The Yogavasistha of Valmiki: With the

Commentary
Vasisthamaharamayanatatparyaprakasa
(Volume I & II): Sanskrit Only
art I: Containing Vairagya, Mumuksu, Utpatti, Sthiti and Upasama
art II: Containing Nirvana Purvardha and Uttarardha
!a"k of the !ook
The Yoga-Vasistha is a popular tet on !dvaitaVedanta, though it is
more like the Puranas in "orm and style# $t is greatly valued "or the
%isdom it &ontains and en'oys a popularity rivaled only (y the
)hagavadgita and Srimad(hagavatam#
The %ork is in the "orm o" a dialogue (et%een Sri *ama and the sage
Vasistha and &overs a variety o" su('e&ts in&luding the philosophi&al
pro(lems o" li"e, death, human su+ering and ,nal release#
$t is also kno%n as !rsaramayana, -nana Vasistha, Maharamayana,
Vasistha *amayana or merely Vasistha and is traditionally as&ri(ed
to the sage Valmiki# This etensive philosophi&al poem &ontains as
many as ./, 0/1 verses &hara&teri2ed (y e3uisite poeti& 3ualities#
This %ork is divided into Si Prakaranas or Se&tions, Vi2#, Vairagya,
Mumuksu, Utpatti, Sthiti, Upasama, and Nirvana dealing
respe&tively %ith topi&s o" philosophi&al importan&e like indi+eren&e
to %orldly things, longing "or li(eration, origin o" the universe and
'iva, preservative aspe&t o" the mind and the universe, 3uies&en&e o"
the mind a"ter its sport in the universe and the ,nal merger into the
!(solute#
Intro#u"tion
This (eauti"ul epi& o" $ndian Philosophy %ith 4almost every verse "ull
o" ,nest imagery epressed in %ords e&eedingly pleasing to the ear5
has (een hailed as 4one o" the greatest (ooks### ever %ritten under
the sun6,. 4the &rest-'e%el o" all the %orks o" Vedanta6/ and 4a %ork
o" Siddhavastha16#
$t has (een %idely read or heard either in original Sanskrit or 1in
translations and sermons 7Prava&anas8 (y thousands o" men and
%omen in di+erent strata o" the so&ially, "or mental sola&e and9or
spiritual advan&ement# :e, in Maharashtra, have spe&ial regard "or
the YV, as it has strongly in;uen&ed the philosophy o" our greatest
philosopher saint -nanadeva 7!#<# =.0>-=.?@8 and other saints do%n
the &enturies#>
The importan&e o" YV 7Yoga-Vasistha8 and its digest AYV 7Aaghu Yoga
Vasistha (y !(hinanda8 %as re&ognised (y Moghul emperors !k(ar,
-ehangir B Prin&e <ara Shikoh# The "ollo%ing sele&ted list o" Persian
renderings o" the YV B AYV and the patrons "or %hom they %ere
translated %ill (e enough to sho% its histori&al importan&e#
Patron Name o" the Persian Translation
!k(ar
7=8 )asishtha-'ug 7!n a(ridged translation o" YVC!#<# =>?08#
7.8 -ug-(ashashtC(y Darmali 7E8
7/8 Shari3 al-ma 4ri"atCUndated# )ased on YVCVedanti& ideas
eplained %ith Fuar6ani& verses# !ttri(uted to Daidi#
-ehangir
7=8 AYV translated (y Ni2am al-<in PanipatiG Mir Dindiriskii %rote
notes on it and &omposed its praise in verse#
Aater &ompilation on the a(ove %ork o" PanipatiH
7=8 Muntakha(-i-'ug# Sele&tions "rom 7=8 The a(ove translation
&ompared %ith Su, Parallel#
7.8 Tar'uma-i--ug-(asasht is also an a(ridgement o" 7=8 a(ove in !#<#
=0@1#
<ara Shikok
-ug-(ashast at the instan&e o" <ara Shikoh, in =@>@ !#<# ! num(er o"
Persian and Iindi verses o" the Iindu poet :all *am 7<ara Shikoh6s
Se&retary8 are in&orporated in this translation 7Jdited (y Tara
Chand8# $n the introdu&tion %e are told that <ara Shikoh de&ided to
get YV translated as Vasistha and *ama &ame in his vision# Vasistha
told *ama that as seekers a"ter Truth (oth *ama and <ara %ere
(rothers# *ama em(ra&ed <ara and shared %ith him some s%eets
given (y Vasistha#
7!(ridged "rom D# Mu'ta(aiCIindu Muslim Cultural *elations, pp#
K=-K1, National )ook )ureau, Ne% <elhi, =?K/8
TIJ T$TAJ 7>8
!s stated in the &olophon o" every &hapter or &anto 7sarga8,= YV is
variously &alled !rsa 7*amayana8, Vasistha *amayana, Maha-
*amayana, %ritten (y Valmiki# The term 4!rsa6 in the ,rst title &an (e
interpreted as 4&omposed (y a sage 7rsi8 4or 4an&ient6, as its
authorship is attri(uted to sage Vasistha or Valmiki# !nd as (oth
these sages (elong to hoary anti3uities, YV is ipso "a&to 4an&ient6#
The rote o" Vasistha as a "amily priest o" the solar dynasty o" !yodhya
and as a spiritual pre&eptor o" *ama in this %ork is so predominant
that the asso&iation o" Vasistha6s name to this poem is the most
appropriate tide %hether it is &alled 4 Vasistha *amayana6 as in the
&olophon or LYoga Vasistha5 as in &ommon parlan&e# The %ord 4Yoga6
ho%ever is to (e interpreted in the sense o" 4end6 or 4means6. as
eplained in YV iv 7Sthiti8# @.#=-.#
Traditionally it is (elieved that YV %as %ritten (y Valmiki# The
sem(lan&e o" Valmiki6s authorship is maintained throughout the tet#
Ming !ristanemi en3uires o" Valmiki a(out the spiritual kno%ledge
leading to Moksa 7Ai(eration8 and to satis"y his 3uery, Valmiki
