Laghu YOGA VASISHTHA - HolyBooks.com

LAGHU YOGA VASISTHA
to illustrate how the „I‟ in man developss itself in
him after innumerable births with the Ahankara
we find in him now. Once upon a time, there raged
a war between the Devas and the Asuras. The
latter, finding themselves worsted in it, created
through the Mayavic power of their leader three
men without Ahankara or the conception of „I‟ in
them to fight with their opponents; since one
without Ahankara will be able to face his enemy
without any the least fear, and regardless of the
consequences of his actions. The Devas, finding
their enemy too tough for them to deal with,
applied to the higher powers for help. Vishnu
advised them to adopt a rather queer plan. That
was of again and again pretending to make war
with their opponents and of again and again
retiring from the field, when their enemy made
onslaughts against them. By this process, they were
told by Vishnu that the „I‟ in the Mayavic
personages would be provoked and hardened and
that those personages would grow terribly afraid
of the results of the war and be discomfited
through the generation of „I‟ in them. This
procedure was adopted and the Devas gained the
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