Sarga 3¶

Utpatti Prakaraṇa · Brahmā's body of mind (40 verses)

Sarga 3 at a glance

Śrī Rāma asks why Brahmā is not born, like others, from memory of past lives.

Memory of a past life arises only for one who had a past body and past deeds; Brahmā had none. So he is causeless, or self-caused (3.3.1–3.3.5).
Beings with causes have two bodies, subtle and physical; Brahmā, the first, has only the subtle body, a body of mind (3.3.6–3.3.10).
From that first stirring the whole creation spreads, appearing real like a vivid dream; Brahmā is pure mind, and the world he imagines is mind too (3.3.12–3.3.25).
Where the effect is identical with the cause, cause and effect do not truly apply; the world is like a rope-snake or a cloud-city (3.3.26–3.3.35).
Mind and its seen are never apart; when the seen is found impossible, the knower is free even while living (3.3.36–3.3.40).

Verse 3.3.1¶

श्रीराम उवाच ।
एवमेव मनः शुद्धं पृथ्व्यादिरहितं त्वया ।
मनो ब्रह्मेति कथितं सत्यं पृथ्व्यादिवर्जितम् ॥ ३.३.१ ॥

त्वया (by you) एवम् एव (in just this way) पृथ्वी-आदि-रहितं शुद्धं मनः (the pure mind, without earth and the rest) "ब्रह्मा" इति कथितम् (has been called Brahmā) — सत्यं (truly) पृथ्वी-आदि-वर्जितम् मनः (a mind free of earth and the elements).

Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "So you have said that the pure mind, without earth or any other element, is what is called Brahmā — truly a mind with no elements in it."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rāma restates the teaching before raising a doubt — the mark of a good student.

Verse 3.3.2¶

तदत्र प्राक्तनी ब्रह्मन्स्मृतिः कस्मान्न कारणम् ।
यथा मम तवान्यस्य भूतानां चेति मे वद ॥ ३.३.२ ॥

ब्रह्मन् (O sage), तत् (then) अत्र (here) प्राक्तनी स्मृतिः (memory from the past) कस्मात् कारणं न (why is it not the cause), यथा मम तव अन्यस्य भूतानां च (as it is for me, for you, for others and for all beings)? इति मे वद (tell me this).

Translation: "Then, sage, why is memory from the past not the cause in his case, as it is for me, for you, for others and for every creature? Tell me."

Pointers for Reflection:

Memory as the seed of birth. Rāma's question: we are born because of traces (संस्कार) from former lives. Why not Brahmā? Compare Patañjali: जातिदेशकालव्यवहितानामप्यानन्तर्यं स्मृतिसंस्कारयोरेकरूपत्वात् — memory and impressions remain continuous, though separated by birth, place and time (Yoga Sūtra 4.9).

Verse 3.3.3¶

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
पूर्वदेहोऽस्ति यस्याद्य पूर्वकर्मसमन्वितः ।
तस्य स्मृतिः संभवति कारणं संसृतिस्थितेः ॥ ३.३.३ ॥

यस्य (for one who) अद्य (now) पूर्व-कर्म-समन्वितः पूर्व-देहः अस्ति (has a former body bound up with former deeds), तस्य स्मृतिः संभवति (memory arises for him), संसृति-स्थितेः कारणम् (the cause of the continuance of saṃsāra).

Translation: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said: "Memory arises for one who has had a former body bound up with former deeds; and that memory is what keeps saṃsāra going."

Pointers for Reflection:

The chain of saṃsāra: body → deeds → memory-traces → new body. Where the first link is missing, the chain cannot start.

Verse 3.3.4¶

ब्रह्मणः प्राक्तनं कर्म यदा किंचिन्न विद्यते ।
प्राक्तनी संस्मृतिस्तस्य तदोदेति कुतः कथम् ॥ ३.३.४ ॥

यदा (when) ब्रह्मणः (for Brahmā) किंचित् प्राक्तनं कर्म न विद्यते (there is no past action at all), तदा (then) तस्य प्राक्तनी संस्मृतिः (a memory from the past for him) कुतः कथम् उदेति (from where, how could it arise)?

Translation: "When Brahmā has no past deeds at all, from where, and how, could any memory of a past arise in him?"

