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Yoga Vashishtha 3.44.15–25
(These verses continue the profound dialogue between the awakened Lila -Prabuddha Lila- and the Divine Goddess, where Lila questions her own apparent transformation and the persistence of the familiar world around her)
प्रबुद्धलीलोवाच ।
किमिदं देवि हे ब्रूहि कस्मादियमहं स्थिता ।
या साऽभवमहं पूर्वं कथं सेयमहं स्थिता ॥ १५ ॥
मन्त्रिप्रभृतयः पौरा योधाः सबलवाहनाः ।
सर्व एव त एवेमे स्थितास्तत्र तथैव ते ॥ १६ ॥
तत्रापीह च हे देवि सर्वे कथमवस्थिताः।
बहिरन्तश्च मुकुरे इवैते किं प्रचेतनाः ॥ १७ ॥
श्रीदेव्युवाच ।
यथा ज्ञप्तिरुदेत्यन्तस्तथानुभवति क्षणात् ।
चितिश्चेत्यार्थतामेति चित्तं चित्तार्थतामिव ॥ १८ ॥
यादृगर्थं जगद्रूपं तत्रैवोदेति तत्क्षणात् ।
न देशकालदीर्घत्वं न वैचित्र्यं पदार्थजम् ॥ १९ ॥
बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं भाति स्वप्नार्थोऽत्र निदर्शनम् ।
यदन्तः स्वप्नसंकल्पपुरं च कचनं चितेः ॥ २० ॥
तदेतद्बाह्यनाम्नैव स्वभ्यासात्सत्स्फुटं स्थितम् ।
यादृग्भावो मृतो भर्ता तव तस्मिंस्तदा पुरे ॥ २१ ॥
तादृग्भावस्तमेवार्थं तत्रैव समुपागतः ।
अन्य एव ह्यमी भूतास्तेभ्यस्तास्तादृशा अपि ॥ २२॥
सद्रूपा एव चैतस्य स्वप्नसंकल्पसैन्यवत् ।
अविसंवादि सर्वार्थरूपं यदनुभूयते ॥ २३ ॥
तस्य तावद्वद कथं कीदृशी वापि सत्यता ।
अथवोत्तरकाले तु भङ्गुरत्वादवस्तु तत् ॥ २४ ॥
ईदृक्च सर्वमेवेदं तत्र का नास्तिताधिका ।
स्वप्ने जाग्रदसद्रूपा स्वप्नो जाग्रत्यसन्मयः ॥ २५ ॥
Prabuddha Lila said:
3.44.15–17
> What is this, O Goddess? Please tell me. Why am I situated like this? I who existed before as that one, how have I now become this one?
> The ministers, citizens, warriors, along with their armies and vehicles—all of them are the very same ones, standing there exactly as before.
> Yet here also, O Goddess, how are all of them existing? Inside and outside, like in a mirror—are these conscious Beings or what?
Goddess or Lila's awakened form replied:
3.44.18–20
> Just as Consciousness arises within, it experiences instantly. Consciousness becomes the object of experience, and the mind becomes the object of Consciousness, as it were.
> Whatever form the world appears as, it arises there in that very instant. There is no distance of Space or Time, nor any variety born of material objects.
> The external and internal appear the same; dream objects serve as an example here. Whatever city or appearance arises within as a dream-sankalpa (intention/resolution) is a manifestation of Consciousness.
3.44.21–25
> That very thing, known externally by habit, appears clearly established as Real. Whatever State your deceased husband had in that city at that time—
> That same State and meaning has come here exactly as it was. These beings are different from those, yet they too are of the same kind.
> They are truly existing forms, like the army in a dream-sankalpa. Whatever is experienced without contradiction as having all meanings—
> Tell me for now, what kind of reality does it have, or how Real is it? Or else, later on, due to its fragility, it becomes unreal.
> Everything here is exactly like this. So what greater non-existence is there? In a dream, the waking state appears unreal; in waking, the dream appears unreal.
Detailed summary of the teachings:
The core teaching is the illusory and instantaneous nature of all experience. Lila wonders how she, who was once in one form and place, now exists in another, while the entire entourage—ministers, soldiers, and city—remains unchanged. This highlights the non-dual Advaita perspective: there is no real change or movement; everything is a projection within Consciousness.
The Goddess explains that Consciousness (chit) spontaneously gives rise to experience the moment it stirs. There is no sequence involving Space, Time, or physical Causation —the world manifests instantly as per the arising idea or vibration in Consciousness. The dream analogy is central: just as a dream city, people, and events appear vividly real within the mind without any external material cause, so does the waking world. Internal and external are mere labels; both are equally appearances in the mirror-like Consciousness.
The Reality we perceive is sustained by habit (abhyasa) and repeated experience, making it seem solid and external. Yet it is no more substantial than dream objects. The deceased husband's state in one "world" or life transfers seamlessly to another because there is only one Consciousness projecting multiple apparent realities. Beings in different "lives" or appearances differ in form but share the same essence—manifestations of the same conscious power.
All experienced objects gain a seeming consistency and lack of contradiction only within their own framework, like an army in a dream that feels fully real to the dreamer. However, this "reality" has no ultimate truth; it is transient and fragile. Upon deeper inquiry or awakening, its insubstantial nature is revealed, and it dissolves as unreal. The teaching urges discernment: what appears solid is dream-like, and clinging to it as absolute leads to bondage.
Ultimately, the verses dissolve the distinction between dream and waking states—each sees the other as unreal. This equality points to the highest truth: the entire manifest Universe, whether called waking or dreaming, lacks independent existence. There is only Pure Consciousness, appearing as all forms without any addition or subtraction of non-existence. Liberation comes from recognizing this non-duality, freeing one from the illusion of separate reality and its inherent suffering.
