Sádhaná teaches elimination of this connotative difference.
Etávupádhipara Jiivayostayo samyag nirásena para na jiivo
Rájyaḿ Narendrasya bhat́asya khet́akastayorapohena bhat́o na rájá.
The person who may be called a king by virtue of his royal insignia may be called a wrestler if he holds a cudgel. For instance, Vishvanath will be known to be a king if he is decorated with royal insignia, whereas he will be called a wrestler if he holds a cudgel. But Vishvanath remains the same Vishvanath on withdrawing the royal insignia and the cudgel. Likewise the difference between Jiiva and Paramátman is on account of the difference in connotation. On eliminating the connotative difference from the unit it merges into Brahma.
Where there is no connotative distinction, there is Satya and that is the true recognition. This is the role of Sádhaná, to establish Satya by revealing that which is untrue. The Lokas and the Kośas are all degenerations, not the absolute truth.
Difference or Distinction between Truth and Fiction
Satya is immutable. If it mutates it is no longer Satya. Satya is that which does not vary. It remains in one unaltered state in all times – past, present and future. Because of its immutable characteristic in all times – past, present and future – it is [[not]] only beyond the bound of time (Kálátiita) but also beyond the bounds of space (Deshátiita) and beyond the bound of form(s). It is beyond the bound of time, space and form. It has no differences even in the different parts of its own Being. Even one portion does not differ from another. Brahma or Satya is an indivisible, uninterruptible and immutable entity. Satya knows no difference. Then can there be any difference between Him and external objects? No, there can be no difference within or without. Nothing can exist beyond Him. That which is indivisible is infinite. Hence anything identical with Him shall also be contained within Him.
Satya knows no difference whether of the same species (Svajátiiya) or of other species (Vijátiiya) or different parts of the same body (Svagata). If the mango tree were Supreme Truth or Satya, then other species of trees would be outside the realm of Satya Hence the mango tree cannot be the Supreme Truth, since it differs from other species of mango (Vijátiiya Bheda) e.g. Bambaii, Kishanbhoga, etc. Hence it is not the Supreme Truth. It is relative or untruth.
Relative truth or Ápekśika Satya or untruth is dependent on time, place and form. The moon appears like a metal plate from a distance, but, as somebody advances towards it, it appears to grow bigger. Then how big is it? Largeness and smallness are governed by space. Hence, it is not the Supreme Truth, it is relative truth. The nearest route from Bhagalpur to Monghyr would be westward but one can reach Monghyr even if one goes eastward, round the circumference of the earth. The distance thus solely depends on space. How then can it be called the Supreme Truth? A man suffering from jaundice will find the colour yellow in whatever he sees, normal persons will see the same things in their real colour. This is dependent on the person and consequently is not the Truth.
It has been observed that place and form are not the Supreme Truth. Now, let us consider the time factor. To what extent can a historical event be called true? Suppose the Mahábhárata was fought 3253 years ago. Now, it is a fact that we see things through the aid of light. The stars in the skies became visible to you only when their light falls on the ball of your eyes. Suppose the light-waves of the Mahábhárata age will take another eight hundred years to reach a certain star. At this period if you look at the earth with the help of a telescope what will you see?
You will see that the Mahábhárata has not yet been fought there and that it will not take place for another eight hundred years. What is past for one is present for another and future for a third. All these are relative truths. The same may be said with respect to sound as well. If someone speaks aloud, a normal person will feel that he or she is shouting while a deaf person will say that he or she is speaking very softly.
Each of the spheres, namely, Atimánas, Vijiṋánamaya and Hirańmaya is respectively one beyond the other. Satya is beyond even the last. When one is established in Satya, only then can one become the knower of the past, present and future and ultimately of truth itself. For such a person there is no disharmony anywhere. Of course it is difficult to establish oneself in the Cosmic Consciousness, but once having been established in Brahma, a person get extricated from all disharmony. Human beings can come to know the past, present and future by annihilating the mind through spiritual practices. The mind must be annihilated because it is a relative truth which prevents human beings from knowing the absolute truth.
Where there is action, there is motion. Time or Kála is the mental measurement of the dynamism in action. Where there is no action there is neither mind nor time. If you are unconscious, then you will not be aware of the lapse of those three hours. Action and mind are relative truth and consequently time is also a relative truth. Time is dependent on space and person and space and form are dependent on time. It is incorrect to say that time is eternity without end and without break or limit. Time cannot exist without space and person.
Human beings derive or try to derive pleasure from objects, great and small, but they cannot get eternal Bliss from a relative truth. It is for this reason that sages devote themselves to the entity free from the bondage of time. Body and mind are not free from the bondage of time; so it is foolishness to pursue them. It is, of course, proper to take care of them but they are not to be the objects of devotion. One has to practise Sádhaná to establish oneself in the entity which is free from bondage of time.
Ánanda Púrńimá 6 May 1955 DMC
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