Chapter 3.48, Verses 61–74

Yoga Vashishtha 3.48.61–74

(These verses describe a fierce battle between Viduratha and Sindhu using powerful celestial weapons - astras)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

जित्वा रिपुं पुनरसौ यथा प्रहरते तथा।

वारुणं विससर्जास्त्रं पूजयित्वा विदूरथः ॥ ६१ ॥

आययुः सलिलापूरास्तमःपूरा इवाभितः।

अधस्तादूर्ध्वतो दिग्भ्यो द्रवरूपा इवाद्रयः ॥ ६२ ॥

भागा इव शरव्योम्नि धृतयाना इवाम्बुदाः।

महार्णवा इवोच्चस्थाः कुलशैलशिला इव ॥ ६३ ॥

तमालौघा इवोड्डीनाः संधिता इव रात्रयः।

कज्जलौघा इवोद्भूता लोकालोकतटादिव ॥ ६४ ॥

रसातलगुहाभोगा इव व्योमदिदृक्षवः।

महाघुरघुरारावरंहोबृंहितमूर्तयः ॥ ६५ ॥

तामग्निसंततिं मत्तामाचचामाम्बुसंततिः।

भुवनव्यापिनी संध्यामाशु कृष्णेव यामिनी ॥ ६६ ॥

तामग्निसंततिं पीत्वा पूरयामास भूतलम्।

जलश्रीर्जटितं देहं निद्रेव व्यक्तिमेयुषी ॥ ६७ ॥

एवंविधानस्त्रमोहान्विदधुर्धावनेतरे।

मिथोमायामयानग्रे पश्यन्त्यनुभवन्ति च ॥ ६८ ॥

हेतिभारवराः सिन्धोश्चक्ररक्षास्ततोऽम्भसा।

तृणानीव गताः प्रोह्य रथश्चास्याभवत्प्लुतः ॥ ६९ ॥

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे सिन्धुरस्त्रं सस्मार शोषणम्।

आपत्त्राणकरं दैवं ददौ च शररूपिणम् ॥ ७० ॥

शशामाम्बुमयी माया तेन यामेव भास्वता।

ये मृतास्ते मृता एव बभूवुः शोषिता भुवः ॥ ७१ ॥

अथ मूर्खरुषा तुल्यस्तापः संतापयन्प्रजाः।

जजृम्भे झर्झराकीर्णवनविस्तारकर्कशः ॥ ७२॥

कचत्कनकनिःस्यन्दसुन्दराङ्गच्छविर्दिशाम्।

आसीद्राजवरस्त्रीणामिवालेपोऽङ्गसंगतः ॥ ७३ ॥

तेन धर्ममयीं मूर्च्छामाजग्मुस्तद्विरोधिनः।

ग्रीष्मदावानलोत्तप्ता मृदवः पल्लवा इव ॥ ७४ ॥

Maharishi Vashishtha continued:

3.48.61–73

> Having defeated his enemy, Viduratha worshipped and then released his Varuna (water) weapon, just as the enemy had attacked him earlier.

> Masses of water came rushing from all sides, like floods of darkness, flowing from below, above, and every direction, appearing like liquid mountains.

> They looked like arrows filling the sky, clouds holding steady in the atmosphere, great oceans rising high, and huge rocks from mountain ranges.

> Like swarms of tamala trees flying, like nights joined together, like streams of black collyrium rising from the edges of the worlds (lokaloka mountains).

> Like the curves and expansions of the underworld caves wanting to see the sky, with huge roaring sounds and enlarged terrifying forms.

> The continuous stream of water swallowed that raging stream of fire, spreading darkness over the worlds quickly, just as the night engulfs the twilight.

> Having drunk that stream of fire, the watery glory filled the entire earth; the body of water became dense and manifested like sleep taking visible form.

3.48.68–74

> In this way, such deluding weapons created illusions; others ran about in confusion, seeing and experiencing these mutual magical displays.

> The heavy burden of weapons and the ocean-like chariot-guard were swept away by the water like grass; his chariot also floated away.

> At that moment, the ocean (Sindhu) remembered his drying-up weapon, which protects from calamity; fate granted him an arrow-form version of it.

> By that weapon, the watery illusion was extinguished, just as the sun dispels darkness; those who had died remained dead, and the earth became dried up.

> Then, like the anger of a fool, an intense heat began to scorch the beings; it spread fiercely with cracks and dryness across vast forest areas.

> The directions became beautiful with the shine of melting gold-like radiance on their bodies, as if royal women had applied shining ointments to their limbs.

> By this heat, those opposed to dharma (righteousness) fell into a stupor, like tender leaves scorched by the summer forest fire.

Summary of the teachings:

Viduratha unleashes a water-based weapon (Varuna astra) that creates massive floods and illusions of overwhelming darkness and liquid forms. This illustrates how the mind projects powerful illusions (maya) during conflict, where apparent realities like water masses and roaring forms arise purely from mental constructs and magical powers. The teaching highlights that the external world of strife and elements is not ultimately real but a play of deluding energies (maya), showing the impermanence and deceptive nature of sensory experiences.

The water weapon engulfs and "drinks" the fire weapon, filling the earth with dense water like a manifested dream-state or sleep. This symbolizes the interplay of opposing forces (fire and water, heat and coolness) as transient appearances in consciousness. The verses teach that all dualities and dramatic events in life are illusory superimpositions on the one reality, much like dreams where one element overcomes another without any true substance changing.

Illusions multiply as beings run in confusion, experiencing mutual magical displays. This points to the core teaching of Yoga Vasishta: the world is mithya (apparent but unreal), born from ignorance and mental projections. The mutual "seeing and experiencing" of illusions underscores how individuals trapped in samsara reinforce each other's delusions through shared perception, emphasizing the need to awaken from this collective dream.

Sindhu counters with a drying weapon, extinguishing the water and parching the earth, causing those who died to stay dead. This reversal shows the cyclic and unpredictable nature of power, victory, and defeat in the phenomenal world. The teaching warns against attachment to transient successes or failures, as even mighty weapons and outcomes are part of the illusory play governed by fate or Divine Will.

