Chapter 3.116, Verses 1–९

Yoga Vashishtha 3.116.1–9

(The strange experience of King Lavana)

श्रीराम उवाच।

राजसूयफलं प्राप्तं लवणेन किल प्रभो।

प्रमाणं किमिवात्र स्यात्कल्पनाजालशम्बरे ॥ १॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।

यदा शाम्बरिकः काले संप्राप्तो लावणीं सभाम्।

तदाहमवसं तत्र तत्प्रत्यक्षेण दृष्टवान् ॥ २॥

अहं सभ्यैस्ततस्तत्र गते शाम्बरिकर्मणि।

किमेतदिति यत्नेन पृष्टश्च लवणेन च ॥ ३॥

चिन्तयित्वा मया दृष्ट्वा तत्र तत्कथितं ततः।

श्रृणु तत्ते प्रवक्ष्यामि राम शाम्बरिकेहितम् ॥ ४॥

राजसूयस्य कर्तारो ये हि ते द्वादशाब्दिकम्।

आपद्दुःखं प्राप्नुवन्ति नानाकारव्यथामयम् ॥ ५॥

अतः शक्रेण गगनाद्दुःखाय लवणस्य सः।

प्रहितो देवदूतो हि राम शाम्बरिकाकृतिः ॥ ६॥

राजसूयक्रियाकर्तुस्तस्य दत्त्वा महापदम्।

अगच्छत्स नभोमार्गं सुरसिद्धनिषेवितम् ॥ ७ ॥

तस्मात्प्रत्यक्षमेवैतद्राम नात्र संदेहोऽस्ति ।

मनो हि विलक्षणानां क्रियाणां कर्तृ भोक्तृ च तदेव निर्घृष्य संशोध्य चित्तरत्नमिह हिमकणमिवातपेन विलीनतां विवेकेन नीत्वा परं श्रेयः प्राप्स्यसि ।

चित्तमेव सकलभूताडम्बरकारिणीमविद्यां विद्धि ।

सा विचित्रकेन्द्रजालवशादिदमुत्पादयति ।

अविद्याचित्तजीवबुद्धिशब्दानां भेदो नास्ति वृक्षतरुशब्दयोरिवेति ज्ञात्वा चित्तमेवविकल्पनं कुरु।

अभ्युदिते चित्तवैमल्यार्कबिम्बे सकलङ्कविकल्पोत्थदोषतिमिरापहरणं न तदस्ति राघव यन्न दृश्यते यन्नात्मीक्रियते यन्न परित्यज्यते यन्न म्रियते यन्नात्मीयं यन्न परकीयं सर्वं सर्वदा सर्वो भवतीति परमार्थः ॥ ८॥

भावराशिस्तथा बोधः सर्वो यात्येकपिण्डताम्।

विचित्रमृद्भाण्डगणो यथाऽपक्वो जले स्थितः ॥ ९॥

Sriram asked: 

3.116.1

> O Lord, it is said that Lavana obtained the fruit of the Rajasuya sacrifice. What proof can there be in this web of imagination and magical display?

Sage Vasistha answered:

3.116.2–9

> When the magician arrived at Lavana’s assembly at that time, I myself was present there and saw the whole thing with my own eyes.

> After the magician’s performance was over, Lavana carefully questioned me and the other members of the assembly, asking, “What was all this?”

> Having reflected and observed what had happened, I then explained it. Listen, Rama, I shall tell you about the doings of that magician.

> Those who perform the Rajasuya sacrifice undergo twelve years of misfortune and suffer many kinds of pain and distress.

> Therefore Indra sent from the sky a Divine messenger in the form of a magician in order to bring suffering upon Lavana, O Rama.

> After giving great calamity to the performer of the Rajasuya rite, the messenger departed by the aerial path that is frequented by gods and perfected Beings.

