There is a verse in Srimad Bhagavadgita –
Naasato vidyate bhaavo naabhaavo vidyate satah |
Ubhayorpi drusthontstvanayostadarshibhih || (Gita 2/16)
The unreal has no existence, and the real never ceases to be. The reality of both has been perceived by the seers of truth.”
(1)
The first part of this verse is –
Naasato vidyate bhaavo naabhaavo vidyate satah |
These sixteen letters, are filled with the real essence of all the Vedas, Shastras and Puranas. The eternal consciousness alone is “Sat”, the ultimate reality and besides this everything else is non-existing and inert which includes the perishable and changeable nature and the evolutes of nature (objects and activities). What is perceived by seeing, listening, understanding, thinking, decision making etc., by an individual is unreal (non-existing). The tools by which we are able to see, listen, think etc., all those also are unreal (non-existing and what is visible to an individual is also unreal (non-existing). Non-existing and real existence both of them have been named differently as Nature and Purusa (the self), as perishable and immortal, as body and the soul, as destructible and non-destructible etc.
In the previous first half verse (composed of sixteen letters) three elements have been used.
(1) Non-existence and existence (bhoo sattayaam)
(2) As “unreal” and “real” (as bhoovi)
(3) As “existing” and “Non-existing” (vid sattaayaam)
Although the fundamental meaning of these roots is “existence” alone, but in the subtle form all these three also have their independent meanings e.g. “Bhoo” root means “creation”, “as” root means “existence”, and “vid” root means “existence of the present”.
(2)
“Naasato vidyate bhaavah” – The meaning of these terms is “asatah bhaavah na vidyate” That the unreal has no existence i.e. the non-real is not present, the non-real is not attained. The thing which is created, certainly gets destroyed. This is the law. A thing just after origin starts toward the process of destruction, the destruction takes place at such a fast speed that no one can look at it in the same condition for two successive occasions. This is the principle that the object, which is non-existing at any moment, is always non-existent. We may give whatever amount of power, consider it as high as possible, give it respect to any extent, give it whatsoever significance but in reality it is not in existence. The non-real is never attained, it shall also never be achieved. The availability of non-real is just not possible.
The meaning of the verse “naabhaavo vidyate satah” is “satah abhaavah ne vidyate” i.e. the reality is never non-existing which means that it always exists. In other words, the entity of real self exists universally, the reality is omnipresent and ever present. The real is ever attained and is always permanent. In no country, time, thing, person, incident, circumstance, state and action etc.,there is the dearth of real entity.
The reason being that a place, time and thing etc., are unreal, ever changing and perishable but the real exists, ever remains the same. In it there is never the slightest change, there occurs no deficiency of any kind. Therefore the truth is always existing.
However much we may discard the eternal reality (God), we may neglect it to any extent, we may disregard and dishonour that truth to any extent, we may criticize and reject that Supreme Truth on many logical and critical grounds, but in fact, the absence of that existential reality is not at all possible. No one can ever destroy the eternal truth – “vinaashavyayasyaasya na kakshitkartumhanti” (Gita 2/17).
The meaning of the words “ubhayorapi drusthah” means that “No one can ever exhaust and destroy the supreme existence”. The great souls (seers) have themselves not created the ultimate reality but they have perceived it.
The conclusion is that the experiencers of the Supreme Truth and the transient world are the saints who have attained salvation during their lifetime and they only see one existential element which means they experience the one, automatic and all pervading existence. the one which alone “is” Therefore there does not exist the non real world, while there is not the dearth of reality.
All this proves that the unreal does not exist while the real only exists.
(3)
The unreal has its disunion from the self, while the real is ever attained to the self. By recognizing the existence of unreal, there occurs two divisions namely that which is attained and one which is not attained. If the existence of non-real is not recognized, then there is neither the separation from the unreal nor union with the real, but there remains only the real existence (sat). In other words so long as there is the acceptability of the unreal, there is discrimination but when there is no unreal then there remains only the real “ubhayorpidruthontstvanayostattvadarshibhih” – In this term “ubhayorapi” there is discrimination while in the term “anth” there is Self-realization i.e. discrimination is transformed into self-realization, and only the real entity remains.
