Vaasudevamayam Sarvam

“ I looked the jail that secluded me from men and it was no longer by its high walls that I was imprisoned; no, it was Vasudeva who surrounded me. I walked under the branches of the tree in front of my cell but it was not the tree, I knew it was Vasudeva, it was Sri Krishna whom I saw standing there and holding over me his shade. I looked at the bars of my cell, the very grating that did duty for a door and again I saw Vasudeva. It was Narayana who was guarding and standing sentry over me. Or I lay on the coarse blankets that were given me for a couch and felt the arms of Sri Krishna around me, the arms of my Friend and Lover. This was the first use of the deeper vision He gave me. I looked at the prisoners in the jail, the thieves, the murderers, the swindlers, and as I looked at them I saw Vasudeva,…”
-(Sri Aurobindo, Uttarapara Speech)

This is how Sri Aurobindo spoke about his own experience of Lord Vasudeva being present everywhere (sarvam vaasudevamayam jagat). As you all know that he had this experience when he was living a prison’s life in Alipore jail, and he spoke extensively about this experience of his in his Uttarapara speech.

The purpose of this issue is to explore the true meaning of the word vaasudeva.

The word vaasudeva is a compound word having two components: vasu and deva. We need to understand first the meaning of the word vasu in order to get into the full meaning of the compound word. The word vasu is derived from the root-sound vas. This is a root-sound from which are derived other words like vasana, vastra, vaasas (cloths, garments, robe), vastu (thing), vasati (dwelling place), vaasa (fragrance), vaasara (day) etc. The word vasu is used in the Vedas in the sense of excellent, good, beneficent, riches and treasures. The earth is known as vasudhaa or vasundharaa meaning that which holds, supports and sustains all riches. The word vasura means valuable. When we look at the words derived from this root-sound we find that the root ‘vas’ has three sets of meaning. In the first, vas means ‘to shine’, like the light of the sun as it rises in the morning. This is the Vedic root connected with ushas. In the second, vas means ‘to be’, ‘to remain’. The third person singular form of this root in present tense is vasati, ‘s/he dwells’. In the third, it means ‘to put on’ as to wear something. The third person singular form of this root in present tense is vaste, ‘s/he puts on’. So we see vas in three different forms having three different primary senses. Yet we find that all these meanings are related under the common idea of what is pervading or encompassing. Light is what fills, pervades, and manifests being. It is also what encompasses, defines, invests or clothes us. Hence illumination, being and investiture merge into a single yet more primordial idea. As such, in its deepest sense, ‘vas’ means the plenary light of being and in the general sense it means the Divine itself – vaasudeva.

The word deva which usually means god or divine, is derived from the root-sound div. The sound div means to gleam, shine, be bright, and also to play. In a true sense gods are those who play in the light. According to Sri Aurobindo gods are ‘the children of light’. So the word deva refers to the most illumined ones, bright and brilliant, the ones full of light.

The word vaasudeva then refers to the all pervading lord brilliantly shining everywhere, in everyone and in everything.