> Therefore this is a matter of direct perception, Rama; there is no doubt about it. The mind alone is the doer and enjoyer of extraordinary actions. By rubbing, purifying and refining this jewel of the mind here, dissolving it through discrimination as a snowflake melts in the heat of the sun, you will attain the highest good. Know the mind itself to be the ignorance that produces the entire show of all beings. That ignorance, by the power of its varied magical nets, brings forth this world. There is no real difference among the words “ignorance,” “mind,” “individual soul” and “intellect,” just as there is none between the words “vriksha” and “taru” for tree. Knowing this, free the mind from all imaginative constructions. When the pure sun-disk of a stainless mind rises, the darkness of defects born of stained imaginations is removed. Then, O Raghava, there remains nothing that is not seen, nothing that is not appropriated, nothing that is not abandoned, nothing that dies, nothing that is one’s own or another’s; everything at all times becomes everything—this is the Supreme Truth.

> The whole mass of thoughts and all Knowledge then merge into a single unity, just as a collection of various unbaked clay vessels, when placed in water, dissolves into one mass.

Detailed summary of the teachings:

These verses continue the dialogue between Rama and Vasistha concerning the strange experience of King Lavana. Rama asks for proof that Lavana truly received the fruit of the Rajasuya sacrifice, given that the entire episode appears to be nothing more than a magical illusion woven by the mind. Vasistha replies that he was personally present in Lavana’s court when the magician appeared and performed his display, and that he witnessed the events with his own eyes. After the performance, Lavana himself questioned Vasistha and the assembled courtiers about the meaning of what they had seen. Vasistha then explained the true nature of the occurrence.

Vasistha reveals that the performance of the Rajasuya sacrifice brings twelve years of hardship and varied suffering upon the performer. Indra therefore sent a divine messenger in the guise of a magician from the sky specifically to inflict this period of adversity upon Lavana. Once the messenger had delivered the appointed calamity, he departed along the celestial path used by gods and perfected beings. The episode is thus presented as a real event that Vasistha himself directly observed, removing any ground for doubt.

The teaching then turns inward. The mind alone is declared to be both the doer and the enjoyer of all extraordinary actions and experiences. By carefully purifying and refining this mind—dissolving its impurities through discriminative insight as a snowflake melts in sunlight—one attains the highest good. The mind itself is identified with ignorance (avidya), the power that creates the entire elaborate show of beings and worlds. Through its manifold magical networks this ignorance projects the apparent multiplicity of existence.

There is in truth no essential difference among the terms “ignorance,” “mind,” and “intellect”; they are merely different names for the same reality, just as different words may name the same tree. Recognizing this unity, one should cease all imaginative constructions of the mind. When the pure, stainless light of a clarified mind arises, the darkness of defects born from stained imagination is dispelled. In that state nothing remains that is merely seen or unseen, appropriated or rejected, mortal or immortal, one’s own or another’s; everything is realized as everything at all times. This is the Supreme Truth.

Finally, the mass of thoughts and the whole of Knowledge are said to merge into a single undifferentiated unity, just as a collection of various unbaked clay pots dissolves into one mass when placed in water. The verses thus move from an outer narrative of sacrificial consequence and divine intervention to the inner work of purifying the mind, dissolving its dualistic projections, and resting in the non-dual reality in which all distinctions disappear.

Chapter 3.115, Verses 10–17

Yoga Vashishtha 3.115.10–17

(The mind when clothed in the power of Consciousness, appears as the living individual)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।

काष्ठकुड्योपमो देहो न किंचन इहानघ।

स्वप्नालोक इवानेन चेतसा परिकल्प्यते ॥ १०॥

चेतस्तु जीवतां यातं चिच्छक्तिपरिभूषितम्।

विद्यात्संसारसंरम्भं कपिपोतकचञ्चलम् ॥ ११॥

देही हि कर्मभाग्यो हि नानाकारशरीरधृक्।

अहंकारमनोजीवनामभिः परिकल्प्यते ॥ १२॥

तस्येमान्यप्रबुद्धस्य न प्रबुद्धस्य राघव।

सुखदुःखान्यनन्तानि शरीरस्य न कानिचित् ॥ १३॥

अप्रबुद्धं मनो नानासंज्ञाकल्पितकल्पनम्।

वृत्तीरनुपतच्चित्रा विचित्राकृतितां गतम् ॥ १४॥

अप्रबुद्धं मनो यावन्निद्रितं तावदेव हि।

संभ्रमं पश्यति स्वप्ने न प्रबुद्धं कदाचन ॥ १५॥

अज्ञाननिद्राक्षुभितो जीवो यावन्न बोधितः।

तावत्पश्यति दुर्भेदं संसारारम्भविभ्रमम् ॥ १६॥

संप्रबुद्धस्य मनसस्तमः सर्वं विलीयते।

कमलस्य यथा हार्दं दिनालोकविकासिनः ॥ १७॥

Sage Vashishta continued:

3.115.10–17

> O sinless One, the body is nothing at all here, like a wall of wood. It is only imagined by this mind, just as the scenes of a dream are imagined.

> Know that the mind has become the living Being, decorated with the power of Pure Consciousness. The whole busy activity of Worldly existence is as restless and fickle as a young monkey.

> The embodied one is simply the experiencer of the results of actions and wears many different kinds of bodies. It is only imagined under the names of ego and mind.

> For the one who is not awakened, O Raghava, these endless pleasures and pains belong to the body. For the one who is awakened, there are none of them at all.

> The unawakened mind is full of imaginations created by many names and concepts. Following its various movements, it takes on countless strange and different forms.

> As long as the unawakened mind remains asleep, it keeps seeing the confusion of the dream. The awakened mind never sees any such confusion.

> As long as the individual soul, disturbed by the sleep of ignorance, has not been awakened, it continues to see the hard-to-break delusion that is the whole show of Worldly existence.

> When the mind is fully awakened, all darkness completely dissolves, just as the darkness inside a lotus dissolves when the flower opens in the light of day.

Detailed Summary of the teachings:

These verses teach that the physical body has no independent reality. It is only a mental construction, as insubstantial as a wooden wall or the objects seen in a dream. The mind itself, when it is clothed in the power of consciousness, appears as the living individual. All the restless activity of the World is nothing more than the restless play of this mind, as unpredictable as a young monkey.

What we call the ego, and the the mind  are only different names for the same imagined entity. This entity experiences the results of past actions and takes on many different bodily forms. Pleasure and pain belong only to the unawakened State. For the one who has woken up, the body and its joys and sufferings no longer exist as real experiences.

The unawakened mind is a factory of endless imaginations. It invents names, concepts and stories, and by following its own restless movements it appears in countless changing shapes. As long as this mind remains asleep in ignorance, it continues to dream the confusing drama of the world. The moment it truly wakes up, the dream and its confusion disappear.

Ignorance is described as a deep sleep that keeps the individual agitated and bound. Until that sleep is broken by True Knowledge, the mind keeps seeing the solid-seeming illusion of Worldly existence. Once the mind is completely awakened, every trace of this darkness vanishes, just as the darkness inside a closed lotus vanishes when the flower opens in the light of the sun.

The central teaching is therefore very simple: the body, the ego, pleasure, pain and the whole of Worldly life are products of an unawakened mind. When the mind wakes up to its own True Nature, all of these imagined things dissolve of themselves, leaving only clear, open Awareness.

Chapter 3.114, Verses 41–48

Yoga Vashishtha 3.114.41–48

(Ignorance is controlled not by force but by simply stopping the mind from creating imaginative thoughts about it)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच।

असंकल्पो ह्यविद्याया निग्रहः कथितो बुधैः।

यथा गगनपद्मिन्याः स भाति सुकरः स्वयम् ॥ ४१॥

भ्रमस्य जागतस्यास्य जातस्याकाशवर्णवत्।

अपुनःस्मरणं मन्ये साधो विस्मरणं वरम् ॥ ४२॥

नष्टोऽहमिति संकल्पाद्यथा दुःखेन नश्यति।

प्रबुद्धोऽस्मीतिसंकल्पाज्जनो ह्येति यथा सुखम् ॥ ४३॥

तथा संमूढसंकल्पान्मूढतामेति वै मनः।

प्रबोधोदारसंकल्पात्प्रबोधायानुधावति ॥ ४४॥

क्षणात्संस्मरणादेषा ह्यविद्योदेति शाश्वती।

यस्माद्विस्मरणादन्तः परिणश्यति नश्वरी ॥ ४५॥

भावनी सर्वभावानां सर्वभूतविमोहिनी।

भारिणी स्वात्मनो नाशे स्वात्मवृद्धौ विनाशिनी ॥ ४६॥

मनो यदनुसंधत्ते तत्सर्वेन्द्रियवृत्तयः।

क्षणात्संपादयन्त्येता राजाज्ञामिव मन्त्रिणः ॥ ४७॥

तस्मान्मनोनुसंधानं भावेषु न करोति यः।

अन्तश्चेतनयत्नेन स शान्तिमधिगच्छति ॥ ४८॥

Sage Vashishta continued:

3.114.41–48

> The wise have said that the restraint of ignorance is simply the absence of imaginative resolve. Just as restraining a lotus growing in the sky appears easy by itself.

