Pari's Blog

(please read blog entry – Metaphysics before reading this)

Origin of the Universe

There are numerous schools of thought in Hindu philosophy. Of the six major darshanas (schools of philosophy/thought), four of them have shaped much of the symbolism in the hundreds of faiths that comprise Hinduism. All four darshanas have one thing in common: that all matter is condensed energy, and energy is condensed consciousness. That is, everything is Pure Consciousness. You are in constant interaction with the very fabric of this universe (whether you know it or not). For every choice you make, every thought, and action, you are effecting a split and causing a multiverse along your timeline.

These schools of philosophy (I’ll just refer to it as “Hinduism” for short) take it further, into metaphysical and existential principles, beyond matter, energy, and consciousness. Namely: nama and rupa, that is, of name and form. Form is that which is given shape to by our conscious vibrations. It is given distinct existence through name. Everything is holistic. For instance, the letters in the Sanskrit alphabet; each letter represents a bija or seed vibration (the very same “sound” vibrations that extends all the way to the Source). Everything contains the Source, originates from the Source, and returns to the Source.

Before we get into the beginning/origin of the universe, it should be emphasized that Hinduism believes in cosmic cycles. Hinduism postulates the current/visible universe as one of many, that stretch through endless cycles of creation and dissolution, into the endless future and into the endless past.

The beginning of a cosmic cycle of the visible universe, known as a kalpa (which is said to last 4.32 billion years) is marked by the appearance of a cosmic vibration, pranavam – represented by the symbol/sound Om, that originates in a small point bindu in the ocean of pralaya (a quiescent state between cosmic cycles). Next, this cosmic vibration, gets differentiated over time into fundamental vibrations (bija or “seed” vibrations), these subtler vibrations coalesce to grosser vibrations, and so on until the gross elements are formed. Everything that exists came from the bindu and will eventually return back into the bindu.  It is said these vibrations still exist as kernels of energy-consciousness and can be activated through mantras.

{it is important to note that pralaya, is not the void (as in space), but represents a quiescent state between cosmic cycles (of what I don’t know, in the Samkhya philosophy it is described as Mahat – or Cosmic Consciousness)}

The theory of origin of the universe in Hinduism (I’m referring to Hindu cosmology, not mythology) is strikingly similar to modern theory. The origin of the universe according to modern physics, in a nutshell:

In the modern physics big bang theory of origin of the universe, everything started with a singularity (a mathematical construct roughly meaning an infinitesimally small point). From this singularity, a powerful explosion rocked and rippled through the fabric of space-time (or rather, the fabric of something which later became space-time), sending forth a 26 dimensional vibration (called superstrings). As time flowed forward these vibrations interacted, coalesced, and condensed, forming denser/grosser elements: forces, fields, quarks, leptons, mesons, hadrons, neutrinos, electrons, protons, neutrons, atoms, molecules, gases, liquids, solids. In addition the big bang theory says everything that exists will collapse back into the singularity as the expanding universe stops expanding and contracts.

Note that when modern science speaks of “universe” we just mean the visible universe, and not the universe that the Hindus speak of which includes the visible and invisible universe. The Hindu universe is also holographic: the microcosm and  macrocosm reflect each other. Thus the creation/dissolution of the visible universe is even correlated to one’s kundalini energy travelling up the spinal axis, activating all 7 chakras (cosmic/astral junctions) and finally unifying with the Source at the crown chakra (“the thousand petalled lotus”).

In Hinduism the theory of the visible universe (as in modern physics), takes a back seat. The great enlightened sages will tell you it is pointless. As you projected the theory itself. It’s all about a game of dice. You are projecting/modifying at every instant. You are the living, breathing, holographic universe. You just don’t realize it as you are bound by baser attachments. Thus every faith in Hinduism has its own elaborated and beautifully decorated theories. Each could care less whose theory is the right one. All are the right one. This goes with the Hindu concept of multivalent thinking which permeates into just about every Hindu faith and culture.

Over the thousands of years of Hindu history there have been numerous poetical representations of the origin of the universe. Note that none of these were scientific postulates. But serve another purpose: instead of the reductionistic method of science to de-construct nature, the Hindu aim is to elevate the mind to that high level of consciousness where one can see nature as a Whole, i.e. beyond the sum of all of its parts. So it is no surprise numerous theories of the universe coexisted, without any competition for which one is the Truth. Hindus understood the limitations of the mind, that one cannot fathom or see what is to be seen unless it is elevated to higher levels. Hence enter the science of yoga to accomplish that.

One of the most popular is the Hiranyagarbha theory.

The Cosmic Cycles

Hindus perceived the universe on such immense time scales that rivals that of modern cosmology. You can see why they invented the zero – there was need for it. In fact the original name for zero is shoonya. In Sanskrit it means “the void”.

Contrast this with Western civilization (heavily influenced by Christian beliefs) which set the date of origin of the universe to be 4102 BCE. Not to mention that the Romans were counting on their fingers (well, almost, considering the largest number was M=1000), while Hindus were dealing with numbers representing vast time scales of trillions of years.

The 4 Yugas

The basic cosmic cycle, the Mahayuga, is composed of 4 yugas: Krta, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali Yuga. As the moral and spiritual fabric of universe declines each successive period lasts shorter and shorter, by a power of two. Hence it rapidly declines from the Krta Yuga (the age of perfection) lasting 4800 god-years to Kali Yuga (the age of degeneration) lasting only 1200 god-years. A god-year = 360 human years.

Krta Yuga = 4800 god-years
= 1.728 million years
Treta Yuga = 3600 god-years
= 1.296 million years
Dvapara Yuga = 2400 god-years
= 864,000 years
Kali Yuga = 1200 god-years
= 432,000 years

The end of the Kali Yuga is said to be apocalyptic. Any system when it reaches a peak threshold of degeneration is bound to collapse upon itself and start over. Figuratively, Vishnu manifests Himself as the tenth avatar, Kalkin, to bring back order to the universe by wiping out all that is in disharmony with cosmic laws that govern the universe.

Mahayuga

A complete cycle of creation and dissolution is called a Mahayuga. As mentioned, 4 yugas make up a Mahayuga.

We are now entering the Kali Yuga of the 28th Mahayuga.

Based on some meticulous calculations and regressions the Hindus arrive at the date which corresponds to our modern calendar date of February 18, 3102 BCE (Friday, 0hrs) as the date when the current Kali Yuga began (maybe Christians got their idea from this and mistakenly took this as the date of “Creation” as it bears resemblance to their 4102 BCE date).

Each yuga is followed by an equally long period of dawn and dusk, for example:

Krta yuga = 4800 god-years
= 400 god-years (dawn) + 4000 god-years + 400 god-years (dusk)

1 Mahayuga = Krta yuga + Treta yuga + Dvapara yuga + Kali yuga
= 12000 god years
= 4.32 million years

Kalpa

A full cycle of the visible universe is called a Kalpa. 1000 Mahayugas make up a Kalpa (boy aren’t we lucky that the Hindus used a metric system as opposed to some rulers feet for measurement).

1 Kalpa = One Brahma "day"
= 1000 x  Mahayugas
= 1000 x 12000 god years
= 4.32 billion years

Each kalpa is also followed by an equally long period of dawn and dusk (pralaya – or abeyance or quiescence).

1 Day in the Life of Brahma (a Complete Brahma Day) = One Brahma "day" + an equally long Brahma "night"
= 2 x 4.32 billion years
= 8.64 billion years

Brahma – the aspect/essence of God representing the dimension from which the visible universe is unfolded from and folds into.

The universe will come to a definitive end at the end of Brahma’s life – everything – the entire universe, including God is “destroyed”. Then at the start of another cosmic cycles God remanifests.

We are at the midpoint of the Brahma’s life. The current age of the Universe (not just the visible universe, but the visible and the invisible) by Hindu cosmology is approximately 155 trillion years old.

Life of Brahma = 100 years (each year is composed of 360 days of “night” and “day”)

= 100 * 360 Complete Brahma Days
= 100 * 360 * 8.64 billion years (=72000 Kalpas)
= 311.040 trillion years

Note that this school of philosophy, distinctly deals with cosmology. It could care less of what/who God is. That subject of “God” is dealt with by other, even more profound schools of thought – the six darshanas (considered the crown jewel of Hindu thought, and which forms the bedrock of most Hindu belief systems, arts, sciences, and cultures).