Book Review ( by VVS SARMA)
“Structure of the Universe (Vedic) – Viswaroopa” by Dr. (MM) K. Sivananda Murty, (Published by Sivanada Supatha Foundation, Tadepalligudem and Bheemunipatnam, First Edition 2013, Second Edition, 2014)
V. V. S. Sarma, Bengaluru
Background
If the title of the book were to be just “Structure of the Universe”, a modern reader would assume that the book deals with the physical structure of the universe explored by an astronomer or an astrophysicist. For example, this was the title of the 1977 book of the renowned astrophysicist J. V. Narlikar. This book gave the then current picture of the universe from the view point of an astrophysicist. The present book (published in Dec 2013) of Dr. Sivananda Murty is entitled “Structure of the Universe (Vedic) – Viswaroopa”, which obviously encompasses a scope much wider than the observable physical universe of a scientist. Keeping the modern physical picture in the background, this book gives the broad picture of the universe conceived in the vast Vedic literature, literally the “viswaroopa darsana” obtained by the Vedic sages of yore, through their intense penance (tapas) supplemented by keen observation of the sky.
The Sanskrit words used in the book for the universe and its worlds - brahmanda, viswa and jagati with the many worlds or realms (lokas) contained in it, articulate the scope and content of the book more accurately than the English terms. The Vedic concept of creation of the universe visualizes an ellipsoidal entity called the Brahmanda (meaning - the Cosmic Egg). The Puranas tell us that this Brahmanda consists of 14 major realms or lokas, six higher and seven lower with respect to the realm of Earth (Bhuloka) and the solar system on its central plane. Creation consists of the transformation (vivarta) of Brahman into Paramatma and jivas simultaneously. The various worlds are then populated with jivas having appropriate bodies (sariras). Viswa stands for the vastness and pervasiveness of the Universe and Jagati denotes the space for the sojourn of the soul (gati) in the universe. Brahmanda is a finite subset of the infinite, never completely knowable all-pervading viswa. Jagati has a connotation of the domain of existence and movement of a trillion souls manifesting as devas, asuras, nagas, humans, animals and several other species of jivas distributed throughout the universe in their lokas in the Brahmanda.
The word “viswaroopa” immediately brings to the reader’s mind Lord Sri Krishna showing his universal form to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, as described in the Bhagavad Gita, to Yasoda in the Bhagavata Purana and to the Kauravas in the court of Dhritarashtra in the Mahabharata. When the universe is considered as an object of study along with the matter, life and intelligence visible in the universe, two words immediately come to mind. They are the creator and his creation. The ordinary human observer, with his “bounded rationality”, and who is a part of the creation, often speculates about the primal cause of creation, identifying it with the creator, usually referred to as God, the personified primordial intelligence. Creation, sustenance and annihilation are processes, attributed to aspects Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, which go on in the universe continuously. This is, of course, the stand of the Vedic literature – Vedas, Vedangas and Puranas.
The Present Book
The present book starts with a discussion on the modern scientific subject of contemporary Cosmology. The author traces the history of the subject from Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus and Galileo to the twenty first century consequent to developments in many scientific fields. He notes that the scientific method involves the formulation, modelling, prediction, testing, and modification of hypotheses and theories using systematic observation, measurement, and experiment. Cosmology falls in between physics and metaphysics. For the Western mind, science, philosophy, religion and political ideology are all incompatible objects confusing the modern man in these troubled times. While modern cosmology is essentially physical cosmology dealing with the material aspect of the universe, Vedic cosmology concentrates on the evolution of jivas and their sojourn through the various lokas of the Brahmanda and their ultimate merger into Paramatma.
Modern Evolutionary Metaphysics attempts “to contemplate the meaning and purpose of our existence in light of the scientific theory of natural evolution”. Natural evolution depends on random mutation, and some people say this proves that life has no higher purpose. Others think that the seemingly inevitable emergence of consciousness suggests that there may be a purpose behind evolution. The website of the “The Academy of Evolutionary Metaphysics” (http://www.evolutionary-metaphysics.net/) gives a “rational” examination of whether there might be any higher purpose or meaning to our existence by exploring the history of mythology and ideology in the hope of promoting peaceful progress through a deeper understanding of the questions that need to be answered. The study brackets all religions Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and political philosophies such as communism as belief systems and the academy hopes that eventually the entire world might be united by a common belief in the scientific worldview. The modern Indian scientist often adopts only this Western view, by virtue of his education and work environment and this is confirmed by articles such as “A Statistical Test for Astrology” by Narlikar et al for Maharashtra andha sraddha nirmulan samiti, in “Current Science”, a reputed Indian Science Journal (2009). What does not fit the accepted template of science is often dismissed as superstition by the science community.
It is in this era of cultural dilemmas faced by the modern world that this new book fulfils a major purpose. It looks at the inadequacy of modern science in understanding the universe fully and presents a complementary view of universe and creation provided by the Vedic literature. This view was obtained through the efforts of great sages of divine origin, through their intense tapas and deep meditation. Their methods were totally different from those of modern science. The modern Indian is sceptical about the vast knowledge contained in the ocean of Vedic literature, because there is no authoritative guidance available for one to navigate through it effectively. The language of Vedas is different. Upanishads speak in a different tongue. Puranas and Itihasas have their different narratives. Vedangas, Darsanas and Shastras present many conflicting theories in terse language. With the result the language used in the Vedic literature sounds more like belief and religion with symbolism, metaphoric or mystic, and it is easy to dismiss the whole thing as one more religious cosmology.
