120. Self in All, All in Self

Existence is the coherence of the manifested like our body and the unmanifested or atma (self). We perceive existence either through the manifested or through the unmanifested. We are familiar with the first one, where we distinguish between people and things, as our senses can perceive only the manifested. We hardly recognise the unmanifested behind the manifested as it requires going beyond the senses.

For example, when we see a person, we immediately identify whether it’s a man or a woman. Then we see how well one dresses and behaves; and how influential, popular or wealthy one is. Subsequently, we recall the good and bad memories associated with them. Our behaviour depends on the judgements we make based on these divisions.

In this regard, Krishna says that united with the self, he sees the self in all beings and all the beings in the self; he sees the same everywhere (6.29). This is the path of going beyond the divisions created by five senses. Metaphorically, it is like digging a well where the senses see sand, stones and gravel. While no water is seen at the beginning of the digging but invariably water appears.

This verse gives a paradigm shift of looking at the unmanifested first and coming to the manifested subsequently. It’s the realisation that behind every person or thing (manifested) the same unmanifested exists which Krishna said ‘seeing the same everywhere’. It’s like two fighting fruits of a tree realising that the same trunk feeds them and they are a part of one big tree. This understanding helps us to realise that it is all a drama played on the grand stage of the unmanifested. It is the realisation that the Unmanifest is indivisible yet appears as if divided among living beings (13.17).

Certainly, as Krishna indicated earlier, this needs constant practice with determination to see the self in all beings and all the beings in the self.