Finally, intense heat scorches everything, causing stupor in those opposing dharma, like leaves in a forest fire. The golden radiance amid heat ironically beautifies directions, yet destroys. This teaches that adharma (unrighteousness) leads to self-destruction through inner "heat" (anger, delusion), while dharma sustains balance. The ultimate message is to transcend dualistic conflicts and illusions through Self-Knowledge, Realizing the Unchanging Self beyond all such dramatic appearances.

Chapter 3.48, Verses 46–60

Yoga Vashishtha 3.48.46–60

(These verses vividly describe the sudden rise of demonic forces in the form of terrifying demons, symbolizing how negative emotions like greed, anger, and fear suddenly manifest in the mind and appear real and overwhelming)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

ययुः प्रकटतामन्तरखिला वनराजयः।

लोभकज्जलजालेन मुक्ता इव सतां धियः ॥ ४६ ॥

अथ कोपाकुलः सिन्धू राक्षसास्त्रं महाभयम्।

क्षणादुदीरयामास मन्त्रोदीर्णशरात्मकम् ॥ ४७ ॥

उदगुर्भीषणा दिग्भ्यः परुषा वनराक्षसाः।

पातालगजफूत्कारक्षुब्धा इव महार्णवाः ॥ ४८ ॥

कपिलोर्ध्वजटाधूम्राः स्फुटच्चटचटारवाः।

अग्नयो लेलिहानोग्रजिह्वा आर्द्रेन्धना इव ॥ ४९ ॥

सावर्तवृत्तयो व्योम्नि भीमचीत्कारटांकृताः।

अग्निदाहा महाधूमविलोला इव सोल्मुकाः ॥ ५० ॥

दंष्ट्राबिसाङ्कुराक्रान्तमुखपङ्काक्षदेहकाः।

उदिता लोमजम्बाला दुष्पल्वलतटा इव ॥ ५१ ॥

निगिरन्तः प्रधावन्तो गर्जन्तः सर्जिता इव।

जटाजालतडित्पुञ्जा जलदाः सजला इव ॥ ५२ ॥

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तस्मिँल्लीलानाथो विदूरथः।

नारायणास्त्रं प्रददे दुष्टभूतनिवारणम् ॥ ५३ ॥

उदीर्यमाण एवास्मिन्मन्त्रराजेऽस्त्रराजयः।

राक्षसानां प्रशेमुस्ता अन्धकार इवोदये ॥ ५४ ॥

प्रमुष्टराक्षसानीकमभवद्भुवनत्रयम्।

शरदीव गताम्भोदं व्योम निर्मलमाबभौ ॥ ५५ ॥

अथ सिन्धुर्मुमोचास्त्रमाग्नेयं ज्वलिताम्बरम्।

जज्वलुः ककुभस्तेन कल्पाग्निज्वलिता इव ॥ ५६ ॥

धूमाम्बुदभराच्छन्ना बभूवुः सकला दिशः।

गगने प्रोतपातालतिमिराकुलिता इव ॥ ५७ ॥

बभूवुर्ज्वलिताकारा गिरयः काञ्चना इव।

प्रफुल्लवननीरन्ध्रचम्पकौघवना इव ॥ ५८ ॥

ययुर्व्योमाद्रिदिक्कुञ्जा ज्वालाजालजटालताम्।

कुङ्कुमेनोत्सवे मृत्योः समालब्धा इव स्रजः ॥ ५९ ॥

ज्वलिता जनता चैकशङ्किनी सा नभःस्पृशा।

सहस्राकृतिनौवेगचलितेनेव सागरात् ॥ ६० ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.48.46–52

> All the forest kingdoms suddenly appeared within, like the pure minds of saints freed from the dark web of greed.

> Then Sindhu, full of rage, instantly invoked the terrible demon weapon, the arrow-like force born from sacred mantra.

> Fierce and harsh forest demons rose up from every direction, like huge oceans churned by the trumpeting of elephants from the underworld.

> They were smoky with upright matted hair like sage Kapila, crackling loudly, with fierce flickering tongues of fire, as if burning wet wood.

> They whirled in the sky with terrifying shrieks, blazing like great fires with thick rolling smoke, like flying firebrands.

> Their faces were covered with sprouting fang-like lotuses, bodies like lotus ponds, risen with hairy swamps, like the banks of foul marshes.

> They swallowed everything, rushed forward roaring loudly, with matted hair full of lightning clusters, like water-filled clouds.

3.48.53–60 

> At that moment, Viduratha, the Lord of Divine play, released the Narayana weapon that drives away evil spirits and demons.

> As soon as this supreme mantra-weapon was invoked, the armies of demons vanished completely, like darkness disappearing at sunrise.

> The three worlds became free from demon forces, and the sky shone pure and clear like autumn without any clouds.

> Then Sindhu released the blazing Agneya weapon that set the sky on fire; all directions burned fiercely as if with the fire of Cosmic dissolution.

> Every direction was covered with thick clouds of smoke, as if the sky was filled with darkness rising straight from hell.

> The mountains looked blazing like pure gold, and the forests appeared dense with fully bloomed champaka flowers in gardens.

> The sky, mountains and groves became tangled masses of flames, like garlands smeared with saffron at the festival of death.

> The blazing crowd appeared as one single form touching the sky, like the ocean violently stirred by a ship moving at thousand-fold speed.

Summary of the Teachings:

Just as the forests become alive with monstrous beings, our inner world gets filled with disturbing thoughts that look powerful and destructive, but they are only projections of the mind, like a dream that seems solid yet has no true substance.

The invocation of Divine weapons through mantras, especially the powerful Narayana astra, teaches that Pure Knowledge and Spiritual Wisdom act as supreme weapons against ignorance. 

When the sacred mantra is uttered with focus, the forces of darkness instantly dissolve, just as light removes darkness. This shows that no evil, however terrifying, can stand before the power of Truth and Self-Realization; the three worlds become peaceful and clear once the illusion of demons (false ego and desires) is destroyed.

