Day 246 - The Story of Bhagiratha

Day 246 - The Story of Bhagiratha

The King's Explanation:

In the supreme self, elements like time, space, and motion appear like tiny particles of dust. These elements are not separate realities but are movements within pure consciousness, which is also pure intelligence. Though the self, or Brahman, seems to move from one dream-world to another, it never loses its true nature or becomes unaware of itself.

Just as peeling a banana stem reveals layer after layer of the same substance, when we deeply investigate this world, we find it is none other than Brahman. This Brahman is often described as truth or reality, though it is beyond description and can also be referred to as emptiness or the indescribable. Whatever we experience as real is, in fact, pure consciousness. Like the banana stem, every part of the world is made of the same essence—pure consciousness.

The self is said to be atomic because it is extremely subtle and intangible, yet it is also infinite and the very source of all existence. Though formless, it appears in all forms. This world we see is just a covering, like flesh around the truth, which is pure consciousness.

Vasistha's Conclusion:

After hearing the king’s answer, the vampire became silent and deeply reflective. It forgot its hunger and entered into deep meditation.

This story, O Rama, reveals the truth about the subtle, infinite consciousness. The universe is merely a covering over this consciousness, and through careful inquiry, this veil can be lifted. The world is as real as the vampire’s body—it is a temporary form around the true essence.

Rama, use your mind to explore and understand the mind. Stay at peace within yourself, recognizing the one infinite being in all things. Like King Bhagiratha, you can achieve the impossible by staying firm in your understanding of the truth and by acting in harmony with the natural flow of life.