Saturday, December 28, 2013

BIG BANG THEORY DEBUNKED. Modern Physics and Hindu Philosophy #Debunked Big Bang

big bangNow scientist are confused saying big bang never hapenned and Universe was forever, so there is no end and begining , infinite as Ancient India sages, scientists always say phys.org."The Big Bang singularity is the most serious problem of general relativity because the laws of physics appear to break down there," Ahmed Farag Ali at Benha University and the Zewail City of Science and Technology, both in Egypt, told Phys.org.Ali and coauthor Saurya Das at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, have shown in a paper published in Physics Letters B that the Big Bang singularity can be resolved by their in which the universe has no beginning and no end.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-02-big-quantum-equation-universe.html#jCp

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-02-big-quantum-equation-universe.html#jCp
 

Modern Physics and Hindu Philosophy

There are amazing similarities between implications of theories of modern physics and ancient Hindu philosophy as expressed in Vedas and Upanishads. The basis of Hindu philosophy is the mystical idea of Brahman. The Brahman is usually described by the words “Neti, Neti “meaning, not this, not this! When I went into study of physics, I realized that, as far as knowledge of ultimate reality is concerned, physicists are in exactly same situation as the ancient Rishis. Both cannot describe it in everyday language. In Mundak Upanishad, knowledge is divided into two parts: Para Vidya which deals with the eternal truth that can lead to self realization and Apara Vidya which deals with knowledge about material world. Under this classification, Physics might come under Apara Vidya. But, I would like to convince you that Modern Physics is also Para Vidya!

 A number of early pioneers in quantum theory such as Bohr, Schrodinger, Heisenberg and later Bohm, were deeply influenced by eastern mystical ideas. A number of books have been written on this subject. Fritz Capra’s book in seventies on “The Tao of Physics” started the ball rolling. More recently, physicists Subhash Kak, Amit Goswami, John Hagelin (Maharshi Mahesh Yogi’s group) and some others have published extensively on this subject.

Now, I will describe briefly implications of some of the theories of modern physics for non-physicists. Physics which was discovered before the 20th century is known as classical physics which describes everyday physics like major parts of mechanics, heat, electricity-magnetism, optics etc which are used extensively in engineering and technology. At the beginning of 20th century, experimental data and certain inconsistency problems compelled physicists to accept two revolutionary theories: Quantum theory and Relativity theory. Physicists were forced to change their view of nature drastically as a result. Initially, there was immense reluctance to give up classical ideas. They were forced into quantum theory and relativity theory kicking and screaming. First of all, it was found that the world is not made out of rigid firm objects like billiard balls or bricks. At the atomic and sub-atomic level it consists of fuzzy wavelike objects and lot of empty space. So the solid nature of objects we see around is only apparent. As one goes deeper and deeper, one keeps on finding vacuum all the way. cosmology of hinduism is more advanced

This reminds one of the ideas of sunyata and Maya or illusion covering the whole universe, as Adi Shankaracharya said “Brahma Satyam, Jagat Mithya”. Brahman is the only truth; the world is a false illusion. Now, just like us, he must have seen solid bodies, rigid walls and trees. I believe he realized that all of this disintegrates and thus cannot be fundamental reality. Thus, because of the covering of Maya, one does not see the underlying real Brahman. (Previously, the concept of Maya from Mandukya Upanishad was emphasized by Shankaracharya’s spiritual grandfather Gaudapadacharya). Similarly, in physics, one sees only the material objects around and does not see strange quantum fuzzy world underlying all the matter. Moreover, the particles of modern physics are believed to be in some kind of suspended state devoid of any specific properties until they are measured. They are in some sense both here and there at the same time and are described by a wave function, a superposition of seemingly contradictory properties. Such a description is very similar to the description of Brahman e.g. in Ishopanishad: “It moves and it moves not; it is far and it is near; it is within all this and it is also outside all this.” Then the ultimate shock of quantum theory came when Bell’s theorem and subsequent experiments proved the so called entanglements to be right. In such cases, two or more atoms, electrons or photons demonstrate correlated properties even at distances where no communication is possible between them during the given time. These developments are the most important developments in the history of physics and perhaps in the whole of science. They give rise to the idea of the interconnected wholeness of the world and non-local interactions in contrast to the separate identities with local interactions. Thus atoms also exhibit holistic like properties and perhaps some primitive relationship to consciousness. So it is not proper to say that any analysis starting with atoms is reductionist and not holistic.
The four Mahavakyas express similar concept about individual and Brahman. Pragnanam Brahman - "Consciousness is Brahman" (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda) Ayam Atma Brahman - "This Self (Atman) is Brahman" (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda) Tat Tvam Asi - "That Thou art " (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda) Aham Brahmasmi- "I am Brahman" (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda). Thus Brahman is present in everything. This matches very well with the concept of modern physics that everything is made out of the same fundamental particles. Another basic finding of quantum theory is the involvement of the observer in the observed things. It is impossible to separate the effect of the measuring apparatus from the object measured. Detachment of the two is just not possible. Such an idea about the observer and the object of observation is also emphasized in Upanishads. It is behind the holistic philosophy about mind and body.

