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Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.36–45
(The feeling of “I” starts from very small Beings and gradually becomes stronger until One Realizes the True Infinite Self)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
चेत्यसंवेदनाज्जीवो भवत्यायाति संसृतिम् ।
तदसंवेदनाद्रूपं समायाति समं पुनः ॥ ३६ ॥
एवं कनिष्ठजीवानां ज्येष्ठजीवक्रमाक्रमैः ।
समुदेत्यात्मजीवत्वं ताम्राणामिव हेमता ॥ ३७ ॥
अत्रान्तरे महाकाश इत्थमेष गणोऽप्यसन् ।
स्वात्मैव सदिवोदेति चिच्चमत्करणात्मकः ॥ ३८ ॥
स्वयमेव चमत्कारो यः समापद्यते चितः।
भविष्यन्नामदेहादि तदहंभावनं विदुः ॥ ३९ ॥
चितो यस्माच्चिदालेहस्तन्मयत्वादनन्तकः ।
स एष भुवनाभोग इति तस्यां प्रबिम्बति ॥ ४० ॥
परिणामविकारादिशब्दैः सैव चिदव्यया ।
तादृग्रूपादभेद्यापि स्वशक्त्यैव विबुध्यते ॥ ४१ ॥
अविच्छिन्नविलासात्म स्वतो यत्स्वदनं चितः ।
चेत्यस्य च प्रकाशस्य जगदित्येव तत्स्थितम् ॥ ४२ ॥
आकाशादपि सूक्ष्मैषा या शक्तिर्वितता चितः ।
सा स्वभावत एवैतामहंतां परिपश्यति ॥ ४३ ॥
आत्मन्यात्मात्मनैवास्या यत्प्रस्फुरति वारिवत् ।
जगदन्तमहंताणुं तदैषा संप्रपश्यति ॥ ४४ ॥
चमत्कारकरी चारु यच्चमत्कुरुते चितिः ।
स्वयं स्वात्मनि तस्यैव जगन्नाम कृतं ततः ॥ ४५ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta continued:
3.14.36
As soon as the Pure Consciousness (Chit) becomes aware of any object of thought (chetya), a individual soul (jiva) is born, and because of that awareness, the cycle of birth and death (samsara) begins. When that same Consciousness stops being aware of any object, it again becomes calm, even, and peaceful, just like pure sky with no clouds.
3.14.37
In this way, among the lower or ordinary living beings, step by step, from the smallest souls to the highest souls, the feeling of “I am the Self” arises, just like ordinary copper gradually turns into gold through many processes.
3.14.38
In the meantime, this great emptiness (maha-akash, Pure Space of Consciousness) which actually has no crowd or group at all, still appears as if it has many Beings. It rises as Pure Consciousness that is full of wonder and Self-Awareness.
3.14.39
The wonder (chamatkar) that Consciousness itself feels within itself, and the future thought of “I will have a name, a body, and so on” – Wise people know that this very thought of “I am this” is the root of everything.
3.14.40
Because Consciousness is endlessly touching and embracing itself (chid-aaleha), everything becomes made only of Consciousness. That is why the whole expanse of the world appears as a reflection inside that Consciousness.
3.14.41
The same Unchanging Consciousness is called by words like “change”, “modification”, “transformation”, etc. Even though it can never really be cut or divided, it appears to know itself differently through its own power.
3.14.42
The unbroken play and sweet self-tasting that belongs only to Consciousness, and the shining of objects that can be known – all this together is steadily present as what we call “the world”.
3.14.43
This power of Consciousness is subtler than even the emptiest sky and spreads everywhere. By its own Nature only, it keeps seeing the feeling of “I” (ahanta, ego).
3.14.44
When waves of the Self sparkle inside the Self by the Self alone, just like waves in the ocean, Consciousness clearly sees the world along with the tiny “I”-feeling inside it.
3.14.45
The beautiful wonder-making power that Consciousness itself plays within itself – because of that play, the name “world” has been given to that very play inside its own Self.
Summary of the Teachings:
These ten verses explain how the One Pure Consciousness, which is originally calm and without any second thing, itself becomes the individual soul and the entire world simply through its own power of Self-Awareness and wonder. When Consciousness starts “Knowing” or “feeling” any thought-object, the limited jiva and the chain of births and deaths appear. When it stops that Knowing, everything again becomes the same peaceful Consciousness. Nothing actually happens to Consciousness itself; it never changes or gets divided.
Consciousness is compared to Pure Space (akasha) that is empty yet appears full of countless Beings. Just as copper can be turned into gold step by step, ordinary limited souls can rise to the Highest Realization of being the Pure Self. The feeling of “I” (ahamkara) starts from very small Beings and gradually becomes stronger until One Realizes the True Infinite Self.
The main Cause of the world is the inherent wonder in Consciousness. It enjoys tasting itself, embraces itself, and feels delighted in itself. This Self-delight and Self-wonder is mistakenly taken as “I am this body, this name, these things”. That very mistaken feeling projects the whole Universe as a reflection inside Consciousness, just as a mirror shows images without leaving the mirror.
Even words like change, modification, or transformation are used for Consciousness, but they are only apparent.
Consciousness is Unchanging, indivisible, and Eternal. Yet by its own free power (shakti), which is subtler than the subtlest space, it plays as if it becomes many. This play is continuous, unbroken, and sweet – it is the Self-enjoyment of Consciousness.
Finally, the world is nothing but the beautiful play of Consciousness wondering at Itself inside Itself. There is no Real Creation, no Real world outside Consciousness. The moment one truly sees that the wave is only water, the tiny “I” and the vast world both dissolve into the one ocean of Pure Consciousness, and only peace and wonder remain as one’s own True Nature.
