Wednesday, January 22, 2020

A REVIEW OF CREATION IN HINDUISM



A REVIEW OF CREATION IN HINDUISM

(Compilation for a discourse at Sri Ganesha Temple, Nashville, USA, by N. R. Srinivasan)

Science, religions, and cultural traditions develop theories and creative descriptions about the origin of the universe and meaning of life. These theories have both similarities and differences regarding the cause and effect of creation, and life as human beings know it. Religions and cultural traditions primarily adhere to a personal God as creator and ruler. Science has gone in the opposite direction of denying the existence of a God. A final word on   creation has not been scientifically declared. Science may however find a consolation in the ancient philosophical    thought of Samkhya, written in the 500-800 BCE era. Samkhya is probably the first complete philosophical description of the origin and evolution of creation. Early Vedic Thoughts on Creation come from Naasasdeeya and Purusha Suktas.

 Amazing world of the Yogi’s vision of Creation.

Samkhya is the very reason that Yoga “works”. Yoga works because Amazing world of the Yogi’s vision of Creation. It stands on the philosophical foundation of Samkhya, and there is a scientific basis to this world-view that quantum physicists have confirmed. According to quantum physics, the material universe is nothing but a very dense form of energy. From the subtlest realms to the grossest realms of matter, the process of creation is a systematic condensation or “step-down” of energy from states of higher frequency to lower frequencies. 
To study Samkhya is to investigate this mechanism of creation, from the subtlest planes all the way down to dense, material manifestation.

Yoga is the process of reversing this process, of freeing ourselves from all the binding forces that limit our identity as pure Consciousness.

Sankhya means “empirical” or “number.” It explains creation in a manner where the implicit becomes explicit and where there exists neither production nor destruction. All of creation stems from the two facets of Sankhya: Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha is pure consciousness, the soul, Self or Knower.  It is not substance, rather essence, beyond time and activity. Prakriti is matter and Nature. It is the power of manifestation in all objects and holds all three Gunas in equilibrium.

Modern science affirms Sankhya Philosophy. The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy can be transformed, but neither created nor destroyed. Einstein’s equation E=mc² explains that matter and energy are interchangeable. Energy is stored in matter and matter can be converted to energy. The constant speed of light (3 x 108 m/s) is the factor c. Moreover, the dualism of the Particle-Wave Theory holds that light behaves like a wave and a particle at the same time.

In short, both the ancient philosophy and modern science contend that there is no difference between the energy that grows a seed and the seed itself. All of existence is two things at once.  It is the map that shows us the way we  travelled  to get here, so that we can trace the same route back “home” to our spiritual origin.
In the beginning was the Void. Some call this absolute nothingness Brahman, the Creator, Universal Consciousness (Nasadiya Sukta).
Now, this formless Being became polarized into two aspects: Purusha, and Prakriti. Purusha is the un-manifest, passive, attribute-less pure Being and Prakriti is the animating force of Creation. Purusha is male, while Prakriti is female energy.

As Prakriti creates and manifests, Purusha witnesses as a silent observer. But it is all his Purusha’s Will (Kama) to get out of loneliness and silence (Naasadiya Sukta). Thus, Prakriti gives form to all things, while Purusha endows them with a living presence.
From this polarization of Formlessness into potential energy (Purusha) and creative will (Prakriti), Creation is set in motion. Having created Purusha   enters into them still as an observer (antaryami).

Out of these twins a third entity is born, and it is known as Mahat. Mahat is often translated as ”Cosmic Intellect”, but it is not the intellect we normally associate with the word. A better description of Mahat is the self-reflective quality of consciousness, or self-awareness.
Because of Mahat, there is intelligence in plants, in insects, in a single-cell organism. It is the innate intelligence in a plant cell that knows how to perform photosynthesis, and all metabolic activities. It is the organizing principle of the Universe.

From Mahat, Ahamkara is formed. Ahamkara (Aham karoti iti) literally means “the I-maker”, and it is next step in the order of manifestation. From self-awareness, the sense of “I” and “mine” (possessive) come to be – the sense of identification with whatever “the I” attaches itself to.

In Mahat, there is no differentiation, but when Ahamkara is born, it forms a border, the frontier “of the self”, and it creates an enclosure outside of which is world” and inside of which is  ”me”. This is how we as individuals come to be!

Once this “I” is formed, the Cosmic Intelligence (Mahat) becomes Buddhi, which has the capacity to reason and discriminate, and has individualized awareness. Mahat is Universal Intelligence, while Buddhi is individual localized and focused intelligence.

The formation of Ahamkara, the ego causes the universe to be experienced as outside and separate from oneself. And the universe is experienced as pervaded by three main qualities: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas.

Sattva is the quality of clarity, purity, self-illuminating light, and spiritual direction. Rajas is the animating force of movement, desire and passion. Tamas is the force of inertia and darkness.

These three universal qualities, or gunas, pervade our mind, senses and physiology in varying proportions.

For example, in the simple act of seeing a tree, Sattva is the light of perception, the inner knower. Rajas is the movement that processes the image onto the retina and carries the information to the visual and association centers. Tamas is the storehouse of past experiences. With the help of Rajas, the memory of seeing other trees is retrieved, and through the process of re-cognition (Sattva), it causes us to say: ”aha! That’s a tree!”

In the next level of manifestation, the kinetic force of Rajas combines with Sattva to create the subjective universe. What creates our subjective experience? Our senses, right?

So the union of Rajas and Sattva creates the Five Sensory Faculties, known as the Jnanedriyas, literally the “organs of knowledge”. These are the ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose. It also creates the Five Motor Organs, the Karmendriyas – the mouth, hands, feet, reproductive and excretory organs.

Next, Rajas combines with Tamas, the force of inertia, to create the objective universe. Their union produces the Pancha Tanmatras, or the Five Objects of Sensory Perception, which are shabda (sound), sparsha (touch), rupa (form), rasa (taste), and gandha (smell).
Finally, the Five Tanmatras give rise to the Five Elements – Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.

In looking at the Elements, it is helpful to understand that each element manifests from the addition of its previous tanmatra. For example, Space element contains only shabda, or sound. It is the most rarified Element. The next Element, Air contains both shabda and sparsha--sound and touch. Fire Element contains shabda, sparsha and rupa--the sense of sight. Water contains all previous three, plus rasa--the sense of taste. And finally Earth contains all five Tanmatras, including gandha--the sense of smell.

The Samkhya yoga of the Bhagavad Gita does not toe the line of Samkhya philosophy in totality with regard to Brahman or the supreme Purusha who it emphasizes is The Yoga of the Supreme Person in Bhagavad Gita. Krishna himself in the Bhagavad Gita states that he taught the original Yoga first to Vivasvan, the Sun (devata) God, who passed it on to Manu, the primal human sage, who is called the son of the Sun. Krishna states:

imam vivasvate yogam proktavaanahamavyayam | vivasvaan manave praaha manurikshvaakave abraveet || 1 ||
evam paramparaa-praaptam imaam raajarshayo viduh
sa kaaleneha mahataa yogo nastah parantapa || 2 ||

sa evaayam mayaa te adya yogah proktah puraatanaha |
bhaktosi me sakhaa cheti rahasyam hyetaduttamam || 3 ||

I taught this imperishable   Science of uniting the Individual Consciousness with the Ultimate Consciousness (Yoga) to Vivasvan (the Sun God). Vivasvan taught it to Manu (the first king and law giver). Manu taught it to Ikshvaku (first king of the solar dynasty).

This Yoga was handed down in a continual lineage as the royal sages know. But after a long period of time this succession was broken and   this Yoga appears to have declined in this world since then.

Today I have spoken that same ancient Yoga to you, Arjuna, because you are my devotee and my friend, and therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of the Science of Yoga
--Bhagavad Gita IV.1-3
yad āditya-gataṁ tejo jagad bhāsayate ’khilam
yach chandramasi yach chāgnau tat tejo viddhi māmakam || 15-12 ||

Know that I am the brilliance of the sun that illuminates the entire solar system and dissipate the darkness of this whole world. I am the radiance of the moon and the brightness of the fire.

According to scientific theories, the energy emitted by the sun every second is equivalent to millions of nuclear power plants put together. This has been an uninterrupted process for billions of years, yet it has not reduced in any way.  This shows that Sun is none other than Brahman or Aditya. Aditya can be explained as Aadau Bhavah—the visible Lord who was in the beginning.

gaamavishya cha bhootaani dhaarayaamyahamojasaa |
pushnaami chaushadheehee sarvaahaa somo bhootvaa rasaatmakaha ||13|| 
Entering the earth, I sustain all beings with my energy, and having
become the nectar-giving Soma, I nourish all vegetation.

Energy requires a medium to travel from its source to its destination. In order to provide nourishment to all living beings, Brahman resides in the form of nectar, the sap, the essence of all vegetation. A healthy plant-life in any ecosystem ensures the prosperity of animals, birds and humans that depend on it.
aham vaisvanaro bhutvapraninam deham asritah
pranapana-samayuktahpacamy annam catur-vidham || 15-14 ||
I am the fire of digestion in every living body, and I am the air of life, outgoing and incoming, by which I digest the four kinds of foodstuff.

Interestingly, Bhagavad Gita  accepts many concepts of the Sankhya school such as the division of the gunas, the bondage of the souls, relationship between Nature and individual souls, the liberation of the souls through yoga and self-transformation. It brings in powerful concept of Saguna Brahman as Aditya in the form Light, Fire and Heat so essential for creation and sustenance of life projecting Sankhya Yoga of the Supreme person as Solar Yoga which in modern popular Bhakti Marga can be called Religion of the Sun.

Brihadarnyaka Upanishad deals at length the process of creation in an orderly fashion about which I have often talked about in my earlier discourse. Let me therefore bring to your knowledge a spiritual rendering of creation in BAU by Swami Krishnananda:

“How can there be will of GOD against our will? Our will and GOD's Will should harmonize between each "How can there be anything outside the Infinite? So, how can there be a Will other, and our will is nothing but a vibration in a tiny form of the Universal Will. So, the question of any independent assertion does not arise, such as 'I do', 'you do', and feelings of that kind. There is no such thing as 'I do', 'you do' really. There is only the One Thing that does all things. If this awareness can rise in our self, we shed our individuality and individual wills, and for the time being, set aside all creative activity and agency on the part of the ego. That is, the assertion of agency in action is given up. The Will Individual becomes the Will Universal. Then, there is no fear of death and birth, because the universe does not fear death. There is no such thing as birth and death for the cosmos. Everything is a process within itself, like the movements in the ocean. Thus, one who knows the secret of this Aśvamedha Sacrifice, the beginning and the ending of the process of the Aśvamedha, how the horse came about, which means to say, how creation came about, one who knows the presence of the Eternal Reality in every act and every process of the Creative Will, he becomes the ātman of the very process. He becomes the Self of the very principle of destruction, which was responsible for the reversal activity, which was the originating factor in creation. Everything becomes the Self – the subject as well as the object – also the process of the reversal of the subject into the object, and even the movement of the self towards the object – all becomes one. If this contemplation could be possible, Death can be overcome, because one becomes the very Soul of Death itself; how can Death trouble anyone, says the Upaniṣhad”.

Creative Science of Aitreya Upanishad

“Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, Lord Prajāpatiḥ all Devas, all pañcabhūtās, all small organisms of various kinds, seeds of various kinds, beings born from eggs, wombs and shoots, insects and worms, horses, cows, men, elephants and whatever here breathing, moving, flying or not moving – all are led by Prajñā and established on Prajñānam. World is led by Prajñā which is its support also. Brahma is Prajñānam.

We have seen that Prajñā is the action of consciousness on Antaḥkaraṇa and knowing is the consequence thereof. (Antaḥkaraṇa actually represents the stock of information relating to heredity and physical characteristics together with the physical tools for reading and executing such information. In lower beings and also in initial stages of higher beings, these may be in crude or rudimentary forms). So, Prajñā in essence is consciousness, which in turn represents Ātmā. We   learn from other Upaniṣhads that universe is ruled and sustained by Ātmā (Bṛhadāraṇyaka 2.1.20, 2.4.6, 2.5.15, 3.7.3 to 3.7.23, 3.8.9, etc., Muṇḍaka 1.1.6, 2.1.1, etc.).   It is also said that the world is led and supported by Prajñā; the idea expressed is same. In Taittirīya 2.1 we see that Brahma is Satyam-Jñānam-Anantam. Prajñānam is same as Jñānam; it represents Satyam and Anantam also, since without them Prajñānam cannot exist. So, it follows that Brahma is Prajñānam, as stated in the mantra Prajnaanam Brahma.

Aitreya Upaniṣhad concludes by declaring that Ṛsi Vāmadeva, by means of this Prajñā, which represents Ātmā, transcended this world and became immortal."-The Science of Upanishad by Sridharan

Aitreya Upanishad says everything is just the other name for Consciousness and everything is generated by consciousness only. The World is led by Consciousness. Consciousness is the cause. Consciousness is Brahman. It is to be noted that the term Consciousness is used as the essence and not the property. 

Embryo -logically pra means Supreme. (pra-pancha). This enters the womb around sixth or seventh month after its descent and staying with man).   Jnaana means knowledge or wisdom or awareness or consciousness. We may also take the meaning as the Supreme knowledge is Brahman.

Who am I? (This was our previous seminar) I am not the body. I am not the mind. I am no the sense organ. If I go on negating like this only the essence Consciousness remains. That consciousness is Brahman.  Please go through for other Upanishadic   thoughts on creation in my discourse:

http://nrsrini.blogspot.com/2013/02/early-vedic-thoughts-on-brahman-and.html

Creation of HHHHYhHuman B-M-S Complex Pervaded by Micro Individual Consciousness derived from Macro Universal Consciousness
annāt prāṇāh bhavanti bhūtānāṁ prāṇair mano manasaśca vijñānaṁ vijñānād ānando brahma yoniḥ --MNU

It is found that the vital breaths and the senses of creatures are from food, that reflection functions with the vital breath and the senses, that unbroken direct realization comes from reflection and that bliss comes from unbroken direct realization of Truth. Thus having attained bliss one becomes the Supreme which is the source of the Universe.
This mantra shows the Union of Individual  Micro  Consciousness  with the Macro Universal Consciousness that is Yoga (uniting together), Creation is the reverse process.
“The human being consists of five koshas or sheaths from the physical to subtle and causal principles:
  1. Annamaya kosha – food – physical – the five elements
  2. Pranamaya kosha – breath – vital – the five pranas
  3. Manomaya kosha – impressions – outer mind – the five kinds of sensory impressions
  4. Vijnanamaya kosha – ideas – intelligence – directed mental activity
  5. Anandamaya kosha – experiences – deeper mind – memory, subliminal and superconscious mind
Ayurveda recognizes these Vedanta principles and its focus is on first three Koshas. Its main focus is on Pranamya Kosha.  Prana governs the intake of substances. Samana governs their digestion. Vyana governs the circulation of nutrients. Udana governs the release of positive energy. Apana governs the elimination of waste-materials.
This is much like the working of a machine. Prana brings in the fuel, Samana converts this fuel to energy, Vyana circulates the energy to the various work sites. Apana releases the waste materials or by products of the conversion process. Udana governs the positive energy created in the process and determines the work that the machine is able to do. Ayurveda tries to keep this machine in perfect condition!

According to Ayurveda, we understand that there is Jatharaagni, a fire in the stomach which digests all food sent there. When the fire is not blazing, there is no hunger, and when the fire is in order, we become hungry. Sometimes when the fire is not going nicely, treatment is required. In any case, this fire is representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedic mantras also confirm that the Supreme Lord or Brahman is situated in the form of fire within the stomach and is digesting all kinds of foodstuff. Therefore since He is helping the digestion of all kinds of foodstuff, the living entity is not independent in the eating process. Unless the Supreme Lord helps him in digesting, there is no possibility of eating. He thus produces and digests foodstuff, and, by His grace, we are enjoying life. In the Vedanta-sutra this is also confirmed: sabdadibhyo 'ntah pratisthanach cha. The Lord is situated within sound and within the body, within the air and even within the stomach as the digestive force. There are four kinds of foodstuff: some are swallowed, some are chewed, some are licked up, and some are sucked, and He is the digestive force for all of them the primary and efficient cause of the creation as Vidhrtaarah.

YOGA AND THE CREATION

The traditional founder of Yoga Darshana or the ‘Yoga system of philosophy’ – which the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali represents – is usually said to be Hiranyagarbha, which means the “Golden Embryo” and is identified with the Sun that  is  set in motion Creation.

The Vedas, with which classical Yoga is closely connected, are based upon a solar symbolism as a religion of light and of the Sun. The Sun is the supreme deity of the Vedas, the Divine power in Heaven, which functions in the Atmosphere as Lightning and on Earth as Fire, which are the three main manifestations of light in our visible world. The Vedic ritual, which is the main outer Vedic practice, involves making offerings to a sacred fire in order to connect with the beneficent powers of the solar deity. The Veda says that we are all children of the Sun born on Earth to carry forward the Divine light of truth. The Vedas laud the Sun as the source of life, intelligence and consciousness within us and as the very core of our own being, with each soul being a spiritual sun of its own.

ābhirādityastapati raśmibhistābhiḥ parjanyo varṣati | parjanyena auṣadhi-vanaspatayaḥ prajāyanta oṣadhivanaspatibhirannaṁ bhavaty-annena prāṇāḥ prāṇairbalaṁ  (Mahanarayana Upanishad)

Those rays by which the sun gives heat, the same rays transform water into rain-cloud which showers the rain. By the rain-cloud herbs and trees come into existence From-herbs and trees food is produced. By the use of food the breaths and senses are nourished. When the life- breath is nourished one gets bodily strength. (Prana or Atman concealed in seed form enters the womb at the designated time as we discussed in a separate discourse recently)

How Pranas Create the Physical Body
“Without Prana the physical body is no more than a lump of clay. Prana sculpts this gelatinous mass into various limbs and organs. It does this by creating various channels or Nadis, through which it can operate and energize gross matter into various tissues and organs.

Prana Vayu creates the openings and channels in the head and brain down to the heart. There are seven openings in the head, the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils and mouth. These are called the seven Pranas or seven Rishis in Vedic thought (saptarsahih). Udana assists Prana in creating the openings in the upper part of the body, particularly those of the mouth and vocal organs. The mouth, after all, is the main opening in the head and in the entire body. It could be said that the entire physical body is an extension of the mouth, which is the main organ of physical activity, eating and self-expression.

Apana Vayu creates the openings in the lower part of the body, those of the urino-genital and excretory systems. Samana Vayu creates the openings in the middle part of the body, those of the digestive system, centered in the navel. It opens out the channels of the intestines and the organs, like the liver and pancreas, which secrete into it. Vyana Vayu creates the channels going to the peripheral parts of the body, the arms and legs. It creates the veins and arteries and also the muscles, sinews, joints and bones.

In summary, Samana Vayu creates the trunk of the body (which is dominated by the gastro-intestinal tract), while Vyana Vayu creates the limbs. Prana and Udana create the upper openings or bodily orifices, while Apana creates those below.

Pranad vayurajayata (Purushasukta)
  
Prana that entered the womb as Atman created the five breaths (Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udaana and Samana) to complete the human form and enter   the world. Atman had full knowledge of the past and was also determined as to its future action but the fully developed body forgot all about the past and future plans the way  it was delivered with a compressed brain emerging out of the womb.