Just as the day and night are relative terms, similarly the unreal and the real are both distinctly separate. Just as the day cannot become night and the night cannot become the day, similarly the real existence cannot become unreal and the unreal cannot become the real existence. In reality, both are identical and one. Just as day and night both are relative, the night exists in relation to day and the day exists in relation to night, but in the Sun there exists neither the day, nor the night it is absolute light. Similarly the true existence and the unreal world both are relative terms but the divine reality is absolute. Therefore, the great men and saints, who have attained the real existence, perceive only one reality i.e. the absolute reality (God).
(4)
Just as we say that this a man, this is an animal, this is a tree, this is a house etc., then in these statements the man, animal, tree, house etc., were also not in existence earlier and they shall not exist afterwards and presently also they are going into oblivion every moment but “is” in the form of real existence is always the same. The meaning is that man, animal, tree house, etc., are worldly things (unreal) but the real existence called “is” always exists. Therefore man, animal, tree, house etc., are all separate from each other but their indicator “is” remains the same. Similarly in “I am a man”, “I am an animal”, “I am a god” etc., the bodies are separate but “am” remains the same. There is no real existence of the world and there is no deficiency of Godhood. Therefore one which changes continuously is never existent, while the real never becomes non-existing. The thing which is non-existing has to be relinquished and one which is existing has to be attained, except this what other objective can ever be pursued? “Is” has to be accepted and “not” has to be rejected. This is the ultimate of all Vedas (Vedanta). This is the main essence of Vedas.
(5)
The unreal always disappears and is detached. The supreme reality is ever attained. What is difficulty or inconvenience in the removal of that which is not available and in gaining one which is always attained? In these two situations what has to be done and what has not to be done? What to gain and what to lose? As the real is self evident.
Khoyaa kahe so baavaraa, paaya kahe so koor |
paayaa khoyaa kuch nahin, jyon-ka-tyon bharpoor ||
“A person who says that he has lost something, he is foolish and one who says that he has gained something is also not telling the real truth. In fact, nothing has been lost or gained, the fundamental whole (existence) stands completely full”.
When there is nothing else except the ultimate truth, then what practice do we need? what to meditate? In this regard we have neither to do anything nor to think about anything; neither we have to take any decision, nor anything has to be achieved; neither we have to eliminate anything. It is a mistake to destroy the unreal and it is again a mistake to attempt to preserve and try to achieve it. Therefore it has neither to be destroyed, nor to preserve it. Neither it has to be removed, nor to be maintained, but we have to ignore it. That which is non-existing is automatically eliminated and that which really exists, only that is achievable. Therefore the unreal need not be destroyed, since non-real is already non-existing and we have not to achieve the ultimate truth because that reality is eternally available to us – after realizing this fact, one should become silent and should not indulge in any kind of thinking, nor should he think about God, because by thinking we get attached with the world and become distant from God. Therefore we have not to have any type of thinking but we have to realize that we are established in the entity by which the power, which illuminate the process of thinking is illumined, which is self evident. One has to feel his position in that knowledge (jnana) from which feelings get illuminated and which is axiomatic.
(6)
Although only God exists; But the human being commits a mistake, in which he first of all looks at the untrue world (body) and thereafter looks unto God. First he gives importance to form and afterwards imposes the feeling of divinity in it. How long shall this superimposed polish stay like this? The aspirant should think deeply whether God existed or the body existed in the beginning. On giving deep thought it is proved that God existed before everything else, while the world came next. Self (real consciousness) existed in advance and the body came next. Therefore the intellect of the aspirant should first move towards God and not toward the world or body. To presume that we exist in the world and that we have to achieve God, the source of eternal bliss and consciousness, is a mistake view, because, in reality we exist completely in God. The world is without any existence – “Nasato Vidyate Bhaavah”.
