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DEDICATION

This book-let is dedicated to my father, Swargasri Kallidaikuruchi K M


Subrahmanya Sastri, Vyakarana Sironmani, who taught me Vishnu Sahasranamam at an
early age and to my mother, Swargasrimathi Parvatam Ammal and my wife
Swargasrimathi Bageerathi, both of whom were responsible, before and after my
marriage respectively, for providing me the environment to chant the Stotra, for close to
seven decades now, by their devotion to Religion, Achaara and Dharma, besides
Tradition. Women are indeed the Pillars of our society.

BENEDICTION

This book-let is submitted to the louts-feet of H H Sri MAHASANNIDHAANAM


of Sri Sringeri Saaradaa Peetam, Sringeri, whose hereditary disciples our families are,
with utmost humility and reverence, for his blessings.

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H H Sri MAHASANNIDHAANAM
Sri Sringeri Saaradaa Peetam, Sringeri

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A
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MEEN
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Sometime in 2005, an young rich educated lady, mother of two children, who had
been chanting Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram for sometime, approached me to explain
her the word-by-word as well as contextual meaning of the stotra and whether it has any
significance for the modern youth. When I started explaining her, I realised my own
inadequacy. That set me thinking and reading materials for an explanation. My wife
constantly prodded me in this direction, until she passed away in July 2006. This book-let is
a result of these questions and prodding.
The Principal reference materials used are cited in the “Credits” at the end of this
book-let. They have been freely used and extensive quotations have been made from them.
It is virtually impossible to refer each one of them separately. In fact, the “Cut and paste”
technology of the modern computers era has been liberally used. This book would not exist
without these valuable reference materials.
The attempts to link the science with the Scripture is my own and I must accept this
as only an attempt and not any deterministic statement. While I apologise for any errors in
such interpretations, I request the readers to freely comment and suggest improvement.
As mentioned elsewhere in the text, this book-let is oriented towards young,
intelligent, searching minds, who are to-day totally devoted as Karma-yogis, to spend some
time to find if there is any linkage between work and devotion. If this is achieved, the
purpose of this book-let is served.

I am grateful to Sri Yogesh Padwal, who took great pains to get this so neatly typed,
or better to say, “ MS worded”. My sons are responsible for getting this book-let in this final
form, by their incisive and constructive comments, as I progressed in writing and by their
morale boosting encouragement.

“ Samasta Aparaadham Kshamasva, Kshamasva”

( S Ramanathan)

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CONTENTS
Acknowledgement, Dedication and Benediction 6
Three Minutes Please
1. Prologue 9
2. OM or AUM 13
Prakriti Tatwa 18
3. Modern science equivalents for A, U and M
Hydrogen as A 20
Oxygen as U 21
Carbon as M 21
Turiya and Plasma 22
4. Main Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram 23
Why call Vishnu Sahasranama 24
Viswam 29
Vishnu 31
Significance of some of the Namas 34
Avyayah 35
Kshetragna and Akshara 36
Mathematics,Zero, Infinity and Vishnu 38
Purushottamah 39
5. Some Names related to the state of the universe etc 41
Scientific Significance 42
6. Atman and its adjectives 44
Atman in Vivekachoodamani 48
Atman in Bhagwat Geeta 50
Scientific concepts 51
7. Self Sustaining Lord 53
Geological history of earth and life on it 58
Plate tectonics 58
Bacteria 61

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Extinction 62
Survival 63
8. Ishwara and Oxygen 64
9. Chatur and Carbon 65
10. Epilogue 69
11. Credits 73

12. Appendix I: Vishnusahasranamam Text in Sanskrit and English

13. Appendix II: A small compilation on Vedas and Gayatri


14. Appendix III: Superstring Theory ( A CERN course project )

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Three Minutes Please

There are more than thousand references on Vishnu Sahasranamam in the internet. There
are nearly half a million references on ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ and an equal number of references on
the ancient scientists of India. There are hundreds of references on other related spiritual
matters and scriptures. Is this booklet, then, yet another one, to this already existing long
illustrious list? The answer is NO, because this booklet, as the title indicates is, ‘an attempt
at alternate analysis’.

Both religion, through its scriptures and science, through its theorems, make truth-claims,
one by a process of perception, and the other by the process of proof. Initially, the
Karmakaanda of the Vedas contained only detailed accounts of rituals. Intense questioning
of , ‘why, how, and what’, resulted in the Upanishadic doctrines, either by direct answers,
or, where a direct answer was not possible, by deductive negation (the famous ‘Na Iti, Na
Iti’) logic. Strange as it may seem, science blossomed forth in the scriptures in easily
acceptable simple statements of facts (without venturing with either proofs or deductive
logic) when it was dealt with artistically. Thus came the Itihaasas Ramayana and
Mahabharata which Valmiki and Vyasa respectively sculpted by words in a vast canvas of
beautiful poetry. Vishnu Sahasranamam forms part of the Mahabharata. There are a
number of ways in which the relationship between science and scriptures (read religion)
can be approached.

i) Religious doctrines and scientific theories express the same truth about the
world, but in different formats.
ii) Both are not necessarily seeking to maintain the same point but, in certain
fundamental instances, science supports religion and needs religion for its
intellectual completion. We are aware that many scientific statements made early
on, or that we learnt in our schools are modified and changed later on, or as we
study in our university curriculum, to a more empirical relationship, by
conveniently using a Constant to validate the formula. For example, Newton
argued that the orderliness of the solar system is a witness to the skill of the
creator. Thus, science requires theological insight for its intellectual completion
and what science can explain is, in turn, taken as already perceived by the
scriptures.
iii) One need not compare science and religion with each other because they are
different intellectual approaches, laying claims to truths in their respective fields
of enquiry. If this approach is carried to its logical end, we will end up in two
contradicting intellectual worlds, which will fail to realize that truth can be and
is, but one. Such a situation disappears only when the systems take into account
all the points which the other system has been stating and which was, perhaps,
initially ignored or not adequately understood.
iv) Religion (read scriptures) and science can be seen as involved together in
producing a single harmonious truth, which links together the creator, and the

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created. The scriptures produce an overall understanding committed to the
perception that every valid insight into reality leads ultimately to a single
unifying factor that is beyond body, mind and intellect. Scientific discoveries are
part of this data input in the overall mosaic of religious statements through
scriptures. Science has its own dictum that a fact is not a fact until it has been
repeatedly tried and failed to disprove it, over a period of time.

We thus pass through cycles of statements of what is conceived as truth, then being
questioned by so called rationalists, resulting in acceptance or modification of what was
stated, then a period of renaissance and a final realization that both science and religion
state and explain the same truth and that the difference, if any, between the two are only
apparent and not real, and that they are indivisible one, the Advaitam.

Thus, we have the evolution of the Upanishads and the scientific philosophies enunciated
by great Rishis and the intense discussions on them during the Vedic period. Then, we
have had the great composers of the two Itihaasas, who extracted the scientific truths from
them in a more understandable statement of facts. This was further churned by the
rationalists, which resulted in great scientific development as by Aryabhatta, Kanaada,
Nagarjuna, Charaka, Sushruta, Varahamihira, Patanjali and others. Prosperity brings in
complacency and a certain lack of faith in the concept of something beyond self. Thus, the
cycle repeated and came the period of Purvamimamsakas, Charuvakas, Vaiseshikas, Nyaya
School of thought, and other such rationalists. While this resulted in further scientific
discoveries and finds, it had also an ill effect on the higher religious philosophies, which
could not be conclusively established as truth. Prosperity also helps development of art
and culture. When religion, science and art combine, they produce some of the most
beautiful composite mosaics. This was the period of early renaissance when great
philosophers like Adi Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhvacharya, poets like Kalidasa,
Dandini, Bhaaravi, Magha and Harsha and scientists like Brahmagupta, Bhaskaracharya,
Bharadwaja and others appeared on the scene. This period of renaissance finds a beautiful
expression of co existence and mutual support of science and religion and that the ultimate
goal is the same. Their contributions were acknowledged all over the world.

Unfortunately, subsequent invasion of the country and later, the colonization of India
resulted in either ignoring or demeaning these great contributions and their further
developments until after independence.

As modern scientists discover more and more about the macrocosmic and microcosmic
phenomenon, the galaxy, the cell, the genome, the evolution, origin of life, plate tectonics
etc, one wonders how much and more of this have already been perceived in the scriptures
already. The glory of Vishnu Sahasranamam is that it appears to be a statement of these
facts, in the garb of 1008 names of Vishnu, that there is something beyond what is
perceived by the body, mind and intellect, even beyond what may still be discovered in the
future centuries and millennia. He is Vishnu.

This booklet is an attempt to carry the reader by a random selection of some of the 1008
names through the understanding of this truth from the statement in the scriptures, then as

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revealed by the understanding of ancient scientists of India, and as now understood by
modern scientific discoveries. At the end, when one realizes that what we have understood
is only a drop in the ocean as admitted by great scientists, one subjects oneself in all
humility to the greatness of the one beyond what is perceived.

In order to facilitate the readers, the text of Vishnu Sahasranamam in Sanskrit and English
is given in appendix 1.

Appendix 2 is a small compilation by the author in 2006 on ‘Vedas and Gayatri’, aimed at
enabling an youngster, at the time of Upanayanam (the holy thread ceremony) to
understand the significance and importance of Gayatri and some of the aspects of
Sandhyavandanam.

Readers may please be cautioned that this is not ‘light reading’ material. But, the author
will consider himself blessed, if the reader goes through the whole booklet, slowly and
carefully by a second or even third reading. Happy reading.

“Sarve Janaah Sukhino Bhavantu”

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Bhishma on Bed of Arrows

The Glory of Vishnu Sahasranamam

Some Glimpses and Scientific facts

1. Prologue

1. 1 Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram is credited to have been composed by Sanaka and
other Rishies. Later, when Bhishma, the grand sire of the Pandavas and Kauravas, was in
his last stage, on a bed of arrows, Lord Krishna adviced Yudishtira to seek upadesa, the
words of wisdom from the senior most of the Kuru dynasty, Bhishma. Lord Krishna further
added that, at this stage of his life, whatever words come from Bhisma, they will stay in the
world like nectar extracted from the Vedas. Bhishma agreed.

1.2 After hearing Bhishma on various Dharmas, the ethical codes of conduct and duties,
Yudishtra asked him six questions, in an order as occurred in his mind:-

(a) Who is the Supreme Almighty?

(b) What should be one’s goal, according to scriptures?

(c) Whom should the people worship to attain that goal?

(d) Chanting and praying whose name, will people attain exalted places?

(e) What is the best path of Dharma to follow, according to you?

(f) Which hymn should one chant to attain liberation from worldly life of
bondage of birth, death and this cycle?

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1.3 The Anusasanika Parva of Mahabharata is considered as the heart for a deterministic
statement of all the ethical codes and duties (Dharma) and their secrets and these questions,
their answers by Bhishma and the subsequent compilation of the thousand names
(Sahasranama) by Sage Vyasa through the words of Bhishma find the most important place
in Anusasanika Parva of Mahabharata towards the end.

◊ Yudishtira asks six questions regarding the supreme almighty and what hymn
one should chant to attain liberation.

◊ Bhishma replies that THAT CHANGELESS BEING IS to be constantly


worshipped by chanting His thousand namas.

◊ He also promises to tell of the origin of all that is created and where everything
goes to rest at the end of each yuga.

1.4 Bhishma answered the six questions in the order he thought necessary to be
addressed. Yudishtra raised, “Kim Japan Muchyate Jantu Janma Samsara
Bhandanat” as the sixth question. Bhishma hastened to answer that first. “ The Lord
of the universe, the God among Gods, the infinite, that grandest of personage, is to
be praised on his thousand names ceaselessly”. Then, he answers the fourth
question. He reiterates his previous answer. “Chanting, meditating and
worshipping that changeless being with devotion, is the only answer”. “ It will be
relevant here to see that Bhishma straight away hits the nail on the head by referring
to that “ Changeless being” (Avyayam). Management Gurus are familiar with the
famous saying that “ the only permanent thing in the world is “CHANGE”.
Therefore, Bhishma directly refers to that CHANGELESS BEING, which is beyond
all the perceptible and perishable which the Upanishads reveal as “Atma”, the
indestructible.

Bhishma on Bed of Arrows Stone Carving Pattadakal

1.5 Then he answers the third question. “The one without beginning or end, the first
among all, the one who overviews the entire world, by praying constantly to that Vishnu,
one conquers all suffering. The sufferings are classified as three types:-

(a) Adhyatmikam-bodily suffering.

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(b) Adhidaivikam-Natural Calamities.

(c) Adhibhowdikam- inflicted by animals, insects etc.

1.6 He then responds to the fifth question. “Yesha me Sarvadharmaanaam


Dharmodhikathamo matah”- If a person worships by meditation and chanting constantly
the names of the lotus-eyed God, that is the surest way for liberation from the cycle of birth
and death. (This is further strengthened by a quotation from Vishnu Puranam, which states
that the same results as obtained by meditation in Kruta yuga or by yoga/sacrifice in
Tretaa yuga, and by Archana/prayers in Dwaapara yuga, are obtained by mere nama
sankeertanam, repetetive chanting of the names of Lord in Kaliyuga (A yuga is equivalent
to a geological era, at the end of which major geological changes including major
extinctions of animals and species have been observed like Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras.
Comparatively smaller changes have been observed at the end of different ages within
these eras, like Cambrian age or Ordovician age of the Paleozoic era, Triassic age of the
Mesozoic era etc. In scriptures, it is defined as Pralaya or Deluge).

1.7 Bhishma then addresses the second question in the next five verses from “Paramam
yo Mahat tejaha………….. to yaani naamani Gaunaani ……………”. Bhishma tells “ I will
tell you about the origin of all that is created at the beginning of every yuga and where
every thing goes to rest at the end of every yuga, Listen to this thousand names of Lord
Vishnu, describing his wonderful attributes ………”.

1.8 The answer to the first question “Who is the Supreme Almighty, is obvious and
explained in the previous five responses themselves. It is significant that Bhishma did not
respond to the first question directly. It is clear that, if one has understood the answer to the
remaining five questions, one would have come to one’s own conclusion about the answer
to the first question.

1.9 It will also be worth while to dwelve a little into the history of that period. The
Samkhya Philosophy was the prevalent religion of the Mahabharata period. There are
extensive references to the Samkhya philosophy in Bhagwat Geeta. The Samkhya
Philosophy and the name of the principal sage who wrote the Sutra (code & conduct) for it,
namely Sage Kapila, find a mention in the Vishnu Sahasranamam itself. Sage Kapila is
believed to have been born around 3000 BCE to the illustrious sage Kardama and his wife
Devahuti. His concept on transformation of Energy and profound commentaries on Atma,
Non-Atma and the subtle elements of the Cosmos places him in a class, to be recognized as
the father of Cosmology. The Samkhya Philosophy explains the 24 Prakriti Tatwas (Dealt
with a little later in the article) and also about the Purusha (Atma) as distinct from them but
does not talk about Saguna Brahman or Eswara as the unifying factor between Prakriti
(Primal matter) and Purusha (Ultimate Soul). It does not talk about the methods of
activating the Purusha or intellect to interact with the otherwise inert Prakriti, to produce
outstanding results by procedures like Karma (action), Bhakti (devotion), surrender,
intellectual search etc. Perhaps, Bhishma was aware of the gap, even while following the
Samkhya Philosophy and that is why he did not answer the first question of Yudishtra

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directly. He may have thought that a person, doing Atma Vichara (self-search) should be
able to identify that unifying force between the Purusha and Prakriti, as the Supreme.

1.10 It is a folk lore that Adishankara, before he wrote his commentary on “ Brahma
Sutra” wanted to write first on some other scriptures. Asked to bring the Bhoja-Patra
book-let of any scripture, his disciple repeatedly brought only Vishnu Sahasranama.
He was probably interested in Lalita Sahasranama and was therefore, exasperated.
He was then ordered by Goddess Saraswati to write his first commentary on Vishnu
Sahasranama. It is likely that, in a world dominated by the Samkhya Philosophy,
supplemented by Nyaya and Meemamsa sastras and tribes of Charuvaakaas and
Kaapalikaas ruling the roost, Goddess Saraswati wanted Shankara to establish the
single unifying factor between Purusha and Prakriti and thus the Adwaita
Philosophy and sanaatana dharma. There is perhaps no single, simpler and greater
scripture than Vishnu Sahasranama to achieve this target. Adisankara understook
the responsibility.

◊ Samkhya Philosophy, the prevalent religion of the Mahabharata period.

◊ Principal gap in Samkhya Philosophy which does not talk about Saguna Brahman or
Iswara as the unifying factor between Purusha and Prakriti and how this inter action
produces astounding results.

◊ All six attributes of a prayer are addressed and satisfied in Vishnu Sahasranama.

This response of Bhishma would at once make it clear that Vishnu sahasranaamam,
while chanting the thousand names of Lord Vishnu, many of them apparently
repetitive or apparently with similar meaning, imports verily the creation of this
universe from the largest of the large to the smallest of the small bodies, their
sustenance, self generation and self destruction and interdependence of and
independence from each other. Science suffers because of its unforgiving nature of
belief that a fact is not a fact until the scientists have tried and failed repeatedly to
disprove it, over a long period of time. It is because of this belief that many Nobel
Prizes and recognitions have been awarded many decades after a discovery. On the
other hand, Scriptures believe that “ Absence of evidence is not evidence of
absence”. Scriptures believe that Vedic Universe passes through repeated time cycles
of Creation, Preservation and Destruction. During the annihilation of the Universe,
Energy is conserved to manifest again in the new creation ( Sri Aurobindo).
Problems came up when the Greeks and Christianity converted this cyclic
phenomenon to a linearity from Point A to Point B, never returning again. Thus, the
philosophic revelations of an earlier period, which were lost temporarily, had to be
proved again by scientific discoveries much later, during the last two centuries. It is
the endeavour of this article to see some of these hidden meanings and perceptions
(and certainly not all) and the wedding of the religious thoughts to the later day
scientific revelations.

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1.11 There are six attributes given to a Stotra or prayer, namely:

(a) Namaskaaram or obeisance

(b) Convey blessing.

(c) Explain the philosophy/ facts/conviction.

(d) Praise the glory.

(e) Mention the strengths of the Supreme, and

(f) Prayer.

1.12 The Purva Bhaaga and Uttara Bhaaga, (the prologue and epilogue) of Shri Vishnu
Sahasranaama contain ample proof of (b) and (f) above, while the Archana, by adding
Aum and Namaha to every name or naamaavali, takes care of (a) above. The main body of
the Vishnu Sahasranaama Stotram composed of 108 Slokas or verses embellishes the
Philosophy, fact, conviction, glory and strength, of the Supreme Lord in the 1000 names
and many scientific facts (known to-day) revealed already to the saints of lore.

