Lord’s Omnipresence
By Smruthi Srinivasan
|| Sri Gurubhyo Namaha ||The Bhagavad Gita is a guide for perceiving the world around us and the essence of the reality that encompasses us. In Chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna recites the verse:
yo māṁ paśhyati sarvatra sarvaṁ cha mayi paśhyati |
tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśhyāmi sa cha me na praṇaśhyati || 6-30 ||
The message conveyed here relates the ultimate unity one should have in relation to the Lord and oneself.
The literal meaning of this verse is: for one who (yo), sees (paśhyati), Me (māṁ), everywhere (sarvatra), and (cha), sees (paśhyati), everything (sarvaṁ), in Me (mayi), I (āhaṁ), am never forgotten (na praṇaśhyāmi), by them (tasyā), and they (sa cha), are never forgotten (na praṇaśhyati), by Me (me). Essentially, Lord Krishna is emphasizing the outlook one must have – to see Lord and the Aatmaa as one and the same and further declares that the Lord will always be with such a person and that such a person will never be forgotten by the Lord. In this verse particularly, Lord Krishna equates Aatmaa and Ishwara as the same. Lord Krishna refers to Ishwara as the Chaitanyam, formless and existing everywhere. He implies that one should not view any differences between oneself and the Lord and that there is no separation between the two.
This overarching message can be directly related to the character of a Jnani Bhakta, one who has reached this stage of understanding the oneness with the Lord. Lord Krishna emphasizes this outlook further in Chapter 7 when he states, jñānī tvātmaiva me matam, that this bhakta is not different from him but one and the same. We can see this very idea in the epic of Ramayana, specifically in the relation between Lord Rama and Hanuman. When Sita presented Hanuman with a precious pearl necklace, he broke the necklace, observing each of the pearls and then throwing each one away. Hanuman explained how he believed that Rama was everywhere and could not find Rama in the pearl necklace. Later, when Hanuman was questioned by people about whether Rama was there in Hanuman, Hanuman opened his chest to show an image of Rama and Sita imprinted in his heart. When Lord Rama himself asked Hanuman how he perceives him, Hanuman’s response was “you and I, my Lord, are one and the same.” Hanuman saw the Lord everywhere, even within himself as Lord Krishna highlighted in this verse. In another instance, Narada, a devotee of Lord Narayana, asks the Lord who he believed was his best devotee. Expecting that it would be himself, who recites the Lord’s name constantly, Narada was surprised when the Lord replied that it was an impoverished farmer residing in a village. Lord Narayana, noticing Narada’s shock gave him a bowl filled with oil and told Narada to carry the bowl around the entire world so that not even a drop would fall. When he returned, succeeding in the task, Lord Narayana conveys to him that while he did complete the task, he did not remember to recite his name even once. Here, the Lord highlights the importance of always connecting to the Lord and maintaining the devotion regardless of the surfacing issues or tasks ahead.
The concept portrayed in this verse can be further connected to the relation between the Gopis and Lord Krishna. When Lord Krishna left from Vrindavan, the Gopis felt discontented and unhappy. The Gopis viewed the Lord embodied in the form of a person and when they expressed their sorrow to Radha, her response was that “Lord Krishna wanted us to realize that he lives within everyone as the Paramatma.” This response connects to the essential idea that happiness should not be born out of mere attachment and that the Lord is Chaitanyam. When one realizes this truth, there is no separation. This concept can also connect to the final stages of Bhakti. In chapter five, Lord Krishna recites:
vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini |
śhuni chaiva śhva-pāke cha paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśhinaḥ || 5-18 ||
Here, Lord Krishna once again encapsulates the omnipresence of the Lord, where any object or being, whether a Brahmin, cow, dog or even dog-eater should be seen with sama-darśhinaḥ or equal vision. Transitively, all beings should be respected, with the idea that Lord is embodied in each being. With the Ishwaraa being the Paramarthika Satyam, this form of bhakti is one where the Jnani is not doing the normal forms of puja to differentiate the Lord but rather perceives the entire world as a temple and as divine. When Hiranyakashipu tried to make his son, Prahlada forget about Lord Narayana, Prahlada refused. When Hiranyakashipu asked Prahlada “Who is this God that protects you? Where is he?” Prahlada understood that the Lord was everywhere in the universe. When Hiranyakashipu asked his son “How will you deal with your enemies?” Prahlad responded, “If Vishnu is everywhere, how can there be enemies. Gods, humans, birds, animals are all full of the same Vishnu.” When Hiranyakashipu asked if Lord Vishnu was in the pillar, Prahlada stated that he was. When Hiranyakashipu destroyed the pillar, the Lord arose from the dust in the Narasimha avatar. Prahlada’s steadfast devotion to the Lord and his understanding that the Lord is everywhere highlights the highest form of bhakti. Likewise, another devotee, Mira Bhai demonstrates this strong devotion to the Lord as she saw Lord Krishna everywhere. Regardless of the troubles that arose, including attempts to poison her, she believed that the Lord was there all the time with her. Such bhakti indicates the ultimate unity between the Lord and Me, as well as relates to the second half of the verse, where Lord Krishna confirms that he will always be with one who realizes that he and the Lord is the same.
The overall idea portrayed here can further relate to the world we live in today. As we develop strong emotions through the problems we face, whether it is the daily frustration from work or traffic or the happiness from scoring a high grade or obtaining a promotion, it is crucial to realize that any emotions that arise through attachment is not true happiness or anger. It is important that we realize above all the pressures that surround us that our emotions should be from the intrinsic awareness of the Lord and the oneness that we should have with the Lord. Today, we generally tend to categorize objects and nature as inanimate and unconnected. We think of the Lord during prayers or pujas as separate and are inclined to act differently after completing the prayer. Yet, it is important to show respect to everyone whether another person, animal or object as a form of the Lord who is existing everywhere.
Through this verse, Lord Krishna brings forward the purpose of our human birth and the need to realize that the soul and the Lord are one and the same, for that is the sole way to transcend the human existence and attain salvation.
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