What are the Essentials of Vedanta?

There is a constant conflict between good and bad. There is a fight between righteousness and unrighteousness. One cannot disclaim the fact that Kauravas and Pandavas fought. That is a conflict between the good and bad. Their feelings are all different. For the Kauravas, it was ‘I’ first, world next, and God last. The Pandavas, however, considered God first, world next, and ‘I’ last. So too, the one with devotion and righteousness will keep God in the first place. The New Year, in the Andhra tradition, is called Prabhava, which means that God is the Lord. The names of various years are the names of God. God is also called ‘Aprameya’ by the Rishis. What do you mean by that? It means that He is beyond one’s comprehension and estimate. He is beyond evidence and all valid means of perception. No one can decide the specific nature of Divinity. He is a fool who says that something is Divine and the other is not. Why?  It is because the same Atma is present in all. The same current flows in all the bulbs, the same sugar is present in all the sweets and the same gold is present in all the jewels.

Jewels are many, gold is one.

The colours of the cows vary, but milk is one.

The living creatures are different, but Indweller is one.

Flowers are of various varieties, but worship is one.

As they are not intelligent, they become fools.

To carry out their living, they struggle hard.

What else is to be conveyed to you?

Oh! This assembly of noble students!

Flowers are of different varieties. But there is nothing like jasmine worship or rose worship. Worship is one. Observance of differences is an outward trend. It is a trace of selfishness and worldly temperament. It is a momentary feature. But that eternal nectarine truth is that of the Atma. Therefore, Divinity is present uniformly in the entire humanity. Some people basing on their intellect consider this Divinity as small or big. Our intellect is like a mirror. You can watch the sun and the stars in a small mirror. If you just expose the mirror to the sun, you will see the reflection. The sun’s periphery is so wide, extending to thousands of miles. Yet the mighty sun is reflected in the small mirror. So too, in this mirror of intellect, you will see the entire universe. The universe or world, whatever you call it, is present within us. Everything is a reflection of the inner being. Thus, what is within you, you are able to see outside. Nothing whatsoever is present outside. Here and there wherever you see, you find only one Atma, so dear to you. Wherever you search you will find only one Atma. Why? It is because the five elements are one and the same.

Three Dimensions of Advaita (Non-dualism)

Advaita – non-dualism is of three types. One is at the level of feeling, the next is at the level of action and the third is at the material level. One may ask, “How do we consider three types of non-dualism, when in reality it is only one principle?” Though the question is pertinent, we experience these three dimensions of non-dualism in our everyday lives. 

What is non-dualism at the level of feeling? You feel that this (referring to His kerchief) is a cloth. But this is not cloth but a bundle of threads. On further inquiry we feel that it is not a bundle of threads but a bundle of cotton. Therefore, cotton, thread and cloth are one and the same. Its utility, name and form differ. Without cotton, you don’t get thread and without thread you don’t get cloth. This is non-dualism. That the cloth is cotton is your feeling. It is thread or cloth is also your feeling. However, the same material is present in all the three. So, this is called non-dualism at the level of the feeling. 

What is non-dualism at the level of action? All actions, when offered at the lotus feet to please Him, become one. Food, after offering to God, becomes Prasadam. Initially there may be differences in the food offered to God. It may be fruits or sweets such as Pongal. But after offering it to God, it all becomes one Prasadam. Hence, all that is offered to God is non-dualism at the level of action. There is no duality. ‘Ekam Eva Advitiyam Brahma’ – the Supreme Brahman is one without a second. This is non-dualism at the level of action. 

What is non-dualism at the material level? All the bodies in this world are made up of the five elements. These five elements are present in every individual. This is non-dualism at the material level. If you don’t have any object, you can request someone and have it. But all that you desire is within you. Then why should you ask for it? The five elements in you are present in everyone. Then why do you expect others to give you? That is dualism. All are the same. 'Ekoham Bahusyam' – The One manifests into many. Same gold becomes many jewels. Divinity, comprising the five elements, is present in all. So there are no differences whatsoever. This is non-dualism at the material level. When man understands this and becomes an expert, he redeems his life. Keeping a dualistic mind and leading the life of non-dualism will result only in restlessness. 

