Posts
Yoga Vashishtha 3.26.33–45
(The world is unreal, born of illusion, and True Knowledge dissolves this illusion, revealing the ever-present, Unchanging Reality of the Self)
ज्येष्ठशर्मादय ऊचुः ।
निःशङ्कया गतश्रीका मूका विलुलिताशयाः ।
अन्धेन तमसा पूर्णा गृहा गहनतां गताः ॥ ३३ ॥
उद्यानपुष्पखण्डेभ्यो रुदद्भ्यो भ्रमरारवैः।
पूतिगन्धो विनिर्याति स्वामोदापरनामकः ॥ ३४ ॥
चैत्रद्रुमविलासिन्यो विरसाः प्रतिवासरम् ।
लताः कृशा विलीयन्ते सकुचद्गुच्छलोचनाः ॥ ३५ ॥
प्रक्षेप्तुमम्बुधौ देहं प्रवृत्ता गन्तुमाकुलाः।
कुल्याः कलकलालोलं दोलयन्त्यस्तनुं भुवि ॥ ३६ ॥
अशङ्कमशकापातस्पन्दमप्यतिचापलम् ।
कलयन्त्यः स्थिता वाप्यो निस्पन्दानन्दमात्मनि ॥ ३७ ॥
गायत्किन्नरगन्धर्वविद्याधरसुराङ्गनम् ।
नूनमद्य नभो जातमस्मत्ताताभ्यलंकृतम् ॥ ३८ ॥
तद्देव्यौ क्रियतां तावदस्माकं शोकनाशनम् ।
महतां दर्शनं नाम न कदाचन निष्फलम् ॥ ३९ ॥
इत्युक्तवन्तं सा पुत्रं मूर्ध्नि पस्पर्श पाणिना ।
पल्लवेनानता नम्रं मूलग्रन्थिमिवाब्जिनी ॥ ४० ॥
तस्याः स्पर्शेन तेनासौ दुःखदौर्भाग्यसंकटम् ।
जहौ प्रावृड्घनासङ्गाद्ग्रीष्मतापमिवाचलः ॥ ४१ ॥
सर्वो गृहजनः सोऽथ तयोर्देव्योर्विलोकनात् ।
लक्ष्मीवान्दुःखनिर्मुक्तो बभूवामृतपो यथा ॥ ४२ ॥
श्रीराम उवाच ।
तयास्य लीलया मात्रा पुत्रस्य ज्येष्ठशर्मणः ।
कस्मान्न दर्शनं दत्तं मोहं तावन्निराकुरु ॥ ४३ ॥
3.26.33
Jyeshtha Sharma & elders said:
Our homes have become dark, joyless, silent, and deeply gloomy, completely filled with the darkness of sorrow.
3.26.34
From the garden flower clusters, the crying sounds of bees emerge, carrying a foul smell instead of their usual sweet fragrance.
3.26.35
The vines that once joyfully bloomed on the trees in spring now daily become pale and weak, with their flower buds like shrinking eyes.
3.26.36
The small streams, eager to throw their bodies into the ocean, flow restlessly, swaying their thin forms on the ground with murmuring sounds.
3.26.37
The ponds remain still, not even stirred by the slightest touch of mosquitoes, experiencing motionless inner bliss.
3.26.38
Surely today the sky has become adorned with singing celestial beings like kinnaras, gandharvas, vidyadharas, and Divine women.
3.26.39
Therefore, let these two goddesses be approached right now; they are the destroyers of our grief. The sight of great ones is never fruitless.
3.26.40
Having spoken thus, she (the goddess) touched her son's head with her hand, like a lotus flower gently bowing down to touch the root knot with its petal.
3.26.41
By that touch, he (the son) immediately left behind the knot of sorrow and misfortune, just as a mountain sheds the summer heat after the rainy clouds depart.
3.26.42
Then, all the family members, upon seeing those two goddesses, became free from sorrow and full of divine grace, like those who have drunk nectar.
3.26.43
Sriram said:
Why did that mother, through her divine play, not grant the vision to her son Jyeshthasharma at that time itself? Please remove this delusion.
3.26.44
Maharishi Vashishta said:
The one who is awakened to the knowledge of earth and other elements takes on the notion of having a physical body; for another, there is only pure space.
3.26.45
Though unreal, it appears as real due to the perception of earth and such; just as a goblin does not appear to a child who does not know of it.
Summary of the Teachings:
These verses vividly depict the profound sorrow and decay that envelop the household of Jyeshtha Sharma due to the absence of the Divine presence. The once vibrant home, gardens, vines, and waters are now symbols of lifelessness, foulness, and restlessness, illustrating how ignorance and grief create an illusory world of suffering. The natural elements themselves seem to mourn, showing that the external world mirrors the inner state of the mind. This teaches that worldly joys are fleeting and dependent on spiritual light, and without it, everything appears dark and meaningless.
The decision of the family to seek the two Goddesses highlights the importance of approaching enlightened or Divine beings in times of distress. Their statement that the darshan (sight) of the great is never fruitless underscores a key Yogic principle: contact with realized souls can instantly dispel sorrow. The mother's gentle touch on her son's head symbolizes the transmission of Grace or spiritual energy, which immediately removes deep-seated grief, just as rain cools the heat of summer. This illustrates the power of Divine compassion and how a single moment of true connection can transform suffering into Peace.
The entire household experiences relief and Bliss upon beholding the Goddesses, akin to drinking nectar. This collective liberation emphasizes that spiritual grace can uplift not just an individual but the whole family or community. It teaches that sorrow is a self-created illusion, and the presence of Higher Consciousness (represented by the Goddesses) reveals the underlying joy and immortality within.
Rama's question reflects a seeker's natural curiosity about why immediate enlightenment or vision is not always granted. Vasistha's response points to the core Advaita teaching: the sense of individuality and physical embodiment arises only when one identifies with the material elements due to ignorance. For the enlightened, there is only Infinite Space (Pure Consciousness), free from all limitations.
The final verse explains the illusory nature of the world: it appears Real only because of perception and conditioning, like a child's fear of a non-existent goblin. This reinforces the central doctrine of Yoga Vasistha — the world is unreal (mithya), born of misunderstanding, and True Knowledge dissolves this delusion, revealing the ever-present, unchanging Reality of the Self.
No comments:
Post a Comment