Posted on: 14 Jun 2007
Note: This article is meant for intellectuals only
[This topic is for scientists, philosophers and intellectuals for whom a slow patient reading is recommended. Swami jokes that this topic is a hard topic for digestion and can be considered as a costly vegetarian dish for rich intellectuals. The other easy topics are like easily digestible cheap vegetarian dishes meant for the common man! Mr. Anil Antony asked Swami that a scientist says, “What is the difficulty in explaining the process of creation? The theory of evolution proposed by Darwin explains it very well”].
Limits of the Validity of Evolution
The main aspect in the theory of evolution proposed by Darwin is that any organ is developed to meet a need. Similarly, any organ is suppressed when the need disappears. In the case of a man the tail disappeared because its use was not there anymore due to the improved efficiency of the hands in say driving away flies. Therefore, evolution based on need is the real guiding factor in the case of living beings. Even in the spiritual field the same basic concept is maintained. When some people found out that happiness could be obtained through the effects of their own materialistic efforts, the need for God disappears and therefore, the concept of devotion is suppressed. Such people have become atheists. The so-called theists exhibit over-development of devotion related to the existence of God basically due to the same requirement of need. They want to take the help of God in their materialistic efforts to derive happiness in the world. Such need-based devotion is spontaneous and natural. Spiritual preachers based on such need-based devotion can enjoy spontaneous propagation of their knowledge and fame. But such need-based devotion is not true love to God and therefore God is displeased with it. The real devotion, which pleases God, is just the reverse of this. It is the development of devotion in the absence of any need from God. Such type of true devotion is opposite to the above spontaneous and natural devotion and therefore a special hectic effort (sadhana) is needed. Only a qualitative minority in the world can appreciate the spiritual preachers whose preaching is based on the devlopment of such true devotion. Therefore, a true spiritual preacher will not aspire for fame from the majority, which is not actually possible. The natural tendency as per the theory of evolution is inherent to living beings and hence, need-based devotion appeared in the spiritual field also without any effort.
The theory of evolution proposed by Darwin is confined to living beings only. If you consider the evolution of the entire cosmos, Einstein’s theories are also to be considered. Science says that the cosmic energy in the state of invisible waves of high frequency is in space itself. The special theory of relativity proves that the space bends around objects and this shows that space is nothing but the finest form of energy. Hence, there is nothing like nothing (vacuum), even according to the latest science. This space is the first primordial energy in the subtlest form and this is called as akasha. The visible effects of the primordial energy like light etc. are denoted by the word Agni. Vayu (Air), apah (liquid) and prithivi (solid) represent matter in the three states. From these five elements, life evolved, which is the plant kingdom (Prithivyah oshadhaya—Veda). Gradually the animal kingdom with the latest human being evolved. This represents energy, matter and awareness, which are gradually evolved one after the other. Such evolution is mentioned in the Vedas (Akashat vayuh…). The visible energy like light is produced only after the existence of atoms. Hence the primordial energy, the gaseous state in which the atoms and molecules move freely and the visible energy like light are produced in that sequence as per the Veda (Vayoragnih). The final conclusion is that energy (primordial), matter and awareness are produced in that sequence. Since nervous energy or awareness is produced from the inert energy functioning in the nervous system, by the oxidation of oxygen gas, the gradual production of awareness from energy and matter is justified in the Veda as well as in the theory of evolution in science. The formation of matter from energy is clearly proved by Einstein through the law of equivalence of mass and energy. Therefore, the theory of evolution proposed by Darwin associated with the Einstein’s theories will certainly prove the evolution of the universe from energy or space in a sequential manner.
