Yoga VaasiSTha on self-effort

[Swami Vishvarupananda]

Sri Rama asked:
"Revered Sir, If one is endowed with the realisation of the Se1f which is
One and Unchangeable by discrimination, how does his body remain favored by
God and how does God behave towards him?"

Vasishtha replied:
"Rama, having the form of movement, the inevitable, the all-powerful, the
power of chaitanya was in the form of niyati(destiny). By its power the
bodies of the realisers of Self remain and perform the day-to-day duties. It
is this niyati that was at the beginning of creation "This is fire, let this
spread its tongues upwards always as it is its nature" was born in
Parabrahma in the form of samkalpa. This niyati is called Mahasatta,
Mahachiti, Mahasakti, Mahadrishti, Mahakriya, Mahodbhava, Mahasparnda and
Mahatmarupa etc. By the power of this niyati, the Brahman is changing the
worlds as pieces of grass. ... This great niyati is called Daiva. It is the
whole time-spreading  all things-spreading, the all in all and the samkalpa
of Iswara, the form of Pure Consciousness, Visuddhachaitanya. "This moves
thus surely; this is to be born at this moment thus without fail" this
niyati is called Daiva, which is also called Purushaspanda, trikalaga
Jivaprabhriti, day and night actions. Due to this niyati, the luck of
Purusha, this niyati remains till the great Deluge. After the mahapralaya,
both these will become one; that is, they dissolve in the Brahman. Niyati
and effort of man are mutually interdependent. Why Rama, thousand words,
your asking me about Daiva and Purushakara, my te1ling you, your following
it - all are the result of niyati. To be immersed in God and say 'God makes
me take my food' so thinking, to be effortless, is also the result of
niyati. If man did not do anything from the past, and if it is to happen so,
the mind, its resulting action, the physical changes due to actions and the
different forms would not have come into existence. Hence, from the
beginning of the kalpa till the end, dissolution, all that happens, happens
only by niyati. The inevitable will surely happen; even Rudra can not change
it. e.g. the fire burns; this niyati is informidable.
The wise should not depend on niyati and give up self-effort; why because,
it is niyati in the form of self-effort that commands activities. Such and
such actions resu1t in such and such results, we see. If niyati is not
combined with self-effort, it is Iswara-samkalpa; when it comes as creation,
it is called Purushakara or self-effort. If this does not take the form of
self-effort it is useless. It becomes fruitful only when it takes the form
of Purushakara. One who depending entirely on niyati does not take his meal
may live for some time hungry and fallen. But, if he gives up self-effort in
the form of inhaling and exhaling, what will be his fate? The yogi
controlling the breath in nirvikalpasamadhi and attaining salvation is the
result of self-effort. So, we can not say that without self-effort, the
fruit can be obtained. Therefore, depending upon Self-effort as per the
injunctions of the Scriptures gives the highest result. It is always
advisable. If salvation is attained without self-effort, it is all the more
welcome. The result of attaining salvation is more important than the,
method. In the niyati of the wise, there is no sorrow or failure. Their
niyati destroys ignorance. If salvation is attained it is attaining the
Pure, the Highest and the Eternal Beatitude Bliss Supreme. Just as the
liquidity of water shines bright on earth as green grass, creepers, trees
etc. In the same way, the all pervading Brahman shines bright in the form of
niyati. (1-33)