Chapter 3.114, Verses 49–57

Yoga Vashishtha 3.114.49–57

(The entire visible World never truly existed, either at the beginning or now)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।

यदादावेव नास्तीदं तदद्यापि न विद्यते।

यदिदं भाति तद्ब्रह्म शान्तमेकमनिन्दितम् ॥ ४९॥

मननीयमतो नान्यत्कदा कस्य कथं कुतः।

निर्विकारमनाद्यन्तमास्यतामपयन्त्रणम् ॥ ५०॥

परं पौरुषमाश्रित्य यत्नात्परमया धिया।

भोगाशाभावनां चित्तात्समूलामलमुद्धरेत् ॥ ५१॥

यदुदेति परो मोहो जरामरणकारणम्।

आशापाशशतोल्लासिवासना तद्विजृम्भते ॥ ५२॥

मम पुत्रा मम धनमयं सोऽहमिदं मम।

इतीयमिन्द्रजालेन वासनैव विवल्गति ॥ ५३॥

शून्ये एव शरीरेऽस्मिन्विलोलो जलवातवत्।

अनन्यया वासनया त्वहंभावाहिरर्पितः ॥ ५४॥

परमार्थेन तत्त्वज्ञ ममाहमिदमित्यलम्।

नदिश्रेण्योआत्मतत्त्वादृते सत्यं न कदाचन किंचन ॥ ५५॥

खाद्रिद्यूर्वीनदिश्रेण्यो दृष्टिसृष्ट्या पुनः पुनः।

सैवान्येव विचित्रेयमविद्या परिवर्तते ॥ ५६॥

उदेत्यज्ञानमात्रेण नश्यति ज्ञानमात्रतः।

सन्मात्रे परिविच्छेद्या रज्ज्वामिव भुजंगधीः ॥ ५७॥

Sage Vashishta continued:

3.114.49–57

> What was not present at the very beginning is not present even now. What appears here is only Brahm — Peaceful, One, and free from all blame.

> Therefore nothing else is to be thought of—neither when, nor whose, nor how, nor from where. Remain free of all restraint in that which is without change, without beginning and without end.

> Taking firm hold of the highest human effort and employing the finest intelligence, one must completely uproot from the mind the feeling of desire for enjoyment, together with all its roots.

> The great delusion that arises as the cause of old age and death expands through the many bonds of hope; that expansion is nothing but latent desire (vāsanā).

> “These are my sons, this is my wealth, I am this, this is mine”—through this magical display latent desire alone keeps dancing.

> In this empty body that moves restlessly like water and wind, the sense of “I” has been imposed from outside by that same exclusive latent desire.

> O Knower of the Truth, in the Highest Reality enough of “mine,” “I” and “this.” Apart from the Reality of the Self, nothing whatsoever is ever True.

> Sky, mountains, Earth and chains of rivers are created again and again by the mere act of seeing. This same avidyā, though appearing different and wonderful, simply keeps revolving.

> It arises through mere ignorance and is destroyed through mere Knowledge. In Pure Existence itself it must be completely cut off, just as the idea of a snake is cut off when the rope is known.

Detailed summary of the teachings:

These verses teach that the entire visible world never truly existed, either at the beginning or now. Whatever appears is only the One Peaceful, faultless Brahm. Because nothing other than Brahm has ever been Real, the mind has no need to inquire into time, ownership, manner or origin of anything. The only proper stance is to rest unforced and free of all mental restraint in that changeless reality which has neither beginning nor end.

The practical means given is resolute human effort guided by the clearest intelligence. One must dig out from the mind, roots and all, the feeling of longing for sense enjoyment. This longing is not a minor habit; it is the very power that produces the supreme delusion responsible for the whole cycle of birth, aging and death. Hope multiplies itself into countless binding cords, and that multiplication is nothing but latent desire (vāsanā).

Latent desire alone creates the magical show of personal ownership and identity: “my children, my wealth, I am this body, this is mine.” The body itself is empty and restless, moving like wind-driven water; the sense of “I” has been projected onto it from outside by this exclusive vāsanā. In the light of Ultimate Truth, therefore, all such notions of “mine,” “I” and “this” are to be abandoned as insufficient and false. Nothing other than the Reality of the Self has ever possessed the slightest truth.

The same avidyā, by the mere power of seeing, repeatedly projects the whole variety of sky, mountains, earth and rivers. Though it appears ever new and marvelous, it is only the same ignorance turning round and round. Because it is produced solely by ignorance, it is destroyed solely by Knowledge. Once Pure Existence is recognized, the false appearance must be cut off completely, exactly as the notion of a snake vanishes the moment the rope is clearly known.

Thus the teaching moves from the absolute non-existence of the World, through the necessity of uprooting desire, to the final recognition that ignorance alone creates and Knowledge alone dissolves the entire illusory display, leaving only the Undivided Self.