Objectives of the Book
Ancient Aryan Wisdom had excelled not only in the philosophical theory and analytical study of creation, but also in the observations and study of the nature on the earth and the creation in the space. The Brahmanda Purana is dedicated to the perceptions of Vedic Rishis regarding the structure of the Universe. Each book from the Vedic literature – say, Katha, Taittiriya and Brihadaranyaka Upanishads, the Mahabharata and the Puranas – by itself leaves the modern reader with more questions than rational answers. The present book is a step towards providing such answers on the structure of the universe and the creation and evolution of beings in it, to answer the many doubts one gets while studying Vedic literature, by integrating and correlating the material from diverse sources and presenting a unified picture. The book is organised in such a way as to meet the following objectives:
1) To familiarize the reader with the contemporary understanding of the structure of the universe vis-à-vis the Vedic knowledge regarding Brahmanda.
2) To contrast the goals and methodology of knowledge acquisition in modern science and in Vedic times.
3) To point out the limitations of modern science in Cosmology and the use of meditation in experiencing truth.
4) To locate the earth, the moon, the sun, the solar system, the zodiac and the fourteen major worlds and smaller worlds nearer to the earth such as Vasuloka, Pitruloka, Gandharvaloka and Yamaloka with reference to the earth and the sojourn of jivas through the lokas.
5) To explain the purpose of creation as the evolution of the souls from darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge and their ultimate merger in the super soul (Paramatma) after a long time spent in the cycle of births and deaths in the Pitruyana or Devayana paths.
6) To explain the achievements of Indian astronomy in ancient times, particularly the precession of the equinoxes, libration theory and contributions of Aryabhata, Varahamihira and Lagadha.
7) To explain the origin of the divinities in the creation, the arrival of the in-dwellers, and the role of Prajapatis in the procreation of the jivas and
8) To touch upon the bliss levels in higher worlds as in Taittiriya Upanishad and the concept of emancipation (mukti) in Sanatana dharma and nirvana in Buddhism.
Key Passages in the Text
There are many short passages which are keys for providing answers to the questions posed in the text. The description of Ghosha Shanti from the Taittiriya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajurveda quoted in the Preface (page xxv) is one such. The passage is reproduced here. It describes an abhisheka kriya (worshipful bathing) addressed to the almighty Mahadeva, who occupies the Universe from the lowest Patala to the end of the space above (aapaatala nabhasthalaanta...)
The ashta Vasus pour the nectar on the Supreme Being from the East praising Him in ‘Gayatri Chandas’. The Rudras do the abhisheka from the South praising Him in ‘Trishtup Chandas’. The Adityas or twelve Suns do the abhisheka from the West chanting the praise in the ‘Jagati Chandas’. From the North Viswedevas worship Mahadeva praising Him in the ‘Anushtup Chandas’. High above in the Brahmanda, Brihaspati worships Him from all the directions in the ‘Pankti Chandas’. This is because far above our mid-regions of our Solar system there can be no directions whatsoever. It is just an open space all round. In our region of our Solar system there are directions due to the Earth’s rotation causing apparent sunrise and sunset and there is a southern course and northern course of the Earth’s path around the Sun. The existence of various lokas around us finds a clear mention here. In fact references to this effect are aplenty in our literature.
This passage together with the dhyana sloka (aapaatala nabhasthalaanta...) determines the structure of the Universe and the limits of Brahmanda. The infinite Jyotirlinga of Mahadeva locates Patala as the bottom of this Linga and the top end is the end of Nabha. The Vasuloka is on the East, the Rudraloka is on the South, Adityaloka (of the twelve Suns) is on the West and the Pitruloka of Viswedevas is on the North, near the central belt of Brahmanda. The Dhruvapadam mentioned in the dhyana sloka is beyond the North Pole of the Celestial Sphere and the Swargaloka of Brihaspati is north of it and the axis goes to the North Pole of the Brahmanada Ellipsoid, near Brahmaloka and Kailasa.
Understanding this passage fully needs some knowledge of the Vedic meters (Chandas). The cryptic rules of Pingala’s Chandah Sastra give the answer. [Gayatrya vasavah (3.3), Jagatya adityah (3.4), Virajo disah (3.5), Tristubho rudrah (3.6), Anustubh gayatraih (3.23) panktir-jagatau gayatrau ca (3:37)]. Vasus number eight and Gayatri chandas has 8 matras per line. Rudras are eleven in number and the meter Trishtup has eleven matras. Similarly other meters may be understood.
A verse in the Bhagavata Purana throws an interesting view of Chandas. In the Gajendra Mokshana episode a sloka describes arrival of Sri Hari to save the elephant:
tam tadvad artam upalabhya jagan-nivasah
stotram nisamya divijaih saha samstuvadbhih
chandomayena garudena samuhyamanas
cakrayudho 'bhyagamad asu yato gajendrah
(Srimad Bhagavatam 8.3.31)
When Divijas do stotram in a particular chandas, has Garuda as chandomaya helped the immediate manifestation of Vishnu on the spot?
How to read the book?
A work such as this one cannot be written as a college text book. A variety of topics such as astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, philosophy of science along with Vedic Jyotisha needed to be touched upon to give an idea of the Universe. The misinterpretations of some of the Western Indologists have to be pointed out and the true meaning of cryptic Vedic and Puranic statements has to be brought out. A rough guide for exploring the book effectively is the following – The author’s preface followed by chapters 1, 2, 3 and 9 give an idea of the Vedic literature’s view on Brahmanda. Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 will supplement the story from Indian Astronomy, Cosmology, comparative study and the Surya Siddhanta. Cosmology glossary at the end explains astronomical terms and introduces the many contributors to the subject.
Meditation and Yogic Perception
The author briefly touches upon the role of Yogic practice and techniques of meditation in obtaining experience of the worlds of Brahmanda and for further enlightenment his book Katha-Yoga is recommended . The relevant information is presented in the sections 1.4 and 3.7. The author notes that any amount of scientific progress cannot make meditation redundant. The practitioner approaches self from within and the self reveals itself as well as the secret of cosmos. The self conquers its false identification with the body and leads to a subconscious wakefulness in dhyana and samadhi. Science can only take a limited outside view of the universe at an intellectual level. According to the ancient Indian philosophy of Yoga, the human body is the smallest and most complete miniature model of the Universe. It contains in itself all the components of the Brahmanda, arrangement of all the seven lokas from earth above. This inner picture of the Brahmanda, in a man is, of course, the secret power that enabled the man to discover the structure of Brahmanda. This is practical realisation of the all-pervading universal spirit and the yogi himself becoming one with it. The lokas are reflected in the body in the Chakras or centres described in the Yoga-sastra from Muladhara, as the earth to Sahasrara, as the Brahmaloka respectively. The superior worlds are represented in spirit in between, as the other Chakras – Svadhishthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Visuddha, and Ajna.
