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A Series of Lessons in Gnani Yoga796
“At the end of a Kalpa—a Day of Brahm—a period of Creative Activity—I withdraw
into my nature, all things and beings. And, at the beginning of another Kalpa, I
emanate all things and beings, and re-perform my creative act.”
We may say here, in passing, that Modern Science now holds to the
theory of periods of Rhythmic Change; of Rise and Fall; of Evolution and
Dissolution.
It holds that, beginning at some time in the past æons of time, there was
the beginning of an upward or evolutionary movement, which is now under
way; and that, according to the law of Nature, there must come a time when
the highest point will be reached, and then will come the beginning of the
downward path, which in time must come to an end, being succeeded by a
long period of inactivity, which will then be followed by the beginning of a
new period of Creative Activity and Evolution—“a Day of Brahm.”
This thought of this law of Rhythm, in its Universal form, has been
entertained by the thinkers of all times and races. Herbert Spencer
expressly held to it in his “First Principles,” expressing it in many ways akin
to this: “Evolution must come to a close in complete equilibrium or rest;”
and again, “It is not inferable from the general progress towards equilibrium,
that a state of universal quiescence or death will be reached; but that if a
process of reasoning ends in that conclusion, a further process of reasoning
points to renewals of activity and life;” and again, “Rhythm in the totality of
changes—alternate eras of evolution and dissolution.” The Ancient Western
Philosophers also indulged in this idea. Heraclitus taught that the universe
manifested itself in cycles, and the Stoics taught that “the world moves in an
endless cycle, through the same stages.” The followers of Pythagoras went
even further, and claimed that “the succeeding worlds resemble each other,
down to the minutest detail,” this latter idea, however—the idea of the
“Eternal Recurrence”—while held by a number of thinkers, is not held by the
Yogi teachers, who teach infinite progression—an Evolution of Evolution, as
it were. The Yogi teachings, in this last mentioned particular, are resembled