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Re: The Why of Creation

From the Bhakti List Archives

Krishna Kalale • May 3, 2002 


Dear sri M. K Krishnaswamy,

I am really impressed by your postings. Long time back you wrote on the
"Ramana maharshi" - underwater creature episode. It was fantastic and I have
found beautiful verses from the bhagawadgita which echo the same thought:
for example: anishtam istam mishram ca trividham karmanah phalam bhavati
atyaginam pretya na tu samnyasinam kwachit - " the desirable, undesirable
and mixed effects occur to the ones who have not renounced, but not to the
samnyasis".

similarly your thoughts on creation are very appropriate.
I remembered that long time back I had prepared for a lecture on vedas,
which I delivered in denver, colorado nama conference (honestly I tried to
learn something while preparing for the lectures, but, even after lecturing,
I dont know anything!). However, I like to bring to your attention some
shlokas of svetasvetara which echo the same thoughts as yours:

the vedas ask from where all these come forth? : yato va imani bhutani
jayanteÂ….
•	Brahma Vadino vadanti: kim karanam brahma; kutah sma jatah jivama kena
kvacha sampratistah; adhistitah kena sukhetareshu vartamahe brahma vido
vyavastham
-	What form is brahman? what is the cause of this universe? on account of
which are we born and by which do we live? Being presided over by what do we
function in acts of joy and sorrow in a specific way?
Svetasvetara : contÂ’d
•	kalah svabhavah niyatir yadriccha bhutani yonih purusha iti chintyam;
samyoga esham na tvatma bhavat; atmapyanishah sukha duhka hetoh
•	time, nature, fate, chance, the five elements, prakrithi, purusha- any one
of these cannot be the cause of universe.  A combination of these cannot be
due to Atman which does not change (parinama). Even Atman is not
independent, since he is subjected to happiness and sorrow.
Svetasvetara : contÂ’d  ******************** see this verse below
************
•	te dhyana yoganu gatha apasyan devatma saktim svagunair virudam; yah
karanani nikhilani tani kalatma yuktani adhitistatyekah. ( well sung by MS
Subbalakshmi in her shakti cassette)
•	following path of meditation they saw the power of lord (ie prakriti with
its qualities) and the Lord who alone presides over all those causes
comprising of kala and atman
•	next verse: they also saw this mighty wheel ever rotating: each being
either heading towards devayana, pitruyana or kshudra jantu bhavana ( ie.
souls getting creature bodies)
•	next verse: they saw the river of prakriti flowing : guna pravriddha
vishaya pravalah - gita
Svetasvetara : contÂ’d
•	sarvajive sarva samsthe brihante tasmin hamso bhramyate brahma chakre;
prithak atmanam preritaram cha matva justah tatastena amritatvam eti
•	Jiva transmigrates in this great wheel of Brahman, which makes all beings
live, and be subjected to dissolution.  Knowing that the prompter and
himself as different, and becoming an object of love of that paramatman by
knowing him, jiva attains immortality.
Svetasvetara contÂ’d
•	samyuktam etat ksharam aksharam ca
•	vyaktavyaktam bharate vishvam isah
•	anishascha atma badhyate bhoktrbhavat
•	jnatva devam muchyate sarva pashaih
•	the mutable and immutable are close together.  The lord supports these
two.  Atman is not the master and is bound due to desire for enjoyment.  He
gets freed from all kinds of bondage after knowing the Lord.
•	parallel : dvavimau purshou loke - daivi hyesha - in gita
•	 meditation on him ( Lord Krishna) gets  release
svetasvetara contÂ’d
•	tileshu tailam dadhaniva sarpih apah srotasvaraneeshu chagnih
•	evam atma atmani gruhyate satyena enam tapasa yo’nu pashyati
•	As oil in the sesamum, ghee in curds, water in the ground and fire in the
churning firewoods; so is this paramatman grasped in atman by the one who
follows the means of satya ( truth) tapas (penance).
Upanisads contÂ’d
•	sarva vyapinam atmanam kshire sarpirivavritam atmavidya tapo mulam tat
brahmopanisat param tat brahmopanisat param
•	***********The supreme atman who is all pervading like ghee in milk and
who is to be known through the knowledge of the jivatman and through tapas
and who is propounded by the upanisats is to be known.  That supreme atman
is to be known
•	tameva viditva atimrutyumeti nanyah pantha vidyate ayanaya - svetasvetara
•	brahmavit apnoti param - taittiriya
SUMMARY:
Again and again, the Vedas insist that the answer to the riddle of creation,
life and transmigration is only obtained by the grace of that lord who
should be meditated always sincerely : dhyeyo narayanah sadaa. - a person
who does not sincerely seek through a guru may not even understand the value
of these truths.
dasan Krishna Kashyap



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