Chapter 3.21, Verses 28–38

Yoga Vashishtha 3.21.28–38

(Nothing truly separate exists; the diversity seen is false, while the non-dual Brahm alone is Real)

 

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

अचेत्यचिद्रूपमयीं परमां पावनीं दृशम्।

अवलम्ब्येममाकारमवमुच्य भवामला ॥ २८ ॥

ततः प्राप्स्यस्यसंदेहं व्योमात्मानं नभःस्थितम् ।

भूमिष्ठनरसंकल्पो गगनान्तः पुरं यथा ॥ २९ ॥

एवं स्थिते तं पश्यावः सह सर्गमनर्गलम् ।

अयं तद्दर्शनद्वारे देहो हि परमार्गलम् ॥ ३० ॥

लीलोवाच ।

अमुना देवि देहेन जगदन्यदवाप्यते।

न कस्मादत्र मे युक्तिं कथयानुग्रहाग्रहात् ॥ ३१ ॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

जगन्तीमान्यमूर्तानि मूर्तिमन्ति मुधाग्रहात् ।

भवद्भिरवबुद्धानि हेमानीवोर्मिकाधिया ॥ ३२ ॥

हेम्न्यूर्मिकारूपधरेऽप्यूर्मिकात्वं न विद्यते ।

यथा तथा जगद्रूपे जगन्नास्ति च ब्रह्मणि ॥ ३३ ॥

जगदाकाशमेवेदं ब्रह्मैवेह तु दृश्यते।

दृश्यते काचिदप्यत्र धूलिरम्बुनिधाविव ॥ ३४ ॥

अयं प्रपञ्चो मिथ्यैव सत्यं ब्रह्माहमद्वयम् ।

अत्र प्रमाणं वेदान्ता गुरवोऽनुभवस्तथा ॥ ३५ ॥

ब्रह्मैव पश्यति ब्रह्म नाब्रह्म ब्रह्म पश्यति ।

सर्गादिनाम्ना प्रथितः स्वभावोऽस्यैव चेदृशः ॥ ३६ ॥

न ब्रह्मजगतामस्ति कार्यकारणतोदयः ।

कारणानामभावेन सर्वेषां सहकारिणाम् ॥ ३७ ॥

यावदभ्यासयोगेन न शान्ता भेदधीस्तव ।

नूनं तावदतद्रूपा न ब्रह्म परिपश्यसि ॥ ३८ ॥

The Goddess said: 

3.21.28 

By relying on this Supreme purifying Vision that is inconceivable and of the Nature of Pure Consciousness, take on this form and become free from impurities and pure.

3.21.29

Then, without doubt, you will attain the Self that is like Infinite Space, situated in the sky—like a city imagined by a man on earth appearing in the sky.

3.21.30

In this State, we behold him along with the unobstructed Creation. This body, indeed, through the gate of that vision, is the great obstruction.

Leela said: 

3.21.31

O Goddess, with this body, why is another world not attained? Please kindly explain the reason to me.

The Goddess said: 

3.21.32 

These worlds, which are Formless, are mistakenly perceived by you all as having forms due to false grasping—like gold imagined as waves.

3.21.33

Just as in gold that has taken the form of waves, there is no waviness, similarly, in the form of the world, there is no world in Brahm.

3.21.34

This world is nothing but Space alone; here, only Brahm is seen. Some dust is seen in the ocean, just like that.

3.21.35

This phenomenal world is false alone; the truth is Brahm, I am the non-dual. The proofs for this are the Vedanta scriptures, the Gurus, and personal experience as well.

3.21.36

Brahm alone sees Brahm; non-Brahm is not seen by Brahm. 

Known as Creation and so on, this is its natural characteristic.

3.21.37

There is no arising of Cause and effect between Brahm and the world, because there is absence of all cooperating Causes.

3.21.38

As long as your thought of differences is not calmed through repeated practice, surely until then, you will not fully see Brahm as non-different from that.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses form part of a profound dialogue in the Yoga Vasishta between Goddess Saraswati and Leela, emphasizing the non-dual (Advaita) Nature of Reality. The Goddess instructs Leela to 

adopt a Pure, inconceivable Vision rooted in Consciousness to transcend impurities and Realize the Infinite, Space-like Self. This Realization reveals the world as an unobstructed manifestation, with the physical body acting as the primary barrier to true perception.

Leela questions why the body limits access to other worlds, prompting the Goddess to explain the illusory nature of perception. The worlds appear solid and formed due to erroneous identification, akin to mistaking waves for something separate from gold. In truth, the world has no independent existence apart from Brahm, the Ultimate Reality.

