Why Did God Create the World? Part 6

Why Did God Create the World?

Part 6

God being infinite has infinite potential (Maya). This power is not different from Him. He became aware of it. He thereafter spontaneously and naturally manifested the same as this world. He sported in it. Till then all was fine. He later identified with a finite part of His creation, thought Himself different from the rest and got infatuated by his creation. Thus from the Creator He became a creature, the individual. When we loose sight of the Infinite Self, identify with the finite and consider the world different from us, we suffer. Thus suffering is of our own making. For God or for one who knows the pure Self, creation is a sport, a manifestation of the Infinite creative Power.

The question arises, “What then is the purpose of the world for the individual, the Jeeva?” Is the creation meant for his recreation also or is there some more meaning to it? Also why does the world become a problem to him?

God’s creation is vast, beautiful, joy giving and works according to His laws (natural laws). In His creation we create our own little world of likes and dislikes, tensions, worries, competition, jealousies, pollution, noise, concrete jungles, traffic jams, wars etc. Clearly it is the latter alone that is problematic. If we stopped projecting our own egocentric world, caused due to identification, we too would find life to be a sport (lila).

“I” the individual finite being is the center of my world. We must discover our own purpose of life on earth and try and fulfill it. It was said, ‘Find a purpose, the means would follow.’ If man seeks more and more of the same, he remains in the rat race of life. Even if he wins the race, he still remains a rat! When he starts seeking a higher and higher purpose, there is greater fulfillment and joy. Gradually he realizes that the purpose of life and the world is to realize the Truth of the world and not just pleasure seeking (jivasya tattvajijnasa nartho yaseeha karmabhih.)

Let us discuss the topic of God as the Creator and His purpose behind creation in another way. For every effect (karya), there must be a cause (Karana), a creator (Karta). The creator must have the knowledge and strength to create. A pot-maker must have the knowledge of how to make the pot (ghatajna), and the strength to do so (Ghatasaktiman). Similarly the world too must have a creator (Sarva-Karta), who is Omniscient (Sarvajna) and omnipotent (Sarva shaktiman).

Om Namah Shivay