Chapter 1	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

As Brahma is the supreme multiple of the multiplicities of unit consciousness, It is consciousness in its totality. It has been shown earlier that every unit consciousness is non-causal, and so is Brahma – the multiple of all the unit consciousnesses can only be infinite if the multiplicity of unit consciousnesses is infinite. Hence the number of unit consciousnesses has to be infinite. A question here arises about the manner in which Brahma became the multiple of all the unit consciousnesses. Did the infinite number of unit consciousnesses exist before Brahma, or did Brahma multiply Itself into infinite units and hence is called the multiple of unit consciousnesses?

It was explained earlier that unit consciousness is non-causal and that every person has a unit consciousness or átman. The history of the earth however reveals that humans are not causeless. They are not even the first living beings that came onto the earth. The earth was formed from the sun. It was only a ball of fire in the beginning. Gradually it cooled down and became full of water and then land appeared. This was followed by the formation of the plant and animal kingdoms, and it was only after this that human beings evolved. Human beings are therefore dependent on the earth for their origin and cannot be said to be non-causal. But as átman or unit consciousness is causeless it could not have come into being with human beings and should have existed even before them. Unit consciousness must have existed even before the evolution of human beings; otherwise how could they get an átman or unit consciousness? Before the creation of human beings the unit consciousness could have only existed in the Cosmic Consciousness, as both these are non-causal, and as Cosmic Consciousness is only a multiple of the unit consciousnesses. It was only with the creation or evolution of humans that unit consciousness was reflected in them. Cosmic Consciousness as a multiple of unit consciousnesses must be synonymous with them. Thus we see that the infinite number of unit consciousnesses did not originally exist as units. Brahma reflected Itself as numerous unit consciousnesses, and that is why Brahma is termed the multiple of all unit consciousnesses. This also shows that human beings derive their átmans or unit consciousnesses only from the Cosmic Consciousness.

Human beings are not without beginning because their origin depends on the earth. If they have originated from the earth they must have also obtained their unit consciousness from the earth. They could not have got it from any other entity and so there must also be consciousness in the earth. For instance butter can be obtained from milk only because it exists in milk. Similarly unit consciousness exists in the earth, otherwise the human body obtained from the earth could not have unit consciousness. Butter, when it exists in milk, cannot be identified as butter till it is separated with the help of a churning machine. In the same way unit consciousness is unidentifiable or dormant in the earth and can only be perceived when the human mind is created to reflect it. It has thus to be accepted that there is consciousness even in the earth. The earth was created from the sun and the sun is only a ball of fire, the existence of which is dependent on certain gases found primarily in the aerial factor. The sun therefore depends for its existence on the aerial factor and has originated from it. Similarly the aerial factor (váyu) is dependent on the ethereal factor, because if there were no ether there would be no space for the air to exist. The origin of air can be traced to ethereal factor. We can trace back the ethereal factor to be the source of the air, sun, earth and then human beings.

A human being has unit consciousness and so the ethereal factor must also have it. If it did not have consciousness, how could a human being who has been created from it have unit consciousness? The ethereal factor is crude. It has no shape nor can its size be measured. It contains nothing and is void, yet it is called crude, because sound can travel through it. The fact that sound-waves can be formed in it shows that there must be something which makes sound-waves possible and which gives ether a crude character. Although ether is called crude, it has no crude substance in it. It is nothingness, void or just space. But logically it has to be admitted that it contains consciousness, otherwise human beings, who have been formed from the ether, would not be able to get unit consciousness. Hence the only entity which can be in the ether is consciousness. For instance, we find water in ice because it is made of water and contains nothing except water. Similarly ether, which contains nothing except consciousness, has to be made of consciousness. Consciousness is in Brahma and so ether has its origin only in Brahma. Thus the ethereal factor or vyomattattva has originated from Brahma, as has the rest of the universe; as the origin of air, fire, water, earth and the entire plant and animal kingdom has been shown to originate only from the ethereal factor. Therefore the entire creation is only made of Brahma. Brahma alone is the cause of the creation of the universe.

Saguńa Brahma, Qualified Consciousness, is the cause of the creation of the universe. In other words, the universe has originated from Saguńa Brahma. But if Saguńa Brahma or Bhagaván created the universe, a very pertinent question arises about the availability of the material or stuff from which the universe was made. Saguńa Brahma also needs some material to create the universe just as the potter needs clay to make his pots. A potter obtains his clay from the earth. So then has Saguńa Brahma also obtained the material from someone else? The material and its owner from whom Saguńa Brahma borrowed it must have existed even before Saguńa Brahma came into being, and that this owner is bigger than Saguńa Brahma has to be admitted. It could not otherwise be available to Saguńa Brahma. It has already been accepted that Brahma is non-causal. Nothing existed before Brahma and so the material from which the universe is made could not have existed before Brahma. What could be the material out of which Saguńa Brahma made this universe if nothing existed before or beyond It? The universe, which is so visibly existent, could not have been created out of nothing. The only material available to Saguńa Brahma for creation was Its own Self. Hence it has to be accepted that this creation is only Saguńa Brahma metamorphosed into all that we find in the universe.

The entire universe is formed from Saguńa Brahma. It is only Saguńa Brahma which is manifested as this creation. Is not then the statement that Saguńa Brahma is omnipresent incorrect? To say that Brahma is present in a book means that the book is a separate entity and Brahma occupies that entity. This gives the impression of two separate entities – Brahma and the book which appears to be outside Saguńa Brahma. This is completely incorrect as it has already been established that everything is made of Brahma; It has assumed the shape of everything. Hence the correct thing to say would be that the book is Brahma or that It has assumed the shape of a book also. This shows that the book and Brahma are not two separate entities and that the book did not exist before Brahma. This alone is the correct expression, for Brahma is infinite and eternal and nothing can exist beyond or before It. The book could not have existed before Brahma. In fact nothing could have existed before Brahma. Every speck of dust is only Brahma.

Brahma is the cause of the entire creation and Brahma is the collective name for Prakrti and Puruśa. Which of the two then forms the creation? We have to determine whether Puruśa or Prakrti is the stuff of which the creation is made. Prakrti is a unique force – a principle, the only function of which is to qualify Puruśa. As Prakrti is only a force, She cannot take a shape. She will otherwise lose her function of qualifying. Besides, if Prakrti becomes the creation there must be a force or principle to give a shape and form. The only other entity in Brahma who can give a form to Prakrti is Puruśa. Puruśa, who cannot even realize His existence without being qualified by Prakrti, cannot perform the tremendous task of giving Prakrti the form of creation. This makes it clear that Prakrti does not assume the shape of the creation and this leaves only Puruśa who could take these forms. Hence the stuff of which the entire creation is made is Puruśa. Prakrti qualifies Puruśa to give Him different forms and Puruśa has to follow the designs of Prakrti. For example, a potter shapes a lump of clay according to his designs. The lump of clay is comparable to Puruśa and the potter who provides the force, to Prakrti. Similarly, Prakrti gives all these shapes to Puruśa according to Her wish to create this universe. Puruśa only follows the dictates of Prakrti in forming this creation.

Puruśa alone is projected in all the different shapes of the creation. He is the stuff of which everything is made. But Puruśa is consciousness; hence everything in this creation has consciousness. There is nothing which is crude, inanimate, or without consciousness. The solid brick, the dead wood or even the earth which is ordinarily regarded as crude and lifeless are not wholly so. They are forms of the conscious entity – Puruśa. They cannot be crude and without consciousness. Yet all these appear to be crude, lifeless, and without any trace of consciousness. It is so because Puruśa, following the dictates of Prakrti, remains in the condition in which Prakrti wants Him to stay. A brick is a form of Puruśa qualified by Prakrti and Puruśa stays in that condition according to the desire of Prakrti. Prakrti here desires him to stay as a brick and so Puruśa remains as brick, considering Himself to be crude or lifeless matter. The brick is not able to expand its consciousness and remains in a lifeless state due to being qualified by the guńa of Prakrti. The influence of Prakrti makes it look like inanimate, crude matter, although it possesses consciousness. Hence there is nothing in this world which is crude; everything is a metamorphosed form of consciousness or Puruśa.

It has already been reasoned out that Puruśa is a subtle entity, which, when qualified, looks crude. In that state, as His consciousness cannot be expanded, He appears to possess lesser consciousness. Puruśa gradually appears more and more crude and finally He takes the crudest form of kśititattva or earth where we find Him as an inanimate object with His consciousness completely dormant. Thus the greater the influence of Prakrti, the more crude He appears, while with lesser influence He is subtler.

The universe has been created out of Puruśa. In other words Puruśa, when qualified by the guńa of Prakrti, has created the universe out of His own self. Puruśa, we know, is a subtle entity which can be appreciated only as an idea. Yet the moon, the sun, the stars and the planets, the atmosphere and the earth, made of subtle Puruśa, are all found in this creation. We have to admit that this creation has been formed by a subtle entity gradually becoming crude. We have already established by logical reasoning that Puruśa is subtle. So if the crude universe has been created out of this subtle entity, its seed must have existed in this subtle entity, and, on being qualified by Prakrti, germinated into this expansive universe. In the same way we get butter from milk only because it existed in milk in another form. If the seed of the crude universe existed in Him, Puruśa could not be called subtle or understandable only as an idea. Subtle is something which can be understood or appreciated as an idea only and contains no crudeness. The ethereal factor in which no perceivable crude substance can be found is called crude because sound can travel through it. The ethereal factor has no dimensions and no perceptible existence, yet merely because of the presence of the quality of permitting sound waves to travel through it, it is called crude. The presence of something makes it identifiable; it cannot be said to be subtle or understandable only as an idea. Puruśa cannot be said to be subtle, if the seed of the universe exists in Him. He has to be crude, but it has already been established that Puruśa is subtle, and so the seed of the crude universe cannot exist in Him.

Here again a contradictory situation arises. It was said earlier that the universe has been created out of Puruśa, but if the seed did not exist in Puruśa, how could the universe have been created? This sounds illogical and unreasonable, and the only logical thing to say is that the universe was never created, as Puruśa is subtle by nature and the crude universe could not have been created out of Him. It was however said earlier that the universe was created out of Him, and as it has been logically proved to be true, the only other rational statement would be to say that the crude universe was never a created reality. Yet the existence of this visible universe cannot be ignored. In fact, this crude universe is created only as a thought-projection of Puruśa. When influenced by Prakrti, a wave arises in the mind of Puruśa and as a result the entire creation becomes an imaginary entity filled with different forms. The universe comes into being only as an imaginary entity in the mind of Puruśa, and no crude stuff is required for its creation. Imaginary objects are not crude realities, for the creation of which crude stuff may be necessary. Hence Puruśa, who is subtle, can easily create the universe out of His own self. Accepting the creation to be only a thought-wave gives rise to the following doubts:

1. How do we experience this world as real if it is not a crude reality and exists only as a thought-projection of Puruśa?
2. The creation should come to an end the moment the thought-wave of Puruśa ceases to exist. Thought-waves or imaginary entities are only momentary, and their cessation should bring about complete annihilation.

When imagination brings a shape into being in a person’s mind, it does not appear to be imagination only. It is mind that imagines and, as long as a person is under the spell of imagination, every imagined object appears to be real. It is after the spell is broken that he or she realizes it to be his or her imagination only.

Let us now analyse imagination and see how an imagined object appears real in the imagination. In an earlier chapter it was explained that the part of the mind which performs all actions is ahaḿtattva (ego) and the part of the mind which shows or becomes the result of an action is called citta. For instance, when ahaḿtattva sees a book, the citta grasps the tanmátra of a book and has to take the shape of a book itself. Similarly, when a person imagines a form, the ahaḿtattva starts functioning, and citta has to take that form to enable the ahaḿtattva to see it. For example, Rama, sitting in Bhagalpur and thinking of Chowringhee in Calcutta, makes his ahaḿtattva think of Chowringhee, and his citta has to take the form of Chowringhee. At that very moment his ahaḿtattva starts seeing Chowringhee in his imagination.

In order to take the form of any object, citta grasps its tanmátra and first becomes like the rudimental factor (bhúta) or the state of matter of which the object is made. For instance on seeing a book, the citta grasps the rúpa (figure-forming) tanmátra, and before being able to take the form of the book properly, it has to become like the substance or the state of matter of which the book is made. If the book is made of paper, which falls in the kśititattva or the solid state of matter, the citta will have to become like paper or kśititattva before it can take the form of the book. Therefore, it is necessary for citta to become like the tattva or bhúta (rudimental factor) of which its object is made. Then alone will it be able to take a complete and proper shape. Why the shapes formed in the imagination appear factual can easily be understood after knowing how an imaginary shape is formed in the mind.

The external application of citta is with the help of the ten indriyas. To be more clear, citta performs all its actions (of taking different forms) with the help of the indriyas or physical organs. It is through the indriya of eyes that citta grasps the rúpa tanmátra of a book and takes the shape of a book. It was also explained earlier that ahaḿtattva pushes or drives citta to come in contact with a particular tanmátra. For instance in order to listen to a sound, ahaḿtattva sends citta to the receptive organ of the ears, to see a book to the eyes, and to smell a perfume to the nose. But while imagining Chowringhee, the help of none of the indriyas is required, because Calcutta is 250 miles away from Bhagalpur and therefore beyond the reach of all the indriyas. Thus citta loses its contact with the indriyas and takes the shape of Chowringhee on its own. When citta loses contact with the indriyas they become non-functional, and a person loses his sense of relationship and distinction of place, time and person. Rama would know of his existence in Bhagalpur with the help of his eyes only. But if citta has lost its contact with all indriyas and has instead taken the shape of Chowringhee, it will not be able to make use of the functions of the indriyas receiving tanmátras from the immediate surroundings. This makes Rama see Chowringhee in his imagination, although he may be in Bhagalpur at that moment. Because the indriyas lose their functions, citta is not able to receive the impression of Bhagalpur and ahaḿtattva cannot see any part of Bhagalpur. It sees only Chowringhee and feels itself to be in Chowringhee. Citta only takes the shape of Chowringhee at the instance of ahaḿtattva. It does not imagine; the imagination has to be done by ahaḿtattva, and citta has to become like that substance and take that shape. As soon as the imagination of ahaḿtattva ceases, citta also loses its shape, and, at the same moment, the indriyas start functioning. Then alone does Rama realize that the Chowringhee that he had been seeing existed only in imagination. It is due to this process that the imagined object appears factual as long as the spell of the imagination lasts. The moment that spell is broken it appears to be imaginary and not real.

Citta has the capacity of taking the form of an object without the help of tanmátras, only at the instance of ahaḿtattva. The shape that citta thus takes is imaginary and not real. Imagination itself is not real; the shape formed in it cannot be real. Imagination may not be real, yet citta has actually got to take a shape, and so, even if the shape is imaginary or unreal, the fact that citta becomes like it is a reality.

Imagination (kalpaná) has been analysed, and why it appears factual has also been seen. It now remains to be seen whether this universe has been created as a result of the imagination of Saguńa Brahma or not. It was said earlier that on being influenced by Prakrti, Saguńa Brahma projected Itself as this universe. This presupposes the existence of mind, as no action can be performed without mind. The multiple of all unit consciousnesses is Puruśa in the stage of Saguńa Brahma. It has been seen that every unit consciousness gets mind because of the influence of Prakrti. As Puruśa in Saguńa Brahma is a multiple of all unit consciousnesses, He also gets mind when influenced by Prakrti. His mind becomes the collection of the infinite unit minds. Just as every unit consciousness is a multiplicity of Cosmic Consciousness, so too is every unit mind a part of the Cosmic Mind. Cosmic Mind, as a collection of all the unit minds, is comprised, like them, of Buddhitattva, Ahaḿtattva and citta. Ahaḿtattva is the part which works and citta becomes the result of that action. The universe is thus created by the Ahaḿtattva of Saguńa Brahma by making its citta take the form of the creation. Citta manifests itself in a form in two ways. It could, under the orders of Ahaḿtattva, take the shape of an object either by catching the tanmátras with the help of the indriyas, or take a shape without catching any tanmátra at the instance of Ahaḿtattva as a result of the thought-waves of Ahaḿtattva. The latter is called kalpaná or imagination, that is, citta adopting the shape and form of the objects imagined in the thought-waves of Ahaḿtattva. Nothing existed before or beyond Saguńa, hence Its citta could not take the shape of any external object even if Ahaḿtattva wanted it to do so. Its citta has therefore to adopt the shapes and forms in the thought-waves or imagination of the Ahaḿtattva of Saguńa Brahma. Citta forms the result of the actions performed by Saguńa Brahma, and this universe is also a result of these actions. The universe is thus a manifestation of Saguńa Brahma’s citta. The citta of Saguńa Brahma has taken the shape and form of this universe as imagined by Its Ahaḿtattva. When citta takes a form in this way, it is called kalpaná or imagination. Hence this creation is the imagination or kalpaná of Saguńa Brahma.

The universe should not appear to be a reality, if it exists only in the imagination of Saguńa Brahma. Earlier we saw that the imagination of unit consciousness appears to be factual as long as the spell of the imagination lasts. The imagination of Saguńa which is only a multiple of all unit consciousnesses also appears to be real for the same reasons. It is this that makes the Cosmic Mind also consider its imagination to be reality. Unit mind or an individual’s mind is only a part of the Cosmic Mind, and whatever appears true to the Cosmic Mind will also appear true to the individual mind. Thus, although this vast universe exists only in the imagination, it appears to us as reality.

A magician showing his tricks in the streets often appears to throw into the air a rope which just remains there. His accomplice climbs up the rope with a sword in his hand and disappears. After a while the accomplice’s head and trunk smeared with blood fall down one after another. The entire audience becomes dumbfounded in amazement. The magician weeps and wails for his friend as he gathers the limbs in a bag, and collects four times the amount he would have normally got because of pity and sympathy that he arouses in his audience. Soon after, his accomplice is seen emerging from the audience.

How does the magician do this? The entire scene is enacted in the presence of a number of persons and it is difficult to consider it false. Yet it is such a strange show that one’s mind is not prepared to accept it as true. One is inclined to wonder whether the magician has really brought back to life his friend whose head and limbs had been severed from the trunk. The doubt that one’s eyes might have deceived one is brushed aside by the fact that so many others present have seen the same thing. Everyone could not make the same mistake. We must see what makes such an absurd thing appear true. A rope cannot stand in the air nor can anyone climb that rope. Even less believable is the idea of anyone being brought back to life after their limbs have been severed from the trunk. How then does one see it so clearly?

Everyone sees the show with the help of his indriyas – the eyes. We have seen earlier that the function of seeing any object is performed by ahaḿtattva, and citta takes the form of the object that ahaḿtattva wants to see. If the magician, with the help of his supernatural power obtained by intuitional practice, can expand his mind to such an extent that he is able to hypnotize or influence the ahaḿtattva of everyone in the audience, he will stop the independent functioning of the entire audience. The expanded mind of the magician then becomes the collective mind of all the individuals, as their minds do not function independently. It is the magician’s mind that works in place of the non-functional minds of the audience. If the magician thinks of the above show his citta will take those shapes and his ahaḿtattva will see the same show in his imagination. As long as the spell of his imagination lasts it appears to be real. The ahaḿtattva of the magician works in place of the ahaḿtattva of the onlookers, and hence whatever the magician sees as real or true appears true to them also. Since the thought-waves of the magician appear as objective reality, this show which exists in his imagination appears to be a physical occurrence. If the capacity of the magician’s mind to project is limited to a radius of a hundred yards, persons in this area only will come within the scope and influence of the magician’s expanded mind and will see the same show. Anyone outside this circle will be beyond the limit to which the magician can expand his mind; they will not see the scene like those within this area. They will only see the magician standing quietly with his eyes closed. There will be no trace of the wonderful magic. In fact the only truth or reality in the entire show is that the magician stands still with his eyes closed imagining the show which his audience sees as a concrete picture and imagines to be real. Similarly those who have fallen from the path of yoga go about showing off their supernatural powers. They create coins, currency notes or sweets out of dust. In reality no coins or sweets exist; what exists is only the display of the expanded mind of the straying disciple.

The show of the magician is a glaring example to bear testimony to the fact that this material world, though only an imagination or a thought-wave of Saguńa Brahma, appears to us as a great reality. Just as we regard the imaginary show of the magician as real, we also regard the imagination of Brahma as real. Those who are beyond the scope of the influence of the magician’s mind do not see the show. They see the truth behind it, that is, only the magician with closed eyes. Similarly, those who with the help of sádhaná or intuitional practice get beyond the scope of the Cosmic Mind, see this crude universe in its true form like the truth in the magician’s show. They are able to realize the reality of the universe. As the crude universe is only imagination or a thought-wave in the Cosmic Mind, it cannot be Satya or Absolute Truth, and only those who go beyond the Cosmic Mind can realize the truth like the truth in the magician’s show. This salvation or realization through sádhaná (intuitional practice) means knowing the ultimate or absolute truth, and those who have known this Absolute, are called Satyadraśt́á rśi.

They say Brahma alone is Satya (Ultimate Reality) and the universe is false. Let us see how far this assertion is true. This universe is formed in the imagination of Saguńa Brahma. If this universe exists only in imagination, it cannot be a reality. Had kalpaná or imagination been a reality, it would be called Satya (Ultimate Reality), and not imagination. Hence as the universe is formed in the imagination of Saguńa Brahma, it can never be Satya (Ultimate Reality). Ahaḿtattva of Saguńa Brahma imagines the universe, and its citta takes that form to create this imaginary universe as a thought-projection of Brahma. The imaginary form may not be real, yet it is a form. Similarly the imaginary form of the universe that citta takes may not be real, yet it is a fact that citta takes a form. But the form that it takes is only imaginary and thus not a reality. The citta of Brahma has manifested itself in the form of this universe, and even though the form in which it has manifested itself is imaginary, it is a fact that it has manifested itself in the form of the universe. This is a reality or Satya. The universe has a form, so it cannot be said to be unreal, but at the same time, as the form is in the imagination of Brahma, it cannot be Satya. Hence the universe has to be considered as neither true nor false; it is something between the two; it is relative truth.

The creation is a thought-wave of Brahma, and the day it ceases the universe will come to an end. This raises the question why the thought-wave has not yet come to an end, and if it has to end in the future, when that end will be. The universe has been created by Saguńa Brahma due to Prakrti qualifying the uncondensed Puruśa. This creates thought-waves in Puruśa, and as a result the universe is created. Thus this universe has been created due to Prakrti, or, to be more precise, due to Prakrti qualifying Puruśa. If Puruśa could be freed from the qualifying influence of Prakrti, the universe would come to an end, as Puruśa would not have to continue His imagination or thought-waves under Her influence. Puruśa in the qualified state of Saguńa Brahma has multiplied Himself into the infinite number of unit consciousnesses. It is due to these that Brahma is the supreme multiple of all the unit consciousnesses. In order to free Itself from the qualifying influence of Its principle (Prakrti), Saguńa Brahma will have to liberate the infinite number of unit consciousnesses from Her influence. Then alone can the creation come to an end. Saguńa Brahma contains the totality of all the many unit consciousnesses, and even if ten million unit consciousnesses were liberated from the influence of Prakrti, there would still be an infinite number left to be liberated. For whatever is taken away from the infinite, the remainder is still infinite. An infinite number means a number which cannot be counted or which never ends. So if a million or even a hundred million are taken away from an infinite number, the remainder will still be infinite. The number will not be countless or infinite if taking away any finite number, however large, makes it smaller, as that will bring its end within sight or conception. Hence however large the number of unit consciousnesses may be that are freed from the influence of Prakrti, there will still be an infinite number under Her influence in Saguńa Brahma. Saguńa Brahma will still be a multiple of an infinite number of unit consciousnesses, and as long as Saguńa Brahma is there, the creation will continue to exist. As the number of unit consciousnesses is infinite, the creation can never cease. The thought-waves in Puruśa in its Saguńa Brahma stage are created due to the influence of its qualifying principle (Prakrti) and as long as even one individual unit consciousness exists under the influence of Prakrti, the thought-wave or imagination will have to continue, and in it is the creation.

Creation is the thought-projection of Saguńa Brahma. How this creation has been formed in the imagination of Saguńa Brahma needs explanation. Rama, although in Bhagalpur, can create Chowringhee in his imagination. His citta takes the form of Chowringhee when his ahaḿtattva thinks of it. Rama’s citta is a part of his mind, and Rama creates Chowringhee in his mind. Similarly, Saguńa Brahma has created the universe in Its imagination. Its citta has become the universe as a result of the thinking of Its Ahaḿtattva. As citta is a part of the mind of Saguńa Brahma, the universe has been created in the mind of Saguńa Brahma. It has already been seen that in order to take the form of Chowringhee, Rama’s citta – a subtle entity – becomes like Chowringhee – a crude object. In order to take the form of a crude object citta has to change from subtle to crude. This change cannot happen suddenly. Citta has to gradually become crude and then alone can it take the form of Chowringhee (a crude object) properly. If milk has to be made into kśiira (a thick milk product obtained by boiling away the watery portion), it cannot be done quickly. The milk has to be boiled until it gradually becomes thicker. Only then does it adopt the thick form of kśiira. In the same way Saguńa Brahma’s subtle citta gradually crudifies and finally takes the crude form of kśititattva (solid). Hence creation, which is the transformation of citta as the result of the crudification of citta, must have gradually become crude from its subtle state.

Saguńa Brahma created the universe in Its citta by gradually crudifying Its subtle self. How did creation become crude from subtle? Prakrti qualifies Puruśa in Saguńa Brahma and that results in the creation of the universe. As in the case of unit consciousness, sattvaguńa or sentient Prakrti qualifies Puruśa first, and Buddhitattva comes into being. This gives Puruśa the feeling of “I”. Then rajoguńa or mutative Prakrti qualifies it further and the Ahaḿtattva of Saguńa Brahma is formed. Lastly static Prakrti or tamoguńa qualifies the Ahaḿtattva of Saguńa Brahma and citta is formed. The mind is composed of Buddhitattva, Ahaḿtattva and citta, and all three are subtle by nature. The subtle or abstract world or the mind of Saguńa Brahma is thus formed due to the qualifying influence of Prakrti. Buddhitattva, Ahaḿtattva and citta are the gradual transformation of Puruśa or consciousness. Buddhitattva, Ahaḿtattva and citta are all subtle, but Buddhitattva is the subtlest of the three. The next in order of subtlety is Ahaḿtattva and the last is citta – its objective counterpart. There is one idea in Buddhitattva and that is the feeling of “I”. In Ahaḿtattva we find another idea in addition to the feeling of “I” and that is the idea of “I do” (ego). Anything which contains a large number of factors is cruder than the one with less, and so Ahaḿtattva is cruder than Buddhitattva. Citta creates the result of the action of Ahaḿtattva and thereby acquires objectivity, either subtle or crude. It is cruder than Ahaḿtattva. It has been seen above that Buddhitattva is the first to come into being. It is followed by Ahaḿtattva. Citta is formed last. Thus the movement in the flow of creation is from subtle to crude.

It was explained earlier that the universe is the thought-projection of the Cosmic Mind. The influence of rajoguńa (mutative principle) creates a thought-wave in the Ahaḿtattva of Saguńa Brahma, and its objective counterpart, citta, assumes the form of the crude universe. Citta is subtle in nature, but it has to become crude like the creation. In order to become crude citta has to gradually take on the form of the five tattvas or rudimental factors, that is, vyomatattva or ákásha (ethereal), maruttattva or váyu (aerial), tejastattva or agni (luminous), jalatattva (liquid) and kśititattva (solid). All these five are crude, and the universe has been created out of these five rudimental factors. Tanmátra, we have already seen, is the subtle form in which the indriyas receive an object. There are also five tanmátras, that is, shabda (sound), sparsha (touch), rúpa (image), rasa (taste) and gandha (smell). In the subtle sphere we find that Buddhitattva is more subtle than Ahaḿtattva because the former has only the factor of “I exist” as compared to Ahaḿtattva which has two factors, “I exist” and “I do.” Similarly in the crude sphere something which contains more tanmátras is cruder than that which contains fewer tanmátras. The complete absence of tanmátras makes a thing absolutely fine or subtle. This also shows that tanmátras cannot help in the appreciation of things of the subtle sphere, where they are absent altogether. To appreciate those things one needs bhávaná – the introversial flow of the objective mind – while to know things of the crude sphere tanmátras are absolutely necessary. It is only with the help of tanmátras that things of the crude sphere can be perceived. Citta assumes the form of the creation, which is crude, and as tanmátras are necessary to know things of the crude sphere, citta has to have tanmátras. It has also to form tanmátras, as there is no other source from which it can get them. The universe is thus created from citta gradually manifesting itself as the five rudimental factors (bhúta) and the five tanmátras.

We may begin with vyoma or ákásha tattva – the ethereal factor. The void or nothingness which exists beyond the supposed atmosphere of planets, etc., is vyoma or ákásha tattva. This void indicates nothingness, yet we call it crude because it contains shabda (sound) tanmátra. The scientists call it ether. This void or ether has no form or shape. It has no weight. It contains nothing and that is why it is called void or nothingness. But sound can travel through it. Sound-waves could not be formed in the absence of a medium for their transmission. It is because of this that we call the void crude. The presence of shabda tanmátra makes it crude. But this is the subtlest realm of the crude sphere as it has only one factor, the sound tanmátra. Hence the first factor to be formed in this creation was the shabda tanmátra and ákásha tattva, the ethereal factor.

After taking the form of ákásha tattva, citta manifested itself as váyu. Váyu (air) is cruder than ákásha (ether) as in this we find the presence of two tanmátras. Air or váyu has the tanmátra of shabda (sound) as well as that of sparsha (touch). We would not be able to hear each other talk if air did not contain the shabda (sound) tanmátra. Ordinarily sound-waves are carried from place to place by the air, thus the presence of shabda (sound) tanmátra is essential. We only feel the presence of air by touch and so sparsha (touch) tanmátra is also present. Thus we find two tanmátras in váyu (aerial factor), while in ákásha or the ethereal factor there is only one tanmátra. Váyu, the aerial factor, is, therefore, cruder than ákásha, and has come into being after the ethereal factor.

Citta manifested itself as tejastattva (luminous factor) after váyutattva (aerial factor). Fire can be seen and so it can be said to have a shape or form. It contains rúpa tanmátra (the vibration due to ideation producing an image or form), otherwise we would not be able to see it. Fire can also be felt on touch. It has, therefore, both sparsha and shabda tanmátras. There are three tanmátras – rúpa, sparsha and shabda – in the luminous factor. As it has three tanmátras it is cruder than váyu and was created after váyu, the aerial factor.

Jala (liquid) was created after the luminous factor. Citta assumed a cruder form. Water is a liquid and has taste and hence contains the rasa (taste) tanmátra. Besides this it has shabda, sparsha and rúpa tanmátras also. It is thus cruder than fire. That water has shabda tanmátra can be observed by performing a simple experiment. Someone speaks on the level of the water from one bank and is heard on the other bank by an ear on the same level. Water can be touched and it has a form which can be seen. Hence it has four tanmátras – shabda, sparsha, rúpa and rasa – and is cruder than the luminous factor. Water thus came into being after fire.

Kśititattva (solid factor) was formed after jalatattva. Citta took the still cruder form of solid earth. In earth or kśiti we find a new tanmátra, gandha (smell). In kśiti we find all the five tanmátras – shabda (sound), sparsha (touch), rúpa (form), rasa (taste) and gandha (smell). Kśititattva is thus cruder than the rest of the factors. Kśititattva has shabda tanmátra, as we find sound travelling through telephone wires made of solids. Solids can be touched; they have a definite shape and taste. Lastly, it is only a solid particle which has smell. Earth, therefore, has all the five tanmátras. Earth or kśititattva is therefore the crudest of all the factors and was created last of all. It is in this final stage of transformation from subtle to crude that citta finds itself manifested in its crudest form as the solid factor.

It is due to the psychic survey of the Supreme Qualified Entity that this creation has gradually been transformed from the subtle to the crude. Its citta, according to the thought-waves of its Ahaḿtattva, has gradually changed from the subtle to the crudest form, kśititattva. As it has all the five tanmátras, kśititattva is the crudest form – an inanimate object. It has already been seen that in citta there is only a gradual metamorphosis of Puruśa. When Puruśa was qualified by Prakrti it assumed the form of citta, and it is this citta that has become inanimate as the crudest kśititattva. This consciousness, upon being qualified by Prakrti, has manifested itself as an inanimate object and has surely reached the ultimate end in that direction. In this changed condition consciousness has become absolutely as crude as an inanimate object. There could be nothing cruder than this. It is under the extreme or greatest influence of Prakrti that Cosmic Consciousness has reached the stage of an inanimate object as the crudest form of matter. In qualifying Puruśa or Cosmic Consciousness to drive it to the extreme of crudeness, the capacity of the qualifying principle (guńa) is used up completely and Prakrti is unable to qualify Puruśa further in that direction. Thus in kśititattva both Prakrti and Puruśa have become inanimate. Puruśa cannot become cruder and Prakrti cannot qualify Him any further to make Him still cruder. When Puruśa and Prakrti have both reached their limits of manifestation, the question arises if this is the end of creation. Another question also arises about the presence of animate objects like plants and animals if kśititattva is the final stage of creation. These do not appear anywhere in the formation of creation from subtle into crude. How and when these were formed is a very pertinent question.

The greater influence of Prakrti makes Puruśa (Consciousness) cruder. Where Her influence is less He is subtler. It is because of this that the extreme influence of Prakrti makes consciousness absolutely inanimate in the solid factor. The solid factor (kśititattva) appears inanimate at the very sight of it. The influence of Prakrti has hence reached its climax. Plants and animals cannot be said to be inanimate. Consciousness is reflected in them. They originate from these rudimental factors. That is, the citta of Saguńa Brahma (the Supreme Qualified Entity) which manifested itself as kśititattva now takes the form of plants and animals. It is because of this that creation is said to be formed out of the body of Brahma. Kśititattva is inanimate but the plants and animals which have originated from it have reflected consciousness and are not inanimate. They are surely more subtle than kśititattva. Kśititattva must have been formed before these, as plants and animals have been formed out of it. They do not appear anywhere in creation up to the formation of kśititattva. The fact that plants and animals are more subtle than kśititattva, suggests that after creation reaches its crudest form in kśititattva, it then advances towards subtle forms.

Creation gradually evolved from subtle to crude. Subtle citta gradually became the crudest kśititattva. Similarly, it will have to slowly return to subtlety again. Solid ghee (a butter extract) cannot be melted all at once. In the same way citta in the form of solid earth will gradually become subtle. That citta gradually advances from crude to subtle is demonstrated by the evolution of plant and animal life on earth. The first plant life on this earth appeared as the class of plants called káyii (a form of early algae and mosses). Káyii cannot be said to be inanimate because it does show some reflection of consciousness, whatever that reflection may be.

After this, plants with leaves and flowers came into being. In them we find clear signs of life, and these definitely have a clearer reflection of consciousness than káyii. Then the lower animals, followed by the higher animals, evolved. At the end of the series humans came into being. Thus we find that the most primitive creation on earth was káyii, and the most advanced was the human being. There is reflection of consciousness in káyii, but it is so blurred that one is sceptical about its presence, while in the human being we find consciousness clearly reflected. Creation evolved gradually from the káyii group of plants to humans. Similarly the reflection of consciousness gradually becomes clearer until it is complete in humans. The reflection of consciousness appears less in crude things, while in subtle things it is greater. In other words the degree of subtlety or crudeness also indicates the degree of the clarity of the reflection of consciousness. The most primitive life on the earth, káyii, shows very little consciousness, and the most advanced form of creation, the human being, exhibits a very clear reflection of consciousness. This means that káyii is the crudest form of life on earth and humans are the subtlest. They are more subtle than káyii. The process of creation in this phase is thus from crude to subtle.

It was said earlier that the supreme state of consciousness is subtle. The process of creation in this phase from crude to subtle means that creation is advancing towards Non-Qualified Consciousness. Creation is manifested in crude form out of the subtle consciousness under the qualifying influence of Prakrti, and it is again advancing from crude towards subtle. Under the qualifying pressure of Prakrti, consciousness takes a crude form first, and later again advances from that crude form to Non-Qualified Consciousness, which is subtle. Thus the entire creation has two phases. The first phase is the process of the transformation of subtle into crude and the second is that of crude into subtle.

Creation, we have seen, is the thought-projection of the Qualified Supreme Entity (Saguńa Brahma). Puruśa in the Saguńa Brahma stage takes all these forms under the influence of Prakrti as thought-waves of Saguńa Brahma and becomes crudest in the form of kśititattva. In the next phase, when creation moves from crude to subtle, it is in fact the thought-waves of Saguńa Brahma which move towards subtlety. Humans are created last of all and in them we find fully-reflected consciousness. This leads to the conclusion that humans are the final expression in the thought-wave of Saguńa Brahma, and that beyond this stage is the merger of the unit consciousness with the Cosmic Consciousness. Cosmic Consciousness is abstract or subtle, but under the qualifying influence of Prakrti It starts manifesting Itself as the creation, first from subtle to crude and then again from the crude forms back to the subtle or abstract. The crudest stage in the creation is kśititattva, where consciousness exists as an inanimate object. Thus in the process of creation, the more consciousness moves towards crudeness, the smaller is the reflection of Cosmic Consciousness; and when it moves from crude to subtle, the reflection of Cosmic Consciousness is correspondingly greater. As consciousness is fully reflected in humans, this shows that on its return journey from crude to subtle, consciousness has made humans its final abode from whence it can merge in Cosmic Consciousness. Creation is only a thought-wave of Saguńa Brahma; the final stage of creation, the human being, is then naturally the ultimate stage of the thought-wave. Thus humans are the highest-evolved beings and are the ultimate stage in the evolution of life.

The crude universe is formed as a result of the psychic survey of the qualified Supreme Entity (Saguńa Brahma), and humans appear at the last stage of this survey, while vyomatattva (ethereal factor) forms the first. In creation, besides millions of human beings, we also find animals, plants and matter in the five rudimental factors of kśiti (solid), apa (liquid), agni (luminous), váyu (aerial) and vyoma (ethereal). Humans, who form the last stage in the thought-wave of Brahma today, must have at the earliest stage also existed as the first stage or vyomatattva. They must have, in the course of the thought-wave, evolved to the next stage of váyutattva; but the first stage of vyomatattva could not have disappeared altogether, because air or váyutattva cannot exist without the presence of ether or empty space. Even when the first stage of the thought-wave evolves to the second stage, vyomatattva or ether continues to exist. The question about the replacement of vyomatattva, which has already passed on as the second stage of the thought-wave, arises here. There is only one possibility, and that is that Brahma again takes up the form of vyomatattva. Vyomatattva would have completely disappeared from existence in the course of creation if it were not replenished, just as when students are promoted from class one to class two, class one would remain vacant unless fresh students were admitted. And when the students of class two are promoted to class three, they are replaced by promotions from class one where fresh admissions are again made. This also applies to the thought-waves of Brahma. When vyomatattva (ethereal factor) gets converted into váyutattva and váyutattva becomes agni, the vacancy created by the formation of váyu from vyoma is filled by Brahma creating more vyomatattva in its thought-waves. The student who joins class one earlier will obtain his degree sooner. Similarly, unit consciousness, which formed the first stage of the thought-wave of Brahma as primitive protozoa, will, after passing from subtle to crude and then from crude to subtle, develop as humans at the earliest moment. The speck of dust, which as an intermediary state in evolution lies as an inanimate object today, will also some day be transformed into humans.

As Saguńa Brahma is subtle and creation moves from subtle to crude and then again from crude to subtle, this shows that creation is formed out of it and again marches back to it.

Puruśa is subtle by nature. It is due to the maximum influence of Prakrti that Puruśa becomes the crudest in kśititattva. When the influence of Prakrti is greater, Puruśa becomes cruder, and when that influence is less, He is more subtle. This is the reason that Puruśa becomes inanimate (jad́a) in kśititattva, where the application of the qualifying principles of Prakrti has reached its climax. After this phase creation again marches towards the subtle from its crude form and as a result its closeness to Non-Qualified Puruśa also slowly develops. The development shows the gradual release of Puruśa from the influence of Prakrti. Unless Puruśa is freed from the influence of Prakrti, His return to the Non-Qualified state is not possible. Thus we find that as creation moves from crude to subtle, Puruśa gradually becomes free from the qualifying influence of Prakrti.

Puruśa is gradually becoming free from the bondage of the influence of Prakrti in the movement of creation from crude to subtle, while in the other phase of creation, He is gradually falling more and more under the influence of Prakrti as creation moves from subtle to crude. He finally becomes inanimate (jad́a) in the form of kśititattva under the extreme influence of the qualifying principles of Prakrti. The property of Prakrti is to qualify Puruśa. In the phase of creation where the subtle changes into crude, we find that Prakrti gradually qualifies Puruśa, as a result of which He is deprived of His capacity to reflect Cosmic Consciousness, until He appears completely devoid of consciousness and lies as an inanimate object in the form of kśititattva. In the movement from subtle to crude, Prakrti exercises her qualifying property to the fullest. But in the other phase of creation, when the movement is from crude to subtle, we find that gradually the reflection of consciousness becomes clear. In other words, Puruśa is gradually becoming free from the influence of Prakrti. In this phase of creation, Prakrti is not able to exercise Her binding quality properly, because Puruśa, instead of coming further under Her influence, is becoming free as a result. How Puruśa is able to free Himself of the influence of Prakrti when Her nature or property is to qualify and influence Puruśa, needs explanation.

Under the influence of the qualifying principle of Prakrti, Bhúmácaetanya or Cosmic Consciousness has manifested Himself as an infinite number of unit consciousnesses in the creation. It is only some of these unit consciousnesses which have taken the form of kśititattva, and these are gradually being freed from the influence of Prakrti in the movement of creation from crude to subtle. The entire creation has its origin in Saguńa Brahma and so the Supreme Entity is the cause of the transformation of unit consciousness into this crude creation and also of its freedom from the qualifying force. It is Saguńa Brahma who is responsible for this. Saguńa Brahma Himself must be emancipated, if He is responsible for the emancipation of His unit consciousnesses. Otherwise Saguńa Brahma could not be the cause for the emancipation of unit consciousnesses. One who is in fetters himself cannot release others from them. If Rama and Shyama have both been locked up, Rama will never be able to get Shyama released as long as he is himself imprisoned. Rama cannot accomplish this from inside the prison no matter how hard he tries: Rama can never be the instrument of Shyama’s release. But someone who is outside the prison could free Shyama even with only a little effort: he could become the cause of his release. Those who are not free themselves cannot become the means of freeing others. Hence if Saguńa Brahma is to be the cause of the emancipation of unit consciousness, he must be someone who has himself achieved emancipation (muktapuruśa).

What is meant by muktapuruśa? In Nirguńa Brahma both Prakrti and Puruśa are independent. There Puruśa, on account of His independence, is not qualified by the qualifying principle of Prakrti, and He is Puruśa of Nirguńa Brahma. He becomes the Puruśa of Nirguńa Brahma only on attaining freedom from the influence of Prakrti. Thus one who has attained Nirguńa Brahma by means of sádhaná (intuitional practices) is muktapuruśa. On attaining the nirguńa stage one becomes free from the bondage of the principles of Prakrti. Yet if such persons come under the influence of Prakrti by their own will for a predetermined period with the intention of liberating others, they will still be muktapuruśa. They have not been bound by the influence of Prakrti. They have themselves accepted the qualifying influence of Prakrti for a certain period. Prakrti will not be able to keep them under her influence after the completion of that period. Hence a person who has attained the nirguńa stage through his or her sádhaná and who comes under the influence of Prakrti for a certain period at his or her own instance with the object of the liberation of humanity, is a muktapuruśa.

A muktapuruśa cannot be the cause of the bondage of others. Here bondage means being qualified by the principle of Prakrti. To be the cause of the bondage of others would mean coming under the influence of Prakrti. For binding others will not be possible without being qualified by Prakrti. As muktapuruśas are free from the bondage of Prakrti, they cannot be influenced by Her and so they can never be the cause of the bondage of others. As Saguńa Brahma is muktapuruśa, It also cannot be the cause of the bondage of others.

In the course of creation we find, however, that the vast universe came into being according to the will of Saguńa Brahma, when every unit consciousness came under the influence of Prakrti. Saguńa Brahma being muktapuruśa means that It Itself is mukta (emancipated), but all Its units are not free individually and have come under the control of Prakrti at the instance of Saguńa Brahma. Thus Saguńa Brahma becomes the cause of bondage of unit consciousness and Itself becomes bound. But we have already concluded that Saguńa Brahma is muktapuruśa. If that is the case, then why should all Its units come under the influence of Prakrti and why should this universe be created at all? While explaining muktapuruśa it was said earlier that those who, after attaining the nirguńa state, accept the influence of Prakrti by their own will for a fixed period with the object of helping others, are mukta (emancipated). As a muktapuruśa, Saguńa Brahma has to accept the influence of Prakrti for a certain period after attaining the nirguńa stage, with the object of serving living beings (jiivas). Every unit consciousness has its origin in Saguńa Brahma, and it is with the object of assisting them that Saguńa Brahma has freely accepted the bondage of Prakrti for a certain period. The greatest service to unit consciousness is to take it back to the supreme state where Prakrti has no influence. Hence the welfare of Puruśa lies in His being liberated from the bondage of Prakrti so that He can attain the supreme state. Saguńa Brahma thus accepts the influence of Prakrti for a certain period of time with the sole aim of also attaining the status of muktapuruśa for every one of His unit consciousnesses. It is with this aim in view that every unit consciousness comes under the influence of Prakrti at Her instance. If the emancipation of every unit consciousness is the objective, the period for which Saguńa Brahma accepts the influence of Prakrti will have to last until every unit consciousness is freed from bondage or until each of them attains the status of muktapuruśa like Saguńa Brahma.

As Saguńa Brahma wants each of Its units to become free like Itself (a muktapuruśa), It will have to form Itself into an infinite number of units in order to fulfil Its desire to liberate all of them. Ańu or unit means the minutest part or the smallest unit. In order to divide Itself into units, Saguńa Brahma had to take a crude form because it is not possible to divide a subtle thing. For instance, fire, which is a particular form of tejastattva (luminous factor), is more subtle than earth or kśititattva. Can this be divided or split into two? Striking two matches separately will produce two flames, but if the two sticks are held close together there will be only one flame, and to distinguish between the flames produced by the two sticks will be impossible. In spite of all our efforts we will not be able to draw a line of demarcation between the flames produced by the two sticks. The flames lose their individual identity to become one object or a single entity. Thus it is not possible to divide or separate fire. But if two handfuls of dust are mixed together it is possible to divide them into two distinct parts again. Thus unlike fire, earth can be divided into parts. Fire is more subtle than earth, but is cruder than ether or air. As it is not possible to divide fire, the question of dividing air, ether or Cosmic Consciousness (Bhúmácaetanya), which are far more subtle, does not arise. It is not possible to divide water or ether because, in spite of our efforts, it is not possible to discern a line of demarcation between the different parts of water. It is only earth or kśititattva, the crudest rudimental factor, which can be divided properly into desired distinct units. Saguńa Brahma had to assume a crude form so that It could divide Itself into innumerable units. It exists as units only in kśititattva (solid factor), as It cannot divide Itself into units in any other form. It can also be said that the crude universe came into being, or the phase of creation which advances from subtle to crude was introduced, only with the intention of forming infinite multiplicities of the innumerable unit consciousnesses.

It is only in kśititattva that unit consciousness comes into being. Saguńa Brahma wants every one of Its unit consciousnesses to be emancipated and, for this purpose, just as It has at Its own instance assumed the crudest form as kśititattva under the extreme influence of the qualifying principles of Prakrti, so again does It, at Its own instance, advance towards subtlety in order to gradually free Itself of the bondage. For Caetanya or Consciousness, freedom from the bondage of Prakrti means the development of subtlety and finally Its return to the Non-Qualified Supreme Entity. The phase of creation where It moves from subtle to crude has the purpose of Cosmic Consciousness forming Itself into Its infinite multiplicities as unit consciousnesses. The next phase of the movement from crude to subtle has the intention of liberating the unit consciousnesses from the bondage of Prakrti. Saguńa Brahma aims at the liberation of each of Its units, and to fulfil this purpose, It has to manifest Itself as the creation, which advances from subtle to crude and then from crude to subtle in its two phases. Thus the purpose or object of Saguńa Brahma in creating this universe is to obtain freedom for each of Its units or for all Its multiplicities and to obtain for them the status of mukapuruśa.

To become muktapuruśa, attainment of Nirguńa Brahma is essential. The desire of Saguńa Brahma to liberate each of Its units will only be fulfilled when every unit consciousness attains Nirguńa Brahma at the instance of Saguńa Brahma. The possibility or the capacity of Saguńa Brahma to obtain for Its unit consciousnesses the attainment of Nirguńa has to be examined.

Creation is only a psychic survey or kalpaná of Saguńa Brahma. Hence it is in the thought-wave of Saguńa Brahma that It forms an infinite number of unit consciousnesses in kśititattva. Psychic survey, kalpaná or thought-waves are only functions of mind, and their activities depend on the limitations of the mind creating them. It is just like the thought-wave creating Chowringhee in the mind of Rama; it is confined within the limits of Rama’s mind, and Shyama’s mind cannot see it. If kalpaná or psychic survey is confined within the limits of the mind creating it, the unit consciousness also, which exists within the expanse of a thought-wave of Saguńa Brahma, has to be confined within the limits of the mind of Saguńa Brahma. Unit consciousness cannot thus go beyond the mind of the Qualified Supreme Entity. Nirguńa Brahma is beyond the scope of the mind of Saguńa and so all the units of Saguńa Brahma cannot attain Nirguńa Brahma even if He wishes. The purpose of Saguńa Brahma to liberate and make every one of His units a muktapuruśa like Himself, is not served and becomes meaningless if every unit consciousness cannot attain Nirguńa Brahma if he desires it. We must see what Saguńa Brahma then does to achieve Its object.

Brahma is without any beginning and so is Prakrti. When Puruśa (Consciousness) is less condensed, Prakrti (Qualifying Principle) qualifies Puruśa, and Brahma then is called Saguńa Brahma or the Qualified Supreme Entity. If Brahma is eternal, the less condensed Puruśas in It must also have existed throughout eternity. The qualifying influence of Prakrti must have also been operating over Puruśa for eternity. Saguńa Brahma has thus been a qualified entity since eternity, because Prakrti has been influencing the less condensed Brahma for eternity. But earlier we saw that Saguńa Brahma is a muktapuruśa. This shows that Saguńa Brahma, which was formerly in bondage, later became emancipated. Here, however, a question arises about the agency which brings about the emancipation of Puruśa from the influence of Prakrti. There is no other entity except Prakrti, and Puruśa has been under the influence of Prakrti throughout eternity. In the absence of a third entity and as Puruśa is under the influence of Prakrti, the only course possible for His liberation is through His own desire and effort. The effort to liberate one’s self from the influence of Prakrti is called sádhaná.

Before Saguńa Brahma became free from bondage, It was called Prajápati, and after It attained emancipation by sádhaná and became muktapuruśa, It was called Hirańyagarbha.

Saguńa Brahma wants, but is not able to, obtain the nirguńa state for unit consciousnesses or unit puruśas, and Its object is not realized. The object of Saguńa Brahma could only be realized if unit consciousnesses attained Nirguńa Brahma by carrying out sádhaná like Prajápati. Sádhaná means an earnest effort or an effort with intense longing. Sádhaná for mukti (emancipation) means to make an earnest effort with an intense desire for liberation from the bondage of the qualifying principles of Prakrti. The effort with an intense desire to liberate itself from the bondage of Prakrti will only bring results if unit consciousness is alive to its subservient position and understands its bondage to the qualifying principles of Prakrti. The question of emancipation does not arise for one who does not realize his or her bondage and dependence. Hence for liberation it is necessary to be aware that one is in bondage. It is only after one realizes this that one feels the necessity to search for a method for one’s liberation. Both the realization of being in bondage and a methodical effort to obtain liberation are required by unit consciousness for attaining emancipation. Units should be so developed that they become aware of their bondage and are able to find the means to free themselves from this bondage. In kśititattva units are inanimate when they come into being. That inanimate (jad́a) unit being under the extreme influence of Prakrti is incapable of even realizing its existence and will never be able to find the means of its emancipation. Saguńa Brahma aims at the liberation of every one of Its units, but It is not able to achieve this completely in the case of jad́a. Saguńa Brahma therefore liberates them from the influence of Prakrti as far as it is possible according to Its capacity. This is the reason for humans possessing clearly-reflected consciousness, as they form the final stage of creation. In humans the expansion is not complete and they are unable to get absolute release from the bondage of the qualifying principles of Prakrti. But consciousness in humans is clearly reflected, and they are able to realize their subjugation. This also gives them the capacity to make an effort to perform sádhaná for their emancipation. It was with the intention of creating humans capable of performing sádhaná that Saguńa Brahma came under the influence of Prakrti and brought this creation into being. So humans were created only to do sádhaná and attain emancipation. Those who do not perform sádhaná for their mukti (emancipation), even though they were created for this purpose, go against the wishes of the Supreme Entity. They defeat the very purpose of the creation of human beings.

Consciousness in humans is a reflection on the mental plate, needing an ádhára or body made of the five rudimental factors originating from Saguńa Brahma, but the Cosmic Consciousness is not dependent on any ádhára or body. Saguńa Brahma or the Qualified Supreme Entity has no body like that of a human being. Humans are a thought-projection of Saguńa Brahma and exist within Its mind. Saguńa Brahma could also have had a body like a human if It had existed within the mind of another entity and come into being as its thought-projection. Saguńa Brahma is non-causal. It has no beginning and no end. As such It cannot exist in the mind of another entity and acquire a body. Consciousness in humans is only a reflection of Cosmic Consciousness, while the consciousness of Saguńa Brahma is Cosmic Consciousness Itself. Humans also receive antahkarańa (introversial psychic force) like Saguńa Brahma. But a human being’s mind is only a unit of the Cosmic Mind of Saguńa Brahma, just as his or her consciousness is only a multiplicity of Cosmic Consciousness. Humans can also create in their thought-waves in the same way as Saguńa Brahma created the universe in Its thought-waves. We saw earlier that Rama’s capacity to create Chowringhee in his imagination or thought-waves while sitting in Bhagalpur is only momentary and appears real only to him. On the other hand, Saguńa Brahma’s creation of the universe appears real and is not momentary. This is so because humans, being a part of Its creation formed as the thought-projection of Saguńa Brahma, have a relative existence together with the rest of creation. The Cosmos or Saguńa Brahma looks upon Its thought-projection as real, and the unit within naturally has to feel it as real. Humans, therefore, consider the thought-projection of the Qualified Supreme Entity and Its creation, the universe, to be a reality. While Rama’s mind and its projection in imagination is limited, within which Shyama’s mind does not work, the imagined objects formed in Rama’s mind can be seen and considered real by him only for the time the spell of his imagination lasts. Shyama’s mind does not exist within Rama’s mind and hence the former does not find these objects real. Had Shyama’s mind existed within Rama’s mind, the former would have seen Chowringhee created in the thought-waves of the latter’s mind and, like Rama, would have also considered the imaginary creation of Chowringhee to be factual. For instance, we have seen earlier that a person can extend or project his or her mind to bring the minds of others within its scope. At that time others also see that person’s imagination and consider it to be real like the magician’s rope trick. Thus human beings can also create objects in their thought-waves, but they are only replicas of their previous experience. They must see or hear about the object which they create in their imagination. As Brahma is non-causal, nothing existed before or beyond It to enable It to copy any object in Its thought-waves. Hence the thought-projections of Brahma are always new. They are not and cannot be based on past experience like the imagination of human beings. The last and most important difference between Brahma and human beings is the difference in their characteristic property, or dharma. The dharma of human beings is to do sádhaná and become a muktapuruśa (emancipated being), while that of Saguńa Brahma is to provide an opportunity to each and every one of its units to become a muktapuruśa. In fact all the effort and trouble of the Qualified Supreme Entity in creating the universe and the human beings in it is directed only towards the purpose of emancipating every one of Its units.

Chapter 2	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

2-1. Anukúlavedaniiyaḿ sukham.

[A congenial mental feeling is called happiness.]

Purport: If the mental waves of someone whose saḿskára happens to be the quiescent form of those waves, find similar waves emanating either from any crude object or from any other mind-entity, then those waves, in that person’s case, are said to be complementary and reciprocal. The contact of these mutually-sympathetic waves is what is called happiness.

2-2. Sukhánuraktih paramá jaeviivrttih.

[The attachment to happiness is the primary vrtti (propensity) of living beings.]

Purport: Every living being wants to keep itself alive, and this self-preserving instinct is a mental faculty. Want of happiness endangers one’s very sense of existence, and so one does not want the want of happiness; one wants to have the pervasiveness of happiness as one’s sole refuge.

2-3. Sukhamanantamánandam.

[Infinite happiness is ánanda (bliss).]

Purport: No living being is content with a little, not to speak of human beings. And so, small happiness fills nobody’s bill. One wants endless happiness. This endless happiness is a condition beyond the precincts of weal and woe, because the sense of happiness that is perceivable with the help of the senses oversteps the limit of the sense organs when established in limitlessness. This limitless happiness is what is known as ánanda [bliss].

2-4. Ánandaḿ Brahma ityáhuh.

[This ánanda is called Brahma.]

Purport: The limitless object is one, not many. Many-ness can have no quarter in endlessness. That self-same blissful entity is indeed Brahma, which is the composite of Shiva and Shakti.

2-5. Tasminnupalabdhe paramá trśńánivrttih.

[That (Brahma) having been attained, all thirst is permanently quenched.]

Purport: There is in the living being a thirst for limitlessness. It is not possible for limited objects to quench one’s thirst. Brahma is the only limitless entity, and so establishment in Brahma’s bearing alone puts an end to all thirsts or cravings.

2-6. Brhadeśańáprańidhánaḿ ca dharmah.

[To long for and run after the Great is dharma.]

Purport: And so knowingly or unknowingly, human beings are indeed running after limitlessness. When knowingly one tries to attain the Great and to that end one prays, that bearing is called dharma, and the effort involved is called dharma sádhaná [the practice of dharma].

2-7. Tasmáddharmah sadákáryah.

[Therefore dharma should always be practised.]

Purport: Since happiness is the cherished goal of all, and the desire for happiness is not to be satiated without the attainment of limitlessness, and then again since this attainment of limitlessness itself is dharma sádhaná, then dharma sádhaná is indispensable for every living being. Creatures inferior to humans cannot do dharma sádhaná due to their undeveloped minds. But humans can, and the one who does not do it ill fits the epithet of human being.

2-8. Viśaye puruśávabhásah jiivátmá.

[The reflection of Puruśa in a unit object is called the jiivátmá (unit soul).]

Purport: In spiritual parlance the Soul is one. In whatever condition the mind be – manifest (e.g., in animate beings and plants) or unmanifest (e.g., in inanimate earth, iron, etc.), the Átmá goes on reflecting itself on it and its objects – the crude objects. The reflection of the Soul on the mind is called the jiivátmá, and in that case the Reflector-Soul is called Paramátmá [Supreme Soul] or Pratyagátmá. (Pratiipaḿ vipariitaḿ aiṋcati vijánáti iti pratyak [“That which takes a stance opposite to a thing and witnesses that thing is pratyak”].) The jiivátmá may also be called ańucaetanya [microcosmic consciousness]. Similarly we may call Paramátmá by the name of Bhúmá Caetanya [Macrocosmic Consciousness]. The totality of microcosms is the Macrocosm. In a way this assertion is true, because every mind or crude entity is holding the Supreme Spirit according to its individual capacity. Their collective capacity is indeed the capacity of the Macrocosmic Mind. The Paramátmá is the ultimate knower of the Macrocosmic Mind, and that is why Paramátmá is called Bhúmá Caetanya.

2-9. Átmani sattásaḿsthitih.

[Every entity is embedded finally in the Átman.]

Purport: The object-entity finds its substantiation in the receptacle of the citta; the receptacle of the citta in the Doer “I”, or Owner “I”, that is, in the Ahaḿtattva; the receptacle of the Doer “I”, or Owner “I”, in the sense of existence (i.e., in “I am” or Mahattattva). The knowledge of the “I am” entity, that is, “I know I am” – in the absence of this knowership, the entitative sense of “I am” or “my existence” remains in jeopardy – unsubstantiated. And so at the root of everything remains “I know” and the next that follows is “I am”. This “I” of “I know” is the Soul, and so the sense of all entities depends on the Átman.

2-10. Otahprotah yogábhyáḿ saḿyuktah Puruśottamah.

[Puruśottama is linked to each entity individually and to all entities collectively.]

Purport: Puruśottama, the Nucleus of the universe, is the witness of and is directly concerned with every unit entity. This association of His is called ota yoga [the yoga of individual association]. Evidently Puruśottama is the collective entity of the universe as well as witness of the collective mind. This association of His with the collectivity is called prota yoga [the yoga of pervasive association]. In other words, it may be said that the one who is associated with His objects through both ota and prota yogas at the same time is Puruśottama.

2-11. Mánasátiite anavastháyáḿ jagadbiijam.

[The seed of the universe lies beyond the mind, in a state the mind cannot comprehend.]

Purport: Every created object obeys the law of cause and effect. In our quest for the cause of action in pratisaiṋcara, we arrive at the five fundamental elements. Similarly, in our quest for the cause of action in saiṋcara, we arrive at the Mahat of the Great. The mind having no locus standi beyond the Mahat, such a state is the supra-mental state of the mind. In this supra-mental state, it is beyond the capacity of the mind to determine the principle of cause and effect, for further probings will entail the fallacy of infinite regress; that is to say, to think of the existence of the mind in a state where it does not exist is indeed fallacious. Hence the query as to when did the creation take place, and why, is redundant and untenable.

2-12. Saguńát srśt́irutpattih.

[The creation originates from Saguńa Brahma.]

Purport: But since the created world is concerned with the guńas, then it is true that it was evolved in Saguńa Brahma, not Nirguńa.

2-13. Puruśadehe jagadábhásah.

[The universe takes form within the Cognitive Body.]

Purport: All that is manifest and unmanifest in the world is embodied in the Bráhmiidehe [Cosmic Body]. No one and nothing is outside Brahma. The name “outsider” is a misnomer – a nonentity.

2-14. Brahma Satyaḿ jagadapi satyamápekśikam.

[Brahma is Absolute Truth; the universe is also truth, but relative.]

Purport: Brahma is Satya [Truth], that is, unchangeable. But we cannot say that the changes that are perceived apparently on the body of Brahma under the influence of Prakrti and the three fundamental relative factors of time, space and person are false, nor can we say that they are eternal truths. All that we can say is that they are relative truths, for the apparent changes are dependent on the relativity of these three factors, that is, time, space and person. The unit-entity or the unit mind, also, in its progressive bearing, is involved with these three factors, hence its existence also is a relative factor. One relative entity appears to be a spiritual truth to another relative entity, and so the changeable world appears to be a truth to the changeable living unit.

2-15. Puruśah akartá phalasákśiibhútah bhávakendrasthitah
guńayantrákashca.

[Puruśa does no action (directly), but is the witnessing entity of actions and reactions; located at the nucleus of Saguńa Brahma, He is the controller of the guńas.]

Purport: That Puruśa is established at the nucleus of all entities is true of both individuality and collectivity. This very Puruśa of the nucleus of the collectivity is Puruśottama. When energy is begotten in the object-body in the wake of the flow of the Operative Principle, then the controller of this energy is called kartá. Puruśa does not control this sort of energy, on the contrary, He, being established at the nucleus of the guńas, controls those very guńas through which energy emanates. Hence the controller, Puruśa or Puruśottama, is not subject to the guńas but is the governor or sovereign head thereof.

2-16. Akartrii viśayasaḿyuktá buddhih mahadvá.

[The buddhitattva, or mahattattva, itself is not the doer, but remains associated with objects.]

Purport: The buddhitattva, or mahattattva, itself does not do anything, but remains involved with the objects.

2-17. Ahaḿ kartá pratyakśaphalabhoktá.

[The aham is the doer, and directly enjoys or suffers the results of action.]

Purport: The ahaḿtattva is really the master or doer of acts and also is the enjoyer and endurer of the fruits of actions.

2-18. Karmaphalaḿ cittam.

[The citta takes the form of the results of actions.]

Purport: The citta takes the form of the fruits of actions.

2-19. Vikrtacittasya púrvávasthápráptirphalabhogah.

[The process through which the distorted citta regains its original state is the enjoyment or suffering of the results of actions.]

Purport: Action means transmutation of citta. If we call this attainment of simulative transformation vikrti [distortion], then the process of citta’s re-attaining its previous state is to be called karmaphala bhoga [the experience of requitals (pleasure and pain)].

2-20. Na svargo na rasátalah.

[There is neither heaven nor hell.]

Purport: There exists no such thing as heaven or hell. When a person does a virtuous act or enjoys the fruits thereof, the environment around him or her is then called heaven; and when he or she does an evil act and endures the consequences thereof, then the environment around that person becomes a hell for him or her.

2-21. Bhúmácitte saiṋcaradháráyáḿ jad́ábhásah.

[In the flow of saiṋcara, matter takes form in the Cosmic citta.]

Purport: The ákáshatattva [vyomatattva, ethereal factor] is evolved through the greater influence of Prakrti’s static principle over the Cosmic citta. The influence of the static principle over the ákáshatattva begets the maruttattva [aerial factor]. In this way are evolved the tejastattva [luminous factor] from the marut, the apatattva [liquid factor] from the tejas, and the kśititattva [solid factor] from the liquid. These ethereal, aerial, luminous, liquid and solid factors are known as the five mahábhútas [fundamental elements] because all other bhútas [bodies] or evolved objects are begotten out of these elements.

2-22. Bhútalakśańátmakaḿ bhútabáhitaḿ
bhútasaungharśaspandanaḿ tanmátram.

[Tanmátras (microscopic fractions of bhútas, or fundamental factors) represent the bhútas, are carried by the bhútas, and are created by vibrations from the clash within the bhútas.]

Purport: The stirrings in the object-bodies that are created through internal and external pressures reach the different gates of the indriyas [organs] of the unit-body in the form of waves flowing through the media of subtler bodies. These waves, flowing from those gates of organs through different nerves or with the help of internal secretions thereof, reach particular appropriative points of the brain. Thereafter, according to those waves, the simulative citta [mental plate] adopts the vibrative forms of the external bodies. Those simulative, appropriative waves bring the citta into contact with external bodies such as sound, touch, form, taste or smell. Such waves are called the tanmátras [sensible or super-sensible inferences or generic essences].

2-23. Bhútaḿ tanmátreńa pariciiyate.

[The bhútas are recognized by their corresponding tanmátras.]

Purport: The category of the physical elements an object belongs to is determined by the tanmátra emanating from that object. The ethereal factor has the capacity of imbibing or carrying the sound tanmátra, the aerial factor has the capacity of imbibing or carrying the sound and touch tanmátra, the luminous factor, of the sound, touch, and form tanmátras, and the liquid factor, of the sound, touch, form and taste tanmátras. The solid factor has the capacity of imbibing or carrying all five tanmátras: sound, touch, form, taste and smell.

In order to ascertain the category of the physical elements an object belongs to, we will have to base our findings on the crudest of the tanmátras the particular object carries. The function of the five sensory organs – eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin – is to receive the tanmátras from the external objects or elements. The function of the motor organs – vocal cord, hands, legs, anus and generative organ – is to transmit the inherent tanmátras outside with the help of saḿjiṋá [internal sense], and the function of the práńendriya [vital forces] is to conjoin the objectivity with the mind-stuff, as well as to create in the citta a sense of lightness, heaviness, warmth or coldness.

2-24. Dvárah nád́iirasah piit́hátmakáni indriyáńi.

[The indriyas (organs) are the composite of: the gateways of the organs, the nerves, the nerve fluid, and the appropriative piit́has (seats) of the organs (in the brain).]

Purport: The gates of organs (i.e., the gates of the living bodies where tanmátras first bring the objectivity), the nerve fibres, which react to the waves of the tanmátras, the nerve secretions, which get vibrated by the tanmátrik vibrations, and the points of the nerve-cells, whereat the tanmátrik waves are conjoined with the citta, are collectively called the indriyas [organs]. That is to say, the optical nerve, the optical fluid and the optic point of the nerve cell that are active behind what we commonly call the eyes are collectively called the eye indriya.

Chapter 3	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

To a person of average intelligence, water and ice are two different entities, but one who knows a little of the truth knows that ice is only a crudified form of water. Similarly, where the average person sees a big difference between a pot and the potter, the knower of Brahma sees only oneness between them. Are the world and Brahma two different entities, or are they indivisible? Is the one true, and the other false? Is the difference that appears between the two the truth, or illusion? Such questions or ways of thinking never arise in the mind of a person with Cosmic outlook.

Whether the world and Brahma are two entities, or the one is not different from the other – such thoughts are wrong in themselves. The knower of Brahma feels that the world is indeed His own manifestation; he knows that all is He. Do you know how that difference looks from the Cosmic perspective? Not any bigger than the difference between “person” and “human being”, between “sea” and “ocean”. From a sádhaka’s [spiritual aspirant’s] standpoint the distinction does not exist.

Brahma is the lord of the evolved objects; He is the controller of every one of them. This very Lord moves in the womb as the [foetus] and when it is born, the event, in fact, should be called the birth of Brahma, because all creations are but manifestations of Brahma Himself.

There is one moon, but its reflections, falling in countless puddles of water, appear as countless moons. No new moon is born. The same moon is being reflected or is taking birth in many receptacles. Similarly the one and the same Brahma is being manifested as limitless unit entities in countless mental receptacles.

The union of a sádhaka with Brahma has been expressed in an excellent [metaphor]. A river gives up its name and identity and completely merges in the sea; thereafter it cannot maintain its own existence, it is the sea. Similarly, a sádhaka, after merging himself or herself in Brahma, can no longer think of himself or herself except as Brahma. Seeing the Ganges River we can tell that it is the water of the Ganges. We can tell the water of the Yamuna River, or the water of the Sarasvati River. But once they merge in the sea, we cannot separate them, nor can we distinguish the one from the other. They all have lost their respective name-entities in the entity of the sea.

When a knower of Truth merges in the Supreme Being, his or her petty sense of existence is lost, and, attaining unity with the Supreme Entity, the person becomes supreme himself or herself. Spiritual practice is the means for the expansion of the soul, not for its annihilation; so samádhi does not mean suicide but self-transcendence. One who has known Brahma becomes Brahma Itself, for the unit entity takes on the very form of its object of ideation. One who has Brahma as his or her object of ideation becomes Brahma Itself.

If a salt doll goes to fathom the sea, it will certainly melt and become the sea itself. Similarly, if the knower of Brahma goes to fathom Brahma, he or she merges in the sea of Brahma and becomes Brahma Itself. Be constantly absorbed in the thought of Brahma and you too will become Brahma.

Chapter 4	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

In this expressed universe whatever happens is within the scope of space, time and person and both human beings and other Jiivas (unit beings) have to take the help of symbolization. Without symbolization expression is not possible. This principle is applicable as much in the world of the five rudimental factors as it is in the psychic world. That is, in this expressed uni verse wherever there is no manifestation, no expression, all activity is within the sphere or in the framework of symbolization. When symbolization is not possible one is apt to say that it is inexplicable. Actually it would be wrong to term it as inexplicable, it would be more correct to say that its symbolization is not possible.

What is this universe? It is nothing but an combination of different kinds of waves. Not only human beings, but every living being has very limited powers. The different organs of perception can catch only waves falling within a very limited range – they are incapable of catching waves that are cruder or subtler. The organs thus function with very limited powers. In other words in this phenomenal universe, whatever powers get expressed the human organs can perceive not even one per cent of them – indeed very much less than that can be grasped by the organs. As a matter of fact not only the majority of the waves get vibrated, but indeed almost all of them, are beyond the capacity of human perception. It has, therefore, been said that the expressed universe is a very small island in the ocean of the unexpressed universe. This universe itself is such a small island, how very much less is the capacity of a human being.

Human beings have very little scope of really knowing what is happening. See what limited powers and scope for functioning human being and other Jiivas work with. Yet, despite their limited intellect, their limited power they are filled with ego. It is not possible for the Jiivas to know fully what this thing or that thing is like, for their power of perception is limited. Many things are happening before your eyes in this quinquelemental world which your eyes cannot even see. What you see and think is very big is only very small, avery small part indeed of the expression of Parama Puruśa. How vast is the expression of the Parama Puruśa when you see vastness in the smallest of His manifestation! From your small experience how can you understand the greatness of Parama Puruśa? You cannot even know how many kinds of matter there are in the air and water all around you.

