Know Brahman, the Spirit of the Universe

An entity is a part of the universe. The universe, when it is viewed by an entity residing in it, is vast and complex. To belong to it harmoniously one ought to grasp the spirit of this superstructure and get properly connected to it. This is being discussed now.

Dve akshare brahmaparetvanante
Vidyavidye nihite yatra goodhe
Ksharam tvavidyahyamrutam tu vidya
Vidyavidye eeshate yastu sonyah

Dualities make it possible for entities to perceive the universe from a standpoint. The infinite, lingering, dualities dwell in the complex superstructure of the universe. It is the manifestation of Brahman. Here the principles of vidya and avidya express themselves in a subtle manner. Avidya is the knowledge pertaining to the fleeting aspect of the universe. Vidya is the knowledge pertaining to the permanent aspect of the universe. Brahman, the spirit that transcends vidya and avidya governs both of them.

Yo yonim yonim adhitishthatekyo
Vishvani roopani yonishcharasvah
Rushim prasootam kapilam yastamagre
Jnanairbibharti jayamanam cha pashyet

This spirit of the universe is seated in each and every causal body. It is this unique spirit which evolves as the forms and causal bodies. It gives birth to, and nurtures, the primordial physical principles, which were discovered by the sage Kapila in his Sankhya philosophy, that connects the domains of vidya and avidya. And even while doing this it remains as a detached witness to the entire process.

Kincha ekaikam jalam bahudha vikurvan
Asmin kshetre samharatyeshadevah
Bhooyah srushtva patayastatheshah
Sarvadhipatyam kurute mahatma

Each facet of the connection between vidya and avidya is developed in multifarious ways, and consummated, here by this spirit. Further it created the husbands for these facets of connections, and governs everything in the universe through them as its glorious inner spirit.

Kincha sarvadisha oordhvamadhashcha tiryak
Prakashayan bhrajate ya dvandvan
Evam sa devo bhagavan varenyo
Yonisvabhavandhitishthatyekah

All entities are illuminated by the radiating rays of the sun. All entities acquire their brilliance from the sun. The principle of Brahman expresses itself through the propensity of dualities to extinguish spontaneously. Every such process of extinction is an expression of divinity. All the prosperities associated with the several dualities in this universe reside in the principle of Brahman. This ideal of Brahman is indeed worthy of worship. It remains established in each causal body, accepting the qualities of the causal body, even while retaining its uniqueness. It is the universal causal body that contains within it all possible causal bodies.

Yachcha svabhavam pachati vishvayonih
Pachyamshcha sarvan parinamayedyah
Sarvametadvishvamtitishthatyeko
Gunamshcha sarvan viniyojayedyah

This universal causal body conditions the character of an entity. Through this conditioning it controls all transformations, as the character of an entity decides the transformations associated with it. It thus remains established in all entities wielding their qualities to foster expansive movements.

Kincha tadvedaguhyopanishatsugoodham
Tat brahma vedate brahmayonim
Ye poorvadeva rushayashcha tadvidu
Ste tanmaya amruta vai babhoovuh

The subtle theme of a universal causal body in Upanishads, which also remains dormant in Vedas, is Brahman. The process of creation emanated from the Brahman. The rishis knew this Brahman as the primordial ideal and they attained immortality by identifying with this knowledge.

Gunavayo yah phalakarmakarta
Krutasya tasyaiva sa chopabhokta
Sa vishvaroopastrigunastrivartma
Pranadhipah sancharati svakarmabhih

This Brahman, in conjunction with qualities, is the doer of all actions. It is also the consumer of the fruits of the actions. It is the universal form composed of the three primary qualities (satva, rajas and tamas), that includes all forms moving along the three primary paths (the path of jnana, the path of karma and the path of bhakti). It owns up all life forces through the movements of these forms.

Angushthamatro ravitulyaroopah
Sankalpahankara samanvito yah
Budhergunanatmagunena chaiva
Aragramatrohyaparopidrushtah

The Brahman is of the nature of a thumb. A thumb is the agent of empowerment for the other fingers. The principle of Brahman is behind the power experienced by all entities in the universe. It is an inexhaustible source of energy like a brilliant sun. Its form transcends all forms, and there is nothing here with which it can be compared. In any entity the possibilities open to it get limited with the dawn of awareness, which highlights its separateness. But in Brahman the awareness of self and the infinite possibilities presented by imagination in a virtual plane merge harmoniously. It reconciles the qualities of an abstract intellect with the qualities of a differentiated self. It is subtle. But like the hardly visible fine point at the tip of a sharp pointer it keeps providing clear guidance to all.

Valagrashatabhagasya
Shatadhakalpitasya cha
Bhago jeevassa vijneyah
Sa cha anantyaya kalpate

The principle that gives life to a manifested form is very subtle. It is futile to examine a live form analytically to discover the nature of life residing in it. Obviously the part that carries the principle of life is so subtle that it defies detection in the plane of worldly reality. Nevertheless, this life is also everything for the living form. It is this life that keeps the infinite possibilities for the form open. So it is to be imagined as infinite, residing in a virtual plane.

Kincha naiva stree na pumanesha
Na chaivayam napumsaka
Yadyachchareeramadatte
Tena tena sa rakshyate

The Brahman transcends the male, female and neutral principles. It is not confined to be the donor or the recipient. It is also not confined to sterile neutrality. It takes its role depending on the form it visits. When it visits a form it keeps playing as per the norms for the form.

Sankalpana sparshana drushti mohair
Grasambuvrushtya chatmavivrudhi janma
Karmanuganyanukramena dehee
Sthaneshu roopanyabhisamprapadyate

The wetness of sensibilities is formed by imagination, contact, vision and delusion. The expansion of mind happens by the development of these. The sensibilities of an entity come from the play of these. The shower of sensibilities from this play develops the identity of an entity and causes its separateness. The power of imagination, the other entities with which one gets in touch, the visions and delusions are the products of past karmas. The principle of Brahman gets associated with different forms in accordance with the past karma of that form.

Sthoolani sookshmani bahooni chaiva
Roopani dehee svagunai vrunoti
Kriyagunairatmagunaishcha tesham
Samyogaheturapanepi drushtah

The unique principle of Brahman thus becomes subtle, gross and several. Dehee, the inner spirit of an entity accepts forms in accordance with the qualities associated with its identity and the qualities associated with the processes in which it gets involved. This involvement of the dehee with the Brahman is seen as the cause of the unions of different forms to produce further forms.

Anadyanantam kalilasyamadhye
Vishvasyasrushtaramanekaroopam
Vishvasyaikam pariveshtitaram
Jnatva devam muchyate sarvapashaih

The principle of Brahman is thus an embryonic broth that has neither beginning nor end, from which all forms come out. It is the precursor of the universe. It is the unique presence that envelops the entire universe. By identifying with this ideal one gets freed from all bondages.

Bhavagrahyamaneedakhyam
Bhavabhavakaram shivam
Kalasargakaram devam
Ye viduste jahustanum

The principle of Brahman doesn’t remain nested in any form. It can be captured only through its manifestations. It is the purifying spirit that is beyond being and non-being. Give up the identification with one’s form and identify with Brahman to be a creative artist.