Vidya

Devotee: Swami, we are like lumps of iron; the Lord is like the magnet. Both are related to each other. But if that lump of iron has to be changed into an article of use in God’s hands, it has to be heated in the fire of anxiety and beaten by the hammer of pain, so that it may obey and respond. So in order to shape lumps of iron like us into instruments, You have to take much trouble. You have said that this is Your mission. Now, please tell me about awareness (chit), which you mentioned last month.

Swami: Yes. Awareness has another name: pure consciousness (suddha satwa). It is as opposed to the impure consciousness as knowledge (vidya) is to ignorance (a-vidya). Impure consciousness is inherent in the pure as much as darkness is inherent in light.

Since many words are spoken, don’t get confused my dear boy! Knowledge-ignorance, wisdom-stupidity (jnana-ajnana), pure-impure consciousness—all indicate the same idea, not different ones. I shall ask you another question. Have you heard the word that is the opposite of “nature (prakriti)”?

Devotee: I heard it, Swami. When I studied grammar, I learned that the opposite of prakriti is vikriti.

Swami: What does vikriti mean?

Devotee: Vikriti means changed, transformed, derived (vikara). Agni (fire) is the original; aggi, the derived word. So, too, jama is derived from yama (control of the inner senses), janna from yajna (ritual), and so on.

Swami: So also, the Lord’s nature (prakriti) is known as knowledge (vidya), and its derived or lower form (vikriti) is known as ignorance (a-vidya). For knowledge or pure consciousness (suddha-satwa), ignorance (a-vidya) or impure consciousness is the lower form.

Devotee: How is that, Swami? Knowledge (vidya) is effulgent in the Lord and ignorance (a-vidya) is apparent only because of knowledge. That is to say, the universal cosmic principle is in the Lord, and this principle itself appears as different from individual to individual—the appearance of individuals is caused by the external characteristics of name and form. This power of ignorance (a-vidya-shakti) also manifests as an inseparable entity. For the Lord is the only existence. Therefore, that one existence is the basis or foundation for the universal and the particular, the totality as well as the apparent parts. This is Your meaning, isn’t it, Swami?

Swami: That is why the Lord is referred to as truth (sathya) and Brahman. This truth is indivisible (akhanda). It is non-dual (a-dwaita). It is without end. In the Upanishads, this truth, which is associated with the unmanifested power of illusion (maya-shakti), is called the Full (Purna), “That (adah)”. The truth associated with the manifested power of illusion is called the Full, “This (idam)”. This is the secret of the Upanishadic mantra “Purnamadah Purnamida…”.

Devotee: Oh, what fine teaching! Just like giving unto the hand a fruit peeled and ready to eat! This manifested total cosmos (purna) arose out of the Fullness (Purna) of unmanifested indivisible Reality—this is what you spoke of, isn’t it?

Swami: It is on account of this that we say Vasudevas-sarvamidam, Sarvamkhalvidam Brahma, etc. The words Vasudeva and Brahma are different, but there is no difference in meaning at all. Did you understand?

Devotee: It is all like nectar, Swami. But so far, you haven’t told me who I am.

Swami: This is enough for now. Next month, I‘ll solve your doubts with illustrative examples. Grasp well what has been told. Practice, don’t forget and lay aside. Meditate on it. Well, you can take leave now.

Source: Sandeha Nivarini