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Yoga Vashishtha 3.55.1–15
(These verses explain the process of death and rebirth according to the Yoga Vasistha)
प्रबुद्धलीलोवाच ।
यथैव जन्तुर्म्रियते जायते च यथा पुनः।
तन्मे कथय देवेशि पुनर्बोधविवृद्धये ॥ १॥
श्रीदेव्युवाच ।
नाडीप्रवाहे विधुरे यदा वातविसंस्थितिम्।
जन्तुः प्राप्नोति हि तदा शाम्यतीवास्य चेतना ॥ २॥
शुद्धं हि चेतनं नित्यं नोदेति न च शाम्यति।
स्थावरे जङ्गमे व्योम्नि शैलेऽग्नौ पवने स्थितम् ॥ ३॥
केवलं वातसंरोधाद्यदा स्पन्दः प्रशाम्यति।
मृत इत्युच्यते देहस्तदासौ जडनामकः ॥ ४॥
तस्मिन्देहे शवीभूते वाते चानिलतां गते।
चेतनं वासनामुक्तं स्वात्मतत्त्वेऽवतिष्ठति ॥ ५॥
जीव इत्युच्यते तस्य नामाणोर्वासनावतः।
तत्रैवास्ते स च शवागारे गगनके तथा ॥ ६॥
ततोऽसौ प्रेतशब्देन प्रोच्यते व्यवहारिभिः।
चेतनं वासनामिश्रमामोदानिलवत्स्थितम् ॥ ७॥
इदं दृश्यं परित्यज्य यदास्ते दर्शनान्तरे।
स स्वप्न इव संकल्प इव नानाकृतिस्तदा ॥ ८॥
तस्मिन्नेव प्रदेशेऽन्तः पूर्ववत्स्मृतिमान्भवेत्।
तदैव मृतिमूर्च्छान्ते पश्यत्यन्यशरीरकम् ॥ ९॥
आत्मन्यस्ति घटापुष्टमन्यस्य व्योम केवलम्।
आकाशभूतले साकं साकाशशशिवासरम् ॥ १०॥
भवन्ति षड्विधाः प्रेतास्तेषां भेदमिमं श्रृणु।
सामान्यपापिनो मध्यपापिनः स्थूलपापिनः ॥ ११॥
सामान्यधर्मा मध्यमधर्मा चोत्तमधर्मवान्।
एतेषां कस्यचिद्भेदो द्वौ त्रयोऽप्यथ कस्यचित् ॥ १२॥
कश्चिन्महापातकवान्वत्सरं स्मृतिमूर्च्छनम्।
विमूढोऽनुभवत्यन्तः पाषाणहृदयोपमः ॥ १३॥
ततः कालेन संबुद्धो वासनाजठरोदितम्।
अनुभूय चिरं कालं नारकं दुःखमक्षयम् ॥ १४॥
भुक्त्वा योनिशतान्युच्चैर्दुःखाद्दुःखान्तरं गतः।
कदाचिच्छममायाति संसारस्वप्नसंभ्रमे ॥ १५॥
Awakened Lila said:
3.55.1
> O Goddess, please tell me exactly how a living Being dies and is born again, so that my understanding may grow further.
Goddess Saraswati said:
3.55.2–7
> When the flow in the subtle channels gets disturbed and the vital air (prana) becomes unsteady, the living Being's Consciousness then seems to calm down or fade.
> Pure Consciousness is Eternal; it neither rises nor sets. It exists in immobile things, moving Beings, sky, mountains, fire, and wind.
> Only when the movement of air stops due to blockage, the vibration calms, and the body is called dead or inert.
> When the body becomes like a corpse and the air returns to its elemental state, Consciousness, free from subtle impressions (vasanas), rests in its True Nature as the Self.
> It is then called the individual soul (jiva) when it carries subtle impressions. It stays in the same place, like in the house of the corpse or in the sky.
> People in the world call it a "preta" (departed spirit). Consciousness mixed with subtle impressions remains like fragrance in the air.
3.55.8–15
> Leaving this visible world, when it stays in another State of perception, it becomes like a dream or imagination, taking many forms.
> In that very Inner Space, it regains memory as before. Right after the faint of death, it sees another body.
> In the Self, there is only empty Space like the inside of a pot; for others, it is mere sky along with the sky, moon, and day.
> There are six kinds of pretas (departed beings). Listen to their differences: ordinary sinners, moderate sinners, gross sinners,
> those with ordinary dharma (virtue), moderate dharma, and those with highest virtue. Some have differences of two or three among these.
> Some great sinners experience a year-long state of unconsciousness and faint with memory, like having a heart of stone, deeply deluded inside.
> Then, after some time, when awakened, they experience for a long period the endless suffering of hell arising from their subtle impressions in the belly (of fate).
> After enjoying (suffering) hundreds of births, going from one misery to another misery, sometimes they attain peace in the confusion of the worldly dream.
Summary of the Teachings:
Death occurs when the vital energies and breath become unstable in the body's subtle channels, causing Consciousness to appear to subside. However, Pure Consciousness itself is Eternal and Unchanging; it pervades all things from rocks to air and never truly dies or is born. The body becomes inert when the life force stops moving, but the Conscious Essence, now free from physical ties, rests in its True Self Nature.
The individual soul or jiva carries subtle impressions (vasanas) from past actions and desires. After death, this jiva lingers near the body or in Space, often called a preta or departed spirit. It exists in a dream-like state, creating various forms and experiences through its own imagination and memories, much like a dream world. Immediately after death, it may perceive a new body based on its inner tendencies.
The text classifies departed souls into six types based on their sins and virtues: ordinary, moderate, or gross sinners, and those with varying levels of dharma or righteousness. Some experience prolonged unconsciousness or torpor after death, especially heavy sinners whose hearts are hardened. This leads to long periods of hellish suffering driven by their unresolved impressions.
Over time, these souls undergo many rebirths, moving from one form of suffering to another across hundreds of lives. The cycle is compared to a confusing dream of worldly existence (samsara). Yet, through the exhaustion of karmas or a moment of clarity, some eventually find peace or calm amidst this illusion.
Overall, the teaching emphasizes that death is not the end but a transition where Consciousness continues based on mental impressions. True liberation comes from Realizing the Eternal, Pure Nature of Consciousness beyond body, mind, and vasanas, breaking the dream-like cycle of birth and death.
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