There have been lots of talks, discussions, and arguments regarding the existence of God or a Supreme Being. I have also come across many reports and articles which elaborate on and deal with the topic beautifully but fail to give a conclusion either admitting or denying His existence. If He really exists, why is He not visible to the eye? On being asked a similar question, a Sadhu replied, “We may not be able to see Him. But we can very well feel His presence.” Citing an example, he further said that it is just like air which exists all around us. We cannot see it but feel its presence. God is omnipotent and omnipresent. It is therefore rightly said, “Kan kan mein Bhagwan.” The idea that God is present everywhere is age-old and not new. When Hiranyakashipu, the demon king, asked his son Prahlad, “Is your God Hari present in this pillar?” Prahlad said, “Yes.” Then, out of anger, Hiranyakashipu gave a blow to the pillar with his mace. Lord Vishnu or Hari came out of the pillar in the form of ‘Nrushingha’ and killed the demon on his lap.
A few years back, scientists tried to prove a similar theory through ‘Ishwariya Kanika’ or the God particle. What has happened to the research and at what stage it is has not yet been clearly known. Scientific research is always ongoing. It is also being crowned with success. But in it, the tendency to deny the existence of God seems to be more than the attempt at unraveling the mysteries of the universe and creation. The sun rising and setting perfectly, seasons undergoing changes, and the planets and stars moving in their orbits for millions of years have simply been accepted as natural and automatic processes. Still, it has been the usual tendency of science to deny the very existence of a Power behind the scene. This Power may not be God or a Supreme Being. It may be Nature. But it is quite difficult to believe that everything is being managed on its own without a Power. A science teacher used to say, “We can also create the sun over here if only we are familiar with the intricacies of the process which creates energy on the sun. But will it ever be possible to recreate nature?” What we do not know is already present in the forces of nature. Today, man is falling prey to cancer. Millions of people are dying because of their livers, kidneys, and gallbladders dysfunctioning. How is it that after so many years of scientific research, these vital organs of the human body are not being made? Cutting and transplanting organs have been the only way out. It is not that the same cannot be made in the future, thereby saving the lives of millions of people.
“Go to the kitchen and eat. Rice, dal, wheat flour, and vegetables, everything is available. Food will be ready of its own accord.” To say this is as good as believing that the whole universe is being managed on its own. Those not believing in the existence of God make the argument that if God really exists, then why are there natural calamities and accidents? It may be mentioned here that nature is a law unto itself and follows a course nobody can prescribe. Even the gods cannot go against the Laws of nature, creation, and dissolution. Ram and Krishna had to die on earth although they were gods incarnate. As far as accidents are concerned, we have created vehicles, trains, and airplanes which are always prone to accidents. Reckless driving is another reason for accidents. Blaming God for this does not seem to be based on reason. The other argument that if God is there, then why is there poverty is also based on wrong assumptions. God has given everybody the quality to rise in life and achieve heights. There are many ‘rags to riches’ stories. Can we ever imagine a society where everybody is rich? The society will just come to a standstill with the farmers, businessmen, and other professionals not doing anything and sitting at home. The argument that if God really exists, then why is He not visible to the eye can be countered on the ground that as per our Shastras and Puranas, the gods do not live here. They live in space in their respective ‘Lokas’ and their distance from earth is beyond our reach. Even the best of modern-day rockets cannot cover the distance. Of course, the gods are believed to visit their favorite places on earth on occasion. Lord Siva is the only God who, in addition to His ‘Lok,’ is believed to live in Mount Kailash on a regular basis, and as per reports, the place leaves an aura of divine dwelling. Though the aliens and their Unidentified Flying Saucers have been confined to our imagination for lack of evidence, can it be said for certain that they are not the gods or their representatives from different ‘Lokas’?

What to speak of the beginning of the Creation and Universe, there are even stories and legends in Hinduism with respect to its preservation. According to the Vaishnava view, Lord Vishnu is the preserver or ‘palanakarta’ or ‘palanhar’ of the whole universe. Sleeping on ‘anantashajya’ in ‘khira sagar,’ he reigns and maintains. Once a Rishi had come to meet Him. Out of tiredness, the eyes of Lord Vishnu were closed. Goddess Luxmi was sitting by the feet of Lord Vishnu. The Rishi entered and called loudly, “Lord Vishnu, Lord Vishnu!” Still, Lord Vishnu did not open his eyes. Seeing this, the Rishi raised a hue and cry and kicked on the chest of Lord Vishnu. This time, Lord Vishnu opened His eyes, saluted the Rishi, and caressed his feet with love. Then He said, “Did your feet get any pain? Did it get any wound?” Because He knew that His chest is stronger than even iron as He is the preserver of the universe. The behavior of Lord Vishnu surprised both the Rishi and Luxmi. The Rishi fell at the feet of Lord Vishnu and begged forgiveness. The ruler or manager or administrator should be like this. The very idea of what we call Responsive administration lies with this myth. The politicians and administrators of today should learn a lesson from it.
According to the Hindu Saiva view, Lord Siva is at the center of the creation and the universe. It is because of this reason that Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva are often considered to be one and the same. This is the specialty of Hinduism. There has been an amalgamation of diverse views, and there is hardly any conflict regarding the same. Lord Siva has no dwelling place. He lives with His family in Mount Kailash in the interest of mankind and the universe. What can be more enlightening and exemplary for the politicians and administrators of today than this! Of late, scientists have come to know that Mount Kailash or ‘Meru Parvat’ is the center or ‘axis mundi’ of the earth. Scientists agreeing with the idea that creation has come out of nothing come closer to the Hindu view that Lord Siva is ‘Swayambhu’ Who is born on His own with no beginning and end. Presently, scientists diverting their attention from gravitation to dark energy being at the center of things have again come back to Lord Siva Who is dark energy. Lord Siva’s association with nothingness, destruction, and cosmic dance can be interpreted as a reference to the concept of dark energy and its role in shaping the universe. The theory that both creation and destruction are automatic conforms to Siva Tattwa Who symbolizes both. What to speak of Hinduism, all the other religions around the globe are particular about the existence of God and the creation and dissolution of the universe and delineate the same in their own respective ways. In Hinduism, the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh is conceived so as to represent the processes of creation, preservation, and destruction. Science may not hold with the concept. But can it be denied that the three processes are always at work in the universe?
At a time when we have not only formed democracy but also created various posts and designations, starting from the Head of an Office to the President of the country, for smooth administration and rule, the idea that the whole universe is being managed on its own can only be said for certain by an atheist. Religions around the globe, with whatever knowledge and technology available at the time, have come out with views of God, Creation, and destruction of the universe. Is not science doing the same with respect to unraveling the mysteries of the universe with the latest technology and coming out with new facts? Views of different religions and their concepts, along with how the gods have been visualized, may vary and may not be acceptable to certain people, but the presence of a Power behind the scene, be it God, Nature, or something else, can hardly be denied.
(The views expressed are the writer’s own)

Mr. Prafulla Kumar Majhi,
Retired Asst. Director, A. I. R, is an eminent Scholar and freelance writer in English & Odia. His areas of interests are sociocultural, economic, literary, historical and analytical studies and writings.
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