Chapter 3.16, Verses 36–50

Yoga Vashishtha 3.16.36–50

(Sincere devotion and crying from the heart always attracts Divine Grace)

श्रीसरस्वत्युवाच ।

निरन्तरेण तपसा भर्तृभक्त्यतिशालिना।

परितुष्टास्मि ते वत्से गृहाण वरमीप्सितम् ॥ ३६ ॥

श्रीराज्ञ्युवाच ।

जय जन्मजराज्वालादाहदोषशशिप्रभे।

जय हार्दान्धकारौघनिवारणरविप्रभे ॥ ३७ ॥

अम्ब मातर्जगन्मातस्त्रायस्व कृपणामिमाम् ।

इदं वरद्वयं देहि यदहं प्रार्थये शुभे ॥ ३८ ॥

एकं तावद्विदेहस्य भर्तुर्जीवो ममाम्बिके।

अस्मादेव हि मा यासीन्निजान्तःपुरमण्डपात् ॥ ३९ ॥

द्वितीयं त्वां महादेवि प्रार्थयेऽहं यदा यदा ।

दर्शनाय वरार्थाय तदा मे देहि दर्शनम् ॥ ४० ॥

इत्याकर्ण्य जगन्माता तवास्त्वेवमिति स्वयम् ।

उक्त्वान्तर्धानमगमत्प्रोत्थायोर्मिरिवार्णवे ॥ ४१ ॥

अथ सा राजमहिषी परितुष्टेष्टदेवता ।

श्रुतगीतेव हरिणी बभूवानन्दधारिणी ॥ ४२ ॥

पक्षमासर्तुकटके दिनारे वर्षदण्डके ।

क्षणनाभौ स्पन्दमये कालचक्रे वहत्यथ ॥ ४३ ॥

अन्तर्धिमाजगामास्याः पत्युस्तच्चेतनं तनौ ।

संदृश्यमानमेवाशु शुष्कपत्ररसो यथा ॥ ४४ ॥

रणखण्डितदेहेऽस्मिन्मृतेऽन्तःपुरमण्डपे ।

निर्जला नलिनीवासौ परां म्लानिमुपाययौ ॥ ४५ ॥

विषोष्णश्वसनध्वस्तसकलाधरपल्लवा ।

प्राप सा मरणावस्थां सशल्येव मृगी यथा ॥ ४६ ॥

प्राप सा तमसान्धत्वं तस्मिन्मरणमागते ।

दीपज्वालालवे क्षीणे सद्मश्रीरिव भूषिता ॥ ४७ ॥

कार्श्यमाप क्षणेनासौ बाला विरसतां गता ।

यथा स्रोतस्विनी स्रोतक्षये क्षारविधूसरा ॥ ४८ ॥

क्षिप्रमाक्रन्दिनी क्षिप्रं मौनमूका वियोगिनी ।

बभूव चक्रवाकीव मानिनी मरणोन्मुखी ॥ ४९ ॥

अथ तामतिमात्रविह्वलां सकृपाकाशभवा सरस्वती ।

शफरीं ह्रदशोषविह्वलां प्रथमा वृष्टिरिवान्वकम्पत ॥ ५० ॥

3.16.36: Goddess Saraswati said:  

Child, I am fully pleased with your unbroken penance and supreme devotion to your husband. Ask for whatever boon you desire.

3.16.37-38: Queen Chudala said:  

Victory to you, O moon-like Goddess whose cool rays remove the burning pain of birth, old age and death!  

Victory to you, O Sun-like Goddess whose bright rays remove the dense darkness in the heart! O Mother, O Mother of the universe, protect this helpless woman. O auspicious One, please grant me these two boons that I beg of you.

3.16.39: First, O Ambika, may the life-force of my husband, the King of Videha; never leave this inner palace as long as I am alive.

3.16.40: Second, O Great Goddess, whenever I call you for any important boon, please appear before me at that very moment.

3.16.41-42: Hearing this, the Mother of the world herself said, “So be it,” and then disappeared like a wave that rises and merges back into the ocean; Then the royal queen, whose chosen deity was now fully pleased, became filled with joy, like a female deer that has heard the song of Krishna.

3.16.43-45: Days, fortnights, months, seasons and years went rolling by on the ever-moving wheel of time; Suddenly, the Consciousness left her husband’s body and vanished, just as moisture quickly disappears from a dry leaf that is still visible; in that inner palace, with her husband’s body cut and dead from battle, she became like a waterless lotus pond and fell into deep sorrow.

46. Her breath became hot and dry, all the freshness of her lips withered away;  

she reached the verge of death, like a doe pierced by an arrow.

3.16.47-49: When death came to him, she became completely blind with darkness, like a palace that has lost its last flicker of lamp-flame and all its glory; in a moment the young queen became thin and lifeless, like a river that has lost its current and turned salty and grey; The separated wife first cried loudly, then suddenly became silent and mute. She turned into a proud female chakravaka bird facing death.

3.16.50: Then Goddess Saraswati, who lives in the sky of pure compassion, felt deep pity and trembled with mercy for her, just as the first rain trembles with pity for a fish suffering in a dried-up lake.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses teach the supreme power of single-minded devotion and purity of heart. Queen Chudala, through years of unbroken austerity and total devotion to her husband, wins the direct grace of Goddess Saraswati. The Goddess appears in person and offers any boon. This shows that true devotion (bhakti) combined with intense penance (tapas) can make even the highest divine powers pleased and ready to grant anything.

The second teaching is about what a truly wise and loving wife prays for. Chudala does not ask for wealth, long life for herself, beauty or kingdom. She asks only for two things: (1) that her husband’s soul never leaves the palace while she is alive, and (2) that the Goddess appears whenever she is called. This reveals the highest ideal of pativrata dharma (devotion to husband) where the wife sees her husband’s life and presence as her own life.

The third teaching is the inescapable nature of Time and death. Even though the Goddess granted the boon, the moment, years pass and the king’s body is destroyed in battle and his life-force departs. No boon can stop the law of time (kāla-chakra) forever. Everything in the world is subject to the turning wheel of time; nothing created lasts eternally.

The fourth teaching is the terrible pain of separation (viraha) that comes from attachment. When the husband dies, Chudala instantly loses all colour, beauty and will to live. She becomes thin, silent, blind with grief and ready to die. The verses compare her to a dried lotus pond, a river without water, a deer shot by an arrow, and a female bird separated from its mate. This shows how deep attachment, even if it is pure marital love, brings unbearable sorrow when separation comes.

The final teaching is the boundless compassion of the Divine Mother. Even though death could not be stopped forever, Goddess Saraswati immediately feels pity seeing Chudala’s extreme suffering and is moved to help her again. Just as the first rain rushes to save suffering fish in a dried lake, the Goddess rushes to save her devotee. This gives hope that sincere devotion and crying from the heart always attracts Divine Grace, even in the darkest moment.

Chapter 3.16.24–35

Yoga Vashishtha 3.16.24–35

(Penances give temporary powers, but true immortality belongs only to the Self)

विप्रा उवाच:।

तपोजपयमैर्देवि समस्ताः सिद्धसिद्धयः।

संप्राप्यन्तेऽमरत्वं तु न कदाचन लभ्यते ॥ २४ ॥

इत्याकर्ण्य द्विजमुखाच्चिन्तयामास सा पुनः ।

इदं स्वप्रज्ञयैवाशु भीता प्रियवियोगतः ॥ २५ ॥

मरणं भर्तुरग्रे मे यदि दैवाद्भविष्यति ।

तत्सर्वदुःखनिर्मुक्ता संस्थास्ये सुखमात्मनि ॥ २६ ॥

अथ वर्षसहस्रेण भर्तादौ चेन्मरिष्यति ।

तत्करिष्ये तथा येन जीवो गेहान्न यास्यति ॥ २७ ॥

तद्भ्रमद्भर्तृजीवेऽस्मिन्निजे शुद्धान्तमण्डपे ।

भर्त्रा विलोकिता नित्यं निवत्स्यामि यथासुखम् ॥ २८ ॥

अद्यैवारभ्यैतदर्थ देवीं ज्ञप्तिं सरस्वतीम्।

जपोपवासनियमैरातोषं पूजयाम्यहम् ॥ २९ ॥

इति निश्चित्य सा नाथमनुक्त्वैव वराङ्गना ।

यथाशास्त्रं चचारोग्रं तथा नियममास्थिता ॥ ३० ॥

त्रिरात्रस्य त्रिरात्रस्य पर्यन्ते कृतपारणा।

देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञविद्वत्पूजापरायणा ॥ ३१ ॥

स्नानदानतपोध्याननित्योद्युक्तशरीरिका ।

सर्वास्तिक्यसदाचारकारिणी क्लेशहारिणी ॥ ३२ ॥

यथाकालं यथोद्योगं यथाशास्त्रं यथाक्रमम् ।

तोषयामास भर्तारमपरिज्ञातसंस्थितिः ॥ ३३ ॥

त्रिरात्रशतमेवं सा बाला नियमशालिनी।

अनारतं तपोनिष्ठामतिष्ठत्कष्टचेष्टया ॥ ३४ ॥

त्रिरात्राणां शते चाथ पूजिता प्रतिमानिता ।

तुष्टा भगवती गौरी वागीशा समुवाच ताम् ॥ ३५ ॥

3.16.24  

The brahmins said: O Devi, all kinds of supernatural powers are obtained through penance, chanting, and self-control, but immortality is never achieved by anyone.

3.16.25–29  

Hearing this from the mouths of the brahmins, she again thought deeply by herself, frightened at the very idea of separation from her beloved husband; If by some fate my husband dies before me, then freed from all sorrow I will rest peacefully in my own Self; but if after a thousand years my husband dies first, I will do such a thing that his life-breath will never leave this house; as long as my husband’s life-breath remains moving in this body, in this pure inner chamber of mine, I will live happily, always seen and loved by him; From today itself, for this very purpose, I will worship and please Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of speech and Knowledge, through chanting, fasting, and strict disciplines.

3.16.30–34

Having decided this, the noble lady, without telling her husband, began to follow a severe spiritual discipline exactly according to the scriptures; Every three nights she completed a full fast, broke it, and remained devoted to worshipping gods, brahmins, her guru, wise men, and scholars. She always bathed, gave charity, performed penance, meditated, kept her body constantly engaged in spiritual practice, followed pure conduct, and removed all difficulties; at the proper time, with full effort, exactly as prescribed in the scriptures and in proper sequence, she pleased her husband without letting him know what she was really doing; Thus that young girl, full of discipline, continuously performed severe penance for exactly three hundred nights with great hardship.

