Know Supreme Reality, Sans Names And Forms

TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 25, 2025, 13:14 IST

The article explains the concept of one non-dual supreme reality manifesting as the diverse universe and the importance of perceiving unity amidst diversity. It highlights key spiritual doctrines and practices that promote the understanding of this fundamental unity in both animate and inanimate forms.

 

One and non-dual supreme reality became the manifested universe comprising subject and object; thinker and thought, ksetrajna, experiencer and ksetra experienced; consciousness and matter. The transcendental reality is immanent in every particle, speck of space, and unit of time.
It is intriguing that one non-dual substratum manifests in multitudinous manner such that no two objects, beings or situation howsoever close are identical in all respects. Diversity is the order of creation. Any single object or being or even its smallest constituent like atom or cell is not homogenous and has exclusive characteristics. The moot question is how to realise one supreme essential principle while dwelling in a phenomenal world characterised by multitudes of appearances, perceptions and experiences?
Wisdom lies in first beholding unity among entities where difference is marginal or simply not there and then to behold unity where diversity appears distinct. First and foremost, we must convince ourselves that supreme Reality is one and non-dual and it is called by various names such as Brahmn, Bhagvan, Allah, Arihant, Siddha, Almighty Father in heaven, Ek Omkar Satnam, Supreme Tao, Ahura Mazda, or Jehovah. If it is not one and all-encompassing, it is not supreme and ceases to be infinite. This would be unbecoming of the highest Reality.
Next step would be to behold unity in all forms of deities that stand for some divine attributes. Panchdevta worship propounded by Shankara in the form of Vishnu, Sun, Devi, Ganesh and Shiv is obeisance paid to different aspects of one Isvara as presiding deities of five elements - space, air, fire, water and earth present in the cosmos.

 

Brahmn and its mysterious power of illusion called maya are distinct yet inseparable like fire and heat. They are obverse and reverse of the same coin. Ardhnarishwar comprising Shiv and Shakti also signifies oneness of Isvara. The trinity of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati signify different dynamic aspects of Isvara. The terms 'Narayana' and 'Shiv' also indicate one and non-dual supreme Truth. In the Bhagwad Gita, Krishn advises to behold the Lord first in conspicuous deities like Shankara among Rudra, Vishnu among Aaditya, Kubera among Yaksha and so on.
When God is one, and mankind is one, the bridge connecting two terminals called religion also must be one in essence. Religions differ in rituals and non-essentials but essentials of all religions connecting to Godhead ought to be one.
At a deeper spiritual level, God abides in our heart as indweller in all living beings as explained in Gita. This is difficult to grasp considering our body-mind-intellect bound consciousness. Therefore, Krishn exhorts us to behold divinity in distinctive manifestations like Narada among rishis, Prahalad among demons, king among men, peepal among trees and shark among fish and so on. Later, we will be able to behold the Lord in other beings.
The next step would be to behold the same supreme Reality pervading so-called inanimate objects as sat-chit-ananda aspects devoid of names and forms. It would be prudent to start beholding divinity first in most conspicuous entities like Ganga among streams and Himalaya among immovables, ocean among water reservoirs and so on. The comprehension of divine then extends to all objective forms.
Authored by: Jayant B Dave

The above article was recently punished in esteemed Speaking Tree column of TOI on 25.03.2025