All From The One

Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj

That which is apparent is destructible. What you think it to be, it is not in reality. It is not what you conceive, and you cannot conceive it as it really is. You should see it as it is, naturally, in itself. Then you will not see it with your desire. Your inner sight, the 'Vision of the Self', is that Shiva-Shakti, the quality of Shiva, or 'Supreme Benevolence'. From this 'Self-Vision', the creation of the universe takes place. In that creation, desire if of no use to you, because you exist first, and the looking at objects come afterwards. Don't forget that this entire creation is within your own 'Self-Vision'.

You may show a house by touching it with your finger, but actually, there is only earth there that you call by the name of 'house'. Even though you know that it is earth, you call it house. You see earth, and call it your house, but if it is to be eaten, you will say it is earth and you will not eat it. A house is to live in, but not to eat. Similarly, this world is only to be seen, and there is nothing in it to be entangled in through your attraction to it. This creation is no doubt earth, but you cannot show and entire road in a package of only 50 grams or so. 'Road' is only a name. What it is, is only earth. If you try to bring the road, you will bring only 50 grams of earth. The name is road, but if you want to fetch it, you will have to fetch a handful of earth.

Your face is also the same. You cannot prove that it is a face. That is why it is said that the world is made only of earth. Everything rises out of the earth, sets back into the earth, and is eventually covered up by earth. In ancient legend, Bhasmasura was given a boon that whatever he put his hand upon would become ashes. Ashes mean earth. When he put his hand on his own head, he also became earth. He was only earth from the beginning. Everything in this world is only earth in essence. To see that everything becomes earth is to see with the eye of intelligence. When you go deeper, you see that earth is engulfed in wind, and wind becomes diffused in the sky (space). The space is the life-energy. The name and form are all only imagined. The essence is this life-energy, or chaitanya, only. See how when the earth and water are mixed, they create a third article which is called clay. When flowers and a string are woven together, we get a garland. The shape changes and the name changes, but still, all are only earth. An earthen pot when broken is called shards, or pieces. All of you are life-energy, not bodies. Man, woman, daughter, son, all, are only that chaitanya. All have come from the One.