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.
