The Spiritual Import of the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad gita-20.1

17/11/2017

The Spiritual Import of the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad gita-20.1

Chapter 20: We are the Fruits and Leaves of the Cosmic Tree -1.

In the process of the creation of the universe, three powerful forces emanate from God, and these forces constitute the stuff of the whole of creation.

It is, as it were, three arms of God projecting themselves outwardly in cosmic space and time and enacting this drama of life in all the planes of existence.

God plays the role of the actor in this drama, as well as the director and the witness thereof.

These three forces, which proceed from the Supreme Being like rays from the sun, are known as sattva, rajas and tamas.

They are known as the gunas or the properties of that original condition which is responsible for the entire panorama of creation.

On the one hand there is the vast world of varieties of material objects, all constituted of the basic elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether, which constitute or are formed of the tamas portion of this original emanation from God.

One would wonder how tamas can be in God, because it is regarded as darkness, a screening out of the light, which cannot be reconciled with the blaze and the glory of the light of the Creator.

This is a point which requires consideration and understanding.

Another aspect rushes forth simultaneously and divides this creation into various isolated bodies known as jivas,individuals, you and I and everything that we see as the units of creation—this is the work of rajas.

The dividing factor in creation is called rajas, and the material substance of creation is called tamas.

To be continued ...

Swami Krishnananda