The Ascent towards Supermind, Part II, Chapter XXVI - The Ascent towards Supermind 202

There is a similarity between the Purusha experience and the Brahman experience because in both there is immobility, but the difference between the two experiences is that in the Purusha consciousness, movement as is seen to be quite alien outside Purusha. In the Brahman experience the movement is seen to be emerging from the Brahman itself, although experience has something so different from itself that it may look like an illusion.

In anyone of these four experiences, one important element which happens is that what we call ego is dissolved. In any one of these four experiences, – what you call desire is loosened and then can be abolished. At least what is called the central knot of ego and the central knot of desire is cut. Any one of these experiences is what is called moksha. Liberation is attained and having reached this point you have a possibility as far as the outer activity is concerned. One possibility is and that is possible for the Purusha consciousness, when you begin to witness Prakriti outside yourself and when you become the sanctioner, giver of sanction, anumanta you can decide not to give consent to the movement of Prakriti. And you will find that Prakriti also will fall silent. Even the outer activity, which was felt to be moving all the time, – it will stop moving, the moment you give a sanction. As long as you say all that all right, I want to see the movement, it will remain as a movement, although it is outside you. You find somehow that you have the key of the movement of Prakriti in you, not only that you are the witness but you have also the key and the moment. You say that I don’t want this show to go on, – it will cease. This is the relationship between Purusha and Prakriti. This is the experience that you find, at that stage you realize that even previously when you were doing so many activities, it was because Purusha had given inner consent to it, otherwise even this, what we are doing now would not be happening. Then you realize that actually even the previous experiences in which you were involved, it was only because you had given inner consent to it. Purusha had said I want to see as it were the dance of Prakriti and the moment that decision was taken the Prakriti had begin to expand herself and manifest herself and present her movements. So the moment you say I am no more interested in it, I don’t give my sanction to it, the Prakriti can cease. So you attain not only the immobility of Purusha, you also attain to the immobility of Prakriti. This is one consequence as far as the action is concerned.

In the Ishwara consciousness, when you are the master of Prakriti, you have a further possibility that your Ishwara consciousness, the controller, the master consciousness can be poured in the outer movement, you can modify the Prakriti. Prakriti which is normally limited to sattva, rajas and tamas, in the presence of the Lord, if the Lord so decides can pour into that Prakriti, Ishwara consciousness, so that Prakriti can be seen now not merely bound by sattva, rajas and tamas but even the divine qualities can be implanted in Prakriti – this is a further possibility, possible. But you can also decide at the same time not to bother about doing anything about Prakriti, leave it alone, identify yourself with the Ishwara consciousness and allow Ishwara to do whatever he likes. As far as you are concerned you are only in the presence of the Lord.

When you attain to the Brahman consciousness you can arrive at a point where just as in Purusha consciousness Prakriti can stop working. Similarly, here also by centering upon immobility of consciousness, realizing that the movement is illusory, you can remain absorbed in the immobility and far as you are concerned that movement will cease, it will become immobile as far as we are concerned. Although for those who have not entered into that consciousness that movement will still continue as an illusion that is why those Yogis who realized the immobile Brahman, seeing that the Prakriti is illusory, for these yogis the Prakriti can become immobile and for the others, it continues. These are the consequences, which are possible at this stage, when the mind falls silent all these experiences you can have, this is called the central experience of Moksha. And basically in this state one becomes liberated from nature, from movement, from activity. But except in the experience of Ishwara consciousness, Prakriti remains either quiet or remains what it is bound by sattva, rajas and tamas. It remains as it is, you are liberated but Prakriti remains bound to its three gunas. But there is a new possibility, which is already promised in the Ishwara consciousness. As I said that when you arrive at Ishwara consciousness, it is possible for Ishwara to impart Ishwara consciousness into Prakriti, it’s a new possibility which arises in that state.

One can say that one is not bothered about it, let it remain as it is, I have attained to a mastery. But this possibility is of great importance, possibility of transmitting the Ishwara consciousness into the Prakriti.

It is at this stage that one discovers an energy which is not bound by rajas, sattva and tamas, this is a discovery. This is what is normally called in Indian thought, − Shakti as distinguished from Prakriti. Prakriti is bound by the three gunas but Shakti is not bound by these three gunas. In fact Shakti transcends these three gunas. It is not sattvic or rajasic or tamasic. Shakti is an energy, which has the power but not like rajas. Rajas has dynamism, but this is a power which is not controlled by desire. In the rajas, desire and dynamism are associated with each other, but here the Shakti, the energy, the dynamism is not at all limited by desire. Infact there is no desire at all in it. It’s an energy, it’s an action without any desire. It is not an energy or activity in search of possession. The rajasic desire, rajasic movement is in search of possession. All rajasic movement is a movement to acquire, to possess, from outside, to enjoy, to enjoy something which I did not possess and now hold it and to enjoy it. So this is the rajasic desire, rajasic activity but in the case of Shakti and the movement of Shakti, it is expressive movement, not a movement to possess something from outside. But this is a movement of expression of what is something inside, which is already full within oneself is simply expressed.