Quest Journals

Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science

Volume 4 ~ Issue 7 (2016) pp: 30-37
ISSN(Online) : 2321-9467
www.questjournals.org

Research Paper

Theory of Creation
Dr. Anuviyan1, Mr. Dwarak Leelaram2
Affiliated To Vedanta Cultural Foundation
(A Scientific & Industrial Research Organization Recognized By The Ministry Of Science And Technology)

Received 25 June, 2016; Accepted 23 July, 2016 © The author(s) 2014. Published with open
access at www.questjournals.org

ABSTRACT: Ever since man existed he has been curious about the origin of the world. All through human
history thinkers have attempted to explain the source of creation. Where, when and how was this world created.
From scientists to philosophers and spiritual books and masters, each of them has offered an explanation to the
creation of the world. Thus many theories of creation have been propounded since time immemorial. Yet the
truth about the origin of the world seems to have eluded mankind.
This study does not propose to add another theory of creation to an already crowded list. Rather this paper
selects a few theories of creation for a comparative analysis. Theories of creation have been selected from
science, religion, philosophy and other sources. The different theories are being studied to select a common
thread, if any, running through them all. The study examines the theories in the light of the background in which
they were presented to understand its influence on the conclusion drawn. It explores the lacunae in the different
theories and tries to provide reasons for the same. It attempts to select the most convincing explanation for
creation and give reasons for the choice. It is hoped that through this exhaustive comparative study the paper
can offer a comprehensive view to answer man’s perennial question about the origin of this Universe.
Keywords: Creation, Origin, Theory, World

I. INTRODUCTION
The mystery of the origin has baffled inquisitive enquirers and thinkers from time immemorial. What is
the origin of the world? Who is the Creator? Why did the whole thing originate? When did the world begin?
Questions like these have puzzled, confused intelligent enquirers. Great thinkers, from scientific and religious
backgrounds have researched for years in an attempt to find answers to such fundamental questions. Yet, the
answers have never been clear or conclusive.
As a result, the majority of mankind has inherited whatever answers and beliefs that have been passed down.
The world seems to comprise a variety of individuals: intellectual thinkers, emotional believers, fanatic
followers and illiterates. Each seems to have his own perspective on the origin of the world. This is probably
why there has never been a single, clear, conclusive theory of creation. To lay down a crystal clear theory to
satisfy the diverse cross section of society is not only difficult but well nigh impossible.
This study attempts to explain the purpose of theories of creation. It does not attempt to add another
theory of creation to the already existing unending list. Theories have been selected from different sources:
science, mythology, western philosophy, various spiritual books and distinguished spiritual masters. The
essence of the theories has been laid down. They have been examined for any common denominator(s). The
study examines the theories in the light of the background in which they were presented and how they have
influenced people. It explores the lacunae in the theories and tries to provide reasons thereof. Through this
analysis, the answer to human‟s eternal enquiry could get a direction.
1. Why do people probe creation?
1. Intellectual curiosity.
2. Philosophic quest.
3. Spiritual urge.
4. Scientific explorations.

2.1 Intellectual Curiosity:

1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 30 | Page
Affiliated To Vedanta Cultural Foundation
(A Scientific & Industrial Research Organization Recognized By The Ministry Of Science And Technology)
 Theory Of Creation

The intelligentsia approaches the world rationally. They always look to establish a cause and effect
relationship. They have observed that the creation of a shoe implies a process of making a shoe and a purpose
for it, existence of a pot implies a process of making a pot and a purpose thereof. They then tend to extend the
same principle to the world as well and to investigate the process as to how this world was created and the
purpose of creation.

2.2 Philosophic Quest:

Human beings are faced with a number of problems & challenges. Certain problems are such that their
reason and judgment fail to penetrate and understand the cause thereof. This jostles them to invent a solution.
They do so by merely adjusting certain situations and circumstances. Thus solving the problem, they continue
with life peacefully. But, at times they are encountered with certain problems which baffle them. They are
unable to solve them inspite of certain alterations. They reach a point where they run out of options. Left with
no alternatives, they turn philosophical. That is when they start questioning the very circumstances in which
they are placed: How did all this come about? Their philosophic quest seems to lead them to trace backwards
from effects to causes until they question the very origin. They pursue this question only with a fond hope of
solving their problems.

