Let
there be peace and love among all beings of the universe. OM
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
"The
instant you wake up you will know
that waking is better than this
dream."
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LL
Is
One [Ellam Ondre] was written in the
19th century by an unknown Tamil author.
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"If
you want liberation write, read and practice the
instructions in Ellam Ondre."
Ramana
Maharshi
PREFACE
Men court
happiness and shun misery. It is the same with
other beings also. This holds good for the common
run of mankind. But the higher order is bent upon
right conduct, enduring patiently the good or evil
that it may bring. Fellowship with these will be
lasting, whereas fellowship with ordinary people
will not be. Good will result to the world through
fellowship with the higher order only.
The question then arises: "What is right?" The
point is important, but the answer has not been
found. Why? Because what is right is determined by
circumstances. However comprehensive a work may be
written on the subject, there will always be
circumstances not envisaged by the author.
Therefore it becomes necessary to realise that
state which will enable us to assess the various
conditions and determine what is right.
That state is One only. There are no states like
It. Although It is single, it is extraordinary that
the worldly wise consider It exceedingly rare.
Nothing can be more extraordinary than this. That
unique state is very clearly taught in the
Upanishads. In this book I have put down the
same Truth according to my understanding. I have
considered it my duty. I do not claim originality.
The six chapters of this book are so closely
interrelated that some point which may be expected
in one chapter may be found in another. Again a few
points which may not be clear on a superficial
reading will become clear upon closer study. More
may be gathered from major works or sages.
Universal mother, master true, save us!
the
author
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1. All
including the world seen by you and yourself, the
seer of the world, is One only.
2. All that you consider as I, you, he, she
and it, is One only.
3. What you consider to be sentient beings
and what you consider to be insentient, such as
earth, air, fire and water is all One.
4. The good which is derived by your
considering all as One cannot be had by considering
each as separate from the other. Therefore, All is
One.
5. The knowledge of the unity of all, is
good for you and good for others as well.
Therefore, All is One.
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6.
He who sees "I am separate", "you are separate",
"he is separate" and so on, acts one way to himself
and another way to others. He cannot help doing so.
The thought "I am separate, others are separate" is
the seed from which grows the tree of differing
actions in relation to different persons. How can
there be any lapse from righteousness for a person
who knows the unity of himself with others? As long
as the germ of differentiation is there, the tree
of differing actions will flourish, even unawares.
Therefore give up differentiation. All is One
only.
7. Ask yourself, "If in the world all things
appear different, how can I consider all as One? Is
there any way of gaining this knowledge?" The reply
is, "In the same tree we see leaves, flowers,
berries and branches, different from one another,
yet they are all One because they are all included
in the word "tree". Their root is the same; their
sap is the same. Similarly, all things, all bodies,
all organisms are from the same Source and
activated by a single life principle." Therefore,
All is One.
8. O good man! Is the statement that "All is
One" good or evil? Think for yourself. Just as the
person will always be righteous who regards himself
like others and others like himself, how can any
evil attach itself to him who knows himself to be
others and the others to be himself? Tell me if
there is any better way for obtaining good than the
knowledge of Unity? Certainly other methods cannot
be as good as this one. How can anyone love others
more than when knowing them to be himself, to know
them in unity-love as Unity, for they are truly
One.
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9. Who can
share the mental peace and freshness of the knower
of Unity? He has no cares. The good of all is his
own good. A mother considers her children's
well-being to be her own well-being. Still, her
love is not perfect because she thinks she is
separate and her children are separate. The love of
a sage, who has realised the unity of all, far
excels even the love of a mother. There is no other
means of gaining such love than the knowledge of
Unity. Therefore, All is One.
10. Know that the world as a whole is your
undecaying body and that you are the everlasting
life of the whole world. Tell me if there is any
harm in doing so? Who fears to go the harmless way?
