Rest In Me🔗

9.4 The entire universe is pervaded by Me in My formless form.

All beings are based in Me, but I am not in them.

9.5 Look at My mystic powers!

I create and sustain all living entities but do not depend on them, nor do they depend on Me.

9.6 As the mighty wind, blowing everywhere, always rests in eternal space,

All beings rest in Me.

9.7 O son of Kunti, at the end of every age all beings merge into Me,

At the beginning of every new Age I create them again.

9.8 My material nature creates the beings again and again.

They are controlled by My material nature.

It is time to reveal the secrets.

Krishna starts:

mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagadavyaktamūrtinā matsthāni sarva bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣvavasthitaḥ

By Me, in my formless form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me but I am not in them.'

This should be understood. Before entering further into this verse, the meaning of the verse should be understood.

Secret of Secrets

I want to tell you about my meeting with Charles Townes, a Nobel Laureate. He is a great scientist. He discovered something related to LASER and MASER. He discovered some secrets and some truths.

I asked him, 'How did you discover? How did this truth happen in your being?'

He answered in a beautiful way, 'Swamiji, to tell you honestly, I was relaxing in a park in Washington. It was early morning about six a.m. I was supposed to give a lecture on this subject to a group that day at nine a.m. I tried my best to recollect everything. I was completely frustrated because I could not achieve much. Suddenly like a revelation, as an intuition, the conclusion was revealed to me! The whole truth came into my consciousness. I discovered it! I immediately penned down what I got.'

And he says, 'I then realized I had a difficulty: I knew the conclusion. I knew the truth, however, not the steps! I didn't know the logical steps to arrive at that conclusion! I would not be able to present it unless I knew the steps. So after that, I needed to think and develop the logical steps. Only then could I present it to others. Like an intuition, suddenly, it happened. It had been revealed to me.'

Not only Charles Townes, even Albert Einstein said, 'The theory of relativity was revealed in deep meditation. It was like sitting on the edge of a light particle and traveling in space. It came as an intuition.'

Actually, even this experience is not a big thing. The truth, the important thing is this: I asked Charles Townes, 'How did you feel when it happened to you, when the revelation happened to you?' Because what he experienced was intuition just as our sages experienced.

Ṛṣi, a sage, is someone who experienced the truth as a mantra, a sacred and mystic syllable of knowledge and who has seen the mantra - mantra trāyate iti ṛṣihi. The person who sees the mantra, who visualizes and experiences the mantra, is a Ṛṣi. The ultimate Truth is suddenly revealed in the Ṛṣi's consciousness. They experience an inner vision; they then express the experience in words as a mantra.

In the same way, this scientist is also a Ṛṣi. Charles Townes is a Ṛṣi. He had a revelation about the secrets of the outer world. His intuition revealed the truth to him. I asked him, 'How did you feel when that intuition happened to you? What was your feeling?'

He said, 'Swamiji, I don't know how to exactly express those things; however one thing is certain: from that moment onwards, I know for sure that the whole universe is intelligence!'

This is the truth! The whole universe is pure intelligence. The whole universe is not dead matter. It is not an accident. The universe is not an accident. It is pure intelligence. It can respond to our thoughts. Please understand, the whole universe, planet earth, air, oceans, rivers, earth, fire, or the space, sun, moon, this whole universe, is intelligence. It can reciprocate. It can respond. It can react to our thoughts.

This is an important and basic understanding. The moment we understand that we are this energy that is intelligence, the moment we are aware that we are inside the energy that is intelligence, at that moment, we immediately settle into a deep relaxation.

The moment we experience, we understand: we are under the guidance of an intelligent energy. We are taken care of by an intelligent energy, we are part of the cosmic intelligence and we don't need to struggle. We don't need to stress ourselves. We don't need to create tension. We don't need to torture ourselves with insecurity problems and with unnecessary worries.

Actually, all our problems, tensions and stresses arise because we think we do everything. We think we are responsible for everything that happens around us. We think the universe runs because of us. Understand that the universe runs in spite of us! We should understand that the universe is intelligent and it responds to our thoughts. If we trust the universe, we experience how light we are. We can unload all our troubles including the extra responsibility of thinking that we do everything.

This does not mean that we just sit and relax and say, 'Okay, the universe is intelligence. It will take care of everything.' This is laziness and escapism. We still must do what we need to do. We should still work; however we can enjoy the process. You see, we think of the result all the time. Our thoughts arise out of fear or greed: fear of whether we will get the results or greed of wanting more and more.

