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Yoga Vashishtha 3.7.13–25
(Supreme Self is formless, transcending spatial and temporal limitations, existing in the instantaneous movement of Consciousness and encompassing all without being confined)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
यस्मिञ्जीवे हि विज्ञाते न विनश्यति संसृतिः ।
व्योमरूपी पशुस्त्वज्ञः स ब्रह्मन्कुत्र कीदृशः ॥ १३ ॥
साधुसंगमसच्छास्त्रैः संसारार्णवतारकः ।
दृश्यते परमात्मा यः स ब्रह्मन्वद कीदृशः ॥ १४ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
यदेतच्चेतनं जीवो विशीर्णो जन्मजङ्गले।
एतमात्मानमिच्छन्ति ये तेऽज्ञाः पण्डिता अपि ॥ १५ ॥
जीव एव हि संसारश्चेतना दुःखसंततिः ।
अस्मिञ्ज्ञाते न विज्ञातं किंचिद्भवति कुत्रचित् ॥ १६ ॥
ज्ञायते परमात्मा चेद्राम दुःखस्य संततिः।
क्षयमेति विषावेशशान्ताविव विषूचिका ॥ १७ ॥
श्रीराम उवाच ।
रूपं कथय मे ब्रह्मन्यथावत्परमात्मनः।
यस्मिन्दृष्टे मनो मोहान्समग्रान्संतरिष्यति ॥ १८ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
देशाद्देशान्तरं दूरं प्राप्तायाः संविदो वपुः।
निमिषेणैव यन्मध्ये तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ १९ ॥
अत्यन्ताभाव एवास्ति संसारस्य यथास्थितेः ।
यस्मिन्बोधमहाम्भोधौ तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ २० ॥
द्रष्टृदृश्यक्रमो यत्र स्थितोऽप्यस्तमयं गतः ।
यदनाकाशमाकाशं तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ २१ ॥
अशून्यमिव यच्छून्यं यस्मिन्शून्यं जगत्स्थितम् ।
सर्गौघे सति यच्छून्यं तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ २२ ॥
यन्महाचिन्मयमपि बृहत्पाषाणवत्स्थितम् ।
जडं वा जडमेवान्तस्तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ २३ ॥
सबाह्याभ्यन्तरं येन सर्वं संप्राप्य संगमम्।
स्वरूपसत्तामाप्नोति तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ २४ ॥
प्रकाशस्य यथालोकः शून्यत्वं नभसो यथा ।
तथेदं संस्थितं यत्र तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ २५ ॥
Sriram said:
3.7.13: O Sage, who is that Ignorant Being, Formless like the sky, in whom, even when known, the cycle of worldly existence (samsara) does not cease? Where does such a Being exist, and what is its nature?
3.7.14: O Sage, tell me about the Supreme Self (Paramatman), through whose Realization, facilitated by the company of the virtuous and the study of sacred scriptures, one crosses the ocean of worldly existence. What is its Nature?
Maharishi Vashishta said:
3.7.15: The entity known as the jiva (individual soul), which is conscious yet entangled in the wilderness of birth and rebirth, is what even the learned ignorantly seek as the Self. Such individuals, despite their Knowledge, remain deluded.
3.7.16: The jiva itself is the embodiment of samsara, a conscious entity bound to a continuous stream of suffering. When this jiva is truly known, nothing remains to be known anywhere, as its true nature reveals the illusion of worldly existence.
3.7.17: O Rama, when the Supreme Self is Realized, the continuous stream of suffering comes to an end, just as a fever subsides when the poison causing it is neutralized.
Sriram said:
3.7.18: O Sage, describe to me the true form of the Supreme Self, by whose Realization the mind transcends all delusions and attains liberation.
Maharishi Vashishta replied:
3.7.19: The form of the Supreme Self is that which exists in the interval when Consciousness travels from one place to another in an instant, encompassing all Space without being confined by it.
3.7.20: The Supreme Self is the absolute non-existence of samsara as it appears, yet it is the Infinite Ocean of Consciousness in which all exists. That is the form of the Supreme Self.
3.7.21: The Supreme Self is that in which the distinction between the Seer and the seen, though seemingly present, has dissolved. It is the formless Space that transcends space itself.
3.7.22: The Supreme Self appears non-empty yet is utterly empty, within which the world exists as empty. Even when the flood of creation appears, it remains empty—that is the form of the Supreme Self.
3.7.23: The Supreme Self, though vast and full of Pure Consciousness, appears as if inert like a massive stone. Whether perceived as inert or not, its essence remains unchanged—that is the form of the Supreme Self.
3.7.24: The Supreme Self is that by which everything, both external and internal, attains its true existence through union with its Essence. That is the form of the Supreme Self.
3.7.25: Just as light is inherent to illumination or emptiness is inherent to the sky, the Supreme Self is that in which all exists as its very nature. That is the form of the Supreme Self.
Summary of the Teachings:
In this dialogue between Rama and Sage Vasishta, the discussion centers on the nature of the jiva (individual soul) and the Supreme Self (Paramatman), addressing fundamental questions about the cycle of samsara (worldly existence) and the path to Realization. Rama begins by inquiring about the ignorant being whose knowledge does not dissolve samsara and the nature of the Supreme Self that enables transcendence of worldly suffering. These questions reflect Rama’s quest for clarity on the distinction between the illusory self and the Ultimate Reality, a core theme in Advaita Vedanta. Vasishta’s responses systematically unravel the misconceptions surrounding the jiva and illuminate the transcendent nature of the Supreme Self, guiding Rama toward a deeper understanding of non-dual Reality.
The first set of verses (3.7.13–3.7.17) highlights the delusion inherent in identifying with the jiva, the individual soul. Vasishta explains that the jiva, though conscious, is the very embodiment of samsara, perpetuating suffering through its mistaken identification with the body and mind. Even the learned, who seek the Self without true understanding, remain trapped in ignorance. Vasishta emphasizes that Realizing the Supreme Self dissolves this cycle of suffering, likening it to a fever subsiding when its root cause is removed. This teaching underscores the Advaitic principle that Realization arises not from acquiring new knowledge but from dispelling the ignorance that binds the jiva to samsara.
In verses 3.7.18–3.7.25, Rama seeks a direct description of the Supreme Self’s form, and Vasishta responds with profound metaphysical insights. He describes the Supreme Self as formless, transcending spatial and temporal limitations, existing in the instantaneous movement of Consciousness and encompassing all without being confined. The Supreme Self is paradoxically described as both empty and non-empty, the substratum in which the world appears yet remains untouched by it. This non-dual Reality is beyond the distinctions of Seer and seen, inert and conscious, external and internal. Vasishta’s poetic imagery—comparing the Supreme Self to light inherent in illumination or emptiness inherent in the sky—emphasizes its all-pervading, unchanging Essence that underlies all Existence.
These verses collectively teach that the Supreme Self is not an object to be perceived but the very Essence of Consciousness that transcends all dualities. The apparent reality of samsara, with its distinctions and suffering, is illusory when viewed from the perspective of the Supreme Self. Vasishta’s descriptions challenge the mind’s tendency to conceptualize Reality in terms of form or substance, pointing instead to a Reality that is both immanent and transcendent. By Realizing this, the mind overcomes delusion, as the false identification with the jiva
dissolves, revealing the Unity of all Existence in the Supreme Self.
The teachings in these verses are a call to shift from intellectual understanding to Direct Realization. The company of the virtuous and the study of scriptures, as mentioned by Rama, serve as preparatory steps, but true Realization comes from transcending the jiva’s
limited perspective. Vasishta’s guidance to Rama reflects the essence of Advaita Vedanta: the Supreme Self is not distant or separate but is the very nature of the seeker. By recognizing this, one crosses the ocean of
samsara, attaining freedom from suffering and Realizing the Eternal, Unchanging Reality that is the Supreme Self.
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