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Yoga Vashishtha 3.9.45–54
(Universe is not separate from this Divine Essence but is a fleeting expression of it)
महर्षि वशिष्ठ उवाच।
यदिदं दृश्यते किंचिज्जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् ।
सर्वं सर्वप्रकाराढ्यं ससुरासुरकिन्नरम् ॥ ४५ ॥
तन्महाप्रलये प्राप्ते रुद्रादिपरिणामिनि।
भवत्यसददृश्यात्म क्वापि याति विनश्यति ॥ ४६ ॥
ततः स्तिमितगम्भीरं न तेजो न तमस्ततम् ।
अनाख्यमनभिव्यक्तं सत्किंचिदवशिष्यते ॥ ४७ ॥
न शून्यं नापि चाकारं न दृश्यं न च दर्शनम् ।
न च भूतपदार्थौघो यदनन्ततया स्थितम् ॥ ४८ ॥
किमप्यव्यपदेशात्म पूर्णात्पूर्णतराकृति।
न सन्नासन्न सदसन्न भावो भवनं न च ॥ ४९ ॥
चिन्मात्रं चेत्यरहितमनन्तमजरं शिवम्।
अनादिमध्यपर्यन्तं यदनादि निरामयम् ॥ ५० ॥
यस्मिञ्जगत्प्रस्फुरति दृष्टमौक्तिकहंसवत् ।
यश्चेदं यश्च नैवेदं देवः सदसदात्मकः ॥ ५१ ॥
अकर्णजिह्वानासात्वग्नेत्रः सर्वत्र सर्वदा ।
श्रृणोत्यास्वादयति यो जिघ्रेत्स्पृशति पश्यति ॥ ५२ ॥
स एव सदसद्रूपं येनालोकेन लक्ष्यते।
सर्गचित्रमनाद्यन्तं स्वरूपं चाप्य रञ्जनम् ॥ ५३ ॥
अर्धोन्मीलितदृश्यभ्रूमध्ये तारकवज्जगत् ।
व्योमात्मैव सदाभासं स्वरूपं योऽभिपश्यति ॥ ५४ ॥
Maharishi Vasishta continued:
3.9.45: Whatever is perceived in this world, whether stationary or moving, including all beings such as gods, demons, and celestial beings, is endowed with every form of richness and diversity.
3.9.46: When the time of the great dissolution arrives, marked by the transformation of even the Cosmic deities like Rudra, all this becomes non-existent, invisible, and perishes, disappearing into an unknown State.
3.9.47: Thereafter, what remains is a State of profound Stillness, neither Radiant nor dark, indescribable, unmanifest, yet something Real persists in that subtle Existence.
3.9.48: It is neither Void nor possessed of form, neither visible nor the act of seeing, nor a multitude of material elements, yet it abides infinitely as the Eternal Reality.
3.9.49: It is something indescribable, fuller than the fullest, neither existent nor non-existent, neither Being nor becoming, transcending all dualities and definitions.
3.9.50: It is Pure Consciousness, free from objects of perception, Infinite, ageless, auspicious, without beginning, middle, or end, and utterly free from any imperfection.
3.9.51: In it, the Universe sparkles like a pearl in a necklace or a swan in a lotus pond; it is both this world and not this world, a Divine Essence that embodies both Existence and non-existence.
3.9.52: Without ears, tongue, nose, skin, or eyes, it hears, tastes, smells, touches, and sees everywhere and always, transcending the limitations of physical senses.
3.9.53: It is the very Essence of both Existence and non-existence, through whose light all is perceived, manifesting the Infinite drama of Creation while remaining its own Radiant Nature.
3.9.54: Like a star shining between the half-open brows of perception, it is the space-like Self that eternally beholds its own luminous form, within which the world appears as a subtle reflection.
Summary of the Teachings:
The verses from Yoga Vasishta 3.9.45 to 3.9.54, as spoken by Sage Vasishta, articulate a profound metaphysical vision of the Nature of Reality, emphasizing the transient nature of the phenomenal world and the eternal presence of Pure Consciousness. The first verse (3.9.45) describes the visible Universe in all its diversity—encompassing both animate and inanimate entities, from gods to celestial beings—as a vibrant, multifaceted manifestation. However, this vivid display is not ultimate; it is subject to dissolution, as highlighted in the subsequent verse (3.9.46). The great dissolution (maha-pralaya) signifies the Cosmic cycle’s end, where all forms, including the mightiest deities, dissolve into non-existence, becoming invisible and merging into an unknown state. This sets the stage for a deeper inquiry into what remains beyond the transient world, pointing toward a Reality that transcends the ephemeral.
The teachings then shift to describe the Nature of what persists after this dissolution (3.9.47–3.9.49). This is not a State of mere Nothingness but a profound, indescribable Reality that is neither light nor darkness, neither form nor formless, neither existent nor non-existent. It is a State of Pure Being, beyond all dualities and categorizations, fuller than the fullest, yet defying all attempts at definition. This Reality is not a Void, nor is it a tangible object; it is Infinite, Eternal, and untouched by the limitations of material existence. These verses underscore the non-dual philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, where the Ultimate Reality (Brahm) is beyond the grasp of intellectual constructs and sensory perception, existing as the substratum of all that appears.
In verses 3.9.50–3.9.51, Sage Vasishta further elaborates on this Ultimate Reality as Pure Consciousness (Chinmatra), which is Infinite, ageless, and auspicious, free from any temporal or spatial boundaries.
This Consciousness is the Source from which the Universe arises, like a sparkling jewel or a swan gliding on a pond, yet it remains untouched by the world it projects. It is both immanent and transcendent, encompassing the duality of existence and non-existence. The imagery used here illustrates the paradoxical Nature of Reality: the world appears within Consciousness, yet Consciousness remains untainted, eternal, and whole.
This teaching invites the seeker to recognize that the Universe is not separate from this Divine Essence but is a fleeting expression of it.
Verses 3.9.52–3.9.53 delve into the Omnipresent and Omniscient nature of this Consciousness, which perceives all without relying on physical senses. It hears, tastes, smells, touches, and sees without the need for organs, existing everywhere and always. This boundless awareness is the light through which the entire creation is perceived, yet it remains unchanged as the Eternal Witness. The Creation itself is described as an Infinite, beginning-less, and endless play (sarga-chitra), a vibrant expression of this Consciousness that is both its essence and its radiant manifestation. These verses emphasize that the Ultimate Reality is not a passive Void but an active, Self-Aware principle that underlies and sustains the Cosmic drama.
Finally, verse 3.9.54 employs poetic imagery to describe the subtle perception of this Reality, likening it to a star shining between half-open brows, symbolizing the intuitive insight of the awakened mind. The world appears as a reflection within the space-like Self, which is ever-luminous and Self-Aware. This teaching encapsulates the essence of Yoga Vasishta’s non-dual vision: the world is an appearance within Consciousness, and True Realization comes from recognizing one’s identity with this Infinite, Unchanging Self. Collectively, these verses guide the seeker toward transcending the illusion of the material world, understanding its impermanence, and abiding in the eternal, indescribable Reality of Pure Consciousness, which is the Source, substance, and Seer of all that exists.
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