852. Omnipresent………..!

Vedanta proclaims that universe emanated from the primordial atom and it is a continuous process happening eternally and spontaneously. That Hiranyagarbha (primordial atom) is Brahman. Hence Chandogya Upanishad says, “Ekameva advitiyam Brahmaa” (Brahman is one, without a second). The whole universe is filled with this omnipresent Brahman that cannot be seen by our naked eyes but can be comprehended by a pure heart and clear mind.

Brahman is not an object and hence beyond the reach of the eyes. The experience of Brahman is achieved when the attributes of name and form is negated. Hence the Upanishads declare: “Neti Neti” (not this, not this). This does not mean that Brahman is a negative concept, or a metaphysical abstraction, or a nonentity, or a void. It is just to say not another. Brahman is Paripoorna (complete) and Ananta (infinite), the essence of the knower.

Brahman itself is not an activity while all activities are immersed, encompassed and soaked in it.  Brahman is Tatastha (neutral). Hence unaffected nor untouched by the constructive or destructive activities of matter. Brahman has no independent existence from matter. There is no evidence of Brahman other than in coexistence with matter. Each manifestation of coexistence is an evidence of Brahman which is energy for the insentient nature. Likewise the activity of atoms, molecules and cells are the indication of the presence of Brahman. Brahman is Chaitanya (consciousness) and Jnana (knowledge) for the sentient nature and thrive to live on is the indication here. The evidence of permeability of Brahman is continuous activity in all units of matter. An awakened seeker imparting comprehension of universal harmony to another seeker, by way of study, is the ultimate evidence of permeability of Brahman.

An old man was asked by his college going grandson if he believed God was omnipresent?

The old man answered in affirmation.

The next question by the young man was, “If God is present everywhere why is He worshipped in tulasi alone and not in a weed?

The old man says, “God is present in tulasi as well as in a weed, it is the presence of God as consciousness which is making them sprout from the seed to become a sapling and go on to grow as a plant. Even if the plant wilt and die it is the same consciousness which transform it to compost. Coming to worship of tulasi, it is a medicinal plant and provide essence to many herbal preparations. The nature of the weed is to extract the minerals and salts from the earth and make a hindrance for crop to grow. But as told by the scriptures both the plants have Him in them, but how they reflect Him is all that makes the different.”   

"So, is the presence of God felt only from those which provide benefit to society?" Asked the youngman.

"It is not so, the presence of God is felt in all, it is we who don't look beyond the traits. We are immersed in vyavahara a lot. See though the silk worm belongs to arthropoda family we rearing it by feeding it with minced mulberry leaves. This according to me is Result Oriental Living, this is how we see it. This is acceptable only at empirical realms" Said the old man.

The young man asked, “We take prasad in the temple, be it a spoon of holy water or a morsel of rice. We consider it to be sacred and once in our body as chyle it provides the supplements to our body and as faeces it comes out as waste, do you still accept the presence of God in it?”

The old man smiled and said, “I do not know about others beta, last week when your papa took me to the diagnostic centre they asked for samples of my urine and stool to analyse and go deep into what had happened to my health. It was through them they could detect the aliment and provide proper medication to me, if those things could help me and many like me to rectify health and sometime act as lifesavers, I see God in it too.”

The young man understood…….and bowed to his grandpa.