Please note that in Hindu philosophy, there are alternate models by which such மாயை திரைகள் (māyai tiraikaḷ - mystery screens) are classified. For example, according to शैवागम शास्त्र (śaivāgama śāstra) there the पञ्च कञ्चुकाः शुद्धाशुद्ध मायायाः (pañca kañcukāḥ śuddhāśuddha māyāyāḥ - five cloaks of pure-impure mystery) viz. काल (kāla - time), नियति (niyati - causation), विद्या (vidyā - knowledge), राग (rāga - desire), कला (kalā - skill) which encapsulate the underlying divinity while in the वेदान्त शास्त्र (vedānta śāstra) these correspond to the पञ्च कोशाः मायायाः (pañca kośāḥ māyāyāḥ - five sheaths of mystery) viz. अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa – food-predominant sheath), प्राणमयकोश् (prāṇamayakośa – vital-predominant sheath), मनोमयकोश (manomayakośa – mind-predominant sheath), विज्ञानमयकोश (vijñānamayakośa – wosdom-predominant sheath) & आनन्दमयकोश (ānandamayakośa – bliss-predominant sheath).
In other words, the शिवानन्द ताण्डव (śivānanda tāṇḍava – auspicious bliss dance) is eternally happening in a multi-tiered hierarchical continuum traversing through the physical / terrestrial, vital, psychic as well as gnostic, and even spiritual realms which form a concentric hierarchy of consciousness viz. புரப்புரம் /बाह्यबाह्य (purappuram/bāhyabāhya – external outer), புரம் / बाह्य (puram/bāhya – outer), அகப்புறம்/अन्तर्बाह्य (agappuṟam / antarbāhya - internal outer), அகம் / अन्तर (agam – inner) & அகமகம் / अन्तरन्तर (agamagam / antarantara – internal inter) respectively. And such a concentric hierarchy is applicable at all the three levels of the पञ्चविध कोशाः अविद्यामाया चैतनस्य (pañcavidha kośāḥ avidyā māyā caitanasya - fivefold sheaths of nescient mystery-consciousness), the पञ्चविध कार्यवस्थाः बद्धात्म चैतन्यस्य (pañcavidha kāryavasthāḥ baddhātma caitanyasya – five-fold effectual states of corporeal soul-consciousness) and the पञ्चविध स्थूलभूत तत्त्वानि अप्रवृत्ति चैतन्यस्य (pañcavidha sthūlabhūta tattvāni apravṛtti caitanyasya – fivefold gross material principles of inertial-consciousness)
|
स्थण्डिल स्थानस्य (sthaṇḍila
sthānasya – boundary of locus) (A) |
कोश अविद्यामाया चैतनस्य (kośa
avidyāmāyā caitanasya - sheath of nescient mystery-consciousness) (X) |
कार्यवस्था बद्धात्म चैतन्यस्य (kāryavasthā baddhātma caitanyasya – effectual state of corporeal
soul-consciousness) (Y) |
स्थूलभूत तत्त्व अप्रवृत्ति चैतन्यस्य (sthūlabhūta tattva
apravṛtti caitanyasya – gross material
principle of inertial-consciousness) (Z) |
|
|
1 |
புறப்புறம்/बाह्यबाह्य (puṟappuṟam / bāhyabāhya – external outer) |
अन्नमयकोश (annamayakośa
– food-predominant sheath) |
जाग्रत् अवस्था (jāgrat avasthā – waking state)
|
पृथिवि तत्त्व (pṛthivi
tattva – earth principle) |
|
2 |
புறம் / बाह्य (puṟam / bāhya – outer) |
प्राणमयकोश् (prāṇamayakośa
– vital-predominant sheath) |
स्वप्न अवस्था (svapna
avasthā – dreaming state)
|
अपस् तत्त्व (apas
tattva – water principle) |
|
3 |
அகப்புறம்/अन्तर्बाह्य (agappuṟam / antarbāhya -
internal outer) |
मनोमयकोश (manomayakośa – mind-predominant sheath) |
सुषुप्ति अवस्था (suṣupti
avasthā – sleeping state)
|
अग्नि तत्त्व (agni tattva – fire
principle) |
|
4 |
அகம்/ अन्तर (agam – inner) |
विज्ञानमयकोश (vijñānamayakośa
– wosdom-predominant sheath) |
तुरीय अवस्था (turīya avasthā – trance
state) |
वायु तत्त्व (vāyu tattva – air principle) |
|
5 |
அகமகம் / अन्तरन्तर (agamagam / antarantara –
internal inter) |
आनन्दमयकोश (ānandamayakośa – bliss-predominant sheath) |
तुरीयातीत अवस्था (turīyātīta avasthā – transcendent state)
|
आकाश तत्त्व (ākāśa tattva – vacuum principle) |
Geometrically speaking these three dimensions viz. कोश अविद्यामाया चैतनस्य (kośa avidyāmāyā caitanasya - sheath of nescient mystery-consciousness) (X), कार्यवस्था बद्धात्म चैतन्यस्य (kāryavasthā baddhātma caitanyasya – effectual state of corporeal soul-consciousness) (Y) & स्थूलभूत तत्त्व अप्रवृत्ति चैतन्यस्य (sthūlabhūta tattva apravṛtti caitanyasya – gross material principle of inertial-consciousness) (Z) in the bove table, are mutually perpendicular to each other as shown below
And corresponding to each axises viz. X, Y & Z, there is a five fold nested concentric hierarchical boundaries as listed in A and the mutual interdependencies between them can be graphically visualized as follows:
The important point to understand that the Multidimensional Consciousness Hierarchy discussed above is not a static structure but is a dynamic field of continuous state transitions from across realms. The corporeal soul keeps as part of its phenomenal existence, keeps shifting gears and jumping from one locus to another across each of the three dimensional five-fold hierarchies. The trajectory of these continuous oscillations between these realms is what is represented as the cosmic dance across the fields.
The noble saint திருமூலர் (tirumūlar) referes to such கூத்து (kūttu- dance) as the மோகாந்த கூத்து (mōkānta kūttu)
Of course, do not forget that it is the same reality that that runs through and links the स्थूल रूप (sthūla rūpa – gross form) and the सूक्षम रूप (sūkṣama rūpa – subtle form). The difference between them is in (epistemological) degrees and not in (ontological) kind, as reflected in the ancient Hermetic wisdom "As above, so below". To quote Swami Vivekananda:
“The difference between the subtlest mind and the grossest matter is only one of degree. Therefore, the whole universe may be called either mind or matter, it does not matter which. You may call the mind refined matter, or the body concretized mind; it makes little difference by which name you call which. All the troubles arising from the conflict between materialism and spirituality are due to wrong thinking. Actually, there is no difference between the two”.
In other words, "அண்டமே பிண்டம், பிண்டமே அண்டம் (aṇdamē piṇdam, piṇdamē - microcosm is macrcosm, macrocosm is microcosm).
In modern
scientific terms, the former is the fractal reflection of the latter and vice versa. In fact, the same, logic holds good for all
phenomenal entities including the sacred dances like the सहश्रारपद्म ताण्डव (sahaśrārapadma tāṇḍava
– thousand-petaled-lotus dance), मूलाधारचक्र ताण्डव (mūlādhāracakra tāṇḍava – rootbase center dance) etc., just to name a few.
One can always view from the outermost material plane and narrate a historical account of their birth, growth, religious mission, and final emancipation etc. or one can view them from the innermost spiritual realm and narrate these personalities as निगूढार्थ शक्ति तत्त्वानि योगानुभवे (nigūḍhārtha śakti tattvāni yogānubhave – occult energy principles in yogic experience). The differences between புறப்புறம்/बाह्यबाह्य (puṟappuṟam / bāhyabāhya – external outer), புறம் / बाह्य (puṟam / bāhya – outer), அகப்புறம்/अन्तर्बाह्य (agappuṟam / antarbāhya - internal outer), etc., are only from relativistic frames of references and not in absolute terms. This fact holds good irrespective of whether you view from புறப்புறமாகிய பிரமாண்டம் (puṟappuṟamāgiya biramāṇḍam - outermost external macrocosm) or its vice-versa i.e., from அகமகமாகிய பிண்டம் (agamagamāgiya piṇḍam – innermost internal microcosm). In other words, it is only a matter of relative differences between:
- प्रवृत्तिमार्ग केन्द्रपागशक्तेः (pravṛttimārga kendrapāgaśakteḥ
- evolutionary path of centrifugal force): This condition involves a अन्तः बाह्य स्फुरण तत्त्वानाम् अधिकतम सूक्ष्मात् अधिकतम स्थूलम् (antaḥ bāhya
sphuraṇa tattvānām adhikatama sthūlam – inside-out expansion of evolutes
from the the most subtle to the most gross). This
corresponds to उन्मेष लौकिक द्वित्व चक्ष्वोः यावत् निमेष
दिव्य चक्षोः (unmeṣa laukika dvitva cakṣvoḥ yāvat nimeṣa divya
cakṣoḥ - opening of dual mundane eyes while closing the wisdom eye)
- निवृत्तिमार्ग केन्द्राभिगशक्तेः (nivṛttimārga kendrābhigaśakteḥ -
involutionary path of centripetal force): This
condition involves a बाह्य-अन्तः सङ्क्षेपण
अधिकतम स्थूलात् अधिकतम सूक्षमम् (bāhya-antaḥ
saṅkṣepaṇa adhikatama sthūlāt
adhikatama sūkṣamam – outside-in contraction from the most gross to the
most subtle). This corresponds to निमेष लौकिक द्वित्व चक्ष्वोः यावत् उन्मेष दिव्य चक्षोः (nimeṣa laukika
dvitva cakṣvoḥ yāvat unmeṣa divya cakṣoḥ - closing of dual mundane eyes
while opening the wisdom eye)
Synchronizing the सम्मेलन (sammelana - equillibrium) between these to two forces viz. प्रवृत्तिमार्ग केन्द्रपागशक्तेः (pravṛttimārga kendrapāgaśakteḥ - evolutionary path of centrifugal force) and the निवृत्तिमार्ग केन्द्राभिगशक्तेः (nivṛttimārga kendrābhigaśakteḥ - involutionary path of centripetal force) is what is theologized as the आनन्द ताण्डव (ānanda tāṇḍava – bliss dance)
I.K. Taimini, the eminent Theosophist and scholar, in his famous book Man, God and the Universe, gives explains this concept very clearly. To quote him:
“As the unfoldment of consciousness proceeds, the coarser forms of individuality with their undesirable concommitants are shed one after another, and the subtler form emerge with the expansion of consciousness and the enlargement of the circle which limits our life and love. This process can continue ad infinitum as the following diagram illustrates to some extent. ”
We see in this diagram a number of concentric circles one within the other, and a radial line connecting the centre with the outermost circle. Now, if the thickness of parts of the radial line between the successive circles beginning with the outermost, represents the coarseness of the individuality., we see how this thickness can go on decreasing as the radial line approaches the centre. We know what is the limit which a line which progressively becomes thinner and thinner approaches – an ideal line which has no thickness at all but only direction. An actual line can, according to mathematics, only approach this limit more and more without ever matching it…It will be seen that it is not the radial lines which can impose a limitation on the centre because they leave the centre free to expand ad infinitum. It is rhe circumference which imposes limitation on the centre. This circumference can be considered to be larger and larger as the radial line representing the individuality of the Monad approaches the ideal limit of zero thickness. When the circumference expands to infinity the line becomes an ideal line in the realm of the Unmanifest”.
The cosmological philosophy underlying the theological accounts of उन्मेष च निमेष नेत्रस्य (unmeṣa ca nimeṣa netrasya – opeing and closing of eye) is very categorically testified in the following verse from the स्पन्दकारिका (spandakārikā) which is basically a commentary written by आचार्य श्री भट्ट कल्लट (ācārya śrī bhaṭṭa kallaṭa) on the शिवसूत्र (śivasūtra), which was originally revealed to परमाचार्य श्री वसुगुप्त (paramācārya śrī vasugupta)
You may be wondering as to why I am saying “उन्मेष लौकिक द्वित्व चक्ष्वोः यावत् निमेष दिव्य चक्षोः (unmeṣa laukika dvitva cakṣvoḥ yāvat nimeṣa divya cakṣoḥ - opening of dual mundane eyes while closing the wisdom eye)” in other words, why there is an inverse proportionality between the उन्मेष लौकिक द्वित्व चक्ष्वोः (unmeṣa laukika dvitva cakṣvoḥ - opening of dual mundane eyes) and the निमेष दिव्य चक्षोः (nimeṣa divya cakṣoḥ - closing the wisdom eye)?
