Vedic creation, Time, Space 01
Pt. Sanjay Rath Atri Class.01-001 Vedic creation, Time, Space with English transcription attached
Vedic creation, Time, Space
Pandit Sanjay Rath: How many concepts of the origin of the universe are there? Have you heard of the big band theory? There is a big band theory. Big bang means a bomb exploded. Second theory is the theory of shunya. Our Vedic theory of creation rejects these. Vedic concept of creation explains that it is a gradual creation, is because of and through the līlā of Bhagavan. It is gradual. It has come from “nothing”. It expanded from an atom. This concept of expansion from an atom, is fully accepted by the most modern theories on the expansion of the universe. Today, science has got proof that the universe is expanding. There is something called entropy and the entropy of universe is constantly expanding. Baby expands from a chromosome into a human being. The tree expanded from a little seed into a large and huge tree. Expansion is the natural method of growth. So, the entire universe also must have expanded from a seed. So, the entire universe’s growth is based upon the expanding seed. The seed that was put for creation, has expanded. Now, for this expansion to take place, there must be a ground and space for the expansion. When you plant a seed, you plant it inside earth. So, the seed of the universe also has a kind of ground and a kind of space, for its growth to take place. That space is indefinable by the human concept. That space is called Narayana. From where this space starts, and where it ends, we don’t know. Human mind has a limitation and the biggest limitation of human mind is this space. The biggest problem of human mind is that it doesn’t know from where this space starts and where it ends. It is beyond human imagination. This is the biggest key of the mind that Bhagavan has locked and hidden. The second lock, is the lock of time. We were small children, and we grow bigger, bigger and bigger, and then we die one day. Similarly, more babies come, they grow big and then die one day. Plants become trees and grow huge in size and gradually their death also comes. So, time is linear because we live only for a linear period. Our mind cannot visualise in terms of three-dimensional time. This second key is also hidden by God. So, God has locked us in two ways, time-understanding and space-understanding. The concept of Jyotish, was introduced by Rishis, to help human beings, in unlocking these two locks. That’s why we need Jyotish. Why do you need Jyotish? If you want to buy a car, then go to a dealer and buy a car. Why do you need Jyotish for buying a car? If you want to marry, find the person and marry. Why do you need Jyotish for that? The real need for Jyotish, is to unlock these two locks. We have stretched Jyotish into other things because it is helpful. But the original need for Jyotish is to unlock these 2 locks. If we can’t use Jyotish for unlocking these two locks, why do we need it? So, the Vedic concept of the creation of universe is based upon expansion. And this concept of expansion and the symbol of expansion is Brahma. That’s why it is called Brahmanda. Anda means egg. Brahma + anda. Brahma is the creator. The anda is the seed. Like tree grows from seed. The universe grows from a seed. This seed is symbolic of Shiva Linga. The anda of Brahma needs some ground, some base to sit on, otherwise how will the universe will come into being. The space on which the anda sits, is Shakti, and the anda itself is the linga. Together it forms, Shiva Linga. Rudra was born from Brahma, this is said in Purana.
There is drastic difference between Rudra and Shiva. Rudra is formed from the word “Rud” (with short “u” sound) which is a Sanskrit word, means, to cry. Whoever is born, will have to cry. A baby is born, it cries. The moment you are born, you cry. When will the crying end? When you die. That is why it is Rudra.
Scribe’s notes: “Rud” is a Sanskrit word, means, to cry. “Ra” is agni (fire element) Bīja sound. Agni- Bīja sound gives strength and knowledge. Combined together, the two words form, Rudra. This word in itself is a mantra. If someone chants this one word, all the problems that make you cry, will vanish and you will become a favourite of Rudra God. An image of the Rudra God can be found on internet, it is a form of Shiva, rather a simplistic form, having two hands, with triśula (trident) in one hand.
Guruji Sanjay Rath continues: So, we have now got Brahma. He is the one who created the universe. How did he create the universe? He created the universe by making an egg, which is called Brahmanda. And where did he put this egg? He put this in space. What is space? Space is Prakriti, called Shakti. What did the anda do? It expanded and the first creation was Rudra, then all other creation took place. So, the first created thing was Rudra. Do you know the highest meaning of the Shiva Linga? The base is the Shakti, the space, is limitless and the human mind can never comprehend this. So, nobody can have full understanding of mother Shakti. The linga is the anda, is from where all creation took place. Today we are clear on the meaning of Shiva Linga and the creation of the universe. That’s how the universe is created, not from big bang. Where will the big bang will happen? You need some space and ground for that. So, when the universe started expanded, it started following time. Time cannot be understood by human mind. And there are different cycles of time. The sages have said that time is not linear, it is cyclic. We must understand cyclic time. But even if we are thinking about cycles of time, we are actually thinking in terms of linear time, as if there are linear cycles, or leaner levels of time. But there are cycles of time, and these cycles of time and this cyclic nature of nature cannot be comprehended by human mind in its real, raw form. If you draw a line, it is linear. You can draw a circle, but it still is two-dimensional. We cannot comprehend multidimensional cyclic time. We are looking at the head of the spring, as if it’s a circle. But if we look from the side, there is a third dimensional expansion of that. Likewise, time is multidimensional and cyclic. Time is expanding in multiple dimensions. When we have to take the concept of time and concept of space, together, then we can understand creation. We will understand the dimension of God, which we call Vasudeva. When we identify, where this creation started, and where it ends, and have full understanding of cyclic-time, and have separate and clear-cut understand of all this, then we will understand the form of God, which we call Vasudeva. It is called the perceptible part of God. A Deva- Rishi can understand this.
Scribe’s notes: Read the first chapter of Bṛhat Pārāśara Horā Śāstra. The first chapter describes that the perceptible part of God is only 1/4th part of God. The rest of that is imperceptible, is 3/4th.
Guruji Sanjay Rath continues: The rest of three part is imperceptible. This imperceptible, part cannot be understood with a human-body. Nobody with this human body can comprehend the imperceptible part of God. The imperceptible part does not have a form, it cannot have one form, it is beyond form. This is three parts of Narayana, which has Amrit-tattva. Amrit-tattva means that it can never be destroyed. That form is constant and permanent, forever. The rest of the creation is temporary, will vanish one day. Creation, sustenance and destruction is constantly taking place. Today we are studying in a class. But in some other parts of the country, someone might be dying. So, how do we decide good and bad muhurta? I ask this question, often. Just by looking at planets in a chart, how can you say this muhurta is good or is bad? Although at the same time, creation, sustenance and destruction are simultaneously taking place. Al this moment, there may be sadness and pain in someone’s home, while in another one, there may be good events happening and there may be happiness and joy. These two things are simultaneously taking place. But you look at planets and say, this is good muhurta or a bad muhurta. What kind of Jyotish is this? What kind of muhurta are you finding? Let us say 9:30am on 5th of November is very good for starting some new work. But at that same time, on that very day, somebody is dying and somebody is taking birth. What kind of muhurta is this? The word “muhurta”, what is it for? Muhurta has to be applied for an individual. The same exact time, can be a time of death for an individual but for another one, that can be the time of birth. Am I being understood? So, when we talk of ṣṛṣti (सृष्टि) and when we talk of ṣṛṣti kārana (सृष्टिकरण) first have clarity of all the issues that we have talked about till now in this class. We are going to ask this question on every point when we do Jyotish: Do we understand ṣṛṣti kārana One must identify and understand the event for which the muhurta is being determined. Origin of the universe, is divided into four parts. The one perceptible part of Vasudeva is one-fourth part, and, is like this: draw a square and divide that square with four square. The ṣṛṣti (सृष्टि) is in one of the squares, so, the other three squares are invisible to that, because they are outside that one square. This one square has form and shape, but the other three squares are drawn for your understanding, but in reality, they are formless. If I ask you now, is God formless or does God has a form; what answer will you give me now? So, God has form but God is also formless. This form is 25%, which is visible, the formless which is 75% is outside this and is not visible and cannot be comprehended by human mind, not in this body. So, we have discussed Vasudeva. What is Vasudeva? Vasudeva is that which includes everything that is knowable and understandable. Vasu means jňana, enlightenment. Deva means giver of light and knowledge. That’s it. Don’t stretch the meaning of this word beyond this. A Jyotishi should only extract that meaning out of a word, that it legitimately there and never stretch the meaning. It is said that Shiva is God. I am not denying it. But when you look at the meaning, Shiva means “auspicious”, brings good and does good. I often ask a question:
Om namah Shivāya,
Om namo bhagavate Vasudevāya,
Om namo Nārāyaṇāya
Om Viṣṇave Namaḥ;
among these, which is the name of God and why? Come one, you are all intelligent, tell me. Which is the name of God in this? The moment you said “OM”, you are talking about these three parts which is unmanifested, “a”, “u” and “m”, equals AUM. This is 75%, the unmanifested. The rest of the part of the mantra, is the 25% which is perceptible. This can be Shiva, or Narayana, or Vishnu or Vasudeva. But if you do only “AUM”, then you are doing only the unmanifested God. That is Amrit-tattva. The 25% perceptible part is not pure Amrit. The unmanifested (imperceptible) part couldn’t be comprehended by greatest of the sages. The Vedic concept is clear that this unmanifested part is beyond your comprehension. The purpose of Jyotish, is to search for this imperceptible part. We brake up the perceptible, into two parts, one portion is understood only by the sages, as defined by Parāśara. Parāśara Muni is brilliant, there is no doubt on that. The second part of the perceptible one, is the Brahmanda. So, its exactly 12.5%, is the Brahmanda. Hence, a normal human being cannot utilize more than 12.5% of the brain. Maharṣi and Devarṣi can utilise 25% at max. The rest of the 75% cannot be utilised. So, if you can utilise 100 percent of your brain, you will become God. So, people ask me questions, Rama, and Krishna, how can God be born like a human being. But if understand the definition which we have just discussed, it will become clear that God is he who can utilise the brain like this. So we discussed the definition of Narayana, and how Narayana is manifesting. In the three parts of imperceptible, aum, “a” is Brahma, “u” is Vishnu, and “m” is Maheshwara in Amrit tattva. Om is perceptible, “aum” is imperceptible. The akṣara “a” is rajas and its bījākṣara is hrīṁ. The akṣara “u” is sattva, and its bījākṣara is śriṁ. The akṣara “m” is tamas, and its bījākṣara is Klīm. With Klīm Bīja, you can overcome tamas. With Bīja hrīṁ, you can overcome rajas. And Bīja śriṁ, you can maintain sattva. The rṣis have taken birth in the perceptible part, but they want to go to the imperceptible part. But in the tamas is not present in the imperceptible part, it is only in the perceptible part, where we have taken birth. In the perceptible part, sattva, rajas and tamas are being created and destroyed. But in the imperceptible part, which only has sattva and rajas, these two cannot be destroyed as it has Amrit tattva (nectar element). Like, temples are sattva, but they get destroyed one day. This is perceptible world, and is temporary because it does not have amrit-tattva. So, the question comes, how can you migrate from perceptible to the imperceptible part of God? The only way is to destroy tamas. Once you have destroyed tamas, you get ready to migrate to the imperceptible part. How to destroy tamas? The mantra or the Bīja (seed mantra) is Klīm. We don’t know who is Shiva, and we cannot jump straight to Shiva, yet. The first step is to destroy tamas with this mantra. Right now, we are only into some akṣaras.
Scribe’s notes: A collection of phonetic sounds clubbed together to sound like a mantra or a hymn, is called bījākṣara. They are to be chanted with prayer beads but only after receiving them from a guru. These mantra are too great and are the highest of the highest mantra. These bījākṣara are the seeds of Shakti or Prakṛti. They enable the native who chants these, to start moving towards the imperceptible part of God.
Gurudev Sanjay Rath Continues: We will come back to our creation. When God created this universe, he created the Brahmanda. And the anda broke, and it expanded into the space. That space is Shakti. Shiva is auspicious because he is expanding into Shakti. That’s why it is auspicious because it is representation of God. The first creation of God is called Rudra, why is he called Rudra? Because he cried, which means that everyone who is born, will cry. This is beautifully explained in the madhusūdana stotra. Garbhavāsaṁ mahaduhkhāt trāhimāṁ madhusūdanah. (to be born in the womb, is a great pain, please save me from that, madhusūdana). So, that’s the concept of Rudra, the moment of creation. There are 11 types of rudra, and there are 11 ways in which you can be created and there are exactly 11 ways in which you can be destroyed. Among, these 11 ways of destruction, there is only one way which is supposed to be very auspicious. That is Shiva. Among the 11 types of Rudra, that one who gives final emancipation to the soul, is Shiva. There are many ways to die. There are different ways to take birth. That birth which leads to immediate freedom of the soul, and to go to whatever it came from, is called Shiva. That is the real meaning of the word Shiva. So, who is Shiva? Shiva is Maheshwara. Why? Because he is giving freedom to the soul. The word Maheshwara is made from combination of two words, Maha and Iśvara. Maha means great. Iśvara is again made from combination of two words, Īśa and Vara. Īśa means that who is dear to soul. Vara means the giver. So, Maheshwara means the great lord who gives and protects, is dear to soul. You will realise the importance of this concept when we do Shula dasha, and when we will study Maheshwara, Rudra. But remember that there are 11 kinds of Rudras. Of these 11 kinds, the one who gives freedom is called Maheshwara, and he is Shiva because the latter means “the auspicious one”. The one who does good to everyone and always does it, is Shiva. So, now, we exist in om. From om, we have to go to aum. How shall we migrate. The difference between these two is that there is no tamas in aum. Brahma is associated with rajas. Vishnu is associated with Sattva. Shiva is associated with tamas. When you worship Shiva, and when you understand Shiva, you will come out of tamas. To understand the mantra Oṁ Namah Shivāya, there is a book called Tirumantram. That whole book is only about this one mantra. If you want to understand that mantra, read that book. God created everything out of nothing. Nothing is “Shunya”. And infinity is also Shunya. What is the difference between Shunya and Maha Shunya. Zero is Shunya. Infinity is Maha Shunya. When we talk of Shakti, it is infinity, has no limit. Does the world start from this address? No. God knows how many solar systems are there. we don’t know that. That point from where it is starting and where it is ending is called infinity. Infinity is Maha hunya. And what is Shunya? “Nothing” is Shunya. So, from Shunya, Maha Shunya is created. Universe is created into that Maha Shunya and is being continuously being created in that Maha Shunya. The day universe touches the end point of Maha Shunya, pralaya will happen. If there is a balloon, and if it keeps expanding, the day it expands to its max, it will burst. That is pralaya. It is a very simple and beautiful concept. And it is true and mathematically proven through science. So, when we talk of universe, we are talking about Brahmanda. It is different from Shakti. Brahmanda is the physical matter. Shakti is the space in which physical universe or Brahmanda, is expanding. The womb of mother Shakti, is called Maha Shunya. It’s a very simple clear concept. So, out of total, that comprises, perceptible plus the imperceptible part of God, we are in 1/8th. The 3/4th part of God, that is imperceptible, is beyond our study. This 3/4th portion that is imperceptible, is studied through spirituality. To understand this, you must understand Rigveda. Take a Diksha guru and study Rigveda. Even then, the imperceptible portion cannot be understood in completion. Because Parāśara is clear on this, that nobody can understand this. So, if someone says he has complete knowledge about God, please stay away from such people. Our Jyotish study is only restricted to perceptible part of God.
Now, we break the 25% part, i.e., the perceptible part into different parts. First, we break it into two equal parts, each comprising 12.5%. The one part that is only knowable to sages, is 12.5%. to understand this, there should be absence of tamas. If one has tamas, he is not a sage. The rest of the perceptible part, i.e., the second half of the perceptible, is then divided into seven parts, which are actually the seven loka, or the seven worlds. The lowest one is Prithvi loka, called bhu loka. Bhuvar loka is above bhu loka, so, it is second from bottom. Bhuvar loka is the solar system. Svarga loka, is above Bhuvar loka, is third from bottom, comprising of all the stars in the sky. Bhuvar loka is also called graha Mandala. The graha (planets) move in this level. But these days, humans also waking in this level, spacewalking. That’s why it is said, humans can cross Sages and Devas. Humans have the strength to cross sages and Devas. So, they have insecurity from humans. They shiver in anxiety when they see humans, because of the latter’s ability. Because God has given such a brain to humans, that humans can cross sages and Devas. The number of stars including the constellation system, is the Svarga loka. It is also called Nakshatra Mandala.
