VEDANTA FOR BEGINNERS - 26. SWAMI SIVANANDA.

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VEDANTA FOR BEGINNERS - 26. SWAMI SIVANANDA.

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Saturday, February 13, 2021. 09:32. AM.

5.. ILLUSTRATIONS IN VEDANTA - Section II

Post-26

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1. Butter In Milk

Butter or ghee exists in milk. But where is it? It cannot be perceived. But it is present

everywhere in milk, in each and every drop of milk. There is no particle of milk where butter or

ghee is not present. In the same manner Brahman is present everywhere; and there is no speck of

space where Brahman is not. But Brahman cannot be perceived and It seems to be nowhere. It is the

very essence of cream of existence, but It is nowhere to the eyes of a worldly-minded man. This

illustrates the omnipresence of Brahman.

2. Fire In Wood

Fire is present in all parts of wood, just like butter in milk. It is only one fire that is existent in

all woods, but it becomes various in name, form and action when it manifests into visible fire. Even

so Brahman which is the Reality in all things appears as many in name, form and action when

manifest in various Jivas and countless worlds. But the Truth is only One; it only appears to be

many.

3. Smoke And Fire

Smoke emanates from fire. The dense smoke covers the bright fire and the fire cannot be

seen. But the smoke comes only from the fire and is only a part of the burning fire. It is one with fire.

Similarly Maya projects itself forth in the being of Brahman and clouds the appearance of Brahman

so that Brahman is not perceived and there is variety in existence. But Maya is one with Brahman

and is Brahman only appearing, the Effulgent, Consciousness-Bliss.

4. Thread And Necklace

The necklace contains many beads of various forms, but there is one single thread that

connects them all and keeps them in unity. The thread is their very support and being. Even so in the

diverse Jivas and worlds that exist there is one common Life-Principle, the Supreme Brahman, as it

is called, that unifies the entirety of Existence, and is the very support and being of all that is.

5. Wearer And Apparel

The old and used clothes are thrown away and new clothes are put on by man. In the

Bhagavadgita this is given to illustrate that the Jiva throws off an old and used-up body and assumes

a new one, and that the Jiva therefore does never die in reality.

6. The Chameleon

The chameleon is an animal which changes its colour at any time according to the colour of

the surface it moves on. A person who has seen the chameleon when it is assuming the colour red

says that the chameleon is red. But the other one who has seen it only when it is assuming the colour

green says that the chameleon is green. But a person who has watched the chameleon all along,

carefully, under the tree, knows all its colours, and does not have any more doubts. This is to

illustrate that people who have only a partial understanding of the Nature of God quarrel among

themselves that this is right and this is wrong, God is like this, God is like that, etc. But a

Brahma-Jnani who has calmly watched the nature of the whole existence knows its true nature and

does not have any more doubts regarding the nature of the Absolute.

7. Salt And Water

A particle of salt dropped in a large vessel of water dissolves itself in the water and is no

more perceivable to the eye. But any part of that water, if tasted, is felt to be saltish. In the same

manner the Jiva, on attaining Wisdom, dissolves itself in the ocean of Existence-Knowledge-Bliss

and becomes one with the All. All is felt to be the Supreme Bliss. It is everywhere the same.

8. Two Thorns

If a thorn gets stuck to the leg, it is carefully removed with the help of another thorn. But

after the work is over, both the thorns are thrown away and one becomes happy. Even so, the evil

qualities and ignorance born of Avidya should be removed by virtuous qualities and knowledge and

after attaining Peace, one has to discard them both and transcend all differences.

9. Sword And Philosopher’s Stone

At the very touch of a philosopher’s stone the sharp iron sword is turned into gold and

afterwards it does not cut, even if it has the appearance of a sword. Even so, the ego of the

Siddha-Jnani or the Jivanmukta, though it has the appearance of individuality and presents a

physical body, cannot bind the Siddha again to rebirth, for it is transformed into Suddha-Sattva by

the touch of the Supreme Wisdom of the Absolute.

10. Chandelier And Electricity

In a chandelier various bulbs of different colour are seen and there is a grand diversity in

their forms. But the basis of the entire light is the one power of electricity charged from the dynamo,

which is the common force of all bulbs, and which has no colours of varieties. Even so, there are

various worlds and creatures of multifarious names and forms, but all are having their basis or

support in the one Power, the Supreme Brahman which is Indivisible and Attributeless, Nameless

and Formless.

11. The Two Birds

Two birds live in the same tree as comrades. But one of them eats the sweet fruit of the tree

and gets bound in delusion. But the other bird does not eat anything and remains an eternal witness.

This analogy occurs in the Rigveda and the Mundaka Upanishad. This is to illustrate that the Jiva

and the Paramatman are both in the same body, but the Jiva enjoys through contact the pleasures

and pains of Samsara and gets bound, whereas the Paramatman or the Supreme Soul, the Kutastha,

remains as a Sakshi or a witness and exists ever In Absoluteness.

12. Man And The Necklace

A person wears round his neck a gold necklace and in excitement and confusion searches

for that necklace here and there. He walks and runs this side and that side but nowhere does he find

the necklace, though it is around his own neck. Similarly, the individual or the Jiva searches for

Perfection and Bliss outside, everywhere, forgetting the fact that the Immortal Seat or Brahman is

its very being itself and that it is identical with that Brahman.

13. Silk-Worm And The Cocoon

The silk-worm projects forth a certain thread from its mouth and then binds itself within a

cocoon. Similarly, the Jiva binds itself through ignorance and attachment, and suffers from the

bondage of embodied life through births and deaths.

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

End.

NEXT - SIVA-VIDYA - Khanda I - Nature Of Brahman :

To be continued ....

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