TV Channel

Śṛṣṭi means creation, and within this creation is included all vegetation, our planet, oceans, rivers, and everything. It is said that the ākāśa element—the space, the sky in which we exist—is of an age and size we cannot know. In Sanskrit, this is called Ananta, which means endless. Can you conceive of something that is endless? Ananta, ananta, ananta—without end. I recall people sometimes coming to me and saying, "Swāmījī, I have so many problems; there is no end to them." If we cannot see the end of our own problems, how can we hope to see the end of this endless universe? Ananta Brahmāṇḍa. Brahmāṇḍa means one solar system. Ananta Brahmāṇḍa means many thousands upon thousands of solar systems. And Ananta Brahman signifies an infinite number of such systems. We exist within this solar system; we are limited, while That is limitless. There is a story of a statue made of salt. This salt statue went to the ocean's shore and asked the people, "Do you know how deep the ocean is?" Some said twenty meters, some said one hundred, some said one thousand. Everyone gave a different answer. But the salt statue wanted to know precisely. A wise man sitting on the beach said, "If you truly wish to know the ocean's depth, then jump in yourself and discover it." So, if you genuinely want to know how deep the ocean is, you must jump into it. The salt statue put on a bathing suit and jumped into the ocean. To this day, it has not returned. What happened? The statue, being made of salt, melted. And that is why the ocean is salty. Similarly, one who searches for God must dive into this endless universe. Then you cannot come out again, for you will become one with That One. You become one with its essence, present everywhere—Sarvatra. In that endless universe, there exists neither light nor darkness. Mahāprabhujī said in a bhajana: "Raṅgan rūpa rūpa." It is Anādi, without color and without form, yet it is everlasting. "Guruvara, main calū sā un desha." O Lord, Gurudeva, I wish to go with you to that place, that country. That entire universe, though it is endless, I understand as a mother principle. It is called the mother's womb, for within the universe resides that Cosmic Consciousness.