UNMANIFEST AS REAL

The Vedantic scriptures annunciate the unmanifest as Brahman, the Supreme Being. In the Upanishads, Brahman is described as all-encompassing, full in every respect and beyond, unmanifest, Ultimate Reality, Absolute Truth,  Absolute Existence, and experienced Reality. The Ishavasya Upanishad (introductory invocation Om Shanti mantra) and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (5.1.1) invoke:

oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidam pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate .

pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate 

oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ..

That is the whole. This is the whole. The whole comes from the whole. When the whole is removed from the whole, the whole remains the same." In essence, it emphasises the advaita (non-dualistic) nature of reality, where the divine is not separate from the manifest but rather permeates it. It highlights the interconnectedness and unity of everything. By removing the concept of separation, the Upanishads emphasise that the unmanifest Brahman is present within all phenomena and noumena that the world itself is a manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman. Conversely, the manifest phenomenal world is not the ultimate reality; rather, it is transient, impermanent, or even illusory compared to the unmanifest. Maya, or illusion, gives the material world as an illusionary reflection that veils the true reality of Brahman. The manifest world is full of change, decay, and imperfection—becoming a kind of temporary expression or projection of the unmanifest, rather than the final word on existence.

1. Outline

The unmanifest Brahman (Cosmic Self, or Supreme Self) is the foundational, undifferentiated, and non-dual reality from which the entire universe originates. This unmanifest Brahman is the source of all things, the essence, the smallest particle of the cosmos, and the infinite universe itself. It is called Paramatman, or Cosmic Self, or the Ultimate Reality, or Absolute Existence. It is uncaused or unmoved, and it is independent of the perimeters of time, space, and causation. The unmanifest is an infinity of infinitude and is beyond the cognition of finite beings. It is a state of reality that exists beyond the perceived and manifested world. This unmanifest is not a lack of reality but rather a state from which the manifested world originates and to which it eventually returns. The manifest is subject to birth, growth and dissolution that goes on in a cyclic manner. This phenomenon is called Samsara Chakra, or the wheel of birth and death. This Samsara Chakra is Maya (illusion) that is subject to the perimeters of time, space and causation. The Srimad Bhagavad Gita (8.15-20) teaches that the true nature of the Self (Atma) is unmanifest and is the same as the unmanifest Brahman. The unmanifest state, according to the Bhagavad Gita, refers to the formless, pure, and undifferentiated state of Brahman and the Atman before manifestation. It suggests that the true essence of existence lies in what is not visible, tangible, or immediately apparent. This points to a deeper, formless reality that transcends the physical world we perceive with our sense organs. In this, the unmanifest is seen as the Ultimate Truth or Reality, the source of all that is movable, immovable, animate, inanimate, visible, invisible and beyond our cognition and perception.The Unmanifest as the Source and Destination, including all beings and objects, is a manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman. This manifestation is cyclical, meaning it is constantly being created, maintained, and then dissolved back into the unmanifest. The Unmanifest is the true nature of Self, an assertion by the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.The Bhagavad Gita (13.23), and also the Srimad Bhagavatam (3.26.18) emphasise that the Atman (Self) is not a physical object or part of the material world. It is, instead, an aspect of the unmanifest Brahman, which is the Ultimate Reality.The Atma is the individual, eternal, and indestructible self that exists within each living being. It is the spark of consciousness, the "light of life" in every living entity, and is considered part of the Paramatma (Cosmic Self). The unmanifest is beyond perception as it is not something that can be seen, heard, touched, perceived or visualised through the senses. It is beyond the realm of ordinary perception, visualisation and knowledge. The unmanifest is real and true essence of existence. It lies in what is not visible, tangible, or immediately apparent. This points to a deeper, formless reality that transcends the physical world we perceive with our senses. Brahman, or Cosmic Self, is the unchanging, formless reality behind everything, beyond the reach of our everyday experience. It is the ineffable, unmanifest principle that underlies and gives rise to the universe. The unmanifest, being timeless and beyond form, holds a more fundamental truth. It’s a humbling idea, encouraging us to look beyond the surface and recognise that there’s a greater reality beneath.This recognition flips our conventional understanding of reality, as it suggests reality is deeper than appearances: what we see and touch might be less "real" than the unseen essence behind it. Perception shapes our truth as it focuses on the manifest that could blind us to a more profound reality. It’s a call to reflect and contemplate on Ultimate Reality something eternal, unperceived and uncognised.This way we can feel both liberating and unsettling. It frees us from clinging too tightly to the manifest material world, but it also challenges us to rethink how we contemplate defining our goals, living, and valuing our ways of life.

