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Yoga Vashishtha 3.94.1–14
(Creation and the three gunas)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।
उत्तमाधममध्यानां पदार्थानामितस्ततः।
उत्पत्तीनां विभागोऽयं श्रृणु वक्ष्यामि राघव ॥ १॥
इदं प्रथमतोत्पन्नो योऽस्मिन्नेव हि जन्मनि।
इदंप्रथमतानाम्नी शुभाभ्याससमुद्भवा ॥ २॥
शुभलोकाश्रया सा च शुभकार्यानुबन्धिनी।
सा चेद्विचित्रसंसारवासनाव्यवहारिणी ॥ ३॥
भवैः कतिपयैर्मोक्षमित्युक्ता गुणपीवरी।
तादृक्फलप्रदानैककार्याकार्यानुमानदा ॥ ४॥
तेन राम ससत्त्वेति प्रोच्यते सा कृतात्मभिः।
अथ चेच्चित्रसंसारवासना व्यवहारिणी ॥ ५॥
अत्यन्तकलुषा जन्मसहस्रैर्ज्ञानभागिनी।
तादृक्फलप्रदानैकधर्माधर्मानुमानदा ॥ ६॥
असावधमसत्त्वेति तेन साधुभिरुच्यते।
सैव संख्यातिगानन्तजन्मवृन्दादनन्तरम् ॥ ७॥
संदिग्धमोक्षा यदि तत्प्रोच्यतेऽत्यन्ततामसी।
अनद्यतनजन्मा तु जातिस्तादृशकारिणी ॥ ८॥
योत्पत्तिर्मध्यमा पुंसो राम द्वित्रिभवान्तरा ।
तादृक्कार्या तु सा लोके राजसी राजसत्तम ॥ ९॥
अविप्रकृष्टजन्मापि सोच्यते कृतबुद्धिभिः।
सा हि तन्मृतिमात्रेण मोक्षयोग्या मुमुक्षुभिः ॥ १०॥
तादृक्कार्यानुमानेन प्रोक्ता राजससात्त्विकी।
सैव चेदितरैरल्पैर्जन्मभिर्मोक्ष भागिनी ॥ ११॥
तत्तादृशी हि सा तज्ज्ञैः प्रोक्ता राजसराजसी।
सैव जन्मशतैर्मोक्षभागिनी चेच्चिरैषिणी ॥ १२॥
त्वदुक्ता तादृगारम्भा सद्भी राजसतामसी।
सैव संदिग्धमोक्षा चेत्सहस्रैरपि जन्मनाम् ॥ १३॥
तदुक्ता तादृशारम्भा राजसात्यन्ततामसी।
भुक्तजन्मसहस्रा तु योत्पत्तिर्ब्रह्मणो नृणाम् ॥ १४॥
Sage Vasishta said:
3.94.1–8
> O Raghava, listen. I shall now explain to you this classification of the origins of superior, inferior and middle things that arise here and there.
> That which arises first in this very birth is called “firstness.” It springs from the practice of good actions.
> It rests in auspicious realms and is linked with good deeds. If, however, it becomes engaged in the varied latent desires and activities of worldly life…
> …then it is said to attain liberation after only a few births and is called “rich in qualities.” It alone gives results of that kind and helps one judge right and wrong actions.
> Therefore, O Rama, the wise who have purified themselves call it “endowed with sattva.” But if it is driven by the colourful latent desires of worldly existence…
> …it becomes extremely impure and shares in Knowledge only after thousands of births. It alone bestows results of that kind and helps one judge dharma and adharma.
> Therefore the good call it “of low quality.” The same one, after countless endless births…
> …if its liberation still remains doubtful, is then called “extremely tamasic.” Such a nature is produced by deeds of a past existence.
3.94.9–14
> O Rama, best of Kings, the intermediate origin of a person that stands two or three births away from liberation is known in the world as rajasic because of its characteristic actions.
> Even one whose birth is not far removed is so named by those of cultivated understanding. Seekers of liberation regard that origin as fit for liberation simply by the death of the present body.
> By inference from its characteristic actions it is called rajasic-sattvic. If the same attains a share in liberation after only a few more births…
> …then the knowers call it rajasic-rajasic. If the same attains a share in liberation only after hundreds of births and is long in seeking it…
> …then the good call such an undertaking rajasic-tamasic. If even after thousands of births its liberation remains doubtful…
> …then that undertaking is called extremely rajasic-tamasic. It is the origin of human Beings (and even of Brahma) that has already experienced thousands of births.
Summary of the Teachings:
These verses present a graded classification of the origins or births of living Beings according to the predominance of the three gunas—sattva, rajas and tamas—and the length of time required for liberation. Vasishta explains to Rama that Beings arise in superior, middling and inferior categories depending on the latent tendencies (vasanas) carried from previous lives and the quality of actions performed. The purest origin, rooted in long practice of virtuous deeds, rests in auspicious realms, produces good results and leads to liberation after only a few births; the wise therefore call it sattvic.
When the same origin becomes entangled in the varied desires and activities of samsara, purity is lost. Liberation is then postponed for thousands of births, Knowledge is gained only slowly, and the condition is labelled low-quality or extremely tamasic if even after countless lives freedom remains uncertain. Intermediate births that require two or three more lives for liberation are termed rajasic; those a little closer to freedom may still be liberated at the end of the present body and are regarded as highly favourable by sincere seekers.
Further distinctions appear among the rajasic types. Some, whose actions combine energy with a measure of purity, reach liberation after a few additional births and are called rajasic-sattvic. Others need hundreds of births and are therefore rajasic-rajasic. When even thousands of lives leave liberation in doubt, the origin is judged rajasic-tamasic or extremely so. In every case the decisive factors are the nature of the latent impressions and the character of the deeds that shape each successive birth.
The teaching emphasises that the length of the journey to freedom is not fixed by external fate but by the quality of one’s own inner tendencies and conduct. Pure, sattvic practice shortens the path dramatically, while entanglement in worldly vasanas lengthens it indefinitely. Even the origin of human Beings, and by extension that of Brahma himself, is said to have already passed through thousands of births, underscoring the vast scale of transmigration for those still bound by impurity.
Ultimately the verses encourage discrimination: by recognising the guna that predominates in one’s present state and by cultivating auspicious actions and pure associations, a seeker can move steadily from lower to higher grades and finally attain liberation. The classification serves as both a map of the relative stages of spiritual evolution and a practical reminder that liberation is always possible, though the time required depends entirely on the purity of one’s own mind and deeds.
