VFA
Journal #1
Introduction to the Vedic Friends Association E-Journal
Dear Friends,
Namaste and Hare Krishna. This is our first VFA Journal, which will contain a short
variety of articles regarding various views on issues and topics of Vedic culture.
The Journal will contain different points of consideration in each issue. In this issue, we
have a short description of our member S. D. Youngwolf's trip into India and his adventure of
helping show the significance of Vedic culture and the similarities it has with the traditions of the
America Indian culture here in the U.S.
We also have an article by Vrin Parker on the history of India and the world's future and a few points on what needs to be done to help preserve and protect the Vedic culture as we know it.
We also have an article on the value of Vitra in the Vedic system, provided by Yogi Harinam baba Prem Tom Beal, our member teacher on yoga and kundalini.
We have concluded this issue with an article called "Why Understand the Creation of the Universe." This discusses the advantages of comprehending the Vedic version of the manifestation of the cosmic creation.
In our next issue, we will focus on vegetarianism, and the Vedic recommendations as to
why it is beneficial to follow, both spiritually and karmically, what the Vedic shastra says about it,
what it says in the Bible about it, and how other notable persons have viewed and expressed their
concerns on why it is needed for the upliftment of society. Additional news and articles may also
be included as we start to provide a survey of the various avenues of knowledge that Vedic
culture supplies for humanity's understanding of life, the universe, and God.
We hope you like this start of our Journal for all the members of the VFA.
Hari Om and Hari bol,
Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana dasa)
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Tour of India by SD Youngwolf,
December 2002 to February, 2003
I was invited to India to attend the Janajati Faith and Culture Conference in Guwahati,
Assam, Dec. 14-15, 2002. After accepting, I was also invited to a conference near Mumbai,
"Children of the Mother Earth Unite", sponsored by Elders of the Ancient Traditions, Feb. 4-9,
2003. I planned my trip to India to include both of these conferences. I was also asked to attend
the Thinkers Meet, in Hyderabad, Dec. 6-7, 2002.
I arrived in Delhi on Dec. 6, and stayed overnight with Mr. Jagadish Kumar. The next
morning, I flew to Hyderabad for the conference, which took place at the Tulip Manohar Hotel.
While there, I mostly listened and observed, but also attended meetings of the Vedic Friends
Association and the formation of the Indic Journalists Association International(IJAI).
Following the conference, I travelled by train to Vishakapatnam, where, along with Mr.
Andrew Foss and Mr. Vrin Parker, I addressed meetings of the Pragna Bharati and the Vigyana
Bharati, on the preservation of Indigenous culture.
We then flew to Guwahati, by way of Kolkata, for the Janajati conference, where we were
joined by Ms. Yvette Rosser, Mr. David Frawley, and Mr. Stephen Knapp. Although time did not
permit reading my paper, I gave two short speeches to the assembled delegates, which included
representatives of many Northeastern tribes. I also was asked to perform at the cultural event,
which I did, singing Native American/Cherokee songs, and doing a blessing ceremony.
Following this convention, I spent eight days touring Arunachal Pradesh, with Gauri, of
the Vivekenanda Kendra, as my guide. We visited Daporijo, Along, Ruksin, and Pasighat. At each
of these places I gave talks to the tribal people there assembled on the importance of preserving
their culture. We also visited, and stayed at, Vivekenanda Kendra Vidyalayas at Sher, Kuparijo,
Jirdin, Ayom, and Tinsukia(Assam), where I interacted with students and told Cherokee stories,
which were received with great enthusiasm. At some of the town meetings, an interpreter was
available, which helped considerably. I also visited and stayed with an Adi family at Pasighat, and
visited Mishmi people at Wacro. I had expressed a desire to stay longer in the Northeast, so after
returning to Guwahati, another tour was arranged for me, to attend the Mass Prayer Meeting
(Brai Shibarai) of the Dimasa people, in Haflong, Assam. This involved a fourteen hour bus trip to
the Cachar Hills, where I gave a short speech, again on preserving Indigenous culture, which was
interpreted for the people. Before leaving Assam, I also gave a lecture on Cherokee Art and
Culture, at the Vivekenanda Kendra in Guwahati.
In Guwahati, I was invited to attend the Youth Convention at Kanyakumari, Jan. 22-24.
