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Yoga Vashishtha 3.113.60–67
(Sriram's expression of amazement)
श्रीराम उवाच।
सुदीनाचारधर्मिण्या नित्यं प्राकृतकान्तया।
अनारतास्तंगतया चित्रमन्धीकृतं जगत् ॥ ६०॥
अनन्तदुःखाकुलया सदैव मृतयानया।
संबोधहीनया यत्र चित्रमन्धीकृतं जगत् ॥ ६१॥
कामकोपघनाङ्गिन्या तमःप्रसरवक्रया।
अचिरेणाशरीरिण्या चित्रमन्धीकृतं जगत् ॥ ६२॥
स्वात्मान्धरूपास्पदया जडया जाड्यजीर्णया।
दुःखदीर्घप्रलापिन्या चित्रमन्धीकृतं जगत् ॥ ६३॥
पुरुषासङ्गसङ्गिन्या रागिण्या क्रिययानया।
विद्रवन्त्या विवक्षासु चित्रमन्धीकृतः पुमान् ॥ ६४॥
पुरुषस्य न या शक्ता सोढुमीक्षितुमप्यलम्।
तया स्त्रियावरणया चित्रमन्धीकृतः पुमान् ॥ ६५॥
न यस्याश्चेतनैवास्ति याप्यनष्टैव नश्यति।
तया स्त्रिया परुषया चित्रमन्धीकृतः पुमान् ॥ ६६॥
अनन्तदुष्प्रसरविलासकारिणी क्षयोदयोन्मुखसुखदुःखभागिनी।
इयं प्रभो विगलति केन वाऽसमा मनोगुहानिलयनिबद्धवासना ॥ ६७॥
Sriram continued:
3.113.60–63
> It is a wonder that the World has been blinded by this tendency which follows extremely low behaviour, remains always ordinary yet attractive, and keeps disappearing without stop.
> It is a wonder that the World has been blinded by this which is filled with endless sorrow, always moves along with death, and has no understanding at all.
> It is a wonder that the world has been blinded by this which has thick limbs of desire and anger, is twisted by the spread of darkness, and becomes without a body in a short time.
> It is a wonder that the World has been blinded by this which lives in the dark form of the self, is dull, worn out by dullness, and keeps making long complaints of suffering.
3.113.64–67
> The man has been wonderfully blinded by this woman-like force that clings to the company of people, is full of passion, moves through actions, and runs away when one tries to speak of it.
> The man has been wonderfully blinded by this covering woman who cannot even bear to be looked at by a man.
> The man has been wonderfully blinded by this harsh woman who has no awareness at all and who, though not truly destroyed, still keeps perishing.
> O Lord, this latent tendency that stays bound inside the cave of the mind, that creates endless difficult displays, and that shares in pleasure and pain while facing rise and fall — by what means does this unequal one finally dissolve?
Detailed Summary of the Teachings:
These verses continue Sriram's expression of amazement at how an empty mental tendency can completely darken the perception of the World. He describes it as something that behaves in a low and ordinary way, yet remains strangely attractive while constantly vanishing. It is filled with endless suffering, always accompanied by death, and completely lacking in true understanding.
The tendency is further shown as thick with desire and anger, twisted by darkness, and quick to lose any solid form. It dwells in the darkened sense of self, remains dull and exhausted by its own dullness, and continually complains of long-lasting pain. In this way it keeps the whole world under its blinding influence.
Rama then speaks of the same force in the image of a woman. This woman-like tendency attaches itself to human company, is driven by passion, works through actions, and flees the moment one tries to examine or speak about it. It acts as a covering that the man cannot even endure to look at directly.
Although this force has no real Consciousness and is never truly solid, it continues to perish and renew itself, keeping the individual trapped. It creates endless complicated displays and makes a person share in both pleasure and pain that continually rise and fall.
The final verse asks the essential question: how can this deeply rooted mental tendency, bound inside the cave of the mind, finally be dissolved? The teaching points toward the need for clear understanding and steady awareness that alone can loosen its grip and free the mind from its long-standing delusion.
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