narrates this dialogue (et%een Vasistha and *ama# $t is also Valmiki
%ho seems to &on&lude YV#6
Though the &olophon to the end o" &anto =N0 o" )ook iii o" YV does
not mention 4Moksopaya6 as the title o" the tet, there is positive
eviden&e in &antos =-/ that it %as &alled Mokopaya, i#e# 4Means 7to
attain8 Moka6, vide "or eample, YV ii #>/, i#.#/, ii# =N#1, 0G ii#lK#@N# $n
ii#l0#@, YV is &alled L! digest o" the tet &alled Mokopaya &onsisting o"
thirty t%o thousand verses5># $nstan&es a"ter )ook iii need not (e
given as the title LMokopaya5 is in&orporated in the &olophon o"
every sarga 7&anto8#
The ad'e&tive mo&ha 4great6 in the title 4Maha *amayana6 &an (e
eplained as re"er ring to the philosophi&al importan&e as %ell as the
traditionally regarded larger (ulk 7/.NNN verses8 o" YV as &ompared
%ith Valmiki *amayana#
The &urrent title 4Yoga Vasistha6 re"ers to (oth the author and its
&ontent and has (een no% a&&epted (y all "or its meaning"ulness#
CO$T%$TS: &$ O'T(I$% O) YV
Though the &olophon &laims that the present tet &onsists o" /.,NNN
verses=, it a&tually &ontains ./0/1 verses# YV ii# =0 gives the names
o" ea&h (ook 7Prakarana8 and the num(er o" verses in ea&h o" them
as "ollo%sH
Serial No# o" the Prakarana 1H The Title o" the Prakarana- No# o"
Verses
i Vairagya =,>NN
ii Mumusku Vyavahara =,NNN
iii Utpatti 0,NNN
iv Sthiti /,NNN
v Upasama >,NNN
vi Nirvana =1,>NN
Total no# o" verses /.,NNN
The epi& starts %ith an o(eisan&e to the Ultimate *eality as a
Mangala&arana#
The story (egins %ith a 3uestion (y a )rahmin Sutiksna to sage
!gasti as to %hether the &ause o" li(eration 7"rom samsarara8 is
kno%ledge 7-nana8 or %ork 7karma8 or (oth# !gasti replies that 'ust
as a (ird ne&essarily re3uires t%o %ings "or ;ying up in the sky, so
one re3uires (oth 'nana and karma to attain the highest end. 7i#e#
Moka8# !s in epi&s, !gasti assumes the position o" a reporter o" the
dialogue on this point (et%een t%o interlo&utors Marunya and
!gnivesya and the &hain o" interlo&utors rea&hes to Valmiki6 %ho
re&ounts the (a&kground o" YV as "ollo%sH
One day, the sage Visvamitra approa&hed king <asaratha and
re3uested him to send his son *ama "or the prote&tion o" hi proposed
sa&ri,&e# !"ter a great deal o" persuasion, <asaratha sends, "or *ama
%ho has re&ently returned "rom 4pilgrimage6# :hen *ama &ame, all
%ere %onderstru&k to ,nd him so overpo%ered %ith a &omplete
sense o" desponden&y and nonatta&hment# :hen asked a(out the
&ause o" hi strange (ehaviour, *ama (roke out in a long harangue on
the de"e&ts o" the (ody and its various stages "rom &hildhood to old
age and the evanes&ent nature o" the %orld and ,nally de&laresH
L!s $ am unrelated to everyone and everything, $ shall get
etinguished like a lamp short o" oil# !(andoning everything $ shall
shuPe o+ this mortal &oil5# )ook ii, Mumuksu- VyavaharaH Visvamitra
surmised that *ama had (e&ome eligi(le to understand spiritual
kno%ledge like Suka and re3uested Vasistha to guide him spirituallyH
Vasistha eplained the unreality o" the phenomenal %orld and, the
non-distin&tion (et%een li(eration %hile alive and 4li(eration a"ter
death# Ie strongly re"uted "atalism and esta(lished the superiority o"
a&tion 7Marma8 over Date# $t is not understood %hy the ta(le o"
&ontents o" YV should (e inserted at the end o" this (ook 7&antos =0-
.N#8
)ook iii, Utpatti, o" =.. &antos repeatedly eplains the a(solute non-
eisten&e o" the phenomenal %orld %hi&h is a &reation o" )rahma6s
mind# To illustrate this ultimate ideality o" the universe, the
philosophy o" death, a"ter-death eperien&e and relativity o" time and
spa&e, e3uality o" men and %omen in a&3uiring supernatural po%ers,
he tells a lengthy legend o" Aila 7&antos =1-@N8# Though philosophi&
in &ontent, it reads like a (eauti"ul &lassi&al poem# Vasistha narrates
another story o" demoness Markati to emphasi2e that the kno%er o"
the *eality shall have no "ear o" Samsara#
Ie "urther states ho% "ourteen &ategories o" 'ivas are evolved "rom
)rahman and are hen&e identi&al %ith him# Then "ollo%s a dis&ussion
on the mind, its various synonyms and the need to &on&entrate on
the supreme soul# $n the &ourse o" this dis&ussion, Vasistha tells the
story o" a magi&ian to illustrate the ideality and relativity o" all
things, Time and Spa&e# The (ook ends %ith the des&ription o" the
seven stages o" 'iva6s spirituality, kno%ledge and avidya#
)ook iv, Sthiti, &onsists o" @. &antos# This pi&ture &alled the
phenomenal %orld is &aused (y the mind and %ith the reali2ation o"
)rahman, the mind gets nulli,ed and the %orld appears as )rahman#
Vasistha tells the story o" Sukra to illustrate the marvellous e+e&ts o"