So, after two weeks on my own, I arrived there, and gave talks and interacted with both the
delegates, from all over India, and staff of the Vivekenanda Kendra. The students were very
enthusiastic, and my stay there was delightful.
I then flew to Bangalore, where a program had been arranged for me by two
groups,Heritage and Madhyam. I spoke at the Krishnamurti Rishi Valley School, BNM College,
and Mt. Carmel College, as well as to a smaller group at Madhyam.
Afterwards, I returned again to Hyderabad, to address a meeting of about 200
Government Tribal Administration employees. I also travelled to Bhadrachallam and Vidyanagar,
accompanied by Mr. Venugopal Reddy, a principal at a tribal school. At Vidyanagar I visited with
the Konda Reddy people. At Bhadrachallam I visited a tribal girlsÆ school and spoke to them,
and also visited with a local tribal administration official. After returning to Hyderabad, I was
driven to Karimnagar, with a student named Rakesh, where I addressed a meeting of the Pragna
Bharati. There was an audience of about 300 people, including a group of children, which I
interacted with separately. After returning once again to Hyderabad, I gave a talk at the National
Institute of Nutrition.
The final event on My tour was the six day conference of Indigenous people from around
the world, "Children of the Mother Earth Unite", First International Conference and Gathering of
the Elders, which was organized on the theme, "Mitakuye Oyasin"(Lakota saying meaning "We
are all Related"). The conference took place on the grounds of Rambhau Mhalgi Prabbodhini,
near Mumbai. There were 164+ delegates, from all around the world, with many more coming
and going during that time. While there, I read my paper, part of which was published in the book,
"Sanskriti Sangam", volume 1, which was compiled from the papers presented at the conference. I
also gave two talks to the students of the school on the grounds, and ran a "sweat lodge' (Native
American traditional ceremony) for 33 people. At this conference, I met many wonderful people
and established a basis for further interaction with them.
Overall, I would have to say, my tour of India was stimulating, enlightening, and
educational, for me as well as for the audiences I spoke to. The interaction of tribal people, of
India and the world, in the preservation and celebration of their cultures, is an endeavor well
worthy of support and encouragement .I am grateful to have had this opportunity, and look
forward to further interactions of this kind in the future, in other countries as well as India.
SD Youngwolf
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Dear Friends,
Below is an article that has been accepted for publication in an
Indian Educational Journal. Also I wanted to briefly explain my lack
of participation. All I can say is that after my anti-Arundathi Roy
articles my old email was incapacitated and does not function. So I
apologise for any missed messages or responses. By the way the
Honolulu weekly printed my arundathi Roy rebuttal and I was thanked
by various Honolulu friends of India for the effort.
Sincerely Vrn Parker
PS I wrote below article in 3 hrs so I apologise for any grammer
errors etc.
INDIA'S HISTORY AND THE WORLD'S
FUTURE
It was a wise man who once said that when preparing
for the next year, build roads, to prepare for the
next decade, plant trees, and to prepare for the next
century, invest in education.
The future is created by the aspirations and hopes of
the present. However, when the young are mal-educated
with a distorted image of their past, the future can
only be one of tragedy. This fact is obvious when we
look at the world today.
To the bane of humanity and the global ecological
balance, the western civilizational paradigm has
enveloped the world. Indigenous cultures and
civilizations have been thrown out of balance and in
many cases completely obliterated. Societies that had
flourished for hundreds and thousands of years have
been replaced by unsustainable consumerism,
materialism, and fanatical socio-religious
triumphalism. After eight hundred years it is time to
look at the results and ask, "Is the world a better
place?" The answer is a definitive "NO!"
The USA is considered the epitome of the greatness
and benefits of western civilization. One only needs
to look at the current state of affairs and it becomes
obvious that western civilization is more than just a
failure, but actually a dangerous and destructive
force. Thus millions of people are turning to
alternative lifestyles and are actively seeking out
solutions to the technological and societal mayhem of
the west. Unfortunately, most alternative cultures
are nearly extinct and can offer few solutions. In
these circumstances the world seems at a loss,
confused and fearful about its future. Yet, there are
solutions.
There is a civilization that is both ancient and
modern. There is a culture that has survived
tragedies, tyrannies, and genocides. It has both the
know-how and its vast experiences recorded for
posterity. That civilization is the world's most
ancient, largest, and ongoing civilization. It is the
Vedic civilization, which is more commonly known as
Hinduism.
The question then arises as to whether the Hindu
people are prepared to share their knowledge with
humanity at large. At this time the answer is not
clear because India, the land of the Hindus, is itself
struggling to revive and maintain its traditions.
Savaged on nearly every front, Hinduism is engaged in
a struggle of gargantuan proportions. After over a
century of being indoctrinated against its own
culture, India's people are now reaping a bitter
harvest. Millions of Indians are ignorant of their
own past and have been fed a diet of anti-Indian
propaganda designed to destroy Hindu civilization.
This is not only a tragedy for India, but a disaster
for the world at large because Hindu/Vedic
civilization represents a holistic way of life. With
a solid record of its past, it is the prime candidate
to bring about a global renaissance. In other words,
it can save the world. Therefore, it is imperative
that India begins a massive campaign to Indian-ize its
education system. It is imperative that in-depth
research and development is done into the Vedic
technological and socio-political sciences. It is
past time for the world to recognize that the ancient
Vedic scriptures are more than spiritual treatises,
but are actually the users' manuals to the universe.
Once this point is understood and applied, India will
once again assume its rightful place in the world.
However, if the people of India can not or will not
recognize their own strengths and are constantly
belittling or demonizing their own traditions, there
is no hope.
Western civilization has failed the West and it is a
form of delusional arrogance to believe it can or will
make India a great nation. This delusion is obviously
a direct result of India's education system. To
remedy this, a two pronged approach should be
developed. On one hand, India's education system must
be Indian-ized, and on the other hand, the true record
of the West must be taught.
When the Indian youth learn about the genocide of the
American Indians and their heroic defiance against the
same western colonial forces that ravaged India, the
true record becomes obvious. When the Indian youth
learn about Islam's assault on Europe, Africa, Persia,
etc., and its repeated conversion of Holy sites into
mosques, the truth of their Indian record becomes
clear. Just as the British attempted to discredit the
Indigenous nature of Vedic culture, the same has been
done to the American Indians. Let us thus reinforce
and enhance the educational system by revealing the
positivity of India's inherent and vast indigenous
knowledge base while at the same time exposing the
disastrous results of Western and Islamic
civilization.
In conclusion, let me close by identifying the wise
man with whose words I opened. He is an ancient and
famous author and he is an Indian, yet his works are
rarely studied in India. However his works have been
intently studied and applied in China, Japan, Russia,
America, England and Germany. His name is Kautilya.
Kautilya is but one of the thousands of brilliant
minds that have illuminated the pages of India's long
and glorious history. The potential of a resurgent
modern India will truly be fulfilled once it can
harness the vast resource of experience and knowledge
of its ancients. This can only be done by the
Indianization of India's Educational systems.
Vrn Parker
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Vrtra! The adversary to spiritual growth!
By Yogi Harinam Baba Tom Beal
The Vedas are the most important spiritual works that remain of our ancient ancestors. They
provide great insight into the hidden powers of the mind, and more importantly they provide
insight into the true essence of the self. This understanding of the self was achieved not through
modern technological innovation, but by tapping the hidden power within each of us. Modern
scholars dismiss the Vedas as poetry and rambling stories from a frightened ancient people.
Could this be true? Or is there a deeper essence to the Vedas that has been overlooked by
western scholars. Upon careful examination of the Vedas one can clearly see a rich symbolic
language that illustrates the human spiritual essence. This requires an examination and
understanding of the culture, social structure, beliefs, geographic location, symbolic language and
grammar.
Within the Vedas is an important story relating to Indra and Vrtra. In later Hinduism Indra is
little more than a Deity of the rains or storms. While Indra and his thunderbolt can be associated
with storms, in Vedic times Indra was considered the God of gods. While this may have little
relevance to the western reader, Indra can be brought into light for the western mind. Indra is our
true essence or being. Some might use
the term soul, or the power of the soul.
Vrtra is often referred to as the adversary of Indra. Vrtra is also referred to as the dragon or
serpent, which holds back the waters. These waters are released when Indra slays Vrtra. Again
this can have little relevance to the western reader, however Vrtra can be easily brought into light
for the western mind. To understand Vrtra one must first look to the root that forms the word:
Vr.
Vr literally means, ôto coverö. Vr is also a name for Indra. In the Vedic system, Vrtra is a
shadow of Indra; and some consider him the brother of Indra. So does this literally mean that
Indra has slain his brother? Is this an earlier version of the Cain and Able story recorded in the
Bible? Most likely it is not. Vrtra is a reflection of Indra. This reflection covers and obscures
our view of the true reality of nature. Just as a mountain can be reflected in a lake, the lake
cannot be the mountain but only a reflection of it, a reflection (within the lake) that is easily
disturbed. So what is this reflection
that appears so pure and perfect?
This reflection would be called Vrtra, and Vrtra is a reference to the ego. More correctly it is the
concealing power of Vrtra. This power of Vrtra is referred to as ôAvarana Shaktiö. Avarana
Shakti can literally mean ôthe power to hinder in time and space.ö Vrtra is the root power of the
ego, and has the power to hinder our spiritual growth in the field of time and space, but not the
power to hinder our true power or essence (Indra). It would be correct to call it the root power
of the ego. Vrtra later appears in Hindu philosophy as avidya (ignorance). It would also be
correct to say that Vrtra is the
power of maya in the world.
References to Indra slaying the serpent and releasing the waters is a teaching of spiritual
realization. The cover of avidya (ignorance) being removed opening us to awareness of our true
nature. This is the journey of humankind. Each individual consciously or unconsciously is
traveling this path. This was clearly understood by the great rshiÆs of the Vedic period. Their
great gift to future generations was recorded in the Vedas and has been preserved for over 8500
years. While some scholars could argue that Indras slaying of the serpent can also be a reference
to awakening the kundalini energy. This should not be seen as a conflict with the underlining
essence of Indra and Vrtra. It is more of an extension or other aspect of the universal truth
presented with Indra and Vrtra. It would also be correct to say that Vrtra is the kundalini in a
dormant (tamasic) state. Vrtra is the
inertia that keeps the kundalini from rising up the sushumna.
From the standpoint of chakras Vrtra manifests as the lower manifestation of the manipura (3rd or
navel) chakra. Actually the lower functions of the first three chakras are the playground of Vrtra.
In our society it has been taught, at times, that the mind is ruled by the manipura chakra. Actually
the mind should be ruled by the Anahata chakra (4th or heart center). Once the mind activities are
ruled or governed by the anahata chakra, the higher function of manipura chakra is activated
opening the power of iccha shakti (the power of the will, desire, and love). Iccha shakti should
manifest through the power of third chakra but directed by the higher functions of the anahata
chakra. Indras journey of slaying Vrtra really begins with meditation on the heart chakra. More
correctly on the spiritual heart chakra located within the field of the anahata chakra. One could
also perform meditation on a flame within the heart muscle. The flame should be the size of the
thumb.
The following list is a variety of techniques to begin this journey. The list is not comprehensive
but is intended to provide several options for the beginner to intermediate level student. Several
of the techniques are best practiced under the guidance of a qualified Vedic or yoga teacher.
Some of the techniques are of minor consideration but illustrate that anyone can practice
regardless of their physical ability.
Beginning Techniques for your
personal (Indra) victory over Vrtra:
* Study of sacred scriptures such as the Vedas, Upanishads, or Vedantic philosophy. There are
many excellent systems in India that can fulfill this need. Systems such as Karma or Bhakti yoga
are important and serve as an
important beginning to this journey.
* Almost any classical yoga system can aid in beginning the journey for Indras victory over Vrtra.
In fact this is a major goal in true yoga systems, to strengthen the body, remove toxins and
transform the ego. This is especially true of some Tantric systems, which to seek to elevate the
ego. Or as Patanjali said so well:
the seen perceives the seer.
* A yogic technique known, as flexion of the spine can be beneficial, as well as Bhastrika, often
referred to as fire breathing or breath of fire. These techniques can easily be learned from a
knowledgeable yoga teacher. They can also be found in several yoga/meditation books. They are
contraindicated for pregnancy and various physical limitations. Both of these techniques help to
clear the sushumna especially the psychic knots (granths) in the sushumna. In yoga philosophy
these psychic knots must be cleared for spiritual realization to take place. In addition they both
generate tapas, which is a psychic
heat that helps to purify the mind/body field.
* Pranayama exercises. Yogic breathing exercises teach the student to gain control over the
mind. This eventually leads in the ability to go beyond mind. As yoga will teach us to go beyond
body, pranayama is an important first
step in the journey to go beyond the mind.
