We are living in a universe and each one may have different interpretations towards the universe and all the aspects of the universe.
Is the universe (we are living in) is a manifestation of our own soul?
If it is a manifestation of one's own soul, then how do many souls have same manifestation? Is it due to overlapping of some aspect of soul (like karma)?
Or does the soul contain the universe?
True for (Soul as paramatma as one supersoul residing in hearts of all being) and Not true for (Another as jivatma residing in hearts of each being as unique to that being) there are 2 souls in each living being (even tough there can be many jivas in the same body but one primary jiva is the enjoyer of fruits) i.e. chetana as described as dvsuparana in
Mandukya Upanishad 3.1:1
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते। तयोरन्य: पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति॥ समाने वृक्षे पुरुषों निमग्नोऽनाशया शोचति मुह्यमान:। जुष्टं यदा पश्यत्यन्यमीशमस्य महिमानमिति वीतशोक:॥ यदा पश्य: पश्यते रुक्मवर्णं कर्तारमीशं पुरुषं ब्रह्मयोनिम्। तदा विद्वान्पुण्यपापे विधूय निरंजन: परमं साम्यमुपैति॥
Dwa Suparna Sayuja Sakhaya Samanam Vriksam Pariswajate Tayor anyah pippalam swadu atti, anashnan anyo abhijakashiti.
- Mundaka Upanishad 3.1:1
Samane vrikshe purusho nimagno 'nishaya shocati muhyamanah Jushtam yada pashyati anyam isham asya mahimanam iti vita-shokah
Mundaka Upanishad 3.1:2
Yada pashyah pashyate rukma-varnam kartaram isham purusham brahma-yonim Tada vidvan punya-pape vidhuya niranjanah paramam samyam upaiti -
Mundaka >Upanishad 3.1:3
Meaning in English:
Two birds living together, each the friend of the other, perch upon the same tree
Of these two, one eats the fruits of the tree, but the other simply looks on without eating.
Although the two birds are on the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness.
If in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord, at once the suffering bird becomes free of all anxieties
One who sees the golden colored bird, the Lord, the actor, who is the source of the Supreme Brahman, is liberated.
Such a person becomes wise. He becomes free of both pious and sinful karmic reactions. He becomes pure. He attains a spiritual form like that of the Lord >>Himself.
According to the above Universe is created by Paramatma and is the manifestation of Paramatma, The context of self(Atman varies according to interperation of the context) whenever some statement like the below answer says that universe is all self.. means universe is premeated with ataman(Supreme self i.e. Bhagavan in all) it doesnt mean Jiva or soul is premeated with all, then this should be true, when one drinks it should satisfy other person thirst. it was shown by Lord krishna alone in mahabharata where he takes one leaf of akshaya patra and consumes, saying satisfied. Sage Durvas stomach was full.
Indeed the whole universe is manifestation of Self alone.
He who is devoted to the path of action, whose mind is it pure, who has conered the self, who has subdued his senses and who realizes his Self as the Self in all beings, though acting, is not tainted.(BG 5.7)
It moves, it is motionless. It is distant, it is near. It is within all, it is without all this. Who sees everything in his Atman and his Atman in everything, by that he feels no revulsion.(Isa Up 5-6)
Now that light which shines above this heaven, higher than all, higher than everything, in the highest world, beyond which there are no other worlds, that is the same light which is within man.(Chandogya Upanishad 3.13.7)
This is my Soul in the innermost heart, greater than the earth, greater than the aerial space, greater than these worlds. This Soul, this Self of mine is that Brahman.(Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.3-4)
And when he becomes a god, as it were, or a king, as it were, or thinks, ‘This universe is myself, who am all,’ that is his highest state.(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.3.20)
In Upadesha Sahasri verse 6, Shankaracharya says
He should first of all teach the Sruti texts establishing the oneness of the Self with Brahman such as, " My (Chan Up 6.2.1) child, in the beginning it (the universe) was Existence only, one alone without a second," "Where (Chan Up 7.24.1) one sees nothing else," "All (Chan Up 7.25.2) this is but the Self", " In (Ai Up 1.1.1) the beginning all this was but the one Self " and " All (Chan Up 3.14.1) this is verily Brahman".