desires on one6s li"e and ho% even a passing %ish ne&essitates a ne%
(irth "or its "ul,lment 7&antos >-=@8# Ie then narrates the episode o"
demon Sam(ara to illustrate ho% "ailures in li"e are due to the
identi,&ation o" (ody %ith sel"# The )uddhist in;uen&e is "elt in the
story o" <asura 7&antos 1K->@8 %hi&h des&ri(es the "utility
per"orman&e o" 19edi& sa&ri,&es and penan&e# !t the end o" that
session, Vasistha (lesses *ama to (e sta(le in the seven stages o"
'ivanmuktas 7li(erated during li"e time8#
)ook v 7o" ?/ &antos8 &alled Upasama &onsists o" a num(er o"
interesting tales like that o" -anaka, )ali, Qadhi and others, ea&h
story tea&hing ne% truths#
-anaka, king o" Videha, happened to overhear some Qathas sung (y
Siddhas a(out the real nature o" the sel"# They led to his reali2ation
o" the sel" and he ruled %isely even a"ter su&h reali2ation# The story
o" Punya and Pavana sho%s the a(surdity o" grie" over the death o" a
relative as %e have (een having su&h relatives in every (irth# The
story o" )ali sho%s ho% nirvikalpa samadhi is attained (y meditating
that everything is &ons&iousness# The story o" Prahlada emphasi2es
the need o" sel"-e+ort instead o" gra&e in reali2ing sel"# The
interesting story o" Qadhi demonstrates the %onder"ul po%er o"
Maya, as %hat he eperien&ed in a dip o" a "e% se&onds had a&tually
happened else%here in his time# The story o" Suraghu sho%s ho%
e3uanimity even amidst the routine o" daily duties is possi(le#
$t (eing evening, Vasistha &on&luded (y stating that a person
endo%ed %ith spiritual kno%ledge is unpertur(a(le#
The vi and the last (ook, Nirvana, is so (ulky 7=1>NN verses8 that it is
divided into partsCPurvardha and Uttarardha# The in;uen&e o" Trika
Saivism 7in addition to that o" )uddhism8 is predominant here# Some
s&holars think it to (e a later &ompilation a"ter the Moksopaya
stage8#
The net morning %hen the meeting %as held a"ter the prelimnaries,
Vasistha advised (reath &ontrol as the means to %ipe out Vasanas#
Ie des&ri(ed his visit to )husunda, the &ro%, to illustrate the
possi(ility o" an in,nitely long li"e through masterly (reath &ontrol
7&antos =1-.K8# The net episode &alled Sivapu'a 7&antosio->=8 is
po%er"ully in;uen&ed (y Trika# That the kno%ledge o" the sel" is the
(est %ay o" %orshipping the sel" is also Vedanti&#
!r'unopakhyana 7&antos >.-@=8 is o(viously under the in;uen&e o"
the M(h or rather KQ# The most interesting and important episode is
that o" 3ueen CU1a$a 7&antos 00-==N8-C really an independent %ork
though in&orporated in YV# $t esta(lishes the e3uality o" men and
%omen in spiritual li"e# $t is the renun&iation o" internal desires or
&ravings rather than the renun&iation o" eternalities that is essential
"or sel"-reali2ation# The story o" )hrngisa tea&hes ho% to (e a great
doer, en'oyer and renoun&er# ! detailed dis&ussion o" the seven
stages o" Yoga is given in the remaining &antos 7==>-=.@8#
The Uttarardha o" )ook vi, Nirvana, &onsists o" .=@ &antos# $t opens
%ith a des&ription o" the li"e o" 'ivan-muktasE $t tells ho% sel"-&ontrol
is essential "or the "ruits o" the study o" Sastras 7the story o"
Vidyadhara, &antos @-=@8# )ut more interesting is the story o" a )lo&k
o" stone 7pasana8 %hi&h illustrates the possi(ility o" a %hole universe
%ithin a point in spa&e# Similarly important and interesting is the
story o" king Vipas&it %hi&h illustrates the &reative po%er o" thought
and the e+e&t o" desire on our transmigratory pro&ess# The story o"
&orpse 7a Vyadha8 illustrates that every individual is a &osmi& <eity
o" his universe# :e ,nd a repeated glori,&ation o" the po%er o"
thought or desire in many stories, e#g# the story o" an as&eti&
7Tapasa8 illustrating the possi(ility o" multipli&ation o" %orlds (y
thought-po%er#
!"ter dis&ussing various philosophi&al pro(lems, the ,nal &on&lusion
is that )rahman is the only *eality# !t the end o" the dis&ussion,
*ama uses the %ords o" !r'una spoken at the end o" )Q viii# 0/ and
&on"esses that his delusion has vanished and he %ould a(ide (y
Vasistha6s order#
!"ter vi# ii# .=1, the story %inds up smoothly and systemati&ally, the
student-mem(er o" ea&h o" the pair o" interlo&utors epresses
satis"a&tion, the last (eing )rahmin Sutiksna %ho approa&hed sage
!gasti %ith his dou(t#
The epi& &on&ludes %ith the "amous salutations to spiritual guidesH
)rahmanandam parama-sukhadam et&#
)ut here the salutation is o+ered to sage Vasistha#
Vedas and Upanisads
!s a )rahmani&al %ork YV has im(i(ed the essentials o" Vedi&
literature 7in&luding older Upanisads8 in its "undamental philosophy-
o(viously the e&hoes, nay even the %ordings o" Vedi& tets are "ound
throughout the %ork# ThusH
Manas&andramaso 'atam
Manasas&andra utthitah
- YV vi#ii 7Uttarardha8 .#?
