Chapter 3.21, Verses 8–16

Yoga Vashishtha 3.21.8–16

(True Realization as the total forgetting or non-remembrance of the Universe, where no likes or dislikes remain)

 

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

कदाचित्स्मृतितां त्यक्त्वा प्रतिभामात्रमेव सत् ।

भाति प्रथमसर्गेषु रूपेण तदनुक्रमात् ॥ ८ ॥

दृश्यं त्रिभुवनादीदमनुभूतं स्मृतौ स्थितम् ।

केषांचित्तन्वि केषांचिन्नानुभूतं स्मृतौ स्थितम् ॥ ९ ॥

प्रतिभासत एवेदं केषांचित्सरणं विना ।

चिदणूनां प्रजेशत्वं काकतालीयवद्यतः ॥ १० ॥

अत्यन्तविस्मृतं विश्वं मोक्ष इत्यभिधीयते ।

ईप्सितानीप्सिते तत्र न स्तः काचन कस्यचित् ॥ ११ ॥

अत्यन्ताभावसंपत्तिं विनाहन्ताजगत्स्थितेः ।

अनुत्पादमयी ह्येषा नोदेत्येव विमुक्तता ॥ १२ ॥

रज्ज्वां सर्पभ्रमः सर्पशब्दार्थासंभवं स्थितम् ।

अनुत्पादमयं त्यक्त्वा शान्तोऽपि हि न शाम्यति ॥ १३ ॥

अर्धशान्तो न शान्तोऽसौ समेत्यर्थतया पुनः ।

उदेत्येकपिशाचान्ते पिशाचोऽन्यो ह्यधीमतः ॥ १४ ॥

संसारश्चायमाभोगी परमेवेति निश्चयः ।

कारणाभावतो भाति यदिहाभातमेव तत् ॥ १५ ॥

लीलोवाच ।

ब्राह्मणब्राह्मणीरूपे सर्गे कारणसंस्मृतिः।

कथमभ्युत्थिता सास्य स्मरणीयमिदं विना ॥ १६ ॥

Goddess Saraswati continued:

3.21.8  

Sometimes, abandoning memory, it shines merely as pure appearance, existing only as that. In the initial creations, it appears in form, and then gradually in sequence.

3.21.9  

The seen world, beginning with the three worlds, is experienced by some and resides in memory; for others, it is subtle, and for some, it is not experienced but still resides in memory.

3.21.10  

For some conscious particles, lordship over creatures arises purely from appearance, without any sequence, just by chance, like a crow and palm fruit coinciding.

3.21.11  

The complete forgetting of the Universe is called Realization (moksha). In that State, there are no desired or undesired things for anyone.

3.21.12  

This Realization, which consists of complete non-existence without the notion of "I" and the world's existence, does not arise at all, as it is of the nature of non-creation.

3.21.13  

The illusion of a snake in a rope persists as long as the meaning of the word "snake" is possible. Even if calmed by abandoning the non-created aspect, it does not truly subside.

3.21.14  

It is only half-calmed, not fully calm. When it meets with meaning again, another ghost arises in the mind of the wise person after one ghost ends.

3.21.15  

This world is the ultimate enjoyer itself. Due to the absence of Cause, whatever appears here is actually non-appearing.

Queen Lila said:

3.21.16 

In the Creation taking the form of a Brahmin and his wife, how did the memory of the Cause arise in her without anything to remember?

Summary of the Teachings:

The first set of verses (8-10) explains the Nature of Creation in non-dual Consciousness. Initial manifestations arise purely as spontaneous appearances without relying on prior memory or Causation. The world exists differently for different beings: some experience it vividly stored in memory, others subtly or not at all. Becoming a Creator or Lord of Beings happens accidentally for certain conscious units, highlighting the random, illusory play of Consciousness.

Verses 11-12 define True Realization as the total forgetting or non-remembrance of the Universe, where no likes or dislikes remain. Realization is not something achieved but the natural state of non-arising—pure non-existence of the ego and world. It cannot "arise" because it is beyond Creation and Causation.

Verses 13-14 use the classic rope-snake illusion to show how worldly perception persists despite partial calming. Even intellectual understanding does not fully eradicate the illusion; it can revive when associated with meaning again, like one ghost replacing another in the mind.

Verse 15 affirms the world as the Supreme Reality itself, but due to lack of Real Cause, its appearance is empty—whatever seems to manifest does not truly exist.

The final verse (16), spoken by Leela, questions how memory of prior Causes revived in her current Brahmin-wife form without an object of remembrance, pointing to the mysterious, Causeless Nature of apparent continuity in illusion. Overall, these verses teach the illusory, memory-based nature of the world and ego, the accidental arising of creations, and Realization as Realizing the non-arising Absolute beyond Cause and appearance.