The aspirant should always have an eye towards the eternally existing God and not towards the non-existing world. It means that he should be inclined to God and should have disinclination for the world.
(7)
The unreal is continuously disappearing into oblivion. But the real (essence, tattva) that understands the disappearing process of the unreal (perishable, temporary), the existence of that real “Essence,” never changes into unreal. The true reality never disappears into non-existence.
All are naturally established in that eternal reality, therefore no one experiences absence of one’s own reality at any moment of time. That real substance transcends all climes, times, beings, persons, things, states, incidents and circumstances etc. By giving significance to the unreal appearances, an individual fails to realize his natural establishment in the eternal reality. It means that the assumption of the unreal as real prevents the acceptance of the fundamental reality.
Here there can be a doubt that when the unreal has no real existence, then why does it appear so real (i.e. appears to exist) ? The explanation is that those tools – senses, mind, intellect and ego by which the unreal is seen as real are also of the same kind (unreal in nature). The essence is that if one does not identify himself (atma) with the unreal objects (body, senses, mind, intellect and ego etc.), then there is no unreal. There is real and only real. If a person does not identify the self with the unreal, then the unreal has no existence at all, but only the real exists. The real has never seen the unreal in the same way just as the sun has never seen darkness. This has been described from the point of view of discrimination.
If we look from the angle of devotion, then the unreal world is the creation of Nature and Nature is the power of God. Being the power of God, the Nature and its evolutes are in fact God’s manifestation; because the power cannot have its separate existence from the powerful. Just as we cannot see the brown, black or white skin color of physical body separated from the body, similarly we also cannot visualize the awakened, dream and sound sleep states separate from the human body. Similarly we cannot look at nature separate from God. An individual can live without his powers (i.e. strength, energy, intelligence, skill, capability etc.) but the power cannot sustain itself without the powerful. Similarly God can exist without power and God does exist,* but the power cannot live without God. The conclusion is that power is dependent on Almightly God, but God is not dependent on the power.
Power has no independent existence without the powerful, but the powerful has independent existence without power. Therefore being the power of God, nature lacks its own independent existence i.e. there is nothing else besides God. Therefore God has said – “sadsacchaahumarjun” (Gita 9/19). “Vasudevah Sarvam” (Gita 7/19).
“All is God” – this is the Supreme Principle of Bhagavad Gita, where all the differences disappear because all differences arise out of subtle ego while there is not even the smallest iota of ego in “Vasudevah sarvam”.
(8)
To regard oneself as important on the basis of the unreal, which does not exist is the fundamental fault, which gives rise to all defects. Feeling one’s own importance on the basis of the one, which is the real, is the original virtue, by which all virtues are born. The error we make is, that which is non existent is considered by us as existent and as ours, while the one which exists in reality, is not regarded by us as existent and as our own. One, which is acquired shall depart away, how can it be our own? By presuming the one, which is not existent, as our own, the capacity to presume one which is really existent is lost. From the angle of Knowledge one’s own “self” is ours and from devotional angle, God is our own. To have affection in one’s own self is knowledge and to love one’s own beloved is devotion.
(9)
There is a principle that one which is there in the beginning and in the end, will also exist in the middle (present) and one which does not exist in the initial stage and in the end period, does not remain in the middle (present) also.
Just as we know that the physical body and this world did not exist in the very beginning and they shall not remain later on and in the middle they are going toward destruction by continuously changing every moment i.e. they are dying every moment. But one who owns the body i.e. the self and divine reality (God) both existed in earlier period, they shall exist ultimately and also exist in the middle in the same condition.
One, that does not exist in the beginning and is not in existence finally, is dying every moment continuously while one who exists in the beginning and in the end, also exists every moment continuously. One whose non-existence is continuously known, that is called unreal and the one whose existence is present every moment continuously, is the eternal reality. We are ever disconnected with the unreal and we have eternal union with the real.
