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Yoga Vashishtha 3.17.10–20
(Enlightenment does not destroy the world-appearance; it simply reveals its True Nature as the play of the One Consciousness)
श्रीदेव्युवाच ।
चित्ताकाशं चिदाकाशमाकाशं च तृतीयकम् ।
द्वाभ्यां शून्यतरं विद्धि चिदाकाशं वरानने ॥ १० ॥
तच्चिदाकाशकोशात्म चिदाकाशैकभावनात् ।
अविद्यमानमप्याशु दृश्यतेऽथानुभूयते ॥ ११ ॥
देशाद्देशान्तरप्राप्तौ संविदो मध्यमेव यत् ।
निमिषेण चिदाकाशं तद्विद्धि वरवर्णिनि ॥ १२ ॥
तस्मिन्निरस्तनिःशेषसंकल्पा स्थितिमेषि चेत् ।
सर्वात्मकं पदं तत्त्वं त्वं तदाप्नोष्यसंशयम् ॥ १३ ॥
अत्यन्ताभावसंपत्त्या जगतश्चैतदाप्यते।
नान्यथा मद्वरेणाशु त्वं तु प्राप्स्यसि सुन्दरि ॥ १४ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
इत्युक्त्वा सा ययौ देवी दिव्यमात्मीयमास्पदम् ।
लीला तु लीलयैवासीन्निर्विकल्पसमाधिभाक् ॥ १५ ॥
तत्तत्याज निमेषेण सान्तःकरणपञ्जरम् ।
स्वदेहं खमिवोड्डीना मुक्तनीडा विहंगमी ॥ १६ ॥
ददर्श खस्था भर्तारं तस्मिन्नेवालयाम्बरे ।
संस्थितं पृथिवीपालमास्थाने बहुराजनि ॥ १७ ॥
सिंहासने समारूढं जयजीवेति संस्तुतम् ।
प्रस्तुतं मण्डलानीककार्यमाहर्तुमादृतम् ॥ १८ ॥
पताकामञ्जरीकीर्णराजधानीगृहस्थितम् ।
पूर्वद्वारस्थितासंख्यमुनिविप्रर्षिमण्डलम् ॥ १९ ॥
दक्षिणद्वारगासंख्यराजराजेशमण्डलम् ।
पश्चिमद्वारगासंख्यललनालोकमण्डलम् ॥ २० ॥
3.17.10
The Goddess said: There is mind-space (chittākāsha, thought-space), Consciousness-space (chidākāśa, pure awareness-space), and a third ordinary space. Know that Consciousness-space is far emptier and subtler than the first two, O beautiful-faced one.
3.17.11
That Consciousness-space, though it has no real form, is quickly seen and experienced the moment one fully becomes one with it through steady Awareness.
3.17.12
When Consciousness moves from one place to another in the twinkling of an eye, the middle space it passes through is this very Consciousness-space, O fair one—know that.
3.17.13
If you remain in that Space after all desires and thoughts have completely vanished, you will without doubt reach the State that is everything, the Real Truth.
3.17.14
This world is attained only by the perfect Realization that it has no Real Existence at all. There is no other way, my dear. You will quickly reach that State, O beautiful one.
3.17.15
Sage Vasishta said: Having spoken thus, the Goddess returned to her own Divine abode. Leela, by her own Pure play of Consciousness, instantly entered the thought-free samadhi.
3.17.16
In a single moment she left her physical body, just as a bird that has found freedom leaves its cage and flies into the open sky.
3.17.17
Remaining in the sky of Pure Consciousness, she saw her husband, King Padma, still present in that very same palace, but now in the sky-like realm.
3.17.18
She saw him seated on his lion-throne, being praised with cries of “Jai! Live long!”, ready and attentive to receive the circle of feudal lords and perform royal duties.
3.17.19
She saw the capital city filled with waving banners, the palace standing firm, and at the eastern gate an innumerable assembly of sages, brahmins and Seers.
3.17.20
At the southern gate countless kings and emperors had gathered; at the western gate an endless crowd of women from the city and country had assembled.
Summary of the Teachings:
The Goddess teaches that True Reality is Pure Consciousness-space (chidākāśa), which is subtler and emptier than both the mind’s thought-space and physical space. This Consciousness-space has no form or location, yet it is the background of all experience. The moment one fully rests in it without distraction, it is directly seen and felt, even though it was never really absent.
Travel between places happens instantly in this Consciousness-space; physical distance is only an appearance within it. All movement, all coming and going, takes place in this one borderless Awareness. Recognising this, one understands that nothing ever truly leaves or arrives anywhere.
When every wish, imagination and thought completely disappears and one abides steadily in this Pure Consciousness-space, the individual Self dissolves into the Supreme Reality that contains everything. This is the final goal: to become the All, the one Infinite Self.
The world is “attained” (Realised for what it is) only by the clear Knowledge that it has no independent existence at all. As long as we believe the world is real on its own, Realization is impossible. Total non-existence of the seen world (as separate from Pure Consciousness) is the only door to Freedom.
Leela instantly puts the teaching into practice. The moment the Goddess finishes speaking, Leela drops the body-consciousness like a free bird leaving its cage and enters the highest samadhi. From that Pure Awareness she sees her husband and his entire kingdom still appearing exactly as before, but now clearly known to be nothing but empty Consciousness shining as forms. This shows that enlightenment does not destroy the world-appearance; it simply reveals its True Nature as the play of the One Consciousness.
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