12 Oct 2013
[Shri Phani Kumar asked, “How can the contradicting philosophies i.e., monism (advaita) of Shankara and the dualism (dvaita) of Ramanuja and Madhva help the same human being in the same time?” Given below is Shri Swami’s response.]
Unimaginable God Not Visible Even by Microscope: The same human being should identify the human incarnation as God and simultaneously should identify himself as not the God, being the servant of God. The first view is possible by the concept of Shankara and the second view is possible by the concept of Ramanuja and Madhva. Identifying the human incarnation as God, has always a risk of development of the misinterpretation that every human being is God and hence, [is extended to] himself also. This misinterpretation should be negated by the second concept. Therefore, both these contradicting concepts are useful to the same human being in the same time. The possibility for the misinterpretation is based on the common human being existing in the human incarnation and the human being. Human being is a single component system appearing as a single phase. This human being is mixed with the other component called as God and the resulting product is the human incarnation appearing as the same human being. Even in a two component system like an alloy, both the metals can be identified differently through microscope. Since, both the metals are not differentiated by the naked eye, single phase is attributed. In the human incarnation, such possibility is not there. The second component, God, is unimaginable and therefore, is naturally invisible even to the microscope. The imaginable may be visible or invisible. But, the unimaginable is always invisible. Therefore, the human incarnation also appears as a single phase with single component only since the second component being unimaginable is not visible even to the microscope.
The presence of the second component can be only inferred through the unimaginable effects experienced from the human incarnation. Therefore, the ordinary human being and the human incarnation are completely one and the same as far as the body and the soul are concerned. Both the body and soul, called human being, should be treated as one component. Hence, there is every possibility to feel that the human incarnation is exactly the same human being in and out. When such human incarnation, which is the human being only for all the practical purposes, is God, why not every human being be God? For the convenient development of this concept, the single component, the human being, is sub-divided into two sub-components, called body and soul. The soul is said to be God (Purusha) and the body is said to be creation (Prakruti). The Gita says that both body and soul are creation only. The body is said to be lower part of creation (apara prakruti) and the soul is said to be the higher part of creation (para prakruti). Therefore, both body and soul are creation only and none of these two is creator. All the creation is imaginable, which consists of visible body and invisible soul. Of course, the body also consists of invisible binding energy apart from the major visible matter. The soul is made of invisible nervous energy. Therefore, in loose general sense, we can say the body is visible. The creator is unimaginable and is totally different from body and soul. This careful analysis is clearly shown in the Gita. The Gita mentions both these classifications. In one classification consisting of two categories, the imaginable creation consisting of body and soul said to be Prakruti and the unimaginable God said to be Purusha (prakrutim purusham chaiva). In another classification consisting of three categories, the imaginable-visible body (kshara), the imaginable-invisible soul (akshara) and the unimaginable-invisible God (Purushottama) are mentioned (yasmaatksharamatitoham...). Both these classifications are one and the same, the first preferred by Shankara and the second preferred by Ramanuja and Madhva.
Use of Monism and Dualism to Human Being
The whole essence of the confusion is that the unimaginable God identifies Himself with an imaginable human being appearing as human incarnation. In such human incarnation, the unimaginable God cannot be visualised by eye or microscope and hence, the human incarnation can be totally confused as human being only. This point leads to the misunderstanding that either God is also a human being only or every human being is God. Due to such misunderstanding, the human being does not like to respect or worship the human incarnation. In order to avoid this danger, the concept of dualism is developed by Ramanuja and Madhva. If you understand both these concepts, you will recognise the human incarnation and worship It as God without thinking that you are God. Therefore, both the concepts are simultaneously useful for the same human being. The first concept is limited to human incarnation and the second concept is limited to every human being.
The concept of monism is blessed to the human being from the side of the kindest God. But, such blessing should not be misused by the human being. God created this world, controls it and finally dissolves it. The human being (both body and soul) is part and parcel of this world or creation and does not possess these three powers of creation, control and dissolution of the creation. Therefore, the imaginable human being (body or soul) is not the God in any way. The human being cannot be even a part of God. The reason is that God is unimaginable and the human being is imaginable. The practical proof for this is that the human being does not have even a trace of these three types of power. If the human being is a particle of God, it should create at least a particle of this world. Therefore, dualism is a perfect reality and should be never forgotten by the human being. The kindest God blessed the perfect monism to the human being. For God, the ultimate aim of the creation and control is only to enjoy this world as an entertainment. When the human being is blessed with the same entertainment, the perfect monism is granted by God to the human being. When you are enjoying the same fruit without any trace of strain of work in generating that fruit, there is perfect monism. When the producer and the director of a cinema is running a show and you are sitting by his side and enjoying the same show, is there any trace of difference between yourself and that owner? One might have procured the food materials and cooked those to prepare good dishes. If you eat the same dishes and enjoy equally with that person, is there any difference between yourself and that person? In fact, you are luckier than that person since you enjoy the same fruit without work and strain. Therefore, this is the monism granted by God to the soul due to His infinite kindness towards His children. This is the perfect monism propagated by Shankara. But, this perfect monism should not be misused because the work done by that person should be viewed as his unique power.
You can neither produce nor direct nor run the show. You can neither procure the food materials nor cook those. This difference establishes your inability and the ability of God. Therefore, you can have both monism and dualism in the same person at the same time. You can enjoy this world continuously as entertainment like God in perfect monism, being placed in the same bliss like a spectator of the cinema in both happy and unhappy scenes, and at the same time, avoid putting your hands on the shoulders of the owner recognising the difference of his ability and your inability as far as the powers are concerned. Thus, you can have monism and dualism in different places or in the same place in the same time and hence, there is no contradiction between Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva in any angle in any way.
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