Posts
Yoga Vashishtha 3.1.10–15
(The dual Nature of Brahm)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
यदिदं दृश्यते सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजंगमम् ।
तत्सुषुप्ताविव स्वप्नः कल्पान्ते प्रविनश्यति ॥ १० ॥
ततः स्तिमितगम्भीरं न तेजो न तमस्ततम् ।
अनाख्यमनभिव्यक्तं सत्किंचिदवशिष्यते ॥ ११ ॥
ऋतमात्मा परं ब्रह्म सत्यमित्यादिका बुधैः ।
कल्पिता व्यवहारार्थं तस्य संज्ञा महात्मनः ॥ १२ ॥
स तथाभूत एवात्मा स्वयमन्य इवोल्लसन् ।
जीवतामुपयातीव भाविनाम्ना कदर्थिताम् ॥ १३ ॥
ततः स जीवशब्दार्थकलनाकुलतां गतः ।
मनो भवति भूतात्मा मननान्मन्थरीभवन् ॥ १४ ॥
मनः संपद्यते तेन महतः परमात्मनः ।
सुस्थिरादस्थिराकारस्तरङ्ग इव वारिधेः ॥ १५ ॥
Sage Vasishta said:
3.1.10: All that is seen in this manifested world, encompassing both the stationary and the moving, is like a dream experienced during deep sleep. At the end of a cosmic cycle, it entirely dissolves and perishes.
3.1.11: Thereafter, what remains is a State of profound Stillness and depth, neither radiant nor dark, unnamed and unmanifested. Only a subtle, indescribable Reality persists.
3.1.12: This Reality is termed by the Wise as the Ultimate Truth, the Supreme Self, or Brahm, known as the Eternal Truth and similar designations. These names are conceived for the sake of practical understanding and to facilitate worldly interactions for that Great Being.
3.1.13: That Supreme Self, though inherently unchanging and singular, appears to manifest as if it were manifold. It seems to assume the form of individual souls, taking on the name of the jiva (individual self), as though subjected to suffering and limitation.
3.1.14: From this State, the concept of the jiva, entangled in the web of its own ideation and imagination, arises. This jiva transforms into the mind, becoming the essence of beings, and through constant mentation, it takes on the nature of agitation and restlessness.
3.1.15: Thus, the mind emerges from that Great Supreme Self, transitioning from a State of perfect stability to one of instability and fluctuation, much like a wave arises from the steady depths of the ocean.
Summary of the Teachings:
The first verse (3.1.10) introduces a fundamental teaching of the Yoga Vasishta by likening the entire perceptible Universe —comprising both animate and inanimate entities—to a fleeting dream experienced in deep sleep. This comparison underscores the non-permanent nature of the world, suggesting that its apparent Reality is illusory and transient. The verse emphasizes that at the culmination of a cosmic cycle (kalpa), the Universe dissolves completely, much like a dream vanishes upon waking. This sets the stage for the Advaita Vedanta perspective that the material world lacks inherent, lasting reality and is ultimately subject to dissolution, pointing to a deeper truth beyond the visible.
In the second verse (3.1.11), the text describes what remains after the dissolution of the Universe: a state of profound Stillness that transcends dualities such as light and darkness. This State is unmanifested, nameless, and indescribable, yet it is the subtle Essence of Existence itself. The teaching here highlights the existence of a fundamental Reality that persists beyond the transient world. This Reality is not bound by the characteristics of the manifested Universe, suggesting a Pure, Unchanging substratum that underlies all phenomena. The verse invites contemplation of this Formless Essence, which is beyond ordinary perception and conceptualization.
The third verse (3.1.12) elaborates on this Ultimate Reality, which the Wise refer to as the Supreme Self or Brahm, the Eternal Truth. These names, however, are merely conceptual tools created by Sages to facilitate understanding and communication in the realm of practical existence. The verse emphasizes that such designations are not the Reality itself but are employed for the sake of worldly discourse. This teaching underscores the non-dual nature of Brahm, which transcends all labels and forms, yet is pragmatically described to guide spiritual seekers toward Realizing its True Nature. It reflects the Advaita principle that the Ultimate Truth is beyond names and forms, yet accessible through disciplined inquiry.
The fourth and fifth verses (3.1.13 and 3.1.14) explore how this singular, unchanging Supreme Self appears to manifest as individual souls (jivas) through a process of apparent differentiation. Despite its immutable nature, the Self seems to take on the form of countless jivas, which become entangled in the illusion of individuality and suffering. This illusion gives rise to the mind, which is characterized by restlessness and constant mentation. The teachings here illustrate the process by which the one Reality appears as many due to ignorance or misperception, akin to mistaking a rope for a snake in dim light. The mind, born from this misidentification, becomes the source of perceived duality and agitation, distancing the jiva from its True Nature as the Supreme Self.
The final verse (3.1.15) uses the metaphor of a wave arising from the ocean to describe the mind’s emergence from the Supreme Self. The Self, inherently stable and Infinite, gives rise to the mind, which is unstable and fluctuating, much like waves on a calm sea. This imagery encapsulates the Advaita teaching that the mind and its perceptions are temporary modifications of the Eternal Self, not separate from it. The verse suggests that the apparent instability of the mind can be transcended by Realizing its Unity with the Supreme Self, encouraging spiritual practices that quiet the mind and reveal its source. Collectively, these verses guide the seeker toward understanding the illusory nature of the world and the mind, urging a return to the recognition of the non-dual, Eternal Reality that is the Self.
