Ascent To The Divine

More effulgent than the Sun,
Whiter and purer than snow,
Subtler than ether in space,
The Paramatma dwells in all,
Permeating the entire Cosmos,
Shining in every atom.
You are in that Brahman.
That Brahman is in you.
You are that Brahman
And that Brahmam is you
What greater truth
Can I convey to you?

Man is not a mere combination of the physical, the mental, and the intellectual. He is enveloped in five sheaths: the Annamaya Kosha (gross body), the Pranamaya Kosha (the vital sheath), the Manomaya Kosha (Mental sheath), Vignyanamaya Kosha (Intelligence) and Anandamaya Kosha (the sheath of Bliss). The Upanishads have pointed out the importance, the sacred and the divine characteristics of these Koshas (sheaths).

The physical form that is sustained by the food that we consume is the gross body. Thereafter we have the Pranamaya, Manomaya, and Vignyanamaya Koshas (subtle bodies), which together form the Lingaswarupa—the “Within Body” or the “Sense Body.” The third form is the Anandamaya Kosha, the subtle body which has the “knowledge of the Real Self.”

There is an entity which keeps under control the three subtle bodies: Pranamaya, Manomaya, and Vignyanamaya Koshas. This is the Antaratma (the Indwelling Spirit). This Antaratma is also known as the Chaitanya Purusha. The seat of the Chaitanya Purusha is Hridaya Guhyam (a cave in the heart). The “heart” referred to here is not the physical heart in the human body but the spiritual heart, which is all-pervasive, all-knowing, and boundless.

Levels of Consciousness

The Atma (Spirit) when it is associated with the physical body is called Annamaya Purusha. This is the state of ordinary consciousness. When the spiritual consciousness is associated with Pranamaya Kosha (the Vital Consciousness), the Atma is known as Pranaswarupa (Life Consciousness). When the Atma is associated with the mental consciousness, it is known as Manopurusha. The fourth consciousness transcends the human senses. It is called Ateeta Manasatvam (Transcendental Consciousness). The Vedas and Upanishads have described this state as Brihat and Rita (Transcendental Consciousness). It transcends human limitations and comes close to Divinity. It is called the Super Mind. The Atma in this state is called Vignyana Purusha. Above this state is the Anandamaya Purusha (the enjoyer of Bliss). It is a state of Super-consciousness which expands in due course to merge with the Universal Consciousness.

This all-pervading Universal Consciousness has been called Chit-Tapas. It is the highest consciousness which encompasses all other levels of consciousness and is the basis for all of them. That is the Shuddha Satwa (the all-effective Will), the Super Divine life. This is the Sai-tatwa (the Sai Principle).

The Shuddha Satwa, which constitutes the Sai Principle, is omnipotent. There is nothing that is beyond its power. It is the embodiment of all powers. It should be everyone’s aim to strive to recognise this Supreme Principle.

Awareness of Divinity

There are some clearly defined methods for achieving this aim. Man’s vision, which is now turned outward towards the phenomenal universe, should be turned inwards towards the Indwelling Spirit. One should manifest the Divine consciousness inherent in him. He should submit himself to that consciousness as a spiritual discipline. This is called “Conscious Realisation of the Inner Divine.”

The first task is to develop awareness of the Divinity within. The next stage is the realisation of the truth that the divinity that is within one’s self is equally present in all others. One must recognize that the veil or barrier that appears to separate him from others is born of delusion and every effort should be made to remove it. Only then will it be possible to experience the oneness of all living things. “Aham eva idam Sarvam,” says the Shruti (I am indeed all this). The realisation dawns: “All this is contained in me.” And then there is the consciousness, “I am Divine. The Divine is me. I am Brahman. Brahman is myself. There is no distinction between Brahman and me.”

Six Mental States

After attaining this stage there is a third stage, which has been characterised as the Arohana- Avarohana (the Ascent-and-the Descent) stage. Man has six different kinds of mind. They are:

The Ordinary Mind;
The Super-mind;
The Higher Mind;
The Illuminated Mind;
The Intuitive Mind;
The Over-mind or Beyond the Mind.

