The Eternal Existence is Omnipresent
(Excerpts from Satsang of Pujya Sant Shri Asaramji Bapu)
There are two types of existence. One is Eternal, unchanging while the other is ever changing. The Eternal existence is known as the Atman or Soul and the other is called Maya or illusion. Maya consists of the five basic elements of Nature, the five senses of perception, the five senses of action, the mind, the intellect, the chitta and the ego. They are all important in their respective places. Maya is endless but one established in the True Self does easily transcend it.
Thus, there are two entities. One is the real essence known as Parabrahma Paramatma and the other one is His Maya. Maya under the predominant influence of the Sattvic quality of Nature manifests itself in the jiva and that dominated by Rajasic and Tamasic qualities is the evil Maya. It is called Prakriti.
One can call this Supreme Entity as Atman, Allah, Rama or Shiva the fact remains that it is but One and Eternal in nature. The Vedic civilization has given it a very significant and beautiful name Sat-Chit-Ananda. The Eternal reality is Sat; Truth Absolute, i.e. it is Eternal and imperishable. Chit and Ananda signify Consciousness Absolute and Bliss Absolute respectively. The Sat-Chit-Ananda is the primeval source of the divine play of creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe. The giver of the sanction to the play is the Truth Absolute and the play is Maya.
We pay obeisance to Lord Krishna, the very personification of Sat-Chit-Ananda, the primeval force behind the creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe; and the destroyer of the three taapas adhyatmic taapa, adhidaivic taapa and adhibhoutik taapa.
The three taapas -adhyatmic, adhidaivic and adhibhoutic torment the jiva, cause untold sufferings and are responsible for diverse unpleasant experiences and thus the Jiva becomes miserable. At times, he gets a little respite but only to be swept off the ground once again just when things become a little favourable, adversity strikes back... one gets married and differences crop up between the couple or there is trouble with the in-laws and finally death finishes him off.
Without death one will not be able to experience the joy of a new birth either. Thus, the affairs of this world continue as a series of events of joy and sorrow. However, all these events and activities are mere Pratiti i.e. appearances; and it is the Nitya i.e. the Eternal Existence that is attained.
One says, I am a doctor but that medical degree is not eternal. Another declares, I am an engineer; I got a promotion but that position is not permanent either. Similarly being a minister, a priest, an accomplished yogi or even a Saint are mere appearances illusory by definition. What is made is bound to perish, what you get will be lost and what comes has got to go. These are all but transient. The body, its titles, its well-being or illness, wealth or poverty all are but fleeting and transient. So too are happiness and sorrow fleeting and transient.
We foolishly believe the transient to be Eternal and are completely oblivious of the Eternal Truth. You may become highly religious, observe fasts, say prayers, go to temples, churches and mosques but so long as you are not fired with the inquisitiveness to comprehend the Eternal Existence inherent in the transient, the immutable Supreme Consciousness intrinsically present in the mutual existence, the Supreme Lord, you cannot attain intuitional knowledge of That. Ignorance persists and leads to delusion which in turn gives rise to sorrows and sufferings.
Ignorance is shrouding the consciousness, putting jivas under the delusion of attachment.
Not one or two or in hundreds, but the entire universe is suffering from this delusion.
Sat-Chit-Ananda, the Supreme Self, is the only Eternal Being. The rest is all His Maya which is instrumental in projecting diversity in unity, thereby deluding the jivas. Nitya, The Everpresent Lord, is not far from us, even by a hairs breadth; for He is all-pervading, omnipresent and eternal.
Nitya, by definition, is Eternal and Omnipresent. What is present here but not there cannot be Omnipresent. What is present at this time but will not exist in future cannot be Eternal. The Supreme Lord existed in the past, exists in the present and will continue to exist in the future. That as such is existent here, there and everywhere.
Whatever is seen other than the Self, is Maya. Everything other than the True Self is Agamapayi. As a matter of fact what sustains this Anitya and makes its cognition possible, is Nitya. Nitya, the Supreme Being, is the substratum of Anitya! It is His Existence that sustains and permeates the Sun, the Moon, the stars and everything. As juice is present in the entire fruit and as whiteness permeates every particle of milk, Brahman permeates each and every particle of creation. All forms manifest in Him; all impulses emanate from Him, and in Him; the play of life is enacted. All are being beguiled by this play by taking it to be real. One, who knows this play to be nothing more than a play and transcends it, becomes one with the Supreme Self.