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Yoga Vashishtha 3.40.1–15
(These verses describe a scene where the Goddess Lila enters a king's house subtly through small openings while he sleeps, illustrating how non-physical entities move freely)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
एवं निशाचराचारचिरघोरे रणाङ्गणे ।
अहनीव जनाचारे स्थिते यामावरेहिते ॥ १ ॥
हस्तहार्यतमःपिण्डस्फुटकुड्ये निशागृहे।
लाभोच्छदोच्चलचते भूतसङ्घे प्रवल्गति ॥ २ ॥
निःशब्दे ध्वान्तसंचारे निद्रारुद्धककुब्गणे ।
लीलापतिरुदारात्मा किंचित्खिन्नमना इव ॥ ३ ॥
प्रातःकार्यं विचार्याशु मन्त्रिभिर्मन्त्रकोविदैः ।
दीर्घचन्द्रसमाकारे शयने हिमशीतले ॥ ४ ॥
चन्द्रोदरनिभे चारुगृहे शिशिरकोटरे।
निद्रां मुहूर्तमगमन्मुद्रितेक्षणपुष्करः ॥ ५॥
अथ ते ललने व्योम तत्परित्यज्य तद्गृहम् ।
रन्ध्रैर्विविशतुर्वातलेखेऽब्जमुकुलं यथा ॥ ६ ॥
श्रीराम उवाच ।
कियन्मात्रमिदं स्थूलं शरीरं वाग्विदांवर।
रन्ध्रेण तन्तुतनुना कथमाश्वाविशत्प्रभो ॥ ७ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
आधिभौतिकदेहोऽहमिति यस्य मतिभ्रमः ।
तस्यासावणुरन्ध्रेण गन्तुं शक्नोति नानघ ॥ ८ ॥
रोधितोऽहमनेनेति न माम्यत्रेति यस्य धीः ।
अनुभूतानुभवती भवतीत्यनुभूयते ॥ ९ ॥
येनानुभूतं पूर्वार्धं गच्छामीति स तत्क्रियः ।
कथं भवति पश्चार्धं गमनोन्मुखचेतनः ॥ १० ॥
नहि वार्यूर्ध्वमायाति नाधो गच्छति पावकः ।
या यथैव प्रवृत्ता चित्सा तथैव प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ ११ ॥
छायायामुपविष्टस्य कुतस्तापानुभूतयः।
यस्य संवेदनेऽन्योऽर्थः केनचिन्नानुभूयते ॥ १२ ॥
यथा संवित्तथा चित्तं सा तथावस्थितिं गता ।
परमेण प्रयत्नेन नीयतेऽन्यदशां पुनः ॥ १३ ॥
सर्पैकप्रत्ययो रज्ज्वामसर्पप्रत्यये बलात् ।
निवर्ततेऽन्यथा त्वेष तिष्ठत्येव यथास्थितः ॥ १४ ॥
यथा संवित्तथा चित्तं यथा चित्तं तथेहितम् ।
बालं प्रत्यपि संसिद्धमेतत्को नानुभूतवान् ॥ १५ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta said:
3.40.1–6
> In this way, on the battlefield that had long been terrible due to the actions of night-roaming demons, when the night watches had passed and people were resting as if in daily routine.
> In the dark house of night, where darkness could be grabbed by hand like lumps on cracked walls, groups of spirits were jumping around wildly with excitement for gains.
> In complete silence, with darkness moving about and sleep closing all directions, Lila's Lord (the Supreme soul), noble by nature, seemed a little tired in mind.
> After quickly thinking about morning duties with wise ministers skilled in counsel, on a long moon-like cool bed.
> In a beautiful house resembling the moon's belly, in a cool cave-like room, he slept for a moment with closed lotus-like eyes.
> Then those two Goddesses (Lila's forms), leaving the sky, entered that house through openings, just as wind enters a lotus bud.
Sriram asked:
3.40.7
> O best among speakers, how could this gross body, even if small, enter through such a thin opening, O Lord?
Maharishi Vashishta replied:
3.40.7–15
> For one who thinks "I am this physical body," that body cannot go through even a tiny hole, O sinless one.
> When the mind thinks "I am blocked by this" or "I cannot go here," experience follows that belief and becomes Real.
> What was experienced before as "I am going" leads to action; how can the later part happen when Consciousness is directed toward movement?
> Water does not rise upward, fire does not go downward; Consciousness stays established exactly as it has proceeded.
> How can heat be felt by one sitting in shade? When in perception another meaning is not experienced by anything.
> As is the understanding, so is the mind; it has reached that State. With supreme effort, it is led again to another condition.
> When the notion of a snake arises strongly on a rope, but the notion of no-snake arises, the belief in snake is forcibly removed; otherwise it remains as it is.
> As is the understanding, so is the mind; as is the mind, so are the actions. This is proven even to a child—who has not experienced it?
Detailed summary of the teachings:
Rama questions how a gross body can pass through tiny holes, prompting Vasishta to explain that the limitation comes from mistaken identification with the physical body. The teaching highlights that the body is not the true Self; the idea of being confined to it creates the illusion of restriction.
The core idea is that Reality depends on perception and belief (samvitti or understanding). Whatever the mind firmly holds as true becomes experienced as real. If one believes "I am this body and cannot pass through a small space," then movement is blocked. But Pure Consciousness has no such limits—it moves as it wills, unbound by material barriers.
Vasishta uses examples from nature (water flows down, fire rises up) to show that things follow their inherent nature. Consciousness, once set in a certain direction or belief, continues in that pattern unless changed by effort. The mind stays fixed in its established state, and only supreme effort or right understanding can shift it to a Higher Realization.
The rope-snake analogy reinforces this: illusion arises from wrong perception, and correct knowledge removes it instantly. If the mind sees a snake in a rope, fear and reaction follow; but Realizing it is just a rope ends the delusion. Similarly, the world and bodily limitations are projections of the mind—change the understanding, and the experience transforms.
Finally, the verses emphasize that this principle is self-evident even in everyday life, as seen in children or simple experiences. Mind and actions follow understanding exactly. True freedom comes from recognizing Consciousness as limitless, beyond the gross body, leading to liberation from false identifications and illusions of bondage.
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