Be courageous. The Vedas teach this very
Truth. There is nothing but your Self. All good
will be yours. You become good itself. All that
others gain from you will be good only. Who will
work evil to his own body and soul? A remedy is
applied if there is an abscess in the body. Even if
the remedy is painful, it is meant to do good only.
Such will be some of your actions; they will also
be for the good of the world. For that reason, you
will not be involved in differentiation. I put it
briefly: the knower of Unity will act as one
should. In fact, the knowledge of Unity makes him
act. He cannot err. In the world, he is God
[Reality] made visible. All is One.
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1. Who are
you? Are you this body? If so, why are you not
aware of a serpent crawling on it when you are in
deep sleep? So then can you be this body? No,
certainly not. You must be other than this
body.
2. Sometimes in sleep you dream. There you
identify yourself with someone. Can you be that
one? You cannot be. Otherwise, what becomes of that
individual on your waking? You are not he.
Furthermore, you are ashamed of having identified
yourself with him. Clearly, you are not that
particular person. You are the One that stands
apart from him.
3. Recall the state of dreamless slumber.
What is your state then? Can that be your true
nature? Surely you will not subscribe to this
belief. Why? Because you are not so foolish as to
identify yourself with the massive darkness which
obstructs you from knowing the state you are in.
Discerned by the intellect from the things around,
how can you admit yourself to be the same as
ignorance or blank? Or, how can it truly be your
real nature? It cannot be. You are the knower who
knows that this state remains one of dense darkness
veiling your true nature. How can you be that which
you have experienced and condemned? Therefore you
are not the dark ignorance of deep sleep. You stand
apart from this too.
4. When it is said that even this gross body
is not you, can you be any other thing which is yet
farther away from you? In the same way that you are
not this gross body, you are not anything farther
from the body, nor the dream person, nor the
ignorance of deep sleep. You are distinct from
these three states and this world.
5. These three states can be reduced to two
conditions, namely, the one of the subject and
object, and the other is the unawareness of the
subject itself. The former includes the waking and
dream states, whereas the latter represents deep
slumber. All your experiences are comprised in
these two conditions only. Both of them are foreign
to you. Your true nature remains distinct from
them.
6. If you ask what that is, it is called
Turiya, which means the fourth state. Why is this
name used? This name is proper because it seems to
say the three states of your experience –
waking, dream and deep sleep – are foreign to
you and your true state is the fourth, which is
different from these three. Should the three states
– waking, dream and deep sleep – be taken
to form one long dream, the fourth state represents
the waking from this dream. Thus it is more
withdrawn than deep sleep, also more wakeful than
the waking state. Therefore your true state is that
fourth one which is distinguished from the waking,
dream and deep sleep states. You are That only.
7. What is this fourth state? It is
knowledge which does not particularise anything. It
is not unaware of itself. That is to say, the
fourth state is pure knowledge which is not
conscious of any object, but not unconscious
itself. Only he who has realised it even for a
trice, has realised the Truth. You are That
only.
8. What is there more for him who has gained
the fourth state? Practically, it is not possible
for anyone to remain forever in that state, that
is, the state of no particular knowledge. He who
has realised the fourth state later wakes up in
this world, but for him this world is not as
before. He sees that what he realised as the fourth
state, shines forth as all this. He will not
imagine this world as distinct from that pure
knowledge. Thus what he saw within, he now sees
without in a different form. In the place of the
differentiation of old, he is now established in
the state of non-differentiation everywhere. Now,
he is All. There is nothing distinct from himself.
His eyes closed or open, howsoever the things may
change, his state remains unchanged. This is the
state of Reality [Brahmati]. This is the
natural Eternal state. You are That ever-true
state.
9. There is nothing beyond this state. The
words, "inward" and "outward" have no meaning for
Him. All is One. His body, speech and mind cannot
function selfishly. Their workings will be Grace
for the good of all. The fragmentary "I" is lost
forever. His ego can never revive. Therefore He is
said to be liberated here and now. He does not live
because his body lives, nor does He die because his
body dies. He is Eternal. There is nothing other
than He. You are He.