Scientific Method, Scientific Temper and Limits of Science
In modern India the term “scientific temper” has become a fashionable buzz word which was popularized by Jawaharlal Nehru in social discourse. “To develop scientific temper” is listed as one of the fundamental duties of citizens as per the Indian Constitution’s 42nd Amendment of 1976. Scientific temper describes an attitude which involves the application of logic and rational thinking. Nehru says in “The Discovery of India” –
"[What is needed] is the scientific approach, the adventurous and yet critical temper of science, the search for truth and new knowledge, the refusal to accept anything without testing and trial, the capacity to change previous conclusions in the face of new evidence, the reliance on observed fact and not on pre-conceived theory, the hard discipline of the mind—all this is necessary, not merely for the application of science but for life itself and the solution of its many problems."
The concept of scientific temper in the West is the positive result of European renaissance, when the dogmatic beliefs of Christianity in which Galileo was harassed by the Catholic Church, gave way to general acceptance of new ideas surfacing in the scientific revolution assisted by the pre-Christian era rationality of the Greeks. What Nehru did not realize is that this approach is not new to India and it is the standard paradigm in Indian logic and development of Indian philosophy and ancient science in India. Perception and logical inference are the main pramanas for valid knowledge acquisition, but there are other pramanas such as Sabda-pramana (e.g. validity of the Veda) to be used when these two are not adequate.
In this connection the following observations of the author are worth noting:
1. The higher life in the Brahmanda with no gross body but higher intelligence can never be proved by the man’s sensory perceptions and related logical inference that follows, which is the basic platform on which science rests. Vedic knowledge can never meet science on this platform. It is for the science to perceive at a future date the possible truth in Vedic knowledge. (p.4)
2. Techniques of meditation are not resorted to [in modern science], for crossing the limits of intellect. It is not viewed as scientific temper. In the meditational techniques, when the secrets of cosmos are sought to be known, the individual approaches the self from within. (p.5)
3. The Puranas have asserted that it is possible to know only about our own Brahmanda and also added that beyond the seven nether worlds there is an impenetrable darkness in which even the higher beings cannot enter or cross. It is also said that it is impossible to know what lies beyond while at the same time asserting in another context that there are millions of Brahmandas. This is to say that it is enough to know the existence of many other Brahmandas and that it is futile to attempt to know anything about what exists next to this Brahmanda. There is perfect rationale in this approach to the cosmic riddle. In this way, the Purana has shown us our limits without wasting our attention to know the unknowable or what is not worth knowing for a purposeful living.
4. In total contrast to this, the modern science constantly spends its midnight oil trying to peep into the space, deeper every time with a more gigantic telescope; the Hubble, the Keck....and so on. The science is attempting to investigate other galaxies in addition to our own Milky Way, their size, mass, distance, and direction of their movement and so on. This does not mean we have completed the exploration of our own galaxy. Even the shape and the limits of our galaxy or its contents are not definitely known to us. We have found out that our solar system is but a speck in our galaxy. The end of its journey is yet inconceivable to us. Life elsewhere is, of course, the unanswered question. The ‘why’ of the creation and the purpose of our existence with intelligence are not even considered as questions worthy of investigation. We seem to be content with our sensual living on our planet without ever questioning as to what is expected of us.
5. Science has also attempted to study the phenomenon of birth and death of stars and has also arrived at the fundamental unit of all matter, the quark. What then are the intelligence, mind and consciousness (of the human being)? The question is whether we can know all about the creation without knowing who the knower is.
The science community, of late, is pondering over these issues as some recent books indicate.
In the book “The Outer Limits of Reason: What Science, Mathematics, and Logic Cannot Tell Us” (2013, The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA), by Computer Science Professor Noson S. Yanofsky, considers what cannot be predicted, described, or known, and what will never be understood. He discusses the limitations of computers, physics, logic, and our own thought processes. Yanofsky describes simple tasks that would take computers trillions of centuries to complete and other problems that computers can never solve; perfectly formed English sentences that make no sense; different levels of infinity; the bizarre world of the quantum; the relevance of relativity theory; the causes of chaos theory; math problems that cannot be solved by normal means; and statements that are true but cannot be proven. He explains the limitations of our intuitions about the world - our ideas about space, time, and motion, and the complex relationship between the knower and the known.
Astrobiology vs. Purana
Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe: extra-terrestrial life and life on Earth. It addresses the question of whether life exists beyond Earth, and how humans can detect it if it does. Astrobiology makes use of physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, molecular biology, ecology, planetary science, geography, and geology to investigate the possibility of life on other worlds and help recognize biospheres that might be different from the biosphere on Earth. It is claimed that although speculation is entertained to give context, astrobiology concerns itself primarily with hypotheses that fit firmly into existing scientific theories (Wikipedia).
Guruji wonders whether the scientist can ever think of inputs from Puranas rather than science fiction about hostile aliens. He says “For example, if the Purana is unequivocally telling us that there is life and even superior life, with greater abilities of all kinds elsewhere in the Creation, the modern science, which can, at best, search for the presence of the Nitrogen or Oxygen at great distances in the Creation, should be treated as being in a state of infancy. We do not yet know whether elements like Nitrogen, which may be components in living physical bodies on the Earth, could be a necessary condition for living beings existing without such physical body. The sciences today are therefore studying only the physical aspects of life or creation, which we are acquainted with on the Earth.”
