The unmanifest is that Supreme Being from whom this world, ‘the manifest’ has taken place. One who worships the Supreme Being, who tries to understand the inner core of this manifest world, realises ultimately that the core is his own inner Self and therefore the inner self of all beings.
When we come face to face with disease and death, then we begin to understand the foolishness of depending only on the manifest because soon it is all going to change or disappear and we begin to wonder “ Is there something other than this? Something that is permanent?
Introspection is something that one has to do. One should not look for readymade answers. They are available, but unless they form part of our own experience, they mean nothing. The Isavasya Upanishad tries to bring out a balance.
The second shloka says, “Do your duty for a hundred years; don’t run away! If you do it with the understanding that the Supreme Being pervades everything, then the effect of your karma will not touch you.”
Understanding the unmanifest and the manifest together means to live where you are, go on with your search for the Truth, giving enough importance to the manifest world, until you begin to understand the Truth, that the Supreme Being is the only living reality and is all pervading.
One has to tread carefully. Keep the manifest in view, keep the unmanifest in view and move forward. When maturity develops by study, understanding, meditation and other means, then automatically you are out of the manifest.
When the understanding comes, it comes at once, nothing can stop it!
When the understanding comes, one does not have this uncertainty whether one should give up or not. As long as uncertainty is there, stick to what you have and carry on slowly. Do your sadhana or practice, study and be at peace.
In Shirdi, there are two words written on top of the samadhi of Shirdi Sai Baba: Shraddha and Saburi. In Marathi, saburi means ‘patience’. This patience is of great importance, even in practice. People become very impatient – ‘I’ve been doing my meditation for so long and nothing is happening’. But you see, your mind is so agitated. Calm it down. Be patient. One works a lifetime to build up a decent bank balance. For everything else we don’t mind slaving for years, but for this search, magical solutions are expected.
(Published 09 November 2023, 01:00 IST)