10. Who is God? He is Grace. What is Grace?
Awareness without the fragmentary ego. How can one
know that there is such a state? Only if one
realises It. The Vedas laud such a one as
having realised God and become one with Him.
Therefore the greatest good that one can derive
from the world and the greatest good which one can
render unto it, is to realise This state. In fact,
there are no states besides This. They appear in
the state of ignorance. For Him who knows, there is
One state only. You are That.
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1. Who is
God? God is He who has transcended all that is seen
by us. If transcending this world, is there no
relation between Him and this world? Not a particle
here is unrelated to Him. Then what is meant by
transcending the world? The world comprises us and
the objects seen by us. In other words, the animate
and inanimate together form the world. What shall
we say of Him who created the beings and things? Of
these two, we say the conscious beings to be
superior. All that we can apprehend is that He
belongs to the highest order of beings known to us.
Our intellect cannot proceed further. Thus, our
creator is superior to us; He cannot be apprehended
by our intellect; therefore His name, Kadawul,
means that He surpasses our intellect. Hence His
name is Kadawul – Transcended Being.
2. Can God then not be made known to us? Not
quite so. In a way, He is known to us. This much of
His Grace is enough for us. We have no need for all
His greatness. He has made known so much of His
greatness as will suffice to eradicate our misery.
There is no reason for Him to reveal a jot more of
His power than is necessary to remedy our defects
in the present state. Thus He is known according to
our needs. Nay, He is in our grasp. However
limitless, He is within reach of our knowledge to
some extent.
3. What is it which brings Him within reach
of our knowledge? That He is known as
Being-consciousness-bliss
[Sat-chit-ananda]. Being denotes that which
is imperishable, that which exists forever. Should
He become non-existent at any time, who is His
destroyer? Who created Him? Since the perishable
nature of all leads to the inference that they are
lorded over by One who is imperishable, this
immortal Overlord is God. His imperishable nature
is being.
Now, what is consciousness? By consciousness we
mean knowledge. This is Absolute knowledge, and not
like our erring intellectual knowledge.
Irregularity or mistake cannot stain its actions.
It is knowledge, pure and simple. Frequently He
teaches us saying, "Your knowledge is irregular and
erring." How orderly are even the insentient
objects of His creation! It is known to many how an
atheist was taught a good lesson when he derided
the scheme of things saying, "Why did He make the
seed so small for the banyan tree which is so big?"
That an insentient thing is found in good order and
later becomes useful, implies a conscious agency at
work. Can a simple, insentient thing do something
which is possible for unfailing knowledge only? Or,
can't it be done by our inadequate knowledge? No,
it can never be. Therefore God is said to be
consciousness also.
Now, what is bliss? It is the state of being free
from desire for anything. It is peace which is ever
full. Were He to desire anything, how could He be
better than ourselves? How could we gain bliss from
Him? He Himself would require another being to
fulfil His desires. But who would think Him to be
so? The state of self-contentment is that of bliss
also. Therefore He is called bliss.
The three – being, consciousness and bliss
– are inseparable; otherwise, they would
become naught individually. Hence, He is known as
Being-consciousness-bliss. Thus God remains not
only transcendent but also falls within the reach
of our knowledge as Being-consciousness-bliss.
4. He who has gained the fourth state and
sees all as One, only he knows God truly as
Being-consciousness-bliss. Words cannot express nor
the ears hear how such a one is united with God; it
is a matter of realisation. But there are ways and
means for such realisation. They can be spoken of,
learned and acted upon.
5. He who can be realised thus, is God. He
has no name; we give Him a name. He has no form; we
give Him a form. Where is the harm in doing so?
What name is not His, or what form is not His?
Where is the sound or form in which He is not?
Therefore, in the absence of true knowledge of Him
you can name Him as you please or imagine Him as of
any form so to remember Him. Your hope for His
Grace without any effort on your part is utterly
fruitless. Should it be possible to have His Grace
without any effort on your side, all would be
alike; there would be no reason for any difference.
