Three Dangers Krishna Protected The Cowherd Boys From

“One servant of Krishna named Patri once addressed Him like this: ‘My dear Lord, You protected the cowherd boys from the hunger of the Aghasura demon, and You protected them from the poisonous effects of the Kaliya snake. And You also saved them from the fierce forest fire. But I am suffering from Your separation, which is more severe than the hunger of Aghasura, the poison of Lake Kaliya, and the burning of the forest fire. So why should You not protect me from the pangs of separation?’” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 42)

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The threefold miseries of life, as enumerated by Vedic literature, come from the heavens, the body and mind, and other living entities. No one is able to escape for every time and circumstance, since accepting a material body means dealing with the accompanying distresses. The soul is actually not affected; it is like the lotus flower floating on the surface of the pond.

Nevertheless, the individual inside the body feels distress, though the duration is fixed. That is to say this world is known to be temporary and miserable, and the misery experienced is not permanent.

“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 8.15)

Those connected to the Divine through what is known as yoga get extra protection. Better than putting on flame-retardant clothing or taking shelter in a cave, there is the guiding hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The historical incidents described in the Puranas also have symbolic significance in this area.

1. The hunger of a demon

Known as Aghasura, he emitted fumes of papa, or sin. He was an asura by nature, meaning he was against God and godly principles. He was in Vrindavana with a purpose, though it wasn’t revealed to any of the residents. He was acting clandestinely, with the mission given to him by Kamsa, the king of Mathura.

The purpose was to kill Krishna, the child who had escaped from the king’s clutches. That boy is actually the Supreme Lord, appearing on earth in a manifest form for a variety of reasons. The cowherd boys were innocent bystanders, unfortunately caught in the middle of this feud born of Kamsa’s fears.

They were in danger of succumbing to the hunger of Aghasura, who sneakily took the form of an elongated cave, though his true form was that of a snake. Krishna protected His friends by permanently removing the sinful fumes emitted by that bad character.

2. The poisonous effects of a snake

Another time there was poison infecting the sacred Yamuna river. The negative aura was so strong that many of the cowherd boys passed out on the banks of the river. Krishna again came to the rescue. He fearlessly jumped into the water and did battle with the cause, a poisonous snake known as Kaliya. Subduing the bad character, dancing on its hoods, Krishna both removed the danger and blessed the offender by leaving imprints of His lotus feet on the head.

3. A fire of doom

Fires are known to emerge in forests seemingly out of nowhere. There is always a cause, but in these situations it may not be deciphered until after significant damage has been done. There was something similar in Vrindavana, where Krishna’s friends were surrounded by a sudden spark of flames.

They could not jump high into the air and away from the danger. They could not run through the fire and cross to a safer space. There was not a fire hydrant around to douse the flames. The only hope was Krishna, who had saved them several times before.

The Supreme Lord is the origin of all the material elements. Everything emanates from Him. The wise who know this engage in His service without motivation and without interruption.

“I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who know this perfectly engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.8)

As He is also the controller of the elements, it is not surprising that Krishna was able to devour the entire forest fire. Straight into His mouth, not causing any damage. Another crisis averted.

For the living entity the greatest danger is rebirth, wherein exposure to the miseries of life is again guaranteed. The shelter of the lotus feet of the darling child of mother Yashoda prevents such a calamity.

In Closing:

Looking like fire of doom,

To burn them all soon.

Poison from Kaliya the snake,

But His friends never to forsake.

Fumes of death from innocuous cave,

But once again Krishna to save.

From greatest dangers to free,

Steadfast protector is He.

The Four Denials Of The Asuric Mentality

“The demoniac conclude that the world is phantasmagoria. There is no cause, no effect, no controller, no purpose: everything is unreal. They say that this cosmic manifestation arises due to chance material actions and reactions. They do not think that the world was created by God for a certain purpose. They have their own theory: that the world has come about in its own way and that there is no reason to believe that there is a God behind it. For them there is no difference between spirit and matter, and they do not accept the Supreme Spirit. Everything is matter only, and the whole cosmos is supposed to be a mass of ignorance.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 16.8 Purport)

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Since before anyone can remember, prior to recorded history, known only through aural tradition passed on from generation to generation, there has been a constant struggle. The good against the bad. The pious pitted against the sinful. Devotees versus demons.

The Sanskrit words are sura and asura. There are many definitions; some more refined than others. At the basic level the sura is a believer in God. The asura is not; hence the negation of the first word. True belief leads to certain qualities, and the absence means that inverse qualities will emerge.

One area of obvious divergence is the consideration of the creation. The origin. The starting point. The present is known to everyone; no dispute there. What happened before anyone can remember is left up to speculation for those who do not accept the authority of the Vedas.

1. No cause

The asuric mentality is that there is no cause. Everything happened randomly. Surely the same never happens today. There is no experience of amazing intelligence resulting from a lack of intelligence. Even parents of ordinary intelligence giving birth to a child prodigy didn’t act randomly. They have more intelligence than the animal species.

And yet for everything we know, the entire manifest world, the speculation is that there is no cause. Lack of a karanam. Just stuff bouncing around and somehow resulting in the amazing nature around us, with laws so predictable that disciplines of science emerge to study them.

2. No effect

If you don’t have a cause, you obviously are lacking an effect. That tree lying on the ground fell down at some point, since it was standing tall the day before. There was a cause, leading to the effect of falling. Something had to happen.

Since the asuras don’t believe in a cause for the creation, there was no effect that led to everything we see around us. Randomness is not the complete answer, since even then there is some action. As Lakshmana states in the Ramayana, the results of work are unseen and indefinite in duration, but there is still always some initial action taken.

“Unseen and indefinite are the good and bad reactions of fruitive work. And without taking action, the desired fruits of such work cannot manifest.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.17)

3. No controller

Without a cause and effect, certainly there is no controller. Everything continues to occur randomly. In the same way that the creation lacked intelligence, so too the continuing maintenance is without a controller. This makes for an easily identifiable goal for an individual. Try to become a controller yourself. The asura thinks that the post is vacant and can be filled by someone who will outsmart the nature created by randomness.

4. No purpose

Human beings and animals are just here. There is no purpose to anything. Surely there are stages of life. The human being understands mortality, whereas the animal does not. The human being can actually inquire into the origin, while other species are lacking this ability. There are similarities in the areas of eating, sleeping, mating and defending.

Without a purpose, the default choice is to simply enjoy the senses. Enhance the enjoyment of eating. Find ways to increase sleep. Chase after sex life, despite the reality that repeated indulgence does not increase the level of satisfaction. The desires only rise in intensity, like placing additional logs onto a burning fire.

One may ask that if everything is a mass of ignorance, with no difference between body and spirit, what is the harm in accepting the reverse ideas? That is to say how are the pious, those following the ways of the sura, harming themselves? They take great comfort in knowing of the controller. At the highest levels of practice, there is no such thing as belief. There is firm acceptance. Just as knowledgeable people don’t “believe” in gravity, so the devotee understands with certainty the principles of the spiritual science.

The cause is the cause of all causes, sarva karana-karanam. The effect is His glancing over the unmanifest material substance, of which He is also the origin. He controls everything, though maybe not with direct supervision and intervention. The purpose is to facilitate reformation, like giving a child punishment so that they will hopefully correct their ways. Those who accept these four principles begin to make the most out of the precious human birth, which was not easy to achieve.

In Closing:

Only after many births to receive,

Human form not easy to achieve.

For inquiry into spiritual meant,

Not for wasted time spent.

Where asuras speculating on this and that,

No controller, no God, no understanding exact.

Amazing nature by Krishna controlled,

His servants secrets of the world to hold.

Four Ways Krishna Would Manifest In Dvaraka

“When Krishna was residing in Dvaraka, some of the elderly members of the Yadu family would occasionally put some important matter before Him. At such a time, Krishna would carefully give attention to those matters. And if there were some humorous topics mentioned, Krishna would immediately respond with a smiling face. Sometimes when Krishna was executing His duties in the assembly known as Sudharma, He would ask the elderly members for good advice. By such activities He is manifest as the supreme spiritual master, the supreme executive head, the superior intelligence, the supreme power, protector and maintainer.” (The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 39)

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The city of gates. Built within the water, taking advantage of the expert engineering ability of Vishvakarma, whose name means “work of the entire world.” The entire Yadu family coming along, ready for protection against the annoying and persistent attacks from foreign rivals, who had yet to emerge victorious.

The leader would be known as Dvarakadhisha. At the time He already had many other names, such as Krishna, Govinda, Hari, Murari, and Gopala. While living in that amazing city, through the work accomplished on a routine basis the one Supreme Lord would manifest in different ways.

1. The supreme spiritual master

He is already the adi-guru. This means the original teacher. Guru can also refer to a generally respected personality, like a mother, father or elder in the family. Even with this alternate definition the term still applies to Krishna. He is the adi everything; He is the origin. The many universes come into existence through His outgoing breath in the form of Vishnu, who is lying down, completing the most difficult work with ease.

Krishna is the highest authority figure in Dvaraka, even though others may be senior to Him by age. Arjuna was slightly perplexed when hearing about the sun-god, Vivasvan. On the battlefield of Kurukshetra the king of Dvaraka explained to Arjuna that the timeless teachings forming what is known as the Bhagavad-gita were originally passed on at the beginning of the creation. The same Krishna was there acting as teacher. It was difficult to understand for Arjuna since the sun-god is senior by birth to practically everything and everyone.

“Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?” (Bhagavad-gita, 4.4)

The explanation is that Krishna does not change His transcendental bodily-identity. He maintains the same external identity throughout the time continuum, while the individual souls are known to travel from body to body in pockets of time known as lifetimes.

2. The supreme executive head

The final word on all matters. Not acting hastily. Not ruling with an iron fist, where everyone lives in fear of Him. Not scaring others into submission. Still, Krishna is the top executive in Dvaraka. What He says goes. He is the most benevolent leader, as everyone is pleased in their interactions with Him, though they may occur in different capacities.

3. The superior intelligence

The executive head and spiritual master do not act whimsically. They are not driven by their senses; the contrary behavior is known to be a sign of weakness. Krishna explains that lust is the all-devouring enemy of this world. Those consumed by lust quickly fall into madness due to unsatisfied desires. Anger is due precisely to this, and from anger a person is capable of doing anything, even if the behavior is widely acknowledged to be fruitless.

“From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.63)

Krishna is free of kama, or lust. He always maintains a level head, and the supreme intelligence accompanies. He is smarter than everyone and so He can provide the best advice. Who better to turn to in times of trouble than the person who has seen it all? He knows beginning, middle and end.

4. The supreme power, protector and maintainer

He is the commander of the military force, but it is not like He lacks might Himself. The protection of every person is left to Him. There are bad people in this world. Escaping the harsh realities through watching television for hours and hours does not change the fact. Aggressors are always around ready to inflict harm on the innocent.

Dvarakadhisha is there for His many queens, for His children, for the citizens, for the elders in the family, and for dharma itself. He is the most powerful, and He protects and maintains at the same time. This visible display in Dvaraka gives an idea of the same accomplished by Krishna applying for the entire universe.

Though there are deputies, commonly referred to as the three guna avataras, the guiding power in the background is the same Krishna. If not for His potency, Brahma could not create and Shiva could not destroy.

In Closing:

Many roles by person the same,

When everyone to Dvaraka came.

Supreme power protection to give,

With advice of seniors to live.

With benevolence ruling over,

Desires of people knower.

Concept to entire universe expand,

To know how Krishna all to command.

Five Ways The Soul Is Amazing

“Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.29)

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Take the tip of a piece of hair. Now divide that tip into ten thousand parts. Choose one of the parts and you get an accurate representation of what is known as atma in Sanskrit. This is the individual spirit soul, which Shri Krishna reveals in the Bhagavad-gita to be amazing.

1. It can fit into an insect like a fly

At such a granular level, only a microscope could detect the presence. The naked eye probably wouldn’t notice; at least not without outside help. There are so many dust particles in the air, but they are not perceived at the microscopic level until sunlight pours into the room, and then only when there is contrast with darkness.

An easier way to notice the soul’s presence is to observe a living entity. A tiny one will suffice. Take an insect such as a fly. It moves around so quickly that human beings have difficulty catching it. There are objects called swatters to help. That fly is powered by the soul. The atma has no difficulty entering into such a tiny body.

2. It powers the large elephant

Insects are one kind of living entity. The modern scientific term is species. Another kind is the elephant. Much larger and easier to notice, an interesting truth is that the same kind of soul provides the power. That is to say the animating force within is no different.

“The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.18)

The elephant has different abilities compared to the fly. It is much slower. It is easier to touch from the human perspective. It can eat a lot more, and makes much louder sounds. The same soul in two instances as the input, but with different outputs.

3. It reveals amazing intelligence in the human being

Take the different species and know that the same minute subtle particle is the power source, so to speak. The species are nothing more than collections of material elements, gross and subtle. Earth, water, fire, air and ether are somewhat perceptible. The finer elements are mind, intelligence and ego. Finer still is the spirit soul.

The human being is a unique species because of the level of intelligence. Same kind of soul. No difference in that regard, but the intelligence is out of this world. The elephant is much larger and should thus strike fear in the smaller human being, and yet the more diminutive species has figured out a way to keep the elephants and other animals under control. This is due to intelligence.

4. It stays the same throughout the changes to the body

As the type of soul is identical throughout the various species, the lack of uniformity in appearance and ability is due to something else. Specifically, the exact constitutional makeup of material elements is different. The elements combine together to form what is known as the body.

As Shri Krishna also reveals in the Bhagavad-gita, that body is always changing. The shifts begin from the time in the womb. After emerging into the manifest world, youth eventually arrives, leading to adulthood and then old age.

The soul is the same the entire time. It is not affected by the changes. The wise person is not bewildered by this. They may not have known for a long time, since no one ever taught it to them, but since they are dhira, or sober in consciousness, they realize that the truth is logically sound.

We don’t suddenly change identity after our birthday. We may be allowed to do different things, like drive a car or consume adult beverages, but the age is merely a duration of time. Time is the same no matter the quantity it arrives in. That is to say change is the same whether the amount of time is one second or one day. Such and such number of years does not change who I am on the inside.

5. It is never killed

Here the soul is truly amazing. The body can be killed. The definition of death is the soul leaving the body that it previously inhabited. Science has yet to figure out the difference between a dead being and a living one. There is speculation as to the cause. Nature returning to equilibrium. The malfunctioning of organs. The shifting in cellular composition.

The simple, straightforward and honest answer is the exit of the soul, which is powering the body to begin with. Those cells and organs were there only because the soul allowed for the body to develop. That body is from nature, but without an external factor nature is not able to do anything. It is dull matter, after all.

The soul cannot be killed. Not at any time. It cannot be produced, either. This means that the birth of a child is actually the travel of an individual soul from a previous body into a new one. That repeating cycle is known as reincarnation.

That amazing soul has the chance to escape reincarnation. The determining factor is consciousness, which can be best sharpened while within the human body. Hence the real purpose of intelligence. The body and all its component parts are meant for facilitating this change in consciousness, which hopefully occurs in a single lifetime.

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.19)

It may take several lifetimes, but the destination is always the same. The individual soul that is conscious of the Supreme Lord, who is a person, who is the speaker of the Bhagavad-gita, who is the original soul of existence, who is the sum total of the spiritual energy and more, no longer has to worry about being known as amazing in comparison to material elements.

In Closing:

The soul as amazing known,

Proof in many ways shown.

How to live in body of fly,

Same in elephant standing high.

Persisting into future forever,

Not possible to be killed ever.

When into human form bound,

Best chance for liberation found.

Five Questions To Ask If We Had Surveillance Footage Of The Creation

“For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 6.30)

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One side insists on proof. The scientific term is “empirical evidence.” That which can be shown to an audience and accepted with a high degree of certainty. No doubts. Something like the weather reports on the news. Written accounts, not interspersed with descriptions of the amazing.

For instance, we can believe the history books about the Revolutionary War. The language is essentially the same, though the English was a little more proper. Nevertheless, by reading other accounts from the same time period we can even learn the terms that are unfamiliar to us.

Produce something similar for the creation. Not just blind faith. Not simply a belief because someone says so. Hard evidence. Then the doubters will be satisfied. In fact, some of the believers already have doubts. They are awaiting the afterlife to get full confirmation, but right now they are only slightly on the side of Divinity.

To illustrate the flaws with the insistence, take a hypothetical situation where surveillance footage is available. This is of the creation. Video recordings are used as evidence in criminal proceedings, where opposing sides have to make their respective cases. In the court of public opinion deciding the existence of God, submit this visual evidence as Exhibit A.

1. From where was the video taken

Never mind what the video actually shows. Before proceeding to the content, let’s get some other issues squared away first. What is the location of the footage? This is the creation, the origin of everything, so we could say that the universe is what the camera is pointed at. But where exactly within the universe? What are the coordinates? Could we locate it on a map?

2. Who was operating the camera

We trust surveillance footage in getting proof of an event because we know what goes into setting up the monitoring. There has to be a device, first and foremost. It requires a power source. It must be mounted at a specific place, with a targeted area of perception.

In the same light, who set up this camera at the beginning of the creation? We assume there was nothing and no one around, as that is the meaning to an origin. Did the camera mysteriously appear on the scene?

3. Who created the camera

Along with someone to install the camera had to come some sort of production. Who took the component parts and combined them together properly? Who was the engineer? Who gets credit for the invention? Today’s technological devices have an origin of one or many intelligent beings. Someone had to have created this camera in order to produce the footage.

4. How to validate the location and time

Surveillance footage has a date and time. Otherwise the resulting output is more or less meaningless. I am sitting in the living room watching a tennis match on television. I know that the match is from nine years prior. The channel is re-airing a classic encounter. Someone else walks into the room. They are not familiar with the sport. They casually ask, “Oh, Wimbledon has started again?” Not unless someone of authority tells them otherwise will they realize that the match is not from the present day.

Who is the authority to vouch for the date and location of the surveillance footage? Obviously someone is claiming that this is from the origin, but anyone can say anything. There have to be outside sources to validate the claims.

5. How to prove that nothing existed prior

The footage is supposedly of the creation. Everything that happened afterwards is due to this precise moment in time. This will settle the doubts. If we see an amazing person doing the work, it confirms the idea of God. If chemicals simply explode, then it means that the non-believers are correct.

There is still a pressing question at hand. Where is the proof that nothing existed prior to this time? Even if the footage shows emptiness, a lack of a universe, planets and so forth, how to prove that five minutes prior there wasn’t anything, either? How about five years into the past? The same doubt remains.

This questioning of a hypothetical situation proves that there will never exist empirical evidence of the creation, as insisted on by the non-believers. Logic, deductive reasoning, common sense, and certainly some faith are required. The Vedic tradition asks for humble submission and service rendered to authority figures appearing in a chain of qualified teachers.

The reward is realization of the truth, tattva. This isn’t blind faith. Bring every doubt to the table. Give voice to your questions, but know that in time everything will be revealed. Those who are connected to the Almighty in consciousness, in what is known as yoga, reach a point where not only do they no longer have doubts as to the existence of Divinity, but they see proof of Him at every moment and in every location.

In Closing:

Of origins having doubt,

How creation came about?

In word to firmly believe,

Some surveillance footage to receive.

But questions still remaining,

How that object’s location attaining.

And where and what for this result?

Better for Vedic authority to consult.

Five Feats Of Engineering Attributed To Vishnu

“It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kunti, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.4)

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“What amazing vision. Who could see into the future like that? From an idea in their mind to a finished product. So many component parts. Then there is the production on a massive scale. Purchasing the glass from this area of the world. Getting a certain kind of antenna. Then finding a factory to put everything together at a decent price, with predictable output to meet the overwhelming demand. This person deserves so much credit.”

Inventors of innovative technologies like smartphones, televisions, and automobiles receive such praise. Though used for increasing convenience in everyday life, in one view the resulting objects are works of art. There is tremendous intelligence applied; everything doesn’t come together randomly.

In a similar manner, the Supreme Lord Vishnu can be appreciated for His successes in engineering. One need only look out the window from whatever building they reside at present to see evidence.

1. Universes

Not just one. Many. Countless, in fact. It is said that Vishnu simply lies down. There needn’t be guesswork as to the visual. There are plenty of details available. Vishnu is one physical manifestation of the Almighty. He is not an abstract concept. He is not a figure of the imagination.

“Lord Vishnu has four hands, and each hand holds a particular item—either a conchshell, wheel, club or lotus flower.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 3.1.23 Purport)

The opulently adorned, four-handed one is in a restful state. From His breathing emerge the universes. No random collision. No big bang of chemicals. Rather, the entire picture, a series of matter-spirit combinations, is due to Him. The work is as effortless as an involuntary movement of the body.

2. Planets

The universes are not empty. They consist of planets. These are massive collections of land. What is more amazing is that the planets remain suspended in space. It is as if someone is holding them. A catastrophic calamity it would be should a single planet slip from its place in the universe. Vishnu is responsible for both the creation and subsequent maintenance.

3. Trees

Like the universes, the planets are not barren. There are smaller objects of matter dispersed throughout. One of them is the tree. Standing tall and capable of living for thousands of years, there is beauty from top to bottom. The Vedas give a dividing line in classification. Fruit-bearing trees are considered pious and those that don’t yield anything are considered sinful.

4. Bodies of water

They say that the majority of the earth is covered by water. Goswami Tulsidas remarks that as all the stars are contained in the sky, so all the seeds for continuing life are found in the earth.

“Just as within the earth are found every kind of seed and within the sky live all the stars, Tulsidas knows that Shri Rama’s holy name is the reservoir of all dharma.” (Dohavali, 29)

The seeds are able to grow and blossom into plants and flowers because of water, which is picked up from the oceans by the sun and turned into clouds. What a marvelous system, one that doesn’t require outside intervention. The Supreme Lord created a self-sustaining system of growth, nourishment and maintenance.

5. Inhabitants

From a single exhalation not only are so many universes created, but Vishnu expands to simultaneously reside within each space. Every living being has this expansion inside of them, known as Supersoul. Vishnu is able to populate the areas that He creates. In the Bhagavad-gita, He refers to Himself as the seed-giving father.

The subsequent inhalation by Vishnu returns everything to Him. That is to say there is a time of destruction. The cycle continues, as time is infinite in both directions. As Vishnu’s inconceivable ability in engineering is seen in the manifest world, so He has the same amazing potency to create a means for escaping the cycle.

Through something as basic as sound the Supreme Lord rescues. Those who chant the holy names inherently understand this, and so they never let go of the practice: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Credit to smartphone maker,

Ingenuity with materials taker.

Engineering too in creation found,

Planets, water and trees on ground.

Nature a system self-sustaining,

All from Vishnu’s hand maintaining.

Making way also for rebirth to flee,

Through holy name liberation to see.

Four Questions About The Creation Answered By A Single Image

“In the Shruti-mantra it is said that only Vishnu, the Supreme Lord, existed before the creation, and there was no Brahma, Shiva or other demigods. Vishnu means the Maha-Vishnu, who is lying on the Causal Ocean. By His breathing only all the universes are generated in seeds and gradually develop into gigantic forms with innumerable planets within each and every universe. The seeds of universes develop into gigantic forms in the way seeds of a banyan tree develop into numberless banyan trees.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 1.10.21 Purport)

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It’s your first visit to a temple. Not that you weren’t religious growing up, but the tradition of spirituality inherited from the parents focused more on avoiding sin. “Don’t do this. Don’t do that. Repent now. Accept the savior or forever be damned.”

Your curiosity goes a little beyond that, so on the recommendation of a friend you’ve decided to visit a house of worship that is Vedic in nature. Though the commonly used term is Hindu, your friend tells you that Vedic is more appropriate since nowhere is the word Hindu mentioned in any of the scriptural texts that form the basis of the tradition. The original tradition is aural and is based on knowledge; hence the name Vedas.

There are several paintings along the side walls, all beautifully done. One in particular catches your eye. Your friend explains that the confusion over creation is explained through this one painting. All the issues borne of speculation can be resolved with a proper understanding of the components to this beautiful depiction.

1. What

We know the “what” for today. Conduct basic observation. Add in experimentation and you get the basis of modern science. Extrapolation based on the results is a good way to guess about things beyond sense perception, but the conclusion is never exact. For this reason science is known to be rooted in progress, which by its very nature is flawed. You can only progress from something if there is imperfection at the foundation.

This painting explains that the “what” in the beginning is like empty space. Matter is there, but in the unmanifest form. It is something like entering an art class and the teacher has placed a chunk of clay on each desk. A person entering the same room a few hours later sees something entirely different. They might not believe that the origin was clay were it not for the testimony of the students.

2. Where

We know there is an origin, as everything comes from something. We have yet to see a tree manifest out of thin air. Powerful yogis can perform tricks like these, but on the large scale we understand that the trees and other objects have origins.

The image says that the what existed in space. Take the aggregate and zoom out. The “where” is the universe itself, something like pinpointing a country on a map instead of worrying about the different cities.

3. When

The “when” is prior to the existence of everything. No trees, no mountains, no rivers, no hills, no birds, no beasts, no human beings. Everything in the unmanifest state, with tremendous potential. We know of the output based on what we see at present. The when is prior to what we know exists today.

4. How

The image also shows the “how.” Ironically, it is through breathing. An opulently adorned, attractive figure with a bluish complexion lies down in rest. Through exhaling the many universes emerge. To Him they are like bubbles in an ocean. One second they are there, and the next they are not. The time of maintenance is between the two breaths. Exhaling creates and inhaling destroys.

The image is both factual and symbolic. It resolves the different issues the mind speculates on pertaining to creation. It also shows how easily the Supreme Lord creates. Lying down implies sleep, which is the restful state. Breathing is known to be an involuntary activity; that is you don’t have to think about.

The name of the version of God performing these tasks is Vishnu. He is all-pervading, as He expands to enter into each of the bubbles representing universes. He further expands to reside within every living being in those universes. Though God is the most amazing person, having control at the highest aggregate level, He is also smaller than the smallest and easily approachable. The Vedas are for understanding Him, for connecting with Him, and for staying close by in the same manner that He never leaves the individual.

In Closing:

From single image to show,

Creation process to know.

That speculation no more,

An understanding sure.

Prior to everything when,

Vishnu lying and glancing then.

Breathing for creation commanding,

Then into each place expanding.