Eko hi Rudro na dvitiiyáya tasthurya
“Imánllokániishata iishaniibhih
Pratyaḿ janáḿ stiśt́hate saincukopántakále
Saḿsrjya vishvá bhuvánani gopáh.”

The question arises – is the Supreme Entity, the Supreme Faculty, a singular one or a plural one? The question of plurality in the controlling faculty is a knotty one. The rśi says the important law, the Supreme Controlling Faculty, is a singular one – a singular one. There cannot be any plurality in it. That is, it is singular and shall remain singular forever.

Actually, one day I told you that the proper significance of the term “rudra” is “the entity that makes you shed tears”. And I also told you that to shed tears does not always mean lamenting. When you shed tears due to sorrow, when you are aggrieved, tears come out from the inner sides of the eyes straight downwards, and when you shed tears due to pleasure, then they come out from the outer sides. Tears coming out while lamenting is known as “shokáshru”, and tears coming out in pleasure is known as “ánandashru”. When you are in a predicament, having to undergo great troubles, the tears that you shed are due to Him; and when you shed tears in pleasure, it is also due to Rudra. Due to so many clashes and cohesions in this expressed world – all its attributions – people shed tears. This world of attribution is a creation of His, so He is the Rudra. Had there been more than one Rudra, the system of the conformity of the universe would have been lost. So Rudra cannot be more than one. That is why I have said, “Na dvitiiyáya tasthurya.” You cannot have any supporter or competitor.

That Rudra, the Supreme Entity, is the controller of the universe. “Iish” means “to control”, and that entity controls this universe with the help of His Operative Principle. That is why in Ánanda Sútram it has been said, “Shaktih sá Shivasya shaktih” – Shakti is the Operative Principle of the Cognitive Faculty. The Cognitive Faculty does not belong to the Operative Principle, rather, the ownership of the Operative Principle lies with the cognition. Without cognition there cannot be any Operative Principle, but without an Operative Principle there can be the Cognitive Faculty. He controls this universe – the Supreme Cognitive Faculty controls this universe with the help of His innumerable Operative Principles.

Everything cometh from Him, remaineth in Him and goeth back to Him. He creates, He retains, He destroys. Actually, you know, there will not be any total annihilation and there will not be any thermal death of the universe. But, in a particular portion of the universe or in a particular portion of any planetary system, there can be, there may be, thermal death. In the past there have been so many thermal deaths, and in the future also there will be many thermal deaths, but only in a particular portion of the universe. The universe as a whole will never cease to exist. It will remain forever. So one should not be affected by the scare that the World is coming to an end. There may be death of this small planet earth, but the universe as a whole will never die. Before the death of this earth you or your descendants may quit this earth and go to some other planet of this solar system or any other planet of any other solar system. It is quite possible, quite probable that it may happen like this.

When complete annihilation takes place in a particular portion of the universe, He remains there, too, and it means that nobody will ever become helpless or hopeless. He remains in contact with the entire creation. This grace of His is known as “prota”.

And when He keeps in contact with an individual, as he also does, that relationship, that companionship, is known as “ota”.

He is connected with the universe both individually and collectively. His individual relationship is known as “ota-yoga” and His collective relationship is known as “prota-yoga”. That is why we say, “otah protah yogábhyáḿ saḿyuktah puruśottamah”.

“Pratyaḿ janáḿstiśt́hate saincukopántakále” means the stage of complete annihilation. He is with everyone. So fear not.

“Saḿsrjya vishvá bhuvanáni gopáh.” After creating this universe what did He do? “Bhuvanani gopah.” He concealed Himself. He concealed Himself just behind His creation. He does not remain in the forefront. He keeps Himself just behind His creation. So in order to find Him we will have to search through His creation. There is no other way. And to find Him, you will have to make a special endeavour, and that special endeavour to find Him is known as “sádhaná”.

Therefore, by subjective approach through objective adjustment, you have to attain Him. This is the foremost duty of every human being.