punkdbass
I will be what I will be
So while reading the Bhagavad Gita on the bus today, I had an ephiphany about how followers of Vishnu/Krishna view the cosmos. Hindu cosmology use to confuse the heck out of me but I think I understand it now, well at least one of the many different Hindu views on cosmology.
Brahma is the "womb" of our universe, the entire universe came from Brahma. One could say Brahma is the "creator" of the universe. Brahma - the womb of our universe, can be seen as analogous to the Big Bang. Every single molecule, atom, energy, wave, sound, emotion, thought, etc originated from the Big Bang or "Brahma." What's very interesting about this concept of Brahma is the idea of "multiple universes." For there can be multiple Brahma's (womb's that give birth to a Universe). Whether or not these multiple universes exist chronologically or simultaneously, is anyone's guess. To become one with Brahma is to become consciously aware of the unification of all things - for all things come from the womb of Brahma.
So how does Vishnu/Krishna fit into the picture then (from now on I will refer to Vishnu as Krishna)? Krishna is the Ultimate mysterious spirit that drives the Big Bang/Brahma, the mysterious Spirit that allows Brahma to happen in the first place. Brahma is the womb of Krishna. And from Brahma comes the creation of the Universe, prakrita and purusha, the 3 gunas, or the "phenomenal" world of "name and form." This is truly a "panentheistic" view, for here God is not fully equated with the Universe or Brahma, rather the mystery of God goes even beyond Brahma or the Universe. He is immanent and transcendent. "The birth and death of the cosmos takes place in me" (BG 7:6)
What a fascinating view of existence. The goal of becoming consciously aware of the unification of all things (i.e. becoming one with Brahma) sounds so exciting, but to know that it's possible to go even higher than that (total union with Krishna) truly shows just how infinite the value of life is. What do the Vishnavists (or others) here think?
Brahma is the "womb" of our universe, the entire universe came from Brahma. One could say Brahma is the "creator" of the universe. Brahma - the womb of our universe, can be seen as analogous to the Big Bang. Every single molecule, atom, energy, wave, sound, emotion, thought, etc originated from the Big Bang or "Brahma." What's very interesting about this concept of Brahma is the idea of "multiple universes." For there can be multiple Brahma's (womb's that give birth to a Universe). Whether or not these multiple universes exist chronologically or simultaneously, is anyone's guess. To become one with Brahma is to become consciously aware of the unification of all things - for all things come from the womb of Brahma.
So how does Vishnu/Krishna fit into the picture then (from now on I will refer to Vishnu as Krishna)? Krishna is the Ultimate mysterious spirit that drives the Big Bang/Brahma, the mysterious Spirit that allows Brahma to happen in the first place. Brahma is the womb of Krishna. And from Brahma comes the creation of the Universe, prakrita and purusha, the 3 gunas, or the "phenomenal" world of "name and form." This is truly a "panentheistic" view, for here God is not fully equated with the Universe or Brahma, rather the mystery of God goes even beyond Brahma or the Universe. He is immanent and transcendent. "The birth and death of the cosmos takes place in me" (BG 7:6)
What a fascinating view of existence. The goal of becoming consciously aware of the unification of all things (i.e. becoming one with Brahma) sounds so exciting, but to know that it's possible to go even higher than that (total union with Krishna) truly shows just how infinite the value of life is. What do the Vishnavists (or others) here think?