1.13. Great commentaries have been written of Vishnu Sahasranaama by Adi Sankara,
Madhvaacharya and Paraasara Bhattar. More recently, Late Mukkur Sri Lakshmi
Narasimha Acharyar has created a Magnum opus by his series of lectures, and has seen
Lakshmi Narasimha Avatar being praised by the succinct meanings of the Vishnu
Sahasranaama. “ Anna” on behalf of Raama Krishna Mutt, Chennai, has compiled in 1959,
an exhaustive commentary, by giving additional references to Bhagwat Geeta, Viveka
Choodamani, different Upanishads, Bhaagavatam and Vishnu Puraanam.

1.14 This book-let is merely a small supplement to these excellent spiritual commentaries,
by adding a few scientific facts known subsequent to the period of Mahabharata revealed
by subsequent scientific studies, as has been admirably summed up by Bill Bryson (A short
history of nearly everything), Matt Ridley (Genome) and a few others. This article quotes
extensively from Bill Bryson, Matt Ridley, V S Ramachandran, Anna’s, commentary,
“Bhagwat Geeta” commentary by Swami Chidbhavaananda, “Vivekachoodamani”
commentary by Swami Chinmayananda, “Deivathin Kural” collated lectures of Sri
Chandrsekarendra Swami of Kaanchi Mutt, “Kurai onrumillai” talks by Mukkur Lashmi
Narasimha Acharyar, Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad,Pancheekaranam of Adisankara and
the Vartika on it by Sureswaracharya, commentary on Mandukya Upanishad by Swami
Lokeswarananda and Swami Gambhirananda with Gaudapada’s Karika, innumerable cross
references in the imternet, besides other references. Therefore, separate references are not
made for each of these quotes. Whenever the number of the naamaavali is mentioned,
Adisankara’s classification of the naamaavali, as mentioned by Anna and Swami
Tapasyananda in Ramakrishna Mutt publication is followed. The allusions of the Naamas
to scientific correlations are my own and I am alone responsible for any mistakes in
understanding or even stupidity. Different spellings are used for the same Sanskrit words

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at different places, partly to cater to the correct pronounciation to a nonsanskrit knowing
reader and also to follow the more accepted spellings for a Sanskrit knowing individual.

OM OR AUM

2.1 The Vishnu Sahasranaama Stotra is compiled in Anushtup Chandas, a metre


comprising of eight letters sixteen in a line and thirty two letters in a sloka. In fact, the
Gayatri Mahamantra is also composed in ‘Anushtup Chandas’. The entire Raamayana by
Valmiki has been composed in ‘Anushtup Chandas’. In music the ‘Adithal’, the most
common of the Thalas, consists of eight letters. Is this number eight then, only accidental ?
Or, is it deliberate to remind us of the atomic number of oxygen (8) and its atomic weight
(16), an element so vital for our existence? Oxygen is the most abundant element of the
earth’s crust, accounting for a little less than 50% of the total elements present, most of it as
compounds. Oxygen is not flammable but, without Oxygen, nothing can burn. Similarly
Anushtupchandas is merely a metre in poetry but one which can fire us to the
understanding of the Supreme Changeless Being .

2.2 ‘Om’ or ‘Aum’ is considered as single lettered and at the same time, three lettered,
(Akaara, oukaara and Makaara) Pranava Mantra. All worships and Naamaavalis
commence with the chanting of “ Aum”, which indeed transcends from Mantra to yoga by
the way and intonation with which it is chanted. Volumes have been written about this
Mantra and its efficacies by various commentators and in Upanishads. There are about half
a million references to OM or AUM in the internet.

2.3 Taittiriya Upanishad and Maitraayana Upanishad deal with Aum. The central theme
of Maandukya Upanishad is the syllable ‘Aum’ ,taking us through the three different states
of “Jagrat, Swapna and Sushupti”, (the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states) to the
‘Turiya’ or ‘fourth’ state, taking one beyond the Upanishad doctrines. .

◊ Om as a monosyllable letter or Aum as a three lettered word, known as Pranava is the


Supreme of all Mantras.

◊ Pranava, the three Vyahrities and three eight lettered sentences each extracted as the
essence of Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas, together constitute the Gayatri Maha Mantra.

2.4 “All the gates of the body closed, the mind confined with in the heart, having fixed
his life energy in the head, engaged in firm yoga, uttering the one syllabled Om Brahman,
thinking of Me, he who departs, leaving the body, attains the supreme goal” says the Lord
in Bhagwat Geeta (8.12 and 13).

2.5 There are definite instructions in the Vedas that Aum has to be chanted in 2 ½ or 3
Maatraas depending upon the results/benefits one wants to obtain, and neither too long
nor too short. It is believed that Sage Viswaamitra contemplated on the three Vedas, Rig,
Yajur and Sama, and extracted eight letters from each of them, which constitutes the
Saavitri Mantra (Part of Gaayatri). He further meditated upon them and observed that the

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three ‘Mahavyahritis’, Bhuh, Bhuvah, and Suvah’ contain the essence of ‘Tat Sa Vitur
Vareniyam’, ‘Bhargo Devasya Deemahi’ and ‘Diyoyonah Prachodayat’, which, in turn
contained in each one of these eight letters, the essence of the three Rig, Yajur and Sama
Vedas. When he further contemplated on the Vyaahriti Mantra, the letter/word ‘Aum’ was
perceived by him as representing the essence of all the Vedas. Thus, the word Aum, the
three Vyaahriti Mantra and the Savitri Mantra, together constitute the unparalleled Gayatri
Mantra.

2.6 The Mandukya Upanishad is found in the Atharva Veda. It is one of the shortest
Upanishads, with only twelve verses. Gaudapada, teacher of Govindapada, who was Adi
Sankara’s teacher, and touted by some to be a Buddhist, wrote a Karika (an auxiliary
explanatory work) on this Upanishad. The philosophy of the Karika sounds like subjective
idealism of the Buddhist philosophy, but Gaudapada warns that he is a strict non-dualist
(advaita ) himself.

2.7 Adi Sankara is attributed to have consciously modelled his treatise on


‘Panchikaranam’ on Mandukya Upanishad. According to the philosophy, the world exists
as an ‘empirical necessity, but not as a transcendental validity’. Suresvaracharya, the
principal disciple of Adi Sankara and the first peetadhipathi (pontiff) of Sringeri Mutt, has
written a ‘vartika prakarana’ on his guru’s work. (Vartika is generally a collection of
explanatory verses where things spoken of in the main composition are elucidated, things
not spoken of , are illustrated, and things imperfectly stated, are clearly shown. Prakarana
is a small work, which deals concisely with the main theme, avoiding detailed
consideration of the subject).

2.8 While the Mandukya Upanishad initiated the tradition of regarding the three sound
elements of Aum as manifesting itself in the three phenomenal states as mentioned in para
2.3, the Vartika by Suresvaracharya rescues the syllable Aum from the realm of the occult
and invests it as a vehicle of the highest Vedantic truth.

2.9 One of the profound insights that one begins to get is the way in which:

• The levels of personal consciousness


• The stages of the mental process and
• The levels of the universe
are functioning at the same levels of reality, which are none other than the levels of
consciousness themselves.

2.10 A: In the Mantra ‘Aum’, the ‘Akaara’ is said to represent character of the God
who creates, protects and destroys the world, the letter ‘ah’ means ‘to protect’. Therefore,
the letter is said to address the ‘protector’, Vishnu.

◊ Akaara of Aum addresses the protector, Vishnu.

◊ Oukaara of Aum means Mahalakshmi, who resides with Vishnu.

◊ Makaara of Aum is interpreted as intellect which belongs to him and whose


sustenance He takes care of.
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2.11 U: The next letter ‘oukaara’ is interpreted to mean Goddess Mahalakshmi, who is
always with him. It is also interpreted to mean that the letter belongs to him.

2.12.1 M: Who belongs to Him? The third letter ‘Makaaram’ explains this. The letter is
interpreted as ‘Intellect’ or “ Jeevaatma”, which belongs to Him and whose sustenance, He
takes care of and ultimately, by negating each one of the ‘Vasanas’, the foot prints of the
past thoughts and actions, the Jeevan identifies itself as ‘Brahman’, one of the three
Mahaavaakyaas of the Vedas, ‘Tat Twam Asi’. (Thou Art That)

2.12.2 The deep sleep state is the level where deep impressions are stored in their
latent form. These impressions are like seeds waiting for water and a good soil to awaken
them, so that they may grow in the fields of dreaming (U of AUM), or waking (A of AUM).
‘Praagna’ means supreme knowledge. It is indeed odd that the domain of deep sleep (M of
AUM) where apparently nothing seems to be going on, should in reality be the seat of
Supreme Knowledge. The sub conscious (latent, dormant, inactive storage) aspects of mind
(the samskaaras from where the impetus for Karma or action springs forth) and the causal
realm – ‘Ekibutah Pragnanaghana’ says Mandukya Upanishad (verse 5) – there is only one
undifferentiated consciousness unlike in the waking or dream state. It is ‘Anandamayaha’
(full of bliss). ‘Prabhava apyayam’ (Verse 6). It is responsible for origin and destruction of
everything. All living objects come from the same source and they go back to the same
source. The energy level gets denser to the level of solids.

2.13 TURIYA State :

2.13.1 The Mandukya Upanishad and the Yoga Sastras talk of a fourth state, beyond A, U
and M called Turiya. Unlike the other states, this fourth state or Turiya is defined
more by negative statements – Na Iti, Na Iti, not this, not this, rather than by a
positive identification (verse 7 of the Upanishad). It is beyond perception, beyond
thought, and not to be indicated by any sound (unlike A, U or M) and by
implication, only by silence. There is only consciousness of the self (Ekaatma
Pratyayasaaram). This common self – consciousness is ‘Brahman’. ( The relevance
of Jeevatma and Brahman, with different adjectives occurring as 26 names of Vishnu
and their scientific concepts are attempted to be explained in a later chapter, while
dealing with the text of Vishnu Sahasranamam.) We realize this when the
phenomenal world is negated, one by one, by a process of ‘Na Iti’ – ‘Not this, Not
this’!

2.13.2 Gaudapaada says that ‘delusion’ (Maaya) has been active from time immemorial
and under its spell, the individual self experiences different phenomenal states like
Jagrat (waking), Swapna (dreaming) and Sushupti (deep sleep) at the physical level,
and as vaiswanara, taijasa and praagna at the mental level of consciousness and at
the universal level of consciousness, the energy level tremendously increases from
the initial ‘bursting forth’ of the energy, and becomes denser from gaseous through
liquid to solid. This delusion ends, when the individual self, the ‘Jeeva’ awakens,
differently described as ‘ beyond samaadhi’, ‘yoganidra’, ‘transcendental

17
meditation’, etc in the yoga schools of thought and this is the Turiya or the fourth
state when the self realizes that it is ‘Ajam’ (without birth), which is a very
important element of the Hindu Philosophical thought.

All things are subject to changes because they are all the result of cause and effect.
Everything is dependent on something else. The whole universe is a combination of many
things, each depending upon the other. It is like a continuous, non ending cause and effect
chain and the universe is held together by the chain. But, there is one thing which is
independent of this chain, unconditioned by these changes and that is called SELF. Some
people call it the fourth state of matter (beyond gas, liquid and solid), of high energy as
PLASMA. When we understand this, we seem to be a little closer to understanding the
relationship between Vedantic philosophy and science a little better.

2.14 Prakriti Tatwa. It may be worth while to deal with this a little more in detail.
The five great elements, Ether, Air, fire, Water and earth are described as first created in
their subtle form and then through a process of combination among themselves, by which
they became gross elements which we physically perceive. This process in Sanskrit is
known as Panchikaranam’, a Pentamerous self duplication and mutual combination. This
process is explained in Vedanta as taking place in four distinct stages of self division and
mutual combination. From the ‘Mahat Tatwa’, the first one to appear was ‘Ether’ or
‘Aakaasa, which had the Tanmatra of only sound. But, it could not create any sound until it
had a combination in certain proportion with Air (sound does not pass through vacuum).
Thus the element Air has two qualities –Sound and Touch (Sparsh), but Touch as a
Tanmatra only. Similarly, the third element Fire has three qualities namely Sound, Touch
and Roopa or visual presence. Water has four Qualities namely Sound, Touch, Roopam and
Taste. The fifth, the Earth, has five Qualities namely Sound, Touch, Roopam, Taste and
Smell. All these are only because of the pentamerous self division and recombination of
each of these five rudimentary Tanmaatras. Tanmaatra is the unit of each of the element by
itself. Each of the five elements, by themselves, are considered as intransient, but in
combination, become transient and perishable. This combination is in specific units of one
with the other, in different stages, in much the same way, different number of atoms of
different elements join together to form molecules.

◊ Prakriti Tatwa explained.

◊ Pentamerous self division and recombination in certain proportion of the five basic
elements. Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.

◊ 20 External organs of perception (Bahrikarana) and four internal organs of perception,


(Antah karana) together constitute Prakriti.

◊ Role of Jeevatma and Brahman

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2.15 The effect of the five Tanmaatraas in the five elements, lead the five organs of
perception (ear, skin, eye, nose and tongue) to gain knowledge which in turn, lead the five
organs of action (the organs of speech, hands, legs, anus and the genital) to act and do their
duty. But, it is obvious that these external organs of perception and action do not function
for themselves but for certain subtler inner equipment, whose command they obey. These
four inner organs are called, according to their functions, as Mind, Intellect, Ego and
Chitta,--- Mind from its doubts and hesitations, Intellect from its function of determining
the truth, the Ego with which the vanity of the individual arrogates to itself both the doubts
and the decisions as its own. The awareness of the inter play of the above three and the
process of constant illumination of the personality to identify objects of interest is called
‘Chitta’.

2.16 Thus, the five elements, five tanmaatraas, five organs of perception, five organs of
action, Mind, Intellect, Ego and Chitta, totalling 24, are called ‘Prakriti Tatwa’ (or Bahir
Karana and Antah Karana). The jeevaatma, which is outside the 24, is the 25th Tatwa. It
cannot be just a coincidence that the ‘Makaaram’ of ‘Aum’ (Jeevaatma) (more of it later) is
the 25th letter among the consonants in Sanskrit! And, for those who have not reached that
high level of intellect of Adwaita Philosophy, to see that Jeevatma and Brahman are indeed
the same, ‘Brahman’ stands as the 26th Tatwa. Can we then again say that the 26 alphabets
in English are just not coincidence?

2.17 We have just seen that the ‘akaara’ of ‘Aum’ represents the creation, preservation
and destruction of the universe, the ‘Oukaara’ lives with it and ‘Makaara’ is the sum and
substance of Jeevvatma. As we add more and more Energy to the atoms, they become
denser and denser from gas to liquid to solid and with still more energy added, the
electrons break away, leaving the nucleus by itself. Let us look at it a little from the modern
scientific facts.

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3. Modern Science Equivalents

Hubble Image : The Eagle Nebula

3.1 Hydrogen as A: Our universe begins from nothing. In a single blinding pulse
from a dot of singularity, in less than a minute, the universe is a million billion Kilometers
across, has ten billion degrees of heat, enough to begin nuclear reaction, that create lighter
elements, essentially hydrogen and helium. And, what an extraordinary form it had been!
Had the gravity been a trifle stronger the universe might have collapsed. Had it been a
trifle weaker, nothing would have coalesced. For the universe to exist, it requires that
hydrogen be converted by burning to helium in a way that converts precisely 7/1000 th of its
mass to energy. If the value is lowered from 0.07% to 0.06% no transformation could take
place; the universe would consist only of hydrogen and nothing else. If the value is slightly
increased to 0.08%, the bonding would have been so prolific, the hydrogen would have
been long before exhausted and the universe, formed by a concept of ‘Big Bang’ would
have collapsed by the concept of ‘Supernova’ a burning star, and perhaps, nothing would
have been left behind. That brings out the importance of Hydrogen, the Abja Vaayu in the
universe for the creation, preservation and destruction of this universe. Hydrogen is the
only element which has one electron and one proton and no neutron and is the smallest of
all elements. With rapid depletion of hydrocarbons, Hydrogen will be the pivot of future
energy. Technology for use of hydrogen as fuel is already known but the economy of scale
and cost has still to be attained to make it a commercial green fuel. Hence the, akaara ‘of’
‘Aum’ could be a tribute to this marvel of Hydrogen (as fuel for energy creation)

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◊ Modern Science equivalents of AUM.
◊ Hydrogen the most prolific element of the universe as Akaara – Creation of the
universe and energy released while converting Hydrogen to Helium.

◊ Oxygen as U - Oukaara, - most prolific element on earth, combines with Hydrogen to


form water to start life on earth, even as Lakshmi joins Vishnu.

◊ Carbon as M - Makaara – this party animal in our body, in the forms of amino acids,
protein, cells and represents the Jeevaatma.

◊ Of every 200 atoms in our body, 126 are hydrogen, 51 are oxygen and 19 are carbon.

◊ Some of the Names in Vishnu Sahasranama could indeed be a tribute to these


elements, as explained later.

3.2 Oxygen as U: Even as Hydrogen is the most prolific element in universe, and
even as sun burns its Hydrogen, converting it to Helium and releases enormous energy to
the rest of the Solar system, the earth’s crust is most prolific in Oxygen. Apart from
sustaining the life of living beings dependent on Oxygen (not all living beings are Oxygen
dependent), Oxygen and Hydrogen combine together to form the compound, water. 80%
of the earth is covered with water and life started in water. That then explains the ‘oukaara’
of ‘Aum’, where Lakhsmi belongs to Him and lives with Him. Oxygen indeed belongs to
Hydrogen and they live together in the form of water (and other compounds constituting
the earth’s crust). Is that why Vishnu is called ‘Narayana’ one ‘Lying in Water’? We shall
deal more with Oxygen while trying to understand the different names of Vishnu, while
dealing with the main text of Vishnusahasranamam.

3.3 Carbon as M: Carbon is the 15th most common element accounting to


only 0.048% of this earth’s crust but we would be lost without it. Carbon is the third most
common element in our body. Carbon is a party animal of the atomic world, latching on to
many other atoms, forming molecules of heavy robustness, the very trick of nature to build
proteins, amino acids and DNA. As Paul Daves writes, “If it was not for carbon, life as we
know it would be impossible”. And most of the human body is composed of amino-acids
and proteins. This would, therefore, explain the sustenance of Jeevaatma or the significance
of ‘Makaara’. The cleverness of this element will be discussed more elaborately, while
discussing the main text of Vishnusahasranamam.

3.4 Aum and Science: Of every 200 atoms in our body, 126 are hydrogen, 51 are
oxygen and though only 19, yet vital, are carbon. This may, then, give a little scientific
explanation of “Aum” being at once a single letter and three letters and what we are really
worshipping and praying, when we say “Aum”. Depending upon our level of intellect to
understand this as one single inseparable (Advaita), or partially apparently separable
(because each of these elements have separate unique functions but group together to
achieve the common end, (Vishishtaa dwaita) or the role of carbon as distinct from that of
Hydrogen and oxygen (two distinct, Dwaita), the three principal Philosophies of Sanaatana

21
Dharma, and advocated by the three great savants of the Hindu Religion, namely
Adisankara, Raamaanuja and Madhwacharya, may have evolved.