Pointers for Reflection:

No past, no memory. Brahmā is the first in this cycle; there was no earlier Brahmā-body to leave traces.

Verse 3.3.5¶

तस्मादकारणं भाति वा स्वचित्तैककारणम् ।
स्वकारणादनन्यात्मा स्वयंभूः स्वयमात्मवान् ॥ ३.३.५ ॥

तस्मात् (therefore) [सः] अकारणं भाति (he shines without a cause) वा (or) स्व-चित्त-एक-कारणम् (with his own mind as the only cause). स्वयंभूः (the Self-born) स्व-कारणात् अनन्य-आत्मा (not different from his own cause) स्वयम् आत्मवान् (is himself his own self).

Translation: "So he shines without a cause — or with his own mind as his only cause. The Self-born is not other than his own cause; he is his own self."

Pointers for Reflection:

Causeless or self-caused — two ways of saying the same thing.
Reading note. The online text prints अकारण भाति; corrected here to अकारणं भाति (metre requires the anusvāra).

Verse 3.3.6¶

आतिवाहिक एवासौ देहोऽस्त्यस्य स्वयंभुवः ।
न त्वाधिभौतिको राम देहोऽजस्योपपद्यते ॥ ३.३.६ ॥

राम (O Rāma), अस्य स्वयंभुवः (of this Self-born one) असौ देहः (that body) आतिवाहिकः एव अस्ति (is only the subtle one); अजस्य तु (but for the unborn) आधिभौतिकः देहः न उपपद्यते (a body of physical elements is impossible).

Translation: "Rāma, the Self-born has only the subtle body. A body made of physical elements is not possible for the unborn."

Pointers for Reflection:

Two bodies. आतिवाहिक — the subtle, "conveying" body that carries a being from life to life; आधिभौतिक — the gross body of elements. Vedānta speaks of the सूक्ष्म and स्थूल शरीर.

Verse 3.3.7¶

श्रीराम उवाच ।
आतिवाहिक एकोऽस्ति देहोऽन्यस्त्वाधिभौतिकः ।
सर्वासां भूतजातीनां ब्रह्मणोऽस्त्येक एव किम् ॥ ३.३.७ ॥

एकः आतिवाहिकः देहः अस्ति (there is one body, the subtle), अन्यः तु आधिभौतिकः (and another, the physical) सर्वासां भूत-जातीनां (for all kinds of beings) — ब्रह्मणः एकः एव अस्ति किम् (does Brahmā have only one)?

Translation: Śrī Rāma said: "All kinds of beings have one subtle body and another physical one. Does Brahmā have only one?"

Pointers for Reflection:

A precise question. Rāma wants to be sure he has understood.

Verse 3.3.8¶

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच ।
सर्वेषामेव देहौ द्वौ भूतानां कारणात्मनाम् ।
अजस्य कारणाभावादेक एवातिवाहिकः ॥ ३.३.८ ॥

सर्वेषाम् एव कारण-आत्मनां भूतानां (all beings that have causes) द्वौ देहौ (have two bodies); अजस्य (the unborn) कारण-अभावात् (having no cause) एकः एव आतिवाहिकः (has only the one, the subtle).

Translation: Śrī Vasiṣṭha said: "All beings that arise from causes have two bodies. The unborn, having no cause, has only the subtle one."

Pointers for Reflection:

Causes produce the gross body. Parents, food, elements — Brahmā has none of these.

Verse 3.3.9¶

सर्वासां भूतजातीनामेकोऽजः कारणं परम् ।
अजस्य कारणं नास्ति तेनासावेकदेहवान् ॥ ३.३.९ ॥

सर्वासां भूत-जातीनाम् (of all kinds of beings) एकः अजः परं कारणम् (the one unborn is the supreme cause); अजस्य कारणं न अस्ति (the unborn has no cause); तेन (so) असौ एक-देहवान् (he has one body).

Translation: "The one unborn is the supreme cause of all kinds of beings. The unborn himself has no cause, and so he has only one body."

Pointers for Reflection:

The first cause has no cause. Every chain of causes must start somewhere uncaused.

Verse 3.3.10¶

नास्त्येव भौतिको देहः प्रथमस्य प्रजापतेः ।
आकाशात्मा च भात्येष आतिवाहिकदेहवान् ॥ ३.३.१० ॥

प्रथमस्य प्रजापतेः (the first Prajāpati) भौतिकः देहः न अस्ति एव (has no physical body at all); एषः च आकाश-आत्मा (and he, whose self is space) आतिवाहिक-देहवान् भाति (shines with only a subtle body).

Translation: "The first Prajāpati has no physical body at all. Space is his very self, and he shines with a subtle body alone."

Pointers for Reflection:

प्रजापति — "lord of creatures", another name for Brahmā as creator.

Verse 3.3.11¶

Verse missing in the source

The online text used for this study skips from verse 10 to verse 12. This verse will be added when it can be checked against a printed edition.

Verse 3.3.12¶

ताश्च चिद्व्योमरूपिण्यो विनान्यैः कारणान्तरैः ।
यद्यतस्तत्तदेवेति सर्वैरेवानुभूयते ॥ ३.३.१२ ॥

ताः च (and they [the beings he creates]) चित्-व्योम-रूपिण्यः (are of the nature of the sky of consciousness) अन्यैः कारण-अन्तरैः विना (without other causes); यत् यतः [उद्भवति] तत् तत् एव (whatever comes from something is that very thing) इति सर्वैः एव अनुभूयते (this everyone experiences).

Translation: "And the beings he brings forth are also of the nature of the sky of consciousness, with no further causes. Whatever comes from something is of the same stuff: everyone knows this."

Pointers for Reflection:

Like produces like. Pots from clay are clay. What comes from consciousness is consciousness.
Reading note. The online text prints यद्यतस्तत्तदेवति; corrected here to यद्यतस्तत्तदेवेति (तत् एव इति).

Verse 3.3.13¶

निर्वाणमात्रं पुरुषः परो बोधः स एव च ।
चित्तमात्रं तदेवास्ते नायाति वसुधादिताम् ॥ ३.३.१३ ॥

पुरुषः (the Person) निर्वाण-मात्रं (is pure nirvāṇa) सः एव च परः बोधः (and he is the supreme awakening); तत् (that) चित्त-मात्रम् एव आस्ते (remains mind alone) वसुधा-आदिताम् न आयाति (and does not become earth and the rest).

Translation: "That Person is pure nirvāṇa and supreme awakening itself. He remains mind alone, and does not turn into earth or any element."

Pointers for Reflection:

निर्वाण and बोध — the very words of Buddhism, here applied to Brahman. The Yoga Vasiṣṭha deliberately speaks across traditions.

Verse 3.3.14¶

सर्वेषां भूतजातानां संसारव्यवहारिणाम् ।
प्रथमोऽसौ प्रतिस्पन्दश्चित्तदेहः स्वतोदयः ॥ ३.३.१४ ॥

संसार-व्यवहारिणां सर्वेषां भूत-जातानां (of all beings who move in saṃsāra) असौ (he) प्रथमः प्रतिस्पन्दः (is the first stirring), चित्त-देहः (whose body is mind), स्वतः-उदयः (arising of itself).

Translation: "For all beings who live and act in saṃsāra, he is the first stirring: a body of mind, arising by itself."

Pointers for Reflection:

The first स्पन्द. Creation begins as a stirring in still consciousness, like the first ripple on a calm lake.

Verse 3.3.15¶

अस्मात्पूर्वात्प्रतिस्पन्दादनन्यैतत्स्वरूपिणी ।
इयं प्रविसृता सृष्टिः स्पन्दसृष्टिरिवानिलात् ॥ ३.३.१५ ॥

अस्मात् पूर्वात् प्रतिस्पन्दात् (from this first stirring) अनन्य-एतत्-स्वरूपिणी (not different from it in nature) इयं सृष्टिः प्रविसृता (this creation has spread), अनिलात् स्पन्द-सृष्टिः इव (as motion spreads from the wind).

Translation: "From that first stirring, and no different from it in nature, this whole creation has spread out, as movement spreads out from the wind."

Pointers for Reflection:

Not a second thing. The creation is the same stirring, extended.

