Chapter 3.28, Verses 1–16

Yoga Vashishtha 3.28.1–16

(The world shines brightly yet is ultimately asat - unreal - within the Essence of Pure Awareness)

श्रीराम उवाच ।

वज्राङ्गसाराद्ब्रह्माण्डकुड्यान्निबिडमण्डलात् ।

कोटियोजनसंपुष्टात्कथं ते निर्गतेऽबले ॥ १ ॥

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

क्व ब्रह्माण्डं क्व तद्भित्तिः क्वात्रासौ वज्रसारता ।

किलावश्यं स्थिते देव्यावन्तःपुरवराम्बरे ॥ २ ॥

तस्मिन्नेव गिरिग्रामे तस्मिन्नेवालयाम्बरे ।

ब्राह्मणः स वसिष्ठाख्य आस्वादयति राजताम् ॥ ३ ॥

तमेव मण्डपाकाशकोणकं शून्यमात्रकम् ।

चतुःसमुद्रपर्यन्तं भूतलं सोऽनुभूतवान् ॥ ४ ॥

आकाशात्मनि भूपीठं तस्मिंस्तद्राजपत्तनम् ।

राजसद्मानुभवति स च सा चाप्यरुन्धती ॥ ५ ॥

लीलाभिधाना सा जाता तया च ज्ञप्तिरर्चिता ।

ज्ञप्त्या सह समुल्लङ्घ्य खमाश्चर्यमनोहरम् ॥ ६ ॥

प्रादेशमात्रे नभसि सा तत्रैवगृहोदरे ।

ब्रह्माण्डान्तरमासाद्य गिरिग्रामकमन्दिरे ॥ ७ ॥

ब्रह्माण्डात्परिनिर्गत्य स्वगृहे स्थितिमाययौ ।

स्वप्नात्स्वप्नान्तरं प्राप्य यथा तल्पगतः पुमान् ॥ ८ ॥

प्रतिभामात्रमेवैतत्सर्वमाकाशमात्रकम् ।

न ब्रह्माण्डं न संसारो न कुड्यादि न दूरता ॥ ९ ॥

स्वचित्तमेव कचति तयोस्तादृङ्मनोहरम् ।

वासनामात्रसोल्लेखं क्व ब्रह्माण्डं क्व संसृतिः ॥ १० ॥

निरावरणमेवेदं ज्ञप्त्याकाशमनन्तकम् ।

किंचित्स्वचित्तेनोन्नीतं स्पन्दयुक्त्येव मारुतः ॥ ११ ॥

चिदाकाशमजं शान्तं सर्वत्रैव हि सर्वदा।

चित्त्वाज्जगदिवाभाति स्वयमेवात्मनात्मनि ॥ १२ ॥

येन बुद्धं तु तस्यैतदाकाशादप शून्यकम्।

न बुद्धं येन तस्यैतद्वज्रसाराचलोपमम् ॥ १३ ॥

गृह एव यथा स्वप्ने नगरं भाति भासुरम् ।

तथैतदसदेवान्तश्चिद्धातौ भाति भास्वरम् ॥ १४ ॥

यथा मरौ जलं बुद्धं कटकत्वं च हेमनि ।

असत्सदिव भातीदं तथा दृश्यत्वमात्मनि ॥ १५ ॥

एवमाकथयन्त्यौ ते ललने ललिताकृती।

गृहान्निर्ययतुर्बाह्यं चारुचक्रमणक्रमैः ॥ १६ ॥

Sriram said:

3.28.1

How did the lady, being weak, escape from this Universe which is like a solid diamond wall, densely formed and vast like millions of yojanas?

Sage Vashishta replied:

3.28.2

Where is the Universe? Where is its wall? Where is that diamond-like hardness? Indeed, O Goddess, you two are surely present in the inner chamber of the sky itself.

3.28.3–5

In that very mountain village, in that very house in the sky, the Brahmin named Vasistha enjoys royal splendor.

He himself experienced that empty corner of the pavilion in the sky as the entire earth bounded by the four oceans.

In that sky-nature, the earthly seat, and in it that royal city; he and Arundhati experience the royal palace.

3.28.6–8

She who is named Lila was born there, and by her, Consciousness (jnana) was worshipped. With that Consciousness, crossing the wonderful and charming sky...

In a small space of the sky, right there inside the house, she reached another Universe within the mountain village temple.

Emerging from that Universe, she returned to her own home. Just as a man in bed goes from one dream to another dream.

3.28.9–11

All this is mere appearance, nothing but empty Space. There is no Universe, no worldly life, no wall, no distance.

One's own mind alone shines forth with such charming forms for them both. It is merely a trace of latent impressions (vasanas). Where is the Universe? Where is worldly existence?

This is indeed the uncovered, Infinite Space of Consciousness. Something is projected by one's own mind, like wind stirred by motion.

3.28.12

The Space of Consciousness is Unborn, Peaceful, All-pervading and Evere-present. Due to its nature as Consciousness, it appears as the world, shining by itself in itself.

3.28.13–15

For one who knows it, this is even emptier than empty Space. For one who does not know it, this is like a diamond-hard mountain.

Just as in a dream within the house a shining city appears, so this unreal thing shines brightly within the Essence of Consciousness.

As water is seen in a desert mirage, or bracelet-form in gold, this unreal appears as Real in the Self, so the seen world appears in the Self.

3.28.16

Thus speaking, days Vashishta, the two charming ladies, with graceful forms, left the house and went outside, walking beautifully in graceful steps.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses form part of the Lila story in the Utpatti Prakarana, emphasizing the illusory nature of the Universe and the Reality of Pure Consciousness. Rama questions how Lila could exit the vast, impenetrable-seeming universe, highlighting the common perception of the world as solid and distant. Vasistha explains that the Universe has no real substance or boundaries—it exists only as an appearance within Consciousness. The "diamond wall" and immense size are mental projections, not objective realities. This sets the foundation for understanding that Creation is mind-made, without inherent existence apart from Awareness.

