Today I will say something about Vraja Krśńa in the light of dvaetaváda [dualism]. Before we begin to analyse the topic at some length, one should form a very clear idea of what dvaetaváda is. This analysis should cover the entire period of history, from the prehistoric dawn to the historic age, and should include the science of Sanskrit phonetics.

Language develops as a result of adjustment between mental vibrations and the external vibrations of the manifested world. Changes occur in the external conditions of the world, but mental vibrations do not undergo much change. Mind controls the external world to a great extent, and the external world controls the mind.

Take for example the colour red. The colour is there in the external world. It has a physical vibration contained within light rays. Those vibrations strike the eyes, and the mind vibrates and dances in accordance with those vibrations.

All vibrations, all kinds of dance, produce sound. One sees the colour red in the external world. When that colour comes and strikes the eyes of a person of a particular area, of a particular natural environment, its vibration strikes the optical nerve, and thence the impact of the vibration falls on the mánasadeha [mental body]; and the mind then vibrates – but not only according to the ocular vibration, rather according to the sound vibration as well. When the mind dances on seeing the colour red, a sound vibration arises in the mind – t́ak, t́ak, t́ak, t́ak.⁽¹⁾ That is why we say t́akt́ake lál [scarlet red] in Bengali. Similarly, on seeing a white object, the mental sound vibration dhab, dhab, dhab occurs. Hence the Bengali expression dhabdhabe sádá [sparkling white].

From that dhab sound, that acoustic expression of the inner mind, a root verb came into being in Sanskrit, and from that root dhava, with the addition of the verb lá and the suffix d́a, the word dhavala [white] was formed.

In pure Hindi, dhavala has become dhaolá; in Bengali, dhalá; and in Oriya, dhaŕá. This is the way in which words are formed.

When the mind moves in one direction, flowing towards a particular point, then the numerical concept regarding that point is termed eka [one]. Eka is common to all people, literate or illiterate, white or black. When all the ideas in the mind flow in a particular line and culminate at a particular point, then the numerical expression concerning that particular point is “one”. In the very ancient Sanskrit of the Vedic age a finger was also called eka; two fingers were called dvi [two]. In old Latin it is dui, in later Latin tui, from which the English word “twin” has come. In the Austric language group there was no such word as “one” or “two”. To demonstrate “one” they used to show one finger, and “two” would be two fingers; to indicate “five” they would show the whole hand. (The Persian equivalent of “five” is painj. The land where five rivers flow is “Paiṋjáb” [Punjab]. The hand is called paiṋjá because it has five fingers.) To demonstrate “ten” in the Austric languages the people used to show two hands; in the case of “fifteen”, two hands and a foot; and in the case of “twenty”, two hands and two feet. The ancient Austric word for the human body was kur, so the number represented by the human body possessing two hands and two feet became kuri, from which the modern Bengali word kuŕi is derived. Even today in some systems of counting, “twenty” is the highest number. That is why people say ek kuŕi [“one twenty”], du kuŕi [“two twenties”], tin kuŕi [“three twenties”], and so on, when bargaining in the market.

In the primary stage of civilization, people were only a little conscious of themselves and totally unconscious about other things. Later, when language emerged, when old Sanskrit and old Latin were widespread, people began to understand more about their existence. They realized, “I exist, and there must be a Creator, the Creator of all the things around me in the universe, who must also be watching me.” These were the ideas that dawned upon the human mind. The primitive people thought, “There exists one ‘I’, and there also exists one entity who is guiding all entities. So there are two” – whether “two fingers” or dui or dvi or dua, etc. The notion that there are two entities was termed “dualism” in Latin, dvaetaváda in Sanskrit. There may or may not be more entities, but there are certainly two – I and my Lord. In the initial stage of philosophy only dualism existed. Sáḿkhya philosophy, which I have already discussed, is also dualism, because it is based on the notion that there is one Prakrti and many puruśas. This is the main contention of Sáḿkhya philosophy. So Sáḿkhya is also dualism. But in this school Puruśa is not established in His full authority. It makes little difference whether He exists or not. But anyway, Sáḿkhya was covered fairly well earlier.

Now let us see how the world is viewed in the light of dvaetaváda. All unit beings realize that they exist. This does not require much effort: even an illiterate person is aware that he or she exists. If you ask a rustic fellow, “Hello, how are you?” he will reply “I am fine, thank you.” That is, he knows that he exists. No one needs to be taught this. Everyone takes it for granted that they exist. If a great scholar of Vishuddha Advaetaváda attempts to explain to the same fellow that he does not exist, the rustic will most probably reply, “What nonsense! You’re talking to me and yet telling me that I don’t exist? Then who are you talking to?” Confusing ideas like this were propounded for many centuries. In the initial stage of philosophy people believed that there existed only the unit beings and their Lord. They could not understand the intricacies of philosophical queries. Philosophy had not yet come into being.

As far as human history can say, Maharshi Kapila was the propounder of the world’s first school of philosophy, Sáḿkhya philosophy. As a result he was known as ádividván [the first scholar]. The people of that age did not possess an intellect subtle enough to probe deeply into things. Thus it would not be proper to find fault with them or condemn them in harsh language. They simply started moving towards Parama Puruśa without possessing any philosophical knowledge about Him.

The extent of their belief was that one Entity is the cause of the universe and the one overseeing its smooth unfoldment. Their inner feeling was, “I must move towards the Master, the Supreme Cause, who remains behind the curtain directing the entire performance. Whether I understand more than this or not makes no difference.” Dualistic philosophy is based on this inner understanding. No one has yet cared to analyse dualism in detail. The general tendency of dualism is to take it for granted that there are two entities, the devotee and the Lord.

The “Rádhá” concept is recognized by dualistic philosophy also. Therein it is said that the existential point of one’s jiiva bháva [microcosmic bearing], that is, one’s “I”-ness concentrated at a particular point, is Rádhá bháva. And the main nucleus of the vast entity who is guiding the universe is also a point. This point (the Supreme Controlling Nucleus) is the Abhiiśt́a of the first point (the unit being), and the first point (the unit being) is the iśt́a of this point (the Supreme Controlling Nucleus). Iśt́a and Abhiiśt́a mean almost the same thing; abhi means “all-pervasive”, therefore the Abhiiśt́a is the all-pervasive Iśt́a [Goal].

Jale hari sthale Hari anale anile Hari
Graha-tárá-súrye Hari harimaya e trisaḿsár.

[Hari resides in both land and water. He is the wind and the fire. He exists in the stars, the planets and the sun. The three worlds are permeated by Him.]

When one conceives one’s iśt́a in this way, it is then called one’s Ábhiiśt́a. The microcosm, in the form of a point, moves towards the nuclear point of Parama Puruśa, with or without philosophical understanding of what it is doing. Where does this movement terminate? And what does it mean to say that the microcosm is a point? A point, as we know, has position but no magnitude. Unit beings have an individual existence or “I” feeling. “I am well-read, fabulously rich, and enjoy name, fame and prestige. I buy people with one hand and sell them with the other.” This is how people brag and boast about themselves. But their vain words merely revolve around a point having position but no magnitude, just like the point at the end of a pencil. Parama Puruśa, however, is abhiiśt́a, all-pervasive, self-illuminating. Whatever we can imagine and whatever we cannot imagine is Parama Puruśa. But the universal nucleus which controls the omnipresence of Parama Puruśa is also a point having position but no magnitude.

The jiiva bháva, when reduced to a point, is called Rádhá. That is, Rádhá represents the existential feeling of the microcosm. The microcosmic nucleus moves towards the Macrocosmic Nucleus not through knowledge or action, but through devotion. So why do people bother to cultivate knowledge or action? They do so to make their devotion more intense, not for any other reason. People do not eat pickles to fill the stomach, but only to whet their appetite so that they can enjoy their food more. Similarly, devotees cultivate knowledge and action not for their physical growth, but to acquire more strength to move along the path of devotion with greater acceleration. This movement towards Parama Puruśa is devotion, and the attainment is also devotion.

People advance towards Parama Puruśa by virtue of their devotion – the microcosmic point advances towards the nuclear point of Parama Puruśa. The closer it gets, the more it realizes the proximity of the Macrocosmic Nucleus and the more change occurs in the nature of the point. Suppose a drop of water is advancing towards the sun. The more it advances, the more it gets converted into vapour, and when it attains the closest proximity to the sun, it becomes simply a round ball of fire. Or still better to take the case of a piece of iron. When it is quite close to the sun it loses its solidity and is converted into molten iron. When it moves even closer, it changes from molten iron into vapourized iron, gaseous iron. And when it reaches its closest proximity to the sun it becomes one with the sun, turning into a round ball of fire. Its identity separate from the sun can no longer be found even if one beats one’s head against the wall trying.