Verse 3.3.16¶

प्रतिभानाकृतेरस्मात्प्रतिभामात्ररूपधृक् ।
विभात्येवमयं सर्गः सत्यानुभववान्स्थितः ॥ ३.३.१६ ॥

अस्मात् प्रतिभान-आकृतेः (from this, whose form is pure appearing) अयं सर्गः (this creation) प्रतिभा-मात्र-रूप-धृक् (bearing a form that is only appearance) एवं विभाति (shines thus), सत्य-अनुभववान् स्थितः (seeming to be experienced as real).

Translation: "From him, whose form is pure appearing, this creation shines in the same way: its form is only appearance, yet it is experienced as real."

Pointers for Reflection:

प्रतिभा — appearance, intuition, a flash of manifestation. The world is real as experience, not as independent substance.

Verse 3.3.17¶

दृष्टान्तोऽत्र भवत्स्वप्नपुरस्त्रीसुरतं यथा ।
असदप्यर्थसंपत्त्या सत्यानुभवभासुरम् ॥ ३.३.१७ ॥

अत्र दृष्टान्तः (here is an example): यथा (as) भवत्-स्वप्न-पुर-स्त्री-सुरतं (the love-play with a woman in the city of one's dream) असत् अपि (though unreal) अर्थ-संपत्त्या (through its fullness of effect) सत्य-अनुभव-भासुरम् (shines as a real experience).

Translation: "Here is an example: the pleasure of love with a woman in a dream-city is unreal, yet it is so complete in its effects that it shines as a real experience."

Pointers for Reflection:

The dream that has effects. An unreal object can produce real feelings, even bodily ones. The point is not that the world is nothing, but that vivid experience is no proof of independent existence.

Verse 3.3.18¶

अपृथ्व्यादिमयो भाति व्योमाकृतिरदेहकः ।
सदेह इव भूतेशः स्वात्मभूः पुरुषाकृतिः ॥ ३.३.१८ ॥

अपृथ्वी-आदि-मयः (not made of earth and the rest) व्योम-आकृतिः (space-like in form) अदेहकः (bodiless) स्व-आत्म-भूः भूतेशः (the self-born lord of beings) सदेहः इव (as if embodied) पुरुष-आकृतिः भाति (shines in the form of a person).

Translation: "The self-born lord of beings, made of no earth or element, space-like and bodiless, shines as though embodied, in the form of a person."

Pointers for Reflection:

As if embodied. The इव of 3.1.13 again.

Verse 3.3.19¶

संवित्सकल्परूपत्वान्नोदेति समुदेति च ।
स्वायत्तत्वात्स्वभावस्य नोदेति न च शाम्यति ॥ ३.३.१९ ॥

संवित्-सकल्प-रूपत्वात् (because its nature is awareness with imagining) न उदेति समुदेति च (it does not arise, and yet it arises); स्वभावस्य स्व-आयत्तत्वात् (because its nature depends only on itself) न उदेति न च शाम्यति (it neither arises nor ceases).

Translation: "Because its nature is awareness together with imagining, it does not arise, and yet it seems to arise. Because its nature depends on nothing but itself, it neither arises nor passes away."

Pointers for Reflection:

Two levels. As appearance it arises; as consciousness it never began. The Buddhist Heart Sūtra says of all things: not arising, not ceasing (anutpanna aniruddha).

Verse 3.3.20¶

ब्रह्मा संकल्पपुरुषः पृथ्व्यादिरहिताकृतिः ।
केवलं चित्तमात्रात्मा कारणं त्रिजगत्स्थितेः ॥ ३.३.२० ॥

ब्रह्मा (Brahmā) संकल्प-पुरुषः (is a person made of imagining), पृथ्वी-आदि-रहित-आकृतिः (whose form has no earth or other element), केवलं चित्त-मात्र-आत्मा (purely of the nature of mind alone), त्रि-जगत्-स्थितेः कारणम् (the cause of the existence of the three worlds).

Translation: "Brahmā is a person of imagination, his form free of earth and the elements, made of mind alone — and he is the cause of the three worlds."

Pointers for Reflection:

चित्तमात्र — mind only. The phrase recalls the Yogācāra Buddhists' citta-mātra, "mind-only": the world is mental appearance (Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra).

Verse 3.3.21¶

संकल्प एष कचति यथा नाम स्वयंभुवः ।
व्योमात्मैष तथा भाति भवत्संकल्पशैलवत् ॥ ३.३.२१ ॥

यथा (as) स्वयंभुवः एषः संकल्पः कचति नाम (this imagining of the Self-born shines forth), तथा (so) एषः व्योम-आत्मा (this one, whose self is space) भवत्-संकल्प-शैलवत् भाति (shines like a mountain in your own imagining).

Translation: "As this imagining of the Self-born shines forth, so he, whose self is space, shines — like a mountain you picture in your own mind."

Pointers for Reflection:

Test it now. Picture a mountain: it appears, with size and colour, yet weighs nothing. Brahmā and his world are like that.

Verse 3.3.22¶

आतिवाहिकमेवान्तर्विस्मृत्या दृढरूपया ।
आधिभौतिकबोधेन मुधा भाति पिशाचवत् ॥ ३.३.२२ ॥

आतिवाहिकम् एव (the subtle [body] itself), अन्तः दृढ-रूपया विस्मृत्या (through a deep forgetting within), आधिभौतिक-बोधेन (by being taken as physical) मुधा भाति (shines falsely), पिशाचवत् (like a ghost).

Translation: "The subtle body itself, through a deep inner forgetting, comes to be taken as physical, and so appears falsely, like a ghost."

Pointers for Reflection:

Forgetting is the fall. No new substance is created; the subtle body is simply mistaken for a gross one. Compare मुधा, "for nothing", in 1.15.1: ahaṅkāra too arises for nothing.

Verse 3.3.23¶

इदं प्रथमतोद्योगसंप्रबुद्धं महाचितेः ।
नोदेति शुद्धसंवित्त्वादातिवाहिकविस्मृतिः ॥ ३.३.२३ ॥

इदम् (this [being]) महाचितेः (from the great consciousness) प्रथमतः उद्योग-संप्रबुद्धम् (first awakened by its stirring) — शुद्ध-संवित्त्वात् (because it is pure awareness) [अस्य] आतिवाहिक-विस्मृतिः न उदेति (forgetting of the subtle body does not arise).

Translation: "This first being, awakened from the great consciousness by its first stirring, is pure awareness; so in him the forgetting of the subtle body never arises."

Pointers for Reflection:

Brahmā never forgets. He knows himself as subtle, as mind. We, who forget, take ourselves to be flesh.

Verse 3.3.24¶

आधिभौतिकजातेन नास्योदेति पिशाचिका ।
असत्या मृगतृष्णेव मिथ्या जाड्यभ्रमप्रदा ॥ ३.३.२४ ॥

अस्य (in him) आधिभौतिक-जातेन (from what is born of the physical) पिशाचिका न उदेति (the ghost [of delusion] does not arise) — असत्या (unreal) मृगतृष्णा इव (like a mirage) मिथ्या (false) जाड्य-भ्रम-प्रदा (giving dullness and confusion).

Translation: "In him the ghost born of 'physical' things never rises — that unreal, mirage-like falsehood which brings dullness and confusion."

Pointers for Reflection:

The ghost of matter. The belief "I am physical" haunts us as a ghost haunts a child (3.1.46).

Verse 3.3.25¶

मनोमात्रं यदा ब्रह्मा न पृथ्व्यादिमयात्मकः ।
मनोमात्रमतो विश्वं यद्यज्जातं तदेव हि ॥ ३.३.२५ ॥

यदा (since) ब्रह्मा मनः-मात्रं (Brahmā is mind alone), न पृथ्वी-आदि-मय-आत्मकः (not made of earth and the rest), अतः (therefore) विश्वं मनः-मात्रम् (the universe is mind alone); यत् यत् जातं तत् एव हि (whatever is born from it is that very thing).

Translation: "Since Brahmā is mind alone and not made of earth or any element, the universe too is mind alone; whatever is born from something is of the same stuff."

Pointers for Reflection:

The conclusion of the argument. Creator = mind; created from mind; therefore creation = mind.

Verse 3.3.26¶

अजस्य सहकारीणि कारणानि न सन्ति यत् ।
तज्जस्यापि न सन्त्येव तानि तस्मात्तु कानिचित् ॥ ३.३.२६ ॥

यत् (since) अजस्य सहकारीणि कारणानि न सन्ति (the unborn has no contributing causes), तस्मात् तु (therefore) तत्-जस्य अपि (for what is born from him too) तानि कानिचित् न सन्ति एव (there are none of those [causes]).