The narrative illustrates how the same Consciousness (jnana) manifests multiple layers of experience, like Vasistha and Arundhati enjoying royal life in a tiny sky-pavilion that appears as the entire earth. Lila, born from this, worships Consciousness and travels through nested "Universes" within a small space, showing that all worlds are contained within the mind's projections. This journey resembles entering one dream from another while asleep, proving that transitions between States of existence are illusory shifts in perception, not movements in real Space.

The core teaching is non-duality: everything perceived is mere appearance (pratibha) in empty Space (akasha), with no True Universe, samsara, walls, or distances. The mind alone projects charming forms through vasanas (latent tendencies or impressions), creating the illusion of multiplicity. When vasanas are seen as such, the question of "where is the world?" dissolves, revealing that bondage and liberation depend on mental conviction.

Consciousness (cidakasha) is described as Unborn, Eternal, Peaceful, and All-pervading. It appears as the world due to its own nature, self-shining within itself. For the ignorant, the world feels solid and immovable like a diamond mountain; for the Knower, it is emptier than emptiness. This relativity of perception underscores that Reality depends on Realization —ignorance hardens illusion, while Knowledge reveals its non-existence.

The verses use analogies like dream-cities, mirage-water, and gold-bracelets to show how the unreal appears Real in the substratum (the Self or Consciousness). The world shines brightly yet is ultimately asat (unreal) within the essence of Pure Awareness. The ladies' graceful exit symbolizes liberated beings moving freely in the world without attachment, embodying the teaching that true freedom comes from recognizing the dream-like nature of existence and resting in the Unchanging Self.

Chapter 3.27, Verses 51–59

Yoga Vashishtha 3.27.51–59

(The painful and restless nature of worldly life, is compared to a long, turbulent river where the jiva is helplessly tossed by the winds of desire and karma)

लीलोवाच ।

कनकस्यन्दसंदोह सुन्दरैरङ्गपञ्जरैः।

स्वर्गेऽप्सरोम्बुजिन्याशु तोषिताः सुरषट्पदाः ॥ ५१ ॥

मणिकाञ्चनमाणिक्यमुक्तानिकरभूतले ।

कल्पद्रुमवने मेरौ यूना सह रतं कृतम् ॥ ५२ ॥

कल्लोलाकुलकच्छासु लसद्गुच्छलतासु च ।

वेलावनगुहास्वब्धेश्चिरं कूर्मतया स्थितम् ॥ ५३ ॥

तरत्तारतरङ्गासु दोलनं सरसालिनाम्।

चलच्छदपटालीषु राजहंस्यं मया कृतम् ॥ ५४ ॥

शाल्मलीदललोलानामान्दोलनदरिद्रताम् ।

मशकस्य मयालोक्य दीनं मशकया स्मितम् ॥ ५५ ॥

तरत्तारतरङ्गासु चञ्चद्वीच्यग्रचुम्बनैः।

भ्रान्तं शैलस्रवन्तीषु जलवञ्जुललीलया ॥ ५६ ॥

गन्धमादनमन्दारमन्दिरे मदनातुरा ।

पातिताः पादयोः पूर्वं विद्याधरकुमारकाः ॥ ५७ ॥

कर्णिकर्पूरपूरेषु तल्पेषु व्यसनातुरा ।

चिरं विलुलितास्मीन्दुबिम्बेष्विव शशिप्रभा ॥ ५८ ॥

योनिष्वनेकविधदुःखशतान्वितासु भ्रान्तं मयोन्नमनसन्नमनाकुलात्मा।

संसारदीर्घसरितश्चलया लहर्या दुर्वारवातहरिणीसरणक्रमेण ॥ ५९ ॥

Queen Lila continued:

3.27.51

In heaven, as a beautiful Apsara with a body shining like flowing molten gold and lovely lotus-like features, I quickly pleased the gods who are like bees.

3.27.52

On the jewel-strewn golden ground in the forests of wish-fulfilling trees on Mount Meru, I enjoyed youthful pleasures with young companions.

3.27.53

For a long time I stayed as a tortoise in the ocean's wave-filled shores, among shining clusters of creeping vines and in the caves of the seashore forests.

3.27.54

I acted as a royal swan, swaying on the trembling waves full of stars' reflections, among the fluttering rows of lotus leaves in lakes.

3.27.55

Seeing a female mosquito poor and deprived, swinging on the trembling leaves of the silk-cotton tree, I smiled with pity as a mosquito myself.

3.27.56

With the playful movements of water plants, I wandered on mountain streams, kissing the dancing wave tips with restless swift waves.

3.27.57

In the temple of mandara flowers on Gandhamadana mountain, love-stricken Vidhyadhara youths fell at my feet in devotion.

3.27.58

Overcome by passion, I rolled for a long time on beds filled with camphor and kunkuma, like moonlight scattered on the moon's orb.

3.27.59

With my mind rising and falling in confusion, I wandered through countless wombs full of hundreds of pains, carried along the long river of worldly existence by the unsteady waves, running helplessly like a deer chased by an irresistible wind.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses form part of Lila's recollection of her countless past lives, as narrated in the Yoga Vasistha to illustrate the illusory and transient nature of individual existence. Lila describes her births in diverse forms—from a divine celestial nymph enjoying heavenly pleasures, to youthful enjoyments on sacred mountains, to an animal like a tortoise enduring long periods in the ocean, and even lowly insects like a mosquito. This shows how the soul (jiva), driven by karma and desires, cycles through high and low births without any lasting stability or true fulfillment.

