When the time for the new experiment is on, the divine energy rolls out a spatial canvas for creating the universe. I use a term from the Samkhya Philosophy to refer to this dark matter/energy - MAHAT !
The below picture is my visualisation of how the construct of the universe has been blessed upon by the divine energy. (Don't imagine a old guy with white hair, white beard and white robe splashing white paint on a dark canvas !)
Some of the possible observations on the construct of the universe are as below:
1. MAHAT
Mahat serves as an infinite sink and source. It can be considered as the sum total of all intelligence, mass and energy in the universe. Consider a facility manager in a factory floor. When all work is finished and we are ready to call it a day, the facility manager will turn off the master switch and then all the lights will be out. Similarly, I think the divine energy will absorb the MAHAT when it is time and with that the whole universe will be gone in a flash !
This is akin to a scientist pressing the emergency button to shutdown an experiment gone wrong. Why would it consider that the experiment has gone wrong? Say, the antagonist is winning and therefore disorder (bloody wars, mayhem, gore, adharma etc.,) is going beyond unacceptable levels, this may happen !
Not to be seen as simplistic and to add on to this line of thought, if any protagonist who has mandate to establish order over dis-order in the universe, is present in a given cycle, the switching-off part may be delegated to him/her. In a hypothetical sense, protagonist may shepherd all the souls to experience the great merge and expect them to use their intelligence to merge themselves into divine energy which is the true state of all souls. On contrary, the antagonist , may try to lure all the souls away from the divine energy and force them to assume different skins in different stages (thus assuming mass and perhaps in diabolical forms promoting dis-order) . When the war between good and evil is over in favor of good, then it is no longer a worry whether to be in mass form or energy form as each soul can take its own time to revert to its true state.
Assuming the divine energy is continuously monitoring the state of the universe and comparing it to its own state (default to blissful state) , when there comes a moment when the blissful state of the divine energy matches with the state of the universe, then the divine energy can dissolve the universe. If the divine energy is not blissful and hence is not content with itself, it will allow the universe to exist and it will learn from the outcomes of activities in the universe to move itself to the contented blissful state. At some point, if the experiment related to the manifestation of this universe reaches a contented blissful state, the dissolution can occur at this point.
2. UNIVERSE AS THE STAGE
Stage or the setting or the manifested Universe - In my opinion, the manifested universe has at least 2 dimensions. Dimension 1 is the visible universe that we all see. Dimension 2 is the place where at least the astral-bodies (of humans and other species) are located. It helps if we think that a single human has existence in both the dimensions and in MAHAT (the soul part). In dimension 1 - his physical form (called as 'sthula') with all the systems of body exist. The astral-body or ghost-body (called as 'sukshma' ) with all the Nadi systems and chakras is present in the dimension-2 and the soul (called as 'karana' ) is embedded in MAHAT and can move freely in the MAHAT. A human is set on his activities by his free will and is constrained by his karmic load.
Sometimes, I tend to think that there are indeed 3 dimensions with MAHAT itself as the root dimension. And soul is in fact embedded inside MAHAT.
Imagine this :
You are walking on a neighbourhood street
Picture this in the context of the above:
Your human form is walking on a neighbourhood street - Dimension 1
Your astral form is walking on a hazy path - Dimension 2
You soul as a burst of energy is vibrating/moving in a infinite black jelly (like lattice vibrations) called MAHAT - Dimension 3
On a lighter note, since it is depressing for some to think of us as some form of lattice vibrations, I can restrict the discussion to only the 2 dimensions that matter for life to blossom. But that kind of thinking (feeling depressed) may be considered as a slight on the grand design by the divine force. Also, it is akin to you insulting self since we are all part of the divine state after the great merge. I would suggest strongly not to insult this divine energy either intentionally or unintentionally , however light it is, because that may become one of the many reasons why it would not select you as the protagonist for the next cycle !!
As an additional thought, I have 2 more interesting observations as given below.
The state of soul itself as seen embedded in MAHAT : There are these advanced souls and the less fortunate souls. The advanced souls might have escaped the cycle of life and death and the less fortunate souls are caught by forces of the law of karma and pushed to a different stage and re-birth.
Some scripts talk about the state of the human embryo(not fully developed human form) in the mother's fetus where it is supposed to be in a uncomfortable state (because of rebirthing/current suffering) and promising itself that it will do well and follow the divine directives post birth. Since the central nervous system is not fully developed, It is safe to assume that the assumed uncomfortable state of a human embryo might have come from the impressions originating in the soul itself and enforced by law of karma or akin.
Because of the above 2 reasons, I tend to think that some form of law of karma is active in the MAHAT too guiding and directing the souls in its pure-soul state.
Part 2 to follow on this topic.