He has shown us the ways and means. Make effort,
reach the goal, be happy. Your idleness and
selfishness make you expect His Grace without your
effort. The rule for all is for you too. Do not
relax your efforts. God can be realised by your
effort only.
6. There is an effort which excels all
others. This may, however, appear to be less
effective than devotion to God with name and form.
Nevertheless, this is the more efficient. It is
simply the love which you extend to all beings,
whether good or bad. In the absence of such love to
all, your devotion to God amounts to a mere parody.
Of what use are you to God? That you seek
fulfilment of your desires from God without doing
your duty towards the needy in the world must be
attributed to your selfishness. In God's presence,
there is no use for such. The workings that take
place in His presence are all unselfish. Therefore,
think that all the centres are His and He is in all
the centres and thus be devoted to Him. God is
truly bound by such high devotion.
7. As you go on ascribing names and forms to
God and showing love to all because you have
understood all names and forms to be His, your mind
will gradually mature. Just as the taste improves
with the ripening of a fruit, so also you will
recognise the waxing of good and the waning of evil
in you. As your mind matures, there will come a
time when you should meet your master. This is not
to say that you go in search of him or he comes in
search of you. At the right time the meeting will
happen. All are moving in their own ways. Your
fitness brings you together, makes you trust him,
makes him teach you the right way, also makes you
follow the his instructions. That is the straight
way to reach God, which is to gain the fourth
state. You will follow the way and reach your goal
which is Being-consciousness-bliss, which is
God.
8. The way shown by the master is final,
straight and making for Unity. It is well-tried,
natural, and free from pain. When you are following
the way shown by the master, doubts will not arise;
there will be no fear. Are not fear and doubt the
characteristics of the ways of darkness? How can
they meet you in the way of Truth shown by the
master? In this manner, the way will itself speak
to you and say that it is the right one. In that
way, there will be nothing more for you to do but
to meet your master and learn from him. That way
will be familiar to you, as the master and God have
made it so. Before you, he had treaded the way. He
has shown you the way and you are following him. To
how many will you show the same way? And how many
more will follow the same way later? Obviously fear
and doubt have no place in the way of Truth. When
once you have taken a step forward you will step
back. The master's help is only for the first step
forward. You need not do anything for your master
in order to have the way shown to you. Know him to
be the messenger of God sent down to disclose the
way to the fit who have become ripe by their own
efforts in either or both the directions mentioned
earlier. It is God who sends this godly messenger
just when you are ripe.
9. Practice with faith in the period of
ignorance is called bhakti; the same, with
knowledge, is called jnana. Of the two divisions of
bhakti, the one is devotion to God with name and
form, and the other is karma which is love for all.
Of the two divisions of jnana, the practice of the
true way shown by the master is called Yoga and the
resulting state is called jnana. It is natural for
all to believe in something which is not seen and
then to find it. Those who do not believe can never
find. Therefore, the believers will gain something
sometime or other and the unbelievers never gain
anything. You can believe even for the simple
reason that faith in God is not harmful. Thereby
you can share the good effects. This world is meant
only for creating faith in you. This is the purpose
of creation. Have faith and you can reach God.
10. Though you may not believe all that is
said of God, believe at least "There is God." This
seed is very potent in its growth. It is so mighty
as to negate all else and fill all by itself. It is
so almighty that you will not see anything besides
God, not even yourself. Truly, God is All.
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1. What is
peace? Although the world persists when a man is in
deep sleep, does he have any cares concerning it?
His mind is tranquil and refreshed. Should his mind
be in the same degree calm and refreshed even when
he is face to face with the world and is active
therein, then there is peace.
2. Can the mind remain so even when the
world confronts us? It depends upon our estimate of
the world. The mind is more excited when one's own
property is plundered than when another's property
is similarly plundered. Of one's own things, the
loss of one thing causes greater concern than those
of another. Why? Because our estimate of the things
is the cause of the degree of the delight or
anxiety concerning them. Therefore, should one
learn to regard all equally, the mind will be
extremely peaceful. Or should all things be
considered as our own and highly prized, then too
there is no cause for pain. Why? What will a man
regret? The mind which knows that universal concern
is beyond its capacity naturally becomes tranquil.
Also when one feels that one has no claim on
anything or that everything is perishable, the mind
will remain cool. Thus there will be lasting peace
if one looks on all as of the same value. Peace is
dependent upon one's intellectual appraisals.
3. I shall now illustrate this. A man wakes
up from a dream. His mind is happy or troubled
according to his opinion of the things seen in the
dream. But on waking, his mind remains unaffected
by all the happenings in the dream; it remains the
same. Why? Because, only now his mind has learned
to value all the matters of the dream equally. He
is not sorry for the cessation of the dream. Why?
He is convinced that the dream is not everlasting
and must end on waking. In the same manner, should
a man be convinced that he cannot but wake up
sometime from the long dream of the world, his mind
will be unchanging. It is the state of freshness.
This is the state of peace.
4. This is not to say that his relation with
the world will cease. Now only peace and freshness
of the mind are his. His actions cannot but vary
according to circumstances. The only change in him
after the mind has become peaceful is this: his
mind has known the Truth and become unattached;
therefore, it rests in peace. His actions though
changeful will always be impartial. But the actions
of others are changing and cannot be impartial.
Thus, the coolness of the mind produces enormous
good not only to himself but also to the world at
large. Peace shows the way to right conduct.
5. A man walks with a lighted lamp in his
hand. Can there be any hostility between the light
and the ups and downs on the way? There cannot be.
But light and darkness cannot be together. The
light chases away darkness, it discloses the ups
and downs on the way and makes the man walk
carefully, whether he moves up, down, or sideways.
It removes the cause of vain complaints, such as,
"That snag hurt my foot" or "This hollow made me
slip." Similarly, after peace is gained, the state
of peace makes the man neither hate nor antagonise
the world. Rather it dispels the darkness which
conceals from our view the true nature of the world
and its snags. In the absence of the light of peace
which enables people to adjust themselves to
varying circumstances, they condemn the world as
full of misery, as they would complain of the snags
on the road. Therefore a man who has gained the
utmost peace after knowing the whole world as a
complicated dream, should not be considered either
unrelated to the world or unconcerned with its
activities; he alone stands in effective concord
with it; only he is competent to be a man of
action. Thus peace is that which regulates one's
duties.
6. The concern of a man of peace in the
actions of the world lies in rectifying them.
Should he feel fear before this world, what hope of
reformation can there be, especially from those who
esteem it and want to possess it? They are in the
grip of selfishness, blind to impartiality. To
guide the blind on the way or treat the blindness
of the eye, one's eyesight must itself be good.
Similarly, it is for him to reform the world who
has already discerned his unchanging nature from
the changeful nature of the world and become
peaceful. These cannot help serving the world. Why?
Can anyone be so hard hearted as not to lift up a
child when it slips and falls? So also for the wise
ones who can rightly appraise the troubles of the
world and help the people. Because he has already
withdrawn himself from the mind and body the sage
feels no concern under the strain of service to the
world, just as the life principle does not suffer
even when loaded carts pass over the corpse it has
left behind by itself. He will not shrink from work
or trouble. Only truly realised peace can bestow
such courage and coolness.
7. To all appearances. Peace will look poor
and quite weak. But in effect, it beats all. In
tenacity and courage, it surpasses all. After all,
success depends on these qualities. Even if Mount
Meru should topple over, the incident will hardly
produce a gentle smile in the man of peace, or it
will leave him unmoved. This state is helpful both
for worldly and spiritual matters. True happiness
in the world is his, and that happiness comes out
of release from bondage. Peace means doing good to
anyone in any manner.
8. The obstacles to peace are several. They
are meant to prove the man. When they confront us
we should be wide awake and keep the delicate
flower of the mind distant from even their shadows.
If the flower of the mind be crushed, it will lose
its fragrance, freshness and colour; it will
neither be useful to you, nor can it be presented
to others, nor offered to God. Know that your mind
is more delicate than even a blossom. By means of a
peaceful mind, all your duties to yourself, to
others and to God must be discharged. Let it
release the same freshness throughout. All
blessings for the mind are contained in peace.
9. Unremittingly worship the God of your
Self with the flower of your mind. Let the children
of the mental modes watch this worship. Gradually
they will learn to cast away their childish pranks
and desire to delight like yourself. As they watch
your peace, they will themselves recoil from their
vagaries. Continue the worship patiently. Be not
led away by the vagaries of the mind. On the
contrary, they should become peaceful by your
peace. All must get peace.
10. I shall finish in one word: the essence
of all the Vedas is peace.
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1. All
action is God's. His power has fixed each thing
into its own individual function. By His agency the
insentient objects and the sentient beings do their
work. All actions are His.
2. All are doing their respective work. So
what has God to do with it? We will first consider
the sentient beings and, later on, the insentient
objects. We are sentient beings. Let us first see
whose actions are ours. We all desire a higher
state and work for it. But our achievements are not
uniform. Sometimes the goal is the same and so is
the work, but why is there a difference in the
results? Here God makes us understand that the
action is His. Otherwise all must be alike. The
difference in the conditions cannot be accounted
for. Can there be anyone who does not wish to
improve his position? Whatever their intention
towards others, their intention towards themselves
is surely honest. The conditions of people of the
same intention are yet different. This is because
all actions are of God.
3. All beings have the same intention; yet
their efforts are of different degrees, so also
their states. After saying this, the question
arises: What is effort? Is it not simply a mental
image? All these images have the same origin,
namely, the common intention of all. Why then
should the image of effort differ in each? Here too
God makes us see that all actions are His.
4. If it is said that notwithstanding the
same intention, the effort can vary according to
individual capacity, the question arises: "What is
the source of this capacity?" It is of the body and
mind. The environment may also affect it. One must
take account of all the factors before one makes an
effort. However, these factors are not under one's
control so that the effort may not be equal to the
task. Therefore all actions are God's.
5. Again, if it is said that the body, the
mind and the environment will gradually be made
equal to the task, it implies a present incapacity.
This is to admit that all actions are God's.
6. Now, is it for good or bad that people do
not gain their objectives? It is certainly good.
Why? Most of them are selfish. Judge for yourself
if their success is for the good of the world or
otherwise. You may ask: Should not the attempts of
the unselfish be entirely successful? Though to all
appearances they may look unselfish, yet they are
not free from blemishes. These depend on the ego.
If the imagined unselfishness has given rise to a
sense of superiority over others, God frustrates
their purpose and teaches them that "You are also
like others and I govern you." On the other hand,
free from selfishness and free from ego is the
representative of God, within whom the cloud of ego
that conceals God does not exist and from whom God
is ever shining forth. To such a one of true
purpose [satya sankalpa] all his intentions
come out true. God shines forth directly in him.
There is no darkness in him. Only he knows the
Divine purpose as it is. Through him God fulfils
the purpose of His creation. All actions are
God's.
7. If it is asked: Is there not a single
person of true intent? And why should not the world
have all blessings in full? The answer, which is a
secret, is that the sages who are aware that all
actions are God's, wish to make it known to others
as well. There is no greater good than to know that
all actions are God's and not our own. This
knowledge contains all the blessings in itself.
Therefore the intention of the sages is to clearly
instruct others in the knowledge of God and His
actions. Even so, they do not say "Know God this
very instant," but they teach the ways and means to
knowledge and encourage us in right conduct-this
much only. They do not say, "Be emancipated at
once." Why? Because this is not possible for the
common people. Nor do the sages say to God,
"Liberate the people at once." Because the sages
are free from the ego and think, "God knows what He
should do and when to do it. What is there for me
to say to Him?" Thus they wish only to do their
work, without any interest in the fruits this work
may produce. They have known that God alone
dispenses the fruits of actions. Simply they watch
the course of events in the world and do their
work, never thinking of creating a world of their
own. Why? To do so is a form of egoism. The
creation is as it should be. Everything is in
order. All actions are God's.
8. Knowing their actions are subservient to
the higher power, how could they hope to achieve
something dear to their hearts? No, they cannot.
They will do their work simply as a duty. The
scriptures say, "Do work, but do not think of its
fruits." Just as anger unconsciously overpowers a
man even though he is determined not to get angry,
so also the sages of true intent may be shocked by
the iniquities of the world and unwittingly think,
"God, let that be made good!" If so, then it will
certainly happen and good will prevail. This is the
cause of some extraordinary events in the world.
These extraordinary events are the results of a
wish stealing into the mind of a sage. This is the
law of nature. Who can change it? All actions are
God's.
9. Whatever takes place, it is in the
natural order of things. Also, it is right.
Everything happens by His will alone. In truth, it
is not wrong to think "He makes the thief steal."
Why? Because at the time of punishment He also
makes the thief suffer for the robbery. Thus, there
should be no ill-will directed towards the thief.
Such is the fruit of the knowledge that all actions
are God's. Although there is no ill-will towards
the thief, there is a dislike of theft. This is
also the result of our knowledge that all actions
are God's. How is this? Because the thief himself
dislikes theft: Would he keep quiet if his own
belongings were stolen by another? He would not.
Who can be unaware that good is right and evil is
wrong? Therefore the knowledge that all actions are
God's will bring into the world an era of orderly
conduct. Our knowledge does not extend further. We
can repeat only what we know. We need not worry
about what lies beyond our knowledge. This too is
God's will.
10. One of the fruits of knowledge granted
to us by God is the knowledge that all actions are
God's. We are powerless to ask God, "Why do you act
thus?" Because the fruits of our actions are not
always according to our desire, all religions admit
similar states of our powerlessness. In other
words, because our powers are limited, we cannot
but say that all actions are God's. The law which
applies to us, applies to insentient objects also.
Our law is no better than theirs. All is One. Even
though some do not admit that all actions are
God's, yet they admit their own incapacity. This
itself is the act of God.
|
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1. O ego,
all the evils of the world are from you. To crush
you, the kings make laws and the wise give lessons.
In spite of their efforts from time immemorial,
alas! you are yet alive; you simply go into hiding
and reappear again and again. Can there be no end
to you? Your end is surely approaching. Another ego
has started to kill you. It is the universal ego
called "I am Brahman" [Aham Brahmasmi].
2. Eh! ego, think not that your enemy is of
your kind. You are perishable whereas He is not.
You are conceited as "I" because you always
differentiate as "I", "you" and "he", but your
enemy is free from this conceit. How? He harmonises
all differences, resolves all into Himself.
Moreover, you feel enmity towards Him because he
has arisen to kill you. But He has no ill-feelings
towards you. How is this? Because you are not to be
found in His presence. He regards you as a part of
His limbs. Your loss in his proximity is the
working of your own falsity; He would not think of
killing you because you are of no consequence in
His sight. Therefore, ego, you are His enemy, but
He is not yours. More briefly put, you are your own
enemy. Why? Owing to your greed you flaunted
yourself before the Great One as you would
elsewhere. Instantly, you were lost; therefore, the
universal Self obscures you by devouring you and
then shines forth as All-Light.
3. Eh! ego, the evils of your works have no
limits. You are not content unless you are exalted
above others and others are lowered before you.
Endless are your desires, such as "By what title
shall I gain honour?", "In what form shall I appear
elegant?", "Do others bow to me?", "Do others obey
me in silence?", "Do others say that no one excels
me?" Alas! How short is your life! And yet to how
much do you aspire! And how much evil you do! You
have deluded yourself that there is happiness in
such ideas and in differentiating yourself from all
others. This is not to your good. Why not? Are not
others also entitled to all these? What is your
share in things which are common to millions and
millions of others? Such being the case, do not
desire in vain to rule over all. By your vain
desire you bring about evil to yourself and to
others. Listen to my friendly advice. Truly
speaking, He whom you regard as your mortal enemy
is your friend. He knows how to make you worthy of
true greatness and blessings. Surrender to Him.
This universal ego does not treat you as an enemy
but is your greatest benefactor.
4. By no means can you discover what He will
make of you unless you surrender yourself to Him.
However much I may speak of it, you cannot
understand. It is a matter of experience. Doubtless
He will do nothing less than exalt you to His
state. Therefore, be not perplexed about your
future; directly surrender yourself. You can always
turn away if joy does not overtake you from the
very instant of surrender. Just as the drinking of
milk starts with an agreeable taste and ends with
the satisfaction of hunger, so also surrender
starts with delight and ends with perfect bliss,
which lies beyond even pleasure and pain. Therefore
your goal, without doubt, is this universal
ego.
5. What will be Your new name after
surrender? There is no name besides Yours. The
Vedas laud you; the world praises You; the
essence of religious teachings is Yourself. Then
what is Your form? All forms are Yours. There is no
form which is not Yours. What is installed in the
temples of worship is You; what is described in the
Vedas is You; festivities and celebrations
are all for You. Now what can be Your power? In
Your presence the world is active; each is what it
is, because of You. Briefly said, all things
glorify You and bear witness to Your being. They
are duty bound to do so. You would not have even
dreamt that this will be Your state. Start at once,
be not self-conceited. The universal ego awaits
you.
6. Do you wish to wake up from your dream or
continue in it? How long will the dream images
last? Be not idle, shake off your sleep, wake up!
You are witnessing your own mental images and
imagining more and more. It is all in vain. Just
find out Who it is that sees the visions. Do not
delude yourself that you are these that rise and
sink in you. Wake up. The instant you wake up you
will know that waking is better than this dream.
Get up! The universal ego waits to rejoice at
seeing you awake.
7. Fear not the cessation of the present ego
dream. Once you are awake you will enjoy the same
all the more. You will no longer be deluded and
will observe it with cheerful detachment,
unconfused. The folly of all appearances will be
understood and you will have no burdens. In dream
your mental imagery assumes shapes. On waking you
know the dream as just a dream. Do not mistake the
dream for the waking state. Know the dream as
dream. For doing so, you must reach the state of "I
am Brahman" and wake from the illusion of the
ego.
8. I have instructed you for your good and
not in my own interest. If you believe me, you
should act upon what I have taught you. On the
other hand, if you see no good in what I have said,
then turn away from this ideal. How can I help you
if my advice and all the advice of the saints do
not make any impression on you? No state is higher
than this. Believe me, it is for your good that you
realise this Truth; and through you others may
realise the same. Be free from self-conceit. Start
at once. Realise that the universal ego is your
own.
9. O ego, see how you are a slave to all and
therefore suffer. How pitiable is your state! All
are hostile to you! When you say "for me only", all
others will also contend "for me only, for me
only". When you say "I am great", they protest,
"Why? We are also." All are hostile to you. Owing
to the troubles caused by others, your mental
images increase a million fold. Should you not rise
above them and profit by surrendering to a master?
Then all your enemies will befriend you. If you say
to others, "All these are yours", everyone becomes
your friend. There is only One who can make you
that magnanimous and that is "I am Brahman."
10. I shall say one word only and this is
not owing to my egoism. It is simply my duty. I do
not say this word just for your or my good alone.
It is for the good of all. The Truth is "I am
Brahman."
|
Light of Divine
Grace,
All-powerful Love,
Bless me.
Peace! Peace! Peace!
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