I am the Source of All Light🔗

The Universal consciousness manifests in numerous ways and is also responsible for destruction. When the same Universal energy is unmanifest, unexpressed, it exists in potential form. This is referred to as puruṣa in the scriptures. When this energy manifests itself in this world, taking various names, forms, and shapes, it expresses itself as prakṛti. Prakṛti is the creative expression of puruṣa.

The life force that caused us to be born also maintains us. Every little thing happening within us is carried out by the same intelligence that brought us into this world. Similarly, the same intelligence accompanies us when we leave the body

The water of the ocean is the puruṣa and the waves that dance and play are prakṛti. The water appears to be divided in the form of waves of many shapes and sizes. In reality it is one mass of the same water. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa reminds Arjuna that the supreme spirit appears to be divided into puruṣa and prakṛti because of the different creations and expressions of prakṛti. However, He is beyond all this and exists undivided. At their core, all are creations of the universal energy.

Kṛṣṇa says, 'He is the Supreme Self, or witnessing consciousness that is the source of all light in all luminous objects. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone's heart.'

THE SOURCE OF LIGHT jyotiṣām api taj jyotis tamasaḥ param ucyate I jñanaṁ jñeyaṁ jñana-gamyaṁ hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam II 13.18

The sources of light as we understand them are the sun, moon, lightning, fire or artificial means like electricity. All these produce light, which makes life possible. An object that is around us becomes visible because of the light energy. The cakṣu, the energy behind vision, can perceive that object when the surroundings are lit up. The light energy from the sun is responsible for the birth and growth of all living beings. All beings on planet Earth depend on the sun for their survival.

What gives these sources of light the energy to run? What drives them? The Universal consciousness gives energy to all sources of light. Kṛṣṇa calls this Self the 'Source of light—jyotiṣam api taj jyotis'. The sources of light—the sun, the moon and lightning derive their energy from that self-luminous Self. That is why there is a common adjective given to the Self as 'effulgent' or 'luminous'.

In a deeper sense, when the Self is referred to as luminous, it is not what we normally understand. The Self is pure intelligence and this knowledge dispels ignorance. An Enlightened Master sees everything with clarity. He sees truth as it is. You see, when you are in a dark room you are ignorant of what is present in that room. When the lights are switched on, you become aware of things around you.

The LIGHT TO ALL PROBLEMS

An Enlightened Master uses the lamp of consciousness to see the truth as it is, without any filters. Using this lamp, he experiences his surroundings in totality, in completion with the whole. This lamp is not like any other lamp; it cuts the layers of ignorance, however deep they may be. That is why the Master sees 360 degrees around him. He does not filter what he sees like we do. Please understand, the filtering that we do is the cause of our problems, our incompletions. We do not see whatever exists as it exists. We distort it to suit our inadequate, limited ideas, that are born out of our root thought patterns.

The ego is like darkness; it has no positive existence. Just as darkness is the absence of light, the ego is the absence of awareness. To struggle to kill the ego is like struggling to push darkness out of the room. To expel the darkness, what you need to do is to forget about dealing with the darkness. Focus your energy on light instead.

Bring a small lamp into the room and the darkness will leave on its own! This lamp of Consciousness is available to all of us. It lies within us. Forget all about the ego. Instead, focus on bringing the lamp into your being. When your entire Consciousness has become a flame, the ego is no more.

GOALS:

Helping the students understand how an Enlightened Master uses the lamp of consciousness to see the truth as it is. Helping students understand how to bring the light of awareness in their inner space to dispel the darkness of ignorance.

Assessments

• .What is prāṇa śakti?
• What is the simple tattva we need to understand?
• What is cakṣu?
• Define puruṣa and prakṛti.
• How does an Enlightened Master see truth?
• How can the Master see 360 degrees?
• What is the cause of our incompletions?
• How can we dispel darkness?
• When does the ego disappear?