ASPECTS OF THE DIVINE

ALL ELSE IS UNREAL

THE truth is that God alone is real and all else is unreal. Men, universe, house, children — all these are like the magic of the magician. The magician strikes his wand and says: "Come delusion! Come confusion!" Then he says to the audience, "Open the lid of the pot; see the birds fly into the sky."But the magician alone is real and his magic unreal.The unreal exists for a second and then vanishes.

Siva was seated in Kailas. His companion Nandi was near Him. Suddenly a terrific noise arose."Revered sir," asked Nandi "what does that mean?" Siva said: "Havana is born. That is the meaning!" A few moments later another terrific noise was heard. "Now what is this noise?" Nandi asked. Siva said with a smile, "Ravana is dead."

Birth and death are like magic. You see the magic for a second and then it disappears. God alone is real and all else unreal. Water alone is real; its bubbles appear and disappear. They disappear into the very water from which they rise. (141)