Creation of the Universe - Part 30

Dear All,

After giving everything that is possible on the theme CREATION and after summarizing the essence of all the posts in the last 3 posts, author wondered, if he has to sum up and conclude, what else can he write?

Swami Sivananda as though said to the Author, “I am there, come to me, I shall conclude this theme for you!!

Who else but Swami Sivananda and his writings can sum up this theme or for that matter, any other theme in any topic on Bhakti or Jnana?

So, with the following extract from  an article on "CREATION" written by Swami Sivananda, the theme comes to an end.

(As ever, since the blog was started, since this profound theme " creation" was started and the same is ending today, there are no questions, no doubts and not even comments from readers except 2 or 3 who  have been taking up spiritual sessions from the author for almost 6 years now!!. So we shall continue with quotes for the day  in the days to come before it dawns from within to start yet another theme!!)

God Only Is: the World Is Not

“There is only the eternal Brahman in truth. Nothing else really exists. Only Brahman, the absolute, undifferentiated mass of Satchidananda, exists.

Creation is a dream. Waking also is a dream. The body is a dream.

The whole world is an utter untruth. This world is utterly non-existent. Sensual enjoyments are like fondling the son of a barren woman in dream.

Nothing here is ever born; nothing here ever dies. The subject of instruction, and the purpose, of all teachings is only a play of words or sounds.

Brahman appears as the world. World is mere appearance. It is like snake in the rope, like water in the mirage, like blueness in the sky.

The snake appears because of the ignorance of the rope; when the rope is known, the snake disappears. The world appears because of the ignorance of the Self; it does not appear when there is Knowledge of Atman.

When one forgets Himself, Brahman appears to him as the universe. When one is established in one’s own Self, the universe appears as the Brahman.

Know the Truth

If you attain Knowledge of the Self, the meaning of life will cease to be a mystery. You will clearly understand the why and how of this universe. 

The purpose and progress in the scheme of things will become clear to you. All transcendental things will be known to you like the apple in the palm of your hand.

Withdraw. Meditate. Dive deep into the recesses of your heart. You will have awareness of a Reality, very different from empirical reality, a timeless, spaceless, changeless Reality. You will feel and experience that whatever is outside of this only true Reality is mere appearance, is Maya, is a dream.

Know the Truth, the Absolute. You are saved. You are liberated. You are enlightened. You are free.

You can know Brahman only by becoming Brahman. To become Brahman is to identify yourself with the divine element—the Supreme Soul—which constitutes your essential nature. 

The Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. The river joins the ocean and becomes one with the ocean. The drop mixes with the sea and becomes one with the sea”.

Love.

Creation of the Universe - Part 29

Dear All,

Let us recall/ recapture few portions from the 28 posts on the creation posts so far, where, one of the following two doctrines have been captured in an explicit or in a subtle way:

1) All objects in creation are mere superimposition on the reality that is " Purusha  or Purushottama" or the supreme God. The superimposition is due to the ignorance of the siva who perceives that creation is there with all its glittering aspects

or

2)  There is no creation at all. Creation never came into being at all. All that EXISTS is PURE EXISTENCE (The Truth beyond manifest or  Unmanifest God)

