Chapter 3.36, Verses 1–10

Yoga Vashishtha 3.36.1–10

(These verses paint a vivid, terrifying picture of a massive battlefield during intense war, showing complete chaos and destruction)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

अथ श्रृङ्गोपमानेषु स्थितेषु शरराशिषु।

सर्वभीरुषु भग्नेषु विद्रुतेषु दिशो दश ॥ १ ॥

मातङ्गशवशैलेषु विश्रान्ताम्बुदपङ्कतिषु ।

यक्षरक्षःपिशाचेषु क्रीडत्सु रुधिरार्णवे ॥ २ ॥

महतां धर्मनिष्ठानां शीलौजःसत्त्वशालिनाम् ।

शुद्धानां कुलपद्मानां वीराणामनिवर्तिनाम् ॥ ३ ॥

द्वन्द्वयुद्धानि जातानि मेघानामिव गर्जताम् ।

मिथोनिगरणोत्कानि मिलन्त्यापगपूरवत् ॥ ४ ॥

पञ्जरः पञ्जरेणेव गजौघेन गजोच्चयः।

सवनः सवनेनाद्रिरद्रिणेवामिलद्वलात् ॥ ५॥

अश्वौघो मिलदश्वानां वृन्देनाराविरंहसा ।

तरङ्गौघेन घोषेण तरङ्गौघ इवार्णवे ॥ ६ ॥

नरानीकं नरानीकः समायुधमयोधयत्।

वेण्वोघमिव वेण्वोघो मरुल्लोलो मरुद्वलम् ॥ ७ ॥

रथौघश्च रथौघेन निष्पिपेषाखिलं वपुः।

नगरं नगरेणेव दैवेनोड्डीनमासुरम् ॥ ८॥

सरच्छरभरासाररचितापूर्ववारिदम् ।

युयुधे स्थगिताकाशा धनुर्धरपताकिनी ॥ ९ ॥

विषमायुधयुद्धेषु योद्धारः पेलवाशयाः ।

यदा युक्त्या पलायन्ते रणकल्पानले तदा ॥ १० ॥

Maharishi Vashishta said:

3.36.1–5

> Then, when the peaks like mountains stood covered with heaps of arrows, all the fearful ones broke and fled in all ten directions.

> Among the elephant corpses like mountains, clouds of dust rested, and yakshas, rakshasas, and pishachas played in the ocean of blood.

> Among the great ones devoted to dharma, strong in character, power, and courage, pure like lotuses of noble families, brave warriors who never turned back...

> ...pair duels arose, roaring like clouds, eager to swallow each other, merging like floods of rivers.

> Cage met cage, mass of elephants met mass of elephants, forest met forest, mountain met mountain with great force.

3.36.6–10

> Mass of horses met mass of horses with loud noise and speed, like waves meeting waves in the ocean with roar.

> Army of men met army of men, fighting with weapons, like clusters of bamboos meeting clusters of bamboos in wind-driven waves.

> Mass of chariots crushed everything with mass of chariots, like a city crushed by a city, or as if demons flew up by Divine will.

> The army with flags and archers, creating an unprecedented cloud of arrows like rain, fought with sky blocked.

> In battles with terrible weapons, when the weak-hearted warriors, seeing the fire-like fury of war, cleverly fled.

Detailed Summary of the Teachings:

The scene begins with arrows covering everything like mountains, causing fear and flight among the weak. Corpses of elephants form hills, dust settles like clouds, and supernatural beings play in rivers of blood. This imagery highlights the horror and futility of worldly violence, where even mighty creatures fall and the earth becomes a graveyard soaked in gore. In the Yoga Vasishta's philosophy, such descriptions serve to show the illusory and painful nature of samsara (worldly existence), urging the seeker to look beyond transient battles.

The focus then shifts to the noble warriors—those firm in dharma, pure in lineage, brave, and resolute—who engage without retreat. Their duels are compared to roaring clouds or merging floods, emphasizing how even the virtuous get drawn into destructive conflicts. This teaches that attachment to duty, honor, or righteousness can still trap one in the cycle of action and suffering. The text uses these heroic figures to illustrate that true strength lies not in physical valor but in transcending ego-driven struggles, as even the best can become part of the destructive play of maya.

The repeated similes of mass against mass (elephants, horses, chariots, armies, waves, mountains, forests) stress the impersonal, mechanical nature of war. Forces collide without individuality, crushing everything in their path. This reflects the Advaita teaching that multiplicity and opposition are unreal; all is one Consciousness appearing as conflict. The battlefield becomes a metaphor for the mind's internal wars—desires clashing with duties, fears with courage—showing how identification with the body and ego leads to endless friction and pain.

The description of chariots crushing bodies and skies blocked by arrow-rain evokes total annihilation, where even Nature and Space seem overwhelmed. Yet, the final verse reveals a key insight: when the war's fury becomes unbearable, even warriors with weak minds cleverly flee. This points to the wisdom of detachment—recognizing the futility of fighting illusory battles and choosing escape through understanding rather than cowardice. In Yoga Vasishta, running from such delusion is not weakness but the first step toward liberation, as Rama is guided to see all phenomena as dream-like.

Overall, these verses teach the impermanence and suffering inherent in worldly engagements, especially violent ones. They contrast the apparent glory of brave warriors with the grim reality of destruction, encouraging discernment (viveka) to see the world as unreal. The ultimate message is to turn inward, Realize the Self beyond birth and death, and attain Peace free from the cycles of action and reaction. War here symbolizes all dualistic struggles; true victory comes from transcending them through Knowledge of the non-dual Brahm.