Well
yes, for all practical purposes this is the case. आचार्य श्री क्षेमराज (ācārya
śrī kṣemarāja) in
his स्पन्दनिर्णय (spandanirṇaya) which is famous commentary on the स्पन्दकारिका (spandakārikā) also establishes this point by citing sacred
testimonies.
Yin-Yang Dance
The famous doctrine of Yin & Yang originally found in the famous treatise ‘I Ching / Yi Jing (The book of Changes)’ ancient school of native Chinese culture. According to subject matter experts like Rudolf Ritsema & Shantena Augusto Sabbadini, who in the introduction section of their famous book ‘The Eranos translation of the Book of Changes’, the context is explained thus:
“The Yi Jing is the ancient Chinese map of this dance of order and chaos. It is based on two principles, yin and yang, that are closely related to the ideas of structure and action, form and energy. Pure yin is inert structure, dead immobility; pure yang is chaotic creation and destruction: it is like an arrow, which in its ceaseless forward movement constantly negates the position it had previously reached. But the interplay of yin and yang gives birth to the "myriad beings," the endless variety of life and the world. In the Yi Jing this dance is encoded in sixty-four hexagrams, figures composed of six opened or whole lines, diagrams of different combinations of the yin and yang principles”.
Again, according to 道德經
(Tao Te
Ching – The book of the way) which is an ancient treatise widely attributed
to the noble Saint Lao Tzu - one of the founding fathers of Taoism – a native
religious philosophy of China, the doctrine is further explained thus:
Similarly, myth around the iconography of Ouroboros in ancient Egypt, wherein a snake like dragon is depicted biting its own tail, and thereby forming a kind of self-destroying strange-loop depicting the eternal cycle of reincarnation
Subsequently, the occult gnostic school of Greek alchemy relating to χρυσοποιία (khrusopoiia – gold making), the symbology of Ouroboros, was leveraged to encapsulate the doctrine of ἓν τὸ πᾶν (hen to pan – all is one) wherein the All (multiplicity) is depicted as the white-half of the snake, while the One (Singularity) is depicted as its dark-half. Interestingly, this is amazing similar to the yin-yang concept from Taoism just discussed. The eminent psychologist Carl Jung while discussing the concept of Snakes in Dreams explains the concept thus:
“The alchemists, who in their own way knew more about the nature of the individuation process than we moderns do, expressed this paradox through the symbol of the Ouroboros, the snake that eats its own tail. The Ouroboros has been said to have a meaning of infinity or wholeness. In the age-old image of the Ouroboros lies the thought of devouring oneself and turning oneself into a circulatory process, for it was clear to the more astute alchemists that the prima materia of the art was man himself. The Ouroboros is a dramatic symbol for the integration and assimilation of the opposite, i.e. of the shadow. This 'feed-back' process is at the same time a symbol of immortality, since it is said of the Ouroboros that he slays himself and brings himself to life, fertilizes himself and gives birth to himself. He symbolizes the One, who proceeds from the clash of opposites, and he therefore constitutes the secret of the prima materia which ... unquestionably stems from man's unconscious”.
In other words, there is a seamless causal synergy between the 陽 (yang - light) which represents the dynamic aspect viz. the व्यवहारिक सत्त्व (vyavahārika sattva- phenomenal realm) and the 陰 (yīn - night) which corresponds to its static aspect viz. परमार्थक सत्त्व (paramārthaka sattva- noumenal realm) respectively philosophized as the सगुण ब्रह्मन् (saguṇa brahman- divinity with quakities) & निर्गुण ब्रह्मन् (nirguṇa brahman – divinity beyond qualities) in the केवलाद्वैत दर्शन (kevalādvaita darśana – absolute nondualstic philosophy) while the same is theologized in the शैवागम संप्रदाय (śaivāgama saṁpradāya) as the संमेलनचक्र चिताकाशनादस्पन्दनस्य मध्ये निश्कलप्रकाशशिव च शकलविमर्शनशक्ति (saṁmelanacakra citākāśa nādaspandanasya madhye niśkalaprakāśaśakalaśiva ca vimarśanaśakti – synergy wheel of gnostic vacuum-sonic vibration between unfragmented effulgent aupisciousness and fragmented deliberation force) and iconographically visualized as the आनन्दताण्डव नटराजेन चिदंबरस्य / चित्सभायाः (ānandatāṇḍava naṭarājena cidaṁbarasya / citsabhāyāḥ – frantic-bliss-dance by the dance-king of gnostic space / gnostic stage). For example, the eminent saint-poet திருமூலர் (tirumūlar) in his திருமந்திரம் (tirumantiram) very categorically declares thus:
One of the earliest references to such seamless synergies in the form of the Yin & Yang Dance occurs in the ऋग्वेद संहिता (ṛgveda saṃhitā) as the तालबद्ध आन्दोलन मध्ये अहर् च रात्रि (tālabaddha āndolana madhye ahar ca rātri – rhythemic oscillation between day and night) theologized as the one in the form of उषानिशा संमेलन (uṣāniśā saṃmelana – day-night synergy). However, with a slight change in that depiction that here the roles of अहर् च रात्रि (ahar ca rātri – day and night) are reversed wherein the former represents the spiritual lighting (enlightenment) of involutionary wisdom while the latter represents its reverse. For example,
Sri Aurobindo in his unparalleled maserpiece “The Secret of the Vedas”, further explains thus:
“As the Sun is image and
godhead of the golden Light of the divine Truth, so Dawn is
image and godhead of the opening out of the supreme illumination on the night
of our human ignorance. Dawn daughter of Heaven and Night her sister are
obverse and reverse sides of the same eternal Infinite. Utter Night out of
which the worlds arise is the symbol of the Inconscient. That is the
inconscient Ocean, that the darkness concealed within darkness out of which
the One is born by the greatness of His energy. But in the world of
our darkened mortal view of things there reigns the lesser Night of
the Ignorance which envelops heaven and earth and the mid-region, our
mental and physical consciousness and our vital being. It is here that Dawn the
daughter of Heaven rises with the radiances of her Truth, with the bliss of her
boons; putting off the darkness like a black woven robe, as a young maiden
garbed in light, this bride of the luminous Lord of beatitude unveils the
splendours of her bosom, reveals her shining limbs and makes the Sun ascend
upon the upclimbing tier of the worlds”.
Thus, in this ताण्डव ब्रह्माण्डसर्वगतत्वस्य (tāṇḍava brahmāṇḍasarvagatatvasya - dance of cosmic-omnipresence), there is perfect synergy between the whole and its parts, in such a way that the dance of the whole perfectly synchronizes with that of its parts. In fact, each part is a factral image of the whole. The all-in-one and one-in-all synergy was highlighted in the 天台 (tien-tai) school of Chinese Buddhism. For example the following testimony from the 大正新脩大藏經 (Dàzhèng Xīnxīu Dàzàngjīng - Taishō Revised Tripiṭaka) which is a collection of Chinese Buddhist cannons, collated by Taisho, clarifies this point.
This point is summarized by Francis Harold Cook in his famous book “Treatise on the five doctrines” according to which
“Since the whole is no more than the sum of its parts, it is clear that the system is really talking about the relationship of each part to all other parts. To change the metaphor, the universe is a gigantic cosmic dance, in which each individual is necessary to the dance, and within which the individual dancer in his contributary and participative role finds his meaning.”
Again, the same theme is
philosophized in the माध्यमक महयान
बुद्ध दर्शन (mādhyamaka mahayāna buddha
darśana) as the अशून्य (aśūnya - nonempty) & शून्य (śūnya - empty) respectively. Interestingly, the 華嚴(huáyán – flower garden) school of Mahāyāna Buddhism in
China, which was formally founded by its प्रथम ऋषि (prathama ṛṣi – first patriach) by name 杜順;( Tu-Shun - Dushun) and was formulated by 智儼 (Chih-yen - Zhiyan),
which was
then systematized by 法藏 (Fa-tsang - Fazang) and finally elucidated by 澄觀; (Ch'eng-kuan - Chengguan) and 圭峰宗密 (Kuei-feng Tsung-mi - Guifengzonmi).
This school which is considered to be the pre-cursor to the Chan Buddhism (more popularly known by its Japanese name “Zen Buddhism”) is based on the Sanskrit treatise महावैपुल्य बुद्धावतंसक सूत्र (mahāvaipulya buddhāvataṁsaka sūtra), more popularly known by its shortend name अवतंसक सूत्र (avatamsaka sūtra – flower ornament treatise) and reflects the “All in one, One in all“ philosophy as summarized by Dumoulin Heinrich the eminent scholar and subject matter expert on Zen Buddhism:
“All in One, One in All. The All melts into a single whole. There are no divisions in the totality of reality [...] [I]t views the cosmos as holy, as ‘one bright pearl,’ the universal reality of the Buddha. The universal Buddhahood of all reality is the religious message of the Avatamsaka-sutra”.
For example, the आनन्द ताण्डव चिताकाशस्य बुद्धेन (ānanda tāṇḍava citākāśasya buddhena - frantic bliss dance of gnostic vacuum by Buddha) is very beautifully expressed in the following verses, from the sacred text:
According to this 華嚴 (huáyán – flower garden) school, अशून्य (aśūnya - nonempty) & शून्य (śūnya - empty) are mutually mapped as the two polarities of धर्मधातु (dharmadhātu – existential realm) viz. 事(shih - phenomenon) & 理 (li - noumenon) respectively, leading to a four-fold matrix
As Kenneth Chen in his famous book “Buddhism in China” summarizes:
Summarizing, one may say that the epitome
of Hua-yen thought consists of the following; there is a world of li or
ultimate principle and a world of shih or phenomena, which are perfectly
interfused with each other. At the same time each individual phenomenon is also
unimpededly identified with every other phenomenon. A totalistic system is thus
established, with everything leading to one point, the Buddha, in the center.
As explained in the famous book “Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations” authored by the eminent scholar Paul Williams:
“First, noumenon and phenomena mutually interpenetrate and are (in a sense) identical. There is no opposition between the two. The one does not cancel out the other. Second, Fazang explains elsewhere that since all things arise interdependently (following Madhyamika), and since the links of interdependence expand throughout the entire universe and at all time (past, present, and future depend upon each other, which is to say the total dharmadhatu arises simultaneously), so in the totality of interdependence, the dharmadhatu, all phenomena are mutually interpenetrating and identical.”
According to this school, there is a interdependent conditional origination of all manifested entities such that
‘nothing exists independently of
anything else . . . everything that exists does so because of the existence of
everything else’
The ancient Buddhist doctrine of प्रतीत्यसमुप्तादः (pratītyasamuptādaḥ - dependent origination) was further expanded into a twin doctrine of तथागतगर्भ प्रतीत्यसमुप्तादः (tathāgatagarbha pratītyasamuptādaḥ - embryonc buddha dependent origination) & धर्मधातु प्रतीत्यसमुप्तादः (dharmadhātu pratītyasamuptādaḥ - realm of truth dependent origination). As summarized by Alan Fox, the former
“sees causation in relation to buddha-nature, the potential for awakening in all beings. Accordingly, we are all innately awakened but suffer because of our ignorance of this. That being the premise, causation is seen as occurring due to the combination of these two factors, human and buddha action…”
and
“tathāgatagarbha is about interrelational harmony among beings”
, while on its part धर्मधातु प्रतीत्यसमुप्तादः (dharmadhātu pratītyasamuptādaḥ - realm of truth dependent origination) is“a vision of cosmic harmony” .
His Holiness 法藏 (Fa-tsang - Fazang), who is considered as the तृतीय ऋषि (tṛtīya ṛṣi – third patriach) in this school, as part of his famous text Jin shizi zhang unijan lie jie (Flower Ornament Golden Lion Treatise)’ wherein he uses the analogy of Lion statue made of gold, to explain the philosophy of प्रतीत्यसमुप्तादः (pratītyasamuptādaḥ - dependent origination) and the essential synergies between the Lion which is the 事法界 (shi fajie – existential realm of phenomenon) symbolizing the अशून्य (aśūnya - nonempty) and its material cause, Gold which is the 理法界 (li fajie – existential realm of noumenon) symbolizing the शून्य (śūnya - empty). The manifestation of the Golden Lion is the classic example of प्रतीत्यसमुप्तादः (pratītyasamuptādaḥ - dependent origination). Moreover, the mutual interdependence, and inter-prevasiveness between the part and whole is clearly established using this metaphor.
