The Nature of the individual soul and the world

Meaning:  There is no day or night in the sun. The day and night happens because the sun is being seen or not seen due to the rotation of the earth. Sun is always there in the sky. The illusion of day and night is created because we look through our eyes.  Similarly, since Atman is Brahman and it is one without a second, it is never bound and therefore it does not need liberation. Jiva’s (an individual being’s) true nature is Atman which is ever free. But, due to ignorance it thinks that it is limited by its body and mind. Because of this ignorance the cycle of births and deaths has been attributed to the Jiva.

Before the creation, Brahman only existed without any adjuncts like Prana, senses, and others. Through Maya, Brahman appeared as the Creator (Ishwara) of the universe. Actually, nothing exists except Brahman. When, through Maya, the Brahman is covered, Jiva appears as a separate identity consisting with body and mind.

Reflection:  This shloka gives an excellent example that convinces us the principle of the absolute non-dualism.  It says that there is no day and night in the sun. We talk about sunset and sunrise, but in reality the sun is always there in the sky. It never rises nor does it set. If there is sunset, then the question of sunrise arises. Similarly, the Atman (the true reality of an individual) has never been bounded, so there is no question of its being free. It is always free from all bondages.

 As the rotation of the earth creates a delusion of sunset and sunrise, the Maya (the power of Brahman) creates a delusion that Atman is bounded by the body and mind and therefore it goes through the cycles of births and deaths.

Swami Adiswarananda used to say that according to Acharya Gaudapada you are all free.  You were never bounded. So, you don’t need any sermon or teachings. Go home and enjoy your freedom. But you will say, ‘No Swamiji! I am not free. I have many problems.’ If that is the case, then you need spiritual practices to be free or to realize that ‘you were free’.

The problem is that through Maya an ego is created in an individual who separates itself from the eternal Atman and makes one feel that ‘I am a person with limited body and mind. I have millions of desires and I have to make lots of efforts to make myself happy.’ 

Maya is ignorance. It covers the true nature of an individual (Atman) and projects that it is a soul with limited body and mind.  

Sri Ramakrishna said that ego created by the ignorance is like a stick that divides the undivided water. If we take away the stick, then there will be only undivided water. This means that when our ego is gone, then we experience our true identity, which is Pure Consciousness. This is the state of Samadhi. We suffer because of our ego. We are bound because of our ego. 

Sri Ramakrishna said that it is very hard to get rid of the ego. At one moment we think we had got rid of our ego, and then in another moment it pops up again. Sri Ramakrishna said that ‘unripe ego’ is harmful. Having that ego one takes pride in one’s body, mind, wealth, power, position, popularity and other such things. It takes us away from the Atman. One who has a ‘ripe ego’ thinks that ‘I am a devotee of God’, ‘My goal is to realize God’, ‘I cannot do anything unethical’, ‘I cannot harm anyone’ etc. “Ripe ego’ is not harmful. It takes us towards our true Self (Atman).

The ignorance reveals through two mental characteristics: (1) ‘Me and mine’; I am this person with body and mind and all these things belong to me. And (2) ‘I am the doer’; I have achieved many things and I will continue to achieve many more. I perform all the good work etc.

When the ignorance goes away, then Knowledge of Atman reveals from within. At that time one realizes that (1) Everything belongs to God including my body and mind, or more correctly, everything is God (Brahman) and (2) God is the doer of everything and my body-mind is an instrument.

The realization of the Ultimate Knowledge has been mentioned in the Upanishads.

Ishopanishad (Shloka 1) says,

“Realize that whatever exists in the universe is nothing but the Lord.”

Chhandogya Upanishad (3.14.1) says,

“All this is verily Brahman.”

To realize the Ultimate Truth that Brahman has become everything, the Upanishads talks about three spiritual practices; (1) Shravana: to listen or learn the Truth from the scriptures and Holy People who have realized It, (2) Manana: reflect upon the Truth, reason to understand It, and get convinced about it, and (3) Nidhdhyasana: meditate on the Truth and realize It.

The intellectual conviction of the Truth is not enough. We have to actually realize the Truth that ‘Brahman is appearing as the universe including all individuals and objects’. Also, this realization should reflect in our thoughts, speech, and actions as blessings to ourselves and to all around us.

Chhandogya Upanishad (3.14.1) actually says how to meditate on this Ultimate Truth:

“All this is verily Brahman. From Brahman the universe comes forth, in It the universe merges, and in It the universe manifest. Therefore, one has to meditate on the Brahman as described above with a calm mind (meaning being free from the attachment and the aversion).”

The goal of human life is to realize this Ultimate Truth.