The descriptions of demons as fiery, smoky, swirling, and cloud-like beings illustrate the chaotic and illusory nature of worldly attachments and passions. They roar, swallow, and spread like fire on wet fuel or monsoon clouds, reminding us that anger, lust, and delusion burn brightly for a moment but are temporary and self-destructive. The mind creates these forms, yet they have no independent reality beyond our own projections.

Sindhu's release of the Agneya (fire) weapon after the temporary defeat shows how ignorance fights back fiercely, causing widespread destruction and covering everything in smoke and flames. This represents the repeated cycles of desire and anger that engulf the world in suffering. Yet even this cosmic blaze is part of the Divine play (lila), teaching that all apparent destruction is merely a passing phase in the eternal Consciousness.

Ultimately, these verses convey that the entire battle—demons, weapons, fire, and smoke—is an allegory for the mind's internal war. The true teaching is that the world and its conflicts are like a dream or magical show created by Brahm. Real Peace comes only when one invokes the Highest Knowledge (Narayana principle), sees through the illusion, and Realizes the Pure, Unchanging Self beyond all appearances.

Chapter 3.48, Verses 30–45

Yoga Vashishtha 3.48.30–45

(These verses teach that the entire visible world and all its objects including weapons, are created and controlled by the power of the mind and imagination)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

पदार्थाः सर्व एवेमे विषोष्मखिन्नतां ययुः।

सपर्वतवनाभोगा ययौ विवशतां मही ॥ ३० ॥

पूताङ्गारसमाकीर्णं विषवैषम्यशंसिनः।

ववू रूक्षोष्णनीहारवाता ज्वलनरेणवः ॥ ३१ ॥

विदूरथोऽथ सौपर्णमाददेऽस्त्रं महास्त्रवित्।

उदगुर्गरुडास्त्रेण सौपर्णाः पर्वता इव ॥ ३२ ॥

काञ्चनीकृतसर्वाशाः सर्वाशापरिपूरकाः।

पक्षपर्वतसंरम्भजनितप्रलयानिलाः ॥ ३३ ॥

घोणानिलजवाकृष्टश्वसद्भुजगमण्डलाः।

महाघुरघुरारावपूरिताम्भोधिखण्डकाः ॥ ३४ ॥

स सुपर्णघनोऽपात्तं सर्पौघं भूप्रपूरकम्।

कष्टं शलशलायन्तमगस्त्य इव वारिधिम् ॥ ३५ ॥

सर्पकम्बलनिर्मुक्तं भूमण्डलमराजत।

चिरात्तमवनीरन्ध्रमिव निर्वारिराशि च ॥ ३६ ॥

ततस्तद्गरुडानीकं क्वाप्यगच्छददृश्यताम्।

दीपौघ इव वातेन शरदेवाब्दमण्डलम् ॥ ३७ ॥

वज्रभीत्येव पक्षौघपर्वतप्रकरः पुरः ।

स्वप्नदृष्टं जगदिव संकल्पपुरपूरवत् ॥ ३८ ॥

ततस्तमोऽस्त्रमसृजत्सिन्धुरन्धान्धकारदम्।

तेनान्धकारो ववृधे कृष्णो भूजठरोपमः ॥ ३९ ॥

रोदोरन्ध्रे प्रविसृत एकार्णव इवाभवत् ।

मत्स्या इवाभवन्सेनास्ताराश्च मणयोऽभवन् ॥ ४० ॥

अन्धकारप्रवृत्तेन मषीपङ्कार्णवोपमम्।

कज्जलाचलसंभारोद्भूतकल्पानिलैरिव ॥ ४१ ॥

अन्धकूपे निपतिता इवासन्सकलाः प्रजाः ।

कल्पान्त इव संशेमुर्व्यवहारा दिशं प्रतिं ॥ ४२ ॥

विदूरथोऽथ मार्तण्डं दीपं ब्रह्माण्डमण्डपे ।

अस्त्रं मन्त्रविदां श्रेष्ठः सृष्ट्वा मन्त्रो व्यचेष्टयत् ॥ ४३ ॥

अथोदिततमोम्भोधिमर्कागस्त्यो गभस्तिभिः ।

अपिबत्कृष्णमम्भोदं शरत्काल इवामलः ॥ ४४ ॥

अन्धकाराम्बरोन्मुक्ता विरेजुरमला दिशः ।

भूपतेः पुरतः कान्ता इव रम्यपयोधराः ॥ ४५ ॥

Maharishi Vasistha said: 

3.48.30–39

> All things became tired and weak from the heat of poison. The whole earth with its mountains and forests turned helpless.

> Hot coals were spread everywhere, showing the uneven power of poison. Rough, hot, misty winds blew along with burning dust particles.

> Then Viduratha, the expert in great weapons, took the Garuda weapon. With this Garuda astra, huge eagle-like forces rose up like mountains.

> All directions turned golden, fulfilling every wish. Strong winds of destruction arose from the clash of winged mountains.

> Fast winds from the nose pulled hissing circles of snakes. Great rumbling sounds filled the parts of the ocean.

> The thick Garuda army swallowed the huge crowd of snakes that filled the earth, hissing loudly, just as sage Agastya once drank the ocean.

> The earth now shone without the blanket of snakes. It looked like an empty ocean hole with no water left after being drunk long ago.

> Then the entire Garuda army suddenly vanished from sight. It disappeared like a row of lamps blown away by wind or like autumn clouds.

> Like fear of a thunderbolt, the flocks of wings and mountains stood in front. It all appeared like a dream world or an imagined city full of thoughts.

3.48.39–45

> After that, he released the darkness weapon that brought black night even into ocean caves. Darkness grew thick and black like the belly of the earth.

> It spread into crying holes and became like one huge ocean. The armies looked like fish swimming in it, and stars turned into shining gems.

> Started by the flowing darkness, it looked like an ocean of black ink. It was as if storm winds of the end of the world blew from piles of collyrium mountains.