The kinds of waves which one particular living organism can grasp, another species of living organism may not be able to grasp. What we see or experience is within the scope of human perception. But before an event happens or before the coming of these waves, subtler waves come which human beings cannot grasp but which some cruder living beings of the animal world can, and thus they know in advance that something is going to happen. It is also possible for some human beings to have such knowledge. Actually what is this? It is nothing but the power of perceiving the subtler waves and we call it the science of premonition. This power increases with Sádhaná. The function of the eyes is to be activated by the light waves. The eyes may or may not grasp such waves. You may look in one direction but still may not be able to see a thing which is there. In the same way you will not be able to catch sound waves which do not fall within the range of human hearing. You do not even know how many kinds of sounds are present around you. The same can be said in respect of your powers relating to smell, touch, and taste.

Now understand that your sensory organs come into contact with only a minimal part of the waves, of the vibrations, that are in this phenomenal world. It is only after this that you perceive them and get them assimilated in your mental sphere. After perceiving them, what do you do? You seek to give expression to them. Only a very small fraction of the waves come within the scope of expression and out of these only a part of them could be perceived by you because the sensory organs have limited powers. Then how are you to give them expression? While seeking to give expression you have to take the help of symbolization. If you delay in symbolization, the impression of the experience will remain in the psychic plane only and you will not be able to give it expression. Suppose a good singer is singing – you can catch only a small part of the melody and the sound waves of his or her singing. What you could not catch was beyond your capacity to grasp since your ears were not properly trained. To understand music one has to be trained. What you heard you wanted to express. On trying you find that you could not sing the way you had heard. After hearing for some time you may want to sing in tune but what do you find? You find that you have not been able to do so because you have not been able to symbolize it. Why were you not able to symbolize it completely?

In this expressed universe there are many kinds of sounds which you can hear but you cannot reproduce. What is the reason? Is it not because there has not been proper symbolization? Now consider the different Ragas that exist and how these have been classified. We have divided the musical scale into seven notes. We call it Surasaptaka. The musical scale in the West is the octave. The vibrations on the Surasaptaka have been decided keeping in view the capacity of human hearing may grow and accordingly expression may also increase; that is, the capacity of acoustic symbolization may increase. In that case the present octave will not do and it will have to be changed. It’s scope will have to be increased. If the human race on this earth exists for hundreds of thousands of years, a time will come when it will be necessary for it to change the octave and the present musical scale will no longer continue. Through permutation and combination thousands and thousands of Ragas and Raginis will be created. According to the needs of the age a change in our music will come about. Now see, on touching a hot thing you say, “Oh”. On touching even a hotter object you say “Oh” and symbolize it. But here is a difference between your first “Oh” and the second “Oh”. In the first case your finger got burnt, and in the second cased your whole hand got burnt. Your power of expression, however is very limited. You have to convey your feeling with only a few words like “Oh” or “Uf”.

Suppose you see a beautiful scene. Your eyes cannot grasp all its beauty. You are able to feel only a part of its beauty. If you want to express it through drawing a visual picture, you can bring out only a small percentage of what you have felt or observed mentally. That is to say your creation can never be complete. A feeling of dissatisfaction, insufficiency or incomplete ness will remain in the mind and what you wanted to draw has not been fully expressed.

However great one may be one will never be able to accomplish what one wanted to. There will always be a distance between idea and expression, and those who are geniuses actively seek to lessen it. However neither has the genius been able to lessen the distance, nor has the technician been able to bridge the gap. But this urge to lessen the distance between idea and expression or to remove this distance is symptomatic and it is of basic importance. It is a very congenial urge. The effort will continue but it will never end. The technician will always be reducing that distance but the distance will never be removed. The same thing can be said in regard to form, taste and smell. You may see a shocking, gruesome scene but you are not able to express it fully, and your faculties of expression are always unable to correctly bring out your feelings.

Your symbolization is successful only up to the extent of your imbibing it, but that does not serve the full purpose. In this expressed universe everything is within the scope of relativity. Because of the limitations of symbolization itself relative expression becomes extremely difficult. To express, therefore, that which is infinite and boundless is quite out of the question. Even that which is within the bounds of relativity you are unable to express as its symbolization also becomes impossible. How will you symbolize that which is Absolute? It is just out of the question. Something more will be said about this later on. At present only symbolization which is circumscribed by relativity will be discussed.

Three basic ideas have to be understood about relative symbolization. First, that which gets symbolized is never complete. It has already been explained that between an idea and its expression a gap remains. There is never complete expression, and a feeling of insufficiency, of dissatisfaction, remains. You could not achieve all that you wanted.

Secondly, symbolization is not of the same character. Suppose two individuals are the victims of a similar sorrow. One of them may go mad because of it, and the other may weep for a few minutes and then call for a cup of tea! This is what happens in this world. We see that feelings and ideas never finds identical expression and identical symbolization. This is because of differences in the individual psyches. In some persons there is a greater degree of self-discipline – self-control – and in others less. Some can symbolize more that others. To the extent to which people have greater self-discipline they are better integrated personalities. Those who can symbolize better are really better technicians. Remember that a genius has inborn talents, but who is a technician? Technicians are those who have ordinary qualities, but by dint of application (Sádhaná) and effort they have converted these into outstanding skills. This is the basic difference between a genius and a technician. From a age to age also there is a difference. Ten thousand years ago, for instance, the manner in which people symbolized their feelings of sorrow and happiness was quite different from how they do it today. Suppose two or three hundred years ago you accidentally hurt somebody – what would you have done? You would have caught hold of his hands and expressed your distress, and then tried to render first aid to him. That is how people used to behave two or three hundred years ago, but this is not so today. If anybody gets hurt, often it is sufficient to just utter, “Oh, sorry”. The nature of expression has changed and so has the symbolization. The change came in accordance with the change in times.

In the same way changes are occurring in relation to different countries. In one country, for instance, if somebody shoots another person, people would say how wrong it was and even the assailant would feel ashamed, regret it an try to run away. In some other country it may be that when someone has shot another and is asked why he did so, he will reply, “Why are you speaking against me? The person I shot has died and you feel much sympathy for him, while you have no sympathy for me, although I have lost so many bullets!” See how symbolization has changed with the change in the country. Hence there is change according with time and space. “Come in” is a verbal symbolization can also express shades in sentiment. Similarly the Saḿskrta word “Agachha” is a different symbolization of the same idea. “Come in” can be said in different ways conveying different meanings. Thus, “Come in” can be said in a very polite manner, it can be said in a tone of command, it can also be said in an ordinary way. Symbolization cannot remain static, that is, there are quick changes in it.

Two thousand years ago when people used to live in the mountains, in caves, the way people used to express themselves was not how they express themselves now. Changes have come. Because of such changes there also have been changes in the fields of art, architecture, literature and in fact in all finer human qualities. Such changes will continue to come – this is the nature of expression. If anybody were to insist that art, architecture, literature, etc. have to follow the traditional pattern it can only be said that he or she is living in a fool’s paradise. Human feelings have to be expressed in the form reflecting the prevailing age. So far as relativity is concerned, the same principle operates in the realms of both physical and psychic expression. Mentally also you cannot symbolize everything. Even if you can symbolize it externally through the expression of your eyes, or orally or by the gestures of your hands and feet.

Sometimes you acknowledge that you have understood a thing but cannot explain it. Sugar is sweet, and so is Rasagolla, but you are not able to state the difference. All you can say is that some thing is sweet like sugar, or Rasagolla or mango. You can tell the difference but you cannot express exactly what you experience. You are unable to express your feelings. The case of the spiritual field is similar. You are not able to express that which you experience. You can do it only partially – 99 per cent remains unexpressed. Parama Puruśa, who is an Absolute Entity, cannot be explained in any way. It is simply not possible. One becomes dumb and speech becomes impossible. That is why it has been said that Parama Puruśa, who is an Absolute Entity, cannot be explained in any way. It is simply not possible. One becomes dumb and speech becomes impossible. That is why it has been said that Parama Puruśa has never been defiled by the palate. If you want to describe Him by words, because the mouth is used He will get defiled. But He cannot be defiled because it is not possible to describe Him any way. When because of the depth of the inner feelings, your mental waves seek symbolization but do not succeed, the mind itself ceases working. Such a state is called Samádhi. To explain Parama Puruśa at such a time is even more impossible. It can be said that human beings describe by using words like Parama Puruśa, Bhagaván, etc.

Parama Puruśa is Absolute. Many ideas and feelings that are within the scope of the mind cannot be expressed through the sensory organs. Those things that are not Absolute or are in the sphere of feeling and emotions cannot be expressed or symbolized by the sensory organs. It is too much to suppose that the sensory organs can in any way express Parama Puruśa, as Parama Puruśa is a Supreme Entity as much form the psychic and philosophical points of view as form the view of thoughts and feelings.

It is not possible for mental faculties to symbolize Him. They fail to describe Him. That is why it has been said:

Yato vaco nivartante aprapyamansa saha,
Anandam Brahmano bidvana ma vibheti kutascana

“When you want to say something about Parama Puruśa, what will happen then? Words cannot be uttered because the vocal organ itself fails. The mind fails in symbolizing Him. People can ask, ‘Are not those who call for Parama Puruśa engaged in a subtle endeavour?’”

What is this really? This is a symbolization of language. This may be so, but the word “Parama Puruśa” is not a symbolization through language of Parama Puruśa. What we do through symbolic expression or expressed or expressed symbolization? We only want to say that Parama Puruśa cannot be symbolized, and this idea is what the words “Parama Puruśa” symbolize. It is this idea that is symbolized when we do invocation to Parama Puruśa. It has been said that when someone wants to tell another about Parama Puruśa, at the time of speaking neither is the symbolization of the words possible, nor is the symbolization of what is heard by the listeners possible. That is, for both speaking and listening the symbolization of words is difficult. It is indeed a difficult state and the Guru becomes dumb and the disciple becomes deaf. What can the Guru except become dumb? Because of the limited scope of language, He cannot express Himself. How can Parama Puruśa be symbolized in words? The capacity of the ears is also limited. Even if there is adequate expression in words, will the ears grasp fully? That is why Krishnacharya has said that in such a condition the Guru is dumb and the disciple deaf:

Já teṋi boli te tabi tál
Guru bob se shiiśá kál
Bhańai Káhńu jina raan bi kaesá
Káleṋ bob samvohia jaesá.

What you speak or express is within the scope of relativity and is not of the Absolute. In this condition, how can the Guru who tells about Parama Puruśa speak about Him who is Absolute? Therefore the Guru has to be dumb and his disciple deaf. What will the spiritual aspirants do then? Even if it is not possible they will make an effort. Krishnacharya himself answers what is to be done. He asks how the deaf and the dumb converse amongst themselves? They do so by means of different gestures and vocal sounds which are themselves a kind of symbolization, although subtler symbolization. When they talk they do so by keeping silent and taking recourse to subtler symbolizations. You have to express yourself just as the deaf and the dumb do. What else can be done in such a state of helplessness?

Now you see, there is one more kind of symbolization and this is subtle symbolization. When an idea is imbibed through your sensory organs, after it gets crystallized it finds expression through your motor organs. In a similar way your Saḿskaras or the reactive momenta of your mind act whether they are carried over from your previous lives or have been acquired in the present life, and this we call Prarabdha.

The mental feelings or thoughts, before getting expressed in a symbolized form, really get symbolized in the mental stuff. If these do not find outwards expressions, or if an effort is not made for such an expression, then these latent symbols constitute the Saḿskaras or the reactive momenta. They remain in the mind as symbols. These mental symbols will one day have to be given expression as physical symbols. As long as these physical symbols do not get expressed, you will be carrying the load of those mental symbols from one life to another. This is the reason why people take rebirths until such time when all their mental symbols get converted into physical expressions.

The expressed universe is only a very small fraction of the full symbolization. Of that small fraction your organs can catch a very small portion only and you can grasp much less through the mind. Very much less of what you have grasped mentally can you express through symbolization. In other words, your power of creative expression is extremely limited. By skill of his hands a man may express himself by painting, by the skill of his feet through dancing, and by employing his vocal faculties he may express himself through music. We do not call one who is a good singer a “Shilpi”. Those who use the skill of their hands as painters are “Shilpi”, are “Citra shilpi”.

Everything is ensconced in the unexpressed universe. What your organs can grasp in the mental sphere is only a negligible portion of the unexpressed universe, and that part of this negligible portion that was reconverted in your mind, and is reassimilated or accumulated, is all ensconced in the unexpressed universe or the Cosmic mind. Therefore, everything is dependent upon the Cosmic Mind. Therefore, everything is dependent upon the Cosmic Mind, or what may be described as spiritual flow or cosmic flow.

Why should you, then, be waiting for your symbolization, to get converted into physical symbolization? Though subtle processed you should direct your mental symbolization so that it finds shelter in the spiritual flow. In this way your symbols will be converted into psycho-spiritual waves. What will happen then? In that case it would not be necessary for you to wait for your psychic symbols to get converted into physical symbols. Where the change has been made to the psycho-spiritual plane it has to be converted into the spiritual, and since the Átman, the soul, is beyond the sphere of symbolization, the problem of symbolization ends. It will mean final liberation, Moksa. Human beings have been aspiring for this final liberation since time immemorial and those who have understood it should know that they do not have to wait for it endlessly form one life to another. In this very life convert your psychic symbolization into psycho-spiritual symbolization and become and emancipated being.

Chapter 5	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Today’s topic of discourse is “Microcosm and Macrocosm” – the unit and the Cosmic. The main difference between microcosm and Macrocosm is that microcosm suffers from imperfection whereas Macrocosm is perfect. In other words, the unit is imperfect and the Cosmic is perfect. But through sádhaná or persistent spiritual endeavour microcosm attains perfection, it becomes Macrocosm.

Sádhaná or spiritual or intuitional practice is the process of transmutation of the unit into the Cosmic. Microcosm (Jiiva) and Macrocosm (Shiva) do not have a subjective difference. Soul is one. The difference lies in the object; it is objective rather than subjective. For, transmutation can never be possible if there is objective difference. The difference being objective, only an objective change will bring change in the subject.

Microcosm is multipurposive but its flow is unilateral. On the other hand, Macrocosm is uni-purpose but its flow is multilateral. There is no end to the desires of microcosm. Sometimes it desires fame and sometimes it desires money. But it can make itself travel at one time in one direction only. His mind cannot be simultaneously engaged in a book and in a football game. While reading, if he thinks of the football game his mind is diverted from the book. Similarly, he cannot enjoy the football game if in the football game he begins to think about his books. Hence, the flow of the unit is unilateral. It travels only in one direction, at one time, whereas Macrocosm is uni-purpose but multilateral. There is only one thought of Macrocosm and that is the well-being of all. This is His one sole purpose. Yet Macrocosm is a multi-lateral flow. He does many things simultaneously. He is feeding you, creating the world, making rivers, canals and birds. Everything is being created in His mind. Hence there is much variety in His mind. It has been said about Macrocosm,

Sahasrashiirśá Puruśah sahasrákśah sahasrapát;
Sa bhúmiḿ vishvato vrtvá’tyatiśt́haddasháuṋgulam.

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yadbhútaḿ yacca bhavyam;
Utámrtatvasyesháno yadannenátirohati.⁽¹⁾

This Puruśa is sahasrashiirsá. In Saḿskrta “Sahasra” means one thousand but in Vedic language “sahasra” means “many”. One person works with one brain. He works according to it and his praise and criticism is also done accordingly. But Puruśa is Sahasrashirśa ; He works with innumerable brains. So if the unit tries to compete with the Cosmic, he is bound to be defeated. It is quite natural. We work with our brain but Parama Puruśa works with all the brains of the world. He works with this collective brain and He is its master. The portion which has not been converted into brain cells remains as matter, so it also has the potentiality of a brain. That is why He is sahasrashiirśá.

Sahasrashiirśá Puruśah sahasrákśah sahasrapát. It means one who has innumerable eyes. But now the question arises as to how Macrocosm can have eyes. When matter remains associated with microcosm, in the Macrocosm there is always the witness of matter for Macrocosm is a witnessing counterpart of matter.

But what is microcosm? Microcosm is a part of Macrocosm. For instance, one drop of water in the sea is microcosm and the sea is like Macrocosm. So the reflection in microcosm will naturally be inside Macrocosm. Thus whatever microcosm knows Macrocosm also knows. But whatever Macrocosm knows microcosm does not know. Suppose there is a reflection of something in a drop of water, then it is also reflected in the sea because the drop of water is a part of the sea. If the thing is big then its reflection is not possible in a drop of water, there is need of innumerable drops. Hence a unit does not know everything because complete reflection in him is not possible. So whatever we know Paramátmá knows, and whatever we do not know Paramátmá knows that too.

How do we know an object? Our sense organ comes in contact with the object and the sympathetic vibration which is produced reaches through the nerves to a particular point in the brain and then we have perception. When through the brain the vibration reaches the mind we get the cognition, because the presence of the object is in the mind and the vibration of the object directly reaches the mind. That is why the limbs are not needed. Parama Puruśa does not require the help of limbs. For instance, if there is an elephant outside, to see it we need physical eyes. The tanmátras of the object are reflected in a particular portion of the brain through the eyes and then the picture of the elephant is formed in the mind; there after we see the elephant in the mind and get cognition that there is an elephant outside. But the elephant which we make in our mind does not need an external eye to be seen. So everything is in the mind of Parama Puruśa. This universe is His mental creation. This universe is the Macropsychic conation. That is why He does not need limbs and external eyes.

Now why innumerable legs? Time, space, person – these three relative factors have been born out of His imagination. They have flows and their wavelengths always vary. But wherever these three main factors – namely spatial, temporal and personal – are present, it becomes difficult for the unit to control them because it is itself guided by these three factors. The unit is influenced by them and moves with their help. But He in whom these three are contained, is not a slave to them nor is subjected to them. For instance, if we are in Fatehgarh and want to go to Lucknow, immediately we cannot reach there physically. If we go by train or car it will take some hours. If we go by rocket even then it will take one or two minutes. It will surely take some time. It is not possible for us to totally control the time factor. Microcosm is subjected to these three factors. In this case he is being subjected to the temporal factor for he cannot control it. But Macrocosm is not bound by these factors. He is Káládhisha; He controls the temporal factor. This why it has been said: He has innumerable legs, meaning that He has one leg in Lucknow, so it is not necessary for Him to go to Lucknow. But the people of Fatehgarh will say He is in Fatehgarh too because His one leg is there also.

Similarly, the people of Lucknow will say His leg is here and so He is in Lucknow. Hence it has been said that He has innumerable legs, because He is beyond the scope of the temporal factor.

Sa bhúmiḿ vishvato vrtvá’tyatiśt́haddasháuṋgulam. Land means material expression. Land means Kárya Brahma. It does not only mean soil. But what is this Kárya Brahma? What is the physical expression? Wherever Parama Puruśa is expressed or attributed, He is the effect. And wherever He is the witnessing counterpart there He is the causal factor. What is this world which we see? We have come in the form of effect. It has been said earlier that Macropsychic conation comes in the form of effect and that portion of the effect which has not been metamorphosed, is left in the form of witness. For instance; if a person has made something by using his hands to cut something, then the thing which he has made is the effect and the remaining position which we see is causal. The universal has not been created by Macrocosm’s own body but out of His mental body. This expressed universe is Kárya Brahma and the remaining portion is Kárańa Brahma. Kárya Brahma and Kárana Brahma together form Saguna Brahma or attributed Consciousness, or qualified Consciousness.

The acoustic root of Kárya Brahma is (ka). That is why those who serve this world are known as kápálika. What is this acoustic root? For Him the universe is a mental creation. How is mental creation done? It is a collection of innumerable mental waves. Everything has been created with particular types of mental waves. If by a scientific process we are able to create differences in the waves, then we will be able to convert this into that, iron into gold. Mercury can be converted into gold very easily by removing the difference in the waves. There are innumerable waves. The waves of Kárya Brahma and Kárańa Brahma are jointly known as Saguna Brahma. Everything has a particular type of wave behind it. Wherever there is an action or existence there is a vibration, and wherever there is vibration there is sound and there is colour. The sound may or may not be audible, the colour may or may not be visible, but it is there. So the material expression – the Kárya Brahma or the Effect Brahma – consists of many waves. These waves have the sound ká as the first consonant in the collection of tántric varńmala. Wherever there is a wave of Kárya Brahma there is a sound. The expressed universe is the Kárya Brahma.

Now, the waves in the expressed universe have the sound “ka” That is why we will call “ka” the acoustic root of Kárya Brahma, the acoustic root of “Effect Brahma”. For example when we walk there is sound like khat́ khat́. So the acoustic root like walking is khat́ khat́ khat́. When we laugh there is a sound like há há há. So where there is Kárya Brahma we call it land. The land which we think to be mud is also Kárya Brahma. In Saḿskrta there are many names for land or Karan Brahma They are Bhú, Bhúmi, Dhará, Dharitrii Sarvaḿsahá, Vasumatii, Gotra ku, Prthivii, Prthvi Kśamá, Avanii, Medinii, Mahli.

What is inside this expressed Brahma? In every unit there is the presence of the Cosmic. But how is this possible? Take, for instance, the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian sea and the Gulf of Cambay. They are all in the Indian Ocean. We can call the sea at Puri as Indian Ocean but we can not call the Indian Ocean everywhere as the Bay of Bengal. The sea in Bombay can not be addressed as the Bay of Bengal but we can call it Indian Ocean. Sah Bhúmirvishvato Vrttvá. Atyatiś thaddashángulam.

Where there is expression, there is the abode of Brahma and where there is an absence of psycho-physical expression, there too He is present. But how? According to the fundamentals of Yoga Shástra it is said that He is present at a distance of ten fingers. But here it does not mean that Paramátmá is present only at a distance of ten fingers above the earth and above that He is not present. It is not so. It means something different. It means that this expression of Paramátmá is in the phase of extroversion. But how is this phase possible? What kind of phase is it? Let us take the story of creation. It is right to say that there is Cosmic entity and the Cosmic consciousness which are transcendental entities. But nothing concrete is created. The flow continues and gradually emerge geometrical figures of sentient, mutative and static principles. Then only it can be felt that there will be a systolic vibration in the body. Vibration is always wavy, always systaltic, always pulsative. Due to this the feeling of “I exist” comes in the creation. This “I exist” feeling is extremely dominant. In all of us there is an “I” feeling and you know that “I” by your name, by your body and by your activity. Due to our worldly existence we know that I am the master of so and so. The removal of this feeling is extremely difficult. The feeling that I am now here is most difficult for us to bring in ourselves.

After the first phase of the saiṋcara, namely, the basic principle, there is a second phase known as the primordial state or primordial principle. It is difficult to understand the expression in the primordial principle. After this due to clash and cohesion, waves make their appearance, which is then known as the vibrational principle. There are some glands in some parts of the human body which are in the scope of vibrational principle. There are others which come in the scope of primordial principle. What is our Sádhaná? Right from the starting point of physical expression it moves in an upward direction. We have to cross the vibrational principle in order to reach the realm of primordial principle, from where we have to come to the basic principle. In the scripture they say that we have to lift the Kulakuńd́alinii from the múládhára to reach up the Sahasrára: Kulakuńd́alinii means coiled serpentine. “Coiled” means that the potential energy is in coiled form. The five lower cakras – múladhára, svádhiśt́hána, máńipura, anáhata and vishuddha cakra are the controlling seats of fundamental factors. Then what is above vishuddha Cakra? There comes the scope of mind. From a point in the pituitary gland of the ájiṋá Cakra the mind is controlled both directly and indirectly. This is the scope of expression. Above the primordial, in the space up to the basic, up to the Sahasrara Cakra there is no expression, nor does it have the realization of “I exist” feeling; So Paramátmá’s scope is also in Ájiṋá Cakra and the fundamental factors beneath it. He is also present in the space between the Ájiṋá Cakra and Sahasrára Cakra. His rule is present there too. This space is ten fingers long. Thus it is said that His rule is in this physical world as well as ten fingers above it.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Eds.

Chapter 6	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Unit Spirit and Cosmic Spirit”. Here I did not use the words “universal spirit”, I used the words “Cosmic Spirit” – because you know, our universe is very big, but it is not infinite. That is why I did not use the words “universal spirit”. The spirit of the Supreme Cognitive Faculty is a Cosmic one.

This universe is a creation of three fundamental binding principles – sentient, mutative, and static – and wherever there is the binding influence of the static principle, the objectivity, that is, the phenomenal counterpart of the noumenal subjectivity, becomes limited. A line of demarcation, a boundary line, is created. And where there is a boundary line, it cannot be infinite. It may be very, very big, but it is not infinite. And it is to some extent, not exactly, elliptical – oval-[shaped] – and that is why in Sanskrit it is called Brahmáńd́a – Brahmá plus ańd́a – “the oval creation of Brahmá”. Brahmá means the creative faculty of Parama Puruśa.

Now the Supreme Cognitive Entity, rather the Cognitive Faculty, when It creates something, when Its creation comes within the jurisdiction of the static principle, that creation is very big, though not infinite. And when the unit cognitive faculty creates something, it may be big, but it is not like the creation of the Supreme Cognitive Faculty. And another difference is that the creation of the Supreme Cognitive Faculty is an external physicality for all. But the creation of the unit cognitive faculty is the world of that unit only, nobody can come in contact with that world. It is purely an internal psychic [creation].

Now all units, all unit cognitive faculties, are within the arena of Cosmic existence, and that’s why all creations of the Cosmic are crude realities for units. A creation of a unit is its personal work. Now when the unit comes in contact with external physicality, the unit tries to know the external physicality according to its own mental capacity, but when the Cosmic comes in contact with the created universe, He is not to know anything, because for Him there is nothing external. Everything is internal, psychic. And that’s why it has been said,

Dvá suparńá sayujá sakháyá
Samánaḿ vrkśaḿ pariśasvajáte;
Tayoranyah pippalaḿ svádvattyan
Ashnannanyo abhicákashiiti.

[Two birds of golden plumage are perched together intimately in a tree. One of them is tasting the sweet fruits, the other just witnesses without tasting.]

A unit is a witnessing entity. Similarly, the Supreme Entity is the Witnessing Faculty. But in the case of the unit, what happens? The unit wants to enjoy those created entities [created by the Supreme], but the Supreme remains purely as a witnessing entity. He remains balanced, He always maintains His equilibrium, His equipoise is never disturbed.

Now in the case of the Cosmic Spirit, what happens? In the entire Cosmological order, the Cosmic Faculty is a transcendental one, is a transcendental entity; but the faculty that creates something – the Binding Faculty, here, the innate principles, the binding faculties – can function only in a restricted arena, so allotted, so allocated, by the Transcendental Entity. But in the case of the unit, the unit is under the fetters of those binding principles, it doesn’t enjoy any liberty in this respect. And that’s why it has been said,

Ajámekáḿ lohitashuklakrśńáḿ
Bahviih prajáh srjamánáḿ sarúpáh;
Ajo hyeko juśamáńo’nushete jahátyenáḿ
Bhuktabhogámajo’nyah.

–Muńd́akopańiśada

[Prakrti, the all-creative and all-constructive force, has no progenitor. She is composed of three colours, red, white, and black. The unit consciousness is under the bondage of Prakrti, but Supreme Consciousness is the Lord of Prakrti.]

The Cosmic Cognitive Faculty is infinite and causeless, a non-causal entity, and similarly, “the Cosmic Binding Faculty is causeless” – that is, It is non-causal. You know, regarding Parama Puruśa and Paramá Prakrti, there is no alternative but to say that they are non-causal. Now, why?

In this universe of ours, everything that comes within the scope of our organs or our mind is guided by the cause-and-effect theory. And amongst philosophers, the first philosopher who spoke regarding this cause-and-effect theory was Maharshi Kanada. He was a great scientist. His was the original atomic theory. Maharshi Kanada said, Kárańábhávát káryábhávah – “Where there is no causal factor there cannot be any effect factor.” Wherever we see something or experience something, that something must have a cause. Something cannot be created by nothing. Everything must have a cause. Kárańábhávát káryábhávah. But this cause-and-effect theory functions within the scope of three fundamental relativities: time, space, person. This cause-and-effect theory must have, must have, these three relative factors to function within. But these three factors – time, space, and person – are creations of the Cosmic Mind, that is, a psychic creation. And where there is mind, there is time, space, and person. Without mind, there cannot be time, space, and person.

Some people are of the opinion that space is eternal, space is infinite. It is a defective idea. Space is never infinite. Just now I told you that it is a creation of the static principle, and when it is a creation of the static principle, it cannot be infinite. It must have boundary lines. Anything big but having boundary lines is known as vishála in Sanskrit; and anything big having no boundary lines is known as virát́a in Sanskrit. Parama Puruśa is virát́a, but this universe is vishála, not virát́a. So space is not infinite. It is a causal entity, and what is the cause? What is the causal matrix? The Supreme Mind.

Then time. Time is not an eternal factor. It is also a causal entity, which is purely a relative word. What is time? Time is a mental measurement of the motivity of action. There must be a mind, and there must be speed, there must be motivity. Without motivity and without mind there cannot be any time. The earth is there, the sun is there, the earth moves, and there is the human mind to measure the movement. So there is time: 365 days make one solar year; 29 to 30 days make one lunar month; 12 lunar months make one lunar year. They are all mental measurements. So time is solely dependent on the human mind; so it cannot be the causal matrix, it cannot be infinite.

And person. At the very start, in the primordial phase of creation on this particular earth, there were no persons, no created beings. So when there were no created beings, certainly there was no time.

Now, Ajámekáḿ lohitashuklakrśńáḿ.

Parama Puruśa is the creator of time, space and person. So regarding Parama Puruśa and Paramá Prakrti, regarding the Cosmic Cognitive Faculty and the Cosmic Binding Faculty, there is no alternative but to say that they are non-causal, because their cause is beyond the scope of mind, beyond the scope of those three fundamental relative factors – time, space, and person. And that is why the word ajá [non-causal] has been used for the Cosmic Binding Principle. “Just like the Cosmic Cognitive Principle, She is ajá.”

Lohitashuklakrśńáḿ. According to wavelengths, several colours are created, as you know: Bahviih prajáh srjamánáḿ sarúpáh. Now She [the Cosmic Binding Principle] creates varieties in this universe. She creates varieties according to the waves of different lengths emanating from the Cosmic Hub, emanating from the Cosmic Nucleus. Ajo hyeko juśamáńo’nushete jahátyenáḿ bhuktabhogámajo’nyah. But you know, in case of the unit spirit, this unit spirit is under the bondage of the Cosmic Binding Principle. But another ajá, that is, the Cosmic Spirit, is jahátyenáḿ bhuktabhogámajo’nyah. He is the Lord, and the Cosmic Binding Principle does according to His wishes, according to His desires – rather according to His whims.

Now, the unit cannot be treated as the noumenal cause because of its certain bindings; so the noumenal subjectivity is the Cosmic Puruśa, Parama Puruśa. And that’s why He should be the only object of meditation, the only object of adoration, for all created beings. And there cannot be more than one noumenal subjectivity. You may say that these numerals – one, two, three, four, five – are all certain mental projections: mánasika saḿkalpa tatha vikalpa [psychic internalization and externalization]. So then what is the harm if I use the word “two” or “three” or “ten” or “a thousand”? Because He is beyond all mental projections, all mental saḿkalpas; so for Him there is no difference amongst one, two, three, or ten, or a thousand.

But in the shástras [scriptures] it has been said, Eko’haḿ bahu syám. “Originally He was One, the Noumenal Entity was one; but the phenomenal entities are many.” Why? Why not more than one? Ekah devah sarvabhúteśu. Everywhere it has been said eka, eka [one]. Ekah sadviprah bahudhá vadanti. Why eka? Now you know, when the mind becomes pointed, when the mind gets pinnacled, under such circumstances you come in contact with the Supreme. The pointed, the pinnacled, conscious mind comes in contact with the subconscious. Then the apexed subconscious mind comes in contact with the unconscious. And then the pinnacled unconscious mind comes in contact with the Cognitive Faculty. So when your mind becomes one, you come in contact with Him; that’s why if any numeral is to be used for Him, that numeral should be one, and not any other numeral. So that noumenal cause is a singular entity; but the phenomenal effects are many. Ajo hyeko juśamáńo’nushete jahátyenáḿ bhuktabhogámajo’nyah. But for that Noumenal Entity, the Binding Faculty is a very unimportant faculty. Tasmin drśt́e parávare…⁽¹⁾ [“When that supreme para (subjective) and avara (additional) entity is realized…”] In the expressed world the role of the Binding Principle is important, but in the supra-mundane world Her role is avara. In Sanskrit avara means “additional”. Parávare. Not vara is avara – parávare.

Now, the unit spirit, with the help of the unit mind and with the limited capacities of the physical organs, and with the limited capacity of the unit citta, or ectoplasmic structure, has a limited world: ocular or tactual, whatever it may be. But the Supreme, the entire transcendental structure being the objectivity, enjoys everything internally; nothing remains secret, nothing remains covert for Him, and that’s why it has been said, Tatra niratishayam sarvajiṋa biijam [“Therein lies the seed of total omniscience”]. You cannot do anything secretly; you cannot do anything confidentially; you cannot think anything secretly or confidentially. Everything is known to Him. For Him everything is an open book.

Now we see that for the unit spirit and the Cosmic spirit, the difference between the subjective side and its objective counterpart, is: the objective counterpart of the Supreme is the entire Cosmos, and the objective counterpart of the unit is a limited world, not the entire quinquelemental expression. And that’s why it has been said,

Tayorvirodho’yam upádhikalpito
Navástavah kashcidupádhireśah;
Iishádyamáyá mahadádikárańaḿ
Jiivasya káryaḿ shrńu paiṋcakośam.

[The difference between the two (unit consciousness and Supreme Consciousness) really lies in their respective upádhis, differentiating faculties; there is no other substantial difference between the two. Prakrti acts upon Puruśa in order to bring about the creation from the “I exist” feeling down to the state of crudest matter. O human beings, this is what the unit should remember.]

The difference lies in the objectivity, in the objective pabula, in the objective counterpart; and that objective counterpart is also a psychic creation, rather, is a Macro-psychic conation. And that’s why it may be a relative truth or temporarily real for the unit, but for the Cosmic Entity, it is purely imaginary. The entire world of ours is something imaginary for the Cosmic; not for the unit. If the unit, before such a realization, says that this universe is an imaginary one, then he or she is nothing but a hypocrite.

Etávupádhi Para jiivayostayo
Samyagnirasena Para na jiivo;
Rájyaḿ narendrasya bhat́asya khet́aka-
Stayorapohena bhat́o na rájá

[These upádhis, differentiating marks, are characteristics of both the Supreme Subject and of the unit. Once these marks are obliterated, the microcosm will become the Macrocosm – just as a single individual will be considered a king if he has a kingdom, a warrior if he is holding a club. Take away these differentiating marks, and it will be difficult to distinguish between the two.]

Now, what does one enjoy by dint of sádhaná? When one withdraws one’s mind from one’s psychic objectivity, then one becomes free. Similarly, when the Cosmic Entity withdraws Himself from His objectivity, He becomes nirguńa. Similarly, when the jiivas [units] withdraw their minds from their own worlds, they also become nirguńa. They become one with Nirguńa Brahma. That’s why it has been said, Brahmavid Brahmaeva bhavati [“One who realizes Brahma becomes Brahma”]. And that is your sádhaná.

Now I have already told you that the fundamental difference between unit spirit and Cosmic Spirit lies in the standard of objectivity; and according to the standard of objectivity, the stance of the Noumenal Entity is decided. The unit functions within a restricted arena; but regarding the Cosmic it has been said,

Sahasrashiirśá Puruśah sahasrákśah sahasrapát;
Sa bhúmiḿ vishvato vrtvá’tyatiśt́haddasháuṋgulam.

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yadbhútaḿ yacca bhavyam;
Utámrtatvasyesháno yadannenátirohati.⁽²⁾

The unit functions with its unit brain, a collection of several nerve cells within a small cranium. But the Cosmic – the Cosmic being everywhere, the Cosmic being the Transcendental Entity – “has innumerable minds, innumerable brains.” So where there is an intellectual fight with the Cosmic, when you challenge the intellectual standard of the Cosmic Entity, it is sure that you will be defeated. So units, rather intellectuals, should not have the audacity to challenge the right and power of the Supreme, because that will be a sure case of defeat. One has no alternative but to surrender at the altar of the Supreme.

And wise people, what will wise people do? They won’t waste their valuable time in meaningless altercations and arguments. They won’t be logicians, they will be devotees, because they know that finally theirs will be the sure defeat.

Sahasrashiirsá Puruśah sahasrákśah sahasrapát. A human has two eyes, but “He has innumerable eyes,” because the human’s very existence is nothing but a small wave emanating from the supreme hub. So what can a human do, or understand, or see? But Parama Puruśa sees everything: what the human does, what the human thinks, what the human did or will be doing.

Sahasrapát [“innumerable legs”]. You require two legs to move, or you require vehicles – a motor car, an aeroplane, a rocket – but you’ll never be able to conquer space or conquer time. And moving from one place to another, certainly you will require some time. You won’t be able to go from one place to another in no time, in nil time; you will require some time. But for Him, the time factor has no value, because He is present everywhere. A person one of whose feet is here in Ernakulam, and the other foot in Madras, does that person need to go from Ernakulam to Madras? No, that person will not go from Ernakulam to Madras, because that person is present both in Ernakulam and in Madras. But you will require some vehicle. And that is why it has been said, sahasrapát. You have your limited capacity.

Sa bhúmirvishvato vrtvá atyatist́haddasháḿgulam. “He is everywhere on this earth, He is the all-pervading entity. He is Viśńu, He is Maháviśńu.” Viśńu means “All-Pervading Entity”.

Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat;
Draśt́avyamátmavattasmádabhedena vicakśańaeh.

–Viśńupuráńa

[This manifested universe is the expression of Viśńu, the latent all-pervading entity. Therefore a wise person should look upon everything as his or her own, from an integral viewpoint.]

“Everything is the expression of Viśńu.” There is no vacuum in this universe. “Viśńu is there everywhere.” Everything is full of cognition. There is no vacuum in inter-molecular space, inter-atomic space, or intra-atomic space. The Cognitive Faculty is there everywhere. But beyond this universe, He is where there is no expression. In that unmanifest Cosmos, He is present, because those nebulae, or anything else, are the physical expression, the cruder manifestation, of the Cosmic ectoplasm. Sa bhúmirvishvato vrtvá atyatist́haddasháḿgulam. “He is all-pervading not [only] in this quinquelemental universe, but in the psychic world, in the supra-psychic world, everywhere – in what we can think about, and what we cannot think about.”

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yad bhútaḿ yacca bhavyam. He is Puruśa. There are two interpretations of Puruśa. Pure shete yah sah Puruśah – “He who is present as the witnessing entity” (shete here means “present as witnessing entity”) “in this pura” (pura means nagara [town]) “in this physical structure or psychic structure, is Puruśa.” Pure shete yah sah Puruśah. Another interpretation is Purasi shete yah sah Puruśah – “He witnesses everything by being present before you.” That is, whenever you see, whatever you see, He is seeing just before you: He is Puruśa.

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvam. “This Puruśa knows everything;” the unit does not know everything; because unit knowledge is always a distorted knowledge. As I have already told you, unit knowledge is a distorted knowledge, because the unit is imperfect. And your sádhaná is a process, rather a movement, from imperfection towards perfection.

He is all-knowing. Puruśa evedaḿ sarvam. This Puruśa knows everything. Why? Because this Puruśa is all-pervasive, all-pervading – because for Him everything is internal, psychic. When the entire town of Ernakulam comes within your mind, no space remains a secret for you, you see everything. Similarly, this entire universe is within His mind; that’s why He sees everything, He knows everything. And nothing of the past, nothing of the future is a secret for Him. There cannot be an iota of secrecy or an iota of confidentiality for Him.

Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yadbhútaḿ yacca bhavyam. “Whatever did happen in the past and whatever will be happening in future.” Now you may say, “But there is no reference here to the present. He knows the past, He knows the future, but does He know the present?” Here the word “present”, that is, vartamána, has not been used. Why? In the true spirit of kála [time], there is no vartamána, there is nothing vartamána. I am speaking. When I am speaking, you are not hearing. You will be hearing after some time. Let the air go from this place to that place, then you will hear. When I am speaking, what happens? It is past for me, it is future for you. So in the true spirit of kála, there is nothing present – there is either past or future. But what happens with us? The immediate past and the close future, these two things, these two happenings, can be easily assimilated by us with our original human faculties. And that’s why that small space within which there exist the immediate past and the close future – that small span of time – is treated as present by us. So here in this rk [verse], the word vartamána has not been used. Puruśa evedaḿ sarvaḿ yad bhútaḿ yacca bhavyam.

Utámrtasyesháno yadanyenádhirohati. “He is the Lord of all, because He has created everything.” He controls everything, so He is the Lord, He is the only Lord. There cannot be any second Lord. His Lordship will always remain an undisputed one. Nobody can challenge it. So, Utámrtasyesháno. Suppose you are a degraded man, a depraved man: the society hates you. Then suppose you are an elevated man: the society respects you. But both these persons, the elevated person and that depraved person, that degraded person, all are within the mental arena of Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa cannot say, “Oh, you are a degraded person, so just quit my mind!” Parama Puruśa cannot say this, can He? No, because everything is within His mind. So a pápii [sinner] is within His mind, just as a puńyavána [virtuous person] is within His mind. So a pápii can never be hated by Parama Puruśa.

Once I told you that Parama Puruśa is omnipotent no doubt, all-powerful no doubt. But He cannot do two things. You may do those things, but Parama Puruśa cannot do them. And what are those two things? One thing is, He cannot create a second Parama Puruśa – this is one defect. And the second defect is, He cannot hate you. He cannot hate anybody. But you people, you can hate others, so in this respect you are greater and nobler than Parama Puruśa! If you so desire you can hate others, but Parama Puruśa cannot hate; even if He so desires, He cannot hate others.

Utámrtasyesháno yadanyenádhirohati. “And nobody in heaven or on this earth can control Him.” He is the Lord of all, He has no Lord.

Prabhumiishamaniishamasheśaguńam;
Guńahiinamahesham gańabharańam.

“O Lord, O Prabhu, Thou art the Lord of everything, but Thou art aniisha, You have no Lord. And each and every created entity is an attributional one, but You are the Non-Attributed Entity.”

And each and every entity of this world tries to adorn itself. You use a Terylene shirt, you use good clothing, you always try to keep yourself looking nice. [Even] the different gods and goddesses and deities have each their own [decoration]. “But for you, Lord, your gańas [devotees] are your only decorations.”

One becomes established in bhakti through Bhágavata sevá, by serving Bhagaván. So what should be the spirit of a devotee? What should be the spirit of the unit? Átmamokśárthaḿ jagat hitáya ca. “One will meditate on the Supreme to become one with the Supreme, and at the same time, to purify one’s mind, one is to render selfless service to human society.” Without rendering selfless service to society, one cannot come in close proximity to the Supreme. And without practising meditation, one cannot render selfless service to the society. So one should remember that one’s motto in life is Átmamokśárthaḿ jagat hitáya ca.

Now suppose there is some article in water, and the water is stirless and clear. Then you will be able to see the article. But if the water is not transparent, you will not be able to see the article even if the water is stirless. So to see Parama Puruśa within the mind, the mind should be transparent and acaiṋcala – there shouldn’t be any movement in it. In order to check that movement one is to practise concentration, and for purifying the mind and making it transparent, one is to render selfless service to the society. A sádhaka must remember this fact.

And what is the relationship between the unit and the Cosmic? The unit is the child, and the Cosmic is the Father. The relationship is purely a family relationship. So one must not be afraid of that Supreme Father. The relationship is a very sweet relationship. He is not the judge and you are not a criminal. You know, a sinner may be hated by society, but for Parama Puruśa, that sinner is also a loving son; that sinner is not to be hated by Him. As I have already told you, He cannot hate you. You may hate Him if you so desire, but He will never be able to hate you.

Footnotes

(1) The author here quotes a fragment from the same scripture as the shloka above, but coming two lines after that shloka. –Eds.

(2) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Eds.

Chapter 7	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Today’s subject of discourse is, “Knowledge and Human Progress.”

Knowledge is necessary for any kind of progress. It is hence necessary to find out what knowledge is.

Human existence is trifarious. There are three elements in them as composite beings, viz, the physical body, the mental body, and the spiritual body. The physical body of individuals shelters the mind and the mind is the reservoir of all knowledge that a person possesses.

Now, what is this physical body of a human being? The individual’s physical body is composed of many kośas, i.e., cells. These cells are of two kinds – the protozoic cells and the metazoic cells. Thus all parts of human body are composed of a combination of these two types of cells. In another sense, the whole structure of human beings can also be regarded as one metazoic cell. Each of these cells has a mind. But this mind is different from the individual’s human mind. The cell-minds are dormant and underdeveloped. Furthermore metazoic cells are a collective effect of the protozoic cells.

The human mind, too, is composed of these cells. But the human mind is much more developed. It is the unit microcosm plus a collection of both the protozoic and the metazoic cells which make up the individual. Therefore the human mind is a collective mind.

The Macrocosm has a mental relation with all its parts i.e., composites. Similarly, in the human mind there exists a system of relations between itself and its components. Thus, the human mind has a direct relationship with both the protozoic and the metazoic cells in the individual. But the cells, as a composite part of the mind, have also a collective relation with it.

I had said earlier that every unit cell has a mind. The unit protozoic mind is instinctive. And because of the above mentioned relation, instinct comes in human beings. These cells are made by the food and drink that we consume. And so in the ultimate effect, we can regulate the human mind by regulating human diet.

These two types of cells compose different parts of human body. Or in other words, different portions of the body are composed of different collections of two types of cells mentioned. So in each of these portions a collective mind is created and that portion works through its commands, irrespective of whether or not the whole human mind affects it. This collective mind of a portion of the body is possible because, as said earlier, every cell has a unit mind no matter how undeveloped, for without this there would be no reproduction, movement, sound or reflection in the cell.

The individual human being virtually becomes an animal when his mind comes predominantly under the influence of the unit minds or the collective minds of these protozoic and metazoic cells. This is because these cell-minds are undeveloped like animals. However, when the human collective mind dominates in an individual he begins to act more like a devatá. Hence, you should strive to achieve this condition. The explanation of this is in the fact that the protozoic and metazoic mind (i.e., your own mind) is threefold: partly psycho-physical, partly psychic and partly psycho-spiritual.

What happens when a man dies? Death results in the loss of any physical relationship between the human mind and the human body ( i.e., the protozoic & metazoic cells and their minds). The nerves are dead. Therefore, the mind, on the physical death of the individual, does not remember anything physical. It is for this reason that we hold the Shráddha ceremony to be useless and meaningless. This also explains the English saying: out of sight, out of mind. But the longing for the Macrocosm is psycho-spiritual in character and therefore your mind is engaged in it even after the death of your physical body.

What then is knowledge? The protozoic mind is guided by instinct and its sole concern and relation is with the physical body. Hence a protozoic cell does not know of its existence but it displays reproduction, movement, sound and reflexes. The born criminal who is guided by the collective effort of so many protozoic cell-minds will not rise in action, understanding, and appetite to anything higher than physicality. Intellectual and spiritual values will not appeal to him. That is why the effect of mere physical culture is never good.

The metazoic mind, on the other hand, is not solely concerned with the physical. It is also physico-psychic in nature. Human collective mind too has the element of the physico-psychic more than the purely physical. This is because it has more metazoic cells. But the human mind as a whole is much more complex than even the metazoic mind. It is a collective mind being a collection of:

(a) The mind’s own collective mind

(b) the protozoic minds in various parts of the body

(c) the metazoic minds in various parts of the body.

The protozoic mind, being a physical mind, is impervious to knowledge. On the other hand the metazoic mind is the receptacle of knowledge because it is mostly physico-psychic and to a very little extent psycho-spiritual.

Physico-psychic knowledge is the subjectivisation of external objectivity which may be physical, psychic or spiritual. In other words, knowledge is not sterile. It consists in the recognition of some objective matter and action done accordingly. Such knowledge, in practice is born out of a clash of instincts.

From different kinds of physico-psychic knowledge and from psychic knowledge is born the next higher form of knowledge – the psycho-spiritual. In practice, a developed man has all these types of knowledge in some measure. The stage and amount of human development corresponds to the type of knowledge that is predominantly held by his mind.

A living being with psychic knowledge alone is a complete person. However, his natural thirst cannot be quenched by psychic knowledge alone because it comes from the source of physico-psychic knowledge which is unsatisfactory. It is limited by the relative factors of time, space, and person. For example, if you take up a geography book printed 30 years ago you will learn from it that Lahore was the capital of the Punjab. This knowledge will prove to be wrong today. Similarly, limitations of space or person can be equally grave.

If psychic knowledge does not satisfy us because of its defective source, the only way would be to acquire knowledge from sources which are independent of the limitations of time, space and person. What is this Átmá? The individual will, therefore, try to acquire psychic knowledge from Átmá. In other words, the individual should make the Cosmic his object and then subjectivise it. This would generate psycho-spiritual knowledge which would be more satisfactory. Following this process, a phase would come closer.

But at this stage we find an opposite position; the individuals are trying to become the subject and He is the object. Therefore, if you have to proceed further you will have to set this right by always taking the bháva that Paramátmá is seeing you, and not vice-versa which is impossible. This is the correct process of Dhyána.

When your mind will develop the knowledge that Paramátmá is watching us all the time, you will be in dhruvá smrti. Here psycho-spiritual knowledge will be converted into spiritual knowledge. At this stage, object, subject and objectivization will merge in one. Here there will be no blending of relativity. Here human progress would come to its end. What do we then conclude? We see that physical knowledge has negligible importance in human progress; that the importance of the various kinds of knowledge increases in an ascending order. Physico-psychic knowledge has more importance than mere physical knowledge. Without psychic knowledge man is not a complete man. Spirituo-psychic knowledge is absolute knowledge. It is the maximum evolution of Bhakti. This would mean that mere intellectual knowledge, in the long run, hardly contributes to the final end of human progress.

Chapter 8	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

What is jiṋána [knowledge]? It is subjectivization of the external objectivity. It leads a person from crudity to subtlety; that is, wherever this tendency is found, that can be termed jiṋána, and where the tendency is not present, [there is no] jiṋána. And what is the base of jiṋána? Where jiṋána is completely physical, its base is the mind; where it is entirely spiritual, its base is the soul. Jiṋána unifies the mind with the átman; this itself is the greatest quality of jiṋána. That jiṋána which does not unify the mind with the átman, is not jiṋána but the confusion of jiṋána. Because of this so-called jiṋána, vanity creeps into a person. If you see a person with vanity, you must understand that that person has no knowledge, but the confusion of knowledge.

In the fifteenth century in India, and especially in Bengal, this confusion of knowledge developed excessively. The people of Bengal would keep arguing about minor things. For hours together they would talk about subjects such as sound, shape, etc. They thought themselves to be great in doing so, and the person having victory considered himself to be a great pandit. But these persons were neither pandits nor jiṋániis. They were not pańd́its because they were not established in pańd́a bháva [the feeling that one is Brahma], nor were they jiṋániis, as their knowledge had not been subjectivized. They were arguing about pátrádhára taela or taeládhára pátra [“whether the pot is the container of the oil or the oil is contained in the pot”].

There was once an argument between two great pandits as to whether the sound of a falling palm-fruit is produced first, or the palm-fruit falls first. The discussion continued for a good number of months, but with no decision. They then decided to see practically, sitting under a tree one night, whether the palm-fruit falls first or the sound is produced first. The next morning it was found that both of them had been killed by palm-fruits falling on their heads. Hence this so-called knowledge is not a knowledge at all, but the confusion of knowledge, which you surely do not want to possess.

In the first stage, the mind itself is the base of knowledge. What is the mind? The structure of human beings is metazoic. In that structure there are innumerable protozoa, protozoic minds, and protozoic microcosms. The resultant of all these protozoic microcosms is in the human mind. And in this metazoic structure there are metazoic minds, and with them are metazoic microcosms. Actually, each metazoic mind is a collection of [a number of] protozoic minds. For a human with a complex physical structure, there is also a unit mind. So the mind of a human has three compartments: the first is the collective protozoic [mind], the second is the collective metazoic mind, and the third is his or her own separate mind. Taking all three together, we get a human’s unit mind.

The protozoic minds are guided by instinct only. The protozoic mind is citta only, with no development of ahaḿ[tattva] or mahattattva. Ingesting food, supporting offspring – this is all done instinctively, according to their svabháva [spontaneously], the reasons being quite unknown to those creatures. The earthworm does not know that it is an earthworm. It moves instinctively, spontaneously, according to its undeveloped mind. The protozoic minds and the protozoic microcosm can be said to be the physical mind. A protozoic creature has only physical mind. The collection of protozoic minds in the human can be said to be the physical mind of the human, known as the [kámamaya kośa]. It is guided by instinct, there is no discrimination.

But the metazoic mind moves with some intellect, or discrimination, as there has been some development of intellect in it. Hence the metazoic mind has control over the protozoic mind. The more the metazoic mind is developed in a creature, the more developed the creature is; that is, a metazoic structure will be more complicated. And where this complication has increased considerably, that physical structure is the human physical structure.

The individual mind in a human is a metazoic mind. Some one million years ago, the first parents of humanity were australopithecines. The metazoic minds of the then people were very, very simple as compared to those of present-day people. Hence in the intellectual realm, the then people were quite underdeveloped. In the course of this one million years, the metazoic structure and physical structure of humans became very complicated. This resulted in the complication of their metazoic minds, too. Different propensities, a number of propensities, were added to their minds. The number of propensities in the human mind is far more than in animals’ minds. The reason is that the metazoic structure, the physical structure, of a human is very complicated, hence the human’s metazoic mind is very developed.

The whole of a person comprises the person’s own mind, the person’s physical mind, and the metazoic minds. But in the protozoic minds there is a dominance of instinct. An animal does not understand discrimination, but the stick. You know that a person within whom there is a dominance of animality does not agree with logic, but [understands discipline].

You know that at the time of the fight between the Kaoravas and the Páńd́avas, the latter [tried] very reasonably to make the former understand, but in vain. Yudhiśt́hira even prayed to God for a change in them. There was the grace of Paramátman also, but they were too crude to understand this. But they could very easily understand when they heard the thundering sound of Gáńd́iiva [the bow of Arjuna]. Hence the protozoic mind succumbs to physical [discipline], and nothing else.

All the protozoic minds in a human try to influence the human mind. The metazoic minds try to do likewise. Where the personal mind of a human is not vigilant, it becomes influenced by the protozoic minds and the metazoic minds. The person is led towards animality. But when the personal mind is vigilant, it has full control over the protozoic and metazoic minds. To maintain control is an internal fight. This fight is [the] first stage of sádhaná. This fight is quite essential for sádhaná. On the one side there is dharma buddhi [good thought], and on the other, the forces of instincts.

Protozoic minds move instinctively, whereas metazoic minds move with abhijiṋátá [acquaintance, experience]. Hence undeveloped and underdeveloped metazoic structures work with both acquaintance and experience. Sub-human animals such as dogs and monkeys learn through this acquaintance [and experience]. The mind of an Alsatian dog becomes developed a lot when it comes in contact with a trainer; that is, it learns through training, for it has a metazoic mind. The jiṋána of a protozoic mind, that is, instinct only, is known as “physical knowledge”. The knowledge that a human acquires in touch with physicality is in its first stage physico-psychic. And when this physico-psychic knowledge becomes established in the mind, it is known as “psychic knowledge”. And psychic knowledge, when it is translated into the physical world, is psycho-physical knowledge.

Worldly knowledge, the confusion of knowledge, is in its first stage physico-psychic, and then psychic. That itself is translated into the physical world, hence it is psycho-physical. And what is the source of this physico-psychic knowledge? – let us see how far it is authentic. You derive jiṋána from books. You will read “Lahore is the capital of the Punjab” in a book twenty-seven years old. But this does not stand correct today. This is because the source of physical knowledge is bound up by time, space, and person. With the change of time, space, and person, physical knowledge will change. Hence it is not a permanent knowledge. It is based on falsehood.

There can be still one more flaw in the source of physical knowledge, and that is a printing mistake. Because of it you read “Lahore” as “Labore”. Next, there can be something wrong with your eyes, also, which causes you to read “Lanore”. These things provoke laughter in the audience.

Hence because of defects in the different media, this knowledge will be wrong knowledge. If with this very knowledge a person is full of vanity, is that person not a first-class fool?

This physico-psychic knowledge has value to some small extent in the physical world. But its value is always changing. The theory which is appreciated today changes tomorrow. Hence every knowledge in the world – every physico-psychic knowledge – is defective. To be proud of this kind of knowledge is not at all the job of the wise. It is better to say, “I do not know anything.”

So what is true knowledge? True knowledge is the knowledge of that object which never undergoes any metamorphosis due to changes in time, space, and person. Everything in the world is causal; that is, the effect is followed by the cause, and the cause by the effect. It goes on like this. The effect of one phase becomes the cause of the next. This is known as sadrsha parińáma in Tantra. As long as we are under temporal, spatial and personal factors, the cause-and-effect factor will work. Where the cause-and-effect factor works, there only imperfection exists. One cannot be proud [of] the knowledge springing out of that source.

It is said in the Vedas, “I don’t speak [about what] I don’t know, nor do I speak [about what] I do know. Because the Transcendental Entity is known only by the person who knows that Paramátman is beyond knowing and not knowing.” This is because knowing is a particular psychic projection coming within the scope of time, space, and person. And not knowing is another psychic projection coming within the scope of time, space, and person.

The Supreme Entity is beyond time, space, and person. It being non-changing, if a person makes an effort to acquire spirituo-psychic knowledge instead of physico-psychic, in order that the source of his or her knowledge be not the external physicality but rather internal spirituality, in that case that knowledge will be a perfect one.

What happens in the case of spirituo-psychic knowledge is that though its source is absolute, its subject is relative, as the mind works within the scope of relativity. The source of spirituo-psychic knowledge is absolute, the only absolute. When humans start acquiring knowledge, they should not endeavour for physico-psychic knowledge, on the contrary they should endeavour for spirituo-psychic knowledge. In spirituo-psychic knowledge, in the first phase there is more of psychic than spiritual. But later on, when mental concentration is gained in and there is advancement in sádhaná, the spiritual increases and the psychic decreases. And when gradually the proximity to spirituality increases, the psychic is completely eliminated, and only the spiritual exists. The final, terminating, point of this spirituo-psychic knowledge is spiritual knowledge, and that alone is knowledge. That is the real knowledge which does not change.

All physical, physico-psychic, psychic, and psycho-physical knowledge is not knowledge, but the confusion of knowledge. When humans realize that that so-called knowledge is of no value to them, then alone do they surrender to Parama Puruśa [Cosmic Cognition]. As long as people have the desire to acquire all relative knowledge, and try to do so, those people think themselves to be persons of letters, and refuse to surrender at the feet of Cosmic Cognition. When people’s vanity becomes powdered down by different blows, they realize that their approach to knowledge was a defective one. Then they surrender, and their egos are dashed to pieces. The greatest knowledge in the realm of physicality and mentality is that all the knowledge acquired by one so far is false. This physical knowledge is like the leaf of a shala tree [a tall evergreen with large leaves] on which people take meals. As long as you have not eaten, there is a value in the leaf, but the moment you have finished your meal, the leaf goes into the dust bin to be licked by the street dogs. When you come to realize that this physical knowledge of yours is only worth licking by a dog, then devotion will arise in you. Then you will acquire true knowledge.

What is the nature of the psycho-spiritual approach through which one acquires spirituo-psychic knowledge? When the physical mind reaches the zenith of subtlety, that is known as physico-psychic knowledge. There the value of physico-psychic knowledge starts. When one is established in psychic knowledge, then there is the expression of the psycho-physical in it. Likewise, when psychic knowledge reaches the zenith of subtlety, it comes in contact with spirituality, and the point where spiritual knowledge or spirituo-psychic knowledge functions in the mental scope, is alone said to be spirituo-psychic knowledge. As matter is made to be the end of life in acquiring physical knowledge (fit to be thrown into the dust bin), so for acquiring spiritual knowledge, Paramátman should be made the end. Then alone will people get real knowledge.⁽¹⁾

How is it possible to make Paramátman the end of your life? Paramátman is the subject for the whole of the Cosmos, and the latter is His object. He is the Supreme Subjectivity, you are His object. It is not possible to make Him your object, as you are His object. Then what to do? You have to take the ideation that He is always witnessing you. The wise do not take Paramátman as their object exactly, but rather think that they are being witnessed by Him. “Paramátman is not my object; I am the object of Paramátman.” When this feeling is constantly there, always there, in a person, the name of this stage is dhruvasmrti. That you are the object of Paramátman is known to you, but you do not remember this all the time. When through sádhaná a person never forgets that Paramátman is always witnessing him or her, this is named dhruvasmrti. This alone is spiritual knowledge. In this stage alone does a person get true knowledge.

This spiritual knowledge can be translated into the mental sphere as well as into the physical sphere. If a person is willing to translate it, he or she should do so, for that will bring a lot of good to the world. This alone is real knowledge. With this alone, progress is possible. The most learned person is one who understands that he or she is not at all learned.

You are spiritual aspirants. You must always remember that physico-psychic knowledge is needed only in the physical world. But when [spiritual knowledge] is acquired in the individual life, then it is no longer required.

This very spiritual knowledge is alone devotion; that is, knowledge finally transforms itself into devotion after constant efforts; that is, when knowledge realizes that nothing is to be effected by it, then alone does it surrender to devotion. When knowledge surrenders to devotion, that is spiritual knowledge.

Hence remember that once you have got devotion, you have got everything. If Paramátman asked you your demand, you should demand nothing, and if at all God is pleased to give you something, you should ask for parábhakti [absolute devotion].

Chapter 9	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

In this universe, everything is moving. Whether one wants to or not, one is moving. Movement is the very characteristic, the very nature of this universe. Therefore, it is called “jagat”. The root verb is “Gam” which means “to go”.

Everyone has to move physically as well as mentally. There is movement in the spirit also. Therefore if one knows which way one should move, there will be no waste of energy. Similarly, it is necessary to know how best to move. “How and where” will give proper direction to the movement

There are four stages of life – the wakeful, the dream, the deep sleep and the Turiiya. Out of these, the first three stages are within the scope of expression while they are on the move; in the fourth, there is movement, but no expression.

Just as individual life has four stages, so also collective life has four movements or stages.

(1) There is the worldly quinquelemental physical existence. In this stage there is an effort to attain name and fame, to procure money, land, property etc. This is one type of movement.

(2) There is the effort to seek psychic or mental treasures or attainments.

(3) There is the effort to convert the ectoplasm into cognition or the psycho-spiritual movement.

(4) There is the stage of pure cognition.

The first is called Káma. It aims at physical attainment. The second is called Artha, which aims at removal of pain. Pain is physical, mental and spiritual, but, mainly it is in the psychic realm. When we do not understand something, this also causes mental pain, hence one meaning of Artha is also “meaning”.

The spirit behind the word Artha is that which removes pain. As the pain of hunger and of many other types is removed by money, so Artha is also used in the sense of money.

The scope of psychic wealth is vast, but this also does not last. It does not survive physical death. The psychic impressions which remained unexpressed in the physical arena, remain with the soul; the body is lost into oblivion. A scholar in the next life may be a fool or an illiterate person. Even in this life the mind does not retain its wealth. Think of a big learned man, who has gone mad for an MA in philosophy, who does the job of a clerk in a business firm. He loses his earnings of mind. Therefore, accumulation of mental wealth is also not a stable position.

The third one is to try to convert the psychic stuff into cognition. This effort is called the dharma. Dharma is of two types – primary and secondary. The primary dharma is expressed only in human beings. Therefore, the establishment of pure cognition or Bhágavata dharma is only possible in humans. Secondary dharma is that of the body, of various organisms or creatures. When the movement of life reverts to the original state i.e. consciousness, there is still movement there but no expression. When “svabháva” (one’s own nature) is converted into “svarúpa” (one’s original stance) “gati” (mobility) continues but there is no expression. This is the peculiarity of this stage. Here there is no vibration and hence no expression. As this stage is Absolute and Eternal, it cannot be symbolized. The movement of life, therefore, should be from physical to psychic, from psychic to psycho-spiritual and from psycho-spiritual to spiritual. Those who are not moving in this direction are moving towards great catastrophe and in the end, they will finally be converted into iron or wood.

All the potentialities and powers of human beings should be fully utilized. From the crude to the subtle and from the subtle to the causal, and from the causal to that which is beyond cause and effect, is the path of progress. You will follow this path and this will lead you to your desideratum.

In the process of Saiṋcara the abstract is crudified, and in the reverse process matter is powdered down and becomes subtler and subtler until it is fully liberated from the crudifying effect. Therefore, one bas to avoid depraving propensities which lead to more physicality, and promote elevating tendencies of mind ( vrittis). The correct way to get rid of depraving tendencies is not to repeat to oneself that I shall avoid this tendency or that. Suppression is not the proper way to weaken these tendencies. Do not suppress, but channelize. Humans are psychic beings. Reconvert the psychic into the spiritual. Let elevating tendencies be converted into a spiritual wave.

There are 49 propensitics. Collect them and awaken the 50th, the “Para” vrtti. When this will be awakened, you will enter the realm of pure cognition, which is called “Brahmadhámá” or the abode of the Supreme.

The mind has to be made one-pointed. As long as this is not done, you will not be establised in pure consciousness.

Devotion to the Supreme Entity is withdrawal of all other attachments and their concentration into Viśńu or Param Puruśa. The foundation or the base of all other propensities is unstable. Only the base of the 50th propensity, i.e., Pará, is stable in the Supreme Entity. The stable base is one and not many.

One has to be persistent and tenacious in this respect. You have to adopt only one goal, one base and one name. By keeping more than one direction, the Para will be distorted – the psycho-spiritual wave will not be consolidated.

Remember that for you there is only one name of the Supreme Entity and not many like Káli, Viśńu, etc.

In this regard, the story of Hanumána is very instructive. Someone asked him, “Hanumánji, you are always repeating ‘Rám, Rám’ and never uttering the name of ‘Náráyańa.’ What is the matter?” Hanumán said that although he knew that Ráma and Náráyańa are one and the same, even then he accepted Ráma as his only Lord.

Srinatha Janakinathe cábhede paramátmani

The meanings of the word “Ráma” are many, but they lead to the same truth, i.e., Parama Puruśa. The first meaning is “Ramante yoginah yasmin” The entity upon which the yogis meditate is Ráma, i.e., Parama Puruśa.

The second meaning is: “Ráti Mahiidhara”. The one who is most resplendant, the light from which all other lights derive their power to enlighten. This also means Parama Puruśa.

The third is: “Rávańasya Marańam Rámah” – The one who kills the ten-faced demon Rávana is called Ráma. The ten-faced demon is none other than the base propensities of human mind which function in all ten directions. Only when you go into the shelter of the Parama Puruśa this ten-faced demon is killed.

Similarly, the word “Náráyáńa” also means Parma Puruśa. Nára has three meanings: (1) water, (2) Paramá Prakrti and (3) devotion. The word Ayana means the shelter, therefore, one who is the abode of devotion; it also means the Parama Puruśa.

Hence, it is clear that for the sake of psycho-spiritual progress one-mindedness is very necessary. Pará needs only one idea and no confusion. There should be one aim, one way and one name to guide a person on the way. None of these should be two in number.

When one makes progress on this path, one will notice that there is movement in the spiritual realm, not only movement but acceleration also. In fact, there is no pause on this way and it is an eternal journey.

The next question is: What is the method of this movement? Is it necessary to determine whether one should sit facing east or west or north or south? The opinions of scholars differ. There will be difficulty since the scholars are bound to give conflicting views. The mind will again be in confusion – what to accept and what to reject.

The scriptures, religious books also express in different languages and give varying directions regarding the actual path to be followed. Moreover, if you want to read all the scriptures, it requires 200 years while life is not that long. “Art is long, life is short.” You cannot afford to waste any part of your precious life in these conflicting theories.

Srutayo vibhinnáh Smritayo vibhinnáh
Neka Munir Yasya mataḿna Bhinnam
Dharmasya tattvam Nihitaḿ Guháyám
Mahájano Yena Gatah Sah Panthá

In the spirit of Dharma, the soul of spirituality is hidden in the “guha”, i.e. your I feeling, You need not go to temples or mosques to find it. The Lord of your inner shrine is hungry and you are offering feasts in the outer world to attain Him. You have a jewel in your hand, you throw it away and spread your hand in begging before others asking them to give alms. Your Lord is there in your own “I” feeling. How to find Him? Learn from those who are practical, those who have done Sádhanáin their lives and have realized themselves, and follow them. The scriptures or the scholars will not rescue you. They are no support on this path.

How is the Ultimate Truth hidden in your “I” feeling? It is like:

“Tilesu Taelam dadhineva Sarpih”.

He is there in you as the oil is in the oilseed. Crush the seed through Sádhaná and you get the oil. Separate the mind from Cognition or Consciousness; and see that His resplendence lightens up your whole inner being. He is like butter in curd; churn it and He will appear from within. Churn your mind through Sádhaná and Parama Puruśa will appear like butter from curd. He is like a subterranean river in you. Remove the sands of mind and you will find the clear and cool waters within.

Thus it will be seen that for all creatures there is only one desideratum and it is Parama Puruśa. Move inward and you will attain Him – What will you say to Parama Puruśa then? What should be your prayer? It should be “O Lord, lead me on the correct path. Let not my intellect be distracted from the path of Truth.” You are all the children of Parama Puruśa. You will certainly attain Him. You will not deviate from the path of Truth. To attain Him is your birthright. The meaning of Gáyatrii chhanda is this-“O Lord of this resplendent light that pervades all, let not my mind, my intellect, deviate from truth. Show me the way. Lead me on the correct path. I meditate on thy Divine Effulgence so that my intellect is guided towards You.”

The same is the spirit of “Lead me from the unreal to the real, from Darkness to Light, from Death to Immortality.”

Asato má Sadgamaya Tamaso má Jyotirgamaya
Mrtyor má Mrtangamaya Ávirávir ma aedhi.

Where the intellect has adopted the correct path, the internal symbolisation will not express in the physical arena but be reconverted into spiritual wave.

Forget about your past, your past mistakes or sins. All these symbolisations will be converted into cognition. Once this is done one is no longer a sinner: one is pure as anyone else. The devil has become an angel.

“Therefore, I say that even if the most sinful approaches me single-mindedly, I deliver him or her from all sins.” He or she will surely attain the Desideratum of Life. One day everyone has to come to the Lord’s shelter. The sooner it is done, the better.

Chapter 10	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

What is the primary cause of this creation and what is it that humans should worship? In reference to this, scripture says that no relative factor can be the primary cause of creation:

Kálah svabhávo niyatiryadrcchá bhútáni yonih puruśa iti cintyá;
Saḿyoga eśáḿ na tvátmabhávád átmápyaniishah sukhaduhkhahetoh.

[It is debatable whether time, nature, fate, accident; or the five fundamental factors of matter; or unit consciousness – any of these separately – is the ultimate cause of creation. Even collectively they are not the cause of creation, although the átman, unit consciousness, is the catalytic agent. The unit consciousness is not the cause of creation, because it can be affected by virtue or vice.]

Kála. Does this universe, comprising all these animate and inanimate objects, owe its existence to kála [time]? Is this universe inherent in the womb of time? No, time is no independent factor. Time is the psychic measurement of the motivity of action. For there to be time, there has to be a “place”, for without a place no action can be performed. Over and above time and place, a “person” is also necessary, for that person will take the measure of the motivity of action. And thus where there is kála [time], there have to be place and person as well. So time is a relative factor, not an eternal or absolute factor.

Space, or place, is that in which all the solar systems of the universe exist. Round the nucleus of one solar system, that is, the sun, the earth revolves. When the earth completes one such circumambulation, we say that a year has gone by [i.e., we have defined time in terms of place].

But the mere existence of the sun does not give us the idea of a year, nor even does the existence of the earth and the sun together give us the measure of time. For this a person, endowed with the power of judgement, becomes indispensable. So we see that in the absence of a person also, time does not exist; so time is entirely a relative factor. Some people say that “Mahákála”, or “Eternity”, knows whatever took place in the past, whatever is taking place in the present, and whatever will take place in the future. But as a matter of fact there exists no such absolute or supreme entity as “Mahákála”, for time is measured on the basis of relativity, that is, of place and person. Hence time cannot be the noumenal cause of this phenomenal universe.

