We remember Sri Rama for his victory over Ravana. Yogavasishta brings us to an earlier part of his life, when the suffering he witnesses raises difficult questions. Why is there sorrow? Why does the mind remain unsettled? And what does freedom really mean?
Sage Vasishta responds through a dialogue on the mind, desire, attachment and the nature of the Self. His teachings invite us to examine how our thoughts and perceptions shape experience, and to question what we usually take to be real.
This eight-session recorded audio course explores Yogavasishta-sara, the 223-verse essence of the larger Yogavasishta. Facilitated by Chitra Ganesh at Bharat Yogavidya Kendra, the study follows ten chapters, from renunciation and Maya to inner purification, realization of the Atman and liberation.
Drawn from Yoga Sangha discussions, the sessions bring together readings, explanations and shared reflections. Listen at your own pace, return to ideas that need time, and consider how these teachings relate to everyday life.
What You Will Explore in This Course
Meet the Questions That Troubled Rama
See how Rama’s encounter with suffering becomes the starting point for Sage Vasishta’s guidance on life and freedom.
Explore Renunciation and Detachment
Reflect on how the text approaches letting go, while remaining attentive to responsibility and everyday life.
Question Maya and Perception
Consider how the mind interprets the world, and why the teaching asks us to distinguish the changing from the real.
Understand the Mind’s Restlessness
Explore thoughts, likes, dislikes and mental habits, and how Vasishta connects them with bondage.
Examine Desire and Its Influence
Look more closely at craving, expectation and attachment, and the role of discernment in responding to them.
Discover Supports for Inner Work
Learn how self-effort, satsang, spiritual discussion and pranayama support the training of the mind.
Contemplate the Inner Self
Explore self-inquiry, Atman and Brahman, together with teachings on inner purification and adoration of the Self.
Reflect on Knowledge and Freedom
Consider realization, liberation, existence and non-existence, and what these teachings invite us to examine.
