Chapter 1.31, Verses 19–27

Yoga Vashishtha 1.31.19–27

(Despair and disillusionment with worldly existence)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

यथा जानासि भगवंस्तथा मोहनिवृत्तये।

ब्रूहि मे साधवो येन नूनं निर्दुःखतां गताः ॥ १९ ॥

अथवा तादृशी युक्तिर्यदि ब्रह्मन्न विद्यते।

न वक्ति मम वा कश्चिद्विद्यमानामपि स्फुटम् ॥ २० ॥

स्वयं चैव न चाप्नोमि तां विश्रान्तिमनुत्तमाम् ।

तदहं त्यक्तसर्वेहो निरहंकारतां गतः ॥ २१ ॥

न भोक्ष्ये न पिबाम्यम्बु नाहं परिदधेऽम्बरम् ।

करोमि नाहं व्यापारं स्नानदानाशनादिकम् ॥ २२ ॥

न च तिष्ठामि कार्येषु संपत्स्वापद्दशासु च ।

न किंचिदपि वाञ्छामि देहत्यागादृते मुने ॥ २३ ॥

केवलं विगताशङ्को निर्ममो गतमत्सरः।

मौन एवेह तिष्ठामि लिपिकर्मस्विवार्पितः ॥ २४ ॥

अथ क्रमेण संत्यज्य प्रश्वासोच्छ्वाससंविदः ।

संनिवेशं त्यजामीममनर्थं देहनामकम् ॥ २५ ॥

नाहमस्य न मे नान्यः शाम्याम्यस्नेहदीपवत् ।

सर्वमेव परित्यज्य त्यजामीदं कलेवरम् ॥ २६ ॥

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच ।

इत्युक्तवानमलशीतकराभिरामो रामो महत्तरविचारविकासिचेताः ।

तूष्णीं बभूव पुरतो महतां घनानां केकारवं श्रमवशादिव नीलकण्ठः ॥ २७॥

Sri Rama said: 

Verse 1.31.19: "O Bhagavan, please explain to me, as you know, the means by which the virtuous have surely attained a state free from suffering, so that my delusion may be dispelled."

Verse 1.31.20: "Or, O Brahman, if such a method does not exist, or if no one clearly explains it to me even though it exists, then I am at a loss."

Verse 1.31.21: "I myself am unable to attain that Supreme tranquility. Therefore, having abandoned all desires and having become free from ego, I am in this State."

Verse 1.31.22: "I will not eat, I will not drink water, I will not wear clothes, nor will I engage in activities such as bathing, giving, or eating."

Verse 1.31.23: "I do not involve myself in tasks, whether in times of prosperity or adversity. O Sage, I desire nothing except the abandonment of this body."

Verse 1.31.24: "Free from fear, attachment, and envy, I remain here in Silence, as if dedicated to the duties of a scribe."

Verse 1.31.25: "Gradually, I will abandon the awareness of inhalation and exhalation and relinquish this meaningless thing called the body."

Verse 1.31.26: "I am not this body, nor does it belong to me, nor is there another. Like a lamp without oil, I shall subside, abandoning everything, including this body."

Sri Valmiki said:

Verse 1.31.27:  "Having spoken thus, Rama, radiant as the pure, cool rays of the moon and with a mind expanded by profound contemplation, fell silent before the assembly of great sages, like a peacock exhausted by its own cries."

Summary of the Teachings:

In these verses from the Yoga Vasishta, Sri Rama expresses a deep existential crisis, seeking liberation from delusion and suffering. He appeals to the Sage Vasishta, addressing him as Bhagavan, to reveal the path taken by the virtuous to attain a state of freedom from pain. Rama’s plea reflects a yearning for spiritual clarity and a method to transcend the confusion and dissatisfaction that plague his mind. This opening sets the stage for the teachings that follow, emphasizing the importance of guidance from a Realized Teacher to overcome ignorance and attain Peace.

Rama’s subsequent statements reveal his despair and disillusionment with worldly existence. He questions whether a clear path to Realization even exists, expressing frustration that no one has provided him with a definitive solution. This highlights a universal human experience—the struggle to find meaning and tranquility amidst life’s uncertainties. Rama’s acknowledgment that he cannot attain Supreme Tranquility on his own underscores the necessity of Wisdom and guidance, while his renunciation of ego and desires signifies the beginning of his detachment from worldly attachments.

In verses 22 to 24, Rama articulates a radical rejection of physical and social engagement. He declares his intention to abstain from basic activities like eating, drinking, or dressing, and to withdraw from all worldly responsibilities, whether in times of joy or hardship. His sole desire is to abandon the body, which he views as a source of suffering. This extreme detachment reflects a profound disillusionment with the material world and a shift toward inner contemplation. By remaining silent and free from fear, attachment, and envy, Rama embodies the qualities of a seeker striving for liberation, aligning with the yogic ideal of renouncing ego-driven actions.

The final verses (25–26) deepen Rama’s resolve to transcend the physical body and its associated limitations. He plans to let go of even the awareness of breathing, viewing the body as a meaningless construct. His assertion that he is neither the body nor its owner, and his comparison of himself to a lamp extinguishing without oil, conveys a powerful metaphor for liberation—dissolving the sense of self to merge with the Infinite. This reflects the core Advaita Vedanta principle of the Yoga Vasishta, which teaches that the identification with the body and ego is the root of suffering, and liberation lies in realizing one’s True Nature as Pure Consciousness.

The concluding verse, narrated by  the scribe Sage Valmiki, paints a vivid picture of Rama’s state after this intense discourse. His silence, likened to a peacock exhausted by its cries, symbolizes a mind that has poured out its turmoil and now rests in contemplation. The imagery of the moon’s cool rays suggests purity and clarity in Rama’s thoughts, while his profound reflection indicates a transformative inner journey. 

