Yoga Vashistha is certainly an extremely powerful philosophy. It challenges some of the apparent flaws in modern Hinduism. I had its Hindi version which I read while in college. Recently, a friend of mine, read out a few very powerful lines from this great book. Sharing it for you.
Rama continued:
In his youth, man is a slave of sexual attraction.
In the body which is no more than the aggregate of flesh, blood, bone, hair and skin, he perceives beauty and charm.
Even if this 'beauty' is permanent, there is some justification to the imagination; but, alas, it does not last very long.
On the contrary, very soon the very flesh that contributed to the attractiveness, the charm and the beauty of the beloved is transformed first into the shrivelled ugliness of old age,and later consumed by fire, or by worms, or by vultures.
Yet, while it lasts this sexual attraction consumes the heart and the wisdom of the man.
By this is the creation maintained; when this attraction ceases, this samsara (birth-death cycle) also ceases.
When the child is dissatisfied with its childhood, youth takes over;
when youth is plagued by dissatisfaction and frustration, old age overpowers it - how cruel is life.
Even as wind tosses a dew-drop from a leaf, old age destroys the body.
Even as a drop of poison when it enters the system soon pervades it, senility soon pervades the entire body and breaks it down, and makes it the laughing stock of other people.
Though the old man is unable to satisfy his desires physically, the desires themselves flourish and grow.
He begins to ask himself, "Who am I? What should I do?" etc., when it is too late for him to change his life's course, alter his life-style, or make his life more meaningful.