Prana however exists not just on a physical level. The navel is the main vital center for the physical body. The heart is the main center for the Pranamaya Kosha. The head is the main center for Manomaya Kosha” says David Frawley.

Here is a Mantra from Chhandogya Upanishad that describes Universal Macrocosm Person (Purusha) having the universe as his body parts.  In turn a meditator has to invoke these divine parts in his own body and meditate  upon Self within him:

Tasya ha vaa etasya-tamano –vaisvanarasya moordhaiva sutejah chakshurviswaroopah   praanah prithagvartma samdeho bahulo bastireva rayih prithivyeva paadau | ura eva vedirlomaani barhih hridayam gaarhapatyo mano-anvaahaarya-pachana aasyama-ahavaneeyah||Ch Up. 5-18-2

For this Vysvanara Atman who has swept celestial region, the heaven is his head; the eye is the Sun; the air is his Vital Forces (Pancha Praanaas); the middle part of  the body is the elemental ether; his bladder is water; Earth is his feet; the chest is the sacrificial altar; the hair on the chest is the sacred grass Dharba; the heart Grahapatya sacrificial fire; the mouth is the Aahavaneeya sacrificial fire; and the mind is the Anvaharya sacrificial fire. [all these  factors  are to be meditated upon in the very body of the meditator]

Embryology in modern science deals with the prenatal stage of development beginning from formation of gametes, fertilization, its formation of zygote, development of embryo and fetus to the birth of a new individual.

The embryology of the face is a complex process. The human face is formed between the 4th and 10th week of pregnancy.

The heart is the first organ to form and become functional, emphasizing the importance of transport of material to and from the developing infant. It originates about day 18 or 19 from the mesoderm and begins beating and pumping blood about day 21 or 22between the 4th and 10th week of pregnancy. We have dealt with this subject in an exclusive discourse.

EVOLUTION

To our ancient seers, the theory of evolution was a story of enfolding  the Consciousness through more and more refined equipment. In this view, the one great plan of Nature expressed from stone to man seems to be the complete enfoldment of Consciousness, the one continuous golden view of growth and development running through all manifestations. 

 It takes countless number of years for an organism to evolve from one given form of existence into another higher form of life. Research findings by a group of scientists in California reveals, that a little bug was the ancestor of every creature to-day. They name it LUCA. LUCA constituted only a single cell, like a bacterium, but its descendants comprise modern humans, animals, plants, fungus and invisible microbes. Max Bernstein of NASA says “All contemporary life is descendant from a single last common ancestor that had a biochemistry closely related to contemporary biochemistry”.  Some researchers think LUCA stored its genes in strings of DNA. Others think it used more primitive storage medium called RNA. All organisms from LUCA on down share a few hundreds or thousands basic genes that enable them to eat, grow and reproduce. LUCA has set the stage for 4 billion years of evolution.

According to our Puranas, time lapsed in mean solar years since the beginning of present creation up-to 2000 A.D. is 1,955,885,102 years. The ancient Rishis observed that this countless time consuming evolutionary achievement can take place only, when in the flood of time, the different circumstances have rubbed down and polished the imperfect beings into the shape and beauty of the perfect, like the thinking of any of the modern day naturalists. Naturally, therefore, it becomes quite clear to everyone that one should have taken an indefinitely large number of lives in different manifestations to become a rational being of the subtlest potentialities as seen in man who also need to  attain Superman-hood  on Earth to merge with the source.

Rishi of Aitreya Upanishad has found the famous statement “Prajnyaanam Brahma”. The Upanishad mentions various aspects of consciousness and the varied expressions of consciousness and declares that all these are rooted in Prajanyana or consciousness of Brahman hinting at basic essence of consciousness in all sentient and non-sentient beings.  This also explains how Ahalya Consciousness in human body was reduced to Rock consciousness in the rock by Gautama that was brought back to original status by the mercy of Srirama which is usually dismissed as myth by non-believers. It is the thought that Brahman is the underlying Consciousness that is the foundation of all reality and visible world that later came up with Advaita non-dual philosophy. Compare this with the latest thinking of   Cosmo-psychism or Panpsychism.
Cosmopsychism says human consciousness is merely a derivative of Cosmic consciousness.
Where does consciousness come from? In his new book Galileo’s Error: Foundations for a New Science of Consciousness, philosopher Philip Goff considers   consciousness is not something special that the brain does but is instead a quality inherent to all matter. It is a theory known as “panpsychism”. He explains why he believes pan-psychism represents the best path forward.  In our standard view of things, consciousness exists only in the brains of highly evolved organisms, and hence consciousness exists only in a tiny part of the universe and only in very recent history. According to panpsychism, in contrast, consciousness pervades the universe (recall here Isavaysamidam sarvam from Upanisahad) and is a fundamental feature of it. This doesn’t mean that literally everything is conscious. The basic commitment is that the fundamental constituents of reality—perhaps electrons and quarks—have incredibly simple forms of experience. And the very complex experience of the human or animal brain is somehow derived from the experience of the brain’s most basic parts. 

It is reasonable to believe all these thoughts are inspired by the Ancient   Thoughts of Upanishads. 


Time is cyclic, an endless procession of creation, preservation and dissolution

"As in modern physics, Hindu cosmology envisaged the universe as having a cyclical nature. The end of each Kalpa brought about by Shiva's dance is also the beginning of the next. Rebirth follows destruction. Unlike the West, which lives in a historical world, India is rooted in a timeless universe of eternal return: everything which happens has already done so many times before, though in different guises.  Hinduism arose from the discoveries of people who felt that they had gained an insight into the nature of reality through deep meditation and ascetic practices. Science uses a heuristic method that requires objective proof of mathematical theories. Yet both have proposed similar scenarios for the creation of the universe." says scientist Carl Sagan.


 "The Hindu religion is the only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which its time scales correspond to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long, longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still. There is the deep and appealing notion that the universe is but the dream of the god who, after a hundred Brahma years, dissolves himself into a dreamless sleep. The universe dissolves with him—until, after another Brahma century, he stirs, recomposes himself and begins again to dream the great cosmic dream. Meanwhile, elsewhere, there are an infinite number of other universes, each with its own god dreaming the cosmic dream. These great ideas are tempered by another, perhaps still greater. It is said that men may not be the dreams of the gods, but rather that the gods are the dreams of men." - Carl Sagan


The Puranas describe time units from the infinitesimal srishthi lasting 1/1,000,0000 of a second to a Mahamanvantara of 311 trillion years (100  Divine years of each Brahma).  Hindu sages describe time as cyclic, an endless procession of creation, preservation and dissolution. Scientists such as Carl Sagan have expressed amazement at the accuracy of space and time descriptions given by the ancient Rishis and saints, who fathomed the secrets of the universe through their mystically awakened senses (Dooradrishti). 

Vedas say Brahman created the world as before--Yatha poorvam akalpayat but does not say when that before is. In this context please  look at the latest thinking on questioning of Big Bang Theory vs. Big Bounce Theory:
 
The “Big Bounce” theory agrees with the Big Bang picture of a hot, dense universe 13.8 billion years ago that began to expand and cool. But rather than being the beginning of space and time, that was a moment of transition from an earlier phase during which space was contracting.

"The entire picture of what we know nowadays, the whole history of the Universe, is what I call one ‘eon’ in a succession of eons" –  says Roger Penrose.



APPENDIX I
 
Jacqueline Mitchell on Creation

By now, there’s scientific consensus that our universe exploded into existence almost 14 billion years ago in an event known as the Big Bang. But that theory raises more questions about the universe’s origins than it answers, including the most basic one: what happened before the Big Bang? Some cosmologists have argued that a universe could have no beginning, but simply always was.

In 2003, Tufts cosmologist Alexander Vilenkin and his colleagues, Arvind Borde, now a senior professor of mathematics at Long Island University, and Alan Guth, a professor of physics at MIT, proved a mathematical theorem showing that, under very general assumptions, the universe must, in fact, have had a beginning.

Alexander Vilenkin looked at three possible scenarios—all of which, by the way, were suggested by the ancient Hindus 3,000 years ago.
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In one scenario, which the Hindus called “the eternal universe,” multiple beginnings are happening in different places. In scientific cosmology, this more or less corresponds to an idea called eternal inflation. In this case, the universe is expanding very fast, and then Big Bangs happen here and there. These Big Bangs are localized, in bubbles. As these bubbles—each containing a discrete universe—are driven apart, space opens up between them, where new bubbles are created. We live in one such bubble. [All of these universe-containing bubbles make up what cosmologists call the multiverse.]

Another idea is a cyclic universe, one that expands, collapses and then starts over again.

The third possibility, and the main focus of this paper that I wrote with my student, Audrey Mithani, is the emergent universe, a static universe that sits forever and then somehow bursts open and starts expanding. The Hindus called this “the cosmic egg.” You need some mechanism that will trigger this  

For the eternal inflation model, what we can show mathematically is that there is no end to this process. Some people thought maybe you could avoid a beginning, too. But our 2003 theorem shows that [avoiding a beginning] is impossible for this scenario. Although inflation may be eternal into the future, it cannot be extended indefinitely to the past. So that was that.

A cyclic universe runs into the second law of thermodynamics, which says that any system left to itself eventually reaches the state of maximum disorder, called thermal equilibrium. So if the universe were cyclic, then in every cycle, the disorder in the universe would increase. Eventually the universe would reach this thermal equilibrium state, which is a totally featureless mixture of everything—this is not what we see around us.

