“Attachment to worldly pleasures is the root of sorrow.”
The verse: Yoga Vasistha 6.2.93.72
The quote above is our paraphrase. This is the verse as it reads in the Vihari-Lala Mitra translation (1891–99):
“Our pleasures are (causes of) our pains, and prosperity the source of adversity; all enjoyments are sufferings (as leading to maladies), and all fondness tends at last to distaste and dislike.”
About the text: Yoga Vasistha
The Yoga Vasistha is a long Sanskrit philosophical work, traditionally attributed to Valmiki, in which the sage Vasistha teaches Prince Rama through stories and dialogue. Its six books teach liberation through self-effort and insight. Scholars date it anywhere from about the 6th to the 14th century, and it probably grew over time.
More from the Yoga Vasistha
- “Living in the present moment dissolves worry.”
- “Prahlada’s devotion transcended all obstacles.”
- “Maya creates both pleasure and pain.”
- “A true Guru is the light that dispels the darkness of ignorance.”
- “The liberated one lives in the world but is not of it.”
- “Consistent practice leads to lasting transformation.”