ताण्डव इन्द्रजालस्य (tāṇḍava indrajālasya – dance of Indra’s web)
इन्द्रजाल (indrajāla – Indra’s web) is another popular metaphor employed by this school to drive home the idea of an interconnected whole. The earliest version of which occours in the अथर्वन वेद (atharvana veda) where it is stated thus:
आकाश (ākāśa – space / vaccum) is the interpenetrative field making up the इन्द्रजाल (indrajāla – Indra’s web) is explained by महामुनि श्री याज्ञवल्क्य (mahāmuni śrī yājñavalkya) in his interesting dialogue conversation with गार्गि (gārgi) as revealed in the sacred बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् (bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣad).
Thus, according to the above testimony, all manifested phenomena cutting across all the three realms of existence, are interwoven (tied/knitted) together through the all penetrating realm of आकाश (ākāśa – space / vacuum). Just as how a सूत्र (sūtra - thread) connects multiple beads together in a necklace, so does आकाश (ākāśa – space / vacuum) connect the different realms together. श्री आदिशंकराचार्य भगवत्पाद (śrī ādiśaṃkarācārya bhagavatpāda) in his famous भाष्य (bhāṣya - commentary) on the above passage further reiterates thus:
Similarly, in the श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता (śrīmad bhagavadgītā), there is a clear testimony by none other than by भगवान् श्री कृष्णपरमात्म (bhagavān śrī kṛṣṇaparamātma) Himself, who very categoricaly declares thus:
श्री आदिशंकराचार्य भगवत्पाद (śrī ādiśaṃkarācārya bhagavatpāda) in his famous भाष्य (bhāṣya - commentary) on the above passage further reiterates thus:
The theme was further expanded into a metaphor in Buddhism through the अवतंसक सूत्र (avatamsaka sūtra – flower garden treatise) as summarized by Alan Fox in his article ‘The Huayan Metaphysics of Totality’ as part of the Wiley-Blackwell’s ‘A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy’ edited by Steven M Emmanual,
“The universe is likened to a divine fishing net of infi nite expanse. In each of its knots is a shining jewel like the stars in the heavens. While each jewel shines uniquely and with change, it simultaneously refl ects each and every other jewel. The metaphor illustrates the ideas of emptiness, dependent co-arising, and interpenetration central to the tradition.”
The Canto 30 in this treatise, titled “The Incalculable”, wherein it is declared thus:
The analogy of इन्द्रजाल (indrajāla – Indra’s web) was further expanded into a full-fledged model in the 華嚴(huáyán – flower garden) school, as explained by the eminent author Francis H Cook, in his famous book ‘The Jewel Net of Indra’, wherein he summarizes thus:
“Far away in the heavenly abode of the great god Indra, there is a wonderful net which has been hung by some cunning artificer in such a manner that it stretches out indefinitely in all directions. In accordance with the extravagant tastes of deities, the artificer has hung a single glittering jewel at the net’s every node, and since the net itself is infinite in dimension, the jewels are infinite in number. There hang the jewels, glittering like stars of the first magnitude, a wonderful sight to behold. If we now arbitrarily select one of these jewels for inspection and look closely at it, we will discover that in its polished surface there are reflected all the other jewels in the net, infinite in number. Not only that, but each of the jewels reflected in this one jewel is also reflecting all the other jewels, so that the process of reflection is infinite. The Hua’yen school [of Buddhism] has been fond of this image, mentioned many times in its literature, because it symbolizes a cosmos in which there is an infinitely repeated interrelationship among all the members of the cosmos. This relationship is said to be one of simultaneous mutual identity and mututal intercausality.”
For example, 杜順; (Tu-Shun - Dushun) in his famous treatise by name 㧃ಈѨᬭℶ㾔 (Huayan wujiao zhiguan - Calming and Contemplation in the Five Teachings of Huayan) wherein he clearly explains thus:
Douglas Hofstadler, the eminent cognitive scientist and physcist in his epoch making famous book ‘Godel Escher and Bach’ explains the concept thus:
“The Buddhist allegory of "Indra's
Net" tells of an endless net of threads throughout the universe, the
horizontal threads running through space, the vertical ones through time. At
every crossing of threads is an individual, and every individual is a crystal
bead. The great light of "Absolute Being" illuminates and penetrates
every crystal bead; moreover, every crystal bead reflects not only the light
from every other crystal in the net—but also every reflection of every
reflection throughout the universe”.
Interestingly, even modern
cosmology is refereing to some similar to इन्द्रजाल (indrajāla – Indra’s web) when they are refering about ब्रह्माण्ड जाल (brahmāṇḍa jāla - cosmic web). But what is a ब्रह्माण्ड जाल (brahmāṇḍa jāla - cosmic web) in modern
cosmology? Technically speaking, it is composed of interconnecting filaments of
clustered galaxies and gasses spread out across the vast expance of the
multiverse. These filaments are separated by what are technically called as महाकाय शून्य (mahākāya śūnya – giant void) which corresponds to Indian concept of பெருவெளி / महाकाश (peru veḻi / mahākāśa – mega vacuum). Please remember that our Universe is filled with large galaxies
containing hundreds of billions of stars, clumped and clustered together into a
massive ब्रह्माण्ड जाल (brahmāṇḍa jāla - cosmic web).
The following is a graphical simulation of ब्रह्माण्ड जाल (brahmāṇḍa jāla - cosmic web) developed by the esteemed Max Planck Institute of Astrophysics (MPA) as part of their prestegious Millennium Simulation Project alternatively known as the Millennium Run.The project presents the worldwide largest simulation of universe. It’s a Computer N-body Simulation performed at the Computer Center of the Max Planck Society in Garching, by the Virgo Consortium comprising an international team of astrophyscists from Germany, UK, Canada and USA lead by the MPA. According to MPA’s official statement,
“The Millennium Run used more than 10 billion particles to trace the evolution of the matter distribution in a cubic region of the Universe over 2 billion light-years on a side. It kept busy the principal supercomputer at the Max Planck Society's Supercomputing Centre in Garching, Germany for more than a month. By applying sophisticated modelling techniques to the 25 Tbytes of stored output, Virgo scientists have been able to recreate evolutionary histories both for the 20 million or so galaxies which populate this enormous volume and for the supermassive black holes which occasionally power quasars at their hearts. By comparing such simulated data to large observational surveys, one can clarify the physical processes underlying the buildup of real galaxies and black holes”.
|
Image |
Details |
|
A |
The
redshift zero distribution of dark matter for a slice of thickness 15 h−1Mpc,
cut from the Millennium Run. |
|
B |
a projected density field for a 15 Mpc/h
thick slice of the redshift z=0 output. The overlaid panels zoom in by
factors of 4 in each case, enlarging the regions indicated by the white
squares. Yardsticks are included as well. |
|
C |
This graphic represents a slice of the
spider-web-like structure of the universe, called the "cosmic web."
These great filaments are made largely of dark matter located in the space
between galaxies. Credit: NASA, ESA, and E. Hallman (University of
Colorado, Boulder) |
|
D |
Artist’s impression illustrating how a
distant quasar’s or galaxy’s spectrum becomes clouded with absorption lines
from intervening hydrogen gas. Credit: Khee-Gan Lee (MPIA) and Casey |
The महाकाय शून्य (mahākāya śūnya – giant void/ supervoid) is the vast expanse of आकाश (ākāśa – space / vacuum) between तारापुञ्ज सूत्राणि (tārāpuñja sūtrāṇi – galaxy filaments) which are the largest-scale massive structures known in the universe. The size of a महाकाय शून्य (mahākāya śūnya – giant void/ supervoid) typically runs between a diameter range of 10 to even 100 Megaparspecs (Mpc). In astrophysics, a megaparspec is taken as the unit of measuring inter-galactic distances, wherein 1 Mpc is approximately equivalent to 3,260,000 light years. महाकाय शून्य (mahākāya śūnya – giant void/ supervoid) is known to be formed from the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) which are नाद स्पन्दनानि/ध्वनि आन्दोलनानि (nāda spandanāni /dhvani āndolanāni – sonic vibrations / acoustic oscillations) that occurred after the आरंभकमहाध्वनि स्फोटन (āraṃbhaka mahādhvani sphoṭana – initial big-bang explosion). As we know Baryons are specific sub-atomic particles belonging to the hadron family. In fact, it was recently discovered jointly by astronomers Ryan Keenan, Amy Barger & Lenox Cowie in 2013, that the Milky Way, which is our own तारापुञ्ज (tārāpuñja – galaxy) is also part of a huge महाकाय शून्य (mahākāya śūnya – giant void/ supervoid) which is called the Local Hole better known as the ‘KBC Void’ (so named in honour of these scientists). The size of this Local Hole is estimated to be around 2 billion light years in diameter.
Please remember the केन्द्रापग (kendrāpaga – centrfugal / involutionl) & केन्द्राभिग (kendrābhiga – centripetal / evolution) are our relative phenomenal frames, but are not applicable to the absolute omnipresent noumenal reality, which transcends all such boundaries. For example, வள்ளலார் (vaḻḻalār) in his famous உபதேசக்குறிப்புகள் (upadēsakkuṟippugaḷ - advisory hints) on the "அண்ட பிண்ட பூர்ண பாவன அனுஷ்டான விதி (aṇḍa piṇḍa anuṣṭāna vidi - rules on rituals of microcosm - macrocosm synergies)", explains the close anthropocentric correspondence between these multi-layered continuum of चिताकाश स्पन्दन (citākāśa spandana - pulsations of wisdom-space) theologized as the சிதம்பர ஆனந்த தாண்டவம் (cidambara ānanda tāṇḍavam - blissful dance in vacuum consciousness) by the நடராஜர் (natarājar - lord of dance).
Strange-Loop Dance
I think in modern literature, the doctrine of Strange-Loops will help us understand this concept more clearly. Now, what is a strange-loop? Well, it’s a kind of cyclic structure that goes through severel levels of recursive nesting in a tangled heirarchy. One of the standard meanings of the term is provided by its original proponent Douglas Hofstadler – the eminent cognitive scientist and physcist who in his epoch making famous book ‘Godel Escher and Bach’ introduced the concept which was further expanded subsequently in the book ‘I am strange loop’ wherein he explains thus:
“What I mean by ‘strange loop’ is — here goes a first stab, anyway — not a physical circuit but an abstract loop in which, in the series of stages that constitute the cycling-around, there is a shift from one level of abstraction (or structure) to another, which feels like an upwards movement in an hierarchy, and yet somehow the successive ‘upward’ shifts turn out to give rise to a closed cycle. That is, despite one's sense of departing ever further from one's origin, one winds up, to one's shock, exactly where one had started out. In short, a strange loop is a paradoxical level-crossing feedback loop”.
In his Godel Escher and Bach the eminent author illustrates with various examples
from diverse domains and disciplins including the following:
·
Logic and mathematics of Liar’s paradox, Godel’s Incompleteness Theorem, Grelling-Nelson Hetorological
semantic paradox, Betrand Russel’s Antinomy etc.
·
Music of J.S.Bach’s Musical Offering and
·
Art of M.C. Escher’s lithographs, the concept of self-referential
recursive loops between between objects and ideas. Such loops are what are described
by him as the strange-loops.
For example, let us look at the Maurits Cornelis Escher’s famous lithograph titled “Ascending and Descending” wherein the concept of straneg loops can be beautifully visualized.
Commenting on such lithographs, Douglas further explains thus:
“Implicit in the concept of Strange Loops is the concept of infinity, since what else is a loop but a way of representing an endless process in a finite way?…In some of his drawings, one single theme can appear on different levels of reality…But the mere presence of these two levels invites the viewer to look upon himself as part of yet another level, and by taking that step, the viewer cannot help getting caught up in Escher’s implied chain of levels, in which, for any one level, there is always another level above it of greater “reality” and likewise, there is always a level below, “more imaginary” than it is. This can be mind-boggling in itself. However, what happens if the chain of levels is not linear, but forms a loop? What is real, then, and what is fantasy? The genius of Escher was that he could not only concoct, but actually portray, dozens of half-real, half-mythical worlds, worlds filled with Strange Loops, which he seems to be inviting his viewers to enter.”