> All people fell as if into a dark well. Like at the end of a world-age, all activities sank away in every direction.

> Then Viduratha, the best among those who know mantras, created the sun weapon inside the hall of the Universe and chanted the mantra powerfully.

> The sun, like Agastya, rose and drank up the black ocean of darkness with its bright rays, just as a clear autumn sun drinks up a dark cloud.

> Directions now shone pure and clean, free from the cloak of darkness. They looked beautiful like the lovely breasts of a beloved queen standing before the King.

Summary of the teachings:

Just as Viduratha and his enemy use special weapons to create poison heat, huge armies, darkness and light, our own thoughts and desires instantly build the scenes we see around us. Nothing is solid or real by itself; everything rises and changes according to mental force, showing that the universe is like a magic show put on by the mind.

The verses illustrate how opposite forces appear and disappear quickly. Poison makes everything weak, Garuda eats snakes, darkness covers everything, and then the sun weapon removes all darkness in a moment. This teaches that joy and sorrow, life and death, light and shadow are not permanent. They are temporary plays of the mind. One who understands this never gets stuck in any situation because he knows it can end as fast as it began.

A key teaching is the power of Knowledge over ignorance. The sun weapon and the mantra of Viduratha represent true wisdom that swallows darkness completely, just as the sun clears the sky. The story reminds us that when we use the light of understanding, all confusion, fear and suffering vanish at once. Even the biggest problems of life melt away when we remember our Inner Pure Awareness.

These descriptions also show that the world is as unreal as a dream or imagination. Armies look real but vanish like lamps in wind; the earth looks full but becomes empty like a drunk ocean. Yoga Vasistha uses this battle to prove that what we call “real life” is only a thought-city built inside the mind. When the thinker wakes up, the whole scene dissolves without any effort.

Finally, the verses guide us to remain peaceful and detached. Even while watching terrible wars of weapons, the wise Sage Vasistha stays calm and teaches Rama. The lesson is to witness all happenings without fear or attachment, knowing everything is only a passing show in the mind. This leads to lasting freedom and joy beyond all changes.

Chapter 3.48, Verses 15–29

Yoga Vashishtha 3.48.15–29

(These verses describe a fierce battle full of magical weapons and counter weapons, but the deeper teaching in Yoga Vasistha is that everything happening here is only a play of the mind)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

तेन बाणसमूहेन जयमाशङ्क्य भर्तरि ।

उवाच वाक्यमानन्दविकसन्मुखपङ्कजा ॥ १५ ॥

जय देवि जयत्येष नाथोऽस्माकं विलोकय ।

किंचानेन शरौघेण मेरुरप्येति चूर्णताम् ॥ १६ ॥

तस्यामेव वदन्त्या तु घनस्नेहरवाकुलम्।

प्रेक्षणव्यग्रयोर्देव्योर्हसन्त्योर्मानुषीं हृदा ॥ १७ ॥

तच्छरार्णवमामत्तमपिबत्सिन्धुवाडवः ।

शरोष्मणा ह्यगस्त्येन जह्नुर्मन्दाकिनीमिव ॥ १८ ॥

बाणवर्षेण कणशस्तं सायकमहाघनम्।

छित्त्वा तनुरजः कृत्वा चिक्षेप गगनार्णवे ॥ १९ ॥

यथा दीपस्य शान्तस्य न परिज्ञायते गतिः ।

तस्य सायकसङ्घस्य न विज्ञाता तथा गतिः ॥ २० ॥

तं छित्त्वा सायकासारं शरीराम्बुधरं घनम् ।

व्योम्नि प्रसारयामास रसाच्छवशतान्वितम् ॥ २१ ॥

विदूरथस्तमप्याशु व्यधमत्सायकोत्तमैः।

सामान्यजलदं मत्तं कल्पान्तपवनो यथा ॥ २२ ॥

कृतप्रतिकृतैरेवं बाणवर्षैर्महीपती ।

व्यर्थीकृतैरनयतां प्रहारमविचारणैः ॥ २३ ॥

अथादधे मोहनास्त्रं सिन्धुर्गन्धर्वसौहृदात् ।

प्राप्तं तेन ययुर्लोका विना मोहं विदूरथात् ॥ २४ ॥

व्यस्तशस्त्राम्बरा मूका विषण्णवदनेक्षणाः ।

मृता इवाभवन्योधाश्चित्रन्यस्ता इवाथवा ॥ २५ ॥

यावद्विदूरथादन्यं मोहो नयति मन्दताम्।

तावद्विदूरथो राजा प्रबोधास्त्रमथाददे ॥ २६ ॥

ततः प्रबोधमापन्नाः प्रजाः प्रातरिवाब्जिनी ।

विदूरथे भवत्सिन्धुः कुद्धोऽर्क इव राक्षसे ॥ २७ ॥

नागास्त्रमाददे भीमं पाशबन्धनखेददम्।

तेनाभवन्नभो व्याप्तं भोगिभिः पर्वतोपमैः ॥ २८ ॥

सर्पैर्विलसिता भूमिर्मृणालैः सरसी यथा।

संपन्ना गिरयः सर्वे कृष्णपन्नगकम्बलाः ॥ २९ ॥

Maharishi Vasistha said:

3.48.15–22

> Thinking her husband would win because of that huge group of arrows, she spoke words with her lotus face blooming with joy.

> Victory, O Goddess! Our lord is victorious, look! With this flood of arrows even Mount Meru turns to powder.

> While she was speaking this way, the two Goddesses, filled with deep affection, with eyes eagerly watching, laughed heartily at the human lady.

> That wild ocean of arrows was drunk by Sindhu’s submarine fire, just as Agastya drank the ocean with the heat of his arrows or Jahnu drank the Ganges.

> With a shower of arrows he cut that great dense mass of arrows into tiny pieces, turned it into fine dust and scattered it into the ocean of the sky.

> Just as the path of an extinguished lamp is not known, the path of that group of arrows was also not known.

> Cutting that stream of arrows, the dense cloud-like body, he spread it in the sky along with hundreds of clear essences.

