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.