Memorable Quotes
As one reads the text, one can pick up many pearls of wisdom along the way, each quotation being an elegant exposition of the Aryan Knowledgebase and the Aryan mind. A small sample follows. The quotes can be rearranged to form a sutra-manual on the Vedic religion.
1. The universe is fully living and dynamic in nature. Men have to understand this for realizing the all-pervasive truth for the sake of elevation to higher and higher consciousness (p.xxv).
2. The path may consist of Vedic rituals worshipping the higher beings at various levels, through tapas or meditation on this wonderful all pervasive truth, or through Yoga in which the earth and body consciousness are left behind and the self, rising to levels of higher consciousness (p.xxv).
3. Astronomical knowledge was accompanied by the Aryan’s faith in the benefic and malefic nature of stars and planets and their various combinations. This was the beginning of a whole elaborate astrological tradition with rituals ranging from daily ones to year-long yajnas etc. (p.xxvi).
4. Indians have always dealt with the spirit before matter, spirit in matter and spirit at the end of matter (p.2).
5. Vedic India explained the Creation more as a purposeful activity rather than as a causeless and random interaction of forces and matter. The Vedic religion, thus, explained the meaning of Creation (p.2).
6. Time is a flux and is progressive. Man, born on the earth, is a product of matter and this time-flux in a limited framework. He has a cause of birth, a purpose in living and a goal to reach; only the goal lies beyond his physical existence. The entire process involves a great travel of the ‘inner man’, the soul, through this creation, which has to ultimately end in the absorption in the cause and the origin of creation. In this long journey, Vedic ritualism played a vital role (p.3).
7. The knowledge of Brahmanda and its structure and contents were the starting point of the Aryan religious life. Religious beliefs were not the starting point of the knowledge of Brahmanda (p.3).
8. Vedic knowledge is neither a theory, nor a set of postulates, waiting to evolve into finality. For this reason, the Vedic knowledge has been adopted as a religion, rather than being treated as an evolving science, and a religion not based on belief or imagination (p.4).
9. Technique of meditation is resorted to for crossing the limits of intellect. It is not considered as scientific temper. The result of such a long meditational process can only be termed experience but not information. This is often referred to as realization (p.5).
10. In the meditational techniques, when the secrets of cosmos are sought to be known, the individual approaches the self from within. In this the self reveals itself as well as the secret of the cosmos (p.5).
11. Science is yet to locate a soul or to define consciousness (p.7).
12. The soul’s experience of the body is termed as living (p.11).
13. Vedas contain the science of ritual known as yajna that can take the individual to the next higher world above the earth. For example, the performance of hundred Aswamedha yajnas can give a soul a position equal to that of Indra in the higher world Swarga.
14. How can there be a link between astronomy and religion? The truth is belief in a creator, Godhead, who divided Himself into many, and is thus presiding over the planets and the stars. To the Hindu, the planets or stars like the sun and moon are not inert masses but live divine forces that influence the human life on the Earth. They are dispensers of the man’s destiny or the results of his karma by his actions (p.32).
15. Science has attempted to study the phenomenon of birth and death of stars and has also arrived at the fundamental unit of all matter, the quark. What then are the intelligence, mind and consciousness of a human being? (p.37).
The book can be read many times and many statements are worth pondering over many times. This suggestion is based on this reviewer’s personal experience.
Viswaroopa Darsana
The section 2.14 of the book (p.23) entitled “Viswaroopa” is essentially the summary of this book reproduced here.
To sum up, from out of a dimensionless seed this vast Brahmanda has emerged. A simile is, a huge banyan tree has emerged out of a small seed, with branches large and small, long and short, tall into sky and in every direction. There are a thousand nests built by poor living creatures ,in search of safety and nestled therein, the eggs, the helpless new born and grownups flying high and low only for a while. Can anyone comprehend and visualise the total Banyan tree with all its details in a single moment? Not with a limited human consciousness. Let us recall the Universe similar to the banyan but million fold. That takes us to the wonderful moment in history on the battle-field of Mahabharata. Sri Krishna by his divine power opened up the limited human consciousness of Arjuna into a limitless, all-directional wakefulness, when the entire Brahmanda with all Lokas and Jivas entered into him blasting his limited consciousness. After all the Universe is inside the man’s consciousness and can be unveiled by Yoga, even if it be in part. The Universe, dynamic and living is a truth and the Viswaroopa, a structured true Universe.
Epilogue
This book is a worthy successor to many other books of the author in Telugu and English. I read this after reading his books Katha Yoga, Histories of Maharshis (I and II), Sri Krishna, Maha Vishnu Tattva (Bhishma Bodha, a commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama), Ananta Kala Chakram and his various discourses on the Bhagavad Gita, together forming an encyclopaedia of Sanatana Dharma, and his volumes on Bharatiyata (the true Indian-ness), presenting a nationalist view of Indian history as against the version of colonial rulers, Indologists who were Christian missionaries and the post-independence Marxist historians. Certainly the collection is the effort of a reincarnation of Veda Vyasa for the modern Indian.
Finally, the reviewer recommends every reader to look at the picture on page iii and remember the dhyana sloka,
aapaataaLa-nabhaHsthalaanta-bhuvana-brahmaaNDa-maavisphurat
jyOtiH sphaaTika-linga-mauLi-vilasat-poorNEndu-vaantaamRutaiH |
astOkaapluta-mEka-meeSa-maniSam rudraanu-vaakaanjapan
dhyaayE-deepsita-siddhayE dhruvapadam viprObhiShinchE-cchivam ||
and complete the spiritual journey through our Brahmanda by repeating the prayer,
To the all-pervading Rudra Mahadeva
This humble description of his abode
Is very worshipfully dedicated
With an earnest prayer:
May every worship of the Hindu population
Become meaningful and therefore powerful!
May the Aryan knowledge revive!
May righteousness be victorious!
May all evil vanish soon!