In geometric terms, although संमेलन चक्र सम्सारस्य (saṃmelana cakra samsārasya - equillibrium wheel of metempsychosis) is depected usually as a वलय (valaya - circle) with a एक अग्रांशुः (eka agrāṃśuḥ – single focal point) viz. the मध्यबिन्दु (madhyabindu – central point), yet technically it can also be analyzed as a विषमचक्रवाल (viṣamacakravāla - ellipse) containing द्व अग्रांशु (dva agrāṃśu – two focul points).
Let
Thus in this संमेलन चक्र सम्सारस्य (saṃmelana cakra samsārasya - equillibrium wheel of metempsychosis), there is a perfect balance between the पञ्च महाकृत्यानि (pañca mahākṛtyāni – five cosmic acts) viz. ஆக்கல் / सृष्टि (ākkal/ sṛṣṭi – creation / manifestation), காத்தல் / स्थिति (kāttal / sthiti - sustenance), அழித்தல் / संहार (azhittal / saṁhāra –dissolution), மறைத்தல் / तिरोभाव (maṛaittal / tirobhāva - veiling) & அருளல் / अनुग्रह (aruḻal / anugraha - grace). Of course such a संमेलन (saṃmelana – equillibrium) not only within the पञ्च कोशाः मायायाः (pañca kośāḥ māyāyāḥ - five sheaths of mystery) and the पञ्चकार्य अवस्थाः जीवात्मस्य (pañcakārya avasthāḥ jīvātmasya – five effectual states of corporeal soul), but also between the two hierarchies themselves. In fact, the former is perpendicular to each other, as indicated in the earlier image
Similarly, the revered சித்தர் சிவவாக்கியர் (siddhar sivavākkiyar) also reiterates the fact that ஞானக்கூத்து (jñānakkūttu – gnostic dance) can be witnessed within one’s own self. In fact, according to him, it is the most effective way of experiencing the highest Divinity.
Of
course, although சிதம்பரம் / திரு சிற்றம்பலம் (cidambaram
/ tiru ciṛṛmbalam) is
present well within our body itself, yet it is not tangible to the भूत चक्षुस् (bhūta cakṣus - physical eyes) of
the स्थूल देह (sthūla deha) for the simple reason it
operates at the subtlest realm - சிவசுகாதீத
வெளி நடு (siva sugādīta veḻi naḍu - transcendent auspisciously
blissful vacuum centre) that is well beyond mundane
human consciousness viz. जाग्रत् (jāgrat
-wakeful), स्वप्न (svapna - dream) & सुशुप्ति (suśupti – deep sleep) states. For instance,
the ¾¢Õ º¢üÈõÀÄõ (tiru ciṛṛmbalam) is
considered to be subtler than the subtlest of the micro-atomic quantum
particles observed in the physical universe. In fact, etymologically the term சிற்றம்பரம் (ciṛṛambaram) can also be split as சிறு (ciṛu - tiny) +அம்பரம் (ambaram
- vacuum). The following verses from திரு அருட்பா (tiru aruṭpā) very clearly depicts the scale of the subtlety.
ताण्डव देशाकाशस्य (tāṇḍava deśākāśasya – dance of vacuum-space)
The science of studying such
minute vacuum vibrations from within (internally) is technically referred to as
दहर विद्या (dahara vidyā – subtle / micro wisdom / wisdom
of the minute). Interestingly, recent discoveries of
modern physics almost reflects the same wisdom. According to modern particle physics, the tiniest length of
manifested space (point-particle) is popularly denoted as Planck
length (lp) (originally developed by Max Planck) which approximates to be 1.616252* 10-35m. This is really tiny in all respects and is what is called as விண்வெளி / दहराकाश (viṇveḻi / daharākāśa – quantum field / micro space). It is the விண்வெளியின் அசைவு (viṇveḻiyin asaivu – quantum field / vacuum jitters) at this micro scale that constitutes the energy dance described in
modern science as
· Quantum Electro Dynamic (QED): QED deals with the energy interactions between light and matter. In other words, it is the शक्ति नर्तन (śakti nartana - energy dance) that is performed on the º¨À (sabai – stage) called Minkowski space-time coordinate system where the spatial coordinates (x) are plotted along horizontal baseline traditionally denoted as x-axis and time (t) plotted along the vertical baseline traditionally called y-axis. Of course, an important point to assume here is that the horizontal x-axis represents all the three spatial dimensions (length, breadth and height). I would like to quote here the explanation given by Leonard Susskind, describing such diagrams.
“A sheet or paper or blackboard can be used to represent space-time. Because the paper or the blackboard has only two dimensions, we will have to cheat a bit. The horizontal direction on the paper will be a stand-in for all three directions of space. We will have to stretch our imagination and pretend that the horizontal axis is really three perpendicular axes. That leaves the vertical direction to represent time. The future is usually taken to be up and the past, down. A point on the sheet of paper is an event - a where and a when: a space-time point.”
Such kind of diagrams are technically called as Feynman diagrams, as the
eminent mathematician Richard Phillips Feynman originally introduced these.
Here we shall take some sample diagram relating to QED wherein there is energy
exchange at sub-atomic level between electron (e-),
photon (y), positron (e+) The following diagrams by him will help us understand it better
Where:
a) represents सृष्टि (sṛṣṭi – emission) of photon (y) by electron (e-); while
b) depicts the संहार (saṁhāra – anhilation
/ absorption) of photon (y) by electron (e-).
c) represents सृष्टि (sṛṣṭi – emission) of photon (y) by positron (e+); while
d) depicts the संहार (saṁhāra – anhilation
/ absorption) of photon (y) by positron (e+)
e) represents सृष्टि (sṛṣṭi – emission) of electron (e-) & positron (e+ ) from photon (y); while
f) represents संहार (saṁhāra – anhilation / absorption) of electron (e-) & positron (e+ ) into photon (y)
·
Quantum Chromo
Dynamics (QCD): QCD deals at the still
subtler levels strong interactions between sub-nuclear elementary fields like quarks (q) & gluons (g) in a similar style in the sense that just as photon is the mediating agent of energy exchange between electrons and positrons, gluons mediate
energy quarks. Here, the
energy-dance is even more dramatic and colorful. It is considered more dramatic
because the nuclear force in these interactions are multifold (100 times
almost) stronger than the electromagnetic force in QED and it operates at very
minute distances (technically called femtometer i.e. 10-15 meter scale). Moreover, QCD
exhibits some unique characteristics viz.
o Color Confinement: Unlike in macro classical mechanics, the force between the two colour charged hadronic sub-nuclear particles like quarks is not inversely proportional to the distance between
them. In other words, the love (read bonding) between the quarks do not decrease even if they are separated far
apart.
Asymptotic freedom: But at the same time when quarks (which generally exhibit color confinement) within a meson or baryon get closer (at short distances in the scale of femtometer) to each other, becomes weaker and asymptotically approaches zero for close confinements and gain complete freedom to move about at will.
Please remember that such Feynman diagrams are not static pictures. They are designed to depict the probability pathways in wave-particle dynamics (transformations) leading to either सृष्टि (sṛṣṭi – emission) of new particles or संहार (saṁhāra – anhilation / absorption) of the old one. In other words, it is a kind of energy-propagation dance at the sub-atomic level say between electron (e-), photon (y), positron (e+) during QED for example. Again, to quote Susskind,
“Propogators are more than just pictures. They are quantum mechanical instructions for calculating a probability that a particle starting at a point a will show up later at point b. Feynman had the radical idea that a particle doesn’t merely move along a particular path: in an odd way it feels out all paths – random zigzag paths as well as straight paths… According to Feynman’s theory all possible paths contribute to the probability for the particle to go from a to b. In the end a particular mathematical expression representing all possible paths between the two points give the probability to go from a to b. All of this is implicit in the notion of the propagator. Nothing of very great interest would ever happen if all that ever took place were the free motion of electrons and photons but they both take part in one coordinated action that is responsible for everything interested in nature. ”.
We can infer many important points from the above explanation of Susskind with respect to our original point of discussion viz. சிதம்பர / சிற்றம்பல நடனம் (cidambaram / ciṛṛmbala naṭanam). Remember that சிற்றம்பரம் (ciṛṛambaram) = சிறு (ciṛu - tiny) +அம்பரம் (ambaram - vacuum). In other words, Feynman diagrams of QED & QCD depict the சிதம்பர / சிற்றம்பல நடனம் (cidambaram / ciṛṛmbala naṭanam - quantum vacuum jitters). Here subatomic vacuum corresponds to the விண்வெளி / दहराकाश (viṇveḻi / daharākāśa – quantum field / micro space) wherein the wave-particle dynamics (transformations) takes place. The probability wave function depicts the dance poses while the one coordinated action as the dance choreography. These dances are responsible for all manifestations in this universe. Dr. Fritjof Capra, the eminent physicist and systems theorist, in his famous book The Tao of Physics, declares thus,
“The exploration of the subatomic world in the twentieth century has revealed the intrinsically dynamic nature of matter. It has shown that the constituents of atoms, the subatomic particles, are dynamic patterns which do not exist as isolated entities, but as integral parts of an inseparable network of interactions. These interactions involve a ceaseless flow of energy manifesting itself as the exchange of particles; a dynamic interplay in which particles are created and destroyed without end in a continual variation of energy patterns. The particle interactions give rise to the stable structures which build up the material world, which again do not remain static, but oscillate in rhythmic movements. The whole universe is thus engaged in endless motion and activity; in a continual cosmic dance of energy…
The ideas of rhythm and dance naturally come into mind when one tries to imagine the flow of energy going through the patterns that make up the particle world. .Modern physics has shown us that movement and rhythm are essential properties of matter; that all matter, whether here on Earth or in outerspace, is involved in a continual cosmic dance.
Modern physics has shown that the rhythm of creation and destruction is not only manifest in the turn of the seasons and in the birth and death of all living creatures, but is also the very essence of inorganic matter. According to quantum field theory, all interactions between the constituents of matter take place through the emission and absorption of virtual particles. More than that, the dance of creation and destruction is the basis of the very existence of matter, since all material particles ‘self-interact’ by emitting and reabsorbing virtual particles. Modern physics has thus revealed that every subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of creation and destruction. The patterns of this dance are an essential aspect of each particle’s nature and determine many of its properties. For example, the energy involved in the emission and absorption of virtual particles is equivalent to a certain amount of mass which contributes to the mass of the self-interacting particle. Different particles develop different patterns in their dance, requiring different amounts of energy, and hence have different masses. Virtual particles, finally, are not only an essential part of all particle interactions and of most of the particles’ properties, but are also created and destroyed by the vacuum. Thus, not only matter, but also the void, participates in the cosmic dance, creating and destroying energy patterns without end
For the modern physicists, then, Shiva’s dance is the dance of subatomic matter. As in Hindu mythology, it is a continual dance of creation and destruction involving the whole cosmos; the basis of all existence and of all natural phenomena. Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance. The bubble-chamber photographs of interacting particles, which bear testimony to the continual rhythm of creation and destruction in the universe, are visual images of the dance of Shiva equalling those of the Indian artists in beauty and profound significance. The metaphor of the cosmic dance thus unifies ancient mythology, religious art, and modern physics. It is indeed, as Coomaraswamy has said,‘poetry, but none the less science”
Interestingly, in recognition of the close correspondence between the प्रतिकाविद्या नटराजस्य (pratikāvidyā naṭarājasya – iconography of Nataraja), in 2004 a similar statue of கூத்தபிரான் / நடராஜன் (kūttapirān / naṭarājan- the Lord of Cosmic Dance) was installed at the Geneva office of European Centre for Research in Particle Physics (CERN)
Of course, Capra is not alone in recognizing the synergies between the ancient Indian iconography and recent discoveries of modern physics. In fact, according to eminent astrophysicist Dr. Carl Sagan,
“Modern physics pictures matter, not as passive and inert, but as continuously dancing and vibrating. This is very much like the Eastern mystics description of the world. Both emphasize that the universe has to be grasped dynamically. It structures are not static, rigid ones, but should be seen in terms of dynamic equilibrium. Physicists speak of the continuous dance of sub-atomic matter, which goes on all the time. They have actually used the words ‘dance of creation and destruction’ or ‘energy dance’. This naturally comes to mind when you see some of the pictures of particles taken by physicists in their bubble chambers. Of course, physicists are not the only one talking about this cosmic dance. Perhaps the most beautiful example of this metaphor exists in Hinduism – the idea of the dancing Lord Siva. Siva is the personification of the cosmic dance. According to Indian tradition, all life is a rhythmic interplay of death and birth, of creation and destruction. Indian artists have created beautiful pictures and statues of dancing Lord Siva. These statues are visual images of the cosmic dance, and so are the bubble chamber tracks photographed by modern physicists. They are a modern version of the dance of Siva obtained by using the most modern and advanced of our Western technological instruments. To me, the effect is as beautiful and as profound as the magnificent Hindu statues. In both cases, we are picturing an eternal dance of creation and destruction, which is the basis of all natural phenomena, the basis of all existence. Therefore, I have put the two together – here you have the ‘Dance of Siva’ merging the 12th and 20th century versions. You can see that this image of the cosmic dance unifies, in a very beautiful way, ancient mythology, religious art, mystical insight and modern science.”
