God: The World’s Maker and Material Cause

Invocation

वरमभयमुदारं पुस्तकं चाक्षहारं मणिवलयमनोज्ञैः पाणिपद्मैर्दधाना ।
सितवसनललामा कुन्दमुक्ताभिरामा वसतु शशिनिभास्या वाचि वाग्देवता नः ॥

(Kaivalyakalpadruma on Svārājyasiddhi, Prakaraṇa 2)

[May Goddess Sarasvatī, whose lotus-like lovely hands with gem-studded bracelets munificently bear the signs of granting boons and freedom from fear, a book and a rosary, who is an unmatched beauty in a white attire, is charmingly complexioned like jasmines and pearls and whose face resembles the moon, reside in our organ of speech.]

Introduction

Bhagavatpāda was undoubtedly an incarnation of Lord Paramaśiva; even His superhuman intellectual acumen is evidence of this. With incisive reasoning congruent with the teachings of the authoritative scriptures, He set to naught objections from every quarter to the tenets of Advaita-vedānta. Though in-depth comprehension of everything that He has expatiated on in His works is beyond the reach of our limited intellects, we ought to strive to assimilate at least a modicum of what He has illuminated; immense benefit would be our reward. With this in mind, I shall now take up some topics related to God’s creation of the universe that have been presented by Sage Vyāsa in the Brahmasūtras and thrashed out by Bhagavatpāda in His Brahmasūtrabhāṣya.

Objections Concerning God’s Causality in Creation

The Upaniṣads declare that God is the cause of the universe.

यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते । येन जातानि जीवन्ति । यत्प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशन्ति । तद्विजिज्ञासस्व । तद्ब्रह्मेति । (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 3.1.1)

[Seek to realize that from which all these beings are born, that by which, when born, they live and that into which, on departing, they merge. That is Brahman.]

The opponent takes exception to the scriptural position that God manifests the world without needing anything to do so. His contention is based on what one normally observes in the world. It is seen that to make anything, some raw material is indispensable. A lump of clay is required to fashion an earthen pot; sugarcane is needed to produce sugar; limestone is required to manufacture cement. The raw material out of which something is made is termed its ‘material cause (upādāna-kāraṇa)’. Apart from the material cause, a person who is capable of converting the raw material into the final product is also required. Such a person is called, in scriptural parlance, the product’s ‘efficient cause (nimitta-kāraṇa)’.

The disputant questions the Vedāntin thus: ‘You claim that God created this universe. What is the material with which He started to make the world? A potter requires a lump of clay to start with in order to make a pot. What is the equivalent raw material with which God fashions the world? A potter is the efficient cause of a pot. Who is the corresponding efficient cause of the universe? Prior to creation, there was no object that could have served as the raw material for God. Were it to be imagined that there was some such material available at that time, the question that would then require an answer is how that object came to be in the first place. So, you are staring a conundrum in the face.’

Bhagavatpāda has a piece of advice for the disputant: ‘You need to bear in mind that it is untenable to take it for granted, as you have done, that the norms that you observe in the world should hold good in God’s case too. You do find in the world that a potter starts with some clay and produces a pot. However, based on this, you cannot dismiss the possibility of God creating the world without any basic material. Do not compare God, who is omnipotent, with a potter.’ He has drawn attention to a scriptural passage pertinent to this point thus:

तथा चाहुः पौराणिकाः ।
अचिन्त्याः खलु ये भावा न तांस्तर्केण योजयेत् । प्रकृतिभ्यः परं यच्च तदचिन्त्यस्य लक्षणम् ॥

(Cited in the bhāṣya on Brahmasūtra 2.1.27)

[The revered author of a Purāṇa has pointed out: Entities that are beyond the scope of thought should not be argued about. The definition of the unthinkable is that which is distinct from worldly entities.]

One should not venture to ascertain, exclusively through ratiocination, what is inexplicable; what transcends the norms of nature is inconceivable. God’s creation of the cosmos is of this kind.

God: The Material and Efficient Cause of the World

God Himself is the material cause of the universe; He is its efficient cause too. Sage Vyāsa’s aphorism is:

प्रकृतिश्च प्रतिज्ञादृष्टान्तानुपरोधात् ॥ (Brahmasūtra 1.4.23)

[Brahman must be the material cause as well as the efficient cause of the world, so as to not contradict the proposition and the illustration in the Upaniṣads.]

Bhagavatpāda has shown how the Vedic proposition and example reveal God as the raw material and maker.¹

¹ प्रतिज्ञा तावत् 'उत तमादेशमप्राक्ष्यः येनाश्रुतꣲ श्रुतं भवत्यमतं मतमविज्ञातं विज्ञातम्' इति ; तत्र चैकेन विज्ञातेन सर्वमन्यदविज्ञातमपि विज्ञातं भवतीति प्रतीयते ; तच्चोपादानकारणविज्ञाने सर्वविज्ञानं संभवति, उपादानकारणाव्यतिरेकात्कार्यस्य...दृष्टान्तोऽपि 'यथा सोम्यैकेन मृत्पिण्डेन सर्वं मृन्मयं विज्ञातꣲ स्याद्वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम्' इत्युपादानकारणगोचर एवाम्नायते… एवं यथासंभवं प्रतिवेदान्तं प्रतिज्ञादृष्टान्तौ प्रकृतित्वसाधनौ प्रत्येतव्यौ ।...अधिष्ठात्रन्तराभावोऽपि प्रतिज्ञादृष्टान्तानुपरोधादेवोदितो वेदितव्यः । अधिष्ठातरि ह्युपादानादन्यस्मिन्नभ्युपगम्यमाने पुनरपि एकविज्ञानेन सर्वविज्ञानस्यासंभवात्प्रतिज्ञादृष्टान्तोपरोध एव स्यात् । - The proposition is, ‘Did you ask about that entity taught by the scripture (Brahman) on knowing which even what is unheard becomes heard, what is not thought of becomes thought of and what is unknown becomes known (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.1.2)?’ It is patent herein that by knowing one entity, everything that is unknown too becomes known. That knowledge of everything is possible from the knowledge of its material cause since an effect is non-different from its material cause...The Vedic illustration is: ‘O pleasant, just as by knowing a lump of clay, all things made of clay become known, since clay alone is real and all its transformations have only speech as basis and exist only in name’ (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.1.4); this too points to the material cause only...In this way, in each Upaniṣad, the proposition and the illustration ought to be understood as establishing that Brahman is the material cause of the world...In line with the proposition and the illustration, it must also be understood that there is no efficient cause other than Brahman, for if some maker apart from the material cause were admitted, it will not be possible to know everything by knowing one entity and so the proposition and illustration would be contradicted. (Bhāṣya on Brahmasūtra 1.4.23)

Appearance of God as the World

You asked what raw material was available to God to manifest the world. I shall now present a comparable situation and pose a query. A person comes across a coiled rope in semidarkness and mistakes it to be a snake. He even avers that there is a snake in front of him. What is the material basis of that snake?

It is none other than the rope, for it is the rope itself that is misapprehended as the snake. Does the rope cease to exist or become affected in any way when the snake comes into view in its place? No, the rope remains as before. When the person’s delusion becomes dispelled, the snake disappears and he sees only the rope in its place.

Just as the rope appeared to the undiscerning one as a snake, God appears to us in the form of the universe. Just as when that person’s delusion ceases, the snake vanishes and he clearly perceives just the rope, when our ignorance ends, the universe will no more appear as before; the Supreme will manifest clearly. The thrust of the analogy given is that it is the Supreme Itself that appears as the world, without the need for any distinct raw material.

Sri Sadāśiva Brahmendra, who was fully enlightened and a great yogin, has declared that a jīvanmukta, one liberated while living, is not dumbfounded by anything.

सवितर्यपि शीतरुचौ चन्द्रे तीक्ष्णेऽप्यधो वहत्यग्नौ ।
मायिकमिदमिति जानन् जीवन्मुक्तो न विस्मयी भवति ॥

(Ātmavidyāvilāsa 18)

[Knowing that the world is illusory, the one liberated while alive would not become confounded even if the sun were to become cool-rayed and the moon hot and fire were to point downwards.]

A knower of the Truth will not be taken aback even if sunrays, which are normally warm, were to become icy, moonlight were to become sizzling hot during the night and a burning log’s flames, which normally point only upwards, were to become downward-turned. He knows that everything is illusory. What is there to be stunned about the universe, which is but illusory?

Suffice it to note here that God is the world’s ‘abhinna-nimittopādāna, the material as well as efficient cause’.

God Needs No Aids for Creation

A potter requires not just clay but also factors such as a wheel and a rod to turn the wheel to complete his task. In view of cases in point like this, the opponent objects that as various things are utilized to fashion a product and as no aids were available to God before creation, He could not have produced the world. Touching upon this expostulation, Sage Vyāsa advances the case of milk turning into curd as a counterexample¹. Bhagavatpāda points out that it is possible for transformations to take place, as in the case of milk turning into curd, without extrinsic means, because of some intrinsic property of the entity that undergoes the modification. The opponent interjects by saying that milk requires heat to turn into curd. Bhagavatpāda counters this by pointing out that milk has the intrinsic capacity to become modified into curd and that is why it does so.

त्वार्यते त्वौष्ण्यादिना दधिभावाय । (Bhāṣya on sūtra 2.1.24)

[Heat and the like speed up its becoming curd.]¹

All that an extrinsic factor such as heat does is to hasten or facilitate the change. Thus, there is no hard and fast rule that all transformations require some external factor or the other. As for God, He is all-powerful and requires nothing even to consummate or expedite the fruition of His potential to manifest anything.

The opponent then argues that while it may be possible for something insentient like milk to give rise to an effect such as curd even without needing external means, a conscious entity such as a potter cannot make a product without various materials; likewise, Brahman, which is conscious, could not have created the world because of the absence of aids. Sage Vyāsa’s rebuttal is:

देवादिवदपि लोके ॥ (Brahmasūtra 2.1.25)
[(Brahman can create without aids) like the gods and others, as seen in the world.]

¹ यदि च स्वयं दधिभावशीलता न स्यात्, नैवौष्ण्यादिनाऽपि बलाद्दधिभावमापद्येत । न हि वायुराकाशो वौष्ण्यादिना बलाद्दधिभावमापद्यते । साधनसामग्र्या च तस्य पूर्णता संपाद्यते । परिपूर्णशक्तिकं तु ब्रह्म । न तस्यान्येन केनचित्पूर्णता संपादयितव्या । - If milk did not have the intrinsic capacity to turn into curd, it could not have been forcibly transformed into curd even by heat or any other factor. Air or space cannot, for example, be forced by factors such as heat to become curd. The associated factors only consummate milk’s own capacity to become curd. Brahman, however, is all powerful. Its power is not in need of being perfected by anything else. (Bhāṣya on Brahmasūtra 2.1.24)

Bhagavatpāda explains that mantras and corroborative passages of the Vedas, the Itihāsas (Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata), and the Purāṇas contain accounts of powerful sentient beings such as the Devas, manes and seers creating various things by just willing them to be. Likewise, God, who is conscious, creates the world without any extrinsic means. Ordinary mortals require aids to produce something; God does not.

To him who seeks to have an idea of how God creates the universe without raw materials or aids, an example may be cited from the Mahābhārata. Here, I must stress that we must never doubt the validity of the Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas, such as the Bhāgavata. They contain not tales but details of true events. The Mahābhārata¹ records that when the wicked Duśśāsana started disrobing Draupadī, she called out to Lord Kṛṣṇa for succour. Moved, He promptly wrought a miracle; He blessed Draupadī with an unending series of saris and saved her honour. There is no room here for questions such as: ‘How did He produce the numerous garments that He vouchsafed Draupadī? In which textile mill were they manufactured? How many labourers were there in the Lord’s factory?’ The reason is that the Lord has the power to perform miracles like this without requiring anything. God is, likewise, quite capable of manifesting this diverse universe in a trice, just on His own¹. Merely because our ability to accomplish anything is limited, we ought not to doubt His illimitable power. Bhagavatpāda has concluded:

तस्माद्यथैकस्य सामर्थ्यं दृष्टं तथा सर्वेषामेव भवितुमर्हतीति नास्त्येकान्तः । (Bhāṣya on Brahmasūtra 2.1.25)
[There is, thus, no inviolable rule that the power that is
seen in someone must be all that is there in another too.]

In contrast to ours, Bhagavān’s power is unimaginable and boundless indeed. Thus, He can and does create the universe by Himself, without any aids.

God Creates Without Any Expectation

The opponent then takes exception in a different way to the Vedantin’s view that God created the universe. Sage Vyāsa has encapsulated this objection in the following aphorism:

न प्रयोजनवत्त्वात् ॥ (Brahmasūtra 2.1.32)

[(Brahman did not create this universe) since a motive is required (and it is absent).]

It is a matter of common experience that people engage in an activity only if some end of theirs is served thereby.

प्रयोजनमनुद्दिश्य न मन्दोऽपि प्रवर्तते ॥
(Sarvavedānta-siddhānta-sārasaṁgraha 11)

[Even a fool does not act without a motive.]

Even a nincompoop or a lunatic would not endeavour to do something if he sensed it to be pointless. That God, with all His brilliance, would have aimlessly set about creating the world defies credibility. So, He cannot be its maker. Sage Vyāsa responds that:

लोकवत्तु लीलाकैवल्यम् ॥ (Brahmasūtra 2.1.33)

[But (Brahman’s creative activity) is just a pastime, like that seen in the world.]

Bhagavatpāda clarifies: ‘Notwithstanding the absence of any benefit to Him, God proceeds to create the world. Your protest rests on your untenable projection of our goal-driven behavioural pattern on to God. Moreover, great persons have done deeds, unmotivated by self-interest. God, who has no unfulfilled wishes, can and does create, unregimented by expectations.’¹

The disputant interjects: ‘One may, perhaps, take up an undemanding undertaking, unprompted by a purpose. By no stretch of imagination is the creation of the world a mean task. Implausibility smites any claim that even without any benefit to impel Him, God launched into this Herculean venture.’ Bhagavatpāda, however, sets the record straight by pointing out:

¹ यथा लोके कस्यचिदाप्तैषणस्य राज्ञो वा राजामात्यस्य वा व्यतिरिक्तं किञ्चित्प्रयोजनमनभिसंधाय केवलं लीलारूपाः प्रवृत्तयः क्रीडाविहारेषु भवन्ति यथा चोच्छ्वासप्रश्वासादयोऽनभिसंधाय बाह्यं किञ्चित्प्रयोजनं स्वभावादेव भवन्ति एवमीश्वरस्याप्यनपेक्ष्य किञ्चित्प्रयोजनान्तरं स्वभावादेव केवलं लीलारूपा प्रवृत्तिर्भविष्यति । न हीश्वरस्य प्रयोजनान्तरं निरूप्यमाणं न्यायतः श्रुतितो वा संभवति ।...यदि नाम लोके लीलास्वपि किञ्चित्सूक्ष्मं प्रयोजनमुत्प्रेक्ष्येत तथाऽपि नैवात्र किञ्चित्प्रयोजनमुत्प्रेक्षितुं शक्यते, आप्तकामश्रुतेः । - Just as it is seen in the world that someone who has everything wished for, such as a monarch or a minister, indulges as a mere pastime, without any separate motive, in sportive strolling and just as one inhales and exhales naturally, without any distinct motive, likewise, God can have activities as a mere sport, coming about just because of His nature (Māyā), without reference to any utility for Him. It is impossible to logically or scripturally ascribe some extraneous aim to Him...Though even with regard to the pastimes seen in the world, some subtle motive may be conceived, this cannot be done with respect to God’s activity in view of the scriptural declarations that He has no unfulfilled desire. (Bhāṣya on Brahmasūtra 2.1.33)

यद्यप्यस्माकमियं जगद्बिम्बविरचना गुरुतरसंरम्भेवाभाति, तथापि परमेश्वरस्य
लीलैव केवलेयम्, अपरिमितशक्तित्वात् । (Bhāṣya on Brahmasūtra 2.1.33)

[Although the creation of this universe appears to us to be a stupendous task, yet, to God, it is but a mere play, for His power is boundless.]

Though we envisage that the creation of the cosmos is a gargantuan endeavor, to God, it is child’s play, for His power is inestimable. He looks for nothing from it, for He, of infallible will, has no unconsummated wish. While He stands to gain nothing from it, He creates, without capriciousness or bias, such that all beings are able to duly experience the fruits of their actions.¹

Eschew Logic that is Discordant with the Scripture

The disputant’s objection to the scriptural position that God is the cause of the universe on the grounds that He lacked raw materials, aids and motive is unsustainable, as He needs none of these. By arguing about matters that transcend the scope of intellection, one only ends up betraying one’s ignorance; this is what the opponent of Vedānta does.

Bhagavatpāda has announced to the disputants: ‘I am presenting matters in the light of the scripture and not mere logic. None, including you, can afford to disregard the authority of the śruti.’ The stature of śruti and smṛti is as follows:

श्रुतिस्तु वेदो विज्ञेयो धर्मशास्त्रं तु वै स्मृतिः ।
ते सर्वार्थेष्वमीमांस्ये ताभ्यां धर्मो हि निर्बभौ ॥ (Manusmṛti 2.10)

[The Veda, it should be known, is śruti and the traditional texts (of sages) about dharma, smṛti. They are beyond disputation in all matters¹, since it is through these that dharma comes to light.]

The promulgators of the texts on dharma have, ages ago itself, counselled us that we should never indulge in fallacious argumentation about the teachings of the śruti and smṛti. After all, it is through them that dharma and the Supreme Reality can be comprehended by us. Disregarding the scriptures and relying merely on our own ratiocination in such abstruse matters would be a blunder.

Bhagavatpāda has considerately advised us thus:

वाक्यार्थश्च विचार्यतां श्रुतिशिरः पक्षः समाश्रीयताम् । दुस्तर्कात्सुविरम्यतां श्रुतिमतस्तर्कोऽनुसन्धीयताम् ॥
(Upadeśapañcaka 3)

[Enquire into the import of the scriptural avouchment (about the non-dual Truth). Adopt as final the view of the Upaniṣads. Wholly desist from reasoning that is discordant with the scripture. Reflect through reasoning that is in line with the import of the scripture.]

Directing our attention to Vedic passages, we must use our intellect to engender conviction about the teaching of the śruti and not for vainly gainsaying it.

As we have been seeing, there is no room for objections about creation as revealed to us by the scripture. God is Himself the material cause of the universe and is the one who, on His own, creates, sustains and dissolves it. He has made the world without expecting anything in return and, thereby, enabled all beings to experience the fruits of their past actions. The scripture’s main aim is to enable us to become liberated from transmigratory existence by realizing the non-dual Truth made known by it.

॥ हर नमः पार्वतीपतये । हर हर महादेव ॥