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Yoga Vashishtha 3.2.9–17
(Dialogue between Death and Yama, the Lord of Death, exploring the metaphysical nature of life, death, and the role of karma.)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
अथागत्य यमं मृत्युरपृच्छत्संशयच्छिदम्।
किमित्यहं न शक्नोमि भोक्तुमाकाशजं विभो ॥ ९ ॥
यम उवाच ।
मृत्यो न किंचिच्छक्तस्त्वमेको मारयितुं बलात् ।
मारणीयस्य कर्माणि तत्कर्तृणीति नेतरत् ॥ १० ॥
तस्मादेतस्य विप्रस्य मारणीयस्य यत्नतः।
कर्माण्यन्विष्य तेषां त्वं साहाय्येनैनमत्स्यसि ॥ ११ ॥
ततः स मृत्युर्बभ्राम तत्कर्मान्वेषणादृतः ।
मण्डलानि दिगन्तांश्च सरांसि सरितो दिशः ॥ १२ ॥
वनजङ्गलजालानि शैलानब्धितटानि च।
द्वीपान्तराण्यरण्यानि नगराणि पुराणि च ॥ १३ ॥
ग्रामाण्यखिलराष्ट्राणि देशान्तर्गहनानि च ।
एवं भूमण्डलं भ्रान्त्वा न कुतश्चित्स कानिचित् ॥ १४ ॥
तान्याकाशजकर्माणि लब्धवान्मृत्युरुद्यतः ।
वन्ध्यापुत्रमिव प्राज्ञः संकल्पाद्रिमिवापरः ॥ १५ ॥
समपृच्छदथागत्य यमं सर्वार्थकोविदम् ।
परायणं हि प्रभवः संदेहेष्वनुजीविनाम् ॥ १६ ॥
मृत्युरुवाच ।
आकाशजस्य कर्माणि क्व स्थितानि वद प्रभो ।
धर्मराजोऽथ संचिन्त्य सुचिरं प्रोक्तवानिदम् ॥ १७ ॥
Sage Vasishta said:
3.2.9: Then, Death approached Yama, the dispeller of doubts, and asked, "O Lord, why am I unable to consume (take the life of) this being born of space?"
Yama replied:
3.2.10: O Death, you alone are not capable of forcibly taking the life of any Being. The actions (karma) of the one to be killed determine the doer (the one who can cause death), not otherwise.
3.2.11: Therefore, diligently seek out the actions (karma) of this Sage who is to be killed, and with the aid of those actions, you will be able to overpower him.
3.2.12: Thereupon, Death roamed about, intent on searching for the Sage’s actions, traversing regions, directions, lakes, rivers, and all quarters.
3.2.13: He wandered through forests, jungles, mountains, ocean shores, islands, wildernesses, cities, and towns.
3.2.14: He roamed the entire earth, including villages, kingdoms, and hidden regions within countries, but nowhere could he find any trace of those actions.
3.2.15: Death, despite his efforts, could not find the actions of the Sage born of space, just as a wise person cannot find the son of a barren woman or another cannot find a mountain of imagination.
3.2.16: Then, returning, Death asked Yama, who is all-Knowing in matters of Truth, for he is the ultimate refuge for those seeking resolution of doubts.
Death asked Yama:
3.2.17: "Tell me my lord, where the acts of the Air-born Brahman are to be found;" to which Yama after a long head-work, replied as follows.
Summary of the Teachings:
The verses from Yoga Vasishta 3.2.9 to 3.2.17 present a profound dialogue between Death (Mrityu) and Yama, the lord of death, exploring the metaphysical nature of life, death, and the role of karma. This passage is set within the broader narrative of the Yoga Vasishta, a philosophical text that emphasizes the illusory nature of the world and the supremacy of Consciousness. Here, Death is perplexed by his inability to take the life of a Sage described as “born of space” (ākāśaja), indicating a Being of Pure Consciousness, free from the bindings of ordinary existence. Death’s question to Yama reflects a deeper inquiry into why certain beings seem beyond his grasp, setting the stage for a teaching on the interplay between karma, individual agency, and Realization.
Yama’s response in verses 3.2.10 and 3.2.11 introduces a key philosophical principle: Death is not an independent force but operates within the framework of karma. No being can be killed unless their accumulated actions (karma) permit it. This underscores the deterministic role of karma in governing life and death, suggesting that even a Cosmic force like Death is subordinate to the law of cause and effect. Yama instructs Death to search for the Sage’s karma, implying that only through the presence of actionable karma can Death fulfill his role. This teaching challenges the notion of death as an arbitrary or autonomous power and instead positions it as an executor of cosmic justice, bound by the individual’s past actions.
In verses 3.2.12 to 3.2.14, Death’s futile search across the earth—covering regions, forests, mountains, oceans, and human settlements—highlights the exceptional nature of the Sage. The Sage, described as “born of space,” is likely a Realized Being or one who has transcended the cycle of karma. The absence of traceable karma signifies that the Sage has no residual actions binding him to the material world, rendering him immune to Death’s influence. This search serves as a metaphor for the futility of seeking worldly causes for a Being who has Realized the Ultimate Truth, emphasizing the yogic ideal of Realization through the dissolution of ego and karma.
Verse 3.2.15 deepens this teaching by comparing Death’s failure to find the Sage’s karma to the impossibility of finding “the son of a barren woman” or an “imaginary mountain.” These metaphors illustrate the non-existence of karma in a Realized Being, as their actions are not rooted in attachment or desire but in Pure Consciousness. The Sage’s State of Being “born of space” suggests a formless, boundless existence, akin to the Ultimate Reality (Brahm) in Vedantic philosophy. This verse reinforces the idea that Realization is the transcendence of all dualities, including life and death, achieved through the Knowledge that the Self is not bound by material or temporal constraints.
Finally, verses 3.2.16–17 show Death returning to Yama, acknowledging him as the Ultimate authority on Truth and the resolver of doubts. This act of seeking guidance underscores the importance of Wisdom and surrender to Higher Knowledge in resolving existential questions. The passage collectively teaches that Freedom is attained by transcending karma through Self-Realization, rendering one immune to the cycles of birth and death. It invites reflection on the Nature of Existence, urging the seeker to move beyond the material world and recognize the Self as Pure Consciousness, free from the grasp of Death and the illusions of samsara.
