Yoga Vashishtha 1.20.34–43
(Compassion for frail & short lived Youth)
श्रीराम उवाच।
दिनानि कतिचिद्येयं फलिता देहजङ्गले।
युवता शरदस्यां हि न समाश्वासमर्हथ ॥ ३४ ॥
झटित्येव प्रयात्येव शरीराद्युवताखगः।
क्षणेनैवाल्पभाग्यस्य हस्ताच्चिन्तामणिर्यथा ॥ ३५ ॥
यदा यदा परां कोटिमध्यारोहति यौवनम् ।
वल्गन्ति सज्वराः कामास्तदा नाशाय केवलम् ॥ ३६ ॥
तावदेव विवल्गन्ति रागद्वेषपिशाचकाः ।
नास्तमेति समस्तैषा यावद्यौवनयामिनी ॥ ३७ ॥
नानाविकारबहुले वराके क्षणनाशिनि।
कारुण्यं कुरु तारुण्ये म्रियमाणे सुतै यथा ॥ ३८ ॥
हर्षमायाति यो मोहात्पुरुषः क्षणभङ्गिना ।
यौवनेन महामुग्धः स वै नरमृगः स्मृतः ॥ ३९ ॥
मानमोहान्मदोन्मत्तं यौवनं योऽभिलष्यति ।
अचिरेण स दुर्बुद्धिः पश्चात्तापेन युज्यते ॥ ४० ॥
ते पूज्यास्ते महात्मानस्त एव पुरुषा भुवि ।
ये सुखेन समुत्तीर्णाः साधो यौवनसंकटात् ॥ ४१ ॥
सुखेन तीर्यतेऽम्भोधिरुत्कृष्टमकराकरः ।
न कल्लोलबलोल्लासि सदोषं हतयौवनम् ॥ ४२ ॥
विनयभूषितमार्यजनास्पदं करुणयोज्ज्वलमावलितं गुणैः ।
इह हि दुर्लभमङ्ग सुयौवनं जगति काननमम्बरगं यथा ॥ ४३ ॥
Sriram said:
34. "O Sage, youth is like a fruit that ripens for only a few days in the forest of the body; like autumn blossoms, it is fleeting and should not be relied upon."
35. "Just as a magical gem may suddenly slip from the hand of an unfortunate person, so too youth swiftly departs from the body—disappearing in an instant."
36. "Whenever youth reaches its peak, desires charged with feverish intensity also rise—only to end in destruction."
37. "The goblins of attachment and aversion dance madly only as long as the dark night of youth persists; they vanish only when that night ends."
38. "O Noble One, just as compassion arises for a dying child, so should it arise for the frail and short-lived youth, full of endless disturbances."
39. "He who, out of delusion, finds joy in the evanescent charm of youth is truly a beast in human form—intoxicated and deluded."
40. "The fool who longs for prideful, maddened youth, driven by vanity and arrogance, soon finds himself consumed by regret."
41. "Honored are those noble souls who, with wisdom, cross the treacherous ocean of youth unscathed and serene—they alone are true men."
42. "A man may easily cross an ocean filled with fierce crocodiles, but not the troubled waters of youth, which churn with waves of flaws and instability."
43. "True youth is rare in this world—like a forest in the sky—when it is adorned with humility, dwells among the noble, shines with compassion, and is filled with virtues."
Summary of the Teachings in These Verses:
These verses of the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha present a piercing and contemplative reflection on the nature of youth, casting it not as a time of triumph but as a transient and dangerous phase of life. Youth is depicted as a fleeting phenomenon, blossoming only for a short while, like a fruit in the wilderness or a seasonal flower.
This brevity renders it unworthy of attachment or pride, cautioning against the illusion of permanence in physical vitality.
The text likens the sudden loss of youth to the dropping of a magical gem—valuable yet uncontrollable—emphasizing its unpredictability and fragility.
With the ascent of youth comes the surge of passionate desires, which, rather than fulfilling, lead to destruction and turmoil. Thus, youthful passion is portrayed not as a gift, but as a breeding ground for suffering and self-delusion.
Attachment to youth gives rise to inner demons—lust, hatred, pride, and delusion—which haunt the mind during this phase.
These psychological afflictions fade only with the end of youth, likened to the end of a long night. Compassion is called for toward youth itself, which is frail, troubled, and destined to perish, much like sympathy for a dying child.
Those who are enchanted by the pleasures of youth are regarded as spiritually ignorant, even beast-like, their joy rooted in delusion. Their pursuit inevitably leads to regret and sorrow. In contrast, true wisdom lies in transcending the temptations of youth, navigating its challenges with equanimity and insight.
Finally, the text praises the rare and exalted form of youth—one that is infused with virtue, humility, compassion, and association with noble beings. Such youth is likened to an ethereal forest in the sky, a metaphor for its exceptional and nearly unattainable nature. This vision redefines the ideal of youth not as sensual vibrancy, but as moral and spiritual brilliance.
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