Posted on: 01 Apr 2023
[Ms. Thrylokya asked: Swami, You told that this world is also a superimposition like an unreal serpent on a real rope. We are able to realise the real rope, but we are unable to realise the real God in this unreal world. Why is this difference between the example and the concept?]
Swami replied: Let Me ask you one question in the example. You have the knowledge of superimposition of unreal serpent on the real rope. With the help of this knowledge, are you realising the real rope seen as serpent in the twilight? No. Even if you take the help of this knowledge, you are not confirming that the seen serpent is the unseen rope. Even if you use your knowledge, you get the doubt that the serpent seen may be a real serpent. Unless you get the help of the external lamp-light, you are unable to decide that the serpent is really a rope. Now, tell Me that whether you are helped by the lamp-light or your knowledge of the example? Certainly, you have to say that the lamp-light only cleared the superimposition and not the knowledge because the lamp-light is not a part of the knowledge. The lamp-light is existing outside the knowledge. Similarly, the knowledge of realisation of the superimposition of unreal world on the real God cannot help you to realise the real God in this unreal world. Something external like the lamp-light is essential for you to come out of this superimposition. That external lamp-light is the grace of God without which you can never come out of this superimposition or maayaa of God. God says that His power of Maayaa can never be crossed by any human being without His grace (Mama māyā duratyayā..., Māyā metāṃ taranti te... - Gita).
Removal of theoretical ignorance (Ajnaana aavarana) is not sufficient for the removal of practical ignorance (Ajnaana Vikshepa). The practical ignorance is never removed by the theoretical realisation unless you are helped by the lamp-light or God respectively in the example and in the concept. In the example, the rope is an inert object. But in the concept, God is not inert object, but omnipotent-unimaginable awareness. The inert rope did not create the confusion of superimposition but the omnipotent-unimaginable awareness created this confusion of superimposition or Maayaa for the souls. In the case of rope and serpent, our ignorant brain created the confusion. Hence, with the help of the inert lamp-light, the brain could clear this confusion. But in the case of God and the world, God is the creator of this confusion to the souls and the human brain is not the creator of this confusion. For God also, this unreal world looks like absolute real entity just like for us. The difference is that for God, even though this unreal world looks like the real world, the reality of the world is gifted by God Himself. Due to this, God has confirmation that this world is unreal even though it is appearing as real. We did not gift our absolute reality to the world because we ourselves are not inherently absolute real. We are a part of the world only. We are not the subject or the creator. We are the object of God, created by God just like the world. Hence, we can never realise this inherently unreal world because we ourselves along with the world are inherently unreal, existing as absolute real due to the gifted absolute reality of God. The final essence is about the recognition of the existence of the external entity called lamp-light or God's grace. To get the lamp-light, the soul is doing some practical effort in Pravrutti. Similarly, the souls must do practical effort to get God's grace also in Nivrutti.