Chapter 3.35, Verses 15–28

Yoga Vashishtha 3.35.15–28

(These verses from describe a fierce and chaotic battlefield during a great war, using vivid poetic metaphors to portray the destruction, movement, and terror of combat)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

तरत्तरङ्गविहगः पतत्करिघटातटः।

त्रस्तभीरुमृगानीकस्कूर्जद्धुरुघुरारवः ॥ १५ ॥

सरच्छरालीशलभशतभङ्गुरसैनिकः।

तरत्तरङ्गशरभः शरभारवनावनिः ॥ १६ ॥

चलद्द्विरेफनिर्ह्रादो रसत्तूर्यगुहागुरुः ।

चिरात्स सैन्यजलदो लुठद्भटमृगाधिपः ॥ १७ ॥

प्रसरद्धूलिजलदो विगलत्सैन्यसानुमान्।

पतद्रथवराढ्याङ्गः प्रतपत्खङ्गमण्डलः ॥ १८ ॥

प्रोत्पतत्पदपुष्पौघः पताकाच्छत्रवारिदः।

वहद्रक्तनदीपूरपतत्साराववारणः ॥ १९॥

सोऽभूत्समरकल्पान्तो जगत्कवलनाकुलः ।

पर्यस्तसध्वजच्छत्रपताकारथपत्तनः ॥ २० ॥

पतद्विमलहेत्यौघभूरिभास्वरभास्करः ।

कठिनप्राणसंतापतापिताखिलमानसः ॥ २१ ॥

कोदण्डपुष्करावर्तशरधारानिरन्तरः ।

वहत्खंगशिलालेखाविद्युद्वलयिताम्बरः ॥ २२ ॥

उच्छिन्नरक्तजलधिपतितेभकुलाचलः ।

नभोविकीर्णनिपतद्युत्तारकणतारकः ॥ २३ ॥

चक्रकुल्याम्बुदावर्तपूर्णव्योमशिराम्बुदः ।

अस्त्रकल्पाग्निनिर्दग्धसैन्यलोकान्तरक्रमः ॥ २४ ॥

हेतिवर्षाशनिच्छन्नभूतलामलभूधरः ।

गजराजगिरिव्रातपातपिष्टजनव्रजः ॥ २५ ॥

शरधाराघनानीकमेघच्छन्नमहीनभाः ।

महानीकार्णवक्षोभसंघट्टघटिताद्रवः ॥ २६ ॥

व्याप्त उग्रानिलोद्भूतैर्जलव्यालैरिवाचलः ।

अन्योन्यदलनव्यग्रैः शस्त्रोत्पात इवोत्थितैः ॥ २७ ॥

शूलासिचक्रशरशक्तिगदाभुशुण्डीप्रासादयो विदलनेन मिथो ध्वनन्तः।

दीप्ता अधुर्दशदिशः शतशो भ्रमन्तः कल्पान्तवातपरिवृत्तपदार्थलीलाम् ॥ २८ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.35.15–21

> The battlefield had fast-moving waves like flocks of birds flying, falling groups of elephants like collapsing mountains, and frightened deer herds making loud trumpeting noises.

> It featured autumnal arrows breaking like swarms of locusts, swift waves like deer in flight, and arrows falling heavily like rain in forests.

> There was the humming sound of moving bees, the deep roar echoing from cave-like spaces, a long-lasting cloud of army like water, and rolling warrior-lions.

> It spread clouds of dust, had mountains of armies collapsing, falling excellent chariots with parts, and shining circles of heated swords.

> It had rising floods of fallen flower-like feet, clouds of flags, umbrellas, and banners, carrying rivers of blood, and falling elephant-lords with sounds.

> That war became like the end of a cosmic cycle, swallowing the world in chaos, with overturned flags, umbrellas, banners, chariots, and cities.

> It had showers of pure weapons shining like many bright suns, tormenting all minds with severe pain of life-forces.

3.35.22–28

> It was filled with continuous streams of arrows from bow-lotuses in whirlpools, carrying sword-lines like lightning encircling the sky.

> It had oceans of blood risen and fallen elephant clans like mountains, stars of light scattered in the sky falling as shooting stars.

> It was a sky full of whirlpools of weapon-wheels like clouds, burning armies in the fire of weapon-doomsday, crossing worlds.

> The earth-mountains were covered by showers of weapons like thunderbolts, crushing crowds of people under falling elephant-kings like mountains.

> The sky and earth were hidden by clouds of arrow-showers and army, stirred by great ocean-like army clashes producing floods.

> The mountains stood covered by fierce winds raising water-snakes, rising like weapon-upheavals in mutual destruction.

> Spears, swords, wheels, arrows, shaktis, maces, clubs, and other weapons split each other with noise, shining and whirling in hundreds of directions, enacting the play of objects revolving in doomsday winds.

Summary of the teachings:

These verses paint an extremely intense and terrifying picture of a massive battlefield, comparing the war to the dissolution (pralaya or kalpa-anta) at the end of a cosmic cycle. Sage Vasishta uses elaborate poetic imagery—drawing from nature like oceans, clouds, mountains, animals, rain, lightning, and cosmic destruction—to show how violence and conflict turn the world into chaos. The description is not just literal but symbolic, highlighting how the mind perceives the world as full of turmoil when caught in duality, desire, and action.

The core teaching is that the entire spectacle of war, with its bloodshed, falling warriors, weapons clashing, and cosmic-scale devastation, is illusory (mithya) like a dream or mirage. Just as the battlefield appears real and horrifying to the participants and observers, the world of names and forms appears real to the ignorant mind. Vasishta emphasizes that such scenes of destruction arise from the vibrations of Consciousness (chit-spanda), but they have no Ultimate Reality in the Absolute Brahm.

