The Creation and The Purpose

We have briefly discussed the various stages of the creation of the universe in one of the preceding chapters. When we consider the creation of life in these stages we find that each new stage appeared with higher values of consciousness as compared to the consciousness of life created in the preceding stages. It gives the impression that the lower stage of consciousness gives birth to the higher stage of consciousness. This is not correct because a lower state of consciousness cannot without understanding jump to a higher state of consciousness, which starts with a different kind of conscious values. However, in spite of this clear factual position, the evolutionists believe that universe is not a creation but it has evolved from lower to higher stages. Apart from other things, they argue that the preceding stages provide the right environment to the higher stage without which the higher stage could not come into existence. For example, if we take the Vegetable Stage, we will find that the vegetable life could not develop without the soil, water and proper environment, which is provided by the preceding stage of Earth. Similarly, at the Animal Stage, the animal could not exist without the vegetable life and the environment, which kept it alive. Even at the Human Stage of Self-consciousness, the sense perceptions with the help of which man tries to understand the universe vis-à-vis the material conditions of life, have been made available to him by the animal. Evolutionists, therefore, believe that life has evolved as a result of evolutionary process.We have already discussed this and many other questions in the preceding chapters wherein we have rejected outright such notions, as according to our study the lower stage of life always remains unaware of the higher life that starts on it. It is, therefore, not correct to think that the lower state of life, having different conscious values, "evolves" itself into a different and higher kind of life without prior understanding. On the contrary, we see clearly an overall mind working behind the wonderful creative process, which gives direction, and ensure continuity of life.

The natural sciences have revealed that there exist unbridgeable gulfs between each creative stage. The materialists and evolutionists took this fact disparagingly as it did not support the mechanical interpretation of the development of the universe and tried to mitigate it by arguing that the gulfs are narrow! The presence of gulfs in fact reveals that the universe has developed in diversity. When we study the great creative process of the universe, we find that each higher stage, which appears on the preceding stage, always takes its start from insignificant values of the stage. The reason for taking start from insignificant values indicates that the higher conscious stage appears with new and different kind of conscious values which otherwise could not be achieved in a single continuous creative stage. Thus the missing links point towards a purposive Being Who is creating the universe as desired and willed by Him.

The universe is a creation and, therefore, has a purpose. The fact that on appearance of each new creative stage, creation in the preceding stage comes to a close and no new species are created not it accepts any change except to preserve its achieved values, shows that the values of the higher creative stage are different in kind. Hence higher life stage starts only when the lower stage has completely exhausted and cannot struggle any longer to earn more of its stage.

Each higher stage, which appears on closing of the preceding stage, is completely cut off consciously from its preceding stages. The lower life, which remains firmly attached with its own values, cannot help- evolve the higher life at its conscious level. Instead, the lower life becomes a great obstacle in the progress of higher life. Unaware of the higher life, it rather lives as a potential threat for it. Since, however, the higher life cannot live as an " island" by cutting it off from its preceding stages, therefore, in order to maintain continuity it has to establish its link with the preceding stages through a rational medium as discussed in our work. The higher life co-ordinates and lives so closely with the preceding stages of life that this gives the wrong impression as if the higher life is an extension of the lower life which has appeared as a result of evolution. It may be pointed out that although the higher life comes with new and divergent values yet as the life is being created in units under one purpose, therefore, the values of the lower; life as well as those appearing in the higher life spiritually remain unified. Had it not been so, the higher life could never establish its link with its preceding stages.From the discussion, it is evident that the preceding stage can neither evolve nor can it give birth to higher life. In the circumstances, we cannot expect the higher life to gain conscious light from the life existing at the lower conscious level. Ignorance can never give anything to the learned. It is, therefore clear that the life in the lower stages cannot on its own, step up to a higher and different stage, where life in spite of ignorant and hostile conditions prevailing in the preceding stages has to start from an insignificant level and then successfully build its values as a separate and higher stage. These facts establish that the universe is a creation which is being raised according to the will or purpose of the Creator.