> Viduratha quickly destroyed even that with his best arrows, like the wind at the end of the world age destroys an ordinary mad cloud.

3.48.23–29

> In this way the two kings made each other’s arrow showers useless with counter actions and carried on the fight with thoughtless strikes.

> Then Sindhu took the deluding weapon because of his friendship with the Gandharvas. With it the armies became deluded except Viduratha himself.

> The warriors had scattered weapons and clothes, became silent, with sad faces and eyes, like dead bodies or like pictures fixed in a painting.

> While the delusion made others slow and dull, King Viduratha then took the awakening weapon.

> Then the people woke up like lotus flowers at dawn. Sindhu became furious at Viduratha like an angry sun towards a demon.

> He took the terrible serpent weapon that causes painful bondage with nooses. With it the sky filled with huge serpents like mountains.

> The earth shone with serpents like a lake with lotus stalks. All mountains were covered as if with black serpent blankets.

Summary of the teachings:

Arrows fly, get cut and disappear like dust in the sky, showing that all forms in the world are created by thought and can vanish in a moment. 

There is no real solid world outside our Consciousness; the battle teaches us to see life as a dream where one illusion quickly cancels another.

The queen feels joy thinking her husband is winning, and the Goddesses' smile at her human emotions. This teaches detachment. From the higher view of awakened Beings, our small victories and worries look funny and unimportant. We are asked to watch our own desires and fears without getting lost in them, just as the Goddesses' watch the fight with light laughter.

The deluding weapon puts the whole army into stupor and silence, but the awakening weapon brings them back to life like lotuses opening at sunrise. This is the central spiritual lesson: ignorance can bind even strong people in dullness, yet one touch of true Knowledge removes the veil instantly. The verses remind us that the path from confusion to clarity is always open through Inner Wisdom.

Huge clouds of arrows turn to nothing and giant serpents suddenly cover the earth and sky. These images show the changing and unreal nature of everything. Nothing stays, nothing has a lasting path or substance; all is like a lamp that goes out or a cloud blown away. The teaching is to stop clinging to temporary things and realise their empty, dream-like quality.

Finally, the verses drive home the non-dual truth of Yoga Vasistha. Kings, weapons, victory, defeat and even the entire battlefield exist only within one Consciousness. There is no Real “other” or real fight; it is all the same Self playing different roles. The seeker is guided to wake up from this dream, stop taking sides in illusory battles and rest in the peaceful Oneness beyond all appearances.

Chapter 3.48, Verses 1–14

Yoga Vashishtha 3.48.1–14

(These verses paint a vivid picture of a fierce battle to show how even a small action can grow into something enormous)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

प्राप्य राजा पुरः प्राप्तं सिन्धुमुद्धुरकन्धरम् ।

मध्याह्नतपनान्तेन कोपेन विततोऽभवत् ॥ १ ॥

धनुरास्फालयामास चिरारावितदिङ्मुखम् ।

कल्पान्तपवनास्फोट इव मेरुगिरेस्तटम् ॥ २ ॥

विससर्जोर्जितो राजा प्रलयार्कः करानिव ।

तूणीररजनीबद्धाः शिलीमुखपरम्पराः ॥ ३ ॥

एक एव विनिर्याति गुणात्तस्य शिलीमुखः ।

सहस्रं भवति व्योम्नि गच्छन्पतति लक्षशः ॥ ४ ॥

सिन्धोरपि तथैवासीच्छक्तिर्लाघवमेव च ।

वरेण वरदस्यैवं विष्णोर्धानुष्कता तयोः ॥ ५ ॥

मुसला नाम ते बाणा मुसलाकृतयोऽम्बरम् ।

छादयामासुरुन्नादाः कल्पान्ताशनयो यथा ॥ ६ ॥

रेजुः कनकनाराचराजयो व्योम्नि सस्वनाः ।

रसन्त्यः कल्पवातार्ताः पतन्त्य इव तारकाः ॥ ७ ॥

विदूरथाच्छरासारा अजस्रमभिनिर्ययुः ।

अब्धेरिव पयःपूराः सूर्यादिव मरीचयः ॥ ८ ॥

प्रचण्डपवनोद्धूतात्पुष्पाणीव महातरोः ।

अयःपिण्डादिवोत्तप्तात्ताडितात्कणपङ्कयः ॥ ९ ॥

धारा वर्षमुच इव सीकरा इव निर्झरात्।

तत्पुराग्निमहादाहात्स्फुलिङ्गा इव भासुराः ॥ १० ॥

तयोश्चटचटास्फोटं शृण्वत्कोदण्डयोर्द्वयोः ।

बलद्वयमभूत्प्रेक्षामूकं शान्त इवाम्बुधिः ॥ ११ ॥

वहन्ति स्म शरापूरा गङ्गापूरा इवाम्बरे ।

सिन्धोरभिमुखं युद्धे घर्घरारावरंहसः ॥ १२ ॥

कचत्कनकनाराचशरवर्षा अनारतम्।

वहच्छवशवाशब्द निर्ययुर्धनुरम्बुदात् ॥ १३ ॥

बाणमन्दाकिनीपूरं व्रजन्तं सिन्धुपूरणे ।

वातायनात्तमालोक्य लीला तत्पुरवासिनी ॥ १४ ॥

Maharishi Vasistha said: 

3.48.1–6

> The king reached before the proud Sindhu king with his neck held high. At the end of the midday sun's heat, he swelled with great anger.

> He twanged his bow loudly so that all directions echoed for a long time. It was like the wind of world-ending explosion hitting the slope of Mount Meru.

> The mighty king released streams of arrows tied in his dark quiver, just like the rays of the sun at the time of world dissolution.

> Only one arrow comes out from his bowstring, but in the sky it turns into a thousand, and as it flies it falls in lakhs.

> The Sindhu king too had the same power and quickness. By the boon given by Vishnu the boon-granter, both had such great skill in archery.

> Those pestle-shaped arrows called musala covered the sky with loud noise, like thunderbolts at the end of the world.

3.48.7–14

> The golden arrows shone and hummed in the sky, like stars falling while tormented by the winds of cosmic dissolution.

> Endless streams of arrows poured out from Viduratha, like floods of water from the ocean or rays coming from the sun.

> Like flowers shaken from a huge tree by a fierce wind, or like sparks flying from a hot iron ball when struck.

> Like rain showers from clouds, like spray from a waterfall, or like bright sparks from the huge fire burning that city.

> Hearing the loud clashing of both bows, the two armies became silent watchers, still and quiet like a calm ocean.

> The floods of arrows flowed in the sky like the Ganga river, rushing towards Sindhu with roaring speed in the battle.

> The continuous shower of golden arrows, making shava-shava sounds, poured out from the bow like clouds.

> The lady living in that city playfully watched from the window and saw the river-like flood of arrows going to fill the Sindhu river.

Summary of the teachings:

The king's anger and the release of arrows teach that the mind can create huge events from one single thought. In the Yoga Vasistha, this battle scene reminds us that the world we see is like a dream created by Consciousness. Nothing is solid; everything expands from the one mind, just as one arrow becomes thousands.

The way one arrow multiplies into lakhs in the sky explains the illusion of maya. It teaches that the whole universe appears from a single reality but looks like many separate things. The comparisons to the end of the world show that creation and destruction are two sides of the same play. We learn not to fear or get excited by big events because they are temporary and part of the cosmic drama.

When the armies fall silent while watching the bows clash, it points to the power of true seeing. Instead of fighting blindly, one should observe quietly like the calm ocean. This teaches inner peace and humility. Even the strongest forces stop when faced with higher energy, showing that real strength lies in stillness and understanding rather than action.

The arrows flowing like rivers and the queen's happy face highlight how people get caught in the drama of life. She feels joy thinking her husband will win, but this shows attachment to winning in an unreal world. The verses gently teach that all hopes and fears are part of the dream. True Wisdom comes when we see beyond these feelings to the Peaceful Self inside.

Finally, these verses use the battle as a metaphor for the entire Universe. Just as one arrow creates a flood of arrows, one thought creates the whole world. The teaching is to wake up from this dream, drop all attachment, and Realize the non-dual Truth. When Rama hears this story, he is guided towards freedom through Knowledge that everything is Brahm and nothing else is Real.

Chapter 3.47, Verses 17–35

Yoga Vashishtha 3.47.17–35

(These verses use a powerful battlefield picture to teach that the world we see is full of apparent glory and terror, yet it is only an illusion created by the mind)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

हारैः ससर्पनिर्मोकं कटैरिद्धं सुसंकुलम्।

लसल्लतं पताकाभिरुरुभिः कृततोरणम् ॥ १७ ॥

हस्तैः पादैः पल्लवितं शरैः शरवणोपमम् ।

शस्त्रांशुशाद्वलश्यामं शस्त्रपूरैः सकैतकम् ॥ १८ ॥

कीर्णमायुधमालाभिरुन्मत्तमिव भैरवम् ।

फुल्लाशोकवनाकारं शस्त्रसंघट्टवह्निभिः ॥ १९ ॥

उदघुंघुमहाशब्दैर्विद्रवत्सिद्धनायकैः।

सौवर्णनगराकारं बालार्ककचितायुधैः ॥ २० ॥

प्रासासिशक्तिचक्रर्ष्टिमुद्गरारणिताम्बरम् ।

वहद्रक्तनदीरंहः प्रोह्यमानशवोत्करम् ॥ २१ ॥

भुशुण्डीशक्तिकुन्तासिशूलपाषाणसंकुलम् ।

शूलशस्त्राहतिच्छन्नकबन्धपतनान्वितम् ॥ २२ ॥

कालताण्डववेतालकुलारब्धहलारवम् ।

शून्ये रणाङ्गणे दीप्तौ पद्मसिन्ध्वो रथौ चलौ ॥ २३ ॥

अदृश्येतां नभश्चिह्नौ चन्द्रसूर्यौ दिवीव तौ ।

चक्रशूलभुशुण्ड्यृष्टिप्रासायुधसमाकुला ॥ २४ ॥

सहस्रेण सहस्रेण वीराणां परिवारितौ ।

विचरन्तौ यथाकामं मण्डलैर्विततारवैः ॥ २५ ॥

सचीत्कारमहाचक्रपिष्टानेकमृतामृतौ ।

तरन्तौ रक्तसरितौ मत्तवारणलीलया ॥ २६ ॥

केशशैवलसंपन्ने चक्रचक्रजलेन्दुके ।

वहच्चक्राहतिक्षोभपातिताकुलवारणौ ॥ २७ ॥

मणिमुक्ताझणत्काररणत्कूबरकारवौ ।

वाताहतपताकाग्रपटत्पटपटारवौ ॥ २८॥

अनुयातौ महावीरैर्भूरिमिर्भीरुसैनिकैः ।

धारा वमद्भिः कुन्तानां शराणां धनुषामपि ॥ २९ ॥

शक्तीनां प्रासशङ्कूनां चक्राणां कचतां रणे ।

तत्र तौ क्षणमावृत्ये मण्डले भूमिकुण्डले ॥ ३० ॥

उभौ व्यतिबभूवाते संमुखावायुधावुभौ।

नाराचधारानिकरविक्षेपकरकध्वनौ ॥ ३१ ॥

अन्योन्यमपि गर्जन्तौ मत्ताब्धिजलदाविव ।

तयोः प्रहरतोर्बाणा वसुधानरसिंहयोः ॥ ३२ ॥

पाषाणमुसलाकारा व्योमविस्तारिणोऽभवन् ।

करवालमुखाः केचिन्मुद्गराननकाः परे ॥ ३३ ॥

शितचक्रमुखाः केचित्केचित्परशुवक्त्रकाः ।

केचिच्छक्तिमुखाः केचित्केचिच्छूलशिलामुखाः ।

त्रिशूलवदनाः केचित्स्थूला इव महाशिलाः ॥ ३४ ॥

प्रलयपवनपातिताः शिलौघा इव निपतन्ति शिलीमुखास्तदा स्म ।

प्रमिलितमभवत्तयोस्तदानीं प्रलयविजृम्भितसिन्धुसंभ्रमेण ॥ ३५॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.47.17–22

> The scene was adorned with garlands like snake sloughs, crowded with belts, shining with flag creepers, and arched with large thighs.

