"Why did God create universe and living beings"?

[Guest guest]

Respected members of this list. It is with intrepidation that I put

forward this post regarding a topic on which the learned have

commented:

 

". . . strangely enough this question is never really asked by any of

our Vedantic philosophers such as Sankara, Ramanuja, etc., as far as

I know" [Mani, Bhakti list (BL), May 2002].

 

"This topic appears to have been exhausted . . . perhaps we should

move on to other issues. Thanks, Moderator " [bL, May 2002].

 

"If one can answer why HE did such such a thing, then it means that

you know how HE thinks! Gitacharyan says nobody (means NOBODY) knows

the secret of His birth" [Gita, BL, May 2002].

 

The comments were in response to an innocent question posed by one

Sri Ranganathan Sounderrajan on the Bhakti List:

 

"Why did god create universe and the living beings? [bhakti list,

May 1 2002]"

 

A flood of postings then followed on the Lord's 'lila of creation'.

Some postings implied that our understanding of the purpouse behind

this creation lila will forever remain a mystery and, since nobody

can know the mind of God, effectively 'off-bounds'. One illustrious

contributer, perhaps in sheer exasperation, advised Swamy

Soundeerajan: "May be you should put the question at the feet of Lord

SriRanganatha Himself" [bL, May 2002].

 

Since certain perspectives and priorities of the Bhakti List are not

entirely congruent with my own, I refrained from entering the

discusion. However, since the issue has re-surfaced on the Ramanuja

List, we can go one better than "puting the question {of the why and

wherefore of creation}at the feet of Lord Ranganatha"- we can ask His

Acarya, Sri Manavalamamunighal . Hence this im-promto posting.

 

(The account below reflects the experiance of one soul. It is but one

story; 'your', 'her' or 'his' story may differ).

--------------------------------

 

The Lila of Creation

 

So where to begin? As far back as recorded history goes would seem to

be as good a place as any. It was my darkest hour. I lay inert like a

bird with broken wings, too depressed to experiance not only hapiness

but even pain. Concerned for my uplift, the Lord gave me a body, a

mind and organs of sense and the scriptures to guide me towards Him.

Yet in my peversity, not only did I fail to turn to Him but I used my

faculties to run away from Him [1]. My abuse of the shastras was an

even sadder scenario. Mostly I ignored them; and when I followed

their dictates my ego inflated to obnoxious levels. "Through my own

efforts I will attain to the highest heavens". Corruption crept into

the very heart of my soul as I thought my own deeds were the means

for my salvation [2]. Consequently I turned a universe that was

supposed to be a vale of soul-making, into a prison of perpetual

suffering. Even numerous Avataras failed to make the neccesary

corrective impact on me.

 

Yet my Lord was as humble as He was ingenious and patient. He adopted

the voice of my despair as His own, and used the miseries of life to

steer me towards Him.

 

(The same is true of all beings. How so? Right from birth things

happen to us against our wishes. We never want to suffer, yet

suffering comes from all sides. The three samsaric miseries-

adhidaivika (at the hands of nature), adhyatmika (internal psychosis)

and adhibhautika (misery caused by others)- remind us that we are

not masters of our own destiny. Our ego is gradualy broken. Then we

ask: Who can get us out of this miserable condition? Family, work,

nation, etc. are the obvious candidates. Yet familiarity breeds

contempt- the more we learn about our 'saviours', the more we loose

respect for them. Everyone seems to let us down. Our efforts to drown

our sorrows in worldly pleasures come to a similarly unsatisfactory

conclusion. Whilst we have an infinte desire for enjoyment, our

opportunities and faculties for enjoyment are limited.

 

Then through His grace, one fine day the realisation comes: every sin

is really a misguided virtue- the philanderer is not addicted to his

ever increasing harem, he is addicted to love, a love that his

misguided adventures cannot provide. Similarly, the alchoholic is not

addicted to drink, he is addicted to a sense of peace which the world

forever denies him. Through one disapointment after the other, the

soul learns that whilst this world may occasisonaly give us what we

want, it can never give us what we ultimately need. It is simply not

up to it).