2.3 Spiritual Urge:

There is another set of thinkers, who see a relative hollowness in the world. They are not satisfied with
whatever the world has to provide. An inner spiritual urge constantly motivates them to believe that there is
something beyond the world that they are placed in. This drives them to question the very existence of the
world. In an attempt to go beyond the trivial world, their enquiry leads them to probe into the very cause and
purpose of Creation.

2.4 Scientific Explorations:

The scientists explore creation to understand the nature of the world in order to relate to it better. They
believe that by understanding the origin of the world one could understand how one should cope with it, so as to
preserve the world in a better way. Over the years the scientists have come up with various theories to enunciate
the idea of creation.
Thus propelled by these reasons many people from diverse fields have recognised the need to investigate
into the creation of the world. In an attempt to find a solution to the above queries their investigation has lead to
their proposing various theories of creation. A few such theories are discussed below. The lacunae in their
conclusions in attempting to accomplish the above purpose have been highlighted. Also, it has been analysed if
such deductions have had any influence over mankind.

II. VARIOUS THEORIES OF CREATION

3.1 Sarga And Visarga: A Mythological Theory
3.1.1. Sarga (Primary creation)
The Sarga and Visarga theories is a dialogue between Vidura, minister of king Dhritarashtra and sage
Maitreya on creation. This dialogue appears in Skandhas 3 and 4 of Shrimad Bhagavatam. It is a text written by
Sage Vyasa glorifying the life of Lord Krishna. Sage Vyasa wrote the Bhagavatam after he wrote the great epic
Mahabharata. Sage Vyasa thought a devotional text is important to uplift mankind so he wrote this text the
ultimate treatise on the philosophy of devotion. A commentary of the skandhas is refered from the book Glory
of Krishna ( Central Chinmaya Mission Trust: 2004)

“In the beginning, the supreme Lord alone existed. There was no Space, Time or Causation. There was o day or
night, birth or death, bondage or liberation. The non-dual, self-effulgent Seer alone existed, with His creative
power, Maya completely merged in Him.
When the desire to create arose in Him, His Creative Power, Maya manifested itself. The Lord
projected His Creative Will (the seed of creation) onto Maya and activated it by Time; the Mahat-Tattva came
into being. Mahat-tattva is the Omniscient Principle, which due to its inherent power of Consciousness
illumined the Universe. Mahat-tattva also gave birth to Aham-Tattva, the I-Principle composed of three gunas
viz. Satva, Rajas and Tamas. The evolution of the Elements took place from the tamasic aspect of the I-
Principle. Elements are ten in number, five subtle and five gross. The gross elements are: Space, Air, Fire,
Water and Earth. Their subtle aspects are called Tanmantras. They are sound, touch, form, taste and smell. With
the evolution of these 23 categories (10 elements, 11 indriyas, Aham-Tattva and Mahat-Tattva), the basic
material for creation came into being. They all remained apart from one another to form the Universe. The
Cosmic Body is divided into 14 worlds, six higher, seven lower, and one between the higher and the lower.

1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 31 | Page
 Theory Of Creation

When the Universal Person came into Being, as a result of the Lord‟s Leela the primary or pre-creation
evolution was completed.”

3.1.2 Visarga (Secondary Creation)

After hearing the glories of the Lord‟s Leela, Vidura requested Maitreya to describe the creativity
undertaken by Brahma, the creator, which is known as Visarga. Brahma, the Creative Will became desirous of
creation. But he did not know how to start and what was o be done. When he was thus lost in thought he heard
an ethereal voice: “Tapa, Tapa (Meditate, Meditate)”. Brahma contemplated on the meaning of the word “Tapa”
and engaged himself in long unbroken meditation. He was rewarded with the vision of the Lord within him and
His sorrowless world (Vaikuntha). Mentally prostrating, Brahma requested the Lord to impart to him the
knowledge of creation. After receiving the Lord‟s blessing and knowledge, Brahma engaged in creative activity.
Brahma performed his creations during his day-time and wound them all up during his night. Brahma‟s
one day and night together form one day for Him, which in terms of human years spans millions and millions of
years. Brahma has a life span of 100 years, consisting of 360 such days. At the end of each day, when Brahma
goes to sleep, dissolution of the universe created by him takes place, known as Naimittika Pralaya, and all the
categories merge back into Virat-Purusha in their subtle aspects. When Brahma wakes up next morning, and
becomes conscious of his creative activity, all the categories with their residual innate tendencies (Janma¡ntara
Karma Vasanas) manifest themselves and further evolutions take place, as in the previous day. One day time of
Brahma is known as a Kalpa and it comprises of one thousand Chatur-Yugas. One Chatur Yuga consists of four
yugas: Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali Yuga. These Yugas last 4.32 billion human years. This day-time is
followed by an equally long night, when all creative activities come to a standstill. This period is known as
Naimittika Pralaya. At the end of Brahma‟s life, the entire Universe created by him dissolves in to the Virat-
Purusha along with all categories and worlds into the supreme Self, Ëtyantika Pralaya takes place. The supreme
Self alone remains.
Thus fortified by the blessing of the Lord, Brahma first engaged himself in intense meditation for a
long period, gained spiritual strength and intellectual brilliance. He contemplated upon the creation of the
worlds and bodies for the various Jeevas. They broadly fall under two categories – the moving and unmoving.
This implies that when the differentiation due to bodies is overcome, all Jeevas are experienced as being „One‟.
Next, Brahma contemplated upon how to multiply his creation. As he thought ten sons where born from his
mind and body. This sportive act of the Lord‟s leela in the form of Brahma, the creator, is known as Visarga,
the Secondary creation.
The Theory of Sarga and Visarga suggests that everything arose from the Supreme Lord, Who is said to
have had a creative will, Brahma, within him. This creative will manifested through various processes, finally
culminating in the creation of objects & beings of the world.
Sarga: The primary creation; explains how the Lord created „time-space-causation‟, an integral aspect
of the world, as all our experiences in life are made up of these essential components. It further goes to expound
as to how the three temperaments, the ego and the five elements came into existence. Visarga: the Secondary
creation; primarily speaks about the creation of the very individual. The emphasis in this theory is upon a
„Supreme Lord‟, who brings forth the entire creation.

3.2 Creationism: A Religious Theory.

Creationism, a religious theory encompasses the belief that universes were created by a Supreme
Being. The primary source of the term Creationism is the ancient Hebrew text. Its accuracy was unquestioned
through the medieval period. Most people in Europe, the Middle East and other areas of the Islamic world
believe that everything in existence had been created by a Supreme Being known variously as God, Yahweh or
Allah.
This belief was based on the authority of Genesis, the Qu‟ran and other ancient scriptures; {no
systematic enquiry was made into the validity and implications of the text??}. All denominations of Christianity
assert that God is the origin, the first cause. The Roman Catholic Church holds as an unchangeable tenet of
Christian faith, that

“In the beginning God created the universe; the earth was formless and desolate. Everything was engulfed in
total darkness and the Spirit of God was moving the waters. Then God commanded, “Let there be light” and
light appeared. God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from the darkness “Night”
Evening passed and morning came – that was the first day. Then God commanded, “Let there be a dome to
divide the water and to keep it in two separate places” and it was done. So God made the dome and it separated
the water under it from the water above. He named the dome “Sky”. Evening passed and morning came-that
was the second day. Then God commanded, “Let the water below the sky come together in one place so that the
land will appear” and it was done named the land earth and water below Sea. Then God said, “And now we will
1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 32 | Page
 Theory Of Creation