> It sprouted with hands and feet, looked like an arrow forest, turned dark green with weapon rays like grass, and bloomed with weapon flowers like ketaka plants.

> Scattered with weapon garlands, it appeared like a mad Bhairava, resembled a forest full of blooming ashoka flowers, and burned with fires from clashing weapons.

> Filled with loud rumbling noises and fleeing siddha leaders, it looked like a golden city, its weapons shining bright like the rising sun.

> The air rang with spears, swords, shaktis, chakras and mudgaras, while blood rivers rushed along carrying heaps of floating corpses.

> Packed with bhusundis, shaktis, spears, swords, tridents and stones, it showed headless bodies falling from strikes of spears and weapons.

3.47.23–29

> With huge sounds of Kala’s dance and vetala groups starting the battle roar, the two shining chariots like a lotus and an ocean moved in the empty battlefield.

> The two looked invisible like sky marks, like the moon and sun in heaven. They were crowded with chakras, tridents, bhusundis, spears and prasa weapons.

> Surrounded by thousands and thousands of warriors, they moved freely in wide circles making great noise.

> With loud cries they crushed many dead and living with huge chakras and crossed blood rivers like playful intoxicated elephants.

> In water full of hair like moss and chakras like lotus buds, the elephants fell in shock from chakra strikes.

> Jewels and pearls tinkled from the chariots, and flags fluttered with pat-pat sounds in the wind.

> Followed by great heroes and many scared soldiers who poured streams of spears, arrows and bows.

3.47.30–35

> Streams of shaktis, prasas, spikes and shining chakras filled the battle. For a moment the two were circled on the earth like a ring.

> Facing each other with weapons, they made the sound of arrow showers like hail clouds.

> They roared at each other like angry ocean clouds. When the two earth-lion heroes struck, their arrows...

> ...became like stone pestles spreading across the sky. Some had sword tips, others mudgara tips.

> Some had sharp chakra tips, some axe tips, some shakti tips, some trident-stone tips, some trident faces, and some thick like huge rocks.

> Like stone heaps thrown down by the wind of destruction, the arrows fell then. At that time the two clashed with the wild confusion of an ocean in cosmic dissolution.

Summary of the teachings:

The garlands, flags, weapons and limbs turn the field into a strange garden of death, showing how our daily life mixes beauty with pain. 

Nothing here is solid or lasting; everything arises from thoughts and disappears like a dream.

The two mighty heroes fighting with thousands of warriors stand for the inner battles of ego and desire that every person faces. Their roaring, circling chariots and crushing blows look heroic, but the verses remind us that even the greatest fighters and grandest scenes exist only in the dreamer’s mind. Yoga Vasistha tells us to watch such dramas without getting trapped, because they have no real power over the true Self.

Blood rivers, falling heads and flying arrows teach the truth of impermanence. What seems strong and lasting—armies, weapons, victory—vanishes in a moment. The verses warn that attachment to these changing forms brings only suffering, and the wise seeker turns away from the outer show to find the peaceful inner light that never changes.

Even the most frightening chaos is part of Maya, the Great Illusion. The verses paint the battle so vividly to prove that our whole universe is like this dream story: exciting, scary and completely unreal. When we understand this, fear and desire end, and we rest in the Knowledge that Brahm, the Pure Consciousness, is only Real.

Finally, these lines urge us to wake up from the dream of the world. By seeing the battlefield as empty appearance, we learn to live without clinging. The teaching is simple and hopeful: Realize your True Nature beyond birth and death, beyond victory and defeat, and you become free forever, like Vasistha guiding Rama toward lasting Peace.

Chapter 3.47, Verses 1–16

Yoga Vashishtha 3.47.1–16

(These verses reveal one of the central principles of Yoga Vashishtha: the law of inner desire and divine response is completely impartial and mechanical)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

एतस्मिन्वर्तमाने तु घोरे समरसंगमे।

लीलाद्वयमुवाचेदं ज्ञप्तिं भगवतीं पुनः ॥ १ ॥

लीलाद्वयमुवाच ।

देवि कस्मादकस्मान्नौ भर्ता जयति नौ रणे ।

वद त्वय्यपि तुष्टायामस्मिन्विद्रुतवारणे ॥ २ ॥

श्रीसरस्वत्युवाच ।

चिरमाराधितानेन विदूरथनृपारिणा।

अहं पुत्रि जयार्थेन न विदूरथभूभृता ॥ ३ ॥

तेनासावेव जयति जीयते च विदूरथः ।

ज्ञप्तिरन्तर्गता संविदेतां मां यो यदा यथा ॥ ४ ॥

प्रेरयत्याशु तत्तस्य तदा संपादयाम्यहम् ।

यो यथा प्रेरयति मां तस्य तिष्ठामि तत्फला ॥ ५ ॥

न स्वभावोऽन्यतां धत्ते वह्नेरौष्ण्यमिवैष मे ।

अनेन मुक्त एव स्यामहमित्यस्मि भाविता ॥ ६ ॥

प्रतिभारूपिणी तेन बाले मुक्तो भविष्यति ।

एतदीयः स्वयं शत्रुः सिन्धुर्नाम महीपतिः ॥ ७ ॥

जयाम्यहं स्यां संग्राम इत्यनेनास्मि पूजिता ।

तस्माद्विदूरथो देहं तत्प्राप्य सह भार्यया ॥ ८ ॥

त्वयानया च कालेन बाले मुक्तो भविष्यति ।

एतदीयः स्वयं शत्रुः सिन्धुर्नाम महीपतिः ॥ ९ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

