BRAHMAN AND MAYA

BRAHMAN AND MAYA

Like the pot and clay, waves and the sea, ornaments of gold and gold,
the universe is non­different from Brahman. The cause does not lose
its being by appearing as the effect. The world is not an illusion,
but it is non­different from Brahman. Like heat is inseparable from
fire and identical with it, so the universe which is of the nature of
Brahman is identical with it.

The world is dependent on Brahman and independently the world is
nothing. The play of cit (consciousness) alone shines as this
universe. The universe was, is and always will be. There is no
beginning or end to creation.

Behind the impermanent material world there is the invisible source
of all things, pure, unchanging spirit or atman. In the presence of
God, maya (illusion) creates the world, even as in the presence of
the superior officer, the subordinates do their work. Just as a
carpenter cannot work without the instruments, and the instruments
themselves also cannot do any work without the carpenter, so also,
Isvara (God) cannot create the world without maya, nor can maya
create the world without Isvara.

This world is an overflow of the love of God. This is the view of a
bhakta (devotee). This world is an overflow of the bliss of Brahman.
This is the view of a vedantin or sage. Love and bliss are one; God
and Brahman are one. This world is nothing but the expression of
God's love for Himself. This world is an expression or manifestation
of God. It is the outcome of the spontaneous play of love and joy.
God expands Himself and manifests as the world.

Atmic sankalpa (the will of the self) makes this universe shine and
constitutes it. Every object is surcharged with divine significance.
Everything in this world has got a spiritual message to convey. Learn
from everything. All is Brahman. When this truth is intellectually
recognised and intuitively realised, then all feelings of differences
end forever.

-- Swami Sivananda Saraswathy

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: An Atheists Faith
    ... strict sense of the word. ... it just indicates that we're dealing with mushy, fuzzy and completely fabricated concepts that someone pulled out of his ass at some time in the past. ... Next, if Brahman stands for the "sum of the Universe", then it is nothing more than the Universe itself, so we can simply discard it as an irrelevant synonym. ...
    (talk.atheism)
  • Re: An Atheists Faith
    ... you have to show that Brahman actually is a deity in the ... >strict sense of the word. ... >more than the Universe itself, so we can simply discard it as an irrelevant ...
    (talk.atheism)
  • Re: Desis are a people of God
    ... No doubt you can tell us where in nature Brahman is found! ... Brahadaranyaka Upanishad ... The Upanishad describes how in the beginning there was only Brahman. ... himself and creates the entire universe. ...
    (soc.culture.indian)
  • Re: Hindi
    ... of lesser gods are seen as /aspects/ of the one impersonal divine ground, ... Brahman. ... Brahman is not a God in the monotheistic sense, ... practiced Hinduism is neither polytheistic nor ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Hammond sees the obvious?
    ... I was confusing Brahma with Brahman. ... A "scientific proof of God" is so historic and crucial ... YES there is a real God; ... >> remember Hinduism does not base their religion on a history ...
    (sci.physics)