Yoga Vasishta Sara

Publisher: Sri Ramasramam

Chapter One
Dispassion
1. Salutations to that calm effulgence which is endless and unlimited by space,
time etc., the pure consciousness which can be nown by e!perience only.
". #either one who is totally ignorant nor one who nows it $i.e. %ruth& is
eligible to study this boo. Only he who thins '( am bound) ( must become
free' is entitled to study it.
*. +ntil one is definitely blessed by the Supreme ,ord he will not find either a
proper -uru or the right scripture.
.. /ust as a steady boat, O Rama, is obtained from a boatman, so also the
method of crossing the ocean of samsara is learnt by associating with great
souls.
0. %he great remedy for the long1lasting disease of samsara is the en2uiry, '3ho
am (4, to whom does this samsara belong4,' which entirely cures it.
5. #ot a day should be spent in a place which does not possess the tree of a
wise nower of %ruth with its good fruit and cool shade.
6. %he sages are to be approached e7en if they do not teach. 87en their tals in
a light 7ein contain wisdom.
9. %he company of sages con7erts emptiness into fullness, death into
immortality and ad7ersity into prosperity.
:. (f sages were concerned solely with their own happiness with whom could
those tormented by the sorrows of samsara see refuge4
1;. %hat which is imparted, O good soul, to a worthy disciple who has become
dispassionate, is the real wisdom) it is the real purport of the sacred te!ts and is
also the comprehensi7e wisdom.
11. <ollowing the customary method of teaching is only for preser7ing the
tradition. Pure awareness results solely from the clarity of the disciple's
understanding.
1". %he ,ord cannot be seen with the help of the sacred te!ts or the -uru. %he
self is seen by the Self alone with the pure intellect.
1*. =ll the arts ac2uired by men are lost by lac of practice, but this art of
wisdom grows steadily once it rises.
1.. /ust as an ornament worn round the nec is considered lost through
forgetfulness and is gained when the mistae is reali>ed, so also the Self is
attained $when the delusion is remo7ed& by the words of the -uru.
10. ?e is indeed an unfortunate person who, not nowing his own Self, taes
pleasure in sense1ob@ects, lie one who reali>es too late that the food eaten by
him was poisonous.
15. %hat per7erted man who, e7en after nowing that worldly ob@ects are
decepti7e, still thins of them, is an ass not a man.
16. 87en the slightest thought immerses a man in sorrow) when de7oid of all
thoughts he en@oys imperishable bliss.
19. /ust as we e!perience the delusion of hundreds of years in a dream lasting
an hour, so also we e!perience the sport of maya in our waing state.
1:. ?e is a happy man whose mind is inwardly cool and free from attachment
and hatred and who loos upon this $world& lie a mere spectator.
";. ?e who has understood well how to abandon all ideas of acceptance and
re@ection and who has reali>ed the consciousness which is within the innermost
heart 1his life is illustrious.
"1. On the dissolution of the body, the ether $consciousness& limited by the
heart $hridayam& alone ceases to e!ist. People lament needlessly that the Self is
e!tinct.
"". 3hen pots, etc. are broen the space within them becomes unlimited. So
also when bodies cease to e!ist the Self remains eternal and unattached.
"*. #othing whate7er is born or dies anywhere at any time. (t is Arahman alone
appearing illusorily in the form of the world.
".. %he Self is more e!tensi7e than space) it is pure, subtle, undecaying and
auspicious. =s such how could it be born and how can it die4
"0. =ll this is the tran2uil, One without beginning, middle or end, which cannot
be said to be e!istent or non1e!istent. Bnow this and be happy.
"5. O Rama, it is indeed nobler to wander begging about the streets of the
outcasts $chandalas&, an earthen bowl in hand, than to li7e a life steeped in
ignorance.
"6. #either disease nor poison nor ad7ersity nor any other thing in the world
causes more suffering to men than such stupidity engendered in their bodies.

Chapter %wo
+nreality of the 3orld
1. /ust as the great ocean of mil became still when the Candara Countain
$with which it was churned by the De7as and the =suras& became still, e7en so
the illusion of samsara comes to an end when the mind is stilled.
". Samsara rises when the mind becomes acti7e and ceases when it is still. Still
the mind, therefore, by controlling the breath and the latent desires $7asanas&.
*. %his worthless $lit. burnt out& samsara is born of one's imagination and
7anishes in the absence of imagination. (t is certain that it is absolutely
unsubstantial.