> Of this Worldly delusion that has arisen like the colour of the sky, O good one, I consider the better path to be forgetting it completely so that it is not remembered again.

> Just as a person perishes in sorrow from the resolve “I am destroyed,” and attains happiness from the resolve “I am awakened,”

> so the mind falls into delusion through a deluded resolve, and runs toward awakening through a noble resolve of awakening.

> From a single moment of remembrance this ignorance, which seems eternal, arises; from forgetfulness within, it is destroyed as something perishable.

> Ignorance is the imaginer of all Beings and the deluder of every creature. She sustains herself by destroying the True Self and is destroyed when the True Self grows.

> Whatever the mind continuously contemplates, all the activities of the senses instantly accomplish it, just as ministers carry out the command of a King.

> Therefore, one who does not allow the mind to keep contemplating objects, through the effort of inner awareness, attains peace.

Summary of the teachings:

These verses teach that ignorance is controlled not by force but by simply stopping the mind from creating imaginative thoughts about it. Just as a lotus in the sky needs no real effort to be restrained because it does not exist, ignorance also loses power when the mind refuses to give it further attention or belief.

The world-delusion is compared to the colour of the sky—something that appears real but has no substance. The best remedy is complete forgetting. Once the mind stops recalling and reinforcing the sense of limitation, the delusion fades of its own accord.

Thought itself is shown to be powerful. A single strong resolve of “I am finished” can fill a person with sorrow, while the resolve “I am awake” brings happiness. In the same way, deluded thinking deepens bondage, and clear thinking of awakening leads the mind steadily toward freedom.

Ignorance seems permanent only because it is repeatedly remembered. A moment of attention gives it life; deliberate inner forgetfulness ends it. Ignorance feeds on the denial of the true Self and dies when the true Self is recognised and strengthened.

Finally, the mind is the master of the senses. Whatever it dwells upon, the senses immediately set out to fulfil. Therefore lasting peace comes only when a person, through conscious inner effort, stops the mind from continuously chasing objects and ideas. When that restless pursuit ends, natural Stillness arises.

Chapter 3.1, Verses 21–27

Yoga Vashishtha 3.1.21–27

(True Realization requires deep Inquiry into the Nature of Reality)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

बन्धस्य तावद्रूपं त्वं कथ्यमानमिदं श्रृणु ।

ततः स्वरूपं मोक्षस्य ज्ञास्यसीन्दुनिभानन ॥ २१ ॥

द्रष्टुर्दृश्यस्य सत्ताङ्ग बन्ध इत्यभिधीयते ।

द्रष्टा दृश्यबलाद्बद्धो दृश्याभावे विमुच्यते ॥ २२ ॥

जगत्त्वमहमित्यादिर्मिथ्यात्मा दृश्यमुच्यते ।

यावदेतत्संभवति तावन्मोक्षो न विद्यते ॥ २३ ॥

नेदं नेदमिति व्यर्थप्रलापैर्नोपशाम्यति।

संकल्पजनकैर्दृश्यव्याधिः प्रत्युत वर्धते ॥ २४ ॥

न च तर्कभरक्षोदैर्न तीर्थनियमादिभिः।

सतो दृश्यस्य जगतो यस्मादेति विचारकाः ॥ २५ ॥

जगद्दृश्यं तु यद्यस्ति न शाम्यत्येव कस्यचित् ।

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ॥ २६ ॥

अचेत्यचित्स्वरूपात्मा यत्र यत्रैव तिष्ठति ।

द्रष्टा तत्रास्य दृश्यश्रीः समुदेत्यप्यणूदरे ॥ २७ ॥

Sage Vasishta said: 

3.1.21: Listen carefully as I explain the nature of bondage. Once you understand this, O moon-faced one (Rama), you will also comprehend the True Nature of Realization.

