In the previous episode, we had witnessed the continuation of Sage Sukhaachaarya’s detailed answer to King Parikshit as to how this world is created by Bhagawan. He gives an important phase of the answer here – The world is created out of the five elements, which are collectively called as “Tathva”. This “Tathva” is created from something called as “Ahankaara”. This “Ahankaara” is created from another raw-material called “Mahaa”. This “Mahaa” is created from a raw material called “Prakriti”. All of us living beings are created from “Prakriti” and this is why we’re called as “Praakrita” objects. This “Ahankaara” is used by Bhagawan to create the five elements – “Prithivi”, “App”, “Tejas”, “Vaayu” and “Aakaasha”. From these five elements, arise all living and non-living beings in this world! With these five elements, Bhagawan creates the five types of experiences that we’re able to witness in this world – “Sabhdha”, “Sparsha”, “Roopa”, “Rasa” and “Vaasana”. We’ve seen a detailed accord of all of these in the previous episode. To understand the meaning of these five “experiences”, Bhagawan has created the five sensory organs in all living beings – Eyes, nose, skin, ears and tongue.
In our Sanaathana Dharma texts, these five senses are often referred to as “Gnyaana-Indhriyaas”.“Indhriyaa” means “senses” and “Gnyaana-Indhriyaas” means the senses that this physical body of ours can experience.
To maintain a count thus, we’ve witnessed five main elements in the form of “Prithivi”, “App”, “Tejas”, “Vaayu” and “Aakaasha”. Subsequently, Bhagawan created five types of experiences that arise out of these five elements – “Sabhdha”, “Sparsha”, “Roopa”, “Rasa” and “Vaasana”. To understand the meaning of all these, Bhagawan again created five sensory organs – Eyes, nose, skin, ears and tongue. These put together are fifteen in number. Now this is not the end of all.
We’ve got another five “Indhriyaas” called as “Karma-Indhriyaas”, apart from the five “Gnyaana-Indhriyaas” that we’ve seen till now. What are those five “Karma-Indhriyaas”? They are nothing but “Vaak”, “Paani”, “Paada”, “Paayu” and “Upastham”. I shall give a brief accord on all these five now. “Vaak” signifies our communicating ability. We use our mouth and tongue, not only to taste food and water, but also for talking, isn’t it? Thus, the mouth is the most important mode for communication – Not only for human beings, but also for animals too. Next thing is “Paani”. As we move on with life, we’ve to do lot of actions and tasks, isn’t it? What are those organs that we use to do work? Our two hands! Thus, “Paani” signifies the mechanisms through which we perform tasks, which is nothing but our hand. Next comes “Paada” – Can we be stationary and immobile at one particular place? We can never be! To make us mobile from one place to the other, we need some instrument to carry our body from place A to place B. This is enabled by our feet! Hence, “Paada” signifies our capability to walk from one place to the other, which is possible with our two feet. Now moving on to the last two – “Paayu” and “Upastham”. Whatever we consume, has to be filtered and the waste has to be thrown out of the body, isn’t it? This is why we have the two openings in our body through which the unwanted waste items are excreted outside.
Thus, put together, we have 23 different constituents that comprise this world. Still there is one person, who would be the leader of all these 23 items. Who is that? There should be somebody to rule all of these 23 items, isn’t it? This “leader” of all these 23 items is nothing but our “Mind” or “Manas” It is only the mind that decides whether to see a particular object or not, whether to taste a particular food item or not, whether to smell something or not, whether to listen to something or not and whether to touch or not! Similarly it is the mind that decides whether to do some work or not, whether to walk from one place to the other or not, etc. This is why we say that the “Mind” is the leader” and the “instruction provider” to all of these 23 different items that constitute the world.
Saying thus, this world is constituted of 24 different items, including the “Mind”. All these are first created by Bhagawan in this world. It is only after all these 24 items, Bhagawan creates one more important item, which is nothing but the “Aatman” or the “Soul”. As we know by now, the “Aatman” is the basic fundamental ingredient for all life to prosper in this world. Every living being has an “Aatman” dwelling inside – Including plants as well. Although we do not realize this, we should understand that even plants, shrubs and trees have an “Aatman” within them. Of course, all of us know that animals (including human beings) are born with this “Aatman” and when we die, our “Aatman” either gets transferred to another physical body (depending on our “Karma”) or reaches Bhagawan (“Moksha”).
Thus from this point, we realize that the “Aatman” is an item that can never be destroyed and it just sticks to us wherever and in whatever form we are in this world. It is not only us here – There are crores and crores of “Aatmans” that are to be created in this world. As Bhagawan thinks of giving these “Aatmans” some life to live, he creates the seven “Lokas” or “Worlds”. Many of us might be knowing the seven lokas here – “Bhooloka (Where we are right now), Bhuvar Lokha, Suvar Lokha, Maha Lokha, Jana Lokha, Tapo Lokha and Sathya Lokha.
It is thus only within these seven “lokhas” that these crores and crores of “Aatmans” need to be implanted! How is Bhagawan going to do this? An interesting accord awaits us next episode! Stay tuned! 😊
The Indian Dharma 