Shankara Bhashyam

Note: This article is meant for intellectuals only

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God,

Chit is gold and Jnanam is a wonderful design expressed in that gold. All the value is for that wonderful ornament but not for the lump of gold present in it. Brahman means great. The greatness is of that ornament but not of gold. A lady is attracted to the ornament but a businessman sees only the weight of the gold. Similarly, an ignorant person thinks that chit is Brahman whereas a realized scholar thinks that a great preacher with exceptional knowledge like Shankara is Brahman. Chit is awareness present in every living being and thus, for an ignorant person every living being is Brahman. Ofcourse, a living being is greatest among all the inert items and thus, can be called as Brahman in such context. Similarly, a man is the greatest among the living beings and is Brahman in that context. Among the human beings, Shankara is greatest and is Brahman in that context. Therefore, you must specify the context while using the word ‘Brahman’. If you call Shankara as Brahman simply for the reason that He is a living being, then, what is the specialty of Shankara? Why so many followed and worshipped Him, if He is not special? Brahman need not follow and worship Brahman! Self-praise and self-worship are condemned by Shastras as sins. The commentary of Shankara was for the majority that existed in His time. The majority of His time consisted of atheists, who were fully egoistic and jealous to accept the God in human form. They did not accept even the concept of God, not to speak of God in human form! They can accept the word ‘God’, provided you say that God does not exist separately other than themselves and provided you say that they are God. You can realize this point by talking with an atheist of today itself. Any little deviation from this point will not be acceptable to any atheist.

Buddhists said that everything is nothing (Shunyam) and so God is also nothing. Purvamimamsakas said that everything depends upon the action and its corresponding fruit and therefore, there is no God (Devo na kaschit…). A preacher is different from teacher. Teacher cares for his salary only. A preacher’s aim is totally different, which is to uplift even the most dullards. The preacher does not mind to adopt various techniques to bring up somehow, the student, atleast to the first step. A teacher simply vomits the truth and goes away. Shankara was not only a preacher but an exceptional genius of all scriptures. He protected Himself legally while uplifting the ignorant majority. He was in the circle of atheists, who were living beings certainly and at the maximum were human beings. They were certainly better or greater than inert items. An atheist is definitely greatest among the circle of inert items and also is greatest among the living beings being a human being with some intelligence. For animals, birds etc., also there is no God. A Purvamimamsaka is interested in heavenly pleasures like animals etc., as said in the Gita (Vedavadaratah…). An animal cannot have intelligence and cannot speak any developed language. But if you analyze carefully, atheists are no better than animals, because animals too exhibit intelligence in enjoying the pleasures and have their own language of communication. The sole purpose of any language is only communication. But the animal is greater than inert items like stones and is greatest when it is sitting on a heap of inert stones. Therefore, the animal is Brahman in that context. There is no legal objection to use the word ‘Brahman’ to that animal in that context. The position of an atheist is not at all different to this context. Therefore, an atheist can call himself as Brahman and also should call every living being to be Brahman in that context. This is the first circle in which the word ‘Brahman’ can be used for the first time.

According to the rules of Grammar, a word can be used to any item provided the root-meaning of that word is applicable to that item. This is called as Yoga. There was the tradition of fixing a word to a particular item only to which its root meaning is applicable and such a tradition is called as Yoga-Rudha. But, there was no Registrar office to take legal action if this tradition is violated. Today, if a name is registered for a business firm and if somebody uses it, he will be legally penalized due to economical issues. Scholars have registered the word Brahman to absolute God only. But the scriptural evidence as found in the Gita itself shows the violation of this tradition. The Veda, the greatest book among all the scriptural books, is called Brahman (Brahmaakshara samudbhavam).

Thus, the word ‘Brahman’ is used starting from the lowest greatest to the highest greatest. The word ‘Ruler’ can be used starting from the head of a village to the head of the country. Similarly, the word Brahman is used starting from the animal sitting on a heap of inert stones up to the absolute God. Only the contexts or circles differ.

Every human being of that time thought that he or she was Brahman, simply because he or she has the awareness or soul. Therefore, nobody followed and worshipped Shankara because nobody is different from Shankara viz., Brahman. But four disciples followed Shankara and worshipped Shankara throughout His lifetime, because they realized the whole secret. Infact, according to the commentary, they need not follow and worship Shankara, since it means worship of themselves only as everybody was Brahman. Perhaps you think that those four were ignorant in understanding the commentary, whereas all others were scholars. But it is reverse. Those four were scholars and the other entire majority was ignorant. The commentary was for the ignorant majority. Shankara revealed the truth to minority only because that minority only deserved. If He reveals the secret to the majority, they would have crucified Shankara like Jesus. The statement of Jesus “I and My Father are one and the same” spread and reached the majority. Shankara told the deserving minority “Shivah Kevaloham”, which means that He alone is Shiva and this indicates the concept of human incarnation that God comes down in a human body. Krishna never preached the Gita to the public in which Krishna declared Himself as God and asked Arjuna to worship Him only for eternal salvation. In the public life, Krishna behaved and talked like a co-human being only. Had Krishna preached the Gita in a public meeting, He should have been shot dead on the spot. The Gita was a secret preaching to Arjuna, which was known to Sanjaya and Vyasa only. Even the message of Shankara to the minority leaked and He was killed by black magic of the Kaapaalikas.

Therefore, the preacher has to look at the context of majority and the technique to be followed to introduce the Truth based on the psychology of the public. He has to estimate the repercussions of his preaching. The word ‘Brahman’ was for the absolute God by the ‘Yoga-Rudha’ tradition. But Shankara followed the ‘Yoga’ tradition and used it for every living being as it was necessary to that time. People mixed up these two traditions and thought that every living being is absolute God. Such a misunderstanding was necessary for Shankara to make an atheist atleast to utter the word of God by the mouth, which was the first step. It was Herculean task to bring the animals to the path of spirituality. To make a dullard pass the examination is great compared to making an intelligent student get the first class. Thus, the achievement of Shankara was greater than Ramanuja and Madhva. Infact, Shankara was Lord Shiva (God) Himself, who came down for such an impossible task.

