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Yoga Vashishtha 3.28.47–63
(These verses paint an extremely vivid and enchanting picture of a Divine or ideal garden, full of natural beauty)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
वातायनगुहानिर्यत्सोधविश्रान्तवारिदम् ।
पूर्णपुष्करिणीपङ्क्तिपूर्णराजपृथूत्तरम् ॥ ४७ ॥
नीरन्ध्रविटपिच्छायाशीतलामलशाद्वलम् ।
सर्वशष्पाग्रवार्बिन्दुप्रतिबिम्बिततारकम् ॥ ४८ ॥
अनारतपतत्फुल्लहिमवर्षसितालयम् ।
विचित्रमञ्जरीपुष्पपत्रसत्फलपादपम् ॥ ४९ ॥
गृहकक्षान्तरालीनमेघसुप्तचिरण्टिकम् ।
सौधस्थमेघविद्युद्भिरनादेयप्रदीपकम् ॥ ५० ॥
कन्दरानिलभांकारघनघुंघुममण्डपम् ।
चरच्चकोरहारीतहरिणीहारिमन्दिरम् ॥ ५१ ॥
उन्निद्रकन्दलोद्वान्तमांसलामोदमन्थरैः ।
मरुद्भिर्मन्दमायातुमारब्धैर्लोलपल्लवम् ॥ ५२ ॥
लावकालापलीलायामालीनललनागणम् ।
कोककोकिलकाकोलकोलाहलसमाकुलम् ॥ ५३ ॥
शालतालतमालाब्जनीलतत्फलमालिनम् ।
वल्लीवलयविन्यासविलासवलितद्रुमम् ॥ ५४ ॥
आलोलपल्लवलतावलितायनानामुत्फुल्लकन्दलशिलीन्ध्रसुगन्धितानाम् ।
तालीतमालदलताण्डवमण्डपानामारामफुल्लकुसुमद्रुमशीतलानाम् ॥ ५५ ॥
साराववारिचलनाकुलगोकुलानामानीलसस्यकुसुमस्थलशोभितानाम् ।
तीरद्रुमप्रकरगुप्तसरिद्रयाणां नीरन्ध्रपुष्पितलताग्रवितानकानाम् ॥ ५६ ॥
उद्यानकुन्दमकरन्दसुगन्धितानां गन्धान्धषट्पदकुलान्तरिताम्बुजानाम् ।
सौन्दर्यतर्जितपुरन्दरमन्दिराणां राजीवराजिरजसारुणिताम्बराणाम् ॥ ५७ ॥
रंहोवहद्गिरिनदीरवघर्घराणां कुन्दावदातजलदद्युतिभासुराणाम् ।
सौधस्थितोल्लसितफुल्ललतालयानां लीलावलोलकलकण्ठविहङ्गमानाम् ॥ ५८ ॥
उल्लासिकौसुमदलास्तरणस्थयूनामापादमावलितमाल्यविलासिनीनाम् ।
सर्वत्र सुन्दरनवाङ्कुरदन्तुराणां शोभोल्लसद्वरलताकुलमार्गणानाम् ॥ ५९ ॥
संजातकोमललतोत्पलसंकुलानां ।
तिष्ठत्पयोदपटसंवलितालयानाम् ।
नीहारहारहरितस्थलविश्रुतानां सौधस्थमेघतडिदाकुलिताङ्गनानाम् ॥ ६० ॥
नीलोत्पलोल्लसितसौरभसुन्दराणां हुंकारहारिहीरतोन्मुखगोकुलानाम् ।
विश्रब्धमुग्धमृगसारगृहाजिराणामुन्नृत्यबर्हिघनसीकरनिर्झराणाम् ॥ ६१ ॥
सौगन्ध्यमत्तपवनाहतविक्लवानां वप्रौषधिज्वलनविस्मृतदीपकानाम् ।
कोलाहलाकुलकुलायकुलाकुलानां कुल्याकुलाकलकलाश्रुतसंकथानाम् ॥ ६२ ॥
मुक्ताफलप्रकरसुन्दरबिन्दुपातशीताखिलद्रुमलतातृणपल्लवानाम् ।
लक्ष्मीमनस्तमितपुष्पविकासभाजां शक्नोति कः कलयितुं गिरिमन्दिराणाम् ॥ ६३ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta continued:
3.28.47–52
> It has windows like caves from which cool, resting clouds emerge, and it is filled with rows of full lotus ponds and vast royal expanses.