3.16.35  

After three hundred nights were completed, the goddess Gauri (Parvati), the consort of Shiva and goddess of speech, became fully pleased, honoured her, and spoke to her.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses from Yoga Vashishta highlight the immense power of a pure and determined mind, especially when driven by selfless love. Queen Chudala hears that even the greatest austerities cannot grant physical immortality. Instead of feeling helpless, she immediately shifts her thinking: she is ready to accept her husband’s death if it comes first and attain liberation, but if destiny allows her husband to live longer, she resolves to find a real way to keep death away from him forever.

The teaching is clear: ordinary penances give temporary powers, but true immortality belongs only to the Self (Atman). Chudala does not waste time grieving or praying for the impossible; she decides to awaken the Highest Knowledge (the goddess Saraswati symbolises Pure Wisdom) so that both she and her husband can Realize their Eternal Nature and become free from death while still appearing to live in the body.

Her intense spiritual practice (severe fasting every three days, worship, charity, meditation, and perfect moral conduct) is performed secretly and without any desire for praise. This shows that real sadhana is done for love and truth, not for show. Even while doing hard penance, she continues to serve and please her husband perfectly so that he suspects nothing. This teaches balance: inner fire of discipline and outer sweetness of duty can go together.

After exactly three hundred nights of unbroken effort, Goddess Gauri (the Supreme Power of Consciousness) becomes fully pleased and appears. This proves that when the mind is one-pointed, Pure, and free from selfishness, Divine Grace and Highest Knowledge manifest very quickly. The short time (less than three years) shows that sincerity and intensity matter far more than duration.

The deepest message of these verses is that the greatest motivation for enlightenment is often pure love. Chudala does not seek liberation only for herself; she wants her beloved husband never to die. Because her love is completely unselfish, her practice becomes a perfect vehicle for the highest realisation. Love, when purified, becomes the shortest and surest path to immortality of Consciousness.

Chapter 3.16, Verses 1–23

Yoga Vashishtha 3.16.1–23

(Deep attachment, however sweet, always brings pain when we remember impermanence)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

भूतलाप्सरसा सार्धमनन्यदयितापतिः ।

अकृत्रिमप्रेमरसं स रेमे कान्तया तया ॥ १ ॥

उद्यानवनगुल्मेषु तमालगहनेषु च ।

पुष्पमण्डपरम्येषु लतावलयसद्मसु ॥ २ ॥

पुष्पान्तःपुरशय्यासु पुष्पसंभारवीथिषु ।

वसन्तोद्यानदोलासु क्रीडापुष्करिणीषु च ॥ ३ ॥

चन्दनद्रुमशैलेषु संतानकतलेषु च ।

कदम्बनीपगेहेषु पारिभद्रोदरेषु च ॥ ४ ॥

विकसत्कुन्दमन्दारमकरन्दसुगन्धिषु ।

वसन्तवनजालेषु कूजत्कोकिलपक्षिषु ॥ ५ ॥

नानारण्यतृणानां च स्थलेषु मृदुदीप्तिषु।

निर्झरेषु तरत्तारसीकरासारवर्षिषु ॥ ६ ॥

शैलानां मणिमाणिक्यशिलानां फलकेषु च ।

देवर्षिमुनिगेहेषु दूरपुण्याश्रमेषु च ॥ ७ ॥

कुमुद्वतीषु फुल्लासु स्मेरासु नलिनीषु च ।

वनस्थलीषु कृष्णासु फुल्लासु फलिनीषु च ॥ ८ ॥

सुरतैः सुरतारुण्यैः सुन्दरः सुन्दरेहितैः ।

ईहितैः पेशलान्योन्यघनप्रेमरसाधिकैः ॥ ९॥

प्रहेलिकाभिराख्यानैस्तथा चाक्षरमुष्टिभिः ।

अष्टापदैर्बहुद्यूतैस्तथा गूढचतुर्थकैः ॥ १० ॥

नाटिकाख्यायिकाभिश्च श्लोकैर्विन्दुमतिक्रमैः ।

देशकालविभागैश्च नगरग्रामचेष्टितैः ॥ ११ ॥

स्रग्दाममालावलितैर्नानाभरणयोजनैः ।

लीलाविलोलचलनैर्विचित्ररसभोजनैः ॥ १२ ॥

आर्द्रकुङ्कुमकर्पूरताम्बूलीदलचर्वणैः ।

फुल्लपुष्पलतागुञ्जादेहगोपनखव्रणैः ॥ १३ ॥

समालम्भनलीलाभिर्मालाप्रहरणक्रमैः ।

गृहे कुसुमदोलाभिरन्योन्यं दोलनक्रमैः ॥ १४ ॥

नौयानयुग्महस्त्यश्वदान्तोष्ट्रादिगमागमैः ।

जलकेलिविलासेन परस्परसमुक्षणैः ॥ १५ ॥

नृत्यगीतकलालास्यतालताण्डवमण्डनैः ।

संगीतकैः संकथनैर्वीणामुरजवादनैः ॥ १६ ॥

उद्यानेषु सरित्तीरवृक्षेषु वरवीथिषु ।

अन्तःपुरेषु हर्म्येषु फुल्लदोलावदोलनैः ॥ १७ ॥

सा तथा सुखसंवृद्धा तस्य प्रणयिनी प्रिया ।

एकदा चिन्तयामास सुभ्रूः संकल्पशालिनी ॥ १८ ॥

प्राणेभ्योऽपि प्रियो भर्ता ममैष जगतीपतिः ।

यौवनोल्लासवान्श्रीमान्कथं स्यादजरामरः ॥ १९ ॥

भर्त्रानेन सहोत्तुङ्गस्तनी कुसुमसद्मसु।

कथं स्वैरं चिरं कान्ता रमे युगशतान्यहम् ॥ २० ॥

तथा यते यत्नमतस्तपोजपयमेहितैः।

रजनीशमुखो राजा यथा स्यादजरामरः ॥ २१ ॥

ज्ञानवृद्धांस्तपोवृद्धान्विद्यावृद्धानहं द्विजान् ।

पृच्छामि तावन्मरणं कथं न स्यान्नृणामिति ॥ २२ ॥

इत्यानीयाथ संपूज्य द्विजान्पप्रच्छ सा नता ।

अमरत्वं कथं विप्रा भवेदिति पुनःपुनः ॥ २३ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta said:

3.16.1: The king, whose only beloved was the apsara of the earth (Lila), enjoyed with that loving wife a natural and pure nectar of love.  

3.16.2-8: They played together in royal gardens, thick tamala groves, on flower-bed mattresses, in lanes made of heaps of flowers, on spring-time swings, and in pleasure ponds; on sandalwood mountains, under spreading plantain trees, in kadamba and nipa cottages, inside paribhadra trees, in spring forests filled with the sweet smell of blooming kunda and mandara honey, where cuckoos sang sweetly; on soft glowing grassy plains of many forests, near waterfalls raining pearl-like spray; on the crystal and jewel slabs of mountains, in the hermitages of gods, rishis and sages far away in blessed ashrams; near blooming lotus lakes full of kumuda flowers, in smiling blue water-lily ponds, in dark forest clearings full of flowers and fruits.  

3.16.9-17: The beautiful couple made love with beautiful youthful passion, with tender mutual love that grew deeper every moment; They played riddles, told stories, played dice, ashtapada, many gambling games and secret fourth-piece games; performed short plays, recited tales, beautiful verses, witty lines, spoke of different places and times, city and village happenings; wore flower garlands and many kinds of ornaments, moved with playful grace, ate foods of wonderful tastes; chewed wet kumkuma, camphor and betel leaves, hid scratch marks on their bodies with flowering creepers and flower clusters; embraced playfully, threw garlands at each other, swung together on flower swings in the palace; travelled by paired boats, elephants, horses, tame camels etc., played in water, splashed each other joyfully; danced, sang, made sweet sounds, performed rhythmic graceful dances, played music, talked sweetly, sounded veena and mridangam; in gardens, on river banks, under fine trees, in city streets, inside the palace, on terraces, swinging on flowering swings.  

3.16.18-22: Thus that beloved wife, full of happiness and love, one day began to think, her beautiful eyebrows slightly raised, full of strong wish: “This husband of mine, the king of the world, is dearer to me than my own life. He is young, radiant and glorious. How can he become free from old age and death?” “How can I, with proud full breasts, freely enjoy with this husband in flower palaces for hundreds of years?” “Therefore I will make every effort through penance, japa and austerities so that the moon-faced king becomes ageless and immortal.”  “I will ask learned brahmins who are old in knowledge, penance and scripture: ‘How can a person escape death?’”  

3.16.23: Thinking thus, she humbly invited brahmins, honoured them and repeatedly asked: “O brahmins, how can one gain immortality?”

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses describe the height of worldly pleasure and attachment, showing how even the most perfect enjoyment eventually leads to fear of loss. King Padma and the apsara Lila enjoy every possible luxury and sensual delight together, yet their happiness is not complete because it is rooted in the body and time. The detailed list of gardens, flowers, music, love-making and games is deliberate: it shows that no amount of pleasure can remove the shadow of old age and death. True happiness cannot come from things that must end.

Lila’s sudden worry about her husband’s death is the turning point. Though she has everything a human being could desire, she realises that all of it will be snatched away by time. Her love is so strong that the thought of losing her husband becomes unbearable. This shows that deep attachment, however sweet, always brings pain when we remember impermanence. The text is teaching that even the greatest worldly love carries the seed of sorrow.

Lila immediately decides to find a way to make her husband immortal. She plans to practise penance and ask learned brahmins. This shows the natural human reaction when faced with death: we try to fix the problem at the level of the body and the world. We think, “If I do enough rituals, tapas or prayers, I can keep what I love forever.” The Yoga Vasishta will later show that this approach cannot succeed because the body itself is part of the dream of the mind.

These verses prepare the ground for the core teaching of advaita (non-duality). Worldly pleasure, however intense, is still within the realm of illusion (maya). Real immortality is not making the body live forever; it is waking up to the Self that was never born and never dies. Lila’s question “How can one become immortal?” is the same question every seeker asks, and Vasishta will answer it not by giving a magic ritual, but by revealing the knowledge of the Self.

Thus the passage is not just a beautiful love story; it is a perfect example of how life itself pushes a sincere person from enjoyment (bhoga) toward the search for Realization. Pleasure exhausts itself and turns into pain, pain gives rise to enquiry, and sincere enquiry leads to Knowledge and Freedom.

