Chapter 3.54, Verses 31–45

Yoga Vashishtha 3.54.31–45

(These verses teach that death comes to everyone according to their past actions or karma)

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

बालमृत्युप्रदैर्बालो युवा यौवनमृत्युदैः।

वृद्धमृत्युप्रदैर्वृद्धः कर्मभिर्मृतिमृच्छति ॥ ३१॥

यो यथाशास्त्रमारब्धं स्वधर्मनुमतिष्ठति।

भाजनं भवति श्रीमान्स यथाशास्त्रमायुषः ॥ ३२॥

एवं कर्मानुसारेण जन्तुरन्त्यां दशामितः।

भवन्त्यन्तं गतवतो दृङ्मर्मच्छेदवेदनाः ॥ ३३॥

प्रबुद्धलीलोवाच ।

मरणं मे समासेन कथयेन्दुसमानने।

किं सुखं मरणं किं वा दुःखं मृत्वा च किं भवेत् ॥ ३४॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

त्रिविधाः पुरुषाः सन्ति देहस्यान्ते मुमूर्षवः।

मूर्खोऽथ धारणाभ्यासी युक्तिमान्पुरुषस्तथा ॥ ३५॥

अभ्यस्य धारणानिष्ठो देहं त्यक्त्वा यथासुखम्।

प्रयाति धारणाभ्यासी युक्तियुक्तस्तथैव च ॥ ३६॥

धारणा यस्य नाभ्यासं प्राप्ता नैव च युक्तिमान्।

मूर्खः स्वमृतिकालेऽसौ दुःखमेत्यवशाशयः ॥ ३७॥

वासनावेशवैवश्यं भावयन्विषयाशयः।

दीनतां परमामेति परिलूनमिवाम्बुजम् ॥ ३८॥

अशास्त्रसंस्कृतमतिरसज्जनपरायणः।

मृतावनुभवत्यन्तर्दाहमग्नाविव च्युतः ॥ ३९॥

यदा घर्घरकण्ठत्वं वैरूप्यं दृष्टिवर्णजम्।

गच्छत्येषोऽविवेकात्मा तदा भवति दीनधीः ॥ ४०॥

परमान्ध्यमनालोको दिवाप्युदिततारकः।

साभ्रदिग्मण्डलाभोगो घनमेचकिताम्बरः ॥ ४१॥

मर्मव्यथाविच्छुरितः प्रभ्रमदृष्टिमण्डलः।

आकाशीभूतवसुधो वसुधाभूतखान्तरः ॥ ४२॥

परिवृत्तककुप्चक्र उह्यमान इवार्णवे।

नीयमान इवाकाशे घननिद्रोन्मुखाशयः ॥ ४३॥

अन्धकूप इवापन्नः शिलान्तरिव योजितः।

स्वयं जडीभवद्वर्णो विनिकृत्त इवाशये ॥ ४४॥

पततीव नभोमार्गात्तृणावर्त इवार्पितः।

रथे द्रुत इवारूढो हिँमवद्गलनोन्मुखः ॥ ४५॥

Goddess Saraswati continued:

3.54.31–33

> A child dies from actions that cause childhood diseases and early death. A young person dies from actions leading to youthful death. An old person dies from actions causing old-age death. People meet death according to their past deeds.

> One who follows their duties as prescribed in the scriptures and lives according to righteous conduct becomes prosperous and enjoys a full life as per the scriptures.

> In this way, according to their karma, Beings reach their Final State at the end. Those who have gone to the end experience piercing pains that cut through vital points.

Awakened Lila said: 

3.54.34

> O moon-faced one, tell me briefly about death. What is pleasant death and what is painful? And what happens after dying?

The Goddess said: 

3.54.35–39

> There are three kinds of people at the time of death when the body is about to perish: the foolish one, the one who practices concentration, and the wise yogi.

> The one who has practiced steady concentration leaves the body happily and goes forth. The wise yogi also departs in the same pleasant way.

> One who has neither practiced concentration nor become wise is a fool. At the time of death, this helpless person experiences great suffering.

> Caught in the grip of latent desires and impressions, thinking only of worldly objects, he reaches extreme misery, like a lotus flower that has been cut and withered.

> One whose mind is not refined by scriptures and who is not devoted to good people experiences intense inner burning at death, like falling into fire.

3.54.40–45 

> When the throat makes rattling sounds, the eyes and complexion change in ugly ways, this undiscriminating soul becomes very distressed.

> Deep blindness and darkness cover everything even in daylight, with stars appearing to twinkle. The sky looks cloudy and the directions seem vast and dark like a blackish cloudy expanse.

> Pierced by pains in vital organs, with confused and unsteady vision, the earth seems to become sky and the sky seems to become earth.

> The directions seem to turn around like a wheel. He feels as if being carried in an ocean or being led through the sky, with a heavy sleepy feeling rising.

> He feels fallen into a dark well or trapped between rocks. His own color fades and he feels cut off within himself.

> He feels as if falling from the path of the sky like a bundle of grass whirled around, or riding fast in a chariot, or melting away like snow on the Himalayas.

Summary of the Teachings:

Children, youth, and the elderly all face death based on the kind of deeds they performed earlier in life or in previous births. Righteous living according to scriptures extends life and brings prosperity, while wrong actions shorten it. This shows the law of cause and effect governing human existence and the importance of good conduct from a young age.

The conversation between Lila and the Goddess explains the process of dying and what makes it easy or difficult. There are three types of people at death: the ignorant, those trained in mental concentration, and the wise. The trained and wise leave the body peacefully and happily, while the ignorant suffer greatly. This highlights the value of spiritual practices like dharana (concentration) during life to prepare for a good death.

For the unprepared fool attached to worldly desires, death brings intense suffering. 

Their mind is filled with vasanas (latent impressions) of sense objects, leading to helplessness, inner burning, and extreme distress. Physical signs like rattling breath, distorted vision, and changing complexion add to the misery. The teachings urge people to purify the mind through scriptures and good company to avoid this painful end.

The verses describe in detail the terrifying experiences during the final moments for the unwise. The world appears inverted, with darkness, confusion, spinning directions, and feelings of falling or being trapped. These are vivid images of the mental and physical agony that comes from not having cultivated inner strength or detachment. It serves as a warning to live mindfully.

Overall, the teachings encourage yogic practices, ethical living, and detachment from worldly attachments to face death calmly. Death is not the end but a transition shaped by one's life. By following dharma and training the mind, one can achieve a peaceful passage, emphasizing self-effort and spiritual discipline as keys to a meaningful life and smooth departure from the body.

Chapter 3.54, Verses 15–30

Yoga Vashishtha 3.54.15–30

(The teachings in these verses explain that the whole Universe is not empty Nothingness. It is the living form of Universal Consciousness)

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

न च नाम नकिंचित्त्वं युज्यते विश्वरूपिणः।

त्यक्त्वा समस्तसंस्थानं हेम तिष्ठति वै कथम् ॥ १५॥

सर्गादौ स्वयमेवान्तश्चिद्यथा कचितात्मनि।

हिमाग्न्यादितयाद्यापि सा तथास्ते स्वसत्तया ॥ १६॥

तस्मात्स्वसत्तासंत्यागः सतः कर्तुं न युज्यते।

यदा चिदास्ते तेनेयं नियतिर्न विनश्यति ॥ १७॥

यद्यथा कचितं यत्र व्योमरूप्यपि पार्थिवम्।

सर्गादौ तस्य चलितुमद्ययावन्न युज्यते ॥ १८॥

या यथा चित्प्रकचिता प्रतिपक्षविदं विना।

न सा ततः प्रचलति वेदनाभ्यासतः स्वयम् ॥ १९॥

जगदादावनुत्पन्नं यच्चेदमनुभूयते।

तत्संविद्व्योमकचनं स्वप्नस्त्रीसुरतं यथा ॥ २०॥

असत्यमेव सत्याभं प्रतिभानमिदं स्थितम्।

इति स्वभावसंपत्तिरिति भूतानुभूतयः ॥ २१॥

सर्गादौ या यथा रूढा संवित्कचनसंततिः।

साद्याप्यचलितान्येन स्थिता नियतिरुच्यते ॥ २२॥

गृहीतव्योमसंवित्तिचिद्व्योम व्योमतां गतम्।

गृहीतकालतासंविच्चिन्नभः कालतां गतम् ॥ २३॥

गृहीतजलसंवित्तिचिद्व्योम वारिवत्स्थितम्।

स्वप्ने यथा हि पुरुषः पश्यत्यात्मनि वारिताम् ॥ २४॥

स्वप्नचित्संविदाभाति भवत्येषा यथास्थिता।

चिच्चमत्कारचातुर्यादसदेतत्समूहते ॥ २५॥

खत्वं जलत्वमुर्वीत्वमग्निवायुत्वमप्यसत्।

वेत्त्यन्तः स्वप्नसंकल्पध्यानेष्विव चितिः स्वयम् ॥ २६॥

मरणानन्तरं कर्मफलानुभवनक्रमम्।

सर्वसंदेहशान्त्यर्थं मृतिश्रेयस्करं श्रृणु ॥ २७॥

रूढादिसर्गे नियतिर्यैकद्वित्रिचतुःशता।

पूर्वादिष्वायुषः पुंसां तस्या मे नियतिं श्रृणु ॥ २८॥

देशकालक्रियाद्रव्यशुद्ध्यशुद्धी स्वकर्मणाम्।

न्यूनत्वे चाधिकत्वे च नृणां कारणमायुषः ॥ २९॥

स्वकर्मधर्मे ह्रसति हसत्यायुर्नृणामिह।

वृद्धे वृद्धिमुपायाति सममेव भवेत्समे ॥ ३०॥

The Goddess continued: 

3.54.15–22

> Nothingness does not apply to the one who has the form of the whole Universe. After giving up all forms, how can gold still remain?

> At the start of Creation, Consciousness itself shines inside itself as if it has appeared. Even now, like ice, fire and other things, it stays by its own power of Being.

> So it is not right for what truly exists to give up its own Being. As long as Consciousness is there, this fixed law does not get destroyed.

> Whatever is shown in whatever way and place, even if it looks like earth in the form of sky, it is not right for it to change from the beginning of Creation till today.

> Whatever Consciousness has made shine without any opposite, it does not move away from that by itself because of the habit of Knowing.

> The world that was never born at the beginning is still experienced now. It is only Consciousness shining in empty Space, like the pleasure with a woman in a dream.

> This appearance, which is unreal but looks true, is now fixed like this. This is the natural perfection, and these are the experiences of all Beings.

> The continuous flow of Consciousness appearances that was set at the beginning of Creation in this exact way still stands unmoved by anything else even now. That is called the fixed law.