Translation: "Since the unborn has no contributing causes, what is born from him has none either."

Pointers for Reflection:

No hidden matter. Nothing enters creation from outside the creator's mind.

Verse 3.3.27¶

कारणात्कार्यवैचित्र्यं तेन नात्रास्ति किंचन ।
यादृशं कारणं शुद्धं कार्यं तादृगिति स्थितम् ॥ ३.३.२७ ॥

कारणात् कार्य-वैचित्र्यं (a difference of the effect from the cause) तेन अत्र किंचन न अस्ति (is therefore nothing here); यादृशं शुद्धं कारणं (as the pure cause is) तादृक् कार्यम् (so is the effect) इति स्थितम् (this is settled).

Translation: "So the effect is in no way different from its cause here. As the pure cause is, so is the effect: that is established."

Pointers for Reflection:

Satkārya. The effect pre-exists in the cause and is of its nature — the Sāṅkhya principle, here carried to its Vedāntic end.
Reading note. The online text prints कार्य तादृग्; corrected here to कार्यं तादृग्.

Verse 3.3.28¶

कार्यकारणता ह्यत्र न किंचिदुपपद्यते ।
यादृगेव परं ब्रह्म तादृगेव जगत्त्रयम् ॥ ३.३.२८ ॥

अत्र (here) कार्य-कारणता हि (cause-and-effect relation) किंचित् न उपपद्यते (does not hold at all); यादृक् एव परं ब्रह्म (just as the supreme Brahman is) तादृक् एव जगत्-त्रयम् (so are the three worlds).

Translation: "In truth, cause and effect do not apply here at all. Just as the supreme Brahman is, so are the three worlds."

Pointers for Reflection:

From satkārya to ajāti. If the effect is nothing but the cause, there is no real "effect" — and so no real causing. Compare 3.2.50. The Īśa: ईशा वास्यमिदं सर्वम् — all this is to be clothed in the Lord (1).

Verse 3.3.29¶

मनस्तामिव यातेन ब्रह्मणा तन्यते जगत् ।
अनन्यादात्मनः शुद्धाद्द्रवत्वमिव वारिणः ॥ ३.३.२९ ॥

मनस्ताम् इव यातेन ब्रह्मणा (by Brahman, which seems to have become mind) जगत् तन्यते (the world is spread out), अनन्यात् शुद्धात् आत्मनः (from the pure Self that is not other [than it]), वारिणः द्रवत्वम् इव (as fluidity from water).

Translation: "The world is spread out by Brahman, which seems to have become mind — from the pure Self that is not other than it, as fluidity comes from water."

Pointers for Reflection:

As if mind. Brahman does not truly become mind; it seems to (इव).

Verse 3.3.30¶

मनसा तन्यते सर्वमसदेवेदमाततम् ।
यथा संकल्पनगरं यथा गन्धर्वपत्तनम् ॥ ३.३.३० ॥

मनसा (by the mind) इदं सर्वम् आततं तन्यते (all this vast [world] is spread out), असत् एव (though unreal), यथा संकल्प-नगरं (like a city of imagination) यथा गन्धर्व-पत्तनम् (like a city of the gandharvas [in the clouds]).

Translation: "It is the mind that spreads out all this vast world, unreal as it is — like a city one imagines, like a castle of the gandharvas in the clouds."

Pointers for Reflection:

गन्धर्वनगर — towers seen in the clouds, a mirage-city. Gauḍapāda uses the same images: स्वप्नमाये यथा दृष्टे गन्धर्वनगरं यथा । तथा विश्वमिदं दृष्टं वेदान्तेषु विचक्षणैः — as dreams and magic are seen, as a city in the clouds, so the wise in Vedānta see this universe (Māṇḍūkya Kārikā 2.31).

Verse 3.3.31¶

आधिभौतिकता नास्ति रज्ज्वामिव भुजङ्गता ।
ब्रह्मादयः प्रबुद्धास्तु कथं तिष्ठन्ति तत्र ते ॥ ३.३.३१ ॥

रज्ज्वां भुजङ्गता इव (like snake-ness in a rope) आधिभौतिकता न अस्ति (physicality does not exist). ब्रह्म-आदयः प्रबुद्धाः तु (but Brahmā and the other awakened ones) तत्र कथं तिष्ठन्ति (how could they abide in it)?

Translation: "Physicality is not really there, any more than a snake is in a rope. How then could Brahmā and the other awakened ones dwell in it?"

Pointers for Reflection:

The rope and the snake — the most famous image of Advaita. The fear is real; the snake never was.

Verse 3.3.32¶

आतिवाहिक एवास्ति न प्रबुद्धमतेः किल ।
आधिभौतिकदेहस्य वाचो वात्र कुतः कथम् ॥ ३.३.३२ ॥

प्रबुद्ध-मतेः (for one of awakened understanding) आतिवाहिकः एव अस्ति किल (there is only the subtle [body]), न [आधिभौतिकः] (not the physical); अत्र (here) आधिभौतिक-देहस्य वाचः वा (even talk of a physical body) कुतः कथम् (where, how [could there be])?

Translation: "For one whose understanding is awake there is only the subtle body, not the physical. How could there even be talk of a physical body here?"

Pointers for Reflection:

Only for the forgetful does the body seem solid. For the awakened, the body is known as mind.

Verse 3.3.33¶

चित्तमात्रशरीरोऽसौ न पृथ्व्यादिक्रमात्मकः ।
आद्यः प्रजापतिर्व्योमवपुः प्रतनुते प्रजाः ॥ ३.३.३३ ॥

असौ आद्यः प्रजापतिः (that first Prajāpati) चित्त-मात्र-शरीरः (whose body is mind alone) न पृथ्वी-आदि-क्रम-आत्मकः (not made in the sequence of earth and the rest) व्योम-वपुः (with a body of space) प्रजाः प्रतनुते (spreads out the creatures).

Translation: "That first Prajāpati, whose body is mind alone, not built step by step from earth and the other elements, whose body is space, spreads forth the creatures."

Pointers for Reflection:

No step-by-step evolution of elements is needed; the creation is imagined whole, as in a dream.

Verse 3.3.34¶

मन एव विरिञ्चित्वं तद्धि संकल्पनात्मकम् ।
स्ववपुः स्फारतां नीत्वा मनसेदं वितन्यते ॥ ३.३.३४ ॥

मनः एव विरिञ्चित्वम् (mind itself is Brahmā-hood), तत् हि संकल्पन-आत्मकम् (for it is of the nature of imagining); मनसा (by mind) स्व-वपुः स्फारतां नीत्वा (expanding its own body) इदं वितन्यते (this [world] is spread out).

Translation: "Mind itself is what it is to be Brahmā, for mind is imagining. By mind, swelling out its own body, this world is spread out."

Pointers for Reflection:

विरिञ्च — a name of Brahmā. The equation mind = Brahmā is now explicit.

Verse 3.3.35¶

विरिञ्चो मनसो रूपं विरिञ्चस्य मनो वपुः ।
पृथ्व्यादि विद्यते नात्र तेन पृथ्व्यादि कल्पितम् ॥ ३.३.३५ ॥

विरिञ्चः मनसः रूपम् (Brahmā is the form of mind), विरिञ्चस्य मनः वपुः (mind is the body of Brahmā); अत्र पृथ्वी-आदि न विद्यते (here there is no earth or other element); तेन (by him) पृथ्वी-आदि कल्पितम् (earth and the rest are imagined).

Translation: "Brahmā is the form of mind, and mind is Brahmā's body. There is no earth or element here; earth and the rest are what he imagines."

Pointers for Reflection:

Both ways round. Brahmā is mind, mind is Brahmā. The world's "matter" is his imagining.

Verse 3.3.36¶

पद्माक्षे पद्मिनीवान्तर्मनो हृद्यस्ति दृश्यता ।
मनोदृश्यदृशौ भिन्ने न कदाचन केनचित् ॥ ३.३.३६ ॥

पद्म-अक्षे अन्तः पद्मिनी इव (as the lotus plant within the lotus seed) मनः-हृदि दृश्यता अस्ति (the seen exists in the heart of the mind); मनः-दृश्य-दृशौ (mind and what it sees) कदाचन केनचित् भिन्ने न (have never been [found] separate by anyone).

Translation: "As the lotus plant lies within the lotus seed, so the seen lies in the heart of the mind. No one has ever found mind and its seen apart."

Pointers for Reflection:

Mind and its seen are one. Like the seed and its future plant. Compare 3.1.42.
Reading note. The online text prints दृद्यस्ति; corrected here to हृद्यस्ति ("is in the heart").

Verse 3.3.37¶

यथा चात्र तव स्वप्नः संकल्पश्चित्तराज्यधीः ।
स्वानुभूत्यैव दृष्टान्तस्तस्माद्धृद्यस्ति दृश्यभूः ॥ ३.३.३७ ॥

यथा च अत्र तव स्वप्नः संकल्पः चित्त-राज्य-धीः (and as your dream, imagining and daydream-kingdom) स्व-अनुभूत्या एव दृष्टान्तः (are examples from your own experience), तस्मात् (so) हृदि दृश्य-भूः अस्ति (the ground of the seen is in the heart).

Translation: "And as your own dreams, imaginings and daydreams of kingdoms are examples from your own experience, so the ground of the seen lies in the heart."

Pointers for Reflection:

Repeated from 3.1.45. Verses 37–39 restate 3.1.45–47 almost word for word, binding Brahmā's story to the opening summary.

Verse 3.3.38¶

तस्माच्चित्तविकल्पस्थपिशाचो बालकं यथा ।
विनिहन्त्येवमेषान्तर्द्रष्टारं दृश्यरूपिका ॥ ३.३.३८ ॥

तस्मात् (therefore) यथा चित्त-विकल्प-स्थ-पिशाचः बालकम् [विनिहन्ति] (as a ghost in a child's imagination destroys him), एवम् (so) एषा दृश्य-रूपिका (this seen) अन्तः द्रष्टारं विनिहन्ति (destroys the seer within).

Translation: "So, as the ghost a child imagines can destroy him, this seen destroys the seer from within."

Pointers for Reflection:

From within. Here the text adds अन्तः: the ghost is inside, in the mind, not in the world.

Verse 3.3.39¶

यथाङ्कुरोऽन्तर्बीजस्य संस्थितो देशकालतः ।
करोति भासुरं देहं तनोत्येवं हि दृश्यधीः ॥ ३.३.३९ ॥

यथा (as) बीजस्य अन्तः संस्थितः अङ्कुरः (the sprout within a seed) देश-कालतः (given place and time) भासुरं देहं करोति (grows a shining body), एवं हि (so) दृश्य-धीः तनोति (the idea of the seen unfolds).

Translation: "As the sprout within a seed grows, given time and place, into a splendid plant, so the idea of the seen unfolds into a world."

Pointers for Reflection:

See 3.1.47.

Verse 3.3.40¶

सच्चेन्न शाम्यति कदाचन दृश्यदुःखं दृश्ये त्वशाम्यति न बोद्धरि केवलत्वम् ।
दृश्ये त्वसंभवति बोद्धरि बोद्धृभावः शाम्येत्स्थितोऽपि हि तदस्य विमोक्षमाहुः ॥ ३.३.४० ॥

चेत् (if) दृश्य-दुःखं सत् (the sorrow of the seen were real) [तत्] कदाचन न शाम्यति (it would never cease); दृश्ये तु अशाम्यति (and if the seen did not cease) बोद्धरि केवलत्वं न (the knower would never be alone [in his pure state]). दृश्ये तु असंभवति (but when the seen is found to be impossible) बोद्धरि बोद्धृ-भावः शाम्येत् (the knower's very state of 'knowing objects' would cease), स्थितः अपि हि (even while he goes on living): तत् अस्य विमोक्षम् आहुः (that, they say, is his liberation).

Translation: "If the sorrow of the seen were real it would never end; and if the seen never ended, the knower could never rest in his own pure being. But when the seen is seen to be impossible, even the knower's role as 'knower of objects' falls away, though he goes on living. That, the sages say, is liberation."

Pointers for Reflection:

The closing verse in vasantatilakā. Liberation is not the destruction of the world but the dropping of the subject-object split, while one still lives — जीवन्मुक्ति.
केवलत्व — aloneness, the word the Jainas use for the omniscience of the kevalin and Yoga uses for kaivalya (Yoga Sūtra 4.34). Here it means consciousness free of the seen (compare केवलीभाव in the glossary).