Chapter 3.15, Verses 18–31

Yoga Vashishtha 3.15.18–31

(Even the most perfect worldly life is still within the realm of illusion)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

सद्बोधवृद्धये ब्रह्मन्समासेन वदाशु मे।

मण्डपाख्यानमखिलं येन बोधो विवर्धते ॥ १८ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

अभूदस्मिन्महीपीठे कुलपद्मो विकाशवान् ।

पद्मो नाम नृपः श्रीमान्बहुपुत्रो विवेकवान् ॥ १९ ॥

मर्यादापालनाम्भोधिर्द्विषत्तिमिरभास्करः ।

कान्ताकुमुदिनीचन्द्रो दोषतृणहुताशनः ॥ २० ॥

मेरुर्विबुधवृन्दानां यशश्चन्द्रो भवार्णवे।

सरः सद्गुणहंसानां कमलामलभास्करः ॥ २१ ॥

संग्रामवीरुत्पवनो मनोमातङ्गकेसरी।

समस्तविद्यादयितः सर्वाश्चर्यगुणाकरः ॥ २२ ॥

सुरारिसागरक्षोभविलसन्मन्दराचलः ।

विलासपुष्पौघमधुः सौभाग्यकुसुमायुधः ॥ २३ ॥

लीलालतालास्यमरुत्साहसोत्साहकेशवः ।

सौजन्यकैरवशशी दुर्लीलावल्लिकानलः ॥ २४ ॥

तस्यास्ति सुभगा भार्या लीला नाम विलासिनी ।

सर्वसौभाग्यवलिता कमलेवोदिताऽवनौ ॥ २५ ॥

सर्वानुवृत्तिललिता लीला मधुरभाषिणी ।

सानन्दमन्दचलिता द्वितीयेन्दूदयस्मिता ॥ २६ ॥

अलकालिमनोहारिवदनाम्भोजशालिनी ।

सिताङ्गी कर्णिकागौरी जङ्गमेव सरोजिनी ॥ २७ ॥

लताविलासकुन्दौघभासिनी रसशालिनी ।

प्रवालहस्ता पुष्पाभा मधुश्रीरिव देहिनी ॥ २८ ॥

अवदाततनुः पुण्या स्पर्शनाह्लादकारिणी गङ्गेव गां गता देहवती हंसविलासिनी ॥ २९ ॥

तस्य भूतलपुष्पेषोः सकलाह्लाददायिनः ।

परिचर्यां चिरं कर्तुमन्या रतिरिवोदिता ॥ ३० ॥

उद्विग्ने प्रोद्विग्ना मुदिते मुदिता समाकुलाकुलिते ।

प्रतिबिम्बसमा कान्ता संक्रुद्धे केवलं भीता ॥ ३१ ॥

3.15.18: Shri Ram said: O Brahman, for the growth of True Knowledge, quickly tell me in brief the entire story of the Pavilion (Mandapa), by which Wisdom increases.

3.15.19: Sage Vasishta said: In this world there once lived a king named Padma, beautiful as a blooming lotus, wise, with many sons and full of splendour.

3.15.20: He was an ocean that kept all boundaries, a Sun that removed the darkness of enemies, a moon for the lilies of his wives, fire that burnt the grass of flaws.

3.15.21: He was Meru mountain for the gods, moon for the ocean of worldly existence, a lake for the swans of good qualities, sun for the spotless lotuses.

3.15.22: A breeze in battles, a lion to the elephants of minds, beloved of all Knowledge, an ocean of all wonderful qualities.

3.15.23: He was the Mandara mountain that churned the ocean of demons, honey from heaps of playful flowers, armed with the flower-arrows of good fortune.

3.15.24: Lord Krishna full of playful dance and enthusiasm, moon for the night-lotuses of Noble Nature, fire to the creeping vines of bad play.

3.15.25: He had a very beautiful wife named Leela, full of charm, adorned with all auspicious qualities, like a lotus blooming on earth.

3.15.26: Leela was sweet-spoken, graceful in every movement, smiling like the rising of the second moon, moving slowly with joy.

3.15.27: Her lotus-like face was charming with dark beautiful hair, fair-bodied, golden like the pericarp, a moving lake of lotuses.

3.15.28: She shone like a creeper with clusters of jasmine flowers, full of rasa, hands soft as tender leaves, body glowing like flowers, embodiment of sweet beauty.

3.15.29: Pure and holy in body, touching her gave joy, like Ganga that came down to earth, embodied, playing with royal swans.

3.15.30: To this King Padma, the flower among men of the earth, who gave joy to all, she became attached forever in service like another Rati.

3.15.31: When he was anxious she became anxious, when he was happy she was happy, when he was disturbed she was disturbed; she was exactly like his reflection, but when he was angry she was only afraid.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses begin the famous “Leela-Upakhyana” (Story of Leela) in Yoga Vasishta. Ram requests Vasishta to narrate a story that awakens True Knowledge, and Vasishta starts with the description of an ideal king Padma and his devoted queen Leela.

King Padma is painted with countless beautiful metaphors as the perfect ruler: wise, powerful, virtuous, and full of every noble quality. The sole purpose of such lavish praise is to show that even the most perfect worldly life is still remains within the realm of illusion.

Queen Leela is described with equal poetic beauty. She is portrayed as the ideal devoted wife who lives only as a reflection of her husband’s states of mind — happy when he is happy, anxious when he is anxious, afraid when he is angry.

This perfect harmony between husband and wife shows the highest ideal of worldly love and married life, yet the story that follows will reveal that even this perfect life is a dream and both Padma and Leela will eventually attain liberation by understanding the truth of the Self.

Thus the stage is set: if even such a flawless king and queen discover that their entire world is only a dream and renounce everything for Knowledge of Brahm, then ordinary people have even more reason to inquire into the Ultimate Truth.

Chapter 3.15, Verses 11–17

Yoga Vashishtha 3.15.11–17

(The world has never truly been created; it is only an appearance in and of Pure Consciousness, exactly like a dream or a mirage)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

इदं त्वचेत्यचिन्मात्रं भानोर्भातं नभः प्रति ।

तथा सूक्ष्मं यथा मेघं प्रति संकल्पवारिदः ॥ ११ ॥

यथा स्वप्नपुरं स्वच्छं जाग्रत्पुरवरं प्रति।

तथा जगदिदं स्वच्छं सांकल्पिकजगत्प्रति ॥ १२ ॥

तस्मादचेत्यचिदूपं जगद्व्योमेव केवलम्।

शून्यौ व्योमजगच्छब्दौ पर्यायौ विद्धि चिन्मयौ ॥ १३ ॥

तस्मान्न किंचिदुत्पन्नं जगदादीह दृश्यकम् ।

अनाख्यमनभिव्यक्तं यथास्थितमवस्थितम् ॥ १४ ॥

जगदेव महाकाशे चिदाकाशमभित्तिमत् ।

तद्देशस्याणुमात्रस्य तुलायाश्चाप्रपूरकम् ॥ १५ ॥

आकाशरूपमेवाच्छं पिण्डग्रहविवर्जितम् ।

व्योम्नि व्योममयं चित्रं संकल्पपुरवत्स्थितम् ॥ १६ ॥

अत्रेदं मण्डपाख्यानं शृणु श्रवणभूषणम्।

निःसंदेहो यथैषोऽर्थश्चित्ते विश्रान्तिमेष्यति ॥ १७ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta said:

3.15.11  

This (world) is nothing but Pure Consciousness that cannot be objectified; it merely appears in the light of the Supreme Consciousness, just as the sky appears in relation to the sun, or just as the water imagined in a mirage appears in relation to a cloud.

3.15.12  

Just as a dream-city, though crystal-clear, appears in relation to the superior waking city, in exactly the same way this waking world, though clear and vivid, appears only in relation to the imagined (dream-like) world of thought.

3.15.13  

Therefore, the world is nothing but the form of that Consciousness which has no object; it is pure sky of Consciousness alone. Know that the two words “sky” and “world” both mean emptiness and are synonyms; both are made only of Consciousness.

3.15.14  

Therefore, nothing whatsoever has ever been created here—no world, no beginning, no visible object. It remains unutterable, unmanifest, exactly as it is, in its own Natural State.

3.15.15  

The world is nothing but the great sky (of Consciousness) within the sky of Pure Awareness; it has no solid walls or boundaries. Even the tiniest particle of space in it, or the idea of weighing it on a scale, can never be filled or completed.

3.15.16  

It is purely of the Nature of Space —transparent, free from any solid lump or grasping. In the sky it exists as a wonderful picture made only of sky, just like an imagined city.

3.15.17  

Now listen to a beautiful story about a magical temple that will adorn your ears and remove all doubts, so that this Truth will completely settle and rest peacefully in your mind.

Summary of the Teachings:

These seven verses continue the core non-dual teaching of Yoga Vasishta: the world has never truly been created; it is only an appearance in and of Pure Consciousness, exactly like a dream or a mirage.

The world is compared to a mirage in a desert, a dream-city seen while asleep, or an imaginary city built only of thoughts. Just as those have no real substance, the waking world also has no independent Reality; it shines only because of the light of the One Infinite Consciousness.

The verses repeatedly emphasise that the world is “achetana-chit” (Consciousness that has no object) and is nothing but the “Sky of Consciousness” (chid-akasha). The words “world” (jagat) and “sky” (vyoma) are declared perfect synonyms—both denote Pure Emptiness filled only with Consciousness, never a solid, material creation.

Nothing has ever arisen, nothing is born, nothing can be pointed to as “this is the world.” It is unutterable, unmanifest, and remains forever in its original untouched State. Any appearance of solidity, boundaries, or measurable objects is only imagination, like trying to weigh empty Space.

Finally, the Sage promises a delightful story (the famous “mandapa” or pavilion illustration that follows in the text) that will make this profound truth sink deeply into the listener’s heart and remove the last traces of doubt, giving complete mental rest.