A leading current model of origin of universe assumes that there was total vacuum in the beginning and the universe arose from a quantum fluctuation. In this way something came out of nothing. At that time it was totally dark since light had not emerged from vacuum yet! Compare this model with the following quotation from Vayupuran about origin of universe. "In the beginning, there was nothing in the universe. The Brahman (the divine essence) alone was everywhere. The Brahman had neither color nor scent; it could not be felt or touched. It had no origin, no beginning or no end. The Brahman was constant and it was the origin of everything that was destined to be in the universe and the universe was shrouded in darkness. nasadiya sukta  of Rig Veda(story of creation) also mentions that there was total darkness before creation.

There are strange facts in the theory of relativity also: It requires that measurement of time depends on observer’s motion and also the strength of gravitational field he/she is in. An often recurring mention in Hindu scriptures is that Brahma’s time is different from ours. When one hears about Arjun looking at the past, present and future in the mouth of Lord Krishna in Vishwaroop Darshan (Ch.11 of Bhagvatgeeta), one is reminded of collapse of the space time coordinate system near singularities of general theory of relativity. Also, it is well known that Hindu scriptures came up with the correct order of magnitude of the age of universe of several billion years, when other religious systems insisted on the age to be a few thousand years.
Per Upanishad’s, Brahman cannot be understood by logic! If it can be understood, it is not Brahman! There is a story about two yogis.
Some parts of Vedas are full of worship of natural elements like wind, water, fire etc and also picture Gods to look like human beings in the form of avatars. In some parts of Vedas and many Upanishads, we see clearly concept of abstract, omnipresent, invisible, eternal, transcendent and immanent Brahman who has qualities unfamiliar in our everyday life. 


Scientist such as Penrose, Hameroff and Stapp have suggested that consciousness in our brain may arise from atomic size domains and hence consciousness may be quantum mechanical in nature. but currently there is no real understanding of consciousness.link
There is an all pervading holistic non-local layer which we may call Brahman. Part of our consciousness may draw on this. This connection may be what is called Atman. Non-local entanglements of atoms may be also related to this layer.

HINDUISM FACTS.

ANCIENT INDIA + VOICE + SOUND + CREATION + BRAMHA + MUSIC

Ancient Indian Science of Voice, Vocal and Music.

The word Bharata (India) – Which is condensed out of the musical expression Bhava, Raga and Tala, rightly emphasises the inalienable relationship between the thoughts, words and actions of human life, and music in India. On one side, it can be said that it is the music within, the Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Knowledge- Bliss Absolute) that finds manifold expressions outside in man’s life. Viewe...d from the other side, it is the sublimation of actions, words and thoughts that lead one to hear the same music within.

ANCIENT INDIA AND DHARMA TRUTH


sound as wave of creation---

 In India, music is considered as a subtle divine thread capable of linking the Jeevatman (individual soul) with the Parmatman (Supreme Soul), a concept originating in the Tantric idea of Sabdabrahman, the primeval source of creation. This idea finds expression in the eloquent words of the renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin, ‘Indian music reflects Indian life having no predetermined beginning or end but flowing without interruption through the fingers of the composer-performer.’

To fully understand the beauty, depth and elevating qualities of Indian music, one must therefore understand, if not experience, these concepts at least to some extent.

It is believed that the Supreme Being is of the nature of Sabdabrahman or Nadabrahman. This Ultimate Sound Principle gets manifested as its vibrations. Through the Samyoga and Viyoga i.e. the union and separation of these vibrations, Sabdabrahman creates the world of ‘forms’, from the sub-atomic to the biggest and the mightiest! The entire cosmos is the manifestation of Sabdabrahman. That being so, in uniting the entire creation, lies ‘Naada’. As the Naada evolves, differentiates and expands from the subtle to the gross, it gives rise to articulate sounds- ‘Varnas’, ‘Srutis’ and ‘Swaras’ – and moves on to create ‘Ragas’, capturing the ‘Bhavas’ (moods) of the mind. From Varnas arise by permutations and combinations, the world of ‘forms’.

Today scientific substantiation of these concepts has been forthcoming through the experimental demonstration that different geometrical figures can be produced by manipulating sound! That means it is possible to reduce all ‘physical forms’ to ‘sound forms’ and vice-versa. In other words, form is sound made manifest. According to the Tantras there are 50 basic sounds out of which the world of forms has come into being.
Classification of sound--

 Nowhere in the world has the science of Sound and Music been studied so deeply and exhaustively as in ancient India. Panini, Patanjali, Bhartruhari, Nandikeswara, Anjaneya and Bharata are outstanding among those who have contributed to the unravelling of the mystery of sound, music and creation. The ‘Sabda’ itself is classified into Para, Pashyanti, Madhyama and Vaikhari.

1.The grossest of these four is Vaikhari, the dense audible sound.

2. Madhyama is the stage where thought takes the form of sound or word.

3. Pashyanti is the preceding stage where ‘thought’ assumes a ‘form’ where sound vibration becomes ‘visible’ in the mind. At that stage, there is no impress of language on the form. That is, here the barrier of language has no meaning.