make human beings; they will be like him and resemble us. They will have power over the fish, the birds and all
animals, domestic and wild, large and small.” So God created humans beings making them like him. He created
them male and female, blessed them, and said, “Having many children, so that your descendants will live all
over the earth and bring it under their control. And so the whole universe was completed. By the seventh day
God finished what he had been doing and stopped working. He blessed the seventh day and set it apart as a
special day, because by that day he had completed his creation and stopped working. And that is how the
universe was created”. “When the Lord God made the universe, there were no plants on the earth and no seeds
had sprouted, because he had not sent any rain, and there was no one to cultivate the land; but water would
come up from the surface and water the ground. Then the Lord God made took some soil from the ground and
formed a man out of it; he breathed life-giving breath onto his nostrils and the man began to live. Then the Lord
God said, “It is not good for the man to live alone I will make a suitable companion to help him.” So he took
some soil from the ground and formed all the animals and all got their names. So the man named all the birds
and all the animals; but not one was suitable companion to help him. Then the Lord God made the man fall in
deep sleep, and while he was sleeping, he took out one of man‟s ribs and closed up the flesh. He formed a
woman out of the rib and brought her to him. Then the man said, “At last here is one if my own kind – Bone
taken from my bone, and flesh from my flesh. „Woman is her name because she was taken out of man”.

( Scriptural quotations are from the Good News Translation Revised edition © American Bible Society
1966,1971,1976,1992 )
Creationism seems to state that everything came out of nothing. In the beginning nothing existed and
God created everything. This is more or less the basis of all religious theories explaining creation. Here clearly,
creation is described as an absolute beginning, which includes the assertion that the very existence of the
universe is contingent upon a necessary Higher Being. This theory also follows a similar trend as the Sarga and
Visarga Theory. There is an emphasis upon a Higher Being causing the Creation. Creationism also speaks about
a primary and secondary creation. The creation of the „universe in seven days‟ could be referred to as the
Primary creation. While the making of the „man‟ and „woman‟ could be referred to as the Secondary creation, in
comparison to the Sarga and Visarga theory.
The Mythological Theory and Creationism posit a creator to explain creation. The Creator is called
God. This idea of a Supreme Being creating the world appeases a devotional person. It helps him humble
himself and function in the world performing his duties in obeisance to the Lord. The offshoots of this concept
are the various beliefs and superstitions that pertain to a Higher Power controlling and directing the lives of all
beings, the fate of individuals, etc. But an enquirer would question, „If God is described as omnipresent,
omnipotent and omniscient why how and where did God create the world?‟ Thus for the intellectual the
questions still persist.

3.3 The Big Bang: A Scientific Theory

The Big Bang theory developed from observations and theoretical considerations. In 1927, Georges
Lemaitre independently derived the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker equations from Albert Einstein's
equations, on general relativity. And then proposed, on the basis of the recession of spiral nebulae, that the
universe began with the "explosion" of a "primeval atom" - what was later called the Big Bang.
For a number of years the support for these theories was fairly evenly divided. However, observational
evidence began to support the idea that the universe evolved from a hot dense state. Most theoretical work in
cosmology now involves extensions to and refinements of the basic Big Bang theory. Much current work in
cosmology includes understanding how galaxies form in the context of the Big Bang, understanding what
happened at the Big Bang, and reconciling observations with the basic theory.
Based on measurements of the expansion of the universe using Type 1a supernovae, measurements of
the lumpiness of the cosmic microwave background, and measurements of the correlation function of galaxies,
the universe has a calculated age of 13.7 ± 0.2 billion years. The agreement of these three independent
measurements is considered strong evidence for the so-called ACDM model that describes the detailed nature of
the contents of the universe.
The early universe was filled homogeneously and isotropically with an incredibly high energy density
and concomitantly huge temperatures and pressures. It expanded and cooled, going through phase transitions
analogous to the condensation of steam or freezing of water as it cools, but related to elementary particles.
Approximately 10-35 seconds after the Planck epoch a phase transition caused the universe to experience
exponential growth during a period termed cosmic inflation. After inflation stopped, the material components of
the universe were in the form of a quark-gluon plasma (also including all other particles and perhaps the
recently experimentally produced quark-gluon liquid) in which the constituent particles were all moving
relativistically. As the universe continued growing in size, the temperature dropped.

