August 3, 2026
mokṣaḥ śītalacittatvaṁ bandhaḥ santaptacittatā
etasminnapi nā ‘rthitvam aho lokasya mūḍhatā (29 )
VASIṢṬHA continued:
As I said, I was roaming the heaven like a ghost. No one could see me. Though they were under my control, they could not control me. One day I thought, “I can realise my wish; may I be seen henceforth by these gods.” Immediately my wish became real. They saw me.
The gods had different notions concerning my appearance in their midst. They who did not know my identity thought that I had risen from the earth: they called me Pārthiva (Earth) Vasiṣṭha. Some thought I had descended through the rays of the sun and I became known as Taijasa (Light) Vasiṣṭha. They who thought I wafted in with the wind called me Vāta (Air) Vasiṣṭha. They who thought that I had risen from the waters called me Vāri (Water) Vasiṣṭha.
In due course of time I came to have a physical or material body. To me there was no difference between the subtle and the physical bodies: they were both pure consciousness in reality. Even here I appear to function in and through this body because of this discourse. A jīvanmukta (a sage liberated while living) is indeed Brahman and he has an ethereal body; even so one who is a bodiless sage is also Brahman. There is no notion in me other than of Brahman. Hence even when I am engaged in diverse activities this realisation of Brahman does not cease. Just as to a dreamer the unborn and bodiless dream-object is real, even so this world is real and material to me. Even so do all these creations and worlds shine as if real and material but they have never been created.
Because of the recurrent feeling of the ethereal Vasiṣṭha that arises in the minds of all of you and also in me, I appear to be seated here. In truth, however, all this is pure void and all these are only notions that arise in the mind of the Creator. Notions like “I” and “you” have become firmly established in your consciousness because you have not cared to investigate them. If they are investigated and their true nature is understood they vanish very soon. When the truth is realised all these scenes of so-called creations vanish even as a mirage ceases to be seen as water when its true nature is understood.
In fact, by a mere study of this Mahārāmāyaṇa (Yoga Vasiṣṭha) the reality is realised; there is no difficulty in it whatsoever. But he who is not interested in liberation is a worm, not human. One should carefully investigate the bliss of liberation and the sorrow inevitable to ignorance. By the study of the Mahārāmāyaṇa one attains to supreme peace. Liberation confers “inner coolness” (peace) on the mind; bondage promotes psychological distress (psychological scorching fire). Even after realising this, one does not strive for liberation. How foolish are the people! Such people are overcome by desire for sense-gratification. But even they can cultivate a desire for liberation by a study of this scripture.