Chapter 9–16

Yoga Vashishtha 3.12.9–16

(Vedic Cosmology - the origin of Sound, individual ego and individual mind)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

समनन्तरमेवास्याः स्वसत्तोदेति शून्यता ।

शब्दादिगुणबीजं सा भविष्यदभिधार्थदा ॥ ९ ॥

अहंतोदेति तदनु सह वै कालसत्तया।

भविष्यदभिधार्थेन बीजं मुख्यजगत्स्थितेः ॥ १० ॥

तस्याः शक्तेः परायास्तु स्वसंवेदनमात्रकम् ।

एतज्जालमसद्रूपं सदिवोदेति विस्फुरत् ॥ ११ ॥

एवंप्रायात्मिका संविद्बीजं संकल्पशाखिनः ।

भवत्यहंकारकणस्ततः स्पन्दतया मरुत् ॥ १२ ॥

चिदहं तावती व्योमशब्दतन्मात्रभावनात् ।

स्वतो घनीभूय शनैः स्वतन्मात्रं भवत्यलम् ॥ १३ ॥

भाविनामार्थरूपं तद्बीजं शब्दौघशाखिनः ।

पदवाक्यप्रमाणाख्यं वेदवृन्दं विकासितम् ॥ १४ ॥

तस्मादुदेष्यत्यखिला जगच्छ्रीः परमात्मनः ।

शब्दौघनिर्मितार्थौघपरिणामविसारिणः ॥ १५ ॥

चिदेवंपरिवारा सा जीवशब्देन कथ्यते।

भाविशब्दार्थजालेन बीजं रूपौघशाखिनः ॥ १६ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.12.9: Afterwards there rises a Void Space into being, called Kham—vacuum, which is the seed or Source of the property of Sound, and which became expressive of meaning afterwards. (It is called akasa or sky-light from kasa to shine, as light was the first work of God).

3.12.10: Next the elements of egoism and duration are produced in the living soul. Thus individual Ego and Time were born. These two terms, are the roots of the individuality and durability of future worlds.

3.12.11: From the Supreme Power, whose Nature is mere Self-Awareness, this weblike unreal form was made to appear as if Real, vibrating and expanding.

3.12.12: Thus the ideal Self or Consciousness became the seed of the tree of desires, which were fanned and perpetuated by the pulsating breeze of egoism. 

3.12.13: The conscious "I," to that extent, through the ideation of the subtle element of Space and Sound, gradually condenses on its own and  becomes the subtle element of the individual mind.

3.12.14: That, which is the form of objects yet to be, is the seed of the tree abounding in streams of Sound. From it unfolds the multitude of Vedas, known as words, sentences, and authoritative scriptures.

3.12.15: From that arises all the splendor of the world, belonging to the Supreme Self—expanding through transformations of multitudes of meanings constructed from streams of Sound.

3.12.16: Consciousness, surrounded in this manner, is called by the term "jiva" (individual soul). Through the web of designations for sounds and meanings yet to be, it is the seed of the tree abounding in streams of forms.

Summary of the Teachings:

The verses delineate the sequential emergence of Cosmic manifestation from the subtlest level of Pure Consciousness. It begins with the instantaneous arising of emptiness (shunyata) as the self-existence (sva-satta) of the Absolute Reality asserts itself. This emptiness is not mere void but the fertile seed containing the potential for all sensory qualities, starting with Sound (shabda). It serves as the foundational matrix that assigns designations (abhidha) to future phenomena, establishing the blueprint for the entire perceptual Universe before any gross elements appear.

Immediately thereafter, the ego-sense ("I"-ness, ahanta) manifests in conjunction with the principle of Time (kala). This ego, empowered by the anticipatory designations from emptiness, becomes the chief seed for the world's stable structure. The process underscores that Time and individuality are not independent but co-emergent supports for cosmic order, transforming latent potential into the primary locus where the world-system takes root.

From the supreme vibrational power (shakti) of this emptiness—known through Self-Awareness alone—an illusory web (jala) of apparent reality bursts forth, shimmering as if substantial despite its unreal essence. Consciousness (samvid), characterized by such subtle ideation, then functions as the seed for the "tree of resolve" (samkalpa-shakhin), sprouting the ego-particle (ahamkara-kana) and initiating motion as air (marut) through inherent pulsation (spandataya). This marks the transition from static potential to dynamic expression.

The conscious "I" further densifies through meditative focus on the subtle essences of space (vyoman) and sound (shabda-tanmatra), autonomously condensing into its own elemental substrate. This condensed form, embodying future objects, seeds the expansive tree of sound streams, from which bloom the Vedas as structured words (pada), sentences (vakya), and valid knowledge (pramana). Ultimately, the full glory of the Universe—rooted in the Supreme Self—unfolds as evolving meanings derived from sound constructs.