3.5 Turiya And Plasma :

3.5.1 ‘Pranava’ in Sanskrit means ‘humming’. Pranava, as ‘Aum’ is known, denotes God
as primal sound. The pronunciation of the word ‘Aum’ symbolizes the totality of all
sounds. The idea of totality with ‘Om’ exists in English language also in words like
omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient, all of which have the concept of totality in
their meanings. The most widely used of Buddhist mantras, ‘Om Mani Padme
Hum’ has ‘Om’ as its root and hence, perhaps, is the close link between Buddhist
and Hindu philosophies in explaining the ‘Aum’ and writing auxiliary notes in
‘Mandukya Upanishad’ by sages with Buddhist leanings. The constant chanting of
this word is credited to generate such energy level that one reaches the fourth state
of ‘silence’ beyond A, U and M. How powerful is the sound of silence?
3.5.2 In a large cloud in the sky, the rubbing of ice crystals against each other librates
electrons. For some reason not yet understood, the negative crystals go to the
bottom and the positive ones to the top and this produces an electrical field. This
electrical field causes free electrons to accelerate and these ionize the air molecules.
Thus we have the positive and negative charges, creating a PLASMA. (Plasma is an
electrically neutral, highly ionized gas, composed of ions, electrons and neutral
particles. It is a phase of matter different from solids, liquids and gases and is called
the fourth state of matter).
3.5.3 Now, things go very fast in the cloud. As the current increases, the plasma becomes
hotter, increasing ionization and the size of the plasma, reaching a temperature of
about 25000 K. When you add so much energy to the atom, the electrons circling it
move faster and faster, pushing themselves away from the nucleus. At a critical
point, they break away, thus leaving the nucleus all by itself. If this happens to a lot
of atoms, there would be many free electrons, and naked nuclei floating. In this
dissociated state, matter is known as plasma.
Hot electrons in a free state can excite atoms and molecules, causing them to emit
light. This is the visible lightning we see in the sky. Lightning is a beautiful
manifestation of the power of nature, a symbol of power and speed.

3.5.4 Thus, when the energy level is manifested beyond the phenomenal world, the
excitement of life ends and one reaches a dissociated state like Plasma, but with all
that latent quality of power and speed stored in, to strike again when required.
3.5.5 Plasma Physics is an important subject for the last about six decades and have many
useful applications. For example, plasma based rocket engine technology is under
development.

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4. MAIN VISHNU SAHASRANAMA STOTRAM

4.1.1 Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Acharyar had given very detailed discourse running
to several weeks on the meaning of the thousand names of Vishnu. In fact, he contends that
the entire content of the Vishnu Sahasranama is summarized in the first three slokas
themselves.

◊ Max 1000 names – significance of first three slokas.


◊ Essence of Upanishads, Purushasooktam, Gayatri, Ashtakshari and
Narashimha Mantra.
◊ Eight reasons to call this as Vishnu Sahasranama.

4.1.2 The first eight letters of the first sloka, Viswam, Vishnu and Vashat kaarah are
known as Ashtaakshari, preached by Nara Naaraayanaa in the holy Badrikasramam in the
Himalayas and is credited to contain the whole essence of the upanishads.

4.1.3 Together with the next eight letters of Bhuta, Bhavya and Bhavat prabhuh, the 16
letters point to the 16 Riks of Purushasuktam, one of the most respected and chanted
Suktas.

4.1.4 Together with the next eight letters of Bhutakrit, Bhutabrit, Bhavah, the 24 letters are
credited to contain the significance of Gaayatri Mahamantra, the 24 letters of which are said
to represent extracts of the three Vedas.

4.1.5 The last eight letters, of the first sloka, namely Bhutaatmaa, Bhuta Bhavanah,
together with the 24 already mentioned is said to be the Narasimha Mantra.

4.1.6 The nine names mentioned in the first sloka, 8 in the second and 7 in the third,
together 24, is again said to represent the secrets of Gaayatri Mantra.

4.1.7 Thus, taking the very first sloka itself, it apparently contains nine names of the
Sahasranama. But, viewed deeply, these very nine names represent the Ashtakshari ( Om
Namo Naarayanaaya), Purushasuktam, Gaayatri and Narasimha Mantram. That is why,
perhaps, many commentators have all devoted great attention and importance to Vishnu
Sahasranama

4.1.8 Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Acharyar talks of the word ‘’Rama’ occurring as 394th
Naama (43rd sloka), in its concealed meaning, gets chanted 16 times in Vishnu
Sahasranamam. They constitute the Mritha Sanjeevani Mantram, the Mantra which can
bring the dead back alive, and known only to Sukracharya, the preceptor of the Asuras
(those with demoniac qualities) .

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4.2 WHY CALLED ‘VISHNU SAHASRANAAMA’.
4.3 Before getting to the significance of each Naama, let us see why this Sahasranaama is
called Vishnu Sahasranaama and not by any one of the other 999 names. The great seers
have attributed eight reasons for this (again reminds us of the atomic number of oxygen)

◊ Vishnu is Jagat Kaarana, present in every thing from sub-atomic particles to


the Milky way.
◊ Vishnu is Sarvarakhshaka - Protects every thing and nurtures.
◊ Vishnu is Sarva Vyaapi, spread every where.
◊ Vishnu is Sarva Seshi, everything belongs to him.
◊ Vishnu is Sarvaantar Yaami - there is a difference between Sarva Vyaapi and
Sarvaantar yaami. While Sarvavyaapi signifies external presence,
Sarvaantaryaami means presence internally. He is present both inside and
outside (Antar Bahir Chatat Sarvam Vyaapya Naarayana Stitah).
◊ Vishnu is Veda Vedyah - He has to be understood only by the knowledge of
the Vedas. You can experience him only through the Vedas.
◊ Vishnu is Vedanta Vedyah – Vedanta literally means culmination of
knowledge, a Philosophy which enunciates the eternal principles of life. The
world may be roughly divided into two categories of people, one who are
active without peace of mind and the other peaceful but without any action.
Vedanta provides the answer of combining dynamic action with mental peace
and this answer is provided through the various Upanishads part of the
Vedas.
◊ Vishnu shows us the Sriyah Patitwam – Constantly present with Sri that is
Lakshmi – the extraordinary electrical charges that are required to take the
hydrogen and combine it with oxygen by a process of rearrangement, to
create water. Vishnu is reclining with Lakshmi in this ocean and is called
‘Naarayana’. Thus, He becomes ‘Vashat Karah’, one who makes things
happen, like Vajrayudah, an euphemism for the great electrical charges
required for the combination of Hydrogen and Oxygen to form water. The
great seers have all considered this “Sriyahpatitvam” as the greatest
attribute of the eight, merited to Vishnu and is, therefore, mentioned as the
last.

4.2.2 It is said that one should try to understand the meanings of the different names
sequentially in the context of their appearance and not literally individually. Let us try
now to understand some of the names in the first three slokas.

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Hubble Image of a Spiral Galaxy

4.3 Viswam (Viswasmai) and Vishnu Larger than the largest (Viswam) and
smaller than the smallest conceivable (Vishnu). According to the Cause and Effect concept,
He, the Lord, created His manifestation, the Universe as the Effect. The root “Visati” of the
word Viswam means “ enter or interpenetrate”. Having projected the Universe, He entered
into it. Similarly, the term “Vishnu” is derived from the root “Vis”,( indicating presence
everywhere), combined with the suffix “nuk”. Let us try to understand in the light of some
of the modern scientific concepts.
And, before that , a few words about ancient science in India. The Indian
philosophers, during the Upanishadic period, who argued for the existence of soul,
developed the principles of deductive and inductive logic. Between 1000 BCE and 4th
Century AD, called the period of rationalists, treatises in astronomy, mathematics, logic,
medicine and grammar were produced. The philosophers of the Samkhya school, the
Vaiseshika school, the Nyaya and related schools of thought and early Jain and Buddhist
scholars made substantial contributions to the growth of science. Advances in the applied
sciences like metallurgy, textiles, dyeing etc were also achieved. In particular, the rational
period produced a fascinating series of debates on sensory perceptions, dreams and
hallucinations, when does an observation of reality get accepted as fact, and as a scientific
truth, etc.

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Acharya Kanad Aryabhatta

Bharadwaja Bhaskaracharya

26
Kapila Varahamihira

Patanjali

4.3.a For example, Sage Gautama, who was called ‘the absent minded professor’ because
of his constant thinking, is credited as the author of Nyaya Sutra. Sage Kanaada wrote
‘Vaiseshika sutra’ in the Nyaya school of thought. Kanaada spent the entire daytime in
thinking and research and used to attend to his personal requirements only during the
night, almost like a nocturnal animal. Because of this, the Vaiseshika was also called
“Aulukya Darsanam”, the ‘Revelations of an owl’. The vaiseshika school is credited with

27
the earlier knowledge and expression that all matter was made up of tiny indestructible
particles, i.e. atoms, that aggregated in different ways to form molecules and compounds
that formed the variety of matter existing on earth. (Kanaada is believed to have been born
in Prabhas Kshetra, near Dwaraka in Saurashtra. His statement ushered in the atomic
theory for the first time in the world, 2500 years before Dalton. The eminent historian, T.N.
Colebrook has said “compared to the scientists of Europe, Kanaada and other Indian
scientists were global masters of this field” ) Their philosophy was described through the
enumeration of the following concepts :
- Dravya, substance, combination of atoms in an unique way.
- Guna, quality that resided in the Dravya – 24 different qualities were described.
- Karma, action, unlike quality which was passive, Karma was dynamic – 5 types
of action were noted.
- Samanya, Generality, as a mental construct to create common classes or
substances.
- Visheshata , particularity, to identify and separate individual specialized items
from the general class.
- Samavaya , Inherence, a relationship that existed in such things created that
could not be separated without destroying them (chemical compounds), and
- Abhava, non-existence, or negation, four categories of abhava were listed :
o Pragabhava – or prior non-existence – absence of an object prior to its
creation
o Dhvamsabhava – absence of an object after it has been destroyed
o Anyanyabhava – mutual non-existence, referring to an object being
distinct and different from the other
o Atyantabhava – absolute non existence, indicating non existence in the
past, present and future – eg pure air has no smell or pure water has no
taste.

Another important contribution of the Vaiseshika school was a careful study of the time
relation in a chain of causes and effects which paved the way for time – calculus and space
– calculus.

4.3 b The cause and effect study had led to further specialisation in causality and
recognized that effects may have more than one cause and may require a conjunction of
causes to occur. For example, for a plant to grow, it requires not only the seed which has
the potential but also the soil, fertilizer, sunlight and water all of the right type. It was also
realized that a potential for the desired effect must also be present in the causal agent. For
example, a mango tree can grow only from a mango seed, or conversely, a mango seed
could produce only a mango tree and not any other tree.

4.3 c The Nyaya school also recognized that a series of antecedents could cause a series of
effects, either successive and staggered in time, or near simultaneous. Nyaya texts indicate
that there was an awareness that light travelled at a very high speed, but the transmission
of light was not instantaneous (source – website – tripod – south asian history – pages for
the listing of Indian sub continent, rational and secular philosophy, logic and
epistemology).

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4.3 d Thus, while rapid progress was being made in scientific thinking by the rationalistic
schools of thought, a large section of population in different parts of the world, including
India, grew more and more conservative and the clergy resisted all attempts at change. In
an extreme view, it was felt that the real world was more an illusion and any effort to
change it was unimportant. Such was the period of charuvakas, purvamimamsakas,
kapalikas etc when Adi Sankara appeared on the scene to the rescue of humanity. It was
unfortunate that India did not fully encash the opportunity and allowed resistance for the
transfer of theoretical knowledge to practical application, grow in strength. The diversion
of studies from astronomy and vedic mathematics to fixations on astrology and on its
superstitious aspects only led to neglect of most of what was known till then and made it so
much easier for the industrialized nations to colonise India. India has now to reinvent the
wheel or take off from the progress made by other scientifically advanced nations. Hence
the reference to modern scientific facts.

4.3.1 Viswam In 1905, considered as the miracle year of Physics, a young swiss
technical examiner in the National patent office in Bern, ‘perceived’, (much the same way as
our ancient sages were ‘revealed’ the Vedas and Upanishads) and published five papers in
the German journal ‘Annalen der physik”. His name is Albert Einstein and three of these
papers are considered among the greatest ever in the history of physics. They were as
mentioned below.

Albert Einstein
4.3.2 One examining the photo electric effect by using Max Planck’s, Quantum theory.
Quantum theory posited that energy is not a continuous thing like flowing water but
comes in individualized packets, called Quanta. This demonstrated that light, need
not be a wave, after all. This led later to the discovery of television. Light can be
converted from one form of energy to another and transmitted and again
reconverted for video observation. This is what yogasastra says that if the inner
space and outer space could be unified to synchronise by focused concentration,
then, one would be able to see what all transpires in the outer space . This is what is
known as ‘revealed’ to the ancient Rishies, attained by their concentration. Each one
of them were their own transmitting and receiving stations.

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Brownian Motion

◊ Viswam – Larger than the largest.


◊ Einstein, three great publications and their significance to Viswam.
◊ Quantum theory – light need not travel as a wave only. Truth revealed – inner space and outer
space could be unified.
◊ Brownian Motion – Vibration observed in holy places of sanctity.
4 ◊ Theory of Relativity and enormous energy in individuals.
◊ These theories make us aware of the realities beyond day-to-day action.

4.3.3 The second on the behaviour of small particles in suspension known as Brownian
Motion. Brownian Motion, first observed in 1827 by an English botanist Robert Brown, is
the ceaseless but small motion of small particles of matter (Pollen, dust etc.), say in a glass
of water, even when the water appears to be absolutely still. Some years later, after the
atomic hypothesis was accepted, it was shown that the small motion is due to the
bombardment of the piece of matter by molecules of water, moving about randomly, even
though, at the level of our observation, the molecules and their motions are invisible. These
are indeed the ‘Vibrations’ that one often feels in presence of great men or in places of
worship, before the deity even when the mind is apparently calm. These vibrations
establish a superhuman link between the devotee and the Lord, by a power of
concentration and make individuals achieve certain things, otherwise humanly impossible.

4.3.4 Einstein’s third paper outlined a Special Theory of Relativity. His famous equation
E=MC2 did not appear as a part of his paper but as a supplement to it, a few months later. E
stands for energy, M for mass and c2 for the speed of light squared. In simplest terms, the
equation says that mass and energy have an equivalence. Energy is liberated matter. Matter
is energy waiting to be liberated. Since the square of the speed of light is a huge number,
the equation says that there is really a very huge amount of energy bound in every material
thing. In concrete terms, an average sized adult will contain 7x1018 Joules of potential
energy, enough to explode with the force of thirty Hydrogen bombs, provided one knew
how to liberate it. Even the deadly uranium bomb releases only less than 1 % of the energy
it could release! The theory explained how stars could burn for billions of years without
racing through their fuel !!

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4.3.5 What was special about the special theory of relativity was that it dealt with things
moving in an essentially unimpeded state. But, what happens when a thing fast in motion,
say light, is impeded by an obstacle like gravity? This led to the publication of a paper in
1917 entitled “Cosmological Consideration in the General Theory of Relativity”. In essence,
what Relativity says is that space and time are not absolute, but relative both to the
observer and to the thing being observed, As Bertrand Russell put it to a layman, a super
fast train would appear to be shorter than it really is for a man standing on the platform
and watching it and everything would look distorted but, people on the train would
themselves have no such sense of distortions. To them, every thing would appear normal.
On the other hand, the people standing on the platform would look to them as weirdly
compressed and distorted. It is all to do, with one’s position relative to the object in
motion. The effects of relativity are real and have been measured but are too small to make
any difference to us. But, for other things in the universe, light, gravity and the universe
itself, these are matters of consequence, even as in the case of sound, the well known
‘Doppler effect’ is perceptible to us and is of consequence, merely because of the lower
speed of sound. Everything is therefore relative. (Hubble subsequently discovered that this
is an expanding universe, in the form of Nebulae from a centre and, therefore, what had a
beginning should also have an end). The theory of Relativity brings out not only the
enormous store house of energy in each one of us but also both the myth and the reality of
‘Maya’ or ‘illusion’ that the world is.

THESE THREE THEORIES MAKE US ‘AWARE’ OF THE ENORMOUS ‘REALITY’


BEYOND THE DAY TO DAY ACTION (VISWAM).

4.4 Vishnu Let us now pause for a moment and change from macrocosmic to
micro-the structure of the atom (Vishnu).

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Structure of the Carbon Atom
4.4.1 Every atom is made from three elementary particles:-

- Protons, which have a positive electrical charge.


- Electrons, which have a negative electrical charge and
- Neutrons, which have no charge.

◊ Vishnu, smaller than smallest.


◊ Atoms, Electrons, Protons and Neutrons and sub atomic particles.
◊ Things on small scale do not behave the same way as things on a large scale.
◊ Electrons are at once every where and no where; so is Vishnu.
◊ As isotopes are helpful, so is Vishnu.
◊ Nama Vishnu represented three times as 2nd, 258th and 657th names in slokas 1, 28
and 70. The additions of these numbers have their own significance.

4.4.2 Protons and Neutrons are packed into the Nucleus, while Electrons spin around,
outside. The number of protons give an atom its chemical identity. An atom with one
proton is Hydrogen and so on. The nucleus of an atom is tiny, only one millionth of a
billionth of the full volume of the atom, but fantastically dense. Physicists soon realized that
electrons are not like orbiting planets but more like the blades of a spinning fan filling every
bit of space in their orbit simultaneously. What it means in practice is that you can never
predict where an electron will be at a given moment. In other words, until it is observed, an
electron must be regarded as being at once everywhere and no where. It was soon realized
that things on a small scale behave nothing like things on a large scale.

Yes, Vishnu is Omnipresent!

4.4.3 When we talk about ‘large scale’ nobody knows how many stars there are in the
Milky way and how many such galaxies exist, how many of the stars have planetary system
and how many of them support life. Some estimates predict that the advanced civilizations
just in the Milky way alone could be millions. Lord Krishna required to bestow Arjuna with

32
‘special eyes’ to see his Viswarupa and unless we are also bestowed with similar favour, we
may not know the truth for a long time still.

5.2.1. On the other hand, on a small scale, the number of neutrons in an atom are generally
the same as the number of protons, but they can vary in some cases, upward or downward
slightly. We, then, have the isotopes. The isotopes can be extremely helpful as in the case of
the pharmaceutical field for curing deadly diseases and can also be helpful by their
radioactivity in imaging like X-ray, MRI scan etc. That is Vishnu. But, they can also be
deadly as in case of uranium isotopes, when an atom is spilt. That is what symbolically
happened when Prahlada prayed in the Narasimha Avatar. The entire branch of science,
known as Nanotechnology, which is expected to lead to path-breaking discoveries and
technologies in 21st century, is based on the realization that things on a nanoscale never
behaves the same way as things on a large scale and are much stronger and more powerful.

4.4.5 The name Vishnu is also repeated as Nama 258 (Sloka 28) and also Nama 657 (Sloka
70). Nama 258 is commented upon by the seers as one who has measured the three
worlds in His ‘Vamana Avatar’ and Nama 657 as one who’s spread all over the
universe. There are also certain interesting observations. If the number of the slokas
where the name Vishnu gets repeated namely 1, 28 and 70 are added, the total is 99.
If we read the sloka 99, it speaks of His great Qualities! (given below).

