Sri Yoga Vasishtam

Sarga - 18

Sri Vasista

O Rāma, the multitude of world movements and world cycles contain within them seeds of all beings who are composed of the five subtle elements. And because of these subtle elements each one looks different.
Whether it is worldly action or supercosmic action, all are repetitive. This is due to the deep sleep nature of all classes of beings afterwards.
Those Sivas who are in worldly action manifest their subtle-elemental natives. Because of unity (and similarity) of their subtle-elemental constitution, they can see each others’ creations, which are individually conceived.
Because of the extraordinary succession of subtle-elemental formations, the lakes, called worlds, mix greatly and achieve a sense of solidity.
Some exist separately (individually) and so they dissolve separately. Some mix together and do not decline. These worlds are like ‘gurivenda’ fruits (seeds).
In everyone of the infinite number of atoms, there are infinite number of world-gurivendas which do not mix with each other. The forest of such of these is called Brahman.
When these world-unions are formed, they get into a majestic grand solidity. In whatever one establishes, he sees only that and nothing else..
When it is not possible to know the existence of another’s mental creation, the existence of several Sivas arises.
When there is a feeling of certainty in the creations, the existence of corporeal body becomes well established. When these creations are not perceived, then the existence of body also will also be ignored.
When the body-existence is well established, self is forgotten. False experiences arise and ignorance emerges. It is like the bracelet-hood becoming prominent (instead of god).
One can enter the mental empire of another when the vital airs are pure (and consequently the mind becomes pure).
In all beings, the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep states are dependent on individual self (the Siva). Body is not the cause for them.
The three states exist when Self is individualised as ‘Siva”. It is like waves existing due to water. These states do not arise because of the Corporeal body.
Tasting the aspects of consciousness, a Siva turns away from bonded state and gets established in the state of transcendence. Foolish people continue in the worldly life.
The two are (in fact) same due to their good nature when deep sleep state is achieved, whether ignorant or enlightened. Some beings shine the world.
Since consciousness is immanent in all, some can enter the (mental) creations of others. Even in a given creation there can be many many creations.
In these also, there can be innumerable creations like the thick peels of a banana stump. These are spread like thickly spread banana leaves (of a banana plant).
Brahman is cool like a bower of banana leaves. There is only banana-ness everywhere; there is nothing else inspite of the many leaves (i.e. creations).
There is nothing else other than Brahman-native whatever be the number of creations. A seed is full of essence and it generates again thro’ the cycle of tree and fruits.
Brahman becomes mind and through enlightenment and consequent knowledge returns back to its Brahman-hood. It is like the cycle of seed-tree fruits-seed.
-22. Siva swells and expands into the world form because of Brahman. To say that it is due to the cycle of flow of the essential native, is not a sound statement. It does not fit even to say that Brahman is the cause (of this world). To say that there is no distinction, by the very nature of Brahman (between Brahman and World) does not also suit.

Why indulge into sapless and uninteresting inquiry into reasons and logics into reasons and logics into the (natives) of non-casual Brahman? The causes for material and other kinds of things are worthy of inquiry.
A seed becomes fruitful by casting away its cover. (But) Brahman becomes fruitful without casting its cover/body. It remains (always) the source/seed/ origin (of everything).
A seed is totally with form. And so it is not proper to compare seed and Brahman since Brahman is formless and shapeless. There is, therefore, nothing that can be a simile to the Supreme.
Brahman is itself. It resembles itself. It is not like any other thing. And so know that this world is neither born nor unborn in the consciousness-ether.
A perceiver cannot perceive himself. How can any knowledge which is completely seized and possessed by this world, reveal the true state?
Where is truth when the illusion of water is a mirage occurs? Truth is burnt away. Where is illusion when mirage disappears? Truth is revealed.
When a perceiver is as vast as and spread over the entire space, he cannot see his own limbs. Self can be seen only when eyes are there. What a Māya!
When a person is as vast as and spread over the entire space, he cannot see his own limbs. Those without any illusion can see their self as true.
Brahman who is spread over the entire space/ether cannot be achieved by effort as long as one sees a phenomenon as a phenomenon.
O Rāma, if phenomenon alone is visible, by that perceiver is not observed. There is, in fact, no perceived, only a perceiver is possible.
-36. If the all-immanent perceiver abides as phenomenon where is observer hood? It is like a powerful, almighty king who is identified with everything.
Whatever that perceiver experiences inside that alone emerges out. It is like the sugarcane juice which forms the sweet jaggery.
Only when sap loses its sap-form, flowers and fruits are produced. Similarly losing its delight of consciousness Siva becomes a body and such.