* Meditation is the most important and powerful tool for slaying Vrtra. It is interesting to note, in
western society people meditate to relax, while true meditation cannot occur until one is relaxed.
The meditation I am referring to is not relaxation techniques, but deep inquiry into the nature of
the self. However relaxation
exercises can be an important first step for the beginner.
* Mula Bhanda. The mula bhanda (root lock) is technique used to purify the sushumna (on a
physical level the spinal column). It also helps to open the psychic knots of the sushumna. This
technique should be practiced under the guidance of a teacher proficient in the practice of chakra
locks.
* Meditation on Vedic Deities- This serves to awaken us more to the Mahat (cosmic intelligence),
moving our conscious mind beyond the ego. The deities are visualized with different colors and
attributes depending on the need of
each person.
* Meditating with the thumbs crossed. This is a common posture. Sitting crossed-legged,
interlace the fingers with thumbs crossing over each other and resting in the webbing of the
opposite hand. For males the right thumb should be crossed over the left. For females the left
thumb should be crossed over the right. This adds a polarity aspect to the mudra. This is a minor
consideration, but does illustrate
that everyone can work on Vrtra.
* Chanting the Sanskrit alphabet, or chanting the vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet. Indra rules the
vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet.
* Chanting to Ganesh using the Bija
mantra such as Om Gam Om.
* People that are astrologically oriented could use mantras such as Om Hreem Brihaspataye
Namah.
* The bija mantra for Maha Maya. In some tantric systems, it is believed that only maha maya can
provide a doorway from the covering
of illusion (maya). Her bija mantra is Hreem.
* Of course in the Rg Veda 1.10.5 gives insight into how to increase our Indra or ego defeating
energy. It says in the first line:
Uktham indraya shamsyam.
Offer praise to Indra [with] hymns
[mantra].
There are numerous riks (hymns) to Indra; these are best learned from a qualified Vedic yoga
teacher.
* Performance or attendance of Homas, Pujas, or Yajnas. Homas are fire ceremonies as can be
yajnas. Pujas can be various internal and external forms of worship. This subject alone can be
quite extensive, literally volumes of books have been written on these subjects. It does bring
ritual to the practitionerÆs life,
which can have a calming effect on the mind.
Indra and Vrtra are very expansive subjects. Literally a book could be written on them alone.
The goal of this article is to introduce the reader to a few of the psychological aspects of Indra
and Vrtra and introduce how expansive the techniques in yoga and meditation are for dealing with
this subject.
References and Sources used:
Rg Veda
The Nighantu and The Nirukta.
Sanskrit/English Dictionary (Apte version)
Dr. David Frawley
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Copyright 2003, Yogi Harinam Baba
Prem Tom Beal. All rights reserved.
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Why Understand the Creation of the Universe
By Stephen Knapp
Why should we understand how the universe was created? Because it gives us a clearer
understanding of where we have come from, where we are going, who and what we are, and what
our purpose is here. There have been many scientific theories over the years about the origin of
life and how the universe may have been created. However, science makes little comment on the
purpose of the universe or the reason for life. But why would something come to be without a
purpose? Once you consider that there is a purpose to life, the search for life's origins may very
well lead you into a different direction than simply trying to find an explanation for a mechanical
or chemical process of creation. In this book we are going to deal with these points, and more.
We are going to take a look at a different approach to the origin of the universe, the Vedic
approach. The difference between most scientists and the Vedic approach is that the Vedic system
accepts a descending channel of knowledge coming from previous authorities. Scientists accept
no prior authority, except for other scientists, and try to discover the mysteries of the universe
through their own perceptions by various instruments, experiments, and the use of mathematical
formulas to try to verify their theories. This is called the ascending process. However, if one
should diligently take this process to its ultimate conclusion, one will reach the same line of
thought as the descending method.
For example, in the 1930s, Sir James Jeans concluded in his book, The Mysterious
Universe(1930), that the universe consists of pure thought, which means the creation must have
been an act of thought. However, he felt that the "thinker" had to have been a mathematical
thinker working outside the boundaries of time and space, which is part of His creation. Thus, the
"thinker" had to have been "beyond what He created." Sir Arthur Eddington also concluded in his
book, The Nature of the Physical World (1935), that, "The stuff of the world is mind stuff." In
part, both of these theories are corroborated in the Vedic texts because it is described that the
Supreme Creator produces the material world by His dreaming in yoga-nidra, His mystic slumber.
Thus, the material creation is the Supreme Being's dream, or a display of His thought energy.
Furthermore, the Vedic literature describes how the Supreme Being exists outside the boundaries
of the material manifestation from where He begins the process of creation. So, He is indeed
"beyond what He created."
It was also in the 1930s when scientists played with the idea that all life and consciousness
began from a "primordial soup." This would be a soup of all the necessary chemicals needed to
produce a living cell that would somehow combine in just the right way to spark a living
organism.
Another idea was the theory of the BIG BANG, that all creation started from a single point or
particle. This particle had unlimited depth and weight that somehow exploded to produce the
universe. This, however, is mathematically indescribable. It is called a singularity, which means it
is impossible. Nonetheless, this theory, as with the theory of evolution, is often taken to be a fact,
upon which many other theories become based. However, they do not explain from where or how
the original particle appeared.
The theories of the primordial soup and BIG BANG depend on the idea that inert matter can
randomly organize itself into complex structures and various species of life. That is the
fundamental trouble with both of these theories: How can inert matter by itself develop the
incredible molecular arrangements to produce even the simplest cell? Matter does not organize
itself that way. In fact, it can be seen that matter, once put into some form of construction and
then left alone, always deteriorates. As scientists develop newer instruments to take a closer look
at cells, they understand how truly miraculous such a random occurrence could be. Thus, it
becomes obvious that nature needs to be directed by some higher force or intelligence for such
combinations of material ingredients to come together to produce life. This immediately nullifies
Darwin's theory of evolution. Even Darwin admitted that there were problems with his theory.
However, the modern theory and the Vedic description of evolution are similar, but there is
one big difference. The modern theory teaches that one simple species produces another species
through variations of genetic reproduction until we have a variety of progressively more complex
life forms. The Vedic system, on the other hand, teaches that evolution starts in the opposite way.
From a complex species, such as God, and then the devas or demigods who are the co-creators,
and through the process of reproduction and genetic variations, there is a production of
continually less complex species. This could be called the process of inverse evolution. However,
the modern theory cannot explain why there are galaxies, or how the simplest of cells were
formed. So there are many gaps in the modern theories of creation and evolution that are still
waiting for further evidence to be solved. So why should science not look at the Vedic view as
well?
My suggestion is that the assumption of a BIG BANG is the scientists interpretation of
evidence that indicates an exceedingly sudden arise of material elements as they were manifested
from the Supreme Being. The Supreme Creator is, of course, spiritual and would be undetectable
and beyond observation in the material sense by our limited senses and ordinary instruments.
Thus, there would be nothing that we could see to indicate His presence in the universe before the
creation. So it may certainly look as if this universe did come from nothing. Nonetheless, the
process of the sudden development of the stars, planets, and galaxies could have been similar to
the ideas that the scientists have put forth.
The problem is that even if something like the BIG BANG did occur without the supervision
of a higher authority, what you would really end up having is a universe filled with dust. Why
would such solid planets, suns, stars, and galaxies form out of this floating dust? And there
certainly has been no scientific explanation why there is consciousness that inhabits the millions of
species of beings. How could a BIG BANG bring about consciousness? From where did it come?
These things are not explained by science. So it is not unreasonable to consider other theories
about how this universe came into being, and how there was a development of so many species of
life that have consciousness.
Another problem is that trying to apply simple physical laws on complex phenomenon like the
creation requires the use of assumptions and guesswork which make such scientific theories
no better than superstitions, even if such ideas are supported by other scientists or
mathematicians. Their conclusions are misleading. This is why scientists are always changing or
updating their conclusions as they make new discoveries. If they did not have it right the first
time, why should we think they may have it right later on? And they will never get it right if they
have only one theory and simply try to make all of their evidence fit that theory. They need to
look at other possibilities.
Furthermore, the whole idea of a random reorganization of matter directly opposes the second
law of thermodynamics. This law states that as time goes on, there is an increase in entropy,
which is an increase in the state of random disorder or deterioration. This means that without a
higher intelligence to intercede in the steady disorganization of elements, the universe is in a
constant state of gradual decline. This is directly opposite to the idea that matter could organize
itself into increasingly complex systems of stars, planets, and galaxies, or even cells, bodies, and
various species. So such an organization of matter after a BIG BANG could never have taken
place, nor could a BIG BANG have occurred. How could there have been a single particle of
unlimited depth and weight floating around in the void universe waiting to explode? Someone had
to have put it there. And how could it have exploded into unlimited atoms that formed the
universe? Such theories are simply more scientific myths. So how else could the universe have
been formed and from where does consciousness come?
First of all, consciousness does not come from a combination of chemicals. Consciousness is a
non-material energy. Thus, consciousness exists before, during, and after the material creation.
This means that the origin of the material cosmos and all life within it must also be consciousness,
a Supreme Consciousness from whom come all other forms of consciousness that take up
residence in the varieties of material bodies or species found in this material creation.
This origin must also have intelligence and the ability to design in order to make the various
combinations of elements come together to form even the simplest of cells. A single cell is formed
by a combination of 300 amino acids that come together in a certain chain or pattern. Even
scientists cannot figure out how that happened. And nature cannot do it by itself, as
explained above. So there had to have been a guiding Creator to put this all together.
So if there is such a Supreme Creator with consciousness and intelligence, it is also quite
possible that He would allow a way for us to communicate with Him. It is also quite possible that
He provides us with the knowledge we need for us to know how to do this and to understand
what we are and the purpose of life. For example, according to Vedic science, as the Supreme
Creator creates the cosmos, the creative potency descends among other beings whom are created,
called demigods in the Vedic system, to assist the Supreme in manifesting the material worlds. So,
the Supreme expands Himself and also creates positions within the material cosmos which are
taken by co-creators or demigods who assist in creating and maintaining the material
manifestation. They also help distribute the spiritual knowledge among all others. This is the
descending process of acquiring knowledge by which we understand the mysteries of life. It is the
information provided by the Supreme Creator that descends through the ancient sages and
scriptures, and His pure representatives. In this way, we can learn about the universe and its
purpose rather than trying to understand it only by analyzing minute cells and parts of the cosmos,
the way of modern science.
We need to be aware that scientists may continue to try to find the cause and origin of the
universe for thousands of years, but they will not find it. They will never find the source by
examining the elements within the universe. They may get clues through such a process and
realize that all molecules and elements are like signs that point to a Creator, but you have to reach
the Creator to understand how everything happened. Therefore, the reason why they will never
find the cause of the universe by only using this method is that the original cause of the creation
exists OUTSIDE the universe. It is like analyzing the elements within a house to find its cause
when the designer lives somewhere else outside the house. Thus, until the scientists can reach the
Creator through spiritual understanding, examining the universe to find its cause or
source is like a maze that has no end.
Our premise, on the other hand, is that all life comes from God. Almost every religion accepts
this. Unfortunately, the problem is that most religions and traditions provide only a short and
unscientific story or allegory of the universal creation. However, the Vedic literature, such as the
Srimad-Bhagavatam, explains that the universal creation is but an expansion or a development
from the original spiritual elements. These exist prior to, during, and after the material creation.
By understanding the Supreme Creator and the spiritual nature, the cause of the material
manifestation can be understood. Not the other way around.
The universe started in a state of perfect simplicity. The design of this universe comes from
that dimension of ultimate cause and simplicity, which is that of the spiritual. This is beyond the
material strata and where the cause of the universe and the seed of its manifestation exists. The
Vedic literature points the way to this region and presents the blueprints of the universe and all
life within.
The energies of matter and spirit are energies that vibrate at different frequencies and manifest
on diverse levels. However, they both originate from the same source, which is
consciousness, the pure consciousness of the Supreme Being. Yet, the spiritual strata is eternal
while the material is temporary. Thus, the material plane is subservient to, and pervaded by, the
unlimited spiritual energy. It is this spiritual energy which is the foundation of the material realm
and interacts with it in all phases, although unbeknownst to those who are spiritually unaware. To
know the universe is to know that each atom is but a reflection of the Supreme Creator's potency.
The Vedic literature explains how the material elements are created, and how they make
systems and arrangements of forms from planets to various species of life. It describes how the
material energy is directed and maintained to prevent it from sliding into deterioration, and how it
is finally destroyed or wrapped up to merge back into the spiritual atmosphere. So in this book we
will show by Vedic descriptions how the temporary material cosmic creation comes from the
Supreme Being and the eternal
spiritual nature, and what we are supposed to do while living here.
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