Thus in the process of movement the more the microcosmic point advances towards the Macrocosmic point, the more it imbibes the qualities of the Macrocosm. In the beginning the microcosmic point possess only microcosmic qualities. It is only a sádhaka, only a Rádhá. One who does árádhaná or constant Cosmic ideation is called “Rádhá”. The more a sádhaka advances, the more his or her qualities change. When in the process one comes into close proximity with the Macrocosmic nucleus, one loses one’s original qualities and acquires the qualities of the object of ideation. Mádhava Mádhava anukhana sunri Sundarii Mádhava bhelii [“Rádhiká (Rádhá) while constantly remembering Mádhava (Krśńá) became Mádhava Himself”]. Vidyapati says that while thinking of Krśńa, Rádhá was so radically changed inwardly that her entire mind become transformed into Krśńa. When the microcosmic point comes in close proximity to the Macrocosmic nucleus there can no longer remain two points – they merge into one. The jiiva merges with Krśńa. Thus ultimately there can be no duality – it simply cannot survive.

There are many who argue, “I exist and my Lord also exists. I don’t want to merge with my Lord, but prefer to remain near Him and enjoy His bliss.” They say,

Ciinii hate cái ná re man,
Ciini khete bhálobási.

“I don’t want to become sugar; I want to eat it.” “I” and “sugar” – there are two entities. “I” and “my Parama Puruśa”. “I shall remain near Him and serve Him. I will feel waves of joy on listening to stories about Him.”

Dualists make a serious and dangerous mistake. If one remains close to Him for a long time, one’s individual existence is bound to be lost – the unit being will become one with Parama Puruśa whether it likes it or not. When you have a strong desire to eat sugar, your mind becomes associated with the sugar. You are so determined to enjoy the sweet taste that if someone speaks to you, you do not reply. You are not even concerned about the colour of the sugar: your mind is focused only on eating it. As all your psychic energy and psychic propensities rush towards a single entity, you succeed in tasting it. Even then, two entities are present – yourself and the taste of sugar. But when you swallow it there are no longer two entities – the two become one. Similarly, when one moves towards Parama Puruśa, accepting Him as one’s sugar, one loses one’s existence and becomes one with Him.

1 + 1 = 2. This is the first stage. 1 + 1 = 1. This is the second stage. 1 + 1 = “What? I do not know.” This is the final stage.

Some devotees are dualists out of ignorance and say, “O Lord, You are sandalwood and I am water.” (Unless sandalwood is put into water it does not give off a strong scent.) It is a wonderful image. The jiiva bháva is concentrated in the múládhára cakra, and Shiva or Parama Puruśa resides in the controlling point of the pineal gland. Now if we compare Parama Puruśa to a condensed form of sandalwood paste and the jiiva bháva at the múládhára cakra to water, then the more the water flows towards the sandalwood through the suśumná canal, the more it imbibes the qualities of the sandalwood, thereby losing its original characteristics. When in this process it reaches the controlling point of the pineal gland it completely loses its original characteristics and assumes those of the sandalwood. Then there remains only one entity: the sandalwood. The water is absorbed into the sandalwood and lost forever. When, in the process of making itself more pure and holy than the sandalwood, it comes close to the sandalwood, first you will see that it will become like the sandalwood. Then, when it comes still closer, you will see that it has become simply sandalwood. Then you will see that it and the sandalwood have become one. Similarly, when the jiiva bháva approaches close to the Lord, it is no longer “You exist, O Lord, and I also exist,” but “You exist, O Lord, only You exist.”

Thus in the final stage of spiritual elevation dualism cannot survive. Even if someone says that he or she loves to eat sugar, still dualism cannot survive. That is why one should never think, “Parama Puruśa is so vast and I am only an ordinary human being.” This is almost blasphemy. A drop of water in the ocean is small, no doubt, but it resides within the depths of the mighty ocean. Similarly, a human being may be but an ordinary mortal, but he or she has the capacity to become one with Parama Puruśa. When one draws close to Parama Puruśa, one merges in Him whether one likes it or not.

Vraja Krśńa is that sort of nucleus, attracting all to Himself. He casts a loving smile at His devotees and says, “Come to Me, don’t stay away. Why are you hiding? Come, come to Me.” The more jiivas advance towards Him, the more they feel the greatness of Parama Puruśa, and the more their lives and minds become enveloped by His greatness. When sádhakas reach the sahásrára cakra, this close association is converted into absorption, and they are no longer able to maintain their separate existence. In this universe Parama Puruśa is one, not two. When the jiivas come to Him they cannot remain many, but become one. That is why those who are true devotees, the genuine yogis, the real practitioners of yoga, are bound in love and fellowship to one another.

I also trust and believe that whatever Párthasárathi wanted to do and whatever Vraja Krśńa desired, sádhakas will certainly accomplish in close collaboration with Him. You will bring about a radical change in the social order so that each individual can find ample scope for physical, mental and spiritual evolution. Remove the sorrow and suffering of exploited humanity; wipe the tears from their eyes. Build an ideal human society based on dharma. Let this be the sole mission of your life.

Footnotes

(1) For a person from a different area or natural environment, the sound vibration might be different. –Eds.