Co-existence of Good and Evil

[Guest guest]

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE TOPIC FOR TODAY'S CHAT

 

"If God permeates the entire Universe, why does evil co-

exist with good? Does that mean God approves of the existence of

evil in this world? Why is there rising terrorism, and why is Kali

Yuga (present Iron Age) getting worse?"

 

This topic should be considered from two levels viz. the absolute and

the relative.

 

>From the Absolute standpoint

The world or the universe exists not. God alone is. All else is an

illusion or a superimposition. "Brahm Satyam, Jagad Mithya, Jivo

Brahmayyva Na Praha" That means Brahman or God alone is the Truth

and the universe is a superimposion on that Truth, Jiva, the

individual soul, is essentially non-different from Brahman. The

purpose of this scriptural statement is to give us a goal to be

reached at and the direction to that goal. For our understanding we

may consider the example of the 'rope and snake'. If we see a snake

in a rope, we mentally superimpose the snake on the rope and in stead

of seeing the rope, we see the snake. In this case rope is the

reality and the illusory snake is a superimposition on that reality,

the rope. If we can visualize the rope somehow, the snake will

disappear `root and branch'. As a general rule when we focus or

attention on the substratum, the illusory superimpositions disappear.

This substratum or the support of the universe is what is meant by

the term `permeates'. This is of the nature of life force present in

everything in the creation. If you remove this life force, nothing

can exist but the life force can exist independent of every thing

else. Likewise if you remove the rope, the snake cannot exist but

rope exists independent of the snake. World cannot exist without God

but God does exist independent of the world.

 

Another interesting thing to understand here is that, even though the

rope is absolutely harmless and motionless but the snake that is

superimposed upon it is dangerous and poisoness. If out of fear we

run, the snake appears to follow, even though the rope cannot move.

Similar is case with our visible world, God the substratum, is all

bliss, mercy, and compassion but the superimposed world is full of

strife, terror, and fear etc. This is the nature of superimposition

for example the ocean, the substratum, is calm but the superimposed

waves are furious.

 

>From the relative standpoint

As seen from above, from God's standpoint there is no evil in the

world because the very existence of the world itself is denied. Does

the world exist at all? Yes very much so because we see it, feel it,

experience it, but in a relative sense. We all live in a relative

plane. Each one of us has a relative existence in relation to others.

The same individual is a son in relation to his father, husband to

his wife, father to his son, a boss to his subordinates, a

subordinate to his superior and so on. That is why it is called a

relative world.

 

For the relative world to exist, good and evil must co-exist side by

side. With all good or all evil the world cannot subsist. There is no

absolute good or absolute evil, these are relative terms. Is birth

good and death evil? No because there is no birth without death and

vice versa. There is an important message in this relativity i.e. if

we want to go beyond pain and sorrow, we must rise above relativity

and move towards the Absolute. How? Know yourself, Who Am I?

 

Good and evil has existed from time immemorial. Devas and Asuras were

sons of the same father, Kashyapa. From the human standpoint, good

and evil exists simultaneously in each one of us. When good prevails

over evil, the person is said to be a good person, if the opposite is

true, the individual exhibits evil tendencies. It is by design that

Prakriti consists of three Gunas, viz Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

Predominance of Sattva in an individual means goodness and that of

Tamas may mean evil propensity or laziness. I think we have to be

satisfied by considering our creation to be a play of Maya or the

Leela of the Lord. Even in our mundane world, if someone was to

produce a movie either all good or all evil, I am sure both shall be

a failure, it has to be a mixture of the two. Have no doubt every

thing is in world is in total control of the Lord at all times, as

the saying goes, "not a blade of grass can move without His Will". In

the Bhagavadgita (VI - 7), Lord Krishna tells Arjuna, "Whenever

righteousness is on the decline and the unrighteousness is on the

ascendant, I manifest Myself" (for establishing Dharma or

righteousness). Lord can manifest in many ways for instance U.S.

action in Afghanistan may be considered the manifestation of the Lord.

 

Declining of the Kali Yuga towards getting worst is a natural cyclic

order. It has to get real bad before the Lord Manifests Himself. At

the transition of Kali Yuga to Satya Yuga, Lord shall Manifest as

Kalki Bhagwan, so says the scripture. In spite of the evil prevailing

in this Yuga, there is a `silver lining' i.e. the means of salvation

is the easiest among the four Yugas, that is `Nama Smaranam'

(repetition of Lords Name).

 

There is an interesting article titled, `This wonderful Creation of

Ours' by the author on his website: www.geocities.com/radhakutir ,

for those who may be interested. Please email any comments on this

posing to: radhakutir, Thanks for viewing this short

presentation.