Ultimate Cause—Atman
The Veda mentions one more item indicated by the word Atman as the ultimate cause from which the primordial energy or space was generated (Atmana akashah—Veda). You cannot say that the word Atman means awareness here, because, awareness (purushah) is mentioned as the third generated product in the chain of evolution. A generated product in the chain cannot be the first ultimate cause. The scientist may say that there is no necessity of the word Atman as the ultimate cause because the meaning of the word Atman can neither be energy, nor matter, nor awareness because these three items already exist in the world. Moreover, energy, matter and awareness are visible items in the light of the development of advanced electronic equipments. Even the awareness is visible in the form of waves propagating in the nerves as found by the latest instruments. Even the Gita says this that awareness or soul can be seen by scholars (Pashyanti Jnana Chakshushah).
Therefore, the meaning of the word Atman must be an unimaginable item, which is not the object of the senses, mind, intelligence or even sharp logical analysis (Na Chakshushah, Aprapya Manasa, Na Medhaya, Naisha Tarkena—Veda). The best word that can be used to indicate such an unimaginable object is “wordless” (Ashabda mavyayam…—Veda). A negative word like Parabrahman can also be used since it means that which is not Brahman. But the word used is Atman, which means the awareness that pervades all over the human body (Sarvam Shariram Atati Iti Atma). This word means awareness along with its property of pervasion. An independent existence of awareness pervading over space is not available and hence the awareness pervading in a human body alone should be taken. If you take the Atman mentioned here to mean the awareness pervading all over a human body, such a possibility is negated. This is because the awareness in the human body is not an unimaginable object, which exists in the beginning of the chain, since this awareness has already appeared at the end of the chain as the ordinary awareness or life (purusha). Therefore, the word Atman here means a human being, who is completely different from any other human being, which appeared at the end of the chain of evolution.
Such a special human being is the superman or a human incarnation of God like Krishna in whom the existence of a special unimaginable item is inferred. The Veda says that the existence of such a superman is the basis of the inference of the unimaginable item called as God. But the Veda alone cannot stand as an authority because it can be rejected as the poetic imagination of some selfish priests to exploit the society in the name of God. Therefore, mere scripture (Shabda Pramanam) cannot be the authority. All the authorities (Pramanams) are based only on perception (pratyaksham). In Shabda Pramanam a well-wisher says that Benaras city exists. The faith in his words is based on his personal visit to Benaras and also on your possible personal visit to Benaras. Even inference (Anumana Pramanam) becomes an authority only when it is based on perception. You infer the existence of fire on seeing the smoke from a mountain. This is because you have already perceived the relation between smoke and fire in your kitchen. Therefore, the Veda said that the unimaginable item, God, should be inferred (Astityevopalabdhavyah). The Veda is supported only by the human incarnation, who exhibits the existence of the unimaginable God through an unimaginable act. Due to this practical exhibition, perception is established as the basis of inference even in this case.
Lord Krishna said that He, the human incarnation alone, is the ultimate goal of the Veda that is to be known (Vedaishcha sarvaih—Gita). The unimaginable God present in Him is inferred from the unimaginable action of lifting the huge Govardhana hill on His tender finger. The reason for lifting of the hill cannot be explained by the power of the finger (energy), the finger itself (matter) or the soul (awareness) that willed to do that action. None of these three or even the composite of these three can be responsible for the lifting, because no similar human being, which is an exact duplicate composite of these three items, can do that.
Among these three i.e. (1) soul or awareness, (2) inert energy of the human body assumed to be concentrated in the finger and (3) the finger or even the entire human body (matter), the status of the awareness alone in this activity is almost nothing. This is because the awareness in a human being cannot lift even a cup by itself, without the help of the inert energy existing in the human body. The awareness of the soul only wishes to lift the cup and subsequently the inert energy in the human body does the work. In this light, saying that the awareness or soul alone is God is nothing but a joke. Among these three, awareness by itself is the weakest. Except for the specialty of willing and designing, the awareness by itself is considered to be almost of no importance. This unimaginable activity or miracle indicates the existence of the unimaginable God in Krishna and such indication is called as inference. Such unimaginable acts or miracles are exhibited even by demons by the grace of God because such miracles indicate the existence of unimaginable God. To propagate this fundamental concept, God gives the miraculous powers to demons so that the work of God is also done through them, even though they are driven only by their ego. Actions of God are always multidimensional and cannot be understood easily.
God pervaded all over the human body of Krishna similar to the soul that pervaded the same human body. Therefore, God can be called as Purusha here, since Purusha means that which pervades all over the human body. Shankara preferred to call God here as Purusha because He preferred to identify the existence of only two categories viz, Purusha and Prakriti (Prakritim Purushamchaiva—Gita). In this classification the soul that pervaded all over the human body of Krishna comes as a sub-category under the Prakriti itself and is called as Para Prakriti. Ramanuja preferred to call God here as Purushottama, based on the classification of three cateogories viz, Purusha, Prakriti and Purushottama (Yasmat ksharam atitoham…—Gita). In this classification Purusha means the soul, Prakriti means the human body alone and Purushottama means God. People having common sense can easily understand that there is no difference between these two classifications and hence there is no difference between Shankara and Ramanuja.
God pervades all over the human body of the human incarnation and hence the human incarnation can be the real and direct address of God. Even the human body can be called as Atman according to the Sanskrit dictionary. The reason for this is that the human body also pervades a part of space and can be considered as pervading space. Hence, in the case of the human incarnation; the human body, the soul and God put together can be denoted by the word Atman. Even in ordinary human beings since the human body pervades some space, it can be called as Atman. Hence, in ordinary human beings both the human body and soul can be denoted by the word Atman. Externally there is no difference between the human being and the human incarnation because Atman denoting the human body and the soul is common in both. The third item in human incarnation, God, is invisible and also unimaginable. You can call a live electric wire also as wire because the electric current in it is invisible. Hence, Atman or Purusha denote even the human incarnation. This led to the confusion to think that there is no difference between human beings and human incarnation. As long as the current in the live wire is not experienced, nobody will differentiate between the live wire and an ordinary wire. But once the current is experienced in the live wire, it is distinguished from the ordinary wire. Similarly, when God is experienced in the human incarnation, it is distinguished from ordinary human beings and the word Purushottama is used. Otherwise, even the human incarnation can be called as Atman or Purusha which denote an ordinary human being.
You may say that Brahma Sutras say that God can be inferred from the universe, which has a wonderful design. This wonderful design demands the existence of a designer through inference because we experience that a designer is necessary for the construction of a house etc is experienced in perception (Janmadyasya yatah—Brahma Sutra [1]). We have no objection if you are satisfied by such inference. But scientists say that several items in the creation are formed by natural processes also even in the absence of a designer. They say that a hill on the earth or a crystal in a solution is formed on its own accord without any designer. Moreover, this argument of the requirement of an intelligent designer does not establish the unimaginable nature of God. It establishes God as a mere designer of creation. If just the ability to design is the criterion, even awareness can be fitted in the place of God. However, the absence of the capacity to create, control or destroy this real world or even any part of it, clearly proves that mere awareness cannot be placed in the position of God even in this context. This is the reason for the appearance of the Gita in which the human incarnation like Krishna clearly established the unimaginable nature of God through the unimaginable acts called as miracles.
Just like the human incarnation is God (because of the pervasion of God throughout that human being), can we also call this entire universe as God assuming that God has pervaded all over the universe? In support of such through-and-through pervasion of the universe by God, quotations like Sarvam khalu idam Brahma, Vishwam Vishnuh, etc. can be referred here. But this concept is not acceptable because if God pervades all over the universe, it means that the universe is not existing separately from God. Then it cannot become the object of God’s entertainment like a movie. If you pervade all over the movie, there is no difference between seer (drashta) and the seen (drishyam). Then how to interpret the above quotations, since the whole world is under the control of God? The whole world can be called as God in a special way.