Finally, this Consciousness, enveloped by the network of provisional sound-meaning designations, is termed the jiva or individual soul. It remains the originative seed for the tree of forms (rupa-augha), perpetuating the cycle of manifestation. The teachings emphasize non-dual Advaita: all diversity arises from and resolves back into Pure Consciousness, with apparent reality being a vibratory play play of Self-Aware emptiness, devoid of independent existence.

Chapter 3.12, Verses 1–8

Yoga Vashishtha 3.12.1–8

(Vedic Cosmology - The beginning of life, in eight steps)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

एतस्मात्परमाच्छान्तात्पदात्परमपावनात् ।

यथेदमुत्थितं विश्वं तच्छृणूत्तमया धिया ॥ १ ॥

सुषुप्तं स्वप्नवद्भाति भाति ब्रह्मैव सर्गवत् ।

सर्वात्मकं च तत्स्थानं तत्र तावत्क्रमं श्रृणु ॥ २ ॥

तस्यानन्तप्रकाशात्मरूपस्यानन्तचिन्मणेः ।

सत्तामात्रात्मकं विश्वं यदजस्रं स्वभावतः ॥ ३ ॥

तदात्मनि स्वयं किंचिच्चेत्यतामिव गच्छति ।

अगृहीतात्मकं संविदहंमर्शनपूर्वकम् ॥ ४ ॥

भाविनामार्थकलनैः किंचिदूहितरूपकम्।

आकाशादणु शुद्धं च सर्वस्मिन्भाति बोधनम् ॥ ५ ॥

ततः सा परमा सत्ता सचेतश्चेतनोन्मुखी ।

चिन्नामयोग्या भवति किंचिल्लभ्यतया तथा ॥ ६ ॥

घनसंवेदना पश्चाद्भाविजीवादिनामिका ।

संभवत्यात्तकलना यदोज्झति परं पदम् ॥ ७ ॥

सत्तैव भावनामात्रसारा संसरणोन्मुखी।

तदा वस्तुस्वभावेन त्वनुत्तिष्ठति तामिमाम् ॥ ८ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta said:

3.12.1: From that Supreme State of profound Peace, which is supremely purifying, listen with the highest intellect to how this Universe has arisen.

3.12.2: As sound sleep displays itself in visionary dreams, so does Brahm manifest himself in the works of Creation, of which he is the soul and receptacle.

3.12.3: The world, which of its Nature is continually progressive in its course, is identical with the Essence of that Being, whose Form is similar to the ineffable glory of his Eternal Intellect.

3.12.4: This chit or Intellect, then, gets of itself an awareness (chetya) in itself, before assuming to itself Consciousness or the knowledge of egoism. The egoic awareness is thus born.

3.12.5: Then this thinking Intellect (chetya-chit), gets the notions (bodhas) of some faint images (uhita-rupas), which are purer and lighter than air, and which have received their names and forms afterwards. This ego becomes aware of multiplicity of existence.

3.12.6: Afterwards this transcendent Essence (Intellect), becomes an intelligent principle (sacheta), and eager for intelligence (chetana). It is now worthy of its name as Intellect or chit, on account of its attaining to what is called intelligence.

3.12.7: Lastly it takes the form of gross Consciousness (ghana-samvedana), and receives the name of the living soul—jiva. It now loses its Divine Nature by reflecting on itself: and thus abandons the Supreme State.

3.12.8: This living principle (Being), is then involved in thoughts relating to the world only; but depends by its nature on the Divine Essence, as the fallacy of the snake, depends on the substance of the rope.

Summary of the Teachings:

The verses delineate the emergence of the universe from the Absolute, Tranquil, and purifying State of Brahm, emphasizing that this manifestation is not a real creation but an apparent arising perceived through Supreme understanding. The process begins in a State akin to deep sleep, where Brahm alone exists and shines as if projecting a dream-like Creation. This foundational Reality is described as all-pervasive and Infinite, serving as the substratum from which the cosmos seems to unfold without any actual change in its essential nature.

Central to the teaching is the idea that the Universe is nothing but Pure Existence (sattā-mātra), inherently luminous and boundless like an Infinite jewel of Consciousness. 

What appears as the world is a subtle, self-imposed limitation within Brahm itself, initiated by an ungraspable sense of "I"-ness or egoic identification. 

This is not a grasped or substantial entity but a precursor to perception, marking the shift from pure subjectivity to the illusion of objectivity.

The progression involves imaginative projections of potential objects, rendering a faint, atomic-like purity in the vast Space of Awareness, where Enlightenment or Awakening begins to manifest universally. This leads to the Supreme Existence becoming willful and mind-oriented, acquiring the quality of "mind" (cit) through minimal perceptibility. The mind here is not separate but an aspect of the absolute gaining functionality for experience.

As the process densifies, a thick layer of sentient awareness emerges, termed the jiva or individual soul, which adopts future-oriented conceptualizations and thereby forsakes the Supreme State for embodied existence. This jiva is illusory, born of ideation alone.

Finally, the verses affirm that Existence, driven by mere mental constructs and prone to cyclic becoming, sustains the apparent world in alignment with the True Nature of Reality. It does not transcend this flux because the flux is itself the unchanging Essence, teaching non-dual advaita where Creation is perpetual appearance without departure from the Absolute.

Chapter 3.11, Verses 28–33

Yoga Vashishtha 3.11.28–33

(Self is the Source and Substratum of all expansions)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

असदेव सदा भाति जगत्सर्वात्मकं यथा ।

श्रृण्वहं कथया राम दीर्घया कथयामि ते ॥ २८ ॥

व्यवसायकथावाक्यैर्यावत्तत्रानुवर्णितम् ।

न विश्राम्यति ते तावद्धृदि पांसुर्यथा ह्रदे ॥ २९ ॥

अत्यन्ताभावमस्यास्त्वं जगत्सर्गभ्रमस्थितेः ।

बुद्धैकध्याननिष्ठात्मा व्यवहारं करिष्यसि ॥ ३० ॥

भावाभावग्रहोत्सर्गस्थूलसूक्ष्मचलाचलाः ।

दृशस्त्वां वेधयिष्यन्ति न महाद्रिमिवेषवः ॥ ३१ ॥

स एषोऽस्त्येक एवात्मा न द्वितीयास्ति कल्पना ।

जगदत्र यथोत्पन्नं तत्ते वक्ष्यामि राघव ॥ ३२ ॥

तस्मादिमानि सकलानि विजृम्भितानि सोऽपीदमङ्ग सकलासकलं महात्मा ।

रूपावलोकनमनोमननप्रकारा कारास्पदं स्वयमुदेति विलीयते च ॥ ३३ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta answered: 

3.11.28: Just as the entirety of the world, which is fundamentally unreal, perpetually appears to exist, listen, O Rama, as I explain this to you through an extended narrative.

3.11.29: As long as the words of that narrative on resolute determination are being described in relation to it, the dust-like impurity in your heart will not settle, just as dust does not settle in a lake that is constantly agitated.

3.11.30: With your mind steadfast in the singular contemplation of the intellect that Realizes the absolute non-existence of this illusory creation of the world, you will continue to engage in worldly activities.

3.11.31: The perceptions involving Existence and non-existence, grasping and releasing, the gross and the subtle, the moving and the unmoving—these will no longer pierce or afflict you, just as arrows cannot penetrate a great mountain.

3.11.32: This one Self alone truly exists; there is no second, not even in imagination. O Raghava, I will now describe to you how the world arises within it.

3.11.33: From that Self, all these manifestations expand forth; and that Great Self itself, O dear One, encompassing both the differentiated and the undifferentiated, arises of its own accord as the abode of forms, perceptions, mental reflections, and various modes of cognition, and it also dissolves back into itself.

Summary of the Teachings:

In these verses, Sage Vashishta emphasizes the illusory nature of the world, asserting that what appears as the entire Cosmos is fundamentally unreal (asat) yet perpetually shines forth as if Real. He promises Rama an extended illustrative story to elucidate this profound truth, underscoring that direct intellectual grasping alone may not suffice without narrative reinforcement. This sets the stage for a pedagogical approach where prolonged exposition through analogy and determination (vyavasaya) is employed to uproot deep-seated misconceptions, likening the persistent agitation of the mind to dust in a stirred lake that prevents impurities from settling.

Vashishta instructs that True Realization comes from abiding in the unwavering contemplation (ekadhyana) of the intellect that fully comprehends the absolute absence (atyantabhava) of the world's creation as a mere delusion. Even while immersed in this Realization, one continues to perform worldly actions (vyavahara) without attachment, indicating a state of action in inaction. This non-dual insight transforms everyday engagement into a seamless flow, free from the bondage of illusion, where the Sage acts in the world but is not of it.

The verses highlight the invulnerability conferred by this Realization: dualistic perceptions—such as being and non-being, attachment and detachment, gross material forms and subtle essences, motion and stillness—no longer wound or disturb the enlightened mind. These are compared to arrows harmlessly glancing off a massive mountain, illustrating the impregnable fortress of self-knowledge that renders all apparent contradictions and fluctuations powerless.

Affirming the core Advaitic principle, Vashishta declares the exclusive existence of the One Self (atma), devoid of any second entity even in conceptual fancy. The world’s apparent emergence is not a real creation but a play within this Singular Reality, which he prepares to detail for Rama’s clarity, reinforcing that multiplicity is an imaginal overlay on the undivided.

Finally, the Self is portrayed as the Source and Substratum of all expansions—encompassing the manifold (sakala) and the formless (asakala)—spontaneously manifesting as the field for sensory forms, mental perceptions, reflective thoughts, and diverse cognitive processes, only to resolve back into itself. This cyclic arising and dissolving underscores the Self’s autonomous, self-luminous Nature, where the Universe is neither created nor destroyed but eternally vibrates within the boundless Consciousness.

Chapter 3.11, Verses 21–27

Yoga Vashishtha 3.11.21–27

(Experiencing the world and then attempting to negate it—merely reinforces memory and perpetuates suffering)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

एवं चेत्तत्कथं ब्रह्मन्सुघनप्रत्ययं वद।

इदं दृश्यविषं जातमसत्स्वप्नानुभूतिवत् ॥ २१ ॥

सति दृश्ये किल द्रष्टा सति द्रष्टरि दृश्यता ।

एकसत्त्वे द्वयोर्बन्धो मुक्तिरेकक्षये द्वयोः ॥ २२ ॥

अत्यन्तासंभवो यावद्बुद्धो दृश्यस्य न क्षयः ।

तावद्द्रष्टरि दृश्यत्वं न संभवति मोक्षधीः ॥ २३ ॥

दृश्यं चेत्संभवत्यादौ पश्चात्क्षयमुपालभेत् ।

तद्दृश्यस्मरणानर्थरूपो बन्धो न शाम्यति ॥ २४ ॥

यत्र क्वचन संस्थस्य स्वादर्शस्येव चिद्गतेः ।

प्रतिबिम्बो लगत्येव सर्वस्मृतिमयो ह्यलम् ॥ २५ ॥

आदावेव हि नोत्पन्नं दृश्यं नास्त्येव चेत्स्वयम् ।

द्रष्टुर्दृश्यस्वभावत्वात्तत्संभवति मुक्तता ॥ २६ ॥

तस्मादसंभवन्मुक्तेर्मम प्रोत्सार्य युक्तिभिः ।

अत्यन्तासंभवो यावत्कथयात्मविदां वर ॥ २७ ॥

3.11.21: Sriram said - If this be so, O Brahman, then explain with firm conviction how this poisonous visible world has arisen—like an unreal experience in a dream.

3.11.22: When the visible exists, verily the Seer exists; when the Seer exists, the quality of being visible arises. In the existence of one, both are bound; in the destruction of one, both are Realized.

3.11.23: As long as the intellect does not bring about the complete cessation of the visible—which is utterly impossible to exist—until then, the notion of Realization cannot arise in the Seer, for the visible clings to the Seer.

3.11.24: If the visible arises first and one later experiences its cessation, then the bondage—in the form of the calamity of remembering that visible—does not subside.

3.11.25: Wherever and in whatever State the Pure Consciousness resides, like a spotless mirror, the reflection inevitably attaches itself, fully composed of all memories.

3.11.26: If the visible has not arisen at all in the beginning and does not exist by itself, then—because the Seer’s very nature would be to assume the form of the visible—Realization becomes possible.

3.11.27: Therefore, O best among Knowers of the Self, drive away from me this Realization that is impossible to attain, through reasoned arguments, as long as you describe the absolute impossibility of the visible’s Existence.

Summary of the Teachings:

The verses form a pointed inquiry by Shri Rama into the non-dual Reality, challenging the apparent arising of the world of objects (dṛśya) and its relation to the Seer (draṣṭṛ). 

Rama questions how the “poisonous” phenomenal world can manifest if it is fundamentally unreal, likening it to a dream that leaves no trace upon waking. He seeks a conviction rooted in direct insight rather than theoretical assent, emphasizing that the world’s seeming Reality is the root of bondage.

Central to the passage is the interdependence of Seer and seen: neither can exist independently, for the Seer’s Awareness defines the seen, and the seen’s appearance sustains the Seer’s apparent limitation. Bondage arises from their mutual affirmation; Realization, conversely, requires the dissolution of one, which simultaneously dissolves the other. True Freedom is not achieved by managing or transcending objects but by recognizing their radical impossibility.

Rama argues that partial cessation—experiencing the world and then attempting to negate it—merely reinforces memory and perpetuates suffering. As long as the intellect entertains the possibility of the visible’s existence, even momentarily, the Seer remains entangled in the notion of something to be seen. The mind, like a clear mirror, inevitably hosts reflections born of past impressions (vāsanās), and these reflections masquerade as an external world.

Realization is possible only when the visible is seen as never having arisen at all. If the world is absent from the very beginning, the Seer is revealed as Pure Consciousness, untainted by any object. The apparent duality collapses not through effort but through the insight that the Seer’s nature was never truly modified by the seen.

Finally, Rama demands that the Sage dispel the very concept of Realization as an attainable State, for such a concept presupposes a bound entity seeking release. By demonstrating the absolute non-existence (atyantāsambhava) of the visible through irrefutable reasoning, the Sage must uproot the last trace of duality, leaving only the self-evident, ever-free Consciousness.

Chapter 3.11, Verses 11–20

Yoga Vashishtha 3.11.11–20

(The Universe is a baseless apparition—unsupported by Cause, sustained only in Ignorance)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

यथा शैत्यं न शशिनो न हिमाद्व्यतिरिच्यते ।

ब्रह्मणो न तथा सर्गो विद्यते व्यतिरेकवान् ॥ ११ ॥

मरुनद्यां यथा तोयं द्वितीयेन्दौ यथेन्दुता ।

नास्त्येवेह जगन्नाम दृष्टमप्यमलात्मनि ॥ १२ ॥

आदावेव हि यन्नास्ति कारणासंभवात्स्वयम् ।

वर्तमानेऽपि तन्नास्ति नाशः स्यात्तत्र कीदृशः ॥ १३ ॥

क्वासंभवद्भूतजाड्यं पृथ्व्यादेर्जडवस्तुनः ।

कार्यकारणं भवितुं शक्तं छायायाश्चातपो यथा ॥ १४ ॥

कारणाभावतः कार्यं नेदं तत्किंचनोदितम् ।

यत्तत्कारणमेवास्ति तदेवेत्थमवस्थितम् ॥ १५ ॥

अज्ञानमेव यद्भाति संविदाभासमेव तत् ।

यज्जगद्दृश्यते स्वप्ने संवित्कचनमेव तत् ॥ १६ ॥

संवित्कचनमेवान्तर्यथा स्वप्ने जगद्भ्रमः ।

सर्गादौ ब्रह्मणि तथा जगत्कचनमाततम् ॥ १७ ॥

यदिदं दृश्यते किंचित्सदैवात्मनि संस्थितम् ।

नास्तमेति न चोदेति जगत्किंचित्कदाचन ॥ १८ ॥

यथा द्रवत्वं सलिलं स्पन्दनं पवनो यथा।

यथा प्रकाश आभासो ब्रह्मैव त्रिजगत्तथा ॥ १९ ॥

यथा पुरमिवास्तेऽन्तर्विदेव स्वप्नसंविदः ।

तथा जगदिवाभाति स्वात्मैव परमात्मनि ॥ २० ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued: 

3.11.11: Just as coldness does not exist apart from the moon, nor apart from snow, in the same way, the creation does not exist as something separate from Brahm, possessing any independence or distinction.

3.11.12: Just as water exists in the desert river (mirage), or the quality of moon-ness in a second moon (illusion), in Reality, there is no world whatsoever here—even though it appears—in the Pure Self.

3.11.13: That which does not exist from the very beginning, due to the impossibility of its cause arising on its own, does not exist even in the present; what kind of destruction could there be for something that never truly was?

3.11.14: Where could the inertness of insentient elements—beginning with earth and other gross, lifeless objects—come from to serve as cause and effect? It is as impossible as shade becoming the cause of sunlight.

3.11.15: Because there is no cause, no effect—this world—has ever arisen at all. Whatever exists as the cause alone endures, and it remains exactly in this manner, unchanging.

3.11.16: What shines forth is Ignorance alone, yet it is merely a reflection in Consciousness. The world that is seen in a dream is nothing but a glimmer within Consciousness itself.

3.11.17: Just as the illusion of a world arises within as a mere glimmer of Consciousness in a dream, so too, at the beginning of Creation, the world is an extended glimmer within Brahm.

3.11.18: Whatever is perceived here abides eternally within the Self alone. The world never truly sets nor rises—not even a fragment of it, at any time.

3.11.19: Just as liquidity is water itself, vibration is wind itself, and illumination is mere appearance, so too the three worlds are Brahm alone.

3.11.20: Just as a city appears to exist within the Consciousness of the dreamer alone, in the same way, the world appears as if it were, yet it is the Self alone shining within the Supreme Self.

Summary of the Teachings:

The verses begin by establishing the absolute non-duality between Brahm and the perceived Creation, using vivid analogies to illustrate inseparability. Coldness is not distinct from the moon or snow, implying that the world (sarga) cannot be separated from Brahm without inherent contradiction. This sets the foundation for Advaita ontology: Creation is not an independent entity but an apparent modification or expression of the unchanging Reality. The mirage of water in a desert or a second moon emphasizes that the world, though seemingly observed, holds no substantial existence in the Pure, Stainless Self (amalatmani). These metaphors underscore the illusory nature of multiplicity, reinforcing that what appears diverse is fundamentally one.

A core argument unfolds through logical negation of causality and origination. 

Anything absent at the outset—due to the impossibility of a self-caused origin (karanasambhavat)—cannot manifest in the present or future, rendering notions of creation, sustenance, or dissolution meaningless. The inertness (jada) of material elements like earth is critiqued as incapable of producing causal chains, likened to shade generating sunlight—an absurdity that dismantles materialist views of cosmogony. Instead, only the Causeless Brahm endures unaltered, as no effect (the world) arises without a prior cause, which itself loops back to Brahm alone. This refutes dualistic creation theories, affirming eternal subsistence without temporal phases.

The role of Ignorance (ajñana) is central, portrayed not as a positive entity but as a mere reflection or glimmer (abhasa, kacana) within Consciousness (samvit). Dream analogies dominate: the world in waking life mirrors the dream-world, both being projections within Consciousness without external reality. At creation's "dawn" in Brahm, the world extends as such a glimmer, never transcending the substratum. This teaches that perception arises from misapprehension, where ignorance veils the Self, yet the veil itself is insubstantial—like a dream-city confined to the dreamer's mind.

The verses culminate in the Eternal, Unchanging Presence of the Self, where the world neither emerges nor subsides. All phenomena—liquidity in water, motion in wind, light in illumination—are intrinsic to their Essence, not additions; similarly, the triple world (trijagat) is Brahm verbatim. The final dream-city metaphor within the Supreme Self (paramatmani) encapsulates the teaching: the apparent Universe is a self-contained illusion shimmering in the dreamer-Self, with no independent arising or setting. This affirms pure non-dual awareness as the sole reality.

Collectively, these teachings guide the seeker toward discriminative Knowledge (viveka), dissolving the ego's grasp on multiplicity. By recognizing the world as a baseless apparition—unsupported by Cause, sustained only in Ignorance, and identical with Brahm—the mind attains Realization. The emphasis on analogies from everyday illusions (mirage, dream) makes the profound metaphysics accessible, urging direct Realization that the Self alone is, eternally free from the cycles of birth and death.

Chapter 3.11, Verses 1–10

Yoga Vashishtha 3.11.1–10

(The world is not an independent entity arising in the Supreme Reality; it is the intellect alone that fabricates this duality)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

इदं रूपमिदं दृश्यं जगन्नास्तीति भासुरम् ।

महाप्रलयसंप्राप्तौ भो ब्रह्मन्क्वेव तिष्ठति ॥ १ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

कुत आयाति कीदृग्वा वन्ध्यापुत्रः क्व गच्छति ।

क्व याति कुत आयाति वद वा व्योमकाननम् ॥ २ ॥

श्रीराम उवाच ।

वन्ध्यापुत्रो व्योमवनं नैवास्ति न भविष्यति ।

कीदृशी दृश्यता तस्य कीदृशी तस्य नास्तिता ॥ ३ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

वन्ध्यापुत्रव्योमवने यथा न स्तः कदाचन ।

जगदाद्यखिलं दृश्यं तथा नास्ति कदाचन ॥ ४ ॥

न चोत्पन्ने न च ध्वंसि यत्किलादौ न विद्यते ।

उत्पत्तिः कीदृशी तस्य नाशशब्दस्य का कथा ॥ ५ ॥

श्रीराम उवाच ।

वन्ध्यापुत्रनभोवृक्षकल्पना तावदस्ति हि ।

सा यथा नाशजन्माढ्या तथैवेदं न किं भवेत् ॥ ६ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

तुल्यस्यातुलदुःस्थस्य भावकैः किल तोलनम् ।

निरन्वया यथैवोक्तिर्जगत्सत्ता तथैव हि ॥ ७ ॥

यथा सौवर्णकटके दृश्यमानमिदं स्फुटम् ।

कटकत्वं तु नैवास्ति जगत्त्वं न तथा परे ॥ ८ ॥

आकाशे च यथा नास्तिशून्यत्वं व्यतिरेकवत् ।

जगत्त्वं ब्रह्मणि तथा नास्त्येवाप्युपलब्धिमत् ॥ ९ ॥

कज्जलान्न यथा कार्ष्ण्यं शैत्यं च न यथा हिमात् ।

पृथगेवं भवेद्बुद्धं जगन्नास्ति परे पदे ॥ १० ॥

3.11.1: Śrī Rāma said - This form, this visible world—when the great dissolution arrives, O Brahman, and it is Realized that the world does not exist at all, where then does it abide?

3.11.2: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said - From where does the son of a barren woman come, and of what nature is he? Where does he go? Tell me, or from where does a forest in the sky come, and where does it go?

3.11.3: Śrī Rāma said - The son of a barren woman and a forest in the sky neither exist nor will ever exist. What is the nature of their apparent visibility? What is the nature of their non-existence?

3.11.4: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said - Just as the son of a barren woman and a forest in the sky never exist at any time, so too the entire visible world, from beginning to end, never exists at any time.

3.11.5: That which does not exist in the beginning and is neither born nor destroyed— what kind of arising can it have? And what need is there to speak of the word "destruction" for it?

3.11.6: Śrī Rāma said - The mere imagination of the son of a barren woman or a tree in the sky does indeed exist for a moment. Just as that imagination is endowed with neither birth nor destruction, why should this world not be the same?

3.11.7: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said - The weighing of incomparable and sorrow-laden things by those who fancy themselves measurers is indeed without basis. The assertion of the world's existence is exactly like that.

3.11.8: Just as in a golden bracelet that is clearly seen, the quality of being a bracelet does not truly exist, so too the quality of being the world does not exist in the Supreme Reality.

3.11.9: Just as emptiness or voidness does not exist in Space, even though it is distinguished by negation, so too the quality of being the world does not exist in Brahm, even though it appears perceptible.

3.11.10: Just as blackness does not arise separately from collyrium, and coldness does not arise separately from snow, so too the world does not arise as something separate in the Supreme State; the intellect alone perceives it as such.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses from Yoga Vāsiṣṭha 3.11 form a profound dialectical exchange between Śrī Rāma and Sage Vasiṣṭha, employing logical analogies to dismantle the apparent reality of the world and affirm the non-dual nature of Brahm. The dialogue begins with Rāma questioning the whereabouts of the visible world during the great dissolution (mahāpralaya), implying its ultimate unreality. Vasiṣṭha responds by drawing parallels to impossible entities like the son of a barren woman (vandhyāputra) or a forest in the sky (vyomakanana), which neither originate, exist, nor perish. These metaphors illustrate that the world, like these fictions, has no substantial being at any point in time—past, present, or future. The teaching emphasizes that true non-existence precludes any attribution of arising (utpatti) or destruction (nāśa), rendering discussions of the world's creation or dissolution meaningless.

Rāma counters by acknowledging that while such impossible objects do not exist objectively, their mental imaginings (kalpanā) momentarily appear in Consciousness. He probes whether the world, too, might be a similar baseless projection endowed with neither birth nor death. Vasiṣṭha refutes this by likening attempts to affirm the world's existence to the futile weighing of incomparable sorrows by deluded perceivers, highlighting the absence of any foundational basis (anvaya) for such claims. The core insight is that the world's apparent solidity is an illusion superimposed by Ignorance, comparable to mistaking a rope for a snake; it lacks independent Reality and cannot be logically sustained.

Further analogies deepen the non-dual perspective: just as a golden bracelet is perceived, yet its "bracelet-ness" (kaṭakatva) is not separate from gold, the world's "world-ness" (jagattva) is not distinct from Brahm. Vasiṣṭha clarifies that even perceptual experience (upalabdhi) does not confer true existence, akin to how voidness is negated in Infinite Space despite conceptual distinctions. The world appears due to mental conditioning but has no ontological separation from the Absolute.

The verses culminate in illustrating inseparability through natural examples: blackness is inherent to collyrium without being a separate entity, and coldness to snow similarly. Likewise, the world is not an independent arising in the Supreme Reality (pare pade); it is the intellect (buddhi) alone that fabricates this duality. The teaching underscores ajāta-vāda (the doctrine of non-origination), where Brahm alone is Real, Eternal, and Unchanging, free from all modifications.

Overall, these ten verses systematically guide the seeker from empirical doubt to metaphysical certainty, using negation (neti neti) and analogy to dissolve the ego's attachment to multiplicity. They teach that True Freedom arises from recognizing the world's non-existence as anything other than Brahm, transcending birth, death, and all dualistic notions through direct intuitive Realization (jñāna).

Chapter 3.10, Verses 47–54

Yoga Vashishtha 3.10.47–54

(The Supreme Self - paramātman- is Pure, Beginningless, and Endless, Knowing which the Knower, the act of Knowing, and the Known become One)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

व्रेदनस्य प्रकाशस्य दृश्यस्य तमसस्तथा ।

वेदनं यदनाद्यन्तं तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ ४७ ॥

यतो जगदुदेतीव नित्यानुदितरूप्यपि ।

विभिन्नवदिवाभिन्नं तद्रूपं परमार्थकम् ॥ ४८ ॥

व्यवहारपरस्यापि यत्पाषाणवदासनम्।

अव्योम्न एव व्योमत्वं तद्रूपं परमात्मनः ॥ ४९ ॥

वेद्यवेदनवेत्तृत्वरूपत्रयमिदं पुरः ।

यत्रोदेत्यस्तमायाति तत्तत्परमदुर्लभम् ॥ ५० ॥

वेद्यवेदनवेत्तृत्वं यत्रेदं प्रतिबिम्बति।

अबुद्ध्यादौ महादर्शे तद्रूपं परमं स्मृतम् ॥ ५१ ॥

मनः स्वप्नेन्द्रियैर्मुक्तं यद्रूपं स्यान्महाचितेः ।

जङ्गमे स्थावरे वापि तत्सर्वान्तेऽवशिष्यते ॥ ५२ ॥

स्थावराणां हि यद्रूपं तच्चेद्बोधमयं भवेत् ।

मनोबुद्ध्यादिनिर्मुक्तं तत्परेणोपमीयते ॥ ५३ ॥

ब्रह्मार्कविष्णुहरशक्रसदाशिवादि शान्तौ शिवं परममेतदिहैकमास्ते ।

सर्वोपधिव्ययवशादविकल्परूपं चैतन्यमात्रमयमुज्झितविश्वसङ्गम् ॥ ५४ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued; 

3.10.47: That which is the Knowing of the Knower, of the Light of Awareness, of the seen object, and of darkness itself—the Knowing that has neither beginning nor end—such is the True Form of the Supreme Self.

3.10.48: From which the world appears to arise, even though it is eternally unarisen in its essential nature; which seems divided yet remains undivided—such is the form of the Ultimate Reality.

3.10.49: That which, even for one engaged in worldly transactions, remains seated immovably like a stone; which manifests as Space itself without any spatial medium—such is the True Form of the Supreme Self.

3.10.50: This triad before us—the Known, the Knowing, and the Knower —arises and subsides in that which is the Supreme and exceedingly rare attainment.

3.10.51: That in which this triad of the Known, the Knowing, and the Knower is reflected, as in a great mirror beginning with the unawakened intellect—such is remembered as the Supreme Form.

3.10.52: The Form that the Great Consciousness assumes when the mind is freed from the senses in dream; whether in the movable or the immovable, that alone remains at the end of all.

3.10.53: If the form of immovable beings were indeed composed of Pure Awareness, freed from mind, intellect, and the like, it would be comparable to the Supreme.

3.10.54: In the peace of Brahma, the Sun, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Sadashiva, and others, this Supreme Auspiciousness abides here as the One alone; through the dissolution of all conditioning limitations, it is the form free from alternatives, consisting solely of consciousness, having abandoned all attachment to the Universe.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses expound the non-dual essence of the Supreme Self (paramātman) as Pure, Beginningless, and Endless, Knowing that transcends the Knower, the act of Knowing, the Known object, and even darkness or Ignorance. This Knowing is not a process or event but the immutable substrate of all experience, devoid of temporal boundaries. It underlies apparent manifestations like light and the visible world, revealing that what seems to arise or cease is merely an illusion superimposed on the eternal. The Self is thus identified not as a personal entity but as the formless ground of all perception and non-perception.

The Ultimate Reality is described as the Source from which the univ5erse seemingly emerges, yet it remains eternally unarisen and undivided despite appearances of multiplicity and separation. This paradox highlights the illusory nature of the world: it arises without true origination, and divisions are mere semblances. The Supreme Form is unchanging even amid practical engagement in life, likened to a stone's immovability or space manifesting without a container. Such metaphors underscore the Self's transcendence over activity and locality, existing as Pure Presence that supports worldly interactions without being affected by them.

Central to the teaching is the triad of Knower (veditṛ), Knowing (vedana), and Known (vedya), which arises and dissolves within the Supreme Reality, the rarest attainment beyond ordinary grasp. This triad is reflected in the "great mirror" of the unawakened intellect and lower faculties, indicating that all experience is a projection on the screen of Consciousness. True Realization comes from recognizing this reflection as illusory, allowing the mind—freed from senses even in dream states—to dissolve back into the Great Consciousness that persists in both mobile and immobile forms, ultimately alone at the dissolution of all.

The verses extend this insight to the forms of immovable entities like plants or minerals, positing that if stripped of mental constructs such as mind and intellect, their Essence aligns with Pure Awareness comparable to the Supreme. 

This democratizes the non-dual Truth: Consciousness is not limited to sentient beings but pervades all, movable or immovable.

Finally, in the Tranquil dissolution of deities like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, and Sadashiva—representing Cosmic functions—the Singular Auspicious Reality abides, free from all conditional limitations and alternative distinctions. It is Pure Consciousness, detached from universal entanglement, emphasizing Ultimate Peace through the cessation of superimpositions and the Realization of Undifferentiated Being.