After analyzing the theories of Creation and Manifestation
part 1, 2 and 3, one may ask “Why does it matter if God created the universe or
manifested? Does it make any difference in our everyday life?”
Yes! It makes a big difference in our overall thinking.
The theory of a ‘Creator and His creation’, creates a huge
wall and un-bridgeable moral distance between man and God.
Secondly, ‘God being the Ruler of the universe and its inhabitants
the subjects’, gives birth to the idea of ‘Believers and Non-believers’.
It creates divisions among the people. The ‘believers’ will
naturally be inclined to discriminate against the non-believers. They tend to
think that they are superior to the later and may even cultivate hatred for
them.
Since every person is not ‘naturally born as a believer’, it
also gives a subtle and hidden hint that God is not all-powerful and could not
turn every non-believer into believer. So the believers feel obligated to bring every
non-believer under the rule of their God by any means they can think of. They believe, as His loyal subjects, it is
their foremost duty to bring every one into his fold. They also believe that
like any worldly ruler, their God too, will reward them generously for their
‘loyalty’.
Jesus Christ tried to change the Jewish (and later Muslim) concept
of God and people as ‘Ruler and the subjects’ into ‘Father and the children’; however,
a strong concept of ‘Believers and Non-believers’ still exists in the hearts of
his followers. Most Christians genuinely believe that anyone who does not
believe in Jesus Christ and accepts him as their ‘savior’ will be tortured in hell for
eternity.
That is why so many atrocities have been committed in the
names of so called religious wars, crusades and Jihads etc.
On the other hand, the Eastern concept of ‘Manifestation’
and God being a part of the whole universe undoubtedly proves the ‘Unity’ among
all people, as well as all things and creatures.
And therefore, no discrimination of any kind or hatred
should exist among people.
From this concept, this great Mantra was born:
“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”
(Whole universe is one family)
From the Vedas to Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita to Adi Granth (Guru Granth
sahib) and to Avtar Bani, all Eastern Holy Scriptures have repeatedly
illustrated the same concept*.
Science also agrees on this concept of ‘Internal Unity’.
A paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, in his book
‘The phenomenon of Man’ says:
“It is impossible to deny that, deep within ourselves, an “interior”
appears at the heart of beings. This is enough to ensure that, in one degree or
another, this ‘interior’ should obtrude itself as existing everywhere in nature
from all time. Since the stuff of the universe has an inner aspect at one point
of itself, there is necessarily a double aspect to its structure”. (page 56)
Double aspect: just like the ring and necklace have two aspects;
the different, individual outer appearance as the ring and the necklace, and the
gold as the same inner material. They both are made from the ‘same’, even
though they appear to be different.
Existence of Ishvara or God in every being including the
nature is the unifying principal in the whole universe.
In his address to the Chicago world Parliament of religions
in 1893, Swami Vivekananda said:
“All science is bound to come to this conclusion in the long
run. Manifestation, and not creation, is the word of science today, and the
Hindu is only glad he has been cherishing this in his bosom for ages……..”
(Complete works, vol. 1, page 13)
Here are few more examples of the concept of Manifestation
from the Eastern Holy Scriptures:
1. “Purnmadah Puranmidam, Purnaat Purnamudachayte
Purnasya purnamaadaaye, Purnamevaavishishyate”
(The invisible Brahm is the Full; the visible universe too
is the Full.
From the Full (Brahm or God), the Full (visible universe)
has come. The Full (Brahm) remains the Full, even after the Full (visible
universe) has come out of the Full (Brahm)
(Yajurveda)
2. “Whatever is there in this ever-changing universe, is
enveloped by the Ishvara (Brahm)”
(Ishopnishad,
Yajurveda)
3. “Brahm, the Supreme Lord is everything, every action and every sacrifice (offerings and submissions,
vows and pledges) (Bhagavd Gita)
4. “Jal Thal Maahe Aapahi aap”
(On land and sea,
He himself is permeating.
(Guru Kabeer ji)
5. “God himself is in all four directions.
On all worlds, His glory radiates
perfectly.
The One God is diffused in all ten
directions.
See God everywhere; on the earth and in sky,
in the water, on the land, in the forests and mountains, and in the nether
regions of the underworld.
The Merciful Transcendent Lord is all-pervading.
The Lord God is all; mind and matter, subtle and manifest.
O Nanak, realize the
Brahm (God) from the enlightened Guru’s mouth (Shabad, the word)”. (SGGS page 299)
6. “In the one and in the many, He is pervading and permeating; wherever I look, there He is.
The marvelous image of Maya is so
fascinating; only few understand this.
God is everything, God is everything.
Without God, there is nothing at all.
As one thread holds hundreds and
thousands of beads, He is woven into His creation.
The waves of the water, the foam and
bubbles, are not distinct from the water.
This manifested world is the playful
game of the Supreme Lord God; reflecting upon it, we find that it is not
different from Him.”
(Sant Naamdev ji Page 485)
7. “Everything came from the ‘One’, The ‘One’ has manifested
into all. The same ‘One’ exists everywhere but yet is different from all.”
‘Avtar Bani... verse 151’
There are hundreds of more such verses in the Indian Holy
Scriptures explaining the concept of God residing in everything and everyone
and thus, proving the unity in whole universe; among all people and things, living
or non-living. Neither the man nor the Nature is different than the ‘Creator’,
since He manifested Himself into everything that exists.
