Mandukya_Upanishad

THE TRANSCENDENT PRESENCEWe have made an analysis of the three relativisticphases of the Ātman, both in its individual and cosmicaspects. But, Reality, as such, is neither individual norcosmic. To say that it is cosmic is also to limit it to a certainextent, to bring it to the level of what we call creation. TheSupreme Brahman, the Absolute, is not a cause, and notalso an effect. It has no effects, and, therefore, it is no cause.We cannot call The Supreme Being as even a cause ofthings, especially when we consider that everything isidentical with It. The Māndūkya Upanishad describes notmerely the gross, subtle and causal conditions of themanifested consciousness, but also Consciousness, as such.There is something called Reality in itself, independent ofrelation. Even Īsvaratva is a description by means of arelation to the universe. We call God sarveśvara, sarvajñaand sarvaśaktiman, because we relate Him to the creation.God is omnipresent, pervading everywhere, which meansthat we recognise Him in terms of space. He knows ‘all’things, means that there are things which He knows; andHe has power over all things, means that He can exercisepower over something which is external to Him. Alldefinitions, even the best ones, such as Creatorship,Preservership and Destroyership of the universe;omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence, are relative.They are tatastha-lakṣhanas of God, accidental definitions– not svarūpa-lakṣhana, the essential nature of Reality.What was God before creation? That would be Hissvarūpalakṣhana or essential characteristic. God, in Hisown essence, is something more than a Creator, Preserver