Day - 217 Infinite Consciousness and Creation

Day - 217 Infinite Consciousness and Creation

Sprouting and Sustaining Life

The Lord explained that infinite consciousness causes seeds to sprout with the help of earth, water, time, and other elements, eventually becoming food. It makes flowers bloom and allows the nose to smell their fragrance. Similarly, consciousness creates and sustains the substances in the world and their corresponding sense organs using appropriate means, which it also brings into being. The energy of this consciousness can create the entire universe and, by considering "This is not," reduce everything to a void.

Reflection and Creation

This apparent creation is merely a reflection of consciousness within itself, which seems to have acquired a body over time. The trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) is both the manifestation of and the cosmic power that determines "So it shall be, and it shall not be otherwise." However, consciousness itself does not create anything; it is like a lamp illuminating a room where actions occur.

Understanding the Energies of Shiva

Aspects of Supreme Being

Vasistha asked about the energies of Shiva (consciousness) and their activities. The Lord replied that the supreme being is formless but has five aspects: will, space, time, order (or destiny), and the cosmic unmanifest nature. It has countless powers, chief among them being knowledge, dynamics, action, and non-action. All these are pure consciousness, though they are regarded as distinct due to their roles as potencies of consciousness.

Dance of Natural Order

The entire creation is like a stage where these potencies dance to the tune of time. The foremost potency is known as 'order,' also called action, desire, or will-to-do. This natural order dictates that each thing should have certain characteristics, from a blade of grass to the creator Brahma. This order, free from excitement but limited, performs the dance-drama known as the world-appearance. It showcases various moods, seasons, and epochs, accompanied by celestial music and ocean roars, illuminated by the sun, moon, and stars, with living beings as actors and actresses. The Lord, infinite consciousness, is the silent yet alert witness to this cosmic dance, non-different from both the dancer (natural order) and the dance (events).

Worship and Meditation

True Worship

The Lord is fit to be worshipped constantly by holy ones and wise men in various forms such as Shiva and Vishnu. True worship involves abandoning the notion that "I am this body" and engaging in constant meditation. One should contemplate the Lord as pure intelligence, radiant as a hundred thousand suns, the light that illuminates all lights, with limitless space as his throat, the firmament as his feet, directions as his arms, and the universe hidden in his heart. He has thousands of heads, eyes, ears, and arms, touches all, tastes all, hears all, thinks through all, and does everything at all times. He bestows whatever one desires, dwells in all, and is the all. This is how one should contemplate him.

Meditation as Worship

The Lord is not worshipped with material substances but with one's own consciousness. No lamps, incense, flowers, food, or sandal-paste are needed. He is attained without effort and worshipped through self-realization alone. Supreme meditation and worship involve the continuous and unbroken awareness of the indwelling presence, inner light, or consciousness. While performing any action—seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing, or talking—one should realize their essential nature as pure consciousness, leading to liberation.

Meditation is the true offering, the water to wash the deity's hands and feet, and self-knowledge through meditation is the flower. The self is not realized by any means other than meditation. Even a short duration of meditation yields great merits. Meditating for thirteen seconds equals giving a cow in charity, one hundred and one seconds equals performing a sacred rite, twelve minutes yields a thousandfold merit, and a day leads to dwelling in the highest realm. This is the supreme yoga and kriya (action or service). Those who practice this mode of worship are revered by gods, demons, and all beings. However, this is considered external worship.