The Real and the Unreal: Why the World Appears False to the Awakened Soul

When one begins to reach the level of the soul, many deep realizations unfold. The soul is never born, nor does it ever die. It is eternal, indestructible, and imperishable. We understand this through spiritual knowledge — especially through the wisdom of Brahma — that the soul simply changes its form and continues its eternal journey. Most people live only with awareness of one birth, one body, and one earth, believing that the visible is all that exists. But when true knowledge awakens, the understanding expands beyond the temporary. Then one realizes that this entire world — its honors, awards, and illusions — is a stage where everyone plays their role for a short time.

The Illusion of Recognition and the Reality of Self

In the world, people chase fame, attention, and recognition. They seek photographs, selfies, and moments of temporary glory. But the awakened soul knows that such validation is false publicity. Many systems today — whether in business or social media — operate on this illusion of mutual praise. People lift each other for show, but not for truth. The writer recalls his own experiences in network marketing, where everyone spoke of wealth and success, but the essence was hollow. It was a game of appearances, of showing off, of claiming happiness from material gains. Yet, the soul that has seen the light within cannot find peace in such artificiality.

The World of Artificial Vibrations

Spiritual seekers often feel out of place in such gatherings. The world’s heavy atmosphere of greed, competition, and pride feels mismatched with their subtle, pure vibrations. The higher one’s consciousness rises, the less joy one finds in the noise of the world. This sense of mismatch gives the feeling of being an outsider in one’s own world. Self-realization changes one’s vision entirely. As Bapuji Dashrathbhai Patel explains, when the soul becomes self-aware, the universe begins to reveal its deeper truth. The seeker realizes that this entire creation — the earth, the solar system, and even the vast universes — are temporary, dream-like manifestations. The true home of the soul lies in the infinite realm of supreme peace.

The Dream-Like Nature of the World

Just as dreams appear real while we sleep, this world appears real until the soul awakens. When we awaken, the dream dissolves, revealing that it was never permanent. In the same way, when one attains higher knowledge, this entire world appears as a passing play — a Leela, a divine drama.

The Vedas and Upanishads express this beautifully:

Brahma Satyam, Jagat Mithya — Brahman is truth, the world is false.

This means that only the supreme consciousness is real and unchanging, while the world is a projection — a reflection that constantly changes form. The Chandogya Upanishad declares, “All this is Brahman.” Everything exists within that one eternal reality, yet the names and forms we see are temporary.

The Temporary and the Eternal

The body, which people take pride in, will dissolve into dust. Wealth, status, and relationships will fade away. Every form is perishable. That which is seen changes every moment; that which is unseen — the eternal soul — remains the same. Hence, the awakened soul sees the material world as a fleeting image, like a movie projected on the screen of time.When the mind goes into deep sleep, the connection with the world and even the body disappears. In that state, one experiences profound peace — the peace of the soul. The same Paramshanti (supreme peace) is the natural state of the soul when freed from illusion.

The Divine Play of Creation

According to the Bhagavata Purana, this universe is the divine play of Lord Vishnu — a cosmic sport created through divine thought. Souls enter this grand drama to remember their true nature. When the seeker rises above illusion (Maya), he realizes that all beings — gods, humans, and even demons — are simply actors performing their roles in the same divine play. The Vishnu Purana says that in Kali Yuga, what appears real is not real, and what is real does not appear. The soul’s nature is truth, consciousness, and bliss — Sat-Chit-Ananda. The world’s nature is impermanent and mixed with suffering. When the soul recognizes itself as eternal, the transient world no longer feels like home.

The Breaking of Ego

When disasters strike, humanity realizes how fragile this world is. A house built in decades can collapse in seconds. The ego that says, “I did this, I built that,” shatters in a moment. Even relationships that once brought joy change over time. The same people who once gave happiness become sources of sorrow. True happiness does not lie in material or emotional attachments, for they are bound by karma, time, and nature. When these bindings are seen clearly, the soul’s vision turns inward toward the eternal truth.

The Soul’s True Home

The awakened soul realizes: “I am not from here.” It has descended from divine realms far beyond infinite universes. For such a soul, earthly life feels like imprisonment — limited and sorrowful compared to its true, infinite state. The cycle of birth and death feels false, and the soul yearns to return home — to the infinite world of light and peace.

The Veil of Illusion

Maya, the great illusion, makes the soul believe that body, wealth, and relations are real. But once knowledge awakens, this veil tears apart. The seeker realizes that life is like a stage drama — every scene is temporary. Just as an actor knows he is not truly the character he plays, the soul knows it is not this body. This is why Shankaracharya said, “Brahman is the truth, the world is illusion.” The mirror analogy explains it further: the reflection you see in the mirror is not truly you. This world too is the reflection of the conscious light of the Supreme Being.

The Wisdom of the Scriptures

The Katha Upanishad summarizes it beautifully: “Only the eternal is real; all else is perishable.” The seeker observes everything changing — childhood, youth, relationships, circumstances — and realizes that this world is but a passing stage. Hence, the spiritual individual naturally turns toward the eternal truth while the worldly person remains caught in the dream.

Conclusion: The Sign of Higher Consciousness

If the world feels unreal to you, it is not despair — it is awakening. It means your consciousness is rising. Your soul is remembering its true home, its true peace, its true reality. The desire to return to the abode of supreme peace — the realm of light beyond illusion — is a sign that your journey toward truth has begun. Continue deepening your knowledge, strengthen your meditation, and connect with the light within. As knowledge dispels ignorance, the soul will shine like the sun, and in that light, there will be no darkness.Top of FormBottom of Form