On the 9th of January last year I told you something about the theory of Prakrti. Today I will tell specifically about Avidyá or the Extroversive Force.

Brahma is the composite of Puruśa and Prakrti. Prakrti is the Operative Principle and Puruśa is the Consciousness or the Cognitive Principle. Brahma is two in one. Jiiva or the unit manifestation of Brahma is also composed of Puruśa and Prakrti, that is cognitive and operative principles. The sense of ego or “Doer I” that exists behind all that a person does, says, thinks, understands, or hears is the product of Prakrti. And behind this ego, the “I know I am” that exists as the Supreme Knower is a human being’s cognitive force – the undistorted Puruśa. Not only humans, every entity, whether animate or inanimate, movable or immovable, consists of Puruśa and Prakrti. Sentience or insentience are only relative conditions. Truly speaking, there is nothing which is insentient or inanimate. Rather we do them injustice by calling and believing them to be so. Take, for instance, a piece of stone. Is it insentient? No, nothing is insentient from the spiritual point of view. Only those things appear insentient or inert, in which the influence of Prakrti or force over Puruśa or Consciousness is more in evidence. In other words, I would call only that inert, in which due to the greater influence of Prakrti, Puruśa is not manifest, or is lying dormant. In the Sun Prakrti is manifest but Puruśa is subdued. That is why the Sun, in spite of being the nucleus of the solar system – whose inhabitants, human beings, possess such a highly developed intellect – whose countless organisms are conscious of their respective egos – does not know itself as the Sun. But its progeny, human beings, very well know it as the sun. Not only that, they have tried to know and understand its functioning more and more deeply and have persevered and will persevere to possess and unravel all its mysteries through philosophical researches and analytical experiments. This conquest of human beings over the sun – the credit for this feat, does not belong to human beings but to the developed Puruśa or Consciousness. I cannot, from the spiritual standpoint, call anything inert or crude which looks apparently so under the greater crudifying influence of Prakrti, because the entity, which appears to be passive or crude, is actually the crude manifestation of Prakrti-influenced Consciousness. That is to say, in such a state the Consciousness is incapable of expressing its knowership, for its expression has been curtailed at the very outset by Prakrti. Thus a piece of stone which seems to be inanimate or inert, is not actually so. It only exists in a particular state of Consciousness and it too has the potentiality of transforming itself into a glorious human being like you one of these days. The dormant Puruśa in such seemingly inert objects will certainly one day awaken.

It is by the influence of Prakrti that Puruśa comes to be imbued with inertness, for to make the integral body of Brahma divided and diversified, everything has to be demarcated, and that demarcation is not possible unless the thing is crude. So to bring about such plurality in Puruśa, inertness has to be imposed on Him and this imposition is accomplished by Prakrti. Prakaroti iti Prakrti, that is, that, which [[has the]] multi-creative power or plasticity is called Prakrti.

This Prakrti has three constituent attributes or forces (guńas) – sentient (sattva), mutative (rajah) and static (tamah). Had there been no such multi-creative, triple-attributive Prakrti, the diverse manifestations of different animals and plants would not have come into being. In other words the entire universe would have remained purposeless and unvaried, unexpressed or unmanifested.

Prakrti and Máyá are almost synonymous, but in common usage there is a shade of difference in the meaning. In cases where the three guńas or attributes, sattva (sentient), rajah (mutative) and tamah (static), are in equilibrium, the word Prakrti, is generally used. Such equilibrated Mulá Prakrti (Primordial Force or Operative Principle) is unmanifest but where the three components are not in equilibrium, such a state is called Máyá (the Creative Principle). Where there is no equipoise or equality, where there is disparity – either sattva or tamah is predominant. The state of disparity in which sattva (the Sentient Force) is greater, is called Vidyámáyá or Introversive Force and the state in which Tamah (the Static Force) is greater, is called Avidyámáyá or Extroversive Force.

So you see, it is only due to the disparity in the trivalent factors of Prakrti that the world is conceived in the Cosmic Mind. Similarly when the unit mind races towards Brahma, it is also due to the same attributional disparity of Prakrti. If Prakrti had been in equipoise, no movement would have been possible in the primordial state where Prakrti is inexplicit and dormant in Puruśa – this state is a stationary state. Manifested Prakrti is of course dynamic, be that momentum introversive or extroversive. By the introversive momentum of Prakrti under the influence of Vidyámáyá, the unit beings (jiivas) proceed towards sublimity. But the stage when it reaches in that Sublime Uniformity, not only does the Avidyámáyá or extroversive force [[not]] exist, but even Vidyámáyá’s potential influence over the individuality of the unit also disappears due to her own super-exaltation. For the purpose of sádhaná (spiritual practices) sádhakas (spiritual aspirants) have to take the help of Vidyámáyá or introversive force though finally they have to forgo her also.

This Máyá (creative principle) is the Mother of the individuality of the unit entity, for without Máyá individuality does not come into being. The absence of motivity means the absence of creation. Had there been no Máyá, the potentiality of the individuality would have ever remained in Shiva or Cosmic Consciousness. Máyá is the causal matrix of the creation of this disparate, illusory world. Everything of this evolved world is the manifestation of her heterogeneous forms, her playful diversion.

Sarvarupamayii devii sarvaḿ deviimayaḿ jagat
Tato’ham vishvarupáḿ táḿ namámi parameshvariim.

–Márkańd́eya Puráńa

Máyá is of multifarious forms and all things of the entire world are nothing but Máyá. I bow to this Cosmos Mahámáyá.

Previously I told you that there existed a great Máyá-ic obscurity in between Cosmic Consciousness and unit consciousness, between the Cosmic individuality and unit individuality. It is due to this obscurity that there exists between them a sense of detachment; it is due to this obscurity that there results in the individuality of the unit such weaknesses as sense of despair, loss of confidence, etc., because whichever way the people turn, a perennial, cimmerian darkness stares them in the face and impairs their clear vision. As a result their eyes fail to grasp the real picture of things. They merely grope to become acquainted with them. To attain the valid cognition of reality and true vision we have to find out the means of escape from this Máyá. Does Máyá vanish of her own accord out of fear of human beings, or have we to develop some way to get rid of her?

