Relation between Brahman and the World

Following two statements are not unfamiliar to the students of Vedanta:

1. Brahman is in everything.

2. Everything is in Brahman.

Let us enquire into these two statements.

Brahma is in everything.

 This statement conveys the relationship between Brahman and the Universe. The universe is ‘everything’ (sarvam). Sarvam is the adhara - locus or support. Brahman is the adheya – supported. The statement conveys adhara-adheya-sambandha between the two.

Everything is in Brahman.

This statant conveys another adhara-adheya-sambandha. In this statement, Brahman is the adhara and everything is adheya.

Brahman and the universe are mutually adhara and adheya. This is not possible between two things with same status of existence. It is possible when one is mithya and the other is satya. Since, Brahman is satya and the universe is mithya, both the statements are possible.

Let us take the example of snake and rope. The snake projected on the rope is in the rope, and the rope is in the snake. You cannot find the snake outside the rope and vice versa.

The relation between satya and mithya is also mithya. It means there is no REAL relationship between the two. Therefore, we can make the following statement too:

1. Brahman is NOT in everything.

2. Everything is NOT in Brahman.

The first statement negates the satyatva of the first kind of adhara-adheya-sambandha. The second statement negates the satyatva of the second relation.

Therefore, the relation between Brahman and the world is mithya. Hence Brahman is unaffected by the world. Also, the world does not limit Brahman. The limiting factors fall in the domain of the universe. Hence, they are mithya.  They cannot limit the satya. Therefore, Brahman is free from all limitations and taints of the world.