Uttaaranah: Liberates one from the mortal world


DushKritihaa : exterminates all sins.
Punya : bestows all Punya, goodness.
Durs Swapna Naasanah : saves one from bad dreams. Lifts one from the dream state of
existence.
Veeragna: Gives liberation (Mukti) to all who are revolving in the material world.
Rakshana: Protects.
Satbyah: Very incarnation of all those who are good.
Jeevanaayah: The life in every creature.
Paryavastitah: Omniscient and omnipresent.
What more do we require?
Similarly, if one adds the numbers of the Namas namely 2, 258 and 657, the total is 917.
The 917th Nama is ‘Dskshaya’ means one who is full grown, strong, does everything very
quickly and is “very clever”. If one is not clever, can we exist in this world?

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4.5 Significance to Some of the Namas

5.2.1. Ploughing these scientific ideas back to the Naamaavali of the first sloka,

◊ He is the universe (Viswam).


◊ He is spread everywhere, like the electron in an atom (Vishnu).
◊ He makes things happen, by the vast amount of energy stored and released (Vashat
karah).
◊ He is the Lord of the past, the origin of the universe, the present, its evolution and
creation of life and its sustenance and of the future of what is going to happen to this
nebulae (Bhuta Bhavya Bhavat Prabhuh).
◊ He created everything conceivable (Bhutakrit).
◊ He bears them all (Bhutabrit) but does not form part of them.
◊ Like the blades of a spinning fan appearing to be present everywhere
simultaneously, as electrons, He is present at once everywhere and no where
(Bhavah).
◊ He who dwells in all beings but is with in them, whom none of the beings knows,
whose body is all beings and who controls all beings from within your own self
(Bhutaatmaa). No where else this concept is better explained than in chapter 3,
section 7 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. At sea level, at a temperature of O0 C, one
cubic centimeter of air (size of a sugar cube, contains 45 billion billion molecules and
they are in every cubic centimeter of air. Atoms are tiny. Half a million of them lined
up from shoulder to shoulder, could hide behind the thickness of a human hair. The
atoms are also long lived and durable. Every atom in our body had been earlier,
parts of millions of organisms before becoming part of us. We are each so atomically
numerous and so vigorously recycled at death that a significant number of our
atoms, it has been suggested, probably once belonged to a Prahlada, a Ravana and a
Vikramaditya. And that is how, we have a mix of the Satwa, Tamo and Rajoguna, all
in one, albeit in different proportions. This is also perhaps the reason as to why the
ashes of a departed soul are immersed in various holy rivers, seas etc so that some of
the atoms of the great people could be recycled! Can the concept of ‘Bhutaatmaa’ be
more scientifically explained?
◊ He sustains all that has been created (Bhuta bhavanah).

◊ Significance to the names of Vishnu in first sloka.


◊ Vashatkaarah – make things happen.
◊ Bhuta Bhavya Bhavat Prabhuh.
◊ Bhutakrit Bhutabrit bhavah.
◊ Bhutatma- atoms are long –lived and vigorously recycled.
◊ Bhuta bhavanah-Sustains all that has been created.

4.5.2 If the very first sloka itself can have so much of spiritual and scientific import as now
understood, one can visualize the importance and implications of Vishnu Sahasranama as a
whole. It is, therefore, proposed to dwelve further only on a few more namas, at random.

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4.6. AVYAYAH 2nd Sloka, 13th Nama.

4.6.1 The word, in a literal sense, means changeless. This is an important word in Sanskrit
grammar as well, not subjected to any gender, number or voice but yet of great
usage in many contexts and is immutable.

◊ Avyayam-Changeless.
◊ Quote from Viveka Choodamani.
◊ Thermodynamics is applicable at the atomic level of chemical reaction also.
◊ Entropy in physics and mutation of genes.
◊ Change is the only permanent thing in physics or biology.
◊ But God, who makes these happen is himself Changeless –Avyayam.

4.6.2. In Viveka Choodamani, in slokas 254 to 266, while dealing on aids to Meditation,
Adisankara defines Brahman as that which has no caste, creed, family or lineage, which is
without name or form, merit and demerit which is beyond space, time and sense objects
which is untouched by the six waves of sorrow, namely hunger and thirst, grief and
delusion, decay and death , which never reduces, hence immutable and changeless
(Avyayah) and hence free from the six modifications namely birth, growth, change, decay,
disease and death. We saw in the first sloka that He is the creator and sustainer of these
very objects and senses but, He himself is beyond all these and “ You are that Brahman,
meditate on this in your mind “, says Adisankara.

4.6.3. In 1875-78, Willard Gibbs of Yale University produced a series of papers elucidating
the thermodynamic principles of gases, mixtures, solids, phase behaviour, chemical
reaction, sedimentation and osmosis and showed that thermodynamics did not apply
simply to heat and energy on a large scale like a steam engine, but is also applicable at the
atomic level of chemical reactions. At the heart of thermodynamics, is a process, known as
Entropy. Entropy is a way of measuring just how disordered a pack of card is, when
shuffled, and of determining the likelihood of particular outcomes with further shuffles.
Rutherford discovered that atomic elements were transmutable and indeed that the Greek
word ‘Atom’ which means ‘uncuttable’, was no longer so and, therefore, inappropriate.
Henry Joe Muller, a Jewish scientist discovered what was applicable in physics is also
applicable in biology and proved that genes are artificially mutable. This laid the
foundation of a whole science of molecular biology and the eventual identification of the
structure of DNA and how it is unique to each individual.

4.6.4. The short story is that, while change is the only permanent thing in both physics and
biology, the Lord, who makes all these things happen all the time, is himself beyond
change, and is changeless, Avyayah.

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4.7. Kshetragna and Akshara (Yeva Cha) (Sloka 2, Namas 16 and 17)
4.7.1. Kshetragna is translated as ‘knower of the field (Purusha). The whole of chapter 13
of Bhagwat Geeta is called Kshetra Kshetragna Vibhaga yoga or the yoga of the
discrimination of the Prakriti and Purusha. Lord Krishna says “ the body is called Kshetra
(Prakriti), the field and he who knows it is called Kshetragna, by the sages”. Prakriti by
itself is inert; Purusha on its own does not function. But, when the two join, life results and
functions in different ways depending upon the type of Prakriti (body) where the Purusha
(Kshetragna) has entered. The Purusha functions, as ‘Upadrshta’ (spectator), ‘Anumanta’
(permitter), ‘Bharta’ (supporter), Bhokta (enjoyer) ‘Maheswara’ (the Great Lord) and
‘Paramatma’ (Supreme Self), in that order, depending upon the level of intellect of this
relationship.

◊ Kshetragna and Akshara – Knower of the field and eternal.


◊ Examples of the field and Knower of the field.
◊ Akshara as alphabets , conjugation, pronunciation change and decay over time in
intonation.
◊ Alphabets themselves are eternal.
◊ 51 Sakthi peetas referred to as 51 Aksharas.

4.7.2 We may further illustrate this by two examples. Electricity by itself, cannot manifest
as light. But, when it passes through a bulb it is manifested as light. Similarly, a good seed
is only a potential tree and can germinate only in a good nutrient soil. At the other
extreme, virus is a strange entity, a piece of nucleic acid. In isolation they are inert and
harmless. But, introduced into a suitable host, they burst into life, afflicting us with
hundreds of diseases from flu through Small Pox to Polio and AIDS. Electricity, seeds, virus
are different ‘Kshetragna’ (Purusha), inactive and inert by themselves but they know how
and when to get active, and so is the Lord.

4.7.3 ‘AKSHARA’ is defined as ‘eternal’ or ‘without end’. God could have been simply
defined as ‘eternal’ but, why add ‘Yeva Cha’ (and also) by bringing in a symbiotic
relationship between ‘Kshetragna’ and ‘Aksharah’. Let us see a little more in detail.

4.7.4 ‘Akshara’ in common parlance reflects the alphabets. All beings are perishable and
the ‘Kutastha’ (the immutable) is called the imperishable (Akshara). As the screen is the
background for motion pictures in a Cinema hall, Brahman is the substratum, basis and
background of the panorama of this universe. The changes that take place in the world do
not affect the Brahman, even as the various scenes in a picture do not affect the screen. It is,
therefore, called Aksharam, the imperishable. The five elements, on the other hand, are
Ksharam or perishable. The physical structure of the Reality is made up of the elements. It
is with the aid of the element that the sentient is revealing itself. Beings require the
elements for their embodiment. For example, a nut is identified by its embodiment by the
shell, both for its existence and preservation. Similarly, in articulation, the part that the
consonants play clinging to the vowels is analogous to the function of the elements.

36
4.7.5.An important development in the history of Indian Science was the pioneering work
of Panini ( 6th century BCE) in the field of Sanskrit grammar. It had a profound impact on
all mathematical treatises that followed. He provided formal definitions and rules of
Sanskrit grammar (Vyakaranam) in his treatise called Ashtaadyaayi. Basic elements such as
vowels and consonants, parts of speech like nouns and verbs, and the construction of
compound words and sentences were all laid down. Ingermann, in his paper titled ‘Panini
Backus Form” finds Panini’s notation to be equivalent in its power to that of Backus Form
used to describe the syntax of modern computer languages. ( Source: Website tripod- South
Asian History, History of Mathematics in India “)

4.7.6 The conjugation of letters or the scripts in the form of words and its pronunciation is
very important in Vedas. The process is known as ‘Siksha’, the most important of the six
‘Angas’ of the Vedas. The very first chapter of the popular Taitareeya Upanishad deals with
the pronunciation of these words and the meaning each of these conjugations convey and is
called “Sikshavalli”. There are elaborate guidelines like Padam, Kramam etc laid down for
pronunciation and intonation of each one of the words. When correctly done, they produce
the appropriate vibrations, in the different nerves which , in turn, produce the desired effect
in the overall health and personality of the individual.

4.7.7 Not withstanding this, each one of the Vedas and their practices got concentrated in
certain areas, over a period of time. They also got subjected to the local pronunciation,
intonation and nondifferentiation between certain letters in different places and also
evolved into a number of branches. For instance, Va and Ba are pronounced synonymously
in Bengal Ja and Ya in North and La and LLa in South. The Brahmi script , which is
considered oldest in India and in which many of the ancient uclei are found, is totally
different from the current Devanagari script of Sanskrit. Similarly, the Grantha script,
which is the mother of the scripts of Dravidian languages like Tamil and Malayalam is
more or less disappearing. Thus, while the pronunciation, script and intonation over a
period of time, got corrupted by local influence, the Akshara remained the same. From the
Vedic times till now, this Kutasta or the cosmic Purusha, has undergone changes only of
names, forms and attributes according to the attitudes and attainments of the worshippers
but Akshara remains eternal. Comparative Philology of the different languages is an ocean
by itself in this regard.

4.7.8 The 51 Aksharas or letters in Sanskrit came from the Vedas. They are called
‘Matruka’. The Saakta Philosophy believes that these 51 Aksharas indeed depict the 51
parts of the Goddess Paraasakti and the 51 Sakti peetas in our country depict these 51
Aksharas represented by 51 parts of Her body.

4.7.9 Thus, the immutable ‘Purusha’ called ‘Akshara’ or the alphabets and the
‘Kshetregna Purusha’ are verily the same and represent Lord Vishnu. The reconfirmation
by ‘Yeva Cha- and also’ has become necessary by the subsequent corruption in
pronunciation intonation and script of the immutable Aksharas”.

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4.8 Mathematics, Zero, Infinity and Vishnu :

4.8.1 After discussing the macrocosmic and microcosmic phenomena, the immutable, the
knower of the field and his endless attributes, it is appropriate that we talk a little
about mathematics – how He is described as ‘Shunyah’ (emptiness) and Infinite, and
their role in development of mathematics, before we proceed further.
4.8.2 In the Vedic period, records of mathematical activity are mostly found associated
with rituals. Arithmetic operations (Ganitam) such as addition, subtraction,
multiplication, fractions, etc. are enumerated in Narada Vishnu purana, attributed to
sage Vyasa. Examples of geometric knowledge (Rekha Ganitam) are found in the
Sulva Sutras of Boudhayana (800 BCE) and Apastambha (600 BCE), which describe
techniques for construction of the ritual altars.
4.8.3 Space and time were considered limitless in Jain Cosmology. This led to a deep
interest in very large numbers and infinite numbers and to develop the notion of
logarithms. Buddhist literature also demonstrates awareness of indeterminate and
infinite numbers.
4.8.4 Philosophical formulations concerning ‘Shunyah’, that is emptiness or void
facilitated in the introduction of the concept of zero (bindu). The importance of zero
as an empty place holder in the place value system of numerals is well known from
ancient times. The algebraic definitions of zero and its relationship to mathematical
functions were developed by Brahmagupta (7th century AD), though opinions are
also on record that zero was implied even earlier by Aryabhatta (476 BCE) in his
treatise.
4.8.5 Be that, as it may, the recorded reference to shunya and infinity exists in Vishnu
sahasranama in the Namaavalis 742 and 743, of shloka 79. The Lord is praised as :
‘Vishamah”: (742) – One to whom there is no equal because nothing is comparable to
him. If there is none equal to him, how can anything be greater? – the concept of
infinite.

‘Shunyah’ : (743) – One who, being without any attributes, appears as ‘Shunyah’
(emptiness).
Closely follow three other names :
‘Dhritaasih’: (744) – One whose blessings are unfailing, but how can emptiness confer
unfailing bliss?
‘Achalah’ : (745) – One who cannot be deprived of His real nature as Truth, Intelligence and
Infinity.
‘Chalah’ : (746) – One who moves.

4.8.6 Let us see these in the context of zero. Zero before an integer has no value but after a
number, assumes any value depending upon its place. We all know that the smaller
the value of the divisor in the division function, the value of the quotient becomes
bigger. If the divisor is zero, then the quotient is infinite and that is ‘Vishamah’.
Thus, we see the concept of zero, infinity and its place value in numerals, have all
been already expressed in a small list of five names of Lord Vishnu.

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4.8.7 This simple notational system conceived in Indian scriptures and its significance
have been appreciated and integrated later in the Western system. In the words of
the great French mathematician of Napoleon’s time, Laplace (of Laplace
transformations fame) , ‘ the ingenious method of expressing every possible number
using a set of ten symbols, each symbol having a place value and an absolute value,
emerged in India. The idea seems so simple nowadays, that its significance and
profound importance is no longer appreciated. Its simplicity lies in the way it
facilitated calculation and placed arithmetic foremost amongst useful inventions’.

4.9 Purushottamah: Sloka 3, Nama 24

5.2.1. We discussed Purusha earlier and saw his attributes and his relationship with
Akshara. Why call him again as “Purushottamah’ by the superlative form of
Purusha, just after a few Naamaavalis? Let us see.

◊ Purushottamah – Highest knower of the field.


◊ Proton accelerator- lead to postulate of even smaller particles like Muons, Pions etc all
transient.
◊ Superstring theory.
◊ Our Knowledge is still very limited, Feel humbled.

4.9.2 Again, a whole chapter 15 of Bhagwat Geeta is devoted to ‘Purushottama Yoga’.


Sloka 15.18 says “As I transcend the perishable and am even above the imperishable,
therefore, am I known in the world and in the Veda as “Purushottama” the highest
Purusha.

4.9.3. We saw earlier that the atoms are quite durable and that the electrons appear at the
same time to be present everywhere and no where, to explain one of His names. Lets us see
further.

4.9.4 Breaking up atoms is easy. We do it each time we switch on a fluorescent light. But it
is the breaking up of the atomic uclei which cracks up the physicist. When they tried to
accelerate a proton or other charged particles at an extremely high speed and banged it to
another particle, they began to find or postulate smaller particles called Muons, Pions,
Hyperons, Mesons, Bosons and so on. They found that these transient particles can come
into being and gone again in as little as 10-24 second. “Every second, the earth is visited by
ten thousand trillion trillion massless neutrinos shot out by the nuclear reaction of the sun,
while converting its Hydrogen to Helium, and virtually all of them pass through the planet
and every thing that is on it, including you and me”.

4.9.5 In an attempt to draw things together, the physicists have come up with a
‘Superstring’ theory. They postulate “ that all these ‘small particles’ are actually ‘strings’,
vibrating strings of energy that oscillate in eleven dimensions, three we know already and
seven others, yet unknown to us”. A more detailed article on Superstring theory has been
presented in Appendix 3.

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4.9.6 The upshot of all this is that we live in a universe whose age one can not quite
compute, surrounded by stars whose distances from us and between each other, we do not
know, filled with matter we can not identify operating in conformity with physical laws,
whose properties we don’t truly understand (Quoted from Bryson 2003).

If this is not “Purushottama”, what else is?

4.10 Sivah Sloka 4 Nama 27

4.10.1 Meaning absolutely pure, pure because of the absence of the three inappropriate,
though logically correct, Gunas or characters:-

1. Avyaapti- a statement incorrectly considered as universal; eg all cows are


white.

2. Ativyaapti– Unique observation justified as universal; eg, crows are black,


crows are birds, therefore, birds are black.
3. Asambhavam– Totally impossible; eg taking bath in a mirage.

This nama represents the Lord who is rid of these three myths.

5.2. . Prabhavah, Prabhuh Sloke 4, Namas 34, 35.

Prabhavah : Source

Prabhuh : Lord

4.11.1 The goal of life may vary from person to person, but they can all be grouped into
three classes.

5. . . Striving for long, efficient life (Sat).

5. . . Seeking after wider knowledge (Chit).

(iii) Searching for more happiness (Ananda).

They can be summarized as sat-chit-ananda or more famously the 3 L’s, Life, Light and
Love.

4.11.2 Even as the sea is the origin for the waves, the Lord is for the entire creation.
Electricity manifests itself in different forms- heat, cold, light, breeze etc but the source of
energy for all these manifestations is the same (Prabhavah and Prabhuh).

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5. Some Names Related to the Status of the Universe, its Creation etc and the
Scientific Significance.

5.2.1. A number of names that follow describe the primordial nature of the Lord and His
linkage with the universe. For eg,

SWAYAMBHU – (Sloka 5, Nama 37) origin without conventional reproduction as


we understand.

ADITYAH – Sloka 5 Nama 39 – Even as the sun illuminates the whole world, so is
the Paramatman who gives spiritual luminosity to the entire universe. The various
uses to which the intellect puts it, good or bad or indifferent, does not affect the
luminosity of the source of that light.

MAHASVANAH Sloka 5 Nama 41 – One with a powerful voice- even as the


particular notes of a drum, conch or flute have no separate existence from the
general note of these instruments, but, when played in an order of sequence,
produces melodious music, so the knowledge of the existing universe in the waking
and dream states has no validity of its own, apart from the intelligence (Brahman)
which pervades it. As breath comes out of a man without any thought or effort, so
too do the externally existing Vedas with their various subdivisions issue
spontaneously out of Brahman. This differentiated universe, before its origin, is
nothing but Brahman (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, chapter 2.4.7 to 10)

ANAADHI NIDHANA – Sloka 5 Nama 42 without beginning or end.

