Ignorance-Knowledge: 48

To illuminate the unity of Self and Brahman, the Upanishad then offers a sublime metaphor—"Om is the bow, the Self is the arrow, and Brahman the target." Meditation is that very process through which the seeker draws the bow of Om and shoots the arrow of the Self toward the goal of Brahman, and when the mind becomes completely concentrated, the Self becomes one with that Brahman. This is the moment when the seeker knows—"I am Brahman"—and all boundaries of duality dissolve. This symbolic image captures the essence of non-dual experience—the sharp focus of meditation and the radiance of knowledge unite to realize the non-difference between Self and Brahman.

"Ayam ātmā brahma"—this declaration of the Upanishad is not merely a philosophical position but a direct inner vision. The Self is not some limited personal consciousness, but rather the reflection of that infinite consciousness which pervades the entire universe. Just as the sunlight reflected in a mirror is actually the sun's own light, so the consciousness of the individual being is a reflection of Brahman-consciousness. Individual and universal, the particular and the cosmic—both are indivisible as one consciousness.

This great statement is one of the four principal mahāvākyas of Vedanta—"Prajñānam brahma" (Rig Veda), "Tat tvam asi" (Sama Veda), "Aham brahmāsmi" (Yajur Veda), and "Ayam ātmā brahma" (Atharva Veda). The meaning of these four statements is one—Brahman alone is the Self, the Self alone is Brahman. Together they reveal that liberation is no achievement; it is simply a return to one's true nature, the realization of one's authentic consciousness. The division that seems to exist between Self and Brahman is merely the veil of ignorance; when knowledge dawns, it becomes clear that there never was any separation at all.

"Ayam ātmā brahma"—this declaration tells us that what we know as 'I' is not the limited body or mind, but that infinite consciousness which remains identical everywhere and always. Liberation means not the attainment of something new, but the reawakening of that veiled knowledge. When the seeker realizes this truth through meditation and knowledge, all dualities within him—inner and outer, Self and Brahman, world and God—dissolve completely. What remains then is only one indivisible consciousness, eternal peace, eternally luminous truth—Brahman, and that very Brahman shines within oneself—ayam ātmā brahma.

There is no real difference between the individual and the universe. The particular (individual) and the cosmic—both are different expressions of the same consciousness. In the Taittirīya Upanishad's Bhṛgu-vallī (Third Chapter), tenth anuvāka, it is said—
Sa yaścāyaṃ puruṣe. Yaścāsāvāditye. Sa ekaḥ. Sa ya evaṃvit. Asmāllokātpretya. Etamannamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati. Etaṃ prāṇamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati. Etaṃ manomayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati. Etaṃ vijñānamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati. Etamānandamayamātmānamupasaṅkrāmati.

Analysis: Saḥ yaḥ ca ayaṃ puruṣe (He who is within this body); yaḥ ca asau āditye (and He who is in that sun); saḥ ekaḥ (He is one); yaḥ evaṃvit (one who knows this); saḥ (he); asmāt lokāt pretya (departing from this world); etam annamayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati (attains unity with the Self of the food-sheath); etaṃ prāṇamayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati (attains unity with the vital Self); etaṃ manomayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati (realizes oneness with the mental Self); etaṃ vijñānamayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati (realizes oneness with the intellectual Self); etam ānandamayam ātmānam upasaṅkrāmati (realizes oneness with the blissful Self)

Brahman is sometimes manifest, sometimes unmanifest. When He reveals Himself as the universe, His presence is in every particle of creation; and when unmanifest, He still pervades everywhere as eternal, infinite bliss. To explain this state, the Upanishad gives the example of the sun and human beings—the same consciousness that shines as the vast sun in the distant sky is also present in the small human body. He who is within us is the very same one who is in the sun. The same Self, the same Brahman, pervades everywhere. Sri Ramakrishna used to say—just as pillows have different shapes but contain the same cotton inside, so too Brahman has manifested Himself in various names, forms, and states while remaining the same.

Ācārya Śaṅkara used the metaphor of the pot to explain this principle. The space inside the pot (ghaṭākāśa) is the same space that exists outside (mahākāśa). The pot seems to divide the space into two parts, yet in reality space is one and indivisible. We are like that too—each an individual pot, separate in name and form, but one in essence. From Brahman to blade of grass, both conscious and unconscious—all are manifestations of that same Brahman. Individual and cosmic—being and world—are actually one and indivisible; this is Vedanta's conclusion.

In ancient Upanishads like the Taittirīya and Chāndogya, after the discussion of Brahma-knowledge comes—"Sa yaḥ evaṃ veda"—one who knows this unity, knows Brahman. The sign of ignorance is perception of difference—that is, "seeing multiplicity." Knowledge means seeing the One, experiencing the One. But this knowledge is not merely an intellectual concept; it is "becoming"—establishing oneself in that unity. Though initially we may grasp this principle only intellectually, still it brings about a transformation of attitude—harming others, hatred, greed become impossible. Only then begins the true path of self-transformation.

In Upanishadic literature and philosophical texts like the Brahmasūtra commentaries, to describe mokṣa or the state after death, the phrase is often used—"asmāt lokāt pretya"—meaning, withdrawing oneself from the world. 'Pretya' means 'withdrawal' or 'ascension.' The word comes from the root "pra + i"—'i' means to go, 'pra' means upward. That is, he rises above the world, withdraws himself from the world's delusion. Śaṅkarācārya says this withdrawal doesn't mean abandoning the world, but rather non-attachment. The meaning of dispassion is not renouncing anything, but renouncing attachment.

