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Where lies the fundamental difference between Macrocosm and microcosm? It has been said that:
Tayorvirodhayam upádhi kalpito na vástavah kashcidupádhireśah,
Ishádyamáyá mahadádi kárańaḿ jiivasya káryaḿ shrńu paiṋcakośam
The fundamental difference lies in certain attributional aspects. That is, the difference is attributional. And these attributional adjectives are not of permanent nature; they are of transitory nature. That is, today they may exist, tomorrow they may not exist. “Ishádyamáya mahadádi kárańaḿ.” These attributional differences are of a temporary nature. Today they are, tomorrow they may or may not be in existence. This is the idea. It has also been said:
Páshabaddho bhavejjiivah páshamukto bhavecchivah
When they are under the fetters of “pásha” they are “jiiva” (microcosm) and when those fetters cease to exist, they are Shiva, one with Shiva.
“Na vástavah kashcidupádhireśah”. Due to the influence, due to the binding effect of the Operative Principle on the Macrocosm, what happens? We get the quinquelemental universe; we get the physical world, metaphysical world and macrocosmic manifestations. “Jiivasya káryaḿ shrńu paiṋcakośaḿ”. The jiiva microcosm, that is, attributional macrocosm, consists of the paiṋcakośátmaka body, that is, this small physical structure, this small corporeal structure, and the crude mind: kámamaya kośa, manomaya kośa, atimánas kośa and so many kośas. So, this small body and its small mind of so many stages are the creation of the reactive momenta of the microcosm, are of microcosmic creation. This is the difference. That is, one is attributionally macrocosm and another is attributionally microcosm.
Now regarding microcosm it has been said;
Yádrshii bhávaná yasya siddhirbhavati tádrshii.
According to one’s desires one gets the fruits thereof. If somebody is a voracious eater and always hankers after food then it is quite likely that after the death of his physical body he may get the body of a pig in the next life. Suppose somebody wants to be a runner like a deer then it is not impossible that he will eventually get the body of a deer after the death of this present human structure.
The world of macrocosm is a big world – we call it the universe – and the world of microcosm is this little quinquelemental physical body and this body has been created according to your reactive momenta, according to your past desires. You wanted to run like a deer; you will get the body of a deer. This is the silver line of differentiation between microcosm and Macrocosm. Now, what to do?
Etávupádhi para jiivasyastayo samyagnirásena paro na jiivah,
Rájyam narendrasya bhat́t́asya khet́akayorpaohena bhat́t́a na rájá.
If the attributional macrocosm is taken away from Parama Puruśa, that is, from Shiva, and if this attributional microcosm is taken away from the jiiva, then there will be no difference. Jiiva will become Shiva and Shiva will become jiiva. No difference. It has been said – “Etávupádhi para jiivayastya”. Now, if this attributional difference between Para – Para means Parama Puruśa – and jiiva, is taken away, what will happen? If these attributional differences are taken away, there will be neither Para nor jiiva, neither Parama Puruśa nor small jiivátmá. They will become one.
If there is a man and a kingdom is attached to him – kingdom is something attributional – we will say that that man X is a king because that attribution of kingdom has been attached to him. He is a king. We will call another man who has got big clubs in his hand, a wrestler. He will be known as a wrestler because of the attribution of those clubs. But, if we take away that attribution of the kingdom from Mr. X and that attribution of clubs from Mr. Y, X will become Y. Similarly, if Para becomes something non-attributional, and jiiva also becomes non-attributional, they will become Parama Shiva, both will become Parama Shiva. What is spiritual practice? To wipe out these attributional bondages is sádhaná. This is spiritual practice.