Question: Why did God make this world, what is the purpose, and if there is a purpose why do I exist and what does God want from me?

Answer:

This set of questions goes to the heart of yoga and people have pondered over them for thousands of years.

Scientists can just about describe how the universe came into being through study of the natural world and by logical deduction. However to probe into the “why” of creation takes one beyond the scope of logic.

Where logicians are left wanting, humble devotees of God have come up with a simple answer to the question. They say “God was alone, He had no one to talk to, no one to love, no one to scold! So, He created the planets and the living beings to fill this emptiness with endless activity.”

When you make observations based on cause and effect this is called Kriida in Sanskrit and when you go beyond logic it is called Liila. Liila also means “play” or “sport.” So, from this viewpoint God created the universe as a cosmic play, a great cosmic drama in which each of us has a role to play.

What is my role and what is your role in this cosmic drama?

You, I and all the animate and inanimate objects of the universe are nothing but manifestations of God. When we say that God created the universe, we have to ask, “What is the stuff from which He created everything?” Yoga philosophy says that everything of this universe is composed of Consciousness or the very essence of God.

Poets describe this by saying that God is playing hide-and-seek. He has hidden Himself in all the created objects of the universe.

So our role is to act out our part in the drama but to do our best to seek God, and to discover that He is everywhere, and most importantly residing in the core of our hearts. When you understand that He is in all objects, then you will begin to treat these objects with great respect and love.

What does God want from you? He wants you to smile, to seek inside yourself and find out who you really are, and to serve the others around you, knowing that they are expressions of Him.

Read more questions and answers…