The Consequences of over-eating

There was once a rich man. He had no work other than eating and sleeping. Due to overeating, however, he started suffering from indigestion. A doctor, specialising in treating such disorders, was asked to come and visit this rich man. After examining the rich man the doctor told him, “Sir, you don’t need to spend even a naya paisa on medicine. You yourself are responsible for this state of yours. You very well know the capacity of your stomach? Yet, owing to greed, you filled your belly with excess food. This has led to severe indigestion. As medicine, take this lump of salt and keep on chewing it. You will soon find relief”. The rich man followed the doctor’s prescription and recovered in a couple of days. Just during that time, it also happened to be the rich man’s birthday. Since he was now relieved of his illness, he felt happy and decided to distribute sweets as part of his birthday celebrations. Now, he went on visiting sweet shops, tasting different sweets, deciding which one to distribute. But to his surprise, he found all sweets to be salty rather than sweet. Finally one shopkeeper, seeing the lump of salt in the rich man’s hand, understood the problem and said, “Sir, there is a tap there. Please gargle your mouth and then I will give you the sweet to taste”. The rich man did as he was told. The shopkeeper then offered him a Laddu to taste. As soon the rich man put the Laddu in his mouth he felt the sweet taste. Then the shopkeeper told him, “Sir, if you keep salt in your mouth, how can you experience the sweetness of the Laddu?” In the same way, the disease of atheism is rampant today. Man’s heart is filled with bitterness. How then can he relish any kind of sweet? Man, with all the bitter thoughts, bitter feelings and bitter action cannot experience any good activity or encourage good thoughts. Students and teachers, as long as they are here, remain sacred. But the moment they go out they may become susceptible to the disease of worldly desires. Spirituality leaves you the moment you are stricken by this disease. This disease has no cure. There can be a cure for cancer. But there is no cure for hatred towards God. Ravana studied all types of knowledge. He had everything. Yet he was a slave to his desires. 

The Three Essentials of Vedanta

Three things are pointed out to man: never believe this world, never forget God, and never be afraid of death. These three are essential. You should have complete faith in God. Do not believe this world because the world changes from moment to moment. Never forget God. Never be afraid of death. In Vedantic parlance, these are the chief principles. It is foolishness to confine Divinity to a particular place and situation. Divinity is omnipresent. There is no place without Divinity. There is no form without it. There is no material without it. It is present in both the mobile and immobile. Scientists say that everything is made up of atoms. The whole world, from the piece of wood to the speaker, is made up of atoms. Everything is a combination of atomic power. So they all call it an atom. But spiritualists call it power. They call it energy. There is difference in the name, but the form is the same. Wherever there is an atom, there is Divinity. Every atom has a definite form. There is no atom without a form. 

When there is full faith in God, we should know that God resides in our heart. God has many forms. God is cosmic with varied forms. The mountains are made up of rock, forests of trees, oceans of water, earth of mud and human body of flesh. Everything is a combination of five elements and hence everything is a manifestation of God. God is not a separate form. To demonstrate this fact to blind and ignorant people, God descends as an Avatar. 

All creatures on earth perform their own duty. Animals, birds, beasts and mosquitoes discharge their duty scrupulously. It is only man who has forgotten his responsibilities. Birds follow season and reason, but man has no season and no reason. It is for this reason that God comes down in human form to correct humanity. If an eagle comes to you and points out your faults, you will throw stones and drive it away. This is the reason why he takes human form. Scientists spend all their time in experimenting. Yet they are devoid of experience. What is it that you get out of these experiments? Yesterday’s discoveries look new today and today's will look new tomorrow. This is all that is to it. There is no use of this. The path of devotion is easier than wisdom. Wisdom is very difficult. It is not given to everybody. Direct your attention towards God. Then everything will come to you. There is no other thing beyond this devotion. With joy and ecstasy, repeat God’s name. You can then capture everything in this world. 

Source: Always Remember The Lord!, Discourse 7, My Dear Students Volume 4; Divine Discourse delivered on August 21, 1996 at Prasanthi Nilayam