One, who understands this, can firmly declare:
“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” “Whole universe is one family”
One, who understands this, can also, without any
discrimination, genuinely desire:
“Sarvay Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niraamaya”
“May everyone be happy and at peace. Everyone should be free
from suffering of any kind”
‘Rajan
Sachdeva’
---------------------------------------------------------------
* Original references:
1.पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदं पूर्णात पूर्णमुदच्यते
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते (यजुर्वेद)
“Purnmadah Puranmidam, Purnaat Purnamudachayte
Purnasya purnamaadaaye, Purnamevaavishishyate”
(The invisible Brahm is the Full; the visible universe too
is the Full.
From the Full (Brahm or God), the Full (visible universe)
has come. The Full (Brahm) remains the Full, even after the Full (visible
universe) has come out of the Full (Brahm)
(Yajurveda)
2. ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किंच जगत्याम् जगत
“IshaVaasyaMidam Sarvam-yatKinch jagtyaam Jagat”
(Whatever is there in this ever-changing universe, is
enveloped by the Ishvara (Brahm)
(Ishopnishad,
Yajurveda)
3. ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्महवि ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणाहुतम
ब्रह्वमेवतेन गन्तव्यम् ब्रह्म कर्मासमाधिनः
“Bramaarpnam BrahmeHavi, Brahm Agno Brahmnaahutam
Brahmaiv tain
gantavyam, Brahm Karmaasmaadhinah”
(Brahm, the Supreme Lord is everything, every action and
every sacrifice (offerings and submissions, vows and pledges)
Bhagavd Gita
4. जल थल माहे आपहि आप (कबीर जी)
“Jal Thal Maahe Aapahi aap”
(On land and sea,
He himself is there.
(Guru Kabeer ji)
5. चउदहि चारि कुंट प्रभ आप ॥सगल भवन पूरन परताप ॥
दसे दिसा रविआ प्रभु एकु ॥धरनि अकास सभ महि प्रभ पेखु ॥
जल थल बन परबत पाताल ॥परमेस्वर तह बसहि दइआल ॥
सूखम असथूल सगल भगवान ॥नानक गुरमुखि ब्रहमु पछान ॥१४॥
(गु ग्रं सा 299)
ਚਉਦਹਿ ਚਾਰਿ ਕੁੰਟ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਆਪ ॥ਸਗਲ ਭਵਨ ਪੂਰਨ ਪਰਤਾਪ ॥
ਦਸੇ ਦਿਸਾ ਰਵਿਆ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਏਕੁ ॥ਧਰਨਿ ਅਕਾਸ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪੇਖੁ ॥
ਜਲ ਥਲ ਬਨ ਪਰਬਤ ਪਾਤਾਲ ॥ਪਰਮੇਸ੍ਵਰ ਤਹ ਬਸਹਿ ਦਇਆਲ ॥
ਸੂਖਮ ਅਸਥੂਲ ਸਗਲ ਭਗਵਾਨ ॥ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਪਛਾਨ ॥੧੪॥
“God himself is in all four directions.
On all worlds, His glory radiates
perfectly.
The One God is diffused in all ten
directions.
See God everywhere; on the earth and in sky,
in the water, on the land, in the forests and mountains, and in the nether
regions of the underworld.
The Merciful Transcendent Lord is all-pervading.
The Lord God is all; mind and matter, subtle and manifest.
O Nanak, realize the
Brahm (God) from the enlightened Guru’s mouth (Shabad, the word)”.
(SGGS page 299)
6. आसा बाणी श्री नामदेव जी की
एक अनेक बिआपक पूरक जत देखउ तत सोई ॥
माइआ चित्र बचित्र बिमोहित बिरला बूझै कोई ॥१॥
सभु गोबिंदु है सभु गोबिंदु है गोबिंद बिनु नही कोई ॥
सूतु एकु मणि सत सहंस जैसे ओति पोति प्रभु सोई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
जल तरंग अरु फेन बुदबुदा जल ते भिन्न न होई ॥
इहु परपंचु पारब्रहम की लीला बिचरत आन न होई ॥२॥
“Ek Anek Biaapak poorak, Jat dekhaun tat soi
Maaya Chitra Bachitra
Bimohit, Birla Boojhai koi
Sab Gobind hai Sab
Gobind hai, Gobind binu nahin koi
Soot ek mani sat sahans jaise, Oat poat Prabhu soi
Jal Tarang aru phen budbudaa, Jal te Bhinn na hoi
Eh Prapanch Paarbrahm ki leela, Bicharat aan na hoi”
(Sant Namdev ji SGGS page 485)
(In the one and in the many, He is pervading and permeating; wherever I look,
there He is.
The marvelous image of Maya is so
fascinating; only few understand this. ||1||
God is everything, God is everything.
Without God, there is nothing at all.
As one thread holds hundreds and
thousands of beads, He is woven into His creation. ||1||Pause||
The waves of the water, the foam and
bubbles, are not distinct from the water.
This manifested world is the playful
game of the Supreme Lord God; reflecting upon it, we find that it is not
different from Him. ||2||
(Sant Naamdev ji Page 485)
7. इको नूर दी उपज है सारी इक दा सगल पसारा ए
इको ही ए सरब व्यापी फिर वी सभ तों न्यारा ऐ
(अवतार बाणी 151)
“Iko noor di upaj hai saari, ik da sakal pasaara ae
Iko hi ae sarv vyaapi, phir vi sab ton nyaara ae”
(Everything came from the ‘One’, The ‘One’ has manifested
into all.
The same ‘One’ exists everywhere but yet is different from
all.)
‘Avtar Bani # 151 ’