DHAATAA - Sloka 5 Nama 43 one who supports the world.

APRAMEYA - Sloka 6 Nama 46 beyond logical explanation.

PADMANABHA – Sloka 6 Nama 48 the lotus from the naval. Pushkaram,


Pundareekam, Padmam, Chakram are all counts of numbers like ten, hundred,
thousand, etc. Padmam is hundred thousand crores or a trillion. The age of the earth
is estimated at about 4.5 billion years. Clearly, one is symbolically talking a trillion
years before, the universe, the Milky way represented by the stem of the lotus and
Brahma at the end of it, as the Solar System.

VISWAKARMA - Sloka 6 Nama 50 one who created this universe.

MANUH – Sloka 6 Nama 51 (literally), one who thinks of everything – He who


dwells in all beings but is within them, whom none of the beings knows, where body
is all beings, and who controls all beings from within, the inner controller-your own
self and immortal. He’s never seen but is the seer, never thought but the thinker,
never known but the knower. He is the inner controller (Brihadaaranyaka
Upanishad chapter 3.7 23).

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Prakriti, by itself is inert. Purusha, on its own does not function. But, when the two
join life results and function in various forms depending upon the type of prakriti
where Purusha has entered. The Purusha functions in the body he has entered as a
spectator, permittor, supporter, enjoyer, the Lord and the Supreme self, in that order,
depending upon the level of intellect Brahma Gnanam, attained (Bhagwad Geeta,
chapter 13,21 and 22).

TWASHTA : Sloka 6 Nama 52 – One who destroys everything at the time of deluge
(Pralaya).

◊ Namas related to the status of this universe, its creation etc.


◊ All talk about origin of life from the primordial source.

5.1.2 And so goes an a number of Naamaavalis that follow. They all speak in general
about the origin of the universe from that unique source, the sustenance, the age and its
destruction. They also talk about the origin of life from this primordial source. Let us now
see how far the modern science has been able to unravel this mystery.

5.2. Scientific Significance


5.2.1. As we have seen earlier, amino acids and protein constitute the elixir of life. Amino
acids can be created in a chemical laboratory, but the problem is of protein. Proteins are
perhaps a million type in the human body and one needs to assemble the amino acids like
the building blocks, to make a protein, in a particular order, in much the same way as one
has to assemble the letters in a particular way to get a word. For example, to spell
‘collagen’, a common type of protein, one needs to arrange eight letters of the English
alphabets, in a particular order. But to MAKE the same collagen, a protein, one needs to
arrange 1,055 amino acids in perfectly the right sequence. And the miracle is that it
arranges itself, spontaneously, without direction. Yet, we are talking about several
thousand types of protein, each unique and each vital to the sound maintenance of the
body. A protein by itself, is no good, if it can not reproduce itself and proteins can’t
reproduce by themselves. For this, they need DNA (Deoxyribose nucleic acid).

◊ Scientific significance of Namas mentioned above.


◊ Amino acids as building blocks of protein.
◊ DNA and Protein as Kshetra and Kshetragna or Purusha and Prakriti.
◊ Conversion of monomer to polymer is alone not enough for creation of life and this
Awareness is Reality.

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Structure of a DNA Molecule
5.2.2 The complete set of human genes comes packaged in twenty three separate pairs of
chromosomes. Of these, twenty-two pairs are numbered in approximate order of size, from
the largest (number 1) to the smallest (number 22), while the remaining pair consists of the
sex chromosomes, two large X chromosomes in women, one X and one small Y in men.
Each chromosome is one pair of very long DNA molecules which are long chains of sugar
and phosphate, to which the bases are attached as side rungs.

5.2.3 DNA is adept at replicating. It can make copy of itself in seconds but can do virtually
nothing else. So, we have a paradoxical situation. Proteins can not exist without DNA and
DNA has no purpose without protein. Did they arise simultaneously with the purpose of
supporting each other? (Bill Bryson, 2003) – What an exemplary proof of Purusha and
Prakriti or Kshetra and Kshetragna!

5.2.4 There is something more to it. DNA, protein, and other components of life can not
prosper without some sort of membrane to contain them. If an atom from a cell of our body
is removed, it is no more alive. It is only when they are with in the nurturing cell, there is
life. Without the cell, they are just chemicals. But without chemicals, the cell has no
purpose. Everything needs everything else. And that is the great mystery of God. This
Reality is indeed the Awareness.

5.2.5 Every scenario concerning the conditions necessary for life involves water but, to
covert monomers to polymers (that is, to create protein), wet monomers alone are not
enough. How and why it happens except when creating life on earth is one of biology’s yet
unanswered questions. Yes, the protein and DNAs and their role for creation of life explain
the significance of such names as Swayambhu, Aprameya, Anaadhinidhana, Vishwakarma
and Manuh, just to mention a few of the names.

5.2.6 The ‘Murchison’ meteorite, which crashed in Murchison in Australia in 1969, when
analyzed, was found to be 4.5 billion years old and contained 74 types of amino acids, eight
of which are involved in the formation of proteins found on earth. In 2001, it was also
found that the Murchison meteorites contained some complex strings of sugar, called
polyols, unique till then only to the earth. Such findings found supporters for the extra

43
terrestrial origin of life, Padmanabha, the lotus stem symbolically comparable to the Milky
way, extending life from extra terrestrial to earth!

◊ Extra terrestrial origin of life.


◊ Which organisms came first, Protozoan or Bacteria?
◊ Use of genetic code by organisms.
◊ Life is still in the realm of unknown and “watching the world” is really an illusion.
◊ Some of the namas mentioned in previous pages explain this philosophy beautifully.

5.2.7 There are views expressed both for and against, which organisms lived first on the
surface of the earth, the unicellular protozoan or the bacteria. Columns of ‘stromatolites’
(bacterial columns) several meters thick present in very ancient rocks, or the blue-green
algae, called cyanobacteria, which have contributed to the formation of ‘Banded-Haematite
Quarzite’ of the Pre-Cambrian rocks, so commonly seen in North Karnataka (and
commercially mined) are considered much more evolved than the cellular organisms,
whose descendants we are. The blue green algae learned to tap into the freely available
hydrogen from water molecules and released oxygen as ‘waste’, and in the process,
invented ‘Photosynthesis’, which is the single most important metabolic innovation in the
history of our planet. Gradually, life became more complex and created two types of
organisms, those that expel oxygen (like plant) and those that take it in (like human beings)

5.2.8 Wherever you go in the world, what ever animal, plant, bacteria or virus you look at,
if it is alive, it will use the same genetic code. The genetic code (barring a few aberrations) is
the same in every creature. This means that there was only one creation, one single event
when life was born and that all life is one. As Erasmus Darwin remarked. “one and the
same kind of living filaments has been the cause of all organic life”. (Matt Ridley 1999).

5.2.9 V S Ramachandran, the internationally well known neuroscientist concludes his


book on ‘Phantoms in the Brain (1998)’ by stating, “It seems somehow disconcerting to be
told that your life, all your hopes, triumphs and aspirations simply arise from the activities
of neurons in your brain. But far from humiliating, this idea is ennobling. Cosmology,
evolution and the brain science are all telling us that we have no privileged position in the
universe and that our sense of having a private non-material soul ‘watching the world’ is
really an ILLUSION. Once you realize that, far from being a spectator, you are in fact part
of the eternal ebb and flow of events in the cosmos, the realization is very liberating”.

5.2.10 (How well this small treatise on the origin, age and evolution of life in this planet,
nay, the universe has been so succinctly explained in merely attributing some names to the
Lord of this universe is clear if the Naamaavali is again read, in the light of the above
scientific facts (admittedly yet limited) known so far and the mystery of biology of life itself
is still in the realm of the unknown and, therefore, in His jurisdiction).

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6. Atman and its Adjectives

What is Atman? It is defined as the supreme self, the core of one’s personality. The Atman
enlivens the body to perceive and act, through its organs of perception and action. It
enlivens the intellect of the individual to THINK when thoughts of the world result. But
when the intellect CONTEMPLATES, thoughts of reality dawn on the individual. Thus, the
anatomical, physiological, psychological and philosophical functions of a human being are
controlled by the functions of the body, mind and intellect. If one has to reach the state of
pure untainted consciousness, one has to free oneself from attachment to BODY, MIND
AND INTELLECT.

This idea is portrayed in the picture of the chariot and horses in the Geetopadesa
chapter of the Mahabharata, with Lord Krishna as the charioteer, and Arjuna seated behind
him. In the metaphor, the charioteer represents the INTELLECT (who has to hold the reins
firmly and not let loose), the reins represent the MIND, the horses the senses, the passenger
the individual. When the intellect maintains a perfect control over the mind and senses, the
Antahkaranas and Bahirkaranas of the Prakriti Tatwas, the individual reaches the ultimate
goal.

The three spiritual disciplines recommended to achieve this goal are :


Karma Yoga – path of action for the body
Bhakti Yoga – path of devotion for the mind, and
Gnana Yoga – path of knowledge for the intellect.

6.1.1. In Sahasranama We had discussed earlier the Jeevaatma and Brahman as


the 25 and 26 Tatwas and that both are indeed the same. As if to reinstate this, the
th th

word Atma, either alone or with different adjectives, appear 26 times in the
Naamaavali. Let us look into them a little in detail. They are:

1) Bhutaatmah: Sloka 1 Nama 8 Life to the Lives.

2) Putaatmah: Sloka 2 Nama 10 Absolutely Pure and unattached.

3) Paramaatmah: Sloka 2 Nama 11 One who functions as the spectator,


permitter, Supporter, the Lord and the Supreme Self.

4) Aatmavate: Sloka 9 Nama 84 Standing on one’s own greatness without any


other support or roots.

5) Ameyaatmah: Sloka 11 Nama 102 also Sloka 19 Nama 179 Immeasurable


wisdom.

6) Samaatman: Sloka 12 Nama 107 Embodiment of the ultimate Truth.

7) Chaturaatman: Sloka 15 Nama 137, also Sloka 82 Nama 769 Superficially,


chatur may mean four, but, in the context of the Naamaavali that follow, may more

45
appropriately be understood as clever or intelligent, assuming forms according to
need. According to Vishnu purana, Brahma, Prajaapatis like Daksha, Kaala(Time)
and Jivaas—these are powers of Vishnu for purposes of creation. Vishnu, the Manus,
Kaala (Time) and living beings are the powers of Vishnu for purpose of sustenance.
Rudra, Time, Death (Mrithyu) and living beings are Vishnu’s powers for purpose of
dissolution.

8) Dhrutaatman: Sloka 17 Nama.160 Stable without birth or death.

9) Visrutaatma: Sloka 22, Nama 207, Worshipped in Srutis for his qualities like
Truth, wisdom etc

10) Vishwaatma: Sloka 24 Nama 225, the jeevaatma of the entire universe.

11) Nivrutaatma: Sloka 25 Nama 229, also Sloka 64 Nama 597 Detached from
the Karmas or their results.

12) Prasannaatman: Sloka 26 Nama 237, Clear, without likes and dislikes; never
contaminated by Rajoguna (Passion) or Tamoguna (Inertia).

13) Aprameyaatman: Sloka 27 Nama 248 Beyond the reach of human Knowledge.

14) Prakaasaatman: Sloka 30 Nama 276, Luminous everywhere.

15) Vruddhaatman: Sloka 38 Nama 352, The oldest.

16) Vimuktaatman: Sloka 48 Nama 452, Free from all bondages, by nature.

17) Naikaatman: Sloka 50 Nama 468 Not one body ( Took different forms on
different occasions)

18) Anantaatman: Sloka 55 Nama 518 Beyond comprehension; one who cannot be
determined by space, time or causation.

19) Vijitaatman: Sloka 66 Nama 620, One who has conquered the mind.

20) Avideyaatma: Sloka 66 Nama 621 A Rupa or an expression not understood by


anybody.

21) Visuddhaatman: Sloka 68 Nama 636, Crystal clear , beyond the three Gunas.

22) Trilokaatman: Sloka 69 Nama 646 The three worlds are none other than the
Supreme self.

23) Anivrutaatman: Sloka 83 Nama 774 At once, present everywhere and


nowhere, simultaneously, omnipresent.

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24) Gabheeraatma: Sloka 100 Nama 937 Of immeasurable depth.

25) Ekaatman: Sloka 103 Nama 965 Only one Atma, and omnipresent. Taitareeya
Upanishad says, “ This Atman alone existed in the beginning. The Smriti says,” That
is known as Atman, which pervades every being and which remains always the
same.”

26) Atmayoni: Sloka 106 Nama 985 Self reproductive. There is no material cause
other than Himself for the Universe.

◊ Nama Atman with its adjectives repeated 26 times in Sahasranama.


◊ An allusion to 24 Praakriti Tatwas, Jeevaatma and Brahman.
◊ Brahman misrepresented by our misconception is the world.

6.1.2. Thus, the five elements, five tanmatras, five organs of perception, five organs of
action, mind, intellect, ego and chitta, constituting the 24 Prakriti Tatwas and the
Jeevaatama and Brahman, whatever is manifested, is the Supreme Brahman itself. The
world of object that we see around, us, is in itself, by itself , nothing but Brahman.
BRAHMAN, MISREPRESENTED BY OUR MISCONCEPTION, IS THE WORLD. It is
interesting to observe that the different adjectives for Atman from the first sloka to the 106th
are so chosen , as to explain first that the Atman or Soul is different from life or body,
through different levels of statements like, “ Atman is free from all bondages, beyond the
three Gunaas ( Satwa, Rajo and Tama), omnipresent etc to a final statement that there is
only one Atma and that there is no material cause other than Himself for the Universe. This
is very similar to the Lord’s approach in Bhagwad Gita, to slowly elevate a person from
Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action), through different stages to the Yoga of Liberation by
renunciation .

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Body, Mind and Intellect
6.2. Atman In Viveka Choodamani: Adishankara, in Viveka Choodmani, describes this
by beautiful adjectival phrases ( Slokas 237-240 ) and Swami Chinmayananda explains
them admirably, further.

6.2.1. These phrases are:


1) Transcendental (Para) the illuminating principle behind Body-Mind-intellect
(BMT), Perceiver- Feeler - Thinker (PFT) and Objects-Emotions-Thought. (OET) is
the pure self, the Consciousness upon which the myriad names and forms are
merely an illusory projection.

2) Real (Sat) – which remains the same, in the past, present and future.

3) One without a second (Adwiteeyam) ultimate eternal reality.

4) Extremely pure (Visuddham) - It has no vasanas on it. Vasanas are the foot
prints of past thoughts and actions left upon the personality. Any conscious act –
physical, mental or intellectual, create Vasanas. Vasanas create the world and the
world around us creates the Vasanas in us.

5) Homogenous mass of knowledge (Vigyaana Ganam) - Absolute knowledge.

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6) Without any taint (Niranjanam) The Atman, the Self, is beyond all Vasanas
and, therefore, is taintless.

7) Supremely peaceful (Prasaantam) - There are no agitations of mind and


intellect, because they have been transcended.

8) Devoid of beginning and end (Adi – anta – viheenam). Eternal, immutable,


changeless, limitless.

9) Beyond activity (Akriyam) – There is nothing other than it to serve, no field


for it to function.

10) Of the nature of eternal bliss (Nirantar - ananda – rasa – swaroopam) Beyond
happiness, it is bliss.

11) Transcending all diversities created by Maya (Nirasta – Maya – krita. Sarva –
bhedam – Maya means the non – apprehension of reality (illusion).

12) Eternal (Nityam) - which is not conditioned by space and time.

13) Essence of pleasure (Sukham) – One which illumines sentiments of joy and
emotion.

14) Without any part (Nishkalam) - Limitless.

15) Immeasurable (Aprameyam) – Incomparable.

16) Formless (Aroopam) limitless and hence, no form.

17) Un-manifest (Avyaktam) – Can not be sensed by the sense – organs, mind or
intellect.

18) Timeless (An – aakhyam) – No name to distinguish, ‘it’ because it has no form
or limit or measures.

19) Immutable (Avyayam) – eternal and changeless.

20) Self luminous (Jyoti –swayam) – To know the Atman, no other medium or
light is necessary.
◊ Concept of Atma explained in Viveka Choodamani, Bhagwat Geeta,
Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad.
◊ Atman is neither born not does it die and is beyond action.
◊ When duty is discharged untarnished by desire, clarity of understanding ensues
and efficiency increases.
◊ THIS AWARENESS IS REALITY – PRAGNANAM BRAHMA.

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6.2.3 In sloka 240, Adisankara further describes Brahman as:

21) That which can neither be thrown away nor taken up.

22) Which lies beyond the limits of mind and speech.

23) Whole and one’s own self.

24) Of outshining glory.

6.2.4. Adisankara says that only great sages see this TRUTH in which there are no
distinctions such as the Knower, the knowledge and the known.

6.3 Atman in Bhagwat Geeta.

6.3.1 Practically, every chapter in Bhagwat Geeta talks about Brahman, the Reality and its
indestructibility. While talking about Yoga of action (Karma Yoga), the Geeta declares that
Atman is beyond action. The chapter of Bhakti Yoga (Devotion) talks about Brahman with
and without attributes. The very second chapter of Bhagwat Geeta, is devoted to Samkhya
Yoga, or the Yoga of knowledge wherein, the Lord gradually teaches Arjuna, as though to a
child, the difference between Real and Unreal, Atman and its indestructibility. He states in
unequivocal terms, “The unreal has no existence, the real never ceases to be”.
“PRAGYANAM BRAHMA” “Awareness is Reality” is the definition of Absolute Reality.

6.3.2 “ The Atman is neither born nor does IT die. Coming into being and ceasing to be, do
not take place in IT. Unborn, eternal, constant and ancient, IT is not killed when the body
is slain” Geeta 2.20.

6.3.3 The fact about Atman is that IT indwells in the bodies of all and is ever
invulnerable. The Lord induces Arjuna not to be motivated by desire and yet to be
intensely active. When duty is discharged untarnished by desire, clarity of understanding
ensues and efficiency increases. This is stated by Lord, in the oft-quoted sloka.
“Karmany eve Adhikaras te maa phalesu kadacana maa karma phale Ketur bhur maa te
Sango’stu akarmani” - Seek to perform your duty, but lay not claim to its fruits. Be you not
the producer of the fruits of Karma; neither shall you lean towards inaction” 2.47.

6.4.1 Entire chapters in Brhadaranyaka Upanishad are devoted to the understanding of


Brahmam. This is not referred to here, since this treatise may then become too much
of a spiritual philosophic narration, rendered by some one who has not understood
it even peripherally.

6.4.2 The Vedas speak of the interconnection between the external and internal worlds. It
could be the interplay between the galaxy, the stars, the planet and the individual
bodies on the earth and / or the interplay between the body, mind and intellect at
the terrestrial level. It is now known that it is not merely the gravitational pull of the

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planet that causes a certain response, but also an internal clock governed by the
genes. Contemporary science has begun to examine Vedic theories on the nature of
“self”. While a lot has been achieved both at the macro and micro cosmic levels, lots
remain still to be understood. For example, in the Mahabharata, there is mention of
an embryo conceived in one womb, being transferred to the womb of another
woman, where it was born. The transferred embryo is Balarama and that is how he
is the brother of Lord Krishna, although he was born to Rohini and not to Devaki. A
few decades back, this would have been laughed at by the rationalists, but today,
surrogate mothers and surrogate children are almost common place.

6.4.3 Similarly, the concept of space, time and matter of the Vedic ages has been
remarkably close to established scientific facts, of a later date. Yoga Vasishta is an
ancient text, with over 29,000 verses, traditionally attributed to sage Valmiki, (but
there are also views that they were compiled at a much later date). Irrespective of
date, some of the passages of the treatise on time, space, matter and consciousness
are remarkably scientific, as may be seen from a few statements mentioned below
(science in ancient India by Subhash C. Kak, 2005):
• Just as space does not have a fixed span, time does not have a fixed span
either. Just as the world and its creation are mere appearances, a moment and
an epoch are also imaginary.
• The entire universe is contained in a sub atomic particle and the three worlds
exist within one strand of hair.
• In every atom, there are worlds within worlds.
• There are countless universes, diverse in composition and space time
structure. In every one of them, there are continents and mountains,
inhabited by people who have their own time space and life span.
• The entire universe is forever the same as the consciousness that dwells in
every atom.
• Consciousness is pure, eternal and infinite. It does not arise nor cease to be.
It is ever there in the moving and unmoving, in the sky.
• The Lord who is the infinite consciousness is the silent but alert witness of the
cosmic dance. He is not different from the dancer (the cosmic natural order),
and the dance (the happenings).

6.4.4 Therefore, one could speculate that the parallels between ancient philosophies and
some recent discoveries on physics or biology are a result of the inherent conceptual
advances over a period of time. The basic concept is that action is performed
without attachment and the pure consciousness stands above it. Let us see further.

6.5 SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS: Let us see scientifically how this apparently dual
function of performing action without attachment and how the Atman itself stands above
it.

6.5.2 It starts with a single cell. The first cell split to become two and the two became four
and so on. After thus splitting 47 times, the human body has 10,000 trillion cells and

51
are ready to spring forth as a human being. (Margulis and sagan 2002). Each cell
knows what exactly to do to nurture the human body, mind and intellect from the
time of conception till death.

◊ Scientific concepts of how the dual function of performing action without attachment and
how Atman stands above it.
◊ Different types of cells in different parts of the human body and how they all perform their
assigned duties.
◊ Staggering immensity of biochemical activity and the work goes on smoothly, in
unattached manner.

6.5.3 Most living cells seldom last more than a month or so but with some exceptions.
Liver cells can survive for years, though the components with in them may be renewed
every few days. Brain cells last as long as we do. We have about hundred billion cells at
birth and that is all that we will get for the rest of our lives. It is estimated that we loose
about five hundred brain cells every hour and that is why the elders say that there is not a
moment to waste. However, the individual components of the brain cells are constantly
renewed so that, no part of them is likely to be more than a month old. In fact, it is
suggested that there is not a single bit of any of us, not even a stray molecule, that was part
of us nine years ago. Yes, we all grow old, but at the cellular level we are not more than
nine years old at any point of time or part of the body!

6.5.4 There is activity everywhere in the cell and a ceaseless thrum of electrical energy.
The food and oxygen combine in the cell to produce electricity. We don’t feel it because it
happens on a very tiny scale of about 0.1 volt travelling a few nanometers only. To have a
proper idea of this, we have to scale it up. This will translate to 20 million volts per meter,
equal to the charge carried by a thunderstorm.

6.5.5 Similarly, if we blow up a cell, to a scale, in which atom would be the size of a pea,
the cell itself would be a sphere ¾ th of a Kilometer across with millions of objects whizzing
across like bullets. Each strand of DNA is attacked every 8.4 seconds. The proteins spin,
pulsate and fly into each other upto a billion times a second. The enzymes perform a
thousand tasks every second, building and rebuilding molecules. Some proteins live for
less than half an hour; others survive for weeks. Typically, a cell will contain some 20,000
different types of proteins and, of these, about 2000 types will each be represented by at
least 50,000 molecules. This means that there will be at least 100 million protein molecules
in each cell. This is then the staggering immensity of biochemical activity with in us.

6.5.6 When the cells are no longer needed, they die with great dignity. They take down all
the struts and buttresses that hold them together and quietly devour their component
parts. Every day, billions of cells die and billions of others clean up the mess.

6.5.7 The wonder of cells is that they manage every thing so smoothly for decades at a
stretch (except an occasional aberration, which may cause cancer). All this is random action,
directed by nothing more than elemental rules of attraction and repulsion. There is clearly

52
no desire or motivation behind any of the action of the cells. It just happens so smoothly
and repeatedly, producing a perfect harmony across the organism. Every living thing is a
wonder of atomic engineering.

6.5.8 Which is then, I or self or Atman? the cells, the protein, the enzymes, the DNAs ?
No, they are all finite, and Atman is beyond them. They all function in all the 26 adjectival
roles mentioned earlier, attached to Atman, but Atma or the Supreme self is beyond all of
them; again an instance of the Prakriti-Purusha or Kshetra-Kshetregna relationship. This
awareness is the Reality. The work must go on, in an unattached manner. Can there be a
better example to illustrate the “Karmany eve Adhikaras te”, propounded by the Lord, than
the cells and how they function? If one goes through the 26 namas listed in Para 6.1.1 once
again, together with Prakrititatwa briefly dealt with in Paras 2.14 to 2.16, the significance of
these scientific facts to the orderliness of functioning of life will be better appreciated.

6.5.9 We may be wiser with a sobering note, “ Life wants to be; Life does not always want
to be much; Life goes on” and when we are aware of This Reality, we are nearer to
understanding ‘Atman’ and the adjectival phrases to it.

7. Self-Sustaining, Self-Procreating, Self Devouring, Self- creating Lord.

7.1 There are more than 50 Namas, consecrated to Him, eulogizing His prowess for Self-
Procreation, self devouring, self creation and self sustenance. While they may all look
apparently as prayers to the Lord, they, perhaps, have a significance on the Earth itself,
which, having been created in a fraction of a second, sustains itself over the last billions of
years. Let us therefore, look into these Namas and their likely scientific significance.

7.1.1 Some of the Namas are:-

1) Twashta: Sloka 6 Namas 52 One who destroys everything at the time of


deluge.

2) Sthavira Dhruvah: Sloka 6 Nama 54 Old and stable (or certainly old!)

3) Agrahyah: Sloka 7 Nama 55 Can not be understood by organs of action.

4) Saaswatah: Sloka 7 Nama 56 Present all through, permanent.

5) Jyeshta: Sloka 8 Nama 67 The first.

6) Sreshta: Sloka 8 Nama 68 The foremost.

7) Bhugarbha: Sloka 8 Nama 71 Protects the earth, in constant turmoil, with in


his conception.

8) Vikramah: Sloka 9 Nama 78 One who has measured the ends of the world.

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9) Krama: Sloka 9 Nama79 Occupying everything on earth.

10) Viswarethasa: Sloka 10 Nama 88 the causative seed of the world.

11) Prajaabhavaya: Sloka 10 Nama 89 Cause for The creation of life.

12) Ajaayah: Sloka 11 Nama 95 One without birth.

13) Siddhaaya: Sloka 11 Nama 97 Omnipresent, all the time

14) Siddhaya: Sloka 11 Nama 98 Revealing his luminous presence. On his own
to the devoted.

15) Sarvaadaye: Sloka 11 Nama 99, The root cause for everything in the World.

16) Vishwayonaye: Sloka 13 Nama 117, Also Sloka 16 Nama 149, The genital
(Female) for the birth of the whole universe, the cause for the creation of this World.

17) Varaarohaaya: Sloka 13 Nama 121, Who has attained such an exalted place
which, once attained, one never comes back.

18) Sarvagaaya:Sloka 14 Nama 123 Goes anywhere and everywhere.

19) Sangrahaaya: Sloka 17 Nama 158 Destroys everything at the time of deluge or
could mean –An enlightened man has no personal motive. Out of
compassion for the ignorant, He ceaselessly works descending down to the
level of the followers and their level of intelligence. Seeing Him at work, the
others follow. The rigours of rites and rituals are given up so that the others
would be able to understand and follow up, until they are ready to rise to the
next higher level ( Geeta 3.25) Lokasangraham.

20) Sargah : Sloka 17 Nama 159, The embodiment of creation.

21) Dhrutaatma: Sloka 17 Nama 160, Stable with out birth or death.

22) Mahamaayaaya: Sloka 18 Nama170 The great illusionist.

23) Anirdesya Vapusha: Sloka 19 Nama 177 One, whom it is impossible to point
out as of one Rupa or appearance.

24) Mahaadridhruk: Sloka 19 Nama 180 One who lifts huge mountains.

25) Maheshvasa: Sloka 20 Nama 181 A great archer.

26) Mahi Bharta: Sloka 20 Nama 182 Lifting the earth to keep it in position.

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27) Amrutyave: Sloka 22 Nama 198 Without destruction.

28) Ajaaya: Sloka 22 Nama 204 One without the conventional mode of birth,
through genitals.

29) Dharaneedharaaya: Sloka 25 Nama 235 One who holds the earth.

30) Vishwadhrushe: Sloka 26 Nama 238 Unmindful of good or evil, holds and
sustains the earth and all on it.

31) ViswaBhuje: Sloka 26 Nama 239 Eats the world at the time of deluge.

32) Vibhava: Sloka 26 Nama 240 One with multi appearances.

33) JagatSetava: Sloka 31 Nama 288 One who shores up the world, separating the
good from evil.

34) Yugaadikruta: Sloka 33 Nama 300, One who created the different periods
between and after each major deluge, like Treta yuga. Dwapara Yuga etc.

35) Yugaa Vartaaya: Sloka 33 Nama 301 Creating the different yugas (the
period) again and again.

36) Mahaasanaaya: Sloka 33 Nama 303 One who eats a lot because He devours
huge parts of the earth at the time of each deluge.

37) Samayagyaaya : Sloka 39 Nama 358 One who knows the exact timing for
creation, sustenance and destruction and therefore, treats everything with
equanimity.

38) Havir Haraye: Sloka 39 Nama 359 One who takes the offering ( Havir) in the
Yagas , “I am verily the enjoyer and the Lord of all yagnas. But, these men do not
know Me in reality; hence, they fall”.Geeta 9.24.”
I am the Adhiyagna here in this body.” Geeta 8.4.

39) Udbhavaaya:Sloka 41 Nama 373. Responsible for the creation of the world
and beyond the bondage of worldliness “The seven great Rishis and the
four ancient Manus, endowed with my power, were born of My
mind; and from them have come forth all creatures in the world”
Geeta 10.6
The seven great Rishis Bhrigu, Marichi, Atri, Pulah, Pulastya, Kratu
and Angiras, as well as the four ancient Manus, Svarochisha, Svayambhu,
Raivata and Uttama, were all not of human origin. They are all
personifications of the several phases of cosmic reality. The seven Rishis are
said to be the originators of beings at all levels of existence and all grades of

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evolution. The four ancient Manus function as the orderly administrators, of
the entire creation.

40) Kshobhana: Sloka 41 Nama 374 At the time of creation, plays the role in
unison between Purusha and Prakriti.

41) Vikartra: Sloka 41 Nama 381 Creator of the myriad world and its contents.

42) Kshaamaaya1: Sloka 47 Nama 443 Standing alone and above the deluge, at
the time of deluge.

43) Sameehanaaya:Sloka 47 Nama 444 One who likes the role of creation.

44) Amitavikramaaya: Sloka 55 Nama 516 One who has countless number of
steps or strength beyond measure.

45) Mahodhadhisaya: Sloka 55 Nama 519 One who is lying down in the ocean
at the time of deluge.

46) Andaka: Sloka 55 Nama 520 The cause of the end of the world at the time of
deluge.

47) Vedasa: Sloka 59 Nama 547 Creator (of the unlimited, auspicious, myriad
things of the world).

48) Swaangaaya: Sloka 59 Nama 548 He is his own cause and effect.

49) Sangarshanaachyutaaya: Sloka 59 Nama 552 Grasping all the movable and
immovable objects towards him at the time of deluge destroying them while
He himself remains above them all and undisturbed and untainted.

50) Sanksheptre:Sloka 64 Nama 598 Reducing the size of the world at the time of
deluge.

51) Mahaahavisha: Sloka 72 Nama 678 At the time of deluge when huge chunks
of the earth are offered as oblation in the Yaga, He himself becomes the
offered ( Mahahavis ).

52) Havisha: Sloka 74 Nama 698 He himself is the Havis, the oblation offered.

“ Brahma’ r panam Brahma havir


brahmaagnam brahmanaa hutam
Brahmai’va tena gantavyam
Brahma karma samaadhinaa” Geeta 4.24.

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“ The oblation is Brahman, the clarified butter is Brahman, offered by Brahman in
the fire of Brahman; into Brahman verily he goes who cognizes Brahman alone in his
action”. We chant this mantra in Sraaddha, while performing the Ahuti.

◊ Many names eulogise His prowess for self- sustenance, self-procreation. Self
destruction and again self creation.
◊ The oblation is, Brahman, the clarified butter is, Brahman, offered by Brahman
in the fire of Brahman; into Brahman verily he goes who cognizes Brahman
alone in His action.

7.1.2 Most of the Namas that follow also, from Sloka 75 till end praise and eulogise His
divine manifestation. And, as the Lord Himself says. “But, what need is there, O Arjuna for
this detailed knowledge? I stand supporting the whole universe with a single fragment of
myself “ Geeta 10.4.2

7.1.3 Therefore, we shall skip much of these Namas and just mention four more, which
appear towards the end of the Naamaavali.

53) Atmayonayeh:Sloka 106 Nama 985 Himself being the genital (female) like a
herma- Phrodite, in other words, source for the conception and
birth of the world.

54) Swayam Jaataaya: Sloka 106 Nama 986 He is the cause for His own birth.

55) Vaikaanaaya: Sloka 106 and Nama 987 Who dug the earth in his Varaha
Avatar.

56) Saamagaanaaya: Sloka 106 Nama 998 Signing the Saamagaanam in


commemoration of His having given liberation to those who
surrendered unto Him.

7.1.4 As mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, all these Namas praise Him for the
way the earth and its life, created by Him, have been constantly created, sustained,
devoured and recreated by Him, again, and again, in various periods of time. Let us see
briefly how this tallies with the geological history of Earth and the life on it.

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7.2 Geological History of Earth and the Life on it

Tectonic Plates Comprising the Earth


7.2.1 Plate Tectonics Ocean floor surveys undertaken in the 1950s found that the
mightiest and the most extensive mountain chains on earth are mostly underwater. Starting
from Iceland, if one travels south, one could follow it down the center of the Atlantic ocean
( known as mid Atlantic ridge ) around the bottom of Africa and then across the Indian and
Southern Oceans and into the Pacific, just below Australia. From there, it shoots up to the
West Coast of United States to Alaska. Occasionally, some of its peaks stand above water as
islands like the Canaries in the Atlantic or the Hawaii in the Pacific. When all these
branches are added together, the network of the mountain chain extends to 75000 Kms. In
the Bay of Bengal, we have a similar ridge, known as the 90O E (Longitude) ridge.

◊ Geological facts in support of above.


◊ Theory of Plate Tectonics-mid Atlantic ridge, subduction.
◊ Ocean floors much younger than the land-part.

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Ordovician Era – 458 Million Years Ago

Late Permian Era – 255 Million Years Ago

Late Cretaceous Era – 94 Million Years Ago

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The world of the Future – 150 Million Years from Now

The world of the Future – 250 Million Years from Now

7.2.2 Down in the middle of the mid-Atlantic Ridge is a Canyon, a rift, upto 20 Kms wide
for its entire length of about 19000 Kms. In the 1960s core samples of the rock from the
ocean floor showed that the ocean floor was quite young at the mid-Atlantic ridge but grew
progressively older as one moved away from it, both to the East and the West. This could
only mean that new ocean crust is being formed on the Central Ridge and the older ones
are being pushed away to either side. In other words, the sea floor is spreading. The
Atlantic ocean floor is effectively functioning as two large conveyor belts, one carrying the
progressively older crust from the centre towards North America and the other towards
Europe.

7.2.3 When the oceanic crust reaches the boundary with the continents, it plunges back
into the bowels of the earth in a process known as subduction. That is where all the
sediments carried by the rivers from the land to the sea went and were consigned to the
bowels of the earth. That explains beautifully why the ocean floors everywhere are so
young, (none older than about 175 million years) whereas the land in the continental crust
is as old as 4.5 billion years. A beautiful illustration of “ Atma Yoni Swayam Jataha” ! It was

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realized that the earth was a mosaic of interconnected segments whose various jostlings
accounted for the planet’s surface behavior, like the sub-sea volcanic eruptions,
earthquakes, tsunami, all happening around the junction of two plates in the subduction
zones which are mostly arcuate in shape (archer) and with tremendous amount of sound
(saamagaana). This science is called “plate tectonics”.

7.2.4 The earth’s surface is made up of 8 to 12 big plates and another about 20 smaller
plates and they all move in different directions and at different speeds. It was one such
movement of the Indian plate from Antarctica to the North and East over millions of years
and its collisions with the Asian plate that resulted in the mighty Himalayas. It was the
subduction of the Burmese – Indonesian plate beneath the Indian Ocean which created the
huge earthquake of 2004 and the hugely destructive tsunami that killed thousands in
Indonesia, Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka and the East Coast of mainland India. The
landscape of Andaman Islands has significantly changed in certain parts as a result. Yes, “
Mahahavis” was offered to Him in the subduction zone and he reduced the size of the
world, (Samkshepta) and He was Sangarshana Achyuta- grappled all the objects and
destroyed them while He himself remained unaffected; in this case the sea was unaffected.
The geologists predict that, in a not too distant date from the geological time scale, in about
250 million years from now, the Supercontinent, known as Pangea, which started spreading
and splitting to form different continents from the Permian age to present day, will again
form “Pangea Ultima”, as a result of the subduction of the ocean floor of the North and
South Atlantic beneath Eastern North America and South America. This supercontinent
will have a small ocean basin trapped at its centre (Similar to Caspian sea of present day)
and the Mediterranean sea and Atlantic oceans would have disappeared. Once again, a
scientific evidence of what is likely to happen millions of years hence, for the cyclicity of
Creation, Sustenance and Destruction, the basic concept of Hindu Philosophy.

7.3 Bacteria

7.3.1 And, how about life itself? We already saw in some of the earlier chapters the role of
the blue-green Algae as a precursor of photosynthesis and a source of oxygen for the
atmosphere for the later more evolved beings to live. We saw the role of amino-acids,
proteins, DNA and the cells and how they function. Let us see a little more about some of
the lives that can be seen only with the help of a microscope.

◊ Bacteria and their role- Life on a smaller scale.


◊ Their fastness in multiplication and survival under extreme conditions.
◊ We cannot live without them even for a single day.
◊ If atoms are Vishnu in the world of physics, the microbes are Vishnu in the domain of
biology.

7.3.2 Bacteria got along for billions of years without us. But, we cannot survive a single
day without them. They process our waste and make them useable again. They purify
water, keep our soil productive, convert what we eat into useful sugars and poly-
sacharides and go to war on alien microbes. Bacteria take Nitrogen from air and convert it

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to amino acids for us. Algae and other microbes blow out about 150 billion Kgs of oxygen
every year into the atmosphere for us to breathe.

7.3.3 The bacteria are also prolific. A single bacterium can theoretically reproduce 280,000
billion individuals in a single day, according to the Nobel laureate Christian de Duve. In
the same period the human cell can just manage a single division. Microbes can survive on
anything, given only a little moisture. A species called “Micrococcus Radiophylus” was
found living and thriving in the waste tanks of nuclear reactors. Bacteria have been found
living 11 Kms down in the Pacific Ocean, where the pressures are 1100 times more than at
the surface of the sea. An extraordinary discovery was the find of a “Streptococcus”
bacterium that was recovered surviving from the sealed lens of a camera that had stood on
the moon for two years. Bacteria are found living in temperatures higher than 100 degree
Centigrade. In short, there are few environments in which bacteria cannot exist.

7.3.4 At depth, microbes shrink in size and become extremely sluggish. The most active of
them may not divide more than once in a century. In 1996, scientists at the Russian
Academy of Science claim to have revived Bacteria frozen in Siberian permafrost for 3
million years.

7.3.5 If the little world of atoms stand for what is “Vishnu”, in the domain of physics, the
“microbes” can certainly lay claim on “Vishnu” in the field of biology. The microbe indeed
represents the concept of “Sthavira Dhruvaha”- Old and stable, “ Agrahyah”- cannot be
understood by organs of action,” Bhugarbha”- protects the earth in constant turmoil,
“Kramaha”- occupies everything on earth,” Sarvagaaya”-goes anywhere and everywhere,
and many other similar names of Lord Vishnu.

7.4 Extinction

7.4.1 While complex life started blooming for the first time in the Cambrian period, about
540 million years ago, the Earth has seen five major periods of extinction ( deluge or
pralaya) besides many smaller ones. The Ordovician (about 450 million years ago) and
Devonion (about 365 million years ago) wiped out about 80-85 % of the species on the
surface of the Earth. But, the Permian period (about 245 million years ago) the end of what
is known as the Palaeozoic era saw the disappearance of about 95 % of animals and about
1/3rd of the insect species also. In the next Mesozoic era, the Triassic (about 210 million
years ago) and the Cretaceous( about 65 million years ago) each wiped out about 70-75 % of
the species then living. In each case of these extinctions we have very little idea of what
caused them. Various reasons have been attributed like global warming, global cooling,
change of sea level, oxygen depletion in the sea, epidemics, giant leaks of methane gas from
the sea floor, meteor and comet impacts, hurricanes and tsunamis , volcanic upwellings,
and huge solar flares.

◊ Extinction of life at the end of each era and age.


◊ Miracle of survival of a small percentage.
◊ Significance of names such as Viswadhrut, Viswabhuk, Yugaadikrut, Yugaavarta,
Mahaasana, Samkshepta etc.

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7.5 Survivial

7.5.1 But, even more incomprehensible is the fact that while 70-75 % of life then existing
vanished at the end of each of these episodes, what conditions favored the remaining 20-25
% species to survive. For example, while the dinosaurs disappeared without a trace at the
end of the Cretaceous period, how did other lizards like turtles survive? In fact, the next
period after the dinosaurs is often referred to as the age of the turtles ( is that why “ Kurma-
Avataar” is celebrated as the next to “ Matsya-Avataar”, the age of the fish ?). Again, while
all the Ammonites disappeared at the end of the Cretaceous, how did Nautiloides living in
similar environments survive till date ? ( Is that why the memory of Ammonites
commemorated as “Saligramam” when they are found in fossilized nodules ?) Yet again,
while 92 % of uni-cellular foraminifera were wiped out, in the Tertiary era other similar
organisms living alongside like diatoms, besides a few other foraminifers were left
untouched till date. Is that why, again symbolically, the sands from the river beds or sea
beds are taken and worshipped in many pujas and rituals, in commemoration of these
millions ? Again, cockroach, is perhaps the only insect that continues to exist from
Cambrian period till date with little or no evolutionary change. These continue to remain as
mysteries.

7.5.2 Indeed, He is “Viswadhrut- Unmindful of good or bad, sustains the Earth”,


“Viswabhuk”- Eats the world at the time of deluge, “Yugaadikrut”- created the different
periods and after the deluge , “Yugaavarta”-created the different periods again and again,
“Mahaasanaa”- Eats a lot because He devours large chunks of earth and species of life,
“Sangarshana Achuta” and “Samkshepta”- Reducing the size of the world and its activities
at the time of the deluge and many such names by which He is worshipped.

7.5.3 We must however, remember, that whatever survival numbers have been quoted are
based on very restricted data from areas studied. For instance, the tropical rain forests
cover only 6 % of the Earth’s surface but they harbour more than half its animal life and
about 2/3rd of its flowering plants. Much of it is unknown to us since very few research
workers spend time on them because of their environmental inaccessibility. For instance,
more than 90 % of the flowering plants have not been tested for their medicinal properties.
Because they cannot fly from their predators, these plants by nature, develop chemical
defences and are therefore, rich in valuable chemical compounds. Currently about 25 % of
all prescribed medicines are derived from just 40 plants in allopathic medicine system. We
can imagine the future role for the tropical plants and the Ayurvedic and Siddha Systems of
medicine if this is properly tapped.

7.5.4 Yes, He is “Dharaneedhara”- he who holds the world, “Jagatsetava”-Shores up the


world separating the good from the evil, “Vikarta”- Creator of this world with myriad
plants and animal lives, “ Sameehana”-Likes the role of creation and many other names by
which He is worshipped.

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8. Ishwara and Oxygen:

We saw earlier, while discussing AUM, that the oukaara and Makaara could indeed
be a tribute to Oxygen and Carbon. We also saw many of the names of the thousand which
could really be an attribute to many of the now known scientific facts in Physics and
biology, and the primordial creation of this universe and the release of the elemental
Hydrogen.
We also have some names which could be thought of as addressing the life-
sustaining oxygen and the clever party-animal, carbon. Let us see:

8.1 The name Ishwara, either alone or with adjectives gets mentioned eight times in Sri
Vishnusahasranamam, eight being the atomic number of Oxygen. These are:

(1) Pradhaana Purusheswarah: (Sloka 3, Nama 20) The lord of the Universe of
Purusha and Prakriti, the union between Laxmi
and Lord, Oxygen and Hydrogen.

(2) Ishwaraha: (Sloka 4, Nama 36 and Sloka 9 and Nama 74) One who rules over
everything or has control over creation and destruction.

(3) Sureswara: (Sloka 31, Nama 286) Leader of all those who bestow goodness, the
leading role of Oxygen in the entire Life cycle.

(4) Janeswara: ( Sloka 37, Nama 341) Leader of all those who are born- from the time
one starts breathing, one requires oxygen.

(5) Parameswara: (Sloka 41, Nama 377) Excellent administrator- Parameswara is the
screen (Oxygen) who himself remains unaffected but provides
life and consciousness to the Prakriti to which it is attached.

(6) Dhaneswara: ( Sloka 50, Nama 474) The ocean containing valuable jewels.
Indeed, Laxmi, the Oukara of AUM and Oxygen are part of the ocean which is the
resort of all jewels.

(7) Bhutamaheswara: (Sloka 52, Nama 489) First among all gods.

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(8) Sarvavaageeswareswara: (Sloka 86, Nama 802) He is above all gods who have the
power of speech.

◊ Nama of Iswara repeated 8 times in Sahasranama, 8 is atomic number of


oxygen.
◊ Namas allude to the union between Lakshmi and Lord, Oxygen and
Hydrogen to produce water.
◊ His (Oxygen’s) Power for creation and sustenance.
◊ Leading role of all those who do good.

8.2 Thus, the Vishnu Sahasranamam praises Lord and pays obeisance to Him in His
different forms, keeping all the time the elemental Oxygen which is a part of Him
represented by Goddess Laxmi in mind.

9. Chatur and Carbon

9.1 The Namas starting with “Chatur” get chanted twelve times in Sri Vishnu
Sahasranamam. Twelve is the atomic number of Carbon. “Chatur” can be interpreted to
mean four and also clever. Carbon, the party animal, plays four roles in different
combinations and is also very clever. Let us see.

(1) Chaturaatmaa: (Sloka 25, Nama 137) Four manifestations or may also mean
clever and intelligent Atman.

(2) Chaturvyuha: (Sloka 25, Nama 138) Four forms of marshalling the four
arms of the army, Parasarabhattar interprets the name as Sage Vyasa
appearing as Aniruddha in the waking state (Jagrat), as Pradyumna in the
dream state (swapna), Sangarshana in the deep sleep state (Sushupti) and
Vasudeva in the fourth state (Turiya).

(3) Chaturdamshtra: (Sloka 25, Nama 139) One with four canine teeth as in
Narasimha Avataar.

(4) Chaturbhujah: (Sloka 25, Nama 140) One with four shoulders.

(5) Chaturmoortaye: (Sloka 82, Nama 765) Four appearances, Viraat,


Sootraatmaa, Avyaakrutam and Turiyam are the four appearances or four
colours namely white, red, green and black.

(6) Chaturbaahu: ( Sloka 82, Nama 766) With four hands.

(7) Chaturvyuhah: (Sloka 82, Nama 767) Marshalling in four Vyuha, described
here as sareera purusha, chanda purusha, veda purusha and mahaa purusha.

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(8) Chaturgataye: (Sloka 82, Nama 768) One who acts as the sanctuary for those
who follow the Dharma of the four varnaas and four ashramas.

(9) Chaturaatmane: (Sloka 82, Nama 769) Appearing in four forms, namely,
body, mind, intellect and chitta, or in the four states, namely, jagrat, swapna,
sushupti and turiya with four different appearances.

(10) Chaturbhaavaaya: (Sloka 82, Nama 770) The cause for the four purushaartaas,
namely Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha.

(11) Chaturvedavite: (Sloka 82, Nama 771) One who understands the meaning
of all the four Vedas.

(12) Chaturasra: (Sloka 100, Nama 936) Bestowing the Karma phala to the
individuals in a just manner.

◊ Namas starting with chatur and their relationship to carbon.


◊ Occurs 12 times in Sahasranama and the atomic number of carbon is 12.
◊ Four arms, four shoulders and four faces of Vishnu and carbon.
◊ Chaturasra – bestowing the Karmaphala to the individuals. Comparison
of Vishnu and carbon.

9.2 Let us see the relation to Carbon and the number four and the adjective “Clever”.
Carbon has four shoulders and four arms. In association with Oxygen, in association with
Hydrogen, in association with Nitrogen and Oxygen and in association with Hydrogen and
Nitrogen are the four shoulders in which Carbon rests. Yet, it stands away from all of them
in its pure form.

9.3 Carbon, under low temperature and pressure and anaerobic conditions, exists as
coal by the decay of vegetable matter over a long period of time. Carbon under high
temperature and pressure, gets metamorphosed to graphite. Yet, under very high
temperatures and pressures and with sudden release of pressure and temperature while
upwelling from deep within the crust, Carbon occurs sometimes in Kimberlite pipes as
diamond, the hardest mineral known. That is pure Carbon.

9.4 What are its four arms and four forms ?

(1) In organic chemistry, Carbon and Hydrogen combine together to form the
whole of hydro carbon chain, oil and natural gas, the entire chain of petrochemicals
like poly-acralamides, plastics, polyesters and whatever we have in life today
without which we cannot literally exist. It also occurs in four phases (faces), solids,
liquids, gas and pressure related conversion from liquid to gas or vice-versa known
as condensate. (Turiya State?)

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(2) In biochemistry, Carbon, Nitrogen and Oxygen combine together to form the
amino acids, proteins and the cells. Proteins constitute every part of the body either
directly or indirectly.

(3) In inorganic chemistry, Carbon and Oxygen combine together to form


Carbon-monoxide, Carbon di Oxide etc which are considered to cause damage to the
global climate and environment. On the other hand, they combine with other
elements to maintain a balance of carbon cycle in the world. The excess carbon is
removed by sea living creatures which form their chitinous shells with molecules of
other elements such as Calcium and Oxygen (which incidentally protect these
animals) and when they and other smaller creatures like diatoms die, they settle
down at the bottom of the sea forming lime stone and thus maintain a delicate
balance of Carbon and Oxygen in the atmosphere. The phenomenon of
photosynthesis is well known to bear repetition here. These natural balances protect
the environment.

(4) In combination with Hydrogen and the inert Nitrogen, Carbon forms
Hydrocyanic Acid, the deadliest poison known, but Cyanides also have many useful
functions as a chemical.

9.5 The above four forms with the shoulders of the different branches of chemistry and
resting on the four outstretched arms of four Ps’ namely, PROTEIN, PETROCHEMICALS,
PROTECTION AND POISON, can indeed act like the gnawing four canine teeth in the
Narasimha Avataar, to protect or kill an individual in accordance with his Karma Phala.
Carbon is one of the most common useful elements in variety of forms, whether alone or in
combination with other elements. It takes care of the Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha
(Chaturbhaavaye) needs of life.

9.6 After all, Carbon is very clever to play either its own individual pure role or combine
with the lightest element Hydrogen and two other elements in two adjacent houses in the
periodic table, namely, Nitrogen and Oxygen either singly or in combination of more than
one element, either to create the world and the life in it or to kill them. What a glorious way
of worshipping the fundamental and manifested nature of the Lord !

9.7 Human civilization evolved from time immemorial, from being a hunter to an
agricultural society. From then on, with the advent of any new material that had the
effect of transferring the technology of a large part of the population, the civilization
further evolved from the Stone Age to Bronze Age to the Iron Age. With the
discovery of oil, the 20th Century may be called the Century of oil as the raw
material and plastics as the technology, though silicon is also a favourite of the last
and current century. With each one of these technologies, civilization has changed
so drastically that it is difficult to imagine how people lived without it earlier, or
how people will live hereafter.

9.8 The fastest, albeit negative, effect of all this has been that, though temperature and
atmospheric carbon have risen and fallen together in every geological time scale, the

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humans are adding carbon to the atmosphere at least 100 times faster than any
known precedent and transforming the earth exponentially.

9.9 Carbon is the reason why 187 nations assembled in Dec 2007 in Bali, to discuss the
climate change and steps necessary to mitigate. Carbon tax has been imposed in
Sweden since 1991 and Carbon Credit trading system has been introduced in OECD
countries during the last decade. Carbon got the Nobel prize to be shared by a
thousand and odd scientists and to the former vice-president of the USA in the year
2007.

9.10 But atoms and molecules do not obey politicians or the doomsdayers among
scientists. Carbon is considered as the new age material of the 21st century and as
with every discovery, its knowledge is also developing exponentially. For instance,
in addition to the well-known elemental form of carbon, namely graphite and
diamond, a third form, known as fullerene is also known. It had not attracted
importance earlier because it is unstable in presence of air and hence uncommon.

9.11 Fullerene is a hollow cluster of carbon atoms that resemble a geodesic dome, made
by architect R. Buckminster Fuller and was first postulated to exist in 1985. Its
existence was confirmed in 1990. The most studied form, known as Buckminster
Fullerene or Bucky Ball, has 60 carbon atoms, arranged in a 5-sided or 6-sided
geometry to resemble a soccer ball. It is useful as a lubricant, superconductor, radio
– active shield, etc. Through experiments, scientists have concluded that Fullerene
exists in interstellar space, and in soot from the burning of certain gases under
controlled conditions, on earth. In 1992, Fullerene was found for the first time in a
rock sediment of more than 600 million years of age. This zero dimensional bucky
ball will be a commonly sought after material in the present century. Studies are in
progress on Nitrogen radio frequency plasma processing of C-60, in the formation
and relative stability of Fullerene.

Structure of Fullerene, or ‘Bucky Ball’


Similarly, the uni-dimensional carbon nano-tubes can be constructed to stretch from earth
to the moon, and it would still be a single molecule! The carbon nano-tubes are extremely
strong, 60 times stronger than steel in a microscopic scale, and yet extremely light weight.

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It is electrically far more conductive than copper. At present, at a fictional level, one
imagines a carbon nanotube space elevator, by which we can simply climb a ribbon of
carbon and reach space!

9.13 The Enlightenment : If a cursory study of nearly about 150 Namas of Lord
Vishnu could give so much of collaborative evidence from modern science of physics and
biology , one could easily guess the extent of enlightenment one can obtain from
interpreting each one of the names in the Naamaavali in terms of modern science. Suffice it
to mention that this book-let is only intended to serve as a motivator for a modern young
intellectual too busy with his/her worldly, daily duties and hence having no time to engage
oneself in spiritual pursuits and yet genuinely eager to know what our spiritual texts have
really to say and uplift an individual. One wonders how Hydrogen, Oxygen and Carbon
play such important role in the universe and are represented in the manifested form by the
1000 names of Lord Vishnu and, when this is understood, gets represented by the
mono/Tri syllable OM, or AUM, the Pranava Mantra.

10. Epilogue : Uttarabhaga

10.1 As mentioned in the beginning of this article, the Uttarabhaga of the Vishnu
Sahasranamam is known as “Phala Sruti” or the fruits of hearing the rendering and singing
His glories and the types of results that one would obtain by chanting these Namas. In
modern management jargon, we may call it ‘The marketing of Vishnu Sahasranamam’.

10.2 Need for Aachaara

10.2.1 Of the 22 Slokas in Uttarabhaga, Sloka 17, a statement of truth is particularly


important, relevant and meaningful, for the modern questioning youth.
“ Sarvaagamanaam Aachaarah Pratamam Parikalpate;
Aachaarah Prabhavo Dharmoh Dharmasya Prabhurachyutah”

“For all agama shastras, aachara (discipline) has been determined to be the foremost
requirement. Dharma, self ordained duty is born out of this discipline and the Lord of
Dharma or duty is Achyuta.

◊ Epilogue - Phala Sruti.


◊ Need for Achaara-Discipline.
◊ Need to raise from doing duty in the beginning to slowly rise to the level of doing
duty without desire and attachment.
◊ Reference to the name Achyuta in the context of observing discipline.

10.2.2 It is interesting that after worshipping Him as “Sangraha”, one shorn of rituals etc to
uplift His devotees, we talk of discipline as the foremost requirement. Hence it is necessary
to deal with this a little. In fact, Aachara is better negatively defined. “Mityachara” is a
hypocrite. Therefore, Aachara is one who is not a hypocrite.

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10.2.3 While talking about Karmayoga (Yoga of Action), in Bhagavad Geeta, the Lord says,
“As the un-enlightened act from attachment to action, so should the enlightened act
without attachment, desirous of guidance to the multitude”- 3.25

“ Let not the wise man unsettle the mind of ignorant people attached to Karma. By
doing persistently and precisely, let the wise induce the others in all activities”-3.26

10.2.4 Doing duty for duty’s sake, devoid of any desire is too high a philosophy for the
common man. Working for results is far superior to remaining lazy. Teaching dis-interested
service to him will serve only a negative purpose. Therefore, it is necessary to keep him
active first at all costs.

10.2.5 Then, the Lord takes the disciple through Gnana, Karma and Sanyaasayogas to
Dhyaanayoga. Here, He lays down certain qualifications to be undergone to be fit for
meditation.

10.2.6 The following environments are defined ;

(1) “He should always try to concentrate his mind, living alone in solitude,
having subdued his mind and body and got rid of desires and possessions” – 6.10

(2) “ He should seat himself firmly, fixed in a clean place, his seat neither too
high nor too low and having spread on it the kusa grass, the deer skin and a
cloth, one over the other in that order”- 6.11

10.2.7 The process of practice of meditation is defined as follows ;

(1) “Sitting there on his seat, making the mind one-pointed and restraining the
thinking faculty and the senses he should practice yoga for self purificatioin”-6.12

(2) “Let him hold the body, head and neck erect and still, gazing at the tip of his
nose, without looking around”-6.13

(3) “Serene and fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahmachari, subdued in mind, he
should sit in Yoga, thinking on Me and intent on Me alone”-6.14

(4) “For him who is moderate in eating and recreation, temperate in his actions,
who is regulated in sleep and wakefulness, Yoga becomes the destroyer of pain”-
6.17

10.2.8 Thus, the Lord slowly elevates a person from being ritualistic and action borne to the
level of a yogi by following some disciplines. We have this in our every day life as well. For
example, a person in uniform, whether a school child, a soldier or a blue collared worker is
instantly committed to his/her duties more than when without uniform. The person gets
identified with the job he/she performs when in uniform. Similarly, when a person does

70
certain ritualistic performances, the codes prescribed, whether they are in purity, bath,
clothing or practices followed are necessary to elevate the person from merely performing
the rituals to one of attaining the elevated level towards God. Otherwise, rituals will remain
merely as rituals shorn of benefits and hence the need for aachara.

10.3 Achyuta

10.3.1 It is stated that the Lord of duty (Dharma) is Achyuta. This name occurs in the
Naamaavali as 100th , 318th and 552nd in the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Why specifically the
name Achyuta in the context of observing discipline?

10.3.2 “Achyuta”, literally means, “He who does not deviate from His Supreme State”.
Adishankara in his commentary explains, “ Swaroopa Samartyaan na chyuto, Na syavati
Na svavishyata iti Achyutah- He does not swerve from his position, does not allow His
devotees to swerve either, nor does He move out of the hearts of His devotees”. He is also
free of the six types of changes (attributed to the moon)- “Jayati, Asti, Vartati, Viparinamati,
Apaksheeyati, Nasyati- hides, comes out, grows, reaches the end of growth, reduces and
totally disappears”.

10.3.3 In the last Sloka of the 18th chapter of the Geeta, (prior to Sanjaya’s conclusions),
Arjuna conclusively states his four gains of listening to Bhagavad Geeta taught by Lord
Krishna. He lists them as ;
(1) His delusion is destroyed.
(2) He has regained his memory through the Lord’s grace.
(3) He is firm.
(4) He is free from doubt.

10.3.4 Arjuna makes this confession, the very essence of the entire text of Bhagavad Geeta,
to the Lord, whom he addresses as Achyuta, the One who does not deviate from His
Supreme State, the very embodiment of the non-swerving, unwavering state. It is,
therefore, no wonder that Achyuta is addressed as the Lord of Dharma in the 17th Sloka in
Phalasruti.

10.4 Beyond Anusasanika Parva

10.4.1 Though the 254th Chapter in Mahabhaarata in Anusasanika Parva, known as Sri
Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram, in the dialogue between Bheeshma and Yudhishtra ends
here, it is conventional to chant a few more slokas narrated by Arjuna, Lord Krishna, Sage
Vyasa (who composed Mahabharata of which Vishnu Sahasranamam is a part), Devi
Parvati, Lord Parameswara, Brahma, Sanjaya and again Lord Krishna. The most
outstanding part of these slokas is the reply by Ishwara to Parvati.

◊ Beyond Anusaasanika Parva.


◊ The single name Rama, equivalent to all the thousand names of Vishnu.
◊ Apparent self agnostic statement of Lord Krishna and its real significance.

71
10.4.2 Parvati desires to know the one name by which great seers pray the thousand names
of Lord Vishnu in an easy manner. Ishwara unhesitatingly replies, in the presence of Lord
Krishna and Sage Vyasa, “SRI RAMA is the name and if one chants SRI RAMA once it is
equivalent to chanting all the names of Vishnu”.

“Sri Raama Raama Raameti Rame Raame Manorame


Sahasranaamatat tulyam Raama Naama Varaanane”

10.4.3 The prayers end with Sanjaya and Lord Krishna striking an apparently rather
discordant self agnostic note, but really it reiterates the point that, whether you call the
Lord Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Achyuta or Govinda, they are all verily the same, immutable
and indestructible Self and He is worthy of worship by any one or all these names.

May Lord Vishnu bless us all.

x------------------------x--------------------------x

72
Credits

1. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashyam by Adi Shankara, compiled by Swami


Tapasyananda, Ramakrishna Mutt publications,(1986).

2. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashyam by Anna, Rama Krishna Mutt Publication (1959),
reprinted 2003.

3. Talks on Sankara’s Vivekachudamani by Swami Chinmayananda, Chinmaya Trust


(1989)

4. The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, Ramakrishna Mutt, (1951).

5. Taitareeya Upanishad, Ramakrishna Mutt.

6. “Deivathin Kural”, Compilation of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswati Swamigal’s


Lectures, by Raa Ganapathi, Vanathi Publication.

7. “Kurai Onrum Illai”, Talks by Mukkur Lakshmi Narasimha Acharyar, Kalki


Publications.

8. Bhagavad Geeta, Commentary by Swami Chidbhavananta, Sri Ramakrishna


Tapovanam Publications, Tirupparaitturai 1984.

9. Genome, by Matt Ridley, Harper Collins Publications, India 2002.

10. A Short history of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson, Black Swan Publications, 2004.

11. Phantoms in the Brain, by V S Ramachandran, Fourth Estate, London (1999).

12. Mandukya Upanishad with Gaudapada’s Karika, translation by Swami


Lokeswarananda, Ramakrishna Mission Institute of culture, Kolkatta, 2nd edition,(2005).
13. Eight Upanishads, Vol II, translated by Swami Gambhirananda`, Advaita Ashram
publication, Kolkatta, 15th edition, (2006).
14. Panchikaranam of Sri Sankaracharya with Vartika by Sri Sureswaracharya, Advaita
Ashram, Kolkatta, 9th edition (2006).
15. The Eternities, Vedanta Treatise by Swami A. Parthasarathy, Mumbai, 11th edition
(2004).
16. Science in Ancient India by Subhash C. Kak, Louisiana State University, (2005).
17. South Asian History, www Tripod—Pages from the history of the Indian
subcontinent:

73
I. Development of philosophical thought and scientific method in
Ancient India.
II. History of Mathematics in India.
III. Philosophical development from Upanishadic metaphysics to
scientific realism.
IV. Technological discoveries and applications in India.
18. The great Ancient Indian Scientists, www Forum9.com
19. OM Mantra and 7 levels of consciousness by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharti

74
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Page 25 of 39
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Page 26 of 39
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Page 28 of 39
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The 1000 names end here.

❁❁❁

Page 29 of 39
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Page 39 of 39
VEDAS AND GAYATRI---- THEIR SIGNIFICANCE.

Compiled by
S.Ramanathan , A 202, Terrace Garden Apts,
2 Main, Banashankari 3rd Stage, Bangalore, 560085.
nd
Vedas:
The Vedas are ancient texts, whose age and place of origin are yet uncertain. The
word VEDA literally means Knowledge—To Know. The Veda text was perhaps very large
and, as people became more busy with material things, it became impossible for them to
follow the entire Veda and its spiritual significance. Therefore, Sage VYASA, who wanted to
preserve the Veda in its pristine purity of words, pronunciation, meaning and deeds for future
generations, divided the Veda into four parts and made one sage responsible for mastering
and propogating each part. The oldest of these is known as RIG VEDA ( with Rishi Samantu
), followed by YAJUR VEDA( Rishi Vaisampayana ), SAMA VEDA ( Rishi Jaimini ) and
ATHARVA VEDA ( Rishi Pailar ). There is also a view that Atharva Veda came into existence
much later. VEDA is supposed to have been revealed to the Rishies in the course of their
penance and not taught—hence called SRUTHI .

In the olden days, there was no written script and the communication was by word of mouth
and hearing. The alphabets are supposed to have had their origin from the sound of the
Damaru or the Drum of Lord SIVA, when he was performing the cosmic dance. There were
fourteen Sutras ( Grammar ) like AIYUN, RILUK etc, which were written as fourteen slokas
and Sage CHANDILYA wrote the annotation and explanation for the same. This was the
origin of the primordial sounds converted to words and their pronounciation. Pronounciation
is even more important than the words themselves, for the meaning they carry. For example,
if you say “ You can’t do that “, the meaning of the sentence completely changes , depending
upon the emphasis that you give to a particular word as shown below:
YOU can’t do that.
You CAN’T do that.
You can’t DO that.
You can’t do THAT.

It is easier to memorise a passage and give due emphasis to the words, conveying the real
meaning intended, if there is a musical element in it and composed in some metric stanzas,
like poems. Thus, the Vedas were composed in four SWARAS ( which later became seven ,
Saptaswara in music ) and they were set in fixed metres, known as CHANDAS, Thus the Rig
Veda, which is mostly prose, became more oriented towards Swara and metres in Yajur
Veda and much more so in Sama Veda. There is also a view that the different Vedas evolved
over a period of time and space and not all simultaneously. However, there is no difference of
view that Sage VYASA, who was born to a Rishi by name PARASARA and a FISHER
WOMAN, recomposed and classified the Veda into four parts, perhaps improving upon each
part as he proceeded.
There are elaborate steps laid down in memorising and chanting the Vedas, so as to preserve
their originality. They are the repository of Culture and Civilisation, details of the Natural
Wealth and their preservation, environmental protection, various Dos and Don’ts, Rules and
Regulations for the Society, steps for Spiritual and Moral improvement, discussions on which
is more durable---Material or Spiritual, etc etc. The Veda Adhyayana ( learning of Veda ) is
done by splitting them word by word ( known as KRAMAM ), then joining of two words at a
time and then dropping one word and adding another ( known as JADAI, and these Gurus
were known as JADAVALLABHARS), three words at a time adding one by one and dropping
one by one ( known as GANAM and the Gurus GANAPADIGAL ) etc, preserving all the time
the Swaras amd the metres. You would observe this even today to some extent when you are
taught Vishnusahasranama or Lalitha sahasranama. There is also time interval, counted as
the time taken for batting the eyelids for pronouncing each letter or word as the case may be,
similar to the THALAM control in music.

Over a long period of time, their real meaning or significance or benefits may have been lost
or less understood. But, they have been preserved in a remarkably good fashion , in their
originality till date, because of the procedure of SRUTHI—by hearing from generation to
generation. Rishis like PARASARA and MANU have written Memory pads, known as
SMRUTHIS ( Memory ) regarding the rules and regulations, strictly following the foot steps of
the Vedas. They are verily our law book of religion and the latest such book is the Constitution
of India.
Each of the Vedas has two parts, a SAMHITA and the BRAHMANA. The Samhitas consist of
MANTRAS, which are difficult to interpret with out commentaries or explanations. Therefore,
the Brahmanas came into existence, explaining in detail the various sacrifices mentioned in
the Samhitas and how they are to be performed. These two parts, dealing with the rituals in
the Vedas are known as KARMAKANDA.

In addition, Vedic literature also includes GNANAKANDA,dealing with supreme Spiritual


Knowledge. They are known as ARANYAKAS and UPANISHADS, leading toward self
realisation. The broad definition of Veda will include all these four parts, while a narrow
definition will include only the narrow Ritual part or SAMHITA. Thus, when we talk about Yajur
Veda for instance, we talk only about Yajur Veda Samhita.

Every Veda was taught in different schools and the teaching of one school often varied from
that of another. For instance, Vaisampayana, to whom Vyasa taught Yajur Veda, taught the
Yajur Veda in turn to 27 different pupils. Over a period of time, the Yajur Veda branched off
into two different schools. The first one was TAITRIYA ( black ) known as KRISHNA YAJUR
VEDA and the second one was called VAJASANEYI(white) or SHUKLA YAJUR VEDA.
Taitriya is called black because the rituals as well as explanations ( Samhita and Brahmana )
are often mixed in different parts. Most of us, belonging to Yajur Veda in South India, follow
the Krishna Yajur Veda. Similar splits have happened in the other Vedas as well.

Vysya also elucidated the meaning of the Vedas in the form of stories, easily comprehensible
to the common man, as 18 PURANAS ( Stories of God ) and also wrote the great epic
MAHABHARATA. He handed them all over to a Rishi, by name SOOTHAR. After writing all
these elaborate texts and Puranas, Sage Vyasa thought that an Abstract was now necessary
and hence wrote a compendium of “ Universal Basic Truths “, extracted from the Vedas,
Upanishads and Puranas, known as BRAHMASUTRAM.

The people were generally divided into four groups, by virtue of the work they were assigned,
as Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra., known as VARNAS. Intervarna marriages and
relationships were apparently common. If a man from a higher ranking Varna marries a
woman from a lower ranking Varna, she gets upgraded to the higher Varna and this is called
ANULOMAM. If a woman of the higher Varna marries a man of the lower Varna, she gets
downgraded to the Varna of the man and this is called PRATILOMAM., which was generally
discouraged. Sage Vyasa was himself born out of Anulomam and Sage Soothar was born
out of Pratilomam types of relationship.

People have generally a tendency to see the part for the whole and not the whole of it. The
different Puranas were written to bring out a particular philosophy and the greatness of a
particular God. Thus, different Gods were depicted as great in different Puranas. People
started forgetting the basic philosophy and the moral each one of these Puranas conveyed,
but started considering that particular God as Supreme of all and started condemning others.
Thus subgroups came into existence like SAIVAM(Worshippers of Siva ), VAISHNAVAM
(worshippers of Vishnu ), SAKTHAM ( of Goddess Sakthi ), SAURAM ( of Sun God ),
GANAPATYAM ( of God Ganapathi ) and KAUMARAM ( of Karthikeya ), besides a few other
tribal branches.

The basic philosophy and spiritual enlightenment taught by the Vedas and Upanishads were
forgotten or side lined and the above subdivisions got themselves to be treated as separate
religions and as an end in itself. BUDDHISM ,JAINISM , and even the ARYA SAMAJ of
Swami DAYANANDA or the BRAHMOSAMAJ of RAM MOHAN ROY during the last century,
evolved and deteriorated, mainly based on their own concept and interpretation of the
practices of the rituals. They all flourished when there was a great, noble, selfless,enlightened
soul, preferably with power of authority and control over people, and they deteriorated when
that authority diminished.

Besides the six branches mentioned above, there were also occasions when the basic
spiritual concepts of the Vedas and Upanishads were questioned by other religious groups
like SANKHYA or MEEMAMSA. The Sankhya philosophy, though accepting the Vedas,
believed that God is the incarnation of Gnana and he has not created this world, which is
merely made up of stones , earth, and water. Th Meemamsa philosophy believed that God is
not the benefactor of Good or Bad, which is dependent on one’s own Good or Bad Deeds and
in proportion to it. What was the state of affairs in India at that time? There were different
creeds like the BHAIRAVAS, KAPALIKAS and the CHARUVAKAS , who considered
enjoyment of worldly pleasures as the sole aim in life. There was discord on Metaphysical
and Dharmic matters; each deemed his own view as the most correct and there was no great
enlightened person to guide them to the Truth. It was at this stage that the greatest
philosopher of recent times was born in KALADI, in Kerala, known as ADI SANKARA. He
emphasised the oneness or the sameness in all. He won over the protoganists of other
philosophies by discussion and logical arguments and reestablished the supremacy of the
Vedas and Upanishads, Valuable contributions of other philosophies like the PATANJALI
SUTRA, for instance, the Mother of yoga sastra was retained and practiced till this date as a
part of other Sastras, to the great benefit of all.

Adisankara reunited the various sects like Saivam, Vaishnavam, Saktham, Sauram,
Ganapatyam and Kaumaram into what is known as Shanmada Sthabanam ( Establishment of
united six religions ),and established the Advaita Philosophy. ADVAITAM literally means Non
Dualism. Reality is one without a second. Whatever we see as different parts, are parts of a
whole and not parts per se themselves.He established, whatgenerally came to be called as
SANATANA DHARMA. With the dawn of knowledge, the feeling of difference vanishes and
we can see Unity in Diversity, which is the core of Indian Culture. The great beauty is that
whatever has been the aberrations in thinking, the greatness of GAYATRI has remained
undisturbed and unquestioned and is taught through all the three Vedas. The full text of
GAYATRI is present in the 36 th chapter of Yajur Veda.
GAYATRI:

It is said that there are more than 70 million main Mantras contained in the various Vedas
and Upanishads. “ Mantaram Trayata iti Mantrah “ Mantra is one which protects one who
thinks of them. It is also said that “ there is no word which is not a Mantra, no herb which is
not medicinal and no man who is not useful; but, a person who can extract the best out of
them so as to be useful for specific purposes, is difficult to get”

A Mantra is a particular combination of some letters of the Sanskrit alphabets arranged in a


certain way to bring out a specific result. Each of the constituent letters ,.representing a
particular sound is credited with a certain power or potency, even as certain specific
properties are inherent with every kind of chemical atom and the combination of the elements
in the periodic table. Hydrogen and Oxygen in a certain ratio produces water but Hydrogen
and Carbon in combination as chains or rings of Hydrocarbons produces millions of products
that are indispensable in today’s life. Oxygen does not burn but no inflammable material can
burn without oxygen. Hydrogen itself is going to be the noncarbon fuel of the future. Similar
functions are inherent and attributed to these Mantras and the combination of alphabets in a
particular form, in a higher plane. Japa is a repetition of a chosen mantra with the object of
bringing out certain changes in our mind, resulting in influx of higher powers. If one is born
with these powers, it is called PRABHAVAM. If one acquires them through the process of
meditation, yoga or simply concentration, it is called SIDDHI. For example, swimming is
Prabhavam for fish, but it is Siddhi (acquired) for man. Similarly, flying is Prabhavam for bird
but the ancient Rushies acquired this by Siddhi.

In reciting Mantras, it is usual practice to recall prior to the main Mantra, another
Mantra,which gives the Rushi, Chandas and the Devata and the purpose for which the Mantra
is recited. What do these names indicate? The Rushi is normally the person who got
enlightened first and who constructed the Mantra with this knowledge. Even as we attribute a
particular scientific discovery as Faraday’s Law or Newton’s Law or Einstein’s equation etc,
the Rushi’s name is mentioned. The whole manifested universe is considered to be based on
vibration through the agency of sound in different decibals and that is Chandas. In a more
comprehensive manner, Chandas can be considered as precursor to Ragas . .Even as