By likening the battle to the end of a kalpa, the verses remind the seeker that all manifested phenomena—creation, preservation, and destruction—are transient and cyclic. Nothing in the phenomenal world lasts; empires, armies, and even the mightiest warriors fall like dust. This serves to instill vairagya 

(dispassion), showing that attachment to worldly power, victory, or survival leads only to suffering and repeated cycles of birth and death.

The over-the-top, almost apocalyptic imagery teaches that the ego-driven actions of beings create apparent multiplicity and conflict, but in truth, everything is the play (lila) of One Consciousness. 

The clashing weapons, flowing blood, and roaring sounds are like waves on the ocean—temporary movements without changing the underlying reality. This encourages turning inward to Realize the Unchanging Self beyond the drama of samsara.

Ultimately, these verses prepare Rama (and the reader) for deeper inquiry into the nature of Reality. By showing the futility and horror of war in such poetic detail, Vasishta directs attention away from external battles toward the internal war against ignorance. True victory lies not in conquering armies but in transcending the illusion of the world through Knowledge (jnana), leading to Eternal Peace.

Chapter 3.35, Verses 1–14

Yoga Vashishtha 3.35.1–14

(These verses vividly describe a massive, chaotic battlefield as a raging ocean, using powerful metaphors to show war's terrifying and destructive nature)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

अथ प्रोड्डयनोद्युक्ततुरङ्गमतरङ्गकः ।

उत्ताण्डव इवोन्मत्तो बभूव स रणार्णवः ॥ १ ॥

छत्रडिण्डीरविश्रान्तसितेषुशफरोत्करः ।

अश्वसैन्योल्लसल्लोलकल्लोलाकुलकोटरः ॥ २ ॥

नानायुधनदीनीतसैन्यावर्तविवृत्तिमान् ।

मत्तहस्तिघटापीठचलाचलकुलाचलः ॥ ३ ॥

कचच्चक्रशतावर्तवृत्तिभ्रान्तशिरस्तृणः ।

धूलीजलधरापीतभ्रमत्खड्गप्रभाजलः ॥ ४ ॥

मकरव्यूहविस्तारभग्नाभग्नभटौघनौ ।

महागुडुगुडावर्तप्रतिश्रुद्धनकन्दरः ॥ ५ ॥

मीनव्यूहविनिष्क्रान्तशरबीजौघसर्षपः ।

हेतिवीचीवरालूनपताकावीचिमण्डलः ॥ ६ ॥

शस्त्रवारिकृताम्भोदसदृशावर्तकुण्डलः ।

संरम्भघनसंचारसेनातिमितिमिङ्गिलः ॥ ७ ॥

कृष्णायसपरीधानवलत्सेनाम्बुभीषणः ।

कबन्धावर्तलेखान्तर्बद्धसैन्यादिभूषणः ॥ ८ ॥

शरसीकरनीहारसान्धकारककुब्गणः ।

निर्घोषाशोषिताशेषशब्दैकघनघुंघुमः ॥ ९ ॥

पतनोत्पतनव्यग्रशिरःशकलसीकरः ।

आवर्तचक्रव्यूहेषु प्रभ्रमद्भटकाष्ठकः ॥ १० ॥

कष्टटाङ्कारकोदण्डकुण्डलोन्मथनोद्भटः ।

अशङ्कमेव पातालादिवोद्यत्सैनिकोर्मिमान् ॥ ११॥

गमागमपरानन्तपताकाच्छत्रफेनिलः ।

वहद्रक्तनदीरंहःप्रोह्यमानरथद्रुमः ॥ १२॥

गजप्रतिमसंपन्नमहारुधिरबुद्बुदः ।

सैन्यप्रवाहविचलद्धयहस्तिजलेचरः ॥ १३ ॥

ससंग्रामोऽम्बरग्राम इवाश्चर्यकरो नृणाम् ।

अभूत्प्रलयभूकम्पकम्पिताचलचञ्चलः ॥ १४ ॥

Maharishi Vashisht said:

3.35.1–7

> Then the ocean of battle became wildly agitated, like a mad elephant dancing wildly, with horses eagerly rising up in waves.

> It rested on white umbrellas and shining arrows like fish, with the army of horses creating surging waves in the hollows.

> It carried the whirlpools of armies brought by various weapons' rivers, with groups of mad elephants shaking mountains.

> It had hundreds of spinning wheels of shining chakras, with dust clouds drinking the light of whirling swords.

> It had broken and unbroken fleets of warriors in the formation of crocodiles, with great roaring whirlpools echoing in caves.

> It poured out floods of arrows like seeds from fish formations, with flags cut by waves of weapons forming circles.

> It had swirling eddies like clouds made of weapon-waters, with dense moving armies like huge sea monsters.

3.35.8–14 

> It was terrifying with armies dressed in black iron, adorned with headless torsos in the whirlpools.

> It had arrow-drops like mist darkening the directions, with the roar absorbing all sounds into one dense hum.

> It scattered drops from falling and rising heads, with soldiers whirling like wooden logs in the circular battle formations.

> It fiercely churned with the twang of bows like thunder, rising fearlessly like armies from the underworld.

> It had endless flags and umbrellas foaming, carrying rivers of blood and uprooted chariot-trees.

> It bubbled with great blood like elephants, with two-tusked elephants moving in the army's flowing stream.

> This war became astonishing to men, like a village in the sky, trembling the mountains like an earthquake of dissolution.

Summary of the Teachings:

Sage Vasishta portrays the battle not as mere human conflict but as a cosmic upheaval, where armies, weapons, horses, elephants, and blood merge into a single turbulent force resembling the sea in storm. This imagery highlights how violence engulfs everything, reducing individuals to mere parts of a larger, uncontrollable wave of destruction.

