“Yastu sarvaani bhootani Aatmani eva anu pasyati
Sarvabhuteshu cha Atmanam tato na viju update” (1)
“Yasya sarvaani bhootaani Aatmaa eva abhud vijaanatah
Tatra ko mohah ka sokha ekatvam anupsyatah” (2)
Isavasya Upanishad.
[He who sees all things in himself and his own self in all things has no aversion for anything – (1)
Where is the delusion and where is the sorrow for the wise man who constantly observes the unity in all things and perceives all things in his own self? – (2)]
“I do not think I am telling you new things. I have not read the vedas and shastras. I say everything out of my experience only” – says Mother. – But strangely enough the sayings of Mother resemble those in Scriptures, shastras etc.
The above two hymns from the Isavasya Upanishad quite agree with Mother’s sayings: –
- “For a true Mother everybody whom-so-ever she sees is Her child”.
- “I say I am the Universe”.
The quintessence of the philosophy of Mother’s treatment of Her children and Her unique way of Adwaitic thinking are summed up in these two sayings.
The first of the two hymns I have quoted above explains the real ‘Motherhood’. The second, denotes Her constant awareness of oneness with the Universe.
He who sees all things in his own self-the supreme selfie, the Eternal self-does not abhor anything. And who sees his own self in all things does not abhor anything. Here we must understand that the ‘seer’ perceives the reflections of the supreme self in all things and also the reflection of everything in the supreme self.
Substituting ‘children’ for all things (Sarva-bhutani) and `Mother for self’ (Aatman), please examine the first hymn! Now it perfectly corresponds with Mother’s saying “For a true Mother – Her child.” We should not forget that mother means here Mother with a capital ‘M’ i.e.. the Universal Mother! Only a Universal Mother can think that everybody is Her own child. No ordinary mother can even conceive of this idea.
Indeed the Universal Mother and the Supreme self are not different from one another. They are one and the same. In terms of cause and effect only, the whole universe both seen and unseen has emanated from the Supreme Self or the universal Mother.
The second hymn says that the Supreme Self or the Universal Mother and the Universe are one and the same. There is neither cause nor effect here. They are one. The cause transforms itself into the effect. The whole universe is in the process of constant evolution.
The wise man sees all things as but different manifestations of the Supreme Self. Thus the second hymn resembles Mother’s saying- “I say I am the Universe”- into. The Mother is the Universe. In other words the Supreme Self is the Universe. When the wise man sees everything on his own, where is the chance for him to be deluded or to be pained? There is none to give pain or pleasure and consequently there is also none to be blamed or praised. Pain & pleasure or blame & praise are different aspects of one state. If one is to blame or praise, he has to blame or praise himself because every occurrence in the infinite time is of the One Self. Thus, the real Mother sees everyone as Her own child and there is no reason and limit for Her Untarnished Perfect Love which is also called the Highest Wisdom.
If we really make a sincere attempt to understand the sayings of Mother, they essentially agree with the fundamental truths of all Scriptures. The words of Mother are pregnant with profound meaning like the Vedic hymns. We only have to analyze and explain them with an unbiased catholic out-look. Just as the Universe is Composed of different languages religions, cultures, traditions etc., so also this Mother, a miniature form of the universe-gives shelter to multiplicity of opinions and beliefs through Her unique sayings.
Likewise, if we sincerely dive deep into the meanings of Mother’s words and meditate upon them, our minds will become purified and we begin to love our fellow beings without any distinction and receive every happening in life with smiles. Perhaps this may be the intention of the Mother that the whole humanity should be driven to this central Point of Universal Love which is based on pure Advaitic Wisdom…
Mother also proclaims that everybody’s action is motivated by self-satisfaction. She further maintains that the basis of the entire creation is the Self. (Self with capital ‘S’) Because all manifestations in the Universe with their actions and reactions are nothing but the expressions of the Self, man does everything for the sake of his own Selfie, the Unlimited Self. Thus, also this saying of Mother agrees with the popular dictum -“Sarah swaartham sameehate”.
I have tried in this short essay to bring home the readers to the essential unity of Mother’s teachings with those of the Isaavaasya Upanishad in a nut-shell, in my own humble way.
I shall attempt to reflect my musings on few more sayings of the Mother in these columns, with Her Grace.
(One of the rare articles of Dr. Pannala Radhakrishna Sarma in English. Reproduced from “Matrusri (English) Joumal of 1975 Vol 10, No: 2 & 3).