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Yoga Vashishtha 3.5.1–8
(Supreme Self: it exists yet appears non-existent in the world)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
भगवन्मुनिशार्दूल किमिवेह मनोभ्रमे।
विद्यते कथमुत्पन्नं मनो मायामयं कुतः ॥ १ ॥
उत्पत्तिमादाविति मे समासेन वद प्रभो।
प्रवक्ष्यसि ततः शिष्टं वक्तव्यं वदतां वर ॥ २ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
महाप्रलयसंपत्तावसतां समुपागते ।
अशेषदृश्यसर्गादौ शान्तमेवावशिष्यते ॥ ३ ॥
आस्तेऽनस्तमितो भास्वानजो देवो निरामयः ।
सर्वदा सर्वकृत्सर्वः परमात्मा महेश्वरः ॥ ४ ॥
यतो वाचो निवर्तन्ते यो मुक्तैरवगम्यते ।
यस्य चात्मादिकाः संज्ञाः कल्पिता न स्वभावजाः ॥ ५ ॥
यः पुमान्सांख्यदृष्टीनां ब्रह्म वेदान्तवादिनाम् ।
विज्ञानमात्रं विज्ञानविदामेकान्तनिर्मलम् ॥ ६ ॥
यः शून्यवादिनां शून्यो भासको योऽर्कतेजसाम् ।
वक्ता मन्ता ऋतं भोक्ता द्रष्टा कर्ता सदैव सः ॥ ७ ॥
सन्नप्यसद्यो जगति यो देहस्थोऽपि दूरगः ।
चित्प्रकाशो ह्ययं यस्मादालोक इव भास्वतः ॥ ८ ॥
Sriram asked:
3.5.1: O revered Sage, greatest among munis, what is this delusion of the mind in this world? How does the mind arise, and from where does this illusory mind originate?
3.5.2: O Lord, please explain to me briefly the origin of the mind at first. Thereafter, O best of speakers, elaborate on the remaining aspects that need to be explained.
Maharishi Vashishta replied:
3.5.3: When the great dissolution (maha-pralaya) occurs and all beings are absorbed, at the beginning of the complete cessation of the visible Creation, only Absolute Tranquility remains.
3.5.4: There exists an Eternal, Unborn, Radiant, and Flawless Divine Being, the Supreme Self, the Great Lord, who is always the Creator of all, the all-encompassing Essence of everything.
3.5.5: This is the One beyond which words return unfulfilled, comprehended only by the Self-Realized. The names such as "Self" and others are merely conceptual designations, not arising from its inherent nature.
3.5.6: This is the Purusha (Cosmic Being) of the Sankhya philosophers, the Brahm of the Vedantins, and the Pure Consciousness of those who know Consciousness. It is the Ultimate, Untainted Reality.
3.5.7: This is the Void of the voidists, the illuminator of the sun’s brilliance. It is the speaker, the thinker, the Truth, the experiencer, the Seer, and the doer, ever-present.
3.5.8: Though existing, it appears non-existent in the world; though present in the body, it is far removed. It is the Light of Consciousness, shining forth like the radiant sun.
Summary of the Teachings:
In these verses, the dialogue between Rama and Sage Vasishta begins with Rama’s inquiry into the nature and origin of the mind, which he perceives as the root of delusion in the world. Rama’s question reflects a deep philosophical curiosity about the mind’s illusory nature and its role in creating the experience of Reality. This sets the stage for Vasishta’s profound response, which introduces the concept of the Ultimate Reality that transcends the mind and the phenomenal world. These verses are foundational in the Yoga Vasishta, as they address the core Advaita Vedanta principle of discerning the Real from the unreal, guiding the seeker toward Realization through understanding the nature of Consciousness.
In verses 3.5.3 and 3.5.4, Vasishta begins his response by describing the State of the great dissolution (maha-pralaya), where all manifestations of the world dissolve, leaving only Pure Tranquility. This Tranquility is not a Void of Nothingness but the presence of the Supreme Self, described as Eternal, Unborn, Radiant, and Flawless. Vasishta emphasizes that this Supreme Self, or Paramatma, is the Source of all Creation and exists beyond Time and Form. This teaching introduces the idea that the Ultimate Reality is unchanging and ever-present, unaffected by the cycles of creation and dissolution, providing a contrast to the transient nature of the mind and the world it perceives.
Verses 3.5.5 and 3.5.6 further elaborate on the Nature of this Supreme Self, portraying it as ineffable and beyond intellectual comprehension, accessible only to those who have attained Realization. Vasishta explains that the various names and concepts—such as Self, Purusha, Brahm, or Pure Consciousness are mere labels imposed by different philosophical systems (Sankhya, Vedanta, etc.) and do not capture the true essence of this Reality. This underscores the non-dual nature of existence, where all distinctions and dualities are ultimately illusory. The teaching points to the unity underlying diverse philosophical perspectives, emphasizing that the Ultimate Truth transcends all conceptual frameworks.
In verse 3.5.7, Vasishta expands on the all-encompassing Nature of this Reality, describing it as the Void for voidists, the Source of the sun’s brilliance, and the Essence of all actions and experiences (speaker, Thinker, Seer, doer). This verse highlights the omnipresence and omnipotence of Consciousness, which is both immanent and transcendent, permeating all aspects of Existence while remaining untouched by them. By presenting the Supreme Self as the substratum of all phenomena, Vasishta addresses Rama’s question about the mind’s origin indirectly, suggesting that the mind’s illusory nature arises from a misapprehension of this Singular Reality.
Finally, verse 3.5.8 encapsulates the paradoxical nature of the Supreme Self: it exists yet appears non-existent in the world, is present in the body yet infinitely distant, and shines as the Light of Consciousness like the sun. This teaching resolves Rama’s inquiry by pointing to the mind’s illusory nature as a projection of ignorance, which obscures the ever-present Reality of Consciousness. The verses collectively guide the seeker to recognize the mind’s delusions as fleeting and unreal, urging a shift in perception toward the Eternal, Radiant Consciousness that is the True Self. Through this, Vasishta lays the groundwork for understanding Realization of this non-dual Truth, setting the stage for further exploration in the Yoga Vasishta.
