The Story of Bhasa and Vilasa

Sage Vasishtha

O Rama, so long as one does not subdue the mind with the mind, one cannot attain self-knowledge; and as long as one entertains the false notions of 'I' and 'mine', so long sorrow does not come to an end, even as the sun in a painting never sets. There is a legend that illustrates this truth.

There is a great mountain which is as high as the three worlds put together. On its peaks dwell the gods, in the middle dwell human beings and at its base dwell the beings of the netherworld. It is known as Sahya. It contains everything, as it were. On it there is the hermitage of the sage Atri. In it there dwelt two sages known as Brhaspati and Shukra, each of whom had a son, known as Vilasa and Bhasa respectively. The two boys grew up into young men. They were greatly attached to each other and were inseparable.

In course of time, the two elder sages left this world. Grief-stricken, the young men performed the appropriate funeral rites. On account of the loss of their fathers they felt disinterested in property, wealth etc. and both of them thereupon went away to the forest, each in a different direction, to lead a nomadic life. After a considerable time, once again they met each other.

VILASA said to his friend Bhasa:

What a delight to meet you again, my dearest friend! Tell me what you have been doing since we parted. Did your austerities bear fruit? Has your mind rid itself of the burning fever of worldliness? Have you attained Self-knowledge? Tell me - are you well and happy?

BHASA replied:

I consider myself extremely fortunate to see you again, my dear friend. However, how can we who are wandering in this world-appearance ever be well and happy unless and until we attain the highest wisdom, until the psychological perversions cease? Until we cross this ocean of world-cycle, how can we be well and happy? Until the hopes and desires born of the mind have been completely destroyed, how can we be well and happy?

Until we attain self-knowledge, we shall return again to this plane of birth and death to undergo childhood, youth, manhood, old age and death again and again, we shall engage ourselves in the same essenceless actions and experiences. Cravings destroy wisdom. Lost in satisfying sensual appetites, life ebbs away fast. The mind falls into the blind well of sense-pleasure. It is a wonder how and why this body, which is an excellent vehicle take us to the other shore of self-knowledge, falls into the mire of worldliness! In the twinkling of an eye this little ripple known as the mind assumes terrible proportions. Man foolishly ascribes to the self the sorrow and the sufferings that do not touch it in the least, and becomes miserable.