The core teaching emphasizes that all forms of life, whether exalted like an Apsara in heaven or humble like a tortoise or mosquito, are equally bound by the cycle of samsara. Pleasures in higher realms or playful moments in nature are fleeting and ultimately lead to the same dissatisfaction. Even Divine enjoyments or romantic passions end in exhaustion and repetition, highlighting the futility of seeking happiness in external or bodily experiences.

A deeper lesson is the unreality of individuality across births. Lila's "I" has inhabited bodies as varied as a swan gliding on lakes, a love-maddened youth pursued by admirers, or a being tormented in painful wombs. This demonstrates that personal identity is not fixed but a product of mind and memory, shifting like waves in the river of existence. The soul appears to move through these states, yet in truth, it remains untouched as Pure Consciousness.

The verses underscore the painful and restless nature of worldly life, compared to a long, turbulent river where the jiva is helplessly tossed by the winds of desire and karma. No birth is free from suffering—whether the subtle pains of passion or the gross hardships of lower forms. This Realization aims to create detachment (vairagya), urging the seeker to recognize the impermanence and sorrow inherent in all conditioned existence.

Ultimately, these descriptions serve the larger Advaita teaching of the Yoga Vasistha: the world and its endless cycle of births are appearances in Consciousness, like dreams. By recollecting such diverse lives, Lila (and through her, the reader) is led to question the Reality of the ego and the body, paving the way for understanding one's true nature as the Unchanging Self beyond birth and death.

Chapter 3.27, Verses 43–50

Yoga Vashishtha 3.27.43–50

(The soul is Eternal and Pure Consciousness, unbound by any form, yet appears bound through identification with bodies and desires)

लीलोवाच ।

वर्षाण्यष्टौ सुराष्ट्रेषु देवि गोत्वं कृतं मया ।

मोहाद्दुर्जनदुष्टाज्ञबालगोपाललीलया ॥ ४३ ॥

विहंग्या वैरविन्यस्ता वागुरा विपिनावनौ ।

क्लेशेन महता च्छिन्ना अधमा वासना इव ॥ ४४ ॥

कर्णिकाक्रोडशय्यासु विश्रान्तमलिना सह ।

पद्मकुड्मलकोशेषु भुक्तकिंजल्कया रहः ॥ ४५ ॥

भ्रान्तमुत्तुङ्गशृङ्गासु हरिण्या हारिनेत्रया ।

वनस्थलीषु रम्यासु किराताहतमर्मया ॥ ४६ ॥

दृष्टं नष्टासु दिक्ष्वब्धिकल्लोलैरुह्यमानया ।

मत्स्याम्बुकच्छपाच्छोडे मोघमाननताडनम् ॥ ४७ ॥

पीतं चर्मण्वतीतीरे गायन्त्या मधुरस्वरम् ।

पुलिन्द्या सुरतान्तेषु नालिकेररसासवम् ॥ ४८ ॥

सारसीसरसालिन्या सीत्कारमधुरस्वरम् ।

सारसः सुरतैः स्वैरं सामन्तश्चारुरञ्जितः ॥ ४९ ॥

तालीतमालकुञ्जेषु तरलानननेत्रया।

क्षीबप्रेक्षणविक्षोभैः कृतं कान्तावलोकनम् ॥ ५० ॥

Queen Lila continued:

3.27.43

For eight years in the country of Surashtra, O Goddess, I lived as a cow due to delusion, playing the role of an ignorant, naughty cowherd boy among wicked people.

3.27.44

In the forest, like a cruel net of enmity spread by birds, my lowly tendencies were cut with great effort, like bad habits.

3.27.45

I rested secretly with a dirty bee in the hollows of lotus stalks and in the sheaths of lotus buds, having enjoyed the pollen.

3.27.46

I wandered on high mountain peaks with a deer having captivating eyes, in beautiful forest groves, struck in the vital parts by a hunter.

3.27.47

I saw, while being carried away by ocean waves in lost directions, the useless slapping of the face in vain by a fish, turtle, or frog in water.

3.27.48

On the banks of the Charmanyvati river, I drank sweet coconut liquor sung in melodious voice by a Pulinda woman at the end of love-making.

3.27.49

With a lake-bird (crane) lady making sweet cooing sounds, the swan (saras) was freely delighted in love sports, charmingly adorned by attendants.

3.27.50

In the groves of palm and tamala trees, with a woman having trembling face and eyes, passionate glances caused disturbance while looking at the beloved.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses form part of Lila's recollection of her numerous past existences, as revealed through yogic insight and Divine Grace. Lila describes transmigrating through various lower forms of life—animal, bird, insect, and human-like tribal—highlighting how the soul, driven by ignorance (moha) and deep-rooted desires (vasanas), undergoes endless cycles of birth. The narrative begins with her existence as a cow in delusion and ignorance, showing how even seemingly innocent playful roles bind the soul due to association with impure influences. This illustrates the teaching that the jiva (individual soul) is not fixed in any single form but wanders endlessly due to karma and vasanas, emphasizing impermanence and the futility of worldly identifications.

The imagery of cutting lowly tendencies "with great effort, like a cruel net" points to the arduous process of spiritual purification. Just as a net of enmity traps birds, vasanas ensnare the soul across lifetimes. Lila's effort to break free symbolizes sadhana (spiritual practice) required to destroy bad habits and attachments. The Yoga Vasishta teaches that liberation comes not from avoiding births but from recognizing and uprooting the subtle impressions (vasanas) that propel rebirth, often through discrimination (viveka) and intense inner work.