Chapter 3.15, Verses 1–10

Yoga Vashishtha 3.15.1–10

(Just as waves are never separate from the ocean, play of the three worlds is nothing but Consciousness vibrating within itself)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

जगदाकाशमेवेदं यथा हि व्योम्नि मौक्तिकम् ।

विमले भाति स्वात्मैव जगच्चिद्गगनं यथा ॥ १ ॥

अनुत्कीर्णै भातीव त्रिजगच्छालभञ्जिका ।

चित्स्तम्भेनैव सोत्कीर्णा नचोत्कर्तात्र विद्यते ॥ २ ॥

समुद्रेऽन्तर्जलस्पन्दाः स्वभावादच्युता अपि ।

वीचिवेगा भवन्तीव परे दृश्यविदस्तथा ॥ ३ ॥

जालान्तर्गतसूर्याभा जालाकाररजांस्यपि ।

जगद्भानं प्रति स्थूलान्यणुं प्रति यथाचलाः ॥ ४ ॥

जगद्भानं न भातीदं ब्रह्मणो व्यतिरेकतः ।

जालसूर्यांशुजालं तु व्यतिरेकानुभूतिदम् ॥ ५ ॥

अनुभूतान्यपीमानि जगन्ति व्योमरूपिणि ।

पृथ्व्यादीनि न सन्त्येव स्वप्नसंकल्पयोरिव ॥ ६ ॥

पिण्डग्रहो जगत्यस्मिन्विज्ञानाकाशरूपिणि ।

मरुनद्यां जलमिव न संभवति कुत्रचित् ॥ ७ ॥

जगत्यपिण्डग्राहेऽस्मिन्संकल्पनगरोपमे।

मरौ सरिदिवाभाति दृश्यता भ्रान्तिरूपिणी ॥ ८ ॥

स्वप्नाद्दृश्येव जगतां तुलादेशेन केन च।

तुलिता कलनोन्मुक्ता दृश्यश्रीर्व्योम जृम्भते ॥ ९ ॥

वर्जयित्वा ज्ञविज्ञानं जगच्छब्दार्थभाजनम् ।

जगद्ब्रह्मस्वशब्दानामर्थे नास्त्येव भिन्नता ॥ १० ॥

Maharishi Vasishta said: 

3.15.1  

This world is nothing but Space (pure emptiness), just as a pearl-illusion appears in the sky. In the spotless Pure Consciousness, only the Self shines; the world shines exactly like the sky of Pure Consciousness.

3.15.2  

It appears as though a sculptured figure of the three worlds has been carved without ever being carved at all. It is carved only by the pillar of Consciousness itself; there is no other carver anywhere.

3.15.3  

Just as waves and their restless motion arise naturally in the ocean yet never depart from their water-nature, in the same way, in the Supreme Seer (Consciousness), the seen worlds appear.

3.15.4  

Just as rays of the sun that pass through the mesh of a window also take on the shapes of the holes and appear gross or subtle, solid or moving toward the light of the world, exactly so do all appearances happen.

3.15.5  

This shining forth of the world does not happen apart from Brahm. The mesh of sun-rays shining through the window is experienced only because of distinction (duality), but the world-appearance has no shining apart from Brahm.

3.15.6  

Even though these worlds are experienced, in the Space-like Consciousness they do not really exist at all — just like earth and other elements do not truly exist in dreams or in mental imaginations.

3.15.7  

In this world which is of the nature of the Space of Pure Knowledge, the grasping of a solid mass is as impossible as water in a desert river.

3.15.8  

When this world is seen without the notion of solidity, like an imagined city in the sky, the perception of objects shines like a river seen in a desert — nothing but an illusion of mistaken perception.

3.15.9  

Just as the seen objects in a dream are never truly weighed or measured by any scale whatsoever, in the same way, when freed from mental modifications, the majesty of the seen world expands as Pure Space.

3.15.10  

If you set aside the Knower and the act of Knowing, the word “world” has no separate object at all. Between the words jagat (world), Brahm, and Self there is not the slightest difference in meaning.

Summary of the Teachings:

These ten verses from Yoga Vasishta (3.15.1–10) present the purest non-dual teaching: the world has no Reality apart from Pure Consciousness (chit) or Brahm.

First, the world is compared to a pearl seen in the empty sky or to sculptures that seem carved yet were never actually carved. 

Nothing exists outside the One Infinite Consciousness; the appearance of a solid, independent Universe is only an apparent shining within the stainless sky of the Self.

Second, just as waves are never separate from the ocean and sun-rays passing through a lattice appear divided yet remain light alone, the entire play of the three worlds is nothing but Consciousness vibrating within itself. There is no real creation, no separate carver, and no substance apart from the one reality.

Third, the moment duality or distinction is imagined, the world seems to shine; yet when examined, it has no independent existence. It is exactly like the sun-rays seen through a window-net: the divisions belong only to the net of ignorance, not to the light itself. Remove the sense of separation and nothing remains to be called “world.”

Fourth, all experienced worlds, bodies, and elements are as unreal as cities seen in dreams or water seen in a mirage. In the Infinite Space of Awareness no solid “thing” can ever be grasped. The moment the false notion of solidity is dropped, only open empty Consciousness remains, shining as Peace.

Finally, when Knowledge and the Knower themselves dissolve into Pure Being, even the words “world,” “Brahm,” and “Self” point to the same indivisible Reality. There is no object for the word “jagat” to refer to apart from the Self. Thus the Highest Truth is declared: only Brahm is; the world never truly comes into existence at all.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 75–86

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.75–86

(Consciousness is the One Reality that is Self-evident and ever-present)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

जगच्चित्पुष्पसौगन्ध्यं चिल्लताग्रफलं जगत् ।

चित्सत्तैव जगत्सत्ता जगत्सत्तैव चिद्वपुः ॥ ७५ ॥

अत्र भेदविकारादि नखे मलमिव स्थितम् ।

इतीदं सन्मयत्वेन सदसद्भुवनत्रयम् ॥ ७६ ॥

अविकल्पतदात्मत्वात्सत्तासत्तैकतैव च ।

अवयवावयविता शब्दार्थौ शशशृङ्गवत् ॥ ७७ ॥

अनुभूत्यपलापाय कल्पितो यैर्धिगस्तु तान् ।

न विद्यते जगद्यत्र साद्र्यब्ध्युर्वीनदीश्वरम् ॥ ७८ ॥

चिदेकत्वात्प्रसङ्गः स्यात्कस्तत्रेतरविभ्रमः ।

शिलाहृदयपीनापि स्वाकाशे विशदैव चित् ॥ ७९ ॥

धत्तेऽन्तरखिलं शान्तं संनिवेशं यथा शिला ।

पदार्थनिकराकाशे त्वयमाकाशजो मलः ॥ ८० ॥

सत्तासत्तात्मतात्वत्तामत्ताश्लेषा न सन्ति ते ।

पल्लवान्तरलेखौघसंनिवेशवदाततम् ॥ ८१ ॥

अन्यानन्यात्मकमिदं धत्तेऽन्तश्चित्स्वभावतः ।

समस्तकारणौघानां कारणादि पितामहः ॥ ८२ ॥

स्वभावतो कारणात्म चित्तं चिद्ध्यनुभूतितः ।

न चासत्त्वमचेत्यायाश्चितो वाचापि सिद्ध्यति ॥ ८३ ॥

यदस्ति तदुदेतीति दृष्टं बीजादिवाङ्कुरः ॥ ८४ ॥

गगन इव सुशून्यभेदमस्ति त्रिभुवनमङ्ग महाचितोऽन्तरस्याः ।

परमपदमयं समस्तदृश्यं त्विदमिति निश्चयवान्भवानुभूतेः ॥ ८५ ॥

इत्युक्तवत्यथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायतनाय विधयेऽस्तमिनो जगाम।

स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश्च सहाजगाम ॥ ८६ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta concluded:

3.14.75  

The world is the fragrance of the flower of Pure Consciousness. The world is the fruit that hangs on the creeper of Pure Consciousness. The very existence of the world is nothing but Consciousness; the very body-substance of Consciousness is nothing but the existence of the world.

3.14.76  

In this (Pure Consciousness), differences, changes, and all modifications exist merely like dirt under a fingernail. Therefore, this entire triple world—whether Real or unreal—is nothing but the Real (Sat).

3.14.77  

Because it is without any mental modification and is the Self of everything, Existence and non-existence are one and the same. The notions of “part” and “whole” are mere words, like the “horn of a hare”—they have no Reality.

3.14.78  

Woe to those who, in order to deny direct experience, imagine a world! In truth, there is no world at all—neither mountains, nor oceans, nor rivers, nor earth, nor God.

3.14.79  

Since Consciousness is one alone, how can any “other” delusion arise there? Even a heart hard as stone has a clear sky-like space within; Consciousness is always pure and transparent.

3.14.80  

Just as a rock silently holds everything within itself in perfect peace, so does Consciousness contain the entire arrangement of things within its own sky-like space. This apparent impurity (the world) is born of that very sky of Consciousness.

3.14.81  

There is no embracing of Existence, non-existence, Selfhood, or otherness. It is spread out like the host of delicate lines inside a tender leaf.

3.14.82  

By its own Nature, Consciousness contains within itself everything that appears as “other.” It is the grandfather, the Primal Cause of all Causes and the entire multitude of Causes.

3.14.83  

By its very Nature Consciousness is the Cause; it is Consciousness because it is directly experienced. Non-existence or unconsciousness can never be proved of Consciousness even by words.

3.14.84  

Whatever truly exists, that alone arises—just as a sprout arises only from a Real seed.

3.14.85  

O dear One, the three worlds exist within the Great Consciousness like an absolutely empty differentiation in the sky. Know with certainty through your own direct experience that this entire visible Universe is nothing but the Supreme State.

3.14.86  

After the Sage had spoken thus, the day came to an end and the Sun went to its resting place. The assembly, having bowed down, went to bathe; the sun’s rays also departed along with the dark-blue horizon.

Summary of the Teachings:

The verses emphatically declare the complete identity between the world and Pure Consciousness (Chit). The world is not something separate that exists outside Consciousness; it is the fragrance, fruit, and very body of Consciousness itself. Its apparent Existence is nothing but the existence of Consciousness, and the substance of Consciousness is nothing but the world. There is no real duality—whatever appears as the universe is Brahm alone.

All distinctions, modifications, parts, wholes, Existence, non-existence, Self and other are mere verbal illusions or fleeting appearances, like dirt on a nail or lines on a tender leaf. They have no Ultimate Reality. Even the grand ideas of Creation, Causes, gods, mountains, oceans, and rivers are imagined only to deny the direct, non-conceptual experience of Pure Consciousness. In truth, none of these exist apart from Consciousness.

Consciousness is the One Reality that is Self-evident and ever-present. It is the Primal Cause of all causes, the grandfather of the entire chain of causation, yet it remains untouched and unchanging. Non-existence or unconsciousness can never be attributed to it, because it is the very ground of all experience. Only that which truly exists (Consciousness) can ever arise or appear; unreal things never come into being at all.

The three worlds and everything seen are like empty differentiations in the Infinite sky of Consciousness—there is no real substance to them. The wise person, through firm direct experience, recognises this entire visible universe as nothing but the supreme, non-dual state of pure Being-Consciousness.

