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Yoga Vashishtha 3.32.15–28
(The chaotic army and war represent the ego-driven world of duality—attackers and defenders, winners and losers—but in truth, there is only One Infinite Consciousness)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
मिथःसंस्थानकालोकमात्रासंदिग्धजीवितम् ।
समस्ताङ्गरुहासक्तप्रांशुवृद्धेभमानवम् ॥ १५ ॥
पूर्वप्रहारसंप्रेक्षाव्यग्रप्राणतया तया।
संशान्तकल्लोलरवं निद्रामुद्रपुरोपमम् ॥ १६ ॥
संशान्तशङ्खसंघाततूर्यनिर्ह्राददुन्दुभि ।
भूतलाकाशसंलीनसर्वपांसुपयोधरम् ॥ १७ ॥
पलायनपरैः पश्चात्त्यक्तमङ्गुलमण्डलम् ।
विसारिमकरव्यूहमत्स्यसंख्याब्धिभासुरम् ॥ १८ ॥
पताकामञ्जरीपुञ्जविजिताकाशतारकम् ।
हास्तिकोत्तम्भितकरकाननीकृतखान्तरम् ॥ १९ ॥
तरत्तरलभापूरसपक्षसकलायुधम् ।
धमद्धमितिशब्दैश्च श्वासोस्थैर्ध्मातखान्तरम् ॥ २० ॥
चक्रव्यूहकराक्रान्तदुर्वृत्तसुरभासुरम् ।
गरुडव्यूहसंरम्भविद्रवन्नागसंचयम् ॥ २१ ॥
श्येनव्यूहविभिन्नाग्रसंनिवेशोत्तमध्वनि ।
अन्योन्यास्फोटनिःशेषप्रपतद्भूरिवृन्दकम् ॥ २२ ॥
विविधव्यूहविन्यासवान्तवीरवरारवम् ।
करप्रतोलनोल्लासमत्तमुद्गरमण्डलम् ॥ २३ ॥
कृष्णायुधांशुजलदश्यामीकृतदिवाकरम् ।
अनिलाधूतपल्यूलसूत्कृताभशरध्वनि ॥ २४ ॥
अनेककल्पकल्पाग्रसवृन्दमिव संस्थितम् ।
प्रलयानिलसंक्षुब्धमेकार्णवमिवोत्थितम् ॥ २५ ॥
सद्यश्छिन्नं महामेरोः पक्षद्वयमिव स्फुरत् ।
क्षुब्धमारुतनिर्धूतमिव कज्जलपर्वतम् ॥ २६ ॥
पातालकुहरात्क्षुब्धमन्धकारमिवोत्थितम् ।
लोकालोकमिवोन्मत्तनृत्यलोललसत्तटम् ।
महानरकसंघातं भित्त्वावनिमिवोत्थितम् ॥ २७ ॥
आलोलकुन्तमुसलासिपरश्वधांशुश्यामायमानदिवसातपवारिपूरैः ।
एकार्णवं भुवनकोशमिवाचिरेण कर्तुं समुद्यतमगाधमनन्तपूरैः ॥ २८ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta continued:
3.32.15–22
> The world appears doubtful and uncertain in its existence, with life hanging by a thread, as if the entire army of tall, proud men with raised arms and weapons is ready for battle.
> With soldiers eagerly watching the initial attacks, their breath held in tension, the battlefield is like a sleeping city now silent, with waves of noise calmed down.
> The sounds of conch shells, drums, trumpets, and war drums have stopped; the entire ground and sky seem merged, with all dust and clouds settled down.
> Behind the fleeing soldiers, abandoned finger-like formations are left; the ocean-like army shines with countless fish-like formations of spreading crocodile arrays.
> Bunches of flags and banners outshine the stars in the sky; the space between is darkened by raised elephant trunks forming a forest-like canopy.
> Weapons flash like swift lightning with wings; the air inside is filled with sounds of blowing conches and heavy breathing like "dhama-dhami."
> The wicked demons and gods are crushed under wheel-like formations of hands; the Garuda military array causes snakes (enemies) to flee in panic.
> The falcon-like array breaks the front lines with supreme noise; mutual clashes cause huge crowds to fall completely.
3.32.23–28
> Various military formations roar with the best warriors' cries; raised hands swing wildly like maddened hammer circles in excitement.
> The rays from black weapons darken the sun like clouds; wind-blown flags make sharp sounds like arrows flying with cries.
> It stands like a multitude gathered at the end of many eons; disturbed by the wind of dissolution, it rises like the single ocean at Creation.
> It shines like both wings of the great Meru mountain suddenly cut off; like a black mountain shaken and blown by stormy winds.
> It rises like darkness disturbed from the caves of the underworld; like the mad dancing waves at the edge of the worlds (Lokaloka); like breaking through the earth to rise with huge crowds from great hells.
> With waving spears, clubs, swords, and axes whose shining rays darken the daylight like floods of water; it is ready in an instant to turn the entire Universe into a single boundless ocean with endless floods.
Summary of the Teachings:
These verses form part of a larger description in the Yoga Vasistha where Sage Vasishta illustrates the illusory and dream-like nature of the world to Rama. The vivid, intense portrayal of a grand battlefield full of armies, weapons, noises, and chaos serves as a metaphor for the apparent reality we experience. Just as this terrifying war scene seems solid and frightening, the entire Universe appears Real to the ignorant mind, filled with conflicts, movements, and destruction. The teaching emphasizes that what looks like a massive, independent event is actually a projection of the mind, lacking true substance.
The detailed imagery—flags outshining stars, elephants forming canopies, weapons darkening the sun, sounds filling the air—highlights how the mind creates multiplicity and grandeur out of nothing.
This over-the-top description shows the power of imagination (kalpana) to build entire worlds, armies, and battles from Pure Consciousness. The purpose is to demonstrate that the perceived world, with all its drama and violence, is as unreal as a dream battlefield that vanishes upon waking.
By comparing the scene to Cosmic events—like the ocean at dissolution, cut wings of Meru mountain, rising darkness from underworld, or the world turning into a single ocean—the verses point to the transient and cyclic nature of existence. Nothing in this spectacle has permanence; it arises, rages, and dissolves like pralaya (Cosmic dissolution). This teaches detachment: one should not get caught in the apparent solidity or terror of worldly events, as they are mere vibrations in consciousness.
The core teaching is about the non-dual Reality (Advaita). The chaotic army and war represent the ego-driven world of duality—attackers and defenders, winners and losers—but in truth, there is only One Infinite Consciousness. The battlefield is "mithya" (illusory), uncertain, and dream-like, as stated in the opening lines. Realizing this leads to liberation from fear, attachment, and suffering caused by identifying with this unreal play.
Ultimately, these verses urge inquiry into the nature of Reality. By contemplating such intense but unreal scenes, the seeker understands that the Self (Atman) remains untouched by all this turmoil. The world appears as a battlefield only to the deluded mind; to the enlightened, it is peaceful Brahm. This leads to inner calm, Freedom from worldly agitations, and abiding in the Eternal Truth beyond birth, death, and conflict.
