THE YOGA-VASISTHA is a popular text on Advaita Vedanta,
Puranic in form and philosophical in content.
It is also known by other names like Arsa Ramayana, Jnana Vasistha, Maha
Ramayana, Vasistha Ramayana and Vasistha and is
ascribed to sage Valmiki himself. It is in the form of
replies given by Vasistha to Sri Rama's queries
regarding philosophical problems of life and death,
and human suffering, and treats the essentials of
Advaita Vedanta. It seems to advocate the dristi-
sristi-vada which holds that the world exists only so
long as it is perceived: manodrsyam idam sarvam „the
whole world t)f things is the object of the mind‟.