Shankara revealed the highest knowledge personally to minority as the Gita was to Arjuna only. While preaching Duryodhana in the court in the public, which was also attended by several sages, Krishna never preached the Gita. Krishna was preaching for peace in the court, yet, the Gita was not revealed. He preached Arjuna to fight and kill even his grandfather and in that context, the Gita was revealed. Infact, the Gita should have been revealed in the court for peace but the receiver did not deserve for the highest knowledge. Though it was not proper context, the Gita was revealed to Arjuna because he deserved. Therefore, the deservingness of receiver is the most important aspect of preaching. Deserving is always a minority. A Professor has handful of research students. An elementary school teacher has a large crowd of students. Today people are judging the value of the preacher by the number of followers. A school teacher is greater than a Professor! When the knowledge descends to a low standard, followers increase. But, that is also required. A school teacher is as important as the Professor, perhaps even more important. But if you or the school teacher says that the school teacher is greater than the Professor due to larger number of followers, it becomes absurd. If the spiritual knowledge is commercialized under the name ‘Applied Philosophy’ like ‘Applied Physics’ etc., a well of followers is transformed to an ocean of followers immediately.

God is Namesake in Applied Philosophy

In Applied Philosophy, God is present only for namesake. Nobody is interested in the bio-data of God, which is only theoretical useless philosophy. It is all useless metaphysics! We are not worried about the real nature of God, be it imaginable or unimaginable. We are not interested whether God is formless or has a form. He should not be in the human form in the present generation. Let Him be in the human form in past. We have no objection in that case even if He is in human form. Some of us do not mind even the present human form provided He is useful to us! Are we not calling an advocate or a doctor or an officer as God, when our work is done by them? In any case, we are not worried about God but we are worried about the practical utility of God. Today spiritual preachers conduct practical workshops of practical philosophy. The essence of all our worldly efforts is attainment of bliss by earning money and relief of stress by removing poverty. But here is a spiritual workshop, which gives you directly bliss without money and removes your stress even if you are poor. Who will not be attracted? You will find the entire world before your workshop for admission. You are intoxicated with the fame-wine and feel that you are far greater than Shankara, who was followed by just four disciples! Ofcourse, there are some good preachers who are not intoxicated like a school teacher seeing or showing his large crowd of kids. If all this setup is taken in positive sense, in which all this intoxication is absent, the elementary school teacher is essential for kids. Every grown-up student was a kid at school level. Even a Professor posted as a school teacher has to teach like a school teacher only.

Shankara concentrated very much on the concept of God, which is the sole aim of this human life. The human life is very rare by itself and to get a second human life is more and more rare. Other religions say that it is impossible. Most rareness and impossibility are one and the same and there is no need of fight between religions on this point. The human life is not meant for actions and enjoying fruits. This is the main reason of postponing the enjoyment of good results or punishments to other upper worlds (Bhoga lokas) after this human life. People are worried when the results of actions are not seen in this world at once. They think that this human life is meant for actions and enjoyment of fruits only. The fruits can be given at another place and after this precious human life. There is no hurry for that because that is not the main aim of human life in the eye of God as the case of the Government. The purpose of creating separate upper worlds and the purpose of postponement of results to these upper worlds after human life is only for this. The time is meant for a different purpose and this earth (Bhuloka) is meant to be the actual campus for doing work of God to achieve the grace of Lord (Karmaloka). The word ‘karma’ in philosophy does not mean ordinary worldly actions. It means only divine works, which are service to God. To differentiate from worldly work, this divine work is called as “karma yoga”. The word ‘yoga’ means achievement of God in human form, after perfect identification (Brahma Jnana) for doing service (karma) directly. Service to temples is indirect, but, even that is greater than worldly work, because the concept of doing work to God exists even in that type of representative worship. Something is better than nothing and everything in the beginning is only something.

The ignorant person invites happiness and wants to avoid misery with the help of God. The priests are exploiting this at a micro level and some of the present spiritual preachers are exploiting the same point at the macro level in a dignified way. A businessman exploits public at a micro level directly. A politician exploits the public at a macro level indirectly under the name of ‘social service’. Ofcourse, there are good people in both categories doing a real social service. Shri Ramakrishna was a good priest and Swami Vivekananda was a good preacher.

The realized person invites misery and not happiness. Kunti asked Krishna for getting troubles always, which alone keep the person in devotion to God. Penance is a form of artificially creating misery only. In misery only, one becomes active and sincerely approaches God without egoism. Misery is the guiding force in spiritual journey.

The liberated soul, who came down in a role to this earth along with the Lord to enjoy this world-drama by direct participation invites both happiness and misery simultaneously like sweet and hot dishes in the meals. Anything bores if it is continuous. Entertainment does not bore even if it is continuous. But entertainment through continuous happiness or continuous misery bores. A picture either with continuous scenes of happiness or with continuous scenes of misery bores and the entertainment also bores. Entertainment should be same as a product but the sources of entertainment should change. You cannot entertain yourself with continuous sweet dishes or continuous hot dishes. Such continuous entertainment is called Bliss or Ananda. The word Ananda means continuous happiness (Aa samantat Nandayati Iti). If the happiness is a product, it is continuous. If it is the source, it is discontinuous. Therefore, you can be continuously happy, if your happiness is the product of alternating misery and happiness. You are happy, when you get happiness. But you should be happy when you get the misery also. You must enjoy both sweet and hot. You must be happy to praise and abuse, profit and loss, life and death, sincerity and cheating etc. This world is already arranged with these alternating sweet and hot items. If you can enjoy both, you are always happy during your life and after death. This is the state of God and is also the state of a liberated soul, who accompanies the Lord to this world. The king visited the cinema along with his family. All the family members including the king enjoy both the happy scenes and tragic scenes. This is equality of the liberated soul with the God in the cinema hall. When the cinema is over, king is king and servant is servant.

