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Yoga Vashishtha 3.14.18–27
(Only Pure Consciousness exists, and I am That. When this Truth becomes unshakable, all bondage ends forever)
श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
एक एव न जीवोऽस्ति राशीनां संभवः कुतः ।
शशशृङ्गं समुड्डीय प्रयातीव हि ते वचः ॥ १८ ॥
न जीवोऽस्ति न जीवानां राशयः सन्ति राघव ।
न चैकः पर्वतप्रख्यो जीवपिण्डोऽस्ति कश्चन ॥ १९ ॥
जीवशब्दार्थकलनाः समस्तकलनान्विताः ।
नेह काश्चन सन्तीति निश्चयोऽस्तु तवाचलः ॥ २० ॥
शुद्धचिन्मात्रममलं ब्रह्मास्तीह हि सर्वगम् ।
तद्यथा सर्वशक्तित्वाद्विन्दते याः स्वयं कलाः ॥ २१ ॥
चिन्मात्रानुक्रमेणैव संप्रफुल्ललतामिव।
ननु मूर्ताममूर्ता वा तामेवाशु प्रपश्यति ॥ २२ ॥
जीवो बुद्धिः क्रियास्पन्दो मनोद्वित्वैक्यमित्यपि ।
स्वसत्तां प्रकचन्तीं तां नियोजयति वेदने ॥ २३ ॥
साऽबुद्धैव भवत्येवं भवेद्ब्रह्मैव बोधतः।
अबोधः प्रेक्षया याति नाशं न तु प्रबुध्यते ॥ २४ ॥
यथान्धकारो दीपेन प्रेक्ष्यमाणः प्रणश्यति ।
न चास्य ज्ञायते तत्त्वमबोधस्यैवमेव हि ॥ २५ ॥
एवं ब्रह्मैव जीवात्मा निर्विभागो निरन्तरः ।
सर्वशक्तिरनाद्यन्तो महाचित्साररूपवान् ॥ २६ ॥
सर्वानणुतया त्वस्य न क्वचिद्भेदकल्पना ।
विद्यते या हि कलना सा तदेवानुभूतितः ॥ २७ ॥
Maharishi Vashishta answered:
3.14.18
There is not even one single jiva (individual soul) that truly exists. So how can there be heaps or groups of jivas? Your words that speak of many jivas are exactly like saying a “hare’s horn” (which does not exist at all) can fly high in the sky.
3.14.19
O Raghava (Rama), no jiva really exists, and therefore no collections or crowds of jivas exist either. Nor is there any single huge mountain-like mass or lump made up of many jivas.
3.14.20
All the ideas and meanings that the word “jiva” creates in the mind, together with every other imagination connected to it – none of these truly exist anywhere. Let this Truth become completely firm and unshaken in your mind.
3.14.21
Only Pure Consciousness exists here – Spotless, Unlimited Awareness alone, the One Brahm that is present everywhere. Because this Brahm has all powers, it itself willingly takes on different forms and appearances (kalas), exactly as it wishes.
3.14.22
Just like a creeper plant slowly opens and blooms flower after flower in a beautiful sequence, Pure Consciousness, remaining Formless, instantly sees and experiences its own Self-created forms – both with shape and without shape – as itself.
3.14.23
The same Consciousness makes itself appear as the jiva (individual person), as buddhi (intellect), as the slight movement of action, as the feeling of “two-ness” (I and you). It then uses these appearances to experience the world of objects.
3.14.24
When it remains unaware of its own True Nature, it becomes the ignorant jiva. When it awakens and knows itself, it is Brahm alone. Ignorance disappears simply by being looked at carefully; it does not need to be awakened – it simply vanishes.
3.14.25
Just as darkness completely disappears the moment a lamp is brought and seen, and no one can later find any Real substance of that darkness, in exactly the same way the Ignorance called “I am a separate jiva” has no Real substance – it vanishes when True Knowledge shines.
3.14.26
Therefore the jiva and the Supreme Self (Atman) are nothing but Brahm alone – without any parts, unbroken, full of all powers, with no beginning or end, and whose Real Form is the great ocean of Pure Consciousness.
3.14.27
Because Brahm is smaller than the smallest atom and all-pervading, no real difference or division can ever be imagined in it. Whatever seeming division appears, that very appearance is nothing but Brahm itself when truly experienced.
Summary of the Teachings:
These verses present the highest non-dual teaching (advaita) of Vedanta: there is no real individual soul (jiva) separate from Brahm. The idea of many jivas, or even one huge collection of jivas, is completely imaginary, like believing a rabbit can grow a horn and fly. The moment we deeply examine the concept of “jiva,” we see that it has no Real existence at all. Only one thing truly exists – Pure, Limitless Consciousness (Brahm).
Brahm is Spotless Awareness that contains all powers. Out of its own free will and infinite creativity, it projects countless appearances – forms, minds, bodies, worlds – exactly like a dream arises in the mind of a sleeper. These appearances seem Real while we are under Ignorance, but they are never separate from Brahm itself. Even the sense of being a limited person (jiva), having an intellect, performing actions, or seeing “me” and “others” – all of this is only Brahm playing within itself.
Ignorance (avidya or ajnana) is the false belief “I am a separate jiva.” This Ignorance has no real substance; it is exactly like darkness, which seems to exist until light comes. The moment true knowledge dawns – the clear seeing that “I am Brahm alone” – ignorance instantly disappears without leaving a trace. No separate effort is needed to destroy Ignorance; simply looking at it with the light of Awareness is enough.
Therefore the jiva is not something that needs to be transformed or improved to become Brahm. The jiva was always Brahm alone. There never was any real division, limitation, beginning, or end. Brahm is part-less, endless, and all-pervading. Whatever differences appear are only temporary imaginations superimposed on the One Reality.
The final teaching is Realization through direct recognition: any sense of separation or individuality that seems to exist is nothing but Brahm itself when truly known. Rest firmly in this understanding – “Only Pure Consciousness exists, and I am That.” When this Truth becomes unshakable, all bondage ends forever, and one abides as the infinite, peaceful, ever-free Self.
