Why do we see only our own world, and never any other? Sage Vasistha explains that every being carries a unique vision shaped by its past impressions, and through that vision alone does its own world appear real and stable to it; the infinite power of consciousness is one, yet it reflects differently in every mind.
Is this world we see every day the only real one? Could there be worlds out there we’ve never seen, never even imagined? Has that thought ever crossed your mind – looking up at the stars, or sitting alone in the quiet of the night, this question has a way of gnawing at the soul.
Having received divine sight through her mother Saraswati Devi’s grace, Leela now finds a deeper doubt taking shape in her mind. Before setting out for the home of Arundhati and Vasistha, she turns to her mother to have that doubt resolved.
A New Doubt Stirs in Leela’s Mind
Leela looks at her mother with gratitude in her eyes. “Mother, through the flow of your words you have given me divine sight. Just as everything becomes visible the moment the sun rises, your grace has now brought me great wisdom,” she says.
But behind that gratitude lies a hidden doubt. Leela speaks again – “I know you are the embodiment of truth, that you speak nothing but truth. And yet, because of the pull of my past impressions, a trace of doubt, a flicker of curiosity, still lingers in me.”
She voices what she truly wants – to be taken to the home of Arundhati and Vasistha in the village of ‘Giri’. But before making that journey, she asks that the question troubling her mind be answered first.
Leela: Mother, if you have no objection, take me to the home where Arundhati and Vasistha live, in the village of Giri.
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Saraswati Devi’s Answer – Samadhi First
Saraswati Devi listens to her daughter’s request. A subtle compassion crosses her face, for what Leela has asked is no small matter.
“Very well, we shall go. But first, you must take refuge in samadhi,” she says. The words may not land on Leela at once, but Saraswati Devi continues to explain.
She tells Leela that through the power of samadhi, one lets go of the gross body and takes on that pure vision which is beyond the reach of the physical senses – the vision that is nothing but consciousness itself, pure and formless.
This is not merely a method of travel. It is a doorway into a deeper truth – that the body is nothing more than a garment, and the real essence is that very consciousness.
Saraswati Devi: You must first take refuge in samadhi, and through the power of that samadhi, let go of the gross body.
The Art of Entering Another Body
Saraswati Devi continues her teaching. She tells Leela that many beings of great and refined vision leave their own bodies, enter the bodies of others, and share in their experiences without those others ever knowing.
Strange as it may sound, this is a process made possible through the power of yoga. It is called *parakaya pravesham* – entering another’s body – and it is through this very path, Saraswati Devi assures her, that Leela can fulfill her wish.
And here another doubt takes root in Leela’s mind – what, after all, is the body? Is it truly possible to leave it in this way, and then enter another? The question won’t let go of her.
Is the Sense of ‘I’ Something Subtle?
Leela puts her doubt into words directly – “By what particular factor does this subtle consciousness, having taken on a sense of individuality, settle into itself as this inner feeling we call ‘I’?”
It is a deep question. Every one of us carries this sense of ‘I’, yet a natural confusion arises over what that ‘I’ actually is – the body, the mind, or some other, subtler essence entirely.
Saraswati Devi begins to offer a profound answer to this question, explaining what individuality truly is and how it comes to be.
Leela: By what particular factor does this subtle consciousness turn into the feeling of ‘I’ all on its own?
How the Body-Bound Sense of ‘I’ Is Born
Saraswati Devi explains – there is a conscious energy present within this body. When that energy binds itself to this body, it gives rise to the feeling, ‘I am this body.’
This is not something imposed by an outside force. It is an illusion that consciousness itself creates, within itself. And it is this very illusion that binds a being within the limits of time and place.
This is exactly where the variety among beings begins – each being, shaped by its own impressions, lives believing one particular body, one particular world, belongs to it. And it is this very variety that explains why each of us sees a different world.
The Diversity of Experience – One Consciousness, Countless Perceptions
Saraswati Devi expands further on her teaching. Though the infinite power of consciousness is one, it reflects differently in the mind of every being – much as the moon’s reflection appears differently on each ripple of the water.
The reason the world visible to one being differs from the world visible to another lies in this – each being has fashioned, through its own past actions, a unique point of view.
It is this very point of view that makes a being’s own world appear ‘real’ and stable to it. That is why one being’s world generally remains invisible, unreachable, to another being’s experience.
The Illusory Tale Called ‘Brahma’
Here Saraswati Devi offers an example – even the notion of ‘Brahma’ as a creator is itself an illusion. This ‘Brahma’ is nothing but a collective of individual consciousnesses; it is not some separate, independently existing person.
This statement leaves Leela a little astonished. “Is even Brahma, whom everyone speaks of as the creator, merely an illusion?” the question forms in her mind.
Sensing this doubt before it is even spoken, Saraswati Devi continues her explanation – creation, sustenance, and dissolution are themselves nothing but a play that this power of consciousness enacts within itself.
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Will Alone Is the Foundation of Everything
Saraswati Devi now reveals a deeper truth – for as long as will persists, for as long as awareness persists, this whole affair of bodies continues to hold together. Will alone is the root of both the taking on and the shedding of these bodies.
She offers Leela one crucial instruction – “Form the will, and let go of this body.” Here, the body is nothing but a structure built upon the foundation of will.
Your body, this world, this experience – all of it has taken shape only through the will of that original consciousness. And that is precisely why, if one can change one’s will, it becomes possible to move beyond the limits of the body.
Saraswati Devi: This affair of bodies holds together only for as long as will persists. So, through will alone, let go of this body.
Leela’s Decision – Entering Another Body
Having grasped this teaching, Leela bows to her mother’s guidance. “Through the path of pure will, let me leave this body behind and continue my journey,” she says.
From this point on, Leela’s journey enters a new stage – moving beyond the very notion of the body, she now prepares herself to see other worlds, other experiences, through the power of her own will alone.
Saraswati Devi begins to explain to her daughter how to follow this path, and in what order the will must be shaped – laying the ground for the great experience that awaits her.
The Relationship Between Body and Consciousness
| Concept | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Gross Body | A temporary structure formed on the foundation of will |
| Will (Sankalpa) | The root of all bodily affairs and worldly experience |
| Power of Consciousness | One and the same, yet reflecting differently in every being’s mind |
| Brahma | A collective of individual consciousnesses, not a separate individual |
The Spiritual Essence
The real truth hidden within this conversation is this – the world we see, the body we inhabit, the very feeling of ‘I’ – all of it rests upon our will. This is no mere philosophical debate; it is a key truth that lays bare the very root of our experience.
The reason each being sees its own particular world is the point of view shaped by the pull of its past impressions. Change that point of view, and doors open to new experiences, to new worlds altogether.
The truth that the body is not eternal, that it is nothing more than a temporary form shaped by will, has the power to soften our ego and open us to a far wider vision.
Is there something happening to you today that you’re treating as ‘this is real, this is permanent’? Take a moment to look closely at just how much your own will, your own point of view, is shaping that very experience.
Chapter Summary
After receiving divine sight through her mother Saraswati Devi’s grace, Leela wishes to go to the home of Arundhati and Vasistha. Saraswati Devi tells her that she must first shed the gross body through samadhi and learn the art of entering another body, known as parakaya pravesham. Leela then asks how the sense of ‘I’ comes to be. Saraswati Devi explains that when consciousness binds itself to a body, the feeling of individuality arises, and that the one power of consciousness reflects differently in every being. She reveals that even Brahma is merely a collective of individual consciousnesses, and that will alone is the root of all bodily existence – guiding Leela toward letting go of her body through the power of will.
Scripture Notes
- Main Message: The world visible to each being depends on the point of view shaped by its will and past impressions; one single power of consciousness reflects itself in countless forms.
- Philosophical Teaching: The sense of individuality, the feeling of ‘I’, is merely an illusion born when consciousness binds itself to a body; when will changes, the limits of the body can be transcended.
- Connection to the Next Chapter: Having let go of her body through the power of will, Leela’s journey now enters a new chapter.
Just as everything becomes visible the moment the sun rises, supreme wisdom arises through the grace of the guru.
This affair of bodies holds together only for as long as will persists.
The power of consciousness is one, yet it reflects differently in every mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t we see other worlds?
Every being carries a unique point of view shaped by the pull of its past impressions, and through that point of view alone does its own world appear real to it – which is why other beings’ worlds never enter our experience.
What is parakaya pravesham?
Parakaya pravesham is the process, achieved through the power of yoga, by which a person leaves their own body and enters another person’s body to share in that person’s experiences – this is the very path Saraswati Devi teaches Leela.
How does the sense of ‘I’ come to be?
When conscious energy binds itself to a body, the feeling ‘I am this body’ arises; this is not something imposed from outside, but an illusion that consciousness creates within itself.
Is even Brahma an illusion?
According to Saraswati Devi, what we take to be the creator, ‘Brahma’, is nothing but a collective of individual consciousnesses, not a separate, independently existing person.
What is the connection between will and the body?
Will is the very root of all bodily affairs; the body continues to hold together only for as long as will persists, and by changing that will, the limits of the body can be transcended.
Is it possible to leave the body through samadhi?
Yes – as Saraswati Devi explains, through the power of samadhi it is possible to let go of the gross body and take on that pure vision which is nothing but consciousness itself, a path attainable through yoga.
Conclusion
Leela now prepares to let go of her body through the power of will, following the path her mother has shown her. Having understood this secret – that the power of consciousness is one, yet reflects itself in countless forms – what new world will she see, what new experience awaits her? We’ll find out in the next episode.