4. Beyond it lies the subtlest, highest and most transcendental stage of Para where neither thought, nor names nor forms find a place, as there are neither waves nor wavelengths there. It is the ultimate unifying substratum – the undifferentiated, yet potential sound of Sabdabrahman. This is the stage of Godhead – sans thought, sound or form, the goal of deep meditation.

No wonder that such a concept and understanding of music developed into a form of worship (Nadopasana) and has carried many on its wings to self-unfoldment and merger with the Ultimate Truth or Parabrahman. From the unmanifest to the manifest, from the manifest to the unmanifest, thus goes the cycle of Naada (sound), stretching from Eternity to Eternity – linking everything without any distinction of desa-kala-nama-roopa (place, time, name, form). Only in the land of Nataraja (cosmic dancer; Shiva), Saraswati (goddess of learning), the Veena (stringed musical instrument), Murali (flute), could such a sublime concept have been conceived, creating a vibrant life, science and tradition in music.

Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa had beautiful visions bearing on this principle. He used to see a long white thread proceeding out of himself.

‘This mass would open and within it he would see the Mother with a Veena. Then, she would begin to play and as she played he would see the music turning into birds and animals and worlds and arrange themselves. Then she would stop playing and they would all disappear. The light would grow less and less distinct till it was just a luminous mass, the string would grow shorter and shorter and the whole world would be absorbed into himself again.’

What an incomparable vision! A condensed drop of the entire philosophy of sound and music.

Our ancient seers living in communion with Nature must have ‘seen’ and heard the music in myriad ways and forms. In the rising sun, in the light of the stars, in the heights of the snow-clad Himalayas, in the thick forests, in the thundering clouds, in the gurgling Ganges – in the cries of birds and animals, in the blooming of flowers, dropping of petals, ripening and sweetening of fruit, in birth, growth and decay of created beings, anywhere and everywhere, they would have felt the resonance of the one Naada. Capturing this music in Nature, they must have felt their souls ringing in harmony with them and instinctively realised the same Naada vibrating within them. With joy and thrill, they must have picked up the basic notes and built around them their grand repertoire:

SA -from the cry of the peacock with its two sounds of lower and higher pitches

RE -from the cry of the bull

GA-from that of a goat

MA-from the cry of the Krauncha bird

PA-from the voice of the Koel in spring

DHA- from the neighing of the horse, and

NE-from the cry of the elephant.

It is said that Lord Shiva in his cosmic dance produced from his Damaru various types of sounds and the great saint, Patanjali, grasped them in his Maheshwara Sutras and explained the formation of the universe. According to this view, the origin of the 7 basic notes can be traced back to Shiva.

According to some others, the 7 keynotes, which form the units of music all over the world, personify 7 levels of human consciousness. Out of this consciousness springs forth the stream of life, essentially consisting of one’s aspirations to reach that sanctum of happiness, bliss and fulfilment within. In a particular direction, it is called music, in another, dance, in a third, painting, in a fourth, poetry. But among all the fine arts, the finest is indeed music. One, who has understood Naada as the very basis of music, realises it as the subtlest of vibrations, which forms the life-current in each and every cell in his body. It is this omnipresent Naada, which, following particular rhythms, curves and waves, flows through our life, enriching us with experiences. If one tries to discover it within and manifest it without, it becomes the fittest musical instrument in the hands of the Supreme and his life itself turns into a music with a rare melody of tune and rhythm.

The study of Indian music has its own practical lessons to impart to our every day life. To learn music is a discipline in itself, controlling one’s body, breath, voice, one’s very nature itself. In childhood, learning music helps one to develop a rhythm and order in his daily activities. Through Upasana of naada, he catches glimpses of the unity in diversity. In the second stage, by enriching the Bhavana (feeling) in the music, one can control and sublimate the emotions of the mind. As the evening of life approaches, music turns into a source of peace and joy. Equanimity and tranquillity of mind come as by-products of an advanced musical mind. If one is a true Upasaka (earnest student), before long, from the outer music he will turn towards the inner and start enjoying the subtlest of music – the Anahata Naada, the soundless sound – in the innermost chamber of one’s heart. Thus, music can truly form the vehicle to take man from the gross to the subtle, from the finite to the infinite. As his life’s vibrations become attuned to the divine, his soul’s music reveals to him the music in the creation and of the creation. He finds the entire universe resounding with the Eternal notes – Soham Soham.

The chords of life can be tuned properly as in a musical instrument with self-effort. If one masters this art of tuning, and brings out the best of Swaras without any Apaswaras, then his life becomes attuned to the Supreme Music and he would sing the soul-stirring music of love, compassion and understanding.

Veenaavaadana tatwajnaha;

swarajnaana vishaaradah;

Talajnachaaprayatnena;

param brahmaadhigacchati

“One who plays the Veena with full knowledge of the basic principles of sound, the science of tune evolution and the beat of music could attain Parabrahman without much effort.”

There is no aspect of life where music cannot play its role. The soothing of the nerves and the calming of the mind that music brings about are marvellous. Just as a mother can sing her child to sleep through her lullabies, at every context in life, whether in the farms or factories, in games or studies, music can bring in a sense of unity and harmony. In India, we have established long long back, that through proper combinations of Swaras we can create Ragas, which have the capacity to call forth forces of Nature such as the rain, fire, etc. Stones can be melted, glass can be broken, and lamps can be lighted. Trees and plants can respond to the music of one who has attuned himself to the Eternal vibrations.

