Summary:
Lesson 57 begins “Ishvara alone existed before time/space/creation”. But what is Ishvara and how did creation come about? This is topic of verse 4-5. We also see 2-fold nature of Ishvara being para-prakriti & apara-prakriti.
Source: Srimad Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 7 – verse 4, 5
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 7 – Verse 4:
How Universe Comes
bhūmirāpo'nalo vāyuḥ khaṃ mano buddhireva ca |
ahaṅkāra itīyaṃ me bhinnā prakṛtiraṣṭadhā ||
Earth, water, fire, air, space, the cosmic ego, the cosmic intellect, and also the unmanifest chit (potential) – this is My nature which is divided into eight-fold.
Upaniṣads, which is the source of B.Gita wisdom, defines Īśvara as jagat kāraṇam (cause of universe). Anything created requires a two fold cause…
- Raw material (upādāna kāraṇam)
- Maker or Intelligent Cause (nimitta kāraṇam): Raw material can not become a product by itself. For example, leaving a tree in a shack, you won't have it automatically transformed into a boat within 3 days. Nor will kitchen ingredients magically put themselves together in the right proportion. They require an intelligence principle responsible for conversion of RAW MATERIAL into a functional product (effect).
Thus every creation involves material cause and intelligent cause. EG: Shirt = weaver + cotton. Room = architect + bricks.
Upaniṣads point out that Īśvara (material & intelligence cause) alone existed BEFORE manifestation of time-space-universe came into being. From standpoint of intelligent-cause, Ishvara created the world. From standpoint of material-cause, Ishvara evolved into this universe. As intelligent cause, Ishvara is the creator. As material cause, Ishvara evolved and continues to evolve into THIS creation.
How can one/same principle be both the intelligent AND material cause?
Normally I see the maker & material as two separate causes. EG: Carpenter/wood. Weaver/cotton. Cook/rice.
Upaniṣad answers the general observation is intelligent & material causes are different. But there is an exception given in…
Mundaka Upaniṣad 1.1.7: yathā ūrṇanābhiḥ sṛjate gṛhṇate ca | yathā pṛthivyām oṣadhayaḥ sambhavanti | yathā sataḥ puruṣāt keśalomāni | tathā akṣarāt sambhavati iha viśvam ||
Any living being BUILDS place for residence out of external raw material. EG: Bird/nest. However spider is an exception. To spin the web, it finds the raw material within itself. So it’s both intelligent and material cause of the web.
Spider is called, abhinna nimitta upādāna kāraṇam, one cause is both intelligent & material cause.
In the same way, Īśvara is BOTH. Therefore called jagat kāraṇam (cause of the world).
What is nature of such a God which is BOTH causes?
It consists of 2 principles known by different names in Upaniṣad. Krishna calls: parā prakṛti (higher nature) and aparā prakṛti (lower nature).
Common Feature of Parā/Aparā:
Both are beginningless. Eternal (nitya). Neither can be created/destroyed. Scientists agree matter never created/destroyed, only transformed, per law of conservation of energy & matter. EG: When a candle burns, nothing lost.
4 Descriptions of Para-prakrti & Apara-prakrti:
- Parā-prakṛti is unchanging consciousness (nirguna brahman). Aparā prakṛti includes Intelligence (maya), 5 elements, time-space, periodic table of elements — and is subject to modification. And this para/apara mixture is called Ishvara.
- Mixture Causes Change upon the Changeless: Before of the mixture, nothing in creation is stationary. Even within atoms of WALL, electronics/protons/neutrons interacting-moving. In book Tao of Physics (Fritjof Capra) symbolizes ever changing as Naṭarāja, who represents eternal material dance of creation.
- Parā-prakṛti is satyam. Independently existent (svatantra). Aparā depends upon parā for everything, thus is mithya.
How to the Universe Come According the Upanishads?
Even before evolution of universe, Īśvara alone existed as parā & aparā (in potential). Out of Īśvara manifests the universe.
Several models of creation are mentioned in Upanishads, called sṛṣti prakaraṇam. However in CH7, evolution is presented in 2 stages. For example…
- STAGE 1: Seed becomes a plant.
- STAGE 2: Plant evolves into a TREE which is a complex and intelligent creation.
Creation evolves in the same way.
Krishna presents the evolution based on section of Sānkya philosophy (presented by Kapila Muni)…
- STAGE 1: Seed state. Meaning aparā-prakṛti (which includes material & intelligence) is in potential state.
- STAGE 2: Aparā-prakṛti (maya) multiplies or differentiates itself into 8 fundamental principles that will make up the universe.
- Think of it like water (apara-prakrti) becoming ice-crystals (8 principles). The water transforms into crystals, but crystals are still essentially water.
