Chapter 3.22, Verses 21–33

Yoga Vashishtha 3.22.21–33

(True spiritual practice revolves around cultivating the firm understanding that the perceived world is illusory and non-existent)

 

लीलोवाच ।

तदेतदुपदिष्टं मे ज्ञानं देवि त्वयाऽमलम् ।

यस्मिञ्श्रुतिगते शान्तिमेति दृश्यविषूचिका ॥ २१ ॥

अत्रोपकुरु मे ब्रूहि कोऽभ्यासः कीदृशोऽथवा ।

स कथं पोषमायाति पुष्टे तस्मिंश्च किं भवेत् ॥ २२ ॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

यद्येन क्रियते किंचिद्येन येन यदा यदा ।

विनाभ्यासेन तन्नेह सिद्धिमेति कदाचन ॥ २३ ॥

तच्चिन्तनं तत्कथनमन्योन्यं तत्प्रबोधनम् ।

एतदेकपरत्वं च तदभ्यासं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ २४ ॥

ये विरक्ता महात्मानो भोगभावनतानवम् ।

भावयन्त्यभवायान्तर्भव्या भुवि जयन्ति ते ॥ २५ ॥

उदितौदार्यसौन्दर्यवैराग्यरसरञ्जिता ।

आनन्दस्पन्दिनी येषां मतिस्तेऽभ्यासिनः परे ॥ २६ ॥

अत्यन्ताभावसंपत्तौ ज्ञातृज्ञेयस्य वस्तुनः ।

युक्त्या शास्त्रैर्यतन्ते ये ते ब्रह्माभ्यासिनः स्थिताः ॥ २७ ॥

सर्गादावेव नोत्पन्नं दृश्यं नास्त्येव तत्सदा ।

इदं जगदहं चेति बोधाभ्यास उदाहृतः ॥ २८ ॥

दृश्यासंभवबोधेन रागद्वेषादितानवे।

रतिर्बलोदिता यासौ ब्रह्माभ्यास उदाहृतः ॥ २९ ॥

दृश्यासंभवबोधेन विना द्वेषादितानवम्।

तप इत्युच्यते तस्मान्न ज्ञानं तच्च दुःखतत् ॥ ३० ॥

दृश्यासंभवबोधो हि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च कथ्यते ।

तदभ्यासेन निर्वाणमित्यभ्यासो महोदयः ॥ ३१ ॥

भवबहुलनिशानितान्तनिद्रासतत विवेकविबोधवारिसेकैः ।

प्रगलति हिमशीतलैरशेषा शरदि महामिहिकेव चेतसीति ॥ ३२ ॥

इत्युक्तवत्यथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायंतनाय विधयेऽस्तमिनो जगाम।

स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश्च सहाजगाम ॥ ३३ ॥

3.22.21

Leela said:  

O Goddess, you have taught me this Pure Knowledge,  

In which, when heard, the fever of visible illusion finds peace.

3.22.22

Please help me with this: tell me what is practice, what kind it is; how does it grow, and when it is nourished, what happens?

3.22.23

The Goddess said:  

Whatever is done, by whatever, whenever; without practice, it never achieves success here.

3.22.24

Thinking about it, talking about it, awakening each other to it,  

Being devoted only to it—the Wise know this as practice.

3.22.25

Those great souls who are detached, who contemplate the vast web of desires inwardly; for the sake of non-existence—they conquer on earth.

3.22.26

Those whose mind is dyed with the joy of generosity, beauty, and the taste of detachment; vibrating with Bliss, they are the supreme practitioners.

3.22.27

Those who strive with reasoning and scriptures for the complete non-existence of the Knower and the Known —they are established as practitioners of Brahm.

3.22.28

The visible world did not arise even at the beginning of Creation; it never exists.  

The practice of Knowledge is declared as: "This world and I" (do not exist).

3.22.29

Through the Knowledge of the non-existence of the visible, attraction arises in the web of likes, dislikes, etc. That strong attraction is declared as the practice of Brahm.

3.22.30

Without the Knowledge of the non-existence of the visible, the web of dislikes, etc., is called austerity; therefore, it is not knowledge and causes suffering.

3.22.31

The Knowledge of the non-existence of the visible is indeed called Knowledge and the knowable. Through its practice comes liberation—this great practice leads to supreme success.

3.22.32

With the abundant night of existence clarified, deep sleep dissolved, by the constant sprinkling of the water of awakened discrimination, all impurities melt away in the mind, like great fog in autumn with cool frost.

3.22.33

After she spoke thus to the Sage, the day went toward evening, the sun set. The assembly, having paid respects, went to bathe; along with the darkening rays of the Sun, it departed.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses form part of a dialogue in the Yoga Vasistha where Goddess Saraswati instructs Leela on the practice (abhyasa) essential for Realizing the non-dual truth of Brahm. The core teaching emphasizes that true spiritual practice revolves around cultivating the firm understanding that the perceived world is illusory and non-existent.

The first part highlights the importance of constant practice in any endeavor, defining spiritual practice specifically as deep contemplation of the Ultimate Truth, discussing it, mutually inspiring others toward it, and maintaining single-pointed devotion to this Realization. True practitioners are described as detached great souls who inwardly dissolve desires, revel in generosity and non-attachment, and strive to negate the duality of Knower and Known through reasoning and scriptural study.

Central to the teaching is the insight that the visible world never truly arises—it is a mere appearance without real existence from the beginning. 

The highest practice is repeatedly affirming this non-existence of the world and the ego ("this world and I do not exist"), which generates profound detachment from likes, dislikes, and emotional entanglements.

A distinction is made between genuine knowledge-based practice and mere austerity: without the foundation of knowing the world's unreality, ascetic efforts only breed suffering and do not lead to true wisdom. Practicing this knowledge of non-existence directly yields liberation, dissolving all impurities of the mind.

The verses conclude metaphorically, portraying how persistent discrimination clears the dense fog of worldly existence, leading to mental purity. The narrative ends the day's discourse, symbolizing a pause in teaching as the assembly disperses, allowing reflection on these profound ideas.

Overall, these teachings underscore that liberation comes not from external rituals but from relentless inner practice of Realizing the absolute unreality of the phenomenal world, fostering complete detachment and Bliss in Brahm.