfection when the latent infinite Power is awakened, & the entire process & the subtleties of the discipline have to be conducted & obtained from the Guru. MIND-CONQUEST BY INTROSPECTION :- Man can bore a diamond with a bristle; he can tic an infatuated elephant with a slender silken thread; he can exercise his ingenuity & through the instrumentality of a mirror bring down the moon for the play of the child; he can make the flame of fire burn always downwards; but it is difficult for him to establish a control over his own mind. For gaining mastery mastery over the mind, he has to know what the mind is, how it works, how it deceives him at every turn & by which methods it can be subdued. As long as the mind restlessly wanders about amidst objects, ever fluctuating, excited, agitated & uncontrolled, the true joy of the Self cannot be realized & enjoyed. To control the restless mind & bring all thoughts & cravings to a stillness & sublimation, is the greatest problem of man. If he has subjugated the mind, he may be said to be, in his subjective freedom & power, the Emperor of emperors. MIND-CONQUEST BY YOGA & JNANA :- REMOVAL OF THE THREE MENTAL DEFRCTS:- The three defects or Doshas of the mind are Mala (impurities such as lust, anger, greed), Vikshepa (tossing or oscillation) & Avarana (veil of ignorance). Mala is removed by selfless service. Vikshepa is removed by Upasana, Trataka & Pranayama. Avarana or veil is removed by study & practice of Vedanta. MIND-CONQUEST BY THOUGHT-CULTURE:- As a man thinketh so he becometh’. This is a great truth or truism. Think ‘I am strong’, strong you become. Think ‘I am weak’, weak you become. Think’, ‘I am a fool, fool you become. Think ‘I am a sage or God,’ sage or God you become. Thought alone shapes & moulds a man. Man lives always in a world of thoughts. Every man his own thought-world. Imagination works wonders. Thought has tremendous force. Thought is a solid thing. Your present is the result of your past thoughts & your future will be according to your present thoughts. If you think rightly, you will speak rightly & act rightly. Speech & action simply follow the thoughts. CONQUEST OF MIND’S STRONGHOLDS:- You have the menagerie within you—lion, the tiger, the elephant, the ape & the peacock. Bring them under your control. The beauty of the flesh is really due to the life-giving principle, Prana. The beauty is attributable to the light that emenates from Atman. The nasty body with oozing discharges from nine gutters composed of the five elements is a Jada Vastu & Apavitra. Always entertain this idea. Have a clear-cut, well-defined, image or picture like this. You will conquer lust by a mental drill. If you understand the doctrine of unity in diversity, if you know there is only one matter, one energy, one mind-substance, one life, one existence, one Sat, one Reality, & if you entertain always such a thought, you can control Krodha. If you remember that you are only an instrument in the hands of God, that God is everything, that God does everything, that God is just, then you can get rid of Ahamkara. You can annihilate Dvesha by Pratipaksha Bhavana. Look to the brighter side of persons. Ignore the dark aspect.