.. %he idea of a $li7e& snae in a picture of a snae ceases to be entertained
when the truth is nown. Similarly samsara ceases to e!ist $when the %ruth is
reali>ed&, e7en if it continues to appear.
0. %his long1li7ing ghost of a samsara which is the creation of the deluded mind
of man and the cause of his sufferings disappears when one ponders o7er it.
5. O Rama, maya is such that it brings delight through its own destruction) its
nature is inscrutable) it ceases to e!ist e7en while it is being obser7ed.
6. Dear boy, wonderful indeed is this maya which deludes the entire world. (t is
on account of it that the Self is not percei7ed e7en though it per7ades all the
limbs of the body.
9. 3hate7er is seen does not truly e!ist. (t is lie the mythical city of
-andhar7as $fata morgana& or a mirage.
:. %hat which is not seen, though within us, is called the eternal and
indestructible Self.
1;. /ust as the trees on the ban of a lae are reflected in the water, so also all
these 7aried ob@ects are reflected in the 7ast mirror of our consciousness.
11. %his creation, which is a mere play of consciousness, rises up, lie the
delusion of a snae in a rope $when there is ignorance& and comes to an end
when there is right nowledge.
1". 87en though bondage does not really e!ist, it becomes strong through
desire for worldly en@oyments) when this desire subsides bondage becomes
wea.
1*. ,ie wa7es rising up from the ocean the unstable mind rises out of the 7ast
and stable e!panse of the Supreme Self.
1.. (t is because of that which always, of its own accord, imagines $e7erything&
2uicly and freely that this magical show $of the world& is pro@ected in the
waing state.
10. %his world, though unreal, appears to e!ist and is the cause of life1long
suffering to an ignorant person, @ust as a $non1e!istent& ghost $is the cause of
fear& to a boy.
15. One who has no idea of gold sees only the bracelet. ?e does not at all ha7e
the idea that it is merely gold.
16. Similarly towns, houses, mountains, serpents, etc. are all in the eyes of the
ignorant man, separate ob@ects. <rom the absolute point of 7iew) this ob@ecti7e
$world& is the sub@ect $the Self& itself) it is not separate $from the Self&.
19. %he world is full of misery to an ignorant man and full of bliss to a wise
man. %he world is dar to a blind man and bright to one who has eyes.
1:. %he bliss of a man of discrimination, who has re@ected samsara and
discarded all mental concepts, constantly increases.
";. ,ie clouds which suddenly appear in a clear sy and as suddenly dissol7e,
the entire uni7erse $appears& in the Self and $dissol7es in it&.
"1. ?e who recons the rays as non1different from the sun and reali>es that they
are the sun itself is stated to be nir7ialpa $the undifferentiating man&.
"". /ust as the cloth, when in7estigated, is seen to be nothing but thread, so also
this world, when en2uired into, is $seen to be& merely the Self.
"*. %his fascinating world rises lie a wa7e in the ambrosial ocean of
consciousness and dissol7es in it. ?ow then can it be different from it $i.e.
consciousness& in the middle $i.e. when it appears&4
".. /ust as the foam, the wa7es, the dew and the bubbles are not different from
water, e7en so this world which has come out of the Self is not different from
the Self.
"0. /ust as a tree consisting of fruits, lea7es, creepers, flowers, branches, twigs
and roots, e!ists in the seed of the tree, e7en so this manifest world e!ists in
Arahman.
"5. /ust as the pot $ultimately& goes bac to mud, wa7es into water and
ornaments into gold, so also this world which has come out of the Self
$ultimately& goes bac to the Self.
"6. %he snae appears when one does not recognise the rope) it disappears
when one recognises the rope. 87en so this world appears when the Self is not
recognised) it disappears when the Self is recognised.
"9. (t is only our forgetfulness of the in7isible Self which causes the world to
appear @ust as $the ignorance of the& rope $causes the& snae to appear.
":. /ust as the dream becomes unreal in the waing state and the waing state
in the dream, so also death becomes unreal in birth and birth in death.
*;. =ll these are thus neither real nor unreal. %hey are the effect of delusion,
mere impressions arising out of some past e!periences.

Chapter %hree
%he Cars of a ,iberated Person $/i7anmuta&
1. %he nowledge of the Self is the fire that burns up the dry grass of desire.
%his indeed is what is called samadhi, not mere abstention from speech.