The description emphasizes illusion and impermanence. In the Yoga Vasishta's broader philosophy, the world and its events—including grand battles—are appearances in Consciousness, like dreams or mirages. By comparing the war to an ocean or cosmic dissolution (pralaya), Vasishta teaches that such spectacles, though seemingly real and overwhelming, are transient phenomena born from the mind's projections. They have no ultimate substance beyond the Self.

A key teaching is detachment from worldly turmoil. The warrior or seeker must witness such chaos without getting lost in it, recognizing it as unreal or dream-like. Rama, to whom these words are addressed, is being guided to see beyond sensory appearances toward Inner Peace and Realization. The horrifying details serve as a reminder that attachment to action, victory, or fear leads to bondage, while equanimity frees one.

These verses also illustrate the power of maya (illusion). The battle's grandeur and terror captivate the senses, yet they are empty forms without lasting Reality. Vasishta uses this poetic exaggeration to awaken discernment: what appears mighty and eternal (like the raging ocean of war) dissolves upon inquiry, revealing the unchanging Brahman underlying all.

Ultimately, the passage inspires spiritual inquiry amid apparent suffering. By presenting war in such intense, metaphorical terms, it urges turning inward, transcending the cycle of birth, death, and conflict. True liberation lies not in escaping battles externally but in Realizing their dream-like nature through Knowledge, leading to abiding Peace beyond all dualities.

Chapter 3.34, Verses 40–53

Yoga Vashishtha 3.34.40–53

(These verses vividly describe the fierce and terrifying scene of a great battle, portraying it as a manifestation of death and destruction)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

एषा प्रसृतदोर्दण्डभटखड्गच्छटात्कृतिः।

कठिनात्कंकटाज्जाता मृत्योरेवोग्रहुंकृतिः ॥ ४० ॥

हेतिकल्पानिलक्षुण्णा दन्तनिर्झरवारयः।

जनताक्षयकालेऽस्मिन्भग्ना नागा नगा इव ॥ ४१ ॥

सचक्रनाथसूताश्वं व्यूढं रक्तमहाहृदे ।

हाहाभिभूतगतिकं चेष्टते रथपत्त्नम् ॥ ४२ ॥

करकंकटकुट्यङ्कखड्गसंघट्टटांकृतैः ।

कालरात्र्या प्रनृत्यन्त्या रणवीणेव वाद्यते ॥ ४३ ॥

नरेभखरवाजिभ्यो ये च्युता रक्तनिर्झराः ।

पश्य तद्बिन्दुसिक्तेन वायुनारुणिता दिशः ॥ ४४ ॥

शस्त्रांशुजलदे व्योम्नि कालीचिकुरमेचके ।

शरकोरकभारस्रङ्मेघे विद्युदिवोदिता ॥ ४५ ॥

अनन्तरक्तसंसक्तसन्नावनितलायुधैः ।

भुवनं भात्यभिज्वालमग्निलोक इवाकुलम् ॥ ४६ ॥

भुशुण्डीशक्तिशूलासिमुसलप्रासवृष्टयः ।

अन्योन्यच्छेदभेदाभ्यां करप्रकरतोऽपतन् ॥ ४७ ॥

अक्षोभैकप्रहरणाद्यातुधान्योऽन्यचेष्टितम् ।

संरम्भावेक्षणप्रज्ञं रणं स्वप्नमिव स्थितम् ॥ ४८ ॥

अनन्यशब्दाविरतहताहतिरणज्झणैः ।

गायतीव क्षतक्षोभमुदितो रणभैरवः ॥ ४९ ॥

अन्योन्यरणहेत्युग्रचूर्णपूर्णो रणार्णवः।

वालुकामय एवाभूच्छिन्नच्छत्रतरङ्गकः ॥ ५० ॥

सरभसरसवद्विसारितूर्यप्रतिरवपूरितलोकपाललोकः ।

रणगिरिरयमुग्रपक्षदक्षप्रतिसृतिवृत्त इवाम्बरे युगान्ते ॥ ५१ ॥

हा हा धिक्प्रविकटकङ्कटाननोद्यत्प्रोड्डीनप्रकटतडिच्छटाप्रतप्ताः ।

क्रेङ्कारस्फुरितगुणेरिता रणन्तो नाराचाः शिखरिशिलागणं वहन्ति ॥ ५२ ॥

छिन्नेच्छाच्छमिति न यावदङ्गभङ्गं कुर्वन्तो ज्वलदनलोज्ज्वलाः पृषत्काः ।

तावद्द्राग्द्रुतमित एहि मित्र यामो यामोऽयं प्रवहति वासरश्चतुर्थः ॥ ५३॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.34.40–47

> This clashing sound of swords from warriors with outstretched strong arms, coming from their hard armor, is like the fierce roar of Death itself.

> Streams of blood from broken elephant tusks, crushed by weapons like wind in a storm, flow like waterfalls; in this time of people's destruction, the elephants lie broken like mountains.

> Chariots with wheels, drivers, horses, and soldiers move about in the great lake of blood, overwhelmed by cries of "ha ha" (wailing), like helpless floating things.

> The clanging of armors, shields, and striking swords sounds like the music of the veena played by the dancing goddess of dark night (Kalaratri) on the battlefield.

> Look at the directions turned red by the wind sprinkled with drops of blood falling from men, donkeys, and horses struck down.

> In the sky, filled with the cloud of arrows like flower buds in a garland, lightning flashes amid the dark hair-like mass of Goddess Kali.