हत्वैनं वसुधापीठे जयी राज्यं करिष्यति ।

एवं देव्यां वदन्त्या तु बलयोर्युध्यमानयोः ॥ १० ॥

रविर्द्रष्टुमिवाश्चर्यमाजगामोदयाचलम्।

चेलुस्तिमिरसंघाता बलानीवारिरूपिणः ॥ ११ ॥

असृजन्जीवसङ्घान्ये संध्यायां तारका इव ।

शनैः प्रकटतां जग्मुर्नीलाकाशाद्रिभूमयः ॥ १२ ॥

भुवनं कज्जलाम्भोधेरिवोत्क्षिप्तमराजत ।

पेतुः कनकनिःस्यन्दसुन्दरा रविरश्मयः ॥ १३ ॥

शैलेषु वरवीरेषु रणे रक्तच्छटा इव ।

अदृश्यत ततो व्योम तथा रणमहीतलम् ॥ १४ ॥

बाहुभिर्भ्रान्तभुजगं प्रभाभिः कीर्णकाञ्चनम् ।

कुण्डलैः कीर्णरत्नौघं शिरोभिर्दृष्टपङ्कजम् ॥ १५ ॥

आयुधैः खड्गनीरन्ध्रं शरैः शलभनिर्भरम् ।

रक्ताभास्थिरसंध्याढ्यं ससिद्धपुरुषं शवैः ॥ १६ ॥

Sage Vasishta said: 

3.47.1

> While this terrible battle was raging fiercely between the two armies, both Leelas once again addressed Goddess Jnaptim (the Goddess of Pure Knowledge).

Both Leelas said: 

3.47.2

> O Goddess, for what unknown reason is our husband not winning this battle, even though you are pleased with him and he has already driven away the enemy elephants in the fight?

Goddess Saraswati replied: 

3.47.3–9

> My dear daughters, this king Viduratha’s enemy has worshipped and propitiated me for a very long time specifically for victory in war — whereas your husband Viduratha never asked me for victory.

> Therefore that enemy is winning now, and Viduratha is being defeated. The Inner Consciousness (Knowledge) that dwells within everyone directs me exactly according to how and when a person turns toward me.

> Whosoever directs me in whatever manner, I immediately become the giver of exactly that result to him. I stand as the fruit of whatever way he approaches or invokes me.

> My essential nature never changes into anything else — just as fire never loses its heat. Because of this unchangeable nature I have been resolved (or meditated upon) by him in the form “I will certainly become liberated through this Knowledge.”

> Therefore, O young girl, that intelligent Leela, being of the nature of Pure reflection/Awareness, will become liberated along with him. The enemy king named Sindhu is himself the direct adversary of Viduratha.

> Because this King of Sindhu has worshipped me with the firm thought “I shall be victorious in battle,” I have been pleased by him in that way. Therefore Viduratha, along with his wife, will have to give up his body and fall into the hands of that enemy.

> O girl, in due course of time you too will attain liberation like her. But before that happens, this enemy of yours — King Sindhu himself — will rule over the earth for some time.

Sage Vasishta continued:

3.47.10–16

> When the Goddess was speaking in this manner, the sun rose over the eastern mountain as if coming to witness the wonderful spectacle, while the two armies were still fiercely engaged in combat.

> The masses of darkness fled away like the enemy forces; the armies of Viduratha shone forth like stars appearing in the twilight.

> Slowly the mountains, the blue sky and the earth became clearly visible. The whole world looked as though it had been lifted up again from an ocean of black ink.

> Golden rays of the rising sun fell beautifully like streams of molten gold. On the hills and on the excellent warriors they looked like splashes of fresh blood in battle.

> Then the sky and the battlefield appeared in such a way that the shining arms of the warriors moved like writhing serpents, their brilliant lustre scattered golden light everywhere.

> Their ear-rings poured floods of jewels, their heads appeared like blooming lotuses, their weapons made the sky look full of sword-like gaps, their arrows flew thick like swarms of locusts.

> The battlefield was rich with the red glow of twilight-like blood, crowded with accomplished siddha-like beings in the form of corpses.

Summary of the teachings:

Goddess Saraswati does not favour anyone emotionally; she simply fulfils whatever a person has intensely and consistently directed toward her. Sindhu’s long, single-pointed worship for victory produced victory, while Viduratha’s lack of any prayer for worldly success produced defeat. This shows that our outer fate is not random or caused by external gods being partial — it is the direct, exact reflection of our own deepest, most persistent inner orientation.

The unchanging nature of Consciousness is compared to the unchanging heat of fire. Just as fire can never become cold no matter how much one prays for it to become cold, Pure Knowledge can never fail to deliver liberation to one who has inwardly resolved “I shall become free through this Knowledge.” Viduratha’s secret, steady intention for liberation therefore guarantees his eventual liberation despite present defeat and death. This teaches that spiritual aspiration, when genuine and rooted in understanding, is invincible and cannot be cancelled by any worldly loss.

Even though Viduratha loses the war and his body, the teaching is optimistic: outer defeat does not cancel inner victory. Both the wise Leela (who possesses right understanding) and Viduratha will attain liberation because their deeper longing was for truth and freedom, not for power or survival. The unripe Leela will take longer, showing that readiness for liberation depends on inner ripeness and not on external events or even on physical death. Time and grace will eventually ripen her also.

The story illustrates the temporary and dream-like nature of worldly power. King Sindhu enjoys victory and rules the earth only for a limited period; it is not permanent. All empires, victories and defeats are transient appearances within Consciousness. The real teaching is to turn the mind away from craving transient results and instead cultivate the firm, quiet resolution for liberation, because that alone produces an eternal result.

The magnificent poetic description of sunrise over the battlefield serves as a profound metaphor. Darkness (ignorance, tamas) flees at the appearance of light (knowledge, sattva), just as illusion flees when true awareness dawns. Even amid terrible bloodshed and death the world is re-illuminated and appears beautiful again — reminding the reader that all wars, suffering and apparent chaos are only surface appearances. Beneath them Consciousness remains ever-shining, untouched and ready to reveal its splendour the moment the mind turns toward it.