This post continues our series of selections from Sanatana Dharma: The Eternal Religion which we publish through Light of the Spirit Press, following the previous article Humans, Devas, and Asuras in Sanatana Dharma. In this passage, samsara is presented not merely as worldly existence, but as a vast evolutionary process in which consciousness unfolds through many forms of life until, in human birth, the soul can awaken to the knowledge of the Self and attain liberation.
Samsara: The World-Process
These creations belong to the invisible worlds, although, in their activities, they were to be closely connected with the visible–the worlds visible and invisible, indeed, forming the field of a vast evolutionary process–samsara, the world process.
The order of the process in the physical world at its origination was: minerals, plants, animals, men. In the Vishnu Purana it is stated that while Brahma was meditating on creation–the three primary prakrita (prakritic) creations of mahat, the elements and the indriyas, being over–the immovable creation, minerals and plants, appeared. Then followed the animal kingdom, called tiryaksrotas.
The creation of some devas followed here, according to the Purana, but they do not belong to the physical world, with which we are here dealing. Then came the creation of men. It must be remembered that while this is the fundamental order of evolution, many varieties occur in different kalpas, and accounts in the different books vary, within certain broad limits, since these great classes of beings overlap each other, so that new kinds of animals and plants appear long after man.
The world in fact is ever-becoming along the four great lines, however much we may separate them for purposes of exposition.
Evolution in the World-Process
The stages of evolution are very plainly given in the Aitareya Brahmana.
“He who knows the atman as Him (the Purusha) in manifestation, he most enjoys that manifestation. Herbs and trees and all that bears life, he knows as the Self in manifestation. In herbs and trees rasa (sap, life) is seen, and mind in them that have prana. In them that have prana, the atman is (more) manifest. In them, rasa also is seen, while mind is not seen in the others. In man, the atman is (most) manifest; he is most supplied with knowledge. He speaks that which he knows; he sees that which he knows; he knows what occurred yesterday; he knows the visible and the invisible; by the mortal he desires the immortal. Thus supplied is he. But of the others, animals, hunger and thirst are the only knowledge. They speak not the known; they see not the known; they know not what belongs to yesterday, nor the visible and the invisible. Only this much have they. According to the knowledge are the births” (Aitareyaranyaka, 2.3.2).
On this Sayana comments as follows:
“All objects whatsoever, being of the nature of effects, are upadhis [adjuncts] for this manifestation of the Supreme Self, Sat, Chit, Ananda, the cause of the universe. In the unconscious, earth, stones, etc., only Sat is manifest, and the atman has not yet attained to the form of jiva. The unmoving jivas, namely the herbs and trees, and also the moving jivas, which have prana as breath, both these are stages of manifestation in a higher degree.”
The student should note these passages, as it is currently supposed that the idea of evolution is of modern birth.
A Larger Cosmic View
In the Vishnu Bhagavata mention is made in connection with the making of the World Egg as an organized form, but, as said before, the process is similar on the large scale or the small. The point to be recognized is that Vishnu is the Organizer.
“When these separated existences, the bhutas, indriyas, manas and gunas, were unable to create organisms (literally, a dwelling-place, an upadhi), O best of Brahma-knowers, then, mixing with each other, they were impelled by the power of Bhagavan (Vishnu), and, becoming both Sat and Asat, existent and non-existent evolved this” (Vishnu Bhagavata 2.5.32-33).
The Guiding Beings of the World-Process
The ten maharishis, Marichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Prachetas, Vasishtha, Bhrigu and Narada, were superhuman beings, who having obtained liberation in former kalpas, were called forth to aid in the direction of the world process, and who remain, superintending the destinies of the worlds, and will remain until the pralaya. Sometimes only seven are given this rank, Prachetas, Bhrigu and Narada not being included in the list. Sometimes others are added, as Daksha and Kardama.
The Kumaras, variously given as four, five, six and seven, are, as their name implies, Virgin Beings, ascetics, and they watch over the world. Shiva Himself took the form of one–Rudra or Nilalohita. Sanatkumara, Sanandana, Sanaka and Sanatana are the four most often referred to. Ribhu, Kapila and Sana are also mentioned.
To this brief sketch of the world process it should be added that the early human races preceding the aryan are often referred to under the names of danavas and daityas, huge beings of enormous strength and energy, who carried on many a struggle with the devas themselves. The rakshasas were another race, more brutal in nature, usually malformed, huge, cruel, powerful cannibals, the terror of milder races. They possessed, moreover, many magical secrets of a dark kind, which they used for terrorizing and oppressing. All these have long entirely disappeared from the earth.
The Journey Toward Liberation
Such is the vast field of samsara in which the pilgrim jivatmans wander until, in some human form, they reach the knowledge of the Self, and obtain liberation.
The following summary graphic gives a simple visual overview of the main ideas in this book excerpt.
