VASISHTA

Vasishta was a great visionary. Many of the verses in Rig-Veda were composed by him. He wrote a treatise called Vasishta- Smriti on Dharma, righteousness. He composed Ramayana also, called Vasishta Ramayana. He believed that divine aid and individual effort were necessary to achieve any thing in this world. The divine and the human are the two wheels of the chariot, the two wings of a bird. Without either, nothing can be done. We must believe in God and do our best. This was Vasishta's firm conviction and his message is : As is the seed, so is the tree. So also is the fruit. If the seed is good, the fruit will be good. Good is the result of good deeds. Bad is the result of evil deeds. The Divine is like the good seed. Our effort is like preparing the land for ' sowing; knowledge, wealth, house, friends- it is possible to get all these only with human effort. The man who does not do anything gets nothing. If we depend on the Divine without doing anything, there will be nothing in return. Laziness is a disease with us and brings unhappiness. It is because of laziness that people are illiterate and poor. If this disease is not there, who will not become learned? Who cannot become rich? If we can set aside laziness, we can be happy. It is wrong to believe that we can improve with the help of others. Or that others will save us. We must save ourselves. We are our best friends. Because of laziness, we become our worst enemies. Vishwamitra became

Brahmarshi because of his unusual effort. If he had placed trust in God, and had done nothing, could he have attained that position? Vasishta believed in doing his duty. His life was an example for every one in his time. By his timely advice he helped many people to grow higher and higher. There was the light of wisdom around him.

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