Karmádhyakśa sarvabhútádhivásah sákśii cetá kevalo nirguńashca.⁽¹⁾

When the actional expressions take a definite form, a definite shape or a definite size, that shape is known as “kriyá”. And before that, when there are only actional expressions but no definite form, or shape, or size, it is called “karma”. Now, in this universe of ours there are both karma and kriyá. Without karma there cannot be any kriyá. So all the vibrational expression, all the actional expressions, actional manifestations, come from the Supreme Nucleus. Everything cometh from Him, remaineth in Him and goeth back to Him. But these actional expressions are made with the help of the Cosmic Operative Principle, and that Principle can function only within a short arena, the arena prescribed by the Cosmic Lord. The Operative Principle cannot function anywhere and everywhere: it functions in a limited sphere. That is why it is said that this universe is a very small finite island in an ocean of infinity. The actional expressions are made by the dexterous hands of the Operative Principle, but the prior sanction, the pre facto permission, of the Cosmic Entity, the Cosmic Puruśa, must be there.

And not only is He the approving authority, He is the supervisor also. He is the Supreme Supervisor. The actual action is not done by Him, however, but by the Operative Principle with His permission. So as Supervisor, He has to, or rather he should, keep a condor eye on each and every activity. Nothing should be done without His knowledge, nothing can be done without His knowledge, and nothing can be finished without His knowledge. So He is karmadhyaksa. Karma, I have already said, is actional manifestation. Action is constant change of place. All karmas are to be performed under His condor vision.

“Karmádhyakśa sarvabhútádhivásah.” Yesterday I explained properly the meaning of “sarva”. And the inner spirit of the term “bhúta” has already been explained – “bhúta” means all created beings. Now, “adhivása”. In Laokika Saḿskrta, “adhivása” means “proper habitation”. Here the word (root “adhi” + “vás” + “ghaiṋ”) means a place, or space, which is fit for living. In this world each and every animate, inanimate, or abstract entity must have its proper abode. Even abstract entities, that is, abstracts, should have a proper abode of their own. Without an abode even an abstract cannot stay.

Now, in the physical sphere, not on the psychic or suprapsychic level, but just in the physical sphere, what do we see? We see that this city of Patna has its adhivása in the district of Patna, and this district of Patna has its shelter in the division of Patna. Patna division has its shelter in the state of Bihar. Finally, we have our adhivasa on this earth, on this planet earth, and this earth has its shelter in the solar system, and the solar system has its shelter in Parama Puruśa. Parama Puruśa is the shelter of the solar system; in this respect He is the adhivása of sarvabhúta. He is the Supreme Shelter of each and every entity, whether physical, psychic, or supra-psychic - “sarvabhútádhivásah.”

On the psychic level, this adhivása, this shelter, this mental pabulum, is known as “ábhoga” in Saḿskrta. In the physical sphere, physical ábhoga is a necessity; and in the psychic sphere, psychic ábhoga is an even greater necessity. As soon as we fail to provide this psychic body of ours with psychic ábhoga, the psychic body stops functioning. This stoppage of functioning of our psychic body is known as “psychic suspension” or “cittavrttinirodhah”. It is a sort of samádhi, but this samádhi is an attributional samádhi. It gives much pleasure, but in this samádhi one does not become one with Parama Puruśa.

“Sarvabhútádhivásah sákśiceta kevalo nirguńashca”. Here the word “sákśii” has been used. “Sákśii” means “witness”. But if you remember, He is not a mere witnessing Entity, He is also the Supervisory Entity and He is the first causal factor. Actually He is the causal matrix and not the Operative Principle, because without His permission, without His definite permission, that Operative Principle cannot function. So He is sákśii: He sees everything. And not only does He see everything, He also witnesses everything, because He is the Supreme reflecting plate – not only the seer, but the reflecting plate as well.

“Ceta”. In physical sphere there must be some physical reflecting plate for the recognition of a physical action. And for mental actions, there must be a cognitive reflecting plate. And that cognitive reflecting plate is the reflecting plate not only for psychic actions but also for physical actions. And in the actional field of unit consciousness, of reflected cognition, the supreme reflecting plate is Parama Puruśa. Without the presence of this supreme reflecting plate, nothing can function in this universe. And this supreme reflecting plate is called “citi shakti” or “ceta”.

“Kevalo nirguńashca”. An entity without any particular qualification, any particular attribution, can only be One; that is, there is only one such Singular Entity in the entire universe, and that Entity is called “Kevala”, or “Kevalam”. In this respect not only is He the Supreme Attributional Entity, but He is the only Entity. There is no second entity. That is why He is called Keva lam.

“Nirguńashca”. All the guńas are functioning within His periphery, within His arena, within His scope. When all these attributions, all these qualifications, are functioning within Him, how can we say that He is nirguńa? There are innumerable guńas within Him. But His guńas are beyond the capacity of measurement and that’s why He is Nirguńa. It does not mean the absence of guńas.

Prabhumiisham aniisham asheśaguńam
Guńahiinamaheshagańábharańaḿ.

“Prabhumiisham” – “Thou art the controller of everything.” “Aniisham” – “but there is no controller over you”. “Asheśaguńam” – “Your guńas are countless.” “Guńahiina” – an object is called “attributional” when it comes within the noose of the guńas. But “Since You are beyond the realm of the guńas, You are not within the serpentine noose the guńas.” But since You are beyond the realm of the guńas, You are not within their serpentine noose. So you are guńahiina. “Mahesha” means “Lord of all lords”. “Gańábharańaḿ” – many mythological gods and goddesses are laden with necklaces, rings, padma, gadá, cakra, etc. But the people’s god (He is the people’s god as no money is required to worship Him) has no ornaments, as ornaments are costly. His devotees, His followers, His disciples are His ornaments. He requires no other ornaments. He is nirguńa because He is beyond the bondage of the guńas.

Footnotes

(1) Shvetáshvataropaniśad. –Trans.