All is Brahman Alone

Sage Vasishtha

Again and again I repeat all this, O Rama, for the sake of your spiritual awakening; the realization of the self does not happen without such repetition (or, spiritual practice). This ignorance, known as avidya or ajnana, has become dense by having been expressed and experienced by the senses in thousands of incarnations, within and outside this body. But, self-knowledge is not within the reach of the senses. It arises when the senses and the mind, which is the sixth sense, cease.

O Rama, live in this world firmly established in self-knowledge, even as king Janaka lives having known what there is to be known. In his case the truth is realized all the time whether he is active or not, whether he is awake or not. Lord Vishnu incarnates in this world and takes on embodiment fully established in this self-knowledge. Even so, Lord Shiva remains established in self-knowledge; and Lord Brahma, too, is established in self-knowledge. Be established in self-knowledge, O Rama, as they are.

RAMA asked:

Lord, pray tell me wheat is the nature fo the self-knowledge in which all these great ones are established.

VASISHTHA replied:

Rama, you know this already. Yet, in order to make it abundantly clear, you are asking about it again.

Whatever there is and whatever appears to be the world jugglery, is but the pure Brahman or the absolute consciousness and naught else. Consciousness is Brahman, the world is Brahman, all the elements are Brahman, I am Brahman, my enemy is Brahman, my friends and relatives are Brahman, Brahman is the three periods of time, for all these are rooted in Brahman. Even as the ocean appears to be expanded on account of the waves, Brahman seems to be expanded on account of the infinite variety of substances. Brahman apprehends Brahman, Brahman experiences or enjoys Brahman, Brahman is made manifest in Brahman by the power of Brahman himself. Brahman is the form of my enemy who displeases me who am Brahman: when such is the case who does what to another?

The modes of the mind like attraction and repulsion, likes and dislikes have been conjured up in imagination. These have been destroyed by the absence of thoughts. How then can they be magnified? When Brahman alone moves in all which is Brahman and Brahman alone unfolds as Brahman in all, what is joy and what is sorrow? Brahman is satisfied with Brahman, Brahman is established in Brahman. There is neither 'I' nor another!