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Shankara is the top most genius in this world. He was the incarnation of Lord Shiva. He had the third eye, which is the eye of the knowledge that is always burning with flames. It is said “Jnanam Maheswaraat Icchyeth”, which means that only Lord Shiva can give the spiritual knowledge. During the time of Shankara, there were two types of atheists:1) Purva Mimaamsakas: They are ritualists, who perform rituals without any analysis and knowledge.
2) Buddhists: They always argue with logic and say that everything is ‘nothing’ (Sunya Vaada).Shankara’s aim was to bring these two types of people to the path of theism. Shankara made a big psychological plan. He called even the atheist as Brahman [One of the meanings of the word Brahman is God]. However He defined Brahman as pure awareness without any quality. Such awareness is present in all the souls, which are present in 84 crore-types of living beings mentioned in the scriptures. The soul is Brahman whether it is present in human beings, animals, birds, insects or worms. Every soul is basically pure awareness and so it is Brahman. Therefore, whether a soul is born as a divine human being like Shankara or whether it is born as a worm in the drainage (sewage), the soul is Brahman. Whether it is scented water or drainage (sewage) water, water is common in both. The scent and drainage impurities are the good and bad qualities correspondingly. When both the good and bad qualities are removed, only pure water remains. That pure water is the soul or Brahman. Therefore, whether one is born as a divine man or as the worst worm, he can always think, “I am Brahman”. The awareness is common in both the king and beggar. Both can say, “I am Brahman”. But the special qualities like knowledge, courage etc., are associated with the awareness in the king and therefore, he became the king. In the beggar the awareness is associated with qualities like ignorance, fear etc., and therefore, he became the beggar. The king is respected and the beggar is neglected. Shankara is the scented water. The atheist is the drainage water. Both are Brahman. But the sandalwood scent and the drainage impurities are not one and the same. If both were one and the same, then scented water and drainage water would be used for the same purpose. Instead of scented water one should sprinkle drainage water on guests invited to a marriage function. A beggar also would be given the same police security as the king is given.
At the lotus feet of Shri Dattaswami
-Prasad
