93. Evolution of the constituents and six sub-divisions of Brahmanda

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

93. EVOLUTION OF THE CONSTITUENTS AND SIX SUB-DIVISIONS OF BRAHMANDA

            138. The issue of the currents of Kala Purusha and Adya from Sat Loka entirely removed from the sphere of Sat Loka that condition of lower spirituality which was not fit for association with purely spiritual regions, and at the same time supplied the necessary factors for the creation of Brahmanda. It may be observed here that the action of these two currents was outward, or contrary to the purely spiritual action, as their functions appertain to the region adjoining the region proper of the original nether pole. This region of Kala Purusha and Adya is known as Brahmanda, and its upper boundary is contiguous with the lowest part of the creation of Mahasunna, which lowest part is the sphere of Akshara Purusha (Imperishable Deity). This deity, being one of the subordinate deities of the sub-spiritual creation of Mahasunna, is like them almost immune from dissolution, and is accordingly called Akshara Purusha. The currents of Kala Purusha and Adya formed the first focus in a somewhat commingled condition in conjunction with the seat occupied by Akshara Purusha. Here the two currents in question are respectively known as Purusha and Prakriti. As Akshara Purusha was an emanation of the purely spiritual region, he occupied with reference to Brahmanda the same position as that occupied by the individual human spirit with reference to the physical frame and the mind. His sphere is, therefore, known as the true Atma Pada (spirit-pole) of Brahmanda; and an adept who succeeds in effecting a union with Akshara Purusha, the great spirit of the nether pole, is most appropriately called a Mahatma (great spirit). The conjunction of Kala and Adya with Akshara Purusha resulted in the supply of considerable vital energy to them and the work of creation of Brahmanda commenced forthwith. In accordance with the methods employed for the evolution of creation of the spiritual regions, currents issued forth from the Purusha, Prakriti, and the Akshara Purusha, and completed the work of creation of the spheres appertaining to them. These three currents are manifest in this sphere and are known as Tribeni. The focus or reservoir, which is directly below the seat of Akshara Purusha himself, is known as Mansarovara, and immersion in this reservoir of spirituality purifies the adept, who reaches that stage, of all subtle impurities of Brahmanda that he may have imbibed during his upward journey through the region of the Kala Purusha, viz, Brahma or the Universal Mind. The point at which these three currents first converged is known as Trikuti, i.e. the place of three elevations or prominences. These three prominences are known as Meru, Sumeru, and Kailasa. Here the two currents which had come from Sat Loka manifested themselves as Brahma and Maya. As the original strata at this place were comparatively heavy or less spiritual, the creational shifting cast out a huge volume of cover-clouds composed of extremely fine constituents known as paramanus (molecules). These paramanus are infinitely finer than the ordinary molecules and ions we are familiar with and should not be confounded with them. The deficiency of spirituality in the region of Trikuti, as compared to the spirituality of the sphere above it, viz, Sunna or Dasamadwar, appeared in a much more pronounced form, and the visual effect produced by it was a highly refulgent, red hue, like that of the rising sun.

            139. The three currents united in their course downwards from Trikuti, and two fresh main currents from Maya and Brahma also started downwards. The centre where the two currents took their third location is known as Sahasdal Kamal (the thousand-petalled lotus), and Maya and Brahma here assumed the form of Jyoti and Narayana (or Niranajana).

            140. As the three currents referred to had started from a region of three prominences, the impress of the form of that region was imparted to the course carved out by them in their descent to Sahasdal Kamal. This path is known as Bankal (crooked tunnel). From the point from which the united three currents commenced their course downwards, the path goes up first and is then followed by a descent. These three currents are the subtlest latent form of the three gunas (qualities) we shall speak of presently, one being highly charged with spirituality, the second with generative functions, and the third with the quality of destruction. At Trikuti these three currents and the currents of Maya and Brahma acting upon the molecules referred to produced five distinct (although very subtle and almost imperceptible) strata or layers in them. These are the subtlest forms of the five conditions of matter referred to in Article 12. The condition of matter produced by Maya was Akasa tattva (ether); that produced by Maya was the Agni tattva (fire); and those evolved by the preservative, the generative, and the destructive qualities respectively were the Vayu (gas), the Jala (liquid), and the Prithvi (solid) tattvas (elements or conditions) respectively. The matter (or molecules), which had fallen downwards at the creational shifting applied at Trikuti, carried the impress of these five conditions downwards, and manifested itself at Sahasdal Kamal as the five distinct elements mentioned above. As these elements were much subtler than ions, and as they were highly charged with energy, they issued forth from Sahasdal Kamal as five distinct currents of radiance of different hues. The hue of ether or sky was of a dark bluish colour, and that of fire, of red colour, and those of Vayu, Jala, and Prithvi, greenish, white and yellow colours respectively.

            141. No sooner had the five tattvas emanated from Sahasdal Kamal, than they were subjected to further action. The three qualities and Jyoti and Niranjana, each acting on the five tattvas separately, produced twenty-fice sub-constituents of the five tattvas, each possessing a distinctive property peculiar to it. These twenty-five constituents are known as the twenty-five prakritis or properties.

            142. Concomitantly with the grouping of tattvas and prakritis in the manner indicated above, the creational process of constituting the sphere of Sahasdal Kamal was at work. Eight main currents were engaged in this creational work. These currents consisted respectively of the currents of Jyoti and Niranjana and those of the three qualities split up into male and female currents each. It is because of these eight currents that the Sahasdal Kamal is also technically called the Ashtadal Kamal (eight-petalled lotus). Each of these eight currents first attracted and assimilated five distinct leaves, so to say, of the five tattvas. Thereafter, each one of the individual leaves, so constituted, attracted and evolved twenty-five sub-leaves of the prakritis. These final leaves, thus arranged round the eight main currents, produced a ramification of one thousand petals, and the sphere is accordingly spoken of, with reference to them, as the lotus of one thousand petals.

            143. After the formation of this lotus, the two currents of Jyoti and Niranjana took their final abode. They could not go down further, in consequence of the negative strata below Sahasdal Kamal being not suitable for their energy. The three qualities, which had hitherto remained concealed, as it were, within the sphere of Sahasdal Kamal, now issued forth as the three sons of Narayana, and became the deities of their respective spheres which are located one below the other. These deities are known as Vishnu, Brahma and Siva. Their spheres are in the order in which their names are mentioned. The evolution of these three spheres completed the set of the six sub-divisions of Brahmanda, which, as already stated (vide Article 91), occupy the lower part of the pre-creational neutral zone. Hitherto, we have been speaking of the evolution of the constituents and of the six sub-divisions of Brahmanda. We now proceed to say something about the spirituality and the denizens of these regions.