Book – II Chapter – II : Brahman, Purusha, Ishwara — Maya, Prakriti, Shakti – Para 38 (4th Part) to Para 39 (5th Part)

Study Notes

PARAGRAPH 38 Contd..,

But, in fact, Space also would appear by the mutual relation of Mind-Space and Matter- Space to be subjective; in other words, both are the original spiritual extension, but it is rendered by mind in its purity into a subjective mind-field and by sense-mind into an objective field of sense-perception.

EXPLANATION

     What about Space? The Space is observed by us in terms of Matter i.e. Matter-Space. It is also observed by us in terms of our Mind i.e. Mind-Space. By the mutual relation between the Mind-Space and Matter-Space , Space also would appear to us subjective. For example mentally one can be present both in New York and Chennai at the same time.
     In fact both Mind-Space and Matter-Space are the original spiritual extension. It is rendered by mind in its purity into a subjective mind-field and it is rendered by sense-mind into an objective field of sense-perception.

Subjectivity and objectivity are only two sides of one consciousness, and the cardinal fact is that any given Time or Space or any given Time-Space as a whole is a status of being in which there is a movement of the consciousness and force of the being, a movement that creates or manifests events and happenings; it is the relation of the consciousness that sees and the force that formulates the happenings, a relation inherent in the status, which determines the sense of Time and creates our awareness of Time-movement, Time-relation, Time-measure.

EXPLANATION

     Subjectivity and objectivity are only two sides of one consciousness. It is only our mental perception that considers Time subjective (not perceivable by our senses) and Space objective (perceivable by our senses).
     The fundamental fact is that any given Time or Space or any given Time-Space as a whole is a status of being. In this status of being, there is a movement of consciousness and force of the being. It is a movement that creates or manifests events and happenings. It is the relation of the consciousness that sees and the force that formulates the happenings. It is a relation inherent in the status which determines the sense of Time; it creates our awareness of Time-movement, Time-relation, Time-measure.

In its fundamental truth the original status of Time behind all its variations is nothing else than the eternity of the Eternal, just as the fundamental truth of Space, the original sense of its reality, is the infinity of the Infinite.

EXPLANATION

     In its fundamental truth the original status of Time behind all its variations is nothing else than the eternity of the Eternal Divine Reality. Likewise the fundamental truth of Space, the original sense of its reality is the infinity of the Infinite Divine Reality.

PARAGRAPH 39

     The Being can have three different states of its consciousness with regard to its own eternity. The first is that in which there is the immobile status of the Self in its essential existence, self-absorbed or self-conscious, but in either case without development of consciousness in movement or happening; this is what we distinguish as its timeless eternity.

EXPLANATION

     We know that the Being, the Divine Reality, is eternal in its status. This means it does not belong to the past or present or future. Yet it can have three different states of consciousness with regard to its own eternity.
     In the first state of consciousness there is the immobile status of the Self in its essential existence. It is self-absorbed or self-conscious. In either case it exists without development of consciousness in movement or happening. This state is identified with its total immobility. We distinguish this state as its timeless eternity.

The second is its whole-consciousness of the successive relations of all things belonging to a destined or an actually proceeding manifestation, in which what we call past, present and future stand together as if in a map or settled design or very much as an artist or painter or architect might hold all the detail of his work viewed as a whole, intended or reviewed in his mind or arranged in a plan for execution; this is the stable status or simultaneous integrality of Time.

EXPLANATION

     In the second status, the Being has the whole-consciousness of the successive relations of all things; these things may belong to a destined manifestation (i.e. they will manifest in this universe on the predetermined lines) or an actually proceeding manifestation (here the manifestation is actually taking place on the predetermined lines in this universe).
     In this status of whole-consciousness what we call past, present and future stand together. Here all the three time states are seen together as if in a map or settled design. It is like an artist or painter or architect holding all the detail of his work viewed as a whole, reviewed in his mind or arranged in a plan for execution. This is the stable status or simultaneous integrality of Time.

This seeing of Time is not at all part of our normal awareness of events as they happen, though our view of the past, because it is already known and can be regarded in the whole, may put on something of this character; but we know that this consciousness exists because it is possible in an exceptional state to enter into it and see things from the view-point of this simultaneity of Time-vision.

EXPLANATION

     In our normal awareness of events as they happen we do not see Time as a whole; we do not see past, present and future events simultaneously. Our seeing of the past has somewhat this wholistic character because it is already known.
     Yet we know that this consciousness of simultaneous awareness of past,present and future exists. Because, in an exceptional state of yogic awareness one can enter into it and simultaneously see the past, present and future.

The third status is that of a processive movement of Consciousness-Force and its successive working out of what has been seen by it in the static vision of the Eternal; this is the Time movement. But it is in one and the same Eternity that this triple status exists and the movement takes place; there are not really two eternities, one an eternity of status, another an eternity of movement, but there are different statuses or positions taken by Consciousness with regard to the one Eternity.

EXPLANATION

     The third state of consciousness of Being is characterised by a processive movement of Consciousness-Force and its successive working out of what has been seen by it in the static vision of the Eternal (in the second status). This is the Time movement.
     All these three statuses of consciousness exist in one and the same Eternity and in which the movement takes place. The eternity of status and the eternity of movement are not different; there are not really two eternities. But it is the Consciousness of Being that has taken different statuses or positions with regard to one Eternity.

For it can see the whole Time development from outside or from above the movement; it can take a stable position within the movement and see the before and the after in a fixed, determined or destined succession; or it can take instead a mobile position in the movement, itself move with it from moment to moment and see all that has happened receding back into the past and all that has to happen coming towards it from the future; or else it may concentrate on the moment it occupies and see nothing but what is in that moment and immediately around or behind it.

EXPLANATION

     Because the Infinite Consciousness can see the whole Time development from outside or from above the movement. It can take a stable position within the movement and see the before and the after in a fixed, determined or destined succession.
     Or it can take a mobile position in the movement, itself moving with it from moment to moment. It can see all that has happened receding back into the past and all that has to happen coming towards it from the future.
     Or else it may concentrate on the present moment and see nothing but what is in that moment and immediately around or behind it.