In plain words
No one can tell. All these are only ropes that bind man in a kind of delusion. This must lead on to the divinity that frees us from this bondage.
The Veda is precisely what teaches sacred paths for reaching a steady place in this unsteady world. But the Veda did not teach what lies beyond this. So long as we lead this natural life, the Veda has taught only to shape this natural life into a path of fulfilment. It did not itself say that Ānanda too is in the Veda. It taught only this: when this divine Ānanda comes to us. ‘Na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānasuḥ.’ Only through this tyāga does Ānanda come to us; the Veda said nothing beyond that. But it taught of many passing joys. When you are hungry, at the time you set food before you and eat, great joy comes. How long does that joy last? Again, some two hours. Again hunger comes. Again worry sets in. The Veda teaches that whenever you are hungry you should eat food. But the Veda has also gone on teaching in what manner this food should be eaten, what kind of food should be eaten, at what time it should be eaten, how it should be eaten. That is the essence taught in the Camaka. In this Namaka it has taught every kind of tyāga. Namaskāra is one. That is, to act without mamakāra is namaskāra. How much difference is there between mama and na mama? Mama means mine, mine, mine. This itself is a disease. Not mine: this is what the Veda calls neti neti. This is the essence of Vedānta. I am not the body. I am not the Manas. This is my Manas, this is my body. If you think ‘my body’, that goes against the body and the Manas, does it not! I am one thing and the body is another, is it not! If you think, ‘This is my kerchief’, the kerchief is one thing and I am another. If you think ‘my body’, the body is one thing and I am another. So I am not the body. I am not the Manas. I am not the Buddhi. I am not the citta. I am not the antaḥkaraṇa. None of these is I. When all is gone, what remains: that alone is I. That is the Ātma. What remains is one alone. Only because it is there do this Manas, Buddhi and antaḥkaraṇa, all of them, do their own work. We must make a fitting effort to recognise such Ātma-tattva. That is the Vedānta which is beyond the Vedas. We must try to experience even a tiny part of such Vedānta. As far as you can, do good actions. Render services that help others. Serve the people. Take part in service to society. Chant the Name of God.