Pleasure – pain, sorrow-happiness, attachment-aversion, passion-anger etc., come and go but one’s own self eternally exists unchanged. The aspirant falls prey to a big error that he looks at the changing situations and not at the eternal entity (the self). The situation neither existed in the earlier period nor shall it stay later on, therefore in spite of it’s appearance in the midst, it really does not exist. But in the entity, there is neither beginning, nor middle nor end. By giving consideration only to the situation, the beginning, middle and end of the entity is stated. The situation never remains uniform and its basis or existence never becomes multiform. That which comes into view and the viewer both are situations. That which comes to be known as well as the knower is the situation. In the absolute reality there is neither the seer nor the seen, neither the knower, nor the object to be known, neither he who explains, nor he to whom it is explained to, neither the orator, nor the listener. The seer and the seen are all included in an event. The onlooker and the scene shall not stay but their basis, the real entity shall remain and persist because the situation shall finish but its basis shall exist eternally.
It is surprising that we desire that which really does not exist. We are afraid of that which even lacks existence. Happiness does not stay but we cling to its desire. Pain does not stay but we stick to it’s fear. How unintelligent this situation is for us! By the desire for pleasure, the fear of pain is born. The desire for living gives rise to fear of death. If there is no desire then neither pain nor the fear of pain shall exist and there shall not exist the fear of death. By elimination of desire, the quest of Truth is fulfilled, i.e. nothing remains to be done, to be known and to be attained.
Pleasure is not the cause of sins. But the desire for pleasure is the cause of sins. The desire for pleasure is the gateway to hells.
All are dependent in their attempt to preserve the pleasant situations but all are free to relinquish the desire for pleasure. One needs no practice to leave the desire for pleasure but one requires discrimination which is something of the present. We do not want to leave that in which we are dependent in keeping with us, and that which we are independent in giving up, in which we are capable, we want to continue to desire that thing. What can be a bigger mistake than this? This error is the cause of all bondage, sins, griefs and hells etc.
To aspire for that which does not exist or the desire to eliminate it or to be afraid of it – this is all association with the unreal. We have to be indifferent to it, but to look at its fundamental existential basis rather than the state (condition) is to associate with true reality.
That which is not there, we regard it as “existent” (IS), and desiring to acquire it or to get rid of it and to be fearful of it , it association with untruth.
(10)
The defects have no existence and flawlessness (perfection) never ceases to be. Deficiencies are not permanent, they come and go and the substantial element which conceives their coming and going, stays permanently. Knowledge of defects does not occurs to one who is a sinner, rather that knowledge comes only to one who is free of sins. Everyone has knowledge of coming and going of defects, but no one experiences his own self coming and going, because the defects are unreal and our own pure self is real. To presume that we possess defects is an invitation to defects and is an establishment of defect in one’s own self. If defects were inherent in us, then there would be no end of those defects in us, just as we exist eternally. Secondly if defects had been in us, then we would have been defective in toto, for everyone and forever. But no person is found defective in complete manner, for all persons and for ever.
We have given existence to defects, therefore the coming and going of defects are seen by us. if we do not give existence to defects, then there are no defects in reality. “Naasato vidyate bhaavah” “The unreal has no existence” (Gita 2/16).
Just as the pitch dark night cannot exist in the presence of the Sun, similarly in eternal existence, the temporary defects cannot arise. Just as God is defectless and equanimous; “nirdosham hi samam brahm” (Gita 5/19), so is the soul, a part of God. “The self is free from blemish” (Gita 2/25).
It is spoken of as immutable i.e. free from defects.” (Manasa, Uttara. 117/1)
“The Jivaatmaa is a part of God and it is immortal. It is conscious, immutable and a fountain of natural bliss”. Therefore to presume defects in one’s own self and in others – both views are mistaken and erroneous.
We have established defects in us by ourselves. We have strengthened them by giving them existence. Therefore not giving existence to defects and the establishment of faultless state in ourselves and in other persons is our duty. The feeling of purity (fault lessness) in one’s own self and in other person is Self-realization, it is liberation.
(11)
Our existence is not dependent on any object, thing, activity or particular individual. Every object is created and destroyed. Every person takes birth (union) and death (separation). Every activity has a beginning and an end. But the knower of these three, the divine consciousness is never created, nor destroyed. It is neither born (unites) nor does it die (disunites). It has no beginning and an end. That existence ever remains one and the same. Absence is never felt of that existential reality – “Naabhaavo vidyate satah” “The real never ceases to be.” The realization of automatic establishment in that reality is the freedom from the cycle of birth and death during one’s own life-time.
A person lives in the misconception that by getting a certain thing, on meeting a particular person, by performing a particular activity, he shall be free from the cycle of birth and death. But there is no such thing or individual or activity by which a man can attain freedom. A thing, a person, an activity are means of binding a person. By disassociation from these, a man can get freedom. Therefore it is desirable on the part of the aspirant that he should form his nature (habit) to remain alone, without things, persons and activities. He should give importance to such experience and remain in such state for more and more time. It is every person’s experience that during the period of sound sleep, man remains naturally without the presence of any person, thing and activity; but without man the things, persons and activities do not remain. If we form the habit of remaining without these things during the waking state, then we shall attain freedom i.e. liberation. The presumption of our affinity for the person, activity and things itself does not allow us to become independent and even without our liking makes us dependent. We should think over – what is that thing which shall remain with us forever and with which we shall remain for ever? Who is that person who shall remain with us all the time and with whom we shall remain? Which is that activity which we shall continue to do forever? No object, person or activity shall remain with us forever. One day we shall have to be deprived of the person, object and activity. If we accept our dissociation from them in the present time, then liberation is self-evident.
By possessing a thing we exist, and even when the thing does not remain with us, we exist. When a person is living with us, we exist and we continue to exist even when he is not with us. We exist while performing some activity and even when we are not performing the activity, we exist. Everyone has got the experience of these two situations. This proves that our existence is not dependent on any thing, person or activity.
(12)
The unreal has no existence and the real never ceases to be – It means that whatever reality is seen, that belongs to eternal reality and not to the unreal world. No one can ever deny the existence of this eternal reality. Someone believes in the existence of God and someone in the existence of the soul and someone believes in the existence of material world. If someone says that he does not believe in any kind of existence, then at least he believes in his own existence! The meaning is that all accept in some or the other form the eternal existence (is), may be that they give it any name. No one can reject the reality of existence (or deny it). The reason being that by denying existence, will be denial of one’s own existence, whereas no one ever feels the absence of one’s own existence.
(13)
One whose existence is never absent i.e. which exists in every place, time, object, person, activity, situation etc., that reality is not achieved by performing any activity. The reason is that which is ever present is never non-available. When we do something, then it shall be achieved, such type of thinking strengthens body consciousness. Every action has a beginning and an end, therefore only that thing will be acquired by action which does not exist. But it is because of his affinity for Nature that in every being there is an impetus to act, which does not enable him to be free from action. It is necessary to stop the flow of activities, that which is not to be done, should not be done and that which has to be done, should be done by being non-egotistical and desireless i.e. nothing should be done for one’s own self, rather it should be done for the welfare of others. The impetus of activities shall never come to an end if one performs actions only for one’s own self; since our existence is always eternal and the actions are transient. Therefore by performing actions for the benefit of others, the impetus for action will be pacified and the association with nature shall come to an end and the existential reality present in all places, time etc., will be revealed and realized.