> It is cooled by the dense shade of branches with no gaps, has fresh green grass, and the stars are reflected in dewdrops on the tips of all grasses.
> It has constant falling of white snowy flowers like endless showers on its white home, and trees with wonderful blossoms, leaves, and good fruits.
> Inside its inner chambers, clouds sleep like long-tailed birds, and lightning from clouds on palaces serves as lamps that need no oil.
> Its caves echo with the humming of winds, and thick pavilions resound with deep sounds; wandering chakora birds, parrots, deer, and swans make it their charming home.
> Tender new shoots rise, spreading thick sweet fragrance carried slowly by gentle winds that make leaves sway.
3.27.53–58
> Groups of beautiful women play in the charm of the season's beauty, and the garden is filled with the noise of cuckoos, cranes, frogs, and crows.
> It has rows of sal, palm, tamala trees, and blue lotuses with fruits; creepers form lovely circles around the trees in playful grace.
> Arbors with swaying leaves and vines, windows adorned with blooming shoots and fragrant mushrooms; halls dance with palm and tamala leaves, cool with flowering trees.
> Gardens with moving water herds of cows, beautiful with blue fields of grain and flowers; riverbanks hidden by tree clusters, canopies of blooming creepers.
> Gardens fragrant with kund flowers' honey, lotuses hidden by intoxicated bees; beauty surpassing Indra's palace, skies reddened by lotus pollen.
> Mountains with roaring rivers sounding like thunder; shining like white clouds, palaces with blooming creepers, birds singing sweetly.
3.28.59–63
> Young people lie on beds of flower petals, women adorned with garlands from head to foot; everywhere new sprouts and beautiful vines fill the paths.
> Places thick with soft lotuses and vines, homes wrapped in cloud-like clothes; green lands famous for dew garlands, courtyards filled with clouds and lightning.
> Beautiful with the fragrance of blooming blue lotuses, herds of cows humming sweetly; innocent deer rest freely in courtyards, peacocks dance in misty showers.
> Winds intoxicated with fragrance shake the weak branches; lamps forgotten in glowing medicinal plants; noisy with bird nests and families, conversations heard in the water channels.
> Cool drops of pearl-like water fall on all trees, vines, and grass shoots; flowers bloom as if minds are absorbed in beauty—who can describe these mountain palaces?
Summary of the teachings:
These verses paint an extremely vivid and enchanting picture of a Divine or ideal garden, full of natural beauty, coolness, fragrance, sounds of birds and bees, flowing waters, blooming flowers, and playful life. Sage Vasishta uses this detailed description to illustrate the nature of the manifested world as it appears in Consciousness.
The garden symbolizes the Universe (srishti) that arises from the pure mind or Brahm,
appearing magnificent and real with its diversity of forms, colors, sounds, and movements.
The emphasis on cool shade, dewdrops reflecting stars, constant gentle breezes, and harmonious animal and bird life highlights the world's appearance as blissful and perfect when seen in its pure form. Yet, this beauty is transient and dream-like, composed of elements like clouds, winds, flowers, and water that constantly change. This teaches that the world, though enchanting, is a projection of the mind (chitta) and not ultimately Real or permanent, aligning with Advaita Vedanta's view of maya.
The repeated mentions of palaces, lightning as lamps, and heavenly elements suggest that even grand structures and Divine abodes are part of this illusory display. Nothing is separate from the One Consciousness; the garden's unity amid variety (e.g., creepers embracing trees, bees in flowers) points to non-duality (advaita), where all diversity is held within the singular Reality.
The question in the final verse ("who can describe these mountain palaces?") implies the indescribability of the world's full splendor in words, underscoring the limits of language and intellect. True understanding comes through direct Realization, not mere description. This encourages the seeker to turn inward, beyond external beauty, to the Unchanging Witness Consciousness.
Overall, these verses serve as a poetic device in the Utpatti Prakarana (section on Creation) to show how the unreal world appears real and attractive, binding the mind through attachment to its pleasures. The teaching urges detachment (vairagya) from such appearances, leading to recognition that all this is Brahm alone, and Realization lies in seeing the substratum beyond the enchanting forms.
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