Light and Love
Swami teaches....(18
December 2004)
Brahmam is the Cause, Cosmos is
the Effect
Vedic saints have several (at first
sight) different aspects concern to
Universe, Maya, Brahman* (in general, equal
expression is Atman, Atma) what are in core
the same with accent on different
approaches to qualities of Universe, Maya,
Brahman.
The discovery that
the Atma alone is beyond Time, and that all
objects perceivable by the senses of sight,
etc., are only transitory. The Atma alone
suffers no change. It alone is Nitya Sathya
(Timeless Truth).
There are who contend that the two -
Maya and Brahmam**
- are the twin causes of the Cosmos. Still
others assert that Maya is solely
responsible.
Some others assert
that the Universe is a manifestation of
Vishnu and that it has its being in Vishnu
Himself. They declare that the emergence,
subsistence and merging of the Universe are
all caused by Vishnu.
Of course, nothing
in the Universe can be made without a maker.
What, then, must be the nature of the maker
of the Cosmos? He must have limitless power,
unbounded glory, and perfect omniscience. It
is not possible for every one to visualise
such a phenomenon, though it is the very
fulfillment of the purpose of each one's
life! It can, however, be conceived and
confirmed by two characteristics: one,
called Thatastha, and the other, Swarupa.
Thatastha is the temporary time-bound
indication. It cannot confer a correct
picture or view. It can only reveal signs
and glimpses, off and on. Swarupa means the
very reality in its fullness. This is the
result of the illumination of intuitive
wisdom. It reveals the immanent and the
transcendent, the limitless source of All.
Every entity,
article, or thing in the Universe has five
qualities: Asthi, Bhathi, Priyam, Roopam,
Naamam. Asthi means 'Is'. So, Is-ness is the
feature of all that is. Bhaathi means
'shining', luminescence. The thing that is
known to us is capable of being known to us
because it shines: It has the power to enter
our consciousness. Then, we have the word,
Priyam. Everything is capable of being used
or benefited from and therefore becomes
dear, attractive; fondness is the meaning of
Priyam. The two other features, Roopam and
Naamam. They do change and can be modified.
All things seem to undergo some
transformation or other and often assume
again the original form. They are apparent
alterations of the basic entities, which
have the first three features always. Name
and Form are superimpositions on the basic
reality of 'Is-ness', 'Illumination' and
'Joy'. The Divine is the base, the Divine
Will is the superstructure. The beads are
many but the inter-connecting, integrating
string of the rosary is one. So, too, for
the entire world of living beings, God, the
permanent, omnipresent, Parabrahma, the
Supreme Divine consciousness, is the base.
'Soham', 'He is I', 'I am that', all these
axioms indicate that even those which
differentiate themselves under names and
forms are in fact God Himself. This is the
reason why it is proclaimed in the Vedas,
'He who knows Brahmam becomes Brahmam
Itself'. This awareness is the awareness of
the Reality.
The Cosmos of
which the Earth is a part and with which we
are embroiled has as its basic cause, as the
stump for the ghost, Brahmam Itself.
We can know a
great deal about the nature of the Cosmos.
But the instrument of knowledge we possess
is the human eye, is it not? Physical
sciences have discovered much, but all that
has been discovered by the human mind, is it
not? They describe and analyse things as
they are. However, how long do they exist as
now? They are subject to modification each
moment. But, one is aware of a truth or fact
that is not affected in the least. That
unchanging principle is the basis, Brahmam,
the Eternal Base, the Unmoving, the One, the
Sathya, Truth.
The Supreme
Principle is the Cause for the Being turning
into Becoming and the Orderly Behaviour of
the Universe. Physics can probe into matter
and explain how it is formed; but, it can
not probe and discover why it is so formed.
The Sath, the Being, must be beyond both
Subject and Object. Cogniser and the
Cognised. But, when we have to delineate the
Sath or Brahmam, it becomes necessary to use
words in current usage, such as Creator,
Lord, Providence, God and also as Brahmam.
When the inquiry
into cause and effect is made from the point
of view of the Cosmos, we reach the
conclusion that God is the Cause, and the
Cosmos or Jagath is the effect. When the
distinction between subject and object is
transcended we become aware that it is all
Pure Consciousness or Brahmam, and that this
is both the primary as well as the
subsidiary factor. That invokes both
Brahmam, Jagath and the mergence in Brahmam.
It is Maya that causes the delusion that one
originates from the other. (A tiny
compilation and extracts from: Sathya Sai
Baba. "Sutra Vahini," pp.6, 16 - 20).
PS: 1. * and ** 'Brahman' - by
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of
Current English. In Swami's book is used the
spelling 'Brahmam' what is not changed.
2. Compilation with extracts
from Swami's texts - in blue.