The verses vividly portray sensual and instinct-driven experiences in animal and semi-human forms—resting in lotus with a bee (symbolizing attachment to fleeting pleasures), wandering as a deer hunted down (showing vulnerability to death and desire), or indulging in intoxicating drinks and love sports as tribal women or birds. These depict how the same consciousness assumes diverse bodies to fulfill latent desires, whether for food, mating, or sensory enjoyment. The teaching here is that all embodied experiences, high or low, arise from the mind's projections and conditioning; there is no essential difference between human "nobility" and animal "baseness"—both are illusions born of ignorance.

A deeper teaching emerges in the futility and suffering inherent in these lives: the "useless slapping" in ocean waves, the strike of the hunter, or the temporary delights of love and intoxication. They reveal samsara's nature as transient, painful, and ultimately empty. Lila's survey of these lives serves to awaken detachment (vairagya), showing that chasing pleasures across forms leads only to repeated bondage. The text uses these graphic recollections to demonstrate that the world is a dream-like play of Consciousness (chit), where births occur due to self-imposed limitations.

Ultimately, these verses reinforce the central doctrine of the Yoga Vasishta: the soul is Eternal and Pure Consciousness, unbound by any form, yet appears bound through identification with bodies and desires. Lila's ability to remember and narrate these lives proves the power of Knowledge (jnana) to transcend time and rebirth. The teaching urges the seeker to realize the non-dual Self (Atman/Brahm), beyond all forms and vasanas, as the only way to end the cycle. By seeing the illusory nature of all existences—as Lila does—the aspirant attains Freedom here and now.

Chapter 3.27, Verses 26–42

Yoga Vashishtha 3.27.26–42

(By seeing all lives as simultaneous illusions within the One Self, the aspirant transcends samsara, Realizing Eternal Freedom in Pure Awareness)

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

अन्य एव हि संसारः सोऽन्यो ब्रह्माण्डमण्डपः ।

अन्या एव तता वत्से व्यवहारपरम्पराः ॥ २६ ॥

संसारमण्डलानीह तानि पार्श्वे स्थितान्यपि ।

दूरं योजनकोटीनां कोटयस्तेष्विहान्तरम् ॥ २७ ॥

आकाशमात्रमेतेषामिदं पश्य वपुः पुनः।

मेरुमन्दरकोटीनां कोटयस्तेष्ववस्थिताः ॥ २८ ॥

परमाणौ परमाणौ सर्ववर्गानिरर्गलम् ।

महाचितेः स्फुरन्त्यर्करुचीव त्रसरेणवः ॥ २९ ॥

महारम्भगुरूण्येवमपि ब्रह्माण्डकानि हि।

तुलया धानकामात्रमपि तानि भवन्ति नो ॥ ३० ॥

नानारत्नामलोद्द्योतो वनवद्भाति खे यथा ।

पृथ्व्यादिभूतरहिता जगच्चिद्भाति चिन्तया ॥ ३१ ॥

कचति ज्ञप्तिरेवेदं जगदित्यादि नात्मनि ।

नतु पृथ्व्यादि संपन्नं सर्गादावेव किंचन ॥ ३२ ॥

यथा तरङ्गः सरसि भूत्वा भूत्वा पुनर्भवेत् ।

विचित्राकारकालाङ्गदेशाज्ञप्तावलं तथा ॥ ३३ ॥

लीलोवाच ।

एवमेतज्जगन्मातर्मया स्मृतमिहाधुना ।

ममेदं राजसं जन्म न तमो न च सात्त्विकम् ॥ ३४ ॥

ब्रह्मणस्त्ववतीर्णाया अष्टौ जन्मशतानि मे ।

नानायोनीन्यतीतानि पश्यामीवाधुना पुनः ॥ ३५ ॥

संसारमण्डले देवि कस्मिंश्चिदभवं पुरा।

लोकान्तराब्जभ्रमरी विद्याधरवराङ्गना ॥ ३६ ॥

दुर्वासनाकलुषिता ततोऽहं मानुषी स्थिता ।

संसारमण्डलेऽन्यस्मिन्पन्नगेश्वरकामिनी ॥ ३७ ॥

कदम्बकुन्दजम्बीरकरञ्जवनवासिनी ।

पत्राम्बरधरा श्यामा शबर्यहमथाभवम् ॥ ३८ ॥

वनवासनया मुग्धा संपन्नाहमथोद्धता ।

गुलुच्छनयना पत्रहस्ता वनविलासिनी ॥ ३९ ॥

पुण्याश्रमलता साहं मुनिसङ्गपवित्रिता ।

वनाग्निदग्धा तस्यैव कन्याभूवं महामुनेः ॥ ४० ॥

अस्त्रीत्वफलदातॄणां कर्मणां परिणामतः ।

राजाहमभवं श्रीमान्सुराष्ट्रेषु समाः शतम् ॥ ४१ ॥

तालीनां तलकच्छेषु राजदुष्कृतदोषतः।

नकुली नववर्षाणि कुष्ठनष्टाङ्गिकाभवम् ॥ ४२ ॥

Goddess Saraswati said: 

3.27.26

The world is one thing, the cosmic sphere is another, and the chain of worldly transactions is yet another, my child.  

3.27.27

These circles of worlds exist here, even though they appear side by side; yet within them, there are distances of millions and millions of yojanas.  

3.27.28

See, their essence is mere space. Again, within them are situated millions upon millions of Mount Merus and Mandaras.  

3.27.29

In every atom, in every atom, without obstruction, all categories shine forth in the great Consciousness, like dust particles in the rays of the sun.  

3.27.30

Even though these universes are vast and grand in their origin, when weighed, they do not equal even a single grain of corn.  

3.27.31

Just as various jewels and pure lights shine like a forest in the sky, so the world shines in Consciousness without earth or other elements.  

3.27.32

This world is nothing but the shining forth of Pure Awareness; it does not exist as earth etc. right from the beginning of Creation.  

3.27.33

Just as waves in a lake appear and disappear repeatedly, so various forms, times, limbs, and places arise and shine in Awareness alone.

Queen Lila said:

3.27.24

O Mother of the world, I remember this now — this world. My birth here is rajasic (passionate), neither tamasic (dark) nor sattvic (pure).  

3.27.35

For the incarnation descended from Brahman, I have had eight hundred births; having passed through various wombs, I see them all now again.  

3.27.36

In some circle of the world long ago, O Goddess, I was a bee-like wanderer in the lotus of another realm, a supreme celestial woman (Vidyadhari).  

3.27.37

Polluted by bad tendencies, from there I became a human woman. In another world circle, I was the beloved of the lord of serpents.  

3.27.38

Living in forests of kadamba, kunda, jambira, and karanja trees, wearing leaf garments, dark-complexioned, I then became a Shabari woman.  

3.27.39

Deluded by forest life, I became proud and endowed; with cluster-like eyes, holding leaves in hand, a forest-dwelling beauty.  

3.27.40

As a creeper in a sacred hermitage, purified by association with sages, I was burned by forest fire and became the daughter of that great sage.  

3.27.41

As a result of karma that bears the fruit of womanhood, due to the outcome of actions, I became a prosperous king in Surashtra for a hundred years.  

3.27.42

Due to the faults of royal sins, in the palm groves and lowlands, I became Nakuli, afflicted with leprosy, with limbs destroyed for nine years.

Summary of the teachings:

These verses first illustrate the illusory and insubstantial nature of the Universe from the perspective of Supreme Consciousness (Chit). The Goddess explains that 

countless worlds, even with their immense scales — including countless Mount Merus — are mere appearances within infinite space and ultimately within Pure Awareness. They are as insignificant as dust motes in sunlight or a single grain when compared to the vastness of Consciousness. This teaches that multiplicity and grandeur are deceptive; Reality is non-dual awareness alone, and the perceived world lacks independent material existence from the moment of apparent creation.

The imagery of atoms containing Universes and Universes being no heavier than a mustard seed emphasizes the dream-like quality of samsara. Everything arises, shines, and subsides solely within the self-luminous field of Knowledge (or information). There is no real creation involving earth, water, or other elements; forms, times, and places are transient waves on the ocean of Awareness, appearing and disappearing without ever altering the substratum. This revelation aims to dissolve attachment to the objective world by revealing its utter emptiness apart from Consciousness.

Lila's response shifts to personal recollection, marking a moment of spiritual awakening where she remembers her countless past lives across different realms and species. Her current birth is described as rajasic — driven by passion and activity — highlighting how gunas influence embodiment. 

The teaching here is that the individual soul (jiva) undergoes endless transmigration due to vasanas (latent tendencies) and karma, cycling through Divine, human, animal-like, and even degraded states, yet all these are remembered in Higher Awareness as illusory projections.

Lila recounts her sequence of births: from a celestial Vidyadhari to a human, a serpent's consort, a tribal Shabari woman living primitively in forests, a purified hermitage creeper-like figure reborn as a sage's daughter after tragedy, then a powerful king, and finally a leper woman suffering greatly. This narrative shows the unpredictability and impermanence of worldly roles and pleasures, governed by karma's fruits — even virtuous or royal states lead to downfall, and womanhood itself is framed as a karmic result. It underscores that no status is permanent or ultimately fulfilling.

Overall, these verses combine cosmological insight with autobiographical reflection to convey core Advaitic teachings: the world is an appearance in Consciousness without Real substance; bondage arises from Ignorance of this Truth and from accumulated tendencies causing rebirth; Realization begins with recognition (smriti) of one's True Nature beyond births and deaths. By seeing all lives as simultaneous illusions within the One Self, the aspirant transcends samsara, Realizing Eternal Freedom in Pure Awareness.

Chapter 3.27, Verses 13–25

Yoga Vashishtha 3.27.13–25

(All these worlds, births, deaths, and experiences are contained within the "Space" of Consciousness itself, like mustard seeds in a jar or scents carried by wind between forests)

लीलोवाच ।

इहैव मन्दिराकाशे पतिर्विप्रो ममाभवत्।

इहैव स मृतो भूत्वा संपन्नो वसुधाधिपः ॥ १३ ॥

इहैव तस्य संसारे तस्मिन्भूमण्डलान्तरे।

राजधानीपुरे तस्मिन्पुरन्ध्र्यस्मि व्यवस्थिता ॥ १४ ॥

इहैवान्तःपुरे तस्मिन्स मृतो मम भूपतिः।

इहैवान्तःपुराकाशे तस्मिन्नेव पुरे नृपः ॥ १५ ॥

संपन्नो वसुधापीठे नानाजनपदेश्वरः ।

सर्वार्जवजवीभाव इहैवैवं व्यवस्थितः ॥ १६ ॥

अस्मिन्नेव गृहाकाशे सर्वा ब्रह्माण्डभूमयः ।

स्थिताः समुद्गके मन्ये यथान्तः सर्षपोत्कराः ॥ १७ ॥

सदाऽदूरमहं मन्ये तद्भर्तुर्मम मण्डलम्।

क्वचित्पार्श्वे स्थितमिह यथा पश्यामि तत्कुरु ॥ १८ ॥

श्रीदेव्युवाच ।

भूतलारुन्धतिसुते भर्तारस्तव संप्रति।

त्रयो नामाथवाभूवन्बहवः शतसंमताः ॥ १९ ॥

नेदीयसां त्रयाणां तु द्विजस्ते भस्मतां गतः ।

राजा माल्यान्तरगतः संस्थितोऽन्तःपुरे शवः ॥ २० ॥

संसारमण्डले ह्यस्मिंस्तृतीयो वसुधाधिपः ।

महासंसारजलधिं पतितो भ्रममागतः ॥ २१ ॥

भोगकल्लोलकलनाविकलो मलचेतनः।

जाड्यजर्जरचिद्वृत्तिः संसाराम्भोधिकच्छपः ॥ २२ ॥

चित्राणि राजकार्याणि कुर्वन्नप्याकुलान्यपि ।

सुप्तः स्थितो जडतया न जागर्ति भवभ्रमे ॥ २३ ॥

ईश्वरोऽहमहं भोगी सिद्धोऽहं बलवान्सुखी ।

इत्यनर्थमहारज्वा वलितो वशतां गतः ॥ २४ ॥

तत्कस्य वद भर्तुस्त्वां समीपं वरवर्णिनि ।

वात्या वनान्तरं गन्धलेखामिव वनान्नये ॥ २५ ॥

Queen Lila said:

3.27.13

Right here in this very temple-like Space of Consciousness, my husband was a Brahmin.  

Here itself he died and became the lord of the earth.  

3.27.14

Right here in that worldly existence of his, in that region of the earth, in that capital city, I remained as his chief queen.  

3.27.15

Right here in that inner palace, my king husband died. Right here in the space of that inner palace in that very city, the king...  

3.27.16 ...became the ruler over the earth's surface, Lord of many countries and people.  All this straightforward and swift sequence of events is established right here in this way.  

3.27.17

In this very house-Space, all the worlds and regions of the Universe exist, I think, like a collection of mustard seeds inside a small box.  

3.27.18

I always feel that my husband's world is not far away at all. It is somewhere nearby in this Space—show me that as I see it.  

Goddess Saraswati said:

3.27.19

O daughter of the earthly Arundhati, right now your husbands are three, or perhaps many, even hundreds, as accepted.  

3.27.20

Of these three closest ones, the Brahmin has already turned to ashes. The king has gone to the realm of garlands (died) and remains as a corpse in the inner palace.  

3.27.21

In this circle of worldly existence, the third one is the Lord of the earth. He has fallen into the great ocean of samsara and is caught in delusion.  

3.27.22

Enjoying the waves of pleasures but lacking true Awareness, impure in mind,  

his Consciousness is weakened by dullness—like a tortoise in the ocean of worldly existence.  

3.27.23

Though performing various royal duties, even the complicated ones, he remains asleep in dullness and does not awaken from the delusion of worldly life.  

3.27.24

"I am God, I am the enjoyer, I am accomplished, I am strong, I am happy"— entangled in this great rope of wrong notions, he has come under their control.  

3.27.25

So tell me, O beautiful one, to which husband should I take you near? Just as the wind carries the scent-line from one forest to another.

Summary of the teachings in these verses:

These verses form a key part of the Lila episode in the Yoga Vasistha, illustrating the illusory and simultaneous nature of multiple lives and worlds within Pure Consciousness. Lila describes how her husband appeared in different forms (a Brahmin, then a king, and so on) all within the same "Space" of her mind or Awareness. This emphasizes that what we perceive as separate lifetimes, places, and events are not truly distant or sequential but coexist in the Infinite, Indivisible Field of Consciousness — like countless Universes packed into a tiny point. The teaching challenges the ordinary notion of linear time and separate identities, showing that everything arises and dissolves right here in the present moment of Awareness.

The Goddess Sarasvati responds by revealing that Lila's "husband" exists in multiple overlapping realities at once—three primary ones in close proximity, with others extending far beyond. This highlights the mind's power to project innumerable worlds and selves through desire, memory, and vasanas (latent impressions). The Brahmin form has already perished, the royal form lies as a corpse, and the current earthly king is still alive but deeply deluded. The teaching points out that these are not different people but the same Consciousness taking different shapes due to ignorance, reinforcing non-duality: there is only one Self appearing as many.

The description of the third husband (the current king) as fallen into the "great ocean of samsara" and trapped in delusion portrays the typical human condition. He chases pleasures, performs duties, yet remains spiritually asleep—his intelligence dulled, his mind impure, and his sense of self bound by false identifications like "I am powerful, happy, divine." This serves as a critique of ego-driven life, where outward activity masks inner stagnation. The tortoise metaphor suggests slow, unconscious drifting in the vast waters of birth and death, unable to rise above illusion.

The core teaching is that all these worlds, births, deaths, and experiences are contained within the "Space" of Consciousness itself, like mustard seeds in a jar or scents carried by wind between forests. No journey across Space or Time is truly needed because nothing is separate or far away—everything is already present in the here and now of Pure Awareness. Lila's request to be taken to her husband and the Goddess's question about which one underscore that liberation comes from recognizing this non-separation rather than chasing external unions or realities.

Ultimately, these verses guide the seeker toward detachment from personal stories and identities. By showing how one Being appears as many husbands across "worlds" that are all internal to Consciousness, the text urges Realization of the Self beyond birth, death, and multiplicity. True closeness to the "Beloved" (or to Reality) is not physical or temporal but through awakening from delusion, dropping false notions, and abiding in the Unchanging Awareness where all appearances arise and subside.

