asuri bhavam - the problem of evil

"daivi hi esha guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya" - Maya indeed is only divine (daivi here means the divine controller of three gunas) and it could cause the delusion due to the "judgment" and "misjudgment" of a limited manifestation of a thing by an individual.

The "thing" of macrocosm (that is made up of 1. solid, 2. liquid, 3. manifested energy - fire, 4. gaseous, and 5. space - the ultimate envelope of all matter & energy elements) in itself is neither satvika, rajasa, nor tamasa.

The judgment of a thing by the specific microcosmic observer (made up of 1. manas, 2. buddhi and 3. ahamkara elements) could be a "pramana" - the right understanding or "viparyaya" - the wrong understanding based on the specific arrangement of these elements. (these two are the processes of mind/chittam; we have discussed the five chitta vrittis in one of the old post on this blog - the whole of yoga is to master these processes)

Lord's lower nature is symbolized as a "snake" which signifies time. A snake can "form" multiple combinations of "coils". All the eight fold differentiated elements are held within this "snake" of time that is continuously moving and appearing to change.

Snake is not transforming into a different thing when it is continuously changing the structure of coils. It is the same snake that can appear in infinite coil structures in a cyclic manner without transforming itself into anything else.

This type of thing is technically called as "vivarta" in samskrutam. It means "one appearing as many without transforming".

Brahma's vivartam is the World appearance. Multiple Worlds appear in Brahma at the same time.

With this introduction let me take the next verse of Lord's declaration that deals with the problem of evil.

न मां दुष्कृतिनो मूढाः प्रपद्यन्ते नराधमाः।
माययापहृतज्ञाना आसुरं भावमाश्रिताः।।7.15।।

na mam dushkrutinah moodhaah prapadyante nara-adhamah
maayayaa apahruta jnaanaa aasuram bhaavam asritaah.

The lowest of mankind, foolish, evil-doers do not surrender to me as their knowledge is stolen away by the delusion (maaya). They take refuge in the "aasuri bhavam" - Ignorance of Darkness or daemonic nature.

Key points here are:
1. Knowledge is originally there with all microcosmic beings as "light".
2. Due to the multiple arrangement or vivartam three different kinds of experiences appear to the microcosmic beings.
3. Being foolish, the non-discriminating intellect thinks the "shadow" is as real as "light" and gives equal importance to the DARKNESS.
4. At this stage a person's knowledge is "STOLEN" by the delusion.
5. This person having taken by the "asuri bhavam" starts committing the evil actions that cause damage to his own self as well as the environment.

The evil doers are minority in number. Giving a lot of importance to the EVIL DOERS causes the EVIL to multiply. The technique of dealing with EVIL was discussed in one of the past blog post - chitta prasadanam.

Evil is not due to the LORD, who is full of LIGHT; It is merely due to IGNORANCE. Ignorance is only in the individual. Ignorance is temporary. As soon as one removes the Ignorance his own knowledge which is always there is no longer STOLEN!

Whenever the TOTAL IGNORANCE goes beyond acceptable level and it is going to inflict harm to any RIGHTEOUS being and if his intervention is needed to put things to order, LORD appears here immediately and corrects the situation. That is certain.

Instruction 24:

It is the individual responsibility to be RIGHTEOUS ALWAYS to progress towards the ultimate GOAL of human life. Reacting to evil with evil causes more EVIL! Always RESPOND to evil RIGHTEOUSLY!

om tat sat