Oneness

By Paratrikananda dasa

Is there ever a comprehensive unification of existence between living beings? Do we have any substantive connection other than a temporal proximity to one another? We band together for safety and companionship, and with great labor weave emotional bonds fated to be torn apart. We exist like survivors of a great shipwreck who converge and huddle in the ocean, but one by one succumb to hypothermia, or thirst, or aquatic predators, or madness, or are swept away by the thrashing waves, again to drift alone. When our time comes, no one can save us. In the beginning we’re alone. In the end we’re alone. In between we chase the mirage of friendship and love.

But in the illimitable sphere, there is umbilical affiliation between the self and our omnipotent counterpart. It is refulgent and inextinguishable. We two percipient beings—one, origin, the other, destination; one, subject, the other, object; one, energetic, the other, energy—though infinitely different, are kindred inseparables. Though not one, there is oneness.

They began to embrace Krsna to their hearts’ content, and the distress of separation was mitigated immediately. They were just like great sages who, by their advancement of knowledge, merge into the existence of the Supreme. As the Supersoul living in everyone’s heart, Lord Krsna could understand their minds; they had come to Him despite all the protests of their relatives, fathers, husbands, brothers, and all the duties of household affairs. They came just to see Him who was their life and soul. They were actually following Krsna’s instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā: one should surrender to Him, giving up all varieties of occupational and religious duties. The wives of the brāhmanas actually carried out the instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā in total. He therefore began to speak to them, smiling very magnificently. It should be noted in this connection that when Krsna entered into the wives’ hearts and when they embraced Him and felt the transcendental bliss of being merged with Him, the Supreme Lord Krsna did not lose His identity, nor did the individual wives lose theirs. The individuality of both the Lord and the wives remained, yet they felt oneness in existence. When a lover submits to his lover without any pinch of personal consideration, that is called oneness. Lord Caitanya has taught us this feeling of oneness in His siksastaka: Krsna may act freely, doing whatever He likes, but the devotee should always be in oneness or in agreement with His desires. That oneness was exhibited by the wives of the brāhmanas in their love for Krsna.

KB, 1.23
Delivering the Wives of the Brahmanas Who Performed Sacrifices