Sivo rakshatu | Sivo rakashatu | Sivo rakshatu |
“Structure of the Universe (Vedic) – Viswaroopa” by Dr. (MM) K. Sivananda Murty, (Published by Sivanada Supatha Foundation, Tadepalligudem and Bheemunipatnam, First Edition 2013, Second Edition, 2014)
V. V. S. Sarma, Bengaluru
Background
If the title of the book were to be just “Structure of the Universe”, a modern reader would assume that the book deals with the physical structure of the universe explored by an astronomer or an astrophysicist. For example, this was the title of the 1977 book of the renowned astrophysicist J. V. Narlikar. This book gave the then current picture of the universe from the view point of an astrophysicist. The present book (published in Dec 2013) of Dr. Sivananda Murty is entitled “Structure of the Universe (Vedic) – Viswaroopa”, which obviously encompasses a scope much wider than the observable physical universe of a scientist. Keeping the modern physical picture in the background, this book gives the broad picture of the universe conceived in the vast Vedic literature, literally the “viswaroopa darsana” obtained by the Vedic sages of yore, through their intense penance (tapas) supplemented by keen observation of the sky.
The Sanskrit words used in the book for the universe and its worlds - brahmanda, viswa and jagati with the many worlds or realms (lokas) contained in it, articulate the scope and content of the book more accurately than the English terms. The Vedic concept of creation of the universe visualizes an ellipsoidal entity called the Brahmanda (meaning - the Cosmic Egg). The Puranas tell us that this Brahmanda consists of 14 major realms or lokas, six higher and seven lower with respect to the realm of Earth (Bhuloka) and the solar system on its central plane. Creation consists of the transformation (vivarta) of Brahman into Paramatma and jivas simultaneously. The various worlds are then populated with jivas having appropriate bodies (sariras). Viswa stands for the vastness and pervasiveness of the Universe and Jagati denotes the space for the sojourn of the soul (gati) in the universe. Brahmanda is a finite subset of the infinite, never completely knowable all-pervading viswa. Jagati has a connotation of the domain of existence and movement of a trillion souls manifesting as devas, asuras, nagas, humans, animals and several other species of jivas distributed throughout the universe in their lokas in the Brahmanda.
The word “viswaroopa” immediately brings to the reader’s mind Lord Sri Krishna showing his universal form to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, as described in the Bhagavad Gita, to Yasoda in the Bhagavata Purana and to the Kauravas in the court of Dhritarashtra in the Mahabharata. When the universe is considered as an object of study along with the matter, life and intelligence visible in the universe, two words immediately come to mind. They are the creator and his creation. The ordinary human observer, with his “bounded rationality”, and who is a part of the creation, often speculates about the primal cause of creation, identifying it with the creator, usually referred to as God, the personified primordial intelligence. Creation, sustenance and annihilation are processes, attributed to aspects Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, which go on in the universe continuously. This is, of course, the stand of the Vedic literature – Vedas, Vedangas and Puranas.
The Present Book
The present book starts with a discussion on the modern scientific subject of contemporary Cosmology. The author traces the history of the subject from Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus and Galileo to the twenty first century consequent to developments in many scientific fields. He notes that the scientific method involves the formulation, modelling, prediction, testing, and modification of hypotheses and theories using systematic observation, measurement, and experiment. Cosmology falls in between physics and metaphysics. For the Western mind, science, philosophy, religion and political ideology are all incompatible objects confusing the modern man in these troubled times. While modern cosmology is essentially physical cosmology dealing with the material aspect of the universe, Vedic cosmology concentrates on the evolution of jivas and their sojourn through the various lokas of the Brahmanda and their ultimate merger into Paramatma.
Modern Evolutionary Metaphysics attempts “to contemplate the meaning and purpose of our existence in light of the scientific theory of natural evolution”. Natural evolution depends on random mutation, and some people say this proves that life has no higher purpose. Others think that the seemingly inevitable emergence of consciousness suggests that there may be a purpose behind evolution. The website of the “The Academy of Evolutionary Metaphysics” (http://www.evolutionary-metaphysics.net/) gives a “rational” examination of whether there might be any higher purpose or meaning to our existence by exploring the history of mythology and ideology in the hope of promoting peaceful progress through a deeper understanding of the questions that need to be answered. The study brackets all religions Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and political philosophies such as communism as belief systems and the academy hopes that eventually the entire world might be united by a common belief in the scientific worldview. The modern Indian scientist often adopts only this Western view, by virtue of his education and work environment and this is confirmed by articles such as “A Statistical Test for Astrology” by Narlikar et al for Maharashtra andha sraddha nirmulan samiti, in “Current Science”, a reputed Indian Science Journal (2009). What does not fit the accepted template of science is often dismissed as superstition by the science community.
It is in this era of cultural dilemmas faced by the modern world that this new book fulfils a major purpose. It looks at the inadequacy of modern science in understanding the universe fully and presents a complementary view of universe and creation provided by the Vedic literature. This view was obtained through the efforts of great sages of divine origin, through their intense tapas and deep meditation. Their methods were totally different from those of modern science. The modern Indian is sceptical about the vast knowledge contained in the ocean of Vedic literature, because there is no authoritative guidance available for one to navigate through it effectively. The language of Vedas is different. Upanishads speak in a different tongue. Puranas and Itihasas have their different narratives. Vedangas, Darsanas and Shastras present many conflicting theories in terse language. With the result the language used in the Vedic literature sounds more like belief and religion with symbolism, metaphoric or mystic, and it is easy to dismiss the whole thing as one more religious cosmology.
Objectives of the Book
Ancient Aryan Wisdom had excelled not only in the philosophical theory and analytical study of creation, but also in the observations and study of the nature on the earth and the creation in the space. The Brahmanda Purana is dedicated to the perceptions of Vedic Rishis regarding the structure of the Universe. Each book from the Vedic literature – say, Katha, Taittiriya and Brihadaranyaka Upanishads, the Mahabharata and the Puranas – by itself leaves the modern reader with more questions than rational answers. The present book is a step towards providing such answers on the structure of the universe and the creation and evolution of beings in it, to answer the many doubts one gets while studying Vedic literature, by integrating and correlating the material from diverse sources and presenting a unified picture. The book is organised in such a way as to meet the following objectives:
1) To familiarize the reader with the contemporary understanding of the structure of the universe vis-à-vis the Vedic knowledge regarding Brahmanda.
