Chapter 1.25, Verses 1–10

Yoga Vashishtha 1.25.1–10

(Suffering of Beings caught in this Cosmic play)

श्रीराम उवाच।

अत्रैव दुर्विलासानां चूडमणिरिहापरः।

करोत्यत्तीति लोकेऽस्मिन्दैवं कालश्च कथ्यते ॥ १ ॥

क्रियामात्रादृते यस्य स्वपरिस्पन्दरूपिणः ।

नान्यदालक्ष्यते रूपं न कर्म न समीहितम् ॥ २ ॥

तेनेयमखिला भूतसंततिः परिपेलवा ।

तापेन हिममालेव नीता विधुरतां भृशम् ॥ ३ ॥

यदिदं दृश्यते किंचिज्जगदाभोगि मण्डलम् ।

तत्तस्य नर्तनागारमिहासावतिनृत्यति ॥ ४ ॥

तृतीयं च कृतान्तेति नाम बिभ्रत्सुदारुणम् ।

कापालिकवपुर्मत्तं दैवं जगति नृत्यति ॥ ५ ॥

नृत्यतो हि कृतान्तस्य नितान्तमिव रागिणः ।

नित्यं नियतिकान्तायां मुने परमकामिता ॥ ६ ॥

शेषः शशिकलाशुभ्रो गङ्गावाहश्च तौ त्रिधा ।

उपवीते अवीते च उभौ संसारवक्षसि ॥ ७ ॥

चन्द्रार्कमण्डले हेमकटकौ करमूलयोः।

लीलासरसिजं हस्ते ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्माण्डकर्णिका ॥ ८ ॥

ताराबिन्दुचितं लोलपुष्करावर्तपल्लवम् ।

एकार्णवपयोधौ तमेकमम्बरमम्बरम् ॥ ९ ॥

एवंरूपस्य तस्याग्रे नियतिर्नित्यकामिनी ।

अनस्तमितसंरम्भमारम्भैः परिनृत्यति ॥ १० ॥

Sriram said:

1. "O Sage, among the evils of this world, there is no greater ornament of cruelty than this force which consumes all—it is called fate or Time."

2. " Apart from its ceaseless movement, self-propelled and without conscious action or desire, nothing can be observed of it—no shape, no intention, no act."

3. " By its influence alone, all Beings of this Universe are brought to a state of affliction, like the snowy Himalayas scorched by heat, consumed by intense misery."

4. "Whatever is seen in this world, this entire realm of experience, is nothing but the grand stage where this Time-Force performs its Cosmic dance."

5. "Time bears a terrifying name—“The Ender” (Kṛtānta)—and takes on the dreadful appearance of a mad ascetic, a skull-bearing dancer, drunken and wild, spinning in the theatre of the world."

6. "In his wild dance, he appears as if passionately united with his eternal consort, Destiny (Niyati), like a fervent lover, ever attached and ever aroused."

7. "Time is adorned with ornaments: the pure white crescent moon and the river-bearing serpent Śeṣa, worn like sacred threads, decorating the chest of this cosmic being—the world."

8. "In the orbs of the sun and moon, he wears golden bracelets upon his hands, and in his palms lies the playful lotus—the very core of the cosmic egg, the essence of creation."

9. "He is clad in the vast garment of sky, and holds in his single ocean-like body all waters, adorned with stars and whirling lotuses, ever restless and vibrant."

10. "Before this Cosmic Being, Destiny, the eternal beloved, dances with unstoppable passion, initiating endless beginnings and efforts, never resting, never ceasing."

Summary of the Teachings in These Verses:

These ten verses from the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha present a striking and poetic personification of Time (Kāla) and Destiny (Niyati) as the Ultimate governing principles of the Cosmos. Time is depicted as an omnipresent and unstoppable force— self-driven, unperceivable in its essence, and devoid of intention, yet behind all activity, transformation, and destruction in the universe. It is not just mechanical; it is portrayed as a wild, terrifying, and mysterious dancer in the theatre of life, acting out the inexorable destiny of all beings.

The imagery used—of Time as the ascetic dancer bearing skulls, intoxicated and dancing with his consort Destiny—serves to highlight the inseparability of Cosmic order and inevitable change. Time and Destiny are shown as eternal lovers engaged in a perpetual dance, symbolizing the relentless movement of creation and dissolution. This pairing also hints at the idea that all outcomes and events in the Universe are predetermined and bound to unfold through the law of causality and Divine rhythm.

The verses speak to the suffering of beings caught in this Cosmic play. Just as snow melts under unexpected heat, all life, however stable or noble, is vulnerable to the scorching passage of Time. The beauty, order, and grandeur of the Cosmos are not denied—in fact, they are deeply revered—but they are all seen as part of a larger choreography beyond human control.

Further, the description of celestial ornaments—the moon, sun, stars, and rivers—emphasizes the universality of Time’s domain. All elements of nature, from macrocosmic spheres to delicate lotuses, are part of this Cosmic dancer’s body. This vivid visualization reminds the seeker of the vastness and interconnectedness of all things within this ever-moving Reality.

Ultimately, these verses point toward a deep metaphysical insight central to the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha: that liberation lies in understanding the nature of Time and Destiny not as external tyrants but as expressions of the Self’s own dreamlike projection. The path of wisdom lies in transcending their apparent power through inquiry, discrimination, and inner awakening, rather than being swept helplessly in their dance.