3.1.22: Bondage is defined as the existence of the relationship between the Seer (the observer) and the seen (the observed). The Seer becomes bound due to the influence of the seen, but when the seen ceases to exist, the Seer is Realized.

3.1.23: The notion of "I," "you," or "the world" constitutes the seen, which is inherently false. As long as these false perceptions persist, Realization cannot be attained.

3.1.24: The affliction of the seen, which arises from mental constructs, is not pacified by futile arguments or meaningless prattle. On the contrary, such delusions only intensify the disease of false Perception.

3.1.25: Neither through excessive logical analysis, nor through pilgrimages, rituals, or austerities, can the Reality of the seen—the world—be resolved, for it arises from the mind’s misconceptions.

3.1.26: As long as the seen, the world, is perceived as Real, no one can find Peace. The unreal has no True Existence, and the Real never ceases to be.

3.1.27: Wherever the Self, which is of the Nature of Pure Consciousness, exists, the splendor of the seen arises, even in the subtlest form, due to the interplay of the Seer and the seen.

Summary of Teachings: 

The teachings of these verses from the Yoga Vasishta, as expounded by Sage Vasishta to Rama, focus on the nature of bondage and the path to Realization, rooted in the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. In verse 3.1.21, Vasishta begins by setting the stage for a profound explanation of bondage, promising that understanding it will lead to an understanding of Realization. The term “moon-faced one” reflects the affectionate and respectful tone used to address Rama, emphasizing his readiness to receive this Wisdom. This introductory verse establishes the framework for the subsequent discussion, highlighting the importance of discerning the root cause of suffering to attain Freedom.

In verses 3.1.22 and 3.1.23, Vasishta defines bondage as the relationship between the Seer (the individual Self, or jiva) and the seen (the objects of Perception, including the world, body, and ego). This relationship is illusory because the seen is rooted in mithya (false perception). The notion of “I,” “you,” or “the world” arises from Ignorance (avidya), which creates a false sense of separation. Bondage occurs when the Seer identifies with these false Perceptions, mistaking them for Reality. Realization, therefore, is the dissolution of this illusory relationship, achieved when the seen is recognized as unreal, freeing the Seer from its influence.

Verses 3.1.24 and 3.1.25 elaborate on the futility of superficial methods to overcome bondage. Vasishta warns that intellectual debates, logical arguments, rituals, pilgrimages, or austerities cannot eradicate the false Perception of the world. These external practices fail because they do not address the root cause—the mind’s tendency to project false constructs (sankalpa). Instead, such activities may reinforce the illusion by engaging the mind further in dualistic thinking. True Realization requires a deeper inquiry (vichara) into the Nature of Reality, which transcends ritualistic or intellectual approaches and focuses on uprooting the misconception of the seen.

Verse 3.1.26 introduces a key philosophical principle: the unreal (the seen, or the world) has no True Existence, while the Real (the Self, or Pure Consciousness) is Eternal and Unchanging. This echoes the Advaita Vedanta teaching that only Brahm, the Ultimate Reality, is Real, while the world, as a projection of the mind, lacks independent Existence. As long as one perceives the world as Real, peace remains elusive. This verse underscores the necessity of shifting perception from the transient to the Eternal, recognizing that the world’s apparent Reality is a product of Ignorance and that True Peace lies in Realizing the non-dual nature of the Self.

Finally, verse 3.1.27 emphasizes the Omnipresence of the Self as Pure Consciousness, which is the substratum of all experience. Wherever Consciousness exists, the illusion of the seen arises due to the interplay of the Seer and the seen. Even the subtlest perception of duality creates the appearance of the world. This verse points to the need for Self-Inquiry to dissolve this duality, Realizing that the Self alone exists, and the seen is merely a projection. Collectively, these verses guide the seeker toward Realization by encouraging Discernment (viveka) and Inquiry into the Nature of the Self, which is free from the illusory bondage of the seen.

Chapter 2.17, Verses 21–26

Yoga Vashishtha 2.17.21–26

(The Illusory nature and false perception of the world as Real)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

कथार्थप्रतिभासाभं व्योममुक्तावलीनिभम् ।

कटकत्वं यथा हेम्नि तरङ्गत्वं यथाम्भसि ॥ २१ ॥

यथा नभसि नीलत्वमसदेवोत्थितं सदा ।

अभित्तिरङ्गरहितमुपलब्धिमनोहरम् ॥ २२ ॥

स्वप्ने वा व्योम्नि वा चित्रमकर्तृ चिरभासुरम् ।

अवह्निरेव वह्नित्वं धत्ते चित्रानलो यथा ॥ २३ ॥

दधात्येवं जगच्छब्दरूपार्थमसदात्मकम्।

तरङ्गोत्पलमालाभं दृष्टनृत्यमिवोत्थितम् ॥ २४ ॥

चक्रचीत्कारपूर्णस्य जलराशिमिवोद्यतम्।

शीर्णपत्रं भ्रष्टनष्टं ग्रीष्मे वनमिवारसम् ॥ २५ ॥

मरणव्यग्रचित्ताभं शिलागृहगुहास्पदम् ।

अन्धकारगुहैकैकनृत्तमुन्मत्तचेष्टितम् ॥ २६ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta said:

2.17.21: The world appears like an illusion, resembling a string of pearls in the sky or a bracelet in gold or waves in water.

2.17.22: Just as the blueness of the sky is unreal yet always appears, the world is without substance or parts, captivating to perception.

2.17.23: Like a dream or a mirage in the sky, it appears vivid without a creator, as a fire-like illusion assumes the form of fire without being fire.

2.17.24: Thus, the world, with its forms and meanings, is unreal, rising like waves or a garland of lotuses, like a dance seen in a dream.

2.17.25: It is like a whirlpool filled with the sound of rushing water, like a forest in summer with fallen, withered leaves, devoid of Essence.

2.17.26: It resembles a mind agitated by the fear of death, a cave within a stone house, or a frenzied dance in the darkness of a single cave.

Summary of Teachings:

The verses from Yoga Vasishta 2.17.21 to 2.17.26, spoken by Sage Vasishta, expound on the illusory nature of the world, a central theme in Advaita Vedanta. The teachings emphasize that the world, as perceived, is not ultimately real but appears due to the mind’s projections, akin to a dream or mirage. Using vivid metaphors, Vasishta illustrates how phenomena lack inherent substance, existing only as fleeting appearances in Consciousness. The examples—pearls in the sky, a bracelet in gold, or waves in water—suggest that the world’s forms are superimposed on an underlying Reality, much like ornaments are mere modifications of their material Essence.

The verses further elaborate that the world’s apparent Reality is like the blueness of the sky, which seems Real but is ultimately false. This illusion captivates the mind, yet it lacks true existence or independent parts. The comparison to a dream or a mirage underscores the absence of a fixed cause behind the world’s appearance, emphasizing its transient, insubstantial nature. Vasishta’s teaching invites the seeker to recognize that what is perceived as the world is a play of Consciousness, not a self-existent Reality, encouraging detachment from sensory experiences.

The imagery of fire that is not fire or a dance seen in a dream reinforces the idea that the world’s vividness is deceptive. It appears dynamic and real, yet it is devoid of True Essence, much like a whirlpool’s fleeting motion or a forest stripped bare in summer. These metaphors highlight the impermanence and unreality of worldly phenomena, urging the aspirant to look beyond appearances to the Unchanging Reality. The teachings align with the non-dual perspective that the world is a superimposition on the Ultimate Truth, which is formless and Eternal.

The final verses deepen the reflection by comparing the world to a mind gripped by fear of death or a frenzied dance in a dark cave. These images evoke the confusion and agitation of a mind caught in ignorance, mistaking the unreal for the Real. The cave symbolizes the limited perspective of the ego, where delusions manifest as Reality. Vasishta’s message is a call to transcend this Ignorance by realizing the world’s illusory nature, thereby attaining Realization through discernment of the True Self, which is beyond form and change.

In essence, these verses guide the seeker toward Self-Realization by dismantling the false perception of the world as Real. They encourage a shift in understanding, from identification with transient forms to recognition of the Eternal Consciousness that underlies all appearances. By contemplating these teachings, one is led to inquire into the Nature of Reality, ultimately Realizing that the Self is distinct from the fleeting world, which is but a projection of the mind. This insight is foundational to the path of Realization in Advaita Vedanta, as taught in the Yoga Vasishta.