$s an o(vious e&ho o" *V #?N#=/G
Candrama manaso 'atah9
YV &on&ludes its tea&hing %ith the "ollo%ing verseH
Yat sarvam khalvidam )rahma9
Ta''aln iti &a sphutam99
- YV vi#ii 7Uttarardha8 .=@#.>
$t is nothing (ut a versi,ed "orm o" Chandogya Up# $ii# =1-=H
Sarvam khalvidam )rahma
Ta''alan iti santa upasita#
Some o" the verses are (odily in&orporated "rom the Upanisads# Dor
eample, the S vetasvatara Up# $ii# =@ is the same as YV vi# $i
7Uttarardha8 =1#?#
!(out later Upanisads, )#A# !treya has made a strong &ase to prove
that the "ollo%ing minor Upanisads are either entirely or partially
(orro%ed "rom YV#
Ie has "urther named seven more minor Upanisads su&h as the
-a(ala <arsana, the Maitrayani and other %hi&h have some tetual
portion &ommon %ith YV# <r# !treya has also noted some o" the
verses "rom the minor Upanisads %hi&h are not tra&ea(le in YV (ut
are "ound in its digest AYV 7Aaghu Yoga Vasistha8# Dor eample, the
Maha# Up# v# >>->K missing "rom YV is "ound in AYV iv# =1#., 1-@#
<r# !treya has put in enormous la(our to sho% that YV is the sour&e
o" these minor Upanisads# )ut on the (asis o" the same data <r#
Mainkar &omes to the opposite &on&lusion that YV is the (orro%er as
it epresses the &rude, simple Upanisadi& epressions into (etter,
more poeti& yet appropriate %ords#
$ (elieve that (oth the minor Upanisads and YV have used the
enormous traditional as&eti& literature 7mainly gathas and anustu(h
verses8 &urrent in an&ient $ndia in Sanskrit, Pall and Prakrits# :e
must give due &redit to the last reda&tor o" YV "or presenting that
valua(le oral tradition o" as&eti& poetry in a re,ned "orm#
YV6s sel"-designation o" (eing the 4digest6 Sara-Samhita, 4Moksopaya6
7iii# =N#1, ii# =K#=N8 and Moksopaya(hidhana-Samhita 7==#=0#@8 is
signi,&ant# $t sho%s that it (orro%ed "rom other tra&ts o" philosophy#
!rahmasutra *
)rahma-sutra o" )adarayana is another )rahmani&al Prasthana# $t
tries to synthesi2e the tea&hings o" Upanisads to sho% the path o"
4non-return to samsara6 7i#e# Moksa8# )ut )adarayaoa prea&hed
)heda(hedavada 7ii# =#.., iii#.#.08 and did not regard the %orld as
4mithya6 as he advo&ates its 4(irth6 7=#=#.8# )ut YV a&&epted the
etreme idealism o" )uddhists#
Yoga* Vasistha an# !hagava#*+ita
The third )rahmani&al Prasthana is )C 7)hagavad-Qita8# !s pointed
out (y !treya., some .> verses are &ommon to YV and )C# )ut the
in;uen&e is not limited to those .> verses, as the %hole tet o" YV is
Lpermeated through and through %ith the )C#5 There are =@/
(orro%als "rom )C in YV1 and the )C tet used (y YV is a &ross o"
the Mashmiri version and the vulgate o" )C#
Yogavasistha an# Valmiki ,amayana
Traditionally, Valmiki *amayana and YV are regarded as one %ork,
Val# *am# (eing the Purva *amayana and YV, the Uttara *amayaa#@
Qod )rahma ehorted Valmiki to des&ri(e "ully *ama6s nature 7YV
=#.#=/-=>8 %hi&h Valmiki &omplied in this eposition o" )rahma-tattva
%ith illustrative episodes et&# 7YV vi#ii#.=>#=08# !s a matter o" "a&t,
the relation (et%een YV and Val# *am# is tenuous# $n Val# *am# i
7)alakada8 &anto .=-.., sage Visvamitra &omes to <asaratha and
re3uests him to send *ama and Aaksmana to prote&t his proposed
sa&ri,&e# :ith some relu&tan&e <aarat='a agrees and the (oys gladly
a&&ompany Visvamitra# )ut there is no re"eren&e to *ama6s
pilgrimage to sa&red pla&es, his &onse3uent non-atta&hment to the
%orld, *ama6s arrival in a de'e&ted mood, Visvamitra6s surmise that
*ama attained the re3uisite eligi(ility "or learning the %ay to
eman&ipation "rom Samsara and his 7Visvamitra6s8 re3uest to
Vasistha to &onvey to him the eposition o" kno%ledge that (oth o"
them re&eived "rom god )rahma on the peak o" mount Naisadha 7YV
i#0-=. and ii#.# =/-=08# $n "a&t this episode should have "ormed a part
o" the Val# *am# (ut it is used as a (a&kground story "or this epi& on
Vedanta# The author o" YV is "ully a&3uainted %ith important
episodes in Valmiki su&h as the &hara&ters related to *ama 7YV ii#.N,
.=, .@-.K8# There is a spe&i,& re"eren&e to Valmiki6s &omposition o"
*amayana 7YV vi# i# ..# ..-.>8#
No% the "a&t that YV used Val# *am# as one o" its sour&es has (een
proved (y <r# V# *aghavan and T#Q# Mainkar (y 3uoting &hapters and
verses "rom (oth the %orks and have spe&i,&ally pointed out that YV
has used the North-:estern edition o" Val# *am#
Yoga* Vasistha an# -aha.harata
Though the loan o" YV "rom )O has (een dis&ussed and is enough to
sho% that YV is the (orro%er "rom M(h, its loan is not limited to )Q#
$t re"ers to Vyasa6s )harata all over the tet 7e#g# YV ii# /#.@, v#.#.@,
vi#i#..#.0 et&#8# The systemati& treatment o" the topi&s o" <aiva 7Date8
and Paurusa 7J+ort8 and the superiority o" the latter in YV ii# 1-=N
are (ased on M(h, !nusasana, @# M(h does not re&ognise )uddha as
an !vatara o" Visnu %hile YV &learly does so 7vide i#=>#lN, vi#i#?/#@=8#
This goes to sho% its &hronologi&al priority to YV#
Yoga Vasistha an# -an#ukya /arika of +au#apa#a
! num(er o" Mandukya Marikas are "ound in YV either %holly or in
parts., e#g#H
adavante &a yan nasti
vartamane pi tat tatha
CYV iv#1>#1> and Mandukya iii#1K#
There are three vie%s a(out the relation (et%een YV and
Qaudapada#
7=8 YV is earlier 7!treya8#
7.8 YV is later 7Vidhushekhar )hatta&harya8#
7/8 )oth are &ontemporaries or YV is later (y a &entury 7S#N#
<asgupta8#
718 YV in its earlier stage as 4Mokopaya, %as pro(a(ly &ontemporary
7Mainkar8#
:e kno% little a(out the tet o" Mokopaya# The present tet o" YV
appears to (e later than that o" Qai1apada6s Marikas#
YV an# Sankara
)#A# !treya has tra&ed a num(er o" similar verses in YV and
Sankara6s minor %orks# This is o(viously due to their (eing Vedanti&
%ith )uddhisti& (a&kground# P#C# <ivan'i appears to (e &orre&t in
presuming that YV should (e earlier than the ?th &ent# !#<#, as
Sarva'iiatrnan/ hints at YV in Sahk=epa"Rrlraka ii# =K.#
Yogavasistha an# Trika Saivism
Pro"# S# )hatta&harya has dis&ussed the relations o" YV and the Trika
system o" Mashmir# YV6s non-re&ognition o" Mayavada, its a&&eptan&e
o" !(hasavada 7iv#/?-1/-118, Malpanavada, do&trine o" Mriyasakti, the
Spanda do&trine, and Muktivada 7theory o" deliveran&e8, the
re"eren&e to thirty si Tattvas 7YV vi# i# /?#=>8, and a num(er o"
points %here YV di+ers "rom Sankara, sho% the in;uen&e o" the
Trika system# )ut as Trika system is (ased on Saiva !gamas, the pre-
YV Mokopaya might have a(sor(ed these vie%s "rom the !gamas and
hen&e %e ,nd parallels in post-Vasugupta Saiva authors like
!(hinavagupta and YV# There is a very strong pro(a(ility that the
last reda&tor o" YV %as strongly under the in;uen&e o" Trika Saivism#
$n the dis&ussion a(out the date o" YV <r# *aghavan mentions
authors like Mumarila, *a'asekhara et&# $" the verses said to (e
3uoted (y YV "rom these authors (e not "rom a &ommon independent
sour&e, %e shall have to regard those authors as the sour&es o" YV#
The #ate of YV
The date o" YV is still an open 3uestion as no &riti&al edition o" YV is
availa(le# $gnoring the orthodo vie% a&tri(uting propheti& vision to
an&ient sages as is done (y old %riters like M# Narayans%ami=, %e
,nd the "ollo%ing divergent Vie%s6 among modern s&holarsH
=# )#A# !treya.