2) To contrast the goals and methodology of knowledge acquisition in modern science and in Vedic times.
3) To point out the limitations of modern science in Cosmology and the use of meditation in experiencing truth.
4) To locate the earth, the moon, the sun, the solar system, the zodiac and the fourteen major worlds and smaller worlds nearer to the earth such as Vasuloka, Pitruloka, Gandharvaloka and Yamaloka with reference to the earth and the sojourn of jivas through the lokas.
5) To explain the purpose of creation as the evolution of the souls from darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge and their ultimate merger in the super soul (Paramatma) after a long time spent in the cycle of births and deaths in the Pitruyana or Devayana paths.
6) To explain the achievements of Indian astronomy in ancient times, particularly the precession of the equinoxes, libration theory and contributions of Aryabhata, Varahamihira and Lagadha.
7) To explain the origin of the divinities in the creation, the arrival of the in-dwellers, and the role of Prajapatis in the procreation of the jivas and
8) To touch upon the bliss levels in higher worlds as in Taittiriya Upanishad and the concept of emancipation (mukti) in Sanatana dharma and nirvana in Buddhism.
Key Passages in the Text
There are many short passages which are keys for providing answers to the questions posed in the text. The description of Ghosha Shanti from the Taittiriya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajurveda quoted in the Preface (page xxv) is one such. The passage is reproduced here. It describes an abhisheka kriya (worshipful bathing) addressed to the almighty Mahadeva, who occupies the Universe from the lowest Patala to the end of the space above (aapaatala nabhasthalaanta...)
The ashta Vasus pour the nectar on the Supreme Being from the East praising Him in ‘Gayatri Chandas’. The Rudras do the abhisheka from the South praising Him in ‘Trishtup Chandas’. The Adityas or twelve Suns do the abhisheka from the West chanting the praise in the ‘Jagati Chandas’. From the North Viswedevas worship Mahadeva praising Him in the ‘Anushtup Chandas’. High above in the Brahmanda, Brihaspati worships Him from all the directions in the ‘Pankti Chandas’. This is because far above our mid-regions of our Solar system there can be no directions whatsoever. It is just an open space all round. In our region of our Solar system there are directions due to the Earth’s rotation causing apparent sunrise and sunset and there is a southern course and northern course of the Earth’s path around the Sun. The existence of various lokas around us finds a clear mention here. In fact references to this effect are aplenty in our literature.
This passage together with the dhyana sloka (aapaatala nabhasthalaanta...) determines the structure of the Universe and the limits of Brahmanda. The infinite Jyotirlinga of Mahadeva locates Patala as the bottom of this Linga and the top end is the end of Nabha. The Vasuloka is on the East, the Rudraloka is on the South, Adityaloka (of the twelve Suns) is on the West and the Pitruloka of Viswedevas is on the North, near the central belt of Brahmanda. The Dhruvapadam mentioned in the dhyana sloka is beyond the North Pole of the Celestial Sphere and the Swargaloka of Brihaspati is north of it and the axis goes to the North Pole of the Brahmanada Ellipsoid, near Brahmaloka and Kailasa.
Understanding this passage fully needs some knowledge of the Vedic meters (Chandas). The cryptic rules of Pingala’s Chandah Sastra give the answer. [Gayatrya vasavah (3.3), Jagatya adityah (3.4), Virajo disah (3.5), Tristubho rudrah (3.6), Anustubh gayatraih (3.23) panktir-jagatau gayatrau ca (3:37)]. Vasus number eight and Gayatri chandas has 8 matras per line. Rudras are eleven in number and the meter Trishtup has eleven matras. Similarly other meters may be understood.
A verse in the Bhagavata Purana throws an interesting view of Chandas. In the Gajendra Mokshana episode a sloka describes arrival of Sri Hari to save the elephant:
tam tadvad artam upalabhya jagan-nivasah
stotram nisamya divijaih saha samstuvadbhih
chandomayena garudena samuhyamanas
cakrayudho 'bhyagamad asu yato gajendrah
(Srimad Bhagavatam 8.3.31)
When Divijas do stotram in a particular chandas, has Garuda as chandomaya helped the immediate manifestation of Vishnu on the spot?
How to read the book?
A work such as this one cannot be written as a college text book. A variety of topics such as astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, philosophy of science along with Vedic Jyotisha needed to be touched upon to give an idea of the Universe. The misinterpretations of some of the Western Indologists have to be pointed out and the true meaning of cryptic Vedic and Puranic statements has to be brought out. A rough guide for exploring the book effectively is the following – The author’s preface followed by chapters 1, 2, 3 and 9 give an idea of the Vedic literature’s view on Brahmanda. Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 will supplement the story from Indian Astronomy, Cosmology, comparative study and the Surya Siddhanta. Cosmology glossary at the end explains astronomical terms and introduces the many contributors to the subject.
Meditation and Yogic Perception
The author briefly touches upon the role of Yogic practice and techniques of meditation in obtaining experience of the worlds of Brahmanda and for further enlightenment his book Katha-Yoga is recommended . The relevant information is presented in the sections 1.4 and 3.7. The author notes that any amount of scientific progress cannot make meditation redundant. The practitioner approaches self from within and the self reveals itself as well as the secret of cosmos. The self conquers its false identification with the body and leads to a subconscious wakefulness in dhyana and samadhi. Science can only take a limited outside view of the universe at an intellectual level. According to the ancient Indian philosophy of Yoga, the human body is the smallest and most complete miniature model of the Universe. It contains in itself all the components of the Brahmanda, arrangement of all the seven lokas from earth above. This inner picture of the Brahmanda, in a man is, of course, the secret power that enabled the man to discover the structure of Brahmanda. This is practical realisation of the all-pervading universal spirit and the yogi himself becoming one with it. The lokas are reflected in the body in the Chakras or centres described in the Yoga-sastra from Muladhara, as the earth to Sahasrara, as the Brahmaloka respectively. The superior worlds are represented in spirit in between, as the other Chakras – Svadhishthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Visuddha, and Ajna.
Scientific Method, Scientific Temper and Limits of Science
In modern India the term “scientific temper” has become a fashionable buzz word which was popularized by Jawaharlal Nehru in social discourse. “To develop scientific temper” is listed as one of the fundamental duties of citizens as per the Indian Constitution’s 42nd Amendment of 1976. Scientific temper describes an attitude which involves the application of logic and rational thinking. Nehru says in “The Discovery of India” –
"[What is needed] is the scientific approach, the adventurous and yet critical temper of science, the search for truth and new knowledge, the refusal to accept anything without testing and trial, the capacity to change previous conclusions in the face of new evidence, the reliance on observed fact and not on pre-conceived theory, the hard discipline of the mind—all this is necessary, not merely for the application of science but for life itself and the solution of its many problems."
The concept of scientific temper in the West is the positive result of European renaissance, when the dogmatic beliefs of Christianity in which Galileo was harassed by the Catholic Church, gave way to general acceptance of new ideas surfacing in the scientific revolution assisted by the pre-Christian era rationality of the Greeks. What Nehru did not realize is that this approach is not new to India and it is the standard paradigm in Indian logic and development of Indian philosophy and ancient science in India. Perception and logical inference are the main pramanas for valid knowledge acquisition, but there are other pramanas such as Sabda-pramana (e.g. validity of the Veda) to be used when these two are not adequate.
In this connection the following observations of the author are worth noting:
1. The higher life in the Brahmanda with no gross body but higher intelligence can never be proved by the man’s sensory perceptions and related logical inference that follows, which is the basic platform on which science rests. Vedic knowledge can never meet science on this platform. It is for the science to perceive at a future date the possible truth in Vedic knowledge. (p.4)
2. Techniques of meditation are not resorted to [in modern science], for crossing the limits of intellect. It is not viewed as scientific temper. In the meditational techniques, when the secrets of cosmos are sought to be known, the individual approaches the self from within. (p.5)
3. The Puranas have asserted that it is possible to know only about our own Brahmanda and also added that beyond the seven nether worlds there is an impenetrable darkness in which even the higher beings cannot enter or cross. It is also said that it is impossible to know what lies beyond while at the same time asserting in another context that there are millions of Brahmandas. This is to say that it is enough to know the existence of many other Brahmandas and that it is futile to attempt to know anything about what exists next to this Brahmanda. There is perfect rationale in this approach to the cosmic riddle. In this way, the Purana has shown us our limits without wasting our attention to know the unknowable or what is not worth knowing for a purposeful living.
4. In total contrast to this, the modern science constantly spends its midnight oil trying to peep into the space, deeper every time with a more gigantic telescope; the Hubble, the Keck....and so on. The science is attempting to investigate other galaxies in addition to our own Milky Way, their size, mass, distance, and direction of their movement and so on. This does not mean we have completed the exploration of our own galaxy. Even the shape and the limits of our galaxy or its contents are not definitely known to us. We have found out that our solar system is but a speck in our galaxy. The end of its journey is yet inconceivable to us. Life elsewhere is, of course, the unanswered question. The ‘why’ of the creation and the purpose of our existence with intelligence are not even considered as questions worthy of investigation. We seem to be content with our sensual living on our planet without ever questioning as to what is expected of us.
5. Science has also attempted to study the phenomenon of birth and death of stars and has also arrived at the fundamental unit of all matter, the quark. What then are the intelligence, mind and consciousness (of the human being)? The question is whether we can know all about the creation without knowing who the knower is.
The science community, of late, is pondering over these issues as some recent books indicate.
In the book “The Outer Limits of Reason: What Science, Mathematics, and Logic Cannot Tell Us” (2013, The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA), by Computer Science Professor Noson S. Yanofsky, considers what cannot be predicted, described, or known, and what will never be understood. He discusses the limitations of computers, physics, logic, and our own thought processes. Yanofsky describes simple tasks that would take computers trillions of centuries to complete and other problems that computers can never solve; perfectly formed English sentences that make no sense; different levels of infinity; the bizarre world of the quantum; the relevance of relativity theory; the causes of chaos theory; math problems that cannot be solved by normal means; and statements that are true but cannot be proven. He explains the limitations of our intuitions about the world - our ideas about space, time, and motion, and the complex relationship between the knower and the known.
Astrobiology vs. Purana
Astrobiology is the study of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe: extra-terrestrial life and life on Earth. It addresses the question of whether life exists beyond Earth, and how humans can detect it if it does. Astrobiology makes use of physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, molecular biology, ecology, planetary science, geography, and geology to investigate the possibility of life on other worlds and help recognize biospheres that might be different from the biosphere on Earth. It is claimed that although speculation is entertained to give context, astrobiology concerns itself primarily with hypotheses that fit firmly into existing scientific theories (Wikipedia).
Guruji wonders whether the scientist can ever think of inputs from Puranas rather than science fiction about hostile aliens. He says “For example, if the Purana is unequivocally telling us that there is life and even superior life, with greater abilities of all kinds elsewhere in the Creation, the modern science, which can, at best, search for the presence of the Nitrogen or Oxygen at great distances in the Creation, should be treated as being in a state of infancy. We do not yet know whether elements like Nitrogen, which may be components in living physical bodies on the Earth, could be a necessary condition for living beings existing without such physical body. The sciences today are therefore studying only the physical aspects of life or creation, which we are acquainted with on the Earth.”
