Creation of the world is a recurring and significant theme discussed extensively in Hindu scriptures. Various schools of thought within these texts generally acknowledge three fundamental realities from which the world is believed to have been created or evolved:
- Ishwara (God): The Supreme Being or the ultimate reality.
- Jivas (Individual Souls): The conscious entities or living beings.
- Prakriti (Nature): The insentient matrix that forms the basis of the inanimate creation.
The Concept of Prakriti in the Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita, while not strictly a philosophical treatise, addresses a wide array of topics, including the concept of creation. According to the Gita, God (Ishwara) manifests the world through his twofold prakriti (nature):
- Para-Prakriti (Higher Nature): This encompasses the jivas, the individual souls or conscious beings.
- Apara-Prakriti (Lower Nature): This consists of the three gunas (qualities) – sattva, rajas, and tamas.
The Three Gunas
- Sattva (Purity/Goodness): Represents balance, harmony, and purity.
- Rajas (Activity/Passion): Signifies action, change, and dynamism.
- Tamas (Inertia/Darkness): Denotes ignorance, inactivity, and chaos.
The apara-prakriti, characterized by these three gunas, forms the material foundation from which all non-living creation emerges. It is the lower aspect of nature, responsible for the physical and inanimate aspects of the universe.
Bhagavad Gita on Apara-Prakriti
In the Bhagavad Gita (7.4-14), the distinction between para-prakriti and apara-prakriti is highlighted. These verses explain how the divine manifests the universe by employing both higher and lower natures. The apara-prakriti, with its interplay of the three gunas, creates the diverse forms of non-living entities and the material world.
The concept of apara-prakriti underscores the dual nature of existence in Hindu philosophy, where both the conscious (living) and the insentient (non-living) are essential aspects of the created universe. The understanding of these dual aspects helps in comprehending the complex nature of reality as portrayed in Hindu thought.
By recognizing these fundamental principles, one gains insight into the intricate and interwoven tapestry of life and matter, conscious and unconscious, as delineated in Hindu cosmology.