Thus Vasishta concludes this teaching, and the day ends, symbolising that when the light of this knowledge dawns, all apparent multiplicity naturally subsides, just as the sun sets and the world of daily activity comes to rest.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 64–74

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.64–74

(The world is the movement of the wind of Consciousness)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

स्वयं विचित्रं स्फुरति चिदण्डकमनाहतम् ।

स्वयं विलक्षणस्पन्दं चिद्वायुरण्डजात्मकः ॥ ६४ ॥

स्वयं विचित्रं कचनं चिद्वारि न निखातगम् ।

स्वयं विचित्रधातुत्वं श्रेष्ठाङ्गमपि निर्मितम् ॥ ६५ ॥

स्वविचित्ररसोल्लासा चिज्ज्योत्स्ना सततोदिता ।

स्वयं चिदेव प्रकटश्चिदालोको महात्मकः ॥ ६६ ॥

स्वयमस्तं गते बाह्ये स्वज्ञानादुदिता चितिः ।

स्वयं जडेषु जाड्येन पदं सौषुप्तमागता ॥ ६७ ॥

स्वयं स्पन्दितयास्पन्दिचित्त्वाच्चिति महानभ ।

चित्प्रकाशप्रकाशो हि जगदस्ति च नास्ति च ॥ ६८ ॥

चिदाकाशैकशून्यत्वं जगदस्ति च नास्ति च ।

चिदालोकमहारूपं जगदस्ति च नास्ति च ॥ ६९ ॥

चिन्मारुतपरिस्पन्दो जगदस्ति च नास्ति च ।

चिद्धनध्वान्तकृष्णत्वं जगदस्ति च नास्ति च ॥ ७० ॥

चिदर्कालोकदिवसो जगदस्ति च नास्ति च ।

चित्कज्जलरजस्तैलपरमाणुर्जगत्क्रमः ॥ ७१ ॥

चिदग्न्यौष्ण्यं जगल्लेखा जगच्चिच्छङ्खशुक्लता ।

जगच्चिच्छैलजठरं चिज्जलद्रवता जगत् ॥ ७२ ॥

जगच्चिदिक्षुमाधुर्यं चित्क्षीरस्निग्धता जगत् ।

जगच्चिद्धिमशीतत्वं चिज्ज्वालाज्वलनं जगत् ॥ ७३ ॥

जगच्चित्सर्षपस्नेहो वीचिश्चित्सरितो जगत् ।

जगच्चित्क्षौद्रमाधुर्यं जगच्चित्कनकाङ्गदम् ॥ ७४ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.14.64  

The Consciousness-egg (the Universe) shines by itself in wonderful variety, without being struck by anything. The wind of Consciousness itself moves in a unique way and takes the form of the Cosmic egg.

3.14.65  

The water of Consciousness shines in endless variety without ever falling. Consciousness itself has created even the best body with its many parts.

3.14.66  

The moonlight of Pure Consciousness always rises with delightful taste. Consciousness itself appears as the great light of Awareness.

3.14.67  

When the outer world sets (disappears), Consciousness rises by its own Knowledge. It then reaches the state of deep sleep by making even inert things inert.

3.14.68  

Because Consciousness vibrates, the great sky vibrates with it. The light of Consciousness shines, so the world both exists and does not exist.

3.14.69  

The world is pure emptiness like the sky of Consciousness – it both exists and does not exist. The world is the great form of the light of Consciousness – it both exists and does not exist.

3.14.70  

The world is the movement of the wind of Consciousness – it both exists and does not exist. The world is the blackness of the darkness in consciousness – it both exists and does not exist.

3.14.71  

The world is the daylight of the Sun of Consciousness – it both exists and does not exist. The world arises like soot particles, dust, and oil drops in Pure Consciousness.

3.14.72  

The world is the heat-line of the fire of Consciousness; the world is the whiteness of the conch of Consciousness. The world is the inside of the mountain of Consciousness; the world is the liquidity of the water of Consciousness.

3.14.73  

The world is the sweetness of the sugarcane of Consciousness; the world is the smoothness of the milk of Consciousness. The world is the coolness of the snow of Consciousness; the world is the burning flame of Consciousness.

3.14.74  

The world is the oil in the sesame of Consciousness; the waves are the rivers of Consciousness – that is the world. The world is the sweetness of the honey of Consciousness; the world is the golden ornament of Consciousness.

Summary of teachings:

1. Everything in the Universe – space, air, water, light, bodies – arises only from Pure Consciousness by its own power. Nothing outside is needed to create it.

2. Consciousness is like an unlimited sky that shines by itself. It plays in countless forms, yet it never really changes or gets limited.

3. When we think the world is there, it appears because Consciousness is awake and shining. When Consciousness rests (as in deep sleep), the world disappears.

4. The same Consciousness becomes the world in many ways – sometimes like light, sometimes like darkness, heat, coolness, sweetness, hardness, waves, gold – everything is just Consciousness appearing differently.

5. Therefore the world both exists and does not exist at the same time. It exists as an appearance in Consciousness, but in Reality there is only Pure Consciousness, nothing else.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 56–63

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.56–63

(The jīva [individual soul] is nothing but the vibrating movement of Consciousness)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

यच्चिच्चित्त्वेन कचनं स्वसंपाद्याभिधात्मकम् ।

स्वविकारैर्व्यवच्छेद्यं भिद्यते नो न विद्यते ॥ ५६ ॥

चित्स्पन्दरूपिणोरस्ति न भेदः कर्तृकर्मणोः ।

स्पन्दमात्रं भवेत्कर्म स एव पुरुषः स्मृतः ॥ ५७ ॥

जीवश्चित्तपरिस्पन्दः पुंसां चित्तं स एव च ।

मनस्त्विन्द्रियरूपं सत्सत्तां नानेव गच्छति ॥ ५८ ॥

शान्ताशेषविशेषं हि चित्प्रकाशच्छटा जगत् ।

कार्यकारणकादित्वं तस्मादन्यन्न विद्यते ॥ ५९ ॥

अच्छेद्योऽहमदाह्योऽहमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च ।

नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽहमिति स्थितम् ॥ ६० ॥

विवदन्ते तथा ह्यत्र विवदन्तो यथा भ्रमैः ।

भ्रमयन्तो वयं त्वेते जाता विगतविभ्रमाः ॥ ६१ ॥

दृश्ये मूर्ते ज्ञसंरूढे विकारादि पृथग्भवेत् ।

नामूर्ते तज्ज्ञकचिते चित्खे सदसदात्मनि ॥ ६२ ॥

चित्तरौ चेत्यरसतः शक्तिः कालादिनामिकाम् ।

तनोत्याकाशविशदां चिन्मधुश्रीः स्वमञ्जरीम् ॥ ६३ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued: 

3.14.56  

That which shines as Consciousness (cit) never truly becomes the mind (citta), yet it appears as mind through its own self-created modifications. Because of these very modifications it seems separated and divided, but in reality it is neither divided nor does it ever cease to exist.

3.14.57  

Between the Pure Consciousness (cit) and its vibration (spanda), there is no real difference between the doer and the action. The vibration alone is the action, and that very vibration is called the individual person (puruṣa).

3.14.58  

The jīva (individual soul) is nothing but the vibrating movement of Consciousness. The mind of Beings is that very same Consciousness. The mind that takes the form of the senses never truly becomes many separate entities; it remains One.

3.14.59  

The world is Pure Consciousness that has become calm and free of all distinctions, yet it shines forth as the manifold Universe. There is nothing else—no effect, no cause, no beginning—at all different from it.

3.14.60  

“I am unbreakable, unburnable, undissolvable, undryable, eternal, all-pervading, immovable, unchanging”—this is the firm Truth.

3.14.61  

Here in this world people argue and quarrel exactly the way deluded dreamers quarrel in a dream. We ourselves were once such quarrelling dreamers, but now we have awakened and all delusion has vanished.

3.14.62  

When Consciousness becomes identified with the seen, with forms and objects, then modifications, differences, and separateness appear. But in the Formless, in Pure Consciousness that Knows Itself, in the sky of pure intelligence which is both Being and non-being—there no separateness ever arises.

3.14.63  

From the mind and its objects, which are unreal, arises a power that carries names such as time, etc. Yet the Pure Consciousness, beautiful like honey, spreads forth its own clear, sky-like blossom of Pure Being.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses emphatically declare the absolute non-duality of Pure Consciousness 

(cit). Consciousness never truly becomes the mind, the individual soul, or the world; it only appears to do so through its own self-modifications (vikāra). What we call mind (citta), individual person (puruṣa), or living being (jīva) is nothing but a momentary vibration (spanda) within the one Undivided Consciousness. There is no real division between doer and deed, subject and object, or cause and effect. Everything that appears as separate is merely Consciousness playing with Itself, never actually leaving its own Nature.

The world, the body, Time, Space, and all causality are only apparent superimpositions on the One Conscious Reality. Just as waves are never different from the ocean, all actions, agents, and objects are nothing but the self-vibration of Consciousness. When this vibration calms down, the entire Universe dissolves back into the peaceful, distinctionless shining of Pure Consciousness. Nothing exists apart from it—no creation, no dissolution, no bondage, no liberation.

The True Nature of the Self is described in the famous words of the Upaniṣads: unbreakable, unburnable, eternal, all-pervading, and immovable. 

These are not qualities added to the Self; they are direct pointers to what remains when all false identification with body, mind, and world is dropped. The moment one firmly abides in this understanding, all sense of limitation falls away.

All philosophical disputes, arguments, and sectarian quarrels are like the quarrels of people inside a dream who have forgotten they are dreaming. Those who Realize the Truth wake up from the dream of individuality and multiplicity. Once awake, they see that there was never anyone to quarrel, never anything to argue about. The awakened ones smile at their own former confusion.