". ?e who reali>es that the whole uni7erse is really nothing but consciousness
and remains 2uite calm is protected by the armour of Arahman) he is happy.
*. %he yogi who has attained the state which is beyond e7erything and remains
always cool as the full moon is truly the Supreme ,ord.
.. ?e who reflects in his innermost heart upon the purport of the +panishads
dealing with Arahman and is not mo7ed by @oy and sorrow, is not tormented by
samsara.
0. /ust as birds and beasts do not tae shelter on a mountain on fire, so also e7il
$thoughts& ne7er occur to a nower of Arahman.
5. 3ise men also, lie foolish men, $occasionally& mae others angry, $but they
do so only& in order to test their ability to control their innate feelings $that is to
say to see how far the anger of other persons will affect them&.
6. /ust as the trembling $of the body& caused by the $imaginary& snae persists
$for some time& e7en after realising that there is no snae, so also the effect of
delusion persists $for some time& e7en after getting rid of all delusions.
9. /ust as a crystal is not stained by what is reflected in it, so also a nower of
truth is not really affected by the result of his acts.
:. 87en while he is intent on outward actions $the nower of %ruth& always
remains intro7erted and e!tremely calm lie one asleep.
1;. <irmly con7inced of non1duality and en@oying perfect mental peace, yogis
go about their wor seeing the world as if it were a dream.
11. ,et death come to him $the nower of truth& today or at the end of aeons) he
remains untarnished lie gold buried in mire.
1". ?e may cast off his body at Bashi or in the house of an outcaste $lit. one
who coos dog's flesh&. ?e, the desireless one, is liberated at the 7ery moment
he attains nowledge $of Arahman&.
1*. %o one who is desireless, the earth, O Rama, is $as insignificant as& the
hoof1print of a cow, Count Ceru, a mound, space as much as contained in a
caset and the three worlds a blade of grass.
1.. ,ie an empty 7essel in space $the nower of %ruth& is empty both within
and without, while at the same time he is full within and without lie a 7essel
immersed in the ocean.
10. ?e who neither lies nor dislies the ob@ects seen by him and who acts $in
the world& lie one asleep, is said to be a liberated person.
15. ?e who is free from the nots $of desires& and whose doubts ha7e been set
at rest is liberated e7en when he is in the body $@i7an muta&. =lthough he may
seem to be bound, he is free. ?e remains lie a lamp in a picture.
16. ?e who has easily $lit. as if in sport& cast off all his egoistic tendencies and
has abandoned e7en the ob@ect of meditation, is said to be liberated e7en when
he is in the body.
19. ?e who does not, lie one blind, recognise $lit. lea7es far behind& his
relati7es, who dreads attachment as he would a serpent, who loos upon sense1
en@oyments and diseases alie, who disregards the company of women as he
would a blade of grass and who finds no distinction between a friend and a foe,
e!periences happiness in this world and the ne!t.
1:. ?e who casts away from his mind all ob@ects of perception and, attaining
perfect 2uiescence, remains still as space, unaffected by sorrow, is a liberated
man) he is the Supreme ,ord.
";. %he noble1hearted man whose desires of the heart ha7e come to an end is a
liberated man) it does not matter whether he does or does not practise
meditation or perform action.
"1. %he idea of Self in the non1Self is bondage. =bandonment of it is liberation.
%here is neither bondage nor liberation for the e7er1free Self.
"". (f, by percei7ing that the ob@ects of perception do not really e!ist, the mind
is completely freed $from those ob@ects& there ensues the supreme bliss of
liberation.
"*. =bandonment of all latent tendencies is said to be the best $i.e. real&
liberation by the wise) that is also the faultless method $of attaining liberation&.
".. ,iberation is not on the other side of the sy, nor is it in the nether world,
nor on the earth) the e!tinction of the mind resulting from the eradication of all
desires is regarded as liberation.
"0. O Rama, there is no intellect, no nescience, no mind and no indi7idual soul
$@i7a&. %hey are all imagined in Arahman.
"5. %o one who is established in what is infinite, pure consciousness, bliss and
un2ualified non1duality, where is the 2uestion of bondage or liberation, seeing
that there is no second entity4
"6. O Rama, the mind has, by its own acti7ity, bound itself) when it is calm it is
free.

Chapter <our
Dissolution of the Cind
1. Consciousness which is undi7ided imagines to itself desirable ob@ects and
runs after them. (t is then nown as the mind.
". <rom this omnipresent and omnipotent Supreme ,ord arose, lie ripples in
water, the power of imagining separate ob@ects.
*. /ust as fire born out of wind $fanned into a flame& is e!tinguished by the
same wind, so also that which is born of imagination is destroyed by
imagination itself.
.. %he mind has come into e!istence through this $imagination& on account of
forgetfulness. ,ie the e!perience of one's own death in a dream it ceases to
e!ist when scrutinised.
0. %he idea of Self in what is not the Self is due to incorrect understanding. %he
idea of reality in what is unreal, O Rama, now that to be the mind $chittam&.
5. '%his is he', '( am this', '%hat is mine', such $ideas& constitute the mind) it
disappears when one ponders o7er these false ideas.
6. (t is the nature of the mind to accept certain things and to re@ect others) this is
bondage, nothing else.
9. %he mind is the creator of the world, the mind is the indi7idual $purusha&)
only that which is done by the mind is regarded as done, not that which is done
by the body. %he arm with which one embraces the wife is the 7ery arm with
which one embraces the daughter.
:. %he mind is the cause of $i.e. produces& the ob@ects of perception. %he three
worlds depend upon it. 3hen it is dissol7ed the world is also dissol7ed. (t is to
be cured $i.e. purified& with effort.
1;. %he mind is bound by the latent impressions $7asanas&. 3hen there are no
impressions it is free. %herefore, O Rama, bring about 2uicly, through
discrimination, the state in which there are no impressions.
11. /ust as a strea of cloud stains $i.e. appears to stain& the moon or a blotch of
in a lime1plastered wall, so also the e7il spirit of desire stains the inner man.
1". O Rama, he who, with in1turned mind, offers all the three worlds, lie
dried1grass, as an oblation in the fire of nowledge, becomes free from the
illusions of the mind.
1*. 3hen one nows the real truth about acceptance and re@ection and does not
thin of anything but abides in himself, abandoning e7erything, $his& mind does
not come into e!istence.
1.. %he mind is terrible $ghoram& in the waing state, gentle $santam& in the
dream state, dull $mudham& in deep sleep and dead when not in any of these
three states.
10. /ust as the powder of the ataa seed, after precipitating the dirt in water,
becomes merged in the water, so also the mind $after remo7ing all impressions&
itself becomes merged $in the Self &.
15. %he mind is samsara) the mind is also said to be bondage) the body is
acti7ated by the mind @ust as a tree is shaen by the wind.
16. Con2uer your mind first, by pressing the palm with the palm, grinding the
teeth with the teeth and twisting the limbs with the limbs.
19. Does not the fool feel ashamed to mo7e about in the world as he pleases
and tal about meditation when he is not able to con2uer e7en the mind4
1:. %he only god to be con2uered is the mind. (ts con2uest leads to the
attainment of e7erything. 3ithout its con2uest all other efforts are fruitless.
";. %o be unperturbed is the foundation of blessedness $Sri&. One attains
liberation by it. %o human beings e7en the con2uest of the three worlds, without
the con2uest of the mind, is as insignificant as a blade of grass.
"1. =ssociation with the wise, abandonment of latent impressions, self1en2uiry,
control of breathing 1these are the means of con2uering the mind.
"". %o one who is shod with leather the earth is as good as co7ered with leather.
87en so to the mind which is full $i.e. undi7ided& the world o7erflows with
nectar.
"*. %he mind becomes bound by thining '( am not Arahman') it becomes
completely released by thining '( am Arahman'.
".. 3hen the mind is abandoned $i.e. dissol7es&, e7erything that is dual or
single is dissol7ed. 3hat remains after that is the Supreme Arahman, peaceful,
eternal and free from misery.
"0. %here is nothing to e2ual the supreme @oy felt by a person of pure mind who
has attained the state of pure consciousness and o7ercome death.

Chapter <i7e
%he Destruction of ,atent (mpressions
1. O Rama, this en2uiry into the Self of the nature or '3ho am (4' is the fire
which burns up the seeds of the e7il tree which is the mind.
". /ust as the wind does not affect the creepers in a picture, so also afflictions
do not affect one whose understanding is fortified by firmness and $always&
reflected in the mirror of en2uiry.
*. %he nowers of truth declare that en2uiry into the truth of the Self is
nowledge. 3hat is to be nown is contained in it lie sweetness in mil.