Our failure to understand the universe as a creation is that we think the lower stages are responsible for raising the universe. This is misleading concept. Man sees the action but not the Hand, which directs the action. There is always a purpose behind creation and if we do see the purpose working in the creation we could be sure of the Creator of the universe. Just as each soul or life lives in a unit, similarly the purpose lives in a unit. Also there is no beginning or end in the purpose. At the back of the beginning the whole purpose lives and strives to realise it freely step by step. In other words, it is the purpose, which starts and not the lower stages as such which determine the purpose. The lower stages, independent of the purpose, can lead nowhere. If these stages appear to have proceeded towards the purpose, it proves that the purpose itself is working in these stages. Being ignorant of the above fact, when we see the various creative stages rising to higher conscious values we take it that these creative stages are themselves determining their values. It is because of this misunderstanding that the materialists believe that it is only the matter which is real and eternal and which has "evolved" into higher stages of life. Regarding the appearance of life, the materialists think that a current of consciousness had permeated matter. Other believe that life appeared as a result of sheer accident by the mixture of certain substances and that it continued to evolve under the principle of natural selection and survival of the fittest; life is nothing but an evolutionary form of matter and it has no purpose accept to eat, drink, live and die.

We cannot analyse the creation of universe by isolating any of its creative stage from the purpose of the Creator. Just as we cannot divide the individually of a person into two, similarly we cannot fix the values of each creative stage separately from the overall values of the purpose to be achieved during each creative stage. Purpose, like the individuality of the being always lives as a unit. All the creative stages, therefore, in spite of the different and divergent values, when thus come near to the purpose, they seem to merge into a single order. In other words, the beginning and the end both live in the purpose and ultimately it is the whole purpose by which we can understand the creative stages of the universe. Although it seems that in the creation of the universe each new creative stage is evolving out of the preceding stage yet in fact when we study the creation of the universe we are convinced that certain overall purpose is realising itself step by step during all these stages. Let us, therefore, keep in mind and, this is very important point, that when we say that on completion of the preceding stage, the higher conscious values of life emerge, we mean that these new values are not determined by the lower conscious stages these values appear from above, that is, these follow from the Purpose. These values do not evolve rather these descend from the Purpose, which always lives with the Creator in unit. There is a lot of difference between the values that appear or become visible and those, which emerge from below as an outgrowth. If we ignore this difference it would imply that the lower stages are being created out of themselves, that is, they are their own creators and hence they are not guided by any purpose. In other words, only "blind forces" under the principle of survival of the fittest, determine the higher rational values!The purpose of our discussion was to draw the attention of the reader to the fact that life lives as a unit and it has been created under the overall purpose which also lives as a unit in the Will of the Creator. Although it has been created through the various stages yet these stages never deviated from the purpose. The diversity in creation simply explains that the values to be achieved by the Creator as sought by Him as His Ideal are infinite and divergent and, therefore, had to be achieved in various stages. The creation of the universe in various stages vis-à-vis the purpose behind creation may perhaps be explained by quoting an example.Let us suppose that our purpose is to construct a building. At the outset we will have to dig the foundation and then build it to the desired level. On completion of the foundation, the next stage will be the construction of walls on the foundation. Now for the construction of this new higher stage we cannot say that the foundation had itself known the purpose of this second phase of construction and, therefore, it is the foundation that has evolved the construction of walls. Similarly, in respect of the second phase of walls, we cannot say that the purpose for construction of the second phase of walls was the preceding stage of foundation. In fact, it is the overall purpose, which is the construction of the building that has brought about this second phase of construction. As the building continues to rise up step by step, the purpose continues to unfold itself. With the completion of the building the purpose stands completely unfolded and realised in the form of the building.

Another important point which should be borne in mind is that although the second phase of construction of walls on the foundation is determined by the overall purpose and not by the second phase as it is, yet the walls have to follow the pattern of the foundation exactly in accordance with the layout plan already completely. If the second phase does not follow the layout of foundation, it would amount to negation of the purpose. Similarly, on completion of the walls, when the third phase of laying the roof will start, that too will be laid as determined by the values of the purpose, yet the laying of the roof will not strictly observe the pattern of the walls but it will, in a way, also be observing the limitations as imposed by the first stage of the building, that is, the very layout of the foundation. Now if we take away the mason who is constructing the building and instead watch the building rising step by step, we will have the impression that each preceding stage is rising to a higher stage on its own as if these stages already knew their purpose.

On the analogy of the above example, we can study the various phases of the creation of the universe. Digging up the elements, which are said to be the elementary construction blocks of the universe, completed the first phase of the universe. Aligning the infinite properties of these elements into a complete physical system completed the second phase; we call them the physical laws of the Earth. In this connection the most important thing which needs our attention is that just as each higher phase of construction fully observes and respects the limitations as laid in the preceding constructive phase of the building, similarly in the case of the creation of the universe, each higher creative stage which appears simultaneously on completion of the preceding stage fully observes and respects the values so fixed in the stage and without overthrowing them builds higher and new values as an independent creative stage over it.

Now again if we take the example of the building, we shall note that during the construction of each stage it seems that everything is in disarray. We seed heaps of bricks and stones scattered at one place and at another place ditches are dug and the earth is piled along. And still at another place wood, cement and other construction materials are piled up loosely. All this shows that there is no order or discipline and that lawlessness prevails everywhere. But let us not forget that even in this state of lawlessness, the purpose continues to work and whatever the stage of construction it may be, purpose flows in each action. Accordingly, as the building continues to rise up step by step, we can see that lawlessness is replaced by order, in-discipline by discipline, and wear and tear by solid construction. Thus on completion of one phase, the second phase starts and passes through similar state of its construction and, then at the completion of the second phase, the third phase starts and so on. Now if someone takes the material and its constructive process as merely the activity of blind forces, and then as a result, when the construction appears in the shape of a beautiful building, he may consider it a mere chance or a "mechanics" we have no option but to doubt the sanity of such a person.

Creation, whether it is Divine or human, has to pass through various stages before its completion. During each of its creative stage, the state of in-discipline and lawlessness, which we see in the beginning, continues to turn into discipline and harmony as the creative stage nears its completion. The question is why the creation has to pass from chaos to discipline and disorder to order. To understand this we will have to study the relation between the Creator and the creation. Creation, as we know, is not the act of duplicating some thing, which already exists. Now, if the Creator is not free to seek his ideal that would imply that the Creator has no will or desire of His own, and hence any activity which is devoid of will and desire can never be called creative activity. The foremost and basic urge behind creation is to seek the love (ideal) as desired and willed by the Creator through free choice. The creative activity is; therefore, a free act of the creation- Creator will not accept any compulsion. Free act, as we know, can be exercised only if we have more than one choice before us to choose from. In other words, many avenues of attraction are always open before the creation to choose the one for reaching his ideal. Accordingly, during his creative activity, the Creator manifests his love in different angles and forms and then whichever is nearest to his love; he selects the same for his further creative activity. Thus, during his creative activity, the Creator continues to exercise his free choice and once having reached completion, he retains it permanently as his realised love (ideal). The urge of creation is also reflected in the creation, as it is conscious or aware of its Creator. Thus the creation also creates in the love of the Creator, according to the conscious level of its love. During creation, it exercises free choice in selecting the values determined by its love or desire. If we look at the cosmic stage, we find that it had developed its values under the principle of attraction and repulsion.

Attraction and repulsion show free will. Although attraction is a constructive force yet during the creative activity of life its repulsive tendency indicates its free choice at the material stage of life. At the creative stage of animal, the instincts of flight and concealment and the instinct of pugnacity may be called the instincts of repulsion. As against these, there are those instincts and innate tendencies that cause the animal to attract or to be attracted by objects that are favourable to it. Among these may be mentioned the parental, the gregarious and sex instincts. These instincts may be called the instincts of attraction. Attraction and repulsion are the fundamental characteristics of consciousness for its activity. At the Human Stage, since man becomes conscious of himself and through that he no longer remains captive of instincts, as is the case with the lower life of animals and vegetables, therefore, his love takes the form of an ideal. The impulse of attraction and repulsion is likewise replaced by the impulse of love and hatred. Love and hatred reveal the attribute of freedom of the Human Self. He loves those values, which could satisfy his love for the ideal and hates those which may keep him astray from reaching his ideal. Thus all the morals observed by man are split up into do's and don'ts. All his creative activities are guided by his love of the ideal. Those activities, which lead him towards his ideal, are moral values and those, which lead him astray, are immoral.

From the above discussion, it is evident that as in the case of building process, the apparent conditions of in-discipline and lawlessness through which the creation has to pass are natural for the creative activity. This may be further elaborated by the example of an artist. To realise the beauty that the artist feels is his ideal; he performs a set of activities in a certain sequence. The tide in his mind results in an outflow of a current of feeling or thought as water wells out of a fountain on account of its own pressure. The feeling realises itself gradually in the growing picture. The picture clears up bit by bit, coming nearer and nearer to the mental impression of the artist. The stages through which the picture develops are stages in the creative activity of the artist. As lines and shades begin to spread themselves on the paper or canvas, the desire of the artist pushes the lines, contours and colours forward to greater and greater complication and organisation so as to bring them nearer and nearer to realising the goal. In fact, it is the desire itself that takes the form of the lines and curves of the picture. The lines and curves have no meaning apart from the desire. In his effort to express himself, the artist goes on choosing certain lines and curves and rejecting certain others. He judges some of them to be suitable for his purpose and others as unsuitable. We may say that he follows a certain moral code or pattern in the preparation of his picture. His choice follows the principle of attraction and repulsion, causing him to prefer some lines and curves and to reject others, till the picture is completed. When the Self is realising its ideal, it may appear to us to be moving towards something, which is within the Self or Soul. The activity of Self is like an arrow which although shot from the bow appears to approaching the bow.

The artist's attraction for his ideal of beauty, which is the picture, starts a creative activity, which brings him nearer and nearer to the ideal. But attraction cannot be imagined apart from repulsion. His activity involves at each step a choice for a judgement resulting in the preference of those lines and curves that are favourable to or consistent with the purpose. Attraction and repulsion both guide his creative activity. It is not only he who is attracted towards certain lines and curves and is repelled by certain others, but in a way, the lines and curves too have an attraction or an affinity for certain lines and curves which fit in with the mental pattern of the artist, and a repulsion from others which do not suit that pattern. Thus, the picture too participates in the activity of the artist. It collaborates with him in order to reach its own perfection. Its collaboration is, however, derived from the artist. It represents his living desire. The real existence of the picture is in the artist's Self and not on the paper. The picture on the paper is a reflection or a projection of the living reality, which is in the mind of the artist. The picture is alive because it is a part of the artist's Self, which is life. It is, moreover, alive in that proportion in which it is true to its source in the Self, in that part of the Self, which is creating the picture. The picture is feeling, it is consciousness, it is life.

From the above example, we can understand the creative process and the free activity of the creator. Creation, as we have already explained, is the activity of the creator through which the creator by manifesting his attributes witnesses his own beauty and charm. Thus the creator while living as a unit-whole remains in polarity of loving and seeking his own beauty. In other words both the actor and the spectator live in the creator as complimentary to one another.

In the light of the foregoing exposition, if we consider the creation of the universe, we will find that immediately on appearance of the charged matter in the Cosmic Stage, the great struggle, tension and chaos, which appeared in the shape of great energy or motion, continued to organise itself from particles to atoms and from atoms to elements through the system of galaxies, stars and planets. At last, at the creative stage of Earth the basic elements further went through a long creative process and, as a result, these were disciplined and harnessed in the form we call them the physical laws which live as a basic values for the higher stages of creation. On the completion of physical laws on Earth, creation continued to proceed at Vegetable and Animal Stages. At these stages, side by side with the great struggle for survival, we see life emerging out of death and decay. Various species of vegetables and animals, which continued to appear as a result of "emergent creation", were in fact created whenever the creation went astray or became inert or tardy. For example, creation of various species at the Vegetable Stage and then creation of various animal species at Animal Stage, were necessary steps taken by the Creator to guide the creation from within according to the conscious level of the creation. The " emergent creation" took place only when creation became the target of inertia. In such conditions, the Creator, through His own free will, created such organism, which could serve as guide to the creation. Similarly, at the Human Stage, the Creator has been guiding humanity according to its conscious level through such persons among mankind who were highly enlightened. Such persons, whom we know as prophets, were created at occasions when humanity faced decay and moral disruption. The prophets were created under the natural process of creation to guide the mankind according to the conscious level of man. The materialists, who argue as to why the Creator did not send angels or why He Himself did not appear to guide mankind, are ignorant of the creative process and the very purpose of creation. This guidance, as we have said, was provided to the creation according to the conscious level of the creation from within the creation. Besides, at every new stage, the appearance of new conscious light from within the creation provided the creation with necessary safeguard for marching towards the right direction. These safeguards from within and from without are sufficient measures to attract man towards his Creator Who is his real love and ideal. Thus, in whatever society man may live, the creative process of the Creator leaves no excuse for him that he has been deprived of the spiritual light, provided he cared to understand.