However, we never enjoy the process of doing that work. When we enjoy the process and trust the universal intelligence, thoughts arising out of fear and greed will disappear. We will enjoy the process of doing and we will let the universe take care of the results. Krishna says elsewhere, 'You do what you have to. Do it, but surrender the results to Me.' When He says 'Me', He refers to the universal consciousness or intelligence.

This is what Krishna means in the next verse when He says that the beings do not depend on Him, nor does He depend on them. Of course, it is clear that the universe does not depend upon us; yet how can He say that we, the beings created and sustained by the universe, do not depend upon it? What He means is this: it is not a passive and lazy dependence of letting everything happen while we sit idle. It is an active understanding. One does what one must do as part of his life process but without attachment and ownership.

One way or the other, we are in this universe. Because the universe is intelligence, it responds to our thoughts. It makes things happen. Since we are part of this universe, just flow with the energy of the universe. Do not resist it. If this understanding penetrates our life, it is enough!

If we know the universe is intelligence, we never question how life unfolds. We don't say, 'I am moral. But I see people who don't live morally living luxuriously, happily. Yet I always suffer!' We never have these questions or frustrations because we know the cosmic intelligence will take care ultimately. Whoever is immoral or whoever goes around and disturbs others will naturally face the consequences, because intelligence takes care. In the same way, if we are honest, integrated, and living a spiritual life, we will live a beautiful life. We are rewarded because the whole universe is run by an intelligence that responds to this.

Don't think the cosmos is just matter. If we think the cosmos is matter, we are materialistic. If we understand that the cosmos is intelligence, we are spiritual, that's all.

The only difference between the materialistic and spiritual person is that the materialist thinks the whole thing is material: 'Let me acquire more and more land. Let me acquire more and more material things.' He thinks the whole thing is material.

The spiritual person understands that the whole thing is spirit, energy. If we understand that the whole thing is spirit, energy, intelligence, then a tremendous relaxation and bliss consciousness happens to us.

Please understand that bliss is not just a mood. It is our very consciousness. If it comes and goes as a mood, we are only having one or two experiences. One devotee asked, 'Bliss comes and goes, what to do?'

I explained, 'You are having initial glimpses of bliss. Through your mind, you are trying to touch the bliss. Nothing needs to be done; just relax, that's all.'

However, once we understand this secret, a deep relaxation happens to us. In such a deep relaxation, we straightaway experience bliss consciousness. Once we experience bliss consciousness, it is everlasting. The bliss mood comes and stays. Bliss consciousness is everlasting.

Krishna says, 'By My formless form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me.' He speaks of cosmic intelligence.

Be very clear, such a big universe is moving and happening. All the planets move around the sun. Each planet has its own moons. Now the latest discovery is a planet called Sedna in our solar system, further away from Pluto. They have also discovered a neighboring solar system called Cygnus that has three suns. Not one sun, but three suns, around one planet, in this universe.

So now we cannot say nava graha, (nine major heavenly bodies as defined in Hindu mythology) we must say dasa graha (ten major heavenly bodies)!

There are so many suns, so many moons and so many planets. However, each one travels in its route properly. Each one goes properly in its route. No traffic police! Accidents are rare. Unless intelligence runs the whole thing, do you think things can happen so beautifully?

And even on this planet Earth, see how the whole thing is beautiful! The whole thing happens in a clear way. Everything is in order. Only wherever human beings live, there is chaos! Except human beings, nobody creates chaos. Even in chaos, the Divine creates order. Humans bring in the chaos.

We need to understand that the whole universe is intelligence and it operates out of intelligence. This intelligence responds to our thoughts and we can relate with this intelligence. When we imbibe this, then we naturally experience a deep peace. Rest, a real, ultimate rest and confidence to live, happens within us.

As long as we think the world is matter or material, there is no use living. Nothing matters. Even if we become the president of one country, other countries will not be under our control. We can never become the president of the whole world. So naturally, we can never achieve the whole matter.

As long as we believe the world is material, we create more and more violence because we live materially. Materially means that we must snatch from others. One way or another; violence will exist. Only a person who experiences, who understands that the whole thing is energy, intelligence, only he can relax.

Let me repeat the next verse.

yathākāśasthito nityaṁ vāyuḥ sarvatrago mahān tathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni matsthānītyupadhāraya

He says, 'Understand that as the mighty wind blowing everywhere rests in the sky, all created beings rest in Me.' Please understand this concept:

He says, 'Just as the wind rests in the sky energy.' Please understand how the earth is energy. We know earth is energy. Take a stone. If a stone is thrown at us or if we throw a stone, we know the energy behind that stone. Next, consider water. We know the energy of water. Whoever knows about the waters that devastated New Orleans knows the energy of water! Or, if it floods, we know what water does; water is energy, we can understand that. Next is agni, fire. All of us know the power of fire. Next, air: storms, hurricanes, tornados. We know the power of air.

In the same way, ākāśa (space or ether) is also energy. We do not know the power of ākāśa because it does not directly create impacts and effects in our lives. Ākāśa is disturbed by our collective negative thoughts. The collective energy of the universe is ākāśa. Ākāśa is also related to collective negativity, collective poison.

When the earth element is disturbed or poisoned, only one person suffers. For example, if our food is poisoned, we alone suffer, that's all. If water is poisoned, the whole region suffers. Whoever uses the water supply, suffer. If whatever creates fire in us is corrupted, a big group suffers. We can use medicines as an example for fire because medicines keep the fire inside us alive. To keep us healthy, physically fit, we need medicines. If medicines are corrupted, people who take the medicines suffer. If chemicals pollute the air, the whole country suffers. If air is corrupted, if the air is polluted, the whole society suffers. But if space, ākāśa, is polluted, the whole world suffers.

Corruption at higher levels of energy creates suffering for more and more people. More and more people suffer when higher levels of energy become polluted. The higher the level of energy that is corrupted, the number of people suffering is more. Our thoughts corrupt space. Space is energy.

Because ether or space is so subtle, and so sensitive, we cannot feel the happenings in the space of ether. We feel the happenings in the other four spaces: earth, water, fire and air, so because of that we can understand the happenings in them. However, we fail to understand that space, ether, is also energy, a power. It is more subtle and more powerful because the subtler it becomes, the more powerful and energetic it becomes.

One more thing to know is that there are three levels of space. The first level is when we are limited to what is inside this skin. This is ghaṭākāśa, what is contained within our body. We limit our whole understanding of everything around us to this body. We think this is the only thing that is the ultimate. We become conscious of how this body should look, how it should be maintained. We think we are only this body and nothing else. This is the lowest level.

The next level is cidākāśa. This space refers to what our mind perceives as the world. Let's say we are sitting here but our mind is in Los Angeles. Then that becomes our cidākāśa, the space perceived by our mind. The next moment our mind shifts to Bangalore. Then that becomes our cidākāśa. The space that our mind operates in is cidākāśa.

The third and final level is mahākāśa. The whole cosmos, the universe, everything that is outside and that is inside forms mahākāśa. This is the ultimate level. This is the level where everything that we see as different becomes one.

Please clearly understand these three spaces. Our body, everything that is inside this skin is ghaṭākāśa. Next, the space governed by our mind, by our thoughts, is cidākāśa. Finally, the whole universe, the whole cosmos, forms mahākāśa.

Now, if something happens inside our body, we immediately feel it. If we are hurt, we clearly see it. We see blood flow. We see a rash. We see a cut. We clearly see and feel any disturbance or event in ghaṭākāśa. This event in ghaṭākāśa happens at a gross level.

When we go to the next level, cidākāśa, events that disturb or change this space are subtle. Our thoughts affect cidākāśa. Please be very clear, whether we believe it or not, our thoughts have a huge effect on the external world. Whatever thought comes, don't think that it simply comes and goes. Every thought is energy. It manifests as something in the external world. The problem is that we are unaware of the effect. The effect is subtle so our mind cannot see that what happens is because of those thoughts we entertained.

Our mind thinks something. It affects this space. These changes are projected into the external world, yet our mind is unable to recognize them. It is unable to see and understand that all it sees is because of itself.

So, as we advance one level higher, the changes become more subtle but the effect is more powerful. We see in ghaṭākāśa, the effect is limited to our body. In cidākāśa, our thoughts affect the space around us. The effect is seen in a bigger space. The effect is more widespread.

Now the highest level, mahākāśa, this level is subtler than cidākāśa. Any change here affects the whole universe. When something happens in this space, the whole universe responds. When we enter this space, we realize the ultimate Truth. We merge with everything, with the whole cosmos.

The fifth element, ether, is like mahākāśa. Actually they are the same. Ether is everywhere. The problem is we don't know it. Mahākāśa pervades everything. We are just not aware of it. This space takes any shape and any form. Even in vacuum, it is there.

Understand this example: If water is compressed by a compressor, it becomes energy. If air is compressed by a compressor, it can even move a train; it becomes energy. In the same way, if ether is compressed in a particular space, in a particular shape, again that becomes energy.

