Decline in Consciousness

    At the end of the Mahabharatha War, Uddhava, a close friend and charioteer of Shree Krishna meets Bhagavan and chides Him saying, "What is this happening? There is no sign of end of unrighteousness, adharma, and you say my job is over and am leaving?" In reply, the Blessed Lord says, "My job is over since these Yadavas are killing themselves and they are afflicted with the curse of Brahmins!" The question of decline in Consciousness is also one of the question of righteousness, dharma. Both dharma and prajnya work together in unison.The decline in consciousness started with the greed of Kauravas, symbolic of a hundreds of vices in humans. The decline in consciousness or decline of dharma started almost 3500 years ago! It is showing its results now. Drunkards, criminals have come to power and there is no control over law and order and consequently there is a sense of anarchy. There is no peace in society. People behave senselessly. Population growth has added to the misery. All these are due to decline in Consciousness level in human society. It should be noted that if there is a decline in consciousness, it can also be enhanced by taking recourse to yoga, proper education and inculcating discipline in youngsters! 
   There are descriptions of ascendance and descend of Consciousness and methods of attaining higher and higher levels before one discards the carnal body. I is one. Kundalini yoga is another. Dhyana, tapa, and samadhi is yet another, and all these help one to rise his/her level of perceptions about the world and the Self. However, it is essential to undertake yogic practices under an able teacher, yogacharya. Shree Krishna comes as yogacharya in the Bhagavad-Gita and teaches how to take to yogabhyasa. However, the question remains, "What is Consciousness and what are the different levels of Consciousness"?

    Consciousness is one's ability to perceive, become aware, experience the reality. But this faculty is not fully developed in the humans, as yet! At present, the ability to perceive is limited to the sensuous world, the world of senses, hunger, thirst, and rest and recoupment. The entire life is spent in fulfilling the basic needs, hunger and there is no end to desires of the senses! The consciousness is thus limited to be aware of these basic requirements and fulfill them. The yoga takes us to higher and higher levels- beyond the hunger and thirst or food and water, in jagrata, and svapna and sushupti. The fourth is the turiya where the first three are dropped! The fourth is the transcendental meditative state. The fifth one leads to the state of deep meditation leading to savikalpa and nirvikalpa samadhi. The final stat is the brahmn, at sahasrar level, the highest level, the pure Consciousness where total awareness of one's self only exists!

  Now, the present level of consciousness among the people of the world seems to be deplorable! The world is undergoing a total transformation. The ancient civilizations are forgotten. The world is witnessing large scale refugee population migrating from their homeland to avoid persecution.There is an undercurrent of hatred, ill-will, and strife and there is no sign of love, compassion, sympathy from the ruling class! Selfishness, greed, and craving for power are dominant. With the result, the people suffer at the hands of the ruthless rulers. The decline in levels of human consciousness is evident from the petty wars and inner conflicts. Any conscious person would try to help the downtrodden, less fortunate people. But, the world is witnessing a very different kind of warfare- one of economic nature. Poorer nations are to lose in this economic warfare.  

Advice of Elders

    These are the preliminary instructions that are generally given by our fore-fathers and teachers in order to help us to expand our spiritual knowledge so that we can proceed on right path in this life. This is the surest path to liberation, mukti for those who desire it. We all utter the term I without ever clearly understanding what it means! Everybody uses this term ‘I’ to refer to the body, mind and ego. It is a pronoun of the Subject ‘I’, and the object of reference. But who this ‘I’ is/am? The moment one realizes this “I”, the ‘Self’, the journey ends. It is as if that i am born only to realize who i am!

    If Shiva is consciously aware of Himself, the world ends! If He is aware of the other, the universe begins. All the scriptures, especially the Rk Veda says that it is Rudra who is the ‘I’ seated as Time (kaala), as Bheshaja (dhanvantari/vaidya/doctor), the Controller (yama) in all living beings. The ‘I’ that we all refer to is He, Rudra, in the strict sense. We all experience the Self. When we breathe, He breathes! He is the breath of the breath; the vital force (prana) of the prana. In fact, we all rest in Him- It, That (‘tyat’), the eternal Truth. It is the space within which the mind goes and finally rests along with all the restless sense organs at night in deep sleep (sushupti)- behind closed eyes, ears that cannot hear, nose which does not smell, tongue that does not taste, and the skin that does not feel the touch. The organs of action are peacefully resting. The Soul is the resting place for all that are tired. All names and forms, functions and sounds, words and speech rest in peace in soul at night only to reappear again (after a restful retreat). Everybody goes to sleep in ignorance every night only to get up in ignorance the next morning. Only those who keep a vigil all through night to find out how the jiva is resting in peace with its soul/Atman and experiences the peace and tranquillity of the Atman united with the super soul, paramatman instantly becomes a yogi. It opens up and goes about as a jnyani the next morn. There is no more darkness and no more the dualities of night and day, pain and pleasure, happiness, joy and misery, here and there, now and then, etc. to such a yogi. He has transcended time, space, causation. He is a liberated one- jivanmukta, sadyomukta- now, instantaneously, not after death.

    What happens when the jiva finally comes to the end of its journey? It sheds off what all it has acquired since the beginning. With all its yogic practices and siddhi, it climbs higher and higher to reach up to Brahmn. There are several Vedic and Upanishadic statements in this regard. “That entity (the self), after enjoying himself and roaming in the dream state and merely witnessing the results of merits and demerits, hastens back in the reverse way to its former condition, the waking state. Just as a heavily loaded cart moves along, creaking, even so the self identified with the body, being presided over by the Self which is all consciousness (the Supreme Self), moves along, groaning, when breathing becomes difficult at the approach of death. When this body grows thin-becomes emaciated or disease-then, as a mango or a fig or a fruit of the Banyan tree becomes detached from its stalk, so does this infinite being completely detaching himself from the parts of the body, again move on, in the same way that he came, to another body for the re-manifestation of his vital breath (prana). Just as, when a king comes, the ugras appointed to deal with crimes; the sutas and the leaders of the village await him with food and drink and lodgings ready, saying: 'Here he comes, here he comes,' even so, for the person who knows about the fruits of his own work, there wait all the elements, saying: 'Here comes Brahmn, here he comes.' Just as, when the king wishes to depart, the ugras appointed to deal with crimes, the sutas and the leaders of the village gather around him, even so do all the organs gather around the self, at the time of death, when it struggles for breath.” [Yajur Veda, Brih. Upa. IV, III- Investigation of the Three States, 34-38]. But the journey continues until and unless it seeks total emancipation. But when is that total Liberation, mukti and how does it come? Does it come with Knowledge?

The Atman knows everything since it is the Jataveda who knows from the beginning everything. It is omniscient and omnipotent. The things lost inside the house cannot be found in the streets. The inner lamp only shows that is hidden within. One has to visualize the inner Light. There are many a great souls that are born jnyanis such as Ashtavakra, Raikva, Shuka, or Janaka. These are our guides.

   As already pointed out, the para (Spiritual or the adhyatmic) vidya concerns the soul; the apara vidya (Material sciences) concerns the objective phenomenal world. The apara vidya is of mundane interest that is binding, while the para vidya lets the embodied soul free. The embodied souls are interested in apara vidya since it is endowed with the senses that are always out-going in search of food and entertainment. Nobody is interested in the supreme knowledge (para vidya) that opens up door to higher levels of Consciousness.

    The jiva is ignorant of its true nature and foolishly depends on the fickle mind and goes after the ever-shifting sense temporal objects and sensuous attractions. In the process, its desire is fuelled by insatiable objects. This leads to a chain of reactions culminating in successive rebirths. There is no escape for the jiva from this eternal bondage. Only true knowledge, the knowledge of the Self can release the embodied soul from the shackles of the attractions of the phenomenal mundane world. When the jiva realizes the futility of the search for sources of happiness in worldly pursuits, sensual enjoyments, it gives up the chase. It realizes, sooner or later, the nature of the ever-fleeting temporal world. It finds fault with its own adjuncts such as the fickle mind and its dependence on the senses that are never tired of going out in search of the objects of desire.

'iha', 'para' and 'param'

    The term 'iha' refers to what is our current status as an earthling (aihika jiva), a jiva attached to earth by Gravitation. Apart from this there is no plausible explanation why one should be attached. In fact, all attachments, moha, begin here. this attachment to the physical elemental body (bhoutika sharira) is the first principle that makes the jiva stay-put once it arrived here as an energy particle, Light or photon, an ion or Atman (Vedavidu-That Knows All!). However, the story does not end here. In fact, a beautiful story unfolds hereafter! This unfoldment of inner beauty knows no end!

   The term 'para' refers to the other (than this here- aihika). It is, it is not! This is the Vedic expression. This 'para' is the other and we do not know whether it is or it is not! It exists as an invisible entity that almost appears to be nothing, but is everything! This is also the Vedic statement regarding the true state of the jivatman in its subtler state. This is 'param', dearest or the most loved one! This the perceiver who perceives the external world! The supreme Lord emphatically states that "I am the Self of all!". Thus the term para refers to the vast expanse of the inner world. The jiva may travel to the core of  its self and reach here! But, this inward journey needs a mentor, a guru! The inward journey starts only after the doors to the external sensuous mundane world are closed! One cannot stand both outside and inside of the house. But our experience is that we never close the doors to the external world even when we enter the house and say 'good night' and go to sleep! our mind wanders throughout the night only to flare up again! Thus, it seems inward journey of the jiva is a remote possibility! 

  

'Aihika Jagat'

   The term 'iha' in samskrutam means 'here'. This physical world in which we are living here is a myth, a mysterious one since it comes out of 'nothing' and from 'nowhere'. The mystery lies in the fact that what was 'nothing' had the objective world within it! Moreover, the term 'nowhere' had the principle of time (now as kaal) and space (here akasha) within it! The Time and Space appeared as soon as the Light traveled from the Sun and the objective world manifested as soon as the Lord willed! Thus, no wonder,everything existed in subtler-most invisible form and accrued into gross forms of objects, The sequence is such that supreme brahmn manifests as subtler invisible forms of space (Akasha), and fills it with air (vayu), fire (agni), water (jal), and earth (prithvi). Then, these elements are bestowed with their respective qualities (svabhava) such as nama, rupa, and guna, The Lord created the jiva with sense organs to experience these qualities and entered into them! tad srushtva tadevanupravishat | Thus, everything manifests from subtler to gross forms due to will of the Lord!  The supreme Lord has meticulously planned and executed this phenomenal world, including the jivas! Now, the mystery is clear. This mystery of creation can be seen in every single object that we perceive! Everything in this world, including our physical body, has subtler-most existence as invisible form of bhoot (bhu and ta means 'that which exists on earth')! 

    The aihika jagat is the perceived physical world. It depends on the perceiver. The perceiver is the jiva equipped with the sense organs to perceive this world. This aihika is also 'daihika' since it depends on our physical body, deha. There is also the fundamental principle that, "the perceiver and perceived are 'One' only"! This perceived physical world is transitional and disappears the moment perceiver shifts his/her attention to it! Normally, the jiva refuses to think about this transitional world, aihika jagat as unreal or illusory, mythya. Hence the problem! The physical world (aihika jagat) disappears the moment the jiva realizes how this physical world has come into existence from the combination of the five elements, pancha mahabhuta!

   The most intriguing part of the story is that the transitional phenomenal world of objects is controlled by invisible forces such as time (kaala), space, and causality! Each sense organ has a hundred attractions towards the insatiable sense objects! The jiva suffers from the pull and push of not only these attractions, but the memories of experience in the past, as well. There is no end to this search for happiness. The memory haunts even when the jiva experiences its most desired objects and each and every unfulfilled desire becomes the eed for next birth!

'Aihika' (Mundane) and the 'Paramarthika'

    The world is of duality and there is no doubt about this. But, this is the our perception due to ignorance, avidya. This avidya or ajnyan is not the inherent quality, but the acquired one! We have acquired this ignorance due to our association with the ignorant! Every thing that we are associated with here in this world, 'aihika jagat' is of ignorance. Here ignorance is not lack of knowledge, but knowledge covered by sheaths of qualities such as attachment, ego, anger, greed, etc. Thus, our ignorance is due to acquired qualities of Nature (prakruti) and knowledge (jnyan) shines again as soon as these acquired qualities are shed off!

   The essential nature of the jiva is sat, chit, and ananda. Unfortunately the jiva has forgotten this! Now, only an attained person, guru shall help the jiva to remember this. The guru comes here as an electricity Department Lineman who connects our house with electric power. The electricity flows in the wire on the Pole and the house is well equipped with the accessories to use that. However, the connection has to be there from the Pole to the House. As we know this requires a number of formalities such as application, payment of prescribed fee, sanction order, etc (that are cumbersome these days!). So also, the jiva has to make the necessary preparation. The guru will not come unless the jiva asks for one and the supreme Lord has to bestow His grace on the jiva and this depends on the earnestness of desire of the jiva to seek the help!

    Now, this duality is the cause of our ignorance. One only becomes two and many is the fundamental principle. To seek this 'Oneness', the underlying principle of creation is the first task of every jiva! But, this search for the true nature of existence, this 'Oneness' is not there in the jiva since it has waded far and deep in sansar, the aihika, physical world, full of sensuous attractions. The jiva does not seek the help of a guru since there is no desire and the conseqent effort in this direction. Hence redemption is a remote possibility.  

"On Understanding"

    Not all will understand what is said or written, however  clear! some people are intelligent enough to understand easily, but fail to understand the context in which the text is presented. Some misread and some are so perverted that they misunderstand what is said even in the Vedic Texts! This has given rise to a number of religions in India like the Buddhists, the Jain, and the Sikhs who read the same Texts differently! Even the Qur'on and the Bible say the same things differently and people understand differently! In fact all the spiritual Texts have the Vedic Texts at the substratum as the datum line. Hence, there is the need for understanding the very meaning and import of the term "Understanding". The term 'Understanding' has very broad meaning and connotation. It is age-specific and persons of different age groups understand the same thing differently! It also depends on one's ability and one can reach upto 'brahmn' here as the Vedic texts put it.

“ON UNDERSTANDING . . .”

   All said and done, everything depends on one’s intelligence level, ability to grasp, and capacity to ‘understand’, let alone experience and realize the truth. There is a beautiful explanation regarding this ‘Understanding’ in Chan. Upa. of Samaveda. Before going on a journey about our quest for ‘Truth’ let’s ponder over a few Upanishad doctrines in order to understand the deeper meaning of what we are searching for and what we may discover. The very term ‘understanding’ needs to be properly understood. Not everyone understands what understanding is! Each one understands what he can understand and nothing more, or beyond that. Much depends on the person’s sanskar (family background), opportunities, exposure, good teachers, personal effort, and a proper environment. Samaveda makes this point very clear when it speaks about Understanding….

“Understanding takes us as far as Brahman- the ‘sat’, the Eternal.”

   “Understanding is, verily, greater than meditation. Understanding makes one understand the Rks, the Rk Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, the Atharva Veda, the epics and the ancient lore as the fifth- the Upanishads- Veda of the Vedas, the rules of sacrifices by which the Manes are gratified, the science of numbers, the science of portents, the science of time, logic, ethics, etymology, Brahma-vidya, the science of elemental spirits, the science of weapons, astronomy, the science of serpents and the fine arts; heaven, earth, air, water, fire, gods, men, cattle, birds, herbs, trees; animals, together with worms, flies and ants; and also righteousness and unrighteousness, the true and the false, the good and the bad, the pleasant and the unpleasant, food and taste, this world and yonder world

   Narada said: Venerable Sir, is there anything greater than understanding?

  Of course, there is something greater than understanding.

  Please tell that to me, venerable Sir.”  

  “He who meditates on ‘Understanding as Brahman’ attains the worlds of understanding and knowledge and can, of his own free will, reach as far as understanding reaches- he who meditates on understanding as Brahman.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, VII –Understanding as Brahman 1-2].

   “Sanatkumara said: When one understands the True, only then does one declare the True. One who does not understand the True does not declare ‘It’, ‘the sat’. Only those who understand ‘It’ declare the ‘True’. One must desire to understand this understanding. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XVII - Truth depends upon Understanding, 1].

    “When one reflects, only then does one understand. Whoever does not reflect does not understand. Only one who reflects understands. One must desire to understand this reflection. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand reflection.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XVIII - Understanding depends upon Reflection, 1].

    “When one has faith, only then does one reflect. One who does not have faith does not reflect. Only one who has faith reflects. One must desire to understand faith. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand faith.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa, VII, XIX - Reflection depends upon Faith, 1].

  “When one is single-minded in one's devotion to the teacher, only then does one have faith. One who does not have single-mindedness does not have faith. Only one who has single-mindedness has faith. One must desire to understand single-mindedness. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand single-mindedness.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XX - Faith depends upon Single-Mindedness, 1].  

 “Memory is, verily, greater than the Space, akasha.” “Therefore even when many people assemble, if they had no memory they would not hear anyone at all, they would not think, they would not understand. But surely, if they had memory, they would hear, think and understand. Through memory one knows one's sons, through memory one's cattle. Meditate on memory.  “He who meditates on memory as Brahman can, of his own free will, reach as far as memory reaches-he who meditates on memory as Brahman.

Narada said: Venerable Sir is there anything greater than memory?

 Of course, there is something greater than memory. Please tell that to me, venerable Sir.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XIII - Memory as Brahman, 1-2].

     “Hope is, verily, greater than memory. Kindled by hope, a person endowed with memory reads the sacred hymns, performs sacrifices, desires sons and cattle; desires this world and the other. Meditate on hope.”

   “The akasha is, verily, greater than fire. For in the akasha exists the sun and moon, lightning, stars and fire. It is through the akasha that a person calls another (sound travels in space); it is through the akasha that the other hears; it is through the akasha that the person hears back. In the akasha we rejoice when we are together and in the akasha we rejoice not when we are separated. In the akasha everything is born and toward the akasha all things grow. Meditate upon the akasha. He who meditates on the akasha as Brahman obtains the worlds extending far and wide, luminous, free from pain and spacious; he can, of his own free will, reach as far as the akasha reaches-he who meditates on the akasha as Brahman.

   Narada said: Venerable Sir is there anything greater than the akasha?

   Of course there is something greater than the akasha. Please tell that to me, venerable Sir.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XII - The Akasha as Brahman, 1-2].

“When one performs one's duties (i.e. practices concentration, dharana), only then does one have single-mindedness. One who does not perform his duties does not have single-mindedness. Only one who performs his duties has single-mindedness. One must desire to understand the performance of duties. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand the performance of duties.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XXI - Single-Mindedness depends upon Concentration, 1].

   “When one obtains bliss, only then does one perform one's duties. One who does not obtain bliss does not perform his duties. Only one who obtains bliss performs his duties. One must desire to understand bliss. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand bliss.” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XXII - Concentration depends upon Bliss, 1].

   “The Infinite is Bliss. There is no bliss in anything finite. Only the Infinite is bliss. One must desire to understand the Infinite. Venerable Sir, I desire to understand the Infinite.” “Where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, understands nothing else-that is the Infinite. Where one sees something else, hear something else, understands something else-that is the finite. The Infinite is immortal, the finite mortal. Venerable Sir, in what does the Infinite find its support? In Its own greatness- or not even in greatness does it lie? Here on earth people describe cows and horses, elephants and gold, slaves and wives, fields and houses, as 'greatness.' I do not mean this, he said, for in such cases one thing finds its support in another. But what I say is:” [Samaveda, Chan. Upa. VII, XXIV - The Infinite is Bliss and the Finite 1-2].

 On Joy and Happiness, it is said, the joy and happiness enjoyed by a youth, rich and famous, on the earth is one as compared to the joy and happiness of the pitrus or manes who have no physical body as such but do possess mind, intellect, and ego. If it is a hundred times in pitru-loka, it is a hundred times hundred more in the deva-loka, the realm of Gods, and a thousand times more than all these in the realms of tapo-lok of the Jnyanis. It is sheer eternal bliss in the Brahma-loka for which all Jnyanis aspire.

   “You have no knowledge of Him, who created these worlds; some other thing has interposed between you. The reciters of hymns who ravish life in their ritual proceed with their muttering, enwrapped in confusion and ignorance.” [Rk Veda X, 82, 7]

   The universe has reached a state of flux and the next stage is crucial for its survival. The survival of Mankind that is at crossroads is also doubtful. Only a spiritual advancement can save it. However, at the end of Kaliyuga, the world is bound to revert to Brahmn. The spiritually attained will again appear as the tapo-janah, devatas, and pitru/manes in the next satyayuga.

“The divine element in us is the deepest essence of our being. Mind and intellect have no access to it. We will have to go beyond thoughts. That is a very difficult problem. When we go beyond thoughts what will then remain is the Absolute alone, and it is one without the second. We shall reach that state when we have gone beyond all sensations, perceptions, concepts, mental conditions and ideas, and impressions and will see not only by intellectual light, but in divine light. Then we by Christ or Buddha- the state of enlighten ment Divine communion, the transfiguration of the divine ego, delve into the Atman.”  [Swamy Abhedananda: Mystery of Death, p.149].

Mystery of Life and Death

   The Bhagavad-Gita emphatically states that "there is no birth or death to the Atma. Atman is eternal, immortal and unborn! This Atman is covered by numerous sheaths that make believe the existence! Actually, He, the Lord only exists, and nothing beside Him! He take any number of forms as He will and Wish! Everything is thus a manifestation of brahmn. 
  Hence what we call 'Life' is a mystery. It remains a mystery as long as this mystery aspect is not resolved and it cannot be resolved since the mystery does not exist! It is all open! Every living organism is just an automation, like a battery operated machine. The battery is charged by solar radiation in case of us, the humans. The Battery is he mystery! 
   We have the scientific explanation, as well as, details given in spiritual texts as regards the creation and dissolution of the Universe. The objective phenomenon world, including that of living beings, exist in 'Akasha', Space, that is almost nothing, for all practical purposes! The scientific view is one of matter (the Sun in the case of solar system) starting from Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, etc. and what the spiritual texts explain is also the same, but the language is different! The Vedic texts give all the details in the Purusha sukta, Shree sukta, Nadi sukta (symbolically seven rivers!), etc. There are also the eighteen epics, the 108 Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita giving details of creation and dissolution.

   For scientists, Life begins with the protozoa, the primordial substance that creates unicellular organisms, algae, and the like. The gaseous, metallic and non metallic elements, the organic and inorganic elements and compounds, etc. play important role as the building bricks of the plant and animal kingdom. The structure and composition of the stars hold the key and very little is known at present abut the distant stars and galaxies!

   Now, when we consider the human life, in particular, the secret is still a well a guarded mystery! The spiritual texts state that "Everything is brahmn"! sarvam khaluvidam brahma | But what is 'brahmn' is still a mystery! For all practical purposes, the 'brahmn' is almost 'nothing', an absolute abstract state bordering 'Existence' or 'Non-existence'! This is explained in the nasadiya sukta of the Rk Veda, Mandala X. This is verily the creation- how it begins, at 'almost nothing', and ends at 'almost nothing! "It is, It is not!"
    Thus, it is clear that we,as humans, are almost nothing at the beginning and, become nothing at the end! It is like the Onion. If one goes on peeling it off, layer by layer, nothing remains at the end. It all started from that 'beginningnless beginning', timeless eon! The jiva is covered by numerous layers like the annamaya kosha, pranamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, vijnyanamaya kosha, anandamaya kosha, the three gunas- tama, raja, and sattva, svartha, lobha, moha, krodha, mada, matsarya, irshya, dreams, aspirations, endless desires, etc., Each desire works oy as a seed, prarabhda karma,  for the next birth! We appear and disappear, time and again, in different names, forms, and functions! If these names forms, and functions are removed even while we live and work we become nothing! In fact, we had no name, form and function at the time of birth and death. and will have none at the time of death! It is only during a short span of life that one gets the illusion of  'existence in name, form and function'. This is explained in the Atmabodha of Adi Shankara. Shree Shankara quotes the spiritual texts like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita in all his works. The Bhagavad-Gita beautifully explains how the jiva is tormented by its own foolishness and how He, the Lord, can redeem it once the jiva surrenders to Him. Death paves for the return journey instead of rebirth immediately, as soon as it surrenders to Him. The Lord is the magician, mayavin, waves His magic wand and thereby creates what He wish! The entire creation is thus a myth!
  Everything- the Time, Space, the phenomenal objective world, etc are all an illusion, myth, Bhavanopanishat explains how everything depends on our own thinking. yad bhavam tad bhavati |
  Time that begins with the radiation of energy, the electromagnetic waves of the Sun, As the rays move, they create space in all directions! Since Time is an illusion (that can never be detected in its minute form), the space created by it is also an illusion. Thus what all fills the space that is illusion also is illusory! The universe exists in our ignorance and it disappears as soon as 'knowledge', the true nature of the Self, is revealed! The Buddhu,(an ignorant person- 'U') becomes the Buddha ('A'- brahmn), the moment the buddhi (I''- the Atman/Self) reveals  its true nature! That's all!  

  The spiritual texts are a valuable guide to us. We can understand the secrets of creation only when an attained person, jnyani, pandita, or yogi explains the secrets of these Texts. Ordinary people cannot understand these since there is much symbolism, imageries, coded words involved here. Knowledge of the Self, Atma-jnyan or 'Self-Realization'is what is needed here.

  Coming back to our own short span of life and existence on the mundane plane, we, as humans, will never understand our true nature! We do not exist, at all, in the strict sense of the term! It is also true that we always exist and never cease to! This is the mystery. The mystery lies in our understanding, not the life! We never realize that we have taken a form of physical existence in various states of gaseous, liquid and solid- in gross forms of atoms, molecules, cells, tissues, organs and bodies and these minute building blocks working in harmony give us an illusion of living as a body. But what actually exists, lives is the spirit, the chaitanya, the 'chit' aspect of the 'sat', the 'parabrahmn',

 Thus. from 'nothingness' to 'nothingness', 'everything' appears and disappears and so also, 'Life'! This 'nothingness' is stated as 'shunya' in the spiritual texts. 'Shunya' is not vacuum. It is the invisibilty of that which exists in the subtlest form! It is like the Silence (shantata) that holds sound within in an inaudible state (0.1 Decible?)! From silence starts the spandhana (attraction), kampana (vibration), taranga (waves) like the alpha and beta, that gives rise to shabdha (sound). that creates the vowels and consonants (akshara) 'a' to 'ksha' which go to make pada (word) and the artha (meaning of the words) produce the padartha (objects) meant by the word! Thus, the entire material universe, the objective phenomenal world, is created by the sounds of alpha and beta that emanate from silence! The four states of Silence are also important here. The absolute state of silence is mahattanta shanta Its vibration gives rise to spandha of the anyonya, pradhvamsha, and pragbhava shantata. This is the mystery involved in creation. the true state of existence is thus the Silence! 

    This aspect of 'nothingness' is the bone of contention in the discussion among the various religious sects.