THE ESSENCE OF YOGA VASISHTA
This English version of Yoga Vasishta or Yoga Vasishta Maha Ramayana as it is also called, is a work of about 32,000 Sanskrit couplets, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, the author of Srimad Ramayana. It is a dialogue between Sage Vasishta and Sri Rama, during which Advaita (the doctrine
of non-duality) in its pure form of ajatavada (theory of nonorigination)
is expounded, with illustrative stories in between.
of non-duality) in its pure form of ajatavada (theory of nonorigination)
is expounded, with illustrative stories in between.
This indeed was a revolutionary writing in ancient india.
Yoga Vasishta or Vasishta Ramayana or Vasishta Geetha deals with the philosophy of Advaita(non-duality) of god & human soul.
The entire content of the book is described in many short stories.
This vast work was abridged some centuries ago by Abhinanda
Pandita, a Kashmiri scholar, into 6,000 couplets, which go
by the name of Laghu Yoga Vasishta. This is a masterpiece in
itself, like the original one.
A further condensation of this work was made long
ago, by an unknown author, into about 230 couplets,
divided into ten chapters, as Yoga Vasishta Saara (Essence
of Yoga Vasishta)
Yoga Vasishta or Vasishta Ramayana or Vasishta Geetha deals with the philosophy of Advaita(non-duality) of god & human soul.
The entire content of the book is described in many short stories.
This vast work was abridged some centuries ago by AbhinandaPandita, a Kashmiri scholar, into 6,000 couplets, which go
by the name of Laghu Yoga Vasishta. This is a masterpiece in
itself, like the original one.
A further condensation of this work was made long
ago, by an unknown author, into about 230 couplets,
divided into ten chapters, as Yoga Vasishta Saara (Essence
of Yoga Vasishta)
The book starts off with discussion between two persons about Dispassion and Unreality of this world.
As soon as the next doubt arises in reader’s mind, a new story unfolds which discusses about this doubt.
The series continues untill all doubts are cleared and the Guru frames out the set of rules (Bharadwajanusasan) for humans to follow in order to break free from all bonds of life and let their souls free.
This is indeed a goldmine fit for repeated reading and meditation.