Manifested life

August 02, 2021 10:39 pm | Updated 10:39 pm IST

All beings, with or without faith in the scriptures, are involved in some search that they hope will give them happiness. Naturally, they look for it in the objects of the world. But they do not know that the happiness is within their own self, which is the essence of Sat-chit-ananda, Eternity, consciousness and bliss. This self is the divine presence of the Supreme Self within. So, if one strives to look inwards rather than getting involved in this world and its cyclic activities, it is possible to rise to the level of the bliss, which is the goal of one’s existence, pointed out Sri R. Krishnamurthy Sastrigal in a discourse. This is reiterated in all spiritual texts based on the scriptures, and most explicitly stated by the Lord in the Bhagavad Gita.

Sastras exhort people to know, understand and realise the Supreme Brahman who is unseen, unheard, unthinkable, and unknown. Then how is one to go about this quest? They say that sages and rishis have practised austerities and realised Him in the inner self and hence live in a state of bliss. In the fifteenth chapter, and earlier when the Lord revealed His divine form to Arjuna, it is shown that the manifested life is only a part of the Immutable Brahman. None can fathom what lies beyond both the manifest and unmanifest. The Lord’s presence animates all that is perceived as manifest in this entire cosmic universe. So it follows that all beings in this universe, animate and inanimate, moving and unmoving, are sustained by the divine force. All beings belong to this world of manifestation. One has to discern between what is perishable and what is eternal and unchanging. The Supreme Lord is the sole ruler and controller and is above both the mutable and immutable. The highest wisdom is to realise that God is in all objects and worship Him.

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