Yoga Vashishtha 1.31.1–9
(Transient and fragile nature of human life)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
प्रोच्चवृक्षचलत्पत्रलम्बाम्बुलव भङ्गुरे ।
आयुषीशानशीतांशुकलामृदुनि देहके ॥ १ ॥
केदारविरटद्भेककण्ठत्वक्कोण भङ्गुरे।
वागुरावलये जन्तोः सुहृत्सुजनसंगमे ॥ २॥
वासनावातवलिते कदाशातडिति स्फुटे।
मोहोग्रमिहिकामेघे घनं स्फूर्जति गर्जति ॥ ३ ॥
नृत्यत्युत्ताण्डवं चण्डे लोले लोभकलापिनि ।
सुविकासिनि सास्फोटे ह्यनर्थकुटजद्रुमे ॥ ४ ॥
क्रूरे कृतान्तमार्जारे सर्वभूताखुहारिणि।
अश्रान्तस्यन्दसंचारे कुतोऽप्युपरिपातिनि ॥ ५ ॥
क उपायो गतिः का वा का चिन्ता कः समाश्रयः ।
केनेयमशुभोदर्का न भवेज्जीविताटवी ॥ ६ ॥
न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा क्वचित् ।
सुधियस्तुच्छमप्येतद्यन्नयन्ति न रम्यताम् ॥ ७ ॥
अयं हि दग्धसंसारो नीरन्ध्रकलनाकुलः ।
कथं सुस्वादुतामेति नीरसो मूढतां विना ॥ ८ ॥
आशाप्रतिविपाकेन क्षीरस्नानेन रम्यताम्।
उपैति पुष्पशुभ्रेण मधुनेव वसुंधरा ॥ ९॥
Sri Rama said:
1. "Life is as fleeting as a drop of water hanging from the trembling leaf of a tall tree, as delicate as a soft ray of moonlight in the body."
2. "It is as fragile as the throat of a frog in a dried-up field, caught in the net of associations with friends and good people."
3. "Swept away by the wind of desires, struck by the lightning of evil tendencies, it thunders and roars in the dense cloud of delusion and dense mist."
4. "It dances a fierce dance, swaying with the peacock of greed, blooming in the explosive and harmful kadamba tree of troubles."
5. "In the cruel cat of death, which preys on all beings like mice, it flows ceaselessly, falling from some unknown height."
6. "What is the means, what is the path, what is the concern, or what is the refuge? How can this inauspicious forest of life not come to be?"
7. "There is nothing on earth or in the heavens among the gods, however small, that the wise do not consider utterly insignificant and unpleasing."
8. "This burnt-up world, filled with endless troubles, how can it become sweet without the foolishness of ignorance?"
9. "Through the fulfillment of hopes and bathing in the milk of purity, the earth becomes as delightful as a flower adorned with sweet nectar."
Summary of the Teachings:
In these verses from the Yoga Vasishta, Sri Rama reflects on the transient and fragile nature of human life, using vivid metaphors to convey its impermanence and vulnerability.
He compares life to a trembling water droplet on a leaf, a frog’s delicate throat, and a body as soft as moonlight, emphasizing its fleeting and delicate quality. These images highlight the precariousness of existence, suggesting that life is easily disrupted by external forces and internal desires. Rama’s contemplation sets the stage for a deeper inquiry into the nature of existence, urging the listener to recognize the impermanence that permeates worldly life.
The verses further explore the role of desires and delusions in perpetuating suffering. Rama describes life as being swept by the winds of desires, struck by the lightning of harmful tendencies, and clouded by delusion, which creates a tumultuous and noisy existence. The imagery of a fierce dance driven by greed and the harmful bloom of troubles underscores how attachment and ignorance entangle individuals in a cycle of pain. This teaching aligns with the broader philosophical framework of the Yoga Vasishta, which emphasizes that the mind, clouded by desires and misconceptions, is the root cause of suffering.
Rama also introduces the notion of death as an ever-present force, likening it to a cruel cat preying on all beings. This metaphor reinforces the inevitability of mortality and the relentless flow of life toward its end, originating from an unknown source. The verse suggests a sense of existential unease, as life appears to be an uncontrollable stream leading to an uncertain fate. This perspective encourages detachment from worldly attachments, as they are ultimately subject to decay and destruction, a core theme in the text’s non-dualistic philosophy.
In his existential questioning, Rama asks what means, path, or refuge can prevent life from becoming an inauspicious forest of suffering. This rhetorical inquiry reflects a search for liberation from the cycle of birth and death, pointing toward the need for wisdom and discernment. The subsequent verse reinforces this by stating that the wise see all worldly phenomena, whether on earth or in the heavens, as insignificant and devoid of lasting joy. This teaching underscores the importance of cultivating a higher understanding that transcends attachment to transient pleasures, aligning with the text’s emphasis on Self-Realization and detachment.
Finally, the verses offer a glimpse of hope, suggesting that life can become delightful through the fulfillment of pure aspirations and the cultivation of Purity, likened to bathing in milk or a flower adorned with nectar. This positive note indicates that while life is inherently fraught with challenges, spiritual clarity and alignment with truth can transform one’s experience of the world. The teachings collectively urge the seeker to move beyond ignorance and attachment, embracing Wisdom to find Realization and true contentment amidst the impermanent nature of existence.
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