3.54.23–30

> The Consciousness of Space that is taken as empty has become space-like. The Consciousness of Time that is taken has become time-like in the empty sky of Consciousness.

> The Consciousness of water that is taken has become water-like in the empty Space of Consciousness. Just as a man in a dream sees himself as having water inside.

> Dream-like Consciousness shines and makes this appear as it is fixed. By the clever wonder of Consciousness, this whole unreal thing is brought together.

> Being space, being water, being earth, being fire and being wind are all unreal. Consciousness itself knows them inside, just like in dream thoughts and meditations.

> After death comes the order of experiencing the fruits of past actions. Listen to this helpful teaching about death so that all doubts are fully removed.

> In the fixed Creation from the beginning, the law is set as one, two, three or four hundred. Listen to my clear rule about the life spans of men from earlier times.

> Place, time, action, substance, the pure or impure nature of one’s own actions, and their shortage or extra amount – these are the causes of the life span of men.

> When one’s own duty and right way of living decreases, the life of men decreases here. When it increases, life increases. When it stays equal, life stays the same.

Summary of the teachings: 

Just as gold keeps its real nature no matter what shapes are made or removed, the Divine spirit stays forever as the base of everything we see. Calling the world “Nothing” is wrong because it exists through its own power and never truly leaves its original Being.

Consciousness is the only Real thing. At the very start of Creation it shines inside itself and appears as all forms, like ice or fire. This showing is steady because of a fixed law called niyati. As long as Consciousness is present, the world keeps its set form and does not change or disappear. The world was never made in the usual way; it is only an experience of Consciousness shining in empty Space, exactly like things felt in a dream.

The world looks Real and True even though it is unreal at the deepest level. This happens because of our habit of seeing and knowing things in a certain way. Once Consciousness sets a pattern at the beginning of Creation, that pattern stays fixed. No other force can easily move it. This fixed order is what we call the law of nature or destiny.

Consciousness cleverly creates the qualities of Space, Time, water, Earth, fire and Air even though they are all unreal. It does this inside itself, just as a dreamer sees water or other objects inside the dream. Through its own wonderful power, Consciousness brings together this whole collection of unreal things and makes them seem solid and lasting.

These verses also teach about life after death. After the body dies, the soul experiences the results of its past actions in a clear order. To remove every doubt, the Goddess explains the helpful truth about death. A person’s life span on earth is decided by how well they follow their duty and right living. Good actions and pure living make life longer. Bad actions and falling short make life shorter. When actions stay balanced, life stays balanced too. Place, time and the quality of deeds also affect how long one lives.

Chapter 3.54, Verses 1–14

Yoga Vashishtha 3.54.1–14

(Here the Goddess is teaching that only people who truly know the Real Nature of things or who follow the Highest dharma can reach Higher, transcendental worlds even while living in this world)

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

तस्माद्ये वेद्यवेत्तारो ये वा धर्मं परं श्रिताः।

आतिवाहिकलोकांस्ते प्राप्नुवन्तीह नेतरे ॥ १॥

आधिभौतिकदेहत्वं मिथ्याभ्रममयात्मकम्।

कथं सत्ये स्थितिं याति च्छायास्ते कथमातपे ॥ २॥

लीला विदितवेद्या नो परमं धर्ममाश्रिता।

केवलं तेन सा भर्तुः कल्पितं नगरं गता ॥ ३॥

प्रबुद्धलीलोवाच ।

एवमेषा प्रयाताऽस्तु भर्ता पश्य ममाम्बिके।

प्रवृत्तः प्राणसंत्यागे कर्तव्यं किमिहाधुना ॥ ४॥

भावाभावेषु भावानां कथं नियतिरागता।

कथं भूयोऽप्यनियतिर्मृतिजन्मादिसूचिता ॥ ५॥

कथं स्वभावसंसिद्धिः कथं सत्ता पदार्थगा।

कथमग्न्यादिपूष्णत्वं पृथ्व्यादौ स्थिरता कथम् ॥ ६॥

हिमादिषु कथं शैत्यं का सत्ता कालखादिषु।

भावाभावग्रहोत्सर्गस्थूलसूक्ष्मदृशः कथम् ॥ ७॥

कथमत्यन्तमुच्छ्रायं तृणगुल्मनरादिकम्।

वस्तु नायात्यनिष्टेऽपि स्थिते स्वोच्छ्रायकारणे ॥ ८॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

महाप्रलयसंपत्तौ सर्वार्थास्तमये सति।

अनन्ताकाशमाशान्तं सद्ब्रह्मैवावतिष्ठते ॥ ९॥

तच्चिद्रूपतया तेजःकणोऽहमिति चेतति।

स्वप्ने संविद्यथा हि त्वमाकाशगमनादि च ॥ १०॥

तेजःकणोऽसौ स्थूलत्वमात्मनात्मनि विन्दति।

असत्यमेव सत्याभं ब्रह्माण्डं तदिदं स्मृतम् ॥ ११॥

तत्रान्तर्ब्रह्म तद्वेत्ति ब्रह्मायमहमित्यथ।

मनोराज्यं स कुरुते स्वात्मैवं तदिदं जगत् ॥ १२॥

तस्मिन्प्रथमतः सर्गे या यथा यत्र संविदः।

कचितास्तास्तथा तत्र स्थिता अद्यापि निश्चलाः ॥ १३॥

यद्यथा स्फुरितं चित्तं तत्तथा ह्यात्मचिद्भवेत्।

स्वयमेवानियमतस्तत्तत्स्यान्नेह किंचन ॥ १४॥

The Goddess said:

3.54.1–3

> Therefore, those who know what is to be known or those who have taken refuge in the Supreme dharma attain the transcendental worlds right here, and not others.