However, at the same time please remember that the same ஆனந்த தாண்டவம் (ānanda tāṇḍavam – dance of bliss) also refers to the पञ्चमहाकृत्यानि (pañcamahākṛtyāni – fivefold cosmic acts) at the macro cosmic scale, relating to the multiverse as testified by saint திருமூலர் (tirumūlar) himself in the following verses:
Thus, in other words, the आनन्दमहाताण्डव (ānand mahātāṇḍava – supreme dance of bliss) actually represents the eternal governance of the पञ्चमहाकृत्यानि (pañcamahākṛtyāni – fivefold cosmic acts) viz. ஆக்கல் / सृष्टि (ākkal/ sṛṣṭi – creation / manifestation), காத்தல் / स्थिति (kāttal / sthiti - sustenance), அழித்தல் / संहार (aḹttal / saṁhāra –dissolution), மறைத்தல் / तिरोभाव (maṛaittal / tirobhāva - veiling) & அருளல் / अनुग्रह (aruḻal / anugraha - grace) cutting across the infinitely long series of manifested multiverses. Whenever I think of the this massive scale, I am reminded of the following verses of திரு அருட்பிரகாச இராமலிங்க வள்ளலார் (tiru aruṭpirakāsa irāmaliṅga vaḻḻalār) in his famous euological rendering நடராஜபதிமாலை (naṭarājapatimālai) on the cosmic dance of शिव (śiva):
Of course, from an anthropic perspective, this महाताण्डव (mahātāṇḍava – mega dance) is a नित्य स्पन्दन (nitya spanda - eternal vibration), both at the ब्रह्माण्ड पिण्डाण्ड च प्रमौ (brahmāṇḍa piṇḍāṇḍa ca pramau – macrocosmic and microcosmic scales), are basically immersive experiences visualized as a sacred आनन्द ताण्डव (ānanda tāṇḍava – dance of bliss) happening within one’s own consciousness. Such a dance is called ஞானக்கூத்து (jñānakkūttu – gnostic dance). Of course, this can be visualized only after activating one’s दिव्यज्ञानचक्षुस् /திவ்யஞானக்கண்கள் (divyajñānacakṣus /divyajñānakkaṇgaḻ – divine wisdom eye) as testified in the following verses by saint திருமூலர் (tirumūlar):
ताण्डव कालचक्रस्य (tāṇḍava kālacakrasya – dance of time cycle)
Similarly, the ancient
school Tibetan Buddhism, the concept of कालचक्र (kālacakra
– time cycle) takes it to a cosmological
context (of course both micro-cosmic, and macro-cosmic)
An even more interesting aspect of synergy between modern cosmology and the ancient wisdom of five key stages in the cosmic life cycle of manifested Universe. For example, as already mentioned Alexander Friedmann also refers about the variable type of the universe i.e. the dynamically cyclic model of the universe. I am reproducing his earlier quoted description again for your reference:
“The variable type of Universe represents a great variety of cases; there can be cases of this type when the world's radius of curvature... is constantly increasing in time; cases are also possible when the radius of curvature changes periodically: the Universe contracts into a point (into nothing) and then again increases its radius from a point up to a certain value, then again, diminishing its radius of curvature, transforms itself into a point, etc. This brings to mind what Hindu mythology has to say about cycles of existence”
Interestingly, the last statement highlights the synergy with ancient Hindu cosmological model
The Conformal Cyclic Cosmology proposed by Roger Penrose & Gurzadyan as an alternative to the
linear big-bang singularity model based on
Einstein’s classical General relativity singularities (originally proposed
jointly by Roger Penrose himself along with other experts like Stephen Hawkings
and Robert Greoch) is another version of
the modern cosmological model hinting a cosmic cycles.
Again, the oscilatory nature of universe proposed by the Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC) school of modern
astrophysics which is based on the Loop Quantum
Gravity (LQG), which aims to provide an
integrated model of the macro-cosmic phenomena like the weak gravitational
field with the micro-cosmic phenomena like the quantum fields (QCD) operatying
at planck scales.
Interestingly, this closely resembles the Cyclical Cosmology of ancient Hindus. To be more specific, the LQC interprets the महाध्वनि (mahādhvani – big-bang) to actually have followed previously collapsed Universe - महारव (mahārava - big-crunch). Thus, according to this school, cosmology involves periodic cycles of महाध्वनि विकासिता (mahādhvani vikāsitā – big-bang expansion) & महारव प्रव्लय (mahārava pravlaya - big-crunch collapse) and these two events meeting at the महानिष्पेष कैवल्यं (mahāniṣpeṣa kaivalyam - Big Bounce Singularity)
Interestingly, the following verses from the वायवीय संहिता पूर्व भाग (vāyavīya saṁhitā pūrva bhāga) in the शिवमहापुराण (śivamahāpurāṇa) very categorically hints to us about the cyclic cosmology wherein the cosmological events of creation, growth and dissolution keep recurring as the wheel of time rotates.
Moreover, as originally highlighted by renowned astrophysicist Professor Fed Adams in the popular science book - “The Five ages of the Universe”, which was later experimentally verified based on the WMAP satellite expedition findings, modern astrophysics also recognizes five major cosmological eras, while defining the lifecycle of our universe. In the words of Professor Fed Adams,
“We can organize our current understanding of the past and future history of the universe by defining the following distinct eras of time. As the universe passes from one era to the next, the inventory and character of the universe change rather dramatically, and in some ways almost completely. These eras, which are analogous to geological eras, provide a broad outline of the life of the universe.”
The below chart gives a diagrammatic representation of the above phases
The following table further summarizes these five stages. If you think deeply these five stages have striking parallels to the पञ्चमहाकृत्यानि (pañcamahākṛtyāni – fivefold cosmic acts) viz. ஆக்கல் / सृष्टि (ākkal/ sṛṣṭi – creation / manifestation), காத்தல் / स्थिति (kāttal / sthiti - sustenance), அழித்தல் / संहार (aḹttal / saṁhāra –dissolution), மறைத்தல் / तिरोभाव (maṛaittal / tirobhāva - veiling) & அருளல் / अनुग्रह (aruḻal / anugraha - grace)
The प्राकृत / मौल युग (prākṛta / maula yuga - primordial era), for example, represents the function of creation, which is followed by the current era of sustenance viz. आवृतनक्षत्राणियुग (āvṛtanakṣatrāṇiyuga - stelliferous era). Subsequently, the third era viz. अवरूपयुग (avarūpayuga – degenerate era) will follow when whole universe will begin to dissolve.
|
Stage |
Era Name |
Duration |
Description |
|
1 |
प्राकृत / मौल युग (prākṛta / maula yuga
- primordial
era) |
10-50 to 10 5 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ - seconds)
|
In this phase, the universe started expanding and cooling (The big bang nucleo synthesis) |
|
2 |
आवृतनक्षत्राणियुग (āvṛtanakṣatrāṇiyuga - stelliferous era) |
106 to 10 14 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ - seconds)
|
This is the current era of hydrogen rich stars, galaxies and
planetary systems |
|
3 |
अवरूपयुग (avarūpayuga – degenerate era) |
1015 to 1039 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ - seconds)
|
During this era, the stars will start exhausting its energy
(hydrogen, helium burning etc) leading to darkness and collapse of massive
stars and galaxies into white
dwarfs. |
|
4 |
श्यामल
कृष्ण / रन्ध्र युग (śyāmala / kṛṣṇa randhra yuga - black hole era) |
1040 to 10100 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ - seconds)
|
This will be era of black holes and the only source of energy outlets
will be the thin layers of radiation (slow evaporation of energy – also
called as Hawking
radiation) |
|
5 |
रामयुग
(rāmayuga – dark era) |
10100 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ - seconds) + |
This is the final state of the universe when all the sources of
energy are completely exhausted leading to what is called as Heat Death |
These first three stages very obviously map to each other
as they are purely cosmological in nature. The remaining two stage are more
eschatological and may not be that obvious. The fourth stage of तिरोद्भाव (tirodbhāva - veiling) when everything gets hidden by the veil of अविद्या (avidyā – ignorance) just
as a श्यामल कृष्ण / रन्ध्र (śyāmala / kṛṣṇa randhra - black hole) physically hides (covers) up everything including light and knowledge.
Finally, in the fifth stage, there
is complete liberation when all differences vanish by merging into the seed
state of हिरण्यगर्भ
(hiraṇyagarbha - dark womb). In fact, the latest scientific discoveries hint that “supermassive
black holes might be hiding entire universes inside”
Yes, yet again science discovers ageold ancient Puranic wisdom of the evolved universes seeded back to the dark श्यामल कृष्ण / रन्ध्र (śyāmala / kṛṣṇa randhra - black hole era) symbolized as हिरण्यगर्भ (hiraṇyagarbha - golden womb) during the महारव / महाप्रलयकाल (mahārava /mahāpralayakāla - big-crunch / grand dissolution era) before the next मन्वन्तर (manvantara - manu's epoch) begins. This is the period when the भावित तत्त्वानि (bhāvita tattvāni – manifested evolutes) dissolve back into the प्रकृति अवस्था (prakṛti avasthā -primordial state). I am reminded of the following verses of the noble saint சித்தர் சிவவாக்கியர் (sittar siva vākkiyar)
The तमसक / श्यामलता (tamasaka
/ śyāmalatā - darkness /
blackness) - what science calls as the “श्यामल कृष्ण / रन्ध्र (śyāmala / kṛṣṇa randhra - black hole)” is also symbolized निष्कल अवस्था (niṣkala avasthā - undifferentiated /
noumenal state) and also conceptualized as
the ब्रह्म निमेषण (brahma nimeṣaṇa - closing of God's eye). Please be noted
that, while it is true that, modern science has already begun to recogonise the
significance of the पञ्च महा कृत्य (pañca mahā kṛtya – five cosmic acts), at least from physical perspective; however, it still has a long way
to go, from the point of view of higher realms of consciousness.
On the other hand, such concepts were always integral part of ancient Hindu wisdom as there are numerous case studies in the Hindu पुराण शास्त्र (purāṇa śāstra – mythological literature) esoterically highlighting the doctrine of Eternal recurrence of cosmic cycles. Moreover, the concept of cosmological recurrence has been highlighted through various mythological episodes in the पुराण शास्त्र (purāṇa śāstra – mythological literatures). The story of the “Parade of the Ants’ narrated in the ब्रह्म वैवर्त पुराण (brahma vaivarta purāṇa) for example, highlights the cyclic nature of cosmology, wherein the universe is manifested with the opening of ब्रह्मदेव (brahma deva – supreme god)’s eyes, and is annihilated back when closing His eyes. Heinrich Zimmer summarizes the esoteric message behind the parable thus,
The wonderful story of the Parade of Ants opens before us an unfamiliar spectacle of space and throbs with an alien pulse of time … The astounding story of the re-education of the proud and successful Indra plays with visions of cosmic cycles-eons following each other in the endlessness of time, eons contemporaneous in the infinitudes of space.