Purpose of Spiritual Journey

The spiritual journey is to transform yourself from ignorant soul to realized soul and finally to become the liberated soul, which is called as the complete salvation. You have to be dear and near to God to become a liberated soul. This transformation is possible by His grace only. His grace comes only when you are in true path. You can go in the true path if you get the true knowledge from Him only. This is the divine cycle. The true path is selfless service through words, mind, intelligence and work and fruit of work. Such five-fold service is rendered by you to your body and your family members. An ignorant soul is controlled by ignorance, which is real. A realized soul has neither ignorance nor the grace of God. This middle stage comes because, in this stage, the soul serves the Lord through words, mind and intelligence but not through work and fruit of work. The service is theoretical but not practical. In this stage, the coverage of ignorance (Avaranam) is removed but the practical effect (Vikshepa) is not removed. He realizes the truth but is unable to practice it. In the final stage, God’s grace dawns on him and the ignorance is removed theoretically and practically. The ignorance may exist in this stage also as a helper for the full entertainment. Such ignorance may appear real from the view of liberated soul also, but it will be removed by God whenever the scheduled duration ends. Such real ignorance is imposed by God also on Himself, which goes after the fixed schedule ends.

Ignorance is the essence of entertainment. The reality of entertainment increases with ignorance. The only word that stands for the ignorance is “Avidya”. Maya is not the word for ignorance. Vidya is knowledge and Avidya is ignorance. Maya means wonderful, which is the unimaginability. Wherever Maya is seen, there God exists, who is the only unimaginable item. The soul may know about itself but can never know God (Mamtu Veda Na… Gita). Thus, the soul can never cross this root ignorance (Mula Avidya). The soul can never get rid of the Avidya completely because God remains unimaginable always. The awareness that is associated with self-ignorance is Atman or soul (Avidyophahitam… Shankara). But the self can get rid of its own ignorance by self-realization, in which case the Jiiva dissolves in the self. Jiiva is a bundle of qualities, which are waves of awareness and subside in the soul on self-realization. The jiiva dissolves in the soul along with the dissolution of self-ignorance. Therefore, Jiiva is characterized by ignorance (Avidyaavachchinnam… Shankara). The soul is only associated with such ignorance because the soul does not disappear on dissolution of such self-ignorance.

Thus, ignorance is of two types. One is ignorance of God (Mula Avidya) and this is never referred because such ignorance is neither associated, nor the characteristic of the soul. If it is associated, the soul should be able to get rid of it (upahitam). If it is characteristic, the soul should dissolve on realization of God, which is impossible (Avachchinnam). Jiiva dissolves on realizing the soul, which is its source. The soul may or may not dissolve but realization of its source, God, is impossible. The dissolution or eternality of the soul depends on the angle of your view. The soul is eternal if you consider it as inert energy in basic source. In deep sleep or at the time of dissolution of the world, the soul viewed as awareness dissolves to become inert energy, which is its basic form. On awakening, the awareness form (soul) is regenerated. This angle is referred in the Gita (Atha chainam…). The same thing happens when the creation is restarted. The same condensed information is expressed, when the computer is on. The same film is expressed as cinema in the next show (Yatha purvam – Veda). This film or the RAM or disc is inert matter or inert energy, which is again inter-convertible and there is no difference for a scientist here. If you view the soul as the basic inert energy only in all times, the soul is eternal (Ajonityah… Gita). The eternality of the soul should not be mistaken as the absolute reality because before the production of the film, it did not exist. That which is generated can be dissolved. The film can be dissolved at any time. But no fool will dissolve the film, which is produced with so much effort. The film will not be dissolved but this does not mean that the film cannot be dissolved. By this absence of dissolution, you should not mistake that the film is really eternal because its non-eternality is already established by its absence before the first creation. Therefore, the dissolution of the world every time, since the creation started, is only withdrawal of the cinema from the screen and the film is stored. During the show, the awareness exists, which is withdrawn after the withdrawal of the show. The entire show is stored in the form of inert film. The soul is a part of this show. If you say that the soul is awareness, the soul is dissolved in dissolution of world (Maha Pralaya). If you take the soul as the basic energy only, it is eternal and exists in Maha Pralaya along with the entire world. In Maha Pralaya, the soul is not different from any inert item of the world. The soul differs from other inert items as long as the world-show runs. Even during the show, the basic sate of the soul that is achieved in Maha Pralaya is shown in deep sleep. The difference between the deep sleep and Maha Pralaya is nil with reference to the soul. The difference exists with respect to other souls. The deep sleep of all the souls is Maha Pralaya.

The word ‘Sat’, meaning the existence, denotes the basic inert energy, which was created by God in the beginning. It is the power of the God, which is wonderful and hence, is called as Maya, which did not contain any design of the world. Before the creation of this power, God alone existed (Ekameva… Veda). This inert energy developed the design of the world, when it is associated with its special form called as awareness. The association of any property with any item is only due to God and should not be claimed as the characteristic of any entity. Any property becomes characteristic of any item as long as God wishes. This was proved by God to all angels in the Veda, where God appeared as Yaksha. Thus, the energy (sat) acquired this property of awareness (chit) by the will of God only. Since I used the statement “will of God”, you should not say that God is awareness. God is unimaginable and is the source of all items and all associated or characteristic properties. God need not be awareness to wish. This logic applies to all the items of the creation. If some created item wished, you can say that, that item should be awareness. God is the source of awareness. Awareness is only a property or a special work form of energy. Both the energy and awareness are created by God. God is the root source.

Sat, which is the inert energy, existed in the beginning before the first creation (Sadeva – Veda). It is also called as Asat (Asadvaa Idam - Veda) because the design was absent in it. When the ‘sat’ acquired ‘chit’ property, the design of the world was created in it (Tatovai sadajayata – Veda). The first word ‘sat’ denotes the inert energy. It is also called as ‘asat’ due to absence of design. The second word ‘sat’ denotes the design, when the energy acquired the ‘chit’ property. All this is about the stage before the first creation.

Meaning of Maha Pralaya

Now, let us apply the above Vedic statements to the stage after each dissolution time of the world. In Maha Pralaya, the awareness in this world disappears because the awareness associated with the initial (primordial) energy also disappears. This means, God is not willing to see the cinema any more or to participate in the cinema. Then the movable items of cinema have become immovable i.e., living items became inert items. All the souls have become parts of the inert film. Everything has become the inert energy only (Sat). Science also agrees to this. Only God along with inert energy containing the inert design is leftover. This is the state of Ekaki (alone). God is still in Saguna state only because the energy along with designs covers God as Upadhi. The Nirguna state (absolutely alone) of God, which existed before the first creation, is never achieved because the inert film is never destroyed. Since everything except God that exists is inert only, the state of Ekaki is maintained as before the first creation. Therefore, the world exists as Sat (inert energy) before creation. The world exists as sat and chit during the existence as well as after dissolution. When the Sat is associated with the property of Chit, the drama is alive as the running show, giving entertainment to God. During Maha Pralaya, Chit disappears and everything remains only as inert energy Sat. Therefore, before the second creation, the Sat existed along with the design (Avyaktam), which is not expressed. The absence of expression of the design is meant by Asat, which was the word used for the same Sat with design. The second Sat means that the design is expressed, which means the cinema started again.

The first stage is pure science. In this, we analyze the nature (Prakruti) and conclude that the womb of the mother is the root cause of the birth of the child. This womb is a part of the mother only and is not the father, which is the chit or awareness. The child does not realize the father as its root cause because the interaction of the father is a hidden secret and should be only inferred (Anumanam) and not perceived (Pratyaksham). The biology, which is the scripture and the inference are only the two means to realize the father as the cause of the birth. Kalidasa says that the father can be understood from the inference obtained from scriptures (Aaptavaaganumaanaabhyaam Saadhyam…). The soul as awareness goes into its basic form, which is the inert energy in the time of deep sleep or in dissolution state. This inert energy is Parashakti or Brahman or more specifically referred as karya Brahman is the first item of the creation. This is inert because it is under the control of its source, which is God (Parabrahman). This is called as Mahat Brahma in the Gita, which is the first cover (Upadhi) of God. By this, for the first time, the attributeless (Nirguna) Brahman or God becomes Saguna, which means God is qualified by the medium. When the will or awareness enters this inert energy from God, the inert energy generates the plan of world as issue. The Gita says the same (Tasmin garbham…). This is concept of hidden Father and visible mother. This is a joint approach of philosophy and science. One accepts both inference and perception together. This is the concept of God and Para Shakti (first created inert energy), which is charged by God, called as Brahma and awareness-energy, called as Saraswati. Both these as creator and first creation are treated as father and daughter. Then the entry of God into the energy is like the secret union of father and mother. The energy then materializes into matter, which is Lakshmi (wealth). All materialized forms appear as issues. The hidden father is not visualized by scientists. The theists agree the Father and Mother as the cause of creation. They do not leave the perceived basis as mother but accept the inferred Father. Without understanding this inner concept, people have misinterpreted that Brahma married His own daughter. The concept should not materialize totally in the given simile. There is no object in the creation, which can stand as exact simile to God, the creator. If you leave the science and travel with the philosophy only, the father-daughter concept comes by which you can understand that God created even that first creation (energy).

In this final step, you will end in the root cause (God). He is the cause of the mother and also the cause of every action of the mother. When the mother gives milk, that milk is purchased by the money of father only. The work involved in giving the milk by mother to the child is also due to the energy gained by food eaten by the mother and that food was purchased by father only. The father appears to the child as inactive, but is the cause of the birth, milk and work involved in giving milk etc., done by mother. But, in the final stage, the devotee realizes that even the primordial nature (energy) was also created by God only and so finds God only as the sole cause of the total creation. ‘Atmana Akasah’ says the Veda, which means that space came from soul. Here the word soul means the basic form of the soul (awareness), which is the inert energy. This means that space is a modified form of energy, which is accepted by science today. Thus, the Veda starts from the primordial inert energy (indicated by the word Atman), which is the mother. This is science. Even the word Brahman in the Veda, which is explained in the Veda as the cause of creation is this primordial energy in a macro scale. In deep sleep, the soul is transformed into basic inert energy. The body (matter) is another form of inert energy. The surrounding space, objects etc., are also forms of inert energy. Thus, in deep sleep, the soul is mixed in Brahman like a drop of water in ocean. Awareness is a limited form that arises after the deep sleep. But if you view even this awareness as a special work of inert energy, now in all the states, only an ocean of energy results, which is a continuum. The Veda says this ‘All this is Brahman’ (Sarvam khalu Idam…). But in deep sleep, this continuum is more clear since only two forms (matter and energy) exist. In Maha Pralaya, all the matter dissolves and only a continuous ocean of inert energy results. In Maha Pralaya, matter and awareness disappear due to the destructive form of energy (Parvati) and thus, only an ocean of inert energy is leftover, which is called as Para Shakti (Paraasaya Shaktih… Veda). Awareness (Saraswati), matter (Lakshmi), destructive inert energy (Parvati) stand for the work energies of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Thus, the final single form of inert energy is Adi Parashakti (the initial greatest energy) and this is called as Mula Maya or Mula Prakruti and this can be called as Brahman, when it is charged by God, the first qualified Brahman or Karya Brahman or Hiranyagarbha. The destructive inert energy and final inert energy are qualitatively same and thus, Parvati and Adi Para Shakti are qualitatively one and the same.

Jesus is said to be born to only mother without Father. He always praised Father and did not regard His mother so much. When a lady cried that His mother is great, He said that the follower of the instruction of His Father is really great. What is the inner meaning of all this? Does this mean that He disregarded His mother and praised the non-existing Father? No. In His language the Father is God. The mother is the primordial energy. He has gone to the final stage of divine knowledge and realized that God is the root of the root cause. An atheist does not accept Father and believes in the sole existence of mother (nature). A theist believes in both. A realized devotee believes only God, since the nature is also created by God. Without realizing this inner concept, the Christianity is divided into two schools of son and mother taking everything in physical sense. The son of virgin means the concept of science, which says that a child is produced from Nature, which is in the form of parents. In science, both mother and father are equally important representing the sperm and ovum. This is the material sense, which is not here. In spiritual sense, both are nature or mother only. There are so many couples without children. The will of God is the Father without which no child is produced. But God is hidden always and is inferred by knowledge. This point is represented in the example of father and mother even in physical sense. Therefore, Jesus caught the root of root cause, who is the God or divine Father and not this primordial energy or mother up to which only science can go based on perceptional analysis. This does not mean that Jesus really disregarded His mother and this explanation also does not mean that one should disregard the mother. In the physical sense, both are equal because both are mother only in spiritual sense. God is the Father in the spiritual sense, who is the hidden cause in both the concept and simile.

Self-analysis and stopping at the self is only science and not philosophy. Even in this path of science, you should stop at the primordial inert energy as the mother and not the awareness. Awareness is a part of inert energy like the womb of the mother. The awareness is not continuous as seen in the practical experience. It does not exist in the deep sleep. You can call it as Brahman due to its exceptional greatness of the special quality of knowledge. But, it cannot be the greatest in other aspects because it is very weak and not continuous like inert energy. The inert energy can materialize as matter and can destroy the matter. But the awareness, however much may be concentrated cannot materialize into matter and cannot destroy matter. Though the awareness is also a form of inert energy, the soul is just a tiny drop of the inert energy. It is not quantitatively sufficient to do all these works like materialization etc. Of course, Brahman, the infinite ocean of energy qualified by awareness is greatest in all aspects. It can do all wonders (Maya) since it is charged by God. If you take the external cover only, which is the infinite ocean of awareness, there is a qualitative difference between this Upadhi and the soul. But if you take the point of charging by God, the soul and this Upadhi are totally different since one is with God and the other is without God. This difference is indicated by the presence of Maya in Brahman only. However, if you call that upadhi as Brahman (in the sense of greatest), then also there is quantative difference between the drop of awareness (soul) and ocean of awareness (cover of God).

Vidya – Avidya - Maya

Maya is not ignorance, though it is used in that sense, if you analyze its root meaning. It is the unimaginability, which means that the ignorance here can never be removed. God can never be understood and so the ignorance about God is Maya. Avidya means the ignorance that can be removed. Ignorance of physics can be removed by special effort. Avidya relates to the self. By effort, the self-ignorance can be removed. But the ignorance of God is Maya, which can never be removed by any effort as God is unimaginable. The Gita says that He can never be understood (Mam tu…). The Veda says that the soul can be understood by sharp analysis (Drushyate tu…). Liberation comes by self-realization, which gives peace but not bliss (Samah karanam… Gita) (Eshahyeva Anandayati… Veda). Peace is zero and bliss is plus. Any one of these two can remove the misery, which is minus. But there is easy tendency for the zero to become minus. Therefore, the self-analysis achieved by your logical ladder can drop to misery (Savikalpa Samadhi). But if the same self-realization is granted by the Lord, it is eternal (Nirvikalpa). Shankara told that the grace of the Lord can alone bring the real self-realization (Esvaraanugrahaadeva…). Such grace of Lord comes by devotion, which is generated and strengthened by knowledge and which can be proved only in terms of practical service as seen in the case of your family. Shankara gives the top importance to devotion (Bhaktireva…). The Gita also says that God is achieved only by devotion (Bhaktyaatvananyayaa…). The Gita also says that the devotion is proved by selfless service to God, which is called as Nishkama karma yoga.

The creation contains the inert matter (Lakshmi) and inert energy (Parvati). Both these forms represent Vishnu having the shape and Shiva having the form of wave (Shivalingam). Both these are clearly visible forms. Awareness is chit (Saraswati) representing Brahma, invisible form and hence, does not have worship. The visible existence of matter and energy is denoted by Sat and Chit is most difficult to visualize. The Veda says that the soul is not visible (Gudhotma) but imaginable by sharp analysis (Drushyate…). Chit enters certain items made of matter and energy and thus, living beings are created. The whole drama with stage (matter), lights (energy) and actors (items made of matter and energy containing chit) completes the arrangement of drama into which God enters as an actor along with His associated liberated souls, getting full and continuous entertainment (Ananda). Thus, Sat-Chit-Ananda is explained, which means the entertainment of Lord through this drama made of Sat and chit. His form is also made of same sat and chit.

Food is inert matter (Annam) and on oxidation (Prana), it produces inert energy. This energy is converted into awareness or chit. The Veda says ‘Annat purushah’. This inert energy is transformed into soul and this inert energy maintains the entire world as cosmic energy (Jiiva bhutam… Gita). The Veda says that space is produced from soul. Here soul denotes inert energy only, which is its basic form. Therefore, the space is also inert. Otherwise, space should have been a living being with awareness. According to Einstein, space is geometrical only and exists as long as matter exists. But space is geometrical required for the waves to occupy and propagate. So, even if all the matter is converted into energy, space can still exist. As long as space exists, energy has to exist because space is also a form of energy. Of course, if you speak of energy also in terms of matter, you can say that space exists as long as matter exists. The condensed energy is matter. This means energy can be diluted and so energy or space expands. This represents the theory of constant expansion of space.

Pralaya - Maha Pralaya - Maha Karana Pralaya

In Maha Pralaya, the design of the world exists, which needs space. If only awareness disappears by destruction of all living beings, it is called as Pralaya. If all the matter disappears leaving energy, it is Maha Pralaya. Disappearance of matter means transformation of matter into energy. Similarly, disappearance of awareness means transformation of awareness into inert energy. Up to this concept, both God and energy exist like Father and mother. Up to this, both inference (philosophy) and perception (science) travel together like parents. The follower of Shakti cult (Shakteya) says that the energy itself is God and thus, he is just the present scientist. He is better than Advaitin, who says that awareness is God. Even in Maha Pralaya at least energy exists. Awareness disappears even in Pralaya. Of course, both these become one and the same if the awareness is also considered as energy basically. Both these depend on perception only. They too depend upon inference, but their inference is based on perception. The fire is inferred from smoke, because the relationship of fire and smoke is already seen (perception) in kitchen. Therefore, awareness, the inferred God by Advaitin is imaginable and even perceivable through intricate modern instruments. Such inference is based on perception only. The inference of God should be based on scriptures like the Veda. The interaction of Father and mother is inferred by seeing the interaction of a couple later on. Such inference is perception based. But the interaction of God is never perceived, because God is never perceived since God is beyond even the imagination. Maha Karana Pralaya represents the dissolution of energy completely, which means the disappearance of space. The situation becomes unimaginable. The space of the dream disappears but still the brain exists in the absolute space. The mind (nervous energy) requires absolute space for existence. Thus, existence of absolute space (Paramavyoma) is required for the existence of God. Since no item in the creation can stand as perfect representative of God, this problem comes. The existence of Paramavyoma again speaks about the existence of energy in more subtle form. The dissolution of energy to the fullest extent leads to complete unimaginable situation, which was exactly the situation before creation. Such a great devotee leaves the science and perception completely. He believes only in the Veda. He believes only in God as the absolute cause every time after Maha Pralaya. Such a great devotee never falls as he depends only on God as the root of root cause (Maha karanam). Jesus believed God in such a way. Shankara’s advaita is actually this concept only. An atheist cannot travel to this distance and so He (Shankara) stopped at the concept of awareness only so that every atheist is attracted and feels that the absolute is in him and finally he can become the absolute God. Even the concept of Pralaya is not brought here and awareness was declared as eternal. For the sake of a theist, awareness is eternal and remains in deep sleep and also in Pralaya. But the atheist should realize that awareness is not present in deep sleep since one is not aware of even the soul, which is awareness of awareness as found in meditation. The enquiry of the source of ‘I’, which represents the fundamental characteristic of awareness in deep sleep reveals the whole story. The inert energy is the source of ‘I’ as realized from the analysis of deep sleep.

The word Atman is also used to God. When God enters the human body, He pervades all over the three bodies. Atman means that which pervades (Atati iti). According to the Veda, God created the space first (Atmana Akasah) and God also created energy first (Tat tejah). Since space is energy, it is one and the same whether you say that space was created first or energy was created first. In this sense, Atman stands for God. If Atman is awareness present in human being, which creates the dream space, relatively the absolute space exists in which the awareness also exists. If you say that the human being exists in absolute space, but not the awareness, then where is the awareness without the human being? If awareness is beyond space, why does it exit in living beings only and not in inert things and thus, in the entire world? Science clearly proves that awareness is the nervous energy and energy requires space for existence and propagation. If you accept the existence of absolute space, it means space is eternal and creation is not having any beginning. If space is eternal, energy is eternal and matter a form of energy is also eternal. The word creation itself is meaningless. Therefore, awareness or inert energy requires the existence of space. Certainly, they did not exist before the first creation. Even the film did not exist before the production of the cinema-film. Then only the Vedic statement ‘Ekaki’ becomes meaningful, which means that God was alone before the creation. Therefore, energy or space did not exist before the first creation. If space was absent, your intelligence and logic cannot imagine that situation even if it tries for million years. Therefore, the unimaginable God exists before the creation and He is always unimaginable. The unimaginability is for the souls, which did not exist before the first creation. It means unimaginability (Maya) did not exist at that time since God was imaginable to Himself. Even in Maha Pralaya or even in Pralaya, the souls exist in inert state; Maya does not exist for souls. Maya never exists for God. Thus, Maya in the sense of unimaginability does not exist to souls in Pralaya or Maha Pralaya. But Maya in the sense of wonderful energy or power exists in Pralaya or Maha Pralaya. But even in that sense, Maya did not exist before the first creation.

The dream cannot give a complete comparison for God’s creation. The human being or his mind or soul is in one space and the other space is created in dream. The first space is absolute and the second space is relative. The awareness cannot exist without the first space. But God is beyond space and does not require absolute space to exist with respect to this relative space. No item in this space can be compared to God, who is beyond this space and does not require any other absolute space for existence. When the dream space disappears, the absolute space appears. Even during the dream state, the absolute space exists simultaneously as observed by another person, who is not sleeping. An infinite chain of spaces cannot be acceptable, which are relative to each other subsequently. The dissolution of this space and existence of God beyond this space without any other absolute space, thereby, meaning that God is unimaginable is the only final solution. God remains transcendental to this space always even during the existence of this space. If your awareness is imaginable, certainly it cannot be beyond space.

In deep sleep and Maha Pralaya, the soul is transformed into its basic form of inert energy. The bundle of qualities, called as Jiiva is also transformed into a bundle of inert impressions of inert energy, called as pulses (sphotas). But during the death, the jiiva remains in the state of awareness, which means that these pulses are waves of awareness only and not waves of inert energy. The awareness is not transformed into inert energy. The soul is in the form of awareness only. The soul and jiiva are not different here in the case of ordinary human beings. Only vibrated awareness exists as soul i.e., only jiiva exists here. Let us call him as Jiivatman at the best. The non-vibrated soul without jiiva exists only in a realized or liberated devotee. This Jiivatman is dragged out by the servants of Lord Yama. The Jiivatman is aware of the entire journey to hell. If the human being did selfless works without the element of God in service of the society, he will be taken to heaven by the angels. The re-human birth is very rare and can be treated as almost impossible. Even the first human birth is rare. From the hell, he comes down to take birth in animals or animal like human beings. From heaven, he comes down to enjoy births of happiness at the same heavenly level. But a spiritual person goes to the abode of God, who is in energetic form, called as Father of heaven or Brahma, or Vishnu or Shiva. He will also return back to the earth in the service of God as a divine human being. In all these three cases, only Jiiva exists in the form of a bundle of qualities. If the qualities are bad, he is circulated in the hell and if he is with qualities in serving the society without selfishness, he is circulated in heaven. Hell and heaven exist on the earth also apart from the upper world. Thus, the Jiiva is in single phase whether he is here or in the upper world. Similarly, he is near God either here or in the upper world, if he is a spiritual devotee. In the upper world, God is in the energetic form, whereas God is in human form here. For Him also a single phase of circulation exists. Thus, there is no difference between the life on the earth and after the death. The only difference is that the Jiiva is in energetic body in the upper world and Jiiva is in human body here. The important point here is that the soul is in the form of awareness only either on the earth or after death. Of course, on the earth the soul goes into deep sleep or it means the soul is converted into inert energy here for sometime. In the upper world, such chance of deep sleep does not exist because the upper world is a continuous engagement of enjoying the fruits (Bhoga loka). Since the body is energetic, no rest is required in the upper world.

The Advaitin says that he is in the light, the light is in him and finally he is the light. First he tries to establish that this world is God and so he is in God. The world is energy and awareness is energy. But all the energy is not awareness only. So, if you say that chit (awareness) is only God, then this entire world is energy but not chit. If the entire world is a form of chit, then every part of the world should be a living being only and there should be no inert item in the world. If you say all energy as ‘chit’, we have no objection, but then chit means the inert energy and not awareness. When the Veda says “All this is Brahman” (Sarvam Khalu idam Brahma), then this entire world is energy which is inert-chit. Awareness is a part of the energy and then energy can be chit also. It concludes that energy is inert in general but becomes chit in special condition, when it flows in a special system, called nervous system. Energy becomes light in bulb, becomes sound in radio, becomes current in a dynamo, becomes work in a mechanical machine etc. This means awareness is a property of energy like light, sound, current, work, etc. Energy is the basic entity, which is inert. Chit cannot be the basic entity, which can be the inert energy only. If you take the word ‘light’ to mean the basic energy, you are in the world, which is basically the energy. The basic inert energy is in yourself and you represent the body. When you say that the light is in yourself, you can say that you are the awareness, which is also basically the inert energy.

If you confine the word ‘light’ to awareness only, the first statement that you are in the light cannot be explained because the whole world is not awareness only. The second and third statements can be explained because awareness is in yourself and you are the awareness. If the light means the inert basic form of energy, which is called as the cosmic energy, the first statement is correct since the world contains the inert energy in the form of light etc., and the matter is also a form of inert energy only. Since awareness is also a form of this cosmic energy, the second and third statements also become correct. Thus, the three Persian statements are explained and the word light or the word ‘Fire’ (Agni) in Persian religion means the cosmic energy only.

Thus, the energy is Brahman, since it is the first greatest item of creation. But it is more proper to use the word Brahman to this energy when it is charged with God (Parabrahman). God is certainly beyond this energy (Brahman) and hence, is called as Parabrahman, who is perfectly unimaginable in all conditions. This energy before being charged by God is Sat as inert energy and is Chit if it is qualified by the property of awareness. It becomes awareness without nervous system due to the wonderful God and therefore, it becomes wonderful energy, called as Mula Maya. This chit is still the energy only basically and therefore, continues to be sat and can be called as sat-chit. The sat or sat-chit is imaginable and created item. This sat is imaginable existence, which means the existence of imaginable item. The existence (sat) of unimaginable God is also imaginable since it is inferred from scriptures. The existence is always imaginable whether the existing item is imaginable or unimaginable. The existence of imaginable item is always through perception or perception based inference. But the existence of unimaginable item is through the inference based on scriptures. This scriptural-inference based on existence of unimaginable God is experienced through the human incarnation directly or through the incidents of our lives. The incidents in the life, if properly analyzed give the experience of the existence of His power. You can have the same experience of His power through a devotee. But you can have the direct experience of God through the human incarnation. A pseudo human incarnation gives momentary experience through some acquired miraculous powers. But the real human incarnation gives you the permanent experience through His wonderful knowledge. The power can give experience of His capability of administration and capacity but not direct experience of God.

The word Atman can be used to God, to the inert energy (the first item of creation) and to the awareness. God is Parabrahman. Inert energy is Brahman. Awareness is Atman. Since God is the root of all causes, the space (Akasha) came from God only. Since space is a form of inert energy, space came from inert energy like the chain from gold. The awareness produces space in dream and thus, the space comes from awareness also, which is again the same inert energy basically.

The first creation that came from God is space or inert energy. Akasha (space) and Tejas (inert energy) are one and the same because space is a form of inert energy only. Matter, work, light, heat, sound, electricity, magnetism and awareness are also other forms of inert energy. Our imagination cannot cross the limits of space. The link or process of production between God and space is also unimaginable like God. This link is beyond space and God is beyond this link. The space is called as Mahat. The link is called as Avyaktam, which means unimaginable. The Parabrahman is mentioned as Purusha. The Veda says that Avyaktam is beyond space and purusha is beyond Avyaktam (Mahatah paramavyaktam avyaktat purushah parah).

