How the whole universe is present in the heart of each living being

Since the Lord includes everything that exists, the whole creation exists inside the heart of each living being! Inconceivable as it may sound, that’s exactly what the Chāndogya Upaniṣad reveals.

Sometimes I’m asked where I get the translations for the verses of the Upaniṣads I’m using in different articles. The answer is that I’m doing these translations myself, applying the style Prabhupada uses in his translations. Most translations of the Upaniṣads we can find are just literal translations, which rarely convey the real meaning of the verses. If I were to just paste the text from some of them, you would probably not be very happy about it. This is what this website is about: offering explanations of Prabhupada’s teachings and of different scriptures that are accurate and easy to understand.

Today, we have an interesting passage, this one found in the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, which elaborates on the idea of the Lord living inside the heart of everyone. Since the Lord includes everything that exists, the whole creation exists inside the heart of each living being! Inconceivable as it may sound, that’s exactly what the Chāndogya Upaniṣad reveals:

atha yad idam asmin brahma-pure daharaṁ puṇḍarīkaṁ veśma daharo ’sminn antarākāśaḥ tasmin yad antas tad anveṣṭavyaṁ tad vāva vijijñāsitavyam

"In the city of Brahman (the body), there is a small lotus-like abode (dahara puṇḍarīka veśma) where exists a small, subtle, inner sky (daharo ’sminn antarākāśaḥ). One should seek what is within that space. That is what must be sought out, that is what one must come to know in truth." (8.1.1)

In this verse, the expression brahma-pura (the city of Brahman) does not refer either to Satyaloka or to Vaikuṇṭha, but to the material body. The reason is that the body is compared to a city, and both the soul and the Supersoul live there inside the heart. Since both the soul and the Supersoul are Brahman (spirit), the body is referred to as brahma-pura.

Inside this brahma-pura there is a lotus-like abode which is defined as very small (dahara). Inside this minute lotus-shaped abode, there is a small sky, or space. What is inside this space is not directly stated, but that's the main topic of the passage, that which we must seek out and know in truth.

tañ cet brūyuḥ – yad idam asmin brahmapure daharaṁ puṇḍarīkaṁ veśma daharo ’sminn antarākāśaḥ, kiṁ tad atra vidyate yad anveṣṭavyaṁ yad vāva vijijñāsitavyam iti, sa brūyāt

"If a student would ask: What exactly is to be sought and realized in this small ākāśa, or space inside the body?' The teacher would answer as follows." (8.1.2)

yāvān vā ayam ākāśas tāvān eṣo ’ntarhṛdaya ākāśaḥ ubhe asmin dyāvāpṛthivī antar eva samāhite ubhāv agniś ca vāyuśca sūryācandramasāv ubhau vidyun nakṣatrāṇi | yac cāsyehāsti yac ca nāsti, sarvaṁ tad asmin samāhitam iti

"As immeasurable as the outer sky may be, the ākāśa inside the body is of the same measure. In this space inside the heart exist both heaven and earth, the vastness of both the fire and air elements, the sun and the moon, lightning and stars. Indeed, whatever exists in the universe, both now and in the future, is present in that space." (8.1.3)

We often think of Paramātmā as some kind of fragmentary portion of the Lord. We may imagine that the Lord expands Himself into so many forms to enter into the heart of all living entities, so that each form is not so powerful. This passage of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad, however, shatters this misconception. The Lord is present in the heart of all living entities, not as some kind of partial manifestation, but in His full glory. As explained in the first verse of the Īśopaniṣad, although the Lord expands Himself into so many forms, each of these forms is complete, and the Lord remains complete even after producing so many complete expansions.

To help us understand this point, we can take into consideration that even in mundane mathematics, it's accepted that if an infinite number is divided into infinite parts, each part will still be infinite. Thus, inconceivable as it may be, even when the Lord manifests so many expansions, each expansion still has full power and opulences.

Just as the Lord includes everything that exists (as He showed personally to mother Yaśodā by displaying the entire universe inside His mouth, and by displaying the universal form to Arjuna), the form of Paramātmā inside the heart includes everything. Therefore, the lotus-abode inside the heart includes everything that exists, inconceivably as it may be. All planetary systems, the totality of material elements, all living beings, etc., are present there, and this includes not just the present, but past and future as well.