1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 33 | Page
 Theory Of Creation

At a certain temperature, by an as-yet-unknown transition called baryogenesis, the quarks and gluons
combined into baryons such as protons and neutrons, somehow producing the observed asymmetry between
matter and antimatter. Still lower temperatures led to further symmetry breaking phase transitions that put the
forces of physics and elementary particles into their present form. Later, some protons and neutrons combined
to form the universe's deuterium and helium nuclei in a process named the Big Bang nucleosynthesis. As the
universe cooled, matter gradually stopped moving relativistically and its rest mass energy density came to
gravitationally dominate that of radiation. After about 300,000 years the electrons and nuclei combined into
atoms (mostly hydrogen); hence the radiation decoupled from matter and continued through space largely
unimpeded. This relic radiation is the cosmic microwave background.
The universe today appears to be dominated by a mysterious form of energy known as dark energy.
Approximately 70% of the total energy density of today's universe is in this form. This dark energy causes the
expansion of the universe to deviate from a linear velocity-distance relationship, observed as a faster than
expected expansion at very large distances. Dark matter in its simplest formulation takes the form of a
cosmological constant term in Einstein's field equations of general relativity, but its composition is unknown
and, more generally, the details of its equation of state and relationship with the standard model of particle
physics continue to be investigated both observationally and theoretically.
As an attempt to answer the questions on origin, the scientists have concluded that this entire universe
has evolved from a hot dense state. Mysteries appear as one looks closer to the beginning, when particle
energies were higher than it can yet be studied by experiment. There is no compelling physical model for the
first 10-33 seconds of the universe, before the phase transition that the grand unification theory predicts. At the
“first instant”, Einstein‟s theory of gravitation predicts a gravitational singularity where densities become
infinite. Understanding this period of the history of the universe is one of the greatest unsolved problems in
physics.
The scientific theory goes up to a point and then seems to draw a blank. It does not explain the origin of
the world but rather describes the existence of the world in its early days or at best early hours. But what is the
origin of those initial energies and particles? A few great scientists have even admitted that it is impossible for
science to answer the basic question, „How did it all start?‟

3.4 Aristotle- First Cause: A Western View point.

John Lewis(1962) in his book “History of Philosophy” mentions Aristotle‟s views on Creation
“Aristotle‟s doctrine of the First Cause is important for theology. This idea about the First Cause is
often referred to as the ultimate creative Agency which brought the universe into being. There had to be a first
Cause to initiate the sequence of the world‟s events. The First Cause, from a philosophical point of view means
that behind everything that moves and changes there is „Something‟ that moves all things and is unmoving, the
unchanging background behind all that varies, holding all things together. It is therefore not the cause which is
first in time that is meant by First Cause, but the originating Cause of all the worldly causes and above all, it is a
cause which is Self-determining. It is a cause that does not need a cause.
The word „cause‟, then is used in a totally different context from the usual one. For, all the causes in
the world, and any time series, do themselves require a cause outside the cause-effect series, but that is why the
theological first cause is definitely not some fixed starting point in time, it is not first in that sense at all. The
argument seeks to establish, that all movements on the universe would be illogical without a Prime Mover.
Hence God is posited as a Prime Mover. The one Supreme, Unchanging Being to whose presence the world
responds with the whole world process of cosmic development. „God‟ supposedly draws out the series of
„Forms‟ latent in the „matter‟ of the world into actual manifestation. As such He is indispensable to the world‟s
existence, but transcends it and stands beyond. Does God make everything move? He moves it as something we
love moves us, not by pushing it so to speak, but by pulling it. God moves the universe by the desire he
awakens in all things.”
In this theory, Aristotle has only given another name to God. He refers to it as „Causeless Cause‟. God
is posited as the Creator and the First Mover. He adds another dimension to the definition of God from the
previous theory that we had examined. In the previous theory God is the cause and solely responsible for the
creation. Here he remarks “… it is a cause which is Self-determining. It is a cause that does not need a cause”.
The theory is interesting. The added dimension has set a few intelligent people thinking. But the mystery still
remains unsolved. The idea of First Cause throws no further light on capturing what is the exact cause of
creation.
This concept still remains unknown to mankind. This of course is a difficult argument. Theologians accept it
today, but many philosophers do not. The theologians have based all their arguments on strong beliefs rather
than reason and logic.

3.5 The Advaita View of Vedanta

1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 34 | Page
 Theory Of Creation

Thomas Mannumel‟s book “The Advaita of Vivekananda” referes to Vivekananda‟s Advaitic view on
Creation. Vivekananda approaches this question by applying his favourite „scientific‟ principle, that everything
must be explained from within and not from without. Fortunately modern science has put an end to all these old
and medieval childishness and superstitions by taking the “natural phenomenon out of the hands of spirits and
angels.” In a similar spirit, Advaitism has dispensed with the extra-cosmic God of the Creationists by finding an
intrinsic explanation to the universe. Hence it teaches that the universe has not been created by any extra-cosmic
God nor is it the work of any outside genius. It is self-creating, self-manifesting, one infinite Existence.
Vivekananda employs a variety of metaphors, both modern and classical, to illustrate this cyclic process: it is
like the electricity projected by the dynamo, taking its wavy course completes the circuit and results and returns
to its source! “As the spider throws her web out and drawn on by God.” “As from a mass of fire an infinite
number of sparks fly, even so from the Eternal One all this universe of souls has come out.”
Mundaka Upanishad Mantra 1, Chapter 1, Section 1 :( An Upanishad is the highest scriptural literature
known to mankind) also makes a reference to the metaphor of the „spider throwing her web‟. It explains the
concept of the emergence of the Universe from the Imperishable through few other metaphors such as „on earth
herbs grow‟, „as from a living man hair grows on head and body‟.
A. Parthasarathy an eminent philosopher comments on this portion of the Mundaka Upanishad.

“ The mantra provides three similes to illustrate the spontaneity of creation. None of them being complete in
itself. The incompleteness in the first simile is corrected by the second. But then, the second has another lacuna.
And that is removed by the third…..
The first simile states that the universe has emerged from the imperishable Reality; the Brahman. As a
web emerges from the spider. The spider spins a web from its saliva. Saliva is the spider‟s own essence which
goes to make the web. This part of the metaphor shows that the world is essentially Brahman. But the lacuna in
this comparison is that the spider has no motive in the creation of the world.
This flaw is taken care of in the second simile. That the world has emerged from Brahman as plants
have emerged from the earth. Vegetation springs from earth, is maintained by earth and ultimately merges with
earth. Is maintained by earth and ultimately merges with earth.
So has the universe emerged from Brahman, is sustained by Brahman and merges ultimately with Brahman.
The Second simile rectifies the flaw in the first. That Brahman has no motive while the spider has it.
The second simile shows the earth too has no motive in producing vegetation. But then it has another lacuna.
That the earth is inert while plants are living. Comparison Brahman to earth leaves an impression of inertness
upon Brahman. This flaw is corrected by the third simile. That the universe has emerged from Brahman like
hair from a man. Comparing Brahman to man removes the impression of inertness.
But then there is another lacuna in comparing man and his hair to Brahman and the universe. Man and
his hair appear together. This is not so with respect to Brahman and the universe. They are not seen together.
When Brahman appears the universe disappears. And when universe appears Brahman disappears. The flaws
would continue. And Brahman can never be captured conceptually.”

A. Parthasarathy, in his book The Eternities- Vedanta Treatise (2004) calls this a futile enquiry leading
only to reasoning in a circle,

“The question when, whence, wherefore the world posits two ideas as separate from one another. It places the
idea of when, whence, wherefore on one side. And the idea of the world on the other. But the ideas of when,
whence and wherefore are an integral part of the world. They are not apart from the world. They emanate from
time, space and causation respectively. Which are inherent in the world? Not beyond it. So the questions when,
whence, wherefore of the world have no meaning. They pose a logical fallacy. A reasoning in a circle.
When you ask, when the world began, you place the world on one side and time on the other. You do
not seem to realise that time is an essential part of the world. Your question segregates time from the world.
You pull time out of the world and place it apart. In effect, you place the world before the world. You then
create the world before it is created. Your question is the same as asking, when did time begin. If you say time
began at a particular time, you posit time before the beginning of time. You produce time even before it is
created. The questions, when did time begin, when did the world begin, therefore have no pertinence, no
meaning.
In the same strain you ask, whence this world. Where did the world begin? You again segregate space
from the world. You do not realize space also is an essential part of the world. When you ask that question you
surround the beginning of space with space. For where cannot be conceived without the idea of space. Where
denotes space. Hence your question produces space even before it is created. Your question „where does the
world begin‟ is the same as „where does space begin‟. It has no meaning.

1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 35 | Page
 Theory Of Creation

The same reasoning holds good for causation as well. The idea of why, wherefore itself refers to
causation. And the world is but a chain of causation. Your question, wherefore this causation, places causation
before it is created. You cannot ask that either. Again, your question „wherefore the world‟ is the same as
„wherefore causation‟. It is meaningless.
Time, space and causation do not have a beginning or an end. Time stretches limitlessly both backward
and forward. It can go back endlessly. Project forward endlessly. So does space extend on all sides without
boundaries. It is all-pervading. Also, causation seems to have come from eternity and going into eternity. And
time, space and causation constitute the world. Hence, there is no beginning or end to the world. The question
of when, whence, wherefore this world does not arise. This question has no answer. It is beyond the scope of the
intellect. Beyond human comprehension. Those who try to answer this question empirically are confused,
confounded. They go round in circles. Get nowhere”.
Vedanta goes one step ahead to solve this mystery.Vedanta, makes the staggering declaration that the
enquiry pertaining to the origin is going round in circles because the world is a mere illusion. The great
Vedantin Swami Rama Tirtha explains the concept of illusion as described and explained in the old Hindu
scriptures. He says “They (Hindus) call this Maya, the limited meaning of which is illusion and the explanation
of which is something which is indescribable, which cannot be called real and which cannot be called unreal,
and which is not a combination of reality and unreality. This whole world is Maya or illusion.”
Swami Rama Tirtha goes further to explain that the illusions are of two types. He refers to them as
Intrinsic and Extrinsic illusions. Intrinsic illusion is one in which reality and illusion exist together. Only one of
them appear at a time. Both do not co-exist
child misapprehends a snake for a rope. When a child sees a snake, he does not see the rope and when
he sees the rope the snake disappears. In the case of extrinsic illusion there are three elements present. The first
and second being the real and illusory objects which exist together while the third is the medium which causes
the illusion. A typical example of an extrinsic illusion is a reflection in the mirror. When an object is placed in
front of the mirror, the object and the image appear at the same time, and the mirror between the two acts as the
medium. He explains that the entire world is nothing but one infinite all-pervading Reality. Instead of the
Reality we see the pluralistic world. This is intrinsic illusion. Now this world itself serves as a medium for
creation of an extrinsic illusion. We all know that the world comes from eternity and goes into eternity, spreads
over infinite space and projects endless chain of causation. Brahman is also indicated as eternal, all-pervading
and infinite. The properties of Brahman have mirrored themselves into the world. The medium that has caused
the reflection is the world itself. Thus there are properties of Brahman, properties of the world and medium
appearing all at the same time. In case of the World, both the illusions appear simultaneously. Non-
apprehension of the world causes the mis-apprehension of the world. The solid seeming world is a mere illusion.
When one apprehends the Reality, merges with It, both the illusions disappear.

