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Yoga Vashishtha 3.73.1~25
(These verses teach about the amazing power of the mind and subtle energy)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।
कर्कटीकटुवृत्तान्तं सर्वमाकर्ण्य वासवः।
नारदं परिपप्रच्छ पुनर्जातकुतूहलः ॥ १॥
शक्र उवाच।
सूचीवृत्तपिशाचत्वं तपसोपार्ज्य तत्तया।
कर्कट्या हिममर्कट्या के भुक्ता विभवा मुने ॥ २॥
श्रीनारद उवाच।
जीवसूच्याः पिशाचत्वं गतायाः शक्र पेलवम्।
आसीत्कार्ष्णायसी सूची तस्याः समवलम्बनम् ॥ ३॥
तत्समालम्बनं त्यक्त्वा व्योमवातरथस्थया।
प्राणमारुतमार्गेण तया देहप्रविष्टया ॥ ४॥
सर्वेषामान्त्रतन्त्रीणां स्नायुमेदोवसासृजाम्।
रन्ध्रेण पक्षिणेवान्तर्निलीनं मलिनात्मनाम् ॥ ५॥
यस्यां नाड्यां नभोवायुर्माति तत्तामुपेतया।
तत्र शूलं कृतं स्थूलन्यग्रोधाग्र इवोत्कटम् ॥ ६॥
तच्छरीरेन्द्रियैस्तानि तथान्यानि बहूनि च।
भुक्तानि नरमांसानि भोजनान्युचितानि च ॥ ७॥
(8~18)
अदृश्यया तया चेह मारुतोग्रतुरंगया।
अयःसूच्याऽनिलतया वहन्त्या दिक्ष्वरुद्धया ॥ १९॥
पतिं भुक्तं विलसितं दत्तं दापितमाहृतम्।
नर्तितं गीतमुषितमनन्तैः प्राणिदेहकैः ॥ २०॥
अदृश्ययाऽशरीरिण्या मनःपवनदेहया।
कृतमाकाशरूपिण्या न तदस्ति न यत्तया ॥ २१॥
मत्तया शक्तयास्वादरसाच्चलितमेतया।
कालमालानमाश्रित्य करिण्येव विवल्गितम् ॥ २२॥
कल्लोलबहुलाधूतदेहदृष्टनदीष्वलम्।
वेगैर्वेधुर्यकारिण्या मत्तया मकरायितम् ॥ २३॥
अशक्तया निगिरितुं मेदोमांसं तथा हृदि।
नूनं रुदितमर्थाढ्यवृद्धातुरधिया यथा ॥ २४॥
अजोष्ट्रमृगहस्त्यश्वसिंहव्याघ्रादिनर्तितम्।
नर्तक्येव चिरं रङ्गे वलयाङ्गदमङ्गके ॥ २५॥
Sage Vasishta said:
3.73.1
> After listening to the full story of Karkati, Indra asked Narada again, filled with fresh curiosity.
Lord Indra said:
3.73.2
> O Sage, after gaining the state of a needle demon through penance, what powers and enjoyments did that Karkati experience?
Sage Narada said:
3.73.3–7
> O Indra, the living needle that became a demon was very delicate. It used an iron needle as its support.
> Leaving that support, she moved like a chariot in the sky wind. She entered the body through the path of vital breath.
> She hid inside like a bird through holes, among the dirty intestines, nerves, fats, and blood vessels of all beings.
> In the channel where sky wind flows, she created a thick stake as huge as the top of a great banyan tree.
> With the body and senses there, she ate many human meats and other suitable foods.
3.73.8–18
> In the omitted verses 8 to 18, Narada describes how the subtle needle form of the demoness moved freely through different living beings, experiencing their inner worlds, feeding on their energies, and taking part in many hidden activities inside bodies and minds while remaining mostly unseen.
3.73.19–25
> Invisible and moving like a strong wind horse, as an iron needle in air form, she flowed without obstruction in all directions.
> She ate, played, gave, caused to give, took away, danced, sang, and lived with countless living bodies.
> Invisible and without a physical body, with a body made of mind and wind, in sky-like form, there was nothing that she did not do.
> Intoxicated with power and moved by the taste of pleasures, she wandered following the garland of time, like a female elephant in heat.
> In rivers full of waves that shook the body and sight, with piercing speeds, intoxicated, she behaved like a crocodile.
> Unable to swallow the fat and flesh in the heart, she surely cried like a rich old sick person with weak mind.
> She danced for a long time like a dancer on the stage with bracelets and armlets in the bodies of goats, camels, deer, elephants, horses, lions, tigers, and others.
Summary of the Teachings:
Through hard penance, the demoness Karkati changed her form into a tiny needle. This shows that with strong focus and spiritual practice, one can make the gross body very subtle and enter different worlds. The story reminds us that our true self is not limited to the physical body but can become light and free like wind.
The verses explain how Consciousness can travel inside other bodies and experience their inner parts. The needle form entering through breath and hiding in nerves and blood shows the subtle way life force moves. It teaches that the mind can explore hidden aspects of life and that everything is connected through vital energy. This helps us understand the illusion of separation between beings.
Karkati's actions of eating, dancing, singing, and living in many forms highlight the mind's play in the world of senses. Even in subtle form, she enjoyed pleasures and faced difficulties like crying in the heart. This teaches that desires and experiences continue in different states, but they are all temporary plays of Consciousness. True wisdom comes from seeing beyond these changing forms.
The story shows the freedom and limitations of subtle existence. She could go anywhere without obstruction but still felt pain and hunger. This points to the teaching that without Realizing the Higher Self, even subtle powers bring suffering. Yoga Vasistha uses this to guide seekers toward detachment and knowledge of the infinite awareness.
Finally, these verses illustrate the non-dual nature of Reality. The demoness as mind-wind in sky form did everything, yet nothing existed apart from her. It teaches that all experiences are creations of Consciousness. By understanding this, one rises above birth, death, and limited identities to rest in Pure Awareness.
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