Today, Indian music has caught the attention of musicologists, scientists and other learned men. With more and more research in the field of Indian musicology, more and more hidden treasures are surfacing. In spite of all the ups and downs it has gone through the several centuries of its growth, Indian music has retained its highly aesthetic and elevating spirit and its unique individuality.

Rightly has Shakespeare said of music:

“The man that has no music in himself, nor is moved with sweet concord of sweet sound, is fit for treason, stratagems and spoils.”

Nearer home, we have the Lord Himself proclaiming:

Naaham vasaami Vaikunthe,

Na yogi hriday gaavati

Madbhakta yatra gaayanti

Tatra tishthami Naarada

“I dwell not in Vaikunth (heaven), nor in the hearts of Yogins, nor in the sun; but where my devotees sing, there, O Narada, do I reside.”

That is the uniqueness of Indian music. May that all-pervading Nadbrahman, remove all the Apaswaras (discordant tunes) from our lives and fill it with pleasing, unifying and harmonising Swaras so that the music of our lives may flow melodiously, taking us from untruth to Truth, from darkness to Light, from death to Immortality.


 From the Mahabharata
Santi Parva, Section CLXXXIV

Different kinds of sound. They are the seven original notes called Shadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Mahdhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nishada. these are the seven kinds of the property that appertains to space. Sound inheres like the Supreme Being in all space though attached especially to drums and other instruments. Whatever sound is heard from drums small and large, and conchs, and clouds, and cars, and animate and inanimate creatures, are all included in these seven kinds of sound already enumerated. Thus, sound, which is the property of space, is of various kinds. The learned have said sound to be born of space. When raised by the different kinds of touch, which is the property of the wind, it may be heard. It cannot, however, be heard, when the different kinds of touch are inceptive. The elements, mingling with their counterparts in the body, increase and grow. Water, fire, wind are always awake in the bodies of living creatures. They are the roots of the body. Pervading the five life-breaths (already mentioned) they reside in the body."

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Thursday, December 26, 2013

VEDIC GEOGRAPHY

Vedic Geography

Sujalaam, Sufalaam, Malyaja Sheetalaam
Shasya Shyaamlaam Maataram..
The mighty Himalayas frame our northern border

Vedic people were spread throughout the Indian sub-continent. But then, I found some more..

To my surprise, the entire World Geography was extensively described in the scriptures along with the details of their mountains, rivers and the races inhabiting them! Although the names and divisions of these landmasses understandably differ from what they are now, the very mention of them indicated a recognition of the vastness of our planet at that early age.


Geography in ancient Hindu scriptures


Ancient Indians called this planet 'Bhu-gol' or the Round Earth, proving advancement over the flat-Earth theory believed by almost every other Early civilization. In his famous Book on India, Alberuni, the medieval Islamic scholar quotes an Indian astronomer Brahmagupta to write-

"A man on Meru observes one identical star above the horizon in the zenith of Lanka, the country of demons, whilst a man in Lanka at the same time observes it above his head. Besides all astronomical observations are not correct unless we assume the globular shape of heaven and earth.
Quoting another great astronomer-mathematician Varahamihira, he further writes:

"Mountains, seas, rivers, trees, cities, men, and angels, all are around the globe of the earth. And if Yamakoti and Rum are opposite to each other, one could not say that the one is low in relation to the other, since low does not exist… Every one speaks of himself, 'I am above and the others are below,' whilst all of them are around the globe like the blossoms springing on the branches of a Kadamb-tree."


The Nav-grihas or Nine Planets

Count Louis Hamon aka Cheiro, Irish author of several books on Science and the Occult, once remarked,

"People who in their ignorance disdain the wisdom of ancient races, forget that the great past of India contained secrets of life and philosophy that following civilizations were forced to accept. Ancient Hindus understood the Precession of Equinoxes and calculated it once in 25,870 years. The mathematical precision necessary to establish such a theory is the wonder of Astronomers even today!"

Seers and sages through their Yogic powers fathomed the deepest mysteries of Space and Time which the scientists today are still struggling to explain through logic and their supercomputers and space-telescopes.

While we get an overwhelming sense of Scientific advancement from the Vedic literature, what is not really clear even today is the geographical extent of the Vedic civilization. With the limited knowledge they had, earlier historians gave Aryan Invasion Theory first and the Aryan Migration Theory later suggesting the development of Vedic culture outside India.



Conservative estimate of extent of Hinduism Before Christ

According to them, Hinduism in its present form developed through inter-mixing with the local indigenous traditions. However, as stated elsewhere, with new and new evidences pouring in everyday this view has been completely written off now!!


American scholar David Frawley in the book {Gods, Sages and Kings}, argues for an indigenous development of culture in India and subsequent migrations outwards towards the Middle-East and South-East Asia spreading the knowledge of Hinduism in the civilized world.

Indus Valley Seals with Vedic motifs

The earliest Vedas themselves refer to their land as the Sapta Sindhu, or the 'Land of Seven Rivers', while the Nadistuti sukta, [RV 10.75] gives a list of ten rivers both East and West of the Indus. Rigvedic rivers mentioned, cover the stretch from Ganges plains in the East to Afghanistan in the West thus giving us a sense of the direction of movement of people from within India to outside!

Etruscan pendant with Swastika Motifs
Today, Rome is widely accepted as the forbear of Western Civilization, but few people are aware, that excavations from the OLDEST Civilization of Italy, known as the Etruscan Civilization, has revealed artefacts with Hindu motifs on them!

It's hard to conclusively decide the Geography of the Vedic Civilization as the Historians are of differing view-points and the archeological evidence is not fully understood. I hope once the Indus-Saraswati script is deciphered, it could give us some pointers about how true my educated guesses are.

Surprisingly, the Indus-Saraswati or Brahmi script has also been found on statues and tablets in the far off Easter Islands located in the south-Pacific sea!! These are one of the world's most isolated inhabited islands and are one of the mysteries of the modern world with 887 monumental statues, called Moai!


Easter Island Statues


Is there a link between the people of Indus -Saraswati and of Easter Island ,could be because of similarity in the scripts is striking and more than 90 signs from both the places have been matched perfectly!! Chronologically, the people of Indus-Saraswati Civilization existed much before these statues were created but the similarity in scripts is intriguing and may point to long distance navigation abilities of the Harrapan people.

Indus-Saraswati and Easter Island Scripts

Still, recent developments such as the Discovery of Saraswati and its identification with the present-day Ghaggar-Hakra, have helped realize the antiquity of our civilization.

DEVI GODS AS FEMALE

DEVI-GOD AS FEMALE.


God may be in the details,
But the Goddess is in the questions..
Once we begin to ask them,
There's no turning back...

 
For a follower of one of the Abrahamic Religions, the answer most likely would be 'NO', as Western religions are based on the premise of a Male God, generally envisioned with white robes and a flowing white beard, sitting high on a throne in a distant heaven.

For a person following one of the Eastern religions, the answer could very well be 'YES' as most Eastern religions give equal emphasis to both Male and Female aspects of divinity. For example, Hindu Theology, believes God to be a balance of the Male and the Female Powers, the Purush and Prakriti, otherwise referred to as Shiva and Shakti.


Shiva-Shakti




Continuing in the same vein, I'll ask another question.. Bible, Genesis 1:27, states that - God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female.

Now the question here is, if God is Male, how is a female in His image???

You may not have an outright answer to this one, but I hope the questions did begin a thought process in your mind! In the current post, we will try and understand the cult of the Goddess, not only from an Indian perspective, but also from the point of view of various other world religions.





The Historical Perspective


Historically, the cult of the Mother Goddess was more widespread all over the globe than it is now. Older Western religions viz. the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Native American etc. included Goddess worship as a central part of their cultures.

In fact, more than 50 figurines of the Goddess have been found in excavations from all over Europe, dating more than 20,000 years ago, of which, Venus of Willendorf, is the most famous. Let us take a look at some of the goddesses worshiped in other ancient religions. Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Celts, Incas, Aztecs, all had their favorite goddesses viz.-


  • The Celts had Abnoba- a goddess of rivers and forests and
  • Agrona- the goddess of war;
  • Greeks had Rhea- the Mother of Gods;
  • Aphrodite- the goddess of Love and Beauty and
  • Athena- the goddess of Wisdom and War.
  • Similarly, the Egyptians revered Bast- the protector of the pharaoh and
  • Isis- the goddess of magic, motherhood and fertility.



Goddesses in World religions




There are many more examples from Native American, Chinese, Japanese and Polynesian mythologies indicating that most ancient religions gave as much importance to the feminine aspect of God as the masculine.

It is also interesting to note that most of these depictions look at the Goddess as the Guardian of Nature and have a Maternal connotation just like the Mother Goddess in the Indian sub-continent.

Indeed, excavations from the Indus-Saraswati Civilization, have thrown up abundance of seals and figurines that suggest goddess-worship. Sometimes its a male-god or tribal chief worshiping a goddess while on other seals there are seven attendants accompanying the central goddess.



Man bowing to a Goddess
Mother Goddess from the Indus-Valley



The female figurines in terracotta found at Mohenjo-daro are comparable to similar artifacts excavated from archaeological sites in Baluchistan, Elam, Mesopotamia, Transcaspia, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Cyprus, Crete, the Balkans and Egypt.

Famous Scottish anthropologist, James George Frazer, believes that all diverse goddesses worshiped in Europe were derived from a single concept originating from the Indo-European Neolithic cultures. The figurines also show an exaggerated fertility aspect suggesting the role of the goddess as a MOTHER-figure heralding a tradition that is still unbroken in Hinduism.





Goddess Worship in Hinduism


Throughout its millenia-old history, Hinduism provided its followers with the freedom of worshiping God in whichever form they want. Thus, were born the Four major sects of Hinduism:
Vaishnavism, worship of Lord Vishnu and His Avatars
Shaivism, worship of Lord Shiva
Shaktism, worship of the Goddess or Devi
Smartism, nonsectarian worship of all gods as different forms of the Supreme Brahman



These different sects provide different concepts, rituals and spiritual exercises for different modes of Awareness of the soul. Thus, Shaivism and Shaktism identify the Goddess as the consort of Shiva but while the Goddess is one half of the Complete Whole in Shaivism, she is Supreme in the latter.

In Vaishnav tradition, Goddess is considered Lord Vishnu's Yogmaya who takes the form of Mother Durga to look after the Material Creation as Her own child.



Goddess Durga as Lord Vishnu's Yogmaya




The worship of Mother Goddess actually shows a FIVE-FOLD approach by the devotees.

The FIRST approach is the one we have seen repeated in all ancient communities of the world - that personifies Divinity as the Mother Goddess. Rigved refers to Her as the Mahimata, or Earth-Mother; Viraja, the Universal-Mother; and Aditi, the Mother-of-Gods.

Verse 7.8i.4 while addressing the Dawn-goddess Usha states - Vayam syama maturna sunavah - Let us be dear to you like sons to a mother.



Mahimata, the Mother of Creation




In the SECOND approach, Goddess is visualized Mystically in the form of Shakti, the Cosmic Energy which is the Source of all Creation. All things, material and abstract are only the manifestations of the Divine Female.

Both the Puraans and Upanishads contain numerous references to Goddess as Shakti. The Mahabharat mentions Pradyumna’s worship of Goddess Katyayani, Aniruddha’s hymn to Goddess Chandi and Yudhishthira’s hymn to Goddess Durga.




Aadi-Shakti, Cosmic Energy of the Universe






The THIRD approach, identifies the Goddess in the form of Dash-Mahavidyas or the Ten Wisdom Goddesses, who represent a spectrum of feminine divinity, from horrific goddesses at one end, to the ravishingly beautiful at the other.

Worshiped by the followers of Tantrism, they are led by the fiercest of all, Goddess Maha Kali. The devotees understand them as different aspects of the same Great Goddess suited to the tastes, temperaments, and mental levels of spiritual aspirants

The ten goddesses are: Kali, Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Matangi, Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagala, and Kamala.



Dash Mahavidyas



The FOURTH approach is again devotional in nature, but here the goddess is (surprisingly) worshipped as the patron of the man-of-arms.

These are the super-women worshiped by warriors when they are going to war! The various warrior goddesses are known as the Saptamatrikas, or the Seven Mothers and are expansions of Goddess Durga.

This group comprises of the warrior avatars of even otherwise benign goddesses such as Saraswati and Lakshmi (!!). Thus in the Matrika cult, Brahma's consort in martial mode is Brahmani, Shiva's better half is Maheshwari and Vishnu's consort is Vaishnavi.



The fierce Matrikas in battle mode
Image courtesy Grant Morrison's 18 Days
{Art by Mukesh Singh}


At this point, it may be worthwhile to remember the Indus-Saraswati seal shared earlier which depicted seven attendants of the central goddess. The seven may actually represent the Matrikas, especially since the depiction of these goddesses has remained almost unchanged even in later Art!




Indus-Saraswati Durga and Saptamatrikas
Later temple relief depicting the Sapta-Matrikas



The FIFTH approach is of the Puranas like the Skanda Puraan, Brahmavaivarta Puraan, Devi Bhagwat Puraan, Prapancha-saratantra, Linga Puraan etc. which describe the various goddesses as consorts of the Male gods.

Thus, while Devi Durga is described as the Core Goddess, other goddesses are described as Her expansions who form the Vital Energy (Shakti) of the Gods without whom, it is impossible for them to vanquish the Demons.

This fifth approach also covers all assorted LOCAL goddesses worshipped in India's towns and villages and accords them the status of being one with the Supreme Goddess Durga. The principal THREE forms of the Devi according to the each of the three gunas of course are Maha-Kali, Maha-Lakshmi and Maha-Saraswati.




Female Hindu Holy Trinity





The Supreme Goddess DURGA


Of all texts related to goddess worship, Markandeya Puraan contains the most vivid description in the form of a full book, known as Devi Mahatmya conceptualizing and adoring the Goddess and is the first scripture to celebrate the Goddess as the Supreme Divinity.

Goddess Durga is referred to variously as
Chandi, the fierce goddess, who destroys the evil Asuras; as Annapurna or the giver of food; and as Jagaddhatri, one who upholds the world. In the ‘Devi Kavacha’ an auxiliary of the Mahatmya, Devi is conceived of in nine forms known as the Nava-durga.

These are:
  1. Shailputri, daughter of the mountains;
  2. Brahmacharini, dwelling in Brahman;
  3. Chandraghanta, who has the moon for her bell;
  4. Kushmanda, the fertility goddess;
  5. Skandamata, mother of the war god Skanda;
  6. Katyayani, the daughter of Rishi Katyayana;
  7. Kalaratri, the dark night of dissolution;
  8. Mahagauri, the light of knowledge; and
  9. Siddhidatri, the bestower of success.

According to the traditional story of appearance of the Goddess, once a Buffalo-demon called Mahishasur (Greek Minotaur??) had conquered the Three Worlds. Due to a boon from Brahma, he was invincible against any male, be it a beast or human or even a demigod.



Mahishasur, the Minotaur



Mahish had subjugated the three realms and made them his slave. Tired of his tyranny, the Devas ran to Brahma for help and after Brahma disclosed his boon, the male gods decided to create a FEMALE warrior to eliminate the buffalo demon.

