Yoga Vashishtha 1.26.33–43
(Desire the unruly conqueror)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
शिलाशैलकवप्रेषु साश्वभूतो दिवाकरः ।
वनपाषाणवन्नित्यमवशः परिचोद्यते ॥ ३३ ॥
धरागोलकमन्तस्थ सुरासुरगणास्पदम् ।
वेष्ट्यते धिष्ण्यचक्रेण पक्वाक्षोटमिव त्वचा ॥ ३४ ॥
दिवि देवा भुवि नराः पातालेषु च भोगिनः ।
कल्पिताः कल्पमात्रेण नीयन्ते जर्जरां दशाम् ॥ ३५ ॥
कामश्च जगदीशानरणलब्धपराक्रमः।
अक्रमेणैव विक्रान्तो लोकमाक्रम्य वल्गति ॥ ३६ ॥
वसन्तो मत्तमातङ्गो मदैः कुसुमवर्षणैः।
आमोदितककुप्चक्रश्चेतो नयति चापलम् ॥ ३७ ॥
अनुरक्ताङ्गनालोललोचनालोकिताकृति ।
स्वस्थीकर्तुं मनः शक्तो न विवेको महानपि ॥ ३८ ॥
परोपकारकारिण्या परार्तिपरितप्तया।
बुद्ध एव सुखी मन्ये स्वात्मशीतलया धिया ॥ ३९ ॥
उत्पन्नध्वंसिनः कालवडवानलपातिनः।
संख्यातुं केन शक्यन्ते कल्लोला जीविताम्बुधौ ॥ ४० ॥
सर्व एव नरा मोहाद्दुराशापाशपाशिनः।
दोषगुल्मकसारङ्गा विशीर्णा जन्मजङ्गले ।
संक्षीयते जगति जन्मपरम्परासु लोकस्य तैरिह कुकर्मभिरायुरेतत् ॥ ४१ ॥
आकाशपादपलताकृतपाशकल्पं येषां फलं नहि विचारविदोऽपि विद्मः ॥ ४२॥
अद्योत्सवोऽयमृतुरेष तथेह यात्रा ते बन्धवः सुखमिदं सविशेषभोगम् ।
इत्थं मुधैव कलयन्सुविकल्पजालमालोलपेलवमतिर्गलतीह लोकः ॥ ४३ ॥
Sriram said:
Verse 33: "The sun, though Divine and radiant, is impelled to move across the skies—between mountain ranges and valleys—like a powerless entity, much like a stone cast down a hill, compelled by the force of Nature."
Verse 34: "This Earth, hosting gods and demons, floats within space like a fruit bound by its skin, encircled by the orbits of celestial spheres—spinning helplessly in the cosmic wheel."
Verse 35: "Gods in heaven, humans on earth, and serpents in the netherworld—all are mere imaginations sustained by Time. With Time’s passage, they deteriorate into a pitiful state, no matter how mighty."
Verse 36: "Desire, though lacking any real power or strategy, boldly conquers the minds of even the wisest. Without any rightful authority, it overpowers and dominates the world."
Verse 37: "Spring, like an intoxicated elephant, showers fragrant flowers, arousing instability in the minds of beings by charming the skies with its beauty and vitality."
Verse 38: "Even a great intellect, gifted with discrimination, cannot steady the mind when it is captivated by the form of a beloved woman with graceful limbs and alluring glances."
Verse 39: "Only the one who helps others, feels others’ pain, and remains inwardly cool and serene is truly happy—such a person is Wise and filled with quiet compassion."
Verse 40: "Who can count the ever-arising and perishing waves in the ocean of life, consumed by the fire of time and constantly changing?"
Verse 41: "Blinded by delusion and entangled in the noose of vain desires, humans become diseased by sins and wasted potential. Thus, life shrinks under the weight of karmic misdeeds across countless births."
Verse 42: "The fruit of worldly action is as uncertain as vines suspended from trees in the sky— illusory and rootless. Even the wise cannot determine its value or outcome with certainty."
Verse 43: “This is a festival; this is the season; these are your people; this is happiness with special pleasures”—such are the illusions that the fickle mind, deceived by dualities, invents. Caught in these, the ignorant fall into the snares of delusion.
Summary of Teachings:
1. Powerlessness Amid Cosmic Order:
These verses open by showing how even the most powerful forces in the Universe, like the sun or Earth, are not autonomous—they are driven by Cosmic laws and Time. There is an underlying sense that no being, even celestial ones, escapes the influence of time and causality.
2. The Fragility of All Beings:
The existence of gods, humans, and subterranean beings is portrayed as ephemeral. They are sustained only by imagination or mental constructs, and subject to inevitable decline. This reminds us of the impermanence that permeates all forms and identities, regardless of their apparent grandeur.
3. The Tyranny of Desire and Senses:
Desire is described as an unruly conqueror that defeats wisdom and takes possession of minds. Seasonal pleasures and beauty lure beings into restlessness and delusion. Even a discriminating intellect may falter when confronted by the pull of sensory attraction.
4. The Path to True Happiness:
Contrasting with the above chaos, the Wise person who feels for others and helps them while maintaining inner composure is declared truly happy. Such a person’s peace comes not from external pleasures but from Inner Stillness and Compassion.
5. The Futility of Worldly Engagements:
Finally, these verses present a striking image of the world’s pleasures as illusory projections of a restless mind. Social conventions, festive seasons, and relationships are seen as fleeting and deceptive constructs. The true seeker must recognize these illusions and withdraw from their enchantment to pursue Self-Realization. These verses from the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha offer a deeply philosophical, almost disillusioned view of worldly life, urging the aspirant toward detachment, Inner Peace, and Self-Inquiry.
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