Yoga Vashishtha 1.19.22–31
(Troubles of boyhood)
श्रीराम उवाच।
स्वसंकल्पाभिलषितान्भावानप्राप्य तप्तधीः ।
दुःखमेत्यबलो बालो विनिष्कृत्त इवाशये ॥ २२ ॥
दुरीहालब्धलक्षाणि बहुवक्रोल्बणानि च।
बालस्य यानि दुःखानि मुने तानि न कस्यचित् ॥ २३ ॥
बालो बलवता स्वेन मनोरथविलासिना।
मनसा तप्यते नित्यं ग्रीष्मेणेव वनस्थली ॥ २४ ॥
विद्यागृहगतो बालो परामेति कदर्थनाम्।
आलान इव नागेन्द्रो विषवैषम्यभीषणाम् ॥ २५ ॥
नानामनोरथमयी मिथ्याकल्पितकल्पना।
दुःखायात्यन्तदीर्घाय बालता पेलवाशया ॥ २६ ॥
संहृष्टो भुवनं भोक्तमिन्दुमादातुमम्बरात्।
वाञ्छते येन मौर्ख्येण तत्सुखाय कथं भवेत् ॥ २७ ॥
अन्तश्चित्तेरशक्तस्य शीतातपनिवारणे।
को विशेषो महाबुद्धे बालस्योर्वीरुहस्तथा ॥ २८ ॥
उड्डीतुमभिवाञ्छन्ति पक्षाभ्यां क्षुत्परायणाः ।
भयाहारपरा नित्यं बाला विहगधर्मिणः ॥ २९ ॥
शैशवे गुरुतो भीतिर्मातृतः पितृतस्तथा ।
जनतो ज्येष्ठबालाच्च शैशवं भयमन्दिरम् ॥ ३० ॥
सकलदोषदशाविहताशयं शरणमप्यविवेकविलासिनः ।
इह न कस्यचिदेव महामुने भवति बाल्यमलं परितुष्टये ॥ ३१ ॥
Sriram said:
22. "O Sage, a boy, unable to obtain the objects of his own fanciful desires, suffers inner torment like one who is wounded and helpless."
23. "The many miseries a boy faces—unfulfilled hopes, distorted longings, and harsh experiences—are such that no one is free from them."
24. "With his powerful imagination playing with various fantasies, the boy is constantly distressed in his mind, like a forest scorched by the summer sun."
25. "When the boy enters the house of learning, he is subjected to severe coercion, as if he were a great elephant chained and afflicted by venomous treatment."
26. "Boyhood is filled with false, imagined constructs and fanciful dreams. With weak intentions and no real power, it results in long and painful suffering."
27. "How can that which arises from ignorance—like the desire to own the whole world or to pluck the moon from the sky—ever bring true happiness?"
28. "O great Sage, what difference is there between a child and a tree—both are powerless to shield themselves from cold and heat due to lack of inner strength?"
29. "Boys, like birds, yearn to fly with wings of desire, but are driven by hunger and fear; these govern their every action."
30. "In boyhood, one fears everything: the teacher, the mother, the father, elders, and even older boys. Boyhood is indeed a mansion of fear."
31. "O Sage, boyhood is full of faults, overwhelmed by ignorance and helplessness. There is no one for whom it serves as a source of real joy or fulfillment."
Thematic Summary:
These verses offer a strikingly critical portrayal of boyhood, rejecting the common romanticization of youth as a time of innocence and joy. Instead, the text paints a picture of vulnerability, suffering, and ignorance. The boy is shown to be tormented by unfulfilled desires and overwhelmed by the fanciful constructs of the imagination. This suffering is not accidental but intrinsic to the immature mind, which is helpless in its pursuit of unattainable pleasures.
Another prominent theme is powerlessness. The boy, according to these verses, is utterly dependent, unable to protect himself from external forces like heat and cold, and constantly subjected to the control of parents, teachers, and society. The metaphor comparing a child to a tree or a chained elephant highlights the lack of autonomy and the coercive environment of early education and socialization.
Fear is shown as a foundational experience in boyhood. Whether it arises from authority figures or social hierarchy, the boy's life is ruled more by fear than freedom. This undermines any view of boyhood as a carefree time and instead recasts it as a stage filled with dread, confusion, and a sense of imprisonment.
Desire is another major source of suffering. The boy's vivid imagination gives rise to impossible longings—wanting to “eat the moon” or “possess the world.” Because these desires are rooted in ignorance, they cannot lead to happiness, only deeper frustration and disillusionment. The boy's inner life, governed by fantasy rather than insight, becomes a source of torment rather than joy.
Ultimately, these verses serve to challenge superficial notions of happiness associated with youth. By exposing the fragility, ignorance, and suffering inherent in boyhood, the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha calls for a deeper understanding of the human condition. Fulfillment does not arise from mere innocence or fantasy, but from Wisdom, detachment, and the mastery of Inner Consciousness —a theme that is central throughout the work.
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