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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
The Vaisnava Saints of
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Acharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
631
Thus, the Atman, being beyond all triads, and of the nature of pure light, expands Itself as the world.1 But although Brahman itself becomes the visible world, and being itself seer, enjoys it, its unity is not in the least disturbed by it, as the unity of the original face is not disturbed by its being reflected in a mirror, or as the standing posture of an excellent horse which sleeps while standing, is not disturbed even when it wakes up. Just as water plays with itself by assuming the form of waves, the Absolute is playing with Itself by assuming the form of waves; the Absolute is playing with itself by becoming the world. Is any difference created in fire, when it wears the garlands of flames? There is no duality between the Sun and its rays when it is surrounded by the rays. The unity of the moon is not disturbed even when enveloped by the moonlight. The lotus remains one even when it blooms into a thousand petals... Even when there are spread on a loom a number of threads, there is to be found in them nothing but thread. Similarly, there is no difference in the Absolute, when it presents itself either as the seer of the world, or as the world that it sees; for, it is the Absolute alone that becomes the both. Thus, the unity of the Atman is not lost even when it comes to fill the whole universe.2
Thus, everything is nothing but the Atman itself. Whatever is only a particular form of the
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1 Jñanes' vara: Amṛtānubhava (Marathi), VII, 129, 131, 156. 2 Ranade R. D.: Mysticism in Maharashtra, p. 159. Jñanes'vara: Amṛtānubhava, 132–149.
