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Yoga Vashishtha 2.10.24–36
(The origin of Existence, the fall into Ignorance)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
इति संचिन्त्य भगवान्ब्रह्मा कमलसंस्थितः ।
मनसा परिसंकल्प्य मामुत्पादितवानिमम् ॥ २४ ॥
कुतोऽप्युत्पन्न एवाशु ततोऽहं समुपस्थितः ।
पितुस्तस्य पुनः शीघ्रमूर्मिरूर्मेरिवानघ ॥ २५ ॥
कमण्डलुधरो नाथः सकमण्डलुना मया ।
साक्षमालः साक्षमालं स प्रणम्याभिवादितः ॥ २६ ॥
एहि पुत्रेति मामुक्त्वा स स्वाब्जस्योत्तरे दले ।
शुक्लाश्च इव शीतांशु योजयामास पाणिना ॥ २७ ॥
मृगकृत्तिपरीधानो मृगकृत्तिनिजाम्बरम्।
मामुवाच पिता ब्रह्मा सुहंसः सारसं यथा ॥ २८ ॥
मुहूर्तमात्रं ते पुत्र चेतो वानरचञ्चलम्।
अज्ञानमभ्यास्रशतु शशः शशधरं यथा ॥ २९ ॥
इति तेनाशु शप्तः सन्विचारसमनन्तरम्।
अहं विस्मृतवान्सर्वे स्वरूपममलं किल ॥ ३० ॥
अथाहं दीनता यातः स्थितोऽसंबुद्धया धिया ।
दुःखशोकाभिसंतप्तो जातो जन इवाधनः ॥ ३१ ॥
कष्टं संसारनामायं दोषः कथमिहागतः ।
इति चिन्तितवानन्तस्तूष्णीमेव व्यवस्थितः ॥ ३२ ॥
अथाभ्यधात्स मां तातः पुत्र किं दुःखवानसि ।
दुःखोपघातं मां पृच्छ सुखी नित्यं भविष्यसि ॥ ३३ ॥
ततः पृष्टः स भगवान्मया सकललोककृत् ।
हेमपद्मदलस्थेन संसारव्याधिभेषजम् ॥ ३४ ॥
कथं नाथ महादुःखमयः संसार आगतः ।
कथं च क्षीयते जन्तोरिति पृष्टेन तेन मे ॥ ३५ ॥
तज्ज्ञानं सुबहु प्रोक्तं यज्ज्ञात्वा पावनं परम् ।
अहं पितुरभिप्रायः किलाधिक इव स्थितः ॥ ३६ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta said:
2.10.24: Thus reflecting, Lord Brahma, seated on the lotus, mentally conceived and created me.
2.10.25: Arising instantly from somewhere, I appeared before him, like a wave rising from a wave, pure and sinless.
2.10.26: Holding a water pot, I, also with a water pot, and bearing a rosary, saluted and bowed to him who held a rosary.
2.10.27: Saying, “Come, my son,” he placed me on the northern petal of his lotus, like the cool-rayed moon on a white cloud, with his hand.
2.10.28: Clad in deerskin, Brahma, my father, spoke to me, who was also dressed in deerskin, as a swan speaks to another swan.
2.10.29: “Your mind, O son, is restless like a monkey for just a moment. Due to ignorance, it has fallen like a rabbit into the moon.”
2.10.30: Cursed thus by him, immediately after reflection, I forgot my pure, pristine nature entirely.
2.10.31: Then, fallen into misery, I stood with an unawakened intellect, afflicted by sorrow and grief, like a poor person born in distress.
2.10.32: “Alas, how has this flaw called samsara come here?” Thinking thus inwardly, I remained silent and still.
2.10.33: Then my father spoke to me, “Son, why are you sorrowful? Ask me about the remedy for sorrow, and you will always be happy.”
2.10.34: Questioned by me, the creator of all worlds, seated on the golden lotus petal, I asked for the cure to the disease of samsara.
2.10.35: “Lord, how has this greatly sorrowful samsara arisen, and how can it be eradicated for a being?” Thus asked, he replied to me.
2.10.36: He imparted abundant Knowledge, Pure and Supreme, through which I understood his intent and felt as if I surpassed him.
Summary of Teachings:
The verses from Yoga Vasishta 2.10.24–2.10.36 narrate a dialogue between Brahma, the creator, and his son, Vasishta, illustrating the origin of Existence, the fall into Ignorance, and the path to liberation. The passage begins with Brahma’s act of creation, where he mentally conceives Vasishta, who appears instantly as a Pure Being, symbolizing the effortless manifestation of Consciousness. This creation reflects the Vedantic idea that the Universe and Beings arise from the Divine mind, emphasizing the interconnectedness of creator and creation, likened to waves emerging from the ocean. The imagery of Brahma on a lotus and Vasishta’s immediate appearance underscores the instantaneous and spontaneous nature of Divine will in manifesting Existence.
The interaction between Brahma and Vasishta, marked by reverence and symbolic gestures like holding water pots and rosaries, signifies a relationship of guidance and spiritual lineage. Brahma places Vasishta on the northern petal of his lotus, an act symbolizing initiation into Wisdom, with the northern direction often associated with knowledge in Indian cosmology. However, Brahma’s observation about Vasishta’s restless mind, comparing it to a monkey and likening its fall to a rabbit in the moon, introduces the theme of Ignorance. This metaphor highlights how the mind, when swayed by fleeting distractions, loses its inherent purity, leading to a state of delusion. The subsequent curse represents the inevitable entanglement of Consciousness in Ignorance when it identifies with the transient world.
Vasishta’s descent into misery and sorrow reflects the human condition within samsara, the cycle of birth and death driven by Ignorance. His unawakened intellect and distress mirror the plight of beings trapped in worldly suffering, unaware of their True na6ture. His introspective questioning—“How has this flaw called samsara come here?”—marks the beginning of self-inquiry, a central practice in Advaita Vedanta. This moment of reflection signifies the potential for liberation, as it prompts Vasishta to seek answers, demonstrating that suffering can be a catalyst for Spiritual Awakening when one turns inward.
Brahma’s response to Vasishta’s sorrow, encouraging him to ask about the remedy for suffering, underscores the role of a Guru in guiding the disciple toward liberation. By questioning Brahma, Vasishta seeks the “cure” for samsara, revealing that the path to freedom lies in Knowledge. Brahma’s imparting of “abundant Knowledge, Pure and Supreme” signifies the transmission of non-dual Wisdom, which dissolves the illusion of samsara by revealing the Self’s unity with the Ultimate Reality. Vasishta’s feeling of surpassing Brahma suggests the Realization that the disciple, upon attaining Knowledge, recognizes no distinction between Self and the Divine, embodying the Advaitic principle of Oneness.
Overall, these verses encapsulate the journey from Creation to Ignorance and back to liberation through Self-Inquiry and Divine guidance. They teach that samsara arises from the mind’s ignorance of its True Nature, but through introspection and the Guru’s Wisdom, one can attain Supreme Knowledge, transcending suffering. The narrative emphasizes the transformative power of Self-Realization, where the individual Self merges with the Universal Consciousness, Realizing its Eternal, Blissful Essence. This teaching aligns with the core of Yoga Vasishta, which advocates for liberation through understanding the illusory nature of the world and recognizing the Self as Brahm.