Chapter 3.27, Verses 1–12

Yoga Vashishtha 3.27.1–12

(When the mind aligns perfectly with Truth, desires manifest effortlessly as part of the non-dual play of Consciousness)

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।

तस्मिन् गिरितटे ग्रामे तस्य मण्डपकोटरे ।

अन्तर्धिमाश्वाययतुस्तत्रस्थे एव ते स्त्रियौ ॥ १ ॥

अस्माकं वनदेवीभ्यां प्रसादः कृत इत्यथ ।

शान्तदुःखे गृहजने स्वव्यापारपरे स्थिते ॥ २ ॥

मण्डपाकाशसंलीनां लीलामाह सरस्वती ।

व्योमरूपा व्योमरूपां स्मयात्तूष्णीमिव स्थिताम् ॥ ३ ॥

संकल्पस्वप्नयोर्येषां यत्र संकथनं मिथः।

यथेहार्थक्रियां धत्ते तयोः सा संकथा तथा ॥ ४ ॥

पृथ्व्यादिनाडीप्राणादिऋतेऽप्यभ्युदिता तयोः ।

सा संकथनसंवित्तिः स्वप्नसंकल्पयोरिव ॥ ५ ॥

श्रीसरस्वत्युवाच ।

ज्ञेयं ज्ञातमशेषेण दृष्टादृष्टार्थसंविदः ।

ईदृशीयं ब्रह्मसत्ता किमन्यद्वद पृच्छसि ॥ ६ ॥

लीलोवाच ।

मृतस्य भर्तुर्जोवोऽसौ यत्र राज्यं करोति मे ।

तत्राहं किं न तद्दृष्टा दृष्टास्मीह सुतेन किम् ॥ ७ ॥

श्रीसरस्वत्युवाच ।

अभ्यासेन विना वत्से तदा ते द्वैतनिश्चयः ।

नूनमस्तंगतो नाभून्निःशेषं वरवर्णिनि ॥ ८ ॥

अद्वैतं यो न यातोऽसौ कथमद्वैतकर्मभिः।

युज्यते तापसंस्थस्य च्छायाङ्गानुभवः कुतः ॥ ९ ॥

लीलास्मीति विनाभ्यासं तव नास्तगतोऽभवत् ।

यदा भावस्तदा सत्यसंकल्पत्वमभून्न ते ॥ १० ॥

अद्यासि सत्यसंकल्पा संपन्ना तेन मां सुतः ।

सपश्यत्वित्यभिमतं फलितं तव सुन्दरि ॥ ११ ॥

इदानीं तस्य भर्तुस्त्वं समीपं यदि गच्छसि ।

तत्तेन व्यवहारस्ते पूर्ववत्संप्रवर्तते ॥ १२ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.27.1 

In that village on the mountain slope, inside the pavilion, the two women (Lila and Sarasvati) suddenly disappeared from sight while staying right there.

3.27.2

Then it was said that the forest Goddesses had granted us their Grace. With sorrow calmed and the household people engaged in their own duties...

3.27.3

Sarasvati, who is of the nature of Space, spoke to Lila who was merged in the Space of the pavilion, appearing as Space-like and silently smiling.

3.27.4

The conversation between them in dream-like imagination is like the mutual talk in a dream or resolve, which produces real effects here just as those do.

3.27.5

That awareness of their conversation arose without earth, senses, prana, or seasons, just like the knowing in dream and imagination.

3.27.6

Goddess Sarasvati said: 

Everything Knowable and Known, all perception of seen and unseen, this is the Reality of Brahm. What else do you ask?

3.27.7

Lila said: 

The soul of my dead husband rules a kingdom there; why have I not seen that place? Here my son has seen me—what is this?

3.27.8

Goddess Sarasvati said: 

O child, without practice, your sense of duality had not fully gone away then, O beautiful one.

3.27.9

One who has not reached non-duality, how can he be united with non-dual actions? How can a person in ascetic state experience the shadow of limbs?

3.27.10

The idea "I am Lila" did not dissolve without practice. When that notion existed, your power of true resolve was not yet complete.

3.27.11

Now you have become one with true resolve (satyasankalpa). Therefore, your wish that your son should see me has been fulfilled, O beautiful one.

3.27.12

If now you go near your husband, then your dealings with him will proceed as before.

Summary of the teachings:

These verses continue the dialogue between Goddess Sarasvati and Lila in the story of the two women, highlighting the illusory yet experiential nature of Reality. The sudden disappearance of the two women into subtle Space-like states shows how enlightened Beings can transcend gross physical presence through Pure Consciousness. Their conversation occurs in a non-material realm, without ordinary means like body or prana, emphasizing that true interaction in Higher Awareness is beyond sensory limits and akin to dream or pure imagination, yet it produces tangible effects in perceived worlds.

The core teaching is the non-dual nature of Brahm as the sole Reality encompassing all Knowledge, perception, seen and unseen. Sarasvati points out that once duality is fully transcended, no further questions remain because everything is already Brahm. Lila's confusion about seeing her husband's other world while her son sees her here reveals lingering traces of duality—separation between "here" and "there," Self and other—which prevents full Realization.

Without prolonged spiritual practice (abhyasa), the firm conviction of duality does not dissolve completely. Even advanced souls may retain subtle notions of individuality ("I am Lila"), blocking the full power of pure will or true resolve (satya-sankalpa). 

Sarasvati explains that non-duality must be deeply internalized; otherwise, actions or experiences remain tainted by dualistic shadows, like a detached ascetic imagining bodily sensations.

The fulfillment of Lila's desire—her son seeing Sarasvati—demonstrates the potency of resolved intention once duality fades. When the mind aligns perfectly with Truth, desires manifest effortlessly as part of the non-dual play of Consciousness. This illustrates how enlightenment grants mastery over manifestation through pure will, free from ego-driven effort.

Finally, the verses teach that returning to worldly interactions (with her husband) is possible without losing Realization, as enlightened beings can engage in apparent duality while rooted in non-duality. The world and relationships continue "as before" on the surface, but internally transformed, showing that Realization allows harmonious participation in life without bondage.