Memorable Quotes
As one reads the text, one can pick up many pearls of wisdom along the way, each quotation being an elegant exposition of the Aryan Knowledgebase and the Aryan mind. A small sample follows. The quotes can be rearranged to form a sutra-manual on the Vedic religion.
1. The universe is fully living and dynamic in nature. Men have to understand this for realizing the all-pervasive truth for the sake of elevation to higher and higher consciousness (p.xxv).
2. The path may consist of Vedic rituals worshipping the higher beings at various levels, through tapas or meditation on this wonderful all pervasive truth, or through Yoga in which the earth and body consciousness are left behind and the self, rising to levels of higher consciousness (p.xxv).
3. Astronomical knowledge was accompanied by the Aryan’s faith in the benefic and malefic nature of stars and planets and their various combinations. This was the beginning of a whole elaborate astrological tradition with rituals ranging from daily ones to year-long yajnas etc. (p.xxvi).
4. Indians have always dealt with the spirit before matter, spirit in matter and spirit at the end of matter (p.2).
5. Vedic India explained the Creation more as a purposeful activity rather than as a causeless and random interaction of forces and matter. The Vedic religion, thus, explained the meaning of Creation (p.2).
6. Time is a flux and is progressive. Man, born on the earth, is a product of matter and this time-flux in a limited framework. He has a cause of birth, a purpose in living and a goal to reach; only the goal lies beyond his physical existence. The entire process involves a great travel of the ‘inner man’, the soul, through this creation, which has to ultimately end in the absorption in the cause and the origin of creation. In this long journey, Vedic ritualism played a vital role (p.3).
7. The knowledge of Brahmanda and its structure and contents were the starting point of the Aryan religious life. Religious beliefs were not the starting point of the knowledge of Brahmanda (p.3).
8. Vedic knowledge is neither a theory, nor a set of postulates, waiting to evolve into finality. For this reason, the Vedic knowledge has been adopted as a religion, rather than being treated as an evolving science, and a religion not based on belief or imagination (p.4).
9. Technique of meditation is resorted to for crossing the limits of intellect. It is not considered as scientific temper. The result of such a long meditational process can only be termed experience but not information. This is often referred to as realization (p.5).
10. In the meditational techniques, when the secrets of cosmos are sought to be known, the individual approaches the self from within. In this the self reveals itself as well as the secret of the cosmos (p.5).
11. Science is yet to locate a soul or to define consciousness (p.7).
12. The soul’s experience of the body is termed as living (p.11).
13. Vedas contain the science of ritual known as yajna that can take the individual to the next higher world above the earth. For example, the performance of hundred Aswamedha yajnas can give a soul a position equal to that of Indra in the higher world Swarga.
14. How can there be a link between astronomy and religion? The truth is belief in a creator, Godhead, who divided Himself into many, and is thus presiding over the planets and the stars. To the Hindu, the planets or stars like the sun and moon are not inert masses but live divine forces that influence the human life on the Earth. They are dispensers of the man’s destiny or the results of his karma by his actions (p.32).
15. Science has attempted to study the phenomenon of birth and death of stars and has also arrived at the fundamental unit of all matter, the quark. What then are the intelligence, mind and consciousness of a human being? (p.37).
The book can be read many times and many statements are worth pondering over many times. This suggestion is based on this reviewer’s personal experience.
Viswaroopa Darsana
The section 2.14 of the book (p.23) entitled “Viswaroopa” is essentially the summary of this book reproduced here.
To sum up, from out of a dimensionless seed this vast Brahmanda has emerged. A simile is, a huge banyan tree has emerged out of a small seed, with branches large and small, long and short, tall into sky and in every direction. There are a thousand nests built by poor living creatures ,in search of safety and nestled therein, the eggs, the helpless new born and grownups flying high and low only for a while. Can anyone comprehend and visualise the total Banyan tree with all its details in a single moment? Not with a limited human consciousness. Let us recall the Universe similar to the banyan but million fold. That takes us to the wonderful moment in history on the battle-field of Mahabharata. Sri Krishna by his divine power opened up the limited human consciousness of Arjuna into a limitless, all-directional wakefulness, when the entire Brahmanda with all Lokas and Jivas entered into him blasting his limited consciousness. After all the Universe is inside the man’s consciousness and can be unveiled by Yoga, even if it be in part. The Universe, dynamic and living is a truth and the Viswaroopa, a structured true Universe.
Epilogue
This book is a worthy successor to many other books of the author in Telugu and English. I read this after reading his books Katha Yoga, Histories of Maharshis (I and II), Sri Krishna, Maha Vishnu Tattva (Bhishma Bodha, a commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama), Ananta Kala Chakram and his various discourses on the Bhagavad Gita, together forming an encyclopaedia of Sanatana Dharma, and his volumes on Bharatiyata (the true Indian-ness), presenting a nationalist view of Indian history as against the version of colonial rulers, Indologists who were Christian missionaries and the post-independence Marxist historians. Certainly the collection is the effort of a reincarnation of Veda Vyasa for the modern Indian.
Finally, the reviewer recommends every reader to look at the picture on page iii and remember the dhyana sloka,
aapaataaLa-nabhaHsthalaanta-bhuvana-brahmaaNDa-maavisphurat
jyOtiH sphaaTika-linga-mauLi-vilasat-poorNEndu-vaantaamRutaiH |
astOkaapluta-mEka-meeSa-maniSam rudraanu-vaakaanjapan
dhyaayE-deepsita-siddhayE dhruvapadam viprObhiShinchE-cchivam ||
and complete the spiritual journey through our Brahmanda by repeating the prayer,
To the all-pervading Rudra Mahadeva
This humble description of his abode
Is very worshipfully dedicated
With an earnest prayer:
May every worship of the Hindu population
Become meaningful and therefore powerful!
May the Aryan knowledge revive!
May righteousness be victorious!
May all evil vanish soon!
Sivo rakshatu | Sivo rakashatu | Sivo rakshatu |
Is it in telugu language? I dont see in ssfound website..
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