The Seven Horses of The Sun - I

Seven Horses of Sun? What comes to your mind?

Seven horses of Sun as described in Hindu Mythology are a personified form of the different components of light rays. 


VIBGYOR = Violet , Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red

Seven colors are also related to the chakras of human body. 

Here are the names of the seven horses as per Vedic Mythology. 

1. Gayatri
2. Samvrihati
3. Usnik
4. Jagrati
5. Trishtubh
6. Anushtubh
7. Pankti

These also are the names of poetic meters defined in Vedas 


Not just components of light, but also the reddish glow of rising sun is personified. It is Arunadev

Deshna - Speech of a Tirthankara

[General Idea] 

In Jain mythology, ‘Deshna’ refers to the speech of a Tirthankara. It is believed that such a speech is understood by all creatures. This speech sounds melodious to all and also brings in behavioral changes in listeners. Creatures who listen such a speech will experience a reduction in negative attributes and behaviors. During this speech, there is extreme peace around the place where the speech is delivered.

[A Theoretical Perspective]

We have devices & tools now-a-days which translates any content into different languages. Even Google Translate performs pretty ok in most cases. We do see species of same type communicate with each other in some way though other species may or may not understand that. But emotions, almost everyone can understand, even different species. If we think at the level of energy carriers or micro-particles, then we can understand how ‘Deshna’ works. ‘Deshna’ emanates from Tirthankara. It is not a lecture or speech in the literal sense. It flows on its own and anyone in periphery can understand it.

[The Karma perspective]

Listening ‘Deshna’ from a Tirthankara depends on the fruition of karmas. ‘Deshna’ will come out only if the listeners karma warrants it. This is why there are special ‘Samosarana’ arranged by celestial beings. It is when people assemble and the karmas fructify that ‘Deshna’ emanates from Tirthankaras. Now why Tirthankaras deliver ‘Deshna’ ? It’s because of the sheer compassion they had for all creatures in their previous lives. They aspired for salvation and well-being of all creatures. They felt whatever knowledge they attained & happiness they attained ,everyone in the entire universe should also be benefitted from the same.

The Logical Analysis Of Omniscience Or Keval Gyan

According to Jainism, Keval Gyan (Omniscience) is the highest level of knowledge that can be attained by a soul. It is the absolute knowledge. Nothing remains to be known after attaining Keval Gyan.A Keval Gyani can comprehend and visualize everything in the universe in all times - past, present and future.This knowledge transcends all barriers of time, space, matter and energy. A keval gyani will attain liberation after the life span ends.

As a science student, I am more interested in the mathematics and physics of this phenomenon. Although most of ancient Jain Literature is lost, some Jain monks of this era such as Acharya Mahapragya, and some other eminent philosophers have tried and presented a logical explanation.

We first start with the agamic meaning of keval - alone and independent. As per Jainism, matter has infinite states or 'paryayas'. Imagine the soul of the kevali radiating energies of different types constantly at an infinite rate.And not only this , a Kevali can comprehend the vast information encoded in the sub-atomic particles and energies present in the universe at an infinite rate. This is how the past , the present and the future of all that exists in universe becomes evident.

The speed of light limits our perception. The sun we see is actually the sun approximately 8 minutes ago - the time it takes for light from sun to reach earth. A kevali has the capability of deploying his 'sookshma-pudgals' (massless micro particles) to capture an event at infinite speed. This is how a kevali knows everything in zero time. This is also how a Kevali can be at more than one place at the same time.

Since keval gyanis can convert moving time frames to a static frame they are always in present. Past and future merge for them. And because of this collapse of time, everything in past , present or future is 'just happening' for them. 

According to Einstein's theory of relativity, the speed of light is constant or absolute.The equation E=mc2 restricts the maximum speed attained by a particle having negligible mass to speed of light. Any event in universe can be described in terms of space and time.For a kevali, the condition of singularity holds and time = 0(past=present=future) always , so all events in space are known to them. 

Time travel is theoretically possible and moving at a speed greater than that of light is one of the ways in which the same can be achieved.Other ways include use of cosmic strings or blackholes, and travelling through a wormhole or via Alcubierre drive.

Anekāntavāda - II

Truth and reality are perceived differently from diverse points of view, and no single point of view is the complete truth.Reality possesses infinite characteristics, which cannot be perceived or known at once.

Anekāntavāda - the theory of multiplicity of viewpoints and non - absolutism and its two wings , Syādvāda - the theory of conditioned predication and Nayavāda - the theory of partial standpoints are the core doctrines of relativity based on logic and reasoning.

Reality is characterized by a simultaneous operation of  origination, destruction and permanence. Any object of knowledge must have three inseparable aspects - a permanent substance (inherent qualities), destruction (abandonment of old shape) and origination (acquisition of a new shape) .

The Lie Group and the Universe - I

Groups capture the essence of symmetry. Theory of groups is being used in a wide range of fields - determining possible structure of crystals , conservation laws of physics, string theory and even in sending secure information over internet!

So what is the relationship between the lie group, the universe in which we live and the ancient Indian theories?

E8

Well according to one of the 'theory of everything' by Garrett Lisi, our universe can be described by a special Lie Group with root lattice of rank 8 . A 2-D projection of E8 may describes our new universe as per the new theory. And if you look at the figure , it is pretty much similar to the pictures that is presented in ancient scriptures. I specially like description of a lotus-base shaped universe, as described in the Vedic texts. And this is how an E8 looks (2-D projection)

E8- 2D projection
Similar to Lotus-Base shape description

See More on E8 @ http://www.aimath.org/E8/


[Images used above have been taken from the internet and are used only for the sake of explanation. No copyright violation is intended. In case of any issues please leave a comment]

The Rise and Decline Of Ages and Heights - I

Our age is counted in term of Earth years defined as the time taken by Earth to complete a revolution around Sun.One of the most fascinating difference in the different 'Yugas/Aras'  as per ancient Indian religions is the decline of ages and heights in different Yugas.

In 'Satyuga', people are taller and live for many years. The height and age decreases continuously and is least in 'Kaliyuga'. Now the Earth always seem to revolve round the Sun in all Yugas in a similar manner. What can be the cause of this rise and decline?

According to one interpretation,distance of the Sun from centre of Universe (Vishnu Nabhi)  governs this rise and decline.

There is nothing such center of universe that modern science has been able to discover so far.As we explore this universe, our concept and ideas about it changes. We have come a long way since the modern beings started exploration of this universe.  Have a look at the following video which describes Universe as known so far to modern science.

          

The Big Bang , The Grand Design and The Bhagvad Gita

According to the Big Bang model, the universe, originally in an extremely hot and dense state that expanded rapidly, has since cooled by expanding to the present diluted state, and continues to expand today. Based on the best available measurements as of 2010, the original state of the universe existed around 13.7 billion years ago, which is often referred to as the time when the Big Bang occurred.The theory is the most comprehensive and accurate explanation supported by scientific evidence and observations

Stephen Hawking in his latest book 'The Grand Design' praises the M-theory , and states that the universe can create itself out of nothing without the requirement of the GOD because of the physical laws. He also that ours is only one of the universes. according to M-theory there could have been 10 to power of 500 universes created after big bang, each having its own rules!! . According to M-theory , there are many parallel universes. It talks about 11 dimensions, and strings and membranes.


Bhagvad Gita predicts a similar cosmos creation but the God has a role to play here :)
In fact it is mentioned in Gita exactly when the laws of physics come into existence, therefore , it seems that it is  theoretically impossible for physics to prove the existence of God. What it can do at most is hinted in the Grand Design.


Though it is spiritually possible to  prove the existence of  a God (or demi God as per Jainism, that's a different  story. Jainism does not believe in a creator. If you study carefully , the Jain and Bhagvad Gita theories are like two different sides of a coin - one has to apply anekantavada ). 


I list down some Bhagvad Gita shlokas (from Chapter 9) which mention about universe and its creation:


 1.Chapter 9 Verse 7 , Krishna says [Sanskrit]

[English Translation] - In the beginning of time or KALPA , I create everything and at the end of time  KALPA,  the whole creation merge in me.   By my will the whole universe  is created & annihilated again and again 

2. Chapter 9 Verse 10 , Krishna says [Sanskrit]

[English Translation] - Superintended by Me, the illusionary external energy manifest all living and non - living entities; for this reason O Arjuna, the universal manifestation is created repeatedly.

Another book Bhagvad Purana mentions creation of world in details [http://vedabase.net/sb/en].

One of the most famous pictures is that of infinite universes (from M-theory it would be 10 to the power of 500) emanating from Lord Vishnu.

[Images used above have been taken from the internet and are used only for the sake of explaination. No copyright violation is intended. In case of any issues please leave a comment]