One problem with our cosmological test drillings is that the terminologies and conceptualizations of various historical cosmologies, although bearing a family resemblance, are somewhat different. This is to be expected, but for the purposes of analyzing the relationships among the members of this set of cosmologies, I wish to introduce a template cosmology against which the terminologies and conceptualizations of the
250 Human Devolution: a vedic alternative to Darwin’s theory
others can be measured and compared, much as various world currencies are measured against the dollar. Actually, the currencies are separate, and have their roots in distinct economies; yet, there is a practical need for translation of one currency into another, and for this purpose, some standard of comparison has to be chosen. For this purpose, I am adopting a cosmological structure from the ancient Sanskrit writings of India. This, of course, reflects my own personal preferences as well as my belief that the cosmology expressed in the Sanskrit writings is objectively best suited for this purpose. I characterize the Indian Sanskrit writings as “Vedic,” using the widest interpretation of the term to include not only the four original Vedas, but also the supplementary Vedic literatures such as the Puranas.
A template Spiritual Cosmology
A clear expression of a template model of a mystical cosmology is found in chapters 25–29 of the Fourth Canto of the Shrimad Bhagavatam, also known as the Bhagavata Purana. These chapters present an elaborate cosmological allegory called “The City of Nine Gates.” The sophistication of the allegory and the potential explanatory power of its elements invite modern researchers to consider alternatives to materialistic cosmologies.
The account of the City of Nine Gates is specifically identified as allegorical in the Shrimad Bhagavatam itself. The account was spoken by the sage Narada Muni, who was questioned by King Prachinabarhishat about the nature of the self, and Narada Muni himself explained all the elements of the allegory in the original text. In other words, it is not that I myself have identified some passages from the Bhagavata Purana as allegorical, and myself interpreted the passage in terms of a spiritual cosmology. The allegorical nature of the passages and their application to a spiritual cosmology are features of the text itself.
The central character in the allegory of the City of Nine Gates is a King named Puranjana. One meaning of the Sanskrit word puran-jana in the context of the allegory is “one who enjoys in a body.” Soul/body dualism is thus hinted at in the King’s name. King Puranjana originally existed as a spirit soul in a purely spiritual realm in relationship with a supreme conscious being, God. Materialists may oppose the introduction of this transcendental realm, which exists outside the material universe knowable by science. But even the materialist cosmology of modern science sometimes incorporates a “transcendental” realm, that is to say, a realm that exists beyond the universe knowable by the traditional methods of modern science, and from which that universe emerged at the time of the Big Bang. This transcendental reality, existing beyond time, space, and matter, is called the quantum mechanical vacuum, and is pictured as a pure energy field in which particles appear and instantly disappear. From this sea of virtual particles, some go through a process of expansion that keeps them in existence. According to many cosmologists, our universe is the outcome of one such expansion.
So both the Shrimad Bhagavatam and widely held versions of the Big Bang cosmology of modern science posit an eternal transcendental existence from which our universe of matter, with its features of time and space, arises. Once this is admitted, we can then decide which version of ultimate reality has the most explanatory power, when applied to the variegated reality of our experience. Modern cosmologists and other theorists have a great deal of difficulty in coaxing a sufficient amount of variety from the rather smooth and featureless universe that, according to theory, expands from the quantum mechanical vacuum. The origin of consciousness also poses a difficult problem. In light of this, an ultimate reality that is itself variegated and conscious might offer a solution.
In the spiritual world, King Puranjana originally existed in relationship with the Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Having departed from the spiritual world by misuse of independence, King Puranjana journeys through the material world. According to the Vedic cosmology, the material world is manifested by a special expansion of the Personality of Godhead. This expansion is called Maha Vishnu, who rests as if sleeping on the Causal Ocean. From the pores of the Maha Vishnu come millions of material universes. They emerge from the body of the Maha Vishnu in seedlike form, and then, energized by the glance of Maha Vishnu, expand in size. This provides an interesting parallel to some versions of the modern Big Bang cosmology, which also posit many expanding universes. Maha Vishnu then expands into each universe, and there emerges from Him in each universe a subordinate creator god called Brahma. Brahma is a soul who is given a very powerful material body with which to perform his creative functions. From Brahma come many other subordinate gods who control various aspects of the material universe. Surya is in charge of the sun, Chandra is in charge of the moon, Varuna is in charge of the waters, and so on. Brahma also creates the various material bodies that souls like Puranjana will enter. All together, there are 8.4 million kinds of bodies, ranging from microbes to demigods.
In his journey through the material world, Puranjana is accompanied by Avijnata Sakha (“the Unknown Friend”). The Unknown Friend corresponds to the Supersoul expansion of God into the hearts of all living beings. When Puranjana leaves God and the spiritual world, his memory of them becomes covered. But unknown to Puranjana, God accompanies him on his journey through the material world. According to the Shrimad Bhagavatam, God accompanies all spirit souls in the material world as their Unknown Friend, who observes and sanctions their activities.
In the West, mind/brain dualism is identified with the French philosopher René Descartes, who posited the existence of (1) matter extended in space and (2) mind existing outside space. Cartesian dualism is characterized by an interaction between mind and matter, but explaining how this interaction takes place proved problematic for advocates of the Cartesian model. How, for example, are impressions transmitted from the realm of matter to the completely different realm of mind?
According to the Shrimad Bhagavatam, both matter and the souls in the material world are energies of God, and as such both have a single spiritual source. The Shrimad Bhagavatam philosophy is thus both dualist and monist, simultaneously. The interactions of matter and the soul in the material world are mediated by Supersoul, who exists inside each material atom and also accompanies each spirit soul. By the arrangement of Supersoul, impressions of material experience can be channeled to the soul and the intentions of the soul can influence matter. How this takes place is the subject of the allegory of Puranjana.