This World Can Never Be Trusted

In the twenty sixth sarga of the Vairagya-prakarana of Yoga Vasishta, Lord Rama goes on narrating the state of the world now.

How can you trust the world which doesn't have any independence of its own? You go to the police to complain about someone. But the police will have to take permission from the same person whom you are going to complain about. How will it help? World doesn't have any freedom of its own. How can you trust the world?

We are all compelled to act, like how a slave doesn't act out of his own will and pleasure, we are forced to act, forced to work. We are under so many compulsions such as destiny. Kala, time, pushes people who have desires into troubles and dangers. Like how fire burns, time burns the hearts of people who have unwanted desires in the form of disappointment of not achieving them.

Destiny forces people to follow the needs of the senses. Destiny steals the will power of even the yogis. Yogis who desire to be in samadhi perpetually, destiny doesn't allow them to do that. Acting through their sensory organs, destiny pulls them out. Makes them unstable.

Kala is so cruel that he doesn't sympathize even with the weak and helpless. He goes on pushing people into old age as if cooking them, only to consume them at the end. Everything about the world is scary. Anything that you do or interact with ultimately leads to trouble only. There is no guarantee about how long you are going to live.

The mind is dirty because it is always looking for enjoyments and pleasures. Pleasure has become synonymous with sensual pleasure. Man looks at woman as the ultimate object that can give pleasure. Woman looks at man as the ultimate object that can give pleasure. Friends and relatives are shackles that tie you down, taking away your freedom.

Every enjoyment is like contaminated food, the more you consume the more sick you get. They pollute your mind more and more. Just as the sensory organs are enemies of the mind, the mind is the enemy of the atma. Mind soils the atma, mind doesn't allow atma to shine forth.

Even a little bit of intelligence that we have, it is so fickle, so weak, easily overpowered by the mind and emotions. Every bodily action leads to fatigue and pain. People have forgotten that there is an atma inside. They just identify themselves completely with the body and the mind. They are their only concern.

The mind is filled with thoughts only concerning oneself, related to oneself, I and mine. No one is happy in this world, no one can be happy in this world. Passion towards objects and beings is spreading like a pandemic. Dispassion has disappeared from the face of earth. Aggression has destroyed the power to introspect.

Negative thoughts are overpowering everyone. Tranquility and peace have gone far away. Means to understand oneself are not visible. People are obsessed with silly things. Intelligence has been replaced with foolishness. Body is becoming weaker day by day. Death is just waiting to come.

Honesty and truth are not to be seen anymore. Kindness is gone. Those who were famous for their integrity, even they have lost it. People just take birth and die. They don't do anything for the well being of the atma. Good people are rare. Evil is what you see all around.

Even when objects of desire are destroyed, your desire for them does not go. A man is in the prison. He knows that he is never going to come out. He is sure that he will die in the prison. Still, he longs for what is there outside.

Mountains have collapsed, countries have disappeared. Can the life of a human being ever be stable? Even the immortals get killed. Even chiranjeevis die. Then what about an ordinary mortal human being? Time retires even Indra. Even the lord of death becomes jobless after some time. Every fire extinguishes after some time. Suns have exploded and disappeared.

Can an ordinary human being ever aspire to become stable? Even Brahma has a lifespan. After pralaya you don't see Vishnu or Shiva anymore. Their roles are not there anymore. How can a human being even think about being stable?

There is a power that is spread all over, inside everything. The earth is just a ball in the hands of that power. That power can destroy anything as and when it wants. And it is this kind of fragile world that people trust.

Just like how birds looking for food get caught in the hunter's net only to be killed later on, we are all caught in the net of ignorance about the real nature of the world while going in pursuit of desires. Even the higher worlds such as स्वर्ग standing tall and impressive like a tree in the sky, it has only noose of death for the ordinary mortal human being, meaning even those comforts will have to end one day.

People are just foolish to say that let us celebrate this festival, let us go there, let us do this, let us do that. Says Lord Rama.

• The world has no independent functioning; every system is entangled in layers of control, making trust meaningless.

• Human beings are not truly free; they're forced to act like slaves, bound by time (kala) and unseen compulsions.

• Time cruelly drives all beings into decay, suffering, and death, without mercy for the weak or innocent.

• Desires push people into danger and pain; like fire burning wood, time burns the hearts of those chasing unfulfilled wants.

• Even yogis who aim for stillness get pulled back into worldly action by destiny and the senses.

• Old age is not a graceful decline — it's like being cooked alive only to be devoured by time in the end.

• Sensory pleasures are toxic; they pollute the mind and deepen suffering instead of offering lasting satisfaction.

• People mistake the body and mind for the self and forget the presence of the deeper reality — the atma (inner self).

• Mind constantly circles around 'I' and 'mine', feeding selfishness and separating us from inner peace.

• Dispassion has vanished, and emotional addiction to people and objects spreads like an epidemic.

• Peace and clarity have been replaced by chaos, aggression, and obsessive distractions.

• Intelligence is decaying while foolishness thrives; the body weakens daily, and death lurks around the corner.

• Morality has collapsed; even those once known for truthfulness and kindness have fallen.

• Human life cycles through birth and death with no effort made toward spiritual realization.

• Desire clings even when fulfillment is impossible — a prisoner longs for the outside world even while dying inside the cell.

• Nothing is stable — not mountains, not nations, not even the lives of divine beings; everything collapses eventually.

• Even gods like Indra and death itself lose their roles with time; permanence is an illusion.

• Cosmic powers control everything; the earth itself is just a toy in their hands, ready to be crushed.

• Trusting such a fragile world is foolish; it will betray every expectation sooner or later.

• Chasing desires is like flying into a hunter’s trap; the more attractive the bait, the deadlier the net.

• Even the heavens (svarga) are temporary; they may look glorious, but they still end in death for mortals.

• People distract themselves with festivals and outings, blind to the trap of suffering they live in.

What does it mean that the world lacks independence?
It means that nothing truly functions on its own. Systems that seem reliable are often controlled by hidden hands, making it impossible to expect fairness or justice. Even when you turn to authority, it may already be compromised by the very forces you're trying to escape.

If the world can’t act freely, what am I supposed to rely on?
You can rely on your own clarity, inner freedom, and spiritual insight. When you see through the illusion of outer systems, you turn inward for real grounding.

How can the world function at all if it’s this broken?
It functions like a machine — not with wisdom, but inertia. Just because a thing moves doesn’t mean it’s right. The absence of freedom doesn’t stop motion; it just makes the motion pointless.

What forces drive people to act even against their will?
Time (kala), destiny, and desire create a chain reaction that forces people to keep acting. It’s like a puppeteer pulling strings. You may think you're choosing freely, but much of it is programmed by unseen layers.

How can I tell if I’m acting out of compulsion or freedom?
Ask yourself if you're driven by fear, habit, or need for approval. If yes, it's compulsion. True freedom feels still, alert, and unattached.

Isn’t free will real? Can’t I choose my own path?
You do have a space of choice — but it’s tiny unless you expand your awareness. The more you're ruled by vasanas (mental impressions), the less freedom you have. Awareness breaks the loop.

Why is time described as cruel and merciless?
Because time doesn’t stop for anyone — young or old, kind or evil. It drags everything into decay. It cooks the body, weakens the senses, and ultimately devours life without empathy.

How can I live meaningfully if time is always against me?
By refusing to chase what time will eventually take away. Instead, you use time to discover what doesn’t age or die — your inner self.

Is this just a pessimistic view of life?
No, it's a wake-up call. It's not saying 'don't live', it's saying 'don't waste life in illusions'. Facing time’s cruelty brings urgency and honesty into how you live.

Why are sensual pleasures compared to poisoned food?
Because they feel sweet at first but cause inner pollution over time. Repeated indulgence dulls intelligence and increases craving, which leads to mental sickness.

How can I enjoy life without getting trapped in pleasure?
Shift from indulgence to appreciation. Enjoy what arises, but don't chase or cling to it. Let peace, not stimulation, guide your actions.

Isn’t sensual joy a natural part of being human?
Yes, but nature includes poison ivy and wildfire too. Not everything natural is nourishing. Discerning which joy frees and which binds is maturity.

What does it mean that people forget the atma?
They think they are just the body or the mind — a bundle of reactions and roles. They lose connection to the deeper, changeless self that witnesses everything.

How do I start remembering the atma?
Begin by watching your thoughts, feelings, and actions without identifying with them. That watcher is your doorway to the real self.

Isn’t focusing on the atma impractical in daily life?
Not at all. It brings peace in chaos, clarity in confusion. Once you know the sky behind the clouds, you stop fearing the storm.

What is the mind’s role in causing suffering?
The mind obsesses over 'I' and 'mine', creates emotional storms, and never rests. It’s full of restlessness that hides your peaceful core.

Can the mind become peaceful?
Yes, but not by force. Through awareness, dispassion, and inner silence, the mind settles — like muddy water clears when undisturbed.

If the mind is the enemy, should I suppress it?
No. Suppression creates resistance. Observe it without reacting. That patience weakens the mind’s grip and reclaims your peace.

What happens when dispassion disappears from society?
People become obsessed with objects, power, relationships — thinking that’s all there is. Aggression replaces reflection, and distraction becomes the norm.

Can dispassion and love coexist?
Absolutely. Dispassion means freedom from clinging, not from caring. You can love deeply without being owned by your desire.

Isn’t dispassion just cold detachment?
Not if rightly understood. Real dispassion makes love purer, work more focused, and joy more stable — because it’s not rooted in insecurity.

Why has peace become so rare?
Because people are trapped in chasing illusions. Their attention is scattered, their inner world is noisy, and their values are borrowed, not examined.

Can peace be found in such a chaotic world?
Yes, but not by fixing the world. You find peace by stepping back, observing, and letting go of your constant cravings.

Isn’t this escapism — avoiding real life?
No, it’s returning to real life. Most people escape into noise. Silence takes courage. Facing the truth within is the most real thing you can do.

Why is death described as waiting close by?
Because life is fragile. The body is weakening daily, and death doesn’t give warnings. To live unconsciously is to walk blindfolded toward a cliff.

Shouldn’t we enjoy life instead of worrying about death?
Yes, but joy deepens when you remember impermanence. You stop wasting time on trivialities and begin tasting life more fully.

Is thinking about death unhealthy?
Ignoring death is more unhealthy. Awareness of death is not gloom — it’s sharpness. It makes you live awake, not on autopilot.

Why are even good people becoming rare?
Because honesty, kindness, and integrity require inner strength. But modern life rewards shortcuts, and that makes virtue inconvenient.

Can one person’s goodness still matter in this climate?
It matters even more. A candle is more visible in darkness. One person standing firm can awaken many others.

Has the world always been this bad, or is it getting worse?
The world cycles through phases. But without self-effort, decline dominates. The more we normalize compromise, the faster the fall.

Why is desire so persistent, even when fulfillment is impossible?
Because desire is not rational — it’s emotional habit. It survives on fantasy. Even in loss, the mind clings to what could have been.

How can I stop wanting what I can’t have?
Face the futility of it again and again. When you see clearly that it only brings suffering, the craving fades.

Isn’t desire what makes life exciting?
Only for a while. Then it demands more, disappoints, and drains you. Real excitement is living free, not chasing ghosts.

How can even divine beings become unstable?
Because nothing in creation is permanent. Even gods have cycles. Their power exists within a framework that itself dissolves over time.

If even divine beings fall, what’s the point of effort?
Because effort helps you rise above the cycle. You stop aiming for temporary thrones and start seeking the eternal.

Does this mean there’s no such thing as lasting success?
In the world, no. Everything fades. But self-realization doesn’t fade — it outlives even the collapse of the cosmos.

Why is it foolish to trust the world?
Because the world is constantly shifting — what brings joy today causes sorrow tomorrow. It's like building your home on sand.

If we can’t trust the world, whom do we trust?
Trust your inner awareness — the one constant amidst change. Build your life on that clarity, not on passing forms.

Isn’t this distrust just negativity?
No, it’s wisdom. You don’t hate the world — you stop expecting permanence from what is inherently unstable.

Why are people likened to birds caught in a net?
Because desires act like bait. While chasing shiny pleasures, people fall into traps of suffering and bondage — often without even realizing it.

Can the net be escaped once we’re caught?
Yes, through knowledge, dispassion, and sharp awareness. The net breaks when you stop flying toward the bait.

But aren’t desires natural? Why avoid them?
Desires aren’t the problem. Blindly chasing them is. When you see the trap behind the bait, you start choosing wisely.

What’s wrong with enjoying festivals and outings?
Nothing by itself. But when people use these as distractions to avoid facing truth, they become forms of unconscious escape.

How do I know if I’m escaping or celebrating?
Check your motive. Are you running away from silence, or celebrating from fullness? Joy that needs noise isn’t real joy.

Isn’t all this too heavy for daily life?
It’s not about giving up life — it’s about living it awake. Once you taste clarity, even celebrations become deeper.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi