Dr. Samani Mangal Pragya
Investigation for the prime cause of the universe has created multiple diverse beliefs which have been mentioned in upaniṣads. What is the prime cause of the universe? Is it existent or non-existent? If it is existent, then is it human or other than human i.e. born out of water, air, fire and space etc.? All these questions have been answered by the sages of Upaniṣad on account of their wisdom.[1] Upaniṣad literature has presented a plethora of multiple concepts in the context of the cause of universe.
According to the principles of Upaniṣad, universe has been created by water, space, existent and non-existent elements. According to Taittireyopaniṣad, 'Brahma' is the prime cause of the universe. All things have been produced out of Brahma. Due to him, all produced things persist and dissolve in him ultimately.[2] There are different viewpoints about the creation of universe in a single upaniṣad also. The same Upaniṣad explains the creation of existent from non-existent.[3] The same concept of creation of existent from non-existent has also been mentioned in Bṛhadranyakopaniṣad and Chāndogya Upaniṣad.[4] A sage in Chāndogya signifies the principle for the creation of existent from nonexistent whereas another sage accepts the creation of universe from the existent by refuting the previous one.[5] Existent has been created from non-existent according to a principle of Bṛhadraṇyakopaniṣad, whereas, a sage propounds that water is the main cause of the creation of universe.[6] Space is accepted as the main element (tattva) at one place in Chāndogya Upaniṣad. When Pravāhaṇ Jaivali was asked about the basic constituent of the universe, he said- all things (matters) come out from the space and dissolve in the same again.[7] The above discussions very clearly illustrate that even upaniṣads are a compilation of ideas of many sages which is why there are different viewpoints on even a single concept.
The ideas of the creation of universe, found in upaniṣads have been divided into four parts by Acharya Mahaprajna. They are as follows-
- Original constituent (tattva) of the universe is 'what is nonexistent'
- Original constituent (tattva) of the universe is 'what is existent'
- Original constituent (tattva) of the universe is non-conscious
- Original constituent (tattva) of the universe is soul or conscious.[8]
Taittirīya Upaniṣad, ed by Harikriṣṇa Goyandakā, Gorakhpur, V.S. 20/4, V. 3/1/1.
taṃ hovāca! yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante yena jātāni jīvanti yatprayantyabhisamviśanti tadvijijñāsasva, tad brahmeti
- Bṛhadāraṇyakopaniṣad, 1/2/1.
naiveha kiñcanāgra āsīt mṛtyunaivedaṃ āvṛtaṃ āsit - Chāndogyopaniṣad, 3/19/1
asadevedamagra āsīt tat sadāsīt