Svabháva. Then is svabháva the primary cause of this creation? The English equivalent of svabháva is “nature”. Nature is a blind force. Everything mundane is dependent on nature. But if we leave everything to nature, all sorts of confusion will arise. An infant has neither any intelligence nor any judgement; but when it puts its hand into a fire, its hand gets burnt. Wise people would not punish the little child in this way; but nature admits of no judgement. So this discriminating world can never be evolved by undiscriminating nature. Thus svabháva, or nature, is not the rudimental cause of the creation of the universe either.⁽¹⁾

Niyati. The word niyati is derived ni [-] yam + ktin, [and its synonym is adrśt́a.] [Adrśt́a means] “what is not seen with the eyes”.⁽²⁾ That which seems to be invisibly controlling us is called niyati. Niyati in English is “fate”. But is the advent of humans in this world only a play of fate? Humans experience various kinds of pleasure and pain in their lives. But are they due to fate?

To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Original actions are of two kinds – psychic and psycho-physical. A person steals mentally; then he or she repeats the performance physically, but at the behest of his or her mind. So [in either case] the responsibility for the act lies with the mind. Therefore it is in the body of the mind that reaction will get awakened. If we think uncharitably of others, we have to endure the reaction or requital thereof in our mind. Reaction must follow mental action, whatever it may be. Reaction takes place in accordance with the nature of the original action. So we have got to be ever alert about our actions, not about their fruits. In reference to this the Giitá says:

Karmańyevádhikáraste má phaleśu kadácana;
Má karmaphalaheturbhúmá te sauṋgo’stvakarmańi.

[You have the right to action but not the right to the fruits of the action. You must not do actions that will bind you, but you must not be averse to action, either.]

When an action has taken place but the karmaphala-bhoga [reaction] has not, the reaction to the action remains in seed [form], which is called saḿskára, or reaction in its potentiality. When the reaction immediately follows the performance of some action, a person says that he or she is undergoing or experiencing the fruits of such-and-such action. But when the body undergoes a change due to physical weakness or infirmity (that is, when death takes place), then in the next birth the person has to serve the accrued requitals, that is, the unserved reactions of the previous birth – and at that time persons will not be able to understand which of their actions have brought upon them the reaction that they are now serving. It is just because [the cause] cannot be seen or understood that it is called adrśt́a, or unseen, requitals, or fate. Niyati, or fate, is merely the accrued reactions of the original actions. Niyati is no guiding factor. Wise persons do not waste time musing on reactions. Humans can mould their own fate in accordance with their actions. They must not become slaves to their fate.

Yadrcchá. The English equivalent of yadrcchá is “accident”. I must say at the very outset that accident can never be the primary cause of evolution or of the Cycle of Creation. Kárańábhávát káryábhávah; that is, “Without a cause there can be no effect.” When we come across an effect and along with it we get acquainted with its causal factor, we then call that effect an “incident”. But when, due to ignorance, we cannot know the cause of the effect, or when the causal factor gets transformed suddenly into the effect factor, we call that effect an “accident”. But in the universe there is no such thing as an accident. It is only to cover up one’s ignorance of the real cause that one talks about an “accident”.

Bhúta. Bhúta is translated “matter” in English. There are many materialists, such as Charvaka, who say that this universe is begotten of matter alone. According to Charvaka what is non-perceptible is non-existent. We cannot see the mind, or air, but do they not exist? Through our judgement we know that matter is an inert object, and hence without intelligence. Intellect, and conscious beings, cannot be begotten of a non-intelligent inert object, that is, matter.

Prakrti. Now the question is, whether Prakrti [Cosmic Operative Principle] is the primary cause of this manifest universe. No, it certainly is not. Pra karoti iti Prakrti [“The entity that gives form to different objects is called Prakrti”]. A light bulb is lit by electrical energy. A fan, too, moves electrically. But this electrical energy is controlled and harnessed by humans; there is a switch for it, also. If people do not want any electric light, they just switch it off, and there is no light. The manifestation or unmanifestation of electrical energy depends on the human will. The shakti [energy, power] of Prakrti is that of Puruśa – Shaktih Sá Shivasya Shaktih. So without the permission of the Supreme Puruśa, the universe could not have been evolved. Prakrti is the secondary [efficient cause], Puruśa is the chief [efficient cause].

Jiivátmá [synonymous with puruśa in the shloka]. Is the jiivátmá [unit átman, unit consciousness] then the causal factor of this Srśt́icakra [Cycle of Creation]? Sáḿkhya philosophy says that in the universe there are many jiivátmás and one Prakrti. But we know that a jiivátmá has no independent entity of its own. It is upahata [affected] by, and vulnerable to, pleasure and pain, though it does not take part in action. A mirror has no colour, but it becomes red if a red flower is placed before it. That is why the átmá of a pápii [sinner] is called pápopahatátmá [átman affected by sin] and that of a puńyaván [virtuous person], puńyopahatátmá [átman affected by virtue]. Both pápátmá [sinful átman] and puńyátmá [virtuous átman] are wrong terms. When a football match is being played in some field, keen competition exists between the two groups. The spectators too betray their mental agitation regarding the defeat or victory of a particular side. Similarly with the jiivátmá. The átman which is involved with the mind⁽³⁾ [is] an entity vulnerable to vice and virtue, and can never be the causal factor of the universe.

[Saḿyoga, “combination”.] Two imperfect entities together cannot create an infinite entity, either. So [no combination of] time, nature, fate, accident[, and jiivátmá] collectively can create a Supreme Entity. None of these entities is the subtlest entity.

The citta [ectoplasm, mind-stuff] is responsive to material waves. When the movement of the [citta is pro-noumenal, the citta merges in the spiritual sphere. When the movement is pro-phenomenal], the sense of the material waves wakes up in the citta. We then call it bodha [perception]. But when the psychic pro-[noumenal] wave is reflected on the átmá, it is jiṋána.

The reflecting plate is more important than the reflected one. So among all these factors, the subtlest and final plate [within the unit] is the átmá [unit cognition]. But though it is very subtle, it is shelterless, so it always needs a vast shelter. The unit cognitive force is in search of that vast shelter, which is the Supreme Cognition. This Supreme Cognition is the noumenal cause or the Causal Matrix. The Vedas say,

Yato vá imáni bhútáni jáyante yena játáni jiivanti;
Yat prayantyabhisaḿvishanti tad vijijiṋásasva tad Brahma.

[All created beings emerge from, are maintained in, and finally dissolve in, the Supreme Entity. You should desire to know that supreme stance as Brahma.]

So this Supreme Cognition, and no second entity, is your dhyeya [object of meditation].

A question arises: “Have all the above – time, nature, etc. – no value at all?” But the answer is, yes, they certainly have.

The Supreme Cognition is called Parashiva in the scriptures. The movement towards Parashiva is called parágati, or introversive movement. For this movement all the aforesaid relative factors – time, nature, fate, accident, and matter – are certainly needed.

Time, as has already been said, is purely a relative factor. But time should not be neglected, as neglect of the time factor produces many undesirable consequences. A child of five, for instance, thinks that he or she will start sádhaná at the age of twenty-four. When he or she becomes a young person of twenty-four, the person thinks that he or she will start sádhaná at the age of forty-five. And at the age of forty-five the person decides to start it ten years later. Thus time is wasted, and at the end of the person’s life the person realizes his or her mistake.

The study of nature is no less important, when you come to serve the world. When you attend on a patient, if you are aware of the svabháva, or nature, of the disease, treatment becomes easy. If you know the nature of your friend and foe, you will know better how to deal with them individually.

And fate serves as an eye-opener. When a person does an act, the person forgets that one day he or she will have to serve the reaction to that action. So when people suffer, they should understand that they are being punished for their past misdeeds. This will help the person to be serene [about the punishment] and alert about the consequences of any [future] evil act.

“Accident” is a misnomer. No effect can take place without a cause. When a person receives an opportunity to do sádhaná, it is to be understood that the person is being allowed today to do sádhaná due to the good and virtuous deeds he or she performed in various past lives. The opportunity is the effect of the factors that lie behind it. So the present should be properly utilized for the future.

And finally, our bodies have come from this material world, so we must not neglect matter. Since matter too is a manifestation of God, we should behave properly with it; otherwise living will be impossible, and so will sádhaná.

So we see that humans are benefited by these things, but this does not mean that they are the only aim of human beings. The summum bonum of human life is to attain Parashiva. To attain that Supreme Entity you will have to adjust with these ingredients.

Shakti helps in such adjustments. You cannot [ignore] Prakrti. A sádhaka of Shivatva or Cosmic Consciousness does not disregard Shakti. One who is a Shaeva in the world of thought is indeed a Shákta on the path of sádhaná. (And, since Viśńu means “All-Pervading Entity”, one who sees the All-Pervading Entity in every object of this practical world is indeed a Vaeśńava.)⁽⁴⁾ There is no question of quarrelling among Shaivite, Shákta and Vaishnavite.

Shakti is not the dhyeya. Shakti is earned through the thought of Shiva, but Shiva is not attainable through the thought of Shakti. Shaktih Sá Shivasya Shaktih – “Shakti abides in Shiva.” Shakti is always being converted into Shiva. In reference to the ways of Shiva and Shakti, the Vedas say, Sa nityanivrttá [“She is ever-waning”]. After a limitless time [according to the Vedas] all the shaktis will be transformed into Shiva, and then alone will the universe come to its end.

There is [only a philosophical] difference between Shiva and Shakti. Let no one say that they could not worship Shiva for want of Shakti.

People may think, “Will Shiva be kind to us? Will He not be angry since our past is full of ills and depravities?” To Him there is no difference between sinners and the virtuous. On the contrary, a virtuous person may harbour vanity. The person may think, “I have never done anything wrong.” But a sinner is a helpless person. He or she has nothing to his credit. He or she is absolutely shelterless. So Shiva extends His arms first to the sinners. Giving help and shelter to the helpless and shelterless is indeed the mark of real greatness, of the really great. If Shiva failed to give shelter to the sinners, we might infer that hatred abided even in Paramátman, and that He distinguished between a sinner and a virtuous person.

What does a mother do? If one of her two sons is strong and the other weak, she takes more care of the weak child. Similarly Shiva showers His blessings more upon the helpless.

There is no need of flowers, etc., in the sádhaná of Shiva. To progress towards Paramashiva, love is necessary. Verbal enthusiasm alone will be of no use.

Go forward. Forget all about your past. Advancement and progress must come your way. Victory shall be yours.

Footnotes

(1) A sentence that may have been mistranslated in the original magazine publication of this discourse omitted here. –Eds.

(2) A sentence that may have been mistranslated in the original magazine publication of this discourse omitted here. –Eds.

(3) The átman which is involved with the mind is the jiivátman. –Eds.

(4) The major three of the traditional five schools of Tantra are Shaevácára, Sháktácára, and Vaeśńavácára. –Eds.

Chapter 11	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Human beings have a fully-reflected consciousness which makes them capable of independent action and also of distinguishing between good and bad. Good and bad is a relative idea; what is good and what is bad has to be determined.

The purpose of the Qualified Supreme Entity (Saguńa Brahma) in bringing about the creation is to liberate every unit being and make it emancipated like Itself. It is only with this intention that in the last stage of the evolutionary movement from crude to subtle, human beings, representing a few units only, appear with a fully-reflected unit consciousness. The influence of Prakrti on the unit consciousness decreases with its advance towards the subtle, as we find that the unit consciousness in human beings is under a lesser influence of Prakrti than the unit consciousness in animals. This decrease in the influence of Prakrti over unit consciousness is obviously at the mercy of Saguńa Brahma. The Qualified Supreme Entity (Saguńa Brahma) and Prakrti must have entered into an alliance at the very beginning of creation for this to happen; otherwise, Prakrti (whose very nature is to qualify Puruśa as much as possible) would not release Puruśa from Her influence. In the phase of creation where the movement is from crude to subtle, it is found that Prakrti releases Consciousness (Puruśa) from Her bondage at Her own will. Yet the unit consciousness remains under bondage, because the movement of the creation from crude to subtle does not come to an end. If, in this subjugated position, any conscious entity acts independently, it is the nature of Prakrti to punish it. As a result of punishment, the further evolutionary movement of unit consciousness towards subtlety is temporarily affected.

In the creation it is observed that the influence of Prakrti is less where the reflection of Consciousness is clearer. If the unit consciousness could expand and enlarge the reflection of Consciousness, it would be increasing its speed towards subtlety, as the influence of Prakrti on it would be decreased. It would then be possible for unit consciousness to get back to complete subtlety quickly. Therefore, good deeds are those which enlarge the reflection of Consciousness without leading one to go against the laws of Prakrti. Following the laws of Prakrti and working according to Her dictates will eliminate the suffering of the consequences of actions (karmaphala), while enlarging the density of reflection of Consciousness will diminish the hold of Prakrti. This enables one to go back to the supreme rank very quickly. Actions which make one follow the laws of Prakrti and also increase the density of reflection of Consciousness, are called uttama karma (ideal actions), and are also called Vidyámáyá – which is associated with vaerágya and viveka.

Vaerágya is commonly understood to mean retiring from the world and leading a life of strict self-denial by practising excessive austerity. Vaerágya does not mean this. It does not make one a recluse. It only means to attempt to understand the proper use of things and to use them correctly (of course without working under the control of the crude objects of mind only). For example, alcohol is an intoxicant which is harmful for both body and mind, and hence the use of alcohol as an intoxicant is to be given up. Doctors prescribe alcohol in medicine for various diseases, and the intoxicant alcohol then becomes a medicine which relieves the patients of their suffering. Thus the same alcohol through difference in its use, changes its character from a harmful intoxicant to useful medicine. The use of alcohol as a medicine is its proper use, and anyone using it for this purpose does not place himself under the dominant influence of alcohol. This right use of a thing is vaerágya. Right use of anything within the idea of vaerágya does not make one’s mind a slave to a constant longing for the object. One becomes indifferent to it. By developing indifference or not being constantly attracted by crude things, one’s mind becomes subtle. Mind’s movement towards subtlety means a decrease in the influence of Prakrti over it, and that is an advance towards liberation (mukti), as liberation is only possible when one is released from the influence of Prakrti.

Discrimination between good and evil is viveka. To consider the use of alcohol as an intoxicant to be evil and its use as a medicine to be good is viveka. The same thing by change in its use can become good or evil, and discrimination between the two is viveka. It is with discrimination (viveka) only that mind can determine the goodness or evil in a thing or in its uses. Viveka is, therefore, necessary for following vaerágya, and vaerágya is a great contributory factor in achieving emancipation (mukti). Thus vaerágya and viveka alone are good deeds or Vidyámáyá.

Evil deeds or Avidyámáyá are just the opposite of these. Actions which dim the reflection of Consciousness and also lead one to go against the laws of Prakrti are evil deeds. Evolution of unit consciousness only means that the reflection of Consciousness becomes clearer and greater in density because of the mind becoming more subtle. This would be possible only when the speed of movement towards subtlety is increased, as then alone will mind tend to become more subtle. The more the mind is absorbed in crude objects the more unit consciousness is dragged backwards, because the reflection of Consciousness becomes dimmer with greater expression of Prakrti. Mind being absorbed in crudeness remains more under the influence of Prakrti, with the result that the onward march of unit consciousness is halted. Then actions that lead one to go against the laws of Prakrti also halt the evolutionary march towards subtlety, because the consequences of the punishment inflicted by Prakrti for defying Her have to be suffered before progressing further, and unit consciousness is debarred for that time from gaining its subtlety.

Actions which draw mind to crude objects and lead one to act against the laws of Prakrti are evil or Avidyámáyá. Avidyámáyá is the creator of the śad́ripu (six enemies) and the aśt́apásha (eight fetters). Káma (longing for earthly objects), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), moha (attraction), mada (vanity) and mátsarya (envy) are the six enemies, while bhaya (fear), lajjá (shame), ghrńá (hatred), shauṋká (doubt), kula (high descent), shiila (complex of culture), mána (vanity) and jugupsá (backbiting) are the eight fetters. Śat́ means “six” and ripu means “enemies”. These six faculties in human beings are termed as enemies, as they absorb the mind in crudeness and stop its march towards the subtle. The supreme rank for unit consciousness is subtle, and anything which holds it back from reaching the supreme rank, is its enemy. These six faculties are, therefore, termed as six enemies. Aśt́apásha means the eight fetters. Anyone bound by fetters will lose his or her capacity of movement. In the creation we find the movement of human beings is from the crude to the subtle. That is, human beings have to move towards the subtle, but by their leaning towards the eight fetters such as lajjá, bhaya, and ghrńá, they get absorbed in crude things only and their progress towards the subtle is stopped.

To follow Vidyámáyá would be a good deed while to follow Avidyámáyá would be an evil one. Vidyámáyá gradually leads one to the subtle and Avidyámáyá stops one’s progress towards the subtle. According to the rule of creation, human movement is towards the subtle, and everyone will have to follow Vidyámáyá so that their movement towards the subtle is accelerated and one gets back to the supreme rank quickly.

Those who follow Vidyámáyá can be put into four categories: First, those who follow the laws of Prakrti and make an effort for the progress of unit consciousness. They are the good people. Second, those who follow the laws of Prakrti but are indifferent to making efforts for the progress of unit consciousness. Third, those who do not follow the laws of Prakrti and are indifferent to making efforts for the progress of unit consciousness. These are called the low. Fourth, those who do not follow the laws of Prakrti and also become the cause of the degradation of their unit consciousness. Such as these are lower than the lowest.

The purpose of the Qualified Supreme Entity (Saguńa Brahma) in creating human beings is to make them follow Its course towards the subtle so as to take them back to the supreme rank. This forms the nature (dharma) of human beings. To get back to the supreme rank, effort for the elevation of unit consciousness is necessary, and actions should also be in keeping with the laws of Prakrti so that She does not create obstacles to progress. Hence the people of the first category, that is, good people, are natural (prákrta manuśya), as they work according to their nature (dharma), and they alone serve the purpose for which the Qualified Supreme Entity (Saguńa Brahma) made them.

Animals also follow Prakrti, but due to the absence of clear reflection of consciousness they are not able to make any effort for the elevation of their consciousness. Persons of the second category who only follow the laws of Prakrti are in no way different from animals. They make no use of a fully-reflected unit consciousness in them. They can hence be called nothing better than beasts in the guise of humans.

Those in the third and fourth categories are really lower than the beasts. Beasts follow the laws of Prakrti and do not make any effort for the elevation of unit consciousness as it is not clearly reflected in them. Being dependent entirely on Prakrti for all their actions, animals with the passage of time develop a clearly-reflected unit consciousness. While the low and the lowest of people in the third and fourth categories make no use of the fully-reflected unit consciousness in themselves and work against the laws of Prakrti, the lowest not only work against the laws of Prakrti but also bring about further degeneration in the reflection of unit consciousness through their actions. These two are not only beasts in human form but even meaner than the beasts.

In the preceding chapter it was shown that reactions of actions (karmaphala) have to be experienced. No one is spared from experiencing them; the reactions of all one’s actions will have to be borne by oneself alone. There are many who with the intention of escaping this suffering of reaction (karmaphala) try various methods. To what extent their attempts and methods are based on reasoning and logic, and whether they can succeed in escaping the experience of reactions (karmaphala), is discussed below.

Many believe that by neutralizing the influence of the stars (grahashánti) and by rituals of offering sacrifice in repentance (práyashcitta), they will be able to escape the consequences of their actions. This belief is not correct, because according to the rule of Prakrti every action has to be followed by its reaction. The mind has to regain its normality through reactions. This is the law of Prakrti and no one can set it aside. There is, however, the possibility of accelerating or slowing the speed of the reactions which will bring the mind back to normality. For instance, the reactions which would take one month to bring the mind back to normality may, with the help of Tantra, be completed in a day or a year by accelerating or slowing the speed of reactions, but it will never be possible to eliminate them altogether. One may borrow one hundred rupees on the condition that the same will be returned within a month. It may be possible to persuade the creditor to waive the condition of payment and increase the period to a year or even to two years. The period of the return of the money can be extended, but the return of the money cannot be escaped. Similarly, a person having 150 rupees’ credit in their account with a condition that they will spend all the money in a month at the rate of five rupees a day, may spend all the 150 in one day, or may follow the original condition and take one month to spend the money. The money will only be used by the depositor whether they do it in a day or a month.

The mode of experiencing the reaction can be changed with the help of Tantric practices, like the two examples cited above, but the experience of the reaction, or fate, cannot be evaded. Karmaphala, consequences or reactions of one’s actions, will have to be experienced by a person, and at best only the intensity of suffering at a time can be reduced or increased by slowing or accelerating the speed of reactions. It is possible that the condition of returning one hundred rupees in one instalment may be too hard for the debtor and he or she may have to suffer great mental agony, but if the same amount is returned in several small instalments the debtor may not feel it at all. The period of suffering is thus increased with the help of Tantric practices with the result that one does not feel the intensity of suffering and wrongly concludes that the experiencing of reactions (karmaphala) has been evaded or stopped because of grahashánti (that is by neutralizing the influence of stars). For example, if on reading the future of a person it is found that he or she has to bear the mental suffering of fracture of an arm, it may be possible to stop the fracturing of the arm with the help of grahashánti. But the quantum of mental suffering cannot be changed or done away with. The suffering could be spread over a longer time due to a number of minor incidents. For instance, the person’s hand might get scratched, and later on he or she might fall sick. The person would go suffering in instalments till the quantum of his or her suffering equalled the mental suffering he or she was destined to get from the fracture of the arm. To revert to our earlier example, it would mean that the debtor of one hundred rupees would have to keep on repaying his or her debt in small instalments of a rupee or so until they had paid off the full hundred. Here the payment of the debt of one hundred rupees represents the mental suffering from the fracture of the arm, which was supposed to be completed in one instalment; but through flattery and persuasion of the creditor, that is, by neutralizing the influence of the stars (grahashánti), it is being paid back in small instalments. Hence as the return of the hundred rupees is not complete, the payment will have to continue.

Just as it is possible to increase the period of experiencing the reactions with the help of grahashánti, it is also possible to decrease this period. For instance, some persons wear different stones such as blue sapphires which change the mode of their experiencing the reactions. It is possible that by this one may get a fortune by winning a prize in a lottery or may get a promotion in one’s employment. This makes people believe that all this has happened due to grahashánti, but it is actually not so. Fate, or the quantum of experiencing the consequences of one’s actions, can neither be changed nor evaded. It was explained earlier that one’s actions that give happiness to others will beget happiness to oneself to the same extent in mental measure. This quantum of experiencing happiness and pleasure cannot be changed. Only the time required for experiencing it can be increased or decreased. Taking again the example of the deposit of 150 rupees, we see that the money intended to be spent in a month at the rate of five rupees a day, can be spent in one day by shortening the period of expenditure and leaving nothing for the remaining twenty-nine days of the month. The change in fate brought about by grahashánti is similar to this. For instance, the one thousand rupees that one gets as a prize in a lottery due to the influence of the blue sapphire, is the person’s own money scheduled to be received by him or her in small instalments over a long period of time. This money is received in one instalment, leaving no balance for the rest of the instalments. Yet getting a huge amount at once makes one believe that grahashánti, or the wearing of a blue sapphire, has changed one’s fate.

In fact, fate or the experiencing of reactions (karmaphala) can never be changed. It is only the duration of reactions that can be changed. That is why those who carry on intuitional practice (sádhaná) with the intention of achieving emancipation, experience pleasure and pain, happiness and agony quickly, so that they may complete the experiencing of reactions in as short a period as possible. Those who desire liberation (mukti) want it in this life itself, and so they experience everything quickly, according to their potential reactions (saḿskáras), so that nothing is left for the future life and they can obtain release from the bondage of Prakrti.

Some believe that the results gathered due to evil deeds can be compensated or washed off by the good results earned by good deeds. According to them, if the bad and good deeds are the same in number, there should be nothing left as balance to be experienced. This neither happens nor is it possible. It has been seen earlier that all actions, whether good or evil, cause a deformity in the mind. In the process of mind regaining its normal form the deformity is removed by an equal and opposite reaction. Hence deformity caused by evil actions cannot be removed by good actions as they would only make the mind more deformed. There will have to be an independent, equal and opposite reaction to every action. When every deformity is removed by an independent reaction, one will have to experience the consequences of good and bad actions separately. Hence the results of good actions cannot help one to evade the suffering of bad results due to bad actions. Evil consequences of evil deeds and good consequences of good deeds will have to be experienced separately. This is the law of Prakrti.

Logically it has been proved that the experiencing of the reaction (karmaphala) of an action cannot be evaded. That being so, blaming God (Bhagaván) for the consequences of our actions or praying to be released from bearing the consequences is only foolishness. One who performs actions will have to bear the reactions also. If you plunge your hand in fire you will surely burn it. To blame God for burning your hand is merely ignorance or stupidity. It is the nature of fire to burn, and whatsoever comes in contact with it will be burnt. Similarly, it is a self-evident law of Prakrti or Her very nature that all actions will have reactions. God (Bhagaván) is not in the least responsible for it. The performer of the actions is responsible for it. The performer of the actions is responsible for the reactions also, since God has not performed the actions. He cannot be responsible for the reactions. It is only people who are responsible for actions as well as for bearing the consequences of these actions.

Prayer is the act of asking for a favour with earnestness. It also means a solemn petition addressed to the Supreme Being for certain benefits. One prays to God for something which one does not possess or thinks one does not possess. One asks God for these favours with the faith that He alone can bestow everything and by His mere wish all wants can be satisfied. By prayer or by begging one wants to awaken His wish so that one may be granted the things one lacks. Does not one’s attempt to rouse the wish of God to fulfil these needs, upon careful and rational thinking, appear to be a reminder to God to give one something of which God has kept one deprived? It would otherwise not be necessary to remind Him in prayer of that thing or to try to arouse His wish to give. For instance, if one is in need of money, one would, with the faith that God alone can give, pray to Him for the favour of giving one money. Does not this request show God’s fault in keeping one in want of money, when He alone can give it? God alone is blamed for it, and by praying to Him for money one is precisely pointing out to Him His partiality in not giving one the money one needed. Therefore, prayer or asking for favours from God is only pointing out to the Sole Giver His mistakes in the distribution of His favours. It only presumes lack of impartiality in Him, and that is why He is blamed for making some very rich and others very poor. Praying to God for favours is only to bring to His notice the charge of partiality levelled against Him. When prayer leads to such a conclusion, it is only ignorance to ask for favours. One who performs actions will also bear the consequences, and blaming God for it as His partiality is not going to save one from bearing the consequences.

A hand plunged in fire will surely get burnt. No amount of praying is going to save it. For God’s granting such a prayer would mean either removing the burning property of fire or changing the very composition of the hand so that it is not affected by fire and does not get burnt. This is not possible. In God’s creation there is no flaw, only because all things, small or big, follow their own nature (dharma). Otherwise there would have been disorder at every step. Prayers, which only serve as a reminder to God of His partiality, cannot induce Him to change the laws of His creation. Anyone who hopes to make God change His laws through prayer only displays utter ignorance.

According to the laws of Prakrti, every action has a reaction which has to be experienced by the person who performs the action. This law is unchangeable, and praying to change this law is only wasting one’s time. Prayers cannot change fate, and the experiencing of reactions (karmaphala) is inevitable.

Stuti is lauding or eulogizing the qualities of God in a song or hymn of praise, and it cannot be given a higher status than flattery. Flattery is usually practised on one who is capable of granting a favour and from whom one seeks something. Singing the qualities of God is obviously done with the intention of pleasing Him, or else there would be no use in telling God, who is all-knowing, that He is merciful, He is almighty and He is benevolent. The intention behind eulogizing these qualities is to flatter God so that He may bestow some of His mercy. He, being almighty, may exempt one from the consequences of one’s actions by His authority. Stuti or lauding the qualities is, hence, only flattery, behind which is hidden a prayer for seeking favours. Stuti is, therefore, just as ineffective as prayer and indulging in it is also a waste of time.

Prayer and stuti serve no purpose and indulging in them is only wasting time, since obvious begging and flattery is not likely to achieve anything. Bhakti, or devotion, however, is not like this. Let us see what bhakti is. Bhakti is a Sanskrit word derived bhaj + ktin, which means “to call with devotion”. It is not stuti or flattery. It is different from prayer also. It is only to call God with devotion. The utility of this calling has to be seen. The unit consciousness which follows the purpose of creation laid down by the Qualified Supreme Entity by making an effort to return to the omnipresent Cosmic Consciousness, or those who desire emancipation, have to take recourse to bhakti. The only path that leads to Cosmic Consciousness is to devote oneself to Him completely by calling Him.

The quality or nature of the human mind is such that it becomes like the idea or entity to which it is devoted. For instance, if one starts thinking oneself to be mad, one actually becomes mad, as one’s mind is largely given over to that idea. Similarly, if one is given to believe that one is suffering from consumption, one becomes so concerned with the idea that one actually develops consumption. The human mind is so made that it has the capacity of becoming like the object to which it is attached. The unit consciousness that wants to return to Cosmic Consciousness quickly has to become devoted to Cosmic Consciousness, and this is bhakti. “I am That” is the idea to which the unit consciousness has to be completely devoted in order to become That one day. Bhakti, devotion, or calling Cosmic Consciousness, thus leads one to become like That. Bhakti or devotion is neither prayer nor stuti. Some, however, say that wanting to merge with Cosmic Consciousness or wanting emancipation is also a favour that one seeks through bhakti, and so it is also a prayer. This is not so, because the very purpose of God in creating humanity is to make the unit consciousness emancipated like Himself and to return it to the supreme rank. This is the wish of God, and everything in this creation is with that purpose and is directed towards that. One who makes an effort through bhakti to achieve the purpose for which one was brought into being, or for fulfilling the wish of God, does not pray for any favour. For even if one does not make an effort and digresses from that path, one will sooner or later be made to follow it again. Bhakti or devotion is, therefore, neither prayer nor eulogizing God (stuti). These two do not help one to achieve any result and are merely a waste of time. Bhakti is the method by which one can be completely devoted to Cosmic Consciousness, and that is the only way to achieve the quickest return to the supreme rank.

The consequences of actions (karmaphala) have to be borne. There is no way to escape them. Even prayer and lauding the qualities of God is of no help. What then is the way out? The only way is to give up evil deeds, the consequences of which keep one bound to the influence of Prakrti, by taking a lesson from the consequences that one suffers. For instance, if a hand is plunged in fire, it is bound to get burnt. This is bound to happen, and even prayer cannot relieve one of such a consequence. The only way to avoid burning is not to plunge one’s hand into fire. Similarly, if there are no evil actions the question of evil consequences does not arise.

The rule of Prakrti that one has to bear the consequences of one’s actions must also have some purpose behind it for the welfare of humanity. The purpose of the entire creation is to enable every unit to become emancipated. That is the great object of the Qualified Supreme Entity in bringing about the creation, and hence It can only be called the Great Benefactor. Even though It is emancipated, It came under the influence of Prakrti for the welfare of every unit. Karmaphala or bearing the consequences of one’s actions has been made a very strict rule only for the welfare of human beings, as it is by means of this that He (Bhagaván) restrains human beings from evil actions and leads them to emancipation. God, by His punishments, teaches humans not to indulge in evil deeds, but humans out of their ignorance only blame Him for inflicting pain and suffering. Blaming God for being partial and unkind and for inflicting pain and suffering, or even prayer and flattery for relief from suffering, are not the correct courses to adopt. The wise take the pain and suffering as a lesson through which the Great Benefactor teaches them to refrain from evil actions and develop in them discrimination. Hence abstaining from evil action is the action of the wise and the duty of every human being.

Chapter 12	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Párvatii once asked the Lord, “How will my children be able to get you?” Shiva replied, “That I have already explained to you a number of times and in a number of ways.” But Párvatii insisted on a repetition. Shiva replied in short, “They should do sádhaná properly and regularly and in the course of time they will come to achieve their goal.”

But the mother pleaded for her children. “This you have of course said before. But all my children are not made of the same stuff. Some are good, some wicked, some even more wicked. Some are good and pious sádhakas, but there are many who are never calm and collected. They will never be able to do difficult sádhaná that regularly. So will they never get mukti? These children are ours also. You must say something that will help everyone, including this group.”

Lord Shiva insisted that everyone should do sádhaná according to the proper system He had taught; that would bring them to their goal. But Mother Párvatii still insisted on some easier way to mukti. Finally the Lord yielded and said, “Those who surrender completely to the Lord may or may not do sádhaná. All their burdens and duties will be borne by the Lord Himself. The Lord will perform their sádhaná for them. So ask your naughty children to surrender to Him.”

Chapter 13	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Each and every living being has got the longing for the Great. Each and every human being wants to do something noble, something lasting. But the life of each and every person is not crowned with success, because the thing that a person requires most is proper guidance.

There was a yogi-king in ancient India about thirty-five hundred years ago, and his guide was Lord Krśńa. Krśńa was a great yogi. The name of that yogi-king was Yudhisthira. Yudhi means “in war, in battle”, and śt́hira means “unaffected, unassailed” – “balanced”. One who can maintain one’s mental balance even in wartime is “Yudhisthira”.

Now, he was a yogi; “yogi” means a practical person. A yogi has got little to do with theory. A yogi is not a theoretician, a yogi is a practical person.

He was asked a question, and that question was, “What is the proper path, proper way?” And the answer of King Yudhisthira was – let me repeat it in Sanskrit –

Shrutayo vibhinnáh smrtayo vibhinnáh naekamuniryasya mataḿ na bhinnam;
Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyáḿ mahájano yena gatah sa pantháh.

[The scriptures differ, the social codes differ; each sage has a different opinion. The essence of dharma lies deep in the mind; the realized one follows the true path.]

He replied that one is to follow the practical person and not the theoretician. The theory may or may not be a success in the field of application. It may be good in books, it may be good in theory, it may be good in contemplation, but it may or may not be useful in practical life. So a yogi, a spiritual aspirant, has to follow the practical person. That is, a yogi is to follow a maháyogii [great yogi].

Shrutayo vibhinnáh. Now, there are so many scriptures in the world, but these scriptures vary from one another. Now, the supporters of those scriptures, the supporters of each and every scripture, say, “Ours is the message of God. It cannot be challenged.” By saying this, that is, that it cannot be challenged, they try to block the intellectual progress of human society. [By saying] that one should not think beyond this [they] want to do – what? They try to block, to seal, the intellectual progress of human society. They are enemies of human progress, they are enemies of human civilization. Had there been no intellectual progress, then even in this second half of the twentieth century, we would have been in the stone age. So there must be intellectual progress, and no power, no theory, should try to block this progress.

But scriptures vary from one another. And the supporters of each and every scripture say, “Ours is the message of God, it is the supreme word.” Then if all the scriptures are messages of the same Supreme Being, why do they vary from one another? The Supreme Being is one, and if all the scriptures are messages of that single Supreme Being, then there should not be any variation amongst themselves. This shows that those scriptures are not the messages of that Supreme Being.

But what is a common person to do? Whom to follow? In a particular scripture it will say that during meditation a person, a sádhaka, should be facing east. Another scripture will say no, a sádhaka should be facing west. Now how to adjust? Then if a sádhaka wants to make an adjustment, he or she either has to face north or south – an adjustment between east and west! Either north or south. A very difficult job, a knotty problem, a very knotty problem!

Now, those spiritual scriptures – not spiritual, those scriptures – vary from one another. What is a common person to do? Smrtayo vibhinnáh. In Sanskrit smrti means “social code”. “The scriptural codes vary;” the social codes also vary. In ancient times there were so many social systems, and now there are so many social systems in different portions of the world, and amongst different races of the world, and amongst different races of a particular country. In the same country there are so many social codes and social usages. Whom to follow? Which one is absolute? Which one is perfect? What is a common person to do? A very knotty problem. What to do and what not to do?

Naekamuniryasya mataḿ na bhinnam. And intellectuals, you see, “always quarrel amongst themselves.” Non-intellectual people may have love and affection amongst themselves, but intellectuals, you know, learned people, always quarrel amongst themselves. And they think if a particular intellectual supports the view of another intellectual – well, it is rather an insultation to support others! One should create a particular school of thought of one’s own – one should not support others. So intellectuals always quarrel amongst themselves.

The common person is to follow – whom? Intellectual A says Mr. B, another intellectual, knows nothing. And Mr. B says that Mr. C knows nothing. What is a common person to do, and whom to follow? Is one to follow Mr. A or Mr. B or Mr. C? A knotty problem. You see, intellectuals always vary – naekamuniryasya mataḿ na bhinnam.

Now what is a person to do? What is a common person, a practical person, a yogi, to do?

Yudhisthira, as I said, was a yogi-king. He says: “Now what is the goal of life? The supreme goal of life, the supreme physical, intellectual, mental and spiritual goal of the entire Cosmological order, is the same, the same desideratum for all.” And where lies that desideratum? Who is that supreme point? What is that supreme terminus? What is that supreme culminating point? And where doth lie that supreme point?

Yudhisthira says, Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám. The essence of spirituality lies coverted in the “I” feeling of each and every individual. You know, when “I” is connected with some other physical object, when “I” is connected with, related to, some other physical being, then that physical being is the object. “I” is the subject and that connecting link is the verbal expression. “I”… “food”: “I eat food.” “I”… “mango”: “I eat mango.” This “eat” is the connecting link, “eat” is the verbal expression. “I”… “water”… “drinking”: “I am drinking water.” Here “am drinking” is the connecting link. Subject, object and connecting link.

Now, there is “I” in each and every living being. There is one “I” in you. “I am going.” “I am seeing Bábá.”⁽¹⁾ There is one “I”. Each and every individual has got one “I”. And that “I” is connected with external physicalities, external objects. Now, when “I” is connected with external objects, that “I” is the subtlest mind. That “I” is the subtlest portion of mind.

“I exist”: this “I” is the subtlest point of mind. And “exist”: while saying “exist”, we indirectly say, “I exist in the world, I exist in such-and-such place.” The object is mute here, the object is not expressed, but the object is understood. This “I” of “I exist” is the subtlest mind.⁽²⁾ “I” is the subtlest mind.

Now you know, in the mind of each and every living being there is this feeling of “I exist”. There is one “I exist” in you. “I exist.” “I am.” “I exist.” Mm? This “I” is the subtlest mind. But don’t you know that there is the feeling of “I exist” in you? You know it, you know this fact, that there is the feeling of “I exist” in you. Don’t you know it? You know that there is a feeling of “I exist” in you. Then, “I know the fact that I exist. I know the fact that there is a feeling of ‘I exist’ in me.” Now here the “I” of “I exist”, the subject of the sentence “I exist”, is the subtlest mind. And the “I” of “I know” – “I know the fact that I exist” – the subject of the sentence “I know”, that “I” is the átman, is the spirit, is the soul. It is not mind. There is a feeling of “I exist” in me – “I exist”. That “I” is the subtlest mind. The feeling that “I exist” is in me, is known to me. That knowing “I” – “I know that I exist” – that knowing “I” (the “I” of “I know”) is the átman, the spirit, the soul.

Now, this “I exist” is the subtlest mind, and it is called guhá in Sanskrit. And what is the essence of spirituality? The “I” of “I know” – “I know that I exist” – that “I” of “I know” is the essence of spirituality. You know so many things, but you have to know your self. When you know your self, that stage, that stance, is the supreme stance. And for that realization, to know your own “I”, is your sádhaná, is your spiritual practice.

And when you know your own “I” – You try to know so many people, but you don’t know your self. It is just like a citizen of Manila: he wants to see Hong Kong, he wants to see Tokyo, he wants to see Rangoon, but he does not know Manila. Áre,⁽³⁾ first know Manila! First know your self, first know your inner “I”.

You know, a person can easily become omniscient. How can a living creature, a living being, be omniscient? The secret is, if you want to know all, know one. And that one is your own “I”. And if you want to know everything, if you try to know everything, you will not be able to know anything. If you want to know all, know one. And that one is your own “I”.

So the yogi-king Yudhisthira says: Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám – “The spirit of dharma, the spirit of spirituality, the spirit of yoga, lies coverted, in” – what? “In your own ‘I’ feeling, in your own ‘I exist’.” Because “I know” – the “I” of “I know” – lies coverted in the “I” of “I exist”.

Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám. And who is your nearest person, what is your nearest object? You know, you try to know so many things, but you should know first of all your nearest object. Which one is your nearest object? Hand? Finger? Your nearest object?

Finger? No, no, no. Arm? No, no, no. Face? No, no, no. Hmm? What is the nearest point?

[Audience replies: “I”.]

“I” is your nearest entity. And the distance cannot be measured. Can you measure it? The distance cannot be measured. So it is the nearest entity.

First of all you should know, you should come in close contact with, all the wonts of your own “I”, all the characteristics of your own “I”. In your books, your laboratories, you study; you try to learn the characteristics of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen monoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and so many elements and compounds. But you do not know the characteristics of your nearest object. Try to know all the characteristics of your nearest object in your mental laboratory.

How to do it? In the laboratory, a theoretician will not be of any help, will not be able to help you in your research. A theoretician, no, no. You require a practical [[demonstrator]] there in the laboratory.

So King Yudhisthira says: “In the realm of spirituality, in the realm of yoga, whom to follow? Not those scriptures – you may or may not follow those scriptures, you may or may not follow those social codes, and you may or may not follow – you may or may not ditto – those intellectuals.” What are you to do? You are to follow those practical [[demonstrators]], that is, you have to follow the [[yogis]]. And certainly, as per that yogi’s direction, you will attain that supreme stance, you will enjoy that supreme beatitude.

Footnotes

(1) An affectionate name for the author, used by the author’s disciples. –Eds.

(2) An explanatory remark intended for the listening audience, not necessary for readers, omitted here. –Eds.

(3) An exclamation. –Eds.

Chapter 14	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Today’s subject of discourse is “Parama Puruśa.”

What is Puruśa? Puruśa means “Pure Shete Yah Sah Puruśah” or “Purasi Shete Yah Sah Puruśah”. The Sanskrit word Pura means settlement or township (Nagara). Therefore the entity which lies covert in each and every microcosmic structure is called Puruśa. It means that this quiescent entity or Puruśa lies hidden in each and every microcosm but doesn’t perform any action.

In the definition “Purasi Shete Yah Sah Puruśah”, Purasi means “in front of” or “before.” As in the sentence Purasi Hitaḿ Karoti Ya Sah Purohitah which means Purohita is one who moves in front of you to promote your welfare. One special attribute of Puruśa is that He always moves ahead of the microcosms. Whatever may be the speed of the microcosms, Puruśa is faster and so He is always ahead of them.

Puruśah akartá phalasákśiibhútah
Bhávakendrasthitah guńayantrakashca.

“Puruśah Akarta”. The word Akartá has been used in connection with Parama Puruśa. Why Akartá? When in a solid body a force operates in that special state the force is termed as “energy”. Action, or something that involves a changing of place, is originated by energy. Action, either physical or mental, is effected only because of the vitality in your body. During the state of ill health you will find that you cannot think for a long duration. It is only because of the lack of vitality. Doership is the Operative Principle, not Puruśa’s. Therefore, “Puruśah Akartá”.

“Phalasákśiibhútah”. Now let us see what is Phalasákśiibhútah. Puruśa is acquainted with all that is done by an entity. Whatever the unit mind performs is known to unit consciousness at once i.e. whatever your mind does is known to you’re átmá at once. Today’s discourse however is about Parama Puruśa, not about Jiivátmá or Jiivapuruśa. External activity is the actual expression of whatever you think on your psychic plane. So, whatever your mind is acquainted with, is done by your mind and hence your Átmá comes to know it. To what extent does your Átmá maintain its witnessing capability? Unit consciousness is Karmaphala bhoktá, i.e. whatever action – vice or virtue, is performed by your mind has its impression on Jiivátmá and the impression of the actions on Jiivátmá is at once conveyed to, Paramátmá.

Whatever action the Cosmic Mind does, that is not really action because everything is internal. But whatever the unit mind performs is both internal as well as external. For instance, if a desire for stealing is aroused in one’s mind, that can be internal when you don’t translate the same into action i.e. mental stealing can have external expression or it may remain in the psychic plane itself. But whatever the Cosmic Mind does is all internal, totally within His mental arena, there is nothing external for Him – all is within Him. Whatever He does, He does within Himself i.e. without your knowledge. For example He steals away your mind, your Átmá. One fine morning you will find that you have lost your mind. Your mind does not exist as He has stolen it away and just like a lunatic you begin dancing. How He has managed to steal it away is a mystery to you. Therefore He does everything inside Himself – everything is within, nothing without. Suppose your boss arrives, your superior arrives – you will welcome him and say, “Please come, take your seat and have something to eat.” You flatter him to the extent you know, but you say inside yourself, “What a trouble has arrived. When will he go?” This is not known to your boss. Hence a couple of “I’s” are within you – one performs action in the external world and the other is within with which you alone are well acquainted but others are not.

Sádhaná, therefore, is to unify the two into one – the internal “I” and the external “I”. Two-ness in one single personality is a disease. The more the gap between these two “I’s”, the more you will undergo psychic torment. You must remember that in this second half of the 20th Century people are feeling much gap in between their internal “I” and external “I”. Because of the trouble in adjusting these two “I’s” there is an increase in mental illnesses. This is the greatest disease in the 20th century. As regards Parama Puruśa there is no double personality. Everything is internal. The entire world is internal for Him. That which is external world for you is internal for Him. Whatever you think or do in your mind is also internal for Him. He enters your internal world, your mind and you don’t know that He has entered i.e., He will steal away your mind and you will not know. A person too wants that Paramátmá should steal away his mind. Therefore I remember to have told you that one of His names is Mákhanacora (Butter thief). Generally one says to God to come to him but actually God is already with him – He is simply unable to see Him. A Sádhaka may think with his conscious mind that when God appears before him, he will surrender completely to Him. In the most interior corner of his mind, however he feels that when God appears before him, he will certainly surrender to Him, but he will also seek God’s help for relieving the asthma from which he has been suffering badly. God, who is in the most interior corner of his mind, even knows this. Then He will not hear anything.

He will steal away the Átman of a person and his mind will not know it, Therefore, He is named Mákhanacora. As the cream is the essence of milk so is the Átman of the body. He steals away the Átman, so He is Mákhanacora.

Why Puruśa is Akartá? Action results when in the physical body vital force operates. Energy will not work away from material structure. It will always work from within. For Jiiva there is action, and also for Prakrti. Prakrti gets the action done, but Parama Puruśa is actionless.

“Phalasákśiibhútah”. Whenever a person performs some action there is an accompanying reaction. Action means creation of reaction also. For instance, if you throw a stone in a haphazard way, that will certainly have a result. Where there is action there is reaction. Both action and reaction take place in His Cosmic Body (Bhúmá Shariira). He immediately knows about the action performed by a person and its reaction too. But Parama Puruśa is not the enjoyer of the reactions.

Dvá suparńá sayujá sakháyá samánaḿ vrkśaḿse parisasvajáte.
Tayoranyah pippalaḿ svádvattyanashnannanyo bhiicákashiiti.

Two birds with beautiful plumage are seated on the same tree. One of them is tasting the sweet fruits of the tree, whereas the other is just looking on. The bird tasting the fruits is likened to jiivátman or unit consciousness. The bird which looks on without tasting the fruits, but which watches the other bird eating the fruits, is likened to Paramátman, the Supreme Consciousness. The tree, i.e., the body of a human being, has both jiivatman, which is karmopahata or that which receives the impression of all that the person does, and it also has Paramátma, who is the witnessing entity of jiivátman. Through Prakrti, the inherent energy of Puruśa, a human being performs actions and reaps their consequences. This “natural” set up has been arranged by Parama Puruśa. He makes the arrangements for actions and reactions to occur, therefore He is Phalasákśiibhúta.

They say that wherever there is action there is equal and opposite reaction. But there is one thing to be borne in mind here. Where there is action, the equal and opposite reaction takes place only when personal, temporal and spatial factors remain unchanged. But you know that personal, temporal and spatial factors do not remain unchanged. Just in the next moment time-factor is changed. If it is an inanimate object there is entitative change therein. If there is an animate object, the person remains unchanged but the mentality changes. Therefore, we do not find the exactly equal and opposite reaction of the action done. Generally the reaction is enhanced and is not lessened because the gap in inter-ectoplasmic stuff is increased for the reaction of an action done. For instance, you took a loan of rupees 1,000/-. When you return the amount you will have to pay the interest also. You will pay back Rs. 1020/- or 1030/-. Like-wise, if you have committed some sin you will be punished a little more than the reaction of the sin committed. Had the time, space and person remain unchanged the reaction would also have been the same. So get it in mind, while doing some thing immoral be prepared to pay the interest too. It is better not to take a loan, then alone you will not have to pay the interest.

“Bhavakendra.” This external world, this expressed world, which you see is full of action, full of rhythms. This actional world is both extroversial and introversial for you. There is a world inside your mind. That is your internal world, and the world which you see without is the extroversial world. Hence this internal world for you is ideational and the external world, actional. But for Parama Puruśa there is nothing like the extroversial world, all is introversial, and hence for Him this world is ideational or His thought projection, i.e., this world is Samkalpita for Him. Suppose you imagine Jodhpur⁽¹⁾ in your mind. This is ideational. But when you see outside, you find that it is Jaipur⁽²⁾, not Jodhpur. Then you realize that Jodhpur of your mind is ideational and Jaipur is actual. The same thing occurs in dream. While you dream you think it to be a fact because the external world does not exist there. For Parama Puruśa there is nothing like the extroversial world; just as for you when the internal world, which you take to be true in dream, is actually not there. For Him, the world exists in His ideation i.e., nothing is extroversial, rather all is introversial. And His imagination is called Samkalpa. Hence this world is a Samkalpita world for Him. There is a difference between Kalpatia and Samkalpana. Whatever you do in Kalpana is transitory and the Java concerned is only its enjoyer and none else.

God is a master magician who, by His magic spell, has created all and has hidden Himself inside His creation. If at all you want to know the creation, the trick of the magician, that can only be done when you join Him and His party.

This world is ideational for Him and this ideational cosmos has Him in its centre. He is in the centre of this ideational cosmos. He has to control it. Have you ever seen a fisherman spreading his fishing net in a river or a tank? The fisherman does so and he has to manage the net also. Likewise, He has made the ideational world which He alone has to manage and control. He controls the idea, therefore, in common parlance, He is taken as inactive. If, however, people steal, rob and are corrupt, will Paramátmá say that He is Akartá and hence He has got nothing to do with them? No, He controls them indirectly through the Guńas. Actually He controls the Guńas which do the actions. Really it is Paramá-Prakrti that operates. For instance, the commander orders the soldiers to catch so and so. Who catches? It is the soldiers, the power of the soldiers. People see that the soldier has caught the offender, but the soldier does so only with the direction of his commander. Hence Parama Puruśa is just like the commander and Parama Prakrti just like the soldier. This control over Bliáva Kendra is Samkalpita Niyantrańa, and He who controls it is named Krśńa. Therefore, there is another name of Parama Puruśa i.e. Krśńa. Krsna means the attractor of this ideational world. This ideational world is made of ectoplasmic stuff or by ectoplasmic structure. For Parama Puruśa, the quinquelemental world is just the crudified form of His ectoplasm. His mental stuff is subtler than jiivas, and therefore contains speed (Gati), light (Dyuti) and rhythm (Chanda), and controls them. The mental stuff of Parama Puruśa with which the world has been created is something blissful (Svarasa). This very object is named Paramarasa. The unit mind does all with its mental stuff. Sometimes it creates money in the mind and seeing the mental bank balance it feels happy. Sometimes it makes itself a Prime Minister and feels happy, and sometimes it feels enemies are mentally beaten and it is overjoyed. All these are done only with an aim to satisfy its mental hunger, to quench its mental thirst. Ultimately we see that an individual’s mental stuff is transformed into worldly objects. For the unit mind, whatever it makes within itself is Vaesayika. It is all directed for personal pleasure, for material pleasure. The flow of the ectoplasmic stuff of the jiiva is called Viśayarasa and the flow of Cosmic Mind is Paramarasa. When, even for once, the unit mind happens to come in contact with Paramarasa, the material pleasure ( viśayrasa) seems dry and insipid. Just as one eating vegetables without salt, feels they are tasteless. But material objects are needed to maintain the physical existence. The wise make the flow of Viśayarasa parallel to the flow of Paramarasa. They convert the waves of viśayarasa into the waves of Paramarasa. This alone is a safe way.

Krśńa is the nucleus of the Paramarasa of Bháva Samudra and the unit minds are like boats in that MaháSamudra. As per the rise and fall of Paramarasa of Parama Puruśa, the unit minds are to rise and fall i.e. as boats rise and fall with the waves of the ocean. The unit mind intentionally or unintentionally has to dance according to the rhythms and waves created by Parama Puruśa. This they are bound to do, there is no escape. Even if someone says that he will not dance because he is ashamed of dancing, really he dances, anyway; he simply does not know it. Everybody dances in the Paramarasa-Samudra. The Viśayarasatmaka Jiiva has to dance. There is no way out, they are made to dance. This very thing is the Rasa Liilá of Krśńa. There is difference between Liilá and Kriidá. Kriidá is causal. Everything in this world of relativity is causal. But Parama Puruśa is beyond the scope of relativity. Why is He making the world dance? Why has He made Paramarasa-Samudra? The answer to this cannot be known in the world of causality. Why Paramátmá has done something has no answer because He is beyond the scope of causality. Hence that which is non-causal, that which is beyond the scope of causality is Liilá. Whatever Paramátmá does is Liilá, but what Jiiva does is Kriidá. The wise will do Kriidá in such a way as to adjust their waves with the waves of Liilá. They will not try to know why Liilámaya has done an action. They will simply try to know Liilámaya Himself. If you cannot know the cause of a trifling thing like dancing, how can you know the cause of the action of Liilámaya? Jiiva has a very small brain and a very small cranium. It is not possible for it to know the action of Liilámaya. Suppose someone is an MA in 20 subjects. If he or she is asked suddenly to appear in the MA examination, he will not pass – he will have to read again, then he will have to appear. This proves that the Jiiva fails even to succeed in its own Kriidá. So how can it understand the cause of the Liilá of Liilámaya? It cannot. The best approach is to love Him, is to join His party. If there is true love the Master Magician will certainly make you understand everything because the more the members of His party know, the more convenient it is for Him. Hence He is “Bhavakendrasthitah.”

There is a particular tune, a particular rhythm, a particular rága, a particular rágini, particular laya and a particular tála in the Paramarasa-samudra as per the vibration projected in the nucleus of the Paramarasa. One who gets one acquainted with these does not like visayarasa, and naturally leaving the Visayarasa, one goes into Paramarasa. Then the attachment with the rága and rágini of Visayarasa is lessened and one becomes like a lunatic. People say correctly that Rádha, hearing the melodious tune of the flute of Krśńa, started behaving abnormally. This was due to the bifurcation of the waves of Visayarasa and then sudden adjustment with the waves of Parmarasa. When a rural boy comes to the town and sees cinemas, then he does not like to see Rámaliilá. He says “Rámaliilá is outdated. Cinema is far better.” Is it not so? Likewise, when one comes in contact with the waves of Paramarasa, the charm of Visayarasa fades away.

Wherever there is wave, there is sound – there is the sound of the ocean, of the river. The sound of Paramarasa is Krśńa’s Muralidhvani. The sound of the Visayarasa is “Money, more money, more corn, more vegetables, more bank balance.” Don’t you hear this? The sound of first class first, the sound for extension after retirement are the sounds of Visayarasa. The sound for the wedding of the daughter with no expenses is essentially the sound of Visayarasa. The sound of Paramarasa is the muralidhvani of Krśńa. Hearing this, one does not appreciate the sound of Visayarasa. Parama Puruśa is Puruśottama – He is seated in the nucleus of Paramarasa.

Parama Puruśa is “Guńayantrakashca”. When Guńa acts in material body that is known as energy. Energy is controlled by Prakrti but Prakrti, being the innate principle of Parama Puruśa, is controlled and guided by Him. The actions are controlled by Prakrti, but Prakrti is controlled by Parama Puruśa. Hence Parama Puruśa should alone be the be-all and end-all of humans. One must bear it in mind always that the Visayarasa of the units is encircled by Paramarasa from all the ten directions. You are never away from Parama Puruśa. He is always with you and in no condition you are alone. Since your activity is within Paramarasa, whatever you think, whatever you do with your organs is all made known to Paramarasa samudra. Since Paramarasa samudra knows it, it becomes the duty of Parama Puruśa as the witnessing entity to take you to task as long as you are not mended. I told you, Parama Puruśa is the creator and operator. His is not a vow to punish you, but to mend you i.e. whatever He thinks proper for you He will do, and it is proper for you to let Him do His will. Parama Puruśa will take care of those who take His shelter. He will not help those who think that they can take care of themselves, however, as He lets them do the things on their own. Therefore, it is told that for Bhaktas, Bhagaván has special responsibility. It is the duty of Parama Puruśa to save the prestige of the Bhakta, and the duty of the Bhakta is to leave everything on Him. Whatever energy is working in Paramarasa or visavarasa is under Him. Therefore, when once you develop your love for Him you are not weak, not helpless and not alone. The victory is with you. Remember Him and march ahead – victory will be yours. You have not to be afraid of the worldly forces. Those who enjoy the highest force of Parama Puruśa are sure to succeed. Victory will surely be theirs.

Victory to you all.

Footnotes

(1) Jodhpur and Jaipur are names of towns in India. –Eds.

Chapter 15	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Today’s subject of discourse is “Omni-Reflective Consciousness” (Pratisaḿvedii Puruśa). Who is pratisaḿvedii? When an object, due to its objective existence, [[is substantiated]] as the counterpart of [[another action or as the counterpart of an existence, that object]] is called [[prati]]saḿvedii. For instance, when the sound wave is reflected on an object we hear the echo of the original sound. The object [[on which the]] original wave is reflected is called [[pratisaḿvedii]] [reflecting plate]. Such an action is called saḿvedana. The reaction to this action is called pratisaḿvedana. That is, the action is saḿvedana and the reaction is pratisaḿvedana.

When human beings proceed towards the cause from the effect along the path of the law of causation, they finally reach a stage where they only see the effect and not the cause. For example, the cause of a tree is a seed and the cause of a seed is the tree. A stage is reached when the cause of the seed is no longer known – the intellect fails to proceed any further. The Supreme cause remains beyond the mind’s periphery on the other side of creation. The human mind cannot reach it because it remains embedded in Parama Puruśa. Whenever there is a reflection, there must be a reflecting plate. Similarly, whenever there is pratisaḿvedana there must be a pratisaḿvedii. Thus in the process of analysis, the last pratisaḿvedii will be none other than Parama Puruśa.

One of the meanings of the Saḿskrta root-verb krś is to determine one’s existence. Krśna means the entity on whom the existence of all other entities depends. Krśna is the Supreme pratisaḿvedii.

One can never reach the Supreme pratisaḿvedii by following the path of analysis. This path causes one to believe that one’s mother, father, and even the limbs of one’s own body are all separate entities. The path of dharma or spirituality is the path of synthesis. It is the path which synthesizes the many into one, and helps one to discover the Supreme unity in the midst of diversity. The one who treads the path of synthesis ultimately discovers that what was once multiplicity has been transformed into the supreme singularity.

In the first stage of synthesis one will have to consolidate all the expressions of the sense organs and then withdraw them into citta. Suppose you see something. The original waves of an object assimilated by your eye organ will be reflected in your citta. Only then will you be able to perceive that object. But if those waves assimilated by your eyes are not properly reflected in citta you can not see anything. In the next stage the existence of citta is substantiated by ahaḿtattva or doer-I, its reflecting, plate. Thus, on the path of synthesis citta will have to be merged in ahaḿtattva. In the subsequent stage all the faculties of ahaḿtattva will have to be merged into mahatattva, the existential I. And in the fourth stage the faculties of mahatattva will have to be merged in jiivátmá or unit consciousness. The pratisaḿvedii of jiivatma is Parama Puruśa. Thus in the process of synthesis human beings move towards Parama Puruśa.

What is the meaning of the term Puruśa? The first meaning is, Pure shete ya sa Puruśah. That is, the entity that lies quiescent in the psycho-physical structure of another entity is called Puruśa. You must have noticed that in a house where a marriage ceremony is being held different people perform certain tasks. The head of the family, however, does not do any specific task, but supervises the proper completion of all tasks. Similarly, Puruśa, the Cognitive Faculty, lies hidden in the physical body. Without His wish no organ of the body can function. The second meaning of Puruśa is Purasi tiśt́hati ya sa puruśah: The entity that remains before all other entities is Puruśa.

The import of both the above definitions is the same: Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Pratisaḿvedii.

You may have thought about the primordial cause of this creation. Human beings have been trying to discover this ultimate cause in various ways. Primitive human beings had an undeveloped intellect. To them rainfall, the dawn and rice were the symbols of gods and goddesses. Matter was of paramount importance in their lives. It was long afterwards that human beings realized that Parma Puruśa is the Supreme cause of creation.

Kálah svabhávo niyatiryadrccha
Bhútáni yonih Puruśa iti cintyáh
Saḿyoga eśaḿ na tvátmabhavát
Dátmá pyaniishah sukha duhkha hetoh

“Time, nature, fate, accident and the five fundamental factors – the combination of all these was thought to be the Supreme Cause of creation.”

While trying to discover the original cause of creation human beings thought that it must be eternal tempos. But when intellect developed they discovered that hypothesis to be incorrect because time is nothing but the mental measurement of the motivity of the action. If there is no action there is no question of any measurement of time. If the moon does not move around the earth, no question of days, months or years can arise. Hence time is not the original cause. Yet out of inquisitiveness human beings continued to search for the ultimate cause of creation. A question arose in their minds:

Is nature the ultimate cause? The answer is no. Prakrti, the Supreme Operative Principle, functions according to the limited freedom it has been granted by Puruśa, the Supreme Cognitive Faculty. Puruśa is the Transcendental Entity; Prakrti is merely the immanent power of Puruśa. Shaktih sa shivasya shaktih. The style in which Puruśa functions is called nature. Nature cannot act independently and thus cannot be regarded as the absolute cause of creation, the Supreme Reflecting Plate.

Is fate (niyati) the primordial cause of creation? The word niyati means “fate” or “providence.” The accumulated reaction of the action you once did will definitely be expressed one day. This reaction is called niyati. It is true that human beings are controlled by niyati or fate. The environment into which one is born is the most congenial for the expression of the unexpressed reactive momenta, and the circumstances in which one exists must be accepted as the result of one’s actions – this constitutes one’s fate or niyati. According to their fate, people are born under particular planetary positions, but they are not guided by those planets: they are guided by their own fate which they themselves have created. Hence niyati or fate also cannot be the Supreme Reflecting One (carama pratisaḿvedii). I would like to add further that those who are fatalists are also misguided. It is wrong to leave everything to fate without taking any initiative at the time of grave danger. Once a person has created his or her fate through his or her own actions, it is certainly not proper to completely surrender to that self-created fate.

If time (kála), nature (svabháva) and fate (niyati) are not the Supreme Factor, then is action (yadrcchá) the primordial cause? In fact in the world there is no accident – everything is an incident. The seed of a mango becomes a tree in due course, but when the cause is quickly transformed into effect, we call it an “accident” because we can see the effect but not its cause. In fact, the concept of accident is a defective notion created by our ignorance. Many people consider an earthquake to be an accident, but this is incorrect. Perhaps a huge stone took ten million years to move from one place to another, but when it really did fall then the action of falling took place in only a few seconds; whereas the cause of the action was preparing to reach this consummate state for many years. Hence you should bear in mind that this vast and varied universe was not created accidentally, otherwise in the process of analysis we could have attributed it to accident. The exact equivalent of the Saḿskrta word yadrcchá hat́hát is that which literally means “suddenly” – an unwise action done on the spur of the moment. The sound “ha” is the acoustic root of the sun, and of the Vishuddha Cakra, and the sound “t́ha” is the acoustic root of the Ájiṋá Cakra. The portion of mind which regulates the body and the physical energy is symbolised by the sound “t́ha”. When “ha” controls “t́ha” it is called “hat́ha yoga”; that is, to control one’s subtle energy through physical energy. Hence accident or yadrcchá which is only a relative concept can never be the primordial cause, and it cannot be the Omni-Reflecting Cognitive Principle either.

Then are the quinquelemental factors of matter the primordial cause? The physical body composed of five fundamental factors is activated by the physical nerve cells and nerve fibres, which are in turn controlled by the mind. The mind is the over-all controller. To consider this material universe the primordial cause of creation is certainly erroneous. The five fundamental factors emerge from the Cosmic Mind and from the five fundamental factors the unit minds emerge. By utilizing powerful bombs made by these unit minds, we can utilize matter at our own will to even destroy huge mountains. So how can matter which is created and ruled by mind be called the absolute factor? It, too, cannot be said to be the Supreme Reflecting Principle. Those who consider matter as the primordial cause are living in a fool’s paradise.

Then is the unit consciousness (jiivátma) the primordial cause of creation? The unit consciousness is so assailed by its illusory bondages of Prakrti, by its actional bondages, and by the bondages of the guńas, that it cannot transcend its own labyrinthine limitations. Although the witnessing “I” (jiivátma) of the microcosmic mind can be the witnessing “I” of the Macrocosmic mind as well, yet in ordinary circumstances that witnessing “I” is confined within the limits of a particular unit mind. Under these circumstances the iivdma or unit consciousness which is associated with the unit mind and assailed by the consequences of the actions of the unit mind, cannot be called the Supreme Reflecting Principle, because it is coloured by the colour of the unit mind. For instance, when a red rose is placed before a mirror, the mirror becomes red. Likewise the unit consciousness also becomes assailed due to its proximity to the unit mind. Here the flower represents the unit “I” and the mirror the unit consciousness. The unit consciousness, because of its closest association with the unit existential feeling, gets inseparably associated with the joys and sorrows of the microcosms.

Klesha-karma-vipákáshayaeraparámrśt́a puruśavisheśa Iishvara.

Until the jiivátmá or unit consciousness is unassailed by dint of sádhaná or spiritual practice, it cannot be considered to have attained the rank of Iishvara. Hence the unit consciousness also cannot be considered as the Supreme Reflecting Principle, the primordial cause of creation.

What is the actual Pratisaḿvedii Puruśa? The scriptures say,

Kśaraḿ pradhánamamrtákśaraḿ harah kśarátmanáviishate deva ekah.
Tasyabhidhyánád yojanát tattvabhábádbhúyaschánte vishvamáyá nivrttih.

The instrumental cause of the metamorphosis of this universe is the three principles of Prakrti. Prakrti is an entity which is doing something, but it cannot be the material cause or the efficient cause because behind the actional faculty of Prakrti there is no scope for any moral principle. Shakti or energy itself is a blind force – if it is not supported by intellect or prajiṋá it is always crude and static. Suppose an electric hammer is being operated, and a child accidentally inserts its tender hand under the hammer. The hammer will automatically smash it – its blind force will not spare the innocent child’s hand. Hence the sádhaná of Prakrti divorced from the touch of Shiva (consciousness) is highly dangerous. The Cognitive Principle itself is both the material cause and the efficient cause of creation.

In the flow of creation the Cognitive Principle is also inseparably associated with the Creative Force. Although the Cognitive Principle is not the enjoyer of the fruits of action, yet it maintains the closest association with the Operative Force, and as such it cannot be the Supreme Reflecting Principle (caram prati-saḿvedii). Hence only the unmanifested Supreme Cognition which is above both the Cognitive Principle and the Operative Force can be the Supreme Reflecting Principle, because when we reach both the mutable and immutable (kśara and akśara) in the path of synthesis towards the One, we notice that in the previous stage both of them have emanated from the unmanifested Supreme Cognition (nirakśara). This unmanifested Supreme Cognition is the Supreme Reflecting Principle. Hence the unit consciousness will have to proceed from matter to mind to consciousness, and from consciousness to the Supreme Cognition. All human beings are endowed with this capacity to move forward towards the Supreme Cognition. You all have come from the Supreme Entity, and you will all finally return unto It. That Supreme Reflecting Principle is the highest desideratum of your life.

Chapter 16	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “The Stance Of Salvation and How To Attain It.” Salvation as you know, is liberation of a permanent nature. The question of liberation arises only where there is bondage. Where there is no bondage, the question of fighting for liberation does not arise. New let us see what are the bondages of a spiritual aspirant.

Within the realm of this Macro-psychic conation, bondages are of three kinds: 1) physical bondage, 2) intellectual bondage, 3) spiritual bondage. In the case of physical bondage there are three binding factors, there are three rudimental relative factors i.e., time, space, person – temporal bondage, spatial bondage and personal bondage.

In physical stratum one must try to conquer these factors, and this fight has started from the very dawn of human civilization, and this fight helps the human civilization in its progress.

In the age of bullock cart the time taken for a journey from Madras to Salem was a long period, but after the invention or locomotive the period of time was shortened. Man partly conquered the time factor. But in the age of aeroplane it has been still more conquered and in the age of rocket still more but even in case of rockets, certainly, it will take some time in terms of microscopic fraction of a second. So this time factor can never be fully conquered. Similar is the case with other two factors i.e., the bondage of person and space. So in the sphere of physicality liberation is not at all possible. Also the question of liberation of permanent nature does not arise.

Now take the case of intellectual bondage. What is intellectual bondage? Suppose there is a question in your mind. Unless and until you get a satisfactory answer, a satisfactory reply, you are under intellectual bondage, and whenever you get the satisfactory reply, you are free from this intellectual bondage and get liberation. But the next moment another question comes. Again you are under the intellectual bondage. Again the problem will be solved and you will get liberation. So you see, in the intellectual stratum liberation is possible but liberation of permanent nature is not possible. Do you follow? Liberation of permanent nature is only possible in spiritual sphere. What is spiritual bondage? It is a fact that each and every entity of this observable universe is a part of the Cosmic Self, of the Supreme Cognitive Principle. It is a known fact. But even then a Sadhaka in his personal life does not feel that unicity with his Lord. When I am one with Him why don’t I feel this unicity with Him? – this trouble, this pain, this agony is his spiritual bondage; when we should be one, and I should feel that we are one and when I am not feeling it in practice – I know it in theory but I don’t feel it in practice – this is the bondage. This is what is called spiritual bondage.

By one’s sádhaná, by one’s intuitional practice one is identified with the Supreme Controller of the Universe. Then what happens? He attains liberation and that liberation is of permanent nature and so only in the spiritual sphere one can attain liberation and that liberation is of permanent nature. That is, liberation is possible only in spiritual stratum. Now, what is this feeling of separateness? Although a devotee and his Lord are two entities, fundamentally they are one; yet this feeling of separateness exists. And as I already told you this is nothing but the creation of Máyá. Since it is a creation of Máyá a sádhaka who wants unicity with his Lord must surmount Máyá; there is no alternative. Lord Krśńa says:

Daevii hyeśá guńamayii mama Máyá duratyayá;
Mámeva ye prapadyante Máyámetáḿ taranti te.⁽¹⁾

This Máyá is an attributional principle of Mine. She is my attributional principle. She is my attributional force and she is duratyayá. It is very difficult to surmount this Máyá but the one who has ensconced himself in Me only can surmount this Mayá, there is no alternative. One will have to surrender oneself before the altar of the Almighty, there is no other way to conquer Máyá. This universe is a Máyaic creation. What is Máyá? Máyá is the Operative Principle and practically there is no difference between Cognitive Principle and Máyá. Where there is Cognitive Principle there is Operative Principle also. They cannot be separated from one another. In Saḿskrta this is called “Avinábhávii”.

Yátha shivah táthá shaktih
Yátha shaktih tathá shivah
Nányorantaraḿ vidyet
Chandra candrikayor tathá.

One cannot exist without the existence of the other. One cannot separate the moonlight from the moon; similarly, one cannot separate Máyá from the Cognitive Principle. Now, where the Operative Principle has created something abstract or something concrete there that particular Operative Principle working within the scope of something created is called Creative Principle or Máyá. So Máyá is a particular stance of Prakrti. In the Vedas it has been said:

Kśaraḿ Pradhánam Amrtakśaraḿ harah Kśarátmanáviishate deva ekah
Tasyábhidhyánát yojanád tattvabhávát Bhúyashcánte Vishvamáyá nivrttih

When this Máyá creates something we get this observable world. This world, rather this worldly transmutation of the Cognitive Principle, is called “Kśara”. It appears that the Cognitive Principle has been metamorphosed into so many entities. I said, “It appears that” because actually Puruśa is an intransmutable entity. It undergoes no metamorphosis, but due to difference, due to certain vibrational wave of the Operative Principle it appears that so many things have been created. Actually the diversity of this world is nothing but the results of different functional waves emanating from a particular stance of the Cognitive Principle. This particular stance of the Cognitive Principle is called attributed Consciousness. This attributed Consciousness is called Kśara and here in this attributed Consciousness we see so many entities due to the dexterity of that omniparous Mayá. So in this observable world, Prakrti i.e., the Operative Principle, Creative Principle, Máyá and not the Cognitive Principle is the preponderate factor and that is why in this observable world Prakrti is also called Máyá, is also called Pradháńa. Pradháńa means important. In this world Prakrti (Máyá) is more important than Puruśa. It appears to be more important than Puruśa, that is why in this observable world, she is called Mayá, she is also known as Pradháńa.

Lord Krśńa says:

Mámeva ye prapadyante Máyámetáḿ taranti te.

He who meditates on Me can surmount Máyá. Now, what should be the object of meditation? He who meditates on Me, means meditates on whom? Meditates on Kśara or Akśara? Kśará means transmuted universe, transmuted Lord. Certainly, Kśara should not be the object of ideation because if that Kśara is accepted as the object of ideation necessarily his entire identity, his mind, his soul, his body, will be transformed into that object of ideation. Kśara means this observable world of land, money and so many worldly items and articles. If that Kśara is accepted as the object of ideation, naturally mind will also become like that. So Kśara should not be the object of ideation, and one should not ensconce oneself in Kśara. Cognitive Principle, when distorted appears to be Kśara and when it remains undistorted i.e. it is not affected by Mayá, it is known as Akśara and is the witnessing counterpart of Kśara. Whatever you see is Kśara and the Cognitive Principle witnessing this Kśara is Akśara.

One portion of the Cognitive Principle has been transformed into this observable world and another portion remains attached to the Kśara and is called Akśara. Kśara means distorted, demoted, transmuted, metamorphosed and Akśara means non-transmuted, still holding its exalted position, exalted rank.

Kśaraḿ Pradháńam: Kśara should not be your object of ideation. Amrtakśarani Harah: Akśara is what? Akśara is Amrta. But should Akśara be accepted as your object of ideation? No, although Akśara has not been distorted. Akśara is not under the bondage of Prakrti, still it has got transactional relationship with this distorted Kśara. It has not been transformed into Kśara but it has got transactional relationship with Kśara. It is witnessing the functions of Kśara, that is why it has got close contact with Kśara. Its having transactional relationship with Kśara, it cannot be treated as the Supreme non-attributed Consciousness. So this Akśara also should not be accepted as the object of ideation.

Amrtakśaraḿ Harah. Akśara is Amrta. This Aksara is also Amrta, because It undergoes no changes. That which undergoes metamorphosis, undergoes changes is Mrta and that which undergoes no metamorphosis, does not pass through the orbit of time, space and person, is amrta, is immortal.

This Akśara is also called Hara. What is the meaning of Hara? In Saḿskrta Harańa means to steal, to take away. He who takes away all your sins, He who takes away all your umbers and cumbers is Hara. He is Hara, because He takes away all your sins, all your propensities. Now, This Hara. One cannot attain salvation without coming in contact with this Hara. He will have to pass through the realm of Hara because Hara is the sublimest rank of His Cognitive Self and that’s why in ancient times it was a system, rather a usage amongst the spiritual aspirants to chant a mantra, which was a very favourite mantra: Hara Hara Vyom Vyom.

Think of that Hara, think of that Hara, He will take away all your sins; think of that Hara, Meditate on that Hara. Hara Hara Vyom Vyom. Vyom is the subtlest form of matter. Ether is called Vyoma i.e., your mind should go from crude towards subtle. In the realm of physicality it will think of Vyoma and in the realm of spirituality it will think of Hara “Hara Hara Vyom Vyom, Hara Hara Vyom Vyom.” But this Hara shouldn’t be your object of ideation because it has got transactional relationship with Kśara.

Kśarátmanáviishate Deva ekah: Now both these Ksara and Hara – witnessed counterpart and witnessing counterpart – these two counterparts are within this cosmological system. Done portion and witnessing portion. Done I and Seer “I” and these two portions i.e., the metamorphosed portion and witnessing portion are being controlled by another entity, a third entity. Kśara was the first entity – witnessed portion, Akśara was the second entity-witnessing portion, and the third entity is called, in Tantra, Nirakśara. Here Nirakśara doesn’t mean illiterate. Nirakśara is the third entity controlling these two entities What is Nirakśara? Nirakśara Brahma is that controlling point of this universe, that is Puruśottama, that is Krśńa, that is Parama Puruśa, that is Parama Shiva. One will have to accept that Parama Shiva, that Parama Puruśa, that Puruśottama as one’s only object of ideation.

Kśarátmanávishate deva ekah: that is, the third entity controlling both kśara and Akśará: tasyávidhyánát jojanaal tattvabhávát. Now, regarding that Nirakśara, regarding that third entity, regarding that Puruśottama, what is one required to do? Tasyábhidhyánát: he will have to do abhidhyána. What is abhidhyána? There are two stages in abhidhyána. The first stage is called Prańidhána and the second stage is called Anudhyána. What is Prańidhána? In human mind there are so many propensities. As per yoga shastra there are one thousand propensities in human mind. Fifty propensities are controlled by fifty important glands and subglands and can be directed towards 10 directions. These directions are Púrva, Pashcima, Uttara, Dakśińa, Urdhva, Adhah. These directions are called Pradisha and the four sub-directions – Ishán, Váyu, Agni, Naert – are called Anudisha. Six Pradisha and four Anudisha are ten directions. Each and every propensity can be directed towards ten directions, and each and every propensity can function internally as well as externally; you can steal in your mind, you can steal physically! You can do something wrong mentally, you can do something wrong physically. Each and every propensity can be done internally as well as externally. So 50 x 10 x 2 = 1000. So there are one thousand propensities. Now, the uppermost gland directly and indirectly control these 1000 propensities; hence this uppermost gland known as pineal gland is called Sahasrára Cakra in Saḿskrta, i.e., the cakra, the plexus controlling propensities. Do you follow?

Now what is Prańidhána? Prańidhána is to bring all those propensities to a particular point i.e., the entire ectoplasmic structure of the microcosm is to be apexed to a particular point and from that point the resultant is to move forward towards the Cosmic Self. This movement of that apexed resultant is called Prańidhána. Pra – Ni – Dhá – Lyut́a = Prańidhána. Pranidhána is a Saḿskrta noun. This is the psychological interpretation of Prańidhána. But the practical side of Prańidhána is: there should be mental rhythm along with acoustic rhythm in Prańidhána. Where there is only acoustic rhythm, it is called Japakriyá and when that acoustic rhythm maintains parallelism with mental rhythm it is called Prańidhána. Suppose you are saying Ráma, Ráma, Ráma, Ráma – it will be Japakriyá. As you know Japakriyá is of three kinds. Ráma, Ráma, Ráma – this sound is called Vácanika Japa i.e., doing Japa kriyá explicitly, Then there is another kind of Japa: Ráma, Ráma (whispering slowly); you are uttering the sound and you are hearing the sound with your physical ears but others won’t be able to hear that. It is called Upaḿsu Japa and the third one is doing japakriyá mentally and you will hear that japakriyá with your mental ears, not with your physical ears. It is called Mánasika japa. Mánasika japa is the best japa. But in Sádhaná Marga, japakriyá doesn’t help a Sádhaka much in attaining salvation and that is why in Tantra it has been said:

Uttamo Brahmasadbhávo Madhyamá Dhyána-dhárańá
Japastutih syadadhámá Múrtipujá dhamádhamá

The best process is Brahma Sadbháva. Second one is dháraná and dhyána. Third one is Japa-Stuti – this is adhama and múrtipujá i.e. idol worship is adhamádhama. What is the matter? In Japakriyá there is only acoustic rhythm as I have told you about acoustic rhythm Ráma, Ráma, Ráma, Ráma. But in Prańidhána this acoustic rhythm maintains parallelism with mental rhythm i.e., mentally you will be saying Ráma, Ráma, Ráma, there should be acoustic rhythm Ráma, Ráma. Ráma like this and mentally you will be thinking of Ráma also, i.e., the parallelism is to be maintained, otherwise in Japakriyá where there is no parallelism what does happen; while you are uttering the word Ráma, Ráma as you are chanting the word “Rá”, letter “Rá” you are thinking of the next letter “Ma.” Ráma! Again while uttering the letter “Ma” you are thinking of the letter “Rá”. Next “Rá”. in second stage of Japa “Rá”, In that case your Mantra will be “Mara” you are uttering the letter “Ma” and thinking of the letter “Rá”, so your Iśt́a Mantra becomes “Mara” and not “Ráma”. So it is useless to do that type Japakriyá. Unless and until there is a parallelism with mental wave it is useless and where there is parallelism between acoustic rhythm and mental rhythm it is called Prańidhána. In Ananda Marga your Iishvara Pránidhána is not japakriyá; it is called Prańidhána. Prańidhána comes within the scope of Dhyána and not within the scope of japa. Do you follow? Now the first one is Pranidhána and the second one is Anudhyána. What is Anudhyána Within the greater sphere of Dhyána there are two processes – Dhárańá and Dhyána; when you try to withhold something external within your mental world it is called Dhárańá. So in Dhárańá, there is a static force, Dhárańá is of static origin. But when something is moving and that movement has been accepted by you as it is, it is called Dhyána. So in Dhyána there is a dynamic force. Dhyánakriyá is just like a thread of molasses. When poured a thread is created; there is force, there is movement in that thread but it appears to be something static. Dhyánakriyá is like this. Do you follow? “Taela Dharavat.”

What is Anudhyána? Both Prańidhána and Anudhyána come within the scope of Dhyána, come within the scope of Abhidhyána. “Tasyábhidhyánát”. I said Abidhyána. Abhidhyána means that you have accepted that Supreme Self as your object of ideation, but suppose your Lord does not want you, suppose you are a sinner and your Lord does not want that you should get Him, He will try to dart away from you, but in that case you will have to chase Him mentally. This chasing of yours is called Anudhyána. You must say, “O my Lord, I may be a sinner but I won’t spare you, I must catch you”. When this mentality functions it is Anudhyána. So without anudhyána one cannot get Him.

Next one is Yojanát. Yojana means unicity with Him. The final goal of a Sádhaka is to become one with Him. For this unification there are two root verbs in Saḿskrta (“yuj” and “yunj”) Yuj + ghaiṋ = yoga “Ghaiṋ” is the noun suffix. Thus you get the word, “yoga” and yunj + ghaiṋ is also “yoga”. In first case yoga means addition, to unite and in the second case yunj + ghaiṋ = yoga means unification. To unite and to unify are two different verbs. Suppose, for instance, there is a handful of sand and a handful of sugar. You can unite them, but these two entities i.e. sand and sugar will maintain their separate identities. But suppose there is some water and sugar, then what will be the case? They will become one. This is the case of unification. So there is difference between unity and unification. In the second case, i.e. yunj + ghaiṋ = yoga, a sádhaka’s yoga is that yoga, not the yoga of sand and sugar. Sádhaka’s yoga with Lord is the yoga of water and sugar. So Yojanát. The spirit of Sádhaná is to get oneself unified with the hub of this universal wheel, not united but unified; and as I told you that for unification you will have to remove this umbrella of vanity from your head. Now this sádhaná which is Sádhaná for complete merger, for unification, starts with fearful love. Love must be there. Unless and until there is love, there can not be unification. So love must be there but it starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love: and the space between fearful love and fearless love is the space of Sádhaná. What is Sádhaná? Sadhaná is transformation of fearful love into fearless love. Do you follow? What is love? In this universe nothing can remain secluded from other entities. Each and every object is attracting others. This attraction is a natural phenomenon, in this universe repulsion is unnatural, attraction is natural. So we can say that repulsion is negative attraction but attraction is not negative repulsion. This attraction is called Ákarśańa in saḿskrta. When this attraction is for any non-integral entity, or for any small entity this is called káma. When that attraction is for that integral entity, and the integral entity is only one and that one is Parama Puruśa – it is called Prema. When the attraction is for the non-integral entity, for money, for family, for land, it is called Káma; when it is for integral entity it is called Prema and the mental tendency during Káma i.e., the mental tendency during attraction for a non-integral entity is called Ásakti in Saḿskrta and the mental tendency during attraction for that Integral Entity is called Bhakti. Do you follow? The transactional relationship during Káma i.e., during attraction for a non-integral entity is called Vyavasáya (business). Give me a sixpence I shall give you sixpence worth of salt. Vyavasáya (exchange and the transactional relationship) during Prema i.e., during the attraction for the Integral Entity is called “Seva”. The spirit of Sevá is to give everything and to take nothing at all. Do you follow? Yojanát. I said it starts with fearful love and ends in fearless love and the process of transformation of fearful love into fearless love is called Sádhaná (Intuitional Practice). Now it starts with fearful love. Everything in this universe is afraid of Him. During midday a boy, an ultra-modern young man may, says “Oh, I have got no faith in God”. And in the night in the burial ground when alone he will say, “O God, save me, you know I am your disciple, you know I love you, save me, I had to maintain my prestige in my friends’ society. That’s why I said this and that”. So everybody is afraid of Him. That is why in the scriptures it is said:

Bhiiśamád váyu pavate bhiiśodeti súryah
Bhiisasmádagnishcendraeshca mrtyuhdhávati Pancamah
Tasmáducyate bhiiśańamiti.

Out of fear of Him the wind blows. Wind is blowing because wind is afraid of Him. Wind cannot say, “No, I won’t blow.” It will have to blow because wind is afraid of Him, out of fear of Him: Bhiiśodeti súryah. The sun rises just in the scheduled time out of His fears. So the sun cannot say, “No, no, I will rise in the south!” No, the sun cannot say this. The sun will have to obey orders. So he is afraid of Him and the sun does his duty, Why? Out of fearful love. Sádhaná starts with fearful love: Bhiiśasmádagnishcendrashca. Fire burns, why? Out of fear. It will have to burn. It cannot give up its burning attributes. It will have to burn, why? It is afraid of Him. “Indra” means energy working within the scope of matter. Energy always functions within the scope of matter and that energy functioning within the scope of matter is called Indra in Saḿskrta and energy working out of the scope of matter is called Bala. There is difference between Bala and Indra. When the force working outside matter gives external pressure, it is called Bala. The Indra, i.e., the energy – the mechanical energy, electrical energy, magnetic energy – will have to do according to a certain system, certain law. They have to do it because they are afraid of Him. Mrtyuŕdhávati Pancamaha, and the god of death, that horrible death is afraid of Him. And it will have to present itself before the dying person at proper time. Death cannot say, “No, I won’t attend his deathbed.” It cannot say, it will have to go because death is afraid of Him and that is why He is called mryturmrtyu. He is Mrtyu of Mrtyu, death of death. Bhiiśańamiti – because of this kind of fearfulness He is called Bhiiśańa. One name of God is Bhiiśańa because everybody is afraid of Him. Everybody starts his Sádhaná with fearful love but that Sádhaná ends in fearless love because unless and until one becomes fearless one cannot become one with Him. One will try to keep oneself away from Him out of fear. So finally one will have to become fearless.

Yojanát Tattvabhávát. Tattvabhávát means: In Saḿskrta Tat means that and by suffixing “Tva” it has been converted into an abstract noun. Tattva means Thatness, something regarding that. That means Brahma in Saḿskrta. Brahma is neuter gender. Parama Puruśa i.e., the Cognitive Principle is masculine gender, and Paramá Prakrti, i.e., the Operative Principle is feminine gender and Brahma is neuter gender. Thatness means something regarding Brahma-tattvábhávát. That is while attending any mundane duty you will have to ascribe Brahmahood to that material object or while thinking of anything you will have to ascribe Brahmahood to your mental object. This is what is called Tattvabhávát. Yojanát Tattvabhávát, i.e. you will have to do what? Anudhyána! What will be the result of Yojanát? You will become one with Him. Tasyábhidyánát Yojanát Tattvabhávát. Bhúyáshcánte Viśńumáyá Nivrttih and what will be the result? You will get yourself liberated from Viśńumáyá.

What is Viśńumáyá? When the Lord expands Himself with the help of Máyá, when He increases the scope of His pervasiveness with the help of the Creative Principle that Creative Principle is called Viśńumáyá. Viśńumáyá is all-pervading and the Lord is called Viśńu. Viśńu means Omnipresent. Now with the help of Viśńumáyá. He expands Himself. The second one is called Yogamáyá. In the last phase of this Cosmic Psychic order when the sádhaka with the help of Hládinii shakti touches the feet of the Supreme Lord, Krśńa, that conjunction is done by Máyá and in that stage, in that phase Máyá is called Yogamáyá. Yoga means connection; Yogamáyá, Viśńumáyá, then Máhámáyá. The Máyá, with the help of which the Lord has expressed Himself in the form of this world, the Lord has created this world of diversities, is called Máhámáyá. Externally Máhámáyá, and internally you also can create the reflections of this external world. Externally you have seen something relishing, internally in your mind you will create it. Externally you came in contact with Rasagolla and internally you will also create the Rasagolla and where is that Rasagolla internally? Externally you have seen a Rájá, internally you yourself become a Ŕajá and enjoy that position. Internally you do like this. Certainly, so this internal reflection of the Máhámáyámic externality is done by you. Do you follow? This internal creation of yours is a reflection of the external world, as an external projection of this external physicality is done by your Máyá and that individual Máyá of yours is called Ańumáyá. So you see that Máyá in a particular phase is Viśńumáyá. In another phase Yogamáyá, in another phase Máhámáyá and in your particular phase she is Anumáyá. And the collective name for all these phases is Vishvamáyá, it is the collective name. That is why Tattvabhávát, that is, ascribing Brahmahood to each and every physical and mental object, by Yojanát, by Prańidhána, by Ańudhyána, what does happen? Now, Yojanát is established and when that Yojanát is established you get yourself liberated from Vishvamáyá. So the Sádhaná of a Sádhaka is to do these things. Tattvabháva, Pranidhána, Ańudhyána, and finally, yojanát. That is how one is to attain salvation, and salvation is possible only in the spiritual stratum. In the realm of physicality and intellectuality one cannot attain salvation. In the realms of physicality and intellectuality one can attain liberation but one cannot attain liberation of permanent nature in those spheres. It is only possible in the realm of spirituality.

Footnotes

(1) Bhagavad Giitá. –Trans.

Chapter 17	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Salvation and Devotion.” According to the convention of the Shástra, in the name of the preceeding subject, the term “salvation” should be kept in the latter portion. From that view point the name of the subject should be “Devotion and Salvation.” But I have used first the term “devotion” because, experienced persons say that salvation loses its lustre before devotion. The devotees know well that one who has devotion in one’s hand has salvation at one’s command. Salvation can be attained any moment, but devotion is something precious, priceless. That is why I have put the term “devotion” in the latter portion. Devotion is like the philosopher’s stone and salvation can be likened with gold. One who has got this stone in one’s possession can make gold at any moment. There is a story about it.

Once Rám and Lakśman were going across the Ganges. When they crossed the river by boat, the boatman found his vessel converted into gold. He conveyed this news to his wife who brought all her wooden belongings to the bank and converted them into gold with the magic touch of Rám’s feet. Thereupon the boatman asked his wife why she was wasting her time and energy by carrying her belongings to the bank instead of bringing those feet into her house. The man then did this. She received from Rámji four fruits which satisfied both wife and husband. Lakśman came later and when he was asked to give something, he gave one fruit.

The four fruits given by Rám were Káma, Artha, Dharma and Mokśa. Fulfilment of materialistic desires is called Káma, the fulfilment of psychic desire is Artha; fulfilment of psycho-spiritual desire is Dhorlla and the fulfilment of spiritual desire is Mokśa.

Lakśman said thereupon to the couple that the fruits given by his elder brother could not be digested without the fruit given by him. The fruit given by young Lakśman was “devotion”. That is why devotees say that “devotion” is a precious thing; it’s the touchstone.

What is Mukti or salvation? In Sanskrit the word has been derived from the root verb Much, meaning, liberation from bondages – Bandhanam Muchyate Mukti. Where there is bondage there comes the question of liberation. Where there is no bondage there is no question of liberation. How many are these bondages?

There are numerous limitations in the physical and psychic bodies of human beings. These limitations are temporal, spatial and personal. The liberation from these three bondages is called salvation. There cannot be liberation in the sphere of physical and psychic bondages. Permanent liberation can be had only in the spiritual realm. When one becomes free from spiritual bondages all miseries, and pains vanish away.

What does the term Mukti Sádhaná connote? It is an effort to be free from spiritual bondages, which are deeply related with the psychic bondages. Whenever one performs any action its reaction remains potentially with Átmá and so long as the reactive momenta dwells with Átmá, there is no possibility of liberation from spiritual bondages.

Actional bondages remain until one attains liberation. Good action becomes the cause of good reaction. Both good and bad are the cause of action and bondages. The bondage of good action can be likened with a chain of gold, and that of bad action with a chain of iron. But both are bondages. Whether the cage is made of gold or iron is no difference for a bird – both are bondages for it. One has to attain liberation from these actional bondages. The term salvation connotes liberation from these actional bondages.

Now how to get liberation from these bondages? It’s possible only when the reactive momenta get exhausted, and this is possible only through Sádhaná. When one walks in the sphere of actional bondages one’s movement is from subtle to crude. The Sádhaná for liberation from bondages is a movement from crude to subtle. The “Saiṋcara” process is a movement from the supreme positivity to the supreme negativity, a flow from fundamental negativity to fundamental positivity. But, what is this movement for? This movement is for the exhaustion of actional bondages. It is movement from darkness to light and truth. One has to march towards truth. Satyameva jayate nánrtam satyenah panthá vitato devayána. This is the Sádhaná of liberation and this is not possible without “Diikśá”. If one walks in darkness one needs a torch otherwise one will fall down in a ditch. Similarly one walking on the path of Sádhaná needs this torch, otherwise however strong one may be, downfall will be inevitable. The Sanskrit synonym for the word torch is Diipaka or Diipanii. The first letter of Diipaka is “Dii” and the first letter of the word Kśáya is “Kśa” Thus comes the masculine word Diikśa. In feminine it is Diikśá. Diikśá is essential for the exhaustion of actional momenta. This is the Sádhaná of liberation.

To learn is the Sádhaná of knowledge. To walk on the path, i.e., to do regular practices is the Sádhaná of action. Last but not the least is devotion – the culminating point of Mokśa Sádhaná.

What is Bhakti? The word Bhakti has been derived from the root verb Bhaj and suffix kta. The very Bháva that whatever I will do I do to impart bliss to Paramátmá is devotion. What is knowledge? (Satyam jiṋánamanantam Brahmah). Paramátmá is the embodiment of knowledge. Every particle of the universe is the manifestation of Paramátmá. This is the essence of knowledge. What is the Sádhaná of knowledge? When one starts realizing that every mundane objectivity is the manifestation of Paramátmá one comes from the sphere of theory to practice. The realization that the universe is the manifestation of Paramátmá is Siddhi or achievement in Jiṋána Sádhaná.

What does the term Karma Sádhaná, i.e., the Sádhaná of action connote? What is the Siddhi, i.e., attainment of Karma Sádhaná? – (Karma Brahmeti Karma Vahu Kurviita). To serve every mundane object thinking it to be the manifestation of Paramátmá is Karma, i.e., the Sádhaná of action. What is the achievement (Siddhi) of Karma Sádhaná? It is generally found that an average person spends more than twelve or fourteen hours in thinking about his or her own self. But the moment one starts thinking about the universe, one becomes a Karma Sádhaka. When one starts spending all one’s time in thinking for the universe, taking one self to be a bubble in the ocean of Karma, one gets Siddhi in Karma Sádhaná. A person is a part of the universe, and when one starts serving the universe, one is also automatically included among the served.

Whatever is done is done only to please Paramátmá. This is called devotion. One has to serve the universe with this ideation. In the beginning due to “Saḿskára” there is a feeling of doership. But when gradually the accumulated momenta i.e. “Saḿskáras” start being exhausted, one starts questioning the source of one’s energies and capacities. Are they really one’s own possessions or creations? Even the strongest of wrestlers becomes frail and is unable to speak if he or she does not eat for a couple of days. The scholarship of a scholar vanishes in the thin air if you keep him or her without food for a week. Meaning thereby, all your knowledge, intellect, capacity and valour, are dependent on Him. That is why there is nothing for a human being to be proud of. The moment one understands this, one is ensconced in devotion and then alone will one be able to realize that one is working according to the wish of Paramátmá with all one’s capacities. This is the sign and feeling of a staunch devotee.

How does a Jiṋánii feel? He or she thinks that since the universe is the manifestation of Parámatmá one should serve it. But they themselves will not take pains to jump into the realm of action. Sitting on the shore, they will issue only “phatwa.” Such logician philosopher’s, have got no connection with the actional world:

Vák Vaekharii shabdajharii
Shástravyakhyana Kaoshalam,
Vaedushyam Vidusam,
Tadvat bhuktaye na tu muktaye,

Only big and euphemistic words can’t serve humanity. This is only a word trammel in which one entangles oneself. Such persons knowingly or unknowingly throw themselves away from the path of salvation. On the other hand those Karma Yogins who always, always engross themselves with action and work only for the sake of work enmesh themselves in the trammel of action. Such action is really a bondage. What is the way out of bondage? It has been said in the Upanisads:

Iisháváshyamidaḿ sarvam,
Yatkinca jagatyaḿjagat.
Tena tyaktena bhunjiithá,
Mágrdhah kasyasiddhanam.

Action performed for the sake of action is bondage. As the Jiṋána of a Jiṋánii is the cause of bondage if it is not mingled with devotion, similarly, devoid of the celestial touch of devotion, the action of a Karmi (one who performs action) cannot be helpful in attaining liberation.

Now let us think about devotion. As explained earlier the ideation that whatever I do, I do only to please Paramátmá is called devotion – Bhaktirbhagavato Sevá. Devotion is service to God. When devotees serve the universe they do it with the feeling that they are serving the manifestation of Náráyańa only to please Him. One has to serve, but not only for the sake of service. The direction of Jiṋánii is not working here, nor Karma for the sake of Karma. The experience of a devotee is quite independent. It is that they are serving Náráyańa and none else. One of knowledge tries to attain Paramátmá by dint of knowledge, but despite being one of knowledge one behaves like a knave. The reason is quite apparent and palpable. The brain of such a person is quite small and he can’t be measured by such a brain and its weak stamina. Karmiis also forget that the source of their stamina and vitality is not their own. Thus a secret feeling of ego also resides in the mind of a Karmii and this becomes a great hurdle in the path of the realization of Paramátmá. Those who are the greatest malpractitioners in their tender age are not able to do anything in their senility, because their capacities are decayed. Why do such learned people behave like illiterate boors after becoming senile? Does their intellect lose stamina and lustre? Jiṋánis and Karmiis lose their prestige after reaching old age, but devotees are never insulted. Those who really want to save their prestige should adopt devotion. Devotees always think that everything, whatever belongings they have are Parmátmá’s and they are utilizing them only to please Him. They will serve Him with the intellect and stamina bestowed upon them by their Beloved. When these things will be snatched away they will serve the Lord with whatever will remain. When nothing remains they will come to the Lord and ask for further work. This is called devotion.

Those who beg from Paramátmá for this or that are not devotees, because they want service from Him. Devotees are those who ask Paramátmá to utilize their services at His feet. Devotion is service to God – Bhaktir Bhagavato Sevá.

There are numerous propensities in the human mind. Chiefly they are fifty in number. The majority among them are subsidiary propensities. Where the propensities tend toward mundane longing they are called subsidiary propensities. But where they are engaged in the service of Paramátmá they are called main propensities. The latter are awakened by “Sambit” with the grace of Paramátmá. Suppose people are running after the subsidiary propensities, i.e., for name, fame, prestige etc. One fine morning the consciousness of their present condition dawns upon their psychic horizon and they start feeling miserable about their state. This is called “Sambit”. Main propensities are aroused by this “Sambit” and one starts marching towards Paramátmá. All other propensities are subsidiary.

You know there are different divisions in propensities:

(a) Kliśt́á
(b) Akliśt́á
(c) Kliśt́ákliśt́á
(d) Akliśt́ákliśt́á

The propensities that become the cause of pain in the beginning as also in the end are called Kliśt́á. Suppose, for instance, someone is travelling without a ticket. There is a heavy rush in the train. Naturally he will have to undergo suffering and inconvenience. If the checking staff come, another misery befalls. So here the pain is in the beginning and also in the end. This action of his is Kliśt́á vrtti.

Suppose one sits in the first class having the ticket of the third class. The journey is naturally comfortable. This is Akliśt́á. But if the checking staff comes a painful situation emerges. The journey started with ease and ended in pain. This is Ákliśt́ákliśt́á.

A student busy in studies has to abandon all sorts of pleasures and comforts. But at last when the result comes out he or she finds his or her name in the list of successful candidates Thus in the beginning there is pain but the end comes with the shower of happiness. This is called “Kliśt́ákliśt́á.”

Kliśt́á, Kliśt́ákliśt́á and Akliśt́ákliśt́á are subsidiary propensities. Akliśt́á when the pain is neither in the beginning nor in the end, is the main propensity or the Mukhya vrtti, and this is the path of devotion. Akliśt́ákliśt́á is the path of knowledge and action and Akliśt́á is the path of devotion. This Akliśt́á only is the main propensity of the gland and the rest are of subsidiary glands. When the main propensities are aroused by the grace of Paramátmá one becomes a devotee. Devotion is not a sádhaná, but an attainment, for a devotee: Bhakti bhagavato sevá bhaktih prema svarúpińii; Bhaktiránanda rúpá ca bhakti bhaktasya jiivanam.

What is love?

That which makes mind soft and so strong and strenuous as it may keep itself in a balanced state even in the condition of pain, and creates perpetually a pleasant feeling within, is called love. Devotion is identical with love. They are invariably related with each other. The moment devotion is aroused, love for God comes.

Devotion is bliss incarnate. What is bliss or Ánanda? Where pleasure and pain both are in equipoise we call it the state of Ánanda. Sukham Ánantam Ánandam i.e. infinite bliss is called Ánanda. Whatever may be the propensities – main or subsidiary – they become part and parcel of the life of a person adhering to them. If one doing the worship of money loses the object of worship, will one be able to withstand the shock? One will die out of the pain of loss. Those who adore name and fame will also die the moment their prestige is spoiled. They may commit suicide. Similarly for a devotee; devotion is life. The end of devotion is the death of the devotee. That is why the devotee says to the Lord – O Lord! I don’t want anything, but if you want to give me anything, give me Parama Bhakti (The highest kind of devotion). I want only devotion and nothing else.

The Sádhakas who love God for the attainment of bliss are also strong ones, but they are not great ones. They may be strong devotees but not great ones. Only those Sádhakas are great devotees who do not aim simply on attaining bliss but work for giving bliss to Parámatmá. Devotees render services to the people because they know in the heart of their hearts, that the universe is the manifestation of Paramátmá. Every mundane creature is the progeny of Paramátmá. If one will do service to the people it will be tantamount to please Paramátmá. A devotee performs Sádhaná only because Paramátmá wants this. Thus a devotee performs sádhaná only to please Paramátmá. Such persons are called Gopa. Gopayate ya sah Gopah i.e. one who imparts bliss to Paramátmá is Gopa.

Chapter 18	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “To Know Him Is to Be Free from All Fetters”. No living being in the world wants to he in bondage; the natural tendency of the human mind is to attain all-round emancipation. In all spheres of life – social, economic, psychic, intellectual and physical – human beings seek total freedom. If people do not want that freedom, it should be understood that they have lost their inner vitality, the pulse of life has stopped. Such people should have no place in a living society, rather they should reside in the funeral pyre of the burial ground. Now, the question is: how can one attain liberation from all bondages? Today’s discourse is an attempt to answer that question.

There is only one Entity who, when known, can give liberation to human beings, and that entity is Parama Puruśa. The scriptures say,

Súkśmátisúksmaḿ kalilasya madhye
Vishvasya sráśt́áramanekarúpam
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itaraḿ
Jiṋátvá shivaḿ shantimatyantameti.

Anádyanantamakhilasya madhye
Vishvasya sráśt́áramanekarúpam
Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itaraḿ
Jiṋátvá devaḿ mucyate sarvapáshael.

Súkśmátisúkśmaḿ kalilasya madhye. The power of perception of the human sense organs (indriyas) is very limited; they can function only within a certain limited range, and beyond, that they are ineffective. Where the indriyas fail to function, the buddhi or intellect takes over. But the intellect also functions within a limited range, although broader than than that of the indriyas. In the case of a very subtle or very crude object, the intellect also cannot function properly.

What is the meaning of Súkśmátisúkśmaḿ? When an object is beyond the power of perception of the sense organs we call it súkśma or subtle. That is, an object which the mind can conceive, but which the indriyas cannot perceive, is subtle. That which comes within the range of the sense organs is crude or sthúla. And the object which is beyond the conceptual range of the mind is very subtle (súkśmátisúkśma). Kalilasya madhye. The word kalila has a number of meanings. Here it means a very subtle portion of an object. When the human mind ceases to function it is suspended, it becomes ineffective. That state is called the liila, or divine game, of Parama Puruśa. Take the case of a tiny white ant: it is a very small creature, yet it too has a brain of its own through which it can think. Even in the case of a tiny white ant, the cosmic game of Parama Puruśa is equally operative. It is not that divine grace is limited only to the crude objects of the senses. Rather, His divine grace continues in the same way in subtle and very subtle objects. The numerous ways in which the divine game of Parama Puruśa is being played is simply beyond human imagination.

Vishvasya srast́á. What do we mean by Vishva? We know that this vast creation, this quinquelemental universe, is created by the static principle of Prakrti. The very wont of the static principle is to bring everything within the bondage of limitations. Parama Puruśa created the universe with the help of the static principle of Prakrti. When He functions as a witnessing entity to this creation of the static principle, this quinquelemental universe, He is called Vishva. Now the question is, who has created Vishva, the witnessing entity? The answer is, He has created Himself, and as such He is caged Svayambhú (self-created). Thus, in the very subtle sphere where the human mind fails to function, His divine game continues in so many ways.

There is a subtle difference between liilá and kriid́a. When the cause of an effect is easily discernible it is called kriid́a, but when the cause is unknown and only the effect is easily discernible it is called liilá. This creation is the liilá of Parama Puruśa because human beings do not know why He has created it. With the help of their intellect they are eager to know the cause of creation, but will they ever be successful in this quest? They want to solve the riddle of creation, but they have no notion about the cause. So whatever Parama Puruśa does is all His liilá, It cannot be called His kriid́á. I have already said that when one discovers the relation between the cause and effect it is called kriid́á, but when one can see only the effect and not the cause, it is called liilá. For human beings having only a small unit mind the creation is the liilá of Parama Puruśa, but to Him it is His kriid́á. For instance, in the relative world wherever there is time, space, and person, and wherever the limited intellect can function, we can discover the cause behind every action. In this connection you remember the oft-quoted aphorism of Maraśi Kańada: Kárańábhávat káryábháva – “Where there is no cause there is no effect.” In the process of tracing the cause-effect relationship back to its original cause we arrive at the last stage. Beyond this stage action does not remain within the scope of time, space and person. Since the cause remains beyond the scope of the three relative factors, it does not also come within the periphery of mind. If the mind transcends the periphery of the relative factors it is automatically annihilated.

So the action which comes within the periphery of the mind but whose cause remains unknown is called the liilá of Parama Puruśa. But this cause, whether it remains within or without the periphery of the human mind, is clearly known to Parama Puruśa. The so-called scholars attempt to discover this cause, but in vain, because it remains beyond the domain of the first effect. Human beings can only try to imagine the cause but they will never come to a decisive conclusion about what it actually is. How can the unit mind conceive of something which is beyond the domain of mind? To attempt do so is a sheer waste to time. In spite of that intellectuals continue their vain attempts, because it is their ingrained habit. But the truth remains forever unknown to them. They can only realize the truth when their minds reach the abode of truth, but in actuality the mind can never reach that abode.

True devotees never vainly discuss anything. They know that to debate something which is beyond the scope of the mind is a waste of time. Devotees are the wisest people; the pundits are foolish. Pundits foolishly waste their time trying to know something which is beyond the periphery of the mind. Devotees, on the contrary, try to make the best use of their time. They are well aware of their relation to Parama Puruśa; they know that He is their Creator, and they are His creation. So the relation between the devotee and His Lord is one of creation and creator. This inseparable relation of Creator-creation has been mentioned in the sloka: Vishvasya Sraśtáramkanewaru pam.

It is a very personal and familiar relationship. Parama Puruśa is not a judge, nor are the individuals the accused. The relationship between Parama Puruśa and the unit beings is a sweet and familiar one. The devotees remind the pundits that their attempts are exercises in futility, and declare unambiguously that they belong to Parama Puruśa, and Parama Puruśa belongs to them. I told you something in Calcutta about the word Bábá. Bábá is derived from the Sańskrta word Vapra. Vapra-Bappá-Bábá. Vapra means “dear”. Parama Puruśa is dear to one and all, and so human beings call Him Bábá. Likewise, all created beings are dear to Parama Puruśa, so to Parama Puruśa all the created entities are Bábá. This is an unusual relationship. When the devotees sing Bábá Nám Kevalam, Parama Puruśa also sings Bábá Nám Kevalam. This means that Parama Puruśa exists because devotees exist, and devotees exist because Parama Puruśa exists. Their relationship is interdependent.

You all know that there is an old conflict between the devotees and the Lord. The devotees say to the Lord, “You are great – You are our life”. To this the Lord replies, “You are great; you are My very life. I exist because you exist”. Who is greater – the devotees or the Lord? Since time immemorial this conflict has been going on, and will continue for eternity. It will never have any satisfactory solution. Hence the devotees advise the pundits not to waste their valuable time. Human beings come on this planet for seventy or eighty years at the most. If they waste their valuable time in fruitless debate, when will they do their real work? “Art is long, life is short”, says the old proverb.

The devotees claim that the pundits are mistaken. Before the universe was created Parama Puruśa was completely alone. Just think of a vast universe where there are neither stars, nor comets, nor satellites, but only one Entity – Parama Puruśa. If you remained so completely alone, how would you feel? I am sure you would go mad. Well, Parama Puruśa was in a similar situation. He had the power to speak, but there was none to hear. He had the power to laugh, but there was no occasion for laughter. He could not even cry, or scold anyone. Just think what a terrible situation He was in. Hence to perpetuate His eternal divine game – to speak, to laugh, to teach, to scold, to instruct – He manifestated Himself in numerous ways. This is, in brief, the contention of the devotees.

Not only has Parama Puruśa created the most complex entities out of Supreme Singularity, He has created the tiniest of objects too; so He understands the pains and pleasures of both. He shares their joys and sorrows. If some people think that they are insignificant, illiterate, poor people, and their Parama Puruśa does not take care of them, they are entirely mistaken. This is not possible, because from the largest to the tiniest everything is within His vast mind. Everything originates from Him.

Sama plusiná sama mashakena sama nágena
Sama ebhistribhirlokaeh.

To Parama Puruśa a small white ant and a mosquito have equal importance. The huge mammoth and the three worlds also are equally important to Him. How vast are the three worlds in comparison to a tiny white ant! But to Parama Puruśa both are equally significant. That is why I want you to remember always that none of you are petty or unimportant in the eyes of Parama Puruśa. Under no circumstances can you be insignificant to Him. All of your feelings and longings, all your mental thought-waves, in fact, everything emanates from Parama Puruśa. He is One, but His manifestations are manifold, unending. His playful expressions are multifarious.

Agniryathaeko bhuvane praviśt́o
Rúpaḿ rúpaḿ pratirúpam jagáma
Ekastháh sarvabhútánatrátmá
Rúpaḿ rúpaḿ pratirúpa vahishca.

“Fire is one, but when it spreads to various objects it becomes numerous. Likewise, the One Supreme Entity becomes many when He expresses Himself externally in numerous entities”.

You can certainly claim that the One and the many are mere psychic distortions, the result of psychic assimilation and externalization. “One” is a particular number, “two” is also a number, “many” is another number. One may also be called many, because we arrive at many by adding many ones together. But in the case of Parama Puruśa, which number should we use? The word “one” is a psychic creation. The same is the case with the word “two”. All are the creations of the mind. But Parama Puruśa is not a creation of the mind. So how can we use the term “one” to describe Him? We can say one for a unit, but what about Him? Until our mind merges in Parama Puruśa, we cannot attain Him. To attain Him the mind must become one-pointed and directed solely towards Him. Thus if any number is to be used to describe Parama Puraśa, only the number one is suitable.

Vishvasyaekaḿ pariveśt́itárani. Parama Puruśa manifests Himself in numerous ways through each and every object of this universe, but His manifestation is not confined to unit beings and the observable universe alone. His existence extends beyond that. In other words, His divine game is not limited to you alone – it extends beyond that, and continues for eternity.

Jiṋátvá shivaḿ shántimatyantameti. Parama Puruśa is Shiva. By knowing Him human beings can attain absolute peace. The word shánti is derived from the Saḿskrta root verb sham plus suffix ktin. Shánti means to remain absorbed in one’s own self. One can attain equanimity and equipose of mind by knowing Parama Puruśa. This is what is called shánti. Parama Puruśa is addressed as Shiva. Shiva is also called the Cognitive Faculty (Citishakti); that is, Shiva is also a kind of force or Shakti. In ordinary terms what we call Shakti is Prakrti. So Parama Puruśa is Citishakti and Prakrti is His imminent power. Only if Citishakti permits it can the binding faculty of Prakrti influence Him. But if the Cognitive Faculty does not desire it, the Operative Force of Prakrti is helpless. Then Shiva remains dormant in His unmanifested stance. We witness the manifested state when the Cognitive Faculty permits the Operative Force to operate. So when someone attains freedom from bondage it means he or she is freed from the bondage of the Operative Principle, and is thus established in the Cognitive Faculty. This is why it is said, Jiṋátvá shivaḿ shántimatyantameti.

It is also said, Anádyanantamakhilasya madhye vishvasyá sraśt́ramanekarúpaḿ. He not only manifests Himself in the very subtle universe; He is equally beginningless (ańadi), endless (ananta), and unbarred (akhila).

What is the meaning of akhila? Khila means “bolt” or “shutter”. Anything which does not have a bolt or shutter is called akhila or nikhila. For India as a whole we say akhila bhárata. For the Saḿskrta word vára the English equivalent is “check”. The English word “bar” carries the same meaning also. For instance, the word Váráńasi, according to popular belief, means a place where anas or rebirth is checked or prevented.

Anádi. This universe is both beginningless and endless. Parama Puruśa manifests Himself in subtle forms, but He also manifests Himself in infinite ways.

Deva. Parama Puruśa is called Deva. All other entities are not exactly Deva, but are the expressions or creations of Deva. Numerous waves are always emanating from Parama Puruśa, each wave flowing with a particular speed and wavelength. In common parlance each of these waves is called Deva, but actually they are not Deva because their source or origin is Parama Puruśa. Every vibration of the universe is called Deva; and the, source of a devas is, called Mahádeva. So, in reality, who is Deva? He is none other than Mahádeva. The rest of the so-called devas are merely His reflections. Who is a deva? Sarva dyotanatmakah akhańd́acidaekarasa: the Entity who radiates innumerable vibrations out of His infinite body, whose tendency is to other than Mahádeva. The rest of the so-called devas are merely called Deva. He is cidaekarasah. Cit means Cognitive Flow, ekarasah means unbroken flow. So cidaekarasah means the singular unbroken flow of consciousness. In this sense only Parama Puruśa is Deva, and no one else.

Dyotate kriiŕate yasmádudyate dyotate divi
Tasmáddeva iti proktah stúyate sarvadevatah.

The Entity whose vibration vibrates the whole universe, whose effulgence illumines every other entity, from whom all other entities emanate, and in whom all other entities culminate, is the true Deva. All other deities are engaged in the service of the Supreme Deva. Hence He is the God of all gods, the Deva of all devas, that is, Mahádeva. By knowing Mahádeva all the binding fetters are removed forever. Here the fetters (páshas) mean all the physical, psychic and spiritual fetters. In the narrow sense pásha means the eight páshas.

Ghrńá shauṋká bhayaḿ lajjá jugupsá ceti paiṋcamii.
Kula-shiila-mánaiṋca aśt́ao pásháh prakiirttitáh.

[Ghrńá means hatred, shauṋká means apprehension, bhayaḿ means fear, lajjá means complex of shyness, júgupsá means hiding something or suppression, kulu means lineage, shiila means vanity of culture, and mána means vanity. These are the eight páshas or fetters.]

Sometimes the word pásha refers also to the six enemies (ripu): káma or attraction for physicality, krodha or anger, lobha or greed, moha or blind attachment, mada or pride, and mátsarya or envy. Sometimes it refers also to the fifty psychic propensities (vrtti) of the mind.

Only by knowing this Deva or Parama Puruśa can human beings attain emancipation from all sorts of bondages. There is no other way to emancipation. To know Him means to merge the unit mind into the Cosmic Mind. Human beings can become one with Parama Puruśa with the help of their unit consciousness. Only when they attain this stage can they realize that there is no difference between the microcosm and the Macrocosm; that is, knowledge, knower and known lose their individual existences. The knower and knowable become practically one, and the connecting link between the two, that is, knowledge, stands nullified. At this stage there remains no bondage.

Anádyananta: anádi and ananta. If there is any Primordial Entity it must have its starting point as well. If there is a starting point it must exist in a certain place, and it must have its culminating point also. If the starting point is located at a certain place, the culminating point must also be located in a certain place. If there is a starting point and a culminating point, there must be a middle point also. For these three reasons each and every entity comes within the scope of time, space and person.

When one knows Parama Puruśa, the creator of the starting point, the middle point, and the culminating point, one is free from the temporal, spatial and personal factors. One is liberated from the influence of the binding faculty as the Supreme operative Principle gradually wanes. Hence, regarding Prakrti it is said, Prakrtih sá nitya nivrttá – “Prakrti is the entity that undergoes constant waning.” By constant ideation Prakrti ultimately dissolves Herself in Parama Puruśa. Just as Prakrti is merged in Puruśa under certain conditions, sádhakas also become one with Parama Puruśa when liberated from the bondages of the Operative Principle. They attain salvation when Prakrti becomes one with Parama Puruśa in the process of gradual waning. The very wont of the microcosms is to attain liberation by snapping all their fetters. The only way to do that is to come within the shelter of Parama Puruśa. There is no other way – Nánya panthá vidyate yanáya.

Chapter 19	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Sambhúti and Mahásambhúti”. In the Vedas it has been said,

Sambhútiiṋca vináshaiṋca yastadvedobhayaḿsaha;
Vináshena mrtyuḿ tiirtvá saḿbhútyámrtamashnute.

[It is better for people to understand Brahma in both Its aspects, sambhúti, or creation, and vinásha, or transformation. Through vinásha – changing from one form to another – they overcome death, and through sambhúti – the gift of a human body – they gain a chance for immortality.]

What is the meaning of Mahásambhúti? To acquire knowledge about Mahásambhúti, you must first understand sambhúti and vinásha. The word sambhúti is derived as: prefix sam – root verb bhú + suffix ktin, which combine to mean literally, “proper development, proper origin”.

What is proper development or origin? When something is created it is called sambhúti. But when people create something new out of some existing fundamental stuff, it is not called sambhúti. (There are certain fundamental elements which human beings cannot create, but out of which they can create various objects. These objects are called elements, and all are included in sambhúti.) Actually, sambhúti is a special creation of Parama Puruśa.

What do we mean by vinásha? Vinásha is derived as: vi – nash + ghaiṋ. Usually we come across three such words: násha, vinásha and prańásha. What we call “destruction” in ordinary language is called násha. When an object is transformed and cannot be brought back to its original form it is called vinásha. For example, when a five-year-old boy grows into a twenty-five-year-old man it signifies a major change. Where has the growing body of the five-year-old gone? It has been annihilated. When an object returns to its original source after being annihilated, it is called prańásha. Prańásha signifies destruction also, but of a different nature. For example, when you prepare puri [unleavened bread puffed by deep frying] out of wheat flour and then transform it back into wheat flour, this is prańásha.

Let us take another example. Sugar is made from cane-juice. If the sugar is transformed back into cane-juice, that will be prańásha. In brief, sambhúti means “an original creation”, and vinásha is the total destruction of an object which cannot be transformed back to its original source.

The fundamental stuff of the universe has emerged from Parama Puruśa; hence all objects, big and small, are the sambhútis of Parama Puruśa. This sambhúti or creation is divided into various worlds: physical, plant, animal and human. Inanimate and animate beings are divided into various branches and sub-branches, which are also the creations of Parama Puruśa. In ordinary language they can also be called avatára. When Parama Puruśa is manifested in some physical object, that physical object is called the avatára of Parama Puruśa.

The word avatára is derived as: ava – tr + ghaiṋ. How diversified is the creation of Parama Puruśa! What striking differences there are among objects! Even in the plant world some plants are quite developed, while others are totally undeveloped. In the living world the protozoic body is undeveloped, but the metazoic body is developed. There is tremendous complexity within the flow of evolution of living beings. The undeveloped creatures of the living world are called jiivakot́i, and those which are highly developed are called Iishvarakot́i. The entire gamut of evolution from protozoic cells up to human beings are called jiivakot́is. These jiivakot́is [living beings] evolve through psychic and social clash. For example, those people who are dull and unintelligent today are sure to develop one day in the gradual process of evolution. When they become highly intelligent people, their physical capacity will also increase. Through intensive self-culture, a jiivakot́i can achieve a lot. Thus one should not worry; those who have taken the shelter of Parama Puruśa will certainly merge in Him.

Like jiivakot́is, the other branches and sub-branches of creation have originated from Parama Puruśa. You are not the actual owner of your physical and intellectual strength and spiritual power all these things have come from Parama Puruśa. All these powers have their limits, but Parama Puruśa is the source of all power.

In a jiivakot́i, strength can develop only to a certain degree, for the capacity of development of living beings is limited this is why they are called jiivakot́is. Suppose a certain man is trying to increase his physical strength through physical exercise. His strength can increase only to a certain degree. The physical strength of human beings is such that it cannot increase beyond a certain point. In exactly the same way, a certain person may develop the power of memory; but this development can take place only up to a certain age. Once that age is reached, there can be no further improvement. An ordinary human being can never become omniscient.

And what does Iishvarakot́i mean? In Iishvarakot́i there is a greater manifestation of divinity. A jiivakot́i by virtue of sincere and ardent spiritual practice can elevate itself to Iishvarakot́i. Both jiivakot́i and Iishvarakot́i are creations of Parama Puruśa. Thus in the gradual process of evolution they will become one with Brahma one day. In the Vedas it has been said:

Eśo ha deva pradisho’nu sarvá
Púrvohajátah sa u garbhe anta;
Sa eva játah sah janiśyamánah,
Pratyaḿjanáḿstist́hate sarvatomukhah.

Eśo ha deva pradisho’nu sarvá. Each direction is a creation of Parama Puruśa. He exists in all four directions. There are considerable differences in recommendations as to which way one should face while sitting in meditation or worship. Some say east, some say west; others advise north. Superstitious people consider the south to be inauspicious, as the south is supposed to be death’s door. But the rśi [sage] says that all the pradisha [cardinal points] north, south, east and west and all the anudisha [secondary points] northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest, above and below are the sambhútis of Parama Puruśa. So which way should people face? He pervades all the directions; all are His creations. Thus it is not necessary to face always in one direction.

Púrvohajátah. Those objects which existed in the distant past were also His creation. For instance, this planet earth was created after dissociation from the sun about 8,000 million years ago. At that time this earth was only a gaseous substance, but that too was a creation of Parama Puruśa. Subsequently that gas cooled and gradually solidified to form the earth. This metamorphosis took place around 2,230 million years ago, long before the advent of human beings. Naturally there was no question of anyone ascribing any name to it.

As the earth gradually cooled, many layers of rock were formed under the crust. Each of these layers is also a creation of Parama Puruśa, created by certain temperatures, pressures and atmospheric conditions. In brief, whatever was created in the past was the sambhúti of the Supreme Entity.

The totality of all the sambhútis is this universe. All the entities from the mighty sun to the tiny ant are a part of this universe. All the celestial bodies, living, dying or dead; all the nebulae, galaxies and the Milky Way; are members of the same universal family. A galaxy is vast, an ant is tiny, yet both have equal importance in maintaining the balance of the universe. If even an ant dies prematurely, that mishap may disturb the balance of the universe. Nothing in this universe is unimportant, not even a tiny ant. Suppose an ant moves an inch from the east to the west on a stone. If the balance of the stone is jeopardized by this change, this incident may be the cause of a major earthquake, because ants are also His sambhúti.

Through excavation we have discovered many fossils of animals and plants. These discoveries prove that in ancient times various gigantic animals existed, most of which have become extinct. All that remains are the fossilized bones of their bodies. Various ages – [Archean], Mesozoic, Oligocene, Eocene, etc. – have come and gone. Each of these ages had its respective animals and plants, which became extinct in a subsequent age. Each age is a sambhúti; each animal, plant and geological layer is also a sambhúti. Nothing is unnecessary.

About 1,700,000 years ago, towards the end of the Miocene Age and the early part of the Oligocene Age, the australopithecine came onto this earth. That animal is now extinct, but its successors, such as orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas, still exist. One branch of that group evolved into human beings. Hence the first ancestors of human beings should be called australopithecine and not “Káshyapa” or “Bharadvája” [names of early clan leaders]. The ancestors of human beings are monkeys, so monkeys are the relatives of human beings. All things that came on earth in the past were sambhútis of Parama Puruśa.

Sa u garbhe anta. Those beings which existed in the past are not the only sambhútis; those who will be born in the future will also be His sambhútis. Our ancestors used to say in ancient times, Ahaḿ gacchámi [“I’m going”]. Later on this was changed into Ahammi gacchata huim. Still later the sentence was changed into Maṋy jáhátá háṋi. Finally it became Maṋy játá huṋ [in modern Hindi]. One thousand years from now the same sentence will be changed into Mái jáṋi. Thus you see, one sambhúti is dying, yielding its place to a new one. Whatever will come will be an expression of Parama Puruśa the changes will be of form and sound only.

Sa eva játah. Whatever we see at present is His sambhúti also. Nothing in this universe is unimportant, though it may be small or petty. Take the case of alcoholics. To others they are degraded persons, but one has no right to hate them. Hatred is not an expression of moral courage. It is definitely not a praiseworthy tendency.

Sa eva játah sah janiśyamánah. If all the objects of this universe are the creations of Parama Puruśa, how can you hate anyone or anything? How is it possible to meditate on one divine expression and hate another? Mahásambhúti is the object of your ideation. There are certain entities which take a long time in undergoing internal and external change. For example, during the Cretaceous Age this earth was populated by gigantic animals which had immense bodies full of fat.

The geography of this earth is constantly changing. Where the sea is surrounded by land on three sides it is called a bay, for instance, the Bay of Bengal. The water of a bay is not ruffled by the high waves of the sea. The carcasses of many animals and creatures used to wash into the waters of such bays and accumulate there. This process resulted in the creation of sargasso seas. The carcasses would form a layer on the surface of the water so thick that small animals could even walk on it. When this hard crust thickened enough, the result was the sargasso sea. Underneath was water, and on the surface people could live and move. As the dead bodies accumulated, the fatty portion of the carcasses was converted into mineral oil under climatic pressures and pressures created in the earth’s surface. Thus by observing the geological structure of the earth, it is possible to determine the location of mineral oil. For example, the Assam valley, the Garo and Khasiya Hills, and the Himalayas, have large deposits of mineral oil, as do Rajasthan and Saurashtra. It takes a few tens of millions of years for animal fat to be converted into mineral oil.

The difference between the human beings of one million years ago and those of today is immense. Even the physical structures of developed human beings of today differ from those of undeveloped. The human structure also gradually changes in pace with human progress. All the ectoplasmic cells, nerve cells and nerve fibres of human beings are changing; the glands and plexi are also changing.

Pratyaḿjanáḿstiśt́hate sarvatomukhah. Behind every sambhúti, Parama Puruśa exists. Suppose you are sitting somewhere thinking about filing a case against your uncle. No one can know your internal thought, but Parama Puruśa knows. Or suppose your boss has arrived. You give him a proper reception and verbally request him to stay three or four days. But internally you are thinking, “The sooner this calamity is over, the better.” Here you are maintaining a duality between the internality and the externality. Parama Puruśa certainly knows your dual role. He exists behind every object, in every existence. For each and every sambhúti He has created a witnessing counterpart. So it is not possible for you to keep anything secret He has vigilant eyes everywhere. He is equally present in both animate and inanimate objects. We can say allegorically that He is associated with every object of creation through His five faces and His three eyes. The three eyes represent the past, present and future.

It is physically impossible for anyone to have five faces, yet Shiva is called Paiṋcánana [“Five-Faced God”]. So what are those five faces?

Shiva has one face in front flanked by two faces on the right and two on the left. The face on the extreme right is called Dakśińeshvara. This face conveys the message: “Listen to me! This will be good for you. You should behave in this way. Follow me. Please follow this path. Don’t indulge in improper deeds, but follow the path of morality and pious deeds.” Dakśińeshvara guides people with sweet polite language. Even though it tells one not to do certain things, it is still pleasant.

The face on the extreme left is called Vámadeva. It speaks with a thunderous voice. “You worthless chap, why did you do such a thing? I will punish you severely.” Thereafter it punishes the wrongdoer with a stick. “Don’t take me lightly, your bones will learn what is proper and what is improper!” This Vámadeva is the exact opposite of Dakśińeshvara.

The face next to Dakśińeshvara is called Iishána. It says, “Look, my child, follow this path. If you follow any other path, it will bring you only sorrow. Don’t make such a mistake. Prakrti will never pardon you. The result will be disastrous.” Iishána clearly states the consequences of misdeeds and gives a few pieces of advice. You may experience Parama Puruśa either in the form of Dakśińeshvara or in that of Iishána.

And on the left, the face next to Vámadeva is called Kálágni. Kálágni says, “Severe punishment is awaiting you. Your bones will be broken. Stupid! What nonsense are you doing?” In this way Kálágni scolds and threatens to punish, although it does not actually carry it out. Kálágni tries to rectify wrongdoers by creating fear in them, not by actual punishment. When someone becomes extremely angry we call him agnisharmá [red as fire]. The face in the middle is called Kalyáńasundaram. This face says, “Come, dear child, and sit beside me. I hope you are quite well.” This is the role of Kalyáńasundaram. Thus human beings want only Kalyáńasundaram.

With these five faces the Supreme Entity is watching the movement of each and every human being. He takes steps according to the particular situation. In the Vedas there appears the following prayer:

Asato má sadgamaya tamaso má jyotirgamaya;
Mrtyormámrtaḿgamaya ávirávirmayaedhi.

Rudra yatte dakśińaḿ mukham;
Tena máḿ páhi nityam.

“O Lord, take me from this ever-changing world to immortality. Lead me from darkness to light, from the world of death to the world of immortality, from the world of despondency to the world of joy, and, O Lord, come and manifest Yourself in me. O Rudra, with Your Dakśińeshvara face on the extreme right, protect me always. Make me vigilant, so that I will never make any omissional mistake and you will never have occasion to scold me.”

So this is His srśt́iliilá [play of creation], His sambhúti. Behind each of His sambhútis there is a particular wave of energy coming from Him. No one is neglected.

Sama plushiná sama mashakena sama nágena sama ebhistribhirlokaeh.

[Parama Puruśa looks upon a white ant, a mosquito, a mighty mammoth and the three worlds with impartiality.]

Samaplushiná. The word plushiná means “white ant”. An anthill made by white ants is called valmiika in Sanskrit. The sage around whose body the white ants once made a hill became named “Válmiiki”. He was so still when engrossed in silent, deep, spiritual meditation that white ants had sufficient time and opportunity to build an ant hill around his body.

Samamashakena. Mashaka means “mosquito” or any tiny creature. Samanágena. The word nága has three meanings: “python”, “mammoth” and “mountain spring”. Parama Puruśa has equal love and affection for white ants, mosquitoes and mammoths. Even though a mammoth has a huge body, Parama Puruśa shows no special partiality for it. He is as concerned about a tiny mosquito as He is about the entire universe. Although this vast universe, along with the so-called heaven and the so-called hell and this world of mortals, is so complex and vast, Parama Puruśa does not devote any extra time to it, nor does He devote any extra time to the tiny ant. Behind every sambhúti there functions a particular force assigned by Parama Puruśa. According to scriptures this force is called deva. Deva means a special manifestation of divine power, a special effulgence radiated from Parama Puruśa. Thus no entity should be hated, and none is insignificant.

Dyotate kriid́ate yasmádudyate dyotate divi
Tasmáddeva iti proktah stúyate sarvadevataeh.

–Yájiṋavalkya

[The vibrational manifestations emanating from the Supreme Nucleus are known as devatás, and these devatás address that Supreme Nucleus as Deva. He with His powers vibrates the entire universe, makes the entire universe dance; and He by dint of His occult and supra-occult powers brings everything back onto His lap.]

Sarvadyotanátmaka akhańd́a cidaekarasah.

–Shaḿkara

[Supreme Consciousness exists in the form of an unbroken flow of cognition, the supreme source of all kinds of emanative vibrations.]

The collection of all vibrations constitutes this universe. The existence and progress of this universe depends on the clash and cohesion of these vibrations. This process brings about some kind of disequilibrium in the sambhútis at a certain stage. That is, the imbalance in collective life becomes something that cannot be corrected by any one sambhúti. Let us suppose five thousand million people live in a particular place. Each of them is a sambhúti of Parama Puruśa. Suppose that with the passage of time (a change in the time factor) they lose their vitality, they become involved in internecine battles, and pessimism strikes deep in their hearts and creates disillusion and disappointment. This pessimism in collective life cannot be solved by one particular sambhúti; it requires the appearance of a special structure through which the Supreme Entity can fully express Himself. This special manifestation is called Mahásambhúti [“Great Sambhúti”]. The role of Mahásambhúti is to properly guide all other sambhútis and, by enforcing proper discipline, to bring about proper harmony and coordination amongst them. This special manifestation does not come within the purview of jiivakot́i or that of Iishvarakot́i.

Iishvarakot́i is also a special manifestation of Parama Puruśa. Normally human beings look upon Iishvarakot́i as an incarnation of God. Actually even jiivakot́i is an incarnation of God, but Iishvarakot́i is a higher incarnation.

In ancient times people imagined God in a series of advents correlated with the evolutionary flow of life on earth. The first expression of life took place in the water. Thereafter, another type of living being emerged which could live both in water and on land. Later land animals evolved, followed by a sub-human level of beings and finally by humans. More and more developed forms of jiivakot́i and Iishvarakot́i emerged. A medieval poet expressed this idea in sweet, lyrical verse:

Pralayapayodhijale dhrtavánasi vedaḿ
Vihita vahitra caritramakhedam.
Keshava dhrta miina shariira
Jaya jagadiisha hare.

[You deftly rescued the book of knowledge from amid the vast waters of the deluge – that book of knowledge which extols You as a great ship to cross this tremendous ocean of worldliness. O Lord in the form of a fish, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.⁽¹⁾]

Miina means “fish”. So the first sambhúti was in the form of a fish. The second sambhúti was in the form of a tortoise, which could live both in water and on land.

Kśitiriha vipulatare tava tiśt́hati prśt́he
Dharańii dharańa kińá cakra gariśt́he.
Keshava dhrta kúrma shariira
Jaya jagadiisha hare.

[This world is poised on the huge round callus formed on your vast back by bearing its weight for such a long time. O Lord in the form of a tortoise, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

So this second sambhúti was associated with both land and water. And the third sambhúti was in the form of a creature which lived only on the land, but which was very undeveloped. This sambhúti is called baráha avatára [boar].

Vasati dashanashikhare dharańii tava lagná
Shashini kalauṋkakaleva nimagná.
Keshava dhrta baráharúpa
Jaya jagadiisha hare.

[Just as the lunar seas remain inseparably associated with the moon, and add to its beauty, this world is affixed to the tips of Your tusks. O Lord in the form of a boar, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

The fourth sambhúti was in the form of a narahari [half human and half lion] an intermediate stage between an animal and a human being.

Tava karakamalabare nakhamadbhútashrungaḿ
Dalita hirańyakashiputanubhrḿgam.
Keshava dhrta Naraharirúpa
Jaya jagadisha hare.

[With the sharp claws of your exquisite, lotus-like hands, You pierced the body of the demon Hirańyakashipu and ripped it to pieces. O Lord in the form of Narahari, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

Narahari literally means “man and animal combined”. Then came an undeveloped human, a vámana [dwarf]:

Chalayasi vikramańe balmimadhútavámana
Pada nakha niira janita jana pávana.
Keshava dhrta vámanarúpa
Jaya jagadiisha hare.

[O strange dwarf, earth, heaven and hell all become hallowed by the sacred water that has washed Your feet. You outwitted King Bali when You, a dwarf, took those three gigantic steps. O Lord in the form of a dwarf, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

Then more developed human beings evolved who were called bhrgupati:

Kśatriyarudhiramaye jagadapagatapápam
Snapayasi payasi shamita bhavatápam.
Keshava dhrta bhrgupati rúpa
Jaya jagadiisha hare.

[You drenched the world with the blood of the warriors, and thus removed all the sins of the earth and eradicated the afflictions of the world. O Lord in the form of Parasurama (a bhrgupati), O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

In a later age, developed human beings emerged, who were not only physically developed but also mentally evolved. Ráma represents these developed human beings. Age after age, this evolution continued:

Vitarasi dikśu rańe dikpati kamaniiyaḿ
Dasamukhamaoli baliiḿ ramańiiyam.
Keshava dhrta Ráma shariira
Jaya jagadisha hare.

[You distributed splendid offerings – the ten heads of Rávańa – and thereby satisfied the desires of the presiding deities of all ten directions of the world. O Lord in the form of Ráma, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

Then humans developed further. They evolved methods of agriculture, they established an orderly family life, they learned how to build houses. Balaráma represents these developed human beings. He was a great civil engineer who built the city of Dwaraka. (The old capital of Shrii Krśńa was in Mathura. Krśńa’s cousin Jarásandha, the king of Magadha, was a notorious man who attacked Mathura again and again. For that reason Krśńa shifted his capital to Dwaraka; between Mathura and Dwaraka stretched the vast desert of Rajasthan, which the army of Magadha could not cross.) Balaráma was also proficient in agriculture and town planning.

Vahasi vapuśi vishade vasanaḿ jaladábham
Halahati bhiiti militayamunábham.
Keshava dhrta Haladhara rúpa
Jaya jagadisha hare.

[You wear silken robes that derive their colour from the blue glow of the River Yamuna blue due to its terror at the thunderous blow of that plowshare You wield with Your giant body. O Lord in the form of Shaḿkarśańa Balaráma, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

In the final phase of development [intuitionally-developed] human beings emerged. Buddha represents the developed humans of the developed age.

Nindasi yajiṋavidherahaha shrutijátaḿ
Sadayahrdayadarshita pashughátaḿ.
Keshava dhrta Buddha shariira
Jaya jagadisha hare.

[O merciful Lord, you condemned the custom of sacrificing animals, knowing well that it is a ritual much praised in the Vedas. O Lord in the form of Buddha, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

Thereafter, in order to destroy sin, weapons are necessary.⁽²⁾

If sinners are free from fear of retribution, they do not follow the right path. Vinu bhaya hoi na piriiti [“Where there is no fear there is no love”].

Mleccha nivaha nidhane kalayasi karaválam
Dhúmaketumiva kimapi karálam.
Keshava dhrta Kalki shariira
Jaya jagadisha hare.

[You wielded your dreadful sword, blazing like a comet, in the destruction of the unrighteous. O Lord in the form of Kalki, O Supreme Entity, victory unto You.]

In Iishvarakot́i we find the abundant expression of the power of Parama Puruśa. There are differences in this power among different human beings; so the different kinds of human beings are called kalávatára, aḿshávatára and khańd́ávatára [different degrees of avatára, none of them complete]. But note that Shiva and Krśńa are not mentioned as avatáras of the Supreme. Hence the most significant part of the shloka is Keshava⁽³⁾ dhrta… “Keshava came in these forms” which implies that Keshava Himself is not one of this sequence of avatáras.

Shiva and Krśńa are Mahásambhútis. They came to earth to correct the disorder among the other sambhútis. Mahásambhúti signifies an unlimited flow of intellect, wisdom and learning. There cannot be any comparison between sambhúti and Mahásambhúti. By evolving new systems and new ideas and ideals, and through scolding and punishment, these Mahásambhútis created a new world.

About seven thousand years ago Sadáshiva came onto the earth, and about 3500 years after that Lord Krśńa appeared as another Mahásambhúti. When the Supreme Entity appears as Mahásambhúti, He is not regarded as an avatára, rather He is called Táraka Brahma. The entity who brings freedom from all sorts of bondages is given the special name of Táraka Brahma. All the superstitions, inequities and defective social customs that have arisen in the last 3500 years, and which are impeding human progress, will be dispelled with His coming.

Footnotes

(1) Editors’ note: Each of the ten verses of this poem refers to a different one of the many Puranic, or mythological, stories universally known in India. By tying them together in the appropriate order, the poet depicts in a vivid way the process of animate evolution – biological, sociological, psychic and spiritual.

(2) Editors’ note: In the shloka to follow, we will find that Parama Puruśa is due to come “in the form of Kalki.” Kalki is the avatára of Kali Yuga, the Iron Age. His iconography features an array of weapons. Though mythological, in the qualities he displays he is roughly equivalent to Iishvarakot́i.

(3) Editors’ note: A name of Krśńa; hence (as here) a term sometimes used for the unexpressed Supreme Consciousness.

Chapter 20	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The term setu connotes bridge. Its function is to connect two objects. Devotion is that bridge which connects jiiva (unit) with Shiva (Cosmic Consciousness). At first one has to know about this setu. He has to dissect and analyse minutely its every aspect, taking also the help of books. This is what is called the Sádhaná of knowledge, i.e., Jiṋána Sadhaná. The endeavour to move towards this Setu is called the Sádhaná of action, i.e., Karma Sádhaná.

In philosophical parlance setu means the process of subjectivizing the objectivity. Some people are found misconstruing the real significance of devotion. They contend that since devotion is between jiiva and Shiva, where there is devotion there is the existence of duality also. But had it been so, devotion would not have performed the work of a bridge. Until and unless the jiiva crosses the bridge, there is duality; the moment the Bhava River is crossed duality meets its Waterloo. The term Bhava connotes rebirth, resulting from the action of the unit mind. Devotion is a bridge over the river of Bhava.

Bhakti Is No Sádhaná

Devotion is not Sádhaná. The stage of devotion is reached through the Sádhaná of knowledge and action. The ecstatic experience generated by devotion leads one to a state of trance. A happy news stimulates pleasing emotions in one’s mind and makes one laugh, sing and dance. The moment one crosses the bridge one is lost in the state of complete trance.

When a person is established in devotion he becomes able to understand the greatness and magnificence of Shiva. The understanding at this moment is Anubhúti Siddhi i.e., born of real experience through taste. Similarly, sweet things, e.g., mango and sugar can be distinguished only by taste. One cannot enjoy the flavour of mango by seeing its reflection in water. One will have to get the tree, pluck the mango and taste it. Similarly experience in the spiritual realm also can be had only after climbing a step on the tree of devotion. Only then one can understand the brilliance and greatness of Parama Brahma – the transcendental cosmic entity.

Parama Brahma Is Omniscient

Parama Brahma is an all-knowing entity. Where consciousness is not converted into an object there Brahma is called Parabrahma. Where it is transformed into an object there we call it Aparabrahma. Jiivas are the manifestation of Apara Brahma. The conversion of Apara Brahma into Para Brahma is the subjectivisation of objectivity. Para Brahma is called Sarvajiṋa i.e., omniscient. The Sanskrit word Sarvajiṋa is made of (Sarva + root verb jiṋá + da and means witnessing entity of all objectivities). He is in contact with everything in the universe. He lives with every small or big entity. The term Sarva stands for the three belligerent principles of Prakrti. In Sarva, Sa stands for the sentient principle, “Ra” for the mutative and “Va” for static principle. Every minutest particle is within this Sarva. There is not a single place where He is not. He is the base of the universe, He is its Áyatana. The term Áyatana connotes Adhivása, i.e., the dwelling place. A sádhaka can realize this only after starting his efforts to climb the tree of devotion.

What Is This Universe?

What is this universe? Where there is predominance of Bhaeravii shakti the universe is unmanifested. The domination of Bhavánii shakti means the manifestation of the universe. The term vishva connotes expressed universe. He is in every particle of the universe. He is also well-acquainted with the feelings in your mind. He is Mahat i.e., great. The term Mahat means matchless and also bereft of narrowness. Brahma is one and the same for all persons. Both sinners and pious persons are dependent on – rather, the descendants of Paramátma.

Súkśmát súkśmataraḿ vibháti.

Paramátmá is the subtlest of all. Your organs have a limited capacity. The subtlest is beyond their grasping power. The Saḿskrta word Súkśma (i.e., subtle) means the minutest object or the sweetest sound which the organs cannot grasp. But the subtlety is not an absolute criterion. Something which is subtle for one may not be the same for the other. It is therefore a relative terminology.

Paramátmá is Nitya. The term Nitya means that which is uninfluenced by the time factor i.e., beyond the periphery of past, present and future. The Entity on which depends the existence of time is called Mahakaola.

Object Subjectivized

Meditation is also action. For arousing devotion action is an indispensable condition. Before crossing the bridge of devotion one feels like “You are that”. But while crossing the bridge one feels “I am that”. At that time his object is subjectivised.

From Witnessed to Witnessing

In common parlance you say that Paramátmá is the object of your mind. But, as a matter of fact, everything in this world is the object of Paramátmá who alone can be the subjective entity of the universe. Supreme subjectivity cannot be your object. The experience that you are always witnessed by Him is devotion. One who realizes this attains the state of trance. The moment Tat is converted into Tvam or vice versa, one starts feeling that He is not a witnessed entity but a witnessing one. There are three main stages of mind: (i) Conscious, (ii) Subconscious, (iii) Unconscious. These stages are experienced by the reflected consciousness. When Tat and Tvam become one in the life of a sádhaka he starts feeling that it is not this reflection on these but his reflection on Apara Brahma. At that time jiiva entity for him becomes Apara Brahma. The identification of his unit identity with Brahma makes him free from virtue and vice.

Four Dhámas

The term dháma connotes home. Actually speaking there are four dhámas: i) Conscious mind, ii) Subconscious mind, iii) Unconscious mind, iv) Dhamá less (house-less) state or Nirálamba Avasthá or Turiiyá vasthá.

In the first three the object of thinking is not original. No original creation is possible in these stages. Even during dream or slumber the objects already perceived by the conscious mind are recreated again. In the unconscious mind the object perceived by the conscious mind is completely identified with the perceiving entity and naturally the imaginary figure of ghost, for instance, becomes a reality there. But in Turiiya stage original creation is possible. Man consumes an object mentally. In these three stages the object of your thinking is your own expressed counterpart. A portion of your self becomes Bhoktá and another portion Bhogya. Bhokta is Saguńa Para. Bhogya is Saguńa Apara. The neutral or Nirapekśa part is Nirguńa. Your own unit consciousness, Mahat and ego are bhoktá and citta is bhogya.

Vilakśańá

In collective life also some become bhoktá and some bhogya. But those who are vilakśańa or vipariitguńa i.e., neither bhoktá nor bhogya will feel that their real nature is manifested in realizing. “I am Sadáshiva or consciousness personified”. The term Sadáshiva means always being in consciousness. Sadáshiva was also a historical figure. About seven thousand years ago he had come with this blessing of Tantra Sádhaná. He was Mahakaola i.e., one who can arouse others’ sleeping divinity.

Mást Shiva

There are numerous glands in human body. The secretion from the upper glands affects the lower ones but not vice versa. The secretion of the pineal – the uppermost gland affects all other glands in the human body. But dirty or crude thinking does not allow the secretion to come down to all the glands and thereby influence them. Pious thinking, on the other hand, allows the pineal secretion to affect every gland and leads one to the state of trance or samádhi. The psychological implication of Samádhi is the merger of of the unit with Cosmic Consciousness and its biological interpretation is the influence of the pineal gland over other glands in human body. Samádhi was always a state of ineffable bliss due to the influence of the hormone of the pineal gland. Naturally some misconstrued his joyous state as if he were intoxicated by smoking.

Shiva – the Candrashekhara

What does the crescent moon over the head of Shiva connote? At that time people used to think some portion of the moon as invisible. They had divided the moon into sixteen Kalás. The sixteenth one was invisible to them. They placed the pineal gland in this invisible portion of the moon. This crescent moon is also called Amákalá or Indu. Shiva acquired appellations like Candrashekhara, Candrabhúśańa etc.

The limited human mind grasps external physicalities with the help of organs. But a bigger mind, cosmic mind, for instance, need not take the help of organs just as they are not needed for knowing your own thoughts. He, whose mind is immanent in every particle of the universe, does not need the external help. Identify your mind with this and you will realize that even the minutest of the objects are you. You are the pacific ocean. The universe which is the manifestation of Bhavánii Shakti will appear as your own manifestation. The universe, which is the Liila of Sadáshiva also gives Him infinite, ecstatic bliss. You meditate on Him and He meditates on you. He is the oldest of the entities – Purátana. Práciina means old and Purátana connotes oldest. Since Shiva is the oldest of the entities, He is the father of all, but He has no father of His own. None can say who His father was. The moment one realizes Him, one starts feeling that he is the controller of everything, the golden, glittering entity.

He feels that he is effulgence personified. His identity is Shivo’ham Shivo’ham i.e., “I am Shiva”. This realization is unlikely without devotion. Devotion is the bridge. Proper knowledge and action are also needed, but devotion is the prime factor, the essence.

Chapter 21	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “The Cardinal Spirit of Action and The Supreme Stance of Devotion” (Karma-Sannyása and Parábhakti).

What is action or karma, and what is its cardinal spirit? The relative change of position of objects is termed karma. This karma can never be performed beyond the periphery of time, space and person.

The relative change of place of objects presupposes the very existence of time, space and person. This actional faculty is non-existent in the case of the Supreme Entity, because that Entity is beyond the scope of relativity. Now what do you understand by the expression, karma-sannyása? The word sannyása had been derived form saḿ (or sat) plus nyása. The word sat refers to the unchangeable Entity. The word sannayása implies one’s total identification with that unchangeable Entity.

Now let us return to the interpretation of karma-sannayása (cardinal spirit of action). According to some interpretations, it means total inactivity. Some are of the view that it signifies perfect completion of work. And others opine that unification with the Supreme Consciousness through karma is karma-sannyása. Now let us judge who is the real agent of karma to attain its finality. As has been mentioned earlier, the periphery of knowledge is bound by the factors of time, space and person. Karma-sannyása is possible only when each factor of time, space and person comes within the scope of tactual relationship with the Subjective Bearing; that is, the time factor with the Eternal Entity, space with the All-pervading Entity and the personal factor with the Supreme Shelter. That is why Karma-sannyása cannot be termed merely as a medium of some kind of achievement; rather it is a state of supreme culmination.

Now who is the doer of karma? We know that the range of action is limited within the arena of time, space and person. So there are two functional agents or doers of action: the microcosm on the one hand and the Macrocosm on the other. Apart from these two, no third entity can be of any relevance in the matter of attaining the proper finality of action. The awakening of psychic desire at any moment compels the physical body to be active, but the body is incapable of any function in the absence of an impetus from the mind. There are two reasons for this. First, there is always the attraction of the Cosmic Mind. Therefore if there is any command from the Supreme, the individual entity is bound to move. Secondly, the unit mind can direct the movement of any other entity in spite of its unwillingness. Hence an action is executed either by a unit mind or by the Cosmic Mind. The wind blows: wind is a blind force devoid of its own psyche. This wind is a material entity, but it moves due to the impetus from the Cosmic Mind. It is similar to that of a top spun by young boys. Boys cannot always spin the tops; they spin only when they are thrown in a particular way, in a perfect fashion, otherwise not. A top has no power to spin unless it is made to do so by a second entity. Likewise the sun is moving around its nucleus with its large family of celestial bodies under Divine inspiration. Hence all physical activities originate from the mind which is the prime mover of all actions. No action can take place without the impulse of mind.

Both the unit mind and the Cosmic Mind function within the bounds of time, space and person, but the difference between the two is that the unit mind may not necessarily consciously comprehend the function of Cosmic Mind, although it (the unit) comprehends on its unconscious level. And even what remains unknown to the unit mind is certainly known to the Supreme, because the Cosmic Mind maintains this cognizant bearing with its independent will. The function of the Cosmic Mind may or may not be prompted by any causes. Regarding the Macrocosmic function, it may be said that it may or may not take place within the relative factors of time, space and person. As long as the causal stance of the microcosmic function of Parama Puruśa remains within the scope of time, space and person, the unit may be graced with that very realization. But if the Supreme cause is beyond the periphery of time, space and person, it remains indiscernible for the unit mind. In that case the unit mind assumes everything to be a divine play.

As the mind is the noumenal cause of action, so the latter is dependent upon the mind for its finality. It is said in Saḿskrta: Mana eva manuśyánáḿ kárańam bandha-mokśayoh.

Now let us analyse how the mind functions. In the physical sphere energy is essential for action. What is energy? Energy is the actional state within a material structure. This energy by itself is a blind force and for its activation intellect must exist: a driver is required to direct this blind force. The support of the intellect is a prime necessity for the operation of energy in this material world. If an useful thing is kept easily accessible to the common people in a country or society, in most cases it is misused or spoiled. Those who are considerate and have the power of judgement should be entrusted with the responsibility of controlling the physical power of common people with their intellectual power, otherwise everything will be spoiled. It is like a bullock which, without a driver, is unable to decide whether to pull its cart towards the right or the left. Only a discriminating driver can control everything efficiently.

As people, guided by their intellect, continue to gather practical experiences of the ups and downs of this world, they gradually start to realize that their psychic capacities are too inadequate to accomplish any great task. Then, faced with the stark realities of life, they realize that they have no alternative but to merge with the Supreme Consciousness. At that stage, whatever they do will have a cosmic support and will be genuine. That is why enlightened persons always prefer to remain unified with the Supreme Entity. This is considered the highest attainment of knowledge.

Undeveloped human beings consider themselves to be very intelligent and thus at every step they invite innumerable obstacles in the material world. Later on, after climbing some rungs up the ladder of evolution, they realize form the core of their hearts the hollowness of their psychic capabilities. It is the natural rule of the universe that those who possess immense knowledge are quite conscious of their intellectual limitations, whereas people with superficial knowledge think just the opposite. The genuine way of learning for seekers of knowledge is to consider always that they know nothing.

One can execute some ordinary types of work with one’s own little intellect. But if one aspires to undertake any noble ventures, then one has to unite one’s own intellect with the Cosmic Intellect, and work with the help of the Supreme knowledge of Parama Puruśa. This is the spirit of karma sannyása.

Now what is the method to merge the unit mind in the Cosmic Mind? As the basic trend of the evolutionary process is from the crude towards the subtle, therefore in order to make one’s own intellect subtle, one is to take the ideation of the subtlest entity, not to remain engrossed in crude objects. With the constant ideation of the Supreme, the mind will gradually attain more and more subtlety and will ultimately be converted into the subtlest entity. After this the sense of separation in the microcosm ceases to exist, and it becomes one with the Cosmic Mind. When the unit intellect arrives at this highest point, there is no doubt that it has become one with the Supreme Intellect. This state of pinnacled intellect is called karma-sannyása. So wise people should be ever vigilant regarding karma-sannyása.

What is the relationship between karma-sannyása and parábhakti? When the Supreme Consciousness remains in His unassailed state, in His original stance, He is called Para Brahma. But when that Para Brahma is transmuted into different ideas or objects, then that Supreme Consciousness is termed Apara Brahma. Attachment towards Apara Brahma is called aparábhakti, and intense love for Para Brahma is called parábhakti.

What is knowledge? Knowledge is the subjectivisation of external objectivities. When external objectivities are not subjectivised, there occurs either internal or external reflection or refraction on the mental plate. This is nothing but the resultant of external or internal projections. This is not true knowledge, or direct knowledge; in fact, it is not knowledge at all but a shadow of knowledge. Those who only reach up to the range of reflection or refraction develop ego. But those who are truly learned are devoid of any ego, because they are well aware of the subjective cause of all external objectivities.

Átmajiṋánaḿ vidurjiṋánaḿ jiṋánányanyáni yánitu;
Táni jiṋánávabhásáni sárasyanaeva bodhanát.

“Self-realization is the only knowledge. All other types of knowledge are simply the umbra and penumbra of knowledge,” because they do not contribute to any real understanding of objects.

This self-realization does not consist of any subjectivisation because at this stage the external object, the mind and soul, all become one. Then knower, knowledge and the object of knowledge are all unified in he attainment of Supreme Oneness.

If a teacher of Bhopal city is asked, “How many ants are there in the city?” or “How many bricks are there in the buildings?” he or she will not be able to answer, because the external objectivities have not been subjectivised. When it is possible to do so, there is no necessity of reading books. Even without reading, people can form an exact idea about objects reflected in the átman. By knowing the objects reflected in the átman, they can get all the answers to the questions “what”, “when”, “how”, etc. This is true knowledge, everything else is the mere shadow of knowledge.

The changes in psychic objects bring about a liberation from bondage of those factors which constitute the mind. Knowledge originates in the mind, but it culminates in supreme spirituality. Therefore the base of knowledge, like the base of action, is in the Self. Its origin is in the mind, but its culminating point is in the Self.

Now let us see what is pará-bhakti. When the Supreme Entity is not under the bondage of Prakrti, He is called Para Brahma; but when He comes under the bondage of Prakrti, He becomes finite and gradually is bound more and more by the guńas.

Even great scholars know only a little; they cannot know everything, because they are not omniscient. The culmination of their learning is within the bondage of Prakrti; but the culminating point of their spiritual path is freedom from the bondage of Prakrti.

To understand the meaning of pará-bhakti, it is essential to know its supreme aim, because pará-bhakti is closely related to karma sannyása. Every action has its end, its objective. The movement towards such an objective has two trends which are known as átmanepadii and parasmaepadii. If a person is greatly attracted towards a limited object, his or her mind will rush towards that object, and when at last the mind attains it, it gradually becomes one with that object. At that time, action and knowledge vanish for they take the form of that object.

You may have noticed, for example, that when some learned people earn recognition or a high degree, they lose interest in even discussing the subject of their degree. Those who have aparabrahma (knowledge of the relative world) as their objective will try to achieve power and authority, and after acquiring them they often ignore the very work they had been doing so assiduously before. In many cases they start misusing their newly acquired power. This is a natural law. To prevent such a degeneration one most accept Parabrahma as the goal, and not aparabrahma.

Externally some people may render service to society, but internally they desire to become government ministers. Later, when they attain that coveted position, they give up social service entirely. This is a natural tendency of human beings.

What is karma sannyása? It is to go beyond the dimensions of time, space and person. If aparabrahma is the aim of life, then knowledge and action decrease and human beings become crudified. Karma sannyása is only possible for those people whose goal of life is Parabrahma.

What is bhakti? When the mind leaves all objects of the world and races towards the Supreme Entity, that is known as bhakti. When spiritualists move towards the Supreme Entity their minds are unknowingly and gradually transformed. A caterpillar does not know when it changes into a butterfly. Similarly, the mind of a spiritualist does not know how it changes; one day it simply realizes that it is not longer a unit mind. When one’s individual and personal feelings are completely removed from the mind, at the moment one begins to advance, and the supreme state is attained. The spiritualist should adopt exactly the same sort of loving attitude as Parama Puruśa has for His children. By working according to the wishes of Parama Puruśa one can merge one’s mind in Him. If, on the other hand, there is a gap between the wishes of the individual mind and those of the Cosmic Mind, then that individual moves far away from Paramátmá. The wish of Paramátmá is to elevate His children, to love them and to care for them. You should also cultivate this kind of love towards society which is the offspring of Paramátmá, and according to natural law, you will certainly attain this love, for it is totally natural. There is no other way to attain Paramátmá than to render selfless service to the world. If people try to merge their minds in Paramátmá and seek to become one with Him, or are able to bring their minds near to Paramátmá and serve Him, then they can also attain Him.

Some people may say, “It is not proper to be one with Paramátmá; rather one should be with Him and serve Him.” Others say, “The wishes of those who become one with Paramátmá become one with His wishes. Such people perform all actions spiritually.” Still others say, “Those who love Paramátmá also love His children, and serve them.” Why should people think that they will become one with Paramátma like that?

My opinion is that it is proper for human beings to leave everything to Paramátmá, because those who are truly devotees know that Paramátmá is much wiser than they. This is what is known as prańipáta, and this is fulfilled by parábhakti. There is no alternative. Through parábhakti, karma sannyása is also possible; hence karma sannyása is only possible for those who have acquired parábhakti. Those who have attained parábhakti will be great men and women of action. The strength of their devotion will establish them in their action, and this will benefit the world. Do a great deal of work and acquire much knowledge, but remember that establishment in karmasannyása and progress in the arena of knowledge is not possible without devotion.

Chapter 22	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Virtue and vice are temporal entities. These things have nothing to do so far as a person’s relationship with the Supreme Father is concerned.

Suppose several boys are moving along a particular road and one particular boy falls into the drain. His dress, his body, become dirty; other people, passers-by, will laugh at him, but when the boy’s father sees his boy in that condition, what is he to do? Will he laugh at his own son? No, no, no. What will he do? He himself will go there, into the drain, and take his boy in his own lap, and clean his dress, clean his clothes, clean his body; and after that he will say, “My boy, you should walk carefully.”

Sinning persons are just like those boys in the drain. Now, high or low, upgraded or degraded, all are equal, all are equal for Him, because heaven is His creation, and hell is His creation. If we say that He is only in heaven, it will not be a correct utterance, because He is in hell also. His sons, His daughters, are never alone. He is with you even in hell.

What are you to do? You are always to remember that you are the child of a Great Father. You must not think that you are a sinner, you are a degraded person. If you think that you are a sinner, it means you are meditating on sin! And when sin has become your object of meditation, actually you will become a sinner, because a person becomes just like his or her object of ideation, object of meditation. If you always meditate on sin, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner,” actually you will become a sinner. The psychological approach is, you should forget it – even if you are actually a sinner, you should think, “I am the son of a Great Father, I am the son of a Great Father, I am the son of a Great Father.” And thus you are meditating on the Great Father, and a day is sure to come when you will become one with your Great Father. But to think, “I am a sinner, I am a sinner, oh Father, save me, oh Father, save me,” is a defective approach! You should say, “I am your son, I am your daughter, oh Father, take me on your lap, I am your son, I am your daughter.” This will be the approach. You should forget what you do not want.

Now in the phase of creation, the first point of creation is called Shambhúliuṋga. Liuṋga means “the point, the supreme point, the terminus of all expressions, all movements”. And that terminus is a singular entity. In the phase of extrovert, it is the starting-point, and in the phase of introvert, it is the culminating point. It is the Supreme Desideratum.

At this starting-point, wherefrom the first expression takes place in the first phase of creation, what happens? In that triangle of forces, triangle of principles, sentient, mutative and static, what happens due to their intertransmutation? All of a sudden the triangle becomes unbalanced, and the released resultant force comes out from one of the vertices of the triangle. There are three vertices, and it comes out from one of the vertices. And the point from which this extroversial force comes out is called Shambhú. In the phase of extrovert, in the phase of creation, it is Shambhú; and in the phase of introvert also it is Shambhú. In the phase of creation it is the starting point, it is the fundamental positivity. It is the fundamental positivity because in it lies the seed of all creation. And in the phase of introvert, it is the Supreme Desideratum, because here in this point all the aspirations, all the hopes, all the desires, of all living beings terminate.

Similarly, in the unit structure, in each and every unit structure, there is a starting-point, a microscopic expression of Shambhú in the entire Macrocosm. That is, in the entire Cosmological order there is a Shambhú point, the starting-point, and similarly, in the unit expression, in the microcosm, there is Shambhú in miniature form, in microcosmic form, controlling the microcosm. And it is this point [crown of the head], the controlling point of the pineal gland. It is the site of Parama Puruśa, Paramashiva. And in the phase of creation, while Shambhú is the starting-point, the last point of creation, the crudest point, is called Svayambhú.

Shambhú and Svayambhú. In Sanskrit, sham means “to control”, and bhú means [“created”]. So shambhú means “the controller, self-created controller”. And Svayambhú – svayam means “self”, [so svayambhú means] “self-created”. But it is not the controller, because it is the crudest point. It is the last point, the crudest point.

Now, wherever there is any expression or wherever there is no expression, the Witnessing Entity is there, just like the light of a stage, a theatrical stage. When there is an actor, the light is there, witnessing the activities of the actor. The actor says something, recites something, and the light of the stage witnesses the activities of that particular actor. And when a singer comes, that light witnesses the activities of the singer. A dancer comes, and that very light witnesses the activities of the dancer. And when nobody is present – no actor, no dancer, no singer – the light, that very light, witnesses that “Nobody is present here now.” It expresses the fact before the audience, before the spectators, that there is nobody on the stage. Similarly, where there is expression, that Cosmic Light, that Cosmic Father, is there. And where there is no expression, the Father is there to say that nobody is present now – just like that light of the theatrical stage.

Now in the case of Shambhúliuṋga, the fundamental positivity from where the creation starts, the Supreme Entity is there. And where the creation terminates, the last point, the crudest point, the Svayambhúliuṋga – the Witnessing Entity is there also, the Supreme Father is there also. Now in [Shambhúliuṋga], the human entity, the entity of a living being, is in subtlest form, is in purest form, is in unadulterated form. And in Svayambhúliuṋga, in the lowest point, in the lowest bone, of your body, the created being, the living being, is in crudest form. Because of that crudest expression, the living being will also be in crudest form. That is, all one’s divinity, one’s divinity in its entirety, is sleeping there, is in latent form there, in the last bone of the body. That sleeping divinity – actually it is divinity, but it is sleeping – is called kulakuńd́alinii in Sanskrit, “coiled serpentine” in English. “Coiled serpentine”. It is just like a serpentine loop.

Now, by dint of sádhaná – what is sádhaná? Whenever a sádhaka gets his or her own peculiar incantation from his ácárya, his or her own mantra to be practised, that sleeping divinity, kulakuńd́alinii, is aroused by the vibration of that mantra. And by dint of the person’s constant practice, regular practice, what happens? It moves that serpentine loop upward. Its original residence is in the múládhára cakra, the lowermost cakra. Now when the sádhaka by dint of his or her sádhaná, intuitional practice, exalts that kulakuńd́alinii, and when the kulakuńd́alinii crosses the svádhiśt́hána cakra, the next higher cakra, the sádhaka’s feeling, his or her expression, his or her status, is known as sálokya. It is the first stage of samádhi. A sádhaka by constant practice is sure to attain that status. But you know, the yogis say that a sádhaka cannot attain that status without the special favour of the spiritual guru. This is what they say. That stage is called sálokya.

Sálokya means that the sádhaka feels that in the stratum, or sphere, where he or she is, where that person’s exalted mind is, he or she is not alone; the Supreme Father is also there. This samádhi, where the feeling is that in the stratum, or status, where the person is, that person’s Supreme Father is also there, gives the person very much pleasure. This first pleasure is called sálokya samádhi.

Then when this coiled serpentine, sleeping divinity, crosses the mańipura cakra, just near the hub, the controlling point, of the pancreas, the person enjoys another sort of pleasure, and that pleasure is called sámiipya samádhi. Sámiipya is a Sanskrit word. It means “proximity”. That is, the sádhaka feels his or her proximity to the Supreme Father.

In the first stage, the sádhaka felt that the Supreme Father was there in the same status. He is not in the sky, he is everywhere, He is with you. If you are here and He is in the sky, then you are alone here, and He is also alone there. No, no, no, no. In the first phase the feeling was that “Where I am, He is also with me.” And in the second phase, “I have come very close, very near, that Supreme Father; I am in close proximity to the Supreme Progenitor. By dint of my sádhaná, the gap between my Father and myself is being bridged.” It is the second phase, known as sámiipya. Sámiipya means “proximity”.

Then when that sleeping divinity, that kulakuńd́alinii, crosses the anáhata cakra, this plexus, this “solar plexus” (in Latin), the sádhaka’s feelings are known as sáyujya. Sáyujya means “in close contact”. In Sanskrit sáyujya means “close contact, just side by side, just touching”. In sálokya He is with you. In sámiipya you feel the proximity, the nearness. And here in sáyujya what do you feel? A tactual experience. You get a tactual experience.

Then when by dint of your sádhaná the divinity, the sleeping divinity, the kulakuńd́alinii, crosses this point [the throat], one will experience another sort of sádhaná, a subtler sádhaná, subtler samádhi. And that one is called sárúpya. In sárúpya the feeling is “I am one with Him.” “I am one with Him” – not close contact, but oneness. “I am one with the Supreme Progenitor, I am one with the Supreme Cognition.” This is sárupya.

Then by still more sádhaná, when the sleeping divinity crosses this point [between the eyebrows], the controlling point of the pituitary gland, the ájiṋá cakra, the sádhaka’s feelings, or experiences – another sort of sádhaná, still more high – are known as sárśt́hi in Sanskrit. At that point, the feeling is that “I am He;” that is, “I” and “He”, these two entities, have become one. “I am;” but “He” and “I” have coincided.

“I” – “He”. There is one gap. “I am the Supreme Entity, I am the Supreme Entity.” There is still the connecting link “am”. But when “I” and “Supreme Entity” coincide, the gap “am” disappears. “I”, “Supreme Entity”, and the connecting link “am”. When this will coincide with this, the connecting “am” will disappear, because there is no gap. “I” becomes one with “He”. Clear? Or “He” becomes one with “I”. This stage is called sárśt́hi.

And the last stage is when that kulakuńd́alinii comes here [crown of the head]. I said that in the unit structure, Shambhúliuṋga, Parama Puruśa, is here, at the controlling point of the pineal gland. The divinity, the sleeping divinity, is to be exalted to that point, to the controlling point of the pineal gland. And there is the final stage of samádhi. That final stage of samádhi is called nirvikalpa samádhi in yoga, and kaevalya in Tantra. In Sanskrit kaevalya means “only”. Kevala means “only”, and the noun of kevala is kaevalya.

That is, only one entity exists. That entity may be I, that entity may be He. But the differentiation between “I” and “He” disappears. So “I exist” and “He exists” – these two ideas disappear: “exists”. That is, it is the stage of non-attributional consciousness. It is the supreme stage of yogic sádhaná. It is the supreme stance for a yogi.

Now by dint of sádhaná, one is to arouse and exalt that sleeping divinity. That Svayambhúliuṋga becomes one with Shambhúliuṋga.

But for this one requires divine help. And I know one is sure to get divine help. And I know further that one is getting divine help. And I know still further that in future, for infinite time and infinite space, one will be getting this divine favour. And you are all sádhakas. You will certainly attain that supreme stance and enjoy that divine blessedness. You are sure to enjoy it, my sons and my daughters.

Chapter 23	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Before we try to understand what a mantra is, let us be clear about shabda [sound]. Everything in this manifest universe is vibrational. Creation is also vibrational. And the first and subtlest expression of the vibrational flow is shabda. As shabda is the first vibrational expression of Brahma, Shabda Brahma is the first expression of Kárya Brahma [Effect Brahma, Expressed Brahma]. The fundamental difference between Kárya Brahma and Kárańa Brahma [Causal Brahma] is that all vikásha, all expression, in Kárańa Brahma is purely svagata (subjective) and svarasátmaka (blissful). There is no paragata (objective) or pararasátmaka (extroversial) pleasure therein. Being purely subjective and blissful, it has no vyaiṋjanátmaka bháva, no exceptional quality. In other words, it is purely original and cannot [contain] any compound or mixture.

Prior to its practical emergence in the practical sphere, shabda was present in the realm of bháva, or ideas. And the starting point of shabda in the world of ideation is called paráshakti. Paráshakti exists both in the unit⁽¹⁾ and in the [Cosmos]. Although potentially paráshakti has full possibilities of expression, due to lack of a medium it does not get expressed. It germinates into expression as soon as it finds a medium. And its vibrational expression is shabda. In other words, we hear sound within and without when there is a mutual clash in the medium due to the formation of troughs and crests of various waves. This then is shabda.⁽²⁾

Kárańa Brahma [is represented] in Tantric scriptures by all the svaravarńa [vowel] sounds taken together. When those sounds are converted into action, that is, acquire the potential to form mixtures and compounds, they are called vyaiṋjana [consonants]. The diversity of creation is expressed through consonants, not through vowels. This is the logic behind the division of the Indo-Aryan alphabet into vowels and consonants.

What is a mantra? It has already been stated that the starting point of shabda, parábindu, exists both in the unit and in the [Cosmos]. In the flow of evolution, in the unit as well as in the Cosmic, shabda is born out of pará. Pará is the womb of all sounds. A mantra is a collection of a few particular shabdas - not each and every shabda. Mantra means “that collection of sounds meditation on which leads to liberation” – Mananát tárayet yastu sah mantrah parikiirttitah. Man plus the root verb trae plus the suffix d́a make up the word mantra.

By way of illustration, suppose you are sitting somewhere and you do not have the strength to move. A gentleman happens to come that way. If you say to him, “Come, sir, let’s have a little talk,” that will not prompt the gentleman to lift you by the hand and support your movement. If, on the other hand, you tell the gentleman, “Come, sir, I don’t have the strength to get up – please take my hand and lift me up,” it may bring about that result. Thus we get the result we desire by means of an appropriate expression in words. In this illustration the seed of the idea was the same at the level of pará, but due to two different formations of expression, different results were obtained. A given expression carries a particular meaning for you, as it expresses a particular feeling and it possesses a particular value. In other words, when a particular feeling is expressed through a particular combination of sounds, it achieves a particular value. But even then it does not attain the status of a mantra.

Unless the shabda or the collection of shabdas, when meditated upon, leads to the path of liberation, it cannot be called a mantra. Every mantra is thus sonic or vibrational and is vibrating simultaneously in the Cosmic system and in the unit body. When, with the help of a mantra, a person finally establishes the parallelism of the unit ectoplasmic vibration with the Cosmic vibration, that person gets mantra siddhi.

And what is mantra caetanya, or the awakening of a mantra? Mantra caetanya is the condition where, with the help of a particular shabda, a person establishes parallelism between his or her external physical vibration and his or her internal ectoplasmic vibration, and then raises this to the spiritual level.⁽³⁾ And the culmination of this process in the achievement of the final spiritual goal is called mantra siddhi. The same shabda without being made “live” or awakened in the above process is meaningless; it acquires force and meaning when it becomes “live” in the aforesaid manner. The parallelism between the internal ectoplasmic vibration and the external Cosmic vibration can only be established when one has complete control over one’s own ectoplasmic vibration.

According to one’s saḿskáras, a person will be vibrated immediately by one shabda, but remain immune to the vibrations of another. Thus some people get angry when you say “Sitá-Rám” to them, but are pleased when you greet them with “Rádhe-Shyám”. Our attitude towards different shabdas becomes defined.

It will be noted that many writers repeat the use of particular words. Many, for instance, use the word “but” in every other sentence. All this happens because of their attachment to particular rhythmic vibrations. Similarly, when the vibrational expression is ectoplasmic, that is, when the individual gets equilibrated with the Cosmic vibration, [Cosmic] mantra caetanya takes place.

As already mentioned, not only human existence but every existence in this universe is vibrational. But the vibrations of each individual, of each object, differ from those of other objects. For instance, there is a difference between the vibrational expression of iron and that of gold. Just as the vibrations of a human differ from those of iron or gold, the vibrations between one human and another also differ. A person’s life is nothing but a mesh of multilateral rhythms, and the goal of human life is a singular Entity having no rhythm.

The style of a person’s speech represents a particular rhythm of his or her own. The way the person eats represents the rhythm of his/her own eating. Every person is thus special on account of these specialities. The rhythms of two individuals cannot be identical. An individual rhythm is the particular property of a particular person. It has been said in Ánanda Sútram:⁽⁴⁾ Vaecitryaḿ prákrtadharmah samánaḿ na bhaviśyati [“Diversity, not identity, is the law of nature”]. In this universe every person in every action possesses a particular rhythm of his own. If someone wants to obstruct or strike that rhythm through disciplinary measures or expressions of anger, the person will not tolerate it. Personal liberty – individual liberty – really means the unobstructed expression of individual rhythmic vibrations.

When with the help of one’s paráshakti (pará in the sense of the starting point of shabda and not in the context of pará and apará) a person coincides his or her individual rhythmic vibrations with the rhythmic vibrations in the realm of this quinquelemental universe, from that moment onwards his or her rhythms become vibrated with mantra caetanya. This is the awakening of, or putting life into, a mantra. Therefore Sadáshiva has said:

Caetanyarahitáh mantráh proktáh varńástu kevalam
Phalaḿ naeva prayachanti lakśakot́ijapaerapi.

In order to make a mantra “live”, the individual rhythms have to be made parallel to the Cosmic rhythms. Then the starting point of expression of the unit will have to be made to coincide with the starting point of expression in the Cosmic field. “If this has not been done,” says the shloka, “even hundreds of thousands, even millions, of repetitions of the mantra will not lead to mantra siddhi.”

There are several essential factors to bring about mantra caetanya. The first is that the mantra should suit the saḿskára of the individual concerned. And the second is that the individual should feel a fraternal emotion for and attachment to the external world. This sentimental contact with the external world is a must. If someone is under the impression that “I am doing sádhaná for the sake of personal liberation and I have nothing to do with the world,” and thus denies his or her contact with external physicality, although the person’s physical body is very much in this world, the person is cheating himself and indulging in selfishness. Service to humanity with a view to serve Parama Puruśa and with the same attachment which one feels towards oneself and Parama Puruśa is an essential prerequisite for progress in sádhaná. This will establish the equilibrium and parallelism of the individual rhythms with the rhythms of the external physicalities.

The microcosm is in a dormant state, and the jiivabháva, the feeling of the unit state, is in a condition of slumber. The point where the jiivabháva, that is, the sense of the unit identity, is locked, is called kula. Hence those who achieve perfection through sádhaná are called kaola. (Kaola, with this meaning, is also used as a surname.) Those who can move the collective ectoplasm through the medium of their ectoplasmic rhythm, can awaken new power in shabda through their own ectoplasmic strength. The awakening of this power in shabda is called purashcarańa in Sanskrit. And those who can perform such a tough task are called Mahákaola. They alone are worthy of the status of guru and no one else. When a Mahákaola awakens vibrations in the universal ectoplasmic body through the medium of particular shabdas, those shabdas [are also altered and] acquire the status of siddha mantras. A spiritual aspirant can only achieve perfection through the medium of those siddha mantras. Other mantras are not capable of leading to success, and spiritual aspirants cannot awaken them. A person’s individual efforts will never be sufficient for that task.

Every person has certain mental limitations. He or she can only proceed to a certain extent and then cannot do anything further. Further progress requires special power and special grace. And this power and grace of God are always available for everyone. But people must use their existing strength in order to utilize that grace.

What is the range of these shabdas, whose troughs and crests are expressed in vibrational rhythms? The medium as well as the spirit of the human’s individual life are personal, but in the Cosmic body, as well as in the case of less-developed creatures, the spirit is personal or individual but the medium is impersonal or Cosmic. An existence where the medium is impersonal [or Cosmic] but the spirit is individual is called an animal existence. In other words, any progress in the life of an animal is due to the vibrational power of Parama Puruśa; the medium therefore is Cosmic or impersonal, but the spirit is individual. The progress which is attained through the personal spirit and impersonal medium is towards Parama Puruśa Himself. Therefore there is no chance of a spiritual fall in the life of an animal. Animals are set firmly on a path of gradual progress.

As the medium is impersonal, the growth in animals is from the crude to the subtle. But when due to engagement in subtler activities the medium also acquires individual influence, when its [mental] colour and its feeling do not remain entirely impersonal, gradually thinking and intellect are born. We find this in developed animals. The transformation in a dog is due to the effect of the personal, or individual, medium on the impersonal medium; this does not occur in lower creatures.

There is a big difference between a wild Alsatian in a jungle and one who is a pet. The medium of the one is influenced by the impersonal, that of the other is under the impact of an educated person. When in a living being the influence of the personal or individual surpasses the influence of the impersonal [or Cosmic], at that point the frame of that being can no longer be called animal but is called a human being. So this is the human status.

Due to one’s individual effort, pará gradually develops step by step into pashyantii, madhyamá, [dyotamána], shrutigocará and vaekharii.⁽⁵⁾ These steps are from the subtle to the crude.

Similarly in the Cosmic order, development is from the subtle to the crude, as the medium there is Universal Mind. The vibrational principle appears in the third phase of extroversial development. This vibrational principle is fully operative in matter and in the bodies and minds of undeveloped and underdeveloped creatures. The same vibrational principle functions in the human body when it starts from the point of pará and gets full extroversial expression. When a person will awaken caetanya in a mantra, that is, when he or she will do purashcarańa, he or she will move from negativity to positivity, from human parábindu to human sahasrára.

The starting point of the vibrational principle is the culminating or last point of the primordial principle. In other words, the last point of the primordial expression and the starting point of the vibrational faculty are one and the same. The movement after mantra caetanya is from the fundamental negativity to the fundamental positivity. In other words, this movement will be the reverse of the movement of the vibrational faculty; it will be from crude to subtle and not from subtle to crude. In the vibrational principle, the first crest and trough are far apart, and thereafter the distance becomes shorter and shorter. In spiritual practice, the first troughs and crests will be frequent, and then the intervals will gradually lengthen till a straight line is formed. Thus, in the second phase, that is, in the returning phase, the vibrational principle will be reconverted into the primordial principle and the primordial principle or primordial faculty will ultimately convert itself into the basic faculty.⁽⁶⁾ This movement, however, is only possible after the mantra has become [awakened], not before that.

Spiritual practice is essential for human beings; and for spiritual practice initiation is necessary. And those human beings who do not perform spiritual practice are under the influence of the Cosmic principle. They are guided by the Cosmic rhythmic order, but as this is an impersonal entity they will never be able to enjoy liberation or salvation. So what is the way out? In what direction must they move after mantra caetanya? They have to do an about-turn and cross the three phases described above. They have to return to their original abode. They have to merge back into the One from where their existence sprang.

Ánando brahmeti byajánat
Ánandádhyeva khalvimáni bhútáni jáyante
Ánandena játáni jiivanti
Ánandaḿ prayantyabhisaḿvishantiiti.

[Know ye that ánanda, bliss, is Brahma. It is out of ánandam that the five fundamental factors have emerged. All created beings live within ánandam, and finally merge with ánandam.]

What then is to be done? The scriptures say that you do not have to exert very much. I have said before that there can be no progress either in the realm of physicality or in the realm of intellectuality. Those who are hankering for progress in these fields are indulging in a self-cheating business. Whether they admit it or not, they know that they know nothing. Ask them whether they are getting pleasure in the realm of physicality. They will admit that they are not. Ask a good businessman whether he is earning good profits. His reply will be, “What profit? I am incurring losses.” This will be his reply whether you belong to Income Tax Department or not! To run after progress in the realm of physicality and intellectuality is utter foolishness, a waste of time, as there is no progress in these fields. But I have already said that you may make efforts in these directions provided you can convert or metamorphose them into spirituality. But as far as spiritual sádhaná is concerned, or as far as efforts to achieve bliss are concerned, there is no touch of pain in them, as bliss is infinite pleasure alone. Sádhaná then is what wise men have to do. And in sádhaná, the first thing to be done is to use mantra caetanya.

In simple words, what we have to do is to return home from where we came. We have all come from Parama Puruśa – the Supreme Entity – and from the práńa-kendra, the nucleus of the universe – that is, Puruśottama. We have to return to the same place. It is like a boy who has played throughout the day away in the fields, and now that evening comes, returns home. Sádhaná is the process of returning home. The child has played outside for the whole day. As evening approaches, he thinks, “Father must have returned home. Let me also return home and sit next to him.” When one is tired of this world and worldliness, one yearns to go back to spirituality, that is, to one’s home.

And what is our permanent abode – our home? It is Parama Puruśa paramáshrayah Shriinivásah. Here shrii refers to the Universal Creative Faculty, or Paramá Prakrti. The abode of this Universal Faculty is also your abode. Therefore going home is a simple task. It requires no scholarship, no knowledge, no intellectual faculty – no long and tedious lecturing. The scriptures tell us to remember three points in order to return home. They are shravana [hearing about the Supreme], manana [ideating on the Supreme] and nidi-dhyásana [meditating on the Supreme with an unbroken flow of mind].

We know that the vibrational faculty converts subtler waves into cruder waves in the phase of creation. Hari kathá [devotional talk] provides subtler vibrations. You must allow yourself to receive these subtler waves. It has already been said that sound waves are the subtlest in the chain of Cosmic expression. The importance of Hari kathá in spiritual development is great. Hearing about God is much more important than studies in spirituality, as sound is subtler than visual form. Therefore wherever there is an opportunity, listen to His name and speak it to others.

When you speak His name to others, you also hear it. This dual enjoyment in reciting His name is called kiirtana. Bhajana, on the other hand, is hearing His name by oneself.⁽⁷⁾ You must do both – both bhajana and kiirtana. This is shravana. The effect of shravana is that vibrations of sound which are moving from crude to subtle are set in motion against the flow in the vibrational faculty, where wordly sounds are moving from subtle to crude. This will set in reverse motion a flow of sounds, and this will take one up to the starting point of the vibrational faculty.

I have already stated that the starting point of the vibrational faculty and the culminating point of the primordial faculty are one and the same. You will therefore reach the culminating point of the primordial faculty. The vibrational phase is called bhava – also bhava ságara or bhava párávára [ocean of creation]. The word bhava thus denotes the entire realm of the vibrational principle. This is the world of mundane involvements. The Caetanya, or Cognitive Principle of this faculty is called Bhava, and the Shakti, or Operative Principle of this faculty is called Bhavánii Shakti. This is the worldly bondage. Only through the medium of Hari kathá can one cross this ocean of bhava, the entire range of the vibrational faculty.

Thereafter comes manana, that is, thinking only about Parama Puruśa and about no one else. If any other person or thing comes in the mind, ascribe Brahma-hood to that person or thing. This process is manana; you learn this process through the medium of Guru Mantra.⁽⁸⁾ The effect of manana will be that it will take you from the last point of the primordial principle or faculty, and gradually take you to the starting point of the primordial faculty.

At this point you meet the basic faculty or basic principle. The basic principle or faculty is a point in the unbalanced triangle of forces. It is situated at a particular vertex of the triangle of forces. Manana can take you up to that point. What is now left is the point of “I”-hood, the ego. Now we have to wipe out this “I”-hood.

All burdens, all confusions, all considerations of respect and disrespect, are connected to the “I”. When someone does not agree with you, you file a suit in court. Why do you take such trouble? Only to vindicate yourself. All bother and frustration is solely due to the unit ego. The fact is that even after surrendering everything to Parama Puruśa, your arch-enemy – the “I” – remains. Because you will say, “I have surrendered everything to God.” “I”, “I”, “I” – my friend, surrender that “I” to God. Then alone will your surrender be complete. All the trouble is due to this “I”.

Ratnákarastava grhaḿ grhińii ca padmá
Deyaḿ kimapi bhavate Puruśottamáya
Ábhiiravámanayanápahrtamánasáya
Dattaḿ mana yadupate tvamidaḿ grháńa.

[Your abode is brimming over with gems and jewels. The goddess of fortune is Your housekeeper. What can I offer to You, O Lord? Oh yes, there is one thing You lack, as it has been stolen by Your devotees; it is Your mind. I therefore offer my mind to You. Please accept it.]

After the surrender of this “I”, Parama Puruśa is satisfied, as you have reached the central point in the triangle of forces.⁽⁹⁾

Actually, the only task to be performed is to give away everything to Him. All that you possess – your body, your name, fame, wealth, everything – you have received from Him. So what are you to give to Him and how are you to do it? So far you were only giving God’s own things back to Him. What you must give Him now is something of your own. This is the crux of the matter. Suppose someone gives you a flower as a gift and you return the same flower to that person. This is not proper. Why not give your “I” to Him, which anyway to you is the source of all troubles, all confusions, all complications. There is nothing dearer to you than this “I”. It is most difficult to give it up. Thus in the above shloka, the devotee exclaims, “O Lord, this universe is Your abode. It is full of precious jewels. Whatever of value exists in this world belongs to You. What precious gift can I give to You? You have no desire for anything. What is the use of offering anything to one whose house is full of precious jewels? The almighty Prakrti is Your own consort; at Your will She will make innumerable jewels in a moment – aghat́ana ghat́ana pat́iiyasii Máyá [‘the dexterous hand of Máyá that can even create things impossible to create’] – this creative power is ever ready to serve You. O Lord of lords, although I have a yearning to offer You something, I do not know what that thing should be. Although I want to offer, You have no desire or want. If You lack nothing, what can I offer? If I knew of anything that You did not possess, I would offer it to You.

“O Lord of lords, we hear that Your great devotees have stolen Your mind from You. The Lord becomes the slave of his devotees. A devotee steals the heart of the Lord – almost forcibly. The deed is performed openly and not in secrecy. Therefore, O Lord, You lack one thing – You have no mind.”

The devotee says, “Despair not, O Lord, I am offering my mind to You. Please accept it.”

This offer of one’s mind to the Lord is nididhyásana. The inner sense of nididhyásana is that all the propensities of the mind are to be concentrated at a point to be offered to Parama Puruśa.

Today the human mind consists of fifty dominant propensities. Definitely when the human structure becomes more complex in the course of evolution, the number of these propensities will also increase. The number of these vrttis is not going to remain fifty forever. It will increase. Similarly, the number of glands will increase, and so also the number of sub-glands. Not only will the number of mental propensities increase; the propensities will also undergo change. The concept of beauty will also change with the change in outlook of the human mind. An owl may then appear beautiful and a peacock ugly.

Shravana therefore enables one to cross the vibrational faculty. Manana enables one to cross the primordial faculty. And nididhyásana makes it possible to merge with the Supreme Entity. This is God-realization. The essential thing therefore is to awaken the mantra, whether one also does intellectual things such as reading and writing or not. What is important is to have proper shravana, manana and nidi-dhyásana. If one does this, one will no longer find it difficult to learn to do anything. Mantra caetanya is sure to lead to mantra siddhi, to the attainment of the supreme goal. The process of sádhaná will automatically arouse devotion.

When you come in close contact with the Supreme Entity, you will find that you have no wealth superior to devotion. All worldly possessions will prove of no avail. Only devotion enables you to come into close contact with Him. This is the goal of human life. This is true progress.

You have been wandering through the labyrinth of a myriad of lives. You have been ever advancing toward this stage. Knowingly or unknowingly, you are being drawn unto Him. This is the summum bonum of life. As long as you have not realized Him, there is no siddhi in your life.

Footnotes

(1) Editors’ note: In the unit, before awakening, it is the “sleeping divinity”, or kulakuńd́alinii.

(2) Editors’ note: At this point in the original magazine publication of this discourse, some text appears to be missing.

(3) Editors’ note: To “raise to the spiritual level” is to establish the parallelism of unit and Cosmic mentioned above.

(4) Editors’ Note: Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti, Ánanda Sútram, 1962.

(5) Editors’ note: See the discussion of this sequence pp. 93-98.

(6) Editors’ note: The basic faculty is the starting point of the primordial principle, as mentioned below. That is, it is paráshakti, or parábindu.

(7) Editors’ note: Kiirtana, like bhajana, can be done individually, but it is preferable to do it collectively.

(8) Editors’ note: A lesson of Ananda Marga meditation.

(9) Editors’ note: That is, you have progressed from the basic principle at one vertex of the triangle to Puruśottama at the mid-point of the triangle.

Chapter 24	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Niiti and Dharma.”

Niiti

What is niiti? Kśemárthe nayanam ityarthe niiti. The word niiti has been derived from the root verb nii and the suffix ktin. It means “that which has the capability to lead”. But “to lead” to where?

The definition is Kśemárthe nayanam ityarthe niiti. Nayana means “to lead” – as for instance the organ of the body which leads people toward external objects [the eye] is called nayana – and niiti is that which leads a unit being towards kśema.

And what is kśema?

There are a number of words that seem to have the same meaning as kśema. But there is some subtle difference among the various words. For instance, there is a word hita whose colloquial meaning is “good”, but which actually means the desire for physical, mental and spiritual progress. But since no real progress is feasible in either the physical or the intellectual realm, the word hita has no meaning. Another word is shubha. It is used for progress in the intellectual and spiritual realms, but since there cannot be any progress in the intellectual realm, this term also becomes meaningless. And as regards spiritual progress, there are two words, kalyáńa and kśema. Kalyáńámastu means “Let there be spiritual progress” – and kśema means the same as kalyáńa.

So, Kśemárthe nayanam ityarthe niiti – that is, “That which leads you in a particular direction for your kśema is called niiti.” That which teaches you how to thieve, how to rob, and how to take bribes, is not niiti, for there is no intention of kśema there. This is the definition of niiti as in the scriptures.

In common speech niiti means simply “that which leads”, or “the entity which possesses the capability of leading”. So in common speech we can use terms such as kuniiti, durniiti, suniiti, satniiti, rańaniiti, etc. But in a spiritual [context] the words suniiti [niiti conducive to welfare] and kuniiti [niiti conducive to harm] cannot be used, since the word niiti means only Kśemárthe nayanam ityarthe; that is to say, since niiti [is automatically conducive to welfare and] can never be harmful.

The word “morality” is generally used as the English synonym for niiti (niiti as scripturally defined). Morality is that effort or idea which keeps a person away from sin – sin being that which is not prescribed in the Bible. Niiti is different from morality. There is no exact synonym for niiti.

Pápa and Puńya

Another thing to bear in mind is that “sin” in the English language is not the pápa of Sanskrit. As already said, “sin” means to go against that prescribed in the Bible. But pápa is explained in the phrase Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiid́anam – that is, “Any action by one individual which leads to the development of others is puńya [virtuous deeds], and any action which does the opposite is pápa.” Bhagaván Shankaracharya has said,

Tyaja durjanasaḿsargaḿ bhaja sádhusamágamam;
Kuru puńyamahorátraḿ smara nityamanityatám.

[Avoid association with the wicked and associate with the virtuous. Do good twenty-four hours a day, and remember the eternal.]

Tyaja durjanasaḿsargam – avoid association with the durjana (wicked). Who are durjana? Those who bring about the spiritual degeneration of others are durjana. But durjana is also a relative term. A particular individual may be wicked for one person (i.e., the cause of that person’s degeneration), yet may not be wicked for another person.

In a unit there are both righteousness and unrighteousness. Suppose that in one person the righteousness is twenty percent and the unrighteousness is fifteen percent – the resultant five percent will be righteousness. But if in another person the righteousness be ten percent and the unrighteousness two percent, then the resultant eight percent will be that person’s righteousness – which means that that person turns out to be a greater moralist, though he or she is possessed of only ten percent righteousness. What counts is the [resultant quantity] of righteousness, not the righteousness in itself.

Now suppose that in Mr. X [the resultant] unrighteousness is fifteen percent, and in Mr. Y it is ten percent. If a third man possessing less than ten percent resultant righteousness comes in contact with them, he will become degenerated. But if in this man the righteousness is twenty-five percent, he cannot become unrighteous in contact with X and Y, on the contrary he will make those two righteous. Therefore one person cannot be durjana for all other persons. A person may be durjana for those who possess less of righteousness than he or she does of unrighteousness, but the same person cannot be durjana for those who possess more of righteousness than he or she does of unrighteousness – rather the latter persons will make the former person good.

If, when making an effort to reform a person, your righteousness is not much more than the unrighteousness in that person, you should take with you a few other moralists when you go to reform the person. The collective righteousness will gain in strength, and it will have its impact on the person, and the person will be reformed. The person could be reformed not by the influence of one good person but by that of an assemblage of good people. So, Tyaja durjanasaḿsargaḿ bhaja sádhusamágamam.

And what is the meaning of the word sádhu [in the shloka]? Really sádhu means “those by whose contact others become good”. One does not become a sádhu simply by wearing saffron dress. Those who have the capability of leading others towards sádhutá [saintliness] are alone sádhus. One may be a sádhu even wearing a suit. So, “One should associate with sádhus.”

Then, Kuru puńyamahorátram – that is, “Do puńya to others all day long and all night long.” What is puńya? Paropakárah puńyáya [“Any action by one person which leads to the development of others is puńya”].

The real service is the service that you render to others for their spiritual upliftment, and that is known as viprocita sevá. But other services such as shúdrocita sevá [physical service], vaeshyocita sevá [economic service] and kśatriyocita sevá [martial service] help you in rendering viprocita sevá to others. When someone is dying of some ailment you cannot preach spiritual gospels to the person, rather you should help that person with medicines and physical services. Then when the person gets well you should teach something spiritual to him or her. Then the person will have been permanently benefited. Hence, Kuru puńyamahorátram.

What is the ahorátra? The ahorátra means the time stretching from one sunrise to the next. The time from one sunrise to the sunset is called a dinamána, and the time from that sunset to the next sunrise is called a rátrimána. The dinamána combined with the rátrimána is called the ahorátra.

The European system of time measurement starts from twelve in the night, whereas the Indian system starts from sunrise. In the Indian system the date changes with the rise of the sun.

So do puńya, ahorátra – all day long and all night long. Here someone may ask how it is possible to do puńya while sleeping. Let me explain it to you.

Among all puńya karmas [virtuous actions], the best is the performance of pracára [spiritual propagation]. (Pracára can be done only by those who themselves are spiritual aspirants.) Doing sádhaná and rendering social service are also puńya karmas. But for ordinary people who work in [government] offices or in businesses (not very spiritual activities), what is the way out? Even while working in the world, they should take their worldly work to be the work of the Lord. The worldly work as well will then become a puńya karma. If they keep their minds engaged in the thought of the Supreme, they will not be able to do anything wrong. The feeling of rendering service to others will remain in their minds. And what about during sleep? Before sleeping take His name – sleep too will become a puńya karma.⁽¹⁾ That is why it is said, Kuru puńyamahorátram.

Then, Smara nityamanityatám. Nityam means “always” – “Remember always the transitory nature of things.” [Anityatám means “the ephemeral”, “the transitory”.] That which was in the past, is in the present and will continue to be in the future is nitya. If even one of these three aspects of time be absent, the thing is not nitya. For example, that which is in the present and will continue to be in the future, but was not in the past, is not nitya, but anitya. From among beginning, middle and end, if even one is not there, then that is not nitya. A thing which was born will die one day; that which is unborn will not die. That which comes within the scope of the spatial, temporal and personal factors will alone be born and die, but that which is beyond these three and is the base of them all will neither be born nor die. And that alone is nitya.

This [physical universe] is anitya because it was born. It will die one day. That which is in the universe is anitya, and that which contains the universe is nitya. Hence this world is transitory. It was born one day and it will surely die.

A person who keeps this always in mind, [using] the discerning nityánitya faculty [nityánitya viveka], will not commit any wrong deed. Since the time of yore sádhakas have liked cremation grounds for their sádhaná, because the final end of the human body is most vividly manifested there. So one will tend not to perform any work improperly, and one’s mind will not be attached to crudity.

Dharma

Niiti has a very close association with dharma. What is dharma? That which sustains the jiiva is dharma. And the practical side of dharma is expressed in the words Ácárańát dharmah, that is, “Dharma is the assemblage of all your conduct” – the way you eat, the way you speak, the way you perform sádhaná. If your conduct is good, dharma is with you; if your conduct is not good, dharma is not with you. And if dharma is not with you, what comes about is your sarvanásha, or sarvátmaka vinásha – that is, your physical, mental, and spiritual ruin. Now you may say that your átman cannot be ruined. That is correct, but your átman will not remain in the form of átman. It will become crudified.

In the first stage of dharma, the greatest helping factor is niiti. In other words, the function of niiti is to help dharma, to help dharmácarańa [practice of dharma]. Therefore niiti plays a vital role in the life of a sádhaka. But niiti is not the culminating point of life, it is simply a starting point. In order to enter a house one has to pass through the gate, and this passing through the gate is niiti. But one has not gotten into the house simply by passing through the gate; to get in, one has to knock on the door. The entering into the house after knocking on the door is dharma sádhaná. Just to be a moralist is not enough, it only provides one with a passport to enter the house. As said above, Ácárańát dharmah [“Dharma is the assemblage of all your conduct”], and the first phase of your conduct is niiti. Therefore those who are bereft of niiti cannot be dharmic, and those who are dharmic cannot go against niiti.

Now the question crops up whether niiti is a relative factor or an absolute factor. Niiti is not cent percent relative, but it is not absolute, either, because niiti does not have any direct relation with Paramátman – it cannot by its own force help one attain Him. Niiti is a happy blending of relative and absolute.

The final goal of dharma is Paramátman, so for a dharma sádhaka there can be no other end. Those sádhakas who think that through sádhaná they will acquire occult powers, are wrong. Or, they may attain supernatural powers, but those powers will not help them to attain Paramátman. Those powers will not satisfy human longings, because even those powers are something worldly. That which we call supernatural is not really so, “supernatural” is rather loose terminology; any power or object which has come within the bondages of the world is not supernatural, but natural. Those who think that sitting in sádhaná they can obtain ańimá, laghimá, mahimá, prápti, prakámya, etc. [names of occult powers], are in delusion. They are simply wasting their valuable time. A devoted sádhaka never aspires for these things. Even if Paramátman comes to such a sádhaka and says, “My child, take all these powers,” the sádhaka will reply, “Paramátman, keep those powers for Yourself. I don’t need them. I want You, and You alone. I long for You and not for Your powers.”

A mother tries to coax and cajole her crying son, and offers him some toys to divert his attention, so that she can work in the kitchen. The child stops crying and forgets his mother for the time being. But if he is a bit naughty, he will again resume his effort to reach the breast of his mother. He will throw away the toys and cry for Mother only. And the mother ultimately has to come and take the child on her lap. A devoted sádhaka is like this child. He or she will say, “O Father, this world that I see all around is a plethora of toys. This world took its birth at a certain time, so it will also come to an end at some time or other. This world has not been given permanently to anybody.” If God is asked whether He has given this world-toy to anybody forever, He will not be able to answer, for He does not give things forever. He gives with the right hand and takes away with the left.

Lord Buddha has said, Konuhása kiimananda nittam pajjalite sate. This means that Paramátman has given you a rope, one end of which you are holding, and on the other end of which He has lit a fire. Sooner or later the fire will burn all of the rope and your hand as well. Hence one should not ask anything from Paramátman.

Niiti and Dharma

In niiti there is a happy blending of the relative and the absolute. So niiti is based on certain mundane and supra-mundane principles. Dharma, on the other hand, is ácárańa [conduct] – Ácárańát dharmah. It is, therefore, something practical. It is a cult. It is not a theory but a desire, a will to do something.

But the question arises, what to do. As regards niiti, one can deliver some speech, say something on Yama and Niyama, and that too can be understood. But as regards dharma, one has to actually do something. So what to do and what not to do? What are people’s dos and don’ts?

In the case of niiti, indeed, there are certain dos and don’ts. In Sanskrit these dos are called vidhi, and the don’ts are called niśedha. The collection of dos and don’ts is niiti. But as regards dharma there are no don’ts, everything is do; that is, everything is a conduct which has to be performed.

For example, “Serve the patient,” “Don’t steal,” “Speak the truth,” “Don’t tell a lie” – such a combination of [observances and restrictions] is niiti. Dharma, on the other hand, is ácárańa, not anácárańa – that is, it is only “do this,” “do that.” “Do sádhaná for Paramátman like this,” “Sing bhajans like this,” “Do práńáyáma like this,” “Do nyása [a kind of breath-control] like this” – there is only vidhi and no niśedha. This is the fundamental difference between dharma and niiti.

So in dharma there are only dos. Now common people will naturally ask, What is it that we are to do?

Shrutayo vibhinnáh smrtayo vibhinnáh
Naekamuniryasya mataḿ nábhinnam;
Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyáḿ
Mahájano yena gatah sa pantháh.

[The scriptures differ, the social codes differ; each sage has a different opinion. The essence of dharma lies deep in the mind; the realized one follows the true path.]

Shrutayo vibhinnáh – Among the different Vedas and shástras there are mutual differences. There are differences even between the mantras of the Rgveda and those of the Yajurveda. In the one it says pitrasva and in the other pitrastám. The one says sarvatomukha and the other says vishvatomukha. So the Rgveda and the Yajurveda are not identical. They have differences wide and deep. So what should common people do? Which should they accept? Similar is the case with niiti. One person will say that sádhaná must be done facing the east, and another will say facing the north – will say that instead of facing the sun while meditating, one should face the polestar. Yet another person will say that sádhaná should be done facing the west [from India], that is, facing Mecca. Only poor south has not received anybody’s sanction. But really Paramátman is in all the directions. Do not all these directions belong to Paramátman? How could Paramátman be only in the east and not in the west? But niitivádiis (exponents of principles of niiti) will quarrel among themselves. As said earlier, there is something relative in niiti.

As far as the controversy regarding the four directions is concerned, sádhakas will say,

Eśo ha deva pradisho’nu sarvá;
Púrvo hi játah sa u garbhe anta.
Sa eva játah sah janiśyamána;
Pratyaiṋjanaḿstiśt́hate vishvatomukha.

[The Singular Entity has manifested Himself in the form of the ten directions. He has been born in the past as the offspring of different living beings, and will continue to be so born in the future. He inheres in every object and is the witnessing counterpart of those objects.]

Eśo ha deva pradisho’nu sarvá – “The Singular Entity, Paramátman, has manifested Himself in the form of pradisha and anudisha.” Six of the ten directions – north, south, east, west, up, and down – are known as pradisha, and the remaining four – northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest – are known as anudisha. So this one Paramátman appears in the form of the six pradisha and the four anudisha. Which directions will you accept and which reject? If you speak in favour of the east, it means you are speaking against the west – and haven’t you then gone against the Lord manifested in the form of the west? So it is very difficult to talk about this. Dharmic people will not say anything about this. They will say,

Káko nindo káko vando
Dono pálŕá bhárii.

[Whom should we criticize, whom should we worship? Between the two there is an even balance.]

So we see that there are differences of opinion even in the shrutis – shrutayo vibhinnáh. The smrtis also differ. What is a smrti? That which controls the worldly life of a person is called smrti, and that which controls the spiritual life of that person is called shruti. Shruti means dharmashástra (spiritual code), and smrti means samájashástra (social code). In ancient times there were the Parashar Saḿhitá, the Nárada Saḿhitá, and the Manu Saḿhitá; and today you will find the Hindu Code. All of these are smrtishástra. Smrtishástra is more relative than shrutishástra, for society changes with the change of time. But there are differences among the shrutis also, and, Naekamuniryasya mataḿ nabhinnam – “There is no muni [saintly intellectual] who does not differ from other munis.” Some munis will say to offer pińd́á [oblations] in a particular way, and some in some other way. (But actually, not all of these people are [even] real munis. Only “those who have merged their minds” in Paramátman are real munis – Munih dugdhabálakah munih saḿliinamánasah.)

A modern person might ask whether it is really possible to merge one’s mind in this way. It is a difficult task, but since dharma consists in doing something in practical terms, one should make the effort. But with the shástras and munis differing so widely, what are common people to do?

Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyám;
Mahájano yena gatah sah pantháh.

[The essence of dharma is hidden in your own “I” feeling; the path pursued by practical saints is the real path.]

“The essence of dharma is hidden in the guhá.” The term guhá in Sanskrit has two meanings. The first is “cave”. So does the shloka mean that Paramátman is concealed in a cave in some mountain; does it mean that to realize Him one will have to leave the world and go to the wilderness? No, it would not be wise to leave the world, to leave off service to humanity, and go to the Himalayas to attain Paramátman. This world itself is Paramátman’s – where will you go if you leave it? In the world one may believe that one will be unable to concentrate their mind because of the din and bustle; but in a cave in the Himalayas, one will start thinking that one was unable to get sweet fruit in a particular jungle, and that hence tomorrow one would have to go get ripe plums in a different jungle two or three miles away. Either in the world or in the wilderness one will not necessarily be free. If Paramátman does not want you to know Him, then you will not be able to attain Him in either place; whereas if He wishes you to attain Him, you can get Him here and now. What He sees is your aspiration for Him. Remember that at every step of your life He is testing you to see whether or not you have been able to arouse love for Him in your mind. He is testing you as to whether you want Him or want worldly objects.

There should be oneness in thought and speech. If there is some difference between the two, one will not be able to arouse love for Him. Suppose that in sádhaná one says that one requires only Paramátman. If then, when before the Lord, that person prays for the cure of his or her asthma, that will not serve the purpose.

The other meaning of guhá is “I am.” Dharmasya tattvaḿ nihitaḿ guháyáḿ – “The essence of dharma, that is, Paramátman, is hidden in your own “I”-ness.” Is it essential for you to go to the Himalayas in search of that which is hidden in your own “I”-ness? Do you require the help of a mirror to see the wristwatch on your wrist? No, and neither for Paramátman, who is hidden in your “I”-ness, do you need go to the Himalayas. Live in the world and put forth your entire self for the service of society, and then you must attain Paramátman. Paramátman is hidden in you, and He is witnessing all your activities, physical or mental, and seeing whether you aspire for Him or for worldly objects. So what will sádhakas do? Mahájano yena gatah sa pantháh. The cover of “I”-ness is to be removed [from Paramátman, the essence of dharma] – those who try to remove it are mahájanas, practical people, practical sádhakas. And whatever these practical sádhakas have done and are doing, you have to follow. This cannot be brought about with niiti. This is entirely a spiritual cult. You are sádhakas, you have to follow the mahájanas, and achieve your end by removing the cover of your “I”-ness. You will find that your goal is hidden in your own “I”-ness.

Hence niiti will help you, but only through dharma sádhaná will you be able to attain Paramátman. That is why it has been said, Ácárańát dharmah – “Conduct is the principal factor in dharma.” Be a sadácárii, a person of good conduct, and you will surely attain Paramátman. What to speak of getting Him in the future – you have already got Him, you simply are not able to see Him.

Footnotes

(1) In “Under the Shelter of the Guru”, in Yoga Psychology (1994), the author explains how ajapá japa and adhyáná dhyána can go on during sleep. –Eds.

Chapter 25	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Today’s subject of discourse is “Bhágavata Dharma”. The word “bhágavata” means “pertaining to divinity” and dharma means “inherent characteristic”, so Bhágavata dharma means “the way of life which leads to ensconcement in the supreme stance”. Dharma is a natural propensity, an inherent characteristic. It refers to a particular spiritual way of life. Each and every object in this universe has its own innate characteristic, or svabháva (Sva means “own” and bháva means “propensity”). The innate characteristic of fire is to burn whatever it meets. The innate characteristic of human beings is to practise spirituality. To make a clear distinction between spiritual practice and the other natural tendencies of mind in the mundane sense, such as eating and sleeping, the term “Bhágavata dharma” is used to describe the higher tendencies. Bhágavata dharma refers to the innate tendency which leads human beings towards the Supreme Entity, which arouses in them a spontaneous love and attraction for the Supreme Entity. In fact, in each and every human being there is love and attraction for the Supreme Entity. The human being who does not feel this attraction hardly deserves to be called a human being. Such a being is no better than a sub-human, although in human form. It is bhágavata dharma that clearly distinguishes human beings from animals. Even a thief who feels love for the Supreme Entity in the core of his heart, merits being called a human being. But a so-called virtuous person or a man of knowledge who feels no love for the Supreme Entity should not be considered a human being, because in such a person human dharma is wanting. Human beings are characterized by their bhágavata dharma. They have a spontaneous attraction for the Supreme, which non-humans do not possess. Hence, human beings have a glorious existence; animals do not.

Áhára nidrá bhaya maethunaiṋca sámányametad pashubhiirnaránám;
Dharmo hi teśamadhiko visheśo dharmena hiináh pashubhih sámánáh.

This shloka clearly illustrates that human beings devoid of bhágavata dharma are just like animals. I have already said that if human beings lack bhágavata dharma they are actually worse than animals. Animals do not have a developed intellect or consciousness; human beings do. If human beings fail to utilize their developed intellect and consciousness, choosing to avoid the pursuit of bhágavata dharma, they are the enemies of humanity and a slur on the human race. Their actions, having no relation to bhágavata dharma, should be considered contrary to humanity and their innate characteristic. Their future is bound to be doomed, like that of a huge tree struck by lightning. The downtrodden masses who long to better themselves should embrace the path of bhágavata dharma. The easiest and most natural way for human civilization and humanity to grow is through bhágavata dharma. There is no other way. Hence, those who sincerely seek the welfare of humanity must uphold bhágavata dharma.

Bhágavata dharma is dependent on three factors: vistara (expansion), rasa (flow) and sevá (service). The literal meaning of the word vistára is expansion, that is, to direct the mind toward the vast Cosmic Entity. This psychic movement towards the vast Cosmic Entity is not dependent on external factors. To move towards that Supreme Entity one must first overcome and transcend all sorts of meanness and pettiness. Hence, a follower of Bhágavata dharma must wage a relentless fight against these limiting tendencies within his or her own mind, as well as in the society at large.

When the mind is confined within the narrow limits of pettiness a polluted atmosphere of sin spreads all around. But when the human mind expands, the effulgence of virtue becomes increasingly manifest and humanity is exalted to the heights of divininity.

Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat;
Draśt́avyamátmavattasmádabhedena vicakśańaeh.

Viśńupuráńa –Trans.

[This universe is nothing but the expansion of all the fundamental factors of Viśńu. Hence, wise people identify this whole universe with their own self.]

Only human beings can expand their minds because only they have the opportunity to follow bhágavata dharma. Now the question is, how can human beings follow bhágavata dharma, and when should they begin?

Human beings should practise bhágavata dharma from their childhood, from the age of five. Human life is more valuable than the lives of other creatures. Hence every creature unconsciously yearns to attain a human frame because only with a human frame is it possible to practise spirituality and perform noble deeds. The scriptures state that the practice of bhágavata dharma should commence at childhood. Those who embrace bhagavata dharma look upon this entire creation as a manifestation of Viśńu (Parama Puruśa). A small effigy of Viśńu is not the real image of Viśńu for them. They love the manifest form of Viśńu because they are in an inextricable relationship of love with Parama Puruśa.

Anayamamatá viśńoramatá premasaḿgatá.

The exclusive love for Viśńu can be called prema or divine love because one is in love with the Supreme Entity in whose mind resides the entire universe. By creating the quinquelemental world He bas made Himself accessible to His created objects. Even a small blade of grass is His creation. Hence the followers of bhágavata dharma who expand the mind, will certainly see every object of this universe as an expression of their dear Lord. They will therefore show equal respect for each and every entity.

A religion or cult which does not encourage spiritual elevation but keeps the human mind confined to narrow limits, and depicts God in various imaginary forms, is far removed from bhágavata dharma. In bhágavata dharma there is no scope for differentiations and distinctions. The religion or philosophy which causes the human mind to become so analytical that it distances itself from the one integral Entity is contrary to bhágavata dharma. Those following bhágavata dharma strive to create unity and synthesis in the midst of disunity and analysis.

The second factor is rasa, or flow. Whatever is happening in this universe, whether natural or supernatural, is due to Cosmic Will. Everything depends on His grace. Whatever human beings think, say or do is only possible due to Cosmic grace. This entire universe is a Macro-psychic conation – everything originates from the thought waves of the Macrocosm. Thus He witnesses everything at the same time.

The major difference between the unit mind and the Cosmic mind is that whatever the unit mind imagines is only transformed into action on certain occasions. The external projection of the unit mind is only possible when it is fully concentrated. But for the Cosmic mind nothing is external – this entire universe is within His mind. The Cosmic thought-waves appear to be something external for us. The Macropsychic thought waves are his Svarasa (flow). Likewise, for externalization various waves emanate from the unit mind. In the first case the psychic waves are the svarasa of Parama Puruśa. But mental waves, created by various thoughts, are the svarasa of microcosms.

Microcosms differ from one another due to the differences in their individual flows. All microcosms want to move according to their own individual flows. They endeavour to direct their internal thoughts and actions according to their individual flows. That is why the thoughts, actions and lifestyles of microcosms are so diverse. When you walk along a road a cobbler looks at your feet, a washerman looks at your clothes, and a barber looks at your head. The difference in their outlooks is due to the difference in their individual flows.

All microcosms create their own individual flows, in adjustment with the Macrocosmic flow. Hence the individual flow of every microcosm is directly controlled by Parama Puruśa. I have often said that Parama Puruśa is not guided by your intellect or desires, but moves according to His own wishes. You will never have any opportunity to question Him. You will have to move around Him, whether you like it or not. If your individual flow does not maintain an adjustment with the Macrocosmic flow your longings will never be fulfilled. Everyone longs to attain so much but only attains a fraction of what is desired. If one’s longings are not in perfect adjustment with the Cosmic waves one can never attain success.

Kii habe iccháy iccháte kii hai
Krśńa icchá viná phal phalená

[Does individual desire have any value? Without the approval of the Supreme Entity nothing can succeed.]

You wish to attain something, but if your desire is not approved by the Supreme Entity, then you will not attain success in your mission. This is the second factor – rasa tattva of bhágavata dharma. What is rasa tattva? When human beings are in deep love with Parama Puruśa they begin to know His nature and follow His will accordingly. Such individuals become invincible and victorious in the world. Most people are overwhelmed by His greatness, but sádhakas know the secret of becoming great. Thus the basic spirit of rasa sádhaná is to direct one’s individual desires and longings towards Parama Puruśa. Only in this way can a sádhaka achieve fulfilment (rddhi) and success (siddhi). In the scriptures this has been called rásaliilá. Created beings, will have to move according to the Cosmic will; there is no other way. Learning, intellect and personal status become meaninngless unless they are directed towards Parama Puruśa. After realizing the Supreme truth intelligent people start moving according to Parama Puruśa’s desire, saying, “Oh Parama Puruśa. I have nothing to ask of you. Let thy will be fulfilled. I want nothing else.”

