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Yoga Vashishtha 1.12.19–28
(Prince Ram's lament continues: the tragedy of material wealth)
भोगैस्तैरेव तैरेव तुच्छैर्वयममी किल ।
पश्य जर्जरतां नीता वातैरिव गिरिद्रुमाः ॥ १९ ॥
अचेतना इव जनाः पवनैः प्राणनामभिः ।
ध्वनन्तः संस्थिता व्यर्थं यथा कीचकवेणवः ॥ २० ॥
शाम्यतीदं कथं दुःखमिति तप्तोऽस्मि चिन्तया ।
जरद्द्रुम इवोग्रेण कोटरस्थेन वह्निना ॥ २१ ॥
संसारदुःखपाषाणनीरन्ध्रहृदयोऽप्यहम् ।
निजलोकभयादेव गलद्वाष्पं न रोदिमि ॥ २२ ॥
शून्या मन्मुखवृत्तीस्ताः शुष्करोदननीरसाः ।
विवेक एव हृत्संस्थो ममैकान्तेषु पश्यति ॥ २३ ॥
भृशं मुह्यामि संस्मृत्य भावाभावमयीं स्थितिम् ।
दारिद्र्येणेव सुभगो दूरे संसारचेष्टया ॥ २४ ॥
मोहयन्ति मनोवृत्तिं खण्डयन्ति गुणावलिम् ।
दुःखजालं प्रयच्छन्ति विप्रलम्भपराः श्रियः ॥ २५ ॥
चिन्तानिचयचक्राणि नानन्दाय धनानि मे ।
संप्रसूतकलत्राणि गृहाण्युग्रापदामिव ॥ २६ ॥
विविधदोषदशापरिचिन्तनैर्विततभङ्गुरकारणकल्पितैः ।
मम न निर्वृतिमेति मनो मुने निगडितस्य यथा वनदन्तिनः ॥ २७ ॥
खलाः कालेकाले निशि निशितमोहैकमिहिकागतालोके लोके विषयशतचौराः सुचतुराः ।
प्रवृत्ताः प्रोद्युक्ता दिशिदिशि विवेकैकहरणे रणे शक्तास्तेषां क इव विदुषःप्रोज्झ्य सुभटाः ॥ २८ ॥
Prince Ram continues to speak:
Verse 1.12.19
"We have indulged again and again in trivial pleasures, yet see—like mountain trees worn down by gusty winds—we have been reduced to a state of decay."
Transient Pleasures and Inescapable Decay:
The indulgence in pleasures is shown to be repetitive and ultimately meaningless. Like trees battered by wind, beings are worn down by time and the forces of nature. Pleasures do not nourish but deplete.
Verse 1.12.20
"People stand inert like unconscious beings, animated only by the breath of life, making noises in vain like reeds fashioned into flutes by the wind."
Mechanical Existence:
Human life, devoid of Self-Awareness, is likened to hollow instruments—sounding but soulless. People act out their lives under the compulsion of breath and impulse, not conscious will.
Verse 1.12.21
"I am scorched by the burning pain of sorrow, constantly pondering how to end this suffering—like an old hollow tree consumed from within by a hidden fire."
Inner Burning and Loneliness:
The inner fire of suffering consumes silently. Even in a crowd, the one who sees the futility of worldly existence feels isolated—like a burning tree with fire hidden in its core.
Verse 1.12.22
"Though my heart is like a stone—impervious and sealed—because of the deep agony of worldly suffering, still I do not cry, restrained only by fear of social perception."
Suppressed Emotions and Social Fear:
Emotional suffering is not always outwardly expressed due to fear of judgment. The heart is likened to a sealed stone, silently enduring the weight of sorrow.
Verse 1.12.23
"My facial expressions are hollow; my tears are dry and meaningless. Only discrimination (viveka), dwelling silently in my heart, observes everything in solitude."
Role of Discrimination (Viveka):
Amidst inner emptiness and dry expressions, only the power of discrimination remains active. Viveka becomes the silent witness and guide, the beginning of awakening.
Verse 1.12.24
"I am profoundly bewildered as I reflect on the transient nature of existence. Like a beggar feeling distant from prosperity, I feel alienated from worldly life."
Alienation from Worldly Activity:
Rāma sees himself like a beggar alienated from worldly engagements. There’s an acute recognition that he no longer fits into the mundane pattern of societal roles.
Verse 1.12.25
"Worldly pleasures are deceivers; they disturb the mind, shatter the harmony of virtues, and offer only networks of sorrow under the guise of delight."
The Deceptive Nature of Wealth and Pleasure:
Wealth and enjoyment are seen not as sources of joy, but as tricksters that bring anxiety and sorrow. They disturb the mind, erode virtues, and keep one bound in delusion.
Verse 1.12.26
"Wealth brings me no joy; it simply spins new cycles of worry. Houses and families—once cherished—now seem like fierce calamities."
Mental Restlessness and Lack of Peace:
The mind is trapped in cycles of thought due to the recognition of flaws in all worldly endeavors. This restlessness is like an elephant restrained against its nature.
Verse 1.12.27
"My mind finds no peace, O Sage, as it is shackled by relentless thoughts about the countless faults and impermanence of this world—like a wild elephant bound in chains."
Destructive Power of Delusion:
Delusion is personified as fog that veils wisdom, and sense objects are portrayed as thieves of discrimination. The world becomes a battlefield where the forces of ignorance are constantly active.
Verse 1.12.28
"The world is infested, night and day, by cruel delusions—like fog swallowing light. In every direction, clever thieves in the form of sense-objects strive to steal away discrimination. Who among the wise could willingly serve such cunning enemies?"
Call for Renunciation and Higher Vision:
Implicit in this despair is a spiritual turning point. Rāma’s aversion (vairāgya) matures into inquiry. The disgust for fleeting things is a prelude to seeking eternal truth.
Overall Summary of the Teachings (Verses 1.12.19–1.12.28)
These verses express a deep existential angst and vivid disillusionment with worldly life (saṁsāra). Prince Rāma, the speaker, is in the throes of a profound spiritual crisis. His observations form a poetic and penetrating critique of material pleasures and the illusory nature of worldly existence. The key teachings and insights from these verses include:
These verses exemplify a key theme of Yoga Vāsiṣṭha: the recognition of the impermanence and futility of worldly life is essential for spiritual awakening. Rāma’s voice here reflects the soul’s yearning for liberation and signals the readiness for higher teachings rooted in self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna), non-duality, and inner freedom.