2. Scriptures

Upanishads offer clear explanations for unmanifest Brahman. The Katha Upanishad (1.3.10-11) asserts that beyond the Great Atman lies the Unmanifest, and beyond the Unmanifest lies the Purusha. Beyond the Purusha there is nothing; this is the end, the Supreme Goal. This suggests that unmanifest Brahman is a stage beyond the universal self (Great Atman), with the Purusha (Supreme Being) as the ultimate reality, indicating a path to liberation. It goes on to assert that (Katha Upanishad 2.3.7) beyond the senses is the mind; higher than the mind is the intellect; above the intellect is the great atman; higher than the Mahat (cosmic mind) is Avyaktam (unmanifest). This verse establishes a progression, with unmanifest Brahman as the highest level beyond all perceptible and conceptual faculties. Katha Upanishad (2.3.8), in continuation, says that beyond the Unmanifest is Purusha, all-pervading and imperceptible. Having realised Him, the embodied self becomes liberated and attains immortality. Adi Shankaracharya, in his commentary, explains the meaning: in effect is devoid of all the attributes of samsara. Knowing both the preceptor and the sastras, the mortal, even during life, is freed from the knots of the heart, such as ignorance, etc., and even when the body falls, he attains immortality. This clause establishes a connection with the preceding one. He is the Purusha beyond the Avyaktam, etc.Here, realising the unmanifest Brahman leads to liberation and immortality, emphasising its role in spiritual realisation. The Mandukya Upanishad (verse 7), provides a profound description of the unmanifest Brahman. Turīya (fourth state of consciousness; the other three being: waking, dreaming and deep sleep) is not that which is conscious of the internal (subjective) world, nor that which is conscious of the external (objective) world, nor that which is conscious of both, nor that which is a mass all sentiency, nor that which is simple consciousness, nor that which is insentient. It is unseen by any sense organ, not related to anything, incomprehensible by the mind, uninferable, unthinkable, indescribable, essentially of the nature of Consciousness constituting the Self alone, negation of all phenomena, the Peaceful, all Bliss and the Non-dual. This is what is known as the fourth Turīya. This is the Ātman and it has to be realised. This characterisation underscores the ineffable nature of unmanifest Brahman, which cannot be grasped by ordinary means of perception or reasoning. People often associate it with the concept of Para Brahman, the Supreme Brahman that transcends space, time, and causality. The Taittiriya Upanishad refers to unmanifest Brahman as "the unmanifest (Avyakrita)" and associates it with the "highest Akasa" (space). The Upaniṣad states that in the very beginning before the creation of this world this world was in umanifested condition, i.e., before the creation of all this, their was but unmanifest Brahman only. From that unmanifest Brahman the manifest universe was produced. The term asat means the unmanifested condition of Brahman. Supreme Brahman transmuted himself into various living and non-living forms. So, all is Brahman, besides him nothing exists in this universe. This implies the concept of the unmanifest (Avyakrita). The Akasa (space) in the heart is the highest because it helps one meditate on Brahman and learn about it. This theory suggests that the unmanifest Brahman is a fundamental, non-physical reality that facilitates spiritual practices like meditation, aiding in the realisation of the ultimate truth. The Chandogya Upanishad (3.14.1), while often cited for general Brahman teachings, highlights that this whole universe is Brahman. All this is Brahman. Brahman is the source of everything, the source of all things, and the sustainer of everything. One should therefore quietly meditate on Brahman. Each person has a mind of his own. What a person wills in his present life, he becomes when he leaves this world. One should bear this in mind and meditate accordingly. The Mundaka Upanishad (2.2.11) describes Brahman as that immortal Brahman alone is before, that Brahman is behind, and that Brahman is to the right and left. Brahman alone pervades everything above and below; this universe is that Supreme Brahman alone. Brahman alone, the light of lights, is true, and all else is only its modification; a matter of speech is a mere name and falsehood first made and logically demonstrated at length afterwards is affirmed again as a conclusion by this mantra. It asserts that bright formlessness is all-pervading, existing within and without, unborn, without prana, without mind, pure, and beyond the avyakrita, which is beyond all." This statement reinforces the idea that the unmanifest nature exists beyond all manifest qualities.

The unmanifest is abiding, and the apparent manifest is unreal, so teaches the Ashtavakra Gita (2.28). Knowledge is the essential component to decipher between the manifest and unmanifest. The Ashtavakra Gita (3.7) highlights that from ignorance of oneself, the world appears, and by knowledge of oneself, it appears no longer. 

3. Remarks

 It is often pronounced in scriptures, unmanifest as real and manifest as unreal, an evolving framework for exploring life’s big questions. They push us beyond the obvious, urging us to seek truth in the invisible and eternal rather than the fleeting and apparent. It’s not just an abstraction but rather a shift in how we see the world, one that can inspire both wonder and a deeper sense of purpose.

-Asutosh Satpathy