> The world shines with endless blood, crowded weapons, and blazing fires, like the chaotic world of fire (hell) full of flames.

> Showers of spears, lances, swords, clubs, and other weapons fall from hands, cutting and piercing each other mutually.

3.34.48–53

> The demons (or warriors), striking without agitation, watch each other's actions with angry eyes and firm resolve; the battle stands like a dream.

> With the ceaseless sounds of weapons striking and being struck, the terrible roar of battle seems to sing joyfully amid the wounds and chaos.

> The ocean of battle, filled with fierce grinding of weapons clashing, becomes like a sandy desert with broken umbrella-like waves (chopped shields and banners).

> This mountain of battle, spreading fierce wings, echoes loudly, filling all directions with the sound of trumpets and drums, like the end of an age in the sky.

> Alas, shame! The arrows, shot with twanging bowstrings, fly blazing like lightning from dark clouds of armor, carrying groups of mountain-like rocks (or piercing powerfully).

> The flaming arrows keep cutting bodies with sounds like "chhin-chha-chha" before limbs are fully broken; meanwhile, friend, come quickly—let us go, for this fourth day is passing swiftly.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses form part of Sage Vasishta's description of a massive battlefield in the Yoga Vasishta, using extremely graphic and poetic imagery to depict war as a terrifying dance of death. The central teaching is the illusory and transient nature of the world (samsara). The battle scene, full of blood, weapons, cries, and destruction, symbolizes the endless cycle of birth, death, and suffering that appears real but is ultimately dream-like and impermanent. Vasishta shows how even grand events like wars are mere appearances in consciousness, meant to awaken the seeker to detachment.

A key lesson is the personification of death and time as inevitable forces. Death is not distant but present in every clash of swords, every drop of blood, and every fallen warrior. The fierce "roar" of death, the dancing dark goddess (symbolizing time or Kali), and the burning arrows highlight how mortality consumes everything. This reminds Rama (and the reader) that attachment to the body, victory, or worldly glory leads only to pain, urging one to seek the Eternal Self beyond physical destruction.

The verses emphasize non-duality and the dream-like quality of existence. The battle is compared to a dream, a blazing hell, or a sandy desert—images that dissolve upon closer inspection. Warriors fight fiercely, yet their actions are like shadows in a dream; sounds of clashing weapons "sing" joyfully, revealing the absurdity and emptiness of ego-driven conflict. This teaches that all phenomena, pleasant or horrific, arise from the mind and dissolve back into it, encouraging inquiry into the true nature of reality.

Through this vivid portrayal, Vasishta instills vairagya (dispassion). The horror of war—blood-red directions, broken elephants like fallen mountains, and passing days—shows the futility of worldly pursuits. No victory lasts; everything ends in ruin. This intense imagery shocks the mind out of complacency, directing attention inward to realize the Self as unchanging witness, untouched by the battlefield of life.

Ultimately, these verses serve as a meditation on impermanence (anitya) and the need for Spiritual awakening. By immersing Rama in this terrifying vision, Vasishta prepares him to transcend illusion. The teaching culminates in recognizing that the entire Universe, including wars and destruction, is a projection of Consciousness —nothing more than a fleeting appearance. True Peace lies in Self-Realization, free from identification with the body or the transient world.

Chapter 3.34, Verses 25–39

Yoga Vashishtha 3.34.25–39

(These verses vividly describe a fierce celestial battle, portraying the sky as a transformed battlefield filled with Divine warriors, apsaras, and supernatural elements)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

धम्मिल्लवलनाव्यग्रे घनोत्कण्ठेऽप्सरोगणे ।

भटो दिव्यशरीरेण पार्श्वप्राप्तो निरीक्ष्यताम् ॥ २५ ॥

फुल्लहेमारविन्दासु च्छायाशीतजलानिलैः ।

स्वर्गनद्यास्तटीष्वेनं दूरायातं विनोदय ॥ २६ ॥

विविधायुधसंघट्टखण्डितोग्रास्थिकोटयः ।

खे कवन्त्यः कणत्कारैः प्रसृतास्तारका इव ॥ २७ ॥

व्योम्नि जीवनदीवाहे वहत्सायकवारिणि ।

चक्रावर्तिनि गच्छन्ति गिरयोऽप्यणुपङ्कताम् ॥ २८ ॥

भ्रमद्भिर्ग्रहमार्गेषु शिरोभिर्वीरभूभृताम्।

आयुधांशुलतानाललग्नासिदलकण्टकैः ॥ २९ ॥

केतुपट्टंमृणालाङ्गदलैर्लब्धशिलीमुखैः ।

वहद्वातचलत्पद्मं नभः पद्मसरः कृतम् ॥ ३० ॥

मृतमातङ्गसंघाते गिराविव पिपीलिकाः ।

भीरवः परिलीयन्ते स्त्रियः पुंवक्षसीव च ॥ ३१ ॥

अपूर्वोत्तमसौन्दर्यकान्तसंगमशंसिनः ।

वान्ति विद्याधरस्त्रीणामलकोल्लासिनोऽनिलाः ॥ ३२ ॥

छत्रेषूड्डीयमानेषु स्थितेषु व्योम्नि चन्द्रता ।

इन्दुनेव यशोमूर्त्या कृता शुभ्रातपत्रता ॥ ३३ ॥

भटो मरणमूर्च्छान्ते निमेषेणामरं वपुः।

स्वकर्मशिल्पिरचितं प्राप्तः स्वप्नपुरं यथा ॥ ३४ ॥

शूलशक्त्यृष्टिचक्राणां वृष्टयो मुक्ततुष्टयः ।

व्योमाब्धौ मत्स्यमकरसंकुलावयवाः स्थिताः ॥ ३५ ॥

शरोत्कृत्तसितच्छत्रकलहंसैर्नभःस्थलम् ।

भाति संचितपूर्णेन्दुबिम्बलक्षैरिवावृतम् ॥ ३६ ॥

क्रियते गगनोड्डीनैश्चामरैश्चारुघर्घरैः ।

वातावधूतसंरोधतरङ्गनिकरद्युतिः ॥ ३७ ॥

दृश्यन्ते हेतिदलिताश्छत्रचामरकेतवः ।

आकाशक्षेत्रविक्षिप्ता यशःशालिलता इव ॥ ३८ ॥

वहद्भिर्व्योम्नि सक्षेम पश्य नीता क्षयं शरै ।

शक्तिवृष्टिरुपायान्ती सस्यश्रीः शलभैरिव ॥ ३९ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.34.25–30

> Look at the warrior who has reached the side with a Divine body, while the group of apsaras is eagerly engaged in curling their hair and the cloud-like group is filled with intense longing.

> Entertain him who has come from afar on the banks of the heavenly river, with the shade of fully bloomed golden lotuses, cool waters, and breezes.

> Sharp edges of weapons clashing break terrible piles of bones; flying in the sky with jingling sounds, they spread like scattered stars.

> In the sky, where the stream of life flows carrying arrows like water, even mountains whirl and become as small as atoms in the spinning wheel.

> Heads of brave warrior-kings roll in dizzy paths among the planets, with thorns of sword-tips stuck in the rays of weapons like creepers.

> With flags like lotus stems, armlets, and arrows gained, the sky has become a lotus pond shaken by wind with moving lotuses.

3.34.31–35

> Like ants on a mountain of dead elephants, fearful women hide in the chests of men.

> Breezes from the hair of vidyadhara women blow, proclaiming the union of unmatched supreme beauty and charm.

> With umbrellas flying up and stationed in the sky, the moon-like fame has made white canopies.

> The warrior, at the end of fainting from death, instantly obtains a Divine body crafted by his own karma, like entering a city in a dream.

> Showers of spears, shaktis, swords, and chakras fall freely like satisfied rain; in the ocean of sky, they stay crowded like fish and crocodiles with limbs.

3.34.36–39 

> The sky ground shines with white umbrellas cut by arrows and fallen swans, as if covered by lakhs of full moon discs gathered.

> The sky is made charming by flying chowries and beautiful tinkling sounds, with waves of brilliance from obstructed winds.

> Broken umbrellas, chowries, and flags by weapons are seen scattered in the sky field like vines of fame.

> See in the sky, the shower of shaktis coming to destruction carried by arrows safely, like crops of grain destroyed by locusts.

Summary of the teachings in these verses:

These verses vividly describe a fierce celestial battle, portraying the sky as a transformed battlefield filled with Divine warriors, apsaras, and supernatural elements. The scene highlights the warrior's transition to a divine form upon nearing death, emphasizing how individual karma shapes one's existence beyond the physical body. The imagery of weapons turning into stars, mountains reducing to atoms, and the sky becoming a lotus pond illustrates the illusory and transient nature of the material world, where even grand things dissolve into insignificance in the vastness of Consciousness.

A central teaching is the dream-like quality of life and death. The warrior's instant shift to an immortal body "like entering a city in a dream" shows that death is not an end but a change of State, governed by one's actions (karma). This reinforces the core philosophy of Yoga Vasishta that the world is a projection of the mind, and transitions between states are as fluid as dreams, urging detachment from bodily identification.

The verses use poetic metaphors to depict destruction and beauty coexisting in war—scattered bones as stars, fearful women hiding like ants, breezes carrying Divine fragrance, and fame manifesting as white canopies. This contrast teaches that apparent chaos and glory are both unreal appearances (maya), arising and dissolving within the unchanging Self. Sensory delights and horrors are transient, meant to illustrate the impermanence of phenomenal experiences.

The description of weapons raining like fish in an ocean-sky and crops destroyed by locusts symbolizes how violent actions lead to inevitable ruin. It warns that pursuit of power, fame, or victory through force results in self-destruction, akin to natural calamities overwhelming prosperity. The teaching encourages recognition that ego-driven conflicts are futile in the grand illusion.

Ultimately, these verses point to the non-dual Reality beyond appearances. The battlefield, though dramatic, is a display within Consciousness. By contemplating such scenes, the seeker Realizes the world as a mirage, leading to liberation through Knowledge of the Self as the sole Reality, free from birth, death, and change.

Chapter 3.34, Verses 12–24

Yoga Vashishtha 3.34.12–24

(These verses describe vivid scenes from a fierce battlefield, portraying the chaos, horror, and futility of war through the cries and observations of warriors and onlookers)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