Without losing its transcendental native and pure intelligence this transcendent perceiver (observer) becomes, by self-experience internally of vision and the visible. And with that sees the world-dream.
Like many fragments, parts and chemicals on the earth, there are infinite number of fragments, which are distinctive in the self.
Consciousness – tress sparkle in the self by the self without any confusion or perplexity like the many salts on earth.
There is no end to the tree-branches, called phenomena. Each one of these has many branches and parts.
-42. (Similarly) whatever the consciousness delights in the same it sees that delight in existence. Whatever thus emerges, the power of Siva puts in its movement (as world) whatever exists thus is a form of consciousness. These forms mix and move together (as world).

These forms freely roam in the world and finally, after a long time, decline and disappear. O Rāma, you see all this with a mind of knowledge, illumined mind, with a subtle and spiritual perception.
There are infinite number of worlds in every atom, in mind, in sky, in stone, in a flame, in water and in air.
There are finite number of mutable worlds (in the mind) when mind becomes accomplished, then the Siva becomes consciousness.
Consciousness(es) can (join) mix and write together since consciousness is immanent in all. The (independent) existence of all, like Brahma and such, is merely an illusion (or false).
World is a long dream which has a beginning and end. Some beings go into dreams in dreams.
Because of that those (dreams) become firm and concrete like walls. Whatever consciousness conceives/fancies, that will immediately take shape and happen.
Because of that, even a dream becomes temporarily true. All those atomic-sized experiences exist in the consciousness-atoms.
I feel that the world-atoms are consciousness-atoms. Consciousness-space dissolves into another consciousness-space. Cast away the false notions of duality and oneness.
The differentiated atoms of time, space and matter are independently consciousness atoms. When this atom-ness is experienced inside, nothing else is possible.
The sparkles of creation in a dream are consciousness – atoms alone. The firm experiences of things, from Brahma to an insect are essentially perceptions from the standpoint of a body.
This world is a mere flash. It does not exist infact. Consciousness-atoms enjoys (or flavors) reality as dual. It is their self-conception.
Consciousness-atom itself sends oozes out fragrance of sentient knowledge-flowers through its gates of eyes and such (sense organs) and sparkles the vast large body (of beings).
The consciousness of the seed of phenomenality is immanent in everything and is indestructible. In some it is manifest externally as consciousness-pot.
Some perceive (some Sivas) perceive this impure world within themselves. Then, because of contemplation about it for along time, they sink and float in that.
Seeing dreams within dreams again and again, they fall into abyss like a stone rolling down a mountain peak.
Some (consciousnesses) live together flash out corporeal bodies engrossed in their own sentient consciousness. Some live in their consciousness-self without any perplexity.
Some recognize within themselves the illusory nature of this world and do not rely on the unreality of this non-existent dream.
Since consciousness is all self by nature, whatever is visible in one is true. Wherever this all-immanent consciousness is manifest, everything arises there (in whatever form).
In all luminous reflections (of consciousness) as Siva, another Siva formation occurs again within it and this repeats.
Thus occurs, as in a banana stem, a Siva within Siva and so on.
When the sense of phenomenality is reversed and becomes equal (a perception of equality), the entire phenomenal knowledge gets destroyed. It is like the sense of bracelethood being lost when (everything) is recognised as gold.
One, who does not question/inquire into as ‘who and I, what is this world?’, will never get rid of the long standing fever of illusion about Sivahood.
For a wise one, whose inquiry becomes fruitful, indulgence in pleasures and attraction for them in his mind will become less and less.
When the senses are conquered, discrimination and discernment will be the reward of victory. It is like a good medicine which makes a body healthy.
If this discrimination is limited to words, it will be like the shine of a flame in a picture. Foolishness and indiscrimination will be the fall out.
The existence of air is recognized by the sense of touch and not by words. Similarly ‘viveka’ will be evident only by reduction of desires.
O Rāma, know that nectar in a picture is not nectar. Fire in a picture is not fire. A woman in a picture is not a woman. Discrimination in words is not discrimination.
In the beginning, likings and attractions get reduced due to discrimination. Then all oppositions and malice will be rooted out. Then even effort (about discrimination) will also start reducing. Thus one who is a ‘viveki’ is a blessed one.