By Upendra Mishra
BOSTON— Before diving into the core of this reflection, I feel compelled to share a personal experience: During my three years in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) as a student, I never took the famed dip at the confluence of India’s sacred Ganges and Yamuna rivers.
Fast forward to this year, when I read and saw reports that over 663 million people flocked to the site during the Maha Kumbh Mela. I was taken aback, as were many others. The government of India had initially estimated no more than 400 million participants during the six-week religious festival. Yet, the final numbers were staggering: over 663 million people came, each with their own belief that immersing themselves in the sacred waters would cleanse them of sins, bring them closer to spiritual liberation, and, perhaps, fulfill their desires, as per Hindu mythology.
This immense gathering was awe-inspiring, but it also made me reflect deeply on the meaning of liberation and the quest for freedom. My thoughts turned to a key text in Indian philosophy that I’ve come to cherish deeply: Yog Vashistha, an ancient dialogue between the young prince Rama and the sage Vashistha. The message within this dialogue—spanning four volumes of profound wisdom—seems especially pertinent when we think about the nature of our minds and our actions.
In the Yog Vashistha, Vashistha tells Rama: “Know, O son of Raghu, that everything in this world is obtainable by our efforts being properly employed.” He further elaborates that some individuals have even attained the supreme domains of gods like Indra and Shiva through dedicated effort. Without effort, nothing substantial can be gained in this world. Vashistha emphasizes that fate itself is nothing but the culmination of one’s actions and efforts.
It was this powerful concept of effort and action that stuck with me. Vashistha’s words resonated deeply as he continued: “Whatever one attempts to do, he readily meets with its reward: this being the effect of efforts. Fate is no other but the same thing.” I came to realize that this is the essence of true liberation—achieved not by ritualistic acts or external symbols, but by the actions we take and the thoughts we cultivate within ourselves.
My journey with Yog Vashistha began after a chance encounter with Deepak Chopra at a conference in Boston many years ago. We began discussing books, and given my interests and inquiries, he recommended two titles: “Yog Vashistha” and “I Am That” by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. I was immediately drawn to the idea of exploring both works. I ordered “I Am That” on Amazon and picked up a Hindi edition of “Yog Vashistha” from the Gita Press in Delhi. From that moment on, I immersed myself in this profound text. The deeper I delved into the pages of “Yog Vashistha”, the more I realized its transformative wisdom—its practical, yet profound, life lessons for ordinary people like us.
But what is “Yog Vashistha” really about? To summarize briefly, the text begins with Prince Rama returning home from his travels across India, deeply troubled by the suffering and impermanence he witnesses. Disillusioned with the world and its endless cycle of misery, he withdraws from everything—losing interest in the pleasures of life: food, music, dance, and even relationships. His sadness is so overwhelming that his father, King Dashrath, seeks the counsel of sage Vashistha to cure his son’s deep sorrow.
Vashistha listens attentively to Rama’s grievances, which include a deep sense of hopelessness about the world’s suffering, the pain caused by desire and ego, and the impermanence of human existence. Rama expresses a longing to know a truth that would dissolve his sorrow, remove his fear, and lead him to inner peace.
“Teach me that by knowing which I become free from grief, fear, and sadness, and become empowered with true knowledge,” Rama pleads.
What follows is a transformative dialogue between Rama and Vashistha, in which the sage expounds on the nature of the mind. He explains that everything we experience, all our perceptions of reality, stem from the workings of the mind. In order to achieve liberation, we must first free ourselves from mental conditioning. This requires a process of de-conditioning—emptying our minds of preconceived notions, past baggage, and future anxieties.
Vashistha makes it clear that it is only by shedding mental clutter that we can experience true freedom. “Be totally free of conditioning. Ideas and thoughts are bondage; and their coming to an end is liberation. Therefore, be free of them and do whatever has to be done spontaneously,” he teaches. When we stop clinging to ideas and concepts, and when we no longer let our minds be imprisoned by them, we experience peace and clarity, leading to the ultimate freedom of the mind.
In many ways, this wisdom is not just an abstract spiritual teaching, but a practical guide for living. The idea of clearing the mind of conditioning and embracing spontaneous action resonates with those who lead thoughtful, purpose-driven lives. Even the legendary investor Warren Buffett embodies this principle. When asked about how he handles business decisions, Buffett shared a simple yet profound strategy: once a deal is completed, he empties it from his mind, just as one empties a bathtub after a bath. He believes in starting fresh with each new decision, free from the clutter of past choices.
Buffett’s approach echoes the teachings of Vashistha, who emphasizes that a mind not burdened by the past or future remains in a state of peace and clarity. “The man whose mind is well-controlled is firmly established in peace. When the heart is thus established in peace, there arises the pure bliss of the Self without delay,” Vashistha says.
Indeed, the state of mind that leads to liberation is one of pure presence—a state of transparency, as Vashistha describes it. Such a mind is not cluttered with concepts or judgments but is anchored in the present moment. In this way, the liberated individual remains active and engaged with the world but is untouched by its turbulence.
The Buddha, too, captured this profound understanding of the mind. He wisely stated, “It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways. Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
In essence, true liberation and freedom are not found in external rituals or physical acts alone, but in the mastery of the mind and the conscious choices we make. The real path to freedom is not through symbolic acts like ritual baths in sacred rivers, but through internal transformation—the effort and action we put forth to cleanse the mind, focus on the present, and cultivate inner peace.
The Maha Kumbh Mela, with its vast crowds and symbolic acts, may offer spiritual solace to many, but true liberation—lasting, deep, and permanent—comes when we take responsibility for the state of our minds and actions. Through de-conditioning our thoughts, focusing on purposeful action, and embracing the present moment, we can all achieve the freedom we seek.
(Mr. Mishra is managing partner of the Mishra Group, a diversified media company that publishes Boston Real Estate Times, Life Sciences Times, IndUS Business Journal, India New England News and the Hispanic Business Journal. He writes about his three passions: marketing, scriptures and gardening.)
