June 22, 2026
nirvāṇamevamakhilaṁ nabha eva dṛśyaṁ
tvaṁ cāhamadrinicayāśca surāsurāśca
tādṛgjagatsamavalokaya yādṛgaṅga
svapne ‘tha jantumanasi vyavahārajālaṁ (58/23)
VASIṢṬHA continued:
In the story of the rock that I am going to narrate to you, O Rāma, it will become clear that within the core of the rock there are thousands of creations. In this physical space, too, there are similarly countless creations. In fact, in every element or object there are countless creatures. But all these exist only in the indivisible infinite consciousness, not as real substances or entities. Nothing has ever been created right from the beginning. Brahman alone exists in Brahman, as space, air, fire, water, earth, mountains, etc. There is no division or duality between Brahman and creation, which are but two words without meaning. Even unity and duality are words without meaning. That which creates these notions of unity and diversity also creates the notions of Brahman and creation. When these notions have ceased, there is great inner peace even if one is engaged in activity. Everything is nirvāṇa. The perceived creation is like the sky (void though appearing to have a form and colour). Behold the entire universe composed of you, I, mountains, gods and demons, etc., as you would behold the creations and the happenings of a dream.
After having remained in samādhi for one hundred years, I returned to body-consciousness and heard a sigh. I listened to it and tried to guess what it might be. I was far, far in the outerspace so how could any person or even a bee exist so near me there? Moreover, I could not see anyone. I decided to investigate it further. I decided to enter into samādhi again. I silenced the mind and the senses. I merged in the infinite consciousness. I saw reflected in that consciousness the image of countless universes. I was able to go anywhere and to see everything. I saw countless creations though they did not know of one another’s existence. Some were coming into being, others were perishing, all of them had different shielding atmospheres (from five to thirty-six atmospheres). There were different elements in each, they were inhabited by different types of beings in different stages of evolution with different natures and cultures, some had other universes within them, in some there were creatures you would not believe possible to exist, in some there was apparent natural order and in others there was utter disorder, in some there was no light and hence no time-sense. All these are but the fruits of the one indivisible infinite consciousness. How and when they arose it is impossible to say; but this much is certain that they are the creations of ignorance. In this creation there are gods and demons numerous as mosquitoes. Whether one regards these universes as the creations of the supreme Creator or as false notions, it is certain that they are in fact the infinite consciousness, non-different and not independent of it. They rest like inert realities in the descriptions found in the scriptures. Thus did I behold all these infinite creations.