Posted on: 04 Jun 2024
[Questions by Smt. TINKU K on Swamiji's discourses]
1. a) Does ‘Avyaktam’ mean the world is paused for some time and then starts again with the same conditions?
[Swami: "Since God is the only one as the absolute reality, He was bored with His loneliness (Ekākī na ramate…- Veda). Hence, God created this entire world with several living beings. This world gives Him entertainment and removes the boredom obtained from loneliness. After some time, God gets bored with this entertainment as well. Hence, He destroys the creation for some time to go into loneliness. After enjoying the loneliness for a while, He starts creation again for entertainment (dhātā yathā pūrva makalpayat…- Veda). This statement in the Veda means that the same cinema show, which is withdrawn after the first show, is projected again as the second show, with an interval in between. When the first show is over, the show remains as the film reel. Similarly, when the world is destroyed, it remains in a very subtle state called Avyaktam. No wise administrator will destroy the film reel after the first show and shoot a new film reel for the second show."
Question by Smt. TINKU K: In the above paragraph, does Avyaktam mean the world is paused for some time and then starts again with the same conditions, like the same human beings (without aging), buildings, and environment?]
Swami replied:- You cannot compare buildings etc., to the creation of God. God brings the world from gross state to subtle state just like the cinema on the screen is withdrawn into the state of a film reel. A less potent human being and a building cannot be compared to the omnipotent God and His creation. The building cannot be brought into subtle state by the less potent human being. The simile of the cinema show and the film reel is also not a complete simile because in the case of subsequent creations by God, the film reel itself projects into cinema show on the will of God. This means that during the cinema show, the film reel is absent. In the case of subsequent creations by God, the cinema show (gross) itself becomes film reel (subtle).
b) If it is the same show, does everyone again get the same births, rebirths, self-ignorance, qualities, etc.?
[If it is the same first show, does everyone again get the same births, rebirths, consciousness, self-ignorance, and qualities? Do they experience the same situations like childhood, education, job, marriage, children, house construction, diseases, food, death, and the same technologies?]
Swami replied:- If you analyze the above given reel simile, there is some difference between the concept and the cinema simile because a simile is never complete in all aspects. Hence, the cinema itself goes into the state of film reel and when the film reel is projected again as second cinema show, if God wishes some changes are possible even though God keeps the same actors in the same roles along with the same environment. Change or no change depends on the wish of God, but, a major part remains the same as per the wish of God.