Chapter 3.3, Verses 7–15

Yoga Vashishtha 3.3.7–15

(Nature of Creation, Consciousness, and the distinction between the Supreme and manifested Beings)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

आतिवाहिक एकोऽस्ति देहोऽन्यस्त्वाधिभौतिकः ।

सर्वासां भूतजातीनां ब्रह्मणोऽस्त्येक एव किम् ॥ ७ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

सर्वेषामेव देहौ द्वौ भूतानां कारणात्मनाम् ।

अजस्य कारणाभावादेक एवातिवाहिकः ॥ ८ ॥

सर्वासां भूतजातीनामेकोऽजः कारणं परम् ।

अजस्य कारणं नास्ति तेनासावेकदेहवान् ॥ ९ ॥

नास्त्येव भौतिको देहः प्रथमस्य प्रजापतेः।

आकाशात्मा च भात्येष आतिवाहिकदेहवान् ॥ १० ॥

चित्तमात्रशरीरोऽसौ न पृथ्व्यादिक्रमात्मकः ।

आद्यः प्रजापतिर्व्योमवपुः प्रतनुते प्रजाः ॥ ११ ॥

ताश्च चिद्व्योमरूपिण्यो विनान्यैः कारणान्तरैः ।

यद्यतस्तत्तदेवति सर्वैरेवानुभूयते ॥ १२॥

निर्वाणमात्रं पुरुषः परो बोधः स एव च ।

चित्तमात्रं तदेवास्ते नायाति वसुधादिताम् ॥ १३ ॥

सर्वेषां भूतजातानां संसारव्यवहारिणाम्।

प्रथमोऽसौ प्रतिस्पन्दश्चित्तदेहः स्वतोदयः ॥ १४ ॥

अस्मात्पूर्वात्प्रतिस्पन्दादनन्यैतत्स्वरूपिणी ।

इयं प्रविसृता सृष्टिः स्पन्दसृष्टिरिवानिलात् ॥ १५ ॥

Sriram asked:

3.3.7: Is there only one subtle (ativahika) body and another material (adhibhautika) body for all Beings, or is there only one body for Brahm, the Supreme?

Maharishi Vasishta replied: 

3.3.8: All Beings, including those with causal and material forms, possess two bodies: the subtle (ativahika) and the material (adhibhautika). However, for the unborn (Brahm), which has no Cause, there is only the subtle body.

3.3.9: For all Beings, there is one unborn Supreme Cause (Brahm). Since the Unborn has no Cause, it possesses only one body, the subtle body.

3.3.10: The first Lord of creatures (Prajapati) does not have a material body. He exists as Pure Consciousness, like Space, and is endowed only with a subtle body.

3.3.11: This first Prajapati has a body made solely of Consciousness (chitta-matra) and is not composed of the sequential elements like earth. As the primal Lord with a form like Space, he creates all Beings.

3.3.12: These created Beings are of the nature of Consciousness and Space, without any other Cause. Whatever exists is experienced by all as it is, in its True Essence.

3.3.13: The Supreme Person (Purusha) is Pure Consciousness and liberation itself. It exists solely as Consciousness and does not take on the nature of material elements like earth.

3.3.14: For all Beings engaged in worldly existence, the first vibration or impulse (pratispanda) is the subtle body of Consciousness, which arises spontaneously from itself.

3.3.15: From this Primal Vibration, which is not different from its own Nature, this creation emanates, like the manifestation of vibrations from the wind.

Summary of the Teachings:

The dialogue between Sri Rama and Sage Vasishta in these verses of the Yoga Vasishta addresses fundamental metaphysical questions about the Nature of Existence, the body, and the Supreme Reality (Brahm). In verse 3.3.7, Rama initiates the inquiry by questioning whether all Beings have both a subtle (ativahika) and a material (adhibhautika) body, and whether Brahm, the Ultimate Reality, has only one body. This sets the stage for Vasishta’s profound exposition on the Nature of Creation, Consciousness, and the distinction between the Supreme and manifested Beings. The teachings emphasize the non-dualistic perspective of Advaita Vedanta, where the Ultimate Reality is Pure Consciousness, and the apparent diversity of creation arises from it without any fundamental separation.

Vasishta’s response in verses 3.3.8 to 3.3.10 clarifies that all beings in the manifested world possess two types of bodies: the subtle body, which is the Consciousness driven, non-material aspect, and the material body, composed of physical elements. However, Brahm, referred to as the unborn, is beyond causation and thus possesses only a subtle body, which is Pure Consciousness. This distinction highlights the unique nature of Brahm as the uncaused Cause, free from the limitations of material existence. The first Prajapati (the primal creator) is described as having a body of Pure Consciousness, akin to Space, emphasizing that the origin of Creation is non-material and rooted in the Infinite expanse of Awareness.

In verses 3.3.11 and 3.3.12, Vasishta elaborates that the Primal Prajapati, as Pure Consciousness, creates beings that are also of the nature of Consciousness and Space, without any external cause. This teaching underscores the idea that creation is not a separate entity but an expression of Consciousness itself. The phrase “whatever exists is experienced by all as it is” suggests that the True Essence of all Beings is Consciousness, and the diversity of forms is a projection within this Singular Reality. This aligns with the Advaita principle that the world is an appearance (vivarta) within the substratum of Brahm, and all experiences ultimately point to this underlying unity.

Verses 3.3.13 and 3.3.14 further deepen the non-dual perspective by describing the Supreme Person (Purusha) as Pure Consciousness and liberation itself, untouched by material elements. The subtle body, or the first impulse (pratispanda), is the initial vibration of Consciousness that gives rise to the perception of individuality and worldly existence. This impulse is not separate from Consciousness but is its spontaneous expression. The teaching here is that the apparent individuality of beings is a result of this subtle vibration within Consciousness, yet it remains fundamentally One with the Supreme. The material world, while appearing real to the senses, is secondary to the primary Reality of Consciousness.

Finally, verse 3.3.15 concludes by likening Creation to vibrations emanating from the wind, reinforcing the idea that the Universe is a dynamic expression of Consciousness, 

arising from its own nature without any external cause. This metaphor illustrates the effortless and spontaneous nature of Creation, which is not a deliberate act but an inherent movement within Consciousness. The teachings collectively emphasize that the Ultimate Reality is non-dual Consciousness, and both the Creator (Prajapati) and the created Beings share this Essence. The distinction between subtle and material bodies applies only to manifested Beings, while Brahm remains Singular, Formless, and beyond Causation, serving as the Source and substance of all that exists.