The third characteristic of bhágavata dharma is selfless service (sevá). When you offer something to a person and expect to receive something in return, it is a sort of commercial transaction. But when you have no desire to receive anything in return for services rendered it is called true service, and here lies the basic difference between true service and commercial transactions. You might have seen newspaper advertisements in which a certain company says it has been rendering service to the people over a long period of time. But the question is, can any commercial institution truly “serve” the people? Are they not merely involved in a commercial transaction of one form or other?

Service can be of two types: internal and external. This entire universe is the expression of the greatness of Parama Puruśa, and therefore, whatever a person does for a particular living being is as good as rendering service to Parama Puruśa. Wherever you are, and whatever you may be, whether you are leading a family life or the life of a recluse, you need to serve all created beings for they are the veritable expression of the Supreme Entity. While serving living beings one should never allow a feeling of vanity to develop. One should always remember that one is serving Parama Puruśa and none other. Had Parama Puruśa not come in your contact in the from of living beings, you would not have an opportunity to serve Him. He comes to you as a sick person or as a beggar to solicit your assistance. Naturally you are more grateful than the person you serve because Parama Puruśa has given you the opportunity to serve Him. Thus everyone should render external service.

Japakriyá and dhyána should also be practised with the ideation that one is serving Parama Puruśa. This is internal service. If this is done one will achieve intense psychic concentration. Of course one must serve without expecting any reward in return. If this spirit of service is fully awakened during japakriyá one will attain eveything. A service-minded sádhaka can attain liberation merely by repeating naina mantra, but a Yoga who performs higher spiritual practices will attain nothing in the spiritual sphere if he or she shuns service.

If internal service is not rendered properly, true external service becomes impossible. Hence it has been said,

Atmamokśárthaḿ jagaddhitáya ca.

Individual salvation is also a service to humanity. Internal service (átmamokśártham) leads to fulfilment or immortality; external service (jagaddhitáya ca) leads to universal welfare. Thus both internal and external service have equal importance. External service purifies the mind, and with a pure mind one is more capable of rendering service to one’s iśt́a. Every sádhaka should render both types of service.

The mind thinks; it creates micropsychic waves. The merger of micropsychic waves into Macropsychic waves is a natural process. This merger is possible for every human being in the rendering of external and internal service. Thus bhágavata dharma is a social dharma, a human dharma that easily can be followed by all. Whether people are aware of it or not, all are moving towards the nucleus of bhágavata dharma. Everyone’s individual journey ultimately terminates in Parama Puruśa. Just as the earth is moving around the sun, and the moon around the earth, similarly every individual human being is moving around Parama Puruśa. Your sádhaná is nothing but an attempt to reduce the distance between yourself and Parama Puruśa.

One’s nerve cells, glands, and sub-glands are created according to one’s individual flow. In fact, various structures are created based on this individual flow. The various thoughtwaves of the mind are all identified with the individual flows. All microcosms, knowingly or unknowingly, are rotating around the nucleus of the Cosmic Cycle. No one is separated from the Supreme Entity. Living beings attain different physical bodies according to their respective psychic waves. And with their individual minds and bodies they move around the Cosmic Cycle. This movement continues as long as they feel that they are separated from Parama Puruśa. But as soon as the tiny drop finds the vast ocean it automatically merges in that ocean. The distance between the two is removed and there remains no separate existence for either. The two become one. But until that final union is achieved unit beings will have to move like bullocks trudging around the oil mill.

When sádhakas establish themselves in bhágavata dharma, by virtue of vistára, rasa and sevá, their journey comes to an end. They become one with the Nucleus, one with Parama Puruśa. At that stage they realize the secret of the divine sport of Parama Puruśa. This is the true dharma of human beings – bhágavata dharma.

In the Giitá Lord Krśńa said that to pursue one’s own dharma is the best and safest path, whereas the pursuit of other’s dharma is extremely dangerous. The endeavour to satisfy physical needs is common to both humans and animals, but this endeavour alone does not lead to supreme welfare. Rather, if people become totally engrossed in gratifying their crude desires, they will most probably become extremely crude. Hence, although bhágavata dharma is human dharma, and is a somewhat difficult path, people should follow this path, and not the path of animal dharma. If they do follow animal dharma their rapid degeneration is inevitable.

One should remember that here dharma does not refer to any particular religion. These religions have nothing to do with one’s svadharma, with the pursuit of one’s innate characteristics. Unfortunately, this is how the Giitá bas been misinterpreted by a section of the people. The dharma of all human beings is one and indivisible, and that dharma is bhágavata dharma. Establish yourself in that dharma and your victory is assured.

Chapter 26	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Jaeva Dharma and Bhágavata Dharma”. You know, wherever there is dharma there is some rule. An object may be animate, it may be inanimate, it may be human, it may be animal, but everything will have to follow a certain dharma. Nobody, no entity, can go beyond the jurisdiction of dharma. Oxygen follows a certain dharma, gold is guided by a certain dharma, a cow is guided by a certain dharma, a human is also guided by a certain dharma.

And what is dharma? You see, in the greater sense dharma means Bhágavata Dharma, and that is the dharma to be followed by humankind. What is the root meaning of dharma? The root verb dhr plus the suffix man equals dharma. Dharma means “holding entity”, “controlling entity”; dharma means svabháva, “characteristic property”. Dhryate dharma ityáhuh sa eva Paramah Prabhuh – “The holding entity, the containing entity, the controlling entity, is dharma. So for each and every living being, dharma is the Supreme Lord.” You will have to follow the dictates of dharma.

You see, the order of dharma, the dictates of dharma, are above all. Suppose a physician says, “As a human, you require animal protein for your health;” but suppose dharma says, “No, a human should not take carnal food;” then in that case you will have to follow dharma and not the physician, because the order of dharma is above all other orders. Dharma is the highest Lord, the highest authority.

Sukhaḿ váinchati sarvo hi
Tacca dharma samudbhútah;
Tasmáddharma sadákárya
Sarvavarńae prayatnatah.

[All living beings long for happiness. Dharma originates from that innate propensity. Hence dharma should always be observed meticulously by all people.]

You know, so far as people’s mental condition is concerned, one person is a shúdra, another person is a vaeshya, another a kśatriya, another a vipra and still another a sadvipra. People are classified as above according to their mental fitness, not according to complexion or birth. It has been clearly stated by Lord Krśńa that varńa [mental colour, psychological type] is decided not according to birth but according to action and attribution – Cáturvarńyaḿ mayá srśt́aḿ guńakarma vibhágashah – “According to guńa and karma (attribution and action) it is decided.”

Everybody wants happiness, and this desire for happiness has enabled humans to come in contact with dharma and to discover dharma. They have not invented dharma, they have only discovered it, because dharma was there before the creation of the human being. Humans cannot invent it, humans can only discover it. Its presence, maybe, was unknown to humans in the beginning.

Tasmáddharma sadákarya sarvavarńae prayatnatah. So for all varńas, whether a person is mentally a shúdra or a vaeshya or a kśatriya or a vipra – dharma is a must.

Now Bhagaván Krśńa says,

Sarvadharmán parityajya
Mámekaḿ sharanaḿ vraja;
Ahaḿ tváḿ sarvapápebhyo
Mokśayiśyámi máshucah.

[Set aside all other dharmas and take shelter in Me alone; I will save you from all sin, have no fear about that.]

What do the words sarvadharmán [“all dharmas”] denote? Just now it has been said that each and every entity has its peculiar dharma. It will have to follow that dharma. Now, so far as this expressed world is concerned, we may divide dharma into three broad categories.

One may be termed vastu dharma. It is a dharma that belongs to all created beings, animate or inanimate, oxygen or monkey. According to this vastu dharma you have to keep a particular gas or a particular medicine under certain climatic conditions, otherwise it will be destroyed. You will have to follow that rule. The substance will be produced at a certain temperature, and it will be used at a certain temperature; it will be found not everywhere, but only in certain environments. These conditions are all part of vastu dharma. At a particular temperature iron will become liquid, at a particular temperature iron will turn into gas. These things are all part of vastu dharma.

The second category is jaeva dharma – the dharma for living beings and elevated objects. They are to take food, they are to see, they are to die, and they are to maintain their families. These things are all part of jaeva dharma. For this jaeva dharma they are to follow certain codes. (It has already been explained that vastu dharma also has certain codes which scientists know and which are dealt with in books on physics and chemistry. If one doesn’t follow those codes, one will not be able to utilize those vastus (material objects). You know the dharma of electricity, so you have to follow certain codes if you want to utilize electricity. You cannot go beyond those codes. You may say that those codes are vastu shástra. Physics is a vastu shástra, chemistry also is a vastu shástra.) Similarly with jaeva dharma, you have to follow certain shástras. You cannot go beyond the codes of those shástras [scriptures].

What is a shástra? Shásanát tárayet yastu sah shástrah parikiirtitah [“That which controls the society by shásana is a shástra”]. Shásana has so many meanings. Actually shásana means “to control” and to impose the codes of discipline. Do this, don’t do this – to prescribe these dos and don’ts of life is the duty of shástra. And why does the shástra prescribe those things? For salvation and liberation shástras prescribe these dos and don’ts of life.

Then there is Bhágavata Dharma, the third category. This Bhágavata Dharma is mánava dharma [human dharma]. There is no difference between Bhágavata Dharma and mánava dharma. Human beings are to follow jaeva dharma for their physical maintenance and for a certain portion of their psychic elevation, and beyond the scope of this jaeva dharma they are to follow Bhágavata Dharma, mánava dharma. This is the actual dharma, the true spirit of the term “dharma” is in it.

Áhára-nidrá-bhaya-maethunaiṋca
Sámányametad pashubhirnaránám;
Dharmo hi teśám adhiko visheśah
Dharmena hiináh pashubhih samánáh.

[Food, sleep, fear, procreation – these are the common properties of humans and animals. But humans possess an especial dharma (Bhágavata Dharma), in the absence of which they are as bad as animals.]

This Bhágavata Dharma differentiates a human being from a beast. A human being who does not follow Bhágavata Dharma is a beast. That is, in the above shloka it has been said that he or she is a beast. But I say that he or she is worse than a beast, because the beast does not know what to do and what not to do, but a human being knows what to do and what not to do. So if a human does not follow the codes of Bhágavata Dharma, that person is worse than an animal – not pashubhih samánáh [“the same as an animal”], but worse than an animal.

Now, since this Bhágavata Dharma is a must for all human beings, a human being should follow the doctrine of Bhágavata Dharma from his or her very childhood. There should be maximum utilization of his or her human existence, human calibre, human mind, and human spirit. Dhruva says,

Kaomára ácaret prájiṋah
Dharmán Bhágavatániha;
Durlabhaḿ mánuśaḿjanma
Tadapya dhruvamarthadaḿ.

Dhruva says, that is, “A person should follow this Bhágavata Dharma, here in this world.” (The word iha means “here”, “in this world”.) “One should follow Bhágavata Dharma from one’s very childhood, because human life is rare and is very precious.” Even the devatás,⁽¹⁾ if they want to do something good or great, will have to come in human frame to work. A devatá as devatá cannot do anything good; the devatá requires a human framework. So human life is very precious, very rare; “and such life is still more rare, still more precious, if it has become successful by dint of Bhágavata Dharma, or by dint of sádhaná.” So a wise person should get initiated and should start sádhaná in his or her very childhood, or kaomára.

Lord Krśńa gave the above sermon [Sarvadharmán…] in the Bhagavad Giitá. And why the name Bhagavad Giitá?

Because it has been expressed by Bhagaván. Yá Bhagavatá giita sá giitá – “That which has been sung by Bhagaván is giitá.” Gae + kta, striyáḿ [feminine gender] t́á: the root verb gae means “to sing”, kta means “done”; that is, [the word means] “sung”. Striyáḿ t́á makes it feminine, giitá. And the derivation of the word Bhágavata is: bhaga + matup = Bhágavata. What is Bhagaván? Bhaga plus the matup suffix in the nominative case becomes bhagaván. The word is bhágavata, but in the nominative case bhagaván. And what is the meaning of bhaga? In Sanskrit bhaga has many meanings. But two of the meanings are important: one meaning is “fortune” and the other meaning is “the collection of six attributes”.

From bhaga we say bhagya or “fortune”. In Vedic Sanskrit “fortunate” was expressed as bhagadhara; dhara means “holder” and bhaga means “fortune”. The bhagadhara of old Sanskrit became bahadhara in old Persian.

From bahadhara it became bahadar in Punjabi, bahadar in Urdu and báhádur in Hindi. But the actual word is bhagadhara, it means “fortunate”.

Now, the other meaning of the word bhaga is:

Aeshvaryaiṋca samagraḿ viiryaḿca yashasah shriyah;
Jiṋána vaerágyaiṋca śańáḿ bhaga iti smrtah.

[Bhaga is a collection of six attributes: aeshvarya, viirya, yasha, shrii, jiṋána, and vaerágya.]

Bhaga is a collection of six attributes. Number one is [in turn a collection of] all the occult powers: ańimá, laghimá, mahimá, ishitva, vashitva, etc.

Number two, viiryam, denotes “command”. Bhagaván should have command over the general public, because He is to guide them; that is why He should have command over them. In Urdu “command” is hukumat.

Then there is another word, yasha; it means “reputation”. One should remember, here “reputation” has been used both in the extremely positive and in the extremely negative sense. There is positive reputation and there is also negative reputation. Lord Shiva came to this world about 7000 years ago; even now there are many who are His admirers, there are many others who are His opponents. The Iyers in South India will say, “Oh! Lord Shiva was great;” the Iyengars will say, “No, Lord Shiva was not great.” Lord Krśńa came about 3500 years ago; even now you will see there are so many admirers and so many opponents of Krśńa. That is, when Táraka Brahma comes, the entire intellect of the world gets polarized – one north pole, another south pole; one admirer, another opponent. There were the gopabálákas [cowherds] of Vrindavana who loved Krśńa very much, and there were Kansa, Putana Raksasi, Bakasur and Aghasur who were His deadly enemies. So during Krśńa’s time there was polarization.

Now let the word shrii be defined and explained. What is the meaning of the word shrii? It means “attraction” or “charm”. Sha + ra – ii = shrii. In very old Vedic language there was only one sa, dantya sa [dental “s”], and that was pronounced by touching the teeth from inside. But from the Dravidians (old inhabitants of India), the Aryans (who came from Central Asia) learned the use of tálavya sha [palatal “s”] and múrdhanya śa [cerebral “s”]. Dantya sa is the acoustic root of the sentient principle, or sattvaguńa; that is, it is the biija mantra of sattvaguńa. Tálavya sha is the acoustic root of the mutative principle, that is, rajoguńa. It is the biija mantra of rajoguńa. Múrdhanya śa is the acoustic root of the static principle, it is the biija mantra of tamoguńa. Now, ra is the acoustic root of energy. (Remember, when a binding principle functions within the arena of matter then it is known as energy, otherwise it is to be known as principle. A guńa becomes balam [energy] when functioning within the scope of matter. It (balam) cannot function without matter.) And the [suffix] ii makes this word feminine.

So the entity that has the charm of the mutative principle and the activating faculty of energy is shrii; actually shrii means “attraction”, “charm”; rather, “attraction and stamina”.

And what is the meaning of jiṋánam? It means the subjectivization of external objectivity. When the external objectivity is subjectivized by you, then you have acquired jiṋánam of that entity, of that object. But for this subjectivization there should be three entities – the knowing entity, the subject; the known entity, the object; and the activating faculty that connects subject with object. So for jiṋánam three entities are prerequisites – the knower, the known, and the activating faculty.

There may be a defect in the knower; there may be a defect in the emanation of the known; or there may be a defect in [the] activating faculty, or jiṋána-kriyá. So in the case of this jiṋánam or jiṋána-kriyá, there is every possibility that it will be imperfect due to certain distortions. But what is actual jiṋána? Actual jiṋána means the complete assimilation of external objectivities. It is átmajiṋána, and in this jiṋána there is no scope for distortion, because in the case of átmajiṋána the three entities mentioned above will not remain. The knower and the known are the same entity in the case of átmajiṋánam. When you know that you yourself are the knower, the jiṋátá, and you yourself are the known, there will remain no linking faculty; so all the three entities – the known, the knower and the activating faculty – become one in the case of átmajiṋánam (complete assimilation of external objectivities). But in the case of the other jiṋánam, as already found, there remain three entities. So átmajiṋánam is the only jiṋánam, it is the proper knowledge; it is, in the true sense of the term, jiṋána.

Átmajiṋánaḿ vidurjiṋánaḿ jiṋánányanyáni yánitu;
Táni jiṋánávabhásáni sárasyanaeva bodhanát.

“Átmajiṋánam is true knowledge, others are the distortions of knowledge, the shadow of knowledge, or you can say the umbra and penumbra of knowledge; hence they are not proper jiṋána.”

Vi – ranj + ghaiṋ = vaerágya. Another faculty of bhaga is vaerágya. Do you know what vaerágya is?

Whenever you come in contact with different objects, physical or mental, under the spell of physical pabulum or mental pabulum, those objects have pictorial colours. Those colours may or may not be visible, but the colours are there. Similarly, whenever you come in contact with any thing, or any external object, those objects have their peculiar acoustic waves also, and those acoustic waves may or may not be audible, but those waves are there. Now when a sádhaka, by dint of his sádhaná, establishes mental equilibrium – a mental equipoise – then what happens? The sádhaka remains in this world and does all his or her mundane duties with mundane objectiv[ities], but the sádhaka’s mind is never assailed by the colours of those entities. Since his or her mind is not affected or assailed by those entities, then we will say that that sádhaka has established himself or herself in vaerágya. Vaerágya does not mean “renunciation”. That is a defective explanation and interpretation of the term vaerágya. You should remain in this world and do your duty with a balanced mind. So the collection of these six faculties – all the occult powers, command, reputation, charm, self-knowledge and mental equipoise – are known as bhaga, and the owner of this bhaga is Bhagaván.

Now, Bhagaván Krśńa says, “You leave aside all other dharmas.”⁽²⁾ All other dharmas are vastu dharmas and jaeva dharma. You need not do anything for vastu dharma, because it is automatic. Nor need you do anything for jaeva dharma, because it is automatic. You feel hungry before a meal, so you feel the urge to satisfy your hunger; you feel thirsty before drinking water, and that is why you try to quench your thirst. You need not do anything particularly for that purpose. But for Bhágavata Dharma you have to do. That is why it has been said above, “Ensconce thyself in Me, come under My [shelter], that is, follow the path of Bhágavata Dharma.”

What is Bhágavata Dharma? It has already been said that Bhágavata Dharma and mánava dharma are the same thing. A person, in human framework, must follow Bhágavata Dharma, otherwise it is not a person, it is an animal in human framework.

In another discourse, I already explained that there are three essentialities in Bhágavata Dharma – vistára (expansion), rasa (flow), and sevá (service). Everybody wants expansion. Now for this psychic expansion one is to do spiritual sádhaná. It is the speciality of the human mind, and also of all other minds, that it takes the form of its object. Now, the Cosmic Puruśa is the object, so naturally the mind will also become like Him. Brahmavid Brahmaeva bhavati [“One who realizes Brahma becomes Brahma”].

So the first essentiality of Bhágavata Dharma is vistára. To quench this thirst for vistára, one is to do sádhaná regularly, and this sádhaná will expand the person’s mental arena. In this way a day is sure to come when the person’s mind will become one with the Cosmic Mind. This is called vistára.

The second essentiality is rasa. Rasa means “flow”. You know, whether there is any expression or not, in the Cosmic Citishakti there is a never-ending flow. That flow has no curvature. It moves on just like a straight line. This Citishakti is known as Shiva, also. (When the Citishakti is the Transcendental Entity, Its activating power is Its innate principle. Now when the innate principle or binding principle or activating principle gets the chance to create something concrete, then the Citishakti is known as Shiva. When within the transcendental scope of the Citishakti the activating force does not get the scope to create something concrete, in that case the Citishakti is known as Parashiva, and the nucleus of this Parashiva is known as Ádishiva. For Shiva the English term will be the “Attributed Consciousness”, for Parashiva the “Non-Attributed Consciousness”, and for Ádishiva the “Supreme Noumenal Subjectivity”.) Now in the case of Shiva, that is, in the case of this expressed universe, there is force, there is wave, but those waves are not straight waves. They are not straight lines. There are curvatures in those waves due to the influence of the binding principles of Mahámáyá [the Supreme Operative Principle]. But in the case of Parashiva, the movement is there, but it is in a straight line. So wherever there is Shiva, wherever there is the Cognitive Faculty, wherever there is Citishakti, there must be flow, there must be rasa. That is why it has been said for Him that He is sarvadyotanátmaka akhańd́a cidaekarasah – an “all-vibrating, unbroken flow of cognition”.

In the Vedas it has been said, Rasa bae sah [“The Supreme Entity is the embodiment of the flow of bliss”]. What is His speciality? He is a flow, a rasa, and His devotees were able to dance according to the rhythm of that rasa. Devotees always dance, either physically or mentally, according to a certain rhythm, a certain chandá. So the devotees dance according to the rhythm of His flow. And Parama Puruśa, Krśńa – Ádishiva as the hub, as the Noumenal Subjectivity – is in the centre, and the devotees, all human beings of the entire universe, of Hariparimańd́ala, dance around Him according to those rhythms. In the centre or the hub Parama Puruśa exists, and His devotees are dancing around Him according to the rhythms of the waves emanated from His body. It is the rásaliilá of Parama Puruśa, it is the rásaliilá of Bhagaván Krśńa – the dancing in tune with the rasa, or Cosmic flow.

Vistára was the first item of Bhágavata Dharma, and the second one is rasa. Through kiirtana, while dancing, you enjoy that Cosmic rasa, and you attain vistára through dhyána and japa as you learn from your ácárya.

The third factor of Bhágavata Dharma is sevá. You know that there are two words, sevá and vyavasáya. The meaning of vyavasáya is “business”. Business is always mutual. If you want one kilo of sugar you will have to pay for it: you give something and they will give you sugar. So business is mutual, not unilateral. But sevá [service] is always unilateral; you give something in sevá but take nothing in return. This is sevá. In the advertisements of certain business concerns, you can find written: “We have been serving the nation for fifty years.” No, no, that is not sevá, it is vyavasáya, because they are being paid for it. The railways are not rendering service to you, because you are paying for your journey by train. If it were unilateral, then only could you have accepted it as service. You should understand clearly the difference between sevá and vyavasáya, between service and business.

Your relationship with Parama Puruśa is that of sevá. Now in sevá, while doing your sádhaná in your mental arena, in your psycho-spiritual arena, or mentally while you are uttering the incantation or repeating it, you should mentally serve your object of adoration, or object of meditation. Simply uttering the mantra won’t suffice; mentally you should serve Him. Again, in this world of physicality you are to serve Náráyańa physically – Náráyańa in the form of people in deep [trouble]. This is service, selfless service. Service always is selfless, because it is unilateral; it is not mutual, but one-sided.

So vistára, rasa and sevá – these are the three essentialities for Bhágavata Dharma. Bhágavata Dharma is a must for every human being. This Bhágavata Dharma one should practise from one’s very childhood.

Lord Krśńa also advised people to follow this Bhágavata Dharma only. And to follow Bhágavata Dharma, you are also to follow the shástra of Bhágavata Dharma. You are to follow Yama and Niyama, you are to follow the code of discipline, you are to attend Dharmacakra weekly. These are all codes of discipline as prescribed by Bhágavata Dharma. You must follow these codes. There cannot be any concession in this respect, rather concession is dangerous. Atha yogánushásanam. “One must follow anushásanam. One must follow the code of discipline.” One may be a king or may be a very poor man, but the code of dharma is equally applicable to all. In this matter, nobody can claim any special concession or favour. Lord Krśńa says, “You follow me, that is, you follow my word, follow Bhágavata Dharma, because you are a human being.”

What is the meaning of Krśńa? Krś means “to attract”. So Krśńa means “One who attracts the whole creation”. He is the nucleus of the entire Cosmological order.

Another meaning of krśńa is [krśibhuh]. It means “I exist because He exists.” So He is called Krśńasvarúpa. A fish exists because water exists. In that sense, water is krśńa for a fish. Why does a fish exist? Because water exists. Similarly, all living beings exist because He exists. That is why He is Paramasvarúpa for all. This is the real meaning of the word Krśńa. He says: “You leave all other dharmas, give up all other isms, you just follow me, you just follow Bhágavata Dharma, because you are a human being.” Lord Krśńa again says, “Suppose you are a sinner, you are a degraded person, your past was black; even then, if you follow Me, I will liberate you from all the fetters of all sins – all the reactive momenta. I am with you, I am to help you, I am to liberate you.”

Api cet sudurácáro bhajate mámananyabhák;
So’pi pápavinirmuktah mucyate bhavabandhanát.

[If even the most wicked people worship Me with a concentrated mind, I will liberate them from the three bondages.]

You know, sinners are of different standards. A pickpocket and a murderer are not of the same standard. Sinners belong to different standards. Now sudurácára means “the worst sinner”; such a person is even hated by other sinners – is the sinner of sinners. Yet, “If even a sudurácára takes the shelter of Parama Puruśa” – bhajate mámananyábhák – “ensconces himself or herself in Me, surrenders at My altar” – “then that person also will be freed from the bondage of sin” – so’pi pápavinirmuktah. He or she will definitely be freed from the reactive momenta of all sins. “He or she will be freed from all the bondages of bhava”⁽³⁾ – mucyate bhavabandhanát. Then that person will become one with Me, will be in Me. A devotee must remember that for him or her, there is only one dharma, and that is Bhágavata Dharma. Through this dharma he or she is taking the shelter of Parama Puruśa. In the past, it may be that that person was a sinner or may be that that person was very good; but that question does not arise here; that person is to take shelter in Parama Puruśa. So a devotee has no other dharma but to take shelter in Him.

One should know the story of when Krśńa once became very ill. He was treated in so many hospitals; there were so many blood tests and urine tests. He was treated in Mathura hospital, in Dwaraka hospital, in Indrapastha hospital, and in many other hospitals, but doctors failed to cure Him. Then the devotees approached Him gracefully: “Oh, Lord, we have failed, the physicians have failed, now You prescribe some medicine.”

Krśńa said, “I need only one medicine. If the foot-dust of my devotees is collected and I get a chance to touch that dust with My head, only in that case will I be cured. The carańarajah of my devotees – if that is touched by My head, then only will I be cured.”

Hearing this, the bhaktas said, “No, no, no, we cannot give our foot-dust to you, how can we give our foot-dust to Lord Krśńa? It will be a great pápa, it will be the action of a sinner, we will be sinning then. No, no, we cannot do it, we cannot, that will be our mahápápa [great sin].”

Then everybody approached Maharshi Narada, because he can settle the unsettled facts and can also unsettle the settled facts. So he was the most efficient man for this purpose. He went everywhere from America to Russia, from China to Japan, just to collect a single iota of foot-dust. But everybody replied to him, “No, no, it will be mahápápa, we cannot do it.”

Then Maharshi Narada approached the vrajabálákas of Vrindavana. They were very plain and very simple village boys and devotees of Krśńa. They said, “Oh! Krśńa said this? He wants our foot-dust? Yes, yes, take it, take it, take it. Let our Lord be cured first.”

Narada then cautioned the boys, “Do you know it will be mahápápa for you?” The boys replied, “Let there be mahápápa, but let our Lord be cured first. You see, Maharshi Narada, we do not know whether we are actually devotees or not. But today let there be an experiment. Let the dust be touched, and if He is cured, then well and good; and if not, it will be proved that we are not devotees. But what is the harm if you take the dust? Let our Lord be cured. We don’t know pápa or puńya – we know only the Lord. We are ready to live in naraka, hell, if the Lord is there in naraka. We are not ready to go to svarga, heaven, if the Lord is in naraka.”

This is the proper mentality of a devotee. Devotees do not consider pápa or puńya. They only know the Lord. And everyone should remember this fact.

Footnotes

(1) Devatás, in the literal sense, are the vibrational expressions emanating from the Macrocosm. Figuratively they are gods and goddesses, who in mythology crave human birth. The author also sometimes used the word in a poetic way to denote devayonis, or “luminous bodies”, beings whose bodies have no solid factor or liquid factor. –Eds.

(2) Sarvadharmán parityajya, quoted previously. –Eds.

(3) That part of one’s saḿskáras which carries one to the next life. –Eds.

Chapter 27	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Today’s subject of discourse is “The Macrocosmic Stance and Human Life”. Human beings not only want expansion, but undisputed authority in the process of expansion. Not only do they seek the Supreme shelter, they want to bring that shelter within their reach. Out of this desire to attain the Supreme, out of this longing to become as vast as the Supreme, they discovered the science of intuitional practice. But this discovery was not easy. They had to cross numerous hurdles such as ritualistic observances, isms, doctrines and cults. Their discovery was the reward for their long-cherished desire to attain the Supreme. Without the desire for expansion, they would have never tried to realize Brahma even while remaining in the ocean of Brahma. The entity closest to them would have remained far away.

It is the innate desire of human beings to seek expansion, to yearn for the Supreme. They want to attain Him for their personal happiness, self-preservation, and attainment of bliss. The owner of a hundred acres of land wants to own a hundred and fifty acres; a millionaire wants to become a billionaire. But if the desire for self-expansion or happiness is limited to the mundane world, clashes of interest and various hindrances will certainly arise before long. It is not possible to enrich oneself at the expense of others for very long.

Due to the defective mentality, “Let others live in destitution, but I want immense wealth; let others be landless, but I want landed property”, many people had to suffer in the past, and many are suffering even today. This mentality begins with violence and exploitation and ends with violence and exploitation. Violence begets violence. If a person becomes a billionaire today by exploiting the masses, tomorrow the same masses, driven to irrepressible violence by poverty and hunger, will snatch away the billionaire’s accumulated wealth and raze his honour to the ground. The endeavour to expand should not centre around finite objects of the mundane world. Whether the mind accepts it or not, every limited resource of the world should be treated as the property of the entire humanity. The collective wealth of the human race should not be amassed by a few individuals.

The human desire for expansion is an innate desire. It cannot be suppressed, but must be given full scope for expression. Since desire for expansion is harmful for society when limited to the material sphere, it should be diverted to unlimited objects. No matter how much people acquire from this unlimited stock, it will not create conflict amongst individuals. While running after the acquisition of finite objects, the dissatisfied human beings of the past realized one day that their minds were looking for something which had hitherto eluded them.

Psychic objects are limited by nature, but the Entity who is the Subject of the mind is unlimited. The final establishment in that Entity alone is the real expansion, the Supreme fulfilment of sádhaná. One glorious day, while moving along the path of Pratisaiṋcara towards the Supreme Subject, human beings attained Him. Actually, it not proper to say they “attained” him, because one only attains an object with the help of the mind. When one attains the Supreme Subject the small-I loses itself completely in Him. Neither the mind nor words can attain Him; they merge in Him. One does not “get” Him; one becomes one with Him.

In the process of expansion clashes occur between the boundary of one object and that of another object. In the case of mundane objects it is impossible to expand without encroaching upon the boundaries of other objects. This clash over boundaries brings out the worst in human beings – narrow-mindedness, greed, casteism, provincialism, nationalism, etc. – as they strive to establish themselves in the empire of the universe. Those who are bound by these sentiments deny the existence of the Absolute Entity. Even if they set out with a goal before them, their love for crude desires grows so intense that their goal becomes totally obscured. Being preoccupied with their own self-interests, they lose their capacity to look towards their goal. Such people are called mohándha or blindly infatuated.

Those who are moving will have to think constantly of their goal, not of their movement, and certainly not about the probable obstacles they may encounter along the way. If one thinks of obstacles, the obstacles themselves become one’s goal, and the actual goal is relegated to the background. Hence in the sphere of Brahma sádhaná only Brahma is the goal, only Brahma is to be meditated upon. Spiritual aspirants must not entertain any thought about the impediments which may arise at the time of meditation, but focus their minds upon the supreme culminating point. To establish a heavenly kingdom in this mundane world human beings will have to fight tirelessly against the internal and external demons. But this does not mean that the demons should become the object of ideation.

Brahma Sádhaná is entirely different from jad́a sádhaná (the pursuit of matter) because it focuses on the goal and not the clash. Spiritual aspirants who struggle to expand the self should never compromise themselves with those forces which try to thwart the process of supreme expansion. The path of self-expansion (dharma sádhaná) is the path of valour. There is no place for inertness or cowardice on such a path.

In the social sphere, the perennial struggle of human beings should not be undertaken individually but collectively. Those who provide leadership in the social struggle must be established in yama and niyama (code of yogic morality). Such people I call sadvipras.

How will sadvipras be created? They will be created in the continued endeavour to expand the self. By reciting holy scriptures or by acquiring a few Saḿskrta titles, one cannot succeed in spiritual pursuit. Brahma does not care who is of noble descent or high caste. The important thing is to continue sádhaná. One’s life can only be properly evaluated in the light of that struggle.

Násti teśu játividyárúpakulakriyádi bhedah.

The struggle in collective life, with the sadvipras in the position of leadership, will continue endlessly. Sadvipra after sadvipra will come: the torch carried by one will be handed over to the next. But the sádhaná of individual life is not endless – it culminates in the attainment of Brahma. Those who believe that they must first attain success in individual life before participating in the collective struggle will not succeed. They will never bring expansion in their individual lives if they ignore collective welfare. To be worthy of being sadvipras, individuals will have to concentrate on both intellectual and social development. Otherwise, no matter how lofty the word dharma might sound in theory, it will remain as a big hoax in the practical field. All spiritual aspirants must strive to become sadvipras, and that, too, from this very moment. If a person who takes bribes starts an anti-bribe campaign he will become an object of ridicule. One will have to make an earnest endeavour to develop oneself thoroughly; mere rhetoric will not do. Only those endowed with sincerity and devotion can be called righteous, and can successfully propagate dharma. For the propagation of dharma government help is not required.

Those who want to thwart the introversial phase of the Cosmic Cycle in individual and collective life are dominated by Avidyámáyá. In the struggle against Avidyá, if the thought of Puruśa (Cognitive Faculty) is kept awake in one’s mind, Avidyá’s influence will start to wane. In individual life the six enemies (ripus) and eight fetters (páshas) are collectively known as the force of Avidyá. For the preservation of the physical body, and to keep social tyrants under control, these páshas and ripus need to be maintained, but the mind must not be allowed to become their slave. Those who want to destroy them would be better off committing suicide. Sincere spiritual aspirants must keep their páshas and ripus firmly under control, making them subservient to their disciplined mind.

Though the Avidyá force is expressed in various ways, its expression in the human mind can be divided into five categories: avidyá, asmitá, rága, dveśa, and abhinivesha.

Avidyá

Anityáshuciduhkhánátmasu nityashucisukhátma khyátiravidyá.

When human beings become blindly infatuated with objects of enjoyment and lose all common sense, when they become totally absorbed in the pursuit of finite objects forgetting the infinite, they make the error of believing that the impermanent is permanent. This useless pursuit exhausts all their vital energy. They forget that no single object of the world enjoys permanence. Some educated people say, “Well, I may not live long enough to enjoy all the pleasures of life, but my grandchildren will.” This yearning for the finite is caused by avidyá.

Under the influence of avidyá, people become so infatuated that they forget the difference between pure and impure; and so greedy that they eat rotten meat, choose to forget that alcohol is bad for health, and even try to prove the unholy as being holy by force of logic. Some people claim that eating meat and drinking alcohol are a part of dharma sádhaná; and some state they eat meat to maintain their health and strength.

Lost in blind pursuit for finite objects, people fail to realize that the pleasure they derive will actually bring more sorrow in the future. An alcoholic does not understand that heavy drinking severely damages the liver: an opium addict does not understand that the temporary pleasure derived from the drug gradually benumbs the nervous system. This mistaking pain to be pleasure is caused by the influence of avidyá. Those who succumb to this influence can be likened to a dog chewing on a dry bone in a burial ground. The dog thinks that the blood oozing out of its jaws comes from the dry bones and greedily bites even harder, further damaging its jaws. The poor animal wrongly thinks sorrow is happiness.

Under the influence of avidyá people believe that the finite objects created by static Prakrti are their own. They think, “my horse, my son, my daughter, my wealth,” and believe that with these objects they will live eternally. But the fact is, all these limited objects will desert them after sometime. Nothing that can be called one’s own will remain.

To understand avidyá properly, one must pursue the path of spiritual practice. Without sádhaná one cannot escape the devouring jaws of avidyá.

Asmitá

Drgdarshanashaktyorekátmatevásmitá.

Asmitá literally means to arrogate the full authorship of an action. The actual authorship of action, no matter what that action may be, does not belong to the sensory and motor organs. In the absence of Átman (the knowing entity) the organs become totally ineffective. If the image an of elephant is reflected on the eyes of a corpse, it will not be able to see it. A corpse has no Átman, no witnessing entity, and thus no capacity to see. People often believe that mind is everything, and thus commit the error of taking the mind to be the author of actions. This error is called asmitá.

Asmitá causes human beings to confuse drkshakti (witnessing entity) with darshanshakti (faculty of sight). Sádhakas must remember that the mind and the indriyas can only perform their allotted duties when Consciousness is reflected on the unit mental plate.

By forgetting that the Cognitive Faculty is the witnessing force behind the faculty of seeing, behind the existential I-feeling, people become worse than animals.

Rága

Shukhánushayii rágah.

The human mind constantly needs pabulum. A mind devoid of any pabulum attains the non-attributional stance. But sleep, senselessness or death cannot be regarded as the non-attributional stance. From the viewpoint of psychology, sleep and senselessness are almost similar. They occur when the kámamaya and manomaya kośas of the mind remain suspended due to some reason or other. In both cases the mind still has an object. In the case of death, the psychic power (reactive momenta) is detached from the nerve cells of the brain and hence the mind cannot perform actions.

In the wakeful and dream states human beings seek to acquire objects with the help of their entire mind. Under the influence of avidyá they think that they will derive pleasure from eating a certain type of food, or become more comfortable by wearing certain clothes, or get some satisfaction by playing a certain role. This tendency to run after certain objects in the pursuit of pleasure is called rága or blind attachment.

People live for joy and happiness, and that is why they run after various objects. They do not understand, or sometimes refuse to understand, that nothing in this universe except infinite Brahma can give them permanent happiness. When people lose the sense of discrimination by foolishly giving indulgence to rága it should be understood that they have allowed themselves to become pawns in the hands of Avidyá.

Dveśa

Duhkhánushayii dveśah

The opposite of rága is dveśa. There are some objects or ideas upon which people cannot fix their minds because, according to their saḿskáras, they find it painful to do so. They are reluctant to analyse whether those objects or ideas are really painful or tormenting. When an attempt is made to divert the mind from those objects or ideas to escape the anticipated pain it is called dveśa. Most of the wars and battles of the world are the result of either rága or dveśa. Dhritarastra’s love for Duryodhana and his animosity towards Bhiima was one of the causes of the Mahábhárata war.

Abhinivesha

Svarasobáhii viduśopi tathárúŕhá’bhiniveshah.

In the world there are many wise and gifted people who understand the difference between Vidyá and Avidyá. Theoretically, they know what is real and what is unreal, what is dharma and what is adharma. They deliver eloquent discourses on dharma and morality in meetings and symposia, yet knowingly indulge in sinful deeds in their personal lives, even though they are aware of the dreadful consequences of their sinful actions. This suppression of Vidyá is also an expression of Avidyá shakti in one’s personal life.

Incidentally, I remember a story. Once there was an alcoholic who realized, by studying good books and generally cultivating his knowledge, that addiction to wine is a very bad habit indeed. Under the influence of Vidyá shakti he even made a vow to give up the habit of drinking on the next auspicious day. When that auspicious day came he marched resolutely past the wine bar he used to frequent. When he was ten steps past the wine bar he said in self-appreciation, “Well done, mind. You are so firm in your resolution to kick the habit of drinking that you’ve succeeded in taking ten steps past the wine bar. Congratulations! Today I will reward you for your courage. Let’s open two bottles of wine!” After that the alcoholic continued to visit the wine bar regularly and drink large quantities of wine. This story is a beautiful illustration of abhinivesha or psychic obsession.

From where does abhinivesha derive its impetus? From the acquired saḿskáras of human beings. As long as human beings are guided by their own individual flow, they are microcosms, and when they are guided by the Cosmic flow (Brahmarasa or Parárasa) they become liberated souls – they become one with Shiva.

The life or vital energy of human beings is the coordinated functioning of the ten vayus. As these vayus are one of the fundamental factors (the aerial factor) in the extroversive flow of the Cosmic imagination, it can be said that vital energy is created and vibrated by the Cosmic imagination. Thus, human life is no more than a mere bubble in the vast ocean of Consciousness. The influence of Avidyá on the human mind, the dominance of one’s individual flow, and microcosmic reactive momenta, are only relative factors. No one can advance by disowning the vast Macrocosmic flow.

However vain or conceited one might be, one’s vanity will be smashed into smithereens one day. To proceed towards Parama Puruśa one will have to jump into and drift along the vast Cosmic flow. In the process of this movement one will realize His divine sweetness. By relinquishing the authorship of action one will gradually merge into the Macrocosmic authorship; one’s individual flow will merge into the rásaliilá of the Supreme.

To merge one’s individual life and mind into the Cosmic flow and enjoy divine sweetness is not something unnatural. Rather, to dance, laugh, and weep with such intensity that one will be branded as a lunatic is really quite natural!

The individual flow of microcosms throws them into the grip of Avidyá, whereas the Cosmic flow leads them towards the Supreme. The Cosmic flow is nothing but Brahma Himself (rasovaesah). He is the blissful flow personified.

Saguna Brahma, as creator of the universe, has imbibed vast saḿskáras with which He is continuing His endless creation. Those saḿskáras are being exhausted in the extroversive flow of the imagination of Hirańyagarbha (Brahma in His creative mood).

That which is the svarasa of Brahma is the parárasah of microcosms, and that which is the svarasa of microcosms leads them into the clutches of Avidyá. The more human beings advance towards the authorship and witness-ship of the Supreme Entity, the more they understand the expression of the Cosmic flow. The more they proceed to the Cosmic Stance (bháva), the more effulgent their existence becomes and the more the darkness of ignorance fades. To shake off the influence of Avidyámayá one must take shelter in Him. To count beads or practice ritualistic worship without directing one’s mind towards the Supreme Entity is of no use. To pretend to be virtuous outside while harbouring sinful thoughts within is absolutely meaningless. Such hypocrisy carries no value.

The beginning, the middle and end of dharma sádhaná is to rush towards Him, to channelize all the positive and negative propensities of mind toward Him. Spiritual aspirants will not destroy the six ripus (not even káma or physical longing) but will utilize them for their benefit. When utilized as aids for spiritual progress they will do no further harm. So-called jiṋánis may fight the propensity of krodha (anger), but devotees will utilize it to fight staticity. They will shatter the meanness and pettiness of the mind through psychic strength and fearsome temper. So-called jiṋánis claim that the propensity of greed (lobh) is harmful, but devotees disagree – they nurture greed to attain Him. Jiṋánis abhor vanity or pride (mada), but devotees say that the only object of pride in their lives is Parama Puruśa. Jiṋánis detest the propensity of blind attachment (moha), but devotees say, “I am already in love with Him. I have a blind attachment for attaining my Lord”. The propensity of jealousy (mátsarya) as a ripu is very bad, but a spiritual aspirant will never take it as harmful. In this way spiritual aspirants keep their vision fixed on Brahma. Those who fail to focus their entire entitative existence on Him, those who do not flow towards the Macrocosmic Nucleus of the Cosmic Cycle, realize one day that everything in their lives has become futile.

On seeing the ostentatious practices of religion the popular ideas of a Sufi saint are likely to arise in the mind of a sádhaka:

Andhakárer minár hate moyájjiner kańt́ha pái
Múrkha torá kámya toder hetháy hothay kotháo nái.

[I listen to the voice of the muezzin from the minaret in darkness. I say you are all fools – where is your God? He is neither here, nor there.]

If you throw a stone in the pond, the ripples that it causes vibrate other objects in the pond. Similarly, when the Cosmic flow is inspired by Puruśottama it vibrates in its entirety, thereby vibrating all the receptive minds in the universe. These emanated vibrations take different forms to provide momentum to human beings in different ways. This force of inspiration keeps all the receptive minds connected to Puruśottama, the Supreme Source of all emanations, and motivates them to rush towards Him. When the Macrocosmic stance dances in its individual Macrocosmic Flow, the microcosms dance in parárasa.

In the past the svarasa (divine flow) of Brahma was expressed through Maháprabhu Caetanya, causing people to madly run after him, dancing, crying, singing and laughing in ecstatic joy. Brahma’s svarasa was also expressed in the flute sound of Shri Krśńa, which resonated with such divine sweetness that people ran towards it, madly forgetting their family, culture, prestige, lineage, and so on. The gopiis of Brindávan, leaving the privacy of their homes, also danced, sang and burst into laughter to the tune of the flute.

In Ananda Marga this divine flow of Brahma is embedded in different lessons of spiritual meditation. Thus, those who practice this meditation, whether in the present or the future, whether within time or beyond time, will certainly cry, sing and dance with exquisite spiritual joy, and advance steadily towards the blissful Macrocosmic stance.

Advancing thus, establishing oneself in yama and niyama, and becoming a true sadvipra, one will attain oneness with the Supreme Entity. Developed human beings will have to move along this Macrocosmic flow of Brahma. One who tries to remain aloof from this divine flow does not deserve to be called a human being. One should bear in mind that the highest fulfilment in life lies in movement in the Cosmic flow. The path along which this movement takes place is called the path of bliss, the path of Ánanda Márga.

Chapter 28	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The word ideology is termed as “Ádarsha” in Saḿskrta. It means to follow an idea in the things that one has to do in his life. It has an impersonal element. But when one follows a personality, it is called as “Iśt́a.” Suppose someone has an ideology to serve humanity, this service is an impersonal element. Social Service is not the name of man. Social service is not a thing with whom you can love or express your heart’s sorrows and pleasures. You cannot make it the best of ideals, the ultimate ideal of your life. Therefore, social service is an impersonal entity and it is an ideology. I should do everything which is for my liberation and also for the welfare of humanity. This is ideology.

There is another meaning of the word ideology. It means a mirror. When we look at it, we can observe ourselves. Similarly is our ideology. Every human being should follow his ideology. Human life is an ideological flow. Those people who have no ideology in life are not human beings. One can recognize other men to the extent that he follows his ideology. The life of man devoid of ideology is like an animal life.

To follow the ideology, we need effort and courage. There is no man in this world who is powerless. Whosoever has come on this earth has been graced with some amount of power. We are walking, talking, condemning, gossiping. We are wasting our time. Whatever we do we cannot do if we are powerless. When the time for work comes, some people say they do not have the capacity to perform the work. But when the time is not for doing a worthy action, they demonstrate much power.

There is not a single entity in this world that is powerless. Truly, as long as we have life, we have power. Whatever power you have, you must utilize it to the maximum. After you have done your best and there is still need for more power, then God will give you more. Only then do you have the right to ask for more power from God if you have already utilized your existing power. And, if there is still need for more, the Lord will give you what you need. The Lord commands us to utilize whatever power we have to the maximum. We can ask for more power if there is the need for it. Be rest assured that if you apply the power to good works, you will get more power according to your needs.

All powers come from God; whether it is physical, mental or spiritual. He is the owner; He is the master. This energy is the power of the Lord. The Lord grants these powers to those who are engaged in working for the welfare of others and are performing benevolent deeds. You will not have to ask for powers. You should leave this to the Lord.

The second important thing is courage. One should remember that courage comes according to power; in other words courage and power come together. A man who is powerless is also a coward. To establish yourself in the ideology you need two things. One is courage. So if you want to become powerful, you need not only ideology but also “Iśt́a.” Even for courage and efforts, you need the help of the Lord. You cannot say that it is not necessary to make more efforts because God will give according to one’s needs. This is correct, but we have to follow our ideology with effort and courage.

We should always respect our ideology if we are to become true human beings. The ideologist is a man who always acts according to his ideology. If by following the ideology, the older people become unhappy or condemn me, I will not care. If by following an ideology I die and die again, let it be. I will not care. I will stick to my ideology.

Iśt́a. There are many meanings of this word “Iśt́a.” One is the fulfilment of the goal. In other words, by ideating on Him, all sorrows of the mind and bad thoughts go away. That is called “Iśt́a.” Ideology is an impersonal element. To go toward “Iśt́a,” we need only love; whereas to follow an ideology we need courage and efforts. If we have love for our Lord, then we do not need anything else. We cannot get devotion by going to pilgrimages. The minimum requirement for getting devotion is the human mind. By simply exerting little efforts, you get development. If you desire devotion, you will get it. If you have love for the Supreme, you will get established in your “Iśt́a.”

What is the relationship between “Iśt́a” and ideology? Without “Iśt́a,” one cannot establish himself in ideology. To illustrate, we can quote this example: About thirty-five years ago, a war was going on between two countries, the citizens of which have the same religion (Buddhist). When the soldiers went to war, their mothers used to pray to Lord Buddha to save the lives of their respective sons. What will Lord Buddha do? Save this man or that man? Both have the same “Iśt́a,” but both parties have totally forgotten their ideology. If they were established in the ideology, they would not have gone to war. So therefore, man should follow both the ideology and “Iśt́a”. One should be an ideologist and an “Iśt́anist.”

“Iśt́a” tells us about our ideology. Man remembers his ideology from the “Iśt́a”. Man will remember his “Iśt́a” and follow his ideology. If somebody says that he has no “Iśt́a”, then he is a liar. He has no courage. Without establishing oneself in his “Iśt́a”, man cannot become an ideologist.

Those who have no truth in their lives can never progress, can never become real men. Suppose somebody has no ideology in his life and for a moment forgets his “Iśt́a”, he will degrade. So the wise man will always remember that he has to follow the ideology and more important, the “Iśt́a”.

Those who follow their “Iśt́a” know that for every quantity of love they have for the Lord, the Lord has double love for them. The Lord is great for them; as for the Lord, they are also not small. In a song, a devotee said: “I am very small, O Lord, you are great”. This should not be said. If a father possesses fifty Masters of Arts degree and his son doesn’t know A-B-C at the age of 3-4, should the son be thought of as small and the father as great? No, this is only a family relationship. There is no question of small or great. There is the relationship of father and son only. Where there is the relationship between father and son, where is the question of big and small?

The Lord is the beloved one. The Lord is called Bábá. The word Bábá comes from Sanskrit “Bapra”. It means Loved-Beloved. “Bapra” then became “Bappa”, and then it became Bábá. It took three thousand or four thousand years for “Bapra” to become Bábá. For unit beings, the Lord is the beloved One. (Bábá Nam Kevalam). But for the lord the unit being is His Baba! When living beings will sing Bábá Nam Kevalam then the Lord will also sing, Bábá Nam Kevalam in His mind. The Lord has thousands and thousands of Bábá. This is the relationship between the Lord and living beings. Devotees will always remember this but people who are only ideologists cannot feel this; their hearts are barren. For those whose hears are established in “Iśt́a”, their hearts are fertile and full of life. Those who are only ideologists cannot enjoy this sweet element. You have to become an ideologist; more importantly you have also to become an “Iśt́anist.” If you do not have “Iśt́a”, you cannot do anything. When you are singing Bábá Nam Kevalam, the Lord is singing Bábá Nam Kevalam. As the unit being is dependent on the Lord, so is the Lord on the unit beings. As in the family, the son is dependent on the father, the father is dependent also on the son. If there is no father, the son will not like it. Similarly, if there is no son, the father will not like it too. Without being a devotee, you cannot become an ideologist.

Those who are established in their “Iśt́a” because of their love will reach the Lord. They will also know the secret cause of this universe. What they have to do, what they don’t have to do, they will know all these things because they have surrendered their minds to the Lord. The intellectuals will complain they have not been graced by the Lord. They will complain that they have been doing spiritual practices but they have not reached the Lord. Devotees never complain. Only the intellectuals complain. Intellectuals complain because their hearts are barren. Devotees know that they have been graced by the Lord.

So-called ideologists become philosophers. Their philosophy is barren. In the olden days, the learned people started contemplating why the Lord created this universe. “What was the necessity of this universe? If there had been no universe, what harm would there be? We came into this world and we are suffering, we are experiencing pain. If we had not existed, what would be the difference?” Many philosophers wrote many scriptures, but they could give no answer. The devotee considered the intellectuals stupid.

Suppose there is a big garden of mangoes and both the intellectuals and devotees arrive there at the same time. The devotees climb up the trees and begin eating mangoes to their heart’s content. But the intellectuals only watch from a distance and start analysing how many branches the tree has, how many sub-branches, and so on. They engage themselves in counting and later they find there are no mangoes left; all have been eaten by the devotees!

The learned people cannot answer why the Lord created the universe. Devotees, however, have a plain reply. This is because devotees know their “Iśt́a” and love their “Iśt́a.” If you love someone, you can know his secrets. The intellectuals think of the Lord from very far, while the devotees feel Him very near.

If the Lord has any pain or pleasure, the devotee knows it. The devotee will say, “O intellectual, you cannot know this thing which I know. When there was no universe, our Lord was all alone. If any person had been in His place, he would have become mad. So our Lord was all alone and He did not like this solitude. He had the power to see, but He could not see because there was nothing to see. He had the power to hear, but there was nothing to hear. He had the power to reprimand, but there was no one to reprimand. That caused Him a great deal of inconvenience. To free Himself from inconvenience our Lord became many from One. This is the cause of creation.”

Surrender all to “Iśt́a.” All living beings have different ideas in their mind and this will go on. The Lord is the nucleus and all units are moving around. Some are moving in ignorance. This cycle will go on as long as the units have not reached the Lord. If unit beings do not turn toward the nucleus, they will move on and on. A unit will only reach the nucleus when he turns toward the Lord. Finally after reaching the nucleus, he will feel the grace of the Lord. If there is no grace on him, then why is it that he is living in this world? This is the direct proof of the Lord’s grace on him that he is living.

The Lord’s grace is on every human being. Some, however, are not drenched with His grace because they have the umbrella of ego around their heads. They will not be drenched with this grace unless they remove this shield of ego. Only after they have removed this ego will they be blessed by the Lord.

What must be done by the spiritual aspirant? The aspirant has to remove this umbrella of ego. If you remove the ego, you will become a devotee and surely you will reach the Lord. There is nothing more to be done. We have to do mental worship and not extroversial worship. You surrender your mind to the Lord and the Lord will be satisfied. Those who are ready to centre their minds on Him will be established in their “Iśt́a”; they will be victorious. No power can stop them from this.

The Lord is the owner of everything. He has created all the wealth in the universe. The devotees say, “What can I give You? You are the Master of the Creative Energy (Prakrti). Whatever You wish, Prakrti will provide You. What, then can I give You? I am not a great devotee. Your great devotees have snatched Your mind, so I surrender my mind to You.”

A devotees desire and work is to become an ideologist and to follow his “Iśt́a.” Devotees have been victorious in the past and they will be victorious in the future. Those who become ideologists will progress physically, mentally and spiritually if they will also become “Iśt́anist.” If they do not follow “Iśt́a,” they will also degrade. You must become ideologist and “Iśt́anist.”

Devotees never complain because they know that the Lord is with them always protecting them. You should remember that if you always sing “Bábá Nam Kevalam,” you have a family relationship with Him. More than that, you have a relationship of Love with Him.

Chapter 29	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Yávanna kśiiyate karma shubhaiṋcáshubhameva ca;
Távanna jáyate mokśa nrńáḿ kalpashataerapi.
Yathá laohamayaerpáshaeh páshaeh svarńamayaerapi;
Tathá baddho bhavet jiivo karmábhiishcáshubhaehshubhaeh.

–Tantra

[Unless one’s good or bad saḿskáras (mental reactive momenta) become completely exhausted, one cannot attain mokśa (non-qualified liberation) even in crores of kalpas (aeons). Just as chains, whether of iron or gold, are still chains, so people bound by saḿskáras, whether good or bad, are nevertheless bound.]

Is the misery less even if one is bound with chains made of gold? No, bondage is bondage, be [the chains] made of gold or iron. The bondage of satkarma [good actions] is that of gold, and that of asatkarma [bad actions], iron. Either of them is to be broken off. One has to refrain from bad actions so that the chains of iron might not be forged; and good actions are to be effected, but what one has to do is to offer the chains made of gold at the feet of Paramátmá: “I do not desire the fruits of my good actions, O Lord! I offer them to Thee.”

As long as the physical body exists, some actions are bound to be performed. No one can help doing actions. [Respiration] is itself an action. Once I said that even if one does not desire to do any action and sleeps, then that sleep, too, is an action. Actions must be performed – not bad actions, but good ones, which too are to be offered to Him.

Nábhuktaḿ kśiiyate karma kalpakot́ishataerapi;
Avashyameva bhoktavyaḿ krtaḿ karma shubháshubham.

–Tantra

[Even after crores of kalpas, saḿskáras do not become exhausted. The requitals of all actions, good or bad, must be undergone: there is no exception.]

“Even after crores of kalpas [aeons] the reactions of actions are not exhausted. This continues to be so as long as the reactions have not been experienced.” How will the reactions of the actions be exhausted? Karmabhogena kśiiyate – “When the reactions are experienced, then only are they exhausted.” Avashyameva bhoktavyaḿ krtaḿ karmashubhá shubham – “one has performed good actions, so their fruits are to be enjoyed; so also is it with bad actions.” Hence one has to be cautious while performing actions. After that, repentance will fetch no benefit.

Avashyameva bhoktavyaḿ krtaḿ karmashubhá shubham. Now the question arises whether the reactions will be just [equal] to the actions, or less, or more. Equal and opposite reaction is [the rule], but then, whether the enjoyment of the reaction of actions is purely psychic or physico-psychic is to be seen. Where the action is purely mental, the reaction will be just [equal] to that. But if the action is physico-psychic, the question is, what will be the reaction? Still one thing is there, that if the mind is not affected by the physico-psychic action, nothing happens.⁽¹⁾ But [usually] when the reaction is physico-psychic, it has more effect than the action performed.

If it is purely psychic, the reaction will be just equal to it. [But] the reaction of the physico-psychic action does not affect the mind cent per cent. A person enjoys [psychic] reactions just [equal] to the actions performed. If there be some quantity of the reaction of physico-psychic action [that affects the body], in that case, the reaction will be much more than the action performed. The mind will be affected just according to the psychic action – that is the case with psychic actions. [But] if the action is physico-psychic, some of the reactions [affect] the mind, some [do] not. That which affects the mind is a psychic reaction, that which does not is physical. Among these reactions, the one that is in the pure physical sphere does not affect the mind. The pure psychic coupled with the [physical] of a physico-psychic reaction add up to produce a greater reaction. So the quantity of reaction in case of a physico-psychic action becomes much greater. Hence one should be careful.

There are so many grades of sádhaka [spiritual practitioner]. Some say, “O Paramátmá, please get my saḿskáras exhausted as soon as possible. Give to me whatever is there.” [But] some say, “I am ready to bear the fruits of my own [actions] and I am also ready to bear the saḿskáras of others.” There are varieties of feeling. Some want to carry the burdens of others so that others might not be in trouble. Sádhakas are at different stages, and their feelings are just according to their stages. While doing sádhaná, a sádhaka reaches a stage where púrńa bhakti [cent per cent devotion] is aroused for Paramátmá. Then one remains unassailed even if a cyclone of misery attacks him or her. One feels maximum torture in the mind, but he or she little cares for it, taking it to be the benediction of Paramátmá Himself. Torture is there but he or she derives bliss from it. The sádhaka of that stage is called dagdhabiija [burnt seed]. A dagdhabiija comes within the range of psychic directly.

Biija means “seed”. Wherever a seed is sown, it [sprouts into] a plant; but where the seed is burnt, a plant is not produced. A sádhaka becomes dagdhabiija when he or she has no more pain or pleasure of his or her own. One who has surrendered in toto and has not kept in hand even a single paisa of it, is alone dagdhabiija. All carry their own burdens, but if a dagdhabiija sádhaka so desires, he or she can carry the burdens of others also. And those who want to carry the burden of others do lessen the burden of Paramátmá indirectly. You should remember this.

Do not remain worried about your individual problems at all. Be prepared to carry your own burden and be prepared also to carry the burdens of others. Then alone are you brave. Be dagdhabiija. Everyone has his or her own individual problems. Do not try to pass them on to others. On the contrary, bear the burdens of others. No one is your enemy. Be ready to bear the burdens of others.

Footnotes

(1) If the doer of the action does not think of himself/herself as the doer, but thinks of the Supreme as the doer, the mind is not affected. –Eds.

Chapter 30	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The subject of today’s discourse is “Parama Puruśa and His Creation.” It is said,

Páshabaddho bhavejjiivah páshamukto bhavecchivah.

[The microcosms are in bondage, and the Macrocosmic Shiva is free from all bondages.]

What is the fundamental difference between jiiva and Shiva, between microcosm and Macrocosm, between the creation and the Creator? The main difference is that the microcosms are in bondage, whereas Shiva or Macrocosm is free from all bondages. The difference between one object and another is determined by observing their respective characteristics. The wood apple and the mango are two different fruits, but if the qualities of the wood apple are transferred to the mango, then the wood apple itself becomes mango. Likewise, the microcosmic created entities are different from the Macrocosm, their Creator, because of their qualitative differences. Now, if by dint of sádhaná, if the microcosms can assimilate the special characteristics of Parama Puruśa, they cease to remain microcosms; they become Shiva Himself. At the same time it is also said that all the qualities that are present in Saguńa Brahma or Iishvara (Qualified Consciousness) are of course also present in Parama Puruśa, with some other qualities as well. So we see that Parama Puruśa is both Iishvara and Bhagaván, and something more than that.

Now let us analyse the qualities that are present in both Parama Puruśa and His created entities. The Saḿskrta word Iishvara is derived from the root verb lish + suffix varac. The root verb iish means “to control.” Hence the word Iishvara literally means “controller”. In this universe each and every object whether big or small or middle has a controller. This rule applies universally to all objects, from the tiniest molecule to the universe. However, Parama Puruśa is the Supreme Controller, and His created microcosms are the controlled entities. In the mundane world, human beings can never control their own activities because human capacity is extremely limited. For instance, even a second before one’s death one cannot know of the impending death. But Iishvara, the Controlling Entity, has absolute power of control: there is none to oversee or supervise His activities.

Just as the owners of a house can remove the tenant if they so desire, according to necessity they may issue a notice for the tenant to vacate the house. Of course the tenant may go to the court for help, but Iishvara, if He so desires, may snatch away this human body, whose true owner is not the human being but Iishvara Himself. Human beings can at the very most utilize their bodies; but if Iishvara takes away this body, human beings have nothing to say about it, for as they are controlled entities, they have no alternative but to surrender to the Supreme Controller Iishvara.

Therefore it is logical that when Iishvara controls everything Himself, in that case His created microcosms have no freedom. Of course in the kingdom of Parama Puruśa, a certain amount of freedom is granted to the microcosm. For instance, if any human being sitting in the kingdom of the Lord criticizes Parama Puruśa, He does not become angry, nor does He admonish His critic. This much freedom is granted to the microcosms. But at the same time it should be remembered that the capacity, the strength of the microcosm to criticize Parama Puruśa comes from none other than Parama Puruśa Himself. The microcosms criticize Parama Puruśa with the energy allotted to them by Him.

Now what sort of attitude should the microcosms adopt towards the Supreme Controller, Parama Puruśa?

Ya eko jálavániishata Iiśańibhih
Sarváunllokániishata Iiśańibhih
Ya evaeka udbhave sambhave ca
Ya etadviduramrtáste bhavanti.
Eko hi rudro na dvitiiyáya tasturya
Imáunllokániishata Iiśańibhih
Pratyamjanáḿstiśt́hate sauncukopantakále
Saḿsrjjavishvá bhuvanánii gopah.

The controlling power of Parama Puruśa is truly a unique force, a magic power. When an expert magician creates a living pigeon out of a clod of earth, the spectators become wonderstruck to see it. In reality that earth is not actually transformed into a pigeon, but the spectators seem to see with their eyes that the soil is being transformed into a living, flying pigeon. What is the secret behind this phenomenon? And who knows this secret, whether the clod of earth really became a pigeon at all? In fact this secret is known only to the magician and his inveterate followers and no one else.

With a similar kind of magic power, Parama Puruśa has been continuing His creation. Now if anyone desires to know the inner secrets of that magic power, what should be done? The answer is to establish a relationship of love with the magician Himself. One will have to enlist oneself in the inner circle of His followers. Then the Controller of this universe, because of His intimate relationship with that person, will disclose the secret of His controlling power. So one can know the secret from Parama Puruśa only through the closest proximity to Him, and not through any struggle with Him.

Hence the only path for the survival and progress of the microcosms is to establish a sweet relationship with the creator of the universe. According to Maharśi Kańáda, the illustrious propounder of Vaesheśika philosophy, this universe is composed of innumerable atoms and molecules; these are, however, only material forces. In the absence of consciousness, they themselves cannot create anything original or do anything rational. If the responsibility of all the actions of this universe had been left to the atoms, molecules, protons, electrons, positrons, etc., then there would be clash at every moment; and in that case this vast, beautiful and harmonious universe where everything is moving according to a particular system, would not have existed at all.

According to Kańáda, those material forces are undoubtedly the primary causes, but they cannot control themselves; they are controlled by the Cognitive Force, the knowing faculty which is none other than Iishvara. Such a blind material force cannot create this vast, well-ordered universe. So in order to transcend the crudity of this material universe, there is no other way for human beings except the surrender to the Cognitive Principle, and the sooner the human beings thus surrender, the better it will be for the speed of their progress will be accelerated. Human beings are not simply living creatures with hands and feet: they are something far greater than that.

The human body which is material, is controlled by mind, and mind is controlled by unit consciousness, and unit consciousness is controlled by Parama Puruśa. Hence truly intelligent people should perform their mundane duties according to the will of Parama Puruśa. We already discussed the two different interpretations for the word Iishvara; the third interpretation is:

Klesha-karma-vipákáshayaeraparámrśt́ah
Puruśa visheśa Iishvarah.

The Entity which remains unaffected or unassailed by kleśa (afflictions), karma (action), vipáka (reactions or requitals of actions) and áshaya (unserved saḿskáras or unrequited actions) is called Iishvara. All the living beings in this world are not equally evolved; the standard of elevation of all is not uniform. When living beings in the course of evolution go beyond the periphery of these four factors mentioned above, they are called Iishvara.

What is kleśa? That which affects the natural state of mind is called kleśa, that is, the psychic state from which people seek to be liberated is called kleśa. No one wants his or her natural state of mind to be impaired. Suppose in a certain place there is something decomposed from which a foul stench is emanating. Whenever one thinks of that, one’s natural mental state is disturbed; one cannot remain mentally balanced. Obviously, people want to avoid such an uncongenial atmosphere. Conversely, where there is a fragrant odour, the mind rushes there and it becomes pleasurably balanced. When people light fragrant incense before meditation, the same psychology prevails: the mind remains calm and quiet, in a natural flow in such a congenial environment. All the living beings are affected or assailed by kleśa.

How many types of kleśa are there? The four main types that people experience while performing their mundane duties are: kliśtávrtti, akliśt́ávrtti, kliśt́ákliśt́avrtti, and akliśt́ákliśt́avrtti.

Kliśt́ávrtti: People sometimes knowingly or unknowingly do certain actions as a result of which they not only undergo difficulties at the time of action, but even after the action is finished, they suffer the negative consequences of their undesirable actions. Suppose in a certain place people are competing with one another to determine which one of them can consume five kilos of rasogollas [sweetmeats]. While they are eating the five kilos of rasogollas, they certainly do not feel comfortable. Although they have no real inclination to eat and find it difficult to do so, they force themselves out of competitive spirit just to win the prize. So they suffer at the time of eating, and afterwards they certainly suffer from digestive trouble. This is an example of kliśt́ávrtti. Goaded by this kliśt́ávrtti, human beings do many actions in this world. It affects all living beings except Iishvara.

Kliśt́ákliśt́avrtti: Suppose someone is doing a good action, and in the process undergoes some hardship, while at the same time his friends are deriving material benefits from their actions. Perhaps some of them have already purchased several luxurious buildings, whereas he is living in a dilapidated tenement. He undergoes hardship in the beginning, but what is the ultimate result? It is akliśt́a – not painful. Perhaps while living an honest life, people may face some difficulties, but as they led pious lives, their death becomes glorious. So initially their action is kliśt́a or painful, but ultimately it becomes akliśt́a or non-painful. This kliśt́akliśt́avrtti also affects living beings, but not Iishvara.

Akliśt́ákliśt́avrtti is that action which is not painful at the beginning but which is ultimately painful. Suppose four passengers, A, B, C and D, are going to Bombay from Nagpur. The first three are travelling without tickets, and that too in the First Class compartment. But passenger D is travelling second class, and the train is overcrowded and painfully cramped. So for passenger D the train journey is certainly painful (akliśt́a) but for passengers A, B and C the journey is quite pleasurable (akliśt́a) because they are travelling in the comfort of First Class without spending a farthing for tickets. Now at a certain railway junction the inspector boards the train and arrests passengers A, B and C for ticketless travel: they are dragged to the police station in humiliation, bound in chains. But as passenger D was travelling with a bonafide ticket, he exited triumphantly from the compartment. Thus although for him the journey was painful, ultimately it became non-painful (akliśt́a). This vrtti also affects living beings, but not Parama Paruśa.

Finally, akliśt́ávrtti is that action which is neither painful in the beginning nor painful in the end. This vrtti may be present both in living beings and in Parama Puruśa: it is part of Parama Puruśa’s characteristic nature, and for living beings it is in their spiritual practice. In the spiritual sphere human beings and Parama Puruśa are in the same realm, and thus the more the human beings perform spiritual practice, the closer they come in contact with Parama Puruśa, because then there remains Only one common vrtti for both them and Him – akliśt́ávrtti. Hence it is mentioned in the scriptures that in Parama Puruśa there is not the slightest vestige of kleśa.

When there is some expression both in the psychic and spiritual spheres, it is called kriiŕá, but Parama Puruśa does not do anything in the physical sphere, because for Him there is nothing external – everything is within Him. For the microcosms, for the unit living beings, there are both external and internal psychic projections. If someone thinks about ghosts even in broad daylight, one will definitely see those ghosts externally due to repeated internal psychic projection. On the contrary, a person who has never thought about ghosts will never see ghosts even in the dead of night. In the process of constant brooding over ghosts, a major portion of the mind becomes concentrated, and suspended in the object of that internal psychic projection. In that case the entire personality of the individual concerned is disturbed. He or she starts thinking, “I am the ghost,” and acts accordingly. The disease of hysteria is similar to this ghost phobia or ghost possession.

Again, there are some people who sometimes experience spirit possession: perhaps at night they feel possessed by the spirit of the goddess Kali or by Lord Shiva. These are all psychological phenomena. Hence this proves that for living beings there are both physical and psychic actions: they think of so many things, and what they think within, they cannot speak out either due to shame or fear of social criticism.

Remember that the less the gap there is between one’s internal thinking and one’s external action, the better person one is. Obviously the inner personality and the outer personality should be one. Usually it is found that there is a gap between these aspects of a single person, and with the passage of time this gap goes on increasing, and finally one’s real personality becomes completely lost. This split personality is a great impediment to human progress. Do not allow such a thing to happen. Today’s civilization is not a civilization in the true sense of the term. I urge society’s thinkers to analyse this situation deeply. What is the major defect in our civilization? It is this very split personality: the inner personality and the outer personality differ, and that difference is gradually increasing. Such a split personality is rarely found among the rural masses. In Parama Puruśa also such a defect cannot be found because for Him there is no difference between internal and external – for Him everything is internal, nothing is external; everything is within, nothing is without. Thus from the actional point of view there is some difference between jiiva and Shiva, between Parama Puruśa and His creation.

Next comes vipáka. The word vipáka is derived from vi - pac + ghaiṋ. Vipáka literally means the reaction of an original action: whenever a person does an original action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. But to state only this much is not enough: something more must be added, and that is “provided the three factors, time, space and person remain unchanged.” If there is the slightest change in time, space or person, the reaction will not be equal and opposite: it will be either slightly more or less. For example, suppose Mr. X borrowed the amount of Rs. 2000 from Mr. Y one evening at 7-30 P.M. If Mr. X returns the amount the same day, he will not be required to pay anything extra. But if he returns the amount the next day, then he will have to pay a certain amount as interest on the original amount, because there has been a lapse of time.

Similarly, if someone commits some wrong or undesirable action, then the requital will not be equal to the original action because the reaction is not expressed immediately after the original action is performed; it usually takes place after several hours or days. It may even take a few decades for its expression. For this the wrongdoer will have to undergo a reaction which is greater in degree than the original action: the doer will have to undergo a certain amount of pain as “interest” to the original action. This is what is meant by the term vipáka. It is applicable only to the microcosms and not to Parama Puruśa, for human beings perform actions both in the physical and psychic spheres, and for their undesirable actions in the psychic spheres, too, they will have to suffer the consequences. It is said in the scriptures that in Kali Yuga (the present Age of Darkness), mental sin is no sin at all, and this may be true to some extent. But it is also true that although psychic sin is not punishable, still it must be avoided.

External sin, expressed in physical action, should not only be avoided but it is punishable as well. Take for instance, the case of someone stealing with one’s own hands: for this the thief will have to undergo punishment. But suppose someone steals mentally: by this no one on earth is harmed. This mental crime may not be punishable, but it should definitely be avoided, because if people often think about committing theft, as a result of prolonged thinking one day their hands will certainly be engaged in the actual act of stealing. Now if Parama Puruśa does something mentally, that also involves vipáka or reaction, whether good or bad. The fact is that although Parama Puruśa does not do anything bad, He certainly does good, and these good actions also beget good reactions. It is the divine decree that good actions beget good reactions, and bad actions beget bad reactions. The former is like golden chains, and the latter like iron chains. Yet in the case of Parama Puruśa this question of reaction is not applicable, because there is nothing beyond Him – everything in this expressed universe is all created within Him, and He is dealing with His own created objects according to His own wishes. Thus no question of good or bad can arise, and that is why the matter of suffering the consequence of action also does not arise in His case. If you slap a decent person, that will be an undesirable action on your part; but if you slap your own cheek, will that also be considered an undesirable act? No, certainly not. No one will ever criticize you, or file a suit against you for this, because it is exclusively your personal matter. Likewise, whatever Parama Puruśa does, He does with His own created objects, and hence in that case the question of vipáka does not arise.

Next comes áshaya. The principal meaning of the word áshaya is ashraya or “shelter.” Each and every entity requires a shelter; for instance, the city of Nagpur where we are seated now requires a shelter. In this case Nagpur district is the shelter and of Nagpur where we are seated Nagpur city; and the shelter of Nagpur district is Nagpurcommissionary; and the shelter of Nagpur commissionary is the state of Maharastra; and the shelter of Maharastra state is India; and the shelter of India is the continent of Asia. The continent of Asia is only a part of our little planet Earth, and this planet Earth is only a small part of our solar system. And finally Parama Puruśa is the shelter of all the solar system. So if Parama Puruśa is the shelter of all, then what is the shelter of Parama Puruśa? The answer is that Parama Puruśa does not require any shelter. Regarding Him the scriptures say, “Nirálambamiishaḿ”; that is, the Supreme Entity does not require any shelter or refuge. But for the microcosms, a shelter is indispensable.

If the microcosms are to save themselves from afflictions or kleśa, then they will have to acquire all the qualities or characteristics of the Supreme Entity. The akliśt́avrtti or non-painful propensities are inherent both in jiiva and Shiva, in microcosm and Macrocosm. Hence human beings will have to encourage this non-painful propensity more and more; that is, let human beings practise sádhaná more intensively and look upon all their mundane duties as part of their spiritual practice, thus superimposing cosmic ideation on all their actions. Only thus can they avoid undergoing afflictions. If people become more and more regular in the application of their guru mantra, then on one hand they will be able to perform more and more physical activities, and at the same time they will be able to avoid creating new saḿskáras (reactive momenta). Regarding vipáka it can also be said that human beings must treat all the objects of this universe in the proper perspective as the various expressions of Parama Puruśa, and learn how to apply madhuvidyá even while discharging their mundane duties.

Regarding áshaya, spiritual aspirants should remember that they will have to become completely dedicated to their ideology or ádarsha. More important than this is that they will have to become dedicated to their Iśt́a; they will have to establish a relationship of exclusive devotion to Iśt́a. If there is not intense attachment to one’s Iśt́a in one’s heart, then one cannot do anything. Thus during sádhaná you should think that as you are thinking of Parama Puruśa, He is also thinking of you. This is the proper devotion to one’s Iśt́a. When people do something exclusively for themselves, their mental tendency is called áshakti or attachment, and when they do something not for their personal satisfaction but for the pleasure of Parama Puruśa, their mental tendency is called bhakti or devotion.

Parama prema svarúpa: whatever the Lord does, He does for the welfare of His created beings and not for His own interest. He is inexplicable: no language can properly explain Him. The microcosms on the other hand, have limited intellect. They are goaded into action by trivial self-interest. Once a certain gentleman, a businessman, was asked to laugh. He said, “I am ready to laugh provided it brings me some profit.” Without considering the profit and loss of any action, he could not act. But such a question does not arise in the case of Parama Puruśa. Whatever He does, He does for the welfare of all creatures. He is inexplicable also: but the ways and behaviour of microcosms can be explained. Regarding any individual, we can say that he or she is such-and-such type of person: “She is very frugal… he is good-hearted but sharp-tongued, etc.”

An old definition of verse is vákyaḿ rasátmakaḿ kávyam. When a story is narrated in a lucid manner it is called kávya or poetic verse. Who is a poet? One who knows all the three phases of time – past, present and future. In the modern age, the Saḿskrta word kavi is translated as “poet” in English, but in old Saḿskrta the word did not necessarily mean a poet – it meant a self-realized person.

In older days the scriptures or shástras were divided into several categories. Shásanát tárayet yastu sah shástrah parikiirttitah: that which leads to human welfare through a system of discipline is called shástra. That is, the books which lay down certain guidelines as to what actions should or should not be done, which actions are conducive to human progress and which lead to degradation, are called shástra. They are divided into four categories: kávya (verse), puráńa (mythology), itihása (educative history), and itikathá (history).

Itikathá or history, means the recording of chronological events; that is, the maintenance of a record of events as they took place in succession; and itihása means that portion of itikathá or history which has some specific educative value – it has no English synonym. Hence all history or itikathá is not itihása. When we refer to the history of India, it means the itikathá, not itihása, of India. Now, the definition of itihása is:

Dharmártha káma mokśárthaḿ niitivákyasamanvitam purávrttakatháyuktam itihásah pracakśyate.

That which leads to the attainment of dharma, artha, káma and mokśa (psycho-spiritual, psychic, physical and spiritual attainnment, respectively), that which leads to the attainment of a deep sense of morality, is called itihása. Iti hásati ityarthe itihása. Judged in this light, the Mahábhárata can be called itihása. What is taught in schools and colleges these days in the name of itihása should not be called thus; rather it should be called itikathá, itivrtta, purákathá, or purávrtta.

And what is puŕána or mythology? In puŕána the narrative event is not factually accurate, but it contains a good deal of educative value. The Rámáyańa is such a puŕána because it contains much material to educate the people. The great Vyasadeva composed the puŕánas in order to demonstrate that doing good to others brings victory, and doing harm to others brings defeat.

Paropakárah puńyáya pápáya parapiirańam.

Vyasadev wrote something about the inexplicable nature of the Lord. While describing Parama Puruśa, who transcends words, a great deal of verbal explanation has been made of the different occasions. For example, there are some descriptions regarding His extraordinary loveliness, apparel, ornaments etc., but these are not at all proper because He is beyond description. It is not possible to write something about an Entity who is indescribable. So at the end of the shloka the author begged Parama Puruśa for forgiveness:

Rúpaḿ rúpavivarjjtasya bhavato yadhyánena kalpitaḿ
Stutyánirvacaniiyatákhiloguro dúriikrtá yanmayá
Vyápitvaḿca nirákrtaḿ bhagavato yat tiirthayátrádiná
Kśantavyaḿ jagadiisho tadvikalatádośa trayaḿ mat krtam

“You are the Formless Entity, yet I have committed the error of describing Your form: this was my first offense. You are a Non-Attributional Entity and yet I have tried to describe Your attributes – Your infinite compassion, for You are the embodiment of Grace. This is my second offense. I know you are omnipotent, and even so I have extolled the glories of certain places of pilgrimage, and thus I have limited Your all-pervasiveness. I have described the merit one acquires by visiting certain places of pilgrimage, by bathing in holy rivers, by performing various sacrifices, charities and rituals – this is my third offense. Oh Parama Puruśa, I have committed these mistakes knowingly, and hence I beg Your forgiveness.”

The Supreme Entity is aniirvacaniiyah parama prema svarupa: that is, He is indescribable – no words can describe Him, whereas living beings can easily be described by words. Everything concerned with Parama Puruśa is infinite, whereas living beings are all finite. Then what should the microcosms do to attain Parama Puruśa? They must meditate on Him, and in this process they will one day attain that infinite love themselves. Regarding Parama Puruśa, the scriptures say:

Sahasrashiirśá Puruśah sahasrákśah sahasrapát;
Sa bhúmiḿ vishvato vrtvá’tyatiśt́haddasháuṋgulam.⁽¹⁾

Human beings perform actions with a limited mind, whereas Parama Puruśa performs actions with His infinite mind, and thus human beings can never compare themselves to Him. Human beings read a few books and, puffed up with vanity of knowledge, say, “Can you show us where Parama Puruśa is?” Now the question is, do they have the proper vision to visualise Him? If you tell a blind person to describe the parts of an elephant’s body, can he do it? Before describing the elephant, one must have the vision to see it: so first the blind man’s sight must be restored. Human beings see with two eyes, and both eyes are in front. Of course, if they had one eye in front and one in the back, that would also serve the purposes. But fortunately or unfortunately both eyes are in front and so they cannot see what is happening behind their backs. Whereas Parama Puruśa is seeing everything with His infinite number of eyes. He knows even what human beings do secretly or think inwardly.

He is sahasrapát – with a thousand feet. Human beings are limited by time, space and person. Suppose you are at Nagpur. You are thinking, “Had this town of Nagpur been very close to Hyderabad, I could have got my work done more easily!” But Parama Puruśa faces no such difficulty. He does not need to move from one place to another. Suppose someone has his or her Master’s Degree in geography. If that degree-holder is asked, “Can you say how many houses are there in Nagpur city? How many bricks are there in those houses?” – I am sure he or she cannot answer those questions. I have yet to meet a pandit who can tell me how many bricks are in the town of Nagpur. Human knowledge is very limited, very imperfect. Hence it is totally pointless to pride oneself on so-called intellectual knowledge or pedantry. In fact, human beings have nothing to be proud of except one thing, and that is Parama Puruśa. What type of pride is this? Human beings can think, “A perfect Entity like Parama Puruśa is my Father, I am His dear affectionate child.” This sort of vanity and pride can be harboured. But besides this human beings have no other treasure of which to feel proud.

Human beings can at most remember events which took place only a couple of days ago. Often they are quite ignorant of what will happen just after one second. Mostly they say something or perform some actions on the basis of assumptions. But Parama Puruśa is omniscient; everything, past, present and future is at His fingertips. But the knowledge of living beings is very limited. If those of you who have acquired the highest university degree are asked to sit for examination right now, perhaps none of you will pass the exam, and if you are asked to answer the same questions which were given to you when you passed from the university, you will certainly not be able to answer them, for you have completely forgotten the topics which you studied in the past. In such a situation, should human beings be proud of their intellect? Yet they are often misguided by a false sense of superiority or inferiority.

Suppose there is a Master’s Degree-holder in a certain village, and in that village no one else knows even A, B, C, D. If you visit his village you will find that that so-called educated person, because of his vanity and false sense of superiority, does not even talk to the illiterate villagers – he feels ashamed to speak to his old friends. In this way human beings develop meaningless ideas of big and small, high and low: they lose their universal vision.

But for Parama Puruśa there is no difference between educated and uneducated, literate and illiterate, high and low, black and white. Human beings always discriminate between those who are socially high and low: they disdain the low and prefer the high-born. This sense of discrimination exists only among living beings. Parama Puruśa always remains with people in their joys and sorrows. A virtuous person when in trouble says to Parama Puruśa. “Oh Lord, save me!” Similarly, a thoroughly wicked person also says, “Oh Lord, save me!” Parama Puruśa listens equally to both of them. In this regard I have already said that Parama Puruśa cannot do two things. First, He cannot create another Parama Puruśa like Himself. He can create everything, but He cannot create a second Parama Puruśa. Secondly, He cannot hate anyone even if He wants to. But human beings commit the mistake of hating others easily. So in this respect human beings are ahead of Parama Puruśa, that they can hate others!

Those who are seated in Heaven are as dear to Parama Puruśa as those who are ensconced in Hell, scorched in eternal hellfire. Even for those infernal creatures Parama Puruśa has unbounded love and affection – even such people are not helpless. Their piteous wailings reach His ears, and accordingly He takes steps to help them. But this is not the case for human beings: rather even at the sight of the sorrows and sufferings of afflicted people they will say, “Well done! as you sow, so you reap! Those people are reaping the consequences of their past misdeeds!” In the human mind there is an ingrained sense of hatred for others. But there is no such feeling in the mind of Parama Puruśa.

Parama Puruśa is the all-controlling Entity. No one else can dictate to Him. This is the major difference between jiiva and Shiva. In spite of such a serious difference, Parama Puruśa loves human beings and showers His Grace on them, and out of His infinite love for them, He has given them a valuable treasure – mind. The characteristic of this mind is that as it thinks so it becomes. Hence if they so desire, human beings can merge their individual minds in the Macrocosmic Mind. While taking the ideation of Parama Puruśa, human minds will one day become identified with Him, and one auspicious moment all the inherent qualities of Parama Puruśa will be infused in their unit minds. Brahmavid Brahmaeva bhavati: One who knows Brahma becomes Brahma.

And I have already said that there cannot be two Parama Puruśas. So in the last stage of evolution, the living beings become completely identified with Parama Puruśa, and then only the microcosms will be fully established in their infinite blissful Cosmic Stance.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda Puruśasúktam. –Trans.

Chapter 31	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The shástras [scriptures] say:

Sarvatah páńipádantat sarvato’kśishiromukham;
Sarvatah shrutimalloke sarvamávrtya tiśt́hati.

[His hands and feet are everywhere; His eyes, heads and faces are everywhere; His ears are everywhere; He exists enveloping everything.]

The palms – páńi – of the Lord are everywhere – sarvatah. Whatever is offered to Him, good or bad, He receives. And whenever and wherever it is offered to Him, He receives it.

Scriptures say that the ordinary human beings of the world use their power of discrimination before they decide upon what to receive and what not to receive when offered. They accept only that which they like and reject that which they do not like. Elevated beings – uttama puruśa – on the other hand, do not accept anything from anyone. But Parama Puruśa is entirely different from these two groups. He makes no discrimination whatever and accepts all that is offered to Him by any of His children.

People normally offer sentient things to different deities – white flowers are generally offered to them. But to Shiva many offer even red flowers such as the java, or Chinese rose, which is a flower of támasika [static] colour.⁽¹⁾ This is because Lord Shiva, Parama Puruśa, has His palms ready to receive anything and everything. One may offer one’s reverence – shraddhá – or one’s abuse – hela. The Lord’s palms are ever-joined to receive it – Shraddhayá helaya vá [“With reverence or with indifference”].

Once Lord Buddha was camping in a mango orchard at Baishali. A large number of people used always to [come and] accept the path shown by the Lord. But a particular individual and his group were very much opposed to Lord Buddha. It so happened that the group, without the individual himself, came to the mango orchard where Lord Buddha was camping, and were influenced by the Lord and accepted Buddhism.

This news greatly agitated this man, and in anger he came to the orchard and started abusing Lord Buddha in all sorts of ways. Lord Buddha maintained his usual equipoise towards all this. One feels happy and encouraged in abusing someone only if he or she finds that person affected by the acts of abuse. This man found Lord Buddha undisturbed and was greatly disappointed, finding all his hard labour gone to waste. When he had done all the abusing [he could] for quite some time and his stock of bad words might have been coming to an end, the Lord urged the man to listen to him.

Lord Buddha asked the man, “Suppose you give something to somebody which he accepts; then the ownership of the thing is transferred to the receiver, isn’t it?” The man agreed. The Lord continued, “And if the man rejects the offering, will not the thing be returned to its owner?” The man again agreed. Lord Buddha concluded, “All the words given by you have not been accepted by me!”

But the Lord [Parama Puruśa] has His palms ever ready to accept all that is offered by His children anywhere in the world. The palms of human beings are so small – they can receive and contain so little. Their palms simply cannot receive more than this [indicates]. But the palms of the Lord are large enough to receive any quantity from all His children at the same time.

The Lord’s feet (pada) are also everywhere. There is no place which is inaccessible to Him. If a person is at a particular place and has to move to some other place, he or she will have to travel. But the Lord is everywhere, and He in reality does not have to move. In other words, He has so many feet that He is able to reach any place and be available at all places at all times. Elsewhere, scriptures say:

Tadejati tannaejati taddúre tadvantike
Tadantarasya sarvasya tadu sarvasyásya váhyatah.

[The Supreme Entity moves; the Supreme Entity is unmoving. The Supreme Entity is far, far away; no, the Supreme Entity is the nearest entity. He is the inside of everything; He is also the outside of everything.]

None of His children are ever alone. The Lord is ever with them at all moments.

Sarvato’kśi – “the Lord has His eyes – akśi – everywhere also.” The word akśa has two letters, a and kśa. From a to kśa, in the Nagari system of letters, there are fifty letters. These letters are the acoustic roots of the fifty propensities through which human beings function. The different sounds are only a mixture and combination in varying degrees of these acoustic vibrations. So in other words, akśa represents the whole set of the vibrations; that is, the creation. Since we see this creation with our eyes, the eye in Sanskrit is called akśi. The pronunciation of this word as per the Tantric and the [Yajurvedic] system would be akkhi.

The Lord’s eyes are everywhere. His eyes are even in a closed room where one may consider himself or herself alone. The story goes that once Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa gave a pigeon to Swami Vivekananda asking him to kill the bird in a place where he was alone. At the end of the day Swami Vivekananda returned along with the living pigeon and reported to Sri Ramakrishna that he could not find himself alone anywhere because wherever he went he found a pair of eyes – the Lord’s – watching him.⁽²⁾

Footnotes

(1) It is reddish-black. –Eds.

(2) The typed notes end here at the end of a page. (I.e., at a point where the author has not yet explained the entire shloka.) –Eds.

Chapter 32	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

In an ideal society, every soul ought to get complete scope for development without any impediment. But in a transitional period, when one era is about to end and the next one is yet to dawn, a critical situation arises in social life.

How the Giitá Addresses a Critical Situation

Yá Bhagavatá giitá sá Giitá – “The Giitá is that which is sung by the Lord Himself.” Bhagaván is another name for the Lord. What is Bhagaván? Bhagaván is [He who possesses] the totality of aeshvarya; and in addition yasha, shrii, jiṋána, etc.

Aeshvarya is the sum total of all [occult] powers – ańimá, mahimá, [laghimá], etc. The Lord ought to have powers. His mission is going to be accomplished [by] the use of His powers. Clumsiness is not going to help.

Another attribute of the Lord is yasha. His greatness is recognized and sung[, but] not by all people. Particularly in a transitional period, there is a sharp polarization. People get divided into two blocs. Some pray to the Lord, and some discredit Him.

The Lord has yet another characteristic, that is, shrii. Shrii denotes “attraction”. Shrii Krśńa is one who attracts. Within the word shrii, sha denotes the mutative principle and ra is [the] acoustic root of energy. “Shrii Krśńa”, with this shrii, is “the Lord who attracts everybody”. ([Krśńa] has another meaning, [krśibhúh] – that is, Krśńa is “He because of whom we all are”, that is, Krśńa is Parama Puruśa. We all owe our existence to Parama Puruśa, just as a fish owes its existence to water.)

Two more attributes of the Lord are jiṋána and vaerágya.

Jiṋána, or knowledge, is the subjectivization of an objectivity. And regarding vaerágya, vaerágya is not renouncing the world and going to the Himalayas. Vaerágya is derived vi – rańj [+ ghaiṋ + vyain]. If in spite of remaining amidst objectivities, a person does not get attached to them, then it is called vaerágya. Lead life fully, but keep the mind unaffected by it. Sádhaná is for the living, not for the dead.

The [propensities] are to be controlled by the mind, and not the mind by base propensities. The Lord said in the Giitá:

Yadá yadá hi dharmasya glánirbhavati Bhárata;
Cábhyutthánamadharmasya tadátmánaḿ srjámyaham.
Paritráńáya sádhúnáḿ vinásháya ca duśkrtám;
Dharmasaḿsthápanártháya sambhavámi yuge yuge.

[At a time when dharma is distorted and adharma is ascendant, I create myself out of my own fundamental factors. I incarnate Myself in this world from age to age for the protection of the virtuous, the destruction of the wicked, and the restoration of dharma.]

That is, whenever there is gláni, or downfall, of dharma, God appears on the scene.

Dharma

Dhr means “to [uphold]” or “to support”. Dharma is that which supports life and its properties. Dharma alone stands forward, come what may. The dictates of dharma ought to be heeded. Everything else – wealth, logic, intellect – is secondary.

Those who abide by the dictates of dharma are called sádhus. In the traditional sense, a sádhu means a devotee wearing white clothes, with the word dása suffixed to his name, and after whose death the ceremony of shráddha and bháńd́árá is performed.

(A sannyásii, on the other hand, uses saffron clothes. Sannyásiis have the word ánanda appended to their names. No shráddha ceremony is performed after their deaths.)

But this is only a traditional meaning of sádhu. Sádhu really means “one who abides by dharma”. Lord Krśńa says [in effect]: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” That is, whatever is required by me may also be required by others. This consideration for others is dharma, and one who acts like this is a sádhu.

Dharma is your real friend. So, strengthen dharma when dharma itself starts deteriorating, when life becomes unnatural and [threatens] our destruction; because everything in life has to have its proper place. [When] dharma [is moved from] its place, that is called the gláni of dharma; when dharma gets displaced from its proper position in life, then there is dharma[sya] glánih.

In our shloka [couplet], bhárata means “king”. That is, one who does bharańa. Bhr means “to feed”. One who feeds life, in the physical, mental and spiritual strata, is a bhárata, a king.

Abhyutthána means abhi – utthána, that is, the “ascendancy” of adharma. In such a situation the Lord says, tadátmánaḿ srjámyaham – that is, “I create myself.”

Tráńa is just “relief”, as one is to give in floods, cyclones, earthquakes, etc., where the tragedy will recur. But paritráńa means “permanent protection or relief”. The Lord appears in order to give permanent protection to sádhus. [To build a perennial and just social order is the job of the sadvipras, spiritual revolutionaries.] But when the sadvipras are not able to do their job by their own power, the Lord [creates Himself] and applies His power to that job.

Vinásha is to be differentiated from pranásha and násha. Násha means “destruction”; pranásha means “transformation of an entity [back to its] original [source]”; but vinásha means “special destruction”.⁽¹⁾

The word saḿsthápana is important. Sthápana means “placement”. Saḿsthápana means “replacement to the proper position from which a thing has been displaced”.

[Sambhavámi means] samyak rupeńa bhavámi [“I incarnate Myself in a proper way”]. Bhavámi means “to come into existence [by employing all the material factors] which He Himself has created” in order to protect the sádhus and to cause the [special or] total destruction of the wicked.

The Lord says, “I create myself in a special way;” that is, Parama Puruśa promises that in a period of transition, He will incarnate Himself with His special powers to destroy the wicked and to give dharma a proper place in society.

Footnotes

(1) “Something is apparently destroyed, but actually it metamorphosed into something better.” (Shrii Shrii Ánandamúrti, “Párthasárathi Krśńa and Vishiśt́ádvaetaváda”, in Namámi Krśńasundaram, 1981) –Trans.

Chapter 33	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The discerning faculty with which you distinguish between ephemeral and eternal is called nityánitya viveka. The term nitya connotes “eternal”, and anitya “transient”. Everything in this mundane world is moving in the Cosmological order. Movement implies change in the spatial realm, and where there is spatial change there is temporal change also, for time is nothing but the psychic measurement of the motivity of action. Everything in this visible world is ephemeral. Only that which is in the nucleus of these transitory objects of the perceptible world is eternal. The Eternal Entity is present in every mundane objectivity as its witnessing counterpart. Change and decay occur only in the witnessed entity and not in the Witnessing Entity, for the former is ephemeral and the latter eternal.

The Apparatus of Measurement

The nature of a thing determines the apparatus to measure it with. A sensitive balance is required to weigh subtle objects, whereas a crude balance is needed to weigh crude objects. A balance for measuring gold cannot be used to measure coal. Weighing gold requires a sensitive balance, whereas weighing coal requires a crude one.

Subtle objects cannot be measured with a crude apparatus, but the reverse is possible. Though gold cannot be weighed with a coal balance, coal can be weighed with a gold balance. Similarly, a mental entity cannot be measured with a physical balance; the Cognitive Faculty can be measured with neither a physical nor a psychic balance.

There are three types of objects in the world: (1) physical, (2) abstract [psychic], and (3) cognitive. You perceive physical objects through your [sense] organs. When your organs come in contact with the physical world, the waves emanated by the physical objectivities strike the gates of the organs and create a sympathetic vibration in the nerve fibres, the nerve cells and the ectoplasmic stuff – which carries them finally to the cognitive plate. The reflection of these vibrations on the cognitive plate is called bodha kriyá, the phenomenon of knowing. The capacity of our organs is limited. Their grasping capacity is confined to particular wavelengths. Naturally the mind, being subtler than the subtlest physical objectivities, cannot be known through the organs. Mind can be understood only by mind. One can understand someone else’s mind only by touching the latter’s mind with one’s own.

A less sensitive mind cannot understand the humour or the weal and woe of others. Persons with such a mentality try to wound the sentiments of others.

The mind, owing to its subtlety, cannot be demonstrated or shown. But at the same time no one can deny its presence, for everyone knows in their heart of hearts that it exists within. No logic can convince you that you are without a mind. You know its presence, and through your own mind you understand its presence in others.

For instance, suppose two sisters quarrel about some point. At dinner-time one goes to the other and says, “Dear sister, come have your meal.” And the other sister replies, “No, I shall not have it, I am not well.” The first sister will at once understand the cause behind this refusal on the part of the second. Under normal circumstances she would have taken her sister’s words as true, but now she cannot. Here language has failed to reveal the true mental feelings. The first sister has known them only by touching her sister’s mind with her own.

And next, how are we to know the átmá [unit consciousness, soul]?

Neither the organs nor the mind can understand the átmá. Both are cruder than the átmá. The átmá can be known only through the agryábuddhi, that is, the pointed intellect. It is only through this agryábuddhi that the mind becomes merged with the átmá. (Our mind expresses itself in different directions with the help of the organs. But if these expressions of the mind converge on a particular point, that mental faculty is known as the agryábuddhi.)

It is said that the movement of the organs is extroversial, so if the pointed intellect is awakened, the organs will die. The external world exists within the bounds of time, space, and person. These factors are changeable, and naturally the universe based on them is also changeable. [If] the flow of the organs is diverted from that ephemeral world to the internal world, the organs will die.

But such thinking is quite wrong. First, the organs can be divided, according to their nature, into two types: (1) motor and (2) sensory. The movement of the sensory organs is introversial. Though the natural movement of the motor organs is extroversial, during the period of receiving waves or vibrations it becomes introversial. When we work through our mental hands, for instance, the sensations are carried up to our brain. The movement is from crude to subtle and from subtle to the subtlest.⁽¹⁾

You see, for instance, an elephant. The light waves being emanated by the body of the elephant are received by your eyes, optical nerve fibres, nerve cells, and ectoplasmic stuff, respectively. At last they are reflected on your cognitive plate. At that time nothing remains there. Only after performing that action does another come into existence. The organ dies for the time being. The indriya is converted into its object. Even during spiritual meditation the organs die temporarily.

Dhiiras

Dhiiras try to know Pratyagátmá. The term dhiiras means “those who convert their extroversial movement into an introversial one”. The term Pratyagátmá means “All-Knowing Átmá”. Pratiipaḿ vipariitaḿ aiṋcati vijánáti iti pratyak [“That which takes a stance opposite to the jiivátmá and witnesses the jiivátmá is pratyak” (and pratyak + átmá = Pratyagátmá)]. Whatever you do is known to your citta [mind-stuff]; whatever your citta knows, your [aham, doer “I”] also knows. Your mahat knows all that your [aham] does. Whatever efforts you may employ to conceal your actions, nothing that you do is hidden from you. Your actions may, due to the time factor, be forgotten even by your mahat, but cannot be forgotten by your átmá.

When dhiiras try to know Pratyagátmá, they divert their external movement towards internal pursuits. Bliss lies in Pratyagátma. This world is changeable. Too much change means death. (At every moment change takes place in the objects of the world. But the change is really perceptible only when the small changes result in a great change. Changes in the body of a child of five are not noticed until they result in a great change, that is, until the child becomes an adult of twenty-five.) To attain Pratyagátmá, dhiiras divert their organs into internal pursuits. Their movement is from the ephemeral to the eternal.

Those who are not dhiiras allow their organs to be extrovert. Such persons are fools. They by their actions bind themselves in the noose of death. According to the shástras [scriptures], the death noose has three-and-a-half rounds:

• the first round – the pain of birth
• the second round – the tortures of life
• the third round – the pang of death
• the last half round – moha (desire) for birth

Those who don’t try to make the movement of their organs introversial are verily in the noose of death.

Our organs grasp the anitya. But even this process is possible only in the presence of the nitya. When the waves emanated by the anityas are reflected on the nitya cognitive plate, their existence becomes known. Though a dead body still has eyes, perception is not possible there. The existence of the anitya, therefore, is witnessed only by the nitya. Movement towards this nitya entity is the human dharma.

Dhiiras understand well that behind all anityas lies the nitya, the Transcendental Entity beyond the scope of time, space, and person. So they never run after anityas. This keeps their mind in a balanced state. Those running after anityas cannot find peace of mind in their lives.

Everything cometh from the realm of invisibility and goeth back to invisibility. In between these two spans of invisibility there is a span of visibility. What we call “ours” or “others’” is only what we or they own in the momentary phase of visibility. It is like the coming parallel of two trains for a few moments. Your contact with the mundane objectivities is also for only a few moments. Everything is moving with its own speed and velocity. You have your own[, and everything else has its own]. Naturally the contact is for a very short span of time. This is why dhiiras do not care about what has come in contact with them or what has passed on.

In the wakeful state, things become known to us because of their reflections on the cognitive plate. In the state of dream, the vibrations received in the wakeful state, digested by the nerve cells, are aroused in some form in the ectoplasmic stuff and then released onto the cognitive plate. These reflections appear to be real.

What we call the wakeful state is also a kind of slumber similar to dreaming. When you awake from this slumber you will realize that you were dreaming. That is why dhiiras are neither cowed by misery nor carried away by great pleasure. They know well that Mahat Vibhu, that is, the Transcendental Entity, is the Átmá.

A reaction to an action is an inevitability. Whatever you do is reflected on your cognitive plate whether you like it or not. Whenever you come before a mirror your reflection appears there, for that is the nature of the mirror. Your willingness or lack of willingness has nothing to do with it. The reflecting plate is always with Him. The reaction will occur in a natural way due to the presence of the reactive momenta.

And where is that reflecting plate? The answer is that it is your jiivántika. [The term jiiva means “individual”,] and the term antika connotes “nearest point”. (There is no difference in Sanskrit between nikat́a and antika. Nikat́a means “near”, while antika connotes “nearest”.) It is not possible to say what your nearest point is; you will have to know your own point for yourself. It is the jiivántika which is your nearest point. It is your great fortune that Iishána bhútabhavyatyám – that “Iishána is your nearest point.” Iishána is the controller of what will happen in the future. He is the controller of both the past and the future waves of this Cosmological order. That Supreme Controller is your nearest point. But since you don’t know your point you fail also to know your nearest point.

The question comes up, “If Iishána is the controller only of the past and the future, then He has no concern with the present. Why then should we think about the present?” But actually the present is the moving phase between the past and the future. The adjustment Cosmically within the scope of the past and Cosmically within the scope of the future is called the present. When I am speaking it is not that you are also listening at the same moment. My speaking is future for you whereas [it] is past for me. We have adjusted some portion of the past and the future.

Thus the controller of the past and the future is our nearest point, so nothing can be concealed from Him. That is why there cannot be any hypocrisy in dhiiras. Hypocrites may be traders of religion, but the dharmic cannot be.

If a person does not try to know the Eternal Entity which is his or her nearest point, will it not be his or her absurdity? The wise will always want to be dhiiras; they will want to realize the eternal Entity hidden within. They also know that this realization is not feasible without a very strong desire to know Him. He can only be known by pariprashna [spiritual questioning] and not by logician’s philosophy. Knowledge, intellect and bookish methods cannot help you in your march towards Him.

Ápti and Prápti

Direct acquisition from somebody is called ápti, and indirect acquisition, that is, acquisition through a particular medium, is known as prápti. The instructions of Paramátmá to jiivas [unit beings] are therefore áptavákya [vákya means “speech”], whereas instructions by jiivas are called práptavákya. Naturally what we acquire through intuitional practices will be ápti. The secrets and the art of these practices are called áptavákya. So the parama jiṋána (ultimate knowledge) cannot be had through books.

Those who are not lured away by the attraction of the colourful external world will always fix their attention on the ultimate reality. Differences among forms mean nothing to them. Neither the [forms of] ornaments nor the sentimental aspect attached to them has any importance for a goldsmith. He is concerned only with the gold.

The formal differences among objects are external. Internally the objects are the same. The wise run after the One and not the many. That Singular Entity can be attained only through proper knowledge, action, and devotion.

Proper knowledge means to know what is what, which is which, how to do and why to do. But this alone is not enough; you will have to act according to the knowledge you have acquired. And last but not least, you will have to arouse the sentiment of devotion within you.

Devotion means to merge all the rivulets of sentiment into one. The purpose of sádhaná is to arouse devotion. Remember always that all your efforts should be aimed at arousing devotion. Devotion aroused, nothing remains. If even the most degraded person succeeds in awakening the agryábuddhi, that person becomes able to realize Him. Don’t be disheartened. Remove the mist of doubt and be fearless.

Footnotes

(1) A sentence misprinted in the original translation (in a newspaper) omitted here. –Eds.

Chapter 34	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

Where there is existence, there is speed, movement. And this dynamism is always relative. This movement is begotten by actions (karmatattva). What is action? Where the speed of the object together with its movement with the relativities is towards a desideratum (Laksyabhimukii), it is Karma. The factor (Tattva) which enables an action to be accomplished is termed as Prakrta Shakti. The action cannot be accomplished where these three factors such as space, time and person are not there i.e. before performing action these three factors (Tridanda) are indispensable for Prakrta Shakti. Whatever is performed in the expressed world, is effected by Prakrta Shakti. This Prakrta Shakti gets its inspiration from the Sentient Principle, the action is accomplished by the Mutative and the existence of an action is by the Static i.e. action is the collective result of these three factors. Where Prakrta Shakti performs actions without results, there she is known as Avyakta. Where the action is expressed, where Prakrta Shakti is expressed (Vyakta), there Consciousness (Puruśa Bhava) is operated (Karmanvit) by it. But where Consciousness is not operated by Prakrta Shakti i.e. Prakrta Shakti does actions but the result is not begotten, there Puruśa Bhava is known as Citi Shakti. This is known as Citi Shakti only because Karma Shakti is vibrated (Pratisamvedit) by it. Hence Puruśa Bhava is also known as a Principle which is Citi Shakti. It is because in His absense Karma Shakti can’t get expression. This Karma Shakti or Prakrta Shakti is a principle within the Citi Shakti. Where Citi Shakti is vibrator (Pratisamvedii), there alone action is expressed. And where Citi Shakti assimilates (Grasa) Prakrta Shakti, there Prakrta Shakti is Avyakta (unexpressed). Therefore the vibration (Pratisamvedan) is only due to Citi Shakti. So the Citi Shakti is the Supreme Vibrator (Parama Pratisamvedii). This is the law of the vibration – the vibrator vibrates the object but without vibrating when it engulfs (Grasa), there it is known as unexpressed. Hence in the practical world we cannot get anything unexpressed because whatever vibrator is there is engaged in the work of vibrations. Hence the supreme vibrator is only that unexpressed Consciousness (Avyakta Puruśa Satta).

When the speed of human intellect becomes pointed, there people search one in many. Whatever they find behind that they search its vibrator. Getting the same they try to find out the vibrator of the previous vibrator. Like this when they attain Citi Shakti or Parama Puruśa, they find that Citi Shakti has not its vibrator as that is beyond time, space and person. Therefore Citi Shakti and Parama Puruśa are known as Supreme Vibrator (Parama Pratisamvedii). When we see the expressed world, there we see not the synthetic process but the analytic process. In analysis what we find is the vibrator of one object, and so another one is the vibrator of the first vibrator, and so on and so forth. From Sambhu this expressed universe comes to Bhaerava and then to Bhava. These all are vibrators and Prakrti is vibrated. What is the idea (Bhava) in this vibration?

About Prakrti it is told that she is Nitya Nivrtta – “Prakrti sa nityanivrtta”. When Prakrti tries to be vibrated but instead she is engulfed, there she is Nitya Nivrtta, there she is waning, she is merging into Puruśa Bhava (Consciousness). Though she is merging into Puruśa Bhava yet she is not being annihilated, for her being infinite. The cruder the vibrator we get, the cruder the Prakrti tries to make it. Actually Prakrti tries to make that her own but this makes the object still cruder. So gradually it becomes crude from the subtle. Behind this a principle works – “Abhoga Samsargat Praptiresana”. You must remember it. When near an object of enjoyment (Abhoga) another object reaches, a desire is begotten to get that object. For instance a man when in town has dress, living as per the dress and living of the urban people and when in a village he has as per the villagers. This is effected because of his desire begotten out of his association with people in town and villages respectively. When some persons take tea, there you also get the desire to take the same.

In Pratisaiṋcara process there is a movement from crude to subtle and behind that there is only one vrtti (tendency). “Abhoga Samsargat Praptiresana”. With the association of the enjoyable object there is a desire to get it. In this cosmic cycle (Brahma Cakra) everyone has his individual pabulum (Abhoga). And after that they are running. Those who have got several pabula, run after all of them and get exhausted and in the long run they get none. Those who have got only one pabulum get the same very easily. Therefore it is told.

Ananyamamata visnormamata brahamasamgata.

Instead of running after several objects, run after Visnu and get Him because there is only one pabulum here. When more than one pabulum is there, the mind gets divided and none will be achieved. This goes on. When first of all from Saiṋcara comes Pratisaiṋcara, when Citta comes into being, or Citta and Ahamtattva come or Citta, Aham and Mahat Tattva come, men run after their respective pabula. This they do either because of inborn instinct or imposed Samskara or any other reason. And according to Prakrta Liila several pabula are kept before man. He runs after them and forgets Parama Puruśa and gets away from Him and thus the Liila of Parama Puruśa goes on. And when the movement towards the pabulum is stopped, men start moving towards the Nucleus of these pabula. Running after the pabulum is known as Esana. Because of this Esana the promptness for action (Karmatatparata) is begotten. Hence in no case man should be freed from Esana. Without Esana there will be disturbance. One has only to see the type of Esana.

The subject matter is “Astitva and Shivatva”. Esana, aforesaid, has deep relationship with Astitva. Where there is no Esana, there is annihilation of existence. Hence the existence of Esana is essential. It is said above that when a man runs after varieties, he gets none. Sometimes a man thinks to be a Minister, sometimes a Secretary, sometimes a poet. There are thousand and one desires. Because of this Esana is not made fully. A man gets exhausted after running after the material objects and ultimately there is no Karmasiddhi (success in action). When Esana is indispensable for existence of life, a man has to see what kind of Esana should be made. Behind this Esana is Karmatatparata. These two go side by side. Then what is Karma? “Karma Brahmeti Karma bahukurviita”. Karma is Brahma, therefore, do as much Karma as possible. The real Karma is to move towards Brahma and that Karma is nothing but another name of Brahma. It is His metamorphosis. Hence taking Karma to be Brahma, go on performing actions. The action which you will do in that stage, behind that will be the right Esana. And that Esana will only be one and not many. Now the spatial transformation of the object is Karma and together with Karma only that Esana is there i.e. to attain Brahma. In such a case there will be much more acceleration in the process of Prati Saiṋcara. As is said above, when the Esana is only one, the work will be done. When there are so many, the work will not be done at all. If one desires to take milk and smoke at once, it can’t be possible. A man has to do either of these two. Hence the object of Esana is Parama Puruśa and nothing else. “Ananyamamata visnormamata brahmasamgata”. The Esana for other objects has to be channelized towards Parama Puruśa. This will be the right Esana. And “Ananyamamata visnormamata brahmasamgata” – that is love, that is Mukti. Hence, the correct Esana for men is Bhakti (Devotion).

If a man wants to become a devotee of the lord but in the mind of his mind, if he thinks that God will make him pass his examination – here the Esana is not one but two. Here the work will not be done, “I want Paramatman and from Him I want nothing”. When something is demanded from God the Esana becomes two. Hence the time is completely wasted. Where this Esana is towards Paramatman there it is known as Devotion. Where there is Bhakti there will be the success in action and there will be victory for devotees. This world is for devotees and for nobody else. When the Esana is not for Paramatman but for something else, it is known as Asakti (Attachment) and not Bhakti. As for example, the Esana for wine. This Esana will be termed as Panasakti, the attachment for wine i.e. attachment is always in bad sense and devotion is always supreme. Therefore the correct Esana is devotion. It does not mean that the devotee will do only Bhajan and Kiirtan. They are not seasoned devotees! It is because that Sadhaka who moves on speedily on the Pratisaiṋcara path towards Parama Puruśa will never blind to the sufferings of numberless persons around him because of the lack of solid social system, solid economic system and the lack of humanity. If he is blind to the ill-management in the social system, he has not been able to understand Parama Puruśa fully. If he does so, his will be subjective approach but not the objective adjustment i.e. when a devotee will move towards Parama Puruśa his approach will be “Atma moksartham jagat hitaya ca”. He goes on moving towards Parama Puruśa while serving the humanity. When the humanity is neglected, the “Atma Moksartham” is also destroyed. Hence he must be ready to serve the humanity. Therefore the Sadhakas who don’t render social service don’t have real devotion. In their devotion lies selfishness (Khudaparasti). The devotees who are selfish (Khudaparasti) don’t attain God (Khuda). Hence the correct Esana is devotion. Those who are devotees are workers (Karmii). They will never be afraid of the work. They will do maximum work.

Now when you go to perform an action, you will have to learn the skill of performing it. Hence the need for knowledge is there. Hence those who are real devotees will not neglect Karma and whatever knowledge is necessary in performing real action will be also acquired by them. Knowledge and Karma cannot reach a devotee to Paramatma – devotion can. But for serving the humanity, knowledge and action are essential. Devotees must have to learn it. As long as men perform subjective approach and for the objective adjustment acquire knowledge for doing correct action, till then they have their existence (Astitva) and movement towards Shivatva. How does this Astitva become meaningful (Sarthaka)? The more he nears Paramatma, the more meaningful his life becomes. The existence of a crude minded man is not valuable. The existence of germs and insects is not valuable though they too have the feeling of their existence. Everybody’s existence hasn’t the same value. On the death of a certain man everyone weeps but on the death of another man people feel themselves relieved. By action, knowledge and devotion the existence is made valuable. This alone is true practicality. The more existence of man merges in Parama Puruśa, the more valuable he becomes. The person who does not have objective adjustment and fails to take Jiiva to be Shiva will never reach Parama Puruśa. He can never be great. Some Shastras name such persons as Prakrtiliina and some Videhaliina. What is Prakrtiliina?

Persons who are self-centered (Khuda parasta), don’t have Paramatman as their goal, but something else. Outwardly they say that Paramatman should be obtained but in their inner mind they have the desire for something else. Such people who outwardly say that Paramatman should be obtained but in the inner mind they desire for fame, riches, have the crude object as their goal. Whatever the inner mind says is the goal of the Jiiva (microcosm). Whatever is the feeling in the external mind is not the goal. But in the inner mind, because of his goal being the crude object his ultimate achievement is known as Prakrtiliina. Prakrti means the phenomenal world. Their existence will be transformed into the phenomenal world i.e. the conscious man gets transformed into crude object. There is one more word for the Samadhi in the Prakrta Shakti and that is Jada Samadhi. Jada Samadhi is very much below human existence and to be free from that is also very difficult. After crores of years there will be human life. Just see how dangerous it is! So with Parama Puruśa, don’t have two personalities, inside something and outside something else. Become the same as you are within. Entire mental structure, entire ectoplasmic stuff will be converted into the quinquelemental world.

There are also some people who have correct Esana but don’t have correct direction. They know that Parama Puruśa is the goal but they don’t have the real direction. It is said that spiritual practice should not be performed studying from books. For it, Preceptor is essential. Reading the book or hearing from other if a man starts doing Sadhana, that too is dangerous because in that case a clear conception about the goal is not formed. Hence one does not know where one is going. The boat is sailing but the sailor does not know where the boat will go to. The sailor will get exhausted ultimately and will have some accident in the long run. In that case when such persons die, the state after death is known as Videhaliina. Their existence is not finished herein, but their feelings remain in the ideational world as an abstract. This too is as dangerous as Jada Samadhi. The difference between Jada Samadhi and Videhaliina is that in the former there is a folly because of a hidden desire but in the latter there is no folly but the correct direction could not be had. Hence everybody should know that without direction nothing should be done. Everything should be done with proper direction, proper guidance. As for instance, people utter loudly the word revolution, revolution, but revolution does not mean putting buses and trains on fire or removing the railway lines. This causes damage to government and government is people’s. Therefore it is a damage to the people themselves. All these are destructive approaches. The persons who do such destructive approaches lack in knowledge. Just like that, in Sadhana if some hodge-podge is made, it means the lack of knowledge. Because of this, both the individual and the society are harmed. So this is Videhaliina. Hence Videhaliina is sure to be there if there is no love for Paramatman.

And where there is love for Paramatman, there is action and knowledge also, service to humanity is also there, Sadhana is also being performed, in that sense if there is duality (Dvaeta Bhava) between Parama Puruśa and the devotee – in such a case if there is excess of Iishvara Bhava (Cosmic Ideation), Sadhaka enjoys Bliss and temporarily he becomes free from miseries. That state of Bliss is Bhava Samadhi. The persons who attain Bhava Samadhi are devotees but the duality exists. Everybody is born out of Parama Puruśa, so how can there be two – the devotee and the Parama Puruśa? Hence in Bhava Samadhi much higher stage is not attained. As long as there is Bhava Samadhi there is Bliss, but after this the aspirant is an ordinary human being.

Some devotees, who go still ahead and feel the oneness with Him, but instead of loving Paramatman Himself, think more of His Gunas (qualities). In such a case they attain Gunatmaka Samadhi. In that case the devotees also attain so many qualities, but permanent unification with Paramatman is not attained. What happens in Gunatmaka Samadhi is that the devotee has much more the feeling of the qualities. Secondly, the man having Gunatmaka Samadhi has the standard from where he thinks that his coming in this universe should be justified. He wants to justify his body, mind, Atman, and the whole life. These are the sentient feelings indeed – but they are also not seasoned devotees! The feeling should be that the body and mind which have been given by Parama Puruśa will be utilized in the service of the society for pleasing Parama Puruśa. Devotees are known as Gopa. Persons who please Parama Puruśa are Gopa – “Gopayate Yah Sah Gopah”. Their very nature is to please Parama Puruśa. Gopa does not mean the persons who rear cattle. Devotee of the first order will not want Gunatmaka Samadhi. They will want to utilize their body, mind and their qualities for the service of humanity. It is because everything belongs to Paramatman. He has expressed Himself into every object of the universe up to the blade of grass. A devotee will serve the humanity because Paramatman will be satisfied. Those persons who utilize themselves fully for pleasing Paramatman are A-class devotees. They alone are devotees and the others are not. Where the only aim is to please Paramatman there the devotee completely forgets himself because Khudaparasti is pleasing oneself. Up to Gunatmaka Samadhi even this sense of self-centeredness exists. But where there is no personal desire but the only aim is to please Parama Puruśa, the Khudaparasti does not exist at all. And in the absence of Khudaparasti only Khudaparasti remains. The final merger (Pranasha) of the existence (Astitva) is there. With the extinction of Astitva, there is the establishment of Shivatva. Everything is done for the happiness of Shiva. This establishment of Shivatva is known as Shiva Samadhi. The Supreme Goal of human life is Samadhi. People are established in Shiva Samadhi by being guided by “Atma moksartham jagat hitaya ca”. There is no other way out.

It can be questioned how an illiterate, weakling man will do action and acquire knowledge. There is only one answer to this. If one is a devotee then Paramatman will teach him the technique of rendering services.

Bhakti Bhagavatoseva Bhakti Premasvarupinii
Bhakti Anandarupashca Bhakti Bhaktasya Jiivanam.

“Bhakti Bhagavatoseva” – Devotion is for pleasing the Lord and not for pleasing any worldly object. “Bhakti Premasvarupinii” - Bhakti is love personified. The man who does not have compassion, the man who does not shed tears at the miseries of others, is not a man but a stone. He cannot do any great work. Be happy with the happiness of others and troubled with the trouble of others. This alone is natural. Don’t be unnatural. The effort to make everybody one’s own culminates in love for the Lord, i.e., devotion is love-for-God personified. “Bhakti Anandarupashca” – devotion is the ecstasy of Bliss, the ocean of Bliss. And “Bhakti Bhaktasya jiivanam” – devotion alone is the life for the devotee. The greatest enmity against devotees is to take away their devotion. Don’t ever try to snatch devotion from devotees since devotion is their life. Paramatman himself will teach knowledge and the technique of doing the work. It is not the devotees’ headache. Surrender everything to the Lord. Because man has not been able to solve his problems by his efforts, nor will he be able to, hence a devotee has not to be disturbed. And if one requires something from God, one has to require only Parabhakti (Absolute Devotion). When devotion is attained, God is attained. If God is attained, everything is attained. What remains unattained! Therefore from ancient time learned people have been accepting that the wisest man in the world is the devotee. Devotee is not bereft of intellect. On the contrary he is the wisest If you want to remain in the world remain like a devotee. As long as devotion is not there one’s heart is like a desert and when the devotion is attained, an oasis in the desert advents. You have not to be afraid of anything when devotion is with you. Nothing is to be afraid of when Parama Puruśa is with you. When devotion is there, Parama Puruśa is there. And when He is there fear none. In no case you have to be disturbed. You must remember that devotion is a unique creation of Parama Puruśa. And for getting this, learning, intellect, money etc. are not all needed. Ask and you get the cheapest but the most invaluable.

Hence, be a devotee and establish the ideology. If devotion is with you, whatever you want, in whatever way you want, you will establish your ideology. Those who are devotionless, will go on blinking and can never do anything against you, if devotion is with you, victory is with you.

Chapter 35	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The yogi says there is hardly any difference between the terms “God” and “bliss”. It is just like two names, “water” and agua, used for the same entity. The yogi says, “What is God? He is bliss. He is ánanda.” And the functional side of this Supreme Father is, everything cometh from Him and goeth back to that Supreme Entity. And what is that Supreme Entity? It is ánanda.

God is the Generator, He is the Operator, and He is the benevolent Destructor: G-O-D. What is God? As Operator He is the controller also. The operator of a machine must have control over that machine. He must be a controller. And this controller is not only an ordinary mechanic, He is a great Magician, because He creates everything in His mind.

The magician creates so many things in his mind, and the spectators say, “Oh, he is a great magician.” But actually, these spectators are befooled. Their mental attachment goes toward the created objects and not toward the magician. But they should know that those created objects are of temporary nature. The magician is the truth.

So this controller is a great Magician: He is creating every- thing within His mind. And for those created beings, the mental world of this Magician appears to be a physical one.

Suppose you create a candle in your mind and a man in your mind. You know that both the candle and the man are of mental creation, are purely mental, not physical. They are within your mind. But for your mental man, your mental candle is a reality. Similarly, for you this world is a physical reality. But for that Supreme Magician, everything is transitory. So He is a magician and has control over the entire universe.

Now what is God, again? The yogi says, “He who has got occult powers, all the occult powers, all the faculties, is God.” Unless and until one possesses all the occult powers, how can one control the universe? The occult powers are eight in number. He who is the owner of all these occult powers is known as Iishvara in Sanskrit. And why is God called Iishvara? He can see [and do] everything. He can go to any place without the help of any organ.

Another explanation by the yogi regarding who God is: “He who remains unassailed, unaffected, by actions and reactions. He who requires no shelter, He who is the shelter of all, of everything – He is God.” Another explanation by the yogi is that the universe is a collection of so many electrons, protons and positrons, and the Supreme Controller is God.

You have only two eyes, and those eyes can function only where there are light waves in the external world. Where light waves are lacking you cannot see. But He has infinite eyes, and all those eyes are functioning within, because there is nothing without Him. Everything is within Him. In order to see your mental picture, do you depend on external eyes? No.

For you there are two worlds, internal and external. But in His case everything is internal. You are within His mind, and whatever you are seeing, whatever you are doing, whatever you are going to do, everything, is being done within His great mind. There is nothing external. “Oh, my child, oh, my little child, why did you commit such a sin?” You cannot say, “No, Father, I didn’t commit a sin,” because you are in His mind. He sees internally without the help of any eyes, because you are His mental creation, you are within His mind.

He is omnipresent; He is everywhere. The movement of a grain of sand is as important to Him as the movement of an atom bomb, as the movement of a megaton bomb. For Him there is nothing unimportant. You cannot be unimportant for Him. The Father is always with you. And because of His omnipresence there is one advantage and one disadvantage. What is the advantage? The advantage is, the Supreme Father is always with you, you are never alone. You must not be afraid of anybody because He is always waiting to save you. And the disadvantage is – that He is always with you, and therefore it is very difficult for you to do anything unpleasant, anything undesirable. This is the difficulty. The universe is surrounded by Him. Whatever you do, your doing is witnessed by Him. You cannot think secretly.

Máyá is that force which creates the illusion of this physical reality. It is the Operative Principle of God. Now this Máyá, it is insurmountable for an ordinary human being, for a non-sádhaka. A person who is not a spiritual aspirant is to serve Máyá as a slave. This is the case with all animals, with all brutes, and with all people of an animal temperament. Now, what is intuitional practice? What is yogic practice? Its purpose is just to overcome the influence of Máyá. This Operative Principle, the influence of Máyá, is just like a satanic chain, just like a serpentine noose, of afflictions and predicaments. One has to free oneself from this serpentine noose. And this is done through yogic sádhaná. When the yogi comes in close contact with the Supreme Father, the Lord says, “Oh, my child, it is very difficult for a person to overcome the influence of this Máyá. Máyá is insurmountable. But he or she who has taken shelter in Me, who has [ensconced] himself or herself in Me, who has taken shelter on My lap, will surely go beyond the influence of this Máyá.”

Unless and until you have developed implicit faith and sincere love for that Supreme Father, you will not become one with Him, you will be bound by this Máyá. Now, when do people begin to feel that they should love the world? When they free themselves from evil, from egotistic sentiments. But they will say, “They say God is gracious, but I am an unfortunate person, I am not realizing His grace”. There are many persons who talk like this, but you know, my boys, you know, my daughters, there is no partiality in Him. His heavenly shower of grace is for all. He is for every creature. But one feels His grace and another does not. What is the reason? There is a heavenly shower of grace. But suppose that you are holding an umbrella over your head. Will you be drenched by that shower? Oh, no. They who want to enjoy this shower of grace must remove this umbrella of ego over their heads, and they will be drenched by the divine shower. So spiritual aspirants, yogis, must give up all their egotistic sentiments. And in the next moment they will be in the proximity of the Supreme Father.

One is to get Him, to come in contact with the Divine Father, through jiṋána, karma and bhakti. What is jiṋána? Jiṋána is spiritual knowledge, not mundane knowledge. Mundane knowledge is distorted knowledge. It is not knowledge at all. Spiritual knowledge is the real knowledge. But what is spiritual knowledge? One must know what one is, what one’s goal is. This is the spiritual knowledge. Then comes karma. Karma means “action”. But if one knows what one is, what one’s desideratum is, then one will have to move towards one’s goal. One will have to do something practical and move towards one’s goal. This movement, this practical approach, this actional approach, is called karma. And then when, after karma, one comes near to Him, one will be united or unified with Him. This process of unification is devotion, bhakti.

Bhakti yoga can be divided into two broad categories: one is attributional devotion, and the other is non-attributional devotion. In attributional devotion there are three stages. The first one is the stage of static devotion. In static devotion, the devotee says, “O my Lord, I am your devotee. Mr. Y is my enemy. Please destroy Him.” In the case of static devotion, the devotee doesn’t want to be with the Lord. The devotee wants something bad or harsh done to his or her enemy. That is devotion of the worst type. As it was not the person’s longing to become one with the Father, that person never will become united with the Father. And also, the Supreme Father is the Supreme Father of the enemy also. So He may or may not kill that enemy. Static devotion is no devotion.

Then comes mutative devotion. In this case the devotee says to the Lord, “I am your devotee. Please give me money. Please give me name and fame.” A boy wants toys from his mother. If the boy starts crying for his mother, the mother must leave her duties and attend to the child. But if the child just wants the toys, he will never get [the mother]. Here also, the devotee in the example didn’t express the desire to become one with the Father, so he won’t attain salvation. He won’t become a devotee. (Yogii means “one who finally comes into unification with the Supreme Self”.) Also, this person asked for worldly property. Now you know that worldly properties are limited. The number of dollars in the world is very large, but it is not infinite. So the Lord may or may not fulfil such a desire. He has to look after the interests of so many children. He cannot fulfil your unjustified demand. So this mutative devotion is not devotion at all.

Now comes the third kind of devotion – of attributional devotion – called sentient devotion. In this case the person says, “I am your devotee. But, oh, Lord, I am an old man. Give me something concrete. I want salvation. And You know I am disgusted with the world. My digestive organs have become disordered. I can’t eat anything. Please give me peace. Please give me peace.” It is a sentient devotion because here the aspirant, the devotee, does not want anything physical. So it is better than static or mutative devotion. But it is also a very bad type of devotion. It is no devotion, because the person wants salvation from the Supreme Father, but he doesn’t want the Supreme Father. So he is not a yogi. A yogi has to unify himself with the Father. A yogi will not demand any toys from the Father.

Then there comes non-attributional devotion. In non-attributional devotion there are two phases. One is called rágánugá bhakti; the other is called rágátmiká bhakti. In rágánugá devotion, the devotee says, “O my Lord, I love You because in loving You I get pleasure. I want nothing from You. I want to love You because I get pleasure.” It is non-attributional devotion, but it is still not the highest form of devotion.

The highest form of devotion is called rágátmiká. In rágátmiká the devotee says, “O Lord, I love You. I want to love You. And why do I want to love You? Because I want my love to give You pleasure. I love You not to get pleasure but to give You pleasure.” This is the highest form of devotion. And by dint of this type of devotion, rágátmiká devotion, the yogi comes in closest contact with the Supreme Self and becomes one with Him. When the devotee’s love is to give pleasure to the Lord and not to enjoy pleasure for himself or herself, the person’s mind gets subjectivated. That is, the mind gets metamorphosed into the mind of the Lord. And that’s why this rágátmiká devotion is the only devotion. And through this devotion, the yogi gets established in the stance of supreme beatitude. The person and the person’s God become one. It is the only goal of human life – to become one with Him.

When one comes near the Supreme Father, he or she has to address the Father, “O Father, give me shelter on Your blissful lap, on Your graceful lap.” To say this, one has to establish a relationship of implicit faith and sincerest love with the Father. This implicit faith blended with spiritual zeal is called devotion. So knowledge and action are to help you in developing devotion, but your unification with the Supreme Self will be established with the help of devotion only. So where there is action and where there is knowledge but where there is lack of devotion, nothing can be done. So in the life of a spiritual aspirant, in the life of a yogi, nothing can be done if there is want of devotion. So you daughters, you sons, you must remember that you will have to develop devotion, implicit devotion blended with spiritual zeal. And that devotion will help you. Devotion is the only faculty to help you, to establish you in the supreme beatitude.

Now this supreme Puruśa, for the blessed, for the virtuous, He is their Father. He is their supreme shelter. But for those who are not virtuous, those who are sinners, for them is He not the Father? Certainly He is the Father. He is the Father of the sinners also. Otherwise where are the sinners to go? He must give shelter to the sinners also. He knows the past of all His daughters and all His sons. Even then He loves them, doesn’t He? Suppose the Supreme Father says that He is the Father of the virtuous only, not the Father of the sinners – then is He justified in this? Has He got the right to say this? Then the sinners will challenge His authority. They will say, “No, Supreme Father, you have no right to say You are not the Father of the sinners” – because when He is the Father of the universe, then do the sinners live out of the scope of the universe? No. Then the sinners may say, “O Father, if you are not the Supreme, if you are not our Father, in that case please expel us to some place outside the universe.”

The Supreme Father, the Lord of the entire universe, is the Witness of all witnesses. He is the King of all kings.

“If even sinners ideate on me, accept me as their only object of ideation,” sayeth the Lord, “they will be freed from all worldly fetters, all worldly bondages.” Sinners must attain salvation, must be freed from all sins, all bondages of sin, by the Supreme Father. So for the virtuous and also for sinners, the Supreme Father is the only shelter. The Supreme Father is the only object of ideation. What are sinners to do? They are to forget their past, and they are to move ahead on the path of spirituality to attain that supreme stance. To come in direct contact with the Supreme Father, you are to serve the universe as the ideal daughters and sons of the Supreme Father. You needn’t be anxious. You must not have any worries and anxieties about your personal problems. Your problems are to be solved by the Supreme Father. You serve the children of the Supreme Father as the ideal daughters and ideal sons of that Father.

Chapter 36	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

To call a person or a thing, a name is needed. And what is a name? A name is not just a word. The bháva, or ideation, for an object goes together with its name. And it is essential to bear in mind that one cannot name oneself, somebody else does the naming.

There is an old problem – which is more powerful, Parama Puruśa or His name? Before leaping across the ocean, Hanuman consulted Rama about it. Rama replied, “Go ahead, Hanuman. You can jump across the ocean. But I cannot.” Hanuman said, “Yes, I will be able to cross the ocean.” And Rama asked him, “How will you be able to cross it?” Hanuman replied, “With your power.” Rama asked, “How [will you get My power]?” And Hanuman replied, “I will take your name, then I will jump.” Hence the náma [name] is more powerful than the námii.⁽¹⁾ Why is it more powerful? A scientific explanation is needed here.

The named, before being named, remains nameless. When there were no devotees, God had no name – He was nameless. When there came to be devotees, then God became named God.

I was saying in Delhi that the fight between God and devotees is an old fight, a sweet fight. And what is that fight? God says to devotees, “It is you who are superior. Because of you, I have been named. Had it not been for you, who would have called me by the name of God? Even if I was God, I was not ‘God’. Because of you, I have become God.” And devotees say, “You are the base of my life. In Your absence, the existence of my life becomes jeopardized. You have created, and You alone are the base.” Devotees consider God to be superior, and vice versa. This fight to make the other superior has no end.

Now, let us see why the name is more powerful than the named. The shakti, or energy, in the name is kendrita – centralized. It is stambhita – latent. But when a name comes into being, it means a namer has come, and through the name, the named is addressed. In that situation, the latent power in the name gets activated. You know that from the beginning there has been a system of writing oṋm in which there is a dot and a crescent. The dot represents energy [in potential form], it represents cognition in potential form. There is no expression. And this mark [the crescent] represents expression. When the latent energy becomes activated, this mark will be the symbolic representation of the activation – that is, energy is now no longer latent, rather it is translated into action. As long as energy is latent, it is as good as not being energy. When the energy is activated, when it is expressed, then people will take it as energy.

Rabindranath was a great poet. Had the poetic genius in him not got expression and remained latent, the world would not have taken him to be a great poet. Had he composed his poems in his mind and not written them, he would not have won acceptance by the people as a great poet.

In the same way, when the namer does not name, the named is powerless. Therefore it is said that the name has greater power than the named.

For example, Parama Puruśa – He is the beloved of all. In [old] Sanskrit there is a word bapra. Bapra means “dear”. Bapra became bappa in Prákrta. In Ardha Prákrta it first became báppá, and then changed to bapu and then to bábá.

So the meaning of the word bábá is “dear”. As Parama Puruśa is the beloved of all, so all are beloved for Parama Puruśa. So when Parama Puruśa is “Bábá” for units, for Parama Puruśa the units are also bábá. This is because the relationship is that of love, in which there is no scope for superior or inferior, higher or lower – all are equal. Whether the devotee is greater or God is greater, each is bábá for the other. Why wait for the decision of the fight?

A person addresses Parama Puruśa as he or she wishes to. Therefore the named has to be named. [But as regards the extent to which a name is] ideational (bhávaváhaka) – the name Parama Puruśa cannot be so very ideational. [Whereas] the more [an ideational] name is taken, the more the bliss increases. Is it clear?

And what should be [that ideational] name? The most proper name for Parama Puruśa, the most suitable name, the most activating name that a person can use, is that person’s own Iśt́a mantra.⁽²⁾ For that person, other names of Parama Puruśa are no name at all. This is the correct attitude. As you have heard before, once Hanuman was asked, “You are well-versed and you know one thousand and one names for Parama Puruśa, yet you keep repeating ‘Rama, Rama’. Why?” To this Hanuman replied – and his reply was full of teaching –

Shriináthe Jánakiináthe cábheda Paramátmani;
Tathápi mama sarvasvah Rámah kamalalocanah.

“I know that Shriinátha and Jánakiinátha are one from the spiritual point of view.⁽³⁾ From the spiritual point of view Shriinátha and Jánakiinátha are one and inseparable.” Tathápi mama sarvasvah – “Nevertheless, Rama is everything for me, and I do not recognize Náráyańa or anybody else. For me the word ‘Náráyańa’ has no value.”

So you must remember, the Iśt́a mantra of a person is everything for that person; other mantras are no mantra for that person.

Hence human beings must name Parama Puruśa. If somebody says, “Don’t name Parama Puruśa, simply do dhyána [meditation],” you will discover something while meditating, also – that one has to address Parama Puruśa by name, otherwise one is not satisfied. When you meditate you have a wish to address the meditated, to say something to that party. That is, again the name comes up. Though the name is something limited, the human mind cannot help using it. Ultimately the name and the namer will no longer remain, only the named will remain. But as long as the namer and name do remain, the name has to be used – simply because one can’t help it.

People see the liilá [play] of Parama Puruśa all around. The whole universe is expressed because of His liilá. What does liilá mean? Where you see the effect but not the cause, that is liilá. Where you see the effect together with the cause, that is not liilá.

A human cannot do liilá, only Parama Puruśa can do it, because a human’s mind cannot grasp the liilá’s cause. If someone considers himself or herself to be very wise and traces different causes behind different effects, that person will still not be able to reach the first cause, because the theory of causality works only in the arena of mind and the arena of time, space, and person. So when at the last point the effect is found within the scope of time, space, and person, but the cause remains beyond that spatio-temporo-personal boundary, one will not be able to catch the cause, as one’s mind will not work there – the cause has gone beyond the boundary of the mind. The theory of causality was founded by Maharshi Kanada. Kanada said, Kárańábhávat káryábhávah – “Where there is no [cause] there is no [effect].” The theory is correct, but a human can only find those causes which are within the scope of the mind – that which is beyond the scope of the mind cannot be found. That is, one’s intellect is limited.

So a person gives a name to Parama Puruśa to the extent that he or she understands within the scope of time, space, and person. And when, while [repeating] that name, they reach the named, they find that the named is beyond relativities. Then the mind tries to catch Him by [transcending] the relativities, and when it goes beyond them, it is absorbed in samádhi. The samádhi is in Parama Puruśa, because the samádhi is beyond the relativity. This is the science of samádhi.

The language of humans and the capacity of that language is greatly limited. Whatever you feel in the mind cannot necessarily be expressed in language. If you are given hard candy, rasagollá, and peŕá, you will call them sweet. But are these sweets really similar? No. The sweetness of everything differs. But you do not have separate words in your dictionary for the separate kinds of sweetness. If you are pricked with a small pin, or a cut is made on your body somewhere with a knife, you will utter, “Uhhh!” in both cases. But it is difficult to understand which “Uhhh!” is indicative of which pain. Therefore language is more limited than bháva [feelings]. And bháva is very, very limited in comparison to mahábháva [eternal bliss]. And when people are established in mahábháva, they become bliss itself. How can this be expressed through language? So where there is less bliss, people will talk a lot, and where there is a maximum of it, people will be silent. Language has no place where there is a maximum of bliss, because it has no capacity there. Still people try to the best of their capacity. They continue to search for different adjectives for Parama Puruśa. Therefore the poet Padmadanta said about Parama Puruśa:

Asitagirisamaḿ syát kajjalaḿ sindhupátre;
Surataruvarashákhá lekhanii pátramurvii;
Likhati yadi Sáradá sarvakálam;
Tathápi tava guńánámiisha páraḿ na yati.

You must have seen ink tablets. (Nowadays they are not used, but previously they were. People used to make ink by mixing it in water.) Take an ink tablet. You want to describe the qualities of Parama Puruśa. (By explaining the qualities, the name will come. As per the description of the qualities, you will develop the name. You have decided to write the qualities first and the name later.) In order to write, you require ink, an ink tablet. “Suppose you get an ink tablet as big as the Himalayas” – Asitagirisamam syát kajjalaḿ sindhupátre – “and your ink pots are the oceans.” Surataruvarashákhá lekhanii – “the imaginary párijáta tree, which spreads from heaven to hell, is taken as a pen.” “And the entire earth serves as the paper” – pátramúrvii. “Now if Sáradá [the goddess of learning] writes for eternity” – likhati yadi Sáradá sarvakálam – “even then she will not be able to describe all the qualities of Parama Puruśa” – tathápi tava guńánámiisha páraḿ na yati. Still people try because they cannot help it.

Now, you see that sometimes people do actions which they should not do. Does that mean that Parama Puruśa will become dissatisfied with those people?

When that which should not be done is done, it is known as pápa [sin of commission]; and when that which should be done is not done, it is known as pratyaváya [sin of omission]. For example, service to society should be done, and if it is not done, it is pratyaváya. Stealing should not be done, and if it is done, it is pápa. But is it pápa? No, your relationship with Parama Puruśa is beyond vice and virtue. It is your personal relationship with Him. A two-year-old child may sit on the lap of its father, may even pass stool or urine – the father is quite respectable and learned – but does the father kick the child out and say that the child has committed a sin? No. Your relationship with Parama Puruśa is entirely personal. Suppose on some whim you have said something bad about Parama Puruśa, why should He get angry? So do not think that Parama Puruśa will get angry. Whatever you do will be to the satisfaction of Parama Puruśa.

Why do you worship Parama Puruśa? [Because the gift of your mind pleases Him.] Why will you do social service? The world is His creation, so if you serve the world, Parama Puruśa will be satisfied. Whatever you do, you do for the satisfaction of Parama Puruśa. People should not forget this. There is no question of vice and virtue with Parama Puruśa.

There is a story about the cowherds and Lord Krśńa. Once Lord Krśńa fell seriously ill. All the doctors of all the hospitals of Mathura treated Him, but in vain. Ultimately people asked Krśńa Himself for the remedy of His disease. He said, “If some devotee will give the dust from their feet, and if that is rubbed on my forehead, I will be cured.”

So Narada was asked to go about and procure the dust from the feet of a devotee. But people refused to give the dust from their feet, as they did not want that dust to be rubbed on the forehead of the Lord. They said that even to listen to such a thing was sinful.

Narada could not get any dust from anywhere. Then he went to Vrindavana, where he saw many cowherds tending the cows. They gave the dust from their feet and told Narada to use it if it would help the Lord. They further said that if the dust did not work, that would prove that they were not devotees.

But Narada said to them, “What kind of devotees are you? Will you give the dust from your feet to be put on the Lord’s forehead? Will that not be a sin?”

The cowherds replied, “We are not concerned about these things. We are concerned about giving the Lord relief. If He gets relief, we will consider that we have done the greatest virtuous deed. If we acquire a sin in the process, that does not matter, as long as God gets relief. If God is in hell and we are in heaven, that heaven will be worse than hell for us. But if God is in hell, we can remain there with Him till eternity. We want to remain with God, whether in heaven or in hell.”

So the relationship with God is personal, and quite mutual. People speak to God because they cannot help it. It is said of the Lord,

Ugraḿ viiraḿ Maháviśńuḿ
Jvalantaḿ sarvatomukham;
Nrsiḿhaḿ bhiiśańaḿ bhadraḿ
Mrtyurmrtyu namámyaham.

[I pay salutations to Him whose power is everywhere, to solve all problems; who is brave, all-pervading, full of energy, compassionate towards all beings; who is the supreme authority, fear-inspiring yet gentlemanly; who is the death of death.]

Ugram. “O Parama Puruśa, You are ugra, udagra; that is, You come ahead of all. In our social, personal, national, and human lives, what we want is God in front, and ultimately our problems will get solved.” Parama Puruśa is ugra, udagra; He takes the lead in every work. Therefore one of His names is Puruśa.⁽⁴⁾ He is always in front of us. Wherever we look, He is there.

Viiram. There is no problem in the world which is not tackled in the presence of Parama Puruśa. So nobody is as viira [brave] as Parama Puruśa. So Parama Puruśa alone can be termed viira.

Maháviśńu. Viśńu means “that which is inside an object and is all-pervading”.

Vistárah sarvabhútasya Viśńorvishvamidaḿ jagat;
Draśt́avyamátmavattasmádabhedena vicakśańaeh.

–Viśńupuráńa

[This manifested universe is the expression of Viśńu, the latent all-pervading entity. Therefore a wise person should look upon everything as his or her own, from an integral viewpoint.]

This world is the expression of Viśńu. And Maháviśńu is both the expressed, and the latent wherein lies the potentiality of expression. Mahaviśńu means not only “who is all-pervading”, but also “who has the potentiality to be all-pervading where there has not yet been any expression or manifestation”.

Jvalantaḿ sarvatomukham. In the human world, whatever activating force exists is obtained from Parama Puruśa. You take food, and you get energy from air and water. And all of these get their energy from Parama Puruśa. All the five fundamental factors get their energy from Him alone. People get energy from the sun, and the sun gets it from Parama Puruśa.

Na tatra súryo bháti na candratárakam;
Nemávidyuto bhánti kuto’yamagnih.
Tvameva bhántamanubháti sarvam;
Tasya bhása sarvamidaḿ vibháti.

[Before Him the sun does not shine, nor do the moon and the stars, nor does the lightning – what to speak of the fire! It is his radiance that makes all entities radiant.]

Therefore He is jvalantam, “burning”, full of energy. If you want energy, ask Parama Puruśa. Say, “I act according to your directions. For that I require energy, much more energy.” And you will continue to get energy. He is the perennial source of energy and power.

Vishvatomukham [or sarvatomukham]. He has an attachment for every object of the universe; that is, He takes care of each and every object – an ant or a mammoth, an illiterate person or a literate one. Nothing is hidden from Him. Humans cannot conceal anything they do from Him. If you say to somebody, “Don’t tell anyone about this,” Parama Puruśa hears you saying privately not to tell anyone. Therefore it is said that He has a separate face for each unit being, with which He sees everyone. Na antariikśe na samudramajjhe⁽⁵⁾ – “Neither in the sky, nor in the ocean,” nor in a cave, can you hide yourself. Nowhere in the Cosmos can you hide from Him. Therefore He is vishvatomukham.

Nrsiḿham. Nrsiḿha does not mean “half man and half lion”. [Though nr can also be interpreted as “man” and siḿha as “lion”.] Nr means Puruśa, and siḿha means “best”. (The word siḿha has many meanings, and one of them is “best”.) So nrsiḿha does not mean “half man and half lion”. It means Puruśottama, Parama Puruśa.

Nrsiḿhaḿ bhiiśańaḿ bhadraḿ. Nrsiḿha is bhiiśańa, “terrible”. Why terrible? He scolds and punishes considerably. In order to carry out ordinary administration, one has to be strict. And to administer the whole universe, one has to be terrible. A little fear is also essential. Then all will do their work. Yes, the love should be more than the fear, but there must be fear also. It is said in Hindi, Binu bhay hoin na piriti – “No fear, no love.”

Take the sun. The sun has to do its duty punctually in all seasons. It cannot delay, it has to do it. It has no holiday. It feels fear.

Bhiiśasmádvayuhpavate bhiiśodeti suryah
bhiiśasmadágnishcendrashca; mrtyuh dhávati paiṋcamah
tasmáducyate bhiiśanamiti.

–Atharvaveda

[Out of fear of Him the wind blows, the sun rises on time. Out of fear of Him the fire-god, the moon-god, the god of energy and the god of death carry out their duties faithfully. This is why He is called Bhiiśańam, The Terrible.]

Parama Puruśa has been called bhiiśańa [fearful] in this shloka. This is because “out of fear of Him the sun rises, the wind blows.” One of the Sanskrit names for “wind” is anila. In Sanskrit, anila means “not stationary”, “moving”. (There is a similar Sanskrit word, aniila, meaning “not blue”.) “The wind has to blow, the fire has to burn, Indra⁽⁶⁾ has to work.” All are working according to their natures. It is all because of the fear of Parama Puruśa. Mrtyuh dhávati paiṋcamah – “Death reaches the right person at the right time.” It goes into the palace and into the hut. It has to go, no one can stop it. It does its work out of fear of Parama Puruśa. Death also fears Him.

Nrsiḿham bhiiśańaḿ bhadram. “Nrsiḿha is bhiiśańa, but He is bhadra too.” Bhadra means “good”, “gentle”. He is a gentleman. He is one of the family members.

Mrtyurmrtyu namámyaham. “If salutation is to be paid to anyone, it is to be paid to Him. He is the death of death, because death fears Him as much as you fear death. Just as death is threatening to living beings, so Parama Puruśa is threatening to death.”

There is another meaning of mrtyurmrtyu. Normally a person is born and dies, and this goes on and on – life follows death, and death life. But if a person takes the shelter of Parama Puruśa, that person dies a final death and is never reborn. Therefore Parama Puruśa is “the death of death”. That death is the last death. So if salutation is to be paid, it is to be paid to Him alone – Tamekaḿ namámah.

How to pay salutations to Parama Puruśa? Namastubhyam or namaste. Namah plus tubhyam make up namastubhyam, and namah plus te make up namaste – “We do namah to You.” To jiivas [unit beings], it is namaskára – short for Namah karomi – “I greet, I salute.” Here there is no tubhyam or te, that is, “you”. To jiivas, namaste or namastubhyam should not to be said; namaskára should be said. But to Parama Puruśa you can say anything you like – namaste, namastubhyam, namaskára. And if you do not wish to say either namaste or namaskára, it does not matter. After all He is only a member of your own family.

Footnotes

(1) “The named”. The particular connotation of námii is “the Lord who is called on with a special name”. –Eds.

(2) Mantra leading one to the Supreme Goal. It is learned in a lesson of Ananda Marga meditation. –Eds.

(3) Shrii means Lakśmii [goddess of fortune] and nátha means “master”, hence Shriinátha means “Master of Lakśmii” – that is, Náráyańa. Jánakii means Siitá and nátha means “master”, hence Jánakiinátha means “Master of Siitá” – that is, Rama.

(4) Pura = “in front”. –Eds.

(5) From a discourse of Buddha, not from the Ugraḿ viiram shloka. –Eds.

(6) The king of the gods, also representing energy. –Eds.

Chapter 37	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

You all know that Parama Puruśa is very close to you. He is so near that nothing can be nearer. As Parama Puruśa is everywhere, He is also at the farthest point from you. If you feel that He is far from you, He becomes so distant that you cannot measure the distance.

If you [think] that Parama Puruśa is great and vast, He appears so huge and enormous that you will be bewildered. He will appear so resplendent that your eyes will close at His sight. He is the Creator of this expressed universe. But He is also in the smallest atom of this universe. If He were not also so small, so subtle, how could He enter such a small thing as an atom?

He appears to you as per your feelings towards Him. If you are subtle, He is nearest to you; if you are crude, He is farthest from you. Do you feel that Parama Puruśa is in Ranchi or is in America? He is so near as to be in your [“I”] feeling, and so far as a distant country. When you think He is here, He is nearer than here. He is so near that it is difficult to measure the distance. You search Him in the caves of the Himalayas and wander here and there and He is nowhere. But when you attain awareness of Him, you know that He was along with you in your search and that He was seated in your heart.

He shares your joys and pains, as He is with you through thick and thin. He never leaves you even when all others have abandoned you.

Every jiiva, every living being, is the child of Immortality. You have been born in eternity and you are moving towards immortality. Therefore there is no need to be afraid, despondent, or sorry in any condition.

Never think that your life has become useless. It is in your hands to make your life useful or to waste it. If you are aware that Parama Puruśa is always with you, in you, and that He is the greatest of the entities and there is no other entity who loves you so dearly, you will have no cause to feel that your life has become useless.

Chapter 38	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

In the morning I said that it is the utilization of energy which matters and not the possession of an unutilized capacity. Many people have inferiority complexes of different kinds. They think they are not learned. How will they achieve the goal of their life?

It is wrong to presume that by reading voluminous books or by delivering beautiful lectures, one can attain Parama Puruśa. No scholarship nor even literacy is required to meet God. The future of those who are uneducated is also bright.

God’s relation with human beings is a family relation. When parents feed the children, they do not give four chapatis to the son who is a Master of Arts and only one to the next son who is only a matriculate. For parents, all their children are equal. Similarly, for God all persons are equal for the spiritual food He will give them. Really, the love of parents is dependent not upon the education of the children but upon the children’s attachment for the parents.

Scholars or intellectuals have one drawback. They read different theories and philosophies, and these things create a clash in their minds. They are unable to decide whether this philosophy is correct, or that one is correct. The uneducated, on the other hand, are better off, as they walk on the spiritual path with steadiness, undisturbed by warring ideas. The intellect is incapable of comprehending Parama Puruśa. After all, the intellect is only a creation of the [pratisaiṋcara]⁽¹⁾ process, in which Pure Consciousness reconverts itself into [the mind] out of the five fundamental factors into which it converted itself earlier. Being a created thing, intellect cannot comprehend its Creator, the Supreme Being. The puppets can perform any play the master wants them to perform, but they cannot control the master who plays them.

What is knowledge? It is the subjectivization of the object. God, being the ultimate subjectivity, cannot be caught by the thought process, which can only catch external objects and not a superior stage of subjectivity.

Nor is God attained merely by listening to a lot of [spiritual discourses]. Some persons are fond of attending spiritual congregations. But what they hear with one ear goes out the other at a 180º angle, and does not lead to salvation. With kiirtana and the remembrance of God, however, it is otherwise. Whether you do these things with faith and devotion, or with enmity, the results are encouraging.

The word shraddhá [translated “faith and devotion”] really has no equivalent in the English language. Whatever you consider as the summum bonum of life is sat. And when you direct all your faculties and sentiments towards the attainment of this goal, this is called shrat. And the feeling associated with this is called shraddhá.

Even when you think of God as an enemy, you are involved in Him. Really, our mind is more activated [to think about somebody] by anger and hatred [than by positive propensities]. When we have a quarrel with somebody, we keep on thinking that the next time we meet that person, we will say this or that. Therefore, God will be attained whether you love Him or hate Him. Ravana was constantly thinking of Rama as his enemy and therefore he also attained salvation through His hands. But merely listening to scriptures or talks is not going to bring about the desired results.

Another fact must be remembered: that God is realized only by those whom He graces with compassion. You should not have the feeling in mind, “Now I have done so much; God should shower His grace on me.” Rather you should feel, “It is for You, O Lord, to grace me or not. This body of mine will work like a machine until You grace me with love.” If you are proud of your meritorious actions, this pride will remain in the end and not the grace of God. For Him, all are equal. For society, the differences matter, but not for God. His grace is raining on all, but if you are carrying an umbrella of ego on your head, how will you get drenched by His Grace? Everyone has a right to enter Brahmaloka [the subtlest layer of the Macrocosmic Mind]; this is the birthright of all. He is kind to all, every moment of one’s life. One has only to receive this kindness by removing the ego.

However great a sinner one may be, the moment one surrenders to the Lord, one becomes a devotee – his or her salvation is guaranteed.

The Entity whom you are trying to attain – Parama Puruśa – is your own innermost self. Your relation with Him is not external, to be defined by courts, laws, or society. It is a family relationship. The desire in your mind to meet God is only born when He is inclined towards you. It is the result of His desire to meet you. Your meeting with God is not a unilateral affair, it is a mutual thing. You walk one step towards Him and He will come twenty towards you.

When an infant starts walking, the parent first asks it and goads it to walk a little. It tries to walk, but falls. Then the parent advances and lifts it up onto his or her lap. God does the same. Make the slightest effort, and He will pick you up and place you on His lap.

Your relation with God is personal. No one can sever this relationship. It is part of your being, your birthright.

Chapter 39	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

There is a famous verse from the Upanishads which says that you cannot reach Parama Puruśa unless you are strong and full of energy. The word bala means that spiritual force which functions in a jiiva [living being] base. In ordinary parlance, however, bala means “capacity”. It depends upon the extent to which one makes use of one’s physical, psychic and spiritual energy. A person may have immense capacity, but to the extent that he or she does not utilize it, it does not become helpful in God-realization. Bala, therefore, depends on the extent of the use of one’s capacity.

When the divine bridge was constructed by Rama to cross the ocean, Hanuman brought mountains, but the squirrel brought only small pebbles. Both were strong and full of energy, as each was working to his full capacity.

Thus even a comparatively weak person can become balaván [strong] by utilizing the small energy he or she has. Whatever power, energy, you have, utilize it for sádhaná and service, and you are balaván, fit to reach Parama Puruśa. None of you need, therefore, despair. Each has the requisite wherewithal to reach the Almighty.

The utilization of energy should be in the proper direction. If you have to move to the east and you start moving towards the west, your action will be considered full of prámáda, or madness. Ananda Marga has the correct way, through subjective approach and objective adjustement. While followers of Ananda Marga keep their eyes steady on the absolute, they do not ignore this relative world. They work for self-realization and social upliftment, and hence the utilization of their energy is never in vain. When the effort is correct and the utilization right, you will certainly reach the goal.

I do not want you to wait life after life to reach your goal. You should realize the goal in this very life. Why will you waste even one precious moment of this life? Therefore fear not, success is yours for the asking. Go on making the correct effort.

Chapter 40	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

In the Sanskrit language, the word nára has many meanings. One meaning is “water”. Another meaning is Paramá Prakrti – the Causal Matrix or Supreme Operative Cosmic Principle. The third meaning is “devotion”.

The main and inevitable aim of every sádhaka is not to enjoy the nectar of devotion by himself or herself, but to distribute it all around. Sádhakas are eager to share with others the bliss which they enjoy.

In ancient times there was one such devotee who used to go from place to place distributing the bliss of devotion. His name was Narada. Once he said to Parama Puruśa: “O Lord, all the scholars and philosophers say that You are omniscient, but people do not feel Your presence everywhere. Where, therefore, is the place where Your presence can most be felt? Or which place do You consider as dearest to You?”

The Lord replied, “It is true that I am everywhere; there is no action, no thought, no feeling, in which I am not present. All actions take place before My eyes, within My mind. Nothing [should] be done or thought which is meant to be hidden from Me. Still, I do not live in the seventh heaven as people think. Minds which are free from narrowness, limitations, and isms are the places dear to me.

“The true meaning of the word yoga is ‘to unify’. But those who do ásanas, práńáyáma, etc., without devotion are cultivating the desert. Without the water of devotion, their effort will not succeed. I am not in the hearts of such dry yogis.”

The meaning of the word bhakti is “attraction to the Supreme”. When the attraction is to something limited, it is called ásakti, and when the attraction is to the Supreme, it is devotion, bhakti. There is no compromise, no meeting point, between ásakti and bhakti, between attraction to the Supreme and attraction to the objects of the world. In ásakti, the feeling is that I get the object. In bhakti, the feeling is that I merge myself in Him. Where there is no desire, there the Lord lives. The Lord and the desire for the world, like the sun and the night, cannot coexist.

For devotees, all other enjoyments are insipid. They are like saltless food. Hence the Lord says, “Where My devotees sing My praise, do kiirtana, there I go – I cannot help going there.”

One person is scholarly, another is rich; but they may or may not be devotees. The only thing that the devotee needs is love for the Lord. When all feelings, all attachments, are directed towards Him, then it is devotion. The only qualification is a sincere heart. If your heart is pure, you need nothing else.

Nothing is gained by becoming a jiṋánii. [Jiṋána] has use only so far as devotion has not been born. When you eat tasty food, the paper on which you place this food is jiṋána. The food itself is karma, and the taste of the food is bhakti.⁽¹⁾ If you have absorbed the food and got its taste, the dirty paper of jiṋána has to be thrown in the dustbin. This alone is wisdom. Be wise!

Chapter 41	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

The Practical Cult of Spirituality

To remain satisfied with a little is contrary to human nature. That is why, since the dawn of creation, human beings have been worshipping the Supreme Entity. People longed for supreme knowledge, for indirect and direct spiritual realization. This fundamental human yearning for supreme expansion led people to discover the practical cult of spirituality. Moreover, it created in the human mind the sense of inquisitiveness, the spirit of dedication, and the thirst for knowledge. It is because of these noble qualities that human beings have become what they are today.

The divine revelations experienced by the sages of the ancient Vedic age through their meditative vision have been compiled in the Vedas. Thus the Vedas have to some extent quenched the human thirst for intellectual knowledge. But they have not quenched the thirst for supreme knowledge, the fundamental thirst of human life. That thirst can only be quenched through the illuminating realizations of sádhaná [spiritual practice].

There is no reliable evidence to suggest that in the Vedic period spiritual knowledge was handed down from preceptor to disciple. As far as we know from the history of spiritual sádhaná, Lord Shiva was the first to propound it, and He gave this spiritual cult the name Tantra. Tantra is the secret behind spiritual progress.

The scriptural definition of tantra is Taḿ jád́yát tárayet yastu sah tantrah parikiirttitah [“Tantra is that which liberates a person from the bondages of staticity”]. Taḿ is the acoustic root of staticity.

Tantra has another meaning as well. The Sanskrit root verb tan means “to expand”. So the practical process that leads to one’s expansion and consequent emancipation is called tantra. Thus sádhaná and Tantra are inseparable.

Strictly speaking, theoretical knowledge cannot be called Tantra. Tantra is a practical science. Hence in Tantra the importance of book knowledge is secondary. The practical process of Tantra begins with the physical and progresses to the physico-psychic, then to the psycho-spiritual, then ultimately results in [the supreme spiritual stance,] ensconcement in the átmá [self]. [This scientific process sets it apart from many other schools.]

As the practical aspect is the most important factor in Tantra, the greatest emphasis is placed on the preceptor-disciple relationship. The disciple must do intense spiritual practice to be worthy of the preceptor’s instructions at every stage of development.

And it was for this reason that Sadáshiva never wanted the Tantric teachings to be written down. However, in course of time, due to a lack of competent preceptors and disciples, Tantra was about to be lost to society. It therefore became an imperative necessity to put the teachings in book form to save them from total extinction. There are presently sixty-four Tantric texts.

Tantra is broadly composed of two parts – nigama and ágama. The former is mainly theoretical; the latter practical. As the Vedic scriptures are not based on practical instructions, some people are inclined to categorize them as nigama.

According to the Rudrayámala Tantra,

Ágataḿ Shivavaktrebhyo gataiṋca Girijáshrutao;
Mataiṋca Vásudevasya tasmádágama ucyate.

[The science which comes from the mouth of Lord Shiva, goes to the ears of Párvatii, and is approved by Lord Krśńa, is called ágama.⁽¹⁾]

No serious or sincere Tantric can agree with this shloka [couplet]. Why should the science which was propounded by Lord Shiva need to be “approved by Lord Krśńa”? The Rudrayámala Tantra was formulated much later than Lord Shiva. This shloka was cleverly included in the Rudrayámala Tantra by the protagonists of the Vedas.⁽²⁾

Guru and Disciple

Kśurasya dhárá nishitá duratyayá. [Literally, “The edge of a razor is very sharp and difficult to walk on.”] This path, to walk upon, is like a path strewn with sharp razors. The disciple has to tread the path with extreme caution. The disciple needs the help of the guru [preceptor] at every step. Without this supervision, any defect in the process of sádhaná as imparted by the guru, or the least negligence on the part of the disciple in following the instructions, inevitably leads to the disciple’s downfall. For success on the path of Tantra, the proper preceptor and the proper disciple are both essential. So the first step in Tantra is the selection of a competent preceptor and a worthy disciple.

The situation can be explained through the following analogy with agriculture: The disciple’s heart is a field; sádhaná is the ploughing and irrigation of the field; and the preceptor’s initiation is the sowing of seeds. If the seeds are defective they will not sprout; if the field is infertile the harvest will be poor; and even if the seed and the field are ideal, yet the field is not properly ploughed or irrigated, the harvest will be poor.

According to Tantra, disciples are of three categories. The first category are likened to pitchers placed inversely in a tub of water. Such pitchers contain water as long as they are kept in the tub, but as soon as they are taken out, all the water pours out. These disciples acquire spiritual knowledge when they are in close contact with the preceptor, but as soon as they are apart from the preceptor they forget all his teachings.

The second category of disciples are like people who carefully climb a plum tree and pick plums from its thorny branches. Unfortunately they become so absorbed in climbing down the tree that they completely forget about their carefully-collected plums, which fall out of their bags and break open on the ground. Such disciples learn many things from the preceptor with great hardship, but do not take proper care to preserve those instructions. They lose their hard-earned knowledge out of negligence.

The best category of disciples are like pitchers positioned right side up. When such pitchers are put in a tub of water, there is water both inside them and all around them; and even when they are removed from the tub, they remain full to the brim with water. These disciples carefully preserve in the jewel caskets of their hearts whatever they learn from their preceptor.

According to Tantra there are also three types of preceptor: the inferior, the mediocre, and the superior. Inferior preceptors are those who deliver high-sounding speeches but do not bother about whether the disciples follow their teachings or not. Mediocre preceptors impart knowledge to their disciples, no doubt, and also check on whether the disciples are following their teachings, but they are not too demanding. Superior preceptors, however, take meticulous care to ensure that their disciples follow their teachings. If they discover that their disciples are negligent in any way, they compel them to practise more painstakingly by applying circumstantial pressure.

In the Vedic system there is no such strong preceptor-disciple relationship, for Vedic knowledge is completely theoretical. In Tantra emphasis is placed not only on the selection of competent masters and worthy disciples, but also on the need for disciples to make a total surrender to the preceptor in the early stages of the Tantric path.

The qualities of the best preceptors have been outlined in the Tantrasára:

Shánto dánto kuliinascha viniita shuddhaveshaván
Shuddhácárii supratiśthita shucirdakśah subuddhimán
Áshramii dhyánaniśt́ashca tantramantra visháradah
Nigrahánugrahe shakto gururityabhidhiiyate.

[Composed, self-controlled, adept in raising the kuńd́alinii, modest, soberly dressed, exemplary in conduct, having an honest means of livelihood, pure in thought, well-versed in the spiritual cult, highly intelligent, a householder, established in meditation, well-versed in Tantra and mantra, able both to punish and to reward the disciple – only such a person deserves to be called a guru.]

All sorts of actions, be they nivrttimúlaka [spiritual actions] or pravrttimúlaka [wordly actions] are performed by the human mind. Shravańa [hearing], manana [contemplating], and nididhyásana [focusing the mind on one object] are among the actions performed by the mind.⁽³⁾ One who has controlled all actions, and perfected the last three, is called shánta, or one who has acquired full composure of mind.

The indriyas⁽⁴⁾ are multilateral in their activities. They too play a very significant role in the processes of shravańa, manana and nidhidhyásana. One who has controlled all the indriyas, and perfected the actions of the indriyas in shravańa, manana and nididhyásana, is called dánta, or one who has acquired full control over the indriyas.

A kaola sádhaka (one who practises the science of raising the kulakuńd́alinii, that is, one who is adept in purashcarańa [the process of moving upwards the kuńd́alinii shakti]), is called kuliina. Only such a person can be a kula guru [preceptor of kaola sádhaná].

A preceptor must furthermore be viniita [modest], shuddhaveshavána [soberly dressed], shuddhácárii (exemplary in conduct), supratisthita (having honest means of livelihood), and shuci (pure in thought). In the spiritual sphere this person must be dakśa (well-versed in the practical and theoretical aspects of the spiritual cult). One who has only acquired theoretical knowledge is called vidvána [scholarly]. A preceptor must [be more than] vidvána, a preceptor must be dakśa.

And preceptors must be more than intelligent, they must be subuddhimána [super-intelligent]. They must also be áshramii [married], for according to Tantric injunction only a married person can be the guru of married people. It is not enough that preceptors impart lessons on dhyána to their disciples, they must be dhyániśt́ha (fully established in dhyána). They should also be vishárada [well-versed, i.e., both dakśa and vidvána] in Tantra and mantra.

Mantra is defined Mananát tárayet yastu sa mantrah parikiirtitah – “That which, when contemplated, leads to freedom from [all sorts of] bondages is called a mantra.” The preceptor must know which mantras are appropriate for which people, and which mantras are siddha mantras.⁽⁵⁾

The preceptor must also be nigraha (capable of inflicting punishment) and anugraha (capable of bestowing grace). One who punishes only or who bestows grace only is not an ideal preceptor.

Like the preceptor, a disciple should possess certain qualities, which are as follows:

Shánto viniito shuddhátmá
Shraddhávána dhárańákśamah;
Samarthashca kuliinashca
Prájiṋah saccarito yatih;
Evamádi guńaeryuktah
Shishyo bhavati nányathá.

–Tantrasára

“A disciple must always be samartha (ready to carry out the instructions and commands of the master). He or she must be prájiṋa and yati – that is, must have the requisite knowledge and experience, and must have full control over the mind. One who is of noble soul, of noble conduct and of tranquil mind, who is modest and reverent, and possesses a sharp memory and perseverance, who has all-round competence and is zealous in the practice of raising the kulakuńd́alinii, and who is well-informed and self-restrained, is an ideal disciple.” One who does not possess these qualities should not be accepted as a disciple.

Whenever a worthy disciple is taught by a competent preceptor, spiritual progress is a certainty.

Stages

The practice of Tantra can be divided into several stages. Everyone has his or her own individual saḿskáras, and there is no denying that at the initial stage human beings are normally animals (and have hence been called “rational animals”). A human being who lacks viveka [discrimination] is actually worse than an animal. Animals are undeveloped creatures, and thus certain behaviour on their part may be condoned. But humans are developed, so improper conduct by them cannot be condoned. The initial stage of sádhaná is meant for people of animal nature and is thus called pashvácára or pashubháva [pashu = “animal”].

When sádhakas advance in the process of sádhaná, guided by the instructions of the preceptor, they develop an ideation proper for human beings. At this stage they are called viira [heroic]. Just as animals are controlled through external pressure, in the stage of pashvácára sádhaná disciples must be controlled by the external application of pressure of circumstances. This will help establish them in viirabháva. But those who are more elevated than animals do not depend on external pressure for spiritual progress. Their progress is determined by both external pressure and internal urge.

Sarve ca pashavah santi talavad bhútale naráh;
Teśáḿ jiṋána prakásháya viirabhávah prakáshitah;
Viirabhávaḿ sadá prápya krameńa devatá bhavet.

–Rudrayámala Tantra

“Under ordinary circumstances all are animal-like in the initial stage. When spiritual thirst awakens in animal-like people they become viira, and when they are fully established in viirabháva they become devatás [gods].” The science of Tantra is based on this truth. Hence there is no contradiction between Tantra and science. People are found at all different stages, according to their ideation – animal-like, heroic, or god-like – as they ascend on the scale of evolution. A competent preceptor imparts lessons to his disciples after considering the degree of their spiritual and psychic elevation.

Vaedikaḿ Vaeśńavaḿ Shaevaḿ Dákśińaḿ páshavaḿ smrtam;
Siddhánte Váme ca viire divyaḿtu Kaolamucyate.

–Vishvasára Tantra

“Vaedikácára, Vaeśńavácára, Shaevácára and Dakśińácára are the different stages of pashubháva. Vámácára and Siddhántácára are the stages of viirabháva, and Kulácára belongs to [divya]bháva.”

The first stage of pashvácára sádhaná is Vaedikácára. It has no deep principles, but is merely a set of ritualistic and showy observances and practices. So in the eye of a Tantric practitioner, Vaedikácára is the lowest grade of sádhaná.

It is also the lowest because it does not inspire the practitioner to transcend discrimination and differentiation. In the subtler stages of Tantra the artificial distinctions of caste, colour, and social status are not recognized. In this stage all aspirants merely identify themselves as Bhaerava or Bhaeravii. In the Ajiṋánabodhinii Tantra it has been said,

Varńáshramábhimánena shrutidásye bhavennarah;
Varńáshramabihiinashca vartate shrutimúrdhani.⁽⁶⁾

Elsewhere in Tantra it has been said,

Ye kurbanti naráh múrdá divyacakre pramádatah;
Kulabhedaḿ varńabhedaḿ te gacchantyadhamám gatim.

[Even those who practise Tantra sádhaná and meditate in the Bhaeravii cakra will, if they retain belief in caste differences, degrade themselves to a crude state.]

“Those who accept differences of lineage and caste degrade themselves, and are ultimately converted into foxes, dogs, pigs, worms, or even trees and stones.” No one can prevent their degradation. The practice of Tantra is the practice of self-expansion, not self-contraction. Those who are blindly guided by the teachings of the Vedas and believe in the artificial distinctions of caste and class, etc., or beat drums proclaiming the Aryan supremacy, follow the path of self-contraction. Their sádhaná is the sádhaná of ignorance and annihilation.

The Crude and the Subtle Paiṋcamakára

Many people criticize Tantra for its Paiṋcamakára.⁽⁷⁾ In their case it can aptly be said that “a little learning is a dangerous thing.” They neither know, nor understand, nor try to understand, the underlying significance of the Five M’s.

Tantra can be roughly divided into two branches, one crude and the other subtle.⁽⁸⁾ The subtle aspect of Tantra is also called the yoga márga [path of yoga]. Sadáshiva was the propounder of both branches of Tantra, hence there cannot be any contradiction between them. Under ordinary circumstances the human mind is dominated by animal propensities. Of course, these baser propensities are not equally strong for all people. Those who have intense animal desires rush toward objects of physical enjoyment. Such people cannot just suddenly give up their objects of enjoyment in favour of spiritual sádhaná. Those whose desire for physical enjoyment is less intense can easily abstain from physical objects, but what are the first-mentioned people to do?

If such people try forcibly to turn their minds away from their objects of enjoyment, they will face disastrous consequences. Psychologists are well aware of the dangers of attempting to suppress or repress one’s desires. One may be able to maintain saintliness for a certain time, but the raging storm cannot be contained forever. It is not unusual for those who remain virtuous early in life to fall prey to immoral desires later in life. The dark shadow of immorality fell across the lives of many sannyásiis and sannyásiniis or bhikśus and bhikśuniis [monks and nuns] in the past for this very reason, that they had tried to suppress their desires by force. Some people pretend to be virtuous but indulge in immoral deeds secretly; if their numbers increase in society it is an unhealthy sign. The practice of the Five M’s was formulated for those people who harboured secret desires for crude physical enjoyment. But for those guided by subtle propensities, the subtle Paiṋcamakára, or yoga márga, was prescribed.

The main idea behind the practice of the crude Paiṋcamakára is to carry out sádhaná while in the midst of crude enjoyments. While carrying out this practice, they will limit the degree of their indulgence. By limiting the use of objects of enjoyment they will gradually increase their psychic power, and will ultimately rise above the allurement of enjoyment. For example, a wine addict will drink a controlled measure of wine as a part of sádhaná. A fish-eater will follow certain restrictions: he or she will limit the quantity of fish eaten, and will not eat female fish in their spawning period.

In this way people can gradually establish the superiority of their minds over objects of enjoyment. The practice of this pravrttimúlaka [extroversial] Paiṋcamakára will gradually take them to the nivrtti path.

Madya sádhaná: But many people are under the impression that the Five M’s means only the crude Five M’s. This is incorrect. Let us take the first element of the Five M’s. The deeper spirit of madya sádhaná is,

Somadhárá kśared yá tu Brahmarandhrát varánane;
Piitvánandamayastvaḿ sa eva madyasádhakah.

“One who experiences the intoxicating joy from drinking the sudhá, or somadhárá,⁽⁹⁾ secreted from the Brahmarandhra [pineal gland] is called a madya sádhaka.” In this connection one should remember that every gland secretes sudhá, secretes some hormone.

The hormone secretion of the Brahmarandhra, the supreme gland of the human body, is partly controlled by the moon, and the moon is also called soma; hence that nectar is called somarasa or somadhárá. This somadhárá invigorates the lower glands of the human body and intoxicates a spiritual aspirant with joy. Ordinary people cannot experience this divine joy, because crude thoughts result in somarasa being burnt up in the mental sphere (in the pituitary gland and vicinity). But a sádhaka feels a great intoxication at the time this amrta is being secreted.

When those who are not sádhakas observe this condition, they mistake it for something else. Ramprasad, the great mystic, said,

Surápán karine ámi sudhá khái jaya Kálii bale;
Man-mátále mátál kare mad-mátále mátál bale.

[I don’t drink wine, I take sudhárasa, saying, “Victory to Kálii.” My mind, intoxicated with bliss-causing hormones, makes me drunk. But those who are intoxicated with drink, call me a drunkard.]

There is yet another subtle interpretation of the term madya, according to Tantric yogis:

Yaduktaḿ Parama Brahma nirvikáraḿ niraiṋjanam;
Tasmin pramadanajiṋánam tanmadyaḿ parikiirttitaḿ.

“Intense love for Nirvikára Niraiṋjana Parama Brahma leads to the annihilation of thought, intellect and ego, and appears as an intoxication which may be termed a madya sádhaná.”

Máḿsa sádhaná: Similarly, to a Tantric, máḿsa does not mean meat.

Má shabdádrasaná jineyá tadaḿsán rasaná priye;
Yastad bhakśayennityam sa eva máḿsa sádhakah.

[Má means “tongue”, and it is through the tongue that words are uttered. One who “eats”, or controls, those words is a máḿsa sádhaka.]

Má means “tongue”; máḿsa means “speech”; máḿsabhakśańa means “control over speech”.

There is yet another interpretation of the word máḿsa.

Evaḿ máḿsanotihi yatkarma tanmáḿsa parikiirttitaḿ;
Na ca káyaprati vántu yogibhimasimucyate.

That is to say, “One who surrenders all one’s actions, good, bad, righteous, sinful, wicked – even the attainment of prolonged penance – to Me, is called máḿsa.”

Meat is in no way considered by yogis to be a useful item of food.

Matsya sádhaná:

Gauṋgá Yamunayormadhye matsyao dvao caratah sadá;
Tao matsyao bhakśayet yastu sah bhavenmatsyasádhakah.

The matsya sádhaná of a Tantric yogi can be interpreted in this way: “One who eats the two fish that swim, one through the Ganges (representing the id́á nád́ii) and the other through the Yamuna (the piuṋgalá nád́ii) – that is, one who takes the breath flows of the left nostril and the right nostril to the trikut́i [concentration point of the ájiṋá cakra] and suspends them there by purńa kumbhaka [holding the inhalation] or shunya kumbhaka [holding the exhalation] – is a matsya sádhaka.”

In connection with matsya, Lord Shiva further said,

Matsamánaḿ sarvabhúte sukhaduhkhamidaḿ devi;
Iti yatsátvikaḿ jiṋánaḿ tanmatsyah parikiirttitah.

“When a person feels all the pains and pleasures of others as one’s own pains and pleasures, this sentient feeling is called matsya sádhaná.”

Mudrá sádhaná: Crude mudrá sádhaná involves the use of a certain type of food. Subtle mudrá sádhaná has nothing to do with food.

Satsaungena bhavenmuktirasatsaungeśu bandhanam;
Asatsauṋgamudrańaḿ sá mudrá parikiirttitá.

“Bad company leads to bondage; good company leads to liberation. Having understood this supreme truth, one should avoid bad company. This shunning of bad company is called mudrá sádhaná.”

Maethuna sádhaná: Many people comment adversely on the fifth M. Through this process of sádhaná [i.e., through crude maethuna sádhaná], people of cruder propensities can gradually develop self-restraint. This is the teaching of Tantra, and nobody should object to it.

And regarding subtle maethuna sádhaná, it has been said,

Kulakuńd́alinii shaktirdehináḿ dehadhárińii;
Tayá Shivashya saḿyogah maethunaḿ parikiirttitaḿ.

The lowest vertebra of the spinal cord is called kula. In this part of the múládhára cakra [basic plexus] is located the kulakuńd́alinii, or daevii shakti [divine energy]. The purpose of maethuna sádhaná is to raise the kulakuńd́alinii and unite it with Paramashiva [the Nucleus Consciousness] at the sahasrára cakra [corresponding to the pineal gland].

The Lessons of Tantra

The lessons of Tantra are physico-psycho-spiritual – from the physical to the psychic, and from the psychic to the spiritual. Tantra says that one can attain spiritual elevation through physical and psychic purification. This is a very logical proposition. Hence absolute purity in food and conduct is essential for a Tantric sádhaka. Without attaining all-round purification it is impossible for a sádhaka to experience real spiritual ideation. On the path of spirituality, bháva [ideation] is the main factor.

Regarding the interpretation of the word bháva, the devotional scriptures observe,

Shuddhasattva visheśádvá premasúryáḿshusámyabhák;
Rucibhishcittamásrńya krdasao bháva ucyate.

[Bháva (often translated “psycho-spiritual idea” or “psycho-spiritual parallelism”) means that type of special ideation which makes the entitative rhythm very pure and holy, which arouses the latent love for Parama Puruśa, and which makes the mind smooth-surfaced and soft owing to the spiritual effulgence.]

But Tantra explains bháva as follows: Bhávo hi mánaso dharma manasaeva sadábhyáset – “Bháva is a mental tendency. The flow of bháva can be brought about through repetition.” This repetition of ideation is called japakriyá – outer-suggestion or auto-suggestion. If human beings repeatedly ideate on Paramátmá, their psychic waves gradually straighten, because they come in contact with the perfectly straight spiritual waves of that Entity. Japakriyá is the practical way to realize Iishvara. In the Vedas, Ahaḿ Brahma, Tattvamasi and many other mantras have been mentioned. But what does a person gain by knowing the theory behind these words without experiencing any practical realization from them? The Vedas do not state clearly how to ideate, nor how to realize the inner import of mantra, nor even how to use mantras in practical life.

Anubhútiḿ biná múd́ha vrthá Brahmańi modate;
Pratibimbitashákhágraphalásvádanamodavat.

–Maetreyii Shruti

[Without God-realization, a person will try in vain to get spiritual bliss. Seeing the reflection in water of a sweet fruit hanging from the branch of a tree does not give one the taste of the fruit.]

“The sight of the reflection in water of a sweet fruit hanging from the branch of a tree does not give one the taste of the fruit.” Similarly, what is the value of book knowledge of Brahma if a person has no actual spiritual realization? In this regard Tantra says,

Ahaḿ Brahmásmi, vijiṋánáda jiṋánávilayo bhavet;
So’mityeva saḿcintya viharet sarvadá devi.

–Gandharva Tantra

“The realization Ahaḿ Brahmásmi [”I am Brahma“] is the only way to dispel the darkness of ignorance. But if this knowledge of Brahmásmi remains confined to mere words, it will not serve any practical purpose.” To gain knowledge of Brahma, one’s ideation – ideation on the So’ham mantra – will have to be continuous. Continuous ideation is not possible through mere parrot-like repetition of a mantra. This subtle science of psycho-spiritual practice is the discovery of Tantra.

Japakriyá and dhyánakriyá [auto- or outer-suggestion, and meditation with unbroken concentration] are the subtle techniques prescribed by Mahákaolas.⁽¹⁰⁾ Tantrics also say that mere repetition of mantra will not serve any purpose unless there is a rhythmic parallelism between the incantative flow (the flow of the mantra) and the mental flow (the flow of the unit mind). To perform japakriyá while harbouring harmful thoughts is futile. One can only attain success in japakriyá if all the psychic propensities are diverted towards the deeper spirit of the mantra. (This will simultaneously bring about stillness of the váyus [energy flows in the body]).

Mano’nyatra shivo’nyatra shaktiranyatra márutah;
Na sidhyati varánane kalpakotishataerapi.

–Kulárńava Tantra

“The mind runs in one direction towards its object of fascination; its object of ideation lies in another direction; the vital energy moves in yet another direction; and the váyus run in all directions uncontrollably. In the midst of such chaos ideation on Parama Puruśa is impossible, even in billions of kalpas [ages].”

Indriyáńám manonáthah manonatho’stu márutah. “The controller of the indriyas is the mind, and the controllers of the mind are the váyus.” In spiritual practice the indriyas, the mind and the váyus cannot be ignored. They must be consolidated and directed towards Parama Puruśa.

In Tantra the system of diikśá [initiation] is highly scientific. Initiation has two important aspects: diipanii and mantra caetanya. Diipanii⁽¹¹⁾ means “torchlight”; mantra caetanya means “conceptual understanding of and psychic association with a mantra”. Regarding the interpretation of diikśá, the Vishvasára Tantra says,

Diipa jiṋánaḿ yato dadyát kuryát pápakśayam tatah;
Tasmátdiikśeti sá proktá sarvatantrasya sammatá.

“The process which produces the capacity to realize the inner import of mantra and which expedites the requital of the saḿskáras, or reactive momenta, is called diikśá.”

You may have noticed that some people become extremely sad or extremely happy after being initiated. This is a good sign because it shows that the saḿskáras are being exhausted very quickly. But this sort of reaction does not occur merely by hearing the mantra or repeating it parrot-like. One must be initiated according to the prescribed system. Only then will the mantra be effective. This will be clear to those practising Ananda Marga meditation.

Andhakáragrhe yadvanna kincat pratibhásate;
Diipaniirahito’mantrastathaeva parikiirttitá.

–Sárasvata Tantra

You must know that both diipanii and mantra caetanya must precede the repetition of a mantra. “One cannot see even the most valuable objects in a dark room. Similarly, a valuable mantra cannot be used properly without the help of diipanii.”

Mantra caetanya: Unless the kulakuńd́alinii is raised upwards in the process of spiritual practice, repetition of mantra becomes meaningless. The system of raising the kulakuńd́alinii upwards is called purashcarańa kriyá. Mantra caetanya literally means to imbibe the proper spirit of a mantra. If a mantra is repeated with the understanding of the inner spirit, mantra caetanya will be an easier task. To repeat the mantra without understanding its spirit is a waste of time. In this connection Sadáshiva said in the Rudrayámala Tantra,

Caetanya rahitáh mantráh proktavarńástu kevaláh;
Phalaḿ naeva prayacchanti lakśa kot́i prajapati.

[Mantras without their corresponding ideation are merely a couple of letters mechanically uttered. They will not bear any fruit even if repeated a billion times.]

Dhyána: Diipanii and mantra caetanya are not necessary in the process of dhyána,⁽¹²⁾ but they are necessary in japakriyá [auto- or outer-suggestion through repetition of mantra]. Those who are unsuccessful in japakriyá find it very difficult to master the practice of dhyána.⁽¹³⁾ In the process of dhyána, mantra, diipanii, and mantra caetanya – all three – are associated with the dhyeya Puruśa [Puruśa as the object of ideation]. So from a subtle perspective, japa is a composite of a number of processes, but dhyána kriyá is complete in itself, and this is the reason that beginners find it difficult to become established in dhyána.⁽¹⁴⁾ For those who can establish themselves in dhyána, however, samádhi is a certainty.

Vinányásaeh viná pújáḿ viná japaeh puraskriyaḿ;
Dhyánayogád bhavetsiddhirnányathá khalu Párvatii.

–Shrii Krama Tantra

[Said Shiva to Párvatii, “Through dhyána one can attain the highest spiritual success, even without nyása, pújá, japa and purashcarańa (other practices). You can take this for a fact.”]

Only after one is established in dhyána can one attain nirvikalpa samádhi. If one is established in samádhi, liberation or salvation will come as a matter of course.

Tantra, being a practical process, does not recognize any external practices or showy displays, and in particular does not recognize idol worship as the best process of sádhaná. Even the Vedas, although they contain references to idols, do not approve of idol worship; and Tantra is much more liberal, much more psychological, than the Vedas. According to Tantra idol worship is also a process of sádhaná, but the crudest process.

Uttamo Brahmasadbhávo madhyamá dhyánadhárańá;
Japastuti syádadhamá múrtipújá dhamádhamá.

[Ideation on Brahma is the best, dhyána and dhárańá are second best, repetitious incantation and eulogistic prayer are the worst, and idol worship is the worst of the worst.]

Tantra declares that Citistad shabda lakśárthácidekarasarúpinii [“The Supreme Entity is fundamentally citi (consciousness). It is an unbroken flow of cognition.”] The Supreme Entity is a continuous flow of cognition, only attainable through the process of incantation. So how could Tantra consider the worship of idols or matter an ideal type of sádhaná?

In Tantra there are three types of sádhaná: pravrtti sádhaná, nivrtti sádhaná, and a combination of the two. The crude and horrifying practices of pisháca sádhaná [pisháca = “ghoul”] are part of pravrtti sádhaná. The goal of pisháca sádhaná is to establish supremacy over material forces. Even though one acquires certain powers, and thereby the possibility of some purely temporary happiness, after practising this sádhaná for some time, one’s degeneration is inevitable, for it is based on an external outlook. Pisháca sádhakas will suffer the inevitable fate of being reborn as animals or being converted into wood, earth or stone.

Tantra’s nivrtti márga is the highest type of practice. Through this process a spiritual aspirant attains elevation step by step. Nirváńa or mahánirváńa, mukti or mokśa,⁽¹⁵⁾ can be attained through this process. The path which mixes pravrtti and nivrtti is called the path of upavidyá. Nivrtti márga, or Vidyá Tantra, brings about the highest excellence in the spiritual sphere, but the mixed path of pravrtti and nivrtti brings neither degeneration nor progress. Hence it can be said that practitioners of upavidyá simply waste their valuable time.

Tantra’s freedom from superstition, and its psychological approach, are clearly illustrated in the last few lines of the Mahánirváńa Tantra:

Bálariid́ańavat sarvarúpanámádikalpanam;
Kevalaḿ Brahmaniśt́ha yah sa mukto nátra saḿshayah.
Mrcchiládhátudárvádimúrttáviishvaro buddhayo;
Klishyantastapasáh jiṋánaḿ viná mokśam ná yánti te.
Manasá kalpitá múrtih nrńáḿ cenmokśasádhanii;
Svapnalabdhena rájyena rájáno mánavástadá.
Ná muktirtapanáddhomádupavásashataerapi;
Brahmaeváhamiti jiṋátvá mukto bhavati dehabhrt.
Váyu parńa kanátoyaḿ vratino mokśabháginah;
Apicet pannagáh muktáh pashupakśii jalecaráh.⁽¹⁶⁾

To realize the greatness of Tantra, one will have to carry on spiritual practice. A non-practitioner can never penetrate into the mysteries of Tantra.

Some people are under the wrong impression that as the practice of Tantra is based on an ardent love for ideology there is no room for devotion; or if there is an element of devotion, it is a very minor one. But this is not correct. On the contrary, Tantra’s love of ideology is dependent on parábhakti [absolute devotion]. Hence it has been said:

Api cet sudurácáro bhajate mámananyabhák;
So’pi pápavinirmuktah mucyate bhavabandhanát.

[If even the most wicked persons worship Me with a concentrated mind, I will liberate them from the three bondages (physical, psychic and spiritual).]

And finally, regarding Parama Brahma, Tantra has said,

Oṋḿ namaste sate sarvalokáshrayáya;
Namaste Cite vishvarúpátmakáya.
Namo’dvaetatattváya muktipradáya;
Namo Brahmańe vyápine nirguńáya.
Tadekaḿ sharańyaḿ tadekaḿ vareńyaḿ;
Tadekaḿ jagatkárańaḿ vishvarúpam.
Tadekaḿ jagatkarttr-pátr praharttrḿ;
Tadekaḿ paraḿ nishcalaḿ nirvikalpam.
Bhayánáḿ bhayaḿ bhiiśańaḿ bhiiśańánáḿ;
Gatih práńináḿ pávanaḿ pávanánám.
Mahaccaeh padánáḿ niyantr tadekaḿ;
Paresháḿ paraḿ rakśakaḿ rakśakáńám.
Paresha prabho sarvarúpavináshinnanirdeshya;
Sarvendriyágamyasatya.
Acintyákśara vyápakávyaktatattva;
Jagadbhásakádhiisha páyádapáyát.
Tadekaḿ smarámastadekaḿ japámas;
Tadekaḿ jagat sákśiirúpaḿ namámah.
Tadekaḿ nidhánaḿ nirálambamiishaḿ;
Bhavámbodhipotaḿ sharańaḿ vrajámah.

–Mahánirváńa Tantra

[My salutations to the Self-Existent Entity, the supreme shelter of all the created worlds. My salutations to the Supreme Cognition, the Supreme One, the Absolute One in the form of this expressed universe. My salutations to the supreme non-dualistic Entity, the distributor of salvation. My salutations to Brahma, the All-Pervasive and Non-Attributional Entity. My salutations to that Supreme Entity who is the ultimate refuge of all, the supreme adorable one, the primordial cause of the universe, the One who has deliberately assumed the form of the universe. My salutations to That which has been creating, protecting and dissolving this universe. My salutations to that Supreme Unmovable Entity, the One without an alternative. My salutations to that which is the fear of all fears, who is the dread of all dreadful entities, the Supreme Terminus of all living beings, the purity of all purities, the Supreme Controller, controlling even the highest dignitaries of the universe. That Supreme Entity is the Subject of all subjects, the Supreme Lord of everything. All the objects, or forms, ultimately merge in Him. He cannot be shown to anybody. He is the Supreme Truth, inaccessible to the senses. He is beyond the capacity of thought. He is intransmutable. He is the most pervasive Entity, yet at the same time, He is unmanifest. It is He who has given expression to the expressed universe; yet at the same time He is above the fundamental factors of which the universe is made. Him only we remember, on Him only we contemplate; my salutations to that Supreme Entity, the witnessing force of this expressed universe. We seek shelter in that supreme ship of the universe, who is the most dependable shelter, but who has no shelter of His own.]

Footnotes

(1) Ágama is a composite of the first letters of three words: the of gatam (“coming from”), the ga of gataiṋca (“going to”), and the ma of mataiṋca (“approved by”). –Eds.

(2) The authority of Lord Shiva should be considered sufficient to validate any teaching. (And the fact that Krśńa came 3500 years later than Shiva also makes the shloka unconvincing.) The protagonists of the Vedas wanted authority to rest in Lord Krśńa, whom they claimed not to be a Tantric. –Eds.

(3) For more on shravańa, manana and nididhyásana, see “Mantra Caetanya” in Volume One. –Eds.

(4) An indriya is a sensory or motor organ, together with its respective nerves, nerve fluid, and site in the brain. –Eds.

(5) “Perfected” mantras. See also “Mantra Caetanya” in Volume One. –Eds.

(6) “One who accepts the divisions of society according to varńa and áshrama is a veritable slave of the Vedas. But one who is above varńa and áshrama is the lord of the Vedas.” There are four varńas [castes] – Vipra, Kśatriya, Vaeshya and Shdra – and four áshramas – Brahmacarya, or student life; gárhasthya, family life; váńaprasthya, retirement in solitude; and sannyása or yati, the life of renunciation. –Eds.

(7) Literally, “five ma sounds” – madya (wine), máḿsá (meat), matsya (fish), mudrá (parched grains), and maethuna (sexual intercourse). –Eds.

(8) There is a middle path between the crude and subtle paths, called madhyama márga in Sanskrit, and majhjhima mágga in Pali.

(9) Literally, “nectar”; actually a hormone. –Eds.

(10) A Mahákaola is a Tantric guru who can raise not only His own kuńalinii, but those of others also. –Eds.

(11) In Ananda Marga meditation there is a process for performing diipanii. –Eds.

(12) They are not necessary as auxiliary practices, because, as will be explained, they are included within dhyána. –Eds.

(13) Japakriyá is a composite of processes, and those processes can be carried out one by one; therefore it is not so difficult as dhyána. –Eds.

(14) Japakriyá is a composite of processes, and those processes can be carried out one by one; therefore it is not so difficult as dhyána. –Eds.

(15) “Liberation or emancipation (non-qualified liberation)” – in the terminology first of Buddhist Tantra, then of Hindu Tantra. –Eds.

(16) Translation of first four couplets: “Meditation on the names and forms (of idols) is a kind of child’s play. Only one whose mind is reverently concentrated on Brahma will win liberation; there is no doubt about this. Those who think that Parama Puruśa is confined within idols made of clay, stone, metal, or wood, are simply torturing their bodies with penances – they will surely not attain salvation without self-knowledge. If an idol produced out of the human imagination can bring about salvation, then can a person, by creating a kingdom in his dreams, become a king in the real sense? Liberation is not attainable by penance, sacrificial rituals, or hundreds of fasts. Living beings attain liberation when they realize, ‘I am Brahma.’” –Eds.

Chapter 42	Supreme Expression Volume 1 [a compilation]

What is Tantra? The process of transforming [latent divinity] into the Supreme Divinity is known as Tantra sádhaná. The sleeping divinity in animality is termed, in the language of spiritual aspirants, the kulakuńd́alinii. So we find that actually the spirit of Tantra sádhaná lies in infusing a [vibration] in the kulakuńd́alinii and pushing her up towards the spiritual goal.

The significance of the term tantra is “liberation from bondage [the bondage of dullness, or staticity]”. The letter ta is the seed [sound] of dullness. And the root verb trae suffixed by d́a becomes tra, which means “that which liberates” – so the spiritual practice which liberates the aspirant from the dullness or animality of the static force and expands the aspirant’s [spiritual] self is Tantra sádhaná. So there cannot be any spiritual practice without Tantra. Tantra is sádhaná.

Spiritual practice means practice for expansion, and this expansion is nothing but a liberation from the bondage of all sorts of dullness [or staticity]. A person who, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, aspires for spiritual expansion or does something concrete, is a Tantric. Tantra in itself is neither a religion nor an ism. Tantra is a fundamental spiritual science. So wherever there is any spiritual practice it should be taken for granted that it stands on the Tantric cult. Where there is no spiritual practice, where people pray to God for the fulfilment of narrow worldly desires, where people’s only slogan is “Give us this and give us that” – only there do we find that Tantra is discouraged. So only those who do not understand Tantra, or even after understanding Tantra do not want to do any spiritual practice, oppose the cult of Tantra.

The factors behind their repulsion from sádhaná are two in number. The first is what is known as the psychology of spiritual inertness, and the second is a sort of phobia. The spiritual phobia is the greatest enemy of human society. This phobia is the main discouraging factor.

As I was saying, the [acoustic root] ta represents dullness, and the endeavour to liberate one’s self from this dullness is known as Tantra sádhaná.

At this point I would like to say a few words about the biija mantras [seed sounds, acoustic roots] of Tantra. In this universal arena each and every action has a certain acoustic implication. The fundamental sound that works behind an action is known as the seed of that action. If the different expressions of the Cosmic Self or of the Macrocosm are termed devatás, then at the root of every devatá there lies a particular seed or sound. That particular seed or sound is known as the biija mantra of the devatá concerned. The will power (biija bindu or kámabiija) of the Cosmic Self, [in] its first expression, takes the form of the náda (first expression moving in a straight line). After that the náda is converted into kalá [curvature created under the influence of mutative Prakrti], and the sensible or perceptible manifestations of this kalá are known as the jagat or “world”. The spirit of the term jagat is “passing show”.

So we find that the world, which is an expression of kalá, comes from the náda, and the náda comes from the kámabiija, or will force (Shambhúliuṋga), of the Great. [Náda has the acoustic form of oṋm.] This oṋm is the collective form of three seed letters, a, u, and ma, representing creation, preservation and destruction, respectively. So the word oṋm can properly represent this manifested universe. Through proper analysis we get fifty fundamental sounds, or acoustic roots, from oṋm – that is, oṋm is a collective form of those fifty sounds.

Every worldly action is expressed through activating waves having the potentialities of those fundamental sounds as their nuclei. The potentiality of a particular sound or the potentialities of more than one sound may act as nucleus or nuclei, according to the nature of the action concerned. These fundamental sounds are the creative forces of the universe, so they are known as mátrká varńas [causal matrices]. Whatever exists in the universe is [supported] by a sound of this type.

One of the things existing in the universe is contraction or dullness. Contraction or dullness is also something worldly. Since it exists, it will certainly have some biija mantra. The biija mantra of this dullness is ta, and the sádhaná that liberates spiritual aspirants from the influence of this ta is Tantra.

There is spiritual force in each and every living entity. The practical interpretation of Tantra is to awaken this spiritual force and expand it, with the one objective of unifying it with the Supreme Divinity. The lowermost portion of the spinal cord is known as kula, [the abode of] Svayambhú. It is called kula because it bears the weight of the main physical trunk: ku means “creation” and la means “holder” (lá + da = la). [The abode of] Svayambhúliuṋga, bearing the weight of the main physical trunk, is rightly termed kula.

The unconscious animality residing in this kula in a coiled form, is nothing but the latent divine force. It gets back its original status as soon as its attachment for crude objectivities is removed. Because of its coiled form, this sleeping divine force is known as the kulakuńd́alinii, or the “coiled serpentine”. So the first and foremost phase of spiritual sádhaná lies in awakening the kulakuńd́alinii from her long hibernation, with the help of a proper wave coming from a great spiritualist [and] with the help of a proper mantra. But for one’s spiritual march, just to awaken her is not sufficient. This awakened kulakuńd́alinii must be pushed upwards, and her existence must be suspended in the non-attributed existence of Shiva [Supreme Consciousness]. To suspend the kulakuńd́alinii in Shiva is the ideal of Tantra.

Dhyáyet kuńd́aliniiḿ sukśmáḿ múládháranivásiniiḿ
Támiśt́a devatá rupaḿ sárdhatri balayánvitam;
Koti saodáminiibhásaḿ Svayambhúliuṋgavesthitám.

[One should meditate on the kuńd́alinii – residing in the múládhára cakra in a subtle and divine form – coiled three-and-a-half times – with the effulgence of a million moons – wrapped around the Svayambhúliuṋga.]

There are various glands of various types in the human structure. Each and every gland may be treated as the controlling station of a particular mental [propensity], and the intensity of expression of the mental [propensities] depends on the proper secretion of hormones from these glands. As a general rule hormones secreted from the lower glands cannot influence the upper glands, but they can, directly or indirectly, influence the glands situated at lower points. Since the sahasrára cakra [corresponding to the pineal gland] is the highest cakra, or plexus, hormones secreted by that plexus can control all other glands of the human body. Just now I said that the kulakuńd́alinii is awakened by the force of spiritual waves, or of mantra, and these glands help spiritual aspirants by creating such a force. The sahasrára cakra being the controller of all the glands, it is the central station of all the waves and mantras.

In each and every important gland or sub-gland there resides the seed of its expression, that is, a mátrká varńa. So in the sahasrára cakra there [lie the seeds] of all expressions – that is, all the mátrká varńas are there. The synthetic form of all the mátrká varńas is the oṋḿkára [oṋm-sound]. So it is crystal-clear that the potentiality of expression of all the instincts of the human mind lies in the sahasrára cakra.

Human [staticity] can be converted into spirituality or divinity only after arriving at the sahasrára cakra. The lowermost plexus, the múládhára, is the site of crudeness, and the uppermost plexus, the sahasrára, is just the opposite, it is the site of consciousness. So people of animal instinct have no other way, if they want to free themselves from worldly illusions, than to take the kulakuńd́alinii from the múládhára to the sahasrára. The inner spirit of raising of the kulakuńd́alinii is for one to control the [propensities] and seed sounds of the different glands and to suspend one’s self in Paramashiva [the Nucleus Consciousness], whose rank is beyond the scope of all the instincts and seed sounds. It is a process of shattering the páshas [bondages] of all mental weaknesses; and after conquering these weaknesses and other mental ripus [enemies], to transform animality into divinity. This sádhaná of the kulakuńd́alinii is a great fight. After establishing oneself above the scope of each and every instinct, idea and seed sound, a sádhaka must go on with his or her fight, with the intention of merging himself or herself into the Supreme Entity which is beyond the arena of the world of ideation. So the sádhaná of Tantra is a great battle, a sádhanásamara.

The main characteristic of Tantra is that it represents human vigour. It represents a pactless fight. Where there is no fight there is no sádhaná. Under such circumstances Tantra cannot be there, where there is no sádhaná, no fight. It is an impossibility to conquer a crude idea and to replace it by a subtle idea without a fight. It is not at all possible without sádhaná. Hence, Tantra is not only a fight, it is an all-round fight. It is not only an external or internal fight, it is simultaneously both. The internal fight is a practice of the subtler portion of Tantra. The external fight is a fight of the cruder portion of Tantra. And the fight both external and internal is a fight in both ways at once.

So practice in each and every stratum of life receives due recognition in Tantra, and the coordination and cooperation of the practices in all strata represents Tantra in its proper perspective. The practice for raising the kulakuńd́alinii is the internal sádhaná of Tantra, while shattering the bondages of hatred, suspicion, fear, shyness, etc., by direct action is the external sádhaná. When those who have little knowledge of sádhaná see the style of this external fight, they think that the Tantrics moving in the cremation ground are a sort of unnatural creature. Actually the general public have no understanding of these Tantrics. In the direct fight against the ripus and páshas they may appear to be unnatural for the time being, but one cannot ignore the fact that in wartime every person becomes, to some extent, unnatural in his or her activities.

Those who did not understand the inner spirit of the subtler sádhaná of Tantra,⁽¹⁾ or those who did not or could not understand the essence of [Tantric] practices or could not follow those practices in their lives, misinterpreted the real idea and did whatever they liked according to their sweet will, with the intention of furthering their narrow individual interests and fulfilling their worldly desires. A section of the polished intelligentsia, because of their meanness and degraded tastes, misunderstood Tantra and went against its idea. Those who could not understand the inner spirit of the terms madya, máḿsa, miina [matsya], etc. (known as the Paiṋcamakára),⁽²⁾ accepted the crude worldly interpretations of those articles, and their Tantra sádhaná was nothing but an immoral antisocial activity.

The process of Tantra sádhaná is gradual. But with even a preliminary advancement in this sádhaná, sádhakas attain certain mental and occult powers which make them stronger than the average person in terms of mental and spiritual development. But if in the process sádhakas forget Parama Brahma, the culminating point of all our vital expression, and employ their mental and occult powers to exploit the common mass and to satisfy their lusts, then the demerit lies with those individuals, not with Tantra. If sádhakas remain vigilant and alert regarding the principles of Yama and Niyama, that is, the cardinal moral principles, there is little chance of their degradation. Rather with their developed mental and occult force, they will be in a position to render better service to humanity and to utilize their intellects in a better way.

People can use any of their powers or attainments either for virtue or for vice. If anyone applies his or her potentialities in evil or destructive designs instead of in good ones, then the powers or potentialities are not to be blamed – all the lapses are lapses of the person. Money can be used in various public welfare projects; yet it can also bring on various socials evils. Swords can be applied to suppress the stupid, but also the gentle. So is the sword or the money responsible for its own good or bad use? Certainly not. It is highly improper to allow the powers attained through Tantra sádhaná to become extroversial; it is proper to exercise all these attainments in more complex sádhaná, in the subtler pursuits, so that spiritual obstructions are forced out of the human mind. This spiritual attainment helps the kulakuńd́alinii to ascend and to merge with, or unify with, Supreme Consciousness.

Tantra should be utilized only in the subtle field; if applied extroversially, it brings about so much of the crude impact of worldly affairs that the degeneration of a sádhaka becomes unavoidable. The power that is applied by degenerated Tantrics in the śát karma⁽³⁾ of Tantra – that is, psychically killing, psychically dominating or controlling, stupefying, hypnotizing, etc. – has, in reality, nothing to do with spirituality. All of these powers are simply mental powers attained through Tantra sádhaná. They can be attained even without practising Tantra sádhaná, by practising certain mental processes. But then such powers can be successfully applied only against mental weaklings. No endeavour of this sort will find any opening with mentally stronger persons. And none of these actions carries any value for a spiritual sádhaka.

To attain Tantric power one has to practise both external and internal sádhaná – has to stage a fight of both kinds. As a part of the external fight one has to apply a vigorous force or control over his or her worldly conduct and expression, while in the internal fight one has to arouse and to take up his or her kulakuńd́alinii against one’s crude thought with all the strength of one’s intuition.

The ascent of the kulakuńd́alinii is brought about through the practice of certain processes. At the sahasrára, or pineal gland, the kulakuńd́alinii drinks the hormone secreted by that plexus. The biological explanation of this is that the sádhaka attains control over the flow of nectar secreted from the sahasrára (i.e., over a particular hormone secreted from the pineal gland). This flow of nectar is the main support of divine life. During this period of kuńd́alinii sádhaná (sádhaná establishing control over the “coiled serpentine”), sádhakas attain or establish control over the ascent and descent of the [suśumná] fluid. The mental trends of sádhakas are vitalized by the nectar of the sahasrára – by this hormone – and by the well-controlled movement of the [suśumná] fluid, bringing the sádhakas uncommon sagacity and vigour. The blending of such sagacity and vigour adorns a sádhaka with an attractive personality, with sharp intelligence and with an unparalleled spirit. Only under the sound leadership of such Tantrics can a dharmic social and national life be lived.

On this path of human advancement from animality to divinity, everybody has a particular position and exerts an influence on society corresponding to that position. Every human being, as a matter of principle, by virtue of being Homo sapiens, certainly has equal rights with others in every walk of life, but Tantra admits specialities to individuals in proportion to their positions on metaphysical strata. Tantra does not recognize any racial, genealogical, political, national or economic differences among human beings, but it does give recognition to individual vigour. The fundamental difference between the Vedic Aryan ideals and the Tantric ideals is that among the Vedic ideals, much importance is granted to racial and clan differences, while in Tantra only the ideal human gets the honour. There is very little scope for spiritual development in the prayerful Aryan religion, and that is why the Aryans who settled in India gradually became influenced by Tantra. The effectiveness of Tantra in developing personality and vigour within a short span of time made Tantra attractive to the Aryans. So in the beginning they started practising Tantra sádhaná, but with strict secrecy. During the daytime they would remain Aryans with their usual emblems – shikhá [sacred hair] and sútra [sacred thread] – but at night they would throw off their upaviita [sacred thread] and caste differences and practise Tantra sádhaná in Bhaeravii cakra.

Pravrtte Bhaeraviicakre sarva varná dvijátayah;
Nivrtte Bhaeraviicakre sarve varńah prthak-prthak.

[When they sit in the Bhaeravii cakra, they distinguish only between those who are sádhakas and those who are not; but when they leave the cakra, they renew the traditional caste distinctions.]

Veda through its sacrificial rituals encourages materialism, while the Tantric cult through its mental and spiritual practice helps sádhakas progress towards the intuitional self – towards the Supreme Non-Attributional Reality.

The spirit of sádhaná is to control the extroversial trends of the mind – to guide one’s self in a proper way – so sádhaná and the Tantric cult are synonymous. Ceremonial sacrifices, prayers, and other extroversial rituals are neither Tantra nor sádhaná. Every sádhaná that aims at the attainment of the Supreme, irrespective of its religious affiliation, is definitely Tantra; for Tantra is not a religion, Tantra is simply the science of sádhaná – it is a principle. In reality, can anyone stand up in any sphere of life without [sádhaná]? Can we achieve the honour, the status and the other commodities that we want in this material world without a struggle? And when we consider our aspiration for development and advancement in the mental world – that cannot be brought about without a struggle either. So everywhere, whether in the crude sphere or in the subtle sphere, struggle is the essence of life. The proper role of human beings lies in [controlling] and harnessing all sorts of crude forces or trends. Thus not only is Tantra an asset in the spiritual world; but even in the most material and crude spheres of life there is no other recourse than to accept Tantric ideals.

Those who sparkle and arouse their vigour in the physical and the mental worlds by staging a struggle against crude tendencies become superhuman persons in human frames. Such personalities, adorned with vigour and vitality, receive ovations everywhere. As a matter of fact, whatever may be the social or administrative [system of a country] – whether it is a democratic republic, or a bureaucracy, or a dictatorship – only those rule who have [invoked] vigour and personality in themselves. Vigorous personalities always rule the weaklings. If individuals having great personalities and great vigour enter into politics, they become [strong or autocratic leaders], while others bow to their command.

Personalities of intermediate category [in regard to their vigour] do not like to shoulder the responsibilities of a [strong leader]. They carry on their [autocratic leadership] under the safe shelter of a monarchical or republican government (by making the crown or the parliament a puppet in their hand); though it cannot be emphatically stated that democracy succeeds only in countries where people lack vigour. There are many countries where the people do not lack vigour, yet where democracy has claimed success. Of course, this has a political side too. [Autocracy] makes its appearance only in those countries where the people have an ample store of vigour yet where the government has become infested with a high degree of corruption. In England and the United States of America there is no dearth of vigour, yet due to efficient forms of government, democracy has never failed. But in Pakistan and Egypt, because of hopeless and pitiable sorts of governments, the people in general have accepted [autocracy] wholeheartedly.

In this world there are also many countries where there are no honest, sincere leaders in the political sphere and whose governmental body is full of corruption, but where, nevertheless, democracy has not suffered any setback. Anyway, the essence of my comments lies in the fact that even in worldly affairs one’s personality is developed through Tantra sádhaná, and sádhaná meets success everywhere.

In this regard, it may be asked whether the [strong leaders] of the world practise any Tantra sádhaná or not. To this my answer will be that, perhaps unknowingly, they have always followed Tantric principles. You perhaps know that the great hero of Indian independence, Subhash [Chandra Bose], was an ardent follower of the Tantric cult.

The caste system is based on the principle of distinctions and differences. This system has constituted the greatest obstruction to the formation of a strong, well-organized, well-knit society. This system does not provide a clue to or a seed of the possibility of unity in diversity. The caste system is recognized by the Vedas only, not by Tantra. In the Tantric cult, although there is cent per cent scope for a person’s all-round development, nevertheless, as human beings, all remain in an equal status. That is why there cannot be any compromise between Tantra and the caste system.

Varńáshramábhimánena shrutidásye bhavennarah;
Varńáshramabihiinashca varttate shrutimúrdhani.

–Ajiṋánabodhinii Tantra

That is – Tantra has expressed in clear language – “Those who proudly espouse the caste system are slaves of the Vedas, while those who have risen above it or kicked it off, attain a place at the head of the Vedas or above the Vedas.” The present caste system of Indian society is the creation of those opportunist Vedic Aryans who entered the Tantric cult but because of their lack of sincerity could not attain the desired status. The deficiencies of Vedic society have in this way inflicted great harm on Tantra.

True Tantrics will certainly allow special honour and recognition for individual potentialities and vigour, but as human beings, all will be equal to them. In the Buddhist Age as well, Tantrics followed this principle. In ancient times, Bengal and Mithila were great seats of Tantra. At that time those who had advanced in Tantra sádhaná – those Brahmans, Kayasthas, Vaidyas, etc., who were engaged in the sádhaná of raising the kulakuńd́alinii – were identified as kuliinas. Those who were supporters of the Vedas (also known as shruti) were recognized as shrotriyas. Though as human beings the kuliinas and the shrotriyas all enjoyed equal status in the then society, the kuliinas used to receive special honour as sádhakas. Ballal Sen, the king of Bengal, was originally a Buddhist Tantric, but later on became a Hindu Tantric.

Tantrics are to stage a fight against all crude forces, a pauseless struggle against inequality and cowardliness. Equality in society cannot be achieved if the [basis of power] is quantitative alone, without any consideration of qualitative value, for today those who do not try to invoke vigour in themselves by sádhaná far exceed in quantity those who do. So it is not by democracy, but by entrusting power to the true Tantrics, that equality in the economic and social spheres must be established in this material world. The establishment of equality is possible only by Tantrics and not by non-Tantrics. Of course not only in the mental and spiritual arena, but in the material sphere as well, complete or cent per cent equality is an impossibility. So Tantrics have to continue their fight indefinitely. For them where is the opportunity to have a rest?

Footnotes

(1) See “Tantra and Sádhaná”, section on The Crude and Subtle Paiṋcamakára. –Eds.

(2) See “Tantra and Sádhaná”, section on The Crude and Subtle Paiṋcamakára. –Eds.

(3) For more on the “six actions”, or “six branches”, of Avidyá Tantra, see the chapter “Vidyá Tantra and Avidyá Tantra”. –Eds.