Quote from The Splendor of Recognition
The Splendor of Recognition: An Exploration of the Pratyabhijna-hrdayam, a text on the Ancient Science of the Soul
by Swami Shantananda
SYDA Foundation, South Fallsburg, New York, 2003. 422 pages
Let’s say you imagine something. The stronger your intention and the longer the time you hold onto that thought, the more likely are its chances of manifesting in the physical realm. This is one way we shape our reality through our emotional reactions. With this action, viksepa, projection takes place. In the Vedanta text, Yoga-Vasistha, these phenomena are explained through anecdotes that leave us with an almost surrealistic impression of samsara. My favorite of these stories, the one about Queen Lila, which is almost as long as life itself, reflects beautifully the tenets of Kashmir Saivism.
The Story of Queen Lila
In brief, the story begins with Queen Lila’s prayer to the goddess of wisdom, Sarasvati, “O Divine Mother, grant that when my husband departs from his body, his soul shall remain in the palace.” When her husband, King Parma, died, the queen was instructed by a celestial voice to cover his body with flowers so it wouldn’t decay, and thus, “he” wouldn’t leave the palace. This wasn’t what Queen Lila had wanted; she’d hoped for the impossible: that her husband’s body would remain alive. Again she prayed to Sarasvati, “Tell me, where is my husband?”
The goddess appeared to the queen and told her, “There are three types of space: the space of the mind, physical space, and the infinite space of Consciousness. By meditation on the infinite space of Consciousness, you can see and experience the presence of your husband." Queen Lila dedicated herself to spiritual practices and eventually, through Sarasvati’s grace, she attained the highest state. (p. 193)
-- quote by submitted by Sharry L.
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