This process
of opening and closing of God’s eye is technically called as उन्मेश (unmeśa – eye openin and निमेश (nimesha – eye closing) in शैव शास्त्र (śaiva śāstra). In fact, the concept of चतुर् युग (catur
yuga – four fold epochs) and the मन्वन्तर (manvantra - patriarchate) also endorse this philosophy.
Interestingly, in line with the Hermitic wisdom, “as above, so below”, the theme is not confined to the macro-cosmic scales but extended to
the individual’s soul’s life cyle as well. The doctrines of re-incarnation and resurrection for examples also reflect the
same philosophy.
The arrow of time plays a critical role in understanding these
doctrines and we need to discuss the same. It is obvious that from a day to day
common sense perspective, the flow of time always follows an uni-directional
linear pattern. It always moves from the past, through the present to the
future. Saint Augustine was one of the first advocates to formalise the concept
of linear time as a philosophy. Technically, according to
modern thermodynamics, as explained initially by Ludwig Boltzmann, the eminent
Austrian physcist, the arrow of time is necessitated by entropy as defined in
the second law of theromodynamics.
Although to the common man, time looks like a
uni-directional flow constituting linear events, yet according to modern
science, the linear time is more a psychological construct of the mind
and hence it is even called as the psychological
time modern physics echoing the ancient concept of कञ्चुक / उपाधि / कोश (kañcuka
/ upādhi / kośa – cloak / adjucnt / sheath) in Hinduism. At higher
realms of consciousness, the underlying curvature behind the apparent linearity
revealed. In geometrical term, linearity of time gets curved and becomes more
elliptical and cyclical as explained by the Hindu sages thousands of years ago.
It is also believed that Time follows the laws of Eternal Return also referred as The Law of Eternal Recurrence. This fact is
also endorsed by Einstein’s Relativistic physics, which talks about the space-time
curvatures
due to Gravitational impact. Modern scientific discoveries thus reveals a
cyclical pattern in time in contrast to practical experience of linear. Moreover,
in striking variance from our emperical observation that time always flows in a
specific sequence of past through present to the future, according to modern
science, time like space exhibits perfect symmetry. That is, potentially, time
can flow in both the directions – viz. past as well as the future. (We shall
discuss, more about this while analysing spatial dimensions.)
In ancient Greek philosophy, the different forms of
eternal recurrence doctrine seemed to be prevelant right from pre-Socratian era
itself. For example, belief in cyclic patterns of ekpyrosis
(anhilation/conflagragation) eventually followed by polyngenesis
(rebirth)
among the Stoic philosophers (like Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes of Assos &
Chrissipus of Soli), was a flavor of eternal recommencement - the
unending succession of destruction and recreation of the world at periodic cycles. Etymologically,
the term is derived from the roots palin (again) & genesis (beginning
/ birth).
According to them everything created from pneuma primordial
sunstance and eventually dissolved back to the same. For example, according to
Cleanthes the recyclying pattern of ekpyrosis (anhilation/conflagragation) & polyngenesis
(rebirth)
was as follows, from fire to air to water to earth and back to water to air
to fire.
It is widely believed that the famous Ionian philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus` doctrine of cross recycling between primordial elements (from fire to water to earth and back to water to fire) had influenced the Stoics towards such a belief system. Interestingly, as indicated below Heraclitus was one of the foremost philosophers to have used the term cosmos (world order) which later on became the de facto standard term in philosophy and astrophysics. Moreover, esoterically speaking, according to Heraclitus, fire corresponded to the soul as testified in the following statements :
This
world-order (cosmos), the same of all, no god nor man did create, but it ever
was and is and will be: ever-living fire, kindling in measures and being quenched
in measures. Fire’s turnings: first sea, and of sea the half is earth, the half
burner (lightening or fire)…(earth) is
dispersed as sea, and is measured so as to form the same proportion as existed
before it became earth. All things
are an exchange for fire, and fire for all things, as goods for gold and gold
for goods… To
soul it is death to become water; to water it is death to become earth.. From
earth comes water, and from water soul (again)….
- Deils-Kranz (DK) collection of preSocratic resources ( 22B30, 22B36, 22B90)
Of course, Heraclitus was not the only occidental philosopher to advocate eternal cycles of ekpyrosis (conflagragation) & polyngenesis (rebirth).The ancient myths of Phaethon and Decalion reiterated the same and philosophers like Plato leveraged the myths of cyclic cataclysms through natural disasters by fire or floods into their cosmological doctrines. Similarly, Pythogras believed that the history of civilization is cyclical. Again, Empedocles also believed in a cyclical cosmic order. The atomists also believed that the universe manifested from and atoms and eventually will disintegrate and new ones will again arise from the void. Similarly, the ancient Hermitic wisdom belonging to the Greco-Egyptian schools also believed in rhythmic cosmic cycles as testified Principle of Rythm which is the fifth maxim in the sacred Kybalion::
More recently in the beginning of 19th century, eminent thinkers like Friedrich Neitsche were strong advocates of it. His famous declaration echoes:
“Everything becomes and recurs eternally - escape is impossible!”
and, again
“In an infinite period of time, every possible combination would at some time be attained.”
In fact, he reiterated:
“The law of conservation of energy demands eternal recurrence."
However, the focus of his philosophy was more social than cosmological. In fact, from a psychological perspective, looks like, he was not personally very comfortable with the consequences of such recurrence as admitted in his own words,
“What, if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: 'This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more' ... Would you not throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse the demon who spoke thus? Or have you once experienced a tremendous moment when you would have answered him: 'You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine.”'
The concept of recurrence was also hinted by the eminent philoopher of science and mathematician Jules Henry Poincare, who postulated the famous Poincare recurrance time theorem, which is widely applied in statistical mechanics, dynamic systems and related domains. It states that,
“if a dynamical system has a fixed total energy that restricts its dynamics to bounded subsets of its state space, then the dynamical system will eventually return arbitrarily close to its initial system state infinitely often”.
In simple words,
the theorem states that after a sufficiently long (unfathomably long) time, all
closed dynamical systems, like the Hamiltom space, will sample any accessible
state. Mathematically,
the theorem is defined as follows,
Let T : X → X be a measure-preserving transformation of (X, B, µ) and let A ∈ B have µ(A) > 0.
Then for µ-a.e. x ∈ A, the orbit {T nx}∞ n=0 returns to A infinitely often
In his famous work, titled ‘On the three body problem’, the eminent mathematician justfies his doctrine this,
“A theorem, easy to prove, tells us that a bounded world, governed only by the laws of mechanics, will always pass through a state very close to its initial state. On the other hand, according to accepted experimental laws (if one attributes absolute validity to them, and if one is willing to press their consequences to the extreme), the universe tends toward a certain final state, from which it will never depart. In this final state, which will be a kind of death, all bodies will be at rest at the same temperature.
I do not know if it has been remarked that the English kinetic theories can extricate themselves from this contradiction. The world, according to them, tends at first toward a state where it remains for a long time without apparent change; and this is consistent with experience; but it does not remain that way forever, if the theorem cited above is not violated; it merely stays there for an enormously long time, a time which is longer the more numerous are the molecules. This state will not be the final death of the universe, but a sort of slumber, from which it will awake after millions of millions of centuries.
According to this theory, to see heat pass from a cold body to a warm one, it will not be necessary to have the acute vision, the intelligence, and the dexterity of Maxwell's demon; it will suffice to have a little patience.
One would like to be able to stop at this point and hope that some day the telescope will show us a world in the process of waking up, where the laws of thermodynamics are reversed.”
This is obviously not mere theoretical speculation – but is backed by years of experimental analysis. In fact, as already observed, according to recent scientific discoveries in astrophysics the Universe passes through a five phased life cycle namely (originally defined by astrophysicist Professor Fed Adams, in his famous book – The Five Ages of the Universe). Even classical physicist Isaac Newton endorses this by saying that every action as a equal and opposite reaction. In other words, whenever there is a creation there necessarily has to be its reverse action, which is destruction. In the words of Dr. Michio Kaku,
“The WMAP not
only gives the most accurate glimpse of the early universe, it also gives the
most detailed picture of how the universe will die. Just as a mysterious
anti-gravity force pushed the galaxies apart at the
beginning of time, this same anti-gravity force is now pushing the universe to
its final fate…. If this antigravity continues, the universe will ultimately
die in a big freeze.”
Interestingly,
these astounding scientific discoveries are but reflections of many ancient
religious cultures across the globe, who even without the luxury of
sophisticated technological infrastruture avilable to modern day scientist,
have been advocating similar doctrines of cycllical pattern in time. There is a
huge list of ancient mythological stories, highlighting the cyclical pattern of
time. Famous parables such as Parade of
the Ants narated in the
ब्रह्मविवर्त पुराण (brahmavivarta purāṇa), the Sumerian
legend of Inanna’s descent to the nether world, the Egyptian legend of the Horus are other popular references of similar theme.
In Hindu cosmology as described in श्रीमद् भागवतपुराण (śrīma dbhāgavatapurāṇa), विष्णुपुराण (viṣṇupurāṇa) and various other महापुराणानि (mahāpurāṇāni – grand legends) deal with the concept of सृष्टि (sṛṣṭi – creation), स्थिति (sthiti – sustenance) and प्रलय (pralaya - annihilation) of the universe in repetitive time cycles of theयुग (yuga - epoch) & मन्वन्त्र (manvantra – patriarchate) time scales defined in the above table. In fact, a according to these scriptures, the cosmic recycling, technically called as युग प्रलय (yuga pralaya – epoch dissolution), occurs at the end of every युग (yuga - epoch), as indicated by the table below:.
|
युग (yuga - epoch) Ascending
order of evolution |
Terrestrial Duration (in human years) |
विभव अवतार (vibhava avatāra
–glorious incarnation) |
|
सत्य युग (satya yuga – golden epoch) |
1,728,000 |
मत्स्य अवतार (matsya avatāra – fish
incarnation) कूर्म अवतार (kūrma avatāra – tortoise incarnation) वराह अवतार (varāha avatāra – boar incarnation) नरसिम्ह अवतार (narasimha avatāra – lion-man incarnation) |
|
त्रेत युग (treta yuga – silver epoch) |
1,296,000 |
परसुराम अवतार (parasurāma avatāra - man with axe incarnation) वामन अवतार (vāmana avatāra – dwarf man incarnation) राम अवतार (rāma avatāra) |
|
द्वापर युग (dvāpara yuga – bronze epoch) |
864,000 |
कृष्ण अवतार (kṛṣṇa avatāra) बलराम (balarāma avatāra) |
|
कलि युग (kali yuga – iron epoch) |
432,000 |
कल्कि अवतार (kalki avatāra) |
|
महा युग (mahā yuga – mega epoch) |
4,320,000 |
|
Before proceeding further, in order to appreciate these concepts better, we need to get some fundamental brushup of the various time scales discussed here. We have already seen that time is generally expresssed in uints of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. While such denominations are sufficient for most of our practical life, it may not be enough for measuring higher realms of time, both in the microcosmic and the macrocosmic aspects. Hence, a more comprehensive scale of measurement is required and thanks to the Hindu sages whose foresight has helped in defining very elaborate and well thought through काल विद्या (kāla vidyā - science of time). The following table lists the various काल परिमा (kāla parimā – time measures) defined by Hindu wisdom, as articulated in various sacred scriptures, including विष्णु पुराण (viṣṇu purāṇa), श्रीमद् भागवत पुराण (śrīmad bhāgavata purāṇa), सूर्य सिद्धान्त (sūrya siddhānta) etc.
Unit of Measure |
Details |
|
1 त्रसरेण (trasareṇu) |
The lowest unit of combination of 3 hexatoms |
|
1 तृटि (tṛṭi) |
The time taken to integration of 3 त्रसरेणवः (trasareṇavaḥ) = (approx) 8/13,500th of a क्षणाः (kṣaṇa - second) = 1/6787.5th of a क्षणाः (kṣaṇa
- second) |
|
1 वेधः (vedhaḥ) |
100 तृट्यः (tṛṭyaḥ)s = 8/135th
of a क्षणाः (kṣaṇa - second) |
|
1 लव (lava) |
3 वेधाः (vedhāḥ)s = 8/45th
of a क्षणाः (kṣaṇa
- second) |
|
1 निमिष (nimiṣa- moment) |
3 लवाः (lavāḥ)s = 8/15th
of a क्षणाः (kṣaṇa
- second). Etymologically the term निमिष (nimiṣa) means “blinking of the eye” |
|
1 विकला (vikalā) |
1 क्षणाः (kṣaṇa - second) |
|
1 क्षण (kṣaṇa) or 1 परमाणु (paramāṇu) |
3 निमिषाः (nimiṣāḥ - moments) - Average time taken by a human to blink his eyes
once. - 8/5 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ
- seconds) |
|
1
मात्र (mātra) |
8 निमिषाः (nimiṣāḥ - moments) |
|
1
गुरु (guru) |
2 मात्र (mātra) |
|
1
प्राण (prāṇa- breath) |
10 गुरवः (guravaḥ) = 4 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ
- seconds) |
|
1
काष्टा (kāṣṭā) |
51 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ
- seconds) = (approx) 8 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ
- seconds) |
|
1 पल (pala) or विघटि (vighaṭi) or विनाडी (vināḍī)
|
6 प्राणाः (prāṇāḥ -
breaths) = 60 विपलानि (vipalāni) = 6 परमाणवः (paramāṇavaḥ - micro particles) =3 काष्ठाः (kāṣṭhāḥ) = (approx) 24 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ
- seconds) |
|
1 निमेष (nimeṣa - minute) |
60
क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ
- seconds) |
|
1
लघु (laghu) |
15 काष्ठाः (kāṣṭhāḥ) = approx 2 निमेषौ (nimeṣau = minutes) |
|
1
घटी / नाडी / ¿¡Æ¢¨¸ / दन्दा (ghaṭī / nāḍī / naazhigai / dandā) |
60 पलानि (palāni) = 15 लघवः (laghavaḥ) = (approx) 24 निमेषाः (nimeṣāḥ - minutes)
|
|
1
कला (kalā) |
2 लघु (laghu) = 30 काष्ठाः (kāṣṭhāḥ) = 60 विकला (vikalā) =
1 निमेष (nimeṣa - minute) |
|
1 क्शन (kśana) |
30 कला (kalā)s |
|
1 मुहूर्त (muhūrta) |
2 घटी (ghaṭī)
= 12 क्षणाः (kṣaṇāḥ - seconds) s = approx 48 minutes |
|
1 यमः (yamaḥ) |
6 मुहूर्ताः (muhūrtāḥ) = (approx) 1/4th of a day |
|
1 करनः (karanaḥ) |
2.5 यमाः (yamāḥ) = 15 मुहूर्ताः (muhūrtāḥ) = ½ तिथि (tithi) |
|
1 तिथि / मनुष्य अहोरात्र (titi/ manuṣya
ahorātra – lunar/sidereal day) |
60 घट्यः (ghaṭyaḥ) = 2 करणौ (karaṇau) = 5 यमाः (yamāḥ) = 30 मुहूर्ताः (muhūrtāḥ) = 24 hours (approx). |
|
1 वार (vāra - week) |
7 Solar Day
of the week |
|
1 पक्ष (pakṣa - fortnight) |
15 तिथ्यः (tithyaḥ – lunar days) |
|
1 मास (māsa - month) |
2 पक्षौ (pakṣau) = 30 तिथ्यः (tithyaḥ – lunar days) (approx) lunar month measured in
lunar days solar
month measured in solar days |
|
1 ऋतु (ṛtu – season) |
2 मासौ (māsau - months) |
|
1 आयनम् (āyanam - solistice) |
3 ऋत्वः (ṛtvaḥ -seasons) = 6 मासाः (māsāḥ
- months) |
|
1 मनुष्य वत्सर (manuśya vatsara - human
year) |
2 आयनम् (āyanam)s = 12 मासाः (māsāḥ
- months) (360
मनुष्य दिनाः (manuṣya dināḥ - human
days) approx, 4.5 days rounded of for calculations) |
|
1 पितृ दिन (pitṛ
dina – ancestral day) |
15 मनुष्य दिनाः (manuṣya dināḥ - human
days) |
|
1 पितृ रात्रि (pitṛ rātri – ancestral night) |
15 मनुष्य रात्र्यः (manuṣya rātrayaḥ - 15
human nights) |
|
1 पितृ अहोरात्र (pita ahorātra –
ancestral daynight) |
30 मनुष्य अहोरात्र (manuṣya ahorātra – day + night)
= 1
पितृ दिन (pitṛ
dina – ancestral day) + 1 पितृ रात्रि (pitṛ rātri – ancestral night) |
|
1 देव अहोरात्र (deva ahorātra – divine daynight) |
1 मनुष्य वत्सर (manuśya
vatsara - human
year) =
360 मनुष्य दिनाः (manuṣya dināḥ - human
days) |
|
1 देव वत्सर (deva vatsara – divine year) |
360 देव अहोरात्र्यः (deva ahorātrayaḥ -
divine daynights) = 1,29,600 मनुष्य अहोरात्र्यः (manuṣya ahorātrayaḥ -
divine daynights) |
|
1 कलियुग (kali yuga – dark era) |
1200 देव वत्सराः (deva vatsarāḥ – divine
years) = 4,32,000 मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) |
|
1 द्वापर युग (dvāpara yuga) |
2400 देव वत्सराः (deva vatsarāḥ – divine
years) = 8,64,000 मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human years) =2 कलियुगे (kaliyuge – dark eras) |
|
1 त्रेत युग (treta yuga) |
3600 देव वत्सराः (deva vatsarāḥ – divine
years) = 1,296,000 मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) = 3 कलियुगानि (kaliyugāni – dark epochs) |
|
1 सत्य युग (satya yuga)
|
4800 देव वत्सराः (deva vatsarāḥ – divine
years) = 1,728,000 मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) =4 कलियुगानि (kaliyugāni – dark epochs) |
|
1 चतुर् युग (catur yuga) or 1 महायुग (mahāyuga) |
12000 देव वत्सराः (deva vatsarāḥ – divine
years) = 4,320,000 (4.3
million) मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) 1 चतुर्युग (caturyuga) = 1 कलियुग (kali yuga – dark era) + 1 द्वापर युग (dvāpara yuga) + 1 त्रेत युग (treta yuga) + 1 सत्य युग (satya yuga) |
|
1 मन्वन्तर (manvantara - patriarchate) |
71.43 1 महायुगानि (mahāyugāni) = 308,571,428.6 (308.5
million) मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) |
|
1 कल्प (kalpa - aeon) |
1000 1 महायुगानि (mahāyugāni) = 4,320,000,000 (4.32 billion) मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) Or
14 मन्वन्तराणि (manvantarāṇi - patriarchates) |
|
1 सूर्यकल्प (suryakalpa – solar aeon) |
7 कल्पाः (kalpāḥ - aeons) = 30,240,000,000 (30.24 billion) मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) |
|
1 ब्रह्म दिन (brahma dina – brahma day)
|
2 कल्पौ (kalpau - aeons) = 1
ब्रह्म अहोरात्र (brahma ahorātra – divine daynight) = 8,640,000,000 (8.64
billion) मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) |
|
1 ब्रह्म वत्सर (brahma vatsara – brahma year) |
360 ब्रह्म दिनाः (brahma dināḥ - divine years) = 3,110,400,000,000 (3.1
trillion) मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years). |
|
ब्रह्म आयुस् (brahma āyus – brahma’s lifespan) |
100 ब्रह्म वत्सराः (brahma vatsarāḥ – brahma years) = 311,040,000,000,000 (311 trillion) मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years) |
Of course,
an important point to remember is that there are slight variations on these
time scales across different scriptures which are inturn based on the specific
time-cycle model they follow. For example, the revered परमाचार्य श्री अभिनवगुप्त (paramācārya śrī abhinavagupta) in
his magnum opus masterpiece श्री तन्त्रालोकः (śrī tantrālokaḥ) summarizes
thus on the time-scale with a deeper anthropicentric yogic model, while discussing
about the essence of time.
Wow! This is definitely mind boggling, when we begin to realize, the scale of the ब्रह्मन् (brahman – divinity), and I am just reminded of these golden verses of பெரியாழ்வார் (periyāḹvār) in his திருப்பல்லாண்டு (tiruppallāṇḍu), describing God.
Well all this huge numbers may seem very fanciful, but as Madam H.P. Blavatsky explains in her epoch making book Isis Unveiled,
“These ciphers are not fanciful, but founded upon
actual astronomical calculations, as has been demonstrated by S. Davis. Many a
scientist, Higgins among others, notwithstanding their researches, has been
utterly perplexed as to which of these was the secret cycle”.
Honestly,
looking at such massive time scales, humbles us - the ordinary mortals, the
literally insignificant role we are supposed to be playing, in the entire
scheme of things – The BIG picture.
Looking at the above time scales, we can very clearly understand that,
the Brahman is definitely much beyond the human scope (range) of Time.
Both from the temporal and spatial dimensions, we should in all honesty admit
that we are less than a speck of dust in the ब्रह्माण्ड (brahmāṇḍa). We are
almost NOWHERE!
Well yes, NOWHERE is
definitely the right word to be used here as in the one sense it means our role
in this whole system is almost no where even significant when
talking about the bigger scheme of things, but looking at it the other way
round, NOWHERE also means Now
Here! Yes, it means every individual soul definitely
has a very vital role and potential to play now, here in this world. After all,
we are the Heroes of the divine drama. We can discuss more about this later and
for now return back to our discussion.
From the table mapping the relationship between युग (yuga - era) & अवतार (avatāra - incarnation) listed earlier, one can easily observe that the चतुर् युग (catur yuga - four eras) are split in the ratio of 4:3:2:1 in the ascending order of evolution, starting with the सत्य युग (satya yuga) (comprising 1,728,000 human years) followed by the remaining three. This golden ratio is also referred by श्री अभिनवगुप्त (śrī abhinavagupta) in his magnum opus तन्त्रलोक (tantraloka) as well as its abridged version the तन्त्रसार (tantrasāra). For example, he acknowledges thus in the following paragraph from the बाह्यविधिः प्रकाशनम् (bāhyavidhiḥ prakāśanam) of तन्त्रसार (tantrasāra).
Moreover, in the same scripture, the four fold ratio
mentioned earlier is exoterically expressed as the number of legs of the cow
representing धर्म (dharma) which is originally four during the सत्य युग (satya yuga), is broken to 3, 2 and 1 in the त्रेता युग (tretā yuga), while द्वापर युग (dvāpara yuga) and the कलि युग (kali
yuga – dark era) respectively.
Please remember that once in every 4,32,000 years there is a विभव अवतार (vibhava avatāra - glorious incarnation) descending from above, to set right anomoly and restore back the धर्म (dharma – order/cosmos). In the सत्य युग (satya yuga) for example, there are four incarnations (as listed in the above table), while it is 3, 2 and 1 (yet to happen) in the respective eras. By the way, please remember that युग प्रलय (yuga pralaya – epoch dissolution) is only special kind of temporal recycling, Hindu wisdom has recogonised various frequencies of temporal recycling as listed below
नित्य प्रलय (nitya pralaya - continual dissolution): This is the kind of dissolution continuously occurring in the microcosmic-world as endorsed even by modern quantum physics of the nuclear and the sub-atomic worlds, where there is continuous emission and absorption of particles in what is generally referred to as particle time (measured in very tiny units of time e.g. picoseconds etc.). Please remember that these पञ्च महा कृत्य (pañca mahā kṛtya – fivefold cosmic acts) are not once in a while activity but eternally recurring series of continuous acts making up the phenomenal universe. Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi very clearly explains this as captured in the following verses by close disciple Sri Muruganar,
"Know that according to His will, law and plan, every moment of everyday the five functions of God (creation, sustenance, destruction, veiling and Grace) will be going on perfectly and unceasingly in the universe, which is full of moving and unmoving objects. Every moment (i.e., many millions of times in a second) each atom (in the universe) is destroyed and newly created. Since this is going on unceasingly, it appears as if they (the objects of the universe) are the same (objects) existing continuously.”.
दिन प्रलय (dina pralaya – daily dissolution): This is kind of dissolution is also called as दिनादिन मरनम (dinādina maranam - daily death) when the human soul termporarily dissoves its waking consciousness and goes to sleep.
पौरुश प्रलय (pauruśa pralaya- personal dissolution): This is the kind of dissolution for the जीवात्मन् (jīvātman - individual soul), more commonly known as मृत्यु (mṛtyu - death).
