Question: God created evil and good. If He was as merciful as He is supposed to be, then why create evil at all, put marginal souls in a vulnerable position, and then punish them when they sin? Why create us at all? If there was no existence, there would be no karma and no consequences. Did God create all of us for His entertainment?
Answer by Romapada Swami: First of all, we need to understand that the soul was never “created”. The individual soul is co-eternal with God being His part and parcel. The purpose of our existence is enjoyment – not only God’s enjoyment but ours also! But as part and parcel of the Supreme Whole, our enjoyment is in relation with God’s enjoyment. “Ananda mayo ‘bhyasat”: In our relationship with the Supreme Lord, in serving Him, both the Lord and the living entity experience transcendental bliss.
However, when the individual soul forgets his real position and comes to the material world, his so-called punishment by the material energy is not cruelty on the part of the Supreme Lord. Rather that is another feature of his mercy to help the living entity reinstate himself in his original position. This is just like a father who might ‘punish’ his child in order to train him. The chastisement is another feature of the father’s love and is for the child’s benefit. There would be no meaning to argue why one should beget a child and then punish the child! (Please also refer to our discussion on ‘good and evil’ from the previous issue, Digest 17E)