 

>From these disilusioned emotions the Lord began to spiritually

rescucitate me: "athatho brahma jignasa" [3] the Vedas said. "You've

tried everything else, now try God" translated the voice of

experiance. "Turn to your Lord (ananyarhasheshatva), the only

saviour (ananyasaranatva) and only source of bliss (ananyabhogyatva)

worthy of your eternal nature", whispered the universe. My haughty

ego was now ready to listen:

 

"Having tasted, for long, the fruits , good and bad, of their past

deeds (in swarg and hell respectively), there comes a stage, in

everyones's life, when serious introspection begins, as to what he

is, where he is, whither he is bound and the wherewhithall for

attaining the goal" [4].

 

Battered and bruised by the wheel of samsara, I no longer had the

peversity to obstruct His grace. The Divine plan for my salvation

could proceed. Indeed, a curious fascination overtook Him as He began

my reformation: even my faults were seen as virtues. For example,

eager to glimpse femminine beauty at its most excuisite, I once

visited the Lord's temple. True to form, the fairer gender appeared

in fine silks, braided hair fragrant with flowers' scent, eyes

captivating with colouruims hue. With my mischievious intentions

satisfied, I departed with hardly a thought for the Lord. Somehow, He

considered such a perfidious outing highly meritorious: "See" He said

to the hoards of skeptical Nityasuris "has he not come to my temple?"

[5]. Gradualy He weaned me away from the lesser beauties and led me

towards the correct perspective. His pride and joy in effecting this

reformation was immense, and He became nostalgic whilst dotting over

the same 'prakrti sarira' that I had once used to evade Him, for:

 

"it was in this body out of numberless bodies assumed by the

subject, that the Lord could get (him) at long last, and the sweet

aroma of spiritual awakeing emanating therein is so very pleasing to

the Lord" [6].

 

Should we deny Him this pleasure by denouncing our internment in this

very samsara that made His redemptive miracle possible?

 

Yet the "Doubt-Master" in us rears his ugly head even as we find

ourselves on the verge of the celestial gates. He begins to taunt

us: 'So all YOUR suffering, just so HE can have the pleasure of

saving you! Why didn't he just create you a Nityasuri, instead of a

flawed creature in this dark, miserable and painfull world?'. But

even this most subtle and devious "Doubt-Master" can be laid to rest:

 

"No doubt the qualities of sowlabhya (easy accesibility), sowsilya

(graciousness) and vatsalya (tender solicitude) are also displayed by

the Lord in His 'Para' or transcendental manifestion, presiding in

the High Heavens- "Vasudevosi Poornaha". But in that land of perfect

bliss and perpetual splendour, these qualities can hardly be

perceptible in such a marked degree, as they are in this land of

darkeness and despair. There is all the difference between the two

spheres as between a light burning in broad daylight and the one

shining forth in a dark room" [7].

 

You see "Doubt-Master", the souls in samsara are in a unique position

to appreciate the qualities of the Lord- an insight to make even the

Nityasuris jealous. In the Highest Heaven, the Nityasuris are

faultless- what scope then for the Lord to expresse a Vatsalya that

sees even faults as virtues? The Nityasuris are forever in His

prescence- what scope for the Lord to to 'welcome' them with His

Saulabhya? And in the highest heaven all the Nityasuris are great-

what scope then to relish a Sausilya that finds joy in the company of

even hunters and apes? Just as it is only the prodigal son who knows

the fullest extent of His father's love, so it is only the errant

souls in this "world of darkeness and despair" who fully appreciate

the Lord's tenderness and love.

 

Correspondingly, our happiness on reaching the Highest Heaven is

excelled only by that of the Lord's "disrtess dispelling feet" [8]

who have effected our salvation. It is in taking this bird with

broken wings and teaching him how to fly, that our Lord's qualities

shine brightest. To enhance His glory, in a manner denied even to the

Nityasuris, is the destiny that beckons each and every samsari. Let

us accept our destiny and not be chained by our history, and in the

words of a very great but lesser playwright than our Lord

sing: "All's well that ends well" . . .

 

The above is based on:

 

[1] Introduction to Mumuksupadi

[2] Srivacana Bhushanam sutras 115-126; 130-3

[3] Brahma Sutra I.i.i.

[4] Srivacana Bhushanam sutras 381-98, trans. Sri Satyamurthi Gwalior

[5] Srivacana Bhushanam sutras 381-98

[6] Srivacana Bhushanam sutras 160-8, trans. Sri Satyamurthi Gwalior

[7] Srivacana Bhushanam sutras 32-8, trans. Sri Satyamurthi Gwalior

[8] Thiruvaimozhi 1.i.i., trans. Sri Satyamurthi Gwalior

 

Other recources used:

Mumuksupadi, trans. TCA Venkatesan, available at: Acaryas.org

------------------------------

 

In conclusion then:

 

"Why did God create universe and the living beings?"

 

1) He created the universe to provide situations and experiances

whereby we might come to know Him

2) He created living beings so that a) we might evolve from inertia

to perfect and eternal service of the Lord, b) to offer Him the

opportunity to expresse tender virtues such of vatsalya, sausilya,

saulabhya. C) Lest we critisise His plan for our salvation (that

involves internment in this "world of darkeness and despair"), let us

remember that we samsaris are privaleged to enjoy the Lord's tender

virtues to an extent denied even the Nityasuris.

 

Of course, there may be many other motives and aspects to the

creation lila that we do not know. But thanks to our Acaryas, one

purpose behind the creation lila is evident: the Lord's pleasure in

effecting our blissfull salvation whilst expressing His tender

virtues to their fullest extent.

 

This post is but a spontaneous and brief outpouring of the heart.

There are many further issues to be elaborated and clarified.

Throughout our enquiries, the brilliant simplicity of Sri

Manavalamamunighal will steer us through the complexities of this

apparently enigmatic topic.

 

Yours respectfully awaiting advice and correction on the views

expressed above, S. Ramanujadasan.

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Srimathe Ramanujaya nama:

 

Dear Sri Ramanujadasan,

 

Humble pranams to you. Very nice article. True indeed

that without Sri MaNavALa mAmunigaL's commentaries on various works

of pUvAchAryAs,we would have been like wanderers in the forest.

You have quoted me/gita/nappinnai(bhakti-list). My response to the

question was wrt people quoting big bang theory(which itself is shaky)

and physicists like Stefen Hawking. So it was from the angle of

science,I made that statement. The statement God created the Universe

immediately throws the question who created God. That's why there are

many scientists who are either Atheists/Agnostics.

 

I love to restrict myself to EmperumAnAr. Knowingly why

EmperumAnAr would ask that question "why God created the Universe and

living beings(lIla vibhUthi)". I don't know if Sri Ramanuja has

treated this topic in his Sri BhAShyam. I'm reading in the descending

order,I was curious to know how the jivatma is received upon

liberation. As you said,lIla vibhUthi is for our benefits,to liberate

us from this samsAra and it is HE who struggles,toils,waiting to

achieve the same. In my eyes,if someone tries to explain love through

logic,it only leads to stupidity and ignorance.

 

Surely Lord SriRanganAthA has the power to explain the

lIla vibhUthi(put the question at the feet of the Lord). HE has the

power which is equivalent(or more)to the entire Universe in the form

of a tiny black hole. His reclining pose itself is food for thought

that one would feel guilty to go behind human beauties. Is there any

beauty that can match the beauty of Sri RanganAthA in bhOga shayanam?

NO. Now I can understand the impatience of SriRamanuja to reach Him

and the emotions that flow as a result of it in gadyatrayam. We are

surely more blessed than nityasuris to experience the reservoir of

redemptive mercy of Him. I strongly believe that He has the power to

convert an atheist/agnostic to a theist.

 

Note:Don't classify me as learned(that would be a disgrace to the

learned people). My knowledge is like that of "maNDUka",the only

difference being that Lord has showered His grace on me with the

knowledge that there are zillions of people who can outweigh me in

knowledge. My own personal experience(direct & indirect) has only

strengthened the position of nirhEthuka krpa to infinity.

 

AzhvAr EmperumAnAr Jeeyar TiruvadigaLE saraNam

NC Nappinnai/Gita