- The 8 principles are:
- Pañcīkaraṇa: 5 Subtle Elements
- Samaṣṭi Ahaṅkāra (hiraṇyagarbha): Cosmic I-sense. It's not a personal ego, but the collective sense of “I” at the cosmic level. Īśvara, as the creator, sustainer, and destroyer, embodies this cosmic ahaṅkāra.
- Buddhi (mahat-tattva, samasti-buddhi): This is the cosmic intellect or the principle of intelligence. It is the collective or universal aspect of the intellect.
- Avyaktam (unmanifest cause, maya): This refers to the unmanifested, primordial state of nature, or prakriti before creation. It is considered the cause of all manifestation.
- STAGE 3 (Verse 6+): Comes the explosion/magnification, where the 8-fold-aparā combines and multiplies to form 5 gross elements, which in turn forms the PHYSICAL universe, including all 14-lokas.
Summary of evolution of creation: Aparā-prakrti > multiples into 8-fold-aparā > 5 gross elements > gives rise to time-space-elements (universe). Thus what's seen, heard, experienced is apara-prakrti (that which was in potential before the big-bang).
Where is para-prakrti now? It is YOU, the observer of experience of aparā. If never undergoes any change. If it did, then it wouldn't be known to you right now as self-evident “I”. While aparā-prakrti is whatever is experienced, observed, perceived, remembered, thought-of.
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 7 – Verse 5:
Para-Prakrti is the only reality
apareyamitastvanyāṃ prakṛtiṃ viddhi me parām |
jīvabhūtāṃ mahābāho yayedaṃ dhāryate jagat ||
This (eight-fold nature) is (My) lower nature, Know (that) nature which is distinct from this (lower nature) and which is in the form of Jiva to be My higher (nature) by which this Universe is sustained, Oh Arjuna.
Prakṛtim viddhi me parām, may you know my higher nature (parā).
Where is pāra located? Just how aparā is within this creation, so is parā within this creation, known to everyone as self-evident “I”.
How to know aparā?
- Whatever varies, subject to start/end. Whatever you can experience, witness, feel, inquire, imagine, sense, intuit. Even space is modifying according to Einstein/scientists. And since all objects DEPEND on the modifying space, it means ALL object themselves are also transforming.
- Includes your body and mind. They are observed to vary.
How to know parā-prakrti?
It is the presence in whose presence changes are known. It is the Awareness that enables experiences to be known. It is also the substance of apara-prakrti.
Just like electricity is invisible, blessing the FAN, enlivening it, activating it. Similarly, your body-mind complex is enlivened & activated by TOUCH of consciousness. And THIS consciousness is my higher nature (parā-prakṛti).
How is consciousness experienced at physical/prāna level? As being ALIVE & ALERT. So sentiency MEANS body-mind is blessed by parā-prakrti.
Extending this to macrocosmic level:
World is functioning, as though a cosmic person, owning to parā-prakrti alone. That’s why in religion we instinctively LOOK UP to contact the cosmic being. Just like good bacteria in your own stomach are metaphorically looking up to YOU — who to them is the creator/sustainer/destroyer of them and their world.
What is “cosmic person” (purusha) referring to?
Īśvara assumes role of creator/sustainer/destroyer, while remaining free of the role. Just like a human being assumes role of a policeman, while never being stuck to just that role. Meaning Ishvara is much bigger then the role and forms it assumes.
Metaphor of the “Cosmic Person” to understand Ishvara…
Suppose your index finger has life of its own. Finger asks “what is out there?”. Same with toe. Nose. Etc.
Each individual part is sustained by YOU (puruṣa). Meaning YOU are the ultimate CAUSE of all effects, like finger/toe/nose. And each part is limited to just it's function. EG: Eye is LIMITED to eye-ING. Does not know about world of finger-ING. Etc.
Therefore EACH part has it's being in you. Meaning, you pervade each individual part. Essence of you is the essence of individual parts.
In that same way, all effects, including your body-mind which you're using to read these words, inhere in their Cause, which is Ishvara.
What is the TRUTH of You and Ishvara?
Consciousness, Brahman.
To assume role of creator/sustainer/destroyer, there needs to be Awareness. Just like you can't assume role of a friend, unless it's in presence of an awareful being, Ishvara can't assume role of creator/sustainer/destroyer unless there is presence of Awareness.
CAUTION: Do not allow mind to turn Īśvara into a person with a form. Because Īśvara is all knowledge/power.
Keywords: dharyate, ishvara svarupa, jadah, jiva, lokas, mahavakya, manah, manas, mithya, nimitta karanam, nirguna svarupa, nirvana, nirvanam, nirvikara tatvam, prana, purusha suktam, saguna svarupam, samashti, samasti, savikara tatvam, sthula bhutani, sukshma bhutani, suksma, upadana karanam, upanishads
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- Chart of Creation as described in Verse 4/5
Credit for help in Bhagavad Gita teaching given to Chinmaya Int. Foundation, Swami Paramarthananda
Recorded 9 July, 2019
Thanks very much for Such clear explanations:-)
Found this is super helpful for theoretical understanding!
Happy to know it has benefited Hummy.
Hi Andre.
Thought this might be of interest.
The world of Mitya can be seen as a reflection of Satya ( as per your earlier examples eg. Sun reflecting in the bucket; Jiva reflecting Atman etcetera. )
Your example of the spider reflecting material and efficient cause as an analogue of Isvara:
Apara multiplies itself from the one apara to eight in the seed state.
I am wondering if we see reflected reality in:
Spider is only creature on earth that seems to exhibit efficient and material cause.
Is also only creature in existence that has 8 legs!
Patanjali has 8 limbed yoga as his system.
Buddha has noble 8 fold path of truth.
In Celtic system, spider is seen as the guardian of the underworld which is symbolised as the gateway to spiritual intuition.
It is also seen as the 8 spoked chakra of the heart.
The Druidic triple wheel meditation relies on the four points of the solstice plus the four cross quarter festivals making a total of 8 cardinal points.
One of the secret names of Jesus using the ancient Kabbalistic science of gematria was “ the plenitude of ogdoads”
This was a mystery teaching where numbers are assigned numerical values and the original Aramaic name of Jesus resulted into three sets of 8.
There are probably many more examples that I am not aware of.
The interesting thing is that this seems to be isomorphic across many spiritual traditions.
Perhaps the teachings of the Rishis echoed out across many cultures over time.
Interesting to bring 8 together from various views.
8 planets around Sun.
7 lokas (Earth to Brahmā) and 8th is absolute Īśvara.
More here: https://www.sanskritimagazine.com/indian-religions/hinduism/lord-shivas-favourite-number-8/
Regarding spider:
1) In Ancient Egypt, the spider was associated with the goddess Neith in her aspect as spinner and weaver of destiny.
2) In African traditional folklore & Native American cultures, spider is personified as a trickster character.
3) In Japanese mythological spider figure is the Jorogumo, portrayed as being able to transform into a seductive woman.
Spiders both scary and fascinating, like māyā.
And of course the meter anuṣṭubh, which is the meter of entire Bhagavad Gītā (song of the Lord).
Each verse is 4 lines. And each line has exactly 8 syllables. Throughout the entire B.Gītā.
Hello Andre. I have been following these lessons from the start. I feel like the first section of the Gita that deals with the jiva is much easier for me to understand because it can be verified by listening, contemplating, and assimilating the knowledge once we “see” the truth-ness of it.
But now I’m having a hard time with the second section that deals with creation. Now we are dealing with topics that I cannot inquire into by myself. When the Gita/Upanishads say that Ishvara alone existed before creation, and how para and apara prakriti mixed together to create the universe, I have no way of inquiring into it and verifying it for myself. Are we supposed to just have faith and believe in the statements? Or is there some way that a Vedanta student can understand this through contemplation?
I know that self inquiry helps to assimilate the knowledge that I am not the B-M-I, and I am Atma alone. But this self inquiry cannot be applied to God and creation. Is there another method, or do we just have to be quiet and listen carefully until the end of the chapter? Thanks!
“I have no way of inquiring into it and verifying it for myself. Are we supposed to just have faith and believe in the statements? Or is there some way that a Vedanta student can understand this through contemplation?”
Faith is important with anything to continue listening. Cause of creation (before the universe came) can be easily verified through logic which can’t be contradicted. Meaning no matter what body of science has to say, it can’t contradict the Upanishads.
For example, science talks about plank length, which is the smallest length possible. It’s that first moment of big bang. When from nothing, the entire universe appeared.
Then we have to ask, when where was this universe (of planets, lifeforms, jivas) before the universe existed?
In fact, the universe is nothing but time-space and objects within it.
Meaning, where were time-space-objects STORED before the big bang? It was in potential. This potential is called māyā.
Just like right now, there is an entire dream-world waiting for the right circumstances (when you go to sleep). That dream world of time-space-objects is RIGHT NOW inside you. And it will manifest as an entire universe tonight when you go to sleep.
Meaning there is a CAUSE that exists even before the time-space-objects.
This is an intro.
I encourage to not get hung up or frustrated if things are making sense in any one session. Because each sessions will say it in dozens of different ways.
BTW: When I was first taught about the teaching of creation, it made me border line depressed as to how little my mind could understand (self judgement, criticism, etc). It took the longest time to slowly assimilate creation.
Yes, I think I was starting to feel overwhelmed because I couldn’t wrap my mind around it. I will have faith and trust that in time I will be able to assimilate it more and more. Thank you Andre. Namaste.
Topic is also revisited dozens of times from different angles. Non-comprehension impossible. 🙂
Ah, light bulb moment. The dream-world explanation clarified. Thank you Luis and Andre.