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God Exists

by Swami Sivananda

There is a display of intelligence in every inch of creation. Who pumps blood in the arteries? Who converts food into chyle and red-coloured blood? Who does the peristalsis in the bowels and stomach and sends the faecal matter to the rectum and anus? Who closes and shuts the eye-lids to prevent dust from falling into the delicate eyes? Who gave intelligence to the cells and glands to secrete semen, milk, bile, saliva, gastric juice etc., from the blood? Who gave intelligence and power to spermatozoa to move, unite with the ovum in the womb and then develop into a foetus? Wherefrom does this minutest, subtlest substance Jiva as nice as the ten-thousandth part of the point of a hair derive the capacity to assume gradually the features, complexion and shape of its parents? What is the power which sustains it and helps its growth in the mother's womb? Who arranges for milk in the mother's breast before the child is born? Who provides food for the little frog living hidden in between the strata of rocks? Who clothed the fruits with skin to prevent contamination from outside? Who divided seasons and Ritus? Who made the water hot beneath the ice to enable fish to live comfortably in the icy regions of the Himalayas in Gauri Kund and other places? Who has combined four parts of inert nitrogen with the combustible oxygen gas?

At whose command does the sun rise punctually in the morning and set in the evening? The sun is miles and miles away from the earth. What a great wonder it is that from such a long distance the sun is able to send light, heat, energy and vitality to all living beings inhabiting this fair earth? There are countless millions of suns much larger than the one that we see but which appear to us as tiny stars on account of their being remoter than the sun with which we are acquainted. It takes millions of years for the light to reach this earth from these stars. Velocity of light is 1, 86, 000 miles per second. Light from distant stars has not yet reached us even now. What a marvel it is! All these stars, planets and satellites are revolving in the sky in fixed orbits from day to day, month to month and year to year under immutable definite laws.

Now the question arises whether all this organisation is the work of some intelligent Creator behind or is the product of a fortuitous combination of particles of matter, Anus, Parama Anus, Dvi Anus, atoms and molecules? It is the former hypothesis that appeals to our intellect. The Vedas also quite endorse the verdict of our reason. They emphatically declare that the sun and the moon, heaven and earth were created by God.

Who supplies water to the trees, flowers, various shrubs etc., that are found in the forests? Who is this unseen, untiring gardener who works without wages or any sort of remuneration? Who gives nourishment in time to tigers, lions, birds, fishes, plants, insects and worms? How is it that only human beings are born of human beings, birds of birds, beasts of beasts, tigers of tigers, dogs of dogs, horses of horses, elephants of elephants, ants of ants, bears of bears, mules of mules, an exact copy of their parents in every respect? From a tiny seed there springs a huge banyan tree that can give shelter to thousands of persons! From a tiny seed there comes out a big mango tree that gives abundance of luscious fruits! What is that power that supports and nourishes these trees? What is that hidden and miraculous power that brings out a huge form with hair, fingers, toes, nose, teeth, ears, legs, thighs etc., out of one drop of semen? What is that power that brings a mighty tree with foliage, flowers, twigs and fruits out of a tiny seed?

Again how wonderful is the human machine! How harmoniously all the organs work in unison in the economy of nature! In the Gita this body is known as "the nine-gated city" (Navadvarapura). In summer the skin works energetically to throw off all impurities of the body. In winter the kidneys work hard to eliminate the impurities of the blood and to relieve the over-worked skin. The endocrine glands, pituitary, pineal, adrenals work in perfect harmony in manufacturing the internal secretions to help the metabolic process of the body and its growth and structure.

It is a great marvel to see the working of the nervous system under the control of the brain and the movement of the afferent and efferent impulses through the spinal cord. There is magnificent electric battery within, with switch-board and wires. The operator is the Inner Ruler (Antaryamin), who controls and supervises everything. He is the supervisor (Upadrashta), permitter (Anumanta) and the great Lord (Mahesvara). Look again at the heart and lungs which work under the direct control of the brain! How wonderful are these vital organs of life? Can any scientist manufacture any of these organs, tissues, fibres, tendons or cells in his boasted laboratory with his boasted intellect? How harmoniously the different systems of the body work without any rest, murmur or grumble! How very beautifully the different centres in the brain such as the vision-centre, the auditory-centre, the centre for smell and so on do their functions! One is struck with awe and amazement as he begins to think seriously on the working of this delicate human machinery. To think that this most wonderful mechanism is the result and product of a fortuitous combination of particles of matter or atoms is simply absurd and illogical indeed! It has been doubtless, moulded and fashioned by some architect who is infinitely more skilful, more intelligent and more powerful than these ordinary architects who build mansions, palaces and bungalows. Remember this point well. That architect is God or Isvara or Creator. Call Him by whatever name you may please. It does not matter much.

Then again look at the miraculous powers of the mind! In the Kena Upanishad the first verse begins: "Who is the Director of the mind?"

There is the play of Divine Hand here also. Can my brother psychologist manufacture a mind in his boasted laboratory? Look at the various faculties of the mind-power of discrimination, power of judgement, power of reasoning, retentive power, power of imagination, cogitative faculty, power of reflection, and so on and so forth! No one but God can create such a powerful and miraculous mind.

Karma or action is non-sentient. Who is the dispenser of fruits of actions? Who fixes the span of life? Some live for 120 years while some others live for only 10 years. How do you explain these variegated appearances of this universe? Some are born decrepits. Some are sandows. Some are kings, earls and millionaires whereas some others are peasants and beggars. Some are born blind, deaf and dumb. Some are beautiful. Some are ugly. Some are fools; some are intellectual giants and sages. Some are rogues and dacoits. Some are martyrs and honest men. The theory of Karma and the presence of God who awards fruits of actions with justice to everybody can alone satisfy these above questions.

It is obvious that ever since the beginning of creation some miraculous power has been at work in every clime and at every age and that it will continue to work forever. You can call this "Mysterious Power", the all-pervading Intelligence or by any name you choose. Call Him "Father in Heaven", "Jehovah", "Allah", "Substance", "Essence", "Brahman", "Ahur-Mazda". It is all the same.

This Intelligence is Truth. This Intelligence is pure love or God. He is Jnana Svaroopa or embodiment of wisdom. He is Jnanamaya or full of knowledge. He is Svayam Jyotis or self-luminous. He is Svayambhu or self-existent. He is Svatantra or independent. He exists in the past, present and future. He is unchanging or Nirvikara. He is Avang-Mano-Gochara or beyond speech and mind. He is Sat-Chit-Ananda or Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute. He is Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Supreme Being.

He can be realised by meditation with a pure, one-pointed heart. O my dear friends, will you still remain sceptics, materialists and atheists or spiritual giants? Bow your head with humility and sincerity at the lotus-feet of the All-Wise Creator. You will get His Grace. Do not delay even a second to approach Him. Purify. Pray. Sing. Meditate. Realise.


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