#simultaneous creation yugapath-srishti

[shinymoonbird]

Prostrations to the Holy Feet of the Unique Lord who like ether remains as sole witness in the hearts of all beings.

I seek refuge at the sacred feet of the blessed Ramana, who performs the entire work of creation, preservation and destruction, while remaining wholly unattached, and who makes us aware of what is real and thus protects us.

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Why do the different portions of the Vedas describe creation in different ways? Their sole intention is not to proclaim a correct theory of creation, but to make the aspirant enquire into the Truth which is the Source of creation.

Sri Bhagavan used to explain on many occasions that the Vedas and other scriptures teach so many different theories of creation in order to suit the different levels of maturity and understanding of the people, and that all these countless theories of creation can be classified into three distinct categories, namely 

(1) srishti-drishti vada or the theory that the creation (srishti) of this world occurs prior to and independent of our seeing (drishti) of it, 

(2) drishti-srishti vada or the theory that our seeing (drishti) is the cause of the creation (srishti) of this world and 

(3) ajata vada or the theory that neither creation (srishti) nor seeing (drishti) has ever happened at all. 

Knowing that the minds of immature people cannot be satisfied unless they are taught the process of creation as the cause of the appearance of this world, the Vedas at first have to teach various different theories of gradual creation (krama-srishti). All the various processes of gradual creation described in the Vedas and in the scriptures of other religions, belong only to the category of srishti-drishti-vada. Indeed, almost all the religions and scientific theories of creation and cosmology, belong only to this broad first category, because they all accept that the world exists prior to and independant of our seeing it.

For the sake of keener and more mature minds, the Vedas teach the theory of simultaneous creation (yugapath-srishti), which is also known as drishti-srishti vada, according to which the seeing of the world and the creation of it occur simultaneously.

In order to explain how this simultaneous creation takes place, the Vedas say that just like the appearance of a snake in a rope, like the appearance of water in a mirage, or like the appearance of the blue colour in the sky, the appearance of this world of names and forms is due only to the defective outlook or dosha-drishti of the one who sees it. 

Thus the theory of simultaneous creation or drishti-srishti vada is also called the theory of false appearance (vivarta-vada), because it teaches that the creation of this world is nothing but a false appearance which seemingly occurs only on account of our defective outlook. 

Further, when explaining to still more mature minds how simultaneous creation takes place, the Vedas say that the appearance of this world arises only because we have forgotten Self on account of non-enquiry (avichara) or inattentiveness (pramada). 

Thus, while teaching the theory of simultaneous creation, the Vedas accept the existence of the world at least as a false appearance.

But for the most advanced and mature aspirants who possess perfect courage and clarity of intellect, the Vedas teach only the final truth known as 'no creation' (ajata), the import of which is as follows: 

"No such thing as the world has ever come into existence; what you see is not the world; it is only you, the real Self. Other than you, nothing has ever existed. There never was any such thing as creation, sustenance or destruction. You alone exist". 

That is, while teaching the truth of ajata, the Vedas do not at all accept the existence of the world even as a false appearance. The reason why they finally have to deny the existence of the world so entirely is that the world could exist as a false appearance only if there were a mind to see it, and in actual truth there is no such thing as mind at all.

When one scrutinizes the form of the mind without forgetfulness, (it will be found that) there is no such thing as mind... ~ Upadesa Undiyar, verse 17.

When the mind is thus found to be ever non - existent, the world-appearance seen by it will also be found to be non-existent. Hence ajata alone is the absolute truth (paramarthika satya).

Although the Lord, Guru Ramana, expressed many doctrines according to (the beliefs and maturity of) each of those people (who came and asked Him questions), know that what we heard Him declare to be His own real experience is the doctrine of no creation (ajata-siddhanta). ~ Guru Vachaka Kovai, verse 100.  

However, although the absolute truth experienced by Him was only ajata, when Sri Bhagavan was asked to give teachings, for the sake of devotees He accepted as if true the theory of simultaneous creation - the doctrine of false appearance - and gave His teachings accordingly. The reason why He did not give His teachings according to the standpoint of ajata is that in the state of ajata there exists only Self, the mere existence - consciousness 'I am', and no other thing, no world, no mind, no bondage, no disciple and no Guru, and hence in that state no teaching is either necessary or possible.

A need arises for a teaching only because we see the world - because we experience otherness, and therefore a teaching will be of practical value only if it accepts the existence of the world at least as a false appearance.

That is why Sri Bhagavan begins the first verse of Ulladu Narpadu with the words, "Nam Ulaham kandalal", which means, 'because we see the world'. 

Since He has carefully said, "Nam ulaham ..." (we should understand that) Guru Ramana, who teaches what is most helpful for the souls, has set aside, other doctrines and has taught as true only the beneficial doctrine of false appearance (vivarta-siddhanta, that is, the theory of simultaneous creation or drishti-srishti vada). - Guru Vachaka Kovai verse 83.    

In: The Path Of Sri Ramana - Part Two (pages 19-20-21)

https://sageramana.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/The-Path-of-Sri-Ramana-Part-Two.pdf

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