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Sarvathra Prasiddhopadesaath

"Everywhere, the well-known Entity is the one that is taught." In all statements contained in the Vedantic Texts, the Upanishads, the familiar and easily recognisable expression, Brahman, is the one that is mentioned and elaborated. In the direction, "One should meditate by becoming calm", the object of meditation is therefore the entity indicated by "All this is verily Brahman" and not the individualised Self. Commentators too upheld this interpretation.

"All this is verily Brahman" (Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma) is the axiom with which the Upanishadic exhortation to meditate starts. The Sruthi or Vedic revelation is that the Cosmos or Creation is Brahman; for it originates in, is sustained by and merges into Brahman. It is not distinct or separable from Brahman.

When viewed without the twin distortions of like and dislike, love and hate, all forms, all effects, all causes are experienced as Brahman only. But, when the vision is affected by love or hate, each form, each effect and cause, appears different from the rest. Hence the advice to meditate after attaining calm. When feelings are calm and balanced, the many are experienced as the one. An agitated mind can never have a single vision. It runs along contrary lines. So, it experiences the world, nature and the Cosmos as separate from Brahman. Such vision creates division. Calm vision reveals unity. As the vision, so the impression, the view of the world.

The head of the family is one person only. But he is viewed by each member of the family from a different point of view. So he is addressed differently, as 'father' by the son, 'husband' by the wife, 'father-in-law' by the daughter-in-law, 'grandfather' by the grandson, 'elder brother' by his younger; the One is thought of in many forms, because of the variety of relationships assumed. Next