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Yoga Vashishtha 3.102.11–20
(The True Self is completely free from all suffering and change that affect the body)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।
अनार्तोऽप्यार्तिमान्भाति च्छिन्नेऽङ्गे किंच ताम्यति।
भेदाभेदविकारार्तिः काचिन्नात्मनि विद्यते ॥ ११॥
देहे नष्टे क्षते क्षीणे कात्मनः क्षतिरागता।
भस्त्रायां परिदग्धायां भस्त्रापूरो न नश्यति ॥ १२॥
देहः पततु वोदेतु का नः क्षतिरुपस्थिता।
को नष्टः प्रक्षते पुष्पे आमोदो व्योमसंश्रयः ॥ १३॥
आपतन्तु वपुःपद्मे सुखदुःखहिमश्रियः।
आकाशोडुयनालीनां का नः क्षतिरुपस्थिता ॥ १४॥
देहः पततु वोदेतु यातु वा गगनान्तरम्।
तद्विलक्षणरूपस्य कासौ भवति मे क्षतिः ॥ १५॥
यथा पयोदमरुतोर्यथा षट्पदपद्मयोः।
तथा राघव संबन्धस्त्वच्छरीरत्वदात्मनोः ॥ १६॥
मनो राम शरीरं हि जगतः सकलस्य च।
आद्या शक्तिश्चिदध्यात्मा न नश्यति कदाचन ॥ १७॥
योऽसावात्मा महाप्राज्ञ न नश्यति न गच्छति।
न नश्यति कदाचिच्च किं मुधा परितप्यसे ॥ १८॥
विशीर्णेऽभ्रे यथा वातः शुष्केऽब्जे षट्पदो यथा।
यात्यनन्तपदं व्योम तथात्मा देहसंक्षये ॥ १९॥
संसारेऽस्मिन्विहरतो मनोऽपि हि न नश्यति।
ज्ञानाग्निना विना जन्तोरात्मनाशे तु का कथा ॥ २०॥
Sage Vashishta continued:
3.102.11–20
> Even when a limb is cut off and seems distressed, the one who is not really suffering appears to be in pain. Yet no pain from difference, non-difference, or change exists in the Self at all.
> When the body is destroyed, wounded, or wasted, what harm comes to the Self? When a bellows is completely burned, the air inside it does not perish.
> Let the body fall or rise—what harm comes to us? When a flower is destroyed, who is lost? Not the fragrance that rests in the open space.
> Let the frost-like glories of pleasure and pain fall upon the lotus-like body. What harm reaches us who move freely in the sky like birds?
> Let the body fall, rise, or go into the open sky. What harm can that cause to me, whose true nature is completely different from it?
> O Rama, the connection between your body and your Self is like that between a cloud and the wind, or between a bee and a lotus.
> O Rama, the mind is the body of the whole world. The primal power of Consciousness, the Inner Self, never perishes at any time.
> O greatly wise one, that Self neither perishes nor goes away. It never is destroyed. Why then do you grieve in vain?
> Just as the wind goes free when the cloud disperses, or the bee flies to endless space when the lotus dries up, so the Self goes to its Infinite State when the body ends.
> Even the mind of one who wanders in this World does not perish. Without the fire of Knowledge, how can there be any talk of the destruction of the Self for a living Being?
Detailed Summary of the Teachings:
These verses teach that the True Self is completely free from all suffering and change that affect the body. Even when a body part is injured or the body itself is damaged, the Self remains untouched. Any appearance of pain is only an illusion; nothing of difference, sameness, or alteration can ever disturb the Pure Self.
The body may be destroyed, wounded, or weakened, yet this brings no real loss to the Self. Just as air inside a bellows stays safe even if the bellows is burned up, the Self continues unharmed. Whether the body rises, falls, or disappears makes no difference to our Real Nature.
Pleasure and pain may settle on the body like frost on a lotus, but they cannot touch those who identify with the free, sky-like Self. The Self’s Nature is entirely different from the body, so no bodily event can cause it any harm.
The link between body and Self is loose and temporary, like the link between wind and cloud or bee and flower. The mind serves as the form of the World, yet the original power of Pure Consciousness that is the Inner Self never dies.
The Self neither is destroyed nor goes anywhere. It is Eternal. Therefore needless grief is pointless. When the body ends, the Self simply returns to its Boundless State, just as wind merges with open air or a bee flies free. Even the mind does not truly perish through ordinary life; only the fire of True Knowledge can dissolve ignorance. Without that Knowledge there is no real question of the Self ever being destroyed.
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