(14)
Those things, persons and activities of the past and the future that the aspirant gives importance to, thoughts (memory) of those come to his mind automatically, even without thinking and desiring. The aspirant meditates upon God in order to remove the memory of those thoughts. But it is a principle that which automatically come to mind (in memory), those things cannot be eliminated by making a conscious efforts to remove that automatic flow of thought. Rather, fresh thinking creates new impressions of fresh thoughts. So the previous thought does not get removed but in fact it gets additional strength. The automatic flow of thoughts gets eliminated by automatic flow of fresh thoughts or by being completely silent. The meaning is that, on realizing the reality or on being actionless or on Self Realization or on loving God, the automatic flow of thoughts connected with world comes to an end. “To be silent” means that the aspirant should ignore the automatic flow of thoughts, that is he should consider it neither appropriate nor inappropriate. He should not consider them in him nor should he start any fresh thoughts by himself. He should have nothing to do whether a thought comes to his mind or whether it does not come. He should not be the doer of things that are done nor be the enjoyer (consumer) of things that happen. He shall slowly become quiet and will be free from all thoughts. But he should not insist on becoming free from thoughts or free from enjoying pleasures. By doing so, the aspirant shall become free from what he thinks and what thought comes to his mind naturally – “Naiva tasya krutenaartho naakruteneh kaschan|” (Gita 3/18).
In this world that great soul has no use whatsoever for things done nor for things not done.”
Because of the relationship of organs of actions in the performance of actions and because of relationship of the inner-sense with the occurrence of actions – both (performance and occurrence of actions) of them are unreal.
By being free from doing and happening of events, one’s own existence in eternal reality, which is automatic, shall be realized.
(15)
The unreal does not exist which means that this illusory appearance moves into non-existence. But the knowledge of this fact does not change into non-existence. We are naturally established in this knowledge. The body is perishing every moment, therefore the body does not exist but only the self exists. The existence of the self transcends clime, time, things, persons, states, incidents and circumstances.
Actually the unreal does not exist but it is only the real which exists. There is only the assumption of the unreal. This assumption of the unreal does not let us accept the real. The wrong assumption is wiped out by accepting the real assumption. In fact there is neither the wrong assumption, nor the right one, only the self exists.
Just as hands, legs, nose, etc., are the parts of the body, the unreal is not even a part of the eternal truth. The one which remains flowing (going away continuously) and which is defective, is not a part. Just as phlegm, urine, etc. which are flowing and boils etc which are changeable do not constitute parts of a body, similarly the unreal (illusory), flowing and changeable does not constitute the part of the truth (the real).
(16)
The distance visualized in the events of past and future period, is also the same in the events of the present. As we have no relationship with past and future, just in the same way we do not have any kind of relationship with the present period also. When there does not exist any relationship, then what is the difference between past, future and present? All these three are within time whereas our own self is beyond time. Time is broken into parts but our own self (existence) is integral. By presuming the body as our real self, the difference between past, future and present appears. In fact past, future and present period do not exist at all – “nasato vidyate bhaavah.”
(17)
In this world though both unreal and real appear, but unreal or non-existent remains dominant. In God, even though, existence and non-existence both being visible, the dominant one is the existence. In the world within the unreal there are both – the real and unreal and in God within the real, there are both – the real and the unreal. In other words, in the world within eternal disunion there are union and disunion and in God within “eternal union” there exists union and disunion. Therefore in the world there is only non-existence and in God there is only existence.
(18)
There is no existence of the unreal and the real never ceases to be. One Who exists is God, One that did not exist in the past, one that shall not exist later on and one that is even presently going into non-existence, to give it existence, importance and to establish relationship with such non-reality, is the most important hurdle. Therefore neither give existence nor importance to it nor accept relationship with it. Thus by realizing the self as untainted i.e. by becoming quiet, get established in the self, then the reality will be clearly realized . In fact the realization of reality is axiomatic. We have only to become disinclined to the unreal. If we reject the unreal, then it will not exist at all, because it really does not exist, it does not possess the strength of existence – “Naasato vidyate bhaavah”
Srimad Bhaagwat declares – “hyatattyajanto mrugayanti santah” (10/14/28). “The Saints while renouncing the world, search for God.” By search, that thing is obtained, which already exists. The method of searching it is to go on renouncing those objects which really do not exist. Renunciation means – not to accept their existence, not to attach importance to them and not to accept relationship with them.
Narayan! Narayan !! Narayan !!!
From book in Hindi “Discovery of Truth and Immortality” by Shradhey Swamiji Shri Ramsukhdasji Maharaj.
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