III. Conclusion
Most theories if not all have laid emphasis on a factor called God or a Supreme Reality. God is
believed to be the primal Cause of everything. God is designated as the creator of the Universe. Some postulate
a personal God, others an impersonal God without a form.
The origin of the world is unknown to the masses. People wish to know this origin. Theories of
creation have emerged to satisfy the curious mind. All the theories that have emerged have been unable to
provide a solution. They have declared God as the Creator, as a solution to the problem. But, the fundamental
principle of education is knowledge proceeds from the known to the unknown. Knowledge of anything
unknown can be conveyed only through known factors. Thus, if we need to know the „Origin of the Universe‟
which is unknown, we must necessarily proceed from some known factor. Starting the enquiry on the „Origin‟,
with an unknown term, „God‟ does not help. We know God indicated as infinite mercy, infinite power, infinite
love etc. But „Infinity‟ cannot be conceived. Hence God remains unknown. The use of unknown terms cannot
solve the mystery of the Unknown.
The Mass of humanity struggles with these unknown terms and terminologies. As a result, the majority
has inherited whatever answers and beliefs that have happened to come their way. Most of them accept a system
of belief without enquiry or considered thought. They seem to ignore how the belief or explanation shapes their
perception and vision of the world. To know the unknown Origin one has to proceed through known agents.
Dependence upon unknown factors does not solve the issue. They only keep us in ignorance.
Vedanta logically points out the fallacy in questioning the origin of the world while within the
terrestrial realm. It pronounces the staggering truth regarding the illusory nature of the world from the
experience of God-realised Masters. The Vedantic science proceeds systematically from what we know and
takes us step by step towards the unknown Origin until one reaches the very periphery of the terrestrial.
Thereafter Vedanta says one can no longer understand objectively but subjectively in the ultimate experience of

1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 36 | Page
 Theory Of Creation

spiritual Enlightenment. To understand the Source is to become the Source. An interesting summary of this
concept is to be found in Verses 14 and 15 of Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita.
Brahman is the supreme Reality. Brahman is all-pervading. Everything terrestrial and transcendental is
nothing but Brahman. Out of this infinite Brahman arises Lord Brahma, the Creator. From Lord Brahma sprung
forth all terrestrial activity. Yajna, the ritual of fire-worship, is one of the activities arising from Lord Brahma.
Yajna means sacrificial actions dedicated to a higher cause. Other creatures cannot even conceive it; much less
make such a sacrifice. Human beings alone enjoy this rare privilege of sacrifice; one adopting it earns material
prosperity as well as mental peace in the world. Performing sacrificial activities creates the right mental climate,
essential even for production of material goods. Where products abound there exist living beings, life. Therefore
Brahman, the all-pervading Reality, emerges in the end as the multitude of beings. Of all living beings the
human being alone is capable of regaining the state of Brahman. But he can do so only through yajgna activities,
as the Creator, in the beginning had created mankind together with yajgna activities. Hence yajgna is declared as
the pivot balancing the unmanifest and manifest Brahman. The all-pervading Brahman ever rests in yajgna.
Yajna activities bestow two benefits. Firstly they increase productivity and prosperity. Higher the ideal
in life, greater is the potential to work. A high ideal generates more energy to work. One produces more thereby
prospers. Secondly, when identifying with a higher cause the desires pertaining to the lower strata automatically
diminish, fall away. When the last desire falls away, one crosses the threshold of the terrestrial to become the
transcendental Reality, Brahman.
Through a thorough examination of a few theories of creation, we only understand that whilst we are a
part of the creation, it is impossible to know how the whole thing originated. If do attempt the impossible we
will only lead ourselves into blind lanes and keep reasoning in circles. Thus we would have to go beyond the
creation to understand its source. The ancient science of Vedanta gives us a direction on how to go beyond the
creation and get to the source. It would take some getting to achieve the state of Brahman. This research to get
to the origin would need a life time dedicated effort. It is certainly easier said than done.

REFERENCES
[1]. “Glory of Krishna” (2004), Chinmaya Mission Trust, Priya Graphics
[2]. “Good News Bible” (1992), Bible Society in Australia,
[3]. John Lewis (1962) “History of Philosophy”, English University Press Ltd, Bulter and Tanner Ltd., London.
[4]. Thomas Mannumel (1991) “The Advaita of Vivekananda”, T.R. Publications Pvt. Ltd.,Balanoor Printers.
[5]. A. Parthasarthy (2001) “Choice Upanishads”, A.Parthasarthy, Vakils & Sons Pvt. Ltd.
[6]. Swami Rama Tirtha , “In Woods of God-Realisation: Vol 3”, Rama Tirtha Prathisthan, Lucknow Publishing House.
[7]. A. Parthasarthy (1992) “ Srimad Bhagavad Gita: Vol 1”, A.Parthasarthy,Vakils & Sons Pvt. Ltd.
[8]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang, May 2009.

1
*Corresponding Author: Dr. Anuviyan 37 | Page