Let us take an example. Suppose it is said that a kingdom is Kalinga (kalingoyamdeshah). Kalinga is actually the name of the king but the kingdom is called as Kalinga because everywhere in that kingdom, the king controls the kingdom. Ramanuja has given this interpretation. Once the address of the unimaginable God is obtained, it hardly matters whether God is in the human incarnation or in the world. Since the human incarnation is in the world, you can say that God also is in the world. However, conversely, the human incarnation is God but the universe cannot be so, due to the above-mentioned objection. The present context is about the inference of the existence of the unimaginable God as the ultimate cause of this whole universe. So whether the address of God is direct as in the case of human incarnation or indirect as in the case of universe, it makes no difference. The advantage of the direct address over the indirect address is that the human incarnation (direct address) establishes the unimaginable nature of God through miracles. If you are already convinced with the unimaginable nature of God through miracles seen elsewhere, the indirect address is sufficient. The special importance of the human incarnation is that only in the human incarnation, can God receive your service directly. But that is a different context.
Relative Realities
In the chain of evolution, the theory of relativity exists everywhere between the cause and the effect. Science takes the absolute primordial energy as the ultimate cause and matter and life can be treated as relatively true products of the absolute primordial energy. The ultimate primordial energy is the direct cause of matter and is the indirect cause of awareness. The theory of relativity applies between the primordial energy and awareness also because the intermediate matter is only a relative truth in which the absolute truth is only the primordial energy. Now we have established that the ultimate cause is God and the primordial energy is His immediate, relatively true effect. Then the entire universe also becomes a relative product of God. The rope gave an illusion of a stick and the stick gave an illusion of a serpent. Now both the stick and the serpent are relative illusions of the same absolute primary rope. The dream is a relative effect of the soul and the soul is the absolute cause. Similarly, the entire universe is a relative effect (mithya) of the Absolute God. Mithya is neither an independently existing truth (sat) nor the non-existent complete unreality (asat). The dream does not exist independently without awareness. Neither can you say that the dream is a non-existent unreality because it masks the reality and appears to exist as a separate entity other than the soul. Shankara says that mithya means that which is neither existent nor non-existent (sadasat vilakshana mithya). This means that you cannot even define the relative effect of the unimaginable God.
If you analyze, the relative effect vanishes on realization of the cause. If the rope is seen, the serpent disappears. If the pearl-shell is seen the silver disappears [the pearl shell appears like silver]. But here God is not only invisible but also unimaginable for us. In such a case how can the world, which is His relative effect, disappear from our eyes? If you say that the world vanished from before your eyes, it means that your eyes have seen God. At least if God is imagined by our intelligence, this world can disappear in our imagination. But neither does the world disappear from our eyes nor does it disappear from our imagination. This means that neither is God seen nor even imagined. The defect in the above simile is that you (observer) are different from the serpent and silver. But here, you are part and parcel of the world and when the world disappears, you will also disappear. Even God is managing His continuous entertainment by watching the world constantly and the Advaitin, who is a part and parcel of the world boasts that the world does not exist. The world is relatively true with respect to God and not with respect to an Advaitin or any soul. If it is relatively true with respect to you, it means that the world is relatively true with respect to itself. It is relatively true with respect to God alone. In fact with respect to the world you are a tiny particle and you are almost non-existent. You are just reversing the truth. Even God enjoys this world by continuously maintaining His ignorance and experiencing the world as if it were the absolute truth. Only in certain special pressing occasions, does He realize the world as a relative truth and then He does the necessary modifications or violations of nature, which are called as miracles.
