Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Itasca

Jay Shree Swaminarayan

The characteristics of the evolution of Maya

Chapter-12

Cosmic disintegration

Divine abode of God.

In Samvat 1876, on the fifteenth day of full moon in the month of Margshirsh, Shriji Maharaj was seated in the Durbar of Shri Dada Khachar at Gadhada. He was in white clothes. The Saints and the devotees from the various places were assembled before him.

Then Shriji Maharaj said, "The Jiva is released from the influence of Maya and the evoltues of Maya which are the twenty four Tattva, when the Jiva realises Purush and Prakrita the primordial cause of the evolution of this Universe and also Kala, twenty four Tattras and Mahatattra. he becomes free from all bondages.

Then Muktanand Swami said, "Oh Maharaj ! let us knbw about their forms. Shriji Maharaj said, "Their forms can be known by knowing about their attributes. I shall describe their various attributes to you. Purush is separate from the Prakriti and is her controller. He is Akhand, Anadi, Anant, Satya, Swayamjyoti, Sarvagya, Divyavigrah, Kshetragya and the source of evolution. The Prakriti is full of three Gunas, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and is realised in two forms : manifested and unmanifested. She is Nitya and in her dormant stage, she is devoid of all, that may develope from her. She is the womb of all evolutes including Mahattattva and Jivas and is the divine power of God. That which disturbs Maya in her dormant state, when three Gunas are resting in her womb and awakens them, is called Kala."

'Now I shall tell you the attribute of Mahattattva. Mahattattva is the cosmic intelligence inseparable from Chitta, a faculty in the human body. Mahattattva holds the Universe in a subtle form, is changeless, luminous, pure and Shuddha, Sattvamaya, Ahamkar is full of three Gunas and is the cause of the genration of the Panchbhootas, Indriyas, Antahkarans, the presiding deities and Prana. It is calm, grave and obscure. Mind is the controller of the Indriyas, is the generating place of carnal desires and is of a fluid nature. Buddhi possesses discerning knowledge of all aspects. " The cognition of feelings in Indriyas is due to the pervasion of Buddhi within the body. Doubt, conviction, sleep and remembrances are its inherent features. Hearing, touching, seeing, tasting and smelling are the five functions of the five cognitive organs whose characteristic feature is to perform their functions as described above. The characteristic nature of the five conative organs, the tongue, the hands, the feet, the genital organs and the arms - lead them to engage themselves in their respective functions. Now I ishall tell you the cognisable features of the five quintessences from which the five gross objects originate Shabda is the quintessence of space or ether. It contains the potency of meaning and sense, it reveals true inner from and class of the man who speaks. It originates from space. Sparsh is the quintessence of air. It has the attributes of softness, coldness and heat and can be felt only by the organ of touch. Roop ls the quintessence of light. It displays various forms in their perspective. It resorts to various objects and changes according as the objects changes. It can be seen only through the eyes. Rasa is the quintessence of water. It's attributes are sweetness, a stringent bitterness, sourness, salineness and pungent. It can only be felt by taste. Gandh is the quintessence of earth. Fragrance and stench are the attributes of smell. It can be felt only by the nose.

"Now I shall relate to you the characteristics features of the earth; sustaining of holding all Jivas, distinguishing four other Bhhotas, giving physical form to Jivas and functioning as an abode for all Jivas to resort to. These are the characteristic features of the earth. The characteristic features of water are kindling all materials, softening of the Jivas, satiating them, subsiding heat and being available in abundance. The characteristic features of light are, spreading illumination, helping digestion, absorbing liquids like Ghee and oil, burning wood and offering like rice, ghee, wood that are made in the sacrifice, destroying cold, drying and creating hunger and thirst. The characteristic features of wind are : shaking trees, gathering dust and grass and carrying the quintessence of the five objects, viz. shabda, sparsh, Roop, Rasa and Gandh to their respective organs and working as vital force for all Indriyas. The characteristic features of the space are providing space for Jivas, acting as a causal factor for all outward and inward functioning of the body and giving resort to the Prana, Indriyas, and Antahkarans. These are the attributes of twenty four Tattras, Prakriti, Purush and Kala. If the Jiva obtains the knowledge of these Tattvas, he can be released from his ignorance.

Now you ought to know the process of cosmiC evolution. Lord Shri Krishna while in his divine abode through Akshar Purush sowed in the womb of Maya the seed for creation. Thus through, an infinite number of Pradhans and Purush came into being. I shall tell you how each macrocosm has evolved through Pradhan and Purush. Since Shri Krishna inspired Pradhan through Purush to hold the seed of creation in her womb through Pradhan, Mahattattva was created and through Mahattattva, Sattvic, Rajas and Tamasi Ahmkar, the Indriyas, Buddhi and Prana were created and through Tamasic Ahmkar, The Panchbuttas and their quintessences were created. This is how creation began.

"Then by the desire of God, these Tattvas created the bodies of Ishwaras and Jivas. Ishwara has three bodies - Virat, Sutratma and Avyakrut. His life extends up to Dwi-Parardhas, His night is equal to his day. During his day the life of Triloka is sustained. When his night falls, Triloka is destroyed. This destroyance is called Nimmitta-Pralaya. When the life of Virat comes to an end, Virat, along with Satya loka and other lokas, the twenty fourt Tattvas including Mahattattva, Prakriti and Purush all merge in Mahamaya. This is called Prakrut Pralaya. Again Mahamaya also merges in the divine light of Aksharbrahmam, just night fades into day. This is called Atyantik Pralaya, During Nitya Pralaya, deities, demons and Jivas meet their death, a process repeated every day. One who knows that the universe is evolved, sustained and destroyed in this way develops Vairagya and devotion to God. When all the universes are destroyed, the Jivas residing in those various universes rest in the womb of Maya. However, the devotees or God are transmigrated to the divine abode of God."

Then Muktanand Swami asked, "How is that abode of God?" Shriji Maharaj said, "Abode of God is divine, eternal, indivisible, Nitya, that is to say, unaffected by the Pralay periods and is of the form of Satchitanand. I shall give you an image of its beauty. Suppose this whole earth togather with trees and mountains was made of pure glass and each star in the sky had the light of the sun and that all these stars had illuminated the earth made of glass. Then the earth would look extremly beautiful. The divine abode of God is shines in that way. Devout men of God who go into trance see this divine abode and they are transmigrated there after death.

Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Gadhada Pratham - 12

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