The Goddess uses metaphors like waves in gold or dust in the ocean to illustrate that the apparent world is merely a superimposition on the formless Brahm. Nothing truly separate exists; the diversity seen is false, while the non-dual Brahm alone is Real.

Evidence for this truth comes from authoritative sources: Vedanta scriptures, teachings of enlightened Gurus, and direct personal experience. Brahm, being Pure, perceives only itself, never a separate "nonBrahm." 

What is called "Creation" is simply Brahm's inherent Nature, not a Real transformation.

Finally, there is no Casual relationship between Brahm and the world, as no secondary causes exist to bring about such a change. Persistent practice is essential to dissolve the notion of differences, allowing one to fully Realize Brahm as one's own non-dual Self.

Chapter 3.21, Verses 17–27

Yoga Vashishtha 3.21.17–27

(Everything perceived is an illusion superimposed on the Infinite sky of Consciousness, which alone exists unchanging in its own Pure Nature)

 

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

पितामहस्मृतिस्तत्र कारणं तस्य न स्मृतिः ।

पूर्वं न संभवत्येव मुक्तत्वात्पूर्वजन्मनः ॥ १७ ॥

पूर्वं न संभवत्येव स्मरणीयमिति स्वयम् ।

पद्मजादित्वमायाति चैतन्यस्य तथास्थितेः ॥ १८ ॥

अभूवमहमित्यन्यः प्रजानाथः प्रजापतेः।

काकतालीयवत्कश्चिद्भवति प्रतिभामयः ॥ १९ ॥

एवमभ्युदिते लोके न किंचिन्न कदाचन।

क्वचिदभ्युदितं नाम केवलं चिन्नभः स्थितम् ॥ २० ॥

द्विविधायाः स्मृतेरस्याः कारणं परमं पदम् ।

कार्यकारणभावोऽसावेक एव चिदम्बरे ॥ २१ ॥

कार्य च कारणं चैव कारणैः सहकारिभिः ।

कार्यकारणयोरैक्यात्तदभावान्न शाम्यति ॥ २२ ॥

महाचिद्रूपमेव त्वं स्मरणं विद्धि वेदनम्।

कार्यकारणता तेन स शब्दो न च वास्तवः ॥ २३ ॥

एवं न किंचिदुत्पन्नं दृश्यं चिज्जगदाद्यपि ।

चिदाकाशे चिदाकाशं केवलस्वात्मनि स्थितम् ॥ २४ ॥

लीलोवाच ।

अहो नु परमा दृष्टिर्दर्शिता देवि मे त्वया ।

रूपश्रीर्जागती प्रातः प्रभयेवेक्षणद्युतिः ॥ २५ ॥

इदानीमहमेतस्यां यावत्परिणता दृशि ।

नाभ्यासेन विना तावद्भिन्धीदं देवि कौतुकम् ॥ २६ ॥

यत्रासौ ब्राह्मणो गेहे ब्राह्मण्या सहितोऽभवत् ।

तं सर्गं तं गिरिग्रामं नय मां तं विलोकये ॥ २७ ॥

Goddess Saraswati continued:

3.21.17-20

The memory of being the grandfather (Brahma) is the cause there, not his own memory. It cannot arise from before because of liberation in the previous birth.

There is no object to be remembered from before—it cannot possibly exist. In this situation, the Consciousness itself assumes the State of being born from Lotus-born Brahma.

Someone else, a Lord of creatures different from the Creator of beings (Prajapati), becomes intuitive by chance, like the coincidence of a crow and a palm fruit.

3.21.20-23

When the world arises in this way, nothing ever arises at any time anywhere. Only the Pure sky of Consciousness remains.

The Supreme State is the cause of this twofold memory. The relationship of Cause and effect is one alone in the sky of Consciousness.

The effect and the Cause, along with cooperating Causes —due to the unity of Cause and effect, it does not cease even in their absence.

Know that you yourself are the great form of Consciousness; memory is knowing. The distinction of cause and effect is merely a word, not Real.

3.21.24

Thus, nothing is ever produced; even the visible world and so on do not arise. Only the sky of Consciousness remains in its own nature within the sky of Consciousness.

Queen Lila said:

3.21.25-27

Oh, what a Supreme Vision you have shown me, O Goddess! The beauty of the world appears like the morning light in the brilliance of your eyes.

Now, as long as I am matured in this Vision, without practice alone, break this wonder for me, O Goddess.