An iron piece; if it is a square piece, it is different. If it is an 'I' shape, it is totally different and can be used for a different purpose. The same iron, one kilogram of iron, if it is a rectangular bar, the effect or power is totally different. If it becomes an 'I' bar, it is totally different.

Do you understand? It is a subtle concept. It is a subtle concept, but if we understand, we realize the great gift and understand the great research that our masters accomplished. They did a great sacrifice by doing all this research and creating all this wisdom and giving it to us.

Like earth, ether can be handled. It can be used in different forms and shapes. Certain techniques allow us to use the ether energy at its best, to its maximum level. When ether is put in one particular size – inside that room or inside that space – whoever lives there will be controlled by that ether and the ether is in turn controlled by them. Their thoughts affect the ether and the ether affects their thoughts.

This concept of using the energy of space or ether is the basis of vāstu śāstra, an ancient vedic science related to the science of architecture. We can live in harmony with the universal energy by constructing dwellings and structures in a manner that fits in with the spatial energy of the universe. Vāstu śāstra lays down details for where various activity spaces should be located in a dwelling, as well as the direction. It tells where the kitchen should be located in a house, where fire resides, in which part of the house business deals should be conducted and in which part of the house we can rest well and so on. Vāstu śāstra is the ancient vedic science of space.

Krishna says, 'How the wind rests in the space, in the same way the universe rests in Me.'

Don't think space is emptiness. Space is not just emptiness. It is energy. Just because we are not able to see, we can't say it is emptiness. It is energy. Just as the air rests in the space, our being, the whole universe including our being, we all rest in the Divine. Krishna says, 'All beings rest in Me.'

Can you see why Krishna calls all that He is speaking of a secret? He is being very careful as to whom He is telling this secret or confidential knowledge. He wants to tell all this to a qualified person. Arjuna, also called Kaunteya, son of Kunti, is both a friend and a disciple. He knows now that Arjuna is ready to take in this secret.

Actually till this point Krishna has slowly prepared Arjuna. Now He knows Arjuna is ready to take in some truths, some secrets of this universe. If Krishna had told these strong truths in the beginning of the Gita, Arjuna would not have understood. Arjuna had so many doubts at the start.

If we see the first chapter of the Gita, only Arjuna speaks and Krishna listens. Then Krishna speaks from Chapter 2 onwards. Arjuna's questions get answered one by one. After a while, Arjuna turns silent. He does not ask. He absorbs the ultimate knowledge delivered by Krishna.

In these two verses, Krishna talks about the creation and destruction of the universe. He makes bold statements. Only an enlightened master can make such bold statements because he speaks from experience. Some people do not agree with what I say. They think their own understandings are correct. When they tell me, 'Swamiji, how can you say that? In so-and-so book, it is written like this,' I laugh and let it pass.

First of all, they did not understand what exactly was written in those scriptures and then they tell me I am wrong. What can be done? Even if I argue, they won't listen. All the old people are dangerous! Whenever I go for a discourse, I see if there are old people. They think they have seen everything and do not want to listen to what I say.

Here Krishna makes bold statements and truths and He knows Arjuna is ready to take in those truths. He talks about the creation of the universe. According to Hindu mythology, the universe is created each time Brahma, the creator, blinks. In the first verse Krishna says, 'The whole material manifestation enters into Him when the universe is destroyed and He projects it again to create the universe.'

Understand that when Krishna says, 'The universe enters Me,' He refers to the cosmic Krishna, the cosmic consciousness, and not the Krishna we see in human form. Let us try to understand this very deeply.

For a long time, the Big Bang theory was used to explain the creation of the universe. It said that there was a big ball of fire and an explosion. After the explosion some smaller parts cooled down to become planets, meteors and asteroids. Bigger parts stayed on as stars and suns. In the theory of evolution on planet earth, Darwin talks about how life originated.

However, modern science disproves these theories. Modern scientific findings go towards what ancient Hindu scriptures, the Upaniṣads said thousands of years ago.

According to the Taittreya Upanishad, first there was ether. From ether, came air. From air came fire. Then water appeared and finally earth appeared. From earth, other living beings appeared.

Actually, this order has a deeper meaning. It shows the process of evolution from a subtle form of energy that is ether, to a gross form that is earth. We feel gross forms through the senses; however as it goes to subtler forms of energy, we must experience it. Can we hold water like we can hold earth in our hands? Can we feel fire the way we feel water? Can we see air like we see fire? No. As the energy goes from gross to subtle, the way we experience it changes. Earth is tangible matter; ether is intangible energy. The subtlest form of energy is ether and we can only experience this through meditation.

