Upanishad Meditation commentary in ENGLISH AND TAMIL

          

 

Creation of the Universe

 

  Taithriya Upanishad verse 2:7:1 says, “Nothing was there in the beginning. Then, forms came into being. Brahmam manifested itself……”

 

            Here, one thing should be clarified. The terms “in the beginning” should not be taken literally. There is actually no beginning or end. As per Hindu Scriptures, the entire cosmos is nothing but manifestation of Brahmam or Ultimate Energy. Cosmos is in its manifested form and name for some time and in unmanifested form for some time.

 

            This change is known as beginning and end. Hence, everything is a cycle.

 

            Now, the entire cosmos is in unmanifested form, and it is completed darkness everywhere. There is complete silence. It was not big in size. It was as tinier as could be. This situation was visualised by our seers, after millions of years, in their divine perception. As words could not explain that position exactly, they personified the silence and named it ‘Shiva’ which means ‘Causeless tranquility”.  But, even this word is not capable. Hence, they gave the shape of a dark globe which is a formless form and called it ‘linga’ which means ‘Symbol’.

 

            As Hinduism is not the version of a single man, seers through the ages, visualized the same situation, but called it in different words. The names ‘Sadasiva’, Paramasiva’, ‘Hiranya Garbha’, ‘Sambha Siva’ ‘Para sakthi’ all are the same.

 

            In Hinduism, the words ‘para’ and ‘Sada’ are added to denote the eternality.

 

            That dark tiny spot grew in size. Mundaka Upanishad describes this as ‘Tapasa Siyate Brahmam’ meaning ‘Brahmam Grew by meditation’. There is no reason for this. Taitriya Upanishad says that  ‘Sa akamayata Bahu Syam..” meaning  Brahmam, for no reason thought ‘let me manifest’

 

            Then, in that divine silence, a vibration started. This vibration is called ‘Anahata Dwani’ or ‘uncreated sound’ and denoted by the letter ‘Aum’ pronounced as Ohm. This vibration caused a wave in that darkness.

            This position is called ‘SivaSakthi’.

 

            Try to visualize this. The entire cosmos was not there. Everything is just a globe of darkness. One part is still and dormant. The other part is slightly vibrating.

 

            Our seers visualized this situation and personified it. They described a person lying on a serpent. The vibrating part resembled a serpent breathing. The serpent was named ‘Adi Sesha’ meaning ‘Part of the Origin’. One who is lying on the serpent is called ‘Vishnu’ or “Narayana’. Vishnu means ‘Guide’. Narayana means ‘Path Maker’.

 

            That vibration intensified and a great explosion happened. Each and every part was exactly like the mother part in energy aspects. This was clearly given in Isavasya Upanishad Shanthi pada, Thus:

            “Poornamadah  Poornamidam  Poornaath  Poornamudasyathe

            Poornasya Poornadaya Poornameva vasisyathe”

            which means “That is whole: This is also whole: From a whole, one whole has come out. Both remains whole in thyself”

 

            This explosion gave out light and sound. The sound ‘Aum’ intensified. The flash of light was called as ‘Milky ocean’ by our seers and Vishnu was seen to reside there. Even our scientist call it ‘Milky Way’

 

            Due to the vibration, thought started flowering. Wisdom came into being. Manifestation can happen only by wisdom. Hence, this position is personified. The wisdom which flowered from Vishnu is called ‘Brahma’ which literally means ‘wise’

 

            Readers  should not get confused between Brahmam and Brahma. Brahmam is the Ultimate Energy and formless. This Brahma is a personification or a divine being. Mundaka Upanishad starts as ‘Brahma devanam prathamah Sambabuva”  meaning ‘Divine being, Brahma, first came into existence”.

            In Hindu scriptures, Brahma is the creator of this world.

 

            Now, let us compare this to our scientific discoveries available. If all personifications are taken out, the above description is nothing but ‘Big Bang’ . Science accepts that a tiny particle might have gained momentum and mass suddenly, grew in size and then exploded. They say, four basic type of energies – Gravitation, Magnetic, Strong and Weak forces - are there. Our ancient seers gave out the same concept. They named the forces as ‘Vyahruthi’  These vyahruthis are four in number and our seers named them as ‘Boo, Bhuva, Suva and Maha’. Taitriya Upanishad admits that only three were recognized earlier and the fourth one was discovered later.

 

            As ‘Unmanifestation’ was destroyed with ‘Shiva’ coming into being, he was noted as ‘Destroyer’. ‘Vishnu’ played the role of a guide. ‘Brahma’ was termed as the creator.

 

            In short, the position before manifestation was called by many names as told earlier. When vibration started, it was called ‘Shiva Sakthi’.

            When  vibrations intensified, Vishnu came.

            Wisdom of Vishnu was personified as Brahma.

A word of caution: Readers should not take this personification as wild imagination. Eastern seers visualized these shapes as such and even the names or words were only perceived by them from the cosmos.

 

            In Hinduism, all the hymns in Vedas are called Manthra. Even though our seers gave out these manthras, they never identified themselves as authors or creators of any manthra. They call themselves as ‘Manthra Thrushta’ meaning ‘Visualiser or perceiver of Manthra’.

 

            Moreover, Each God described in the Vedas (Holy literature of Hinduism)  is assigned with a ‘Bija Manthra’ – Seed syllable. If the Seed syllable is pronounced, it creates the shape of that God. Hence, this personification should not be taken as wild imagination.

 

            With this, let us meet in some other page.  Be Blissful.  Thank you.

 

                  Please take a moment to share your views/comments/suggestions to my email id Srivedananda@gmail.com