World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 954

essence of the God is One, the binding soul of the universe, the unity -in difference, in the cosmic and moral order', 'we offer our prayer to the ultimate lord of the universe, who runs through the every particle of the universe, who is blissful and indescribable, and so on indicate this spirit of holistic approach.
The vedic philosophy talks about organic unity of the whole universe. The Purushasukta the Hymn on the Great Cosmic Person [of Rugveda] brings out this idea in clear terms. In this Hymn, the Divinity, the ultimate Reality is symbolically conceived as a great Cosmic Person and all existence, the earth, the sky, the heaven, the stars, the planets, living and non-living things are conceived as manifestations and parts of the One great Cosmic Person, who pervades the whole universe and also remains beyond it. In him, all that is, has been and will be,are united. Upanishadic Sages continued to carry out this idea and found that the Brahman is this unitary principle behind all diversity.
Thousands of years ago, our Upanishadic seers have visualized the fundamental truth that entire universe is One Whole, interconnected and interdependent. Everything in the universe is connected together to one common whole- the Brahman, the Pure Consciousness. Aiteraya Upanishad clearly brings out this idea " The Reality behind all these things of the universe is the Brahman, which is Pure Consciousness. All things are established in this Consciousness, work through this Consciousness, and their foundation is Consciousness [III.V.3]. Chandogya Upanishad states that All this is Brahman [III.XIV.1].
'There is a fundamental unity behind everything and which is the basis of all existence and the ultimate goal of all knowledge. Though, the diversity is felt fact, it is not ultimate. Upanishads emphatically tells us that' he goes from death to death [ passes through cycle of birth and death i.e. Samsara], who takes diversity as ultimate truth' [Bru.Up.IV.IV.19. Katha Up. II.IV.10-11].
There is no plurality whatsoever, there is unity behind diversity, peace belongs to those, who see unity behind diversity, says Katha Upanishad.
[ neha nanasti kinchana, tesham shashwati shantih netaresham. [ Katha.UP.].
The Brahman or the pure consciousness is the single thread which unites all. The Sage Yajnavalkya, beautifully describes this unity by stating that "everything exists in space or ether. This space exists in imperishable Brahman- the ocean of Consciousness. This Reality has interpenetrated the whole universe, everything exists in this imperishable Brahman [ Bru. Up.III.VIII.4, 6-9]. Feeling of oneness, realization of unity, eliminates possibility of sense of separateness or duality which is root cause of fear, conflict
905