Infinity in the Finite

Note: This article is meant for intellectuals only

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God,

Adhyaatma means the knowledge of the substance, which is controlling the soul. Aatmaa means the soul, which may indicate either the individual soul of a human being or the Lord. Aatmaa also means the human body. Jiivatmaa is the soul controlling the body. The body is made of five elements. Jiivaatmaa constitutes mind, intelligence, chittam and egoism (four antahkaranas). Lord is controlling both the soul and the human body. The soul, which controls the body is pervading all over the body. Aatmaa means that, which pervades. It is just like the current pervading in the wire. Similarly, the Lord is pervading in the human body of the human incarnation. The Lord is also pervading the entire world, which consists of five elements and individual souls.

But the Lord is pervading all over the Universe as the substratum. The Lord is not in universe. The Lord is pervading all over the human body of Krishna as the current pervades the wire. The wire gives shock wherever it is touched. Similarly, jiivaatmaa is also pervading all over the human body. This is called abhivyapaka saptami vibhakti in Sanskrit grammer. When we say that the Lord is in the universe, it is called aupasleshika saptami vibhakti. The example for this is that a man is in the shirt. The man is the base of the shirt and is not in the threads of the shirt. When you touch the shirt, you are not touching the man. If the man leaves the shirt, the shirt collapses.

Thus, there are two sentences. 1) A man is in the shirt, 2) The current is in the wire. Both the sentences look similar but the concepts are different. People who do not have the knowledge of Shastras take the same meaning for both the sentences. They think that the Lord is present in every object and in every living being in this world. The Veda says that the Lord is not present in any object or any living being in this world (Neti neti). If there is second substance, how the Lord will have the entertainment? The Veda says that the Lord created the second substance for His entertainment (Ekākī na ramate, sa dvitīyam). But, how the second substance came from the Lord who is only one substance? This is beyond your understanding. Things exist even if you do not understand. That is the secret of the creation.

Brahmajnana is the knowledge of the Lord that is to understand that you cannot understand the Lord and His actions (Yasyāmatam tasya matam). Gita says the same (Maṃ tu veda na kaścana). If you say that you cannot accept that which you cannot understand, you can never understand the Lord and His actions. The Lord lifted the mountain by His finger. You have seen this. But you could not understand this. The miracles prove that there is something, which you cannot understand. The Veda says this point (Astītyevopalabdhavyaḥ). Therefore, the Lord created a second substance, which is giving Him the entertainment. Such second substance is the creation, which is a modification of His power called ‘Maya’. Maya means that, which cannot be understood and is wonderful.

The Lord who is the base of this world is called Ishwara. Such Ishwara entered the body of Krishna as the current enters a wire. Such Lord is seen, is touched, is talking and is living with the devotees. You can never touch Ishwara by your egoistic efforts. The reason for your such effort is only your jealousy in not accepting the human incarnation. This universe is like a shirt for the Lord. If you touch the shirt you are not touching the body. Similarly, by worshipping any object or any man in the universe you are not worshipping Ishwara directly. But the same Lord comes down due to His kindness. He pervades all over the human body of Krishna as the current pervades all over the wire. Any limb of such a human body will give you the direct experience of the Lord. When you say that the Lord is in the universe, you must take the example of the man in the shirt. When you say that the Lord is in the human body of Krishna, you should take the example of the current in the wire. As the soul is pervading the human body of a human being, the Lord is pervading the human body of the human incarnation. Therefore, the soul and the Lord can be compared. The soul in the body of Krishna is the Lord.

A peon is residing in a house. The Collector is residing in another house. Both are householders. But the peon is different from the Collector. The soul in human body and the soul in the body of human incarnation are called Aatmaa because both pervade the corresponding human bodies. But the Lord and the soul are different. The body of the human incarnation also gets the nature of the Lord. The wire gets the shock nature of the current. Therefore, the body of Krishna is also beyond understanding. Due to this, the infinite universe is adjusted within the limited human body.

The Lord created the space. Volume is the property of the space. The Lord is above the space and volume. This means that there is no big Lord and small Lord. The body of Krishna attained the nature of the Lord and so it is also beyond space and volume. Therefore, the limited body is infinite universe.

Another wonderful point is that there are changes in the universe. But there is no change in the body of Krishna. The Lord is the base of the universe but the same Lord is pervading all over the body of Krishna. The Lord is not touched by the changes in the Universe. Therefore, neither the Lord nor the body of Krishna is touched by the universal changes. To understand this wonderful secret is the vision of ‘Vishwaruupam’. He, who understands that limited Krishna is the infinite Lord, is a great devotee and this is the essence. Gita says the same (Vāsudevassarvam, Adhyātmajñānanityatvam). When you know that Krishna is the Lord, that is called as “Tattvajñānārthadarśanam” by Gita. This concept is called jnana or knowledge. When you search the Lord in the world without seeing the Lord in Krishna due to your egoism and jealousy, that is called ajnanam or ignorance. Gita says the same (Ajñānaṃ yad ato'nyathā, Nā'haṃ prakāśaḥ).

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