These verses collectively underscore the Yoga Vasishta’s central teaching: Realization is achieved through Self-Inquiry, detachment from the ego and body, and Realization of the non-dual Self, guided by the Wisdom of a Realized Teacher.

Chapter 1.31, Verses 1–9

Yoga Vashishtha 1.31.1–9

(Transient and fragile nature of human life)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

प्रोच्चवृक्षचलत्पत्रलम्बाम्बुलव भङ्गुरे ।

आयुषीशानशीतांशुकलामृदुनि देहके ॥ १ ॥

केदारविरटद्भेककण्ठत्वक्कोण भङ्गुरे।

वागुरावलये जन्तोः सुहृत्सुजनसंगमे ॥ २॥

वासनावातवलिते कदाशातडिति स्फुटे।

मोहोग्रमिहिकामेघे घनं स्फूर्जति गर्जति ॥ ३ ॥

नृत्यत्युत्ताण्डवं चण्डे लोले लोभकलापिनि ।

सुविकासिनि सास्फोटे ह्यनर्थकुटजद्रुमे ॥ ४ ॥

क्रूरे कृतान्तमार्जारे सर्वभूताखुहारिणि।

अश्रान्तस्यन्दसंचारे कुतोऽप्युपरिपातिनि ॥ ५ ॥

क उपायो गतिः का वा का चिन्ता कः समाश्रयः ।

केनेयमशुभोदर्का न भवेज्जीविताटवी ॥ ६ ॥

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा क्वचित् ।

सुधियस्तुच्छमप्येतद्यन्नयन्ति न रम्यताम् ॥ ७ ॥

अयं हि दग्धसंसारो नीरन्ध्रकलनाकुलः ।

कथं सुस्वादुतामेति नीरसो मूढतां विना ॥ ८ ॥

आशाप्रतिविपाकेन क्षीरस्नानेन रम्यताम्।

उपैति पुष्पशुभ्रेण मधुनेव वसुंधरा ॥ ९॥

Sri Rama said: 

1. "Life is as fleeting as a drop of water hanging from the trembling leaf of a tall tree, as delicate as a soft ray of moonlight in the body."

2. "It is as fragile as the throat of a frog in a dried-up field, caught in the net of associations with friends and good people."

3. "Swept away by the wind of desires, struck by the lightning of evil tendencies, it thunders and roars in the dense cloud of delusion and dense mist."

4. "It dances a fierce dance, swaying with the peacock of greed, blooming in the explosive and harmful kadamba tree of troubles."

5. "In the cruel cat of death, which preys on all beings like mice, it flows ceaselessly, falling from some unknown height."

6. "What is the means, what is the path, what is the concern, or what is the refuge? How can this inauspicious forest of life not come to be?"

7. "There is nothing on earth or in the heavens among the gods, however small, that the wise do not consider utterly insignificant and unpleasing."

8. "This burnt-up world, filled with endless troubles, how can it become sweet without the foolishness of ignorance?"

9. "Through the fulfillment of hopes and bathing in the milk of purity, the earth becomes as delightful as a flower adorned with sweet nectar."

Summary of the Teachings:

In these verses from the Yoga Vasishta, Sri Rama reflects on the transient and fragile nature of human life, using vivid metaphors to convey its impermanence and vulnerability. 

He compares life to a trembling water droplet on a leaf, a frog’s delicate throat, and a body as soft as moonlight, emphasizing its fleeting and delicate quality. These images highlight the precariousness of existence, suggesting that life is easily disrupted by external forces and internal desires. Rama’s contemplation sets the stage for a deeper inquiry into the nature of existence, urging the listener to recognize the impermanence that permeates worldly life.

The verses further explore the role of desires and delusions in perpetuating suffering. Rama describes life as being swept by the winds of desires, struck by the lightning of harmful tendencies, and clouded by delusion, which creates a tumultuous and noisy existence. The imagery of a fierce dance driven by greed and the harmful bloom of troubles underscores how attachment and ignorance entangle individuals in a cycle of pain. This teaching aligns with the broader philosophical framework of the Yoga Vasishta, which emphasizes that the mind, clouded by desires and misconceptions, is the root cause of suffering.

Rama also introduces the notion of death as an ever-present force, likening it to a cruel cat preying on all beings. This metaphor reinforces the inevitability of mortality and the relentless flow of life toward its end, originating from an unknown source. The verse suggests a sense of existential unease, as life appears to be an uncontrollable stream leading to an uncertain fate. This perspective encourages detachment from worldly attachments, as they are ultimately subject to decay and destruction, a core theme in the text’s non-dualistic philosophy.

In his existential questioning, Rama asks what means, path, or refuge can prevent life from becoming an inauspicious forest of suffering. This rhetorical inquiry reflects a search for liberation from the cycle of birth and death, pointing toward the need for wisdom and discernment. The subsequent verse reinforces this by stating that the wise see all worldly phenomena, whether on earth or in the heavens, as insignificant and devoid of lasting joy. This teaching underscores the importance of cultivating a higher understanding that transcends attachment to transient pleasures, aligning with the text’s emphasis on Self-Realization and detachment.

Finally, the verses offer a glimpse of hope, suggesting that life can become delightful through the fulfillment of pure aspirations and the cultivation of Purity, likened to bathing in milk or a flower adorned with nectar. This positive note indicates that while life is inherently fraught with challenges, spiritual clarity and alignment with truth can transform one’s experience of the world. The teachings collectively urge the seeker to move beyond ignorance and attachment, embracing Wisdom to find Realization and true contentment amidst the impermanent nature of existence.