> The physical body is made of false illusion and delusion. How can it attain a stable place in Truth? How can a shadow stand in the sunlight?

> Lila knew what is to be known but did not take refuge in the Supreme dharma. Only because of that did she go to the city imagined by her husband.

The Awakened Lila said: 

3.54.4–8

> Thus she has gone, but O my mother, look at my husband. He has begun to give up his life. What is to be done here now?

> How has the fixed order come about in the existence and non-existence of things? How is there again lack of order shown by birth, death and the like?

> How is the self-nature perfectly established? How does the existence of objects come about? How is the nourishing power of fire and so on? How is the stability in earth and the like?

> How is coldness in snow and the like? What is the existence in Time, Space and the like? How is the perception of gross and subtle in grasping and rejecting Existence and non-existence?

> How do grass, shrubs, humans and the like attain extreme height? The object does not attain it even when the cause of its own height is present but not desired.

The Goddess said: 

3.54.9–14

> In the Great Dissolution, when all things have come to an end, the Infinite Space remains calm and only the True Brahm exists.

> And that, in the form of Consciousness, thinks of itself as a particle of light, “I am.” Just as in a dream you perceive moving through Space and other things.

> That particle of light finds grossness in itself by itself. This Universe is remembered as appearing Real but is actually unreal, like Brahm.

> There, the Inner Brahm knows “I am this Brahm.” It creates its own mental kingdom; thus this world is formed.

> In that first Creation, whatever Consciousness es appeared in whatever way and wherever, they remain fixed there even today, unmoving.

> In whatever way the mind has vibrated, in that very way it becomes the Self-Consciousness. By its own freedom from rules, it becomes that and that; there is nothing else here.

Summary of the teachings of these verses:

The ordinary physical body is nothing but illusion and delusion, so it can never find a real, stable place in Truth. It is compared to a shadow that simply cannot stand in bright sunlight. This shows that the material world we see is not the final Reality and that True Knowledge or dharma is the only way to go beyond it.

The example of Queen Lila is given to explain the point further. She had some knowledge but did not fully follow the Supreme dharma, so she ended up in a city created only by her husband’s mind. Then the Awakened Lila asks many deep questions. She wants to know how fixed order and sudden disorder both appear in life, why birth and death keep happening, and how the natural qualities of things like fire’s heat, earth’s firmness or snow’s coldness stay the same. She is trying to understand the rules that seem to govern the world around us.

She also asks how grass, plants and humans grow to their exact heights and how we see things as gross or subtle when we accept or reject the ideas of Existence and non-existence. 

These questions point to the mystery of why the world appears so solid and orderly even though it is all mind-made. The Awakened Lila is searching for the root cause behind every natural and mental event we experience.

The Goddess answers by describing the moment of Great Cosmic Dissolution. At that time everything disappears and only Infinite, Peaceful Space and Pure Brahm remain. From this Brahm, Consciousness arises and begins to think of itself as a tiny particle of light saying “I am.” This is compared to a dream in which we see ourselves flying through Space or doing many things that feel completely real while we sleep. In the same way the whole Universe starts as a thought inside Consciousness.

Finally the Goddess explains that this Consciousness creates the entire world as its own mental kingdom. Whatever forms of Consciousness appeared in the very first Creation stay exactly the same and unmoving even today. There are no outside rules; the mind vibrates freely and becomes whatever it imagines. Thus the whole Universe is nothing but the play of Consciousness with no other independent Reality. The teaching is that by understanding this Truth one can rise above illusion and reach Freedom.

Chapter 3.53, Verses 28–40

Yoga Vashishtha 3.53.28–40

(These verses teach that the ordinary mind, trapped in ignorance, cannot travel to higher spiritual worlds while still in the physical body)

प्रबुद्धलीलोवाच ।

अमुनैव शरीरेण किमर्थं न गता पतिम्।

एषा वरेण संप्राप्ता लीला ललितवादिनी ॥ २८॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

