BRAHMA KRPA'HI KEVALAM

official source: Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 1

cross-references: also published in Ananda Marga Ideology and Way of Life in a 
	Nutshell Part 2, Ba'ba''s Grace (as "The Lord's Grace Is All")

this version: is the printed Subha's'ita Sam'graha Part 1, 3rd edition 
	(according to copyright page), 1992, version (spelling mistakes only may 
	have been corrected). I.e., this is the most up-to-date version as of the 
	present Electronic Edition.

	Nirgun'a Brahma is eternal without beginning or end and Sagun'a Brahma also is eternal without beginning or end. Many people believe that when Sagun'a Brahma is within the infinite Nirgun'a Brahma, then the former is indeed finite. This mistaken belief arises because people have no conception of the infinite, or have the capacity to conceive of it. If four is deducted from ten the remainder is six. Both four and ten are finite and the remainder six is also finite. However, if anything finite or infinite is deducted from the infinite the remainder is still infinite. So if the boundless Sagun'a Brahma is taken from the infinite Nirgun'a Brahma, the remainder is still the infinite Nirgun'a Brahma.

		Pu'rn'amadah pu'rn'amidam' pu'rna'd pu'rn'amudacyate
		Pu'rn'asya pu'rn'ama'da'ya pu'rn'ameva'vashisyate.

	That is to say, this is infinite and that also is infinite. The perfect has given rise to the perfect and if infinite be taken from the infinite, the remainder also is infinite.

	Sagun'a Brahma is the nucleus of knowledge in the form of Purus'ottama and His mental state is His object. Is Purus'ottama infinite or finite? For the reasons for which Purus'ottama is established in the subjective-feeling, for those very reasons His knowledge aspect is not destroyed. He is not under the bondage of Ma'ya' (Prakrti) and whatever is beyond the bounds of Ma'ya' is beyond the bounds of time, place and person. Hence Purus'ottama is independent of time, place and form and is therefore infinite.

	The question we are considering is whether the mind of Purus'ottama , the Cosmic mind, is finite or infinite. Mind has three aspects: Mahattattva, Aham'ttatva and Citta. Because Satvagun'a is expressed only in Mahattatva there are no limiting boundaries in the Cosmic "I". Giving shape to a thing after rendering it finite is effected by Tamogun'a.

	In the Aham'tattva, that is, wherein the state of Sagun'a Brahma only Satvagun'a and Rajogun'a can exist, and no Tamogun'a, there can be no limitations giving rise to crudeness of physical forms. So the Mahatattva and Aham'tattva portions of the Cosmic mind are infinite, that is to say, the Cosmic mind is infinite. Is the Cosmic Citta, the crudest manifestation of the Cosmic mind, finite or infinite? When Citta has been created under the influence of Tamogun'a, it is undoubtedly bounded by the limitation of time. Just as with the idea of oneness. He acquires the form out of the five fundamental factors for specific objects, or for the sake of sustaining the existence, accepts or discards them, so also the entire Cosmic mind assumes a particular shape, the boundaries of which are formed by the unit mind. The only difference between the two is that the component of the unit mind is only the reflection of the Cosmic mind. This quinquelemental world is the crude manifestation of the Cosmic mind. The Cosmic Mind is the creator of the sublime form of the unit mind and forms the medium of the individual for feeling of pleasure or pain.

	Though this quinquelemental world is very large and extensive, it is not infinite because it is simply the collective evolution of the Cosmic Citta, created by the help of Tamogun'a. Without doubt it is limited. Just as each of the planets, the stars and the heavenly bodies possesses a particular shape, so also their sum-total is not shapeless, because they are all the results of the mind-stuff of the Cosmic mind. One day the scientists will also understand this reality and recognise the validity of the sages' words. This extremely vast Cosmic mind stuff, which resembles the oval shape of the solar world is known as Brahma'nda (An'd'a means egg).

	Regardless of how vast it is, the visible universe is finite. But is the potentiality of the Cosmic mind also limited?  When the Cosmic mindstuff merges into the state of Nirgun'a Brahma, will the Sagun'a Brahma also attain Moks'a? No, it will not. Even though all the manifestations of the Cosmic mind-stuff are limited, the mind-stuff is not finite. The origin of Sagun'a Brahma is beyond the limits of time. Whatever Sagun'a Brahma has done in the form of Praja'pati, since eternity and without beginning has accumulated never ending sam'ska'ras. The original actions of these reactions have not been performed by any individual finite mindstuff. Rather innumerable mind-stuffs have been formed and destroyed, and to suffer those reactions innumerable mindstuffs of Brahma will in the future be created and destroyed. In the limited mind-stuff of Brahma, regardless of how vast it is, all reactions have neither been expressed or pulsated nor can they ever be so. As His Citta wanes, His unexpressed or unvibrated samaska'ras to on creating new mind-stuffs in His Cosmic mind to making Him bear the consequences of His actions.

	As today's galaxies gradually evolve into stars and planets and ultimately get merged in Nirgun'a Brahma the highest attainment of Sa'dhana', so too new luminous bodies, new atoms and electrons and new electrical bodies will be created.

	For this reason I say that the present Cosmic Citta is limited, but the Cosmic mind-stuff is infinite and will continue throughout eternity. When we discover that the Cosmic mind is the innumerable expressions of the mind-stuffs in their totality, then we are correct in calling it infinite.

	Remember that your personality will also advance through transmutation like all other entities. The total extinction of the Cosmic mind will never occur. You have no cause to fear any final dissolution of the universe.

	Those who think that Brahma has something to gain by the attainment of emancipation by a living being are mistaken. What is the decease in the size, of the cosmic mind-stuff when one person attains supreme redemption? Again, that person will be created out of the unmanifested sam'ska'ras. For the sake of reaping His sam'ska'ras, Brahma continues to imagine and will continue throughout eternity. Brahma may be happy about the redemption of a unit living being, but it is no help to Him in attaining salvation.

	It is expedient for human beings to be ever grateful to Him, since by His grace He has equipped them with the requisites for sa'dhana. He constantly showers His grace without reservation even on those persons who make no effort for salvation and who gradually degrade themselves. Even though you calumniate Brahma and deny His existence, yet He will not be displeased with you. He will not thrust you on the path of destruction. His imposing countenance of forgiveness will for ever remain, and He will forever go on directing you to the ways of salvation. Who else is your genuine friend and compassionate companion?

		Tvameva ma'ta' ca pita' tvameva
		Tvameva bandhu ca'sakha' tvameva
		Tvameva vidya' dravin'am' tvameva
		Tvameva sarvam' mama devadeva.

	Do not disregard this enlivening love of your supreme friend. Do not allow any of His gifts to go unused. Pay heed to His words with a steady mind. Do not forget how much He has done for you, how much He is doing and how much ready He is to do anything for you.

	When the aspirant advances a little on the path of Sa'dhana' then His grace becomes more and more refulgent. The aspirant's mind is perfused with feeling of love. The waves of bliss start stirring up his or her mind. His or her voice is choked by the influx of emotions and through lips zealous with sentment, through the tilting body and tearful eyes, one and only one soundless voice recites. It recites the feeling of solitary self-surrender to Him, of complete dependence on Him. - "Brahmakrpa'hi Kevalam."