(“आनंदार्थ”). Is it not the most selfish act as in his ecstasy he multiplies himself without giving slightest thought to the fact that for the sake of his Ananda, he is inflicting torture to all in his creation. Is it not absurd argument that for the sake of my happiness I will make others to suffer just because I got that power? Your thoughts on it, please
An act, whether of God or man or any creature is to be judged by the intention. It is very clear from the statement you refer to that God wants to give ‘Ananda’ and not ‘pain’.
But pain and suffering are a fact and we have a right to ask as to why God allowed it or rather who then is responsible for it? We can also ask him if there is something he is doing about it and also if there is something that we aught to do about it? After all we are co-authors of our life. As a man worthy of manhood we cannot shirk our share of responsibility. It is like people who keep blaming governments and others for the problem and challenges of their life. It doesn’t help or solve anything. One can continue blaming God or man but the simple fact is that regardless of our belief or non-belief in God, we all have our share of work to do which should be the real issue to think about.
Now, if we ask God his side of the story, he will say that he made creation for delight and gave certain ways that man can enjoy life to the fullest but man doesn’t listen. His mind impulsively makes the wrong choices that hurt and harm. It is somewhat like a child playing with fire. You need it but you can either cook a good meal or burn a house. All who have spoken in the name of God have been painstakingly trying to teach the infantile humanity to use the fire rightly. But the child refuses and has to learn the rules of the game of delight rather painfully. It pains God even more but he then gets to his job of absorbing and drinking the poison of unhappiness and bitterness that men create by their own deeds.
This is God’s side of the story. The good news however is that the story is not yet complete. Man and his drama of pleasure and pain are still to reach a climax. The last scene is yet to be enacted. The last Act has just begun. It is here that the creation is supposed to fulfil its aim of Delight in its fullness and not as its diminished and degraded substitutes of pleasure and joy. We are not finished products but yet in the making. We are in the school of nature where the teachers sometimes inflict pain, not because they are cruel but because they love us and want us to grow strong and wise. For to bear delight one needs to be wiser and stronger. The weak drown themselves in pleasure and then pain comes as an inbuilt mechanism to wake them up out of their slumber.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