Finally, even the concepts of Time, Space, Causality, and the power that seems to create the Universe arise only from the unreal interplay of mind and its objects. Pure Consciousness itself remains untouched, clear, and luminous like Space or sweet honey. It effortlessly manifests its own infinite possibility without ever becoming limited or divided. To rest as this Conscious sky—free of all distinctions of Real and unreal—is the highest teaching of these verses.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 46–55

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.46–55

(The individual jiva and the sense of “I” are nothing more than a slight stir or imagination within Consciousness)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

चितश्चेत्यमहंकारः सैव राघव कल्पना।

तन्मात्रादि चिदेवातो द्वित्वैकत्वे क्व संस्थिते ॥ ४६ ॥

जीवहेत्वादिसंत्यागे त्वं चाहं चेति संत्यज ।

शेषः सदसतोर्मध्ये भवत्यर्थात्मको भवेत् ॥ ४७ ॥

चिता यथादौ कलिता स्वसत्ता सा तथोदिता ।

अभिन्ना दृश्यते व्योम्नः सत्तासत्ते न विद्महे ॥ ४८ ॥

विश्वं खं जगदीहाख्यं खमस्ति विबुधालयः ।

साकारश्चिच्चमत्काररूपत्वान्नान्यदस्ति हि ॥ ४९ ॥

यो यद्विलासस्तस्मात्स न कदाचन भिद्यते ।

अपि सावयवं तस्मात्कैवानवयवे कथा ॥ ५० ॥

चितेर्नित्यमचेत्याया निर्नाम्न्या वितताकृतेः ।

यद्रूपं जगतो रूपं तत्तत्स्फुरणरूपिणः ॥ ५१ ॥

मनो बुद्धिरहंकारो भूतानि गिरयो दिशः।

इति या यास्तु रचनाश्चितस्तत्त्वाज्जगत्स्थितेः ॥ ५२॥

चितेश्चित्त्वं जगद्विद्धि नाजगच्चित्त्वमस्ति हि ।

अजगत्त्वादचिच्चित्स्याद्भानाद्भेदो जगत्कुतः ॥ ५३ ॥

चितेर्मरीचिबीजस्य निजा यान्तश्चमत्कृतिः ।

सा चैषा जीवतन्मात्रमात्रं जगदिति स्थिता ॥ ५४ ॥

चित्तात्स्वशक्तिकचनं यदहंभावनं चितः ।

जीवः स्पन्दनकर्मात्मा भविष्यदभिधो ह्यसौ ॥ ५५ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.14.46: Consciousness (chit), the objects of Consciousness (chetya), and ego (ahankara) – all these are nothing but the same Consciousness, O Rama. They are mere imagination (kalpana). Therefore, where can duality or oneness truly exist?

3.14.47: When you completely give up the ideas of “jiva (individual soul)”, “cause of jiva”, etc., and also abandon the notions “you” and “I”, what remains in the middle – neither Real nor unreal – becomes the Pure meaning (Essence) itself.

3.14.48: The Pure Existence that Consciousness first imagined for itself is the very same Existence that has now arisen. It appears undivided, just like the existence of empty Space. We do not find any real Existence or non-existence in it.

3.14.49: The Universe is empty Space; this world called “jagat” is empty Space; the abode of the gods is empty Space. Yet because Consciousness has the nature of wonderful play with forms, nothing else truly exists apart from it.

3.14.50: Whatever play or manifestation arises from Consciousness never separates from it even for a moment. Even something that has parts does not become separate from that which has no parts – so how could anything without parts ever be different?

3.14.51: The form that the world has is exactly the form of the Eternal Consciousness that has no objects, no name, and no fixed shape. It is nothing but the throbbing, sparkling, self-radiance of Consciousness itself.

3.14.52: Mind, intellect, ego, the five elements, mountains, directions – all the countless creations that appear are nothing but constructions arising from the One Reality of Consciousness in which the world exists.

3.15.53: Know the world to be nothing but the “Consciousness-Nature” of Pure Consciousness. The world has no separate “Consciousness-Nature” of its own. Because the world is Unborn, Consciousness remains non-dual. When there is only the shining of Consciousness, from where can any difference or separation in the world arise?

3.14.54: The inner wonder and play that belongs to Consciousness – the seed that is like a mirage – that very play has settled and become this world consisting only of jivas and the subtle elements (tanmatras).

3.14.55: The slight movement or vibration in Consciousness, produced by its own power, that takes the form of “I am” – that is the jiva. It is nothing but vibrating activity and will become whatever it imagines in the future.

Summary of the Teachings:

The core message of these verses is absolute non-dualism (advaita): everything that appears as the world, the individual ego, objects, space, gods, elements, and even the sense of “I” and “you” is nothing but Pure Consciousness (chit) playfully imagining Itself. There is no second thing at any time. Duality and oneness are themselves only apparent concepts within the same Consciousness; they have no ultimate location or Reality.

When all superimposed ideas – such as “I am the jiva”, “the jiva has causes”, “this is mine”, “that is other”, “you exist”, “I exist” – are completely dropped, what remains is neither existent nor non-existent in the ordinary sense. It is the Pure Essence or meaning (artha) that is beyond both Being and non-being, like the empty sky that has no substance yet appears vast.

The Universe is repeatedly described as pure empty Space (kha, vyoman), yet this emptiness is alive with the wondrous play (chamatkara, vilasa) of Consciousness taking apparent forms. Mountains, directions, bodies, minds, and gods are mere momentary ripples or sparkles (sphurana) in that single Formless Consciousness. Nothing ever separates from it, just as waves never separate from the ocean or sunlight never separates from the Sun.

Because the world is unborn (ajagat), it never truly comes into existence apart from Consciousness. It alone shines as everything; the world has no independent Consciousness of its own. Therefore, no real difference or division can ever arise. The apparent Creation is only Consciousness vibrating within itself through its own inherent power (svashakti).

Finally, the individual jiva and the sense of “I” are nothing more than a slight stir or imagination within that same Consciousness. This stir identifies itself as a separate doer and enjoyer and then projects a future, past, and present. Yet even this jiva and its entire world is only Consciousness playing, never anything else. Realizing this directly ends all delusion.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 36–45

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.36–45

(The feeling of “I” starts from very small Beings and gradually becomes stronger until One Realizes the True Infinite Self)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

चेत्यसंवेदनाज्जीवो भवत्यायाति संसृतिम् ।

तदसंवेदनाद्रूपं समायाति समं पुनः ॥ ३६ ॥

एवं कनिष्ठजीवानां ज्येष्ठजीवक्रमाक्रमैः ।

समुदेत्यात्मजीवत्वं ताम्राणामिव हेमता ॥ ३७ ॥

अत्रान्तरे महाकाश इत्थमेष गणोऽप्यसन् ।

स्वात्मैव सदिवोदेति चिच्चमत्करणात्मकः ॥ ३८ ॥

स्वयमेव चमत्कारो यः समापद्यते चितः।

भविष्यन्नामदेहादि तदहंभावनं विदुः ॥ ३९ ॥

चितो यस्माच्चिदालेहस्तन्मयत्वादनन्तकः ।

स एष भुवनाभोग इति तस्यां प्रबिम्बति ॥ ४० ॥

परिणामविकारादिशब्दैः सैव चिदव्यया ।

तादृग्रूपादभेद्यापि स्वशक्त्यैव विबुध्यते ॥ ४१ ॥

अविच्छिन्नविलासात्म स्वतो यत्स्वदनं चितः ।

चेत्यस्य च प्रकाशस्य जगदित्येव तत्स्थितम् ॥ ४२ ॥

आकाशादपि सूक्ष्मैषा या शक्तिर्वितता चितः ।

सा स्वभावत एवैतामहंतां परिपश्यति ॥ ४३ ॥

आत्मन्यात्मात्मनैवास्या यत्प्रस्फुरति वारिवत् ।

जगदन्तमहंताणुं तदैषा संप्रपश्यति ॥ ४४ ॥

चमत्कारकरी चारु यच्चमत्कुरुते चितिः ।

स्वयं स्वात्मनि तस्यैव जगन्नाम कृतं ततः ॥ ४५ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.14.36  

As soon as the Pure Consciousness (Chit) becomes aware of any object of thought (chetya), a individual soul (jiva) is born, and because of that awareness, the cycle of birth and death (samsara) begins. When that same Consciousness stops being aware of any object, it again becomes calm, even, and peaceful, just like pure sky with no clouds.

3.14.37  

In this way, among the lower or ordinary living beings, step by step, from the smallest souls to the highest souls, the feeling of “I am the Self” arises, just like ordinary copper gradually turns into gold through many processes.

3.14.38  

In the meantime, this great emptiness (maha-akash, Pure Space of Consciousness) which actually has no crowd or group at all, still appears as if it has many Beings. It rises as Pure Consciousness that is full of wonder and Self-Awareness.

3.14.39  

The wonder (chamatkar) that Consciousness itself feels within itself, and the future thought of “I will have a name, a body, and so on” – Wise people know that this very thought of “I am this” is the root of everything.

3.14.40  

Because Consciousness is endlessly touching and embracing itself (chid-aaleha), everything becomes made only of Consciousness. That is why the whole expanse of the world appears as a reflection inside that Consciousness.

3.14.41  

The same Unchanging Consciousness is called by words like “change”, “modification”, “transformation”, etc. Even though it can never really be cut or divided, it appears to know itself differently through its own power.

3.14.42  

The unbroken play and sweet self-tasting that belongs only to Consciousness, and the shining of objects that can be known – all this together is steadily present as what we call “the world”.

3.14.43  

This power of Consciousness is subtler than even the emptiest sky and spreads everywhere. By its own Nature only, it keeps seeing the feeling of “I” (ahanta, ego).

3.14.44  

When waves of the Self sparkle inside the Self by the Self alone, just like waves in the ocean, Consciousness clearly sees the world along with the tiny “I”-feeling inside it.

3.14.45  

The beautiful wonder-making power that Consciousness itself plays within itself – because of that play, the name “world” has been given to that very play inside its own Self.

Summary of the Teachings:

These ten verses explain how the One Pure Consciousness, which is originally calm and without any second thing, itself becomes the individual soul and the entire world simply through its own power of Self-Awareness and wonder. When Consciousness starts “Knowing” or “feeling” any thought-object, the limited jiva and the chain of births and deaths appear. When it stops that Knowing, everything again becomes the same peaceful Consciousness. Nothing actually happens to Consciousness itself; it never changes or gets divided.

Consciousness is compared to Pure Space (akasha) that is empty yet appears full of countless Beings. Just as copper can be turned into gold step by step, ordinary limited souls can rise to the Highest Realization of being the Pure Self. The feeling of “I” (ahamkara) starts from very small Beings and gradually becomes stronger until One Realizes the True Infinite Self.

The main Cause of the world is the inherent wonder in Consciousness. It enjoys tasting itself, embraces itself, and feels delighted in itself. This Self-delight and Self-wonder is mistakenly taken as “I am this body, this name, these things”. That very mistaken feeling projects the whole Universe as a reflection inside Consciousness, just as a mirror shows images without leaving the mirror.

Even words like change, modification, or transformation are used for Consciousness, but they are only apparent. 

Consciousness is Unchanging, indivisible, and Eternal. Yet by its own free power (shakti), which is subtler than the subtlest space, it plays as if it becomes many. This play is continuous, unbroken, and sweet – it is the Self-enjoyment of Consciousness.