आपादशृङ्खलाप्रोतभ्रमत्स्थूलोपलद्वयम् ।

भ्रामयंश्चित्रदण्डाख्यं चक्रमूर्ध्वभुजो जवात् ॥ १२ ॥

योधो यम इवाभाति याम्यादायाति दिक्तटात् ।

सर्वतः संहरन्सेनामेहि यामो यथागतम् ॥ १३ ॥

सद्यश्छिन्नशिरश्वभ्रमज्जत्कङ्ककुलाकुलाः ।

कबन्धाः परिनृत्यन्ति तालोत्ताला रणाङ्गणे ॥ १४ ॥

गीर्वाणगणगोष्ठीषु प्रवृत्ताः संकथा मिथः ।

कदा लोकान्तरं धीराः कथं यास्यन्ति के कुतः ॥ १५ ॥

निगिरत्यागताः सेनाः स्रवन्तीरिव सागरः ।

समत्स्यमकरव्यूहा अहो नु विषमो भटः ॥ १६ ॥

कटेषु करिणां कीर्णा धारानाराचराजयः।

पतिता इव संपूर्णाः शृङ्गसंघेषु वृष्टयः ॥ १७ ॥

हा कुन्तेन शिरो नीतं ममेत्येव विवक्षतः।

शिरसाऽजीवमित्येवं खे खगेनेव वाशितम् ॥ १८ ॥

यन्त्रपाषाणवर्षेण यैषास्मान्परिषिञ्चति।

सेनानुशृङ्खलाजालवलना क्रियतां बलात् ॥ १९ ॥

वलीपलितनिर्मुक्तं पूर्वभार्याप्सराः सती ।

अङ्गीकरोति भर्तारं परिज्ञाय रणे हतम् ॥ २० ॥

आदिवं रचिताकाराः कुन्तकाननकान्तयः ।

वीराणां स्वर्गमारोढुमिव सोपानपङ्क्तयः ॥ २१ ॥

कान्तकाञ्चनकान्ताङ्गे भटस्योरसि कामिनी ।

दृष्टा देवपुरन्ध्रीयं भर्तुरन्वेषणान्विता ॥ २२ ॥

हा हतं सैन्यमस्माकं भटैऽरुद्धतमुष्टिभिः ।

महाप्रलयकल्लोलैः सुरशैलस्थलं यथा ॥ २३ ॥

युध्यध्वमग्रतो मूढा नयतार्धमृतान्नरान्।

निजान्पादप्रहारेण मैतान्दारयताधमाः ॥ २४ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued: 

3.34.12–17

>A warrior whirls a heavy club overhead with both arms swiftly, like two large stones tied to chains, spinning the weapon called "Chitradanda" rapidly.

> He appears like Yama (the God of death) himself, coming from the southern direction, swiftly destroying armies on all sides, just as death arrives and takes everything away.

> Severed heads roll around, and headless bodies (kabandhas) dance wildly on the battlefield amid flocks of vultures, with loud rhythmic clapping sounds.

> In gatherings of Gods in heaven, conversations arise among them: "When will these brave souls go to the other world? How will they reach there, and from where?"

> The armies are swallowed up as they come, like rivers flowing into the ocean filled with fish and crocodiles. Ah, what a terrible warrior this is!

> Sharp arrows fall thickly on the elephants' sides, like heavy rains pouring completely over mountain peaks.

3.34.18–24

> As a head is cut off by a spear, the dying warrior tries to say "Alas, my head is taken!" but only a lifeless cry echoes in the sky like a bird's call.

> "Capture forcefully that enemy who showers us with a rain of stones and machines, binding our army in chains of shackles!"

> Apsara wives from earlier lives, now free from old age and wrinkles, recognize and embrace their slain husbands as true companions in the battle.

> The shining spears and arrows, arranged like forests, appear as stairways of light for the brave warriors to ascend to heaven.

> On the chest of a warrior adorned with golden ornaments, a loving woman is seen, like a divine lady from the gods' city searching for her husband.

> "Alas, our army is destroyed by these warriors with clenched fists, just as the peaks of divine mountains are swept away by huge waves of the great dissolution."

> "Fight forward, you fools! Carry the half-dead men to the rear. Do not trample your own fallen comrades with your feet, you lowly ones!"

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses form part of a graphic depiction of battlefield carnage in the Yoga Vasishta, where Sage Vasishta illustrates the transient and illusory nature of the world through the lens of war. The intense imagery of whirling weapons, severed heads, dancing corpses, and devouring armies serves as a metaphor for the relentless cycle of birth, death, and destruction driven by ignorance and desire. War here symbolizes the inner conflict and external chaos arising from attachment to the body and ego, reminding the seeker that what appears real and glorious is ultimately fleeting and painful.

The verses highlight the inevitability of death (personified as Yama-like warriors) and the futility of physical strength or bravery in the face of time and karma. 

Scenes of vultures circling, headless bodies dancing, and cries echoing in vain underscore how the body, once proud and powerful, becomes food for birds and mere spectacle. This vivid portrayal teaches detachment from the physical form, showing that clinging to it leads only to horror and loss, while true liberation lies beyond identification with the perishable.

Conversations among Gods and the ascent of warriors via "stairways" of arrows point to the cultural belief in martyrdom leading to heaven, yet the text subtly critiques this by framing it within illusion (maya). Even celestial rewards or reunion with divine spouses are presented amid gore, suggesting that such hopes are still part of the dream-like world. The teaching urges discernment: what seems heroic or divine is transient, and true wisdom involves seeing through these appearances to the unchanging Self.

The horror of destruction—armies swallowed like rivers into the sea, rains of arrows, and pleas amid chaos—illustrates the destructive power of uncontrolled passions and ignorance. War becomes an allegory for samsara (worldly existence), where beings are trapped in cycles of action and reaction, suffering endlessly. Vasishta uses this to awaken Rama (and the reader) to the absurdity of pursuing worldly victories or sensory pleasures, which end in ruin.

Ultimately, these verses teach vairagya (dispassion) and the recognition of the world's dream-like quality. By immersing in such terrifying yet poetic descriptions, the mind is shocked out of complacency, leading toward inquiry into the real nature of existence. The battlefield is not just external but mirrors the mind's turmoil; transcending it through Knowledge of the Self brings peace beyond all conflict.