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

–Shrii Krśńa

The one whose life’s goal is Brahma, the guiding-star in one’s path of progress, alone is capable of surmounting Máyá. That is why, one’s life should be based on Brahma – should be inclined to Brahma. A sádhaka’s sádhaná means struggle with Máyá (Creative Principle), and salvation means the subjugation of Máyá, in that event one will become the Lord of Máyá. In common parlance it is the unit entity which is under the influence of Máyá and Brahma alone who has sovereignty over her. When people attain supremacy over Máyá through their sádhaná, the veil of darkness moves aside from their minds and then there remains no difference between their own self-effulgence and the Brahmic effulgence – both are fused into one.

Sádhaná is a battle – a battle with Máyá, for the attainment of one’s objective. The object of this fight is somehow to thwart the force of Máyá. This battle can be fought in three ways.

Suppose you are walking alone through a vast forest with darkness all around you, and you see a dim light far away. Now, if you march on and on, treading through this darkness with your eyes fixed on that light, what will you finally see? As you proceed nearer and nearer towards the light, the density of darkness will become thinner and thinner, and when you reach very close to the light, you will find no darkness around you at all. Similarly, with Brahma as the goal, this proceeding forward, rending the darkness of Avidyá (the Extroversive Force), is one of the fights against Avidyá. It is called Madhyamácára or the Middle Course. Ananda Marga prefers this middle course, because without a goal how long can you go on fighting with the darkness? Is it safe to grope your way through darkness? Are not time and labour wasted for lack of a goal? Is it not fraught with an impending danger? The other two methods of the battle of Sádhaná are Dakśińácára and Vámácára.

Now, who will fight this battle against Máyá – Iishvara (Consciousness qualified by the Static principle) or Prájiṋa (the spiritually dormant microcosm)? When the Macrocosmic Consciousness witnesses the Static principle as His object, He is called Iishvara or the Lord of the Universe; and when the microcosmic or unit consciousness is the witnessing counterpart of the static principle, he is called Prájiṋa. This spiritual dormancy is the state of maximum crudeness and negativity, which the Prájiṋabháva alone has to fight against. Iishvarabháva, being the counterpart of the integral Puruśottamabháva or Nuclear Consciousness, does not have any particular necessity for sádhaná.

Tathá hi prájine saesavidyá jagat survamátamá paramátmáeva
Svaprakásho pyavisayajiṋátvájjánaneve hyatra na vijánati.

Being under the influence of the Static force of Prakrti, Avidyá, the spiritually dormant person (Prájiṋa) is incapable of deriving happiness from mundane objects. Here you must remember that the word, Prájiṋa, is not used in the sense of physical dormancy. The word here implies the Jiivátmá or the sentient soul which is asleep or quiescent spiritually. Such persons are concerned with heterogeneous entities, yet, in spite of their highly discerning refined discernment, they are unable to understand their true perspective – due to the spell of darkness of Avidyá. Nevertheless they abide in this very darkness with all their knowledge of the differences. The very fight against these disintegrating tendencies is their Sádhaná. In other words, Prájiṋa or the spiritually dormant persons will have to fight to rescue their Prajiṋá or discriminating intellectual self from the hands of the Static principle. In this fight, when the Prájiṋa comes out victorious, they will identify themselves with the Supreme Consciousness, for they are then no more under the bondage of Prakrti. I have said it before and I say it again, that Sádhaná means fight against Avidyá. This fight is internal, not external. External or ostentatious fight will achieve nothing. In such a fight one’s entire capability culminates in the acrobatics of dressing and decorating of one’s exterior with málá (a rosary or string of beads for saying prayers), tilaka (a conspicuous mark between the eyebrows with sandalwood-paste or vermilion, jholá (a little sack for the rosary) and candan-chápa (or the mark of sandalwood paste on the forehead, arms and chest). Instead, spiritual aspirants have to fight against their inner, base propensities, and when they will wear the crown of victory, they will then realize that there is absolutely no difference between them and Brahma – they have become Brahma Himself.

Now the question arises: when human beings are part and parcel of the omniscient Cosmic Consciousness, why don’t we then see the manifestation of perfect knowledge in them during their static bondage? Had there been perfect or complete knowledge in the unit beings, there would not have been any necessity for Sádhaná.

Actually the jiivabháva or the individuality of the unit imbibes quite a lot of knowledge in the basic condition. It also has the potentiality for infinite knowledge, but that knowledge is unobjective. Suppose you are sitting alone in darkness and around you there is the variegated discriminative world and within yourself you also have the power to observe this discriminative world. Yet you cannot see anything due to the darkness. All the entities have mingled and identified themselves with the darkness. The sight of the seer is intact, but the vision has become one with the all-devouring darkness. So in such a condition the knowledge of the seer is unobjective. Similar is the condition of the individuality of the unit entities. It cannot understand the real form of any entity due to Avidyá, so it goes on groping and forming its own arbitrary conclusions about things. That is why, I told you that it is incorrect to say that the Prájiṋa or the spiritually dormant human being has no capacity of knowing; in fact he or she does have a limitless capacity to know. The seed of knowledge is certainly present with its limitless potentiality. Only the knowingness is lacking substantiation due to the darkness. Hence the spiritually dormant person will have to do Sádhaná to drive away the darkness. With the disappearance of obscurity, all the things perceived during the spell of darkness and their cause will merge in the Prájiṋa itself, that is to say, their whole existence will vanish. So with the merger of the Prájiṋa-Sádhaka in Brahma this discriminative world also merges in the homogeneous Cause.

In the human mind Avidyámáyá (Extroversive Force) manifests herself in two ways: Vikśepátmaka (extroversive or centrifugal) and Ávaranátmaka (obstructive). Philosophically we call them Vikśepa Force and Ávarańii (covering) Force, respectively. Due to the remoteness of the original object to be known, a lack of valid knowledge results, that is, due to the remoteness of Brahmabháva, a lack of spiritual knowledge results, and with the increase of remoteness even the semblance of knowledge gradually vanishes. These are all the actions of this Vikśepa or Centrifugal Force. And in spite of the opposite condition, proximity, the lack of valid knowledge that occurs due to the darkness of ignorance is the act of the Ávarańii or the Obstructive Force. The reason why I call this an Ávarańii Force is that it works as a cover or lid over the original object.