.# S#N# <asgupta/
/# P#C# <ivan'i1
1# S#P# )hatta&harya>
># V# *aghavan@
@# T#Q# Mainkar0
0# -#N# Dar3uharK
!<# >NN-@>N 7!"ter Malidasa (ut (e"ore Qaudapada and )hartrhari8#
0NN-KNN !#<#
?.>-?0>S!#<#
=NNN-=.NN !#<#
==NN-=.>N !#<#
=.NN !#<#
=/NN-=1NN !<#
:e should disregard the vie% o" -#N# Dar3uhar as he %as not a%are
that the great philosopher-saint o" Maharashtra, -nanadeva 7!#<#
=.0>-=.?@8, o%es a great deal to YV, as &an (e seen "rom his %orks
!mrtanu(hava and -nanesvari#
)#A# !treya (ases his argument on the silen&e or non-mention o" the
name o" Qaudapada and Sankara in the YV# )ut they too do not
mention YV or its author# V# *aghavan sho%s a num(er o" parallel
passages (et%een YV, )anta, )hatta Narayana, Mandana 7all o" the
0th Cent# !#<#8, !nandavardhana 7KK1 !<#8 and *a'asekhara 7?.N
!<#8 and opines that YV is the (orro%er# )#A# !treya6s argument
(ased on non- mention o" authorship is not tena(le# Sankara
ho%ever, mentions philosophi& %orks o" Vasistha in his &ommentary
on )r# S# iii# 1#>N, Svetasvatara =#K# Sanatsu'atiya =-=> B /= and
3uotes t%o verses "rom 4Vasi1he Yogasastre6 indi&ating the eisten&e
o" some philosophi& %ork o" Vasistha (e"ore him# )ut the eviden&e is
too meagre to 'usti"y the eisten&e o" the present YV (e"ore Sankara#
$n "a&t the eviden&e produ&ed (y <r# V# *aghavan and (y Mainkar
&learly sho%s that the present YV is later than Sankara#
S#N# <asgupta is apparently right %hen he says, LDor, i" a summary o"
it 7i#e# o" YV8 %as %ritten (y Qauda !(hinanda o" the ninth &entury
!#<# the Yoga Vasistha must have (een %ritten at least in the eighth
&entury#5=
P#C# <ivan'i presumes that in &ase o" parallelisms o" ideas or
epressions (et%een YV and an earlier %ork like an Upanishad or
)C, YV is the (orro%er# Ie sho%s that apart "rom di+eren&es "rom
Sankara in philosophi&al pro(lems, YV ridi&ules Sankara6s vie%
epressed in Viveka&udamai .?, indi&ating that YV is later than
Sankara#
)ut 4post-Sankara6 may mean pre-!(hinanda as Sankara is no%
lo&ated in the early part o" Kth &entury i" not in the last 3uarter o"
the 0th &ent# !<#. P#C# <ivan'i ho%ever points out the &on"usion
(et%een t%o !(hinandas, (ut a&&epts the nu&leus o" YV to (e earlier
than Sanksepa-Sariraka o" Sarva'natman 7K>N-?NN !#<#8# <ivan'i6s
layer theory (ased on the pairs o" interlo&utors in YV is unproved,
(ut his vie% regarding the home o" ;6, vi2# Mashmir (ased on various
re"eren&es to the history and topography o" Mashmir is &onvin&ing#
To S#P# )hatta&harya goes the &redit o" pointing out the )uddhisti&
and Trika 7Mashmira Saiva8 elements in YV#/ )ut to lo&ate the YV on
that a&&ount in =Nth to =.th &entury is un%arranted# :e kno% that
though the so &alled "ounder o" Trika system, Vasugupta, (elonged to
the ,rst 3uarter o" the ?th &entury, the @1 !gamas on %hi&h Trika
%as (ased are mu&h older and the Mashmir is %orshipped Siva even
(e"ore the days o" Moka, as &an (e seen "rom 'iva6s shrine on the so
&alled Sankara&arya hill near Srinagar# !nd as pointed out (y !#
Stein in the $ntrodu&tion to *a'atarangini, Mashmir is had evolved a
sort o" )auddha Saiva &reed (y their toleran&e#
To <r# V# *aghavan goes the &redit "or sho%ing the tetual in;uen&e
o" the Mashmiri version o" )C and the N: version o" *amayana on
YV# Ie tries to sho% that YV is the (orro%er "rom authors like
)hartrhari 7!#<# @>=8, Mumarila 7!#<# @@N8, !(hinanda 7?NN !#<#8,
and *a'asekhara 7!#<# ?.N8# That means the ,nal "orm %as given to
YV in the ==th &entury and the mention o" the invasion o" Marnata
kings on Jast $ndia 7!#<# =N./8 &on,rms this#6 )ut *aghavan6s
&on&lusion regarding the later limit o" the present tet o" YV, vi2# Lthe
middle o" the =/th &entury5 needs modi,&ation in vie% o" the
eisten&e o" YV tradition in Maharashtra (e"ore -nanadeva 7=.0>-
=.?@ !#<#8# <r# *aghavan in a %ay a&&epts this (y lo&ating a
3uotation "rom YV in Suktimuktavali 7!#<# =.>K8# T#Q# Mainkar
a&&epts <r# *aghavan6s &on&lusions#
L:e kno% that !gamas and epi&s are 4revised6 as %e ,nd it "rom the
&riti&al editions o" the *amayana and the Maha(harata# )ut %e shall
(e o+ the mark i" %e (rand the %hole o" YV as having (een
&omposed in a parti&ular &entury# There must have (een a treatise
&alled Yogavasistha (e"ore the ?th &entury as !(hinanda o" Cashmir
had &omposed its digest 7Aaghu Yoga Vasistha8 in the ?th &entury !<#
$t is di+i&ult to re&onstru&t that tet on the (asis o" !(hinanda6s
%ork# The original Vedanti& %ork tea&hing Upanisadi& !(solutism is
no% unre&onstru&ta(le# The se&ond stage %hi&h in&luded the )uddha
in the )rahmani&al Pantheon and a(sor(ed the )uddhist $dealism is
also very di+i&ult to separate# )ut that stage must (e mu&h earlier
than the ?th &entury# Dor Trika Saivism dominated Mashmir at least
"rom the ?th &entury %hen Vasugupta 4dis&overed6 Sivasutras and
gave an impetus to !gami& Saivism that %as &urrent in Mashmir#
The present "orm o" this epi& %ith Upanisadi& (asis, )uddhisti& and
Trika in;uen&es and emphasis on -nana-Marma-Samu&&aya as the
%ay to Moksa may (e tentatively lo&ated in the ==NN-=.NN &enturies
!#<#
The hilosophy of Yoga*Vasistha
The popular (elie" that the !dvaita in YV and in Sankara is the same
is not &orre&t# Sankara does not admit the etreme idealism o"
)uddhist Vi'nanavada, %hile YV advo&ates it and denies the reality,
nay the very eisten&e o" the phenomenal %orld, Sankara regards the
relation (et%een )rahman and Maya as indes&ri(a(le 7anirva&aniya8,
%hile YV holds that the mani"old appearan&es &ome into (eing due to
Spanda and )rahman and Spanda are more really and dire&tly
&onne&ted 7an o(vious in;uen&e o" Trika Saivism8# Sankara insists on
Nivrtti and Sannyasa, %hile YV emphasi2es synthesis o" 'nana and
karma 7'nana-karma-samu&&aya8 and Vrtti-sannyasa# o" the KN Type#
!s these are di+eren&es o" a "undamental nature, the philosophi&al
&on&epts o" YV should (e understood in their proper &ontet#
!rahman
YV uses the Upanisadi& term )rahman to denote the ultimate *eality
7para, satya8# $n YV iii#> tie !tman %ith its various synonyms e#g#
Purusa 7o" Sankhyas8, )rahman 7o" Vedantins8, Vi'nana 7o"
Vi'nanavadins8 and Sunya 7o" the Sunyavadins8 is regarded as the
real original &ause 7Mula Marana8 o" the universe, as it is the &ause o"
the mind, the root-&ause o" this illusory universe#= )eing the essen&e
o" eternal sa@%id, Ie &reates nothing, (ut the universe is an illusion
&reated and per&eived (y the ignorant#
YV advo&ates !'ativada like Qaudapada and hen&e the unreality o"
the phenomenal %orld is eplained (y the Vedanti& similes su&h as
Qandharva-Nagara 7a &ity-like "ormation o" &louds8, -ala-Taranga 7the
apparent distin&tion (ut essential oneness o" %ater and its %aves8,
Iema-Mataka 7relation (et%een gold and its ornaments8 %hi&h are
repeatedly used# This primary &ause is the un(orn, (eginningless,
eternal )rahman# $t is (eyond the ken o" thought and %ords#
The Trika &on&ept o" &it %hose spanda is responsi(le "or the
appearan&e and disappearan&e o" the universe is epounded in YV
iii#@0#
YV advo&ates the identity o" )rahman and !tman 7v# //8 and oneness
o" )rahman and the %orldCa &reation o" Maya %hi&h vanishes on the
da%ning o" kno%ledge 7YV vi# =#/#.N8# !gain 7vi#i#@08 Maya is
regarded as the &ause o" the appearan&e o" the %orld# $n YV vi#ii#>.
)rahman is said to (e a matter o" eperien&e# $t is pea&e, endless and
(eginningless, the essen&e o" everything# !ll over the tet it is
repeatedly emphasi2ed that the %orld is an illusion and )rahman
alone is the *eality and its kno%ledge li(erates one "rom samsara
7YV vi#ii#.N@, .N08#
-aya
The story o" Qadhi 7v# &antos 11->N8 and later that o" the as&eti&
Mundadanta 7vi# ==#=KN-=K>8 sho% that Maya is nothing (ut the %ork
o" the mind or Cilia and the %orld has no real eternal eisten&e# The
entire universe lies in the mind as the (ig tree %ith its leaves and
;o%ers lies in its seed# Citta is the main &entre o" Maya# Maya
&onsists o" gunas and is very di+i&ult to &omprehend 7dur(odha8#
Though non-eistent it &auses the appearan&e 7prati(hasa8 and
distortion 7viparyasa8 in this phenomenal %orld# )ut on &loser
eamination, it disappears as %aves a"ter &lose %at&hing are "ound
to (e nothing (ut %ater 7YV vi#i#@08# The universe &reated (y Maya
7YV vi#ii#K8 is nothing (ut &itta-&amatkara, %onder"ul %orking o" &itta
7i(id v# =?8#
$t is (oth eistent and non-eistent# Though unreal, it has &ome into
(eing "rom some%here#6
The %hole do&trine sho%s strong in;uen&e o" the idealism o"
Qauapada 7and Nagar'una8 rather than that o" )Q#
Closely allied %ith Maya is the &on&ept o" !vidya, 4non-kno%ledge6,
4nes&ien&e6# :ithout digressing into its &onnotation in )uddhism and
in Yoga-sutras, %e ,nd it e3uated %ith Maya in YV iv#1=#=>-=0#
Though unreal, it o(s&ures our thinking, &reates the universe "ull o"
multipli&ity# $t is %rong kno%ledge# $t vanishes %hen &losely
eamined# $n another highly poeti& des&ription o" !vidya 7YV iii# ==/8,
it is identi,ed %ith Vasana %hi&h deludes the mind, though in itsel" it
is unreal# Dli&kering like lightning, dry like a mirage, sedu&tive like a
pi&ture o" a (eauti"ul %oman 7%hi&h is not a real %oman8, it &reates
several %orlds in a pure mind 7&etas8 like %aves in a sea#
=n YV iii#==0 !vidya is e3uated %ith !'nana 7ignoran&e8# )ut YV
o+ers an interesting analysis o" !vidya (y stating ho% a soul has to
go through seven stages or (humikas vi2#, (i'a-'agrat, 'agrat, maha-
'agrat, 'agrat-svapna, svapna, svapna-'agrat and susyuptaka# Ja&h
one o" these stages has a(out one hundred su(-stages# One &an go
(eyond these seven stages (y &orre&t philosophi&al thinking#
Aater in YV vi#i# &antos 0 and K, !vidya or !'nana is des&ri(ed
poeti&ally# $n the night o" Maya old age, &upidity, desires (e&ome
terri(le demons# !vidya %ith its roots o" pleasure, pain, kno%ledge,
ignoran&e ;ourishes on the ridge o" the mountain &alled &it# $t
assumes in,nite "orms like %orlds, gods, Vedas, Sastras, in "a&t
everything that is visi(le 7drsya8# The in&lusion o" gods and Vedas
under !vidya is strange 7and non Sankara-like8# !vidya is identi,ed
%ith the Prak0ti o" Sankhyas 7YV vi#i#&antos ? and =N8# $t &onsists o"
three gunasG ea&h guna divided into three makes it nine-"old# !ll this
drsya 7phenomenal %orld8 is the pro'e&tion o" !vidya# There is no
di+eren&e (et%een Vidya and !vidya, as there is none (et%een %ater
and its %aves# !ll the %orld is in &it and it &omes out like luster "rom
the sun# The (ody moves due to the in;uen&e o" &it, as do the iron
,lings due to magnet# Moka or the destru&tion o" !vidya6s nothing
(ut the reali2ation o" Sattasamanya and &omplete eradi&ation o"
Vasanas, as desire is the seed 7(i'a8 o" samsara#
The in;uen&e o" Qaudapada is seen in the !'ativada in YV vi#ii#=N0#
The *eali2ation o" &it destroys !vidya 7YV vi#ii# =@.8#
The do&trine o" !vidya is tra&ea(le to Upanisads and )O# $ts
treatment here is akin to that o" Sankara and Qauapada#
0agat
YV iii#0 states its vie%s a(out the universe, )rahman and the
$ndividual soul 7'iva8 and their relations# The only reality is )rahman,
the %orld (eing unreal like a mirage or a (arren %oman6s son 7/1-
1/8# The pro&ess o" &reation (egins %ith )rahman %hi&h is pure
eisten&e 7sattamatraka8# :ith the rise o" the &on&ept o" aham in it,
is evolved &it, the serial evolutes "rom &it (eing kha %ith its 3uality o"
sound 7sa(da8, the Veda, !hanta, Time 7Mala8, ,ve Tanmatras 7su(tle
elements8, ,ve Maha(hartas 7gross elements8 and the %orld# )ut as
there is no &ausal 7Lseed-sprout58 relation (et%een )rahman and the
%orld, the %orld is illusory and non-eistent like a dream 7YV iv#i8# !
detailed &omparison and similarity (et%een dream and the %orld is
"ound in vi#i#@=# )ut in vi#ii#=N 'agat 7the %orld8 is said to evolve out
o" sankalpa, vasana and 'iva, the three unreal evolutes "rom &it# YV
repeatedly de&lares the non-eisten&e o" the %orld 7YV vi#ii# &antos
>?, @N and @=8# YV in its staun&h !dvaitism denies the eisten&e o"
everything else than )rahman# Sankara says the same (y
impli&ation, the eamples su&h as mirage, dream-per&eption et&#
(eing &ommon to them#
Causation (/arya*karana*.hava)
!s the phenomenal %orld 7drsya8 has no eisten&e, the pro(lem o" its
&ause does not arise 7YV vi#i#=N@8# There is only one pure )rahman
%ithout any duality# The spanda o" &it may give rise to a dream-like
per&eption, a sahkalpa-nagara 7vi#ii# &anto .N>8, (ut only )rahman
eists# )y the negation o" &ausation, YV presents the !'ativada o"
Qauapada %ith identi&al arguments using the same drstantas as
those o" Qaudapada#
0iva (in#ivi#ual soul)
YV 7iii#@>8 holds that in the o&ean o" &it !tman appears as 'iva# $t
7'iva8 is nothing (ut a spanda o" !tman or &it 7iii#1.8# The 'a% is the
prin&iple &alled &it and is not di+erent "rom )rahman# $n vi#i#>> Aord
Mna eplains to !r'una that the "urs are a maya-purusa loaded %ith
illusions and pulled (y the (onds o" vasanas# The 'iva is nothing (ut
illusion &reated (y the &it due to vasanas# Ai(eration "rom vasanas is
Moka# YV attri(utes idealisti& vie%s to )Q in this Upakhyana#
YV viii#>O &lassi,es 'ivas into seven grades a&&ording to the intensity
o" vasanas, as "ollo%sH
7$8 svapna--agrat, 7.8 sankalpa-'agrat, 7/8 kevala-'agrat, 718 &ira-
'agrat, 7>8 Qhana-'agrat 7@8 'agrat-svapna and 708 ksina-'agrat#
The &lassi,&ation is a (it arti,&ial# Thus, those %ho have gone to
sleep in some "ormer eisten&e and see the &reation as a dream are
svapna-'agrat# Souls %ho, due to their long &onta&t %ith 'agrat, have
a deep atta&hment to it, are &/lled ghana-'agrat# Out o" these the last
t%o are on their %ay to Moka, %hile the ,rst ,ve (eing (ound do%n
(y vasanas, su+er#
Svapna
YV repeatedly emphasi2es the similarity (et%een the dream-state
and the %aking- state 7vi#ii# =/0#/K8# though ankara has a di+erent
vie%# !ll o('e&ts in dreams are unreal 7mithya8, Samvit is the only
reality# The same &ondition applies to the 'agrat The analogy stage#
(et%een svapna and 'agrat is not a&&epta(le to Sankara, (ut YV6s
a&&eptan&e o" this analogy sho%s its nearness to Qaudapada#
Citta
This is an important &on&ept in YV# The entire %orld is the &reation o"
Citta and is hen&e imaginary 47YV ===#K18# The &it element o" &itta is