.. %o one who has reali>ed the Self by en2uiry Arahma, Dishnu and Shi7a are
ob@ects of compassion.
0. %o one who is fond of en2uiring $constantly&, '3hat is this 7ast uni7erse4'
and '3ho am (4' this world becomes 2uite unreal.
5. /ust as in a mirage the idea of water does not occur to one who nows $that it
is a mirage&, e7en so latent impressions do not rise in one whose ignorance has
been destroyed by reali>ing that e7erything is Arahman.
6. Ay the abandonment of latent impressions or by the control of breathing,
mind ceases to be the mind. Practise whiche7er you lie.
9. O pure soul, cherish the association of sages and the true scriptures) you will
attain the state of Supreme Consciousness not in the course of months but days.
:. ,atent impressions cease to be acti7e when one associates with sages,
discards all thoughts of samsara and remembers that the body has to die.
1;. O Ragha7a, e7en ignorant persons con7ert, by the firmness of their
con7iction, poison into nectar and nectar into poison.
11. 3hen this body is taen to be real it ser7es the purpose of a body, but when
it is seen to be unreal it becomes lie space $i.e. unsubstantial&.
1". O Rama, while lying on a soft bed you wander about in all directions with a
dream body) but now $in this waing state& where is that body4
1*. /ust as a respectable man a7oids contact with an outcast woman carrying
dog's flesh, so also one should discard the thought '(1am1the1body', e7en if
e7erything were to be lost.
1.. 3hen the aspirant $sadhu& thins only of Arahman and remains calm and
free from sorrows his egoity dies of itself.
10. (f one reali>es the unity of things e7erywhere, one always remains tran2uil,
inwardly cool and pure lie space without the sense of '('.
15. (f inwardly one is cool the whole world will be cool, but if inwardly one is
hot $i.e. agitated& the whole world will be a burning mass.

Chapter Si!
Ceditation on the Self
1. (, the pure, stainless and infinite Consciousness beyond maya, loo upon this
body in action lie the body of another.
". %he mind, the intellect, the senses, etc. are all the play of Consciousness.
%hey are unreal and seem to e!ist only due to lac of insight.
*. +nmo7ed by ad7ersity, a friend of all the world in prosperity, without ideas
of e!istence and none!istence, ( li7e free from misery.
.. (nacti7e am (, desireless, clear as the sy, free from hanering, tran2uil,
formless, e7erlasting and unmo7ing.
0. ( ha7e now clearly understood that the fi7e elements, the three worlds and (
myself are pure Consciousness.
5. ( am abo7e e7erything) ( am present e7erywhere) ( am lie space) ( am that
which $really& e!ists) ( am unable to say anything beyond this.
6. ,et imaginary wa7es of uni7erse rise or fall in me who am the ocean of
infinite Consciousness) there is no increase or decrease in me.
9. ?ow wonderful that in me, the infinite ocean of consciousness, wa7es of
@i7as $indi7idual souls& rise, sport for a while and disappear according to their
nature.
:. %he world which has come into e!istence on account of my ignorance has
dissol7ed liewise in me. ( now directly e!perience the world as supreme bliss
of consciousness.
1;. ( prostrate to myself who am within all beings, the e7er1free Self abiding as
inner Consciousness.

Chapter Se7en
Cethod of Purification
1. O Ragha7a, be outwardly acti7e but inwardly inacti7e, outwardly a doer but
inwardly a non1doer, and thus play your part in the world.
". O Ragha7a, abandon all desires inwardly, be free from attachments and
latent impressions, do e7erything outwardly and thus play your part in the
world.
*. O Ragha7a, adopt a comprehensi7e 7iew, characterised by the abandonment
of all ob@ects of contemplation, li7e in your innate Self, liberated e7en while
ali7e $@i7an1muta&, and thus play your part in the world.
.. Aurn the forest of duality with the fire of the con7iction, '( am the one pure
Consciousness' and remain happy.
0. Eou are bound firmly on all sides by the idea, ( am the body'. Cut that bond
by the sword of nowledge '( am Consciousness' and be happy.
5. Discarding the attachment to non1Self, regarding the world as a partless
$whole&, concentrated and with attention turned inward, remain as pure
Consciousness.
6. Remain always as pure Consciousness which is your constant $i.e. true&
nature beyond the states of waing, dream and deep sleep.
9. O mighty1armed, be always free from mental concepts lie the heart of a
roc though not insentient lie it.
:. Do not be that which is understood, nor the one who understands. =bandon
all concepts and remain what you are.
1;. 8liminate one concept by another and the mind by the mind and abide in
the Self. (s this so difficult, O holy man4
11. Se7er the mind, which has on account of its cares become red hot, with the
mind which is lie iron sharpened by the study of scriptures.
1". O Ragha7a, what ha7e you to do with this inert and dumb body4 3hy do
you feel helpless and miserable by @oys and sorrows on account of it4
1*. 3hat a 7ast difference between the flesh, blood, etc. $composing the body&
and you, the embodiment of consciousnessF 87en after nowing this why do
you not abandon the idea of Self in this body4
1.. %he mere nowledge that this body is lie a piece of wood or a clod of earth
enables one to reali>e the Supreme Self.
10. ?ow strange that, while the real Arahman is forgotten by men, the unreal
called a7idya $nescience& appears 7ery real to them $lit. struts about before
them&.
15. (t is again strange that while the Supreme Arahman is forgotten by men, the
idea 'this is mine' called a7idya is firmly held by them $lit. strongly confronts
them&.
16. 3hen you do your wor do it without attachment e7en as a crystal which
reflects the ob@ects before it $but is not affected by them&.
19. %he con7iction that e7erything is Arahman leads one to ,iberation.
%herefore re@ect entirely the idea of duality which is ignorance. Re@ect it
entirely.

Chapter 8ight
3orship of the Self
1. (f you separate yourself from the body and abide at ease in Consciousness
you will become one $the sole Reality&, e7erything else appearing
$insignificant& lie grass.
". =fter nowing that by which you now this $world& turn the mind inward
and then you will see clearly $i.e. reali>e& the effulgence of the Self.
*. O Ragha7a, that by which you recognise sound, taste, form and smell, now
that as your Self, the Supreme Arahman, the ,ord of lords.
.. O Ragha7a, that in which beings 7ibrate, that which creates them, now that
Self to be your real Self.
0. =fter re@ecting, through reasoning, all that can be nown as 'non1truth' what
remains as pure Consciousness 1 regard that as your real Self.
5. Bnowledge is not separate from you and that which is nown is not separate
from nowledge. ?ence there is nothing other than the Self, nothing separate
$from it&.
6. '=ll that Arahma, Dishnu, Shi7a, (ndra and others always do is done by me,
the embodiment of Consciousness' 1 thin in this manner.
9. '( am the whole uni7erse. ( am the undecaying Supreme Self. %here is neither
past nor future apart from me' 1 reflect in this manner.
:. '87erything is the One Arahman, pure Consciousness, the Self of all,
indi7isible and immutable' reflect in this manner.
1;. '%here is neither ( nor any other thing. Only Arahman e!ists always full of
bliss e7erywhere.' 1 meditate on this calmly.
11. %he sense of percei7er and percei7ed is common to all embodied beings,
but the Eogi worships the One Self.

C?=P%8R #(#8
8GPOS(%(O# O< %?8 S8,<
1. 3hen this assemblage of body, senses, etc. acts of its own accord there arises
an idea '( am this.' %his is the @i7a $ego& stained by the dirt of ignorance.
". 3hen the con7iction that e7erything is the space1lie $i.e. all per7asi7e&
Consciousness becomes firm the @i7a comes to an end lie a lamp without oil.
*. ,ie a misguided Arahmin, who abandons his own nobility, and adopts the
life of a Sudra, the ,ord assumes the role of the @i7a.
.. /ust as a child sees an apparition $created by its own fancy&, so also the
stupid @i7a creates, on account of delusion, this unreal body and sees it $as
separate from him&.
0. = child superimposes a $real& elephant on a clay elephant and plays with it)
e7en so, an ignorant man superimposes the body, etc., on the Self and carries on
his acti7ities.
5. %he picture of a snae does not cause fear of a snae when it is realised to be
only a picture. Similarly when the @i7a1snae is clearly understood there is
neither misery nor the cause of misery.
6. %he snae superimposed on a garland merges in it) so also the sense of
separateness rising from the Self merges in the Self.
9. =lthough bracelets, etc. appear to be many, as gold they are one. Similarly
although the ad@uncts are many, the Self is really one.
:. ,ie the organs of the body and modifications of clay $i.e. 7essels of clay&
non1duality appears as duality $i.e. multiplicity& in the form of the mo7ing and
unmo7ing ob@ects.
