The Vision and the Way Of Vasistha
The Vision And The Way Of Vasishta in Sanskrit originally formed an appendix to the thesis “The Philosophy of Vasistha as Presented in Yogavāsiṣṭha”, submitted to the Benares Hindu University in 1928 by Sri B. L. Athreya for the degree of Doctor of Letters. The author has written several books on the philosophy of Yogavāsiṣṭha and other subjects connected with this magnificent work, which Swami Rama Tirtha considered “the most wonderful book ever written under the sun, which nobody on earth can read without realising God-consciousness.”
In Vedantic traditions, Yogavāsiṣṭha is regarded as the ultimate scripture expounding the Truth from the Siddhāvasthā—the state of a Yogin who has realized the Absolute Reality through direct personal experience.
This compilation, consisting of nearly 2,500 verses, was first published in 1936 by the Government Press, Allahabad, as the 64th volume in the series “Sarasvati Bhavana Texts.” It has not been reprinted thereafter. In the words of the author, “It is meant for those who may wish to make themselves acquainted with the philosophy of Yogavāsiṣṭha in its original sweet and beautiful language, the charm of which eludes translation, but have not the time, intention, or patience to go through the voluminous work of thirty-two thousand stanzas.”
The author has stated that no essential aspect of the philosophy or of the practice recommended for realizing the Truth has been omitted in this compilation, and no important verse expounding the same has been left out.
Translating such an exalted work is undeniably challenging, especially into a language that lacks exact equivalents for Vedantic and Yogic terminology. Fortunately, the 20th century has produced many literary and spiritual scholars who have helped shape a suitable vocabulary for expressing these concepts in English, even though the shades of meaning may not fully convey the deeper connotations of the Sanskrit originals. However, the context in which these words are used reliably helps bring out their intended sense.
The translator, Sri Samvid, has drawn extensively from the excellent Sanskrit commentary on the Yogavāsiṣṭha by Ānandabodhendra Sarasvatī to decipher many complex verses—especially those dealing with esoteric and subtle doctrines. Yet, throughout this work, the translator’s overpowering aim has been to render the sense and spirit of the original faithfully, while simultaneously giving the reader a taste of its power, depth, and poetic beauty.
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