There are three terms of the Divine Manifestation, the Transcendent which is beyond all that we can conceive and perceive of since it has not yet manifested, the Universal which is all that has manifested so far, and finally, the individual who is an important element of the Manifestation since the original impulse of creation is that ‘the One becomes the Many’, ekohambahushyam. Individual is the last and important key to the Manifestation. That is why Nature has taken millions of years to create individualities (in human) out of the mass of different species (animals generally lack it). That is why the individual human soul can cinsciously unite with the Divine. This privilege is not given to the animal. There is a difference however between what is considered as our individuality. Generally it is mistaken for the ego-self which is a temporary construct of nature which dissolves with the death of the body. But it is only the outer shell. There is within us the true individuality, the conscious individual soul that survives death, goes through the cycle of rebirth until it releases its full divine potential. The individual soul is needed to release the full Divine Possibility in terms of earthly life. Yoga itself, including the surrender is done by the individual (human beings consciously surrender, not animals). Each individual therefore is like a Thought of God that must arrive at its full blossoming upon earth and manifest the Divine possibility inherent within it.
Now this Manifestation of the Divine possibility cannot be complete until the whole personality develops around the soul. The individual soul is like a seed, the personality is meant to be its ourflowering, the flowers and fruits developing out of the seed. Right now it is not so because our life is centred around the ego-self which is a temporary construct within which the true individual and the true personality is developing through lives until the day comes when it can express fully the Divine Truth it contains. That is the ultimate purpose, ekohambahusyam.
Once this is complete the soul has a choice to withdraw or else to participate in the further Manifestation.
Surrender is a means in this process. It is not meant to annul the individual but to fulfil our true individuality. Surrender removes the ego-self but brings out the true self into the play as we see in the life of number of Yogis and saints. Personality is like the limbs and speech of the ‘person’ through which he acts. When we live in the Ignorance we are moved by the ego self. But when we are truly surrendered, when the true individual has emerged into the play then it is the Divine who lives and acts in us and through the personality that He now builds and uses for His Purpose.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
