Five Eternal Realities

Neelkanth arrived at Ramanand Swami's ashram situated in the village of Loj, at the foot of Mt. Girnar in Saurashtra. He asked Muktanand Swami, a leading sadhu of the ashram, to explain the forms of Jiva, Ishwar, Maya, Brahman and Parabrahman. "Jivas are subtle as an atom, sentient and infinite in number. Ishwar is omniscient, sentient, bound by Maha-Maya and infinite in number. Maya is possessed of three gunas, dark and immutable, constant and unique. The embodied form of Brahman is in the constant service of Parabrahman. Parabrahman, along with innumerable liberated souls, resides in the all-pervading Akshar. Parabrahman is eternally divine, with a form, supreme, the cause of all causes, controller, inspirer, illuminator and redeemer. He pervades and controls Jiva, Ishwar, Maya and Brahman." Satisfied with Muktanand Swami's exposition, Nilkanth decided to settle in Loj, after a seven-year-period of arduous travel throughout India.