Take me to that Creation where that Brahmin lived in his house with his Brahmin wife, to that mountain village—I want to see it.

Summary of the Teachings:

The first set of verses (17-20) explains the illusory nature of memories from past lives or Divine origins. The memory of being Brahma (the creator) arises not from a Real prior existence but from the play of Consciousness. Since True Realization dissolves all prior births, no real "previous" object or memory exists. Consciousness spontaneously projects identities, like becoming "born from Brahma" 

or intuitive recollections happening by pure coincidence, without any actual creation. Ultimately, nothing truly arises in the world; it is all just the empty expanse of Pure Consciousness.

In verses 21-23, the teaching delves into the root cause of apparent duality and memory. 

The Highest Reality, Pure Consciousness, is the sole Cause behind all seeming memories and experiences. 

Cause and effect are not separate; they are unified in Consciousness. Even when Causes seem absent, the appearance persists due to this Oneness. Memory itself is nothing but the knowing aspect of Great Consciousness, and terms like "Cause" and "effect" are mere verbal distinctions with no substantial Reality.

Verse 24 reinforces the core non-dual insight: nothing, including the entire visible Universe, ever truly comes into being. Everything perceived is an illusion superimposed on the Infinite sky of Consciousness, which alone exists unchanging in its own Pure Nature.

The final verses (25-27) shift to Queen Lila's response, highlighting the transformative power of this vision. She praises the Goddess for revealing this profound perspective, which illuminates the world's illusory beauty like dawn light. Now stabilized in this understanding, Lila seeks direct experience without further effort and requests to be taken to witness the alternate creation—the Brahmin's life in the mountain village—to resolve her remaining curiosity.

Overall, these verses teach that all experiences, memories, and worlds are projections within undivided Consciousness, with no Real Causation, birth, or separation. Realization dissolves illusions, revealing only the eternal, Self-Existent Awareness.

Chapter 3.21, Verses 8–16

Yoga Vashishtha 3.21.8–16

(True Realization as the total forgetting or non-remembrance of the Universe, where no likes or dislikes remain)

 

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

कदाचित्स्मृतितां त्यक्त्वा प्रतिभामात्रमेव सत् ।

भाति प्रथमसर्गेषु रूपेण तदनुक्रमात् ॥ ८ ॥

दृश्यं त्रिभुवनादीदमनुभूतं स्मृतौ स्थितम् ।

केषांचित्तन्वि केषांचिन्नानुभूतं स्मृतौ स्थितम् ॥ ९ ॥

प्रतिभासत एवेदं केषांचित्सरणं विना ।

चिदणूनां प्रजेशत्वं काकतालीयवद्यतः ॥ १० ॥

अत्यन्तविस्मृतं विश्वं मोक्ष इत्यभिधीयते ।

ईप्सितानीप्सिते तत्र न स्तः काचन कस्यचित् ॥ ११ ॥

अत्यन्ताभावसंपत्तिं विनाहन्ताजगत्स्थितेः ।

अनुत्पादमयी ह्येषा नोदेत्येव विमुक्तता ॥ १२ ॥

रज्ज्वां सर्पभ्रमः सर्पशब्दार्थासंभवं स्थितम् ।

अनुत्पादमयं त्यक्त्वा शान्तोऽपि हि न शाम्यति ॥ १३ ॥

अर्धशान्तो न शान्तोऽसौ समेत्यर्थतया पुनः ।

उदेत्येकपिशाचान्ते पिशाचोऽन्यो ह्यधीमतः ॥ १४ ॥

संसारश्चायमाभोगी परमेवेति निश्चयः ।

कारणाभावतो भाति यदिहाभातमेव तत् ॥ १५ ॥

लीलोवाच ।

ब्राह्मणब्राह्मणीरूपे सर्गे कारणसंस्मृतिः।

कथमभ्युत्थिता सास्य स्मरणीयमिदं विना ॥ १६ ॥

Goddess Saraswati continued:

3.21.8  

Sometimes, abandoning memory, it shines merely as pure appearance, existing only as that. In the initial creations, it appears in form, and then gradually in sequence.

3.21.9  

The seen world, beginning with the three worlds, is experienced by some and resides in memory; for others, it is subtle, and for some, it is not experienced but still resides in memory.

3.21.10  

For some conscious particles, lordship over creatures arises purely from appearance, without any sequence, just by chance, like a crow and palm fruit coinciding.

