Message from Gospel – 6. God Alone Has Become Everything

Sri Ramakrishna says, “At first one discriminates, 'Not this, not this', and feels that God alone is real and all else is illusory.  Afterwards the same person finds that it is God Himself who has become all this – the universe, maya, and the living beings.  First negation and then affirmation.  This is the view held by the Puranas.  A vilwa-fruit, for instance, includes flesh, seeds, and shell.  You get the flesh by discarding the shell and seeds.  But if you want to know the weight of the fruit, you cannot find it if you discard the shell and seeds.  Just so, one should attain Sarchidananda by negating the universe and its living beings.  But after the attainment of Satchidananda one finds that Satchidananda Itself has become the universe and the living beings.  It is of one substance that the flesh and the shell and seeds are made, just like butter and buttermilk.”

“During the period of struggle one should follow the method of discrimination-'Not this, not this'-and direct the whole mind to God.  But the state of perfection is quite different.  After reaching God one reaffirms what formerly one denied.  To extract butter you must separate it from the buttermilk.  Then you discover that butter and buttermilk are intrinsically related to one another.  They belong to the same stuff.  The butter is not essentially different from the buttermilk, nor the buttermilk essentially different from the butter.  After realizing God one knows definitely that it is He who has become everything.  In some objects He is manifested more clearly, and in others less clearly.”

"When a flood comes from the ocean, all the land is deep under water.  Before the flood, the boat could have reached the ocean only by following the winding course of the river.  But after the flood, one can row straight to the ocean.  One need not take a roundabout course.  After the harvest has been reaped, one need not take the roundabout course along the balk of the field.  One can cross the field at any point.”

"After the realization of God, He is seen in all beings.  But His greater manifestation is in man.  Again, among men, God manifests Himself more clearly in those devotees who are sattvic, in those who have no desire whatever to enjoy 'woman and gold'.  Where can a man of samādhi rest his mind, after coming down from the plane of samādhi? That is why he feels the need of seeking the company of pure-hearted devotees, endowed with sattva and free from attachment to 'woman and gold'.  How else could such a person occupy himself in the relative plane of consciousness?”

"He who is Brahman is the Ādyāśakti, the Primal Energy.  When inactive He is called Brahman, the Purusha; He is called Śakti, or Prakriti, when engaged in creation, preservation, and destruction.  These are the two aspects of Reality: Purusha and Prakriti.  He who is the Purusha is also Prakriti.  Both are the embodiment of Bliss.”

"If you are aware of the Male Principle, you cannot ignore the Female Principle: He who is aware of the father must also think of the mother. He who knows darkness also knows light.  He who knows night also knows day.  He who knows happiness also knows misery.”

“Satchidananda Itself has become the universe and the living beings. It may be asked, 'How has Satchidananda become so hard?' This earth does indeed feel very hard to the touch.  The answer is that blood and semen are thin liquids, and yet out of them comes such a big creature as man.  Everything is possible for God.  First of all reach the indivisible Satchidananda, and then, coming down, look at the universe.  You will then find that everything is Its manifestation.  It is God alone who has become everything.  The world by no means exists apart from Him.”

"All elements finally merge in Ākāśa.  Again, at the time of creation, Ākāśa evolves into mahat and mahat into Ahamkāra.  In this way the whole world-system is evolved.  It is the process of involution and evolution.  A devotee of God accepts everything.  He accepts the universe and its created beings as well as the indivisible Satchidananda.”

"God alone is the Master, and again, He is the Servant.  This attitude indicates Perfect Knowledge.”