We live in the world with sons, daughters, relatives, objects and possessions—we have everything, but there is no attachment to anything, remaining detached—exactly like King Janaka. The city of Mithilā is burning in fire, but King Janaka remains unperturbed. He says:
Anantaṃ bata me vittaṃ yasya me nāsti kiñcana.
Mithilāyāṃ pradīptāyāṃ na me kiñcit pradahyate. (Mahābhārata, Śāntiparva, 17/19)

—How wonderful! I have infinite wealth, yet truly I possess nothing. Even if all of Mithilā burns, nothing of mine will be consumed. That is, toward this vast kingdom, this immense wealth, I have no sense of ownership. Even if all this burns and is destroyed, nothing of mine will be lost. I remain detached in all circumstances—this is our ideal. This indifference, this detachment is the sign of liberation while living.

This statement of King Janaka describes dispassion and the mental state of a Self-realized being. Mithilā was his kingdom and personal property. The metaphor of fire in Mithilā represents worldly extreme loss or complete destruction. For an ordinary person, grief would be natural if the kingdom burned. But the wise King Janaka declares that nothing of his is burning. This means—he is not attached to kingdom, property, and worldly objects. He knows these things are impermanent and different from his eternal Self-nature. He has realized that he is not the body, not the mind, nor the owner of property. His true nature is the Self or Brahman, which cannot be destroyed by fire or any other means, as stated in the Gītā: "nainaṃ dahati pāvakaḥ" (Gītā, 2/23)—fire cannot burn it. One who has attained Self-knowledge thus remains above worldly loss, because he knows himself to be identical with eternal Brahman.

In our view, the world is the only reality, but Vedanta says—this world is impermanent, changing, like a dream. While sleeping, we think the dream is real; upon waking we understand it was all illusion. Similarly, when Self-knowledge awakens, we understand—this world too is a magical display. Then we withdraw ourselves from the world, realizing—actually, this world's very nature is impermanent.

Currently we are intimately entangled with the world, but when truth is realized, this world becomes—a theater stage. Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." Just as there are entrances and exits on stage, so life too is merely a drama, where the Self is only a witness.

Many say—this perspective is escapist mentality, but actually it is "realistic perspective." Knowing the world to be impermanent, people become free from desire for pleasure, pride, and attachment. Health, wealth, power—all are temporary; one who knows the nature of this change has no place for sorrow. Knowing change to be inevitable, people become non-attached, and when it's realized that one Self pervades everywhere, the mind becomes eternally peaceful.

In this state, one feels—the entire universe is one's own expansion. Even at the gross level, that feeling of unity arises. Sri Ramakrishna once saw someone walking on grass and cried out in pain—he felt as if the person were walking on his chest. Again, seeing two boatmen quarreling, marks of injury appeared on his body. He experienced the entire world as his own body.

This unity manifests at the mental level too. Just as waves rising at one end of a lake spread throughout the water, so one wave of the mind reflects in other minds. This is why yogis say that reading others' minds is possible in high spiritual states. Swami Vivekananda also had this power. When Goodwin was ridiculing him, Swamiji could see all the past and present scenes of his mind appearing one by one, like pictures. Goodwin was amazed and took refuge in him.

Śaṅkarācārya argued about the word 'upasaṅkrāmati.' Its literal meaning is "to enter within" or "ingress." Dualists say this indicates—there is an enterer and also a destination; that is, duality-principle is true. But according to non-dualism, Brahman is everywhere, so movement or going is impossible for Him. Due to ignorance it seems Brahman is moving, but when knowledge arises, it's understood—Brahman is everywhere motionless, infinite, indivisible.

Śaṅkara says—this is a matter of experience. Just as someone with an eye disease sees two moons, but actually there is only one moon, so in ignorance we see 'multiplicity,' but when knowledge comes we see—everywhere One, in all beings one Self pervades. Then perception of difference dissolves, and human consciousness becomes established in that one indivisible truth—which is Brahman, which is bliss, which is one's own nature.

The word Upasaṅkrāmati carries subtle and profound significance in Sanskrit philosophical literature—especially in Advaita Vedanta. Its basic meaning is "to approach," "to go near," or "to enter"; but in Vedantic discourse this is not spatial movement, but rather a symbol of consciousness's inner transformation—the indication of transition from ignorance to knowledge, from limitation to infinity, from separation to non-difference.

In the Upanishads and Brahmasūtras, this word is used primarily in two contexts—one, the wise one's approach to Brahman or dissolution in Brahman, and two, the ignorant one's transmigration due to karmic fruition.

In the case of the wise, upasaṅkrāmati means the Self's establishment in that supreme consciousness after leaving the body. When he realizes the truth "aham brahmāsmi"—"I am Brahman"—then his Self goes nowhere; because wherever he might go, he is already there. Still, in the language of the Upanishads it is said, "sa brahma upasaṅkrāmati"—"he (that person) enters Brahman" or "he dissolves in Brahman." (This sentiment is found in various places including the Taittirīya Upanishad, Bhṛgu-vallī (Third Chapter, tenth anuvāka).) This entrance is not any movement, but rather the cessation of reflection.