O Rama, after Sambara had been deserted by the three demons Dama, Vydla and Kata, he realised that they had foolishly entertained egoistic notions and had thus come to grief. Hence, he resolved to create more demons, but this time with self-knowledge and wisdom, so that they might not fall into the same trap of ego- sense.
Sambara thereupon created by his own magic power three more demons known as Bhima, Bhasa and Drdha. They were omniscient, they were endowed with self-knowledge, they were full of dispassion, and sinless. They regarded the whole universe as of no more value than a blade of grass. They began to fight with the army of the gods. In spite of fighting for a considerable time, the ego-sense did not arise in them. Whenever the ego-sense raised its head, they subdued it with self-enquiry (‘Who am I?’). They were therefore free from fear of death; devoid of the feeling ‘I did this’, they did the work allotted to them by the master Samhbara. The army of the gods was quickly defeated by them. The gods fled to Lord Visnu for refuge. At his command, they took up their abode in another region. After this, Lord Visnu himself had to fight with the demon Sarhbara: slain by the Lord the demon instantly reached the abode of Visnu. Lord Visnu also liberated the three demons Bhima, Bhasa and Drdha, who, when the body fell, became enlightened, as they had no ego-sense. O Rama, the conditioned mind alone is bondage; and liberation is when the mind is unconditioned. The conditioning of the mind drops away when the truth is clearly seen and realised; and when the conditioning has ceased one’s consciousness is made supremely peaceful, as when the flame of a lamp is put out. To realise that ‘The self alone is all this, whatever one may think of anywhere’ is clear perception. ‘Conditioning’ and ‘mind’ are but words without corresponding truth: when the truth is investigated they cease to be meaningful — this is clear perception. When this clear perception arises, there is liberation.
Dama, Vyala and Kata illustrate the mind that is conditioned by the ego-sense; Bhima, Bhasa and Drdha illustrate the mind that is free from conditioning or ego-sense. O Rama, do not be like the former, but be like the latter. That is the reason why I narrated this story to you, my dear and highly intelligent disciple. O Rama, they are the true heroes who have brought under control the mind which is dominated by ignorance and delusion. Such control of the mind is the only way by
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