Perceiving God

1. The listeners are now requested to remain attentive to this conversation between the Guru and disciple in which "Pure Knowledge" is made very easy to understand by way of listening.
2. Even if one were to search everywhere in many scriptures for their entire life it still would not be enough to know God, and the affliction of doubt would only continue to increase.
3. There are many famous places of pilgrimage that can be found in this world. Some are easy to find while others are more difficult to find, and they are all said to be auspicious places to visit.
4. Is there anyone in the world who can go to all of these pilgrimage sites? Even an entire lifetime would not be enough time to visit them all.
5. Many types of austerities are undertaken and much is given in charity, and there are various types of yoga and many spiritual practices that are all done for the sake of knowing God.
6. It is a widely accepted opinion that to realize the God of gods, one must endure many types of efforts.
7. There are many paths and opinions with regard to how to realize God, but what is the true nature of God?
8. There are so many various gods in nature, who can count them all? But how does one come to know the one true God?
9. There are many types of worship and spiritual practice. When one gets some desired result, the mind feels satisfied so the person stays with that type of practice.
10. There are many gods with their many devotees who become attached when their desires are fulfilled, and there are many sages who all have differing opinions.
11. When one tries to choose from many different opinions, one does not come to any firm resolution. When there is disagreement even among the scriptures, the aspirant does not know how to gain conviction.
12. There are many differences of opinion stated in the many various scriptures. Because of this, many have spent their lives quarreling.
13. It is only one person among thousands who uses the power of discrimination to try to know God, and even that one does not come to really know the true nature of God.
14. Why do I say that God's nature is still not understood? It is because pride is still present. God remains unknown because of pride (ego).
15. Enough about this for now. The question is, how can this God, for whom all of the various practices of yoga are being done, be realized?
16. Who should be called God? How can he be known? I shall tell this now in simple language.
17. God is the one who has created the world of animate and inanimate things, the one who has put into motion all action, and the one who is the only doer of everything.
18. He has created the fleets of clouds, the coolness in the moonlight, and he gave light and brightness to the sun.
19. He is the One by whose power the ocean stays within its bounds, who has established the support of the universe, and who has created the stars and the sky.
20. The one who created the four streams of life, the four types of speech, the 8.4 million species of living beings, and the three worlds, is called God.
21. Without any doubt, it is certain that it is the one God alone who has incarnated as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva (the activities of creation, preservation, and destruction in the universe).
22. The images of God residing in the temples have not gone out and created all living beings, nor have they have created this universe.
23. There are many gods in many places. These small gods have not made the earth, the moon, or the sun, stars and clouds.
24. The one God is the doer of all who has no various parts, and whose mode of operation and divine play of creation is not understood by even Brahma and other gods.
25. Some doubt about this naturally arises which will be cleared in the next sub-chapter, but for now the attitude of the listener's mind must remain attentive.
26. Originally, boundless space was spread everywhere and it was completely empty, containing nothing. In that empty space, the wind was born.
27. From wind came fire (light), and from fire came water. Like this, this wondrous creation took place.
28. From water, all of living creation (plants and living organisms) took place without any obstruction. The One who has done this marvelous thing, is called "God."
29. God created this earth from which stones were formed. Those who do not utilize the power of discrimination call stone idols gods.
30. The One who is the creator of this world existed prior to this creation, and it is by his power that creation appeared afterwards.
31. Just as the potter exists prior to the pot and the pot is not the potter, similarly God exists in the beginning and does not become the stone idol.
32. A toy army is made out of clay while the maker of the army remains distinct from the clay and the army. Even if the clay and the army are considered one, the cause and the effect (the maker and the army) are different.
33. However, in this example, the creator and the creation exist only within the five elements. For that which is without attributes, the distinction between the cause and effect does not exist beyond the five elements.
34. The one who is the creator of the entire creation is different from creation. There should not be any doubt about this.
35. How could it ever happen that the person who makes the puppets dance say that he is himself a puppet?
36. The appearance of creation is like the play of shadow puppets on the screen. The puppeteer pulls the strings but never becomes the many characters.
37. Similarly, God is the creator of the universe, but is not that creation. How can the one who has created many beings be one of those beings himself?
38. When one creates something, how can he become that which has been created? Many poor ignorant people unnecessarily fall into doubt about this.
39. The nature of the universe is like this. One who constructs the beautiful tops of temple towers does not become the tower.
40. Similarly, the one who has created the world is different from it. Some foolishly say that the world is itself the "Lord of the World" (Jagadesha).
41. The Lord of the World is different from his creation which is his work of art. Although he exists in everything, he is still different from everything.
42. Therefore, the Self that is God (AtmaRam) is different from this intermingling of the five elements. It is because of ignorance that this Illusion is felt true.
43. To presume that the creation of Illusion in its amazing immensity is real is contrary to deep investigative thought, and no such statements can be found in any texts on non-duality.
44. This being the case, the world is unreal and the Self (Atman) is real. That Supreme Self (Paramatman) is beyond everything, and is the Inner-Self (Antaratman) which pervades everywhere.
45. Only the Self should be called God, and everything else is false. This is the inner meaning of Vedanta.
46. All objects are destructible. Everyone has the experience of this. In this way it is seen that God is different from objects.
47. God is pure and unmoving. This is stated in all of the scriptures. That which is Eternal can never be called ephemeral.
48. To say that God has come, or that God has gone, or that God is born, or that God is dead, is but an accumulation of wrong thinking which amounts to an estrangement from God.
49. Talk about birth and death never applies to God. How can God, by whose power other gods are made immortal, ever die?
50. To be born and to die, to come and go, and suffering and sorrow are all the creation of God. Thus being the cause, it is clear that he is different from all of this.
51. The inner-mind (antahkarana), the functioning of the five pranas, and the knowledge of the physical body with its many principles, are all impermanent and therefore cannot be God.
52. That which is without any concept is called God. Even the notion of "being God" is not there.
53. Thus the disciple raised a question. "How then is the universe created, and how is the doer, which is the cause, also in the creation, or effect?" (Is the attributeless in that which is with attributes?)
54. Like the seer effortlessly becomes the seen with the act of seeing, similarly, the doer by his doing, gives attributes to the attributeless.
55. The listener asks, "Who is the maker of the universe? How is he recognized? Is God with attributes or without attributes? Please explain all of this to me.
56. Some say that it is by mere will that Brahman has made this creation. Who is the maker of this creation other than Brahman?
57. Now let this be enough of this long talk. From where has all of this Illusion come, must now be explained by the speaker."
58. Upon hearing this statement, the speaker says, "Remain alert, in the next sub-chapter I shall give the explanation.
59. How Illusion was created in Brahman will be explained later on. Now, the listeners must keep their mind alert.
60. The explanation will be given next. By listening to it and analyzing what is said, spiritual aspirants will become content.