Upanishads on Creation : THE SPIDER ANALOGY

A wonderful illustration from Upanishads on Creation : THE SPIDER ANALOGY 

yathorṇa-nābhiḥ sṛjate gṛhṇate ca 
yathā pṛthivayām oṣadhayas sambhavanti |
yathā sataḥ puruṣāt keśalomāni
tathākṣarāt sambhavatīha viśvam ||

…… Mundak Upanishad 1.1.7

“ As a spider projects forth and draws back (its threads), as plants grow on earth, as hairs grow on the body, so does the universe emerge from the Imperishable Being.“



PURPORT :

Here three illustration is used :

Spider spinning the web
Varieties of plants growing from the earth
Hairs growing from the body

1.The spider designs its web. So it is the intelligent cause of the web. Raw material is also produced by the spider itself (normally any raw material is different from the maker). So here spider is the intelligent as well as the material cause of the web. In many cases like furniture, ornaments etc, the carpenter,who is the intelligent cause is different from wood,which is the material cause.Goldsmith is different from gold. Intelligent cause is called Nimitta Karanam. Material cause is called Upadana Karanam. So spider is Abhinna Nimitta Upadana Karanam. So is Brahman. It alone visualizes the creation; it alone is also the material. So he is the cosmic architect. Other than him there is nothing; no time, no space, so there is no question of searching for material cause.

2.Earth produces varieties of plants. Though earth is one, it is capable of producing different varieties. So is Brahman who is one but can produce diverse effects – Eka Karanath Aneka Vidha Karyani

3.Our body is live and sensient. But hair and nails are insensient. So the body which is of Chetana nature produces something of a different nature (Vilakshana Srishti which means cause producing an effect of a different nature). Normally we experience ‘Salakshana Srishti’ like mangoes in mango tree, humans begetting humans. But in Brahman, this Vilakshana Srishti is possible. The sensient creatures (Salakshana) and apparently insensient objects (Vilakshana) which constitute this Jagat is manifested by sensient Brahman.

Brahman :

Adrishyam (invisible)
Agrahyam (beyond our grasp)
Avarnam (beyond description)
Avyayam (indestructible)

Manifested world :

Drishyam ( Visible)
Grahyam ( Within our grasp)
Varnam (Can be described)
Vyayam ( Destructible)

So it shows Brahman can produce creation which seems to be of different nature.

In spider example, the spider not only designs and creates the web by itself but is its Laya Karanam also (it swallows/resolves its web into itself), whereas a pot maker does not swallow the pot!

Brahman also creates and resolves the creation into himself/itself (Srujate, Gruhnate). Like these three examples Brahman also creates the whole cosmos and finally resolves in himself.


Brihadaranyak Upanishad states :

“As the spider moves along the thread it produces, or as from a fire tiny sparks fly in all directions, even so from this Atman come forth all organs, all worlds, all gods, all beings. Its secret name (Upanishad) is "the Truth of truth." The ‘Prana’ (vital breaths) are the truth and their truth is Atman.”

...[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.1.20]