नैमित्तिक/ भौमिक/ अवान्तर प्रलय (naimittika / bhaumika/ avāntara pralaya- occasional/ terrestrial/ minor dissolution):
This is supposed to occur at the end of every कल्प (kalpa - aeon) the first half of a ब्रह्मदिन (brahmadina – divine day) which is approximately equivalent to 1000 महायुगानि (mahāyugāni – mega epochs) i.e 4.32 billion मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human years); when all the manifested forms in the ब्रह्माण्ड (brahmāṇḍa – cosmic egg - terrestrial Universe) will be dissolved by fire back to the original state of स्थूल तत्त्व (sthūla tattva - gross elements). Thus, this is not a complete dissolution, as the world is only reduced to the subtler residual satet of elements hence considered to be नैमितिक (naimittika - occasional). Correspondingly, during the following 4.32 billion मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human years), in the 2nd कल्प (kalpa - aeon) – ब्रह्मरात्रि (brahmarātri - divine night) the ब्रह्माण्ड (brahmāṇḍa – cosmic egg) is considered to be in a state of hibernation. Each कल्प (kalpa - aeon) is governed by a team of 14 मनवः (manavaḥ - progenitors) and the मन्वन्तर (manvantara - patriarchate) is considered to be around 71महायुगानि (mahāyugāni – mega epochs). Etymologically, the term मन्वन्तर (manvantara - patriarchate) is derived from the words मनु (manu - progintor) & अन्तर (antara – duration). Thus, मन्वन्तर (manvantara - patriarchate) means “the duration between two manus”. The following words from the सूर्य सिद्धान्त (sūrya siddhānta) describes a मन्वन्तर (manvantara - patriarchate) thus,
सौर्य प्रलय (saurya pralaya - solar dissolution):
This is supposed to occur at the end of every सूर्य कल्प (sūrya
kalpa - solar aeon), which is around 30.24 billion मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human
years),.
प्राक्र्त प्रलय / महा प्रलय (prākrta pralaya/ mahā pralaya - total dissolution):
The total dissolution is supposed to be occurring at the end of every ब्रह्म (brahma) life which is calculated to be around 311.04 trillion मनुष्य वत्सराः (manuśya vatsarāḥ - human years)
आत्यन्तिक प्रलय (ātyantika pralaya - absolute dissolution):
While all the above kinds are predominantly at the collective level, this happens when the individual self, on attaining release from bondage attains मोक्श (mokśa - liberation). Etymologically, the term ‘आत्यन्तिक (ātyantika)’ is derived as अति (ati - beyond) + अन्त (anta - end), meaning ‘Beyond End’. This is the state of absolute immortality attained by rare जीवन्मुक्त (jīvanmukta – living liberate) who by their spiritual progress have attained this state of மரணமில்லா பெரு வாழ்வு (maraṇamillā peru vāḹvu - Immortal Life of Bliss), and becomes a चिरञ्जीवा (cirañjīvā – immortal being)
मायाकालस्य (māyākālasya – mystery of time)
Astronomical sciences (cosmology, astrophysics) provides classical case studies to understand the मायावाद (māyāvāda – mystery doctrine) - The मायानुभव पौरापर्ये देशकालनिमित्तस्य (māyānubhava paurāparye deśakālanimittasya – mystery-experience in the continuum of space-time-causality) wherein a गतवृत्त (gatavṛtta – past event) which happened तदा-तत्र (tadā-tatra – then-there) is actually experienced in the इदानीम्–अत्र (idānīm- atra – present-now). For example, as indicated in the below picture, we visually experience (through telescopes and sometimes naked eyes) a non-local interstellar event from a distant past in the present.
Similarly, the gravitational wave ripples from the twin neutrino-star collapse triggered from a distant space-time event is being ‘listened to’ and deciphered now using sophisticated instruments at Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) etc.
Similarly, the detection of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) emanated from the earliest tracked event viz. the बृहत्स्फोटविदारण आदिकदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृतेन (bṛhatsphoṭavidāraṇa ādikadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtena – big-bang explosion from the initial space-time-causation singularity).
And very recent epoch making successful launch and deployment of the prestigious James Webb telescope stationed at the उपचयबिन्दु (upacayabindu – vantagepoint) for earnestly listening to गुप्तसंदेशाः (guptasaṃdeśāḥ - cryptic messages) transmitted from the दूरगतवृत्तानि (dūragatavṛttāni – distant past events).
This involves observing the दर्पणप्रतिबिम्ब नीचारक्तज्योतिषः (darpaṇapratibimba nīcāraktajyotiṣaḥ - mirror reflection of infra-red light) containing गुप्तसंदेशाः बृहत्स्फोटविदारणस्य आदिकदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृतेन (guptasaṃdeśāḥ bṛhatsphoṭavidāraṇasya ādikadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtena – cryptic messages of the big-bang explosion from the initial space-time-causation singularity) emanating from the गतवृत्त (gatavṛtta – past event) which is being decoded in the इदानीम्–अत्र (idānīm- atra – present-now) and the learnings will possibly be extrapolated to resolve the मायिकान्तिम्कृतान्तविद्या (māyikāntimkṛtāntavidyā – mysterious eschatological science) about the remote आगामिन्वृत्त (āgāmin vṛtta – future event) which could be one of the possibilities of
- बृहत्प्रव्लयान्तिमदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृत्त (bṛhatpravlayāntimadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtta – final big-crunch space-time-causality singularity event).
- बृहतपिशसन्तिमदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृत्त (bṛhatapiśasantimadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtta – final big-rip space-time-causality singularity event)
- बृहतपिशसन्तिमदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृत्त (bṛhatstambhayatiantimadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtta – final big-freeze space-time-causality singularity event)
And this is one of the main reasons, there is the famous सयनासन
श्री गोविन्दराजमूर्तेः (sayanāsana śrī
govindarājamūrteḥ - lying-pose of Lord GovindaRaja) consecrated
at the famous திரு சித்திரகூடம் (tiru cittirakūṭam) which is the sacred ஸ்ரீ வைணவ திவ்வியதேசம் (srī vaiṇava tivviyatēcam – divine abode of Lord Vishnu) and is located just in front of the sanctum
sanctorum of चित्सभा (citsabhā – gnostic hall) wherein
the महा आनन्दताण्डव नटराजस्य (mahā ānandatāṇḍava naṭarājasya – supreme frantic bliss-dance of dance-king)
occurs
at the sacred चिदंबरदेवालयक्षेत्र (cidaṃbaradevālayakṣetra – divinity pervading gnostic -vacuum field).
In spiritual context the बृहत्स्फोटविदारण आदिकदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृतेन
(bṛhatsphoṭavidāraṇa
ādikadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtena – big-bang explosion from the initial space-time-causation
singularity) corresponds to
the महासृष्टिकृत्य ब्रह्माण्डस्य
(mahāsṛṣṭikṛtya
brahmāṇḍasya – grand evolution of the macro-cosmos) while the बृहत्प्रव्लयान्तिमदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृत्त (bṛhatpravlayāntimadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtta
– final big-crunch space-time-causality singularity event) corresponds to the महास्सम्हारकृत्य ब्रह्माण्डस्य (mahāssamhārakṛtya
brahmāṇḍasya – grand involution of macro-cosmos).
In theological terms, please recollect that these two
acts form an integral part of the पञ्चमहाकृत्यानि (pañcamahākṛtyāni – five cosmic acts) performed as part of the महा आनन्दताण्डव नटराजस्य (mahā ānandatāṇḍava
naṭarājasya – supreme frantic bliss-dance of dance-king) at the sacred चिदंबरदेवालयक्षेत्र (cidaṃbaradevālayakṣetra – divinity pervading
gnostic -vacuum field).
ஆக்கல் / सृष्टि (ākkal/ sṛṣṭi – creation / manifestation),
காத்தல் / स्थिति (kāttal / sthiti - sustenance),
அழித்தல் / संहार (azhittal / saṁhāra –dissolution),
மறைத்தல் / तिरोभाव (maṛaittal / tirobhāva
- veiling) &
அருளல் / अनुग्रह (aruḻal / anugraha - grace).
And interestingly, this आनन्दताण्डव (ānandatāṇḍava – frantic bliss dance) is being revealed to श्री पतञ्जलि महऋषि (śrī
patañjali mahaṛṣi), as part of
the आर्द्रादर्शन (ārdrādarśana
– vision of ardra). Yes, in this context
the आर्द्रादर्शन (ārdrādarśana
– vision of ardra) corresponds
to witnessing the आधिशेषज्योति
(ādhiśeṣajyoti
– primordial residual light) coming from the गतवृत्त (gatavṛtta
– past event) relating to
the बृहत्स्फोटविदारण आदिकदेशकालनिमित्तकैवल्यवृतेन
(bṛhatsphoṭavidāraṇa
ādikadeśakālanimittakaivalyavṛtena – big-bang explosion from the initial space-time-causation
singularity).
Interestingly, श्री पतञ्जलि महऋषि (śrī
patañjali mahaṛṣi) is considered
to be अवतार आदिशेषस्य (avatāra
ādiśeṣasya – incarnation of primordial residue) according to the महापुराणशास्त्राणि (mahāpurāṇaśāstrāṇi
– supreme legend dcriptures) and even more interestingly, the latter is the rest-bed on whom श्री महाविष्णु (śrī
mahāviṣṇu), the Lord responsible
for स्थिति कृत्य (sthiti kṛtya - sustenance function) in the इदानीम्–अत्र (idānīm-
atra – present-now). In
philosophical terms, He is the नित्यसाक्षिचैतन्यमहविष्णोः (nityasākṣicaitanya - sākṣicaitanyamahaviṣṇoḥ
-eternal witness consciousness of the omnipresence) - the becoming of the being.
Please remember that here, the चिदंबरदेवालयक्षेत्र (cidaṃbaradevālayakṣetra – divinity pervading gnostic -vacuum field) corresponding to the देशकालनिमित्तशास्वताक्षेत्रज्ञ (deśakālanimittaśāsvatākṣetrajña – space-time-causality cognizer continuum), only the इदानीम्संयत्काल (idānīmsaṃyatkāla – present continuous tense) occupies विमात्रयदृष्टदेशस्य (vimātrayadṛṣṭadeśasya – three dimensions of visible space) while गतवृत्त (gatavṛtta – past event) and आगामिन्वृत्त (āgāmin vṛtta – future event) are beyond the area marked in the famous the Henry Minkowisky's Light-cone diagram.
Of course, it is definitely not just mere
coincidence that the famous Henry Minkowisky light-cone diagram resembles the sacred डमरु / உடுக்கை (ḍamaru / uḍukkai - drum) held in the hands of श्री नटराज मूर्ति (śrī naṭarāja murti – Lord Nataraja
iconography).
The philosophical concept of इदानीम्संयत्काल (idānīmsaṃyatkāla
– present continuous tense) underlying
the becoming of the being is the most important point emphasized in
the महापुराणशास्त्राणि
(mahāpurāṇaśāstrāṇi
– supreme legend scriptures) relating to the नित्यानन्दताण्डव (nityānandatāṇḍava – eternal frantic bliss
dance) and its corresponding नित्यसाक्षिचैतन्यमहविष्णोः (nityasākṣicaitanya
- sākṣicaitanyamahaviṣṇoḥ -eternal witness consciousness of the omnipresence) enacted in the form of the आर्द्रादर्शन (ārdrādarśana
– vision of ardra). This, in
other wordsm आर्द्रादर्शन (ārdrādarśana
– vision of ardra) is not a one
time event as witnessed only once either by महाविष्णु (mahāviṣṇu),
श्री आदिशेष (śrī
ādiśeṣa), श्री पतञ्जलि महऋषि (śrī
patañjali mahaṛṣi) (or by anyone
else, for that matter). It is an eternally ongoing spiritual experience of the पौराणवृत्त (paurāṇavṛtta
– legendary event). In fact every,
mystical event described in the sacred महापुराणशास्त्राणि (mahāpurāṇaśāstrāṇi
– supreme legend scriptures) corresponds to the continuous becoming of an eternal being. In fact,
technically the term पुराण (purāṇa – legend) is defined as “पुरपि नवः पुराण (purapi navaḥ purāṇa – ancient yet eternally new)”.
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