Finally, the world is nothing but the beautiful play of Consciousness wondering at Itself inside Itself. There is no Real Creation, no Real world outside Consciousness. The moment one truly sees that the wave is only water, the tiny “I” and the vast world both dissolve into the one ocean of Pure Consciousness, and only peace and wonder remain as one’s own True Nature.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 28–35

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.28-35

(Only Brahm, the Maha-Jiva, really exists forever. Countless jivas and Universes appear for some time because of its wish, just like millions of dreams appear in one sleeping person)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

एवमेतत्कथं ब्रह्मन्नेकजीवेच्छयाखिलाः।

जगज्जीवा न युज्यन्ते महाजीवैकतावशात् ॥ २८ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

महाजीवात्म तद्ब्रह्म सर्वशक्तिमयात्मकम् ।

स्थितं तथेच्छमेवेह निर्विभागं निरन्तरम् ॥ २९ ॥

यदेवेच्छति तत्तस्य भवत्याशु महात्मनः ।

पूर्वं तेनेष्टमिच्छादि ततो द्वित्वमुदेति यत् ॥ ३० ॥

पश्चाद्द्वित्वविभक्तानां स्वशक्तीनां प्रकल्पितः ।

अनेनेत्थं हि भवतीत्येवं तेन क्रियाक्रमः ॥ ३१ ॥

तं विनानुदये त्वासां प्रधानेच्छैव रोहति।

शक्त्या ह्यजातया ब्राह्म्या नियमोऽयं प्रकल्पितः ॥ ३२ ॥

यस्या जीवाभिधानायाः शक्त्यपेक्षा फलत्यसौ ।

प्रधानशक्तिनियमानुष्ठानेन विना न तु ॥ ३३ ॥

प्रधानशक्तिनियमः सुप्रतिष्ठो न चेद्भवेत् ।

तत्फलं शक्त्यधीनत्वान्नेहितानां क्वचिद्भवेत् ॥ ३४ ॥

एवं ब्रह्म महाजीवो विद्यतेऽन्तादिवर्जितः ।

जीवकोटि महाकोटि भवत्यथ न किंचन ॥ ३५ ॥

Sriram asked:

3.14.28: O Brahman, if everything happens only because of the wish of one single Great Being (Maha-Jiva), then how can countless small living beings (jivas) and the whole world appear? It does not make sense that millions of jivas should appear just because of the will of One Great Jiva.

Maharishi Vashishta answered:

3.14.29: That Great Jiva is itself Brahm. It is full of all powers and has no divisions inside it. It remains forever as Pure wish alone, without any break or separation.

3.14.30: Whatever this Great Being wishes instantly becomes true for Him. In the beginning, He first wished “I want this and that.” Because of that first wish, the feeling of two things (duality) arises.

3.14.31: Later, He divides His own powers into many parts and decides: “By this power it will happen in this way, by that power it will happen in that way.” In this manner, He Himself creates the order of actions and events.

3.14.32: Without Him, none of these divided powers can ever arise or do anything. The main rule is that the great Brahm power must first wish; only then can the smaller powers start working. This rule is set by the Unborn Brahm-power itself.

3.14.33: The power that is called “jiva” (individual soul) needs the help of that main power to get its results. The jiva cannot get anything without following the laws set by the main power.

3.14.34: If the law of the main power is not firmly established and followed, then no result desired by the smaller powers can ever happen anywhere, because all results depend completely on that main power.

3.14.35: In this way, only Brahm, the Great Jiva, truly exists. It has no inside or outside, no beginning or end. Then millions and billions of small jivas appear, and later nothing at all remains (everything dissolves back into Brahm).

Summary of the Teaching:

These verses answer Rama’s doubt: “If there is only one Reality, how do many jivas and the world appear?” Vasistha explains that the highest Reality is Brahm, which is also called the Maha-Jiva (the Great Living Being). This Brahm is Pure, Unlimited Consciousness full of all powers. It has no divisions, no second thing exists beside it. Everything that seems to happen starts only from its own free wish.

In the beginning, Brahm is alone and wishes to experience something. The very first wish (“I want this”) creates the idea of duality – “I” and “this.” From that single wish, the appearance of two arises. All later multiplicity (many jivas, many worlds) comes only from this first movement of desire in the One Consciousness.

Brahm then splits its own infinite power into countless smaller powers and gives each a particular role and order: “You will do this, you will do that.” It sets fixed rules (niyama) so that everything happens in sequence. These rules are not made by anyone else; Brahm itself decides the laws of Creation while remaining Unborn and Unchanging.

Every individual jiva is nothing but one tiny part of Brahm’s power. A jiva can never act independently or get any result on its own. It is completely dependent on the main power of Brahm. If the great law set by Brahm is not followed, no small power can produce any fruit. All success, all experience, all worlds depend totally on the wish and law of the one Great Jiva.

Finally, the teaching is clear: only Brahm, the Maha-Jiva, really exists forever. Countless jivas and universes appear for some time because of its wish, just like millions of dreams appear in one sleeping person. When the wish ends, everything dissolves, and again only the one undivided Brahm remains. There is never truly more than One Reality; the many are only a temporary appearance inside the One Consciousness.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 18–27

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.18–27

(Only Pure Consciousness exists, and I am That. When this Truth becomes unshakable, all bondage ends forever)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

एक एव न जीवोऽस्ति राशीनां संभवः कुतः ।

शशशृङ्गं समुड्डीय प्रयातीव हि ते वचः ॥ १८ ॥

न जीवोऽस्ति न जीवानां राशयः सन्ति राघव ।

न चैकः पर्वतप्रख्यो जीवपिण्डोऽस्ति कश्चन ॥ १९ ॥

जीवशब्दार्थकलनाः समस्तकलनान्विताः ।

नेह काश्चन सन्तीति निश्चयोऽस्तु तवाचलः ॥ २० ॥

शुद्धचिन्मात्रममलं ब्रह्मास्तीह हि सर्वगम् ।

तद्यथा सर्वशक्तित्वाद्विन्दते याः स्वयं कलाः ॥ २१ ॥

चिन्मात्रानुक्रमेणैव संप्रफुल्ललतामिव।

ननु मूर्ताममूर्ता वा तामेवाशु प्रपश्यति ॥ २२ ॥

जीवो बुद्धिः क्रियास्पन्दो मनोद्वित्वैक्यमित्यपि ।

स्वसत्तां प्रकचन्तीं तां नियोजयति वेदने ॥ २३ ॥

साऽबुद्धैव भवत्येवं भवेद्ब्रह्मैव बोधतः।

अबोधः प्रेक्षया याति नाशं न तु प्रबुध्यते ॥ २४ ॥

यथान्धकारो दीपेन प्रेक्ष्यमाणः प्रणश्यति ।

न चास्य ज्ञायते तत्त्वमबोधस्यैवमेव हि ॥ २५ ॥

एवं ब्रह्मैव जीवात्मा निर्विभागो निरन्तरः ।

सर्वशक्तिरनाद्यन्तो महाचित्साररूपवान् ॥ २६ ॥

सर्वानणुतया त्वस्य न क्वचिद्भेदकल्पना ।

विद्यते या हि कलना सा तदेवानुभूतितः ॥ २७ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta answered:

3.14.18  

There is not even one single jiva (individual soul) that truly exists. So how can there be heaps or groups of jivas? Your words that speak of many jivas are exactly like saying a “hare’s horn” (which does not exist at all) can fly high in the sky.

3.14.19  

O Raghava (Rama), no jiva really exists, and therefore no collections or crowds of jivas exist either. Nor is there any single huge mountain-like mass or lump made up of many jivas.

3.14.20  

All the ideas and meanings that the word “jiva” creates in the mind, together with every other imagination connected to it – none of these truly exist anywhere. Let this Truth become completely firm and unshaken in your mind.

3.14.21  

Only Pure Consciousness exists here – Spotless, Unlimited Awareness alone, the One Brahm that is present everywhere. Because this Brahm has all powers, it itself willingly takes on different forms and appearances (kalas), exactly as it wishes.

3.14.22  

Just like a creeper plant slowly opens and blooms flower after flower in a beautiful sequence, Pure Consciousness, remaining Formless, instantly sees and experiences its own Self-created forms – both with shape and without shape – as itself.

3.14.23  

The same Consciousness makes itself appear as the jiva (individual person), as buddhi (intellect), as the slight movement of action, as the feeling of “two-ness” (I and you). It then uses these appearances to experience the world of objects.

3.14.24  

When it remains unaware of its own True Nature, it becomes the ignorant jiva. When it awakens and knows itself, it is Brahm alone. Ignorance disappears simply by being looked at carefully; it does not need to be awakened – it simply vanishes.

3.14.25  

Just as darkness completely disappears the moment a lamp is brought and seen, and no one can later find any Real substance of that darkness, in exactly the same way the Ignorance called “I am a separate jiva” has no Real substance – it vanishes when True Knowledge shines.

3.14.26  

Therefore the jiva and the Supreme Self (Atman) are nothing but Brahm alone – without any parts, unbroken, full of all powers, with no beginning or end, and whose Real Form is the great ocean of Pure Consciousness.

3.14.27  

Because Brahm is smaller than the smallest atom and all-pervading, no real difference or division can ever be imagined in it. Whatever seeming division appears, that very appearance is nothing but Brahm itself when truly experienced.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses present the highest non-dual teaching (advaita) of Vedanta: there is no real individual soul (jiva) separate from Brahm. The idea of many jivas, or even one huge collection of jivas, is completely imaginary, like believing a rabbit can grow a horn and fly. The moment we deeply examine the concept of “jiva,” we see that it has no Real existence at all. Only one thing truly exists – Pure, Limitless Consciousness (Brahm).

Brahm is Spotless Awareness that contains all powers. Out of its own free will and infinite creativity, it projects countless appearances – forms, minds, bodies, worlds – exactly like a dream arises in the mind of a sleeper. These appearances seem Real while we are under Ignorance, but they are never separate from Brahm itself. Even the sense of being a limited person (jiva), having an intellect, performing actions, or seeing “me” and “others” – all of this is only Brahm playing within itself.

Ignorance (avidya or ajnana) is the false belief “I am a separate jiva.” This Ignorance has no real substance; it is exactly like darkness, which seems to exist until light comes. The moment true knowledge dawns – the clear seeing that “I am Brahm alone” – ignorance instantly disappears without leaving a trace. No separate effort is needed to destroy Ignorance; simply looking at it with the light of Awareness is enough.