the seed o" all &reation# Ien&e Citta should (e properly trained and
a%akened to the reality 7iii#K1#/=-1/8# YV de&lares per"e&t identity
(et%een mind and (ody# Their relation is like that o" %ind and its
movements 7iii#?.8# Jvery(ody has t%o (odiesCphysi&al and mental#
The physi&al (ody &an (e destroyed# )ut the mental (ody is al%ays
(usy and is &apa(le o" seeing anything# $t is the immediate step in
the pro&ess o" &reation a"ter )rahman# Aater in vi#i#1#, !tman is
de&lared as the only reality and Citta and its produ&ts illusory# YV
vi#i#11# slates that the Citta-spanda &reates the %orld# YV ,rmly
regards the %orld as purely mental and holds that mind is unreal#
This un&ompromising idealism o" YV sho%s )uddhist in;uen&e#
!an#ha (!on#age)
The topi& is dis&ussed at various pla&es in YV# e#g#, iii#=, iii#/, iv#/K#
)andha is the eisten&e o" drsya "or the seer 7drasta8# The drsya is
'agat, %hi&h is mithya# mind is the &ause o" (andha#
YV takes the idealisti& position that all &reation is mental and
there"ore "alse# )ondage in nothing (ut the "un&tioning o" mind#
-oksa
Dreedom "rom the 4sight-seer-relation6 7drsya-drastr-sam(andha8 is
Moka# !"ter &orre&t kno%ledge 7samyag-'nana8, samsara &eases to
eist 7YV v#0.8#
The term Nirvana, a synonym "or Moksa, is dis&ussed in vi#ii#/K, 1.,
0., =1/ et&# The dis&ussion sho%s the in;uen&e o" Nagar'una,
Qauapada and Sankara as %ell# To regard %orld-eperien&e as unreal
as a dream, denial o" &ausation, a&&eptan&e o" a'ativada and denial o"
(oth (andha and moksa sho%s the ,rm idealisti& stand taken (y YV#
The &on&ept o" 'ivan-mukti is a natural &orollary o" this &on&ept# YV
des&ri(es this stage in detail at many pla&es# The in;uen&e o" KN 7the
&hara&teristi&s o" a sthitapra'na8, Sankara Vedanta and )uddhist
Vi'nanavada is dis&erni(le#
0nana (spiritual kno1le#ge)
Qod )rahma imparted spiritual kno%ledge to Vasistha "or
propagating it in men 7YV ii#=N8# -nana means the kno%ledge o" the
unreality o" the phenomenal %orld 7YV /#..8# There are seven stages
7(humikas8 o" 'nanaH 7=8 Su(he&&ha 7desire to a&3uire kno%ledge8,
7.8 Vi&arana 7asso&iation %ith the %ise, Sastras and Vairagya8, 7/8
Tanumanasa, 718 Sattvapatti 7a state o" pure Sel"8, 7>8 !samsakti
7non-atta&hment8G 7Padartha-(havani 7non-per&eption o" eternal
o('e&ts8, and 708 the Turyaga state# )rahman is (eyond this stage#
This stage is that o" a 'ivan-mukta 7YV iii#==K8#
$n YV vi#i# =/ -nana and Yoga are identi,ed 7a &anto e&hoing even the
%ording o" <O8, (ut YV regards 'nana-nis&aya as easier than
7Patan'ala8 Yoga# The %hole episode o" CU1Tla sho%s a strong
in;uen&e o" the idealisti& vie%s o" Qauapada and Sankara#
/arma
YV and KN adopt the same attitude to karma# -ivan-muktas in YV and
sthitapra'nas in KN &ontinue to &arry on their karmas, as total
renun&iation o" karma is impossi(le 7YV vi#ii#.8# YV vi#i#>.->K is a
renarration o" )Q#
Yoga
YV v#0K dis&usses Yoga as the method o" &ontrolling Citta-spanda#
The Yoga des&ri(ed in YV is Patan'ala Yoga 7YV v#=K-/=8# This type o"
Yoga is advo&ated in Upanisads 7e#g# in the Matha8 and )Q#
Sastra
The Sastra deals %ith <harma, !rtha, Mama dire&tly and attainment
o" )rahman 7)rahmaprapti8 impliedly# !s the Sastra gives right
spiritual insight and "reedom "rom ignoran&e 7YV iii#K#0-l>8, the study
o" Sastras is re&ommended 7vi#ii#=?@-?08#
2aiva an# aurusa
The pro(lem o" <aiva 7<estiny8 and Paurusa 7J+ort8 has (een
thrashed thoroughly in YV# =/N admits the limitations o" human
e+orts# The result o" the )harata %ar %as predestinedG !r'una is only
a tool 7Nimitta8# Not so in YV# $n YV i, &antos @ and 0 <aiva is sho%n
to (e the Marma done previously 7Prdk-Pauru=a8# Paurusa is a
vigorous e+ort on right lines# "t &an &ounter-a&t <aiva 7&ompare
M(h, !nusasana, @ and YV ii# =N8# Paurusa gives dire&t "ruit, %hile
<aiva is imaginary# Niyati depends upon e+ort# Strenuous e+ort on
s&ienti,& lines leads to spiritual development and Moksa#
Thus the message o" YV is more dynami& and en&ouraging than that
o" =/N, as it admits the possi(ility o" a&hieving su&&ess irrespe&tive
o" the "avour or "ro%n o" Niyati 7<estiny8#
$t %ill thus (e "ound that YV advo&ates 'nana-karma-samu&&aya# The
ideal is 'ivan-mukti 7Ai(eration-in-this-li"e8# $ts metaphysi&s is the
un&ompromising idealism o" Patan'ala type# $t does not denigrate
a&tion, (ut the &on&ept o" <aiva or Niyati 7Date or <estiny8# $t
de&lares that Paurusa is superior to <aiva and it &an lead to
li(eration irrespe&tive o" <aiva# This is an advan&e over )Q#
$ agree %ith <r# T#Q# Mainkar6s &on&lusion that YV is a )rahmani&al
%ork on Vedanta, not o" Sankara type (ut tea&hing Upanisadi&
a(solutism and )uddhisti& idealism as its metaphysi&s and
'nanakarma-samu&&yua as its ethi&s and that YV %as produ&ed in
Mashmir#