Dakshinamurthy Stotram - Post 14

 Let us take up the second line 

(Then, due to the illusory play of Maya, Her creations in Time and Space, project themselves in endless names and forms)

Desha Kaala Kalana

Two factors have to be in place before any creation can take place. They are Time and Space. Everything in creation occurs in the framework of these two factors. The definition of Time and Space is “that because of which we can transact in this world.”

We cannot refer to an object or an event independent of time and space.

Time and Space are Maya’s creation, and used as a reference frame. They themselves are related. One cannot think of time unless it is with reference to a space frame. When an object moves in space, the idea of time is born. Movement can be recorded in time. In deep sleep there is no movement, and so there is no sense of time passing.

In any measurement of time, a movement is used as a reference. The most common movement is that of the sun. Sunrise and sunset are the oldest time references we can think of. Modern astronomy has taken these calculations to new heights; the relative movement between any two bodies in space is now able to be mapped out on a time axis. One can predict their distance apart over a great period of time. Scientists can now even go back in time and plot what the planetary positions were for any point of time in the past.

All these facts are implied in the second line of the 2nd stotram / ashtakam. The entire cosmos is interconnected in time and space. But we are reminded that time and space are creations of Maya, and do not exist at the level of Brahman or the Absolute.

As we learnt in previous post, there is a seed state for the universe which is its causal state. In that state the “blue-print” of the universe exists. 

The universe is planned and conceived in the drawing office of the Creator. Everything has been designed and goes out to ‘Tender’ to Mother Nature who is the contractor that is going to build it. Time and Space are needed for the process to happen. Nature waits for the right circumstances before the manifestation of Name and Form takes place.

Maya as Nature is this material cause, providing all the ingredients for the created object. Brahman is the efficient cause, providing the flash of Consciousness to spark off the idea of creation. As Maya and Brahman are inseparable, many texts declare Brahman to be both the efficient as well as the material cause.

There is an objection to this example – no example is exempted from objections. The objection is that the seed gets destroyed (or transformed) when the tree manifests. The seed is no longer manifested. Can this be a true representation for the un-manifest Creator?

No, the Creator cannot get destroyed. There is certainly a shortcoming in the analogy. To avoid this shortcoming, we go to the second simile.

Similarly this universe, prior to this creation was un-manifest. Prior to that, manifest, thus there is cycle after cycle. How does the universe become manifest? The answer is:

 – painted

 – many colors

 – causing, giving rise

 – space

 – time

 – projected

 – creative capacity

This universe was painted using many colors, by giving rise to time and space. How did all this happen? The universe was projected by creative capacity of Easvara.

Maya has different meanings in different context. In the first verse, it meant the ignorance. Here it has different meaning. It is the POWER of CREATION also called creative capacity.

Swami Sivananda opens the veil/avarna with these beautiful lines

“In reality the Jiva or the individual soul creates this world of names and forms on account of his own ignorance and delusion. When he attains knowledge of the Self by the Grace of his spiritual preceptor, he dissolves the external world into himself and sees his own Self everywhere. He sees oneness everywhere. 

He becomes struck with wonder when he thinks of the world of duality. The world of diversity appears to him like a mere dream and he exclaims in surprise, Where has this world full of the charms of Maya disappeared now, which was glaring before my very eyes till this very moment!”

 

Love.