Therefore the jiva is not something that needs to be transformed or improved to become Brahm. The jiva was always Brahm alone. There never was any real division, limitation, beginning, or end. Brahm is part-less, endless, and all-pervading. Whatever differences appear are only temporary imaginations superimposed on the One Reality.

The final teaching is Realization through direct recognition: any sense of separation or individuality that seems to exist is nothing but Brahm itself when truly known. Rest firmly in this understanding – “Only Pure Consciousness exists, and I am That.” When this Truth becomes unshakable, all bondage ends forever, and one abides as the infinite, peaceful, ever-free Self.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 11–17

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.11–17

(Because no Real helping Causes exist, the same Consciousness is both the Cause and the effect; there is never a second thing)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

संकल्प एव संकल्पात्किलैति क्ष्मादिवर्जितः ।

आदिमादिव निःशून्यः स्वप्नात्स्वप्नान्तरं यथा ॥ ११ ॥

अस्मादेकप्रतिस्पन्दाज्जीवाः संप्रसरन्ति ये ।

सहकारिकारणानामभावाच्च स एव ते ॥ १२ ॥

सहकारिकारणानामभावे कार्यकारणम्।

एकमेतदतो नान्यः परस्मात्सर्गविभ्रमः ॥ १३ ॥

ब्रह्मवाद्यो विराडात्मा विराडात्मेव सर्गता ।

जीवाकाशः स एवेत्थं स्थितः पृथ्व्याद्यसद्यतः ॥ १४ ॥

श्रीराम उवाच ।

किं स्यात्परिमितो जीवो राशिराहो अनन्तकः ।

आहोस्विदस्त्यनन्तात्मा जीवपिण्डोऽचलोपमः ॥ १५ ॥

धाराः पयोमुच इव शीकरा इव वारिधेः।

कणास्तप्तायस इव कस्मान्निर्यान्ति जीवकाः ॥ १६ ॥

इति मे भगवन्ब्रूहि जीवजालविनिर्णयम् ।

ज्ञातमेतन्मया प्रायस्तदेव प्रकटीकुरु ॥ १७ ॥

3.14.11: Maharishi Vasishta said - Pure imagination alone, just by imagining, becomes this entire world that has no earth or any solid thing in it. It has no real beginning and no real middle, yet it is not empty at all. It is exactly like one dream turning into another dream inside the same sleep.

3.14.12: From that one single throb of imagination, many individual souls (jivas) spread out and appear. Because there are no other helping causes present at all, that same imagination alone becomes those souls.

3.14.13: When there are no helping causes, the one imagination itself acts both as the Cause and as the effect. Therefore, there is only this one thing; there is no second thing at all. The idea that a whole Universe is created by something outside is only a confusion.

3.14.14: The Supreme Reality (Brahm) that great Knowers speak about is the same as the vast Cosmic Being (Virat). The whole appearance of the world is nothing but that same Virat. The individual soul (jiva) is only Space-like Awareness. In this way, it remains as it is, while earth and everything else that seems to appear is actually unreal.

3.14.15: Sriram said - Is the individual soul limited in size, like a small bundle, or is it endless? Or is there one endless soul-mass that is unmoving like a huge mountain?

3.14.16: Why do countless individual souls not flow out from it continuously, like streams flowing from a rain-cloud, like tiny water drops flying from the ocean, or like sparks shooting out from red-hot iron?

3.14.17: O Blessed Lord, please tell me clearly how this huge net of individual souls really works. I have already understood most of it, but kindly make the remaining part completely clear to me.

Summary of the Teachings:

In these verses, Sage Vasishta teaches the purest form of non-dual Advaita: the entire world, including all bodies and minds, arises only from one imaginary thought (sankalpa) in the Infinite Consciousness. Just as one dream scene effortlessly turns into another dream scene without any real material or external Cause, the whole Universe appears only because Consciousness imagines it. There is no Real earth, water, or any substance; everything is empty of solid Reality yet appears full because of imagination alone.

When the mind asks how many souls exist, Vasishta answers that there is truly only One Consciousness. From its single vibration or throb, countless individual souls seem to come out, but no other Causes (like Time, Space, or matter) are needed or even present. That same One Consciousness itself becomes the many souls, just as the one ocean appears as many waves without any second thing helping it.

Because no Real helping Causes exist, the same Consciousness is both the Cause and the effect; there is never a second thing. The idea that an external God or power creates the universe is only a mistaken notion born of Ignorance. In Truth, Brahm (the Limitless Reality), Virat (the Cosmic Form), and the individual jiva are not different. The jiva is nothing but Pure Awareness-Space; all objects like earth, mountains, and bodies that seem to appear in it are completely unreal, like objects seen in a dream.

Rama then asks a natural doubt: if everything is One Infinite Consciousness, is the individual soul tiny and limited, or is it infinite like a boundless sky, or is there just one unchanging mountain-like mass of soul from which all beings should constantly pour out like water from a cloud or sparks from hot iron? This question shows the common confusion about whether souls are many separate limited Beings or one single Unlimited Reality.

Vasishta will answer (in the verses that follow) that the soul is neither limited nor many, but the One Infinite Consciousness alone appears as many due to imaginary limitation, exactly like One Space appearing as many pots when pots are made. These verses firmly establish that the world and the crowd of souls have no real birth; they are only the play of imagination in the One Unchanging Brahm, and Realizing this ends all sorrow and confusion.

Chapter 3.14, Verses 1–10

Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.1–10

(From this one Source, all souls appear in a shining line, lighting up one by one)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

इत्थं जगदहंतादिदृश्यजातं न किंचन ।

अजातत्वाच्च नास्त्वेव यच्चास्ति परमेव तत् ॥ १ ॥

परमाकाशमेवादौ जीवतां चेतति स्वयम् ।

निःस्पन्दाम्भोधिकुहरे सलिलं स्पन्दतामिव ॥ २ ॥

आकाशरूपमजहदेवं वेत्तीव हृद्यताम् ।

स्वप्नसंकल्पशैलादाविव चिद्वृत्तिरान्तरी ॥ ३ ॥

पृथ्व्यादिरहितो देहो यो विंराडात्मको महान् ।

आतिवाहिक एवासौ चिन्मात्राच्छनभोमयः ॥ ४ ॥

अक्षयः स्वप्नशैलाभः स्थिरस्वप्नपुरोपमः ।

चित्रकृत्स्थिरचित्तस्थचित्रसैन्यसमाकृतिः ॥ ५ ॥

अनिखातमहास्तम्भपुत्रिकौघसमोपमः ।

ब्रह्माकाशेऽनिखातात्मा सुस्तम्भे शालभञ्जिका ॥ ६ ॥

आद्यः प्रजापतिः एवं स्वयंभूरिति विश्रुतः ।

प्राक्तनानां स्वकार्याणामभावादप्यकारणः ॥ ७॥

महाप्रलयपर्यन्तेष्वाद्यकालपितामहाः ।

मुच्यन्ते सर्व एवातः प्राक्तनं कर्म तेषु किम् ॥ ८ ॥

सोऽकुड्य एव कुड्यात्मा दृश्यादृश्यः स्वयंस्थितः ।

न च दृश्यं न च द्रष्टा न स्रष्टा सर्वमेव च ॥ ९ ॥

प्रतिशब्दपदार्थानां सर्वेषामेष एव सः ।

तस्मादुदेति जीवाली दीपाली दीपकादिव ॥ १० ॥

Maharishi Vashishta said:

3.14.1: In this way, the world with its "I" and all seen things is nothing at all. Because it is never born, it does not exist even a little. What truly exists is only the Supreme Reality.

3.14.2: At the very beginning, the Supreme Space itself thinks and becomes the living souls, like still ocean water that seems to move and form waves in a quiet cave.

3.14.3: It takes the form of Space but never leaves its True Nature. It seems to Know things in the Heart, like the inner working of the mind in dreams, wishes, or tall mountains made in the imagination.

3.14.4: The body of the great king-like soul has no earth or other elements. It is only the subtle body that carries over after death. It is made purely of Consciousness, like soft snow.

3.14.5: It never ends, like a dream mountain. It is steady like a dream city. It looks like painted armies standing still in the mind of a calm painter.

3.14.6: It is like a crowd of doll children around big pillars that have no base. In the Space of the Absolute, the soul has no fixed place. It is like a carved wooden girl figure leaning on a strong pillar.

3.14.7: The first Creator of people, known as the Self-born One, is like this. He has no cause, even though past actions are missing for him.

3.14.8: The first grandfathers of time, who last until the great final end of the world, are all freed. So, what past actions can there be for them?

3.14.9: He stays by himself as the wall-like soul. He can be seen and not seen. There is no seen thing, no Seer, no Creator—everything is Him alone.

3.14.10: He is the true meaning behind every word and every thing. From Him, the line of living souls rises, like a row of lamps lighting up one after another from a single lamp.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses explain that the world we see, including our sense of "I" and all objects, is not Real in any true way. It has no birth, so it does not exist at all. The only thing that really exists is the Supreme Reality, which is Pure and Unchanging. 

This teaching helps us understand that what seems solid and lasting is just an appearance, like a mirage in the desert. By seeing this, we stop holding on to false ideas and find Peace in the Truth that never changes.

The Supreme Reality, compared to endless Space, wakes up on its own and becomes all living souls. It is calm and still at first, like quiet ocean water, but then seems to move and create waves of life. This shows that souls are not separate from the One Reality—they come from it without any outside help. The mind inside works like thoughts in a dream or ideas in the imagination, making us feel we know things in our heart, but it never leaves its Space-like Nature.

The soul has a great king-like body that is not made of earth, water, fire, or other elements. It is a subtle body that continues after death, built only from Pure Consciousness, soft and white like fresh snow. This body never ends, strong like a mountain seen in a dream or a city built in sleep. It looks like bright painted soldiers frozen in place by a steady artist. Or it is like many toy children gathered around tall pillars with no roots in the ground. In the vast Space of the Absolute, the soul has no fixed spot, like a beautiful carved figure resting against a solid post.

The First Creator, called the Self-born Lord of all people, has this same Nature. He needs no Cause because no past actions exist for him at the start. The early grandfathers of Creation, who live through many great endings of the world, are completely free. They have no old karma to bind them. This means at the Pure beginning, everything is fresh and without chains from before.

In the end, the Supreme stays alone as the wall of the soul—both seen and unseen. There is no object to see, no one to see it, and no one to make it. All is just that One Reality. It is the Real meaning hidden in every sound, word, and thing we know. From this one Source, all souls appear in a shining line, lighting up one by one, just as lamps in a row get their flame from the first light. This teaches full Oneness and ends all ideas of separation.