Sat and Asat
The pot generated from mud and the chain generated from gold, are the examples given for the generation of the universe. In these examples both the cause (mud or gold) and the effect (pot or chain) are knowable items and cannot be compared to God (cause) and the universe (effect) because God is unknown or unimaginable and the universe is known or imaginable. The generation of the world from God cannot be explained by any example in this world because there is no unimaginable item in this world, which can stand as a simile for God. Every item in the world including the soul (awareness) is imaginable. Therefore, all these examples are applicable only to the generation of the universe from the imaginable primordial energy, which is the first created item of the universe from God. The generation of the primordial energy from God cannot have a simile in this world. The process of generation of the knowable primordial energy from the unknowable God is unknowable. This is because any process of generation of any effect from its cause in this world is knowable since both the cause and the effect are always knowable items. This primordial energy is called as Sat (Sadevasomya…—Veda), which exists as the first effect with respect to God but it is the first cause with respect to all other items of the world. Since the process of generation of the primordial energy is unknown, it is always taken as the primary cause of the world. It becomes the absolute reality for all the other relative effects (matter and awareness) and hence is called as Sat. It is also called as a relative reality (Asat) since it is the effect of God, and it exists in the beginning of the world (Asadvaidamagraasit—Veda). Thus the primordial energy is both Sat and Asat, which exists in the beginning of the creation.
This primordial energy, being the greatest item, is called as Brahman. God who is indicated only by silence is called as Parabrahman by Shankara Himself. Shankara said that the awareness becomes Brahman in deep sleep because awareness is transformed into the primary energy, due to the resting nervous system. Such primary inert energy in the cosmos is called as Brahman and the same primary energy in the human being in deep sleep, is called as Atman. Shankara said that Brahman and Atman are devoid of any quality that characterizes awareness and hence it is called as Nirguna. The functions of awareness cease and hence the activities like thinking (manas), decision (buddhi) and experiencing itself (ahankara) also vanish. Such primary inert energy, which simply stores information in deep sleep, is called as chit, chittam or para prakriti. This primary energy called as Atman, functions with qualities in the waking and dream states as the Jeeva. This soul is unknown to ordinary human beings but is known to scholars (Drishyatetvagraya…—Veda, Pashyanti Jnanachakshushah…—Gita) and thus it is not unknowable forever to all. The soul cannot be God, who is unknowable forever to all.
Advaitins are confused in this point and say that God is unknown to ordinary human beings but is known to scholars. The Veda says that even angels like Yama are unable to know God (Kathametat vijaniyam…). Does this mean that scholars are greater than Yama? The Gita says that nobody knows God and the Veda says that the knower of God is God alone (Brahmavit Brahmaiva…). People misinterpret the Gita that nobody among ordinary people can know God and they misinterpret the Veda too by saying that the knower of Brahman becomes Brahman. If you accept such an interpretation, you must say that the scholar, who knows Brahman is greater than the Yama, who declares that even He cannot know God. The Advaita scholar, who claims that he knows Brahman, shivers even by seeing the messengers of Yama! The Advaita scholar, who became Brahman by knowing Brahman, must be greater than Hanuman, who does not say that He is Brahman (since he does not know Brahman) but who says that He is only a servant of Brahman (Dasoham)!
Without touching the unknowable God, Shankara has taken the primordial energy, which is the primary cause of this world, as the meaning of Brahman. The primordial energy creates the rest of the world only by the will of the God. Every cause in this world generates an effect only by the will of God. Even a pot cannot be produced from mud against God’s will. Hence, in every generation process the real cause is only God even though the apparent cause can be any item of this world. In this sense, the creation of the rest of the world from the primordial energy can be treated as the creation of the world from God Himself. The word ‘Sat’ denotes the existence of the primordial energy in deep sleep which stores the information. The word ‘chit’ denotes the awareness functioning in the states of waking and dream. The word ‘Ananda’ is intensive happiness, received at the end of deep sleep and in the beginning of the waking state. Thus, Sat-chit-ananda are only the characteristics of the primordial energy, which is called as Atman or Brahman; they are not the characteristics of the original unimaginable God because the characteristics of the unimaginable God are also unimaginable.