Krishna says at the end of each age, called a kalpa in Sanskrit, the materially manifested universe with all its creations merges back into Him. If we analyze the Big Bang theory, the first question we ask is, 'Where did the ball of fire come from?' The Big Bang theory does not answer this fundamental question. You see, the so-called scientists have no answer to this question yet.

However Krishna, the inner scientist, answers this question in these verses. Science has now proven that the vacuum has something in it. The subtlest form of energy, ether, is present in the vacuum. Science has proven it. See how science is tending towards spirituality.

This whole universe was created from ether and it goes back into ether again. All that we see outside as the material world is the manifestation of this subtle form of energy. The material world is the gross form of energy that we can see. We can only see the gross form. We can only feel the gross form because of our level of consciousness.

When Krishna says, 'All material manifestation enters Me,' He means, it enters the universal consciousness. We should understand that the gross form or material world that we see is a manifestation of subtle energy. Everything we see and feel using our senses is part of the universal consciousness. The problem is that we see it only as matter.

If we see things as matter, we are caught up in that level only. As long as we think that they are matter, as long as we are in the gross level, we run after them. Our mind starts operating and says, 'These things will make you happy; go and get them.' You see, how our mind works just by a simple misunderstanding. When we get this thought, the rat race starts, and our suffering starts.

When we understand that whatever we see and feel and whatever we run after are only material manifestations of the subtle energy, we operate in a different plane. We see the futility of the race we are running. We see everything in a different way. We realize that they are a projection of our own inner self.

Please be very clear: All material things that we see are a manifestation of our inner self. Our desires and thoughts are projected as the materials that we see. However, in actual fact, there is no such thing as material, separate and independent things. Everything is one; everything is energy.

Krishna says that only He can create and destroy this universe at His will. This whole universe is a manifestation or a projection of our own self. Someone said, 'We make our own world.' This sentence has a deep meaning. All that we see as the world or universe is what we create. All relationships are projections of either our insecurities or our desires. We call someone father or mother because we need someone to take care of us in childhood. After we grow up, we need a wife or life-partner to take care of us. After we grow old, we need our children to take care of us.

We create our world through our needs or desires. Only an enlightened being sees the real truth, as it is. Once we understand everything is a mirror image of our own self, we become enlightened. Once we realize that we, along with everything else around us, are part of the same energy or consciousness, we become enlightened.

In these two verses, Krishna says this truth clearly. Every material manifestation is created by Him and goes back into Him. Everything is part of the same energy system or the universal consciousness. He says only He can create and destroy it at His will, which means the world that we see, the universe that we perceive, is a projection of our own Self.

Q: Swamiji, when you tell us to ignore the material world and focus on the energy behind matter, it is difficult. Whatever we see is matter; we do not have the sensitivity to see the energy. How to go beyond material manifestation?

At the level where you are, use your intellect, intelligence, and your logic to understand that everything that you see around you is perishable and impermanent. All you have to work with as of now is your intellect, so use it; however use it to understand this truth instead of ignoring it.

You know from your own experience, as well as that of others, that every single material manifestation that you see in the world comes with an expiry date. It may be possible that some things may outlive you but not for long. Even mountains crumble, rivers dry up, and oceans recede or rise. Nothing stays the way it is.

You also know from experience that what you perceive as enjoyment from contact with material objects is a time-barred experience. Nothing lasts forever, be it food, be it sex, or be it an event or experience that you love. You have ups and downs in the way you experience pleasures and pains. Nothing is permanent.

Māyā, illusion, does not mean that the life you lead is not reality. It means that it is not permanent. It means that it is not the ultimate reality. It means there is something beyond it that is permanent.

The suffering that you undergo in your life and life experiences is because of this confusion. We expect things to remain the same. We expect pleasures to continue. We expect our loved ones to live forever and happily. Neither will happen, nor can happen.

First, you need to drill this into your logic system, because this is logical and your intellect cannot argue with this. Once your logic accepts the impermanence of material things and the transience of material experiences, it starts to wonder whether there is anything permanent out there, anything that comes without an expiry date.

If your resolve is strong enough, this understanding too will happen. It happens because it is a truth that is built within you. It is not something that you need to make an effort to understand. You only need to uncover a few layers of ignorance to see the truth.

What comes without an expiry date is the energy that surrounds us and is within us. The awareness that these are the same is enlightenment. Once that awareness happens, you do not need logic to remind you that matter is perishable. You know that it is and all that is permanent is energy, whatever name you give it: God, Buddha, Krishna consciousness, Christ, Allah or THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM.