Creation

As you read through this article about the “Process of creation” you might find it so contradictory and complicated that you might shake your head in disbelief and say “this is impossible”. Nevertheless, though it is beyond human comprehension yet, since some people have asked for this information, I would try my best to explain it as per my understanding.

In a nutshell, just know that God’s Yogmaya shakti is vital in creation of the Sansaar - The world. Yogmaya is the internal potency of God. The works of Yogmaya are beyond human comprehension. It is so powerful that it is called kartum akartum anyatha kartum samartha shakti which means “it can do whatsoever it wants, doesn't do whatsoever it doesn’t want to and can even do the reverse”. There are plenty of things in the process of creation that will seem opposite to how we know things work. Just know that in the scriptures the omniscient-saints have stated that this is how the world was created.

Before we cover the process let us lay some ground work.

Time before creation is called Mahapralay or period of total annihilation. At this time both Maya and Jeev submerge in the infinite belly (कार्णार्णव) of Shri Krishna. All the Jeev and Maya remain in the state of inactivity there. Then at the end of a kalp Supreme Brahm Lord Krishna activates Maya which creates the Sansaar-The World. Thereafter, He releases all the Jeev in it. This whole process is called the Process of Creation.

Now, let us examine the meaning of the word "Creation" -

सृष्टि का अर्थ यह गोविंद राधे। प्रलय पूर्व जग प्राकट्य करा दे।। 1430
sṛṣṭi kā artha yaha goviṃda rādhe। pralaya pūrva jaga prākaṭya karā de।। 1430

“The word creation means making the world reappear in its previous form”.

हरी ना बनावे जग गोविंद राधे। जैसा पूर्व में था वैसा प्रकट करा दें ।। 1431
harī nā banāve jaga goviṃda rādhe। jaisā pūrva meṃ thā vaisā prakaṭa karā deṃ ।। 1431

“God does not create this Sansaar-The World anew. Whatever was the state of this Sansaar-The World before the Mahapralay it was revealed in the same form”. All this miraculous work of revealing of the Sansaar-The World is done by inert Maya.

Non-living things cannot do anything! Then how does Maya create Sansaar-The World?

माया जड़ चीमटी है गोविंद राधे । हरि कर जो चाहे सोई करा दे ॥ राधा गोविंद गीत 1294
māyā jaड़ cīmaṭī hai goviṃda rādhe । hari kara jo cāhe soī karā de ॥ rādhā goviṃda gīta 1294

“Maya is an inert power. In the hands of God it does whatsoever God wants it to do”.

With this basic understanding of spiritual truths let us hear what the scriptures say about "how the creation starts"?

Process of Creation

Shri Krishna is the Supreme God and

सर्व कारण कारणम्
sarva kāraṇa kāraṇam

“(Shri Krishna is) the ultimate cause of all the causes”.

Though He is the causes of all causes (including the creation) He does not directly indulge in the creation process.

Appearance of Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu

Shri Krishna, The Supreme God, reveals one of His infinite powers by a quick glance. That power is called Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु). He is also known as Saṃkarṣaṇa(संकर्षण), Balarāma (बलराम) and Pratham Purush which literally translates to “1st person”. Pratham Purush casts a glance on Maya to discharge it from dormancy. It is now activated to commence its work.

Creation of Mahan

Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu used His Chit shakti to infuse His virility into inert Maya. It is due to this power of Yogmaya that Maya created the Sansaar-The World. The movement of Maya revealed a huge form of luster. This is called Mahan(महान) or mahat-tattva (महत-तत्त्व) .

महतत्त्वं हिरण्मयम्

Mahan is the light (a power of Shri Krishna). Unlike, the material light we know, this light is devoid of dispersion and diversion (अखण्ड ज्योति). After maha pralay when He is in the state of Yog Nidra (Yogic sleep) this power remains dormant. When He wakes up this power gets back all of its luster. This awakens Maya which brings the jeev into operative state.

In other words, Mahan is a main power in creation. Mahan comprises the utter darkness which is present only at the time of total annihilation. This darkness engulfs the luster of Mahat tattva. At the time of creation, Mahan engulfed that darkness to bring forth the creation of the world.

Creation of Ahankar

Further, 3 kinds of ahankara (अहंकार) originated from Mahattatva

Sattvic (सात्विक),
Rajas (राजस) and
Tamas (तामस)

Celestial gods and goddesses called Devatas (स्वर्ग के देवी देवता) originated from by Sattvik Ahankar (सात्विक अहंकार).

Creation of Panchtanmattra

The 5 Subtle elements called Panchtanmattra (पंचतन्मात्रा) originate from tamas ahankaar (तामस अहंकार). They are namely

sound (शब्द),
touch (स्पर्श),
form (रूप)
taste (रस) and
smell (गंध)

These are subjects of five subtle senses (सूक्ष्म इंद्रियाँ).

तामसाश्च विकुर्वाणाद्भगवद्वीर्यचोदिताम्। शब्दमात्रबभूत्तस्मान्नभः श्रोत्रं तु शब्दगः ॥

भा 3.26.32

tāmasāśca vikurvāṇādbhagavadvīryacoditām। śabdamātrababhūttasmānnabhaḥ śrotraṃ tu śabdagaḥ ॥ 

Tamas Ahankar (तामस अहंकार) created the sound (शब्दतन्मात्रा). Sound (आकाश) created space and the ability of hearing. Space is predominant in the construction of ear (कर्णेंद्रिय) that’s why it can perceive sound (शब्द).

नभसः शब्दतन्मात्रात् कालगत्या विकुर्वतः । स्पर्शोऽभवत्ततो वायुस्त्वक् स्पर्शस्य च संग्रहः ॥

भा 3.26.35

nabhasaḥ śabdatanmātrāt kālagatyā vikurvataḥ । sparśo'bhavattato vāyustvak sparśasya ca saṃgrahaḥ ॥ 

After an interval of time, some changes occurred in space which created a subtle element of touch (स्पर्शतन्मात्रा). And this element created air called vayu (वायु) and the sense organ skin (त्वकेंद्रिय). Air is predominant in the construction of skin that is why it can perceive touch (स्पर्श).

वायोश्वस्पर्शतन्मात्रात्दैवेरितादभूत् समुत्थितंततस्तेजश्चक्षूरूपोपलम्भनम् ॥ 3.26.३८ ॥
vāyoś ca sparśa-tanmātrād rūpaṁ daiveritād abhūt
samutthitaṁ tatas tejaś cakṣū rūpopalambhanam

Again, after some time by the wish of God, some changes occurred in the element of touch, and it gave birth to the element of form (रूपतन्मात्रा). The form (रूप) created light (तेज) and eyes. Light is predominant in the construction of eyes (चक्षु इन्द्रिय) that is why it can perceive form (रूप).

रूपमात्राद्विकुर्वाणात्तेजसो दैवचोदितात् रसमात्रमभूत्तस्मादम्भो जिह्वा रसग्रह: ॥ 3.26.४१ ॥
rūpa-mātrād vikurvāṇāt tejaso daiva-coditāt
rasa-mātram abhūt tasmād ambho jihvā rasa-grahaḥ

Further, when the element of form (रूपतन्मात्रा) was deformed, taste element (रसतन्मात्रा) came into existence, which created water (जल) and tongue. Water is predominant in the construction of the tongue (रस इन्द्रिय) that is why it can perceive taste (रस).

रसमात्राद्विकुर्वाणादम्भसो दैवचोदितात् गन्धमात्रमभूत्तस्मात्पृथ्वी घ्राणस्तु गन्धग: ॥ ४४ ॥
rasa-mātrād vikurvāṇād ambhaso daiva-coditāt
gandha-mātram abhūt tasmāt pṛthvī ghrāṇas tu gandhagaḥ

When the element of form (रसतन्मात्रा) was deformed element the smell (गंधतन्मात्रा) element appeared. It gave birth to the earth (पृथ्वी) and nose (नासिका). Earth is predominant in the construction of the nose that is why it can perceive smell (गंध).

Creation of Panch Mahabhoot

The Subtle elements (पंचतन्मात्रा) created the mind (मन), and five gross elements called Panch Mahabhoot (पंचमहाभूत) i.e. earth, water, fire, air and Space.

Space was created first. Then Space created air (vayu), air created fire, fire created water and water created earth.

Space

Air

Fire

Water

Earth

तस्माद्वा एतस्मादात्मन आकाशः संभूतः । आकाशाद्वायुः । वायोरग्निः ।अग्नेरापः ।अद्भ्यः पृथिवी ।
पृथिव्यांओषधयः । ओषधीभ्योऽन्नम्। अन्नात्। पुरुषः । स वा एष पुरुषोऽन्नरसमयः ॥

तैत्ति

tasmādvā etasmādātmana ākāśaḥ saṃbhūtaḥ । ākāśādvāyuḥ । vāyoragniḥ ।agnerāpaḥ ।adbhyaḥ pṛthivī ।
pṛthivyā oṣadhayaḥ । oṣadhībhyo'nnam। annāt। puruṣaḥ । sa vā eṣa puruṣo'nnarasamayaḥ ॥

taittirīya upaniśada

Each subsequent matter encapsulates the attributes of their origin. For example -

आकाश में तो गुण गोविंद राधे। एक ही प्रमुख है शब्द बता दे ।। 1316
ākāśa meṃ to guṇa goviṃda rādhe। eka hī pramukha hai śabda batā de ।। 1316

"the space is endowed with the attribute of sound. "

Air has the attribute of space (sound) as well but

वायु में दो गुण गोविंद राधे। किंतु है प्रमुख एक स्पर्श ही बता दे ।। 1315
vāyu meṃ do guṇa goviṃda rādhe। kiṃtu hai pramukha eka sparśa hī batā de ।। 1315

"the predominant attribute of air is touch."

Air created the fire; therefore

तेज में तीन गुण गोविंद राधे। किंतु है प्रमुख एक रूप ही बता दे।। 1314
teja meṃ tīna guṇa goviṃda rādhe। kiṃtu hai pramukha eka rūpa hī batā de।। 1314

"fire has its own predominant attribute of form and also has the attributes of sound and touch. "

Fire created water; along with -

जल में हैं चार गुण गोविंद राधे। किंतु है प्रमुख एक रस ही बता दें।। 1313
jala meṃ haiṃ cāra guṇa goviṃda rādhe। kiṃtu hai pramukha eka rasa hī batā deṃ।। 1313

"the predominant attribute of water is taste. It also has attributes sound, touch and form"

Water created the earth -

पृथ्वी में पाँच गुण गोविंद राधे । शब्द, स्पर्श, रूप, रस, गंध बता दे। 1311
pṛthvī meṃ 5 guṇa goviṃda rādhe । śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa, gaṃdha batā de। 1311

"Earth has the predominant attribute of fragrance. It also has the attributes sound, touch, form and taste. "

पृथ्वी में पाँच गुण गोविंद राधे। किंतु प्रमुख है गंध ही बता दे।। 1312
pṛthvī meṃ 5 guṇa goviṃda rādhe। kiṃtu pramukha hai gaṃdha hī batā de।। 131

"Though, earth has all 5 attributes, yet the prime one is fragrance."

Appearance of Garbhodaśayī Mahavishnu

Thus, the first avatar of Swayam Shri Krishna, Karaṇārṇavadaśayī Mahavishnu (कार्णार्णवाशायी महाविष्णु), revealed countless cosmic eggs is called brahmand (ब्रह्माण्ड) and in each of them He revealed another power namely Garbhodaśayī Mahavishnu (गर्भोदशायी महाविष्णु). This power is also referred to by the name Dwitiya (second) Purush or II Purush (द्वितीय पुरुष) and Pradyumn (प्रद्युम्न ).

There are innumerable II Purush one in each of the innumerable cosmic eggs; each of these cosmic eggs is called brahmand (ब्रह्माण्ड). From the navel of II Purush emerges a lotus. The creator Lord Brahma (ब्रह्मा) emanates from His navel and appears on the lotus.

Thereafter I Purush sleeps in Yognidra.

Appearance of Brahma Vishnu Shankar

Thereby, Garbhodaśayī Mahavishnu (गर्भोदशायी महाविष्णु) revealed Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu (क्षीरोदशायी महाविष्णु), and Lord Creator Brahma and Lord Shankar (शंकर). Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu is also called Aniruddha (अनिरुद्ध).

Each II Purush fills up three fourths of the brahmand with divine water and sleeps thereafter.

Then, the Creator Brahma (ब्रह्मा) creates (सृष्टि कर्ता) everything inside the Brahmand. Kṣīrodaśayī Mahavishnu sustains (पालक) the brahmand and when it is time Lord Shankar (शंकर) destroys (संहार) it.

This is a brief description of creation according to Bhagwat Mahapuran and perspective of Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj.

If you enjoyed this one, you might also enjoy

Sansaar-The World

God Created The World To Grace Souls

Kaal-Time

Why did God create this world after all?

Are Shri Krishna and Lord MahaVishnu Different?

Indulge yourself in spiritual material