3.21.11  

The complete forgetting of the Universe is called Realization (moksha). In that State, there are no desired or undesired things for anyone.

3.21.12  

This Realization, which consists of complete non-existence without the notion of "I" and the world's existence, does not arise at all, as it is of the nature of non-creation.

3.21.13  

The illusion of a snake in a rope persists as long as the meaning of the word "snake" is possible. Even if calmed by abandoning the non-created aspect, it does not truly subside.

3.21.14  

It is only half-calmed, not fully calm. When it meets with meaning again, another ghost arises in the mind of the wise person after one ghost ends.

3.21.15  

This world is the ultimate enjoyer itself. Due to the absence of Cause, whatever appears here is actually non-appearing.

Queen Lila said:

3.21.16 

In the Creation taking the form of a Brahmin and his wife, how did the memory of the Cause arise in her without anything to remember?

Summary of the Teachings:

The first set of verses (8-10) explains the Nature of Creation in non-dual Consciousness. Initial manifestations arise purely as spontaneous appearances without relying on prior memory or Causation. The world exists differently for different beings: some experience it vividly stored in memory, others subtly or not at all. Becoming a Creator or Lord of Beings happens accidentally for certain conscious units, highlighting the random, illusory play of Consciousness.

Verses 11-12 define True Realization as the total forgetting or non-remembrance of the Universe, where no likes or dislikes remain. Realization is not something achieved but the natural state of non-arising—pure non-existence of the ego and world. It cannot "arise" because it is beyond Creation and Causation.

Verses 13-14 use the classic rope-snake illusion to show how worldly perception persists despite partial calming. Even intellectual understanding does not fully eradicate the illusion; it can revive when associated with meaning again, like one ghost replacing another in the mind.

Verse 15 affirms the world as the Supreme Reality itself, but due to lack of Real Cause, its appearance is empty—whatever seems to manifest does not truly exist.

The final verse (16), spoken by Leela, questions how memory of prior Causes revived in her current Brahmin-wife form without an object of remembrance, pointing to the mysterious, Causeless Nature of apparent continuity in illusion. Overall, these verses teach the illusory, memory-based nature of the world and ego, the accidental arising of creations, and Realization as Realizing the non-arising Absolute beyond Cause and appearance.

Chapter 3.21, Verses 1–7

Yoga Vashishtha 3.21.1–7

(Consciousness operates dualistically: creating the sense of experience from nothing and generating memories without actual prior events)

 

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

प्रतिभान्ति जगन्त्याशु मृतिमोहादनन्तरम् ।

जीवस्योन्मीलनादक्ष्णो रूपाणीवाखिलान्यलम् ॥ १ ॥

दिक्कालकलनाकाशधर्मकर्ममयानि च।

परिस्फुरन्त्यनन्तानि कल्पान्तस्थैर्यवन्ति च ॥ २ ॥

नानुभूतं न यद्दृष्टं तन्मया कृतमित्यपि।

तत्क्षणात्स्मृतितामेति स्वप्ने स्वमरणं यथा ॥ ३ ॥

भ्रान्तिरेवमनन्तेयं चिद्व्योमव्योम्नि भासुरा ।

अपकुड्या जगन्नाम्नी नगरी कल्पनात्मिका ॥ ४ ॥

इदं जगदयं सर्गः स्मृतिरेवेति जृम्भते।

दूरकल्पक्षणाभ्यासविपर्यासैकरूपिणी ॥ ५ ॥

नानुभूतानुभूता च ज्ञप्तिरित्थं द्विरूपिणी ।

पूर्वकारणरिक्तैव चिद्रूपैव प्रवर्तते ॥ ६॥

नानुभूतेऽनुभूतत्वसंविदन्तरुदेत्यपि ।

स्वप्नभ्रमादावन्यस्मिन्पितरीव पितुः स्मृतिः ॥ ७ ॥

Goddess Saraswati said:

3.21.1: Worlds appear suddenly right after the death and delusion of the jiva, just like various forms fully appear when the jiva's eyes open.

3.21.2: Infinite worlds, made of directions, Time, divisions, Space, laws, and actions, sparkle vividly and remain stable until the end of the kalpa.

3.21.3: Whatever has not been experienced or seen before suddenly comes into memory at that moment as if "I did this," just like remembering one's own death in a dream.

3.21.4: This endless illusion shines brightly in the vast sky of Consciousness —it is a false city called "world," entirely made of imagination, like a mirage.

3.21.5: "This is the world, this is Creation"—it expands like this, taking the form of perversion through repeated practice of distant imagined moments.

