How It All Happened
Part Eight

The earth is found everywhere in the world, since not only dry land but also the beds of seas, rivers, lakes, contain it. Similarly, water, though visible only in oceans, rivers, lakes, etc., is everywhere — if not on the surface, under the earth in large or small quantities. In other words, just as earth lies below the water in seas, rivers, etc., so water lies everywhere under the dry earth. There is no question of air not being present anywhere in this world. As regards fire, in the broad sense, viz., a kind of blaze, or "tej" (as it is called in the vernacular), it is certainly everywhere in the world; but it is covered under the layer of ether.

This blaze is the fire that, as said above, has connection with animals, and it is owing to this that the hunger-heat is so very intense in animals. Almost all animals eat great amounts of food, as if they were born for the sole purpose of eating.

The first form after the last vegetable form is that of an insect, which is green that it is not possible to recognize it on a tree. The most evolved form of insect is that of a worm. Though the worm is found on dry earth, it frequents moist spots, and this fact shows that it is on its way to becoming a fish or going into water. In other words, the insect form in the shape of a worm begins having connection with water from the dry earth, and the connection becomes complete when it becomes a fish. in the same way, the last form of the fish from the water viz., crab, begins leaving its connection with it.

The next form to the crab is of a water-fowl, the first form that begins connection with air. There are many kinds of fowls, including ducks, that like to swim in water. Just as the first form of bird has connection with water, so their last form but one, viz., cock, has connection with earth. In spite of its being a bird, the cock has little connection with air. The last form of bird is a big, burly one with a long beak and a lolling piece of flesh by the chin. The manifestation next to the last bird form takes place in kangaroo, in the animal kingdom, the last form of which is monkey, if we exclude human beings.

The five "turns" are implied in the above cursory description: (1) from under
the ground to its surface; (2) from the surface of earth to water; (3) from the depths of water to water surface; (4) from the surface of water to air; (5) from an to the surface of the earth.

Out of the infinite numbers of forms, in which the latent human form manifests itself, prior to its complete manifestation, those mentioned in the above diagram are of cardinal importance, in comparison with the spiritual planes. The seventh plane means Godhood, and so it is final. Similarly, there is no higher form than that of a human being. It is perfect. But there is the curtain of sanskaras between God and man, as shown in the above figure, and because of it the average human being knows not God. In order to do away with this curtain, one has to travel backward, through the six stages — the plane stages, instead of the form stage through which one advanced to manhood.

We have said that each wave-bubble is a world in itself and that there are numberless worlds. But for the purpose of illustration, we shall divide them into seven ranges. E, F, G, H, I, J and K. In each of these ranges there are a number of worlds. Of these numberless gross worlds, seven, each of which we have distinguished with a number, are nearer to the Creator, point D, than all the others. The three worlds, A, B, C in the central range, are to be regarded as only one world — the 7th, because they are so connected with one another as to form one world with two branches. This diagram shows the details at a glance.