Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Purpose of the creation

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

If we forget the purpose of human life and simply take supplies from the agents of the Lord for sense gratification and become more and more entangled in material existence, which is not the purpose of creation, certainly we become thieves, and therefore we are punished by the laws of material nature.
BG 3.12, Purport:

Obviously, our life is dependent on supplies from the Lord. Even for our manufacturing enterprises, we require so many raw materials like metal, sulphur, mercury, manganese, and so many essentials—all of which are supplied by the agents of the Lord, with the purpose that we should make proper use of them to keep ourselves fit and healthy for the purpose of self-realization, leading to the ultimate goal of life, namely, liberation from the material struggle for existence. This aim of life is attained by performance of yajñas. If we forget the purpose of human life and simply take supplies from the agents of the Lord for sense gratification and become more and more entangled in material existence, which is not the purpose of creation, certainly we become thieves, and therefore we are punished by the laws of material nature. A society of thieves can never be happy, because they have no aim in life. The gross materialist thieves have no ultimate goal of life.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

Oneness does not mean that they have no individuality, but that there is no disunity. They are all agreeable to the purpose of the creation.
BG 15.16, Purport:

As already explained, the Lord in His incarnation as Vyāsadeva compiled the Vedānta-sūtra. Here the Lord is giving, in summary, the contents of the Vedānta-sūtra. He says that the living entities, who are innumerable, can be divided into two classes—the fallible and the infallible. The living entities are eternally separated parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When they are in contact with the material world they are called jīva-bhūta, and the Sanskrit words given here, kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni, mean that they are fallible. Those who are in oneness with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, are called infallible. Oneness does not mean that they have no individuality, but that there is no disunity. They are all agreeable to the purpose of the creation. Of course, in the spiritual world there is no such thing as creation, but since the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as stated in the Vedānta-sūtra, is the source of all emanations, that conception is explained.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 2

This material world is created to give the conditioned souls a chance for rejuvenation for going back home, back to Godhead, and therefore generation of the living being is necessary for upkeep of the purpose of creation.
SB 2.10.26, Purport:

The impersonalist must know from this verse that the Lord is not impersonal, for He has His genitals, on which all the pleasurable objects of sex depend. No one would have taken the trouble to maintain children if there were no taste of heavenly nectar by means of sexual intercourse. This material world is created to give the conditioned souls a chance for rejuvenation for going back home, back to Godhead, and therefore generation of the living being is necessary for upkeep of the purpose of creation. Sexual pleasure is an impetus for such action, and as such one can even serve the Lord in the act of such sexual pleasure. The service is counted when the children born of such sexual pleasure are properly trained in God consciousness. The whole idea of material creation is to revive the dormant God consciousness of the living entity. In forms of life other than the human form, sexual pleasure is prominent without any motive of service for the mission of the Lord. But in the human form of life the conditioned soul can render service to the Lord by creating progeny suitable for the attainment of salvation.

SB Canto 3

The purpose of the material creation by Brahmā is clearly described herein. Every human being should beget nice children in the womb of his wife, as a sacrifice for the purpose of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service.
SB 3.13.11, Translation and Purport:

Since you are my very obedient son, I ask you to beget children qualified like yourself in the womb of your wife. Rule the world in pursuance of the principles of devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and thus worship the Lord by performances of yajña.

The purpose of the material creation by Brahmā is clearly described herein. Every human being should beget nice children in the womb of his wife, as a sacrifice for the purpose of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (3.8.9) it is stated:

varṇāśramācāravatā
puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān
viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā
nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam
(CC Madhya 8.58)

"One can worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, by proper discharge of the principles of varṇa and āśrama. There is no alternative to pacifying the Lord by execution of the principles of the varṇāśrama system."

Viṣṇu worship is the ultimate aim of human life. Those who take the license of married life for sense enjoyment must also take the responsibility to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, and the first stepping-stone is the varṇāśrama-dharma system. Varṇāśrama-dharma is the systematic institution for advancing in worship of Viṣṇu.

SB Canto 4

For the purpose of creation, Brahmā is manifested, and for annihilation there is Lord Śiva.
SB 4.7.51, Purport:

As parts and parcels, the living entities are not different from the Supreme Lord; the energy emanated from Him is not different from Him. But in the actual activity of this material world, the living entity is under the different qualities of material energy and in different forms. There are 8,400,000 life forms. The same living entity acts under the influence of the different qualities of material nature. The entities have different bodies, but originally, in the beginning of creation, Lord Viṣṇu is alone. For the purpose of creation, Brahmā is manifested, and for annihilation there is Lord Śiva. As far as the spiritual entrance into the material world is concerned, all beings are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, but under the covering of different material qualities they have different names. Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva are qualitative incarnations of Viṣṇu, as guṇa-avatāras, and Viṣṇu with them accepts control of the quality of goodness; therefore He is also a qualitative incarnation like Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā. Actually the different names exist for different directions, otherwise the origin is one only.

A devotee can understand the purpose of creation, which is to give facilities to the individual living entities who want to lord it over material nature.
SB 4.22.55, Purport:

The word acyutātmakaḥ is significant in this verse, for Mahārāja Pṛthu used to rule this planet as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knew that he was the representative of the Lord and that the Lord's creation must be protected intelligently. Atheists cannot understand the purpose behind the creation. Although this material world is condemned when it is compared to the spiritual world, there is still some purpose behind it. Modern scientists and philosophers cannot understand that purpose, nor do they believe in the existence of a creator. They try to establish everything by their so-called scientific research, but they do not center anything around the supreme creator. A devotee, however, can understand the purpose of creation, which is to give facilities to the individual living entities who want to lord it over material nature. The ruler of this planet should therefore know that all the inhabitants, especially human beings, have come to this material world for sense enjoyment. It is therefore the duty of the ruler to satisfy them in their sense enjoyment as well as to elevate them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that they all can ultimately return home, back to Godhead.

For the purpose of creation, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation, there are three lords—Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva (Maheśvara).
SB 4.24.68, Purport:

For the purpose of creation, maintenance and annihilation of this cosmic manifestation, there are three lords—Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva (Maheśvara). The material body is finished at the time of annihilation. Both the universal body and the small unit, the individual living entity's body, are susceptible to annihilation at the ultimate end. However, the devotees do not fear the annihilation of the body, for they are confident that after the annihilation they will go back home, back to Godhead (tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna (BG 4.9)).

If one strictly follows the process of devotional service, he has no fear of death, for he is predestined to go back home, back to Godhead. The nondevotees are fearful of death because they have no guarantee of where they are going or of the type of body they are going to get in their next life. The word rudra-bhaya is significant in this verse because Rudra himself, Lord Śiva, is speaking of "fear of Rudra." This indicates that there are many Rudras—eleven Rudras—and the Rudra (Lord Śiva) who was offering this prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is different from the other Rudras, although he is as powerful as they are.

SB Canto 5

Born directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he dedicates his activities to the welfare of the entire universe, for he knows the purpose of the universal creation.
SB 5.1.7, Translation and Purport:

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: The first created being and most powerful demigod in this universe is Lord Brahmā, who is always responsible for developing universal affairs. Born directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he dedicates his activities to the welfare of the entire universe, for he knows the purpose of the universal creation. This supremely powerful Lord Brahmā, accompanied by his associates and the personified Vedas, left his own abode in the highest planetary system and descended to the place of Prince Priyavrata's meditation.

Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Self (ātmā), is the source of everything, as explained in the Vedānta-sūtra: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Because Brahmā was born directly from Lord Viṣṇu, he is called ātma-yoni. He is also called bhagavān, although generally bhagavān refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa). Sometimes great personalities—such as demigods like Lord Brahmā, Nārada or Lord Śiva—are also addressed as bhagavān because they carry out the purpose of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Brahmā is called bhagavān because he is the secondary creator of this universe.

SB Canto 7

If we forget the purpose of human life and simply take supplies from the agents of the Lord for sense gratification and become more and more entangled in material existence, which is not the purpose of creation, certainly we become thieves, and therefore we are punished by the laws of material nature.
SB 7.2.10, Purport:

Obviously, our life is dependent on supplies from the Lord. Even for our manufacturing enterprises, we require so many raw materials like metal, sulphur, mercury, manganese and so many essentials—all of which are supplied by the agents of the Lord, with the purpose that we should make proper use of them to keep ourselves fit and healthy for the purpose of self-realization, leading to the ultimate goal of life, namely, liberation from the material struggle for existence. This aim of life is attained by performance of yajñas. If we forget the purpose of human life and simply take supplies from the agents of the Lord for sense gratification and become more and more entangled in material existence, which is not the purpose of creation, certainly we become thieves, and therefore we are punished by the laws of material nature. A society of thieves can never be happy, for they have no aim in life. The gross materialist thieves have no ultimate goal of life. They are simply directed to sense gratification; nor do they have knowledge of how to perform yajñas. Lord Caitanya, however, inaugurated the easiest performance of yajña, namely the saṅkīrtana-yajña, which can be performed by anyone in the world who accepts the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

If one argues, "What is the purpose of this sinful creation and annihilation?" the answer is that to prove His omnipotence He can do anything, and no one can question Him.
SB 7.2.39, Purport:

In this regard the queens might argue, "If our husband was protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead when in the womb, why has he not been given protection now?" To this question the answer is, ya icchayeśaḥ sṛjatīdam avyayo ya eva rakṣaty avalumpate ca yaḥ. One cannot argue with the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is always free, and therefore He can protect and can also annihilate. He is not our order carrier; whatever He likes He will do. Therefore He is the Supreme Lord. The Lord does not create this material world at anyone's request, and therefore He can annihilate everything merely by His will. That is His supremacy. If one argues, "Why does He act in this way?" the answer is that He can do so because He is supreme. No one can question His activities. If one argues, "What is the purpose of this sinful creation and annihilation?" the answer is that to prove His omnipotence He can do anything, and no one can question Him. If He were answerable to us concerning why He does something and why He does not, His supremacy would be curtailed.

SB Canto 9

This verse says, anugrahas tan-nivṛtteḥ, indicating that the false life of repeated birth and death must be stopped and the conditioned soul should be educated. This is the purpose of the creation.
SB 9.24.58, Purport:

"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself." The real dharma is to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, but the rebellious living entity, instead of surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, engages in adharma, in a struggle for existence to become like Kṛṣṇa. Therefore out of compassion Kṛṣṇa creates this material world to give the living entity a chance to understand his real position. Bhagavad-gītā and similar Vedic literatures are presented so that the living being may understand his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). All these Vedic literatures are meant to enable the human being to understand what he is, what his actual position is, and what his relationship is with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called brahma-jijñāsā. Every conditioned soul is struggling, but human life provides the best chance for him to understand his position. Therefore this verse says, anugrahas tan-nivṛtteḥ, indicating that the false life of repeated birth and death must be stopped and the conditioned soul should be educated. This is the purpose of the creation.

If one understands the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's coming to this earth and performing His activities, one is immediately liberated. This liberation is the purpose of the creation and Kṛṣṇa's descent upon the surface of the earth.
SB 9.24.59, Purport:

Everyone must understand Kṛṣṇa's activities (janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9)). If one understands the purpose of Kṛṣṇa's coming to this earth and performing His activities, one is immediately liberated. This liberation is the purpose of the creation and Kṛṣṇa's descent upon the surface of the earth. Demons are very much interested in advancing a plan by which people will labor hard like cats, dogs and hogs, but Kṛṣṇa's devotees want to teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that people will be satisfied with plain living and Kṛṣṇa conscious advancement. Although demons have created many plans for industry and hard labor so that people will work day and night like animals, this is not the purpose of civilization. Such endeavors are jagato'hitaḥ; that is, they are meant for the misfortune of the people in general. Kṣayāya: such activities lead to annihilation. One who understands the purpose of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, should seriously understand the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and seriously take part in it. One should not endeavor for ugra-karma, or unnecessary work for sense gratification.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 5.81, Translation:

That fragment of the Supreme Lord, known as the Mahā-puruṣa, appears for the purpose of creation, maintenance and annihilation and is called an incarnation.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Suppose a father creates some children. So the purpose is that he wants to enjoy family life. This is the purpose of creation.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Suppose a father creates some children. So the purpose is that he wants to enjoy family life. This is the purpose of creation. But the father wants that each and every one of his children become nicely educated, obedient, but if the child, the boy is not nicely, properly taking the instruction of the father and spoils himself, and he is in suffering, so is that the fault of the father or the child? Whose fault it is?

Guest (3): If he reads everything, if he is...

Prabhupāda: Yes father gave, directs everything, but if the child does not want to follow the father's instruction, and he suffers, then whose fault it is? The child's fault or the father's fault?

Guest (3): Of course, it's the child's fault.

Prabhupāda: That's it. So you are child of God. You do not follow the instruction of God, therefore you are suffering.

Guest (3): But being a child, Your Divine Grace, you may not know everything, being a child.

Prabhupāda: But still, still, he may not everything, but when he's grown up, he must know everything. Just like all these living entities, there are 8,400,000 species of living entities, they are all children of God.

This is the purpose of creation. Kṛṣṇa gives us full facility. I want to work in this way. All right, you work. Kṛṣṇa says that you don't work. This will not make you happy. You are asking Me facilities to fulfill your desire under certain condition.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

So this material world is created by God to give us facility to work as I desire. But I must have the jurisdiction of my work. That is the... Jurisdiction my work. Just like the agriculturist, they have got their own land, demarcated. This much, my land, this much, his land, this much..." And he works, tills the field, produces food grain, according to his capacity. Similarly Kṛṣṇa has given us different fields of activities. That is this body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram (BG 13.2). Idaṁ śarīram. So from the śarīra, we expand many other things. That also becomes kṣetram.

So this is the purpose of creation. Kṛṣṇa gives us full facility. I want to work in this way. All right, you work. Kṛṣṇa says that you don't work. This will not make you happy. You are asking Me facilities to fulfill your desire under certain condition. That you may have from Me. I can give you. But you'll never be happy." That is Kṛṣṇa's order. You'll never be happy. How I shall be happy? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). You'll be happy only by this process. Simply by this process. If you manufacture, by your fertile brain, that: "I shall be happy in this way and that way," you'll never be happy. If you want to be happy at all, then this is My instruction: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śa... (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is repeatedly saying this to everyone.

The purpose of creation is to give the conditioned soul, the rebellious soul, who, being prakṛti, whose nature being constitutional nature is that he should be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa, but he has taken the wrong direction, that "I'll not be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa. I shall become Kṛṣṇa."
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

But he'll not do that. He'll say: "Kṛṣṇa, give me this facility. Give me this facility. I shall cut throat of this man, and enjoy." "All right, you cut throat." That also Kṛṣṇa gives. Kṛṣṇa's very, what is called, thankless task. Somebody wants to cut my throat, and I want, nobody may cut my throat. Kṛṣṇa has to adjust. He give me facility and he'll save also the man who is praying: "Sir, please save me from this cutting." Kṛṣṇa... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So this is going on.

The purpose of creation is to give the conditioned soul, the rebellious soul, who, being prakṛti, whose nature being constitutional nature is that he should be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa, but he has taken the wrong direction, that "I'll not be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa. I shall become Kṛṣṇa." This is... All these people, all these living entities who are in this material world, their determination is that: "Why I shall serve Kṛṣṇa? I shall become Kṛṣṇa." This is the disease. And to give us... Because He wants to become Kṛṣṇa. He cannot become Kṛṣṇa. But he is persisting. Kṛṣṇa is giving this facility. That platform of facility, material facility, is this material world. This material world.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

"For material creation, the expansion of the Supreme Lord for the purpose of material creation is called incarnation. That is called avatāra."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.255-281 -- New York, December 17, 1966:

In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the Tenth Canto, it is stated that "This Rāma and Kṛṣṇa"—Rāma means Balarāma, and Kṛṣṇa—"They are the root of this material creation. And both of Them enters into each and every universe and maintains that." Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). This is mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

sṛṣṭi-hetu yei mūrti prapañce avatāre
sei īśvara-mūrti 'avatāra' nāma dhare

"For material creation, the expansion of the Supreme Lord for the purpose of material creation is called incarnation. That is called avatāra."

māyātīta paravyome sabāra avasthāna
viśve avatari' dhare 'avatāra' nāma

"So all Viṣṇu expansions, they are in the spiritual world, and they all of them reside there. But when they come into this material world, it is called incarnation." Actually, avatāra... This Sanskrit name is avatāra. Avatāra means who comes down from the spiritual world. Avatāri. Avatāri means descends. Descends. They are not born of this material energy. They descend from the spiritual world.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

The king, this creation, God created this material world. What is the purpose? What is the purpose of creation? There must be some plan.
Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: The king, this creation, God created this material world. What is the purpose? What is the purpose of creation? There must be some plan. When you manufacture something, do something, there must be plan. So what is the plan behind this cosmic manifestation?

Cardinal Danielou: Yes. What is this plant like? Yes. Yes sir. Yes.

Prabhupāda: What Christianity says about this plan?

Cardinal Danielou: Christianity thinks that creation is the work of the love of God, and the signification of creation is that God wants to partake His richness, His joy, His beauty with free spirit and the goal of the creation is essentially the realization of this communion with God, the communion with God. Alors, the visible world is without great importance. It is an appearance. But there is a reality in human person, in human personality, because human personality is, has a...

Yogeśvara: If you like I can translate. (Paraphrase)

Cardinal Danielou: Oui. You understand, you understand what I say? Or not very well? (French)

Prabhupāda: So the creation... We are, we all living entities, we are also part and parcel of God.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

There is purpose. We have explained so many times. The purpose is that we have come here to enjoy, but this enjoyment is false. God has given us the chance to enjoy, to experience that this enjoyment is not good.
Morning Walk -- May 29, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (2): One thing though, people, they see that there's birth and death, they don't understand the purpose of the whole creation when they see that so many things are going on like this.

Prabhupāda: There is purpose. We have explained so many times. The purpose is that we have come here to enjoy, but this enjoyment is false. God has given us the chance to enjoy, to experience that this enjoyment is not good. They are simply suffering. They cannot enjoy. The plan is that he's given the chance to enjoy and experience that here there is no enjoyment and he's simply suffering. So when he comes to his sense, he again goes back home. The thief, he thinks that to live in the prison house is very good: "I haven't got to work, and I shall get my food and shelter." That is not.... That is a false enjoyment. Outside the prison, that is enjoyment. If one thinks that "I don't have to work; let me go to the prison house." Father wants that the sons should live in the family, but sometimes the son leaves the family and wants to enjoy independently. So he suffers.

Page Title:Purpose of the creation
Compiler:Matea
Created:12 of Jul, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=10, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=4, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:19