Chapter 3.34, Verses 1–11

Yoga Vashishtha 3.34.1–11

(The body, family, and achievements are impermanent; clinging to them brings sorrow)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

अथ राज्ञां युयुत्सूनां भटानां मन्त्रिणामपि ।

नभसः प्रेक्षकाणां च तत्रेमाः प्रोदगुर्गिरः ॥ १ ॥

चलत्पद्मं सर इव वहद्विहगमेव च ।

नभः शूरशिरःकीर्णं भाति तारकिताकृति ॥ २ ॥

पश्य रक्तपृषत्पूरसिन्दूरारुणमारुतैः।

सांध्या इव विभान्त्येते मध्याह्नेऽम्बुदभानवः ॥ ३ ॥

किमिदं भगवन्व्योम पलालभरितं स्थितम् ।

नेदं पलालं वीराणामेते शरभराम्बुदाः ॥ ४ ॥

यावन्तो भुवि सिच्यन्ते रुधिरे रणरेणवः।

तावन्त्यब्दसहस्राणि भटानामास्पदं दिवि ॥ ५ ॥

मा भैष्ट नैते निस्त्रिंशा नीलोत्पलदलत्विषः ।

अमी वीरावलोकिन्या लक्ष्म्या नयनविभ्रमाः ॥ ६ ॥

वीरालिङ्गनलोलानां नितम्बे सुरयोषिताम् ।

मेखलाः शिथिलीकर्तुं प्रवृत्तः कुसुमायुधः ॥ ७ ॥

लसद्भुजलतालोला रक्तपल्लवपाणयः।

मञ्जरीमत्तनयना मध्वामोदसुगन्धयः ॥ ८ ॥

गायन्त्यो मधुरालापैर्नन्दनोद्यानदेवताः ।

तवागमनमाशङ्क्य प्रवृत्ताः परिनर्तितुम् ॥ ९ ॥

प्रत्यनीकं भिनत्त्यन्तः कुठारैः कठिनैरियम् ।

सेना ग्राम्येव वनिता दयितं दृष्टिचेष्टितैः ॥ १० ॥

हा पितुर्मम भल्लेन शिरो ज्वलितकुण्डलम् ।

सूर्यस्य निकटं नीतं कालेनेवाष्टमो ग्रहः ॥ ११ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta said:

3.34.1–6

> Then, from the sky, these words arose from the kings eager for battle, their warriors, ministers, and the spectators watching from above.

> The sky looks beautiful, scattered with stars like a lake with moving lotuses and flying birds, filled with the heads of brave warriors.

> Look, these clouds in the midday shine red like evening clouds, colored by the wind carrying drops of blood and vermilion-like redness.

> What is this sky filled with straw-like things? These are not straw; they are the clouds of arrows from the brave warriors.

> As many drops of blood are sprinkled on the earth in battle dust, so many thousands of years do the warriors' abodes last in heaven.

> Do not fear; these are not shining swords with the hue of blue lotuses. These are the charming glances of the eyes of Lakshmi, who looks at the heroes.

3.34.7–11

> The god of love (Cupid) has begun to loosen the girdles on the hips of heavenly women who are eager to embrace the heroes.

> They have swaying arms like lotus stalks, hands like red fresh leaves, eyes intoxicated like blossoms, and sweet fragrance of honey.

> The goddesses of the heavenly gardens are singing sweet songs and have started dancing, anticipating your arrival.

> This army breaks the opposing side from within with hard axes, just as a village woman breaks her beloved's hard heart with playful glances.

> Alas, my father's head, with blazing earrings, was carried by an arrow near the sun, like the eighth planet brought close by time (death).

Summary of the teachings:

These verses vividly describe a fierce battlefield from an elevated, poetic perspective, where the sky itself becomes a canvas reflecting the chaos and glory of war. The sounds of warriors, kings, and spectators rise like echoes, while the atmosphere fills with arrows that look like clouds or scattered straw. This imagery teaches that the world of action, especially violent conflict, creates illusions of grandeur. What appears terrifying or material (like blood-red clouds or arrow-filled skies) is transient and dream-like, highlighting the impermanence of sensory phenomena in the grand play of existence.

The description of blood drops leading to long-lasting heavenly rewards for warriors points to the law of karma. 

Acts in battle, even heroic ones, bind the soul to cycles of reward in higher realms, yet these rewards are temporary (thousands of years in heaven still finite). The teaching emphasizes detachment: true liberation comes not from accumulating merits through valor or sacrifice, but from recognizing the illusory nature of such gains and the endless wheel of birth and death.

A shift occurs when fear of weapons is dismissed, and swords are poetically reinterpreted as enchanting glances of Divine Lakshmi or attractions from heavenly Beings. This reveals how the mind projects beauty and desire even onto horror. The verses teach that perception is subjective—what seems deadly can be seen as alluring through illusion (maya). The mind fabricates opposites (fear vs. charm) in the same event, underscoring the need to transcend dualistic seeing and Realize the non-dual Reality beyond appearances.

The imagery of Cupid loosening girdles of celestial women and goddesses dancing in anticipation portrays war as a path to sensual or heavenly enjoyments. It satirizes the warrior's mindset, where death in battle promises union with divine beauties. The deeper teaching critiques attachment to rewards, showing how desires (for glory, pleasure, or afterlife bliss) fuel action and bondage. True Wisdom lies in seeing through these lures and seeking freedom from all desires.

Finally, the lament over a father's severed head rising to the sun like an eclipse symbolizes the ultimate futility and tragedy of war. Even the mightiest fall, and time (death) devours all. This verse teaches profound vairagya (dispassion): the body, family, and achievements are impermanent; clinging to them brings sorrow. The overall message of these verses is to awaken from the dream of worldly strife, recognize the illusory nature of phenomena, and turn inward toward Self-Realization and peace beyond the battlefield of life.