Yoga Vasishta - Post 43

 

The creation exists in Brahman just as the sprout exists in the seed, liquidity in water, sweetness in milk, and pungency in capsicum; but in ignorance it appears to be  different from and independent of Brahman. 

There is no cause for the world's existence as a pure reflection in the absolute Brahman. When there is notion of creation, the creation seems to be: and when, through self-­effort, there is understanding of non-­creation, there is no world.

Nothing has ever been created anywhere at any time; and nothing comes to an end either. The absolute Brahman is all, the supreme peace, unborn, pure consciousness and permanent. Worlds within worlds appear in every atom. What can be the cause and how do these arise?!

 

As and when one turns away from the notions of 'I' and the 'world', one is liberated: the notion of 'I am this' is the sole bondage here. They who know the infinite consciousness as the nameless, formless substratum of the universe, gain victory over samsara.

RAMA asked:

It is evident that Brahman alone exists, o Holy sage! But, then why do even these sages and men of wisdom exist in this world, as if so ordained by god—and what is god?

 

VASISTHA replied:

There does exist, O Rama, the power or energy of the infinite consciousness, which is in motion all the time; that alone is the reality of all inevitable futuristic events,  for it penetrates all the epochs in time. It is by that power that the nature of every object in the universe is ordained. That power (cit sakti) is also known as  Mahasatta (the great existence), Mahaciti (the great intelligence), Mahasakti (the great power), Mahadrsti (the great vision), Mahakriya (the great doer or  doing), Mahodbhava (the great becoming), Mahaspanda (the great vibration). 

It is this power that endows everything with its characteristic quality. But this power is not different from or independent of the absolute Brahman: it is as real as a pie in the sky. Sages make a verbal distinction between Brahman and the power and declare that creation is the work of that power.

 

The distinction is verbal, even as one speaks of the body (as a whole) and its parts. The infinite consciousness becomes aware of its inherent power, even as one becomes aware of the limbs of his body: such awareness is known as niyati (the power of the absolute that determines nature). It is also known as daiva or divine dispensation.

That you should ask me these questions is ordained by niyati; And that you should act upon my teaching is also ordained by niyati. If one says, 'The divine will feed me' and remains idle, that also is the work of niyati. This niyati cannot be set aside even by gods like Rudra. 

But, wise men should not give up self­-effort because of this, for niyati functions only as and through self-­effort. This niyati has two aspects, human and superhuman: the former is seen where self-­ effort bears fruit and the latter where it does not.

 

If one remains idle, depending upon niyati to do everything for him, he soon discovers that his life departs—for life is action. He can, by entering into the highest super conscious state, stop the breath and attain liberation: but then that is indeed the greatest self-­effort!

 

The infinite consciousness alone appears as one thing in one place and another in another place. There is no division between that consciousness and its power, as there is no division between wave and water, limbs and the body. Such division is experienced only by the ignorant.

 

Love.