अप्रबुद्धधियः सिद्धलोकान्पुण्यवशोदितान्।

न समर्थाः स्वदेहेन प्राप्तुं छाया इवातपान् ॥ २९॥

आदिसर्गे च नियतिः स्थापितेति प्रबोधिभिः।

यथा सत्यमलीकेन न मिलत्येव किंचन ॥ ३०॥

यावद्वेतालसंकल्पो बालस्य किल विद्यते।

निर्वेतालधियस्तावदुदयस्तस्य कः कथम् ॥ ३१॥

अविवेकज्वरोष्णत्वं विद्यते यावदात्मनि।

तावद्विवेकशीतांशुशैत्यं कुत उदेत्यलम् ॥ ३२॥

अहं पृथ्व्यादिदेहः खे गतिर्नास्ति ममोत्तमा।

इतिनिश्चयवान्योऽन्तः कथं स्यात्सोऽन्यनिश्चयः ॥ ३३॥

अतो ज्ञानविवेकेन पुण्येनाथ वरेण च।

पुण्यदेहेन गच्छन्ति परं लोकमनेन तु॥ ३४॥

शुष्कपर्णं किलाङ्गारे एतदेवाशु दह्यते।

अयं देहमहंदेहः प्राप्त एव विशीर्यते॥ ३५॥

एतावदेव भवति वरशापविजृम्भितैः।

यथा संचिन्त्य एवाहं तथा स्मृत इति स्मृतिः ॥ ३६॥

यः सर्पप्रत्ययो रज्ज्वां स कथं सर्पकार्यकृत्।

आत्मन्येव हि यो नास्ति तस्य का कार्यकारिता ॥ ३७॥

यस्त्वेतन्मृत इत्येव मिथ्या समनुभूयते।

प्रागभ्यासस्य पुष्टस्य नामैतत्प्रविजृम्भते ॥ ३८॥

स्वानुभूते जगज्जाले सुगमा संस्मृतिभ्रमाः।

नान्यसंकल्पितो नाम सर्गाद्यभ्यास ईदृशः ॥ ३९॥

अन्तरनुभूयमानाः संसृतयो बाह्यभूतजालानाम्।

अविदितवेद्यदृशामपि दूरे पुंसामिवैन्दवं बिम्बम् ॥ ४०॥

The Awakened Leela said:

3.53.28

> “Why did she not go to her husband with this very body? This Leela, who speaks sweetly, has been received through a boon.”

The Goddess said:

 3.53.29–33

> “People with unawakened minds cannot reach the perfect worlds born from merit with their own bodies. It is like shadows that cannot reach the sun.”

> “From the very start of Creation the wise fixed this law: Truth never mixes with falsehood in any way.”

> “As long as a child holds the idea of a ghost in his mind, how and when can a mind free from ghosts ever rise in him?”

> “As long as the burning fever of ignorance stays in the Self, how can the cool light of clear understanding ever rise fully?”

> “Whoever is firmly convinced inside that ‘I am only this body of earth and so on and I have no higher path in the sky’, how can he ever hold a different belief?”

3.53.34–40 

“Therefore, through Knowledge and clear thinking, or through merit, or through a boon, people reach the higher world with this very meritorious body.”

> “Just as a dry leaf burns quickly in fire, this ‘I am the body’ feeling, once it comes, soon falls apart and is destroyed.”

> “This is all that happens through the power of boons and curses: ‘As I think deeply, so I remember.’ That is what we call memory.”

> “How can someone who sees a snake in a rope ever do the work of a real snake? Whatever does not exist at all in the Self cannot perform any action.”

> “The false feeling that ‘this person is dead’ comes only from old habits that have grown strong. That is what now shows itself.”

> “In the web of the world that we experience ourselves, the mix-ups of memory are very easy. The whole play of Creation and so on is not imagined by anyone else; it is our own repeated practice.”

> “The flows of life felt inside are far away from the outer net of Beings for those who do not know the True Knowable, just as the moon’s reflection seems distant to men.”

Summary of the teachings: 

Just as a shadow can never touch the sun, an unawakened person stays stuck in the limits of the material world. The law of Creation itself keeps truth and illusion apart, so only those who have earned merit or received a special boon can cross over with the same body.

The verses explain that body identification and lack of clear thinking act like a fever. Until this fever cools, True Wisdom cannot dawn, just as a frightened child cannot stop seeing ghosts until the false idea leaves his mind. Strong inner belief in “I am only this body” blocks any higher understanding and keeps a person from changing his view.

True progress comes only through Knowledge, sharp discrimination, good deeds, or Divine Grace. These forces allow the soul to reach higher realms while still using the body that has earned merit. Without them, the limited “I am the body” feeling remains and prevents any real rise.

The teachings compare the “I am the body” sense to a dry leaf that burns up quickly in fire. Once the false idea of death or separate Self appears, it is already beginning to dissolve. Memory and the feeling of life and death are not real events but only the result of deep, repeated thoughts and old habits, like mistaking a rope for a snake.

Finally, the verses remind us that the entire world we feel is created inside our own mind through our own repeated practice. These inner experiences stay far from the true outer Reality for those who have not yet known The Knowable. The confusion of memory is easy in our personal world, but it has no power over what truly exists beyond it.

Chapter 3.53, Verses 15–27

Yoga Vashishtha 3.53.15–27

(These verses teach that the physical world and different realms of Existence are not solid barriers but open to Consciousness)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

तत्रैकस्मिन्पुरःसंस्थे विततावरणान्विते।

वेधयित्वा विवेशान्तर्बदरं कृमिको यथा ॥ १५॥

पुनर्ब्रह्मेन्द्रविष्ण्वादिलोकानुल्लङ्घ्य भास्वरान्।

तन्महीमण्डलं श्रीमत्प्राप तारापथादधः ॥ १६॥

तत्र तन्मण्डलं प्राप्य तत्पुरं तच्च मण्डपम्।

प्रविश्य पुष्पगुप्तस्य शवस्य निकटे स्थिता ॥ १७॥

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे सा च न ददर्श कुमारिकाम्।

मायामिव परिज्ञाता क्वापि यातां वरानना ॥ १८॥

मुखमालोक्य सा तस्य स्वभर्तुः शवरूपिणः।

इदं बुद्धवती सत्यं प्रतिभावशतः स्वतः ॥ १९॥

अयं स भर्ता संग्रामे निहतो मम सिन्धुना।

वीरलोकानिमान्प्राप्य क्षणं शेते यथासुखम् ॥ २०॥

अहं देव्याः प्रसादेन सशरीरैवमीदृशम्।

इह प्राप्तवती धन्या मत्समा नास्ति काचन ॥ २१॥

इति संचिन्त्य सा हस्ते गृहीत्वा चारु चामरम्।

वीजयामास चन्द्रेण द्यीरिवावनिमण्डलम् ॥ २२॥

प्रबुद्धलीलोवाच ।

ते भृत्यास्ताश्च वै दास्यः स राजा च प्रबुद्धवान्।

वक्ष्यन्ति वदतां देवि किं कयैव कथं धिया ॥ २३॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

स राजा सा च ते भृत्याः सर्व एव परस्परम्।

चिदाकाशैकतावेशादावयोश्च प्रभावतः ॥ २४॥

महाचित्प्रतिभासत्वान्महानियतिनिश्चयात्।

अन्योन्यमेवपश्यन्ति मिथः संप्रतिबिम्बितात् ॥ २५॥

इयं मे सहजा भार्या ममेयं सहजा सखी।

ममेयं सहजा राज्ञी भृत्योऽयं सहजो मम ॥ २६॥

केवलं त्वमहं सा च यथावृत्तमखण्डितम्।

ज्ञास्याम इदमाश्चर्यं नतु कश्चिदपीतरः ॥ २७॥

Sage Vasistha continued:  

3.53.15–22

> In one city standing ahead, surrounded by wide barriers, she pierced through and entered inside just like a worm enters a jujube fruit.  

> Then, crossing the bright worlds of Brahma, Indra, Vishnu and the other gods, she reached that glorious earthly circle below the path of stars.  

> Reaching that circle, she came to the city and the pavilion there, entered them, and stood near the corpse of Pushpagupta.  

> In that moment she did not see the young girl. The beautiful-faced one Realized the girl was like an illusion and had gone somewhere.  

> Looking at the face of her own husband in the form of a corpse, she understood this Truth through her own inner insight.  

> This is my husband who was killed in battle by Sindhu. Having reached these worlds of heroes, he rests happily for a moment as he pleases.  

> By the Grace of the Goddess I have reached this State here with my body intact. I am blessed; no one is equal to me.  

> Thinking this, she took a beautiful fly-whisk in her hand and fanned him with it, like the moon fanning the circle of the earth.  

The awakened Lila said: 

3.53.23 

> Those servants, those maids, that King and the awakened one will say, O Goddess, what will they say, by whom, and how with what mind?  

The Goddess said:  

3.53.24–27

> That King, she, and those servants—all of them see one another because of the Oneness in the Space of Pure Consciousness and by the power of the two.  

> Because of their appearance in the Great Consciousness and the great fixed law of fate, they see one another as mutual reflections.  

> This is my natural wife; this is my natural companion; this is my natural queen; this servant is naturally mine.  

> Only you, I and she will know this unbroken event exactly as it happened—this wonder; but no one else will know it.

Summary of the teachings:

A Being can move through cities, worlds and bodies as easily as a worm bores into fruit, showing that what we call “Reality” is actually a flexible appearance created within the mind or Consciousness. The journey from heavenly worlds to the earthly one reminds us that all planes of life are connected and illusory, not fixed or separate.

The story shows how even after death the husband’s body remains part of the same dream-like play. The queen sees the corpse, recognises the truth through her own insight, and feels blessed by the Goddess’s Grace. This teaches that death is only a temporary rest in the worlds of heroes; the soul continues, and one who is awake can still meet and serve the loved one with the body intact because everything exists inside One Consciousness.

The dialogue between the awakened Lila and the Goddess explains that Kings, servants, wives and friends are not truly separate persons. They appear related only because they are all reflections in the single Space of Pure Consciousness. Their “natural” bonds of wife, friend, queen or servant are created by the mind’s power and the cosmic law of fate, making the whole scene look real and personal while it is actually one unified Awareness playing many roles.

Because of the Great Consciousness and the unbreakable law of niyati, every character sees the others as Real and bound to each other. They mirror one another perfectly, so each thinks “this is my wife, my servant, my queen”. This mutual reflection is the reason the world feels solid and full of relationships, yet it is only a wonderful appearance inside the mind, not an independent outer Reality.

Finally, the verses reveal that only the truly awakened—here represented by “you, I and she”—can understand this marvellous play exactly as it is, without any break or division. Ordinary people stay lost in the dream and never grasp the secret. The teaching is that liberation comes when we Realize the entire Universe is an unbroken Wonder of One Consciousness, and only those who wake up to this Truth know the full mystery while others remain inside the illusion.

Chapter 3.53, Verses 1-14

Yoga Vashishtha 3.53.1–14

(These verses teach the immense power of a firm resolve or sankalpa)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

अथ लब्धवरा देहेनानेनैव महीपतिम्।

पतिमाप्तुं प्रयात्येषा नभोमार्गेण विष्टपम् ॥ १॥

इति संचिन्त्य सानन्दमुद्दाममकरध्वजा।

पुप्लुवे पेलवाकारा पक्षिणीव नभस्तले ॥ २॥

कुमारीं तत्र सा प्राप ज्ञप्त्यैव प्रहितां हिताम्।

स्वसंकल्पमहादर्शात्पुरतो निर्गतामिव ॥ ३॥

कुमार्युवाच ।

दुहितास्मि सखि ज्ञप्तेः स्वागतं तेऽस्तु सुन्दरि।

प्रतीक्षमाणा त्वामेव स्थितास्मीह नभःपथि ॥ ४॥

लीलोवाच ।

देवि भर्तुः समीपं मां नय नीरजलोचने।

महतां दर्शनं यस्मान्न कदाचन निष्फलम् ॥ ५॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

एहि तत्रैव गच्छाव इत्युक्त्वा सा कुमारिका।

पुरस्तस्याः स्थिता व्योम्नि मार्गदर्शनतत्परा ॥ ६॥

ततस्तदनुयाता सा प्राप कोटरमम्बरम्।

निर्मलं करमालाग्रं यथा लक्षणलेखिका ॥ ७॥

मेघमार्गमथोल्लङ्घ्य वातस्कन्धान्तरे गता।

सूर्यमार्गादभिगता तारामार्गमतीत्य च ॥ ८॥

वाय्विन्द्रसुरसिद्धानां लोकानुल्लङ्घ्य लाघवात्।

ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेशानां प्राप ब्रह्माण्डखर्परम् ॥ ९॥

हिमशैत्यं यथान्तस्थं कुम्भेऽभिन्ने बहिर्भवेत्।

तथा संकल्पसिद्धा सा ब्रह्माण्डान्निर्गता बहिः ॥ १०॥

स्वचित्तमात्रदेहैषा स्वसंकल्पस्वभावजम्।

अन्तरेवानुभवति किलैवं नाम विभ्रमम् ॥ ११॥

ब्रह्मादिस्थानमाक्रम्य प्राप्य ब्रह्माण्डखर्परम्।

ततो ब्रह्माण्डपारस्था जलाद्यावरणानि च ॥ १२॥

समुल्लङ्घ्य पुरः प्राप महाचिद्गगनान्तरम् ।

अदृष्टपारपर्यन्तमतिवेगेन धावता।

सर्वतो गरुडेनापि कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ १३॥

तत्र ब्रह्माण्डलक्षाणि सन्त्यसंख्यानि भूरिशः।

तान्यन्योन्यमदृष्टानि फलानीव महावने ॥ १४॥

Sage Vasistha said: 

3.53.1–3

> Now, having received the boon, with this very body she sets out to reach the King as her husband, travelling through the sky path to the higher world.

> Thinking this with joy, the one with the lofty makara banner, delicate in form, flew like a bird in the sky.

> There she met a maiden sent helpfully by Jnapti herself, as if she had come forward from the great mirror of her own resolve.

The maiden said: 

3.53.4

> Friend, I am the daughter of Jnapti. Welcome to you, beautiful one. I have been waiting here on the sky path only for you.

Lila said: 

3.53.5

> O Goddess with lotus eyes, lead me near my husband. The sight of the great ones is never without fruit.

Sage Vasistha continued: 

3.53.6–9

> Saying “Come, let us go there,” the maiden stood in front of her in the sky, fully focused on showing the path.

> Then, following her, she reached a hollow in the sky, pure and clear like the tip of the palm lines drawn by a fortune teller.

> Next, crossing the path of clouds, she entered the midst of the wind regions. She left the sun’s path and passed beyond the path of stars.

> With lightness she crossed the worlds of wind, Indra, gods and perfected beings, and reached the shell of the cosmic egg of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha.

3.53.10–14

> Just as the cold inside an unbroken pot of ice comes out, so by the power of her resolve she came out of the cosmic egg to the outside.

> This one, whose body is only her mind, experiences inside herself alone this delusion born of the nature of her own resolve.

> Having reached the abode of Brahma and others and the shell of the cosmic egg, she then crossed the outer coverings beyond the cosmic egg such as water and the rest.

> Having crossed them she reached ahead the great sky of Pure Consciousness. Even Garuda flying at top speed could not reach its unseen end in hundreds of millions of kalpas.

> There exist countless Universes (Brahmandas) in huge numbers, unseen by one another like fruits in a great forest.

Summary of teachings: 

Lila, strengthened by a Divine boon, decides to meet her husband and begins her journey in her physical body itself. This shows that a strong, pure intention can make the impossible happen and allows a person to move beyond ordinary limits without needing to change the body. The story highlights how determination turns into action and opens doors that normal thinking cannot even imagine.

The meeting with the Divine maiden, daughter of Goddess Jnapti, brings out the role of Higher guidance. The maiden appears exactly when needed, welcomes Lila warmly and offers to lead her. This teaches that when one moves with sincere purpose, help from knowledge and grace arrives naturally. It also reminds us that the vision or company of Great Beings is always fruitful and never wasted, encouraging seekers to value divine support on their path.

The long journey through clouds, winds, sun, stars, gods’ worlds and finally the cosmic egg shell describes the many layers of Existence. Lila crosses each level with ease, showing that the mind can travel through subtle and higher realms. The verses explain that these paths are not just physical but represent different States of Being. By passing them lightly, Lila demonstrates that spiritual progress involves rising above gross matter and entering finer levels of Reality.

A key teaching is that everything happens within the mind. Lila’s body is described as mind-only, and her entire travel is an experience created by her own resolve. Even exiting the cosmic egg like cold escaping a pot shows that the outer Universe is not solid but a projection of thought. This points to the non-dual truth: the world we see is a delusion or vision inside Consciousness, and all journeys are internal, not separate from the Self.

Finally, the vast Space of Pure Consciousness reveals countless Universes, each invisible to the others like fruits scattered in a huge forest. This teaches the Infinite Nature of Creation and the smallness of any single world. It brings humility, showing that our Reality is only one tiny part among endless others, all resting in One Great Consciousness. The verses urge us to see beyond limited views and recognise the boundless, dream-like play of the mind in the Universe.