The fact that everything exists simultaneously inside the heart of every living entity should not be understood in the sense that there are multiple copies of each universe and each particular material object inside the heart of each entity. The Lord is one, and He contains everything that exists. The Lord, however, does not create copies of himself; He just becomes present in many places simultaneously and performs many different pastimes. The concept of the Lord expanding Himself should not be taken in the sense of a process of division, like a brick being broken into different parts, or cells dividing.

tañ cet brūyuḥ – asmiṁś ced idaṁ brahmapure sarvaṁ samāhitaṁ sarvāṇi ca bhūtāni sarve ca kāmāḥ, yadaitajjarāvāpnoti pradhvaṁsate vā kiṁ tato ’tiśiṣyata iti

"The student could then ask: If everything that exists is contained within that city of Brahman, all beings and all objects, whatever can be imagined or desired, what happens when the body reaches old age and is destroyed? If the body, which is the abode of everything is destroyed, what then could be left?" (8.1.4)

This is a really interesting philosophical question. The previous verse mentions that everything that exists is present in the dahara akāśa, the small sky inside the heart. After accepting this point, one natural question would be: since the body is temporary, what happens when it is finally destroyed? Does everything just stop existing after the destruction of the body?

sa brūyāt—nāsya jarayaitaj jīryati, na vadhenāsya hanyate, etat satyaṃ brahmapuram; asmin kāmāḥ samāhitāḥ, eṣa ātmāpahatapāpmā vijaro vimṛtyur viśoko vijighatso ’pipāsaḥ, satyakāmaḥ satyasaṅkalpaḥ, yathā hy eva iha prajā anvāviśanti yathānuśāsanam, yaṃ yam antam abhikāmā bhavanti, yaṃ janapadaṃ yaṃ kṣetrabhāgaṃ taṃ tam evopajīvanti

"To this, the teacher would answer: This dahara akāśa, the small sky inside the heart, does not witter with the old age of the body, nor is it destroyed when the body is destroyed. This is the true city of Brahman, not the body. This is ātmā, the true Self, which is sinless, ageless, deathless, free from sorrow, hunger and thirst. He doesn't desire anything apart from His own eternal, transcendental desires, and all His desires are automatically satisfied. Just as, here on earth, people enter various communities and live on whatever region or field they desire, in that inner realm each person attains whatever one is longing for." (8.1.5)

On text 8.1.1, the expression brahma-pura refers to the body, because Paramātmā, together with the soul, is present inside the body. However, the real brahma-pura is independent of the body, being sinless, ageless, deathless, etc., and where one can find the attainment of all one's desires.

tad yatheha karma-cito lokaḥ kṣīyate, evam evāmutra puṇya-cito lokaḥ kṣīyate, tad ya ihātmānam ananuvidya vrajanty etāṁś ca satyān kāmān, teṣāṁ sarveṣu lokeṣv akāmacāro bhavati | atha ya ihātmānam anuvidya vrajanty etāṁś ca satyān kāmān, teṣāṁ sarveṣu lokeṣu kāmacāro bhavati

"Just as in this world everything one achieves by past pious activities is destroyed (with death), whatever one may achieve in the next life by dint of current pious activities will also be destroyed. Therefore, those who end this life not knowing the Lord, who is the True Self with eternal auspicious qualities, remain bound in this world, without freedom of movement. On the other hand, those who leave their bodies knowing Him have freedom of movement and attain everything they desire." (8.1.6)

Before, it was mentioned that the small sky inside the heart should be sought out and known in truth. Later, it is defined that this small sky is the Lord Himself, including His transcendental abode, the real abode of happiness. Now, the destination of the ones who are able to realize Him or not is contrasted. One who departs one's body without attaining Krsna Consciousness remains bound to the results of his karma, transmigrating through different material bodies. The ones who wisely use their time and understand the Lord, however, become free to wander as they please, both in the spiritual world and in the material universe. If one has still material desires, one can easily attain everything one hankers for.

In the next section, form verses 8.2.1 to 8.2.10, the Chāndogya Upaniṣad elaborates on that, describing many common material desires and how they are easily attained by a devotee of the Lord: If one desires to meet one's departed ancestors, by his mere desire he not only meets with them, but is worshiped together with them. If one desires to see his departed mothers, not only of this life, but of any previous lives, or one’s brothers, sisters, or friends, the same happens. If one desires luxuries such as celestial perfumes and garlands, nectarian foods and drinks, delightful music played by celestial artists, or even association with celestial women, all of these one can easily achieve, different from conditioned souls imprisoned by karma.

Krsna Consciousness is thus the solution for everyone, both souls who desire to attain the spiritual world, or who hanker for material happiness. Both can be easily achieved by one who knows the Lord.

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