EPILOGUE
Lord Rama stated that the ancient sages went to heaven only after they had displayed an enormous amount of correct exertion.1 At first sight, this statement appears to be at odds with Shankara’s dictum that liberation cannot be attained by any sort of action.2 Shankara denies any causal connection between actions such as asana, pranayama, ritual, meditation, or samadhi and the knowing of the Brahman (infinite consciousness). Since the Brahman is eternal and uncaused, it cannot be caused by any action. But Lord Rama does not speak of a causal connection; he speaks of a temporal connection. He says that the sages attained their coveted state after they had performed the required actions. The significant word here is after, which indicates a temporal connection between exertion and goal. The causal connection between the two, which Shankara denied, would have been indicated by the word because.
The difference between the two positions is one of perspective. Shankara speaks from the absolute truth of infinite consciousness. From this perspective, no act can produce or bring about this consciousness, because the Brahman never ceased to be. Lord Rama, on the contrary, speaks from the relative perspective of everyday conditioned existence. From this view, every being has to bring itself into shape, make itself fit for receiving the divine blessing of realizing the infinite consciousness. This is not done by sitting and thinking about it or claiming and believing that one has attained that state already. It is, as Lord Rama states, to be attained only through intense and correct exertion.
Yoga supplies us with the resources for such an exertion. With every step we take, we are rewarded with more energy, courage, and clarity. May we use it to travel onward on the trail blazed by the ancient sages.
1 Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda 101:29; the reason Lord Rama speaks about “heaven” and not about “liberation,” as Shankara did, is that the Ramayana is addressed to common humanity, whereas Shankara’s commentary addresses the erudite.
2 Brahma Sutra Commentary 1.1.4.