Chapter 3.52, Verses 42–52

Yoga Vashishtha 3.52.42–52

(The verses teach that Brahm, the Ultimate Reality, is all-pervasive and manifests instantly in any place or form according to the Power of Consciousness, much like how dreams create entire worlds in a moment)

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

ब्रह्म सर्वगतं यस्माद्यथा यत्र यदोदितम्।

भवत्याशु तथा तत्र स्वप्नशक्त्यैव पश्यति ॥ ४२॥

सर्वत्र सर्वशक्तित्वाद्यत्र या शक्तिरुन्नयेत्।

आस्ते तत्र तथा भाति तीव्रसंवेगहेतुतः ॥ ४३॥

मृतिमोहक्षणेनैव यदैतौ दंपती स्थितौ।

तदैवाभ्यामिदं बुद्धं प्रतिभासवशाद्हृदि ॥ ४४॥

आवयोः पितरावेताविमे वै चापि मातरौ।

देश एष धनं चेदं कर्मेदं पूर्वमीदृशम् ॥ ४५॥

आवां विवाहितावेवमेवं नामैकतां गतौ।

एतयोः सापि जनता याता तत्रैव सत्यताम् ॥ ४६॥

तथैवात्रास्ति दृष्टान्तः प्रत्यक्षं स्वप्नवेदनम्।

इत्येवंभावया लीले लीलयाहमथार्चिता ॥ ४७॥

नाहं स्यां विधवेत्येवं वरो दत्तो मयाप्यसौ।

इत्यर्थेन मृता पूर्वमेवेह खलु बालिका ॥ ४८॥

भवतां चेतनांशानामहं चेतनधर्मिणी।

कुलदेवी सदा पूज्या स्वत एव करोम्यहम् ॥ ४९॥

अथास्या जीवको देहात्प्राणमारुतरूपधृक्।

मनसा चलतां प्राप्तो मुखाग्रत्यक्तदेहकः ॥ ५०॥

ततो मरणमूर्च्छान्ते गृहेऽस्मिन्नेव चैतया।

बुद्धौ भावित आकाशे दृष्टो जीवात्मना ततः ॥ ५१॥

संपन्नैषा हरिणनयना चन्द्रबिम्बाननश्रीर्मानोन्नद्धा दयितललिता कान्तमाभोक्तुकामा।

पूर्वस्मृत्या सरभसमुखी संयुता मण्डलान्तः स्वप्नान्ते वाऽप्रकृतिविभवा पद्मिनी चोदितेव ॥ ५२॥

The Goddess said: 

3.52.42–46

> Because Brahm is present everywhere, whatever arises anywhere appears there quickly, just as one sees things through the power of a dream. 

> Wherever any power arises due to its all-powerful nature everywhere, it stays and shines there strongly because of intense momentum. 

> The moment these two, the husband and wife, were overcome by the delusion of death, at that very instant this whole scene was understood in their hearts through appearance. 

> These are our parents and these are our mothers too. This is the place, this is the wealth, and this was our past action of such kind. 

> We two are married in this way and have become one in name. Even the people connected to them have become real in that very place. 

3.52.47–52

> In the same way, there is a clear example here of dream experience seen directly. Thinking in this manner, O Leela, I was worshipped playfully by you. 

> I said, “May I not become a widow,” and that boon was also given by me. For this reason, the girl had died here long before. 

> I am the Conscious Essence among the Conscious parts of you all. As the family Goddess, I am always to be worshipped, and I do everything by my own nature. 

> Then her life-force, taking the form of vital air from the body, moved with the mind and left the body through the mouth. 

> After that, at the end of the death faint in this very house, the living soul saw in the Space imagined in the intellect. 

> She has now become this doe-eyed one with the beauty of the moon’s orb on her face, proud with self-respect, playful and beloved, desiring to enjoy her lover. With previous memory, her face eager, united inside the circle, like a lotus woman with extraordinary powers awakened as if at the end of a dream. 

Summary of the teachings:

Whatever thought or power arises with strong intensity appears and stays as Real in that very spot. This shows the creative nature of the mind and Consciousness, where appearance becomes experience without any external material cause.

Death and life events are portrayed as sudden shifts in Consciousness rather than absolute endings. The husband and wife, caught in the illusion of death, immediately perceive a new reality in their hearts through mental projection. Family relations, places, wealth, and past actions all emerge as projections of the mind, illustrating how the world we experience is shaped by our inner beliefs and memories at every moment.

The story highlights the power of boons, wishes, and playful Divine interaction. The Goddess Leela grants a wish to avoid widowhood, which influences events even before they unfold in ordinary time. This reveals that Consciousness operates beyond linear time, and strong mental resolutions or Divine Grace can alter the course of perceived Reality, turning potential sorrow into continued union.

The family Goddess represents the Conscious Essence present within all Beings. She is eternally worthy of worship because she acts according to her inherent nature, guiding and sustaining life. The departure of the life-force as vital air from the body and its movement through the mind demonstrates how the subtle Self separates from the physical form yet continues to perceive and create new experiences in Inner Space.

Finally, the verses describe the rebirth or reappearance of the soul in a beautiful, youthful form filled with desire and memory. The awakened state at the “end of a dream” symbolizes liberation or heightened Awareness, where one recognizes the dream-like quality of existence. It teaches that previous impressions shape new forms, yet the Conscious Self can experience extraordinary beauty and joy when aligned with its True Nature.