1;. /ust as a single face is reflected as many in a crystal, in water, or in ghee or
in a mirror) so also the $one& Self is reflected in the $many& intellects $or
minds&.
11. /ust as the sy is $i.e. appears to be& stained by dust, smoe and clouds, so
also the pure Self in contact with the 2ualities of maya is $i.e. appears to be&
soiled by them.
1". /ust as metal in contact with fire ac2uires the 2uality of fire $namely heat&,
so also the senses, etc. in contact with the Self ac2uire the 2uality of the Self.
1*. /ust as the in7isible Rahu becomes 7isible when it is sei>ed by the moon
$i.e., comes in contact with the moon&, e7en so the Self is nown by
e!periencing ob@ects of perception.
1.. 3hen water and fire come together they ac2uire the 2ualities of each other.
87en so when the Self and the inert body come together the Self loos lie the
non1Self and the non1Self loos lie the Self.
10. /ust as fire thrown into a large sheet of water loses its 2uality, so also
Consciousness in contact with the unreal and the inert seems to lose its real
nature and becomes inert.
15. %he Self is realised in the body only with effort, lie sugar from the
sugarcane, oil from sesame seeds, fire from wood, butter from a cow and iron
from stones $i.e. ore&.
16. ,ie the sy seen in an unbroen crystal, the Supreme ,ord of the nature of
consciousness is seen $i.e. e!ists& in all ob@ects.
19. /ust as a big lamp ept inside a 7essel made of precious stones illumines by
its light both outside and inside, so also the one Self illumines $e7erything&.
1:. /ust as the sun's reflection in a mirror illumines $other things&, so also the
reflection of the Self in pure intellects illumines $other things&.
";. %hat in which this wonderful uni7erse appears lie a snae in a rope is the
eternal luminous Self.
"1. %he Self is without beginning or end. (t is immutable 8!istence and
Consciousness. (t manifests space, it is the source of the @i7a and higher than
the highest.
"". %he Self is pure Consciousness, eternal, omnipresent, immutable and self1
effulgent lie the light of the sun.
"*. %he omnipresent Self, the substratum of all, is non1different from the
effulgent Consciousness lie heat from fire. (t can only be e!perienced $not
nown&.
".. Pure Consciousness without intellect, the Supreme Self, the illuminator of
all, the indi7isible, per7ading $e7erything& within and without, is the firm
support $of all&.
"0. %he Self is absolute Consciousness. (t is pure awareness, undecaying, free
from all ideas of acceptance or re@ection and not limited by space, time or
genus.
"5. /ust as the air in the uni7erse per7ades e7erything, so also the Self, the
,ord, abides bodiless $in e7erything&.
"6. %he Consciousness which e!ists in the e!panse of earth, in the ornaments,
in the sy and in the sun, e!ists also inside the worms lying in their shells under
the earth.
"9. %here is neither bondage nor liberation, neither duality nor non1duality.
%here is only Arahman always shining as Consciousness.
":. =wareness is Arahman) the world is Arahman) the 7arious elements are
Arahman) ( am Arahman) my enemy is Arahman) my friends and relati7es are
Arahman.
*;. %he idea of a consciousness and an ob@ect of consciousness is bondage)
freedom from it is liberation. Consciousness, the ob@ect of consciousness and
e7erything else is the Self) this is the gist of all systems of philosophy.
*1. %here is only consciousness here) this uni7erse is nothing but
consciousness) you are consciousness) ( am consciousness) the worlds are
consciousness 1 that is the conclusion.
*". %hat which e!ists and that which shines $i.e. is nown to e!ist& are all the
Self) anything else which seems to shine does not $really& e!ist. Consciousness
alone shines by itself. (deas of nower and nown are idle postulates.

C?=P%8R %8#
#(RD=#=
1. Supreme Aliss cannot be e!perienced through contact of the senses with their
ob@ects. %he supreme state is that in which the mind is annihilated through one1
pointed en2uiry.
". %he bliss arising from the contact of the senses with their ob@ects is inferior.
Contact with the senseob@ects is bondage) freedom from it is liberation.
*. =ttain the pure state between e!istence and none!istence and hold on to it)
do not accept or re@ect the inner or the outer world.
.. Depend always on that true reality between the sentient and the inert which
is the infinite space1lie heart.
0. %he belief in a nower and the nown is called bondage. %he nower is
bound by the nown) he is liberated when there is nothing to now.
5. =bandoning the ideas of seer, seen and sight along with latent desires
$7asanas& of the past, we meditate on that Self which is the primal light that is
the basis of sight.
6. 3e meditate on the eternal Self, the light of lights which lies between the
two ideas of e!istence and non1e!istence.
9. 3e meditate on that Self of consciousness, the bestower of the fruits of all
our thoughts, the illuminator of all radiant ob@ects and the farthest limit of all
accepted ob@ects.
:. 3e meditate on that immutable Self, our reality, the bliss of which arises in
the mind on account of the close contact between the seer and the seen.
1;. (f one meditates on that state which comes at the end of the waing state
and the beginning of sleep, he will directly e!perience undecaying bliss.
11. %he roc1lie state in which all thoughts are still and which is different from
the waing and dream states, is one's supreme state.
1". ,ie mud in a mud pot the Supreme ,ord who is e!istence and space1lie
consciousness and bliss e!ists e7erywhere non1separate $from things&.
1*. %he Self shines by itself as the one boundless ocean of consciousness
agitated by wa7es of thought.
1.. /ust as the ocean is nothing but water the entire world of things is nothing
but consciousness filling all the 2uarters lie the infinite space.
10. Arahman and space are alie as to their in7isibility, all1per7asi7eness and
indestructibility, but Arahman is also consciousness.
15. %here is only the one wa7eless and profound ocean of pure nectar, sweet
through and through $i.e. blissful& e7erywhere.
16. =ll this is truly Arahman) all this is =tman. Do not cut up Arahman into '(
am one thing' and 'this is another.'
19. =s soon as it is realised that Arahman is allper7asi7e and indi7isible this
7ast samsara is found to be the Supreme ,ord.
1:. One who realises that e7erything is Arahman truly becomes Arahman) who
would not become immortal if he were to drin nectar4
";. (f you are wise you would become this $Arahman& by such con7iction) if
not, e7en if you are repeatedly told it would be $useless lie offerings& thrown
on ashes.
"1. 87en if you ha7e nown the real truth you ha7e to practise always. 3ater
will not become clear by merely uttering the word ataa fruit.
"". (f one has the firm con7iction '( am the Supreme Self called the undecaying
Dasude7a' he is liberated) otherwise he remains bound.
"*. =fter eliminating e7erything as 'not this', 'not this', the Supreme Aeing $lit.
state& which cannot be eliminated remains. %hin '( am %hat' and be happy.
".. Bnow always that the Self is Arahman, one and whole. ?ow can that which
is indi7isible be di7ided into '( am the meditator' and 'the other is the ob@ect of
meditation'4
"0. 3hen one thins '( am pure consciousness' it is called meditation and when
e7en the idea of meditation is forgotten it is samadhi.
"5. %he constant flow of mental concepts relating to Arahman without the sense
of '(' achie7ed through intense practice of Self 8n2uiry $@nana& is what is called
sampra@nata samadhi $meditation with concepts&.
"6. ,et 7iolent winds which characterise the end of aeons $alpas& blow) let all
the oceans unite, let the twel7e suns burn $simultaneously&, still no harm befalls
one whose mind is e!tinct.
"9. %hat consciousness which is the witness of the rise and fall of all beings,
now that to be the immortal state of supreme bliss.
":. 87ery mo7ing or unmo7ing thing whatsoe7er is only an ob@ect 7isualised
by the mind. 3hen the mind is annihilated duality $i.e. multiplicity& is not
percei7ed.
*;. %hat which is immutable, auspicious and tran2uil, that in which this world
e!ists, that which manifests itself as the mutable and immutable ob@ects 1that is
the sole consciousness.
*1. Aefore discarding the slough the snae regards it as itself, but when once it
has discarded it in its hole it does not loo upon it as itself any longer.
*". ?e who has transcended both good and e7il does not, lie a child, refrain
from prohibited acts from a sense of sin, nor does he do what is prescribed from
a sense of merit.
**. /ust as a statue is contained in a pillar $i.e. bloc& e7en if it is not actually
car7ed out, so also the world e!ists in Arahman. %herefore the Supreme State is
not a 7oid.
*.. /ust as a pillar is said to be de7oid of the statue when it has not actually
been car7ed out, so also Arahman is said to be 7oid when it is de7oid of the
impression of the world.
*0. /ust as still water may be said to contain or not contain ripples, so also
Arahman may be said to contain or not contain the world. (t is neither 7oid nor
e!istence.
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