For theistic scholars, unimaginable events in life indicate the unimaginable God. For devotees, the miracles performed by the human incarnations indicate the unimaginable God. For ignorant theists, devilish people, who perform black magic indicate the unimaginable God. For scientists, the unimaginable concepts in the deeper planes of nature indicate the unimaginable God. God created nature, which is partly and superficially imaginable. In the absence of this imaginable nature, the highly contrasting concept of unimaginable nature disappears. If there is no darkness, light will lose its sense. Atheists interpret all the above unimaginable items in another way. The unimaginable events in life are interpreted as incidents of probable coincidence. The miracles and black magic are interpreted as ordinary magic tricks, based on the illusion of the eyes. The unimaginable concepts in the deeper planes of nature are said to be only temporarily unimaginable. They say that these concepts will have explanations in the future just as the unimaginable concepts of yesterday are explained today. Therefore, God established one unimaginable item, which is witnessed by every human being at any time. That is the unimaginable infinite boundary of the universe. Scientists accept that the universe is infinite forever. This indicates the unimaginable God, who is beyond the limits of the universe since He is the cause of the universe. This point is the focus of the cosmic vision given by the Lord to Arjuna (Nantostimama—Gita).
Advaitins say that awareness (Brahman) under superimposition, due to complete ignorance, becomes the soul (Jeeva) whereas the same awareness under realization becomes Ishwara. Krishna remained as Ishwara due to full realization, whereas Rama remained as Jeeva due to ignorance and became Ishwara when reminded by Yama at the end. This means that it is the will of God whether to maintain the realization for preaching to others or to maintain complete ignorance for enjoying fully. But you cannot compare the case of Rama to that of every human being just because Rama behaved as a human being under ignorance. A lion is under the illusion that it is a fox. A dog is also under the same illusion that it is a fox. The final effect of both illusions is one and the same in both the cases. Similarly Rama is under the illusion of being a human body. A soul is also under the illusion of being a human body. In both cases, the final effect of the illusion is one and the same, which is the human body. In the case of Rama when the illusion is removed, Rama became Ishwara and went to the divine abode. But in the case of an ordinary human being, when the illusion is removed, the soul becomes only a soul and not Ishwara. The commonness in the process of illusion and in the final effect of the illusion cannot bring commonness in the original objects also.
Meanwhile, Rama might have been advised by Sage Vashishtha that He is the soul and not the human body. This is a transformation of one superimposition to another superimposition. The lion might have been reminded that it is not fox but it is dog. The lion might have even thought of itself as a dog for some time. But the lion neither became a fox nor a dog at any time. Similarly, Sage Vashishtha might have advised some human being that he is the soul and not the human body. In his case, the illusion is truly removed because the soul remained as a soul after the removal of the illusion. Similarly, the dog became a dog on being relieved of the illusion of being a fox.
Shankara said that awareness is Brahman. We are not at all objecting to this because awareness is the greatest item in creation due to its specific characteristic of knowledge. Any greatest item in a category can be called as Brahman. The word Brahman is not fixed only to God. God being greater than the greatest item of any category becomes the overall Greatest and hence God can also be called as Brahman. Since, Shankara fixed the word Brahman only to awareness (soul), God is indicated by another word Parabrahman. Shankara Himself used this word for God (Maunam Vyakhya…—Dakshinamurti Stotram). Now let us take Ishwara, who is a soul containing the three qualities, which is charged by God and exists in an external energetic form like Narayana or Shiva or Brahma. Let us also take an ordinary human being, who is a soul containing the three qualities and which exists in an external material form called as a human body. If you compare Ishwara and Jeeva (human being) the external gross body is not common because one is an energetic form and the other is a material form composed of the five elements. The three qualities in both the cases may also differ due to the difference in their proportions. There is no point of comparison regarding the presence of God in each of them, because God exists in Ishwara and God does not exist at all in the human being. The only item that is common between the two is the awareness called as Brahman. In this explanation of Shankara, how can you say that the awareness in both the cases is God? The awareness in Ishwara is God since God charged it whereas the awareness in a human being is not at all God, since God did not charge it.
[1] Brahma Sutra, 1:1:2