What Are the Functions of Source?
Primary Function of Source
Even though Source is considered the Supreme Lord of creation, Swami Mukundananda (Bhakti Yog Saint & Yoga Teacher) suggests that administering creation is not Source’s primary function (Bhagavad Gita, 10:8). So, what is? Engaging in loving pastimes or leelas (Bhagavad Gita, 4:8) with liberated souls is considered Source’s primary task. Leelas can be seen as a manifestation of Source’s grace, joy, and power. Remember all of the fables, parables, ancient folklore, and Greek mythology we learned as children? Like those stories, leelas can offer profound lessons and insights into the nature of existence.
For liberated souls, leelas can give them the opportunity to maintain a personal relationship with Source. For unliberated souls, leelas can help us more easily understand spiritual concepts (The Bible: Matthew: 13:10-16) and purify our minds. Sometimes when taken literally, leelas can be easily misinterpreted or may not make sense to us intellectually — as is the case for much of The Bible. Perhaps our unliberated minds are unable to speak truth and only words about truth. This could explain why we rely more on our imaginations to get from point A to point B. As a result, it’s important for us to learn to differentiate parables, myths, and leelas from actuality.
Leelas can also help us become devout. Devotion means to allow the grace of Source to flow through us, according to Sadhguru (Yogi, Mystic & Guru). Why haven’t we mentioned the term worship? Devotion and worship are considered two different types of energies. Devotion is more closely aligned with gratitude, which doesn’t have a need for or acknowledge any type of power structure. Worshipping, on the other hand, is often associated with a power structure or chain of command, according to Sarah Elkhaldy (Spiritual Teacher & Energy Healer).
As Swami Mukundananda explains, maintaining a relationship with the formless aspect of Source can be very difficult because the mind tends to want a form to focus on and connect to. This is where leelas come into play. It’s through leelas that we have a more personal form of Source to comprehend and serve as the basis of our devotion.
Other Functions of Source
Outside of engaging in leelas, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Guru, Yogi & Humanitarian) explains that Source has 5 other functions: creation, maintenance, destruction, hiding, and blessing. But, if Source and liberated souls are living it up in the spiritual universe, who is responsible for the other functions — like maintaining Earth and the rest of the material universe? This is where multi-tasking and delegation come into play — and Source is the ultimate delegator. Essentially, Source delegates the administration of the material universe to logos and sub-logos (Law of One, 13:7), which seems synonymous with celestial gods, demigods, deities, and devatas (Bhagavad Gita: 7:20, 13:15).
For example, The Kabbalah specifically mentions Metatron as the one who governs the visible world (C1:18). Swami Mukundananda (Bhakti Yog Saint & Yoga Teacher) explains that Sri Krishna is the Supreme Lord of both the spiritual and material universes, designating the administration of the material universe to Lord Vishnu (sustainer) and his companion Lakshmi; Lord Shiva (destroyer of maya) and his companion Shakti; and Lord Brahma (creator) and his companion Saraswati (Bhagavad Gita, 10:8). This coincides with the Bhagavad Gita (10:8, 13:15-17) which explains that Source is the sustainer, annihilator, and origin of all creation while remaining detached from it.
So that covers 4 of the six functions of Source. What about hiding and blessing? It’s thought that Source hides its divinity and blessings like the roots of a tree are hidden unless we dig them up. Swami Mukundananda (Bhakti Yog Saint & Yoga Teacher) offers further insight into this, explaining that love is only possible where there’s a choice. Ergo, perhaps Source deliberately hides from direct perception to provide us with the freedom to choose between love and fear (Bhagavad Gita, 9:2). How does Source hide? Perhaps through the illusion of maya.
Swami Mukundananda (Bhakti Yog Saint & Yoga Teacher) also explains that Source promises two things. The first is yog, bestowing us with the spiritual assets we don’t have. The second is kshem, protecting the spiritual assets we do have (Bhagavad Gita, 9:22). Just as a mother gives up responsibilities as a child exhibits more free will, Source gives up responsibilities the more we exhibit free will to turn outward instead of inward. This is consistent with The Bible (Proverbs, 3:5-6) which explains that when we trust and acknowledge Source in all ways, Source will direct our path.