Post Date	Post#	Lines from Post
06-Apr-17	1	If there is no universe at all, then there is no relevance of his identity as jiva. He will then be Jiva for whom?? For what purpose? Vedanta says that it is a fact that you experience this world, but it is not as real as it appears to be.
10-Apr-17	5	नासदासीन्नो सदासीत्तदानीं नासीद्रजो नो व्योमा परो यत् (Neither non-being, nor being, was, has yet, nor was there space, neither heavens beyond it)   न मृत्युरासीदमृतं न तर्हि न रात्र्या अह्न आसीत्प्रकेतः | आनीदवातं स्वधया तदेकं तस्माद्धान्यन्न परः किञ्चनास (Neither was there death, nor immortality, nor was there any sign of then, of night and day. Totally windless, the one breathed, beyond that, there was no other. Indeed, nothing whatever was)
11-Apr-17	6	ॐ आत्मा वा इदमेक एवाग्र आसीन्नान्यत्किंचन मिषत् । AUM ATMA VA IDAM EKA EVAGRA AASIT  NA ANYAT KINCANA MISHAT (In the beginning, there was but, the absolute SELF alone, nothing else was) (Aitareya upanishad)
12-Apr-17	7	There was nothing earlier than the God’s existence. They say: "Brahman was one and non-dual. It thought, 'Let me become many.'
15-Apr-17	10	The Atman alone was. “Atma va idam eka evagra asit, nanyat kin cana misat,” says the Aitareya Upanishad at the very commencement.
16-Apr-17	11	At the end of our spiritual journey, we must reach THE state when we are not able to recognize anything other than GOD, the SELF, the pure consciousness which is described in the Aitareya Upanishad verse “Atma va idam eka evagra asit, nanyat kin cana misat”. We exist as that very Atman as per the above verse. The stone has not been created, though it is solidly perceivable. In the same way, the world has not been created, though it is visible to the eyes. As mentioned before, exactly as we start with a solid boulder/ rock and at the end, at the subtlest level we see that there is no rock but only sea of force everywhere, an indistinguishable continuum, similarly, whether the creation is there or not, when a sadhaka reaches the subtlest level of experience in his sadhana, he is unable to feel/ experience the creation at gross level. Only his inner experience shines, like there existed only the continuum of energy when seen with the most powerful microscope.
17-Apr-17	12	That is, There is only one Truth ( sathyam) which is Infinite ( Anantham) and there is no creation except this Truth or in other words, The entire creation is only this Truth which we learnt in an earlier post through the example of boulder where we concluded that the continuum of energy  never died at all, never modified itself at all, never use any other thing as tool or matter at all to create the stone and therefore, at the subtlest level, the TRUTH is that only that energy exists ( In human life, only the TRUTH - DIVINITY/ SELF/ CONSCIOUSNESS exists)
18-Apr-17	13	This is the God/ Consciousness described in the earlier Aitareya upanishad verses and its explanation in various posts as the ONE THAT was alone, with nothing else, with the ONE not even aware of ITSELF. This PURUSHA is the First cause, with there being no cause for the emergence of purusha.
19-Apr-17	14	In this enhanced view, Purusha and Prakriti are no longer self-created entities but the two aspects of the Supreme One. Krishna Says "Both Purusha and Prakriti are MY nature. The Parameswara who causes Creation, Preservation and Dissolution through these 2 agencies is I MYSELF. These is no substance other than me. I am the primal cause, Primal substance." (Source-Message of Lord , page 405)
20-Apr-17	15	The pure consciousness unmixed with any or elemental principle (thathwa), the witness eternal, the Self luminous. It is stateless. It is beyond all states of consciousness, so it is described as the Imperishable (Akshara-puru- sha).
21-Apr-17	16	The journey of Self-realization, or discrimination of pure consciousness (Purusha) from unmanifest matter (Prakriti) is one of systematically using attention to encounter, examine, and transcend each of the various levels of manifestation, ever moving attention further inward towards the core of our being.
22-Apr-17	17	Sankhya says that Purusha and Prakriti are self-created and eternal entities and there is nothing beyond these two. In the Gita, an entity / existence beyond Purusha and prakriti is explained as PURUSHOTTAMA. The one who / which existed before the cosmic vibration, all alone is Purushottama. There was only one God (Purushottama / God / Brahman/ Parameswara).
25-Apr-17	20	Brahmādyāḥ stamba paryantāḥ prāṇino’tra jaḍā api, uttamā dhama bhāvena vartante paṭa citra vat (5). All kinds of things can be seen in the picture. There are human beings, gods, mountains, flowing rivers, sky, shining stars, the sun and the moon. Actually, they are not there. All the picture on the movie screen are mere super imposition on the screen, appearing on the screen when the projector is switched on, they come, they act and they appear to be real. once we seriously try and start re-tracing from various objects/ human beings/ nature that we see in this world, we can retrace to the cosmic mind of Iswara which planned / inked all such objects, then from the cosmic mind of Iswara, we can retrace to the unmanifest Iswara/ God and from Iswara, we can re trace to the pure canvas prior to starch, the PURUSHOTTAMA prior to purusha and prakriti,  the ONE who is beyond manifest (hiranya garbha) and unmanifest (Iswara) and settle in HIM, THE SUPREME GOD!
26-Apr-17	21	Nāpratīti stayor bādhaḥ kintu mithyātva niścayaḥ, no cet suṣupti mūrcchādau mucyetā yatnato janaḥ (13) The non-perception of the world is not freedom from bondage.It is the perception of the unreality of creation that is the freedom from bondage.
27-Apr-17	22	Seated on the canvas, how will we be able to see the other varied objects on the canvas? It is impossible because there is no space / no distance between us and the other drawings and the eyes cannot see itself, the eyes can only see things to our right / to our left/ in front of us/ above us / below us. It cannot see ourselves, it cannot see anything which exist as ourselves on the screen, with no space between us and the other drawings.
28-Apr-17	23	ENTIRE POST
29-Apr-17	24	theory given by Sri Gauda pada. Sanskrit word जात means originate or create/born and अजात means no-origination or no-creation/unborn. Ajatavada means the doctrine of no-origination or non-creation. According to Gaudapada there is no creation and delusion. The supreme truth is not subject to creation, transformation and delusion. This is also called paramartha sathya. All verses from Gaudapada Karika on Mandukya Upanishad given in the post.
30-Apr-17	25	There is neither dissolution nor creation, none in bondage and none practicing disciplines. There is none seeking Liberation and none liberated. This is the absolute truth (verse 32, Mandukya Karika) It is expected that all readers who have followed all posts till now are beyond any doubt that when we reach and merge with the Lord, THERE CAN BE NO CREATION, CREATOR, CREATED existing for us!! The Jiva who can recognize the creation and yet not be affected by the same, has merged with Brahman / God!! As far as this sage is concerned, there is no beginning, no journey, no end, no bondage, no sadhana, no liberation, no perceiving the creation, developing dispassion for creation and then ultimately transcending the creation. He says - EXIST AS THE VERY ESSENCE, PURUSHA, WITHOUT A BEGINNING. THERE IS NO CREATION!!
01-May-17	26	First doctrine is not acceptable because when God existed ALONE, there can be no other matter apart from Him. 2nd doctrine is not acceptable because, If God is not there at all in the created universe, then why there would be any goal for any being to attain God who is no more there!! “These so-called ‘things’ – molecules, atoms, energy centres, etc. – never became the stone. They were never transformed into the stone. They did not create the stone. They exist and have always existed in the same condition as they were when you perceived them through a powerful perception. Exactly, the continuum of energy that is God (consciousness), never became a stone. The creation never emerged at all.”
03-May-17	28	Non-apprehension is not realization, to apprehend and still not mis-apprehend is real achievement. You cognize all drawings in canvas only if you are away from the canvas. Upon merging in canvas, you can’t perceive other drawings. When we occupy the canvas, we cannot perceive ourselves.

Love.

Creation of the Universe - Part 28

Dear All,

In the later posts, few important aspects of our life with respect to creation were learnt. 

1) Non-apprehension is not realization, to apprehend and still not mis-apprehend is real achievement.

A mirage example in desert was explained to drive home the above truth. Whether it is a saint or a normal folk, to each one’s eyes, mirage is bound to appear as mirage only.

A saint sees mirage but knows that it is unreal and hence never takes it to be water. An ignorant person may rush towards mirage thinking it to be water in the hot desert.

Similarly, a man of wisdom sees this creation but knows it to be unreal whereas a man of ignorance sees the world and believes all the objective pleasures in the world to be real.

Also, just saying that I don’t perceive world, by closing the eyes, is not liberation. 

We learnt the importance of mental nudity which Sage Sivananda often quotes. 

It is nakedness (emptiness / clear / without impressions / without attachment / hatred / fear inside) of the mind which is more important than physical restraints.

Seeing all, sensing all, hearing all and still convinced that all that are seen / felt / heard are unreal is real wisdom.

2)  You cognize all drawings in canvas only if you are away from the canvas. Upon merging in canvas, you can’t perceive other drawings.

A visual picture / scene was given to the readers to imagine that in the first scene, they are seated a little away from canvas / movie screen and are seeing all the objects on the canvas / all the characters on the movie screen.

In the second scene, they were asked to imagine of proceeding towards the screen and occupying their position on the screen itself. 

Similar comparison was then drawn to human life when we are away (within our heart / mind) from God. We perceive the world with all its fallacies / apparent beauty.

Once we go and merge with Lord, how can we then perceive the world? Like, if we ourselves are seated on the canvas, then how can we see ourselves or all other objects on the canvass?? 

3)  The  Grand truth that follows the above example.

The pure canvas = Supreme God beyond manifest (cosmic mind of Lord) and unmanifest (Lord who WILLED to create) = Paramatman.

We who are away from the Lord = Jivas affected by ignorance or avidya.

When we occupy the pure canvas, we occupy a portion of pure canvas. The portion occupied by us = Part of the Supreme God = Jivatman.

When we occupy the canvas, we cannot perceive ourselves. 

Similarly, when we attain realization, we lose cognizance of our body and mind and intellect and vasanas. It is as though we have gone and sat on the canvas and then we have erased our picture ourselves on the drawing.

Once we erase our image on the canvas, the hitherto portion of the canvas occupied by our image gets free and it is now the same pure canvas portion only.

Similarly, when we go beyond our ego, then the Divinity within us = Jivatman, is free and it merges and exits as the Supreme Divinity = Paramatman.

SO, DON’T BE AWAY FROM THE SCREEN AND PERCEIVE THE CREATION OF DRAWINGS / OBJECTS ON THE SCREEN, GO, MERGE AND LOSE YOUR IDENTITY. WHEN THE PERCEIVER IN YOU IS GONE, THEN THERE IS NO OBJECT TO BE PERCEIVED. 

DON’T BE AWAY FROM THE LORD AND KEEP PERCEIVING / IMAGINING ABOUT GOD!!

GO, MERGE WITH THE LORD AND LOSE YOUR EGO AND BE FREE FOREVER. ONCE THE DEVOTEE MERGES WITH GOD, THEN THERE IS NEITHER DEVOTEE NOR GOD, JUST LOVE EXISTS AND LOVE IS GOD, SAID OUR LORD OF LORDS!!!

Love.