(From the discourses of Pujya Sri Swamiji)

Compiled by Swami Datta Pada Renu

"From the unmanifested, all the manifestations proceed at the dawn of the day; and at the coming of night they dissolve there only, in what is called the Unmanifested."(18-VIII)

In this verse, the word ‘Avyakta’ refers to the Prakriti or the primordial matter. Prakriti is called the Unmanifested because at the time of dissolution, the whole creation dissolves in it and remains in an unmanifested state. In other words, the whole creation remains latent in it as a tree in a seed.

As soon as the day of Brahma dawns all the worlds come into manifestation from the unmanifested Prakriti, and when his night sets in, the entire manifested universe or the creation gets itself absorbed into the Prakriti. In short Brahman’s day and night mean evolution and involution of the whole universe.

The universe has not come out of nothing. The whole material for the universe existed in unmanifested state in Prakriti. From that state it has come out into its different forms, and at the time of dissolution it goes back again into the unmanifested Prakriti. Therefore the unmanifested Prakriti is the material cause of the universe. The cycle of creation and dissolution thus alternates during one day and one night of the duration of Brahma (Creator).

"The same multitude of beings, coming froth again and again, merge into the Unmanifest, O Partha, helplessly, at the approach of night; and remanifest at the approach of day."(19-VIII).

The creative period id the period when the whole universe with its innumerable forms, movable and immovable, become manifest. This period is called Kalpa. It is followed by dissolution of the manifested world into the unmanifest Prakriti. The period of dissolution is called Pralaya. Kalpa and Pralaya are of equal duration. Pralaya is followed by Kalpa and Kalpa is followed by Pralaya. Thus Pralaya and Kalpa alternate in a cyclic process.

All individual souls (Jivas) are involved in this cyclic process. They suffer and enjoy and undergo birth and death continuously according to their Karma. At the time of dissolution these souls remain latent in the unmanifested Prakriti in a germ state. As plants spring from seeds these souls come back to their old condition of active life when the new Kalpa begins.

When a man attains self-realisation, he is delinked from this cycle of births and deaths. He attains Moksha (liberation). His soul merges in the Supreme Divine spirit. But those who do not have the realization can not get release from this cycle. They remain helpless creatures under the impact of their own Karma. Forced by their own Karma, they are helplessly dragged into creation. As such they come into manifestation at the approach of Brahman’s day and merge into the unmanifested at the approach of Brahman’s night.

"But beyond this unmanifest, there is yet another unmanifested Eternal Reality, which is not destroyed when all beings are destroyed." (20-VIII).
In this verse, the unmanifested has been described as two-fold. The first unmanifested is the Prakriti or the Primordial Matter, which is the material cause of all perishable objects including the whole universe. It is from this Prakriti that the whole universe with its innumerable objects has come into being as jars come into being from clay. As the jars join the clay after their destruction, the whole universe with its different objects merges in the Prakriti.

Although the Prakriti is called the Unmanifested, it does not have an eternally unmanifested nature, because it becomes manifest at the time of creation. Yet, it is called the unmanifested because at the time of dissolution the whole Universe dissolves in it and remains unmanifest for an infinite period till the next creation begins.

Higher than this unmanifested Prakriti there is yet another Unmanifested Reality. This Unmanifested Reality is the Purusha, the all-pervading Divine Spirit. Although at the time of dissolution the whole universe and the entire aggregate of beings get themselves destroyed, there remains one principle without any destruction and that is the Supreme Divine Spirit.

"What has been called Unmanifested and Imperishable is said to be the ultimate goal, having attained which, there is no return. That is My supreme abode." (21-VIII)
The Unmanifested Prakriti is not immutable or imperishable because it is of a changeful nature. Its non-manifest state is not permanent as it becomes manifest at the time of creation. So this cannot be the highest abode of the Lord.

But that principle which ever remains without any change in the midst of all changeful objects is the Lord, the Supreme Divine Spirit or the Supreme Self. It is the indestructible and everlasting. Therefore it is called the Imperishable non-manifest and everlasting (avyaktokshara ityuktah). This is the Supreme abode of the Lord.

This is the Brahman state.

This is the ultimate goal to be attained by all of us. Those who have attained this supreme state have gone beyond the process of evolution. As such they no longer have to return to this world of miseries and sufferings.