Chapter CXCI - Solution of the great question of unity and duality

Argument:—Concerning the identity of the world and God, or the total absence of the universe.

Rama rejoined:—

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If it is so sir, as you say, the world must be a great riddle; as it can neither be said to be in existence with all its contents, or be a perfect nullity with every thing quite extinct in it.

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This existence that shows itself as the world to sight, appears as a delusion or deception of vision in view; though it cannot properly be called an illusion, if it is composed of divine essence as you mean to say.

Vasishtha replied:—

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The fortuitous appearance in which Brahma, manifests himself of his own accord; is known to him as the world and subsisting in himself.

Rama rejoined:—

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How does Brahma manifest himself as the world, before existence of space and after its extinction (at the ultimate dissolution of creation); and how does the divine spirit shine itself as the world in want of the light of the luminaries?

Vasishtha replied:—

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The world shines in this manner in the light of the Divine Intellect; and know this light to proceed from the Divine spirit, which is thus diffused all over the universe.

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As the light of the lamp or chandelier, enlightens the house with its lustre; it was thus the holy light of the Divine spirit that shone itself, without presenting its outward appearance, or having any one to look upon it (before creation).

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Thus it is an immaterial and imperishable entity, without any appearance of or looker on it; it shines with the light of the intellect, upon the basis or stand of the Divine spirit.

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It shines in its visible appearance, in the sight of the spirit only, that constantly looks upon it, as it sees its dreams in sleep.

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It shines only in the light of the intellect, and appears as the created world before its creation; all its visible and shining sheen being derived from the Supreme.

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The One supreme intellect alone, assumes the triple forms of the sight, seer and seeing (i.e. the subjective, objective and the attribute), in the beginning of creation; and shows itself as the created world of its own nature and accord.

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We have the resemblance of such like appearance, presenting unto us in our dreams and creatures of our fancy; and it is in the same manner, that this creation shines before us with the light of the intellect.

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This world (shining so bright and fair), is like a vacuous body appearing in the vacuity of the intellect; the creation has neither its beginning nor end, it is a development of the intellect, which is distributed through it.

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It has become habitual to our nature, to suppose the existence of the world, but the false impression of its visibility, is lost in the consciousness of high-minded men.

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To them this creation presents no visible forms, nor any sensible appearance at all; it is to them a representation of fallacy only, as the mistake of a man in a statue, or taking a false apparition as real.

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In this manner the blunder of a duality in the soul, produces a dualism in the mind; but ere the existence of creation, there existed no dualism of the creator and the created, or of the manifester and the manifested.

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The want of a cause causes the appearance of a duality (i.e. of the causal agency and its effect, in the vacuity of the intellect); but tell me how could there be a cause when there is no creation in existence. (The creation presupposes a cause, but not otherwise nor its absence).

17. [Sanskrit available]
It is the Divine intellect alone, that manifests itself in the manner of the world, in the total absence of all visible objects; and though this seems to be the waking state of the Supreme soul, yet it is neither its waking, sleeping nor dreaming state.

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The visible world is no production of dream, but a manifestation of Brahma himself; and there existed the Divine intellect only, in the manner of the infinite void, before the birth of the atmospheric vacuum of the world.

19. [Sanskrit available]
The intellect which beholds this universe as its body, without being distributed or changed in the form of the world; is purely of a spiritual or vacuous form, that manifested itself in this visible form before it came to existence.

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And this visible world that is so manifest to view, is as void and vacuous as the empty air.

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Now knowing this in your own understanding, you must remain devoid of all dualism in your mind; be as mute as a block of stone, nor give heed to the words of the universe in your heart, nor care for their sayings of earthly enjoyments, (for fear of losing your spiritual bliss).