The starting base for the six levels of minds is the ordinary mind. At the summit level is the Over-mind. In the mental processes what goes on is an ascent from the ordinary mind to the Over-mind as well as a descent from the Over-mind to the lowest level. It is when the ascending process and the descending process meet that there is fullness in the human being.

There is no difference between one kind of consciousness and the other. All consciousness is alike because it is a manifestation of Brahman (the Absolute). It is Brahman that has manifested Itself as the Cosmos. The doctrine of evolution is being discussed widely and widely accepted. But one should try to understand how evolution takes place in Nature. Evolution in Nature is really the gradual unfoldment of the inherent powers of Nature.

The Evolutionary Process

For instance, life has evolved from matter and mind has evolved from life. What is meant by matter? Matter is that which is encased in life. Consider the example of paddy. As long as the rice grain is covered by husk it is called paddy. When the husk is removed it becomes rice. Paddy has the power to germinate as long as the husk remains. Likewise, the vital principle is contained in matter. It may thus be seen that life came from matter. Likewise, the mind evolved from life. Today men are prepared to recognize that mind evolved from life and life from matter. But they are not ready to go beyond this stage in human evolution. Human evolution cannot be complete unless it goes beyond the mind.

The next step in human evolution is the Super-mind. But man has to go forward even from supramental to the ultimate stage of Sat-chit-ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss) to realize his final destiny. The day when man is able to experience the Divine state of Sat-chit-ananda is really the holy day of Shivaratri.

When a person is attached to the body and considers the physical alone as real, he is bound to remain ignorant. The gross body is sustained by food and is limited by its material basis. But there is a subtle body which transcends the physical. This is called Lingadeha. After understanding the nature of the subtle body, men should try to proceed further to know the nature of the Karana Deha (Causal body, which is subtler than the Lingadeha), which is the experience of Ananda (Divine Bliss). Everything has its origin in Bliss and is dependent on Bliss. Bliss is present in a subtle form in every object in creation.

Have the Urge to Change to a Higher State

Of what avail is the study of the Upanishads and the Gita, if there is no transformation in our thoughts or way of life? There must be the urge to change and progress towards a higher state of consciousness. It is only when we reach the supramental stages that we can grasp, to some extent, the relationship between the phenomenal Universe and the Divine. In reality we are all embodiments of Sat-chit-ananda. Your real “I” exists in all the stages of waking, dream, and deep sleep. But in the dream and deep sleep states, you are not conscious of your body. The entity that exists in all three states undergoes no change. You must try to understand the nature of this “I.”

You must examine where all your sadhanas are leading you. You have to proceed from the purely mental stage to the highest stage of the Over-mind and experience oneness with the Universal Consciousness. You may regard this as extremely difficult. But if you have dedication and perseverance, it will be quite easy. There is nothing in the world easier than the spiritual path. But when there is no earnestness, it appears difficult. That is why the Gita has declared:

“Shradhavan labhate Gnyanam” (The earnest aspirant acquires the Supreme Wisdom). If you are deeply interested in anything, you will accomplish it.

The Cosmic Consciousness

Hence you should constantly remind yourself: “I am the embodiment of the Divine consciousness. Sat-chit-ananda constitutes my form.” Man today has forgotten his true nature and looks upon the world entirely through the senses, the mind, and the intellect. But behind all these organs there is the Sat-chit-ananda which is fundamental. It is because of this Atmic Bliss principle in him, that man is ever seeking bliss. The whole cosmos has emanated from the Parabrahman (the Supreme Omni-Will). It appears as a material object. But from the material, we should proceed to the spiritual—the Universal Consciousness.

There is the “Higher Mind” in man. It is present to enable man to transcend the physical and the mental and to reach the Divine. Ordinary life consists of Matter + Mind. But Matter + Being is beyond the mind. It leads to the Super-mind.

The mind attracts many objects that it sees. It promotes a variety of qualities, attitudes, and attachments. Above all, it encourages the inflation of the Ahamkara (ego). Puffed up by his ego, man loses all his powers of discrimination and forgets what is evanescent and what is permanent. He makes himself an object of derision. It is only when the ego is deflated and eliminated that man can gradually realize his spiritual essence. Spirituality cannot be understood as long as the ego is dominant. And of what use are spiritual studies and discourses to one who has no understanding?

Embodiments of Divine love! You are engaged in various spiritual exercises. Some call it worldly, illusory, and ephemeral. It is described as Maya or Mithya. This is entirely wrong. I am Sathyam (Real). You are Real. The whole universe is Real. Consciousness is immanent in everything.

Everything is a manifestation of Brahman_._ When we recognize this unity which underlies everything, we shall be able to know the nature of Divinity.

The World is Real

To go about describing the world as unreal, illusory, impermanent will amount to practicing a deception on people and not proclaiming the truth. If the world is unreal, even the teaching that it is unreal is equally unreal and has no meaning. No. That is not so. This Cosmos is Real. It is not a question of seeing truth within the unreal or the unreal in the truth. It is Sathyamuloni Sathyamu (the recognition of the Truth in the Real). It is only when this basic truth is recognised that we shall be competent to grasp the nature of our inherent Reality.

The Cosmos is Real. The forms in it may change. Bodies may change. Change is the characteristic of the evolutionary process. But what should be recognized is that at the core of all things is a fundamental Reality. This is the triple principle: Asti, Bhati, Priyam (Existing, Shining or manifesting, and Pleasing or loving) or Sat-chit-ananda or Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram (Truth, Goodness, and Beauty).

When we recognise that the body, which is the basis of life, is subject to change, how can the phenomenal world be described as a delusion just because it is also subject to change? The universe has come from the Brahman, the Universal Consciousness. The multiplicity of forms is like the different kinds of figures made from sugar to attract children. The forms are different, but the basic consciousness is one. Just as a doll made from sugar is dissolved in the mouth, the external form of the body should dissolve in the experience of Atmic bliss.

The source of life is Brahman. Change and evolution are natural to it. But the presence of the unchanging Divinity should be experienced within the changing body.

In the evolutionary process, the Brahmic principle, existing in the matter, evolved to life. The mind evolved by a leap from consciousness in life. The mind should not stop there. It should evolve towards consciousness of the Divine and ultimately merge in the Universal Consciousness—the Sat-chit-Ananda.

Sathyam-Gnyanam-Anantam

Every human being should strive to progress towards the ultimate state of “Over-mind” consciousness---the state which has been described by the seers as Vignyanamaya Kosha (the Super-intellectual Mind). Vignyana (modern science) is concerned with analysing physical objects. But Vignyanamaya Kosha (the Super-intellectual Mind) is concerned with exploring the Supreme Reality—the Omnipresent Consciousness. This alone is true scientific enquiry. It is from the Vignyanamaya Kosha that one proceeds to the Anandamaya Kosha—the state of Super-consciousness, of Total Bliss.

It may appear difficult to attain this state. But without making the necessary effort, it should not be treated as beyond one’s capacity. Listen to My words. I shall show you the way. If you merely listen but do not practice what I say, you will not reach the goal.

Train Your Minds Towards the Divine

It is a natural process. In a bud, there is very little fragrance. When it grows and blossoms, it acquires fine fragrance. Likewise, when the human consciousness expands, it finds fullness in the state of Sat-chit-ananda. Starting with the ordinary mind, the consciousness rises to the Super-mind level. Then it moves up to the state of the Higher Mind.

The next higher stage is that of the Illuminated Mind. Through all these stages, the continuing entity remains the same, as in the bodily changes from infancy to old age. That is the Universal Consciousness, which is present in everyone—the One in the Many. The Universal Consciousness is the Sathyam (Truth). It is Gnyanam (the Supreme Wisdom). It is Anantam (Infinite).

Turn your minds towards the Divine. Repetition of the Name of the Lord has been prescribed as a spiritual discipline to turn your mind away from the things of the world. If you devote the whole of this night to thoughts about the Lord, your minds will be transformed, even if you are not able to reach the highest state of “Over-mind.” Ever keeping in mind the triple characteristics of the Divine—Sathyam, Gnyanam, Anantam, Brahma—strive to achieve the supreme goal of Man.

Discourse in the Purnachandra Auditorium on Maha Shivaratri Day, on 16 Feb 1988.