A scientific investigation is complete only when the phenomenon intellectually analysed, is applied physically and brought within the limits of our observation.

When one has understood that the atoms are the physical units of matter, one must also realise at once that these atoms in different combinations of numbers and patterns create the world of infinite forms and qualities. Similarly, to know that the Self is the Ultimate Truth behind the names and forms, is, in itself, only a partial knowledge. The complete understanding of Life can arise only when we, at once, understand how from the Self the endless multiplicity of names and forms rise up and spread to become the Universe.

Just as in our understanding we can comprehend all the waves as inherent in the ocean, so too, a man of right understanding can recognise “THE SEPARATE EXISTENCE OF ALL BEINGS IN THE ONE.” Once having understood the ocean, we do realise how the numberless waves rise from that one ocean; so too a man of right understanding also realises “THE EXPANSION OF PLURALITY FROM THAT ONE ALONE.” Such moments of complete understanding, wherein the Man-of-Wisdom experiences the One Self within and without — enveloping and embracing, penetrating and nourishing not only the depthless and the measureless Infinite, but also the superficial world of pluralistic names and forms — are the sacred moments when he has “BECOME BRAHMAN.”

The Self alone can recognise the Self. He who is recognising the one homogeneous Self, he who is experiencing that the Consciousness in him is one with the homogeneous-mass-Consciousness everywhere, and he who also understands how on his coming into the body awareness, the world-of-plurality throws the mantle of its magic upon the fair face of the Infinite and makes It look ugly with all its perishable names and forms — such a person is of “True Wisdom” and “Right Perception.” At that moment, he has himself transcended his own equipments and has come to identify himself with the One-Consciousness-everywhere.

IF THE ONE SELF BE THE SELF IN ALL BODIES, THEN IT MUST BE NECESSARILY ACTING AND EARNING THE REACTIONS — VASANAS. TO PROVE THE FALLACY OF SUCH A CONCLUSION IT IS SAID:

Yada, when, at the time when; anupasyati, one realizes-having reflected in accordance with the instructions of the scriptures and the teachers, one realizes as a matter of one’s own direct experience that ‘All this is but the Self’ (Ch. 7.25.2); that bhuta-prthak-bhavam, the state of diversity of living things; is ekastham, rooted in the One, existing in the one Self; and their vistaram, manifestation, origination; tatah, eva, is also from That-when he realizes that origination in such diverse ways as, ‘the vital force is from the Self, hope is from the Self, memory [Smara, memory; see Sankaracarya’s Comm. on Ch. 7.13.1.-Tr.] is from the Self, space is from the Self, fire is from the Self, water is from the Self, coming into being and withdrawal are owing to the Self, food is from the Self’ (op. cit. 7.26.1); tada, then, at that time; brahma sampadyate, one becomes identified with Brahman Itself. This is the import. If the same Self be the Self in all the bodies, then there arises the possiblity of Its association with their defects. Hence this is said: