Chapter 3.70, Verses 31~50

Yoga Vashishtha 3.70.31~50

(The verses teach that even small and weak Beings can gain special powers through strong effort and penance)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।

तुच्छोऽप्यर्थोऽल्पसत्त्वानां गच्छति प्रार्थनीयताम्।

सूचीवृत्तपिशाचीत्वं राक्षस्या तपसा स्थितम् ॥ ३१॥

अपि पुण्यशरीराणां जातिबन्धो न शाम्यति।

तनुसूचीपिशाचीत्वं राक्षस्या तपसार्जितम् ॥ ३२॥

तस्यां दिगन्तभ्रमणे प्रवृत्तायां महानिलैः।

तत्रैव सा तनुः स्थूला गलिता शरदभ्रवत् ॥ ३३॥

कस्यचिद्विवशाङ्गस्य क्षीणस्य विपुलस्य च।

प्रविश्यान्तर्वातसूचिर्भवत्यतिविषूचिका ॥ ३४॥

कस्यचित्तनुदेहस्य स्वस्थस्य सुधियोऽपि वा।

प्रविश्य जीवसूचित्वे भवत्यन्तर्विषूचिका ॥ ३५॥

एवं क्वचित्तृप्यति सा दुर्बुद्धिहृदयास्थिता।

क्वचिदुच्छेद्यते पुण्यैर्मन्त्रौषधितपःक्रमैः ॥ ३६॥

(37–44)

विरूपाशुष्कसंदष्टवीटिकापूतिपल्वले।

मध्यस्थलेखमार्गौघशीतश्वसनगोचरे ॥ ४५॥

ग्रस्तयूकानरौघासृक्पूर्णसृक्किनखास्यताम्।

दधताङ्गुष्ठपक्षेण क्रान्ते सर्वत्र यायिनी ॥ ४६॥

नानाविरचनाचित्रपटपत्तनगामिनी।

गमागमपरिश्रान्ता तत्रात्यन्तचिराध्वगा ॥ ४७॥

नगरानगरे व्यस्तसूत्रभाण्डैकभारिणी।

तप्ते कलेवरारण्ये बलीवर्दापवर्तिनी ॥ ४८॥

गुप्ता विश्रमणायैव मनाक्करपरिच्युता।

तन्तुप्रोता मुखाकृष्टिः खिन्ना क्वापि विलीयते ॥ ४९॥

वेधनं कर्मसंश्लिष्टा कठिनापि न साकरोत्।

न हि तीक्ष्णो बहिः कार्यो निजत्वं विजहाति चेत् ॥ ५०॥

Sage Vasishta continued: 

3.70.31–36

> Even a worthless thing becomes desirable to people of weak nature. The demoness attained the state of a needle-like ghost through her austerities. 

> Even for those with virtuous bodies, the bondage of birth and caste does not end. The demoness earned her thin needle-like form through Rakshasa penance.

> When she started wandering to the far ends of the directions, carried by strong winds, her body became very thin there and dissolved like autumn clouds.

> She enters the body of some helpless, weak or very large person and becomes a sharp inner wind that causes severe cholera-like pain.

> She enters the body of some thin person, whether healthy or intelligent, and becomes an inner cholera in the form of a living needle.

> In this way, sometimes she feels satisfied while staying in the heart of foolish people. Sometimes good people destroy her through mantras, medicines and rituals of austerity.

 3.70.37–44

> These verses describe the difficult and painful journey of the needle-like demoness as she moves through ugly, filthy and uncomfortable places filled with dirt, waste and bad smells, suffering while traveling long distances in various cities and towns, carrying burdens like threads and goods, tired from constant movement, and sometimes hiding or resting briefly in secret places before continuing her restless wandering.

3.70.45–50

> She moves in ugly dry bitten filthy swamps and dirty areas, traveling in the path of cold winds in open middle spaces.

> She takes the form of being full of blood, lice, monkeys, and dirty nails and mouth, moving everywhere quickly with her thumb-like wings.

> She goes through various decorated cities and towns like a picture on cloth, tired from repeated coming and going, having traveled extremely long paths for a very long time.

> She acts as a carrier of scattered thread bundles in town after town, like a bull moving in a hot forest of bodies.

> Hidden only for a little rest, she slips from the hand slightly, pulled by threads from the mouth, and tired, she dissolves somewhere.

> Even though joined with action and hard, she could not do piercing work. If sharpness is not shown outside, it does not leave its own nature.

Summary of the Teachings:

The demoness shows how determination can change one's form into something unusual like a thin needle. This tells us that willpower can overcome natural limits, but the form achieved may bring suffering too.

These teachings explain how negative energies or spirits can enter human bodies and cause diseases like internal pain or cholera. They enter weak, strong, healthy or wise people alike. It shows that inner troubles can come from outside forces and affect anyone, highlighting the need for protection through good practices.

The story describes the restless and painful life of such a Being who wanders endlessly through dirty, difficult and crowded places. She carries burdens, gets tired from constant travel and finds little rest. This teaches that wrong paths lead to endless struggle and discomfort without true peace.

The verses show that such negative forces can be removed by good people using mantras, medicines and spiritual practices. However, they also stay longer in foolish hearts. It highlights the power of virtue, knowledge and rituals to overcome evil influences.

Finally, the teachings remind us that true nature does not change easily. Even when hidden or joined with actions, the inner quality remains. Sharpness or harmful tendency stays inside if not expressed properly, teaching the importance of controlling one's fundamental nature through Wisdom.