God is first. Space is second. Air is third. We can explain the generation of third from second, but not the second from first. Second and third are imaginable items. Space or energy became air. Air means atoms. This is energy condensing into matter. This process of condensation is explicable and debatable. This process is parinama or vivarta. If matter is different from energy only by quantitative way, it is vivarta like water condensed to ice. Vivarta brings only physical difference. The parinama is qualitative difference like milk becoming curd. Before the creation of matter, only energy exists. If energy is condensed, it should be vivarta process only, which is physical. But if all the mater is energy only, how the qualitative difference came between items of matter? There cannot be qualitative difference between blocks of ice having various sizes. One block of ice may be more concentrated (or condensed) but it cannot bring a qualitative difference. But the qualitative difference between the milk and curd is practically experienced in the world. Milk and curd are also condensed products of same energy and may have quantitative difference. Thus, this point of contradiction brings the unimaginability, which is the characteristic of God. Therefore, the presence of the unimaginable power of God (Maya) is everywhere in the world. The Gita says that this Prakruti is also Maya (Mayam tu prakrutim). Thus, the entire world is affected by the hidden power of God (Maya), which is known by deep analysis.

When the energy and work are essentially same, the different quantities of energy-drops (electrons) giving rise to different properties mean different works of God giving rise to different properties. Here the wonder is that the working material and work are one and the same in essence. Therefore, the unimaginable God does wonderful works and His work itself is the working material. The work is power of God, which itself is the working material. All this creation is work without any separate working material because the working material itself is a form of work. According to science also, any material (matter) is a form of energy and work is also a form of the same energy. Thus, this wonder exists in science, which says that matter is condensed form energy. For the process of condensation, space is required and the space should be different from energy for the process of condensation to take place. But space is a form of energy as per the special theory of relativity. In such case, how the energy is condensed because, space is also energy? This is another wonder. Like this, when this nature (Prakruti) is analyzed, it is a wonder (Maya) only as said in the Gita (Mayam tu…). Thus, Maya becomes the inner substratum of the world. God is the substratum of Maya (Mayinam tu… Gita). Thus, God is the final substratum of this world. The generation of matter on condensation of energy and the transformation of matter in to energy by dilution are wonders in the context of space being the energy. Thus, the generation, maintenance on substratum and dissolution are works of Maya, which mean wonders of God. Such wonder is for souls only and is well known to God and therefore, it is not a wonder to God. Thus, Maya is a logic or science for God, just like the nature is a logical science to the souls. It is only higher logic or super science of God, which is above the level of souls.

“I” is the property of awareness and awareness is the property of the basic inert energy. Thus, “I” is basically the property of inert energy only, which means that “I” is an impression stored in the basic inert energy constantly. Such inert energy-form of soul is eternal not only in deep sleep but is also eternal even in Maha Pralaya. Do not worry about the adjective “Inert” that is used for soul. Here the word “Inert” means that the soul is not independent and is always controlled by God (Atmeshvaram- Veda). Awareness is just a special work of inert energy-soul, which is absent in deep sleep and Maha Pralaya. By the absence of awareness, the soul is not deficient in any aspect. Suppose you are sitting in a chair and not walking. Since you are not doing the special work of walk, are you incomplete by any aspect? Thus, the inert energy form-soul is like a static person and the awareness is a work of the soul like walk of the person.

Shankara considered the awareness as the greatest item when it is compared to the inert items and the awareness is called as Brahman in this context. At that time, the atheist is not better than a living being like animal having the simple awareness. The atheists at that time were very reluctant to accept even the word Brahman to be used for awareness, because generally Brahman means God. Even though Shankara said that the awareness present in the atheist also is God, the atheist was reluctant to accept the word Brahman to mean the awareness. The atheist like Mandana Mishra (Purva Mimamsaka) took twenty one day-debate to accept the awareness to be called by the word Brahman! In the case of Buddhists, an additional task has fallen on Shankara to make Buddhist accept the existence of awareness because the Buddhist says that nothing exists (Shunyavada). If the real aim of Shankara was that every human being is Brahman (because awareness is in every human being), His close disciples should not have worshipped Shankara as God. If everybody is God, the worship of Shankara becomes self-worship. The disciples fell on the divine feet of Shankara praising Him as the Lord. This should have meant that they fell on their own feet even after the realization!

The inert energy is produced from food and oxygen (Anna and Prana). This inert energy flows through brain and nerves, which are in the state of functioning, develops the property of awareness. Such awareness-energy is called as mind, which is not associated with any external knowledge. The awareness simply makes some desires without any analysis. Such desire (Sankalpa) is often altered (Vikalpa) because the logical analysis is not developed due to absence of any external knowledge. In this state, the awareness (mind) makes the human being equal to a bird or animal only. When the external knowledge is associated with awareness, the logical analysis develops, which results in decision without making any alteration. Then the awareness is called as intelligence (buddhi) or Vijnana. The mind is blind and when the mind is the ruler, the human being is just like the blind king Dhritarashtra. If the awareness is associated with the knowledge given by external Guru, the human being is like the kingdom ruled by Dharma Raja associated with the Gita, the divine knowledge given by Lord Krishna. The mind by itself is like a blind sense only (Manah Shashthani-Gita). The mind is like the untrained driver. The intelligence is like a trained driver. The intelligence alone can make the determination, which leads to correct practice. Therefore, the soul (yourself) is like the owner. Your body is like the car. The mind is like the steering rod. The untrained driver is like the inert steering rod, which is mind. The same mind (awareness) becomes a trained driver due to association of divine knowledge given by the Sadguru, who is the correct guide of training. The correct knowledge in driving alone makes the difference between untrained and trained drivers. Therefore, your first responsibility is to search for the Sadguru to obtain the correct trained driver (buddhi) in your body. Therefore, the Gita starts with the Buddhi Yoga. The Gita is starting with Jnana Yoga. Shankara gave the entire credit to Jnana Yoga, which is the correct knowledge in driving that is obtained from Sadguru. Therefore, do not proceed with the mind like an animal or ignorant person in the spiritual journey. In such case, you will be exploited by various selfish ignorant people.

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