In this heterogeneous world the sense of existence and acquaintance are the combined action of Vikśepa and Ávarańii forces of Avidyámáyá. Just as the real picture of a thing is not discernible in the darkness – appearing as a strange shadowy entity in this heterogeneous creation, too is similarly observed on the Cosmic Body due to the influence of Avidyámáyá. In other words, during the process of Saiṋcara (Extroversion) the Vikśepa and Ávarańii forces dominate due to the predominance of Avidyá in the macrocosmic thought-projection, and during Pratisaiṋcara (Introversion), they gradually dwindle into nothingness. In order to realize their own characteristic seity or self-hood, Sádhakas must try to establish themselves in the introversive state (Pratisaiṋcara) by banishing darkness of Avidyá which created this heterogeneous world – this is their Sádhaná. When the Sádhaná is introversive, it has to be assumed that the preponderance of Vidyámáyá or introversive principle is there. The two anti-Avidyá forces that exist in the Vidyámáyá are Samvit or the Introspective Force and Hládinii or the Sublimative Force. The force that awakens the consciousness of one’s present condition in a Sádhaka – the awareness that I am the highest evolved creature, a human being, and I have to cast away the darkness of the obstructive force of Ávarańii, I have to worship the nearest Entity by conquering the distance or chasm created by the centrifugal force of Vikśepa – such an introversive sense of realization that wakes up in the human mind is called Samvit. The meaning of Samvit, you all know, is sudden realization of the state of things. I call it the Samvit Force, for it awakens the sádhaka to reality.

And the propelling force, whereby sádhakas carry themselves to the Supreme Entity, fighting their way through the vikśepa or the centrifugal force, lifting themselves above all trifles and surging in the thought-waves of the Great, is called hládinii. I call it hládinii Force, for it escorts the Sádhakas through the path of ahlád or ánanda or divine ecstasy and establishes them in Absolute Bliss. This is the much-coveted Hládinii of the unit being – the Shrii Rádhá (the staunch devotee of Lord Krśńa, the personified Love Sublime) of the Vaeśńavas.

Where the two forces, Vidyá and Avidyá, are in equilibrium, none of the satellite forces like vikśepa, samvit, ávarańii or hládinii, are in evidence. In such a balanced state the microcosm undergoes neither regeneration nor degeneration. Such a condition is indeed rare. Yet in common terms I can say that such a condition does exist in most of the jiivas or units. The equilibrium of forces that causes this non-progressive and non-regressive condition is called tatastha shakti or the coastal Force. A man who is not depraved and abides by normal laws, and yet does not do Brahma-Sádhaná, is virtually within the realm of this coastal force. Right from the first stage of sádhaná, a sádhaka begins his journey from the borderline of a coast towards the victorious, all-pervasive, Macrocosm with the aid of the Sublimative Force (Hládinii). I call it Tatastha, because Tata means the shore where the water of a river or lake touches the bank. What is the state of the people who are Tatastha, right on the borderline of the Tata or shore? If they descend just a step down they fall into the river, and if they ascend a step up they stand on dry solid ground; so the first step of Sádhaná is situated on the borderline of the shore. Now in such a condition you may either cut adrift from your Brahmic sentiment, aided by the extroversive force of Vikśepa, and be swept away by the current of the river, or you may establish yourself squarely on the solid ground Brahma.

In spite of the cognitive potentiality in the Prájiṋa, such a person is deprived of the proper knowledge of objects during the darkness, which is sensed by him alone, very well. For instance, in the absence of objective knowledge of reality during sleep, there is in human beings a particular sensation, which is quite different from their feelings while awake. That sensation is the lack of the sense of reality. After waking up, when one recollects that preceding feeling of vacuity, then alone one realizes, “Oh, I was sleeping”.

Abhávapratyáyalambaniivrttirnidrá.

That is, sleep is the cognitive mental process of the experience of vacuity.

During sleep, in spite of the spiritual potentiality in fullest measure, it is the sense of darkness, that practically exists because in that state the cruder sheaths of the body and mind become inert due to the influence of the static force. As a result it is not only impossible for such a person to perceive or sense anything of the external world through the media of sensory or motor organs, but even [[ saḿskáramúlaka [reactive] or pratyayamúlaka [original] ]] dreaming becomes an impossibility. This is why, although physiologically there is a difference between sleep and unconsciousness, psychologically there is none.

Anubhútermáyá ca tamorúpánubhútesttade’tajjádaḿ mohátmakamanantaḿ tucchamidaḿ rúpamasya asya vyainjiká nityanivrttápi múd́haerátmaeva drśt́á.

Sleep is the condition of highest passivity. After this condition when dream comes, the sense of inertness diminishes. In this case the Manomaya Kośa or the subtle mind becomes active and only the Kámamaya Kośa or the crude mind remains inactive. In the wakeful state the sense of inertness is even less and so in this state the crude mind also is awakened. This awakened state is also under the sway of Prakrti or Máyá. The effort to reach the spiritual or supreme state of consciousness from this so-called awakened mental state, is called Sádhaná. The indication of this condition will come through the fight with Avidyá. After defeating Avidyá and finally giving up Vidyá too, you will have to establish yourselves in the Supreme state. There are two more methods of fighting against Avidyá, those of Vámácára and Dakśińácára.

What is Vámácára? It is the reason[[ing]] that “Target or no target I shall go on fighting against the darkness of Máyá and after her defeat She will help realize my cherished desire”. Such a sádhaka is called vámácárii. In such type of Sádhaná there is tremendous possibility of danger or downfall. In the majority of cases vámácáriis, before realizing their cherished desire, often abuse their power which was gained through their fight with Avidyá. As a result he falls an unwary victim to more darkness and more inertness until he is gradually reduced to the level of bestiality. Thus, it is meaningless to try to attain victory over Prakrti without a specific goal. What progress can one expect in individual or social life through such an aimless pursuit?

And what is Dakśinácárii: A Dakśinácárii wants to win over Prakrti through entreaties and importunities. He or she begs, “O Prakrti! Remove Thy darkness and make way for me.”

Tvaḿ vaeśńavii shaktiranantaviiryá
Vishvasya biijaḿ paramási Máyá
Sammohitaḿ devii samstametad tvaḿ vae
Prasanná bhuvi mukti hetuh.

“O Máyá! Thou art the power of Lord Viśńu – the all-pervading Power. Thou art the prime cause of the whole universe. This heterogeneous world is evolved by the Static Force. So thou art the seed of the world, the Supreme Force. Every entity of the world is hypnotized. May you be propitiated and become the cause of my emancipation (Mukti).”

You all know, that Sádhaná for emancipation means a struggle for freedom; it means the establishment of Svarája (one’s own kingdom) after rescuing ourselves from the onslaughts of Avidyá.

The true kingdom abides [[in]] the Soul Supreme
The urge for freedom is sought within
Nor pen nor sword nor brawn can dream of
The bliss of freedom ever so green.

Can this emancipation be attained through flattery? Certainly not. Flattery is the antic of cowards. A mighty personage, moved by flattery, may give the flatterers some concession, or may shower upon them perhaps a few grains of kindness as well: but they will certainly not be granted full freedom or even if he does orally with his tongue in his cheek, the cowards would decline to accept it.

This world is the creation of Máyá, the Creative Principle: its very existence is illusory. What significance can there be of this illusory form or this Máyá-ic entity? The Vedas have said, “This illusive entity – this relative truth is a trifling phenomenon, and so this illusory world must also indeed, be insignificant. Great is that Prájiṋa, who abides as the observer of this illusion (Máyá).” Puruśa is supreme, but His objects are of little value. Puruśa is an aseity, a birthless entity and His objects are the rhythmic heterogeneity of the birthless Prakrti, the plastic performer of the inconceivable. That is why they are not eternal but transitory. This rhythmic extravaganza is leading human beings forward every moment through the heteromorphic phenomena, none of which has any lasting permanence. The person who is a boy, becomes a youth after a few years, and the same person becomes old again after some time. After the death of the illusive forms of boyhood and youth, comes old age, and after the death of the illusive form of old age there occurs the worldly death. That is why, the form of Máyá is unimportant – so insignificant. It dies every moment.

This Máyá-ic manifestation is also perpetually being destroyed every moment. How could you account for the form of a five-year-old child after it has been transformed into a youth of twenty-five through the influence of time? Does not the gap between five and twenty-five wholly pertain to time? Between the two stands a piece of time, which we call twenty years. Within these twenty years at every fraction of a moment, or at some sort of a still shorter time, say, a micro-second, for example – one form of this child died and another form was created and each of those dead forms merged in the Puruśa and identified itself with the Supreme Knower. Suppose you are proceeding form Patna to Arrah. On your way you are thinking only about Arrah; that is your citta or mind is taking the form of Arrah. On reaching Arrah you start thinking about Mogal-Sarai. Again your citta takes the form of Mogal-Sarai. Now at this stage, where did the form of Arrah go, which had been previously created by your mind? That form has merged in you. Similarly this illusory world is also created by the Brahmic thought-projection, wherein the disappearance of one form is followed by the creation of another. This thought-process is evolved by the influence of Máyá, and it is through the help of this Máyá that we realize the self-manifested form of Puruśa. Saguńa Puruśa (the subjectivated and objectivated Puruśa) and Prakrti are like fire and ghee (clarified butter). To see the dazzling form of fire we have to pour ghee in it, similarly, to see Puruśa manifested in form, the presence of the active force of Máyá is unavoidable. This Máyá-influenced Puruśa is the Saguńa Puruśa, or else like the ghee-less fire He is “extinguished” for without the association of Máyá Saguńa Puruśa perishes – there remains only the Nirguńa or unattributed, unmanifested, Transcendental Entity. But there is one important thing to note here. By the influence of ghee the existence of fire is indeed realized but what is the result? To keep the fire burning, the ghee consumes itself. Likewise, in order to maintain the evolution of this created world, of Saguńa Brahma, she gradually gets merged in Puruśa. In other words, Saguńa attains salvation by degrees. You must have thoroughly understood now how Saḿskáras (past momenta) are being destroyed through Karmabhoga (suffering and enjoyment).

When sádhakas stand before the darkness of Prakrti they think that Prakrti is constant. A boy of five one day becomes a young man of twenty-five by undergoing a continued process of metamorphoses every day, every month, every year – in fact, every infinitesimal fraction of time – but those continuously changing forms of Prakrti can usually not be perceived. A person who always sees a child of five can neither discern nor understand Prakrti’s perpetually changing forms. One could only understand, seeing the young man of twenty-five, that gradual changes must have taken place during those twenty years.

Those who do not want to recognize this perpetually changing form of Prakrti, who think her to be unchanging, are devoid of intellect and judgment. Those who are convinced of the ever-changing character of Prakrti, cease to be under her domination. Until the conception of Puruśa-hood is roused - until the intuitional consciousness is awakened fully, it is not possible to properly understand Prakrti. It is for the awakening of this intuitional consciousness that sádhaná or spiritual practice is necessary.

The experience of the static force (Tamah) in life is a constant affair. To remove this darkness the light of your own soul will have to be lit, and by the splendour of that light all kinds of diversities will have to be wiped out. Until this is done, people will surely pursue the variety show of this heterogeneous world and enjoy or endure weal or woe but they will remain far from Ánanda or Bliss. They will become scapegoats at the hands of Prakrti, for they will be guided solely by the momentum of Avidyámáyá or the extroversive principle. But once they realize the true nature of Máyá and attain the state of Shiva Shakti or Cosmic Potence, they will finally be able to ensconce in their own blissful entities.

What fault abideth in this hapless mind of mine, -
O Shyámá, Thou, Daughter of the Magic-Mine!
That but danceth to the tune of Thine.

–Rámaprasáda

Individuality thrives on Avidyá and of Avidyá it is born. With the removal of Avidyá, the diversified world also disappears. In such an event no difference exists between microcosm and the macrocosm or the unit consciousness and the Cosmic Consciousness. Both fuse into one – there occurs a great reunion of Jiivátmá and Shivátmá or Seity and Aseity. As long as Prakrti exists, no perfect realization is possible. All experiences are gradually immersed in inertness under her influence. The Sádhakas feel that spiritual realization is tantalizingly elusive – playing hide and seek within himself. They thus find themselves in a quandary.

Asya sattvamasattvaiṋca darshayatisiddhatvá siddhatvábhyaḿ svatantrá svatantratvena saeśá bataviija-sámányavadanekabatashaktirekaeva.

