Mystery of Creation (Religious)Author : Radhananda Dasa / Jaimin
"How would you answer this one? If God made the Universe, who made God? If God needs no creator, why does the Universe?"
The issue here is not so much about the actual answer to the classic question about Creation but more importantly that of the approach taken to arrive upon the answer. Thus the subject title "How would you answer this one?" is apt.
Godhead and His creative proclivities that manifest innumerable universes belong to spiritual category and are as such beyond the comprehension of mental speculations and intellectual pursuits. The rational and logical arguments, irrespective of whether they are in favor of or against the motion, are inherently and necessarily marred by the defects of mind and intelligence as both of them belong to the inferior nature. Cognition of the spiritual category is possible only by the soul who is categorically different from the inferior nature.
The idea that the Universe does not require a Creator appeals to the present set of misconceptions of the rebellious soul. The only thing that could be achieved by the flawed approach of logical / rational arguments against the proposed idea would be the transformation of the conditioned soul to a newer set of misconceptions that enable him to deduce Godhead as rational cause of the Creation.
Most theists in this world are an outcome of such a transformation and could be transformed back to atheism by more convincing arguments that appeal to their newly acquired misconceptions. The idea of Godhead as conceived in this world by theists and atheists alike is far from the actual reality. A rational approach to this subject matter of highest importance would only prolong the material existence of the enthralled jiva by shuttling him between various gradations of theism and atheism and is as such condemned by the acharyas. Below excerpt from "The Mystery of Creation" (The Harmonist, Vol. XXX, No. 2, August 1932) is just one instance proclaiming the disapproval of flawed rational approach.
"Godhead is inferred by the rationalizing faculty of conditioned souls as the final cause of this manifest world. This inference also seeks to incorporate Godhead with mundane phenomena by assigning Him a mundane nature. This objectionable process is sought to be set forth in a plausible form by means of all poetry and philosophy of our worldly outlook. Persons, who are unduly addicted to the things of this world, require justification of this worldly course. They accordingly approach the problem of creation of this mundane world with this forgone conclusion. The so-called argument from design illustrates this prejudiced attitude towards the all important problem".
--Radhananda Dasa.