They decided to pool all their creative as well as destructive powers for the process, and the COMBINED energies of all the gods took shape of a beautiful Goddess who was the Devi Durga.


Goddess Durga emerges from the Energy of Gods





The goddess was gifted weapons by all the assembled gods and she set forth on her mission. As soon as the Minotaur saw Durga's Divine form, he understood that the demigods had found a way around the boon granted to him by Brahma!

Rishi Markandeya, gives a detailed account of Ma Durga's battle with the demonic forces, including the slaying of Mahish in about 700 verses, chanted religiously by ardent devotees of the Goddess especially during the current Nine Days of Durga Puja.

Durga, Kali and other Matrikas together killed scores of demons including the dreaded Asuras like Shumbh, Nishumbh and Raktabeej.



Ma Kali defeating Raktabeej




After a prolonged battle, the buffalo-demon was slain, and henceforth, Goddess Durga was given the epithet of Mahishasur Mardini, the Slayer-of-Mahish. This is the most widely depicted representation of the Goddess in art and there's a lot of profound symbolism inherent in the depiction of the Goddess in battle mode.



Durga fighting the Minotaur


By vanquishing the buffalo-demon and reigning in a fierce Lion, Goddess Durga inspires us to tame our own ANIMAL INSTINCTS and rid ourselves of our Inner demons.



Goddess Durga slaying Mahishasur



The depiction also reflects taming of the MALE EGO by the Feminine principle to bring back balance in Creation and prevent the annihilation of our World.

The FEMALE principle tames this animal urge of mankind to destroy itself and gives it a push towards the creative process of sustenance. Men have indeed been responsible for a lot of blunders in our history just to pander to our egos..

The development and deployment of the first Nuclear bomb; Iraq's annexation of Kuwait; America's attack on Afghanistan; Pakistan's attempt to steal Kargil from India, all being very apt examples of the same.. By controlling our animal urges, Ma Durga prevents us from straying from the path of Spiritual growth and brings us back in line.

Not only Hinduism, other ancient Eastern religions also recognized and revered the Goddess for the same. In my travels, I found an unlikely temple dedicated to the Goddess in Penang Island of Malaysia! Even though the deity here is worshiped as a form of Buddha, its name and depiction clearly refers to Goddess Chandi, which is another name for Goddess Durga :o)



Chundi Bodhisattva in Penang, Malaysia




Even with the increasing opportunities available to women in civilized societies, a majority of women in the developing economies as well as certain fanatical societies do not have equal rights as their male counterparts. The many hands of the Goddess could easily represent the multi-tasking woman of today!



Traditional Goddess Modern Goddess




The prerogative is on us, the Men of today to acknowledge and respect the Goddess in women around us and to accord them the same respect we reserve for the Goddess in our Temples.

Let this Navratri be a reminder to us to deal with our inner demons and re-establish the high status accorded to women in our ancient scriptures! I conclude this post with the ode to the Goddess, the Mahishasur-Mardini Stotra compiled by Shri Adi Shankracharya-

O Daughter of Himalayas, Dwelling in the Vindhyas,
O consort of Shiva, glorified by Indra,
Creatrix of the Universe, Slayer of Mahisha,
O Daughter of the Mountain, Victory to You!

Arising from the Ocean, Nourishing the Three worlds,
Delight of Raas Dance, O consort of Vishnu,
Remover of all sins, Destroyer of evil Pride,
O Daughter of the Mountain, Victory to You!

Conqueror of Daityas, Vanquisher of Danavs,
Destroyer of Dhumralochan, Slayer of Shumbh-Nishumbh,
You stemmed the spawn of Rakta-bija,
O Daughter of the Mountain, Victory to You!

You are Invincible, with your Trident,
You string your mighty bow, and weild your shiny sword,
To remove the miseries, of all the Three worlds,
O Daughter of the Mountain, Victory to You!

You are fond of battle, against worthy warriors,
You are fond of dancing, with Shiva as Ardha-narishwar,
Your beauty captivates even the heart of Cupid,
O Daughter of the Mountain, Victory to You!


You are all Auspicious, the Merciful Mother of All,
You are my mother, and I too am Your son,
Do not reject my prayer, even if its flawed,
O Daughter of the Mountain, Victory of Victories to you!
.
Aum Shanti: Shanti: Shanti:
.

KALACHAKRA

Kalchakra

As each grain of Time is destroyed,
The next comes along and brings with it either Creation or Destruction.
This is the Dance of Shiva.

The eternal cycle of Life and Death; Birth and Re-birth; Formation and Dissolution is called the Kaal-chakra or the 'Wheel of Time'.

Puraanic genealogies take us back into the mists of time when Human-beings were first trying to settle down on Earth and make it their Home. The Age of Kali (Kaliyug) is astrologically believed to have commenced on 20th February 3102 BCE and consequently, we are currently in the 5114th year of this Era.


The Kaliyuga Zodiac


How did the ancients really perceive their world? Were they also as bewildered by these mind-boggling numbers as we are today? Or did they accept it nonchalantly and went back to their daily chores with a shrug.

The Indian calendar is ingeniously based on BOTH the Sun and Moon; it uses a solar year but divides it into 12 lunar months! In this calendar, seasons follow the Sun; months follow the Moon; and days follow both. To help the lunar months coincide with the solar year, the practice of inserting an extra month, called the Adhik Maas, arose which is inserted every 30 months since 60 months = 62 months.

Lunar days in the Indian calendar are called Tithis. They are calculated using the difference of the longitudinal angle between the position of the sun and moon. Because of this, the tithi may or may not have changed by the time the day has changed and this is why sometimes a tithi is omitted, and at others, two consecutive days share the same.


Tithis or Days in a Lunar Calendar



Astrologically, one of the oldest Calendars followed in Hinduism, is the Saptarishi calendar which begins from 6676 BCE (earlier referred to as BC). This version was in use in northern India from at least the 4th century BCE, as witnessed by the statements of Greek and Roman writers.

Another Indian calendar is known as the Vikram Era, or the Vikram Samvat, which began in 57 BCE. This calendar derives its name from the original king Vikramaditya of Ujjain and the date is supposed to mark the victory of the king over the Shakas, who had invaded Ujjain. Another calenad which is the Official Indian calendar now is known as the Saka Calendar and starts in 78 CE.



Measurement of Time in Hinduism

The authenticity and veracity of these dates will be dealt with subsequently, but for now let us try to understand the basic units of measurement used in ancient India. These units are based on the method of calculation known as Kaal-ganana.

According to the principles of Indian time measurement, the smallest unit of measurement of Time is the involuntary time taken to drop one's eyelid or the Blink of an Eye. It is remarkable that the ancients chose such a mode of measurement because this time is Constant for all living individuals hence does not depend on any Variables!
  • This unit is known as a 'Nimish'
  • Three Units (03) of Nimish combine to form a 'Kshan'
  • Five Units (05) of Kshan combine to form a 'Kashtha'
  • Thirty Units (30) of Kashtha combine to form a 'Kaal'
  • Thirty Units (30) of Kaal combine to form a 'Muhurat'
  • Thirty Units (30) of Muhurat then combine to form a 24 hour period known as the 'Divas-ratri'
    This 24 hour period is also divided into an overlapping division called the 'Praher' or 'Paher'. Each 12 hour period has 4 Prahers each, thereby dividing one rotation of Earth into 8 equal parts.

    • Fifteen Units (15) of Divas-Ratri form a fortnight or a 'Paksh'. The bright waxing Moon fortnight is called the Shukla Paksh and the dark waning Moon fortnight is known as the Krishna Paksh.

    Kalchakra Mandala

    In one of the higher planets called Pitralok, one fortnight of humans corresponds to one day and a similar time period counts as their night. Therefore, the Bright fortnight forms the Day of the Pitras and the Dark one forms the Night.

    • Two Units (2) of Pakshs combine to form a month or a 'Masa'
    • Six Units (6) of Maas jointly are referred to as an 'Ayan'

    The six months when Sun is in the Northern Hemisphere are called the Uttarayan and the corresponding six in the lower hemisphere form the Dakshinayan. This bright northern jurney of Sun forms One day of the Devas and the six human month Southern journey forms their Night. Thus, for the demigods, One human year is equivalent to One Day-Night period.



    Calculation of Yugas

    Lord Brahma's day and night are each known as a Kalpa and Brahma lives for a Hundred such Years. One day in the life of Brahma thus comes to be close to4.32 Billion human years!

    • Like our 12 hour division, each day of Brahma is divided into fourteen (14) divisions known as the Manvantars. Each Manvantar is ruled over by a leader of mankind known as the Manu.
    • Each Manvantar is further divided into 71 Mahayugas just as each hour of our day is divided into 60 minutes.
    • Each Mahayuga is further sub-divided into 4 Yugas each which are - Satyuga, Tretayuga, Dvaparyuga and Kaliyuga.

    In the continuum called Mahayuga, each successive Yuga is lesser in duration than its predecessor by 25%. Also, at the beginning and end of each Yuga, there exists a Sandhya which forms 10% of the duration of that Yuga. These are the durations of the respective Yugas:

    Kritayug Yuga
    4000


    Sandhya
    400


    Sandhyansh
    400



    4800


    Tretayug Yuga
    3000


    Sandhya
    300


    Sandhyansh
    300



    3600


    Dwaparyug Yuga
    2000


    Sandhya
    200


    Sandhyansh
    200



    2400


    Kaliyug Yuga
    1000


    Sandhya
    100


    Sandhyansh
    100



    1200



    Total

    12000

    In Deva Years, they correspond to the durations of 4800, 3600, 2400 and 1200 respectively and since One Deva Year is equal to 360 human years, these figures become 1728000, 1296000, 864000 and 432000 respectively.



    Once a Chaturyuga cycle gets over, there is a deluge which drowns the entire Earth after which life begins anew with the next Chaturyuga/Mahayuga cycle.

    When these cycles of time have repeated themselves for a 100 years of Brahma, it is time for the creator-god to leave his mortal body as well. At the end of this Time, there is dissolution of the entire Creation and all living as well as non-living matter is absorbed unto itself to once again Begin at the Beginning.
    .
    Aum Shanti: Shanti: Shanti: