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.