Chapter 3.26, Verses 46–57

Yoga Vashishtha 3.26.46–57

(Consciousness is the sole Reality — Pure, Subtle, and All-pervading. It creates everything as it wills, like dream cities or imagined worlds)

महर्षि वशिष्ठ उवाच।

यथा पृथ्व्यादिना भातमपृथ्व्यादि भवेत्क्षणात् ।

स्वप्ने स्वप्नपरिज्ञानात्तथा जाग्रत्यपि स्फुटम् ॥ ४६ ॥

पृथ्व्यादि खतया बुद्धं खमित्येवानुभूयते ।

तथाहि क्षुब्धधातूनां कुड्येषु ख इवोद्यमः ॥ ४७ ॥

स्वप्ने नगरमुर्वीं वा शून्यं खातं च बुध्यते ।

स्वप्राङ्गना च कुरुते शून्याप्यर्थक्रियां नृणाम् ॥ ४८ ॥

खं पृथ्व्यादितया बुद्धं पृथ्व्यादि भवति क्षणात् ।

मूर्च्छायां परलोकोऽपि प्रत्यक्षमनुभूयते ॥ ४९ ॥

बालो व्योमैव वेतालं म्रियमाणोऽम्बरे वनम् ।

केशोण्ड्रकं खमन्यस्तु खमन्यो वेत्ति मौक्तिकम् ॥ ५० ॥

त्रस्तक्षीबार्धनिद्राश्च नौयानाश्च सदैव स्ये ।

वेतालवनवृक्षादि पश्यन्त्यनुभवन्ति च ॥ ५१ ॥

यथाभावितमेतेषां पदार्थानामतो वपुः ।

अभ्यासजनितं भाति नास्त्येकं परमार्थतः ॥ ५२ ॥

लीलया तु यथावस्तु बुद्ध्वा पृथ्व्यादिनास्तिता ।

आकाशमेव संवित्त्या भाति भ्रान्तितयोदितम् ॥ ५३ ॥

ब्रह्मात्मैकचिदाकाशमात्रबोधवतो मुनेः।

पुत्रमित्रकलत्राणि कथं कानि कदा कुतः ॥ ५४ ॥

दृश्यमादावनुत्पन्नं यच्च भात्यजमेव तत् ।

सम्यग्ज्ञानवतामेव रागद्वेषदृशो कृतः ॥ ५५ ॥

हस्तः शिरसि यद्दत्तो लीलया ज्येष्ठशर्मणः ।

तत्प्रभावस्थितारम्भसंबोधायाश्चितेः फलम् ॥ ५६ ॥

बोधो हि चेतति यथैव तथा शुभानि सूक्ष्मस्तु खादपि तथातितरां विशुद्धः।

सर्वत्र राघव स एव पदार्थजालं स्वप्नेषु कल्पितपुरेष्वनुभूतमेतत् ॥ ५७ ॥

Maharishi Vashishta continued:

3.26.46

Just as in a dream, something that was not earth or other elements suddenly appears as earth etc. due to the dream-knowing, in the same way, even in the waking state, this becomes clearly manifest.

3.26.47

What is perceived as earth etc. is experienced only as Space. Indeed, when the elements are agitated, even in walls, there arises an appearance like space.

3.26.48

In a dream, one knows a city, earth, or a void pit; even a dream-woman, though void, performs actions that affect people.

3.26.49

Space, when perceived as earth etc., instantly becomes earth etc. In fainting or unconsciousness, even the other world is directly experienced.

3.26.51

A child sees only sky as a demon; a dying person sees a forest in the sky; one person knows hair as a worm, while another knows the same Space as a pearl.

3.26.51

Those who are frightened, drunk, half-asleep, or on a boat always see and experience things like a demon-forest and trees.

3.26.52

According to how these things are conceived, their forms appear through repeated practice (or habit). In Ultimate Reality, there is no single fixed thing.

3.26.53

But when one understands things as they truly are through play (or divine sport), the non-existence of earth etc. is Realized; only Space shines through Pure Consciousness, though it appears distorted due to illusion.

3.26.54

For the Sage who knows only the One Pure Consciousness-space as Brahm-Self, how, where, when, and which sons, friends, or wives can exist?

3.26.55

The seen world was never created in the beginning; whatever appears is unborn. It is only due to wrong perception of attachment and aversion that it seems created for those with True Knowledge.

3.26.56

When the hand was playfully placed on the head by the elder Jyestha Sharma, that was the fruit of the awakening of Consciousness for the sake of establishing its power and beginning.

3.26.57

Consciousness knows exactly as it wills; good things arise accordingly. Subtle and even more Pure than Space itself, O Rama, that same Consciousness is the entire network of objects, experienced in dreams and imagined cities.

Summary of the Teachings:

These verses emphasize the illusory nature of the world, drawing parallels between dreams, hallucinations, and waking perception. Sage Vasishta explains that just as a dream creates vivid objects from nothing, the waking world too is a projection of Consciousness. Elements like earth appear suddenly based on mental perception, showing that Reality depends on how the mind conceives it, not on any independent Existence.

The teaching highlights the role of perception and conditioning. 

Space (akasha) can be experienced as solid matter or void depending on the state of mind—whether in dreams, fainting, intoxication, fear, or habitual thinking. Different 

people see the same thing differently (e.g., sky as demon, pearl, or worm), proving that objects have no fixed, objective reality; they arise from repeated mental habits and imagination.

Ultimately, there is no permanent substance behind appearances. The world shines only due to Consciousness, but for the enlightened Sage who Realizes the Self as Pure, Infinite Consciousness (Brahm), there is no room for multiplicity like family or possessions. These are mere illusions born of Ignorance.

The verses clarify that the Universe was never truly created; it is unborn and appears only through misperception, attachment, and aversion. True Knowledge reveals the non-existence of the material world, reducing everything to Pure Space-like Consciousness, free from distortion.

Finally, Consciousness is the sole Reality — Pure, subtle, and all-pervading. It creates everything as it wills, like dream cities or imagined worlds. For the seeker, Realizing this leads to Freedom, as the entire objective world is nothing but the play of this One Consciousness.