Yoga Vashishtha 1.26.1–10
(Impermanence and sorrowful nature of worldly existence)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
वृत्तेऽस्मिन्नेवमेतेषां कालादीनां महामुने।
संसारनाम्नि कैवास्था मादृशानां वदत्विह ॥ १ ॥
विक्रीता इव तिष्ठाम एतैर्दैवादिभिर्वयम्।
मुने प्रपञ्चरचनैर्मुग्धा वनमृगा इव ॥ २॥
एषोऽनार्यसमाम्नायः कालः कवलनोन्मुखः ।
जगत्यविरतं लोकं पातयत्यापदर्णवे ॥ ३॥
दहत्यन्तर्दुराशाभिर्देवो दारुणचेष्टया।
लोकमुष्णप्रकाशाभिज्वालाभिर्दहनो यथा ॥ ४ ॥
धृतिं विधुरयत्येषा मर्यादारूपवल्लभा ।
स्त्रीत्वात्स्वभावचपला नियतिर्नियतोन्मुखी ॥ ५ ॥
ग्रसतेऽविरतं भूतजालं सर्प इवानिलम् ।
कृतान्तः कर्कशाचारो जरां नीत्वाऽजरं वपुः ॥ ६ ॥
यमो निर्घृणराजेन्द्रो नार्तं नामानुकम्पते ।
सर्वभूतदयोदारो जनो दुर्लभतां गतः ॥ ७॥
सर्वा एव मुने फल्गुविभवा भूतजातयः ।
दुःखायैव दुरन्ताय दारुणा भोगभूमयः ॥ ८ ॥
आयुरत्यन्तचपलं मृत्युरेकान्तनिष्ठुरः।
तारुण्यं चातितरलं बाल्यं जडतया हृतम् ॥ ९ ॥
कलाकलङ्कितो लोको बन्धवो भवबन्धनम् ।
भोगा भवमहारोगास्तृष्णाश्च मृगतृष्णिकाः ॥ १० ॥
Sriram said:
1. "O Great Sage, in this ever-repeating flow of worldly existence governed by Time and such forces, what real standing or stability can beings like me possibly have?"
2. "We seem to be like slaves, sold into the hands of these powers like fate, Time, and action—bewildered and deluded by the manifold designs of this illusory world, like deer lost in a forest."
3. "This Time —unrighteous and devourer of all—ceaselessly casts the people of the world into the endless ocean of suffering and calamity."
4. "With cruel conduct and scorching radiance, the god of desire consumes the world with inner flames of restless longing, just as a fire burns all in its path."
5. "This unpredictable force, which appears delightful and yet unsettles all inner stability, takes on the form of feminine charm and nature—capricious by essence—pulling all firmly toward its fixed direction."
6. "Just as a serpent devours its prey, death—harsh in conduct—ceaselessly swallows the entire multitude of beings, transforming youthful bodies into old age and decay."
7. "Yama, the relentless lord of death, shows no compassion toward the suffering—he, a merciless king, is unmoved by the cries of the afflicted; and truly compassionate souls are exceedingly rare in this world."
8. "O Sage, all Beings, however mighty, possess fleeting and meager glories—this realm of experience is, in truth, a harsh field of ceaseless sorrow and unbearable pain."
9. "Life itself is supremely fickle, and death is inexorably cruel. Youth vanishes in an instant, and childhood is marked by ignorance and helplessness."
10. "This world is stained by the flaws of Time; kinsfolk are themselves entangled in worldly bondage; enjoyments are no more than great diseases of existence; and desire is but a mirage in the desert."
Summary of Teachings:
These verses, voiced by Śrī Rāma in dialogue with Sage Vasiṣṭha, express a deeply philosophical inquiry into the impermanence and sorrowful nature of worldly existence. Rāma reflects on how forces like Time, fate, and karma appear as dominating powers under which beings like him live without true autonomy, tossed and turned in the ocean of saṁsāra. He questions the stability or worth of worldly life when such mighty and relentless forces seem to have total control.
The metaphor of being sold or enslaved to these forces paints a vivid picture of the human condition: not as free agents, but as bewildered beings caught in the illusion of the phenomenal world. This illusion, likened to a net of designs or vanamṛga (forest deer), causes people to wander aimlessly, unaware of the Ultimate Truth. Rāma laments the unceasing nature of suffering brought about by Time, desire, and death—each one portrayed as destructive, consuming powers indifferent to human hopes or grief.
Desire is described as a devouring fire that burns within, driving action and suffering through its relentless heat. The force of attraction and beauty, especially in the form of feminine charm, is shown to be both delightful and dangerous—symbolizing the unpredictable nature of attachment and the destabilization of inner peace. These forces, which appear enchanting, are deeply tied to the cycles of bondage and rebirth.
Death and Time, personified as Yama and Kṛtānta, are portrayed as merciless rulers, insensitive to suffering, consuming even the youthful and strong without mercy. Compassion and virtue are acknowledged, but seen as exceedingly rare, emphasizing the rarity of truly awakened beings who transcend the ordinary currents of worldly existence.
Ultimately, Rāma concludes that the world is stained by the imperfections of Time and desire. Relationships, pleasures, and aspirations—all are described as illusions or sources of deeper bondage. This series of verses sets the tone for the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha's broader philosophical message: that liberation (mokṣa) lies beyond these fleeting worldly structures, and True Wisdom comes from deep inquiry into the Nature of Reality, impermanence, and the Self.
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