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Yoga Vashishtha 1.17.47 – 52
(Craving)
श्रीराम उवाच।
अहो बत महच्चित्रं तृष्णामपि महाधियः।
दुच्छेदामपि कृन्तन्ति विवेकेनामलासिना ॥ ४७ ॥
नासिधारा न वज्रार्चिर्न तप्तायःकणार्चिषः ।
तथा तीक्ष्णा यथा ब्रह्मंस्तृष्णेयं हृदि संस्थिता ॥ ४८ ॥
उज्ज्वलाऽसिततीक्ष्णाग्रा स्नेहदीर्घदशा परा ।
प्रकाशा दाहदुःस्पर्शा तृष्णा दीपशिखा इव ॥ ४९ ॥
अपि मेरुसमं प्राज्ञमपि शूरमपि स्थिरम्।
तृणीकरोति तृष्णैका निमेषेण नरोत्तमम् ॥ ५० ॥
संस्तीर्णगहना भीमा घनजालरजोमयी ।
सान्धकारोग्रनीहारा तृष्णा विन्ध्यमहातटी ॥ ५१ ॥
एकैव सर्वभुवनान्तरलब्धलक्ष्या दुर्लक्ष्यतामुपगतैव वपुःस्थितैव ।
तृष्णा स्थिता जगति चञ्चलवीचिमाले क्षीरोदकाम्बुतरले मधुरेव शक्तिः ॥ ५२॥
Sriram said:
47. "O Sage, how astonishing and strange it is that even those of great intellect are able to cut through the seemingly uncuttable craving (tṛṣṇā) using the sword of discrimination, shining with purity."
48. "Neither the sharp edge of a sword nor the blazing heat of a lightning bolt or molten metal is as piercing and fierce as this craving when it takes root in the heart, O Brahman."
49. "It is radiant, dark, sharp-pointed, and stretches long with the adhesive of attachment. It appears luminous but burns and torments on contact—craving is like the flame of a lamp."
50. "Even the wisest, the bravest, and the most resolute man—one as great as Mount Meru—is in an instant reduced to straw by the force of this single craving."
51. "Craving is a vast, terrifying terrain—dense with darkness, dust, and thick clouds. It is like the fearsome, shadowy cliffs of the Vindhya mountains, cloaked in a web of gloomy delusion."
52. "Though it alone aims at encompassing all the worlds within, craving becomes barely perceptible to those who have subdued it. Yet, it still exists subtly in the form of bodily existence, dancing like rippling waves on the milk ocean—deceptively beautiful, yet potent."
Overall Summary of Teachings:
These verses from the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha offer a poetic yet intense examination of tṛṣṇā (craving or desire), portraying it as the root of human bondage and suffering. Even the wisest of men are subject to its delusions, and the text marvels at the rare power of viveka (discrimination) which, when applied with purity and clarity, can cut through this tenacious bondage. This reflects the central yogic teaching that Realization requires the insight that discerns the Real from the unreal.
Craving is not simply a mild desire but a formidable force, more potent than even the harshest physical weapons or elements. It infiltrates the heart and burns with a heat that causes deep internal suffering, often unnoticed until it consumes the entire being. This underscores the subtle and dangerous nature of desire—it appears seductive and attractive, but it burns upon contact, leading to discontent and perpetual dissatisfaction.
The metaphorical comparisons grow in intensity: craving is a flame—bright, sharp, long, and sticky with affection. It is deceptive, showing a facade of beauty or light but causing inner damage. These verses echo the Buddhist notion of taṇhā (thirst or craving) as the source of dukkha (suffering), illustrating how craving binds the soul to the cycle of rebirths (saṁsāra).
No one is exempt from this force—not the intellectual, the heroic, nor the steady-minded. The text uses the image of Mount Meru, the cosmic mountain symbolizing strength and stability, to show how even the mightiest fall prey to desire. This acts as both a warning and a humbling truth: spiritual progress demands relentless vigilance over one’s inner tendencies.
Finally, the depiction of craving as a dark, obscure, mountainous region filled with illusion drives home the idea that it clouds perception and obstructs clarity. Yet, in the last verse, there's a glimpse of hope: for those who have attained wisdom and subdued craving, it becomes barely visible—almost an illusion itself. Still, the text warns that its subtle form may remain embedded in bodily existence, continuing to ripple like delicate waves—charming, sweet, and perilous. The message is clear: true liberation lies in fully extinguishing even the subtlest traces of craving.
