Chapter 3.3, Verses 1–6

Yoga Vashishtha 3.3.1–6

(Brahm is Eternal, Self-Existent, and unbound by Time or Causality, and has no prior karma to generate memories)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

एवमेव मनः शुद्धं पृथ्व्यादिरहितं त्वया ।

मनो ब्रह्मेति कथितं सत्यं पृथ्व्यादिवर्जितम् ॥ १ ॥

तदत्र प्राक्तनी ब्रह्मन्स्मृतिः कस्मान्न कारणम् ।

यथा मम तवान्यस्य भूतानां चेति मे वद ॥ २ ॥

श्रीवशिष्ठ उवाच ।

पूर्वदेहोऽस्ति यस्याद्य पूर्वकर्मसमन्वितः।

तस्य स्मृतिः संभवति कारणं संसृतिस्थितेः ॥ ३ ॥

ब्रह्मणः प्राक्तनं कर्म यदा किंचिन्न विद्यते ।

प्राक्तनी संस्मृतिस्तस्य तदोदेति कुतः कथम् ॥ ४ ॥

तस्मादकारण भाति वा स्वचित्तैककारणम् ।

स्वकारणादनन्यात्मा स्वयंभूः स्वयमात्मवान् ॥ ५ ॥

आतिवाहिक एवासौ देहोऽस्त्यस्य स्वयंभुवः ।

न त्वाधिभौतिको राम देहोऽजस्योपपद्यते ॥ ६ ॥

Sriram said:

3.3.1: You have explained that the mind, when pure and free from the influence of material elements like earth, is indeed Brahm itself. It is true that the mind, devoid of connection with material elements such as earth, is Brahm.

3.3.2: If that is the case, O Brahman, why is prior memory not considered the Cause of this? Please explain to me why this applies to my mind, to your mind, and to the minds of other beings.

Maharishi Vasishta replies:

3.3.3: For one who has a previous body accompanied by past karma, memory arises in that individual. This memory is the cause that sustains the cycle of worldly existence (samsara).

3.3.4: However, when it comes to Brahm, which has no prior karma, how can there be any prior memory? Since Brahm is free from past actions, no previous memory arises in it.

3.3.5: Therefore, Brahm appears to be without Cause, or its only Cause is its own Consciousness. It is Self-Existent, self-born, and self-sustaining, with its own nature as its sole Cause, being non-different from itself.

3.3.6: This Self-Existent Brahm has only a subtle, non-material body (ativahika, or spiritual body). O Rama, a physical body composed of material elements does not pertain to the unborn Brahm.

Summary of the Teachings:

The dialogue between Rama and Sage Vasishta in these verses from the Yoga Vasishta (3.3.1–3.3.6) delves into the profound metaphysical inquiry about the nature of the mind, its relationship with Brahm (the Ultimate Reality), and the role of memory and karma in the cycle of Existence. In the first two verses, Rama raises a question based on Vasishta’s prior teaching that the Pure Mind, free from the influence of material elements like earth, water, fire, air, and space, is identical to Brahm. Rama seeks clarification on why memory of past experiences or lives does not serve as the cause for the mind’s existence or its identification with Brahm, not only for himself but for all Beings. This question reflects Rama’s desire to understand the distinction between the individual mind, conditioned by past experiences, and the Universal Consciousness of Brahm, which transcends such conditioning.

In response, Sage Vasishta begins by addressing the role of memory and karma in the context of individual Beings. He explains that for those who are bound by a physical body and the residue of past actions (karma), memory arises as a natural consequence. This memory, rooted in past experiences and karma, is the mechanism that perpetuates samsara, the cycle of birth and death. The individual’s mind, tied to the body and its karmic impressions, recalls past lives and actions, which in turn fuel the continuity of worldly existence. Vasishta’s teaching here underscores the idea that memory is a product of the ego and the material body, which are absent in the case of Brahm, the Infinite Consciousness.

Vasishta then shifts focus to Brahm, the Ultimate Reality, which is free from karma and prior actions. Since Brahm is Eternal, Self-Existent, and unbound by Time or Causality, it has no prior karma to generate memories. This absence of past karma means there is no basis for memory to arise in Brahm, as memory is a function of the conditioned mind, not the Unconditioned Absolute. This distinction is crucial: while the individual mind is entangled in the web of karma and memory, Brahm remains untouched by these, existing as Pure Consciousness. Vasishta’s explanation highlights the non-dual nature of Brahm, which is beyond the limitations of Time, Space, and Causation.

Further elaborating, Vasishta describes Brahm as self-born and self-sustaining, with its own Consciousness as its sole Cause. This teaching emphasizes the concept of Brahm as 

svayambhu (Self-Existent), meaning it does not rely on external causes or conditions for its Existence. Unlike the individual mind, which is shaped by external factors such as karma and memory, Brahm’s nature is self-contained and self-sufficient. Its “Cause” is its own Infinite Consciousness, which is non-different from itself. This reinforces the Advaita Vedanta principle that Brahm is the Ultimate Reality, Unchanging and Eternal, with no dependence on external factors or prior conditions.

Finally, Vasishta clarifies that Brahm, being unborn and Eternal, does not possess a physical body made of material elements. Instead, it has an ativahika body, a subtle, non-material form that exists purely as Consciousness. This contrasts with the physical body (adhibhautika) of individual beings, which is subject to birth, decay, and death. By making this distinction, Vasishta guides Rama toward understanding that the Ultimate Reality transcends the limitations of the material world. The teachings in these verses collectively point to the non-dual nature of Reality, urging the seeker to recognize the mind’s potential to realize its identity with Brahm by transcending the illusions of karma, memory, and material existence. This Realization is the key to liberation from the cycle of samsara, aligning with the core philosophy of the Yoga Vasishta.