Page 10 - Bhakthinivedana 2011 September English Magazine.pmd

VE:DA:S

From Cosmic Creation to

Translated By K. Deepa Ramanuja Dasi Universal Annihilation

Breath or svasa means life. It originates from the root word ‘svasa pra:nane’ in Sanskrit. Air is the vital force that sup-
ports life. The process of breathing - inhaling air and then exhaling it out to allow the fresh air again, is known as sva:sa
prakriya or pra:nadha:rana prakriya (process of sustaining life). Life exists in every living entity as long as this process
of breathing takes place continually and without any interruption.

The process of exhaling air is termed in Sanskrit as God’s Inhalation

nissva:sam. Bruhada:ranyaka Upanishath proclaims During annihilation, the entire cosmic creation merges
ve:da:s to be the nissvasitham of God. No living entity into one another. The three ethereal worlds converge
makes a conscious effort to breathe in and breathe into the three ve:da:s. These ve:da:s merge into the 3

out air. If this were deliberate, then an accidental vya:hruthis which in turn merge as a, u, ma (of the
[1]
forgetfulness to breathe - even once, could lead to primary syllable of sound - O:m). These 3 syllables a,
an end of life! Besides, such a conscious exertion u, ma then converge into their primary letter a - the

towards respiration, would not allow us to perform any form of nature, which ultimately becomes the form of
other activities. It is for this reason that God has has God. This is God’s inhalation.

Ve:da:s are the primary cause and essence of this entire God’s Exhalation
cosmic creation. At the time when the thought of creation ke:na:ha me ke:na:kshare:na sarva:mscha lo:ka:n,
occurs to God, Ve:da:s are revealed as His effortless sarva:mscha de:va:n, sarva:mscha ve:da:n,
exhalation. sarva:mscha yajna:n, sarva:mscha sabda:n,
sarva:mscha vyushti:hi, sarva:ni cha bhu:tha:ni
turned such vital necessities as automatic functions in stha:vara jangama:nyanubhave:yamithi…

every individual. This process always exists wherever
there is life; sans this, life ceases. According to the Ve:da:s are the primary cause and essence of this
Bruhada:ranyaka Upanishath, this mechanism of entire cosmic creation. At the time when the thought
respiration is found even in God who is the cause of creation occurs to God, Ve:da:s are revealed
of this entire cosmic creation ! While our process as His effortless exhalation. In other words, God’s

of breathing is controlled by God; His breathing is inhalation is annihilation; His exhalation is creation.
in his own hands. The scriptures say that breathing If the sentient soul and the matter merge with the
is ordained to the living entities and is involuntary form of God, then it is an apocalypse. Alternatively,

whereas, for God, the same process becomes divine. if God brings out the souls and the non-sentient
Our body is a composition of five physical elements, matter, then it is creation. If we inspect this more
with respiration being the vital force of life. God’s meticulously, we would be surprised to realize that
divine body is a constitution of the five transcendental the period between creation and annihilation is
elements called ‘Pancha Upanishanmayam’, with the equal to the period between God’s inhalation and

divine syllables O:m being His respiration. exhalation. Hence, His respiration is indicative of the
creation and annihilation processes of this cosmos.

10 Bhakthinivedana • Sep, Oct 2011