We must remember that creation will always remain a mystery. Why this creation? No one can tell. We cannot say that it is for the Bhagavan’s own enjoyment, for He does not enjoy anything outside of Himself. He is perfect and pure Consciousness. Neither can there be another enjoyed, for the enjoyer must be conscious, and whatever is conscious is Bhagavan, the One without a second. Nor can we say it is to secure moksha, because in its very nature creation is opposed to moksha, it meaning bondage.
Furthermore, the question itself is illogical. Creation is maya, delusion. As long as we are under the influence of maya, how can we expect to explain the illusion? The dreamer cannot explain the dream. He must first wake up. And when we wake up, the question loses all its importance. Then the universe will be seen as a mirage. It loses its significance; it is of no more account than a little mud puddle. He who knows the Truth becomes blissfulness itself. He finds all enjoyment in himself and not outside. The world holds no charm for him. Therefore, Vedanta says, do not stop to find out why and how you got this disease of ignorance; cure the disease, get rid of it and be happy. Answers to the questions who, how and why certainly lie beyond the universe, beyond maya. But being under maya’s sway, how then can we explain it? Can a hypnotized person explain how and why he is hypnotized? Certainly not, as long as he is under the hypnotic influence. Hence, instead of questioning we must try to throw off the hypnotic influence. This we can do in two ways: either by taking refuge in Bhagavan who is the great magician, or through self-analysis, meditation and discrimination.
These things are difficult to understand. Even the wise cannot understand them. Even they cannot grasp these divine mysteries, what to speak of fools!
Why Did God Create the World? A Hindu Story for Young Hearts
The Big Question That Has No Answer
Imagine you're playing with your friends and suddenly someone asks, "Why do we exist? Why did God make everything?" This is one of the biggest questions humans have ever asked! In Hindu teachings, the wise sages tell us something very interesting about this question.
The Bhagavad Gita teaches us: "I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all beings" (Bhagavad Gita 10.20). This means God (Bhagavan) is everything and everywhere, like water filling every part of a sponge.
God Doesn't Need Anything
Think about your favorite toy. You play with it because it makes you happy, right? But God is different. God is already perfectly happy and complete, like a cup that's always full of the sweetest nectar.
The Upanishads tell us: "He is complete, and whatever comes from the complete is also complete" (Isha Upanishad, Invocation). God doesn't create the world because He's bored or lonely - He's already perfect!
It's like asking why the sun shines. The sun doesn't think, "I should shine to make people happy." It just shines because that's its nature. Similarly, creation happens because it's God's nature, not because He needs anything.
The Dream World We Live In
Here's where it gets really interesting! Hindu teachings say that our world is like a dream - but not an ordinary dream. It's called Maya, which means "the power that makes things appear different from what they really are."
The Mandukya Upanishad explains that there are different states of consciousness, just like when you're awake, dreaming, or in deep sleep. Our everyday world is like a cosmic dream!
A Simple Story to Understand Maya
Imagine you're watching a movie about dragons and castles. While watching, you might feel scared or excited. But when the movie ends, you remember, "Oh, it was just a movie!"
That's how Maya works. We think this world of homework, toys, friends, and problems is the only real thing. But the wise ones tell us there's something even more real behind it all - like the movie screen that shows all the pictures but never changes itself.
Why Can't We Understand the Mystery While We're In It?
The Katha Upanishad gives us a beautiful comparison: "The wise who realizes the Self as the mover of both the individual consciousness and the cosmic consciousness, he alone knows peace" (Katha Upanishad 1.3.4).
Think about this: If you're inside a maze, can you see the whole maze? No! You can only see it properly from above, outside the maze. Similarly, while we're living in this world (inside the maze), we can't fully understand how it all works.
The Dreamer and the Dream
When you're having a dream at night, do you know you're dreaming? Usually not! In the dream, everything seems real. You might dream you're flying or talking to animals, and it feels normal. Only when you wake up do you say, "Oh, that was just a dream!"
Hindu teachings say we're like dreamers who don't know we're dreaming. That's why asking "Why did God create everything?" is like asking "Why am I dreaming this dream?" while still asleep!
The Medicine for Our Confusion
Instead of trying to solve the unsolvable puzzle, Hindu wisdom gives us something better - medicine for our confusion!
The Bhagavad Gita tells us: "Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, bow down to Me. Thus steadying yourself and regarding Me as the Supreme Goal, you shall come to Me" (Bhagavad Gita 9.34).
Two Ways to Wake Up
1. Taking Shelter with God (Bhakti) Just like a child runs to their mother when scared, we can turn to God with love and trust. When we sing God's names, pray, or simply remember that God loves us, we start feeling peaceful. It's like holding a parent's hand in a dark room - suddenly you're not afraid anymore!
2. Understanding Through Wisdom (Jnana) This is like becoming a detective of your own mind! We can ask ourselves:
- "Who am I really?"
- "What makes me happy?"
- "What never changes in me?"
Through meditation (sitting quietly and watching our thoughts) and discrimination (learning to tell the difference between what's real and what's temporary), we slowly wake up from the cosmic dream.
The Wise Ones Also Wonder
The Bhagavad Gita humbly admits: "What is action and what is inaction? Even the wise are confused about this" (Bhagavad Gita 4.16). This means even great saints and sages find these mysteries puzzling! So don't worry if it seems confusing - you're in good company.
Practical Lessons for Daily Life
1. Don't Worry About Things You Can't Control
Just like you can't control the weather, some cosmic questions are too big for our minds right now. Instead, focus on being kind, truthful, and helpful.
2. Remember the Bigger Picture
When something bad happens (like failing a test or losing a game), remember it's part of the cosmic dream. The real you - your soul - is always safe and loved by God.
3. Practice Letting Go
The Bhagavad Gita teaches: "You have the right to perform action, but never to the fruits of action" (Bhagavad Gita 2.47). Do your best in studies and play, but don't be too attached to winning or losing.
4. Find Joy Within
Instead of always looking for happiness in new toys or achievements, spend some quiet time each day. Maybe pray, or just sit peacefully. You'll discover a happiness that doesn't depend on anything outside!
The Beautiful Truth
Here's the most wonderful part of this teaching: When we finally "wake up" and see clearly, we don't feel sad that the world was like a dream. Instead, we feel incredibly happy and free!
The Chandogya Upanishad reveals: "All this is indeed Brahman (God)" (Chandogya Upanishad 3.14.1). We realize that God wasn't separate from us or the world - God was everything all along, playing hide-and-seek with Himself!
It's like playing a game where you cover your eyes and pretend you can't see, then uncover them and laugh with joy. God is both the one hiding and the one seeking, both the dreamer and the dream.
Living with Wonder
So the next time someone asks you "Why did God create the world?", you can smile and say, "It's the most beautiful mystery! Instead of worrying about why, let's focus on waking up from the dream and finding the incredible happiness that's already inside us."
Remember, you are not just a small person in a big world. According to Hindu wisdom, you are a spark of the divine, temporarily playing in the cosmic dream, destined to remember your true nature as infinite consciousness and bliss.
As the Mundaka Upanishad beautifully puts it: "The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman indeed" (Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.9). When we truly understand, we don't just know about God - we realize we were never separate from God at all!