EXPALANTION :
QUESTION :
Was Vishvamitra Self - Realized while falling in Menaka's Beauty ?
Can Self - Realized beings can also fall in Lust ?<br>
We find the he answers of above questions given in Valmiki Ramayana Bal-Kanda.Chapter [Sarga] 63. Where the whole story of Sage Vishwamitra is narrated in greate detail .
Background -: on Vishvamitra's performing severe ascesis Brahma accords the sageship of 'Great-sage' to him, whereas Vishvamitra's ambition is to acquire the sageship of a 'Brahma-sage' Absolute-sageship. In the meanwhile, the celestial wench Menaka arrives at that place and Vishvamitra is enticed by her beauty and spends some years with her. Later, on realising the he should have won over lust, he further undertakes severe ascesis, by which gods are perturbed
This is brief of the story -:
On seeing Menaka and falling in love with her Vishvamitra asks her to stay at her hermitage [1-63-6, 7a]
"Then after the lapse of ten year period a thought occurred to Vishvamitra that , these ten years just passed by like a single day , during which I lost may tapas and he felt humiliation. [1-63-9b, 10]
He sent Menaka away with pleasant words went to the northern Himalayan mountain for again doing ascesis. [1-63-12b, 13, 14a]
Because of Vishvamitra's ascesis for a thousand years fear occurred to gods. [1-63-15b, 16a]
All gods coming together with assemblages of sages have approached Brahma and conveyed that, 'this Vishvamitra, the son of Kushika, may duly be given the epithet of 'Maharshi, Exalted Sage.' [1-63-16b, 17a]
Then Brahma gives Vishvamitra title of Brahma-sage (Brahmarshi) " 'Oh, exalted sage, I welcome you my dear, as I am gladdened by your stern ascesis, oh, Kaushika, I bestow upon you the sublimity and supremacy among sages.' [1-63-18b, 19a]
But Viswamitra says to Brahma that he may have been called self-Realized by his tapas .
ब्रह्मर्षि शब्दम् अतुलम् स्व अर्जितैः कर्मभिः शुभैः || १-६३-२०
यदि मे भगवान् आह ततो अहम् विजित इन्द्रियः |" 'If your Godhead had said that I am a Brahma-sage, a sageship acquired personally by my pious deeds, rather than an exalted sage, then I would have become one who is really self-conquered.' Thus Vishvamitra said to Brahma. [1-63-20, 21a]
And then Brahma tells Vishvamitra that he has not yet reached to that position because he has not conquered his sences
तम् उवाच ततो ब्रह्मा न तावत् त्वम् जित इन्द्रियः || १-६३-२१
यतस्व मुनि शार्दूल इति उक्त्वा त्रिदिवम् गतः |
"Brahma then said to him, 'your senses remain unconquered as such, oh, tigerly sage, make an effort for it.' Saying so Brahma went heavenward. VR [1-63-21b, 22a] [1-63-21b, 22a]
So its clear from the above story from Valmiki Ramayana that Sage Vishvamitra was not self-realised one at the time of he fell in love with Menaka the celestial wench.
Now lets look at how one can achieve self realization from The Mundaka Upanishad
नायमात्मा बलहीनेन लभ्यो न च प्रमदात्तपसो वप्यलिङ्गात |
एतैरुपायैर्यतते यस्तु विद्वां-स्त्यैष आत्मा विशते ब्रह्मधाम ||4||nāyamātmā balahīnena labhyo na ca pramādāttapaso vāpyaliṅgāt |
etairupāyairyatate yastu vidvāṃstasyaiṣa ātmā viśate brahmadhāma || 4 ||
- This Atman cannot he attained by one devoid of strength or by excitement or by tapasdevoid of linga. But of the knower who strives with these aids, the Atman enters into the Brahman.
Shankara’s Commentary: Com.—Combined with the wish to realise the Atman, strength, absence of excitement, and knowledge coupled with Sanyasa are helps; because this Atman cannot be attained by one devoid of strength produced by concentration on the Atman or by excitement caused by associating with objects of the world, as son, cattle and the rest, or by tapas devoid of linga. ‘Tapas’ here means ‘knowledge.’ “Linga,” means “Sanyasa.” The meaning is that the Atman cannot be attained by knowledge without Sanyasa. But of the knower who, with these aids, strength, absence of excitement, Sanyasa and knowledge—strives intent after the Atman, the Atman enters its abode, the Brahman.
