There once lived a boy named Svetaketu. At the age of twelve his father said to him, "Son, go find a teacher and learn the sacred wisdom of the Vedas which everyone in our family knows." So Svetaketu went off. Twelve years later he returned-versed in all the Vedas, skilled in all the arts, proficient in all the sciences, and quite arrogant. His father said to him,
"Svetaketu, I see your knowledge is so great."
"Yes it is, sir."
"So tell me, have you ever asked for that knowledge whereby you can hear what cannot be heard, see what cannot be seen, and know what cannot be known?"
"What knowledge is that, sir?"
"By knowing one lump of clay, you know all that is made of clay; by knowing one nugget of gold, you know all that is made of gold, so, by knowing that one principle which fills the universe, you know all the universe."
"What principle is that, sir?"
"It is the principle of pure existence. It is the essence of that one Primal Being, who, at the very beginning, formed the universe, filled it with himself, and entered into every creature. That One alone is the essence of all, the soul of the world, the eternal truth, the Supreme Self; and, O Svetaketu, you are that!."
"Please sir, instruct me further."
"So be it, my son. Look at these rivers: some flow toward the east, others toward the west, but all come from the sea and all return to the sea. When they're surging rivers they know not where they come from, and where they merge into the sea as they no longer think, 'I am that river.' In the same way, all creatures in the world-a tiger, a lion, a bear, a wolf, a worm, a gnat, or a mosquito-have come from Pure Being yet do not know it. That one alone is the essence of all, the soul of the world, the eternal truth, the Supreme Self, and, O Svetaketu, you are That!."
"Please sir, instruct me further."
"So be it, my son. Bring me a fruit from the Nyagoda tree." Svetaketu picked a fruit and brought it to his father.
"Here it is, sir."
"Break it open."
"I have broken it, sir."
"What do you see there?"
"Little seeds."
"Break open one of them."
"I have broken it, sir."
"What do you see there?"
"Nothing at all."
"My son, that subtle essence which you cannot see, it is by that very essence that this great Nyagroda tree stands. Believe it my son, that one alone is the essence of all, the soul of the world, the eternal truth, the Supreme Self: and, O Svetaketu, you are That!."
"Please sir, instruct me further."
"So be it, my son. Put this salt in the water and come back tomorrow."
Svetaketu did so and returned the next morning. His father said,
"Please return to me the salt you placed in the water yesterday."
Svetaketu looked but could not find it.
"But sir, all the salt has dissolved."
"How does the water at the top taste?"
"Like salt."
"And at the middle?"
"Like salt."
"And at the bottom?"
"Like salt."
"My son, the salt remains in the water even though you do not see it; and though you do not see that Pure being he is fully present in you and everywhere else. That one alone is the essence of all, the soul of the world, the eternal truth, the Supreme Self; and, O Svetaketu, you are That! You are That!."
