This prapancha (world appearance) is unreal. Why is it called prapancha? Just as all constituents are mixed in Bhel puri (a type of mixed snack), similarly half of each of the elementary constituents of the universe (the five elements) remained un-quintuplicated and half were quintuplicated. That created the physical universe (Prapancha). Particles of earth are found even in water, even in
the air and even in space. And earth (matter) also contains space, air, etc. The five elements compounded with one another to form 25 entities.
मिथ्या परपंच देखि दुख जिन आनि जिय ।
देवन को देव तू तो सब सुखरासी है ।।
“Looking at the unreal world, why bring misery on your Self, You are the Deva of Devas, and a mass of felicity.”
(Vicharsagar: 6.12)
Look at the unreal world and do not bring misery in your Self. “Is this Deva or not?” You are the one who certifies Him. Even the divinity of God is established by you. You are the God of the God, the Guru of the Guru, such is your Atman. As much as you digest this knowledge imparted by the Guru, you become that much humble and dearer to Him.
आपनै अज्ञान तैं जगत सब तू ही रचै ।
“With your ignorance, you create the world…”
You don’t have the knowledge of your own Self (Atman)! Just like in the night while in deep sleep we forget about ourselves and create a dream world, and shrink back in fear, “Hello Sir! Hey Policeman! Hey so and so Sir!...”, and all of them disappear on waking up. All those big guns, eminent persons seen in the dream have their eminence because of your ignorance. If you open your eyes, then their eminence will vanish. Similarly, in this world, if you open your eye of knowledge, then the eminence of all will vanish. Such is your Atman! One who thinks about going from place to place, will wander in this world, which is like a dream.
आपनै अज्ञान तैं जगत सब तू ही रचै ।
सर्व को संहार करैं आप अविनाशी है ।।
“With your ignorance, you create the world; destroy them all and be eternal yourself.” (Vicharsagar: 6.12)
Atman is not anything other than Consciousness from which the “I” arises! Realize that Atman, without any doubt. It requires no effort. The discipline that needs effort is different. It is the discipline of penance.
Two paths – Penance and
Upasana (Worship)
One is the path of penance in which one attains siddhi and powers by bearing hardships. The other is the path of upasana. Love for your Ishta (presiding deity), Love for Guru is the path of upasana. “Upa” means near. This is the way to get close to the Guru or the Ishta.
In the path of karma yoga, desires are checked. Upasana and Dharma, check the habit of going to wrong places to get pleasure. One is Manmukhi karma, obeying the dictates of one’s mind. Such a person is doomed to greater downfall. With good actions, the heart becomes pure and pure hearts develop strong will power. Your desires will be materialized. On bearing hardships, the subtle body gets purified. nrS>moX²^d{V {gÕ`… & “By bearing hardships, siddhi is attained.”
In upasana, one practices concentration and thereby attains power. One comes very close to the established doctrine of Guru or God. One may go to the world of the Ishta, after death. Upasana is so powerful that if there is a world of your presiding deity; that is fine, if not by the strength of your upasana a new world will be created for you. Just like everything is created in the dream, similarly the world of your presiding deity will be created for you.
Self-Realization is so easy
The ultimate Truth (essence) of all the devas, objects of worship and upasakas (worshippers) is our Self-God. Penance and life devoted to righteousness purifies the internal organ (mind). Upasana develops concentration of mind. As much one concentrates the mind, that much power one attains. One may attain the golden city of Lanka, with the power of upasana. But if one does not realize the ultimate Truth of the Creation, the presiding deity, and oneself, then sooner or later one falls down. Just like earning and spending. Like one incurred loss and then balanced it with profit. This way, people (jivas) keep wandering in the fourteen worlds up and down, rising and falling in the wheel of birth and death. So now we do not have to rise and fall. We do not have to continue moving in the cycle of birth and death.
One who worships his presiding deity gets Gurudev and there are different types of Gurudev too. Among them one who has realized the Truth through Self-realization, such Gurus are very rare to find. If such a Guru is found, he will inculcate the sanskara that, “Brother! You are the Atman, the Truth”. Until I met a Self-realized Guru, even I did not know what is Self-Realization; you also didn’t know, no one knows.
So, to have realization of the ultimate Truth of the Creation is very easy. The man of rituals may get tired of performing rituals, a devotee may spend several lives in devotion, but realization of Truth, Self-realization can happen even in one week, it is that easy! King Parikshita attained it in one week. He received the teachings from Shukdevji. He had such a deep yearning that forgoing food and water, he would sit in the satsang only. He didn’t have thoughts of eating or drinking as death was very close to him. He did not miss even a single word of satsang. In the end Guru said: “Thou art That, Supreme Self ”, and he attained Self-realization. It is a very lofty goal. No other thing can be compared with it.
कभी न छूटे पिंड दुःखों से
जिसे ब्रह्म का ज्ञान नहीं ।
“He who considers unreal to be real, is doomed and is never free from suffering.”
What is the nature of Self?
What is meant by Atman? From where this “I” arises. In everyone’s heart there is this, “I, I”. This is so vast. We say this “I, I” pointing to the body, but it is not only there, it is everywhere. This Self-God alone gives the energy to absorb the sap to the trees. The cuckoo’s calling is happening with the power of Atman. The same Consciousness Atman is in these trees, plants and stones, but in the dormant state. The whole world is just a vivarta1 of Atman. Even a single wave of ocean is not separate from the ocean. In the same way not a single particle of the universe is different from the Atman.
Once you realize the Atman as the Supreme Self, abide in That for 3 minutes, stay in That, attain Self-realization with the grace of Guru just for three minutes you have crossed the ocean of birth and death forever. Then you will not have to live as a fetus in mother’s womb, you will be free from the cycle of birth and death.
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1. When the original reality remains what it is and an apparent change seems to occur - it is called Vivarta. Silver in the nacre, and snake in the rope are examples of Vivarta.
