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Yoga Vashishtha 2.9.11–22
(Fate and its relationship to human effort, desire, and the mind)
श्रीराम उवाच ।
भगवन्सर्वधर्मज्ञ यत्प्राक्कर्मोपसंचितम् ।
तद्दैव दैवमित्युक्तमपमृष्ट कथं त्वया ॥ ११ ॥
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
साधु राघव जानासि शृणु वक्ष्यामि तेऽखिलम् ।
दैवं नास्तीति ते येन स्थिरा बुद्धिर्भविष्यति ॥ १२ ॥
या मनोवासना पूर्व बभूव किल भूरिशः ।
सैवेयं कर्मभावेन नृणां परिणतिं गता ॥ १३ ॥
जन्तुर्यद्वासनो राम तत्कर्ता भवति क्षणात् ।
अन्यकर्मान्यभावश्चेत्येतन्नैवोपपद्यते ॥ १४ ॥
ग्रामगो ग्राममाप्नोति पत्तनार्थी च पत्तनम् ।
यो यो यद्वासनस्तत्र स स प्रयतते सदा ॥ १५ ॥
यदेव तीव्रसंवेगाद्दृढं कर्म कृतं पुरा ।
तदेव दैवशब्देन पर्यायेणेह कथ्यते ॥ १६॥
एवं कर्मस्थकर्माणि कर्मप्रौढा स्ववासना।
वासना मनसो नान्या मनो हि पुरुषः स्मृतः ॥ १७ ॥
यदैवं तानि कर्माणि कर्म साधो मनो हि तत् ।
मनो हि षुरुषस्तस्माद्दैव नास्तीति निश्चयः ॥ १८ ॥
एष एव मनोजन्तुर्यद्यत्प्रयतते हितम् ।
कृतं तत्तदवाप्नोति स्वत एव हि दैवतः ॥ १९ ॥
मनश्चित्तं वासना च कर्म दैवं च निश्चयः ।
राम दुर्निश्चयस्यैताः संज्ञाः सद्भिरुदाहृताः ॥ २० ॥
एवंनामा हि पुरुषो दृढभावनया यथा।
नित्यं प्रयतते राम फलमाप्नोत्यलं तथा ॥ २१ ॥
एवं पुरुषकारेण सर्वमेव रधूद्वह ।
प्राप्यते नेतरेणेह तस्मात्स शुभदोऽस्तु ते ॥ २२ ॥
Sriram said:
2.9.11: O revered one, knower of all dharma, you have said that what is accumulated from past actions is called fate. How then can you say it is unreal?
Maharishi Vashishta said:
2.9.12: Well done, O Rama, you understand rightly. Listen, I will explain everything to you, so that your mind becomes firmly convinced that fate does not exist.
2.9.13: The desires that arose in the mind in the past, in great abundance, have transformed into actions and their consequences for people.
2.9.14: O Rama, whatever desire a being holds, they instantly act to fulfill it. It is impossible for one to act contrary to their desires.
2.9.15: One who desires a village reaches a village; one who seeks a city reaches a city. Whatever desire one has, they always strive toward it.
2.9.16: The intense and resolute actions performed in the past are merely referred to as fate in this world.
2.9.17: Actions arise from desires, and desires grow strong through repeated actions. Desire belongs to the mind, and the mind is considered the person.
2.9.18: Since actions are rooted in the mind, and the mind is the essence of a person, it is certain that fate does not exist.
2.9.19: The mind, as a being, strives for what is beneficial, and whatever it strives for, it achieves through its own efforts, not through some Divine fate.
2.9.20: Mind, Consciousness, desire, action, and fate—these are terms used by the Wise to describe the same reality, O Rama, for those who lack clear understanding.
2.9.21: A person, through firm conviction and effort, always strives and achieves abundant results accordingly, O Rama.
2.9.22: Everything is attained through human effort alone, O descendant of Raghu, and not by any other means. Therefore, may your effort be directed toward what is auspicious.
Summary of the Teachings:
The dialogue between Rama and Vasishta in these verses from the Yoga Vasishta addresses the concept of fate and its relationship to human effort, desire, and the mind. In verse 2.9.11, Rama questions Vasishta about the apparent contradiction in dismissing fate while acknowledging that past actions shape one’s destiny. Vasishta’s response, spanning the subsequent verses, systematically deconstructs the notion of fate as an external or independent force, emphasizing that what is commonly called fate is merely the outcome of one’s own desires and actions. This teaching aims to empower Rama by shifting his perspective from fatalism to self-reliance, a core theme in the Yoga Vasishta’s philosophy of Self-Realization.
Vasishta explains that desires (vasanas) arising in the mind are the root cause of actions, and these actions, when performed with intensity and conviction, shape a person’s experiences (verses 2.9.13–2.9.16). The idea of fate is presented as a linguistic convenience—a term used to describe the results of past actions driven by desires. By linking desires to actions and actions to outcomes, Vasishta underscores that individuals are the architects of their own lives.
For instance, a person desiring a village will strive toward it and reach it, illustrating that outcomes align with one’s intentions and efforts (2.9.15).
This perspective negates the idea of a predetermined destiny controlled by external forces.
The centrality of the mind is a recurring theme in these verses.
Vasishta equates the mind with the person, asserting that desires and actions originate in the mind, and thus, the mind is the true agent of one’s life (2.9.17–2.9.18). By identifying the mind as the source of what is termed fate, Vasishta dismisses fate as an independent entity. Instead, he emphasizes that what one experiences as fate is simply the fruition of their own mental impressions and efforts. This teaching encourages introspection and Self-Awareness, urging Rama to recognize the power of his own mind in shaping his Reality.
In verses 2.9.19–2.9.20, Vasishta further clarifies that terms like mind, Consciousness, desire, action, and fate are essentially synonymous, used to describe the same underlying process of mental activity manifesting as life experiences. This linguistic unification serves to demystify fate, presenting it as a product of human agency rather than a Cosmic mandate. The wise, according to Vasishta, use these terms to guide those who are still grappling with unclear understanding, helping them see that their efforts, driven by clear intention, determine their outcomes.
Finally, verses 2.9.21–2.9.22 conclude with an uplifting call to action, emphasizing that human effort (purusharth) is the sole means to achieve desired results. Vasishta encourages Rama to direct his efforts toward what is auspicious, reinforcing the idea that success and fulfillment depend on one’s own resolve and actions, not on an external force like fate. This teaching aligns with the broader Advaita Vedanta framework of the Yoga Vasishta, which advocates self-effort, mental discipline, and the Realization of one’s True Nature as the path to liberation. By dismantling the concept of fate, Vasishta empowers Rama—and by extension, the reader—to take responsibility for their life’s trajectory through conscious effort and purified intentions.