3.21.7: Knowledge appears in two forms: as experienced even though not experienced before, and as Awareness. It functions purely as Consciousness, empty of prior Causes.

3.21.7: Even in something not experienced, the Awareness of it as experienced arises inside—like in a dream or illusion, the memory of a father arises in another context as the father's memory.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses, spoken by Goddess Saraswati in the Yoga Vasishta, explain the illusory nature of the world and how it arises purely from the mind and memory of Consciousness.

The first two verses describe how entire universes manifest instantly after the "death" or end of delusion in one State of the jiva (individual soul). They appear complete with all elements like space, time, directions, and karmic laws, lasting stably for cosmic cycles. This teaches that worlds are not solid or independently real but sudden projections, similar to opening one's eyes and seeing forms.

The third verse illustrates that memories of unexperienced events arise spontaneously, claiming "I did this," akin to vividly recalling one's death in a dream. It emphasizes that past lives, actions, and experiences are fabricated by the mind in the moment, without any prior real basis.

The fourth and fifth verses 

portray the world as an infinite delusion shining within the vast expanse of Pure Consciousness. It is compared to an imaginary city built on faulty walls—a mirage-like creation of pure fancy. The world "expands" through habitual misidentification and repeated mental distortions over imagined time, reinforcing the illusion.

The sixth and seventh verses delve deeper into how 

Consciousness operates dualistically: creating the sense of experience from nothing and generating memories without actual prior events. This dual awareness arises empty of real causes, like dream memories or illusions where unrelated things trigger false recollections. Ultimately, all proceeds from formless Consciousness alone.

Together, these teachings convey Advaita Vedanta's core insight: the world is a mental fabrication, born of delusion and memory in Consciousness, with no independent existence.

Chapter 3.20, Verses 42–54

Yoga Vashishtha 3.20.42–54

(The apparent world of objects and perceptions is unreal, like a hare's horn, leading to the conclusion that there is no true "seen" or "Seer")

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

सचेत्यापि तथैवैषा परमव्योमरूपिणी।

तस्माच्चेत्यमतो नान्यद्वीचित्वादीव वारितः ॥ ४२ ॥

वीचित्वं च रसे नास्ति शशशृङ्गवदेव हि ।

सैव चेत्यमिवापन्ना स्वभावादच्युताप्यलम् ॥ ४३ ॥

तस्मान्नास्त्येव दृश्योऽर्थः कुतोऽतो द्रष्टृदृश्यधीः ।

निमिषेणैव जीवस्य मृतिमोहादनन्तरम् ॥ ४४ ॥

त्रिजगद्दृश्यसर्गश्रीः प्रतिभामुपगच्छति।

यथादेशं यथाकालं यथारम्भं यथाक्रमम् ॥ ४५ ॥

यथोत्पादं यथामातृ यथापितृ यथौरसम् ।

यथावयो यथासंविद्यथास्थानं यथेहितम् ॥ ४६ ॥

यथाबन्धु यथाभृत्यं यथेहास्तमयोदयम्।

अजात एव जातोऽहमिति चेतति चिद्वपुः ॥ ४७ ॥

देशकालक्रियाद्रव्यमनोबुद्धीन्द्रियादि च।

झटित्येव मृतेरन्ते वपुः पश्यति यौवने ॥ ४८ ॥

एषा माता पिता ह्येष बालोऽभूवमहं त्विति ।

नानुभूतोऽनुभूतो वा यः स्यात्स्मृतिमयः क्रमः ॥ ४९ ॥

पश्चादुदेत्यसौ तस्य पुष्पस्येव फलोदयः ।

निमिषेणैव मे कल्पो गत इत्यनुभूयते ॥ ५० ॥

रात्रिर्द्वादशवर्षाणि हरिश्चन्द्रे तथा ह्यभूत् ।

कान्ताविरहिणामेकं वासरं वत्सरायते ॥ ५१ ॥

मृतो जातोऽहमन्यो मे पितेति स्वप्नतास्विव ।

अभुक्तस्यैव भोगस्य भुक्तधीरुपजायते ॥ ५२ ॥

भुक्तेऽप्यभुक्तधीर्दृष्टमित्यलङ्कितवादिषु ।

शून्यमाकीर्णतामेति तुल्यं व्यसनमुत्सवैः ।

विप्रलम्भोऽपि लाभश्च मदस्वप्नादिसंविदि ॥ ५३ ॥

तैक्ष्ण्यं यथा मरिचबीजकणे स्थितं स्वं स्तम्भेषु चारचितपुत्रकजालमन्तः।

दृश्यं त्वनन्यदिदमेवमजेऽस्ति शान्तं तस्यास्तिबन्धनविमोक्षदृशः कुतः काः ॥ ५४ ॥

The Goddess continued:

3.20.42-44

Even though it has Consciousness, this Supreme Consciousness is in the form of Infinite Space. Therefore, there is nothing other than Consciousness; the idea of waves is rejected, like forbidding something unreal. There are no real waves in the ocean of Consciousness, just as there is no horn on a hare. It is the same Consciousness that appears as if it has become the object of perception, yet it remains unchanged by its own nature.Therefore, there is no seen object at all. So where can the ideas of Seer and seen come from? 

3.20.45-50

In just a moment after the death of a living being, due to delusion, the glory of the creation of the three worlds, which appears as seen, arises as a mere reflection — according to place, time, beginning, and sequence. 

According to birth, measurement, father, lineage, age, knowledge, position, and desire; according to relatives, servants, setting and rising of desires — the Pure Consciousness thinks, "I am born," even though it is unborn.

Place, time, action, substance, mind, intellect, senses, and so on — suddenly, at the end of death, the soul sees its body in youth. "This is my mother, this is my father, I was a child" — whether previously experienced or not, a sequence made of memories arises. Afterwards, it arises in him like the fruit appears after the flower. In just a moment, a whole age (kalpa) is felt to have passed by me.

3.20.51-53

For King Harishchandra, one night became like twelve years. For those separated from their beloved, one day feels like a year. "I died, I was born again, someone else is my father" — like in a dream. The feeling of having enjoyed something that was never enjoyed arises. Even after enjoying, the feeling of not having enjoyed appears, as in false stories. Emptiness appears full; misery and celebration become equal. Deception appears as gain in the knowledge of a madman's dream. 

3.20.54

Just as sharpness resides in the seed of a pepper, and inside pillars there is a network of carved little figures — this visible world is similarly present in the unborn Supreme Consciousness, which is peaceful. For the vision that sees bondage and liberation, where is the question of bondage or liberation?

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses from the Yoga Vasishta emphasize the non-dual nature of Reality, where Pure Consciousness (Brahm) is the only Truth, and the world is an illusory appearance.

The first set of verses (42-44) explains that Consciousness is vast and infinite like space, with no real objects or waves separate from it. The apparent world of objects and perceptions is unreal, like a hare's horn, leading to the conclusion that there is no true "seen" or "Seer."

The next verses (45-50) describe how, immediately after death, the soul instantly creates an entire new life experience — including body, family, time, and memories — as a mere mental reflection or dream-like projection, arising in a single moment despite seeming to span lifetimes.

Verses 51-53 illustrate the subjective nature of Time and experience through examples: a night feeling like years in delusion or separation, and enjoyments or sufferings feeling Real even when not experienced, similar to dreams where opposites blend and illusions dominate.

The final verse (54) compares the world to latent potentials (like sharpness in a seed or figures in wood) existing within the peaceful, unborn Absolute Reality. In true vision, there is no bondage or liberation — all duality dissolves. Overall, these teachings reinforce Advaita Vedanta: the world is a momentary delusion of Consciousness, unborn and unchanging; Realization dissolves all distinctions.

Chapter 3.20, Verses 31–41

Yoga Vashishtha 3.20.31–41

(The dreamer and the dreamed world are both Consciousness alone)

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

अनुभूय क्षणं जीवो मिथ्यामरणमूर्च्छनम् ।

विस्मृत्य प्राक्तनं भावमन्यं पश्यति सुव्रते ॥ ३१ ॥

तदेवोन्मेषमात्रेण व्योम्न्येव व्योमरूप्यपि ।

आधेयोऽयमिहाधारे स्थितोऽहमिति चेतति ॥ ३२ ॥

हस्तपादादिमान्देहो ममायमिति पश्यति ।

यदेव चेतति वपुस्तदेवेदं स पश्यति ॥ ३३ ॥

एतस्याहं पितुः पुत्रो वर्षाण्येतानि सन्ति मे ।

इमे मे बान्धवा रम्या ममेदं रम्यमास्पदम् ॥ ३४ ॥

जातोऽहमभवं बालो वृद्धिं यातोऽहमीदृशः ।

बान्धवाश्चास्य मे सर्वे तथैव विचरन्त्यमी ॥ ३५ ॥

चित्ताकाशघनैकत्वात्स्वेऽप्यन्येऽपि भवन्ति ते ।

एवं नामोदितेऽप्यस्य चित्ते संसारखण्डके ॥ ३६ ॥

न किंचिदप्यभ्युदितं स्थितं व्योमैव निर्मलम् ।

स्वप्ने द्रष्टरि यद्वच्चित्तद्वद्दृश्ये चिदेव सा ॥ ३७ ॥

सर्वगैकतया यस्मात्सा स्वप्ने दृष्टदर्शना ।

यथा स्वप्ने तथोदेति परलोकदृगादिभिः ॥ ३८ ॥

परलोके यथोदेति तथैवेहाभ्युदेति सा ।

तत्स्वप्नपरलोकेह लोकानामसतां सताम् ॥ ३९ ॥

न मनागपि भेदोऽस्ति वीचीनामिव वारिणि ।

अतो जातमिदं विश्वमजातत्वादनाशि च ॥ ४० ॥

स्वरूपत्वात्तु नास्त्येव यच्च भाति चिदेव सा ।

यथैव चेत्यनिर्हीणा परमव्योमरूपिणी ॥ ४१ ॥

Goddess Saraswati continued:

3.20.31: The living being experiences for a moment the false death and fainting, forgets the previous State, and sees another one, O good-vowed one.

3.20.32: With just that slight awakening, like space appearing in space, it thinks: "I am this content placed here in the container."

3.20.33: It sees the body with hands, feet, and so on as "this is mine," and whatever body it imagines, that very one it perceives.

3.20.34: "I am the son of this father, these many years are mine, these are my pleasant relatives, this pleasant abode is mine."

3.20.35: "I was born, I became a child, I grew up in this way, and all my relatives behave in the same manner."

3.20.36: Because of Oneness with the dense mind-space, others also become the same for oneself. Even when the mind, this fragment of the world, arises in this way,

3.20.37: Nothing at all has arisen; it remains Pure Space alone. Just as in a dream for the dreamer, so in the seen object, it is Consciousness alone.

3.20.38: Because it is all-pervading oneness, it is the Seer of what is seen in the dream. It arises in the same way with visions of the other world and so on.

3.20.39-41: It arises in the other world just as it arises here in this world. Therefore, in dream, other world, and this world, for the worlds that are unreal and Real, there is not even the slightest difference, like waves in water. Therefore, this Universe, because it is unborn, is indestructible. But because of its True Nature, it does not exist at all, yet what appears is Consciousness alone, just as it is the Supreme Space devoid of thoughts.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses from the Yoga Vasishta, spoken by Goddess Saraswati, explain the illusory nature of rebirth and the world, emphasizing that everything arises from Pure Consciousness, similar to a dream.

In the first part, the jiva (individual soul) experiences a momentary false death, forgets its prior existence, and immediately identifies with a new body and life. It perceives hands, feet, family, age, and possessions as its own, creating a sense of personal history and relationships that feel Real but are newly imagined each time.

This identification happens instantly upon "awakening" in the new state, like forms appearing in empty space. The mind projects relatives and the world as extensions of itself due to its dense, condensed nature, but in Reality, nothing new truly arises—the underlying Space (Consciousness) remains Pure and unchanged.

The verses compare this to a dream: the dreamer and the dreamed world are both Consciousness alone. There is no fundamental difference between experiences in dreams, the afterlife, and this waking life—all are appearances in the same undivided Consciousness.

Ultimately, the world has no Real birth, hence no destruction; it seems to exist but does not, as its Essence is only the thought-free, Infinite Consciousness. This teaches non-dual reality where apparent multiplicity is illusion. True Freedom comes from recognizing this: the seeming individual life cycle is false projection, and resting in Pure Awareness ends the cycle of illusion.

Chapter 3.20, Verses 22–30

Yoga Vashishtha 3.20.22–30

(Worlds, Time, and Space are projections within the atomic yet Infinite Self, and awakening involves seeing beyond these illusions to the Unchanging Reality)

