Day 281 - The Cosmic Dissolution

Day 281 - The Cosmic Dissolution

In this continuation of Yoga Vasistha, Vasistha delves deeper into the cosmic dissolution, explaining how even the elements and celestial bodies cease to function when Brahma, the cosmic creator, withdraws his life-force (prana). This event marks the unraveling of the universe as all motion and existence are tied to the sustaining power of consciousness, which Brahma represents.

The Cosmic Dissolution and Withdrawal of Prana

When Brahma withdraws the prana that sustains the universe, the air stops moving, and the stars fall from their orbits like flowers from trees. Even the siddhas (perfected beings) and gods like Indra begin to fall, and the space-time continuum disintegrates. Vasistha emphasizes that the entire universe exists and is sustained by this cosmic life-force, and without it, everything collapses into chaos.

Rama's Question about Brahma and the World

Rama asks how the cosmic person (Brahma), which is a formless consciousness, acquires limbs like earth, heaven, and the netherworld. Vasistha explains that the cosmic person, or Brahma, arises from the pure consciousness becoming aware of itself. This self-awareness gives rise to the jiva (individual soul) and then to the mind, space, and other elements. However, these manifestations are still part of pure consciousness, and the physical universe exists only because of the mind’s projection.

The Nature of Vasanas and Liberation

Vasistha explains that vasanas (psychological conditioning) create experiences and perceptions of the universe. When one attains the vision of truth, vasanas cease, leading to liberation. This cessation of vasanas removes all sense of duality, leaving only the oneness of consciousness, which is moksha (liberation). There is no real world, no individual "you" or "I"—only the indivisible consciousness exists. The universe is simply an illusory appearance within this consciousness, neither fully real nor entirely different from it.

Rama’s Request for More Knowledge

Rama expresses his understanding but requests further explanation of how creation unfolds. Vasistha describes the cosmic dissolution, where everything ceases to exist, leaving only the eternal, infinite consciousness. This consciousness is vastly greater than space itself, and the entire universe is like a small particle within it. During dissolution, the infinite consciousness is aware of every subatomic particle and imagines itself into existence.

The Spontaneous Arising of Principles

Vasistha explains how the principles of creation—time, space, action, matter, and the relationship between subject and object—arise spontaneously from consciousness. These principles are false, mere projections of consciousness, yet they appear to form the basis of the physical universe. Even the body, mind, and senses are illusions projected by this consciousness. The subtle body (ativahika) arises from awareness of itself and gradually condenses into the physical body.

The Cosmic Dance of Consciousness

Vasistha elaborates on how consciousness, despite being formless and void, takes on form and becomes the physical world. It experiences itself as both subject and object, moving through space and time. This same consciousness manifests as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, the gods of creation, preservation, and destruction. It also becomes a worm or a human, but in truth, it remains pure, unmodified consciousness.

Illusion and the Nature of the Body

The gross, physical body, Vasistha explains, exists only as an illusion. In reality, the subtle body is what truly exists, and this body is immaterial, like space. The physical body is as unreal as a mirage—an erroneous perception. The subtle body, on the other hand, persists even after death and remains unchanged in both the material and immaterial worlds.

Vasistha stresses the importance of recognizing this illusion to attain liberation. The realization of truth is direct experience of the indivisible consciousness, and clinging to the material world is foolish. Those who fail to understand this continue to wander in samsara (the cycle of birth and death).

Prana and the Cosmic Forces

Finally, Vasistha discusses prana (the vital life-force), explaining that the cosmic person Brahma perceives the motion of prana, which gives rise to the cosmic wind. This motion is responsible for the vata (wind), pitta (heat), and slesma (moisture)—the three humors of the body—and their cosmic counterparts, the wind, sun, and moon. All of these forces are expressions of the same indivisible consciousness.

Conclusion

This section illustrates the depth of the illusion of creation, showing how the physical universe, with all its elements and beings, is simply a projection of pure consciousness. The process of creation and dissolution is cyclical, sustained by the life-force of Brahma, and rooted in the vasanas (mental conditioning) of individual consciousness. Liberation comes when one recognizes this truth and transcends the illusion of duality, realizing the oneness of all existence in infinite consciousness.