One hypothesis about a cyclic universe avoids this problem of thermodynamics, though. There are models of a cyclic universe in which the volume grows in every cycle. This way, the universe expands and contracts, but contracts to a larger volume than in the previous cycle. So even though disorder increases, disorder per unit volume doesn’t change.
That’s possible, but then our 2003 theorem poses a problem because if the volume of the universe grows, then there must have been a beginning. So the cyclic universe scenario doesn’t avoid a beginning either.
And the cosmic egg?
There are classical physics models for this static universe to sit there forever and then suddenly start expanding. But what we showed is that, quantum mechanically, this universe is not stable. [Quantum mechanics is the branch of physics that describes the behavior of sub-atomic particles and assigns probability to events.]

For example, in classical, or Newtonian, physics, if you put a ball in a cup, it will not get out. It will sit there forever. But quantum mechanically, objects can tunnel through. If I sit here long enough, there is some probability I will tunnel through this wall, and then I will be in the corridor. Of course the probability is very small, but it is “non-zero.”

What we showed [in the paper] is that this closed, static universe also has a probability of collapsing quantum mechanically. Its probability of collapse is non-zero, and therefore it could not have existed forever. So this emergent egg scenario, if you include quantum mechanics—and we should—is not viable either.

"I  went to a meeting of some theologians and cosmologists. Basically, I realized these theologians have the same problem with God. What was He doing before He created the universe? Why did He suddenly decide to create the universe?"

n quantum physics, events do not necessarily have a cause, just some probability.

As such, there is some probability for the universe to pop out of “nothing.” You can find the relative probability for it to be this size or that size and have various properties, but there will not be a particular cause for any of it, just probabilities.

I say “nothing” in quotations because the nothing that we were referring to here is the absence of matter, space and time. That is as close to nothing as you can get, but what is still required here is the laws of physics. So the laws of physics should still be there, and they are definitely not nothing.

But this quantum creation from “nothing” seems to avoid these questions. It has a nice mathematical description, not just words. There’s an interesting thing, though; the description of the creation of the universe from nothing is given in terms of the laws of physics. That makes you wonder, where are these laws? If the laws describe the creation of the universe, that suggests they existed prior to the universe. The question that nobody has any idea how to address is where these laws come from and why these laws in particular? So there are a lot of mysteries to keep us working.






Vedic (Hindu) Theory of Creation
From courtesy Vedabase
Modern Science has not come out yet with a final word on Creation.  The Big bang theory and Steady State theory have many loop holes and they do not appeal to everybody.  Let us look at what Vedas say about creation. Vedas are the sacred text of Hinduism just like Bible for Christianity. Creation has many theories but here we look at different phases of creation.  Hindus believe that the Puranas, Upanishads are also part of Vedas, besides 4 main Vedas.  Chapter 2.5 and 3.10 of Srimada Bhagavatam (SB) and Bhagavad Gita (BG) give a detailed description and sequence of actual Creation.


Here is the theory: There are three basic material modes (qualities) of nature: mode of goodness (Sattva), mode of passion (Rajas) and mode of ignorance (Tamas). (SB 2.5.18)


There are nine phases in creation besides the one which naturally occurs due to the interaction of these three modes. In this article, we will mostly look into these nine phases. Eternal time is the primeval source of the interaction of the three modes of material nature. (SB 3.10.14, 3.10.11)


1. Of the nine creation, the first one is the creation of Mahat-tattva which is the result of incarnation of Supreme God (known as Karanarnavasayi Vishnu). Then time is manifested. And in course of time, the three modes or qualities appear. Then, in the course of time, the three qualities interact resulting in further creation. (SB 2.5.22, 3.10.15). Note that time is created by Supreme God. So for him, everything (beginning, end) is occurring at the same moment.

2. Material activities are caused by Mahat-tattva's being agitated. Thus, in the 2nd phase of creation, the false-ego (Aham) is generated in which the material ingredients, material knowledge and material activities arise. (SB 2.5.23, 3.10.15)


3. The sense perceptions and elements are created in 3rd phase of creation. Here are the details:

a. From the darkness of false ego, the first of five elements, namely the sky (nabhah), is generated. Its subtle form is the quality of sound, exactly as the seer is in relationship with the seen.

b. In the course of eternal time, due to the transformation (reactions) in the sky, the air is generated with the quality of touch, and by previous succession the air is also full of sound.

c. In the course of eternal time, due to the transformations in the air, the fire is generated, taking shape with the sense of touch and sound.

d. In the course of time, due to the transformations in the fire, the water is generated, full of juice and taste. As previously, it also has form, touch and sound. 

e. In the course of time, due to the transformations in the water, the earth (solid) generated with the sense of odor. Thus, the qualities of sense perceptions are fully represented in earth.

So the transformation took place in the following order: ether (or sky) -> gas (air) -> fire -> liquid -> solid. (SB 2.5.25-29, 3.10.15, BG 10.8)

4. The fourth creation is the creation of knowledge and of working capacity. (SB 3.10.16) This can be understood as the laws of nature.

5. The 5th creation is that of controlling deities by the interaction of the mode of goodness, of which mind is the sum total. (SB 3.10.17)

6. The 6th creation is the ignorant darkness of the living entity, by which master acts as a fool. (SB 3.10.17)

Thus, after the creation of Mahat-tattva, time was manifested. Then 3 qualities of nature emerged in it. Then false ego was created. Then due to mode of ignorance, matter (5 fundamental elements) was created. Then its knowledge, and different activities of material knowledge come into play. In other words, the powers that evolve matter, the knowledge of material creations, and the intelligence that guides such materialistic activities were generated. Mind was created due to mode of goodness. Sense organs were created due to mode of passion.

When all these became assembled by force of energy of Supreme God, this universe came into being. All the above are natural creations by the "maya" of the Supreme Lord. Then a demi-god (Brahma) known as creator of the universe came into existence, who has the brain like that of Supreme Lord.

7. The 7th phase of creation is that of the immovable entities, like creepers, the trees with and without flowers, pipe plants etc. They are of 6 kinds. (SB 3.10.19)

8. The 8th phase of creation is that of lower species of life, like cow, goat, ass, mule jackal, tiger, birds etc. They are not intelligent species. (SB 3.10.21-25)

9. The 9th phase of creation is the creation of human beings. In the human race, the mode of passion is very prominent. Humans are always busy in the midst of miserable life, but they think themselves happy in all respects. (SB 3.10.26)

10. The 10th creation, which naturally occurs due to the interaction of three modes are the creation of the demigods. They are of eight varieties: (1) the demigods, (2) the forefathers, (3) the asuras, or demons, (4) the Gandharvas and Apsaras, or Angels, (5) the Yakshas and Rakshasas, (6) the Siddhas, Charanas and Vidyadharas, (7) the Bhutas, Pretas and Pisachas, and (8) the superhuman beings, celestial singers, etc. All are created by Brahma, the creator of the universe. (SB 3.10.28-29)


Any theory of creation is incomplete without estimating the age, shape and size of universe. Vedas say that our universe is about 155.52 trillion human years old, and its total life span is 311.04 trillion human years (which is equivalent to 100 years of Brahma). In Srimada Bhagwata 5.20.38, the diameter of the universe is quoted as 500,000,000 yojanas (1 yojanas is equal to approx. 9 miles, so its 4.5 trillion miles). The shape of the universe is egg shaped (brahmanda = brahma+anda). It may be interesting to observe that distance traveled by light in one day (186,000,000 * 3600 * 24 =~ 16 trillion miles) is equal to the perimeter of (Vedic) universe (approximating ellipse to circle, perimeter of universe = 4,500,000,000 * 3.1416 =~ 14 trillion miles).


Refrences: Here references from Srimada Bhagvatam and Bhagavad Gita are indicated.  Their online versions can be found at http://vedabase.net/sb/en and http://vedabase.net/bg/en.



THEORIES OF CREATION
In Hindu dharma, there are three theories of creation: projection, transformation, and superimposition.
  1. Creation is a projection of God’s power like the way light is projected from the sun in all directions.
  2. Creation is a transformation of God’s materiality and mutable aspects.
  3. Creation is a superposition, like a dream on a resting mind or a movie on a silver screen.
With each of these theories, the relationship between God and his creation is influenced.

Advaita

The Advaita school of thought says that the whole universe is one and there is only one reality. The truth is a God, and everything else is Maya, delusion, and concealing. Only in our perception does the distinction between God and self-lies. But God and soul are one and the same. A soul can never be separated from God. Just as the light of the sun spreads, God enters into everything in the Brahman. The Supreme envelopes in all space and time, and the same self is the individual souls; there is no division or change.

Vishistadvaita

The other school of thought says that while there is no separation between God and self, the creation of diversity and other life forms happens when God comes into contact with nature or Prakriti. He then becomes reflected in various Gunas and aspects of the latter.
Everything is just a reflection of God, just as you see the reflection on water or on the mirror. In sattva, the reflection of God is Isvara, the Supreme Lord. In rajas, the reflection of God is Hiranya Garbha, Cosmic Egg. In Tamas, the reflection of God is Viraj, the shining one.
These are all three aspects of Brahman, all reflections of it. And when God steps away from nature, they can disappear too.
Thus, God and his creations are identical in this way.

Dvaita

The third school of thought says that there are two different sets of reality, and they are different.
God and the creation represent two different eternal realities, and that the liberated souls will never merge into him, but instead might come into the presence of God only. The theory also holds that souls are not created by God. They are eternal, but they are dependent on various stages of liberation and bondage. They are caught in Samsara, and the cycle of births and deaths, due to the delusion and desire-ridden actions. When they are liberated, they reach the highest heaven of God and live in his company. But never merging with him.
This school of thought is known as Dvaita and is popularized by Sri Madhvacharya.

The Truth

All of these schools of thought have been brought about through constant study and interpretation of verses of the Vedas, Brahmasutra, and Bhagavad-gita. They are all beyond the understanding of the human intellect. But having said that, one must not deter from worshipping God. Existence is such that no one can really conclude, yet. It is a subject that can never be completely satisfied. To do so, one needs to arrive at truth oneself. And that he can do by experiencing the transcendental state personally.
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