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Yoga Vashishtha 3.41.55–69
(These verses emphasize the illusory nature of the perceived world, teaching that what seems like a vast, solid Universe is actually nothing but the Pure, self-luminous Consciousness -the Self or Atman)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
पश्यसीवैतदखिलं न च पश्यसि किंचन।
सर्वात्मकतया नित्यं प्रकचस्यात्मनात्मनि ॥ ५५ ॥
महामणिरिवोदार आलोक इव भास्वरः।
वस्तुतस्तु न भूपीठमिदं न च भवानयम् ॥ ५६ ॥
न चेमे गिरयो ग्रामा न चैते न च वै वयम् ।
गिरिग्रामकविप्रस्य मण्डपाकाशके किल ॥ ५७ ॥
तल्लीलाभर्तृदाराढ्यं जगदाभाति भास्वरम् ।
तत्र लीलाराजधानी मण्डपामण्डिताकृतिः ॥ ५८ ॥
भाति तस्योदरे व्योम्नि तदेवं विदितं जगत् ।
तस्मिञ्जगति गेहेऽन्तर्यस्मिन्वयमिह स्थिताः ॥ ५९॥
एवं तेषां मण्डपानां व्योमाव्योमैव निर्मलम् ।
तथैव मण्डपेष्वस्ति न मही न च पत्तनम् ॥ ६० ॥
न वनानि न शैलौघा न मेघसरिदर्णवाः।
केवलं तत्र निःशून्ये विहरन्ति गृहे जनाः ॥ ६१ ॥
न पश्यन्ति जना नापि पार्थिवा न च भूधराः ।
विदूरथ उवाच ।
एवं चेत्तत्कथं देवि ममेहानुचरा इमे ॥ ६२ ॥
संपन्ना आत्मना सन्ति ते किमात्मनि नोऽथवा ।
जगत्स्वप्नार्थवद्भाति तस्य स्वप्ननरादयः ॥ ६३ ॥
कथमात्मनि सत्याः स्युर्न सत्या वेति मे वद ।
श्रीसरस्वत्युवाच ।
राजन्विदितवेद्येषु शुद्धबोधैकरूपिषु ॥ ६४ ॥
न किंचिदेतत्सद्रूपं चिद्व्योमात्मसु जागतम् ।
शुद्धबोधात्मनो भाति कृतो नाम जगद्भ्रमः ॥ ६५ ॥
रज्ज्वां सर्पभ्रमे शान्ते पुनः सर्पभ्रमः कुतः ।
असद्भावे परिज्ञाते कुतः सत्ता जगद्भ्रमे ॥ ६६ ॥
परिज्ञाते मृगजले पुनर्जलमतिः कुतः।
स्वप्नकाले परिज्ञाते स्वे स्वप्नमरणं कुतः ।
स्वस्वप्ने स्वप्नमृतिभीरमृतस्यैव जायते ॥ ६७ ॥
बुद्धस्य शुद्धस्य शरन्नभःश्रीः स्वच्छावदातातितताशयस्य ।
अहं जगच्चेति कुशब्दकार्थो न वस्तुतः सोऽङ्ग हि वाचिकं तत् ॥ ६८ ॥
इत्युक्तवत्यथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायंतनाय विधयेऽस्तमिनो जगाम।
स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश्च सहाजगाम ॥ ६९ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta continued:
3.41.55–60
> You appear to see this entire world, yet you see nothing at all. In reality, the Self eternally shines within itself as the All-pervading Essence.
> It shines like a great radiant jewel or like brilliant light. In truth, there is no earth, no you, and no this world.
> There are no mountains, no villages, no these Beings, and no us. It is like the space inside a hall belonging to a mountain-village dweller or a learned person.
> That playful, wealthy Lord of Creation makes the world appear shining brightly. In that, the capital of play (Lila's city) is adorned like a hall.
> That very world shines within the sky inside that hall. In that world, within the house where we are situated...
> In the same way, among those halls, the Space is pure and empty space alone. Likewise, in the halls there is no earth and no city.
3.41.61–65
> No forests, no multitudes of mountains, no clouds, rivers, or oceans. Only in that completely empty place do people wander in the house.
> People do not see, nor do kings or mountains.
Viduratha said: If it is so, O Goddess, how then are these followers of mine here?
> Are they complete with their own Self, or are they in the Self? Tell me whether the people in the dream of the world appear real in the Self or not.
> O King, in those who know what is to be known and who are of Pure Consciousness alone...
> There is nothing of this solid form in the world within the Pure Consciousness-Space of the Self. The illusion of the world arises only in the Pure Consciousness-Self.
3.41.66–69
> When the illusion of the snake in the rope ceases, how can the snake illusion arise again? Once the non-existence is known, how can there be existence in the world-illusion?
> When the mirage water is known (as unreal), how can the notion of water arise again? When the dream is known, how can death in the dream occur? In one's own dream, the fear of dream-death arises only for the one who is alive (in the dream).
> For the wise one of pure intellect, like the clear autumn sky or a vast pure lake, the words "I" and "the world" are mere empty sounds without real meaning; they are only verbal, O dear one.
> After the Sage spoke thus, the day passed into evening. The sun set for its twilight rites. The assembly, having offered salutations, went to bathe, and the rays of the sun arrived with the evening shade.
Detailed Summary of the Teachings:
Sage Vasishta explains that you appear to see everything, yet truly see nothing separate because all is the Self shining within itself. There is no real earth, people, mountains, or cities; everything is like a reflection or play within Infinite Space. The world is compared to appearances in a hall's empty space or a dream-city, highlighting non-duality where no objects truly exist apart from Consciousness.
The dialogue deepens this by using the analogy of infinite halls within halls, each containing empty space without any material elements like land, forests, rivers, or oceans. People "wander" in this emptiness, but there are no real perceivers or objects. This illustrates that multiplicity and materiality are superimpositions on the one Pure Void of Awareness. The world appears shining and structured only due to the creative play (lila) of Consciousness, but in essence, it remains Formless and unmanifest.
Viduratha questions the reality of his companions and followers if everything is illusory. Sarasvati responds that in Pure Knowing Consciousness, no solid world-form exists at all. The entire Cosmic illusion arises only as a mistaken notion within the Self. Once ignorance is removed, the false appearance cannot persist, just as knowing a rope dispels the snake fear forever.
Examples reinforce cessation of illusion: mirage water vanishes upon recognition, dream-death holds no power once the dream is understood as unreal. The fear or suffering in dreams affects only the dream-self, not the waking reality. This teaches that worldly existence, birth, death, and individuality are dream-like superimpositions that dissolve in true knowledge.
Finally, the pure enlightened mind is described as vast, clear, and serene like an autumn sky or pure lake. Terms like "I" and "world" become mere words without substance—verbal constructs only. The teaching culminates in the transcendence of all dualistic notions, leading to the direct Realization of non-dual Brahm. The scene ends with the day's close, symbolizing the natural flow of life continuing even as profound truth is revealed, inviting contemplation beyond words.
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