Passage 5

Tap any word for its meaning.

In plain words

That is why, to recognise the truth "Brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati", we can learn its right meaning in this very thing.

There is the mahāvākya "Tat tvam asi". You are That. Only when you understand what That is do you become entitled to say, "It is I." There is a seed. That seed became a seedling. The seedling turned into a tree. In this tree leaves, flowers and fruits came forth. But all these leaves, flowers, fruits, branches and twigs are saying, "Tat tvam asi: we are that seed itself." And for this tree, flower, fruit and green fruit all to come forth, what is the basis? That very thing, a seed. As long as the seed stays a seed, it cannot become a tree. Only when the seed gives up its form does it turn into a seedling and become a tree.

So this delusion of the body alone is the root cause of all sorrows and all evils. This delusion of the body is itself the seed's delusion. Everything lies in it alone. But as long as we take this to be the body and stay sunk in this very delusion, however long, we cannot gain this fruit called Ānanda. We must give up the delusion of the body. We must grow into the tree of life. We must take form as the fruit of Jñāna. Only then will the good fortune called Ānanda come to us. So we — "Na karmaṇā na prajā dhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānasuḥ". Not by wealth alone, nor by riches, nor by any other kind of tyāga, nor by karmas, does this immortality called divinity come to us. As long as he thinks, "I am doing sādhana, I am a scholar, I have understood all the mahāvākyas," he is an ignorant man, nothing more. They are only names one has given oneself, nothing else. Only he who has recognised the meaning "I am as I am" is the great knower. As long as there is Ahaṅkāra, he cannot have the vision of the Ātma. The very karmas done after rooting out Ahaṅkāra turn into akarma. That is why we must follow the most sacred principle of Prema. There is nothing easier than this principle of Prema. You must love everyone. That itself is the mighty power that lies in this Prema. By this Prema alone unity comes about. Oneness is attained. All the diversities seen in the world today are only parts of oneness. So oneness alone is the root foundation of all diversities. When we recognise such a principle, the root foundation of all, we need not grieve at all.

So what the people of Bhārata must achieve first of all is oneness; that is unity. Without unity we cannot easily achieve even the smallest task.