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

स्वप्नसंभ्रमसंकल्पस्वानुभूतिपरम्पराः ।

प्रमाणान्यत्र मुख्यानि संबोधाय प्रदीपवत् ॥ २२ ॥

स्थितो ब्राह्मणगेहान्तर्द्विजजीवस्तदम्बरे।

ससमुद्रवना पृथ्वी स्थिताब्ज इव षट्पदः ॥ २३ ॥

तस्याः कस्मिंश्चिदेकस्मिन्पेलवे कोणकोटरे ।

इदं पत्तनदेहादि केशोण्ड्रक इवाम्बरे ॥ २४ ॥

तस्मिन्नस्मिन्पुरे तन्वि तदेव सदनं स्थितम् ।

तस्मात्किं त्रसरेण्वन्तर्जगद्वृन्दमिव स्थितम् ॥ २५ ॥

परमाणौ परमाणौ सन्ति वत्से चिदात्मनि ।

अन्तरन्तर्जगन्तीति किंत्वेतन्नाम शङ्क्यते ॥ २६ ॥

लीलोवाच ।

अष्टमे दिवसे विप्रः स मृतः परमेश्वरि।

गतो वर्षगणोऽस्माकं मातः कथमिदं भवेत् ॥ २७ ॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

देशदैर्घ्यं यथा नास्ति कालदैर्घ्यं तथाङ्गने ।

नास्त्येवेति यथान्यायं कथ्यमानं मया शृणु ॥ २८ ॥

यथैतत्प्रतिभामात्रं जगत्सर्गावभासनम्।

तथैतत्प्रतिभामात्रं क्षणकल्पावभासनम् ॥ २९ ॥

क्षणकल्पं जगत्सर्वं त्वत्तामत्तात्मजन्मनाम् ।

यथावत्प्रतिभासस्य वक्ष्ये क्रममिमं शृणु ॥ ३० ॥

3.20.22 

The Goddess said: The series of dream confusions, mental imaginations, and personal experiences—these are the main proofs here for awakening, like a lamp.

3.20.23  

The Brahmin's soul stayed inside the Brahmin's house, in its sky-like space, like a bee inside a lotus, with the earth complete with oceans and forests.

3.20.24

In some soft corner crevice of that earth, this city, body, and so on existed in the sky, like a bunch of hair in the air.

3.20.25 

In that city, O slender one, that very house existed. From a tiny dust particle in it, clusters of worlds existed like that.

3.20.26

O dear, in every atom, in every atom, within the conscious Self, inner worlds exist—but this is not really doubted.

3.20.27

Queen Lila said: O Supreme Goddess, that Brahmin died on the eighth day. Many years have passed for us, O Mother—how can this happen?

3.20.28

The Goddess said: Just as there is no Real length in Space, similarly there is no length in Time, O beautiful one. Listen to me explain this properly as it is.

3.20.29

Just as this appearance of the world's creation is merely an illusion, similarly this appearance of moments and eons is merely an illusion.

3.20.30

The entire world is a moment or an eon for you, me, and others who are born. I will explain the sequence of its proper appearance—listen to this order.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses from the Yoga Vasistha, in the story of Lila, illustrate profound Advaita Vedanta principles about the illusory nature of the world, time, space, and individual experiences.

The first set of verses (22-26) emphasizes that True Knowledge arises from recognizing personal experiences—such as dreams, imaginations, and perceptions—as primary evidences for Spiritual Awakening, much like a lamp illuminates Reality. The narrative uses vivid analogies: the soul of the deceased Brahmin resides within the vast "sky" of his home, containing an entire earth with oceans and forests, like a bee in a lotus. Nested within this, cities, bodies, houses, and even multitudes of worlds exist in tiny spaces like dust particles or atomic corners. This highlights the Infinite nesting of Universes within Consciousness, where countless worlds reside in every atom of the Pure conscious Self, underscoring that all apparent multiplicity is contained within the Singular, Undivided Awareness.

Verses 27-28 address Lila's confusion about time discrepancies: the Brahmin died quickly, yet years passed in her experience. The Goddess explains that just as Space has no inherent length or extension (it is boundless and undivided), Time similarly lacks objective duration—it is not Real in an absolute sense. This teaches that perceived extensions in time and space are mere appearances without Ultimate Reality.

In verses 29-30, the Goddess equates the creation of the world to a mere mental projection or illusion (pratibha), comparable to how moments and vast cosmic ages (kalpas) appear. The entire Universe, for all Beings, alternates between seeming instantaneous (a moment) or eternal (an eon), depending on perception. This points to the subjective nature of existence, where the sequence of manifestation is illusory, and true understanding comes from recognizing this orderly yet unreal appearance.

Overall, these verses convey the non-duality of Consciousness: worlds, time, and space are projections within the atomic yet Infinite Self, and awakening involves seeing beyond these illusions to the Unchanging Reality. The core teaching is liberation through insight into the dream-like quality of all phenomena, dissolving distinctions of vastness, duration, and separation.