4. The Universe – Five Fold Differences
This chapter relates to questions on the Universe, its constituents and the relationship amongst them. The physical universe has always been a puzzle to humankind in terms of its evolution and workings. The Bhagavad Gita provides a convincing rationale not only for the evolution of universe but also the reason for its existence. Gita provides a description of the components of the universe and how the inert matter is related to sentient matter (living beings) and how the Lord interacts with these elements. The concepts of time and space as they relate to the constituents of the universe are also covered.
4.1 Constituents of the Universe
Q: What constitutes the Universe?
A: The Lord describes the universe using the analogy of a tree, in particular, the Banyan tree. The ‘Tree of Universe’ is broadly comprised of the following constituents:
The Lord Almighty as the foundational basis much like the earth which supports the tree and which provides the nutrients (‘life’) for the tree to exist and grow
Lakshmi, the consort of the Lord who controls all nature is analogous to the root of the tree
The five primary elements of nature (earth, water, ether, fire, air) are the equivalent of the trunk of the tree
The individual souls are like the secondary branches of the tree
The objects of sensory consumption are represented by the twigs
The scriptures (Vedas) are represented by the leaves
The results of actions performed by living beings are like the fruits of the tree
Q: What is the significance of comparing the universe to a banyan tree?
A: The banyan tree is an apt comparison to the universe in many respects:
The tree is (almost) everlasting without natural destruction just like the universe
The earth which supports the tree is in some sense comparable to the Lord as it is the sole supporter of the tree and is independent of all other components of the tree. Even if the fruits, leaves, twigs, branches of the tree are cut, as long the roots are healthy and on solid ground, the tree will emerge again
The tree is continuously transforming itself in the same manner as a running stream of water with new leaves replacing old leaves just as souls take on new physical bodies upon exiting old bodies
Q: How are the constituents of the ‘Tree of Universe’ related to each other?
A: The Lord who is signified by the supporting earth in the analogy is supreme. The Lord’s consort Lakshmi who is the controller of Mother Nature represented by the roots of the tree is dependent on the Lord. All other individual souls, represented by the secondary branches of the tree are dependent on the tree and indeed the ground on which the tree stands signifying dependence on Lakshmi and the Lord. The twigs which denote the objects of desire are likewise temporary in nature. The individual souls utilize their sense organs in their physical bodies and purse the objects of desire and reap the appropriate fruit. The leaves represent the scriptures which are available for the individual beings to utilize for guidance in pursuing actions leading to longer lasting fruit (‘eternal bliss’). It is said that during the dissolution of the universe, the Lord will be resting on the leaf of a Banyan tree. This is a symbolic analogy to indicate the fact that scriptures such as the Vedas, being eternal continue to exist even during the dissolution of the universe.
4.2 Fivefold Differences
Q: What are the ‘fivefold differences’?
A: The triumvirate making up the universe, namely – The Lord Almighty, the individual souls and the inert nature are distinctly different as follows:
The Lord is supreme and different from individual souls
The Lord is supreme and different from inert nature
The individual souls are different from inert nature
The individual souls are different from each other
The various objects in inert nature are different from each other
What this implies is that the individual souls retain their identity even after achieving final salvation and continue to be guided and supported by the Lord. They do not ‘merge’ with the Lord.
Q: Are the individual souls ever subject to destruction?
A: No. Just like the Lord, the individual souls have always existed and will always do. They are not subject to destruction from any of nature’s implements such as weapons, fire, water, wind etc.
Q: How does the Lord interact with individual souls?
A: It is said that the relationship between the Lord and the individual souls is like the one between an object and its image in the mirror. The image in the mirror is completely dependent on the object for its existence; likewise individual souls are powered by the Lord who gives them the physical bodies to express themselves to enable them to move towards redemption. It is said that the Lord resides in every living being in five forms (identical powers but apparently distinct) controlling and directing every aspect of a living being namely – the physical body, the energy centers, the mind, the intellectual faculties and the innate self with the ability to experience pure bliss. The five forms of the Lord are named as – Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Samkarshana, Vasudeva and Narayana. The Lord, who sports seemingly contradictory characteristics such as simultaneously having an atomic form and an infinite sized form resides in living beings in these five forms each one of them being complete and full of infinite, auspicious attributes.
An even more powerful illustration to explain the relationship between the Lord and the individual souls is through the example of a rainbow. Raindrops receive the Sun’s light and due to refraction result in a splendid, colorful, vibrant rainbow. Likewise, the individual souls which have innate capabilities find expression by the grace of the Lord. Unlike the mirror, which is a passive object, a raindrop is an active agent which receives the Sun’s light and emits a glorious rainbow. Hence this is a better simile to illustrate the dependence of individual souls to the Lord.
Q: What are the roles of the individual souls, the Lord and the inert nature in any activity that we see in the universe?
A: Every activity that we perceive in the universe can be attributed ordinarily to an individual being or inert object and most importantly to the Lord. For example, when we see a running stream of water, the motion is due to the will of the Lord, while the action is itself is performed by the river (an inert object). When someone writes an article using a paper and a pen, the act of writing is performed by the pen on the paper, the movement of the pen is performed by the person who has the intention of writing the article and the power for that motion is granted by the Lord. In summary, the inert objects involved in any act are mere mechanical devices; the individual soul involved in an act expresses the intention of performing the act, but is not independently able to implement the action. The supreme Lord is the ultimate, independent authority who powers all activities in the universe.
Q: God as the regulating authority controls all actions of individual souls, how can one ascribe fruits of good or evil deeds to the individual souls as they seem to have no say in their actions?
A: The Lord enables individual souls to pursue a course of action chosen by the souls themselves. The souls have the freedom to pursue a course of action which is influenced by the innate nature of the soul and accumulated past karmas. Hence the individual soul which exercises its right to pursue a course of action is responsible for that action, although the action itself is executed by the Lord on behalf of that soul. It should be noted that the Lord being blemish less harbors no ill-will towards nor shows any special favours to anyone. He merely executes the actions on behalf of the souls based on their free will. The individual souls based on their innate nature have varying levels of good and evil. This explains the constant struggle we find between good and evil in our actions and the dilemma we face daily. By constantly focusing on the Lord and performing one’s naturally chosen duties faithfully without expecting any fruits, one can hope to overcome evil forces and maximize the content of goodness and achieve redemption.
4.3 Reality of the Universe
Q: How real is the universe?
A: Very. Just as the Lord Almighty and the individual souls are eternal and real, the universe is also real. However, the material world and its contents continuously undergo changes, but they are real in every sense of the word. Many objects in the world may be temporary in nature, but they are nonetheless real and the experience one feels during interaction with these objects can never be negated. Many experiences in life may fade away over time and hence appear illusory, but nonetheless the fact that the experience occurred and had impact on the person cannot be disputed. The universe is hence real, eternal and always under the control of the Lord. The very fact that the Lord has Himself has declared that He originates and controls the eternal cycle of creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe is proof enough about the reality of the universe.
4.4 Concept of Space, Time and Spoken Words
Q: What are the characteristics of space, time and spoken words?
A: Space and time are eternal, cannot be destroyed and are self supporting because of the will of the Lord. Further, space and time are infinitely divisible. Words are composed of basic alphabets which are 51 in number. These 51 alphabets are also eternal and pervade space and time. They survive every cycle of creation and destruction of the universe. Words which are formed by certain combination of alphabets are, in general temporary. However, Scriptures (Vedas) are eternal and are not composed by anyone. Every word and indeed every letter is an epithet of the Lord (11-18). Further, every sound made or heard in the universe primarily sings in praise of the Lord (and the fact that we use sounds to express our thoughts and feelings is secondary). It is said that even the sound of lizard’s chirping is a sound expressing the amazement at the glory of the Lord. It is interesting to note that even in human conversations, despite the plethora of words and languages available for us to express our thoughts, in times of absolute amazement (or great shock) we resort to making a chirping noise like lizards!
Q: How do the entities in the universe compare on the basis of time, space and associated characteristics?
A: The Lord pervades all time and space and has infinite auspicious attributes. The individual souls are also eternal and hence pervade all time, but they have limited presence in space and have limited attributes. The physical bodies of the individual souls (during any specific birth) have limited presence in space, time and have limited attributes. The basic letters (51) from which any word can be composed are eternal in time and space, but have limited attributes.
The implication of the differences outlined here is that the Lord is independent and supreme and controls the functioning of the universe and hence every action that we perform must be to please Him as He alone can grant us freedom from the cycle of births and deaths.
4.5 Takeaways
The five fold differences narrate the difference among the constituents of the universe, namely, the Lord Almighty, individual souls and inert matter, with the Lord being the supreme controller of all
The individual souls adorn many physical bodies in its journey towards the final abode and these physical bodies undergo changes and perish. The soul itself is indestructible, has always existed, will always exist and is always under the control of the Lord
The universe is real, has always been and will always be. The state of its constituents such as inert nature is subject to change during the course of its evolution (and destruction)!
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