It is due to Prakrti that the sense of “I am”, “you are” and the so-called hills, rivers, etc., are awakened and it’s due to her centrifugal (Vikśepa) and obstructive (Ávarańii) forces that the sense of heterogeneous creation and their diverse distinctions is awakened. Behind this sense of ego, “I am”, is what we call Puruśa or Átman (Soul)[[, “I know I am”;]] and the sense of “I am” which we call Buddhitattva or Mahattattva (the fundamental intellect), which is the object of Puruśa, is the trick played on Puruśa by Prakrti herself. As long as the “I” exists in conjunction with the sense of ego or the fundamental intellect, events like “I see”, “I hear”, etc., take place; and as a consequence of these actions the discriminative world also exists. But where “I’s” sense of ego does not exist, how can any action or object have a chance to exist? In other words, the heterogeneous world exists, as long as the Avidyá-created sense of ego exists. So when the influence of Prakrti passes away, the objective Buddhitattva also loses its independent existence. Then it merges in the Átman.

That is why, I say, when the Consciousness is achieved, the distinction between Sat (undergoing no metamorphosis) and Asat (undergoing metamorphosis) dissolves into air. The truth that Asat is not an eternal entity becomes crystal-clear in such a condition.

The greatest difference between individuality (jiivabháva) and transcendentality (Brahmabháva) is that jiivabháva is governed by Prakrti and Brahmabháva is the governor of Prakrti. So the Sádhaná of the Sádhakas is to triumph over their individuality, to get themselves established in Brahmabháva by defeating Avidyá. After being so established, the Sádhakas see with their second sight that the very same subjugated Máyá is the progenitress or the causal matrix of billions of organisms in the world. She is going on reflecting the many on the same single Entity of Puruśabháva – as though many mirrors have been dexterously placed before a single flower. As the mirrors are being added, the numerical strength of the flower increases also, but the original flower remains essentially one. Similarly behind the plethora of mundane diversities thrives only one Eternal Entity; all the rest are but the reflections on His mental plate. Just as without the Máyá-like mirror or its reflecting power, one flower remains single and does not have a chance to become multiplied into many – similarly, had there been no Máyá, there would have remained only one unmanifested Brahma – none of His attributive manifestations would have been there. The individuality of the unit is the reflection or simulacrum of the Brahmic Semblance. For the preservation of His own existence He has to accept the predominance of the mirrors. That is why in the Shástras or Scriptures Prakrti is called Pradhána or the chief operative principle. Yet the eternal Macrocosmic Entity does not find Himself obliged to accept His subjection to Prakrti at any stage. Rather Prakrti herself has to remain in His subjection, for in the absence of Puruśa her activities will come to a standstill; they will not come to fruition without the husbandship of Puruśa.

The objective of Sádhaná is to realize that very flower, the main object of the mirror – to know that Parama Puruśa or Supreme Consciousness.

So now you understand that the sense of I-feeling of the unit is but the simulacrum or the shadowy prototype of that Cosmic “I”, captured on the mirror of Prakrti and reflected by her reflecting power.

Just as a tiny banian seed inherits the potentials of a banian tree, whereby innumerable banian trees can come into being, similarly one Máyá, on account of her endless reflective capacity, creates innumerable lives on the one Puruśa. In other words Saguńa Brahma by the influence of the operative answer of Prakrti creates innumerable lives on His mental plate through His thought-projection, His imaginative power. The fight against this very Máyá that has created these countless individualities, these multiform cosmic manifestations, is what the sages call Sádhaná.

Tádyathá bat́abiija sámányamekamaneká Svávyatiriktán bat́án svabiijánutpádya tatra tatra ca sampúrńaḿ santiśt́hati evamevaeśá Máyá svávyatiriktáni paripúrnáńi kśetráńi darshayitvá jiiveshávábhásena karoti Máyá cávidyá ca svayameva bhavati.

In spite of there being countless numbers of banian trees, growing out of one banian seed, each of them is called by the name of banian tree, for characteristically out of the banian seed must come a banian tree. Just as at the pre-seed stage there was a banian tree and the result of the post-seed stage is also a banian tree, similarly we get innumerable semblances of Puruśa or individualities from His reflections. Prakrti, with the help of the Puruśa-like original cause, creates Puruśa-like objects. Now the question arises: Does the work of Prakrti end with the creation of Macrocosmic reflections[[, that is,]] microcosms? No, certainly not. Prakrti herself with the help of her own crudifying power does the work of demarcating both the flower and its reflected state, or she herself takes such forms. Suppose there is a reflection of a flower. Here the reflecting power belongs to Prakrti, the reflecting plate is also hers and the outline of the reflected object is also that of the crudifying Prakrti.

Is this protean master-artist, Prakrti, absolutely insignificant? An entity that takes the colours and forms of all things or has the capacity to do so, cannot be just dismissed as worthless. Prakrti is like a motion-picture, which can neither be held in hand as something tangible and existent, nor can it be dismissed as something non-existent. Prakrti is a passing show, a moving phenomenon, a changing reality. Although she is moving, there is enough firmness in her linear forms, and that is why people are so attracted to her, just as parents are attracted to the transient form of their child of five, in spite of their being aware of the changing nature of her forms and features. And then again, when that very form reaches its twentieth year through physiognomical changes, they are equally fond of that twenty-year-old form. Hence every momentary bit of the fragmentary forms of the quick-changing Prakrti is an object or cause of the unit’s great fascination. The cimmerian Prakrti with her darkening magic wand keeps humanity in darkness. This sombre Prakrti has to be removed at any cost from before our eyes. She will not go voluntarily. You will have to get rid of her influence through the Sádhaná of Puruśa or the Cosmic Consciousness. She will put countless obstacles and hindrances before you and yet you will have to fight against them and triumph over them. Wallowing in materialism one cannot reach the stage of supernaturalism. Living in the midst of Bhoga (sufferings and enjoyments) and indulging in and zealously practicing, Bhoga Sádhaná for enyoyment’s sake, one cannot give up bhoga or materialistic bent. For the sake of one’s profession or for any other reason, one who has to tell lies continually, will eventually turn a naturalized liar, if one does not take a vow of truthfulness. Many teachers of the old school, when they do not have canes in their hands, vent their habit of caning by brandishing their pencils. Grimacing in a paroxysm of rage or clenching their fists as if they were holding on tightly to the branches out of fear – these two apish characteristics – [[we human beings]] have not yet been able to relinquish. So if you exist [[in]] Bhoga (material enjoyments or sufferings), no harm; if [[you]] do the Sádhaná of Bhoga, no harm there either; but there should certainly not [[be]] bhoga for bhoga’s sake. Strange indeed is the ever-changing Prakrti!

Saeśá citrá sudrd́há bahvaunkurá svayaḿ guńábhinnáuṋkureśvapi guńábhinna sarvatra Brahmáviśńushivarúpińo caetanyadiiptá.

All the entities of Máyá are strange and variegated. No two entities are alike. Each one of them has its own specialties. There is nothing “identical” in this world. At most we can say that things are “similar”, for every one of them is the magic play of that multimorphic Prakrti. But Puruśa is one, not multiform. Multiformity is an attributed manifestation, such as thick, thin, long, short, etc. Puruśa is absolute – free from any quality or attribute and so there is no variety in Him.

If the Puruśa of the unit is the reflection of the Cosmic Consciousness, then seeing the reflection is as good as seeing the Original Puruśa. Yes, this observation is correct but it can only be correct if the mirror be perfect – if the reflector, Buddhitattva or Mahattattva (the fundamental I-feeling of the unit) is perfectly clear and free from all impurities. The persistent effort to rid Buddhitattva of all impurities is what is called Sádhaná. It is the Original Puruśa that is to be realized and to realize Him, Sádhaná is the only way.

Átmajiṋánaḿ vidurjiṋánaḿ jiṋánányanyáni yánitu;
Táni jiṋánávabhásáni sárasyanaeva bodhanát.

“Self-knowledge, that is the knowledge of Puruśa or intuitional knowledge, is the only real knowledge, all the rest are but its shadows or pretensions – the shadow of the flower, not the original one.” It is not always possible to know the essence of an object from its shadow or reflection. Due to the imperfections of the reflector even the reflection of a beautiful object may appear to be horrible and ugly. Sádhakas must bear in mind that their progress – their desired goal – does not lie in the direction of Prakrti’s mock show. All knowledge concerning things born of the principle of causality, is but a pretension or semblance of knowledge. Such knowledge is a relative truth, not an absolute one. It is, however, necessary for the preservation of existence. It is also true that during the progressive period of Sádhaná one has to progress keeping pace with it, but I cannot call it the supreme path. The spiritual Sádhakas shall accept that Eternal Entity as the sole Lord of their lives. They may make use of these semblances and reflections only according to necessity only. The investigation into the characteristics and transformations of these reflected things according to the principle of causality is what we call scientific research. The Saḿskrta equivalent of the English word Science, should be Sthúla Vijiṋána or Bhúta Vijiṋána (Physical Science).

I have already said that it will not do to resort to shadows and reflections, for although seeing reflections clearly in a clean, clear mirror is tantamount to seeing the original object it does not mean the attainment of the original object. Remember, you have no right to enjoy any of the things of this shadowy world. No matter how assiduously you try, you can never bring into your grasp any shadowy object. Your hands will rebound from the hard surface of the mirror. Yet still you rejoice at that reflection. Do you know why you get this joy or Ánanda? Because that is the reflection of that Super-exultation, that Brahma – the semblance of that Cosmic Flow.

Na vá are patyuh kámáya pati priyo bhavati átmanastu kámáya pati priyo bhavati. Na vá are puttrasyakámáya puttro priyo bhavati átmanastu kámáya puttro priyo bhavati. Na vá are sarvasya kámáya sarvaḿ priyaḿ bhavati átmanastu kámáya sarvaḿ priyaḿ bhavati.

One’s husband is not dear for the husband’s sake: the husband is dear because the attainment of a husband thrills the heart with an avalanche of joy. The son is not dear for the son’s sake: the possession of a son tingles the heart with a joyous exuberance. A profligate son does not arouse felicity in his parents’ hearts, and that is why they do not even hesitate to disinherit him. All things are not dear for their sake alone; their possession is dear and pleasing only when they fill the heart with a jubilant vibration.

I have already said that in spite of the Prakrti-evolved world being mutable and fickle, her delineation of forms and figures lacks no soundness and that is why even a learned person may be attracted to a particular short-lived form. This infatuation gradually becomes hardened and goes on increasing, for Prakrti is multi-formed. An oat sprouts but one germ, but from Prakrti emanates a countless number of germs. By creating thought-waves in one Cosmic Body, Prakrti takes on countless forms simultaneously and she goes on evolving germs in every unit-mind at every moment. The number of unit entities is also countless: from this point of view also Prakrti is multiparous.

By duplicating one original Entity into limitless numbers of replicas with her dexterous hands, Prakrti ensconces It in limitlessness. That is why the uniparous unit-mind, after coming in contact with the multiparous outer world, does not get an opportunity to turn any of its germs into one whole tree single-mindedly. Every moment it views the disintegration of its own thought-process.

Prakrti is the combination of three guńas or constituent principles and so she remains even when she is in a causal stage. Truly speaking, in such a causal state the potentiality of expression remains dormant. As long as there is no expression, we cannot call Prakrti omniparous, for in spite of the existence of attributes in her, she remains unexpressed.

Because of the disparity among the three attributes of the active Prakrti, the same Puruśa is known as Brahmá, Viśńu and Maheshvara. It must, however, be borne in mind that in all these three conditions, the three gunas or attributes are there; the potencies may be dominant in one, middling in another and ordinary in the other. Out of the Sentient Force (Sattvaguńa) of the active Prakrti emanates creation. The same Puruśa, as the subjective counterpart of this Sentient Force, comes to be known as Brahmá. The work of preservation is carried out through the Mutative Force (Rajoguńa) of Prakrti. Here the same Puruśa, as the subjective counterpart of this Mutative Force, is known as Viśńu. The third attribute, the Static Force (Tamoguńa) of Prakrti becomes the cause of destruction. Here the same Puruśa, as the subjective counterpart of the Static Force, is called Iishvara or Maheshvara. Now you very well understand that Brahmá, Viśńu and Maheshvara exist only so long as Prakrti is active or omniparous. Their existence is neither an absolute truth nor a spiritual truth, because during the unmanifested stage of Prakrti they are devoured by “Iishvaragrása”, the Objectless Nirguńa Brahma.

It is the Saguńa Brahma who has been carrying on the work of creation, preservation and destruction under the three names of Brahmá, Viśńu and Maheshvara (Shiva). That is why the world is called Hari-Harátmaka, that is, identified with Viśńu and Shiva in their combined state. In every created object the Divine game of Hari and Hara, Viśńu and Shiva goes on. In the balanced state no action results. Action finds expressions only in the unbalanced state, when the equipoise is lost. Similar is our life, which is a constant effort to restore an unstable equilibrium[[. That is why in our lives]] the battle between Hari and Hara goes on unabated. So long as Hari wins, the heart is astir with excitement – all life-activities find avenues of expression. The moment Hara starts winning, the rhythm of life [[gets]] dimmed. With the establishment of Hara all briskness, knowledge, intelligence, name, fame, pride of lineage and family – all fevers and frets – come to a stop, frozen in the chill of death.

Prakrti is spiritually refulgent in the triunity of Brahmá, Viśńu and Maheshvara. The Consciousness in which she is aglow is indeed the prime principle of all effulgences, the Transcendental Puruśa. Prakrti is going on imposing the state of multitudinousness – the bondage of demarcative distinctions. If the earth is Puruśa, the nomenclature of a pot is Prakrti, as also the creative force by which the pot is made. The Puruśa-earth remains in its own element, it does not care a hoot for the terminological bondage. No matter what name we call it by, it remains just what it always was. The forms created by Prakrti are verily the housewife’s gold ornaments – her necklaces, bangles, earrings. Taken them to any goldsmith and he will start appraising them and ascertaining how much gold there is in them. Discounting the dross or impurities he will make sure of the quantity of the gold content in the ornaments, weighing them on his sensitive scales, and then fix their value. He will not concern himself with the details of the ornaments, or which one is somebody’s sentimental momento. Puruśa is such gold, which we are putting out to market as guineas and mohars,⁽²⁾ stamped with a seal. “Rank is but the guinea’s stamp.”

Tasmádátmána eva traevidhyaḿ sarvatra yonitvamapyabhimantá jiivo niyanteshvarah sarváhammánii hirańyagarbhastrirúpa iishvaravat vyaktacaetanyáh sarvago hyeśa iishvarah kriyájiṋánátmá.

Brahmá, Viśńu and Mahesh are three manifestations of Puruśa contrived by Prakrti. It is because of His being the witness of the particularized, attributional manifestations of Prakrti that Puruśa is given such kinds of epithets. When the Cosmic Consciousness is the witness of Prakrti’s dominant Sentient Principle (Sattva), He is known as the Supreme Spirit, Brahmá. When He is the witness of her dominant Mutative Principle (Rajah), we call Him Hirańyagarbha or Viśńu, and when He is the witness of her Static Principle (Tamah), He is known as Iishvara or Shiva. It must be borne in mind that Brahmá, Viśńu and Shiva are not three different entities. They are the three circumstantial manifestations of the One Cosmic Entity. In all the three circumstances there is but one witness. It is according to the differences in objects or aspects that we have given different epithets to the objectivated Puruśa. Does the sense of ego in Jitendra Narayana change when his son calls him by the name of “father”, or [[when his father calls him by the name of “Jitu”, or]] when his student calls him by the name of “Sir”? No, certainly not. Whatever difference is there, is due to the angle of vision and the way of application. One’s unchanged sense of ego remains as a witness in every case. When in Sádhaná the Sádhakas are established in Cosmic Consciousness, they feel themselves to be Brahmá, Viśńu and Maheshvara (Shiva) simultaneously. All the three states are immanent in the one and the same Saguńa Brahma, are vibrated in the one and the same oṋḿkára.

Prakrti is spiritually refulgent in the Brahmic Consciousness and Brahmá, Viśńu and Maheshvara only represent particular aspects of that Consciousness. But is not the individuality of the unit sentient also, since it is the reflection of Cosmic Consciousness Itself? When the individuality is the reflection of Consciousness and if the mirror reflects everything whether crude, subtle or causal, then the individuality has to be spiritually refulgent as well. (In order to help make people to understand this philosophical principle easily, sometimes the Buddhitattva or the unit-intellect, and sometimes Puruśa, have been compared to mirrors, but this does not mean that Buddhitattva or Puruśa has any material relation with any earthly mirror).

The individuality also is not asleep or quiescent. Now the question arises, if the individuality is the reflection of the Cosmic Consciousness and if the former is also as much conscious, then who is lacking? Why can’t we realize it in its Cosmic maturity, as the full-fledged Brahma Himself? Why isn’t the reflection of omneity, evident in it in the fullest measure?

Sarvaḿsarvamayaḿ sarve jiiváh sarvamayáh Sarvávasthásu tathápyalpáh sa vá esá bhútániindriyáni virájaḿ devatáh kośáḿshca srśt́vá pravishyámúdho múd́ha iva vyavaharannáste máyayaeva.

Truly speaking, the individuality of the unit is as omni-present, omnifarious and all-pervading as the Cosmic Consciousness, because if the reflection is clear, we can know the original very well, because the reflection retains the full impress of the original. The Buddhitattva-like (Intellect-like) mirror also is capable of reflecting all the three states, crude, subtle and causal. But then I do not find any inconsistency in the fact of the individuality of the unit.

Practically the individuality is always its own characteristic self and it is certainly characteristically free Ciaráa Sahábe Mukal (that is, characteristically the microcosm is an emancipated entity). But we cannot catch the full reflection of Brahma on the unit-Mahattattva (I-feeling). For this Cosmic Consciousness is not at fault, the fault lies with the plate of our unit-Mahattattva. If the reflection of just a foot of an elephant is caught in a small mirror instead of its full figure, it will look like a pillar in that mirror. Now which of the two is to blame for this wrong impression of the elephant in the mirror – the elephant or the smallness of the mirror? So Sádhakas have to increase the dimension of the plates of their Mahattattva, and also they will also have to make it scrupulously clean, so that they may reflect the entire universe in themselves. Partial reflection makes the world appear to be disjointed and heterogeneous. But when you will be able to see this heterogeneous world fully on your mental plate the world will not any more appear to you as the world, but only as the product of your imagination. Then, possessed with such a vast mind, you will further realize that you are not “you” any more - your “you”-hood is being absorbed in the speckless, super-white effulgence of that Empyrean Splendour.

The receptacles of the individuality of the unit are the Paiṋcabhaotika or quinquelemental body and the organs. The Paiṋcabhútas or the five fundamental factors are wholly the products of the thought-process of the Supreme Spirit – the Cosmic Ego. The unit-body is made of these five ingredients and it is related with the Universe through its ten organs. Saguńa Brahma or the Subjectivated Transcendentality has evolved thirty-three kinds of primary manifestations (Devatá) in this universe with the help of Prakrti, and the individuality of the unit has evolved five Kośas (sheaths or receptacles of the mind) after imposing upon its sense of ego the crudifications of the five elements and the ten sensory and motor organs. But due to its smallness this five-sheathed and ten-organed body is unable to realize the Cosmic Consciousness. Its materialistic mental plate is totally unfit to grasp that Infinite Consciousness. So listen, O Sádhakas! You shall have to magnify the area of your subtle mind or Manomaya Kośa so that you may appropriate the Cosmic Consciousness in the fullest measure. The smaller the object of your mind, the smaller shall become your mental body in proportion. The greater the object of your mind, the greater and still greater your mental plate will become until finally you will be able to install yourself in the Supreme Cosmic Entity. That is why, no one of wisdom will ever take any limited crude object as the pabulum of their minds and thus lead themselves to animality. Those who do that are fools, they want to remain in the smug ignorance of their characteristic selves.

The difference between Aseity and Seity – Cosmism and individuality – is in name only. One is the subject of one’s Great Mind and the other of one’s small mind. It is due to such cognominal difference that Dasharatha Siḿha and Dasharatha Thákur are two different entities. But if we remove their surnames, the two are Dasharatha. This is as true of a metaphysical name as it is of a secular one. In the titleless condition both the transcendent unit and Brahma entities are identical. If Brahma is not the Witnessing Entity of His Cosmic Mind and if the unit also is not the subjective counterpart of his small mind, the two become one due to their objectlessness. Such a state is called Nirvikalpa Samádhi or the state of total absorption of the unit-mind in the Supreme Spirit.

So it is clear that due to its being a reflection of Consciousness, the individuality of the unit, too is omnipresent, omni-inherent and omniscient; but this individuality with its limitless cognitive potentials is unable to comprehend the state of Superperfection or Omneity due to its being the limited intellectual manifestation of the Máyáic mirror. With the disappearance of the influence of this Máyáic mirror, its reflected existence also disappears and it is then that it merges itself in the Original Entity – it regains its own characteristic self, its own homogeneous status.

In Nirvikalpa Samádhi or the stance of indeterminate contemplative contemplation, the causal mind is suspended due to the transcendency of Avidyá or Máyá and that is why that state is supersensible, beyond the comprehension of the senses. Following that state, after the break of that Samádhi or total mental suspension, when the faculty of senses and understanding returns, then alone one realizes that some unknown current of exhilaration from some unknown region has flooded one’s whole entity – is drifting it away to some ultra-sensual, pulsating realm of celestial bliss. Hence it is said that in a state of Nirvikalpa Samádhi the Sádhakas cannot understand whether they are in Nirvikalpa Samádhi nor can they say afterwards that they felt any such thing, for that state was a super-sensual ego-less one.

Tasya sthiti amánasikeśu

–Ánanda Sútram

After the break of that self-lost, ego-less abstraction, when the Sádhakas feel the return of their hazy egos drifting away in the current of exuberant joy, they then realize that their preceding state must have been a state of the loftiest ecstasy which is called Nirvikalpa Samádhi. The post-Samádhi condition is reminiscent of the state following a deep slumber. In a state of slumber people do not feel that they are sleeping. After waking up, when their Kámamaya Kośa or crude mind becomes active, they realize, as they think of their preceding state of void or insensibility, “I was so long asleep”. As much as the Sádhakas are able to establish their heroism after escaping from the Serpent-noose of Avidyá, the Extroversive Force, so much Ánandasvarúpa or Supreme Exultation they experience; they then become Ánandasvarúpa Himself, the Ánandamúrti or the very image of Ánanda or Bliss.

O how long doth my ego await Thy grace
To merge in Thy likeness without a trace?
When will Thy name so glorious divine
Bid warmest tear in these eyes of mine
And my body and soul with vibration reel
In joyous rhythm of blissful thrill?

Savikalpa Samádhi or the determinate suspension comprises the fullness of Vidyá Prakrti (Introversive Force); that is, the full establishment of the introversive momentum in the Sádhakas’ austere spiritual life – the absence of any Extroversive Force (Avidyá), and total cessation of their extroversive momentum. So in such a state the ego not only exists, it exists in its total fullness and completeness. This very ego in its Brahmá-ic mood evolves the universe, in its Viśńu-ic mood it preserves the universe and in its Shiva-ic mood it destroys the universe. In the three manifestations of this very ego lies the anchor of this universe – in this short-long-slow rhythm of creation-preservation-destruction lies the tether of space, time, and person.

Who is the causal factor of creation, preservation and destruction – Puruśa or Prakrti? Actually in the varied expressions of creation, preservation and destruction the all-knowing Consciousness remains unaffected and undistorted. All these expressions are but the dance of Prakrti herself in her own receptacle, the Cosmic Body – the scintillating sports of Energy on the bosom of Shiva or Puruśa. The immutability (aparińámitva) of the Puruśa entity never was, never is and never will be affected[[, for the word]] “immutable” (aparińámii) means to be beyond the purview of space, time and person. The waves created on the bosom of Shiva by the dance of Prakrti, have not changed and cannot change His true characteristic Self. The flower with its red colour is coming close to the mirror and going far from it. Such a sight makes one think that the mirror itself has become red and is moving forwards and backwards. But what is the reality? The mirror remains as motionless as it always was, does it not? Satya, Sat and immutability are indeed synonymous. He alone is the sympathetic reciprocator of all entities. In this reciprocation alone the relative existence of the entities is recognized. That is why He is the witnessing Consciousness of all the entities. Happiness or sorrow abides in the unit entities, the reciprocator only creates the suitable reflections. Hence He is beyond the compass of happiness and sorrow – He is the Bliss Absolute. So I say that the sweet, colourful, multi-expressive dance of Prakrti, on the bosom of Shiva, cannot influence Him at all. Shiva or Cosmic Consciousness is immutable: He is the witnessing entity. He is beyond the pale of pleasure and pain. Shiva is Sat (unchangeable), Cit (Consciousness), and Ánanda (Divine Bliss) – He is Saccidánanda.

Peace be with you.

Footnotes

(1) [[Mohar: A gold coin that was usually equivalent to about fifteen silver rupees. –Trans.]]