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Yoga Vashishtha 3.7.1–12
(Divine Being is not distant or external but resides within the body as Pure Consciousness)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
य एष देवः कथितो यस्मिञ्ज्ञाते विमुच्यते ।
वद क्वासौ स्थितो ब्रह्मन्कथमेनमहं लभे ॥ १ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
य एष देवः कथितो नैष दूरेऽवतिष्ठते।
शरीरे संस्थितो नित्यं चिन्मात्रमिति विश्रुतः ॥ २ ॥
एष सर्वमिदं विश्वं न विश्वं चैष सर्वगः।
विद्यते ह्येष एवैको न तु विश्वाभिधास्ति दृक् ॥ ३ ॥
चिन्मात्रमेव शशिभृच्चिन्मात्रं गरुडेश्वरः।
चिन्मात्रमेव तपनश्चिन्मात्रं कमलोद्भवः ॥ ४ ॥
श्रीराम उवाच ।
बाला अपि वदन्त्येतद्यदि चेतनमात्रकम्।
जगदित्येव केवात्र नाम स्यादुपदेशता ॥ ५ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
चिन्मात्रं चेतनं विश्वमिति यज्ज्ञातवानसि ।
न किंचिदेव विज्ञातं भवता भवनाशनम् ॥ ५ ॥
चेतनं राम संसारो जीव एष पशुः स्मृतः ।
एतस्मादेव निर्यान्ति जरामरणभीतयः ॥ ७ ॥
पशुरज्ञो ह्यमूर्तोऽपि दुःखस्यैवैष भाजनम्।
चेतनत्वाच्चेतनीयं मनोऽनर्थः स्वयं स्थितः ॥ ८ ॥
चेत्यनिर्मुक्तता या स्यादचेत्योन्मुखताथवा ।
अस्य सा भरितावस्था तां ज्ञात्वा नानुशोचति ॥ ९ ॥
भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिश्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः ।
क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि तस्मिन्दृष्टे परावरे ॥ १० ॥
तस्य चेत्योन्मुखत्वं तु चेत्यासंभवनं विना ।
रोद्धुं न शक्यते दृश्यं चेत्यं शाम्यति वै कथम् ॥ ११ ॥
अचेत्यचित्स्वरूपं यत्तच्चासंभवनं विना।
क्व स्वरूपोन्मुखत्वं हि केवलं चेत्यरोधतः ॥ १२ ॥
Sriram said:
3.7.1: Please tell me about this Divine Being you have described, by knowing whom one attains Realization. Where does this Being reside, O Sage, and how can I attain it?
Maharishi Vasishta replied:
3.7.2: This Divine Being you inquire about is not far away. It eternally resides within the body and is renowned as Pure Consciousness.
3.7.3: This Consciousness is all that exists as this Universe, yet it is not the Universe itself, for it is all-pervading. It alone exists as the sole Reality, while the Universe, as it is perceived, is merely an appearance and not the true Seer.
3.7.4: This Pure Consciousness is the Essence of the moon-bearer (Shiva), the Lord of Garuda (Vishnu), the Sun (Surya), and the lotus-born (Brahma). Everything is nothing but this Pure Consciousness.
Sriram said:
3.7.5: Even children speak of this world as mere Consciousness. If that is so, why is it taught as such, and what is the significance of this teaching?
Maharishi Vasishta replied:
3.7.6: If you have understood that the world is nothing but Pure Consciousness, you have not yet truly grasped the Knowledge that destroys the cycle of existence. Your understanding is incomplete.
3.7.7: O Rama, this Consciousness is the world, the individual soul, and the creature bound by Ignorance. From this very Consciousness arise the fears of old age and death.
3.7.8: This ignorant creature, though formless, is the receptacle of suffering. Due to its conscious nature, the mind, which is the source of all troubles, arises spontaneously.
3.7.9: Whether it is the state of being bound by objects of perception or the tendency toward non-perception, this is the condition of the mind. By understanding this State, one ceases to grieve.
3.7.10: When this Supreme Reality, both transcendent and immanent, is Realized, the knot of the Heart is broken, all doubts are dispelled, and all karmas are exhausted.
3.7.11: The mind’s tendency to engage with objects of Perception cannot be restrained without transcending the arising of such objects. How can the perceived world be calmed without this transcendence?
3.7.12: The True Nature of Consciousness, free from objects of Perception, cannot be Realized without negating the arising of such objects. How can one attain the State of Pure Consciousness merely by restraining the Perception of objects?
Summary of the Teachings:
The dialogue between Sri Rama and Sage Vasishta in these verses of the Yoga Vasishta centers on the nature of the Divine Being, which is revealed to be Pure Consciousness, the Ultimate Reality underlying all Existence. Rama begins by seeking to understand the Divine entity that leads to Realization, inquiring about its location and how to attain it. Vasishta responds by clarifying that this Divine Being is not distant or external but resides within the body as Pure Consciousness,
the Essence of all that exists. This teaching establishes the non-dual Advaita Vedanta perspective, emphasizing that the Ultimate Reality is not separate from the individual but is the very core of their Being. The Universe, as perceived, is an appearance within this Consciousness, not an independent entity,
highlighting the illusory nature of the world as distinct from the Seer, which is Consciousness itself.
Vasishta elaborates that this Pure Consciousness manifests as the deities revered in Hindu tradition—Shiva, Vishnu, Surya, and Brahma—underscoring that all forms and phenomena are expressions of the same Singular Reality. When Rama questions the simplicity of this teaching, noting that even children might speak of the world as Consciousness, Vasishta points out that mere intellectual understanding is insufficient. True Knowledge, requires a profound Realization that transcends superficial comprehension. This Realization involves recognizing that the world, the individual soul, and all experiences of suffering (such as old age and death) arise from Consciousness due to ignorance. The teaching stresses that liberation lies in understanding Consciousness as the sole Reality, beyond the apparent multiplicity of the world.
The discussion then shifts to the role of the mind in perpetuating suffering. Vasishta explains that the mind, arising from Consciousness, becomes the source of suffering due to its ignorant engagement with objects of perception. This engagement creates the illusion of individuality and bondage, leading to fears and sorrows. The ignorant mind, though formless, is the vessel of suffering because it identifies with the transient world. To overcome this, one must understand the mind’s nature—its tendency to cling to perceived objects or to oscillate between perception and non-perception. By Realizing this, one can transcend grief, as the root of suffering lies in the misidentification of the Self with the mind’s projections rather than with Pure Consciousness.
Vasishta further teaches that True Knowledge is achieved when one Realizes the Supreme Reality, described as both transcendent (beyond the world) and immanent (present within all). This Realization breaks the “knot of the heart” (ignorance), dispels doubts, and exhausts karmas, leading to freedom from the cycle of birth and death. However, this cannot be achieved by merely suppressing thoughts or restraining the mind’s engagement with objects. The mind’s tendency to perceive objects must be transcended by negating the very arising of such perceptions, allowing Consciousness to rest in its Pure, Objectless State. This points to the practice of Self-Inquiry and meditation, where one shifts Awareness from the transient to the Eternal, recognizing that Consciousness alone exists, free from the duality of perceiver and perceived.
In essence, these verses encapsulate the core Advaita teaching that True Knowledge is attained by Realizing the Self as Pure Consciousness, beyond the illusions of the world and the mind. The path involves deep introspection to understand the mind’s role in creating the illusion of separateness and suffering. By transcending the mind’s engagement with objects and Realizing the non-dual nature of Consciousness, one attains True Knowledge, where all distinctions dissolve, and the Self is recognized as the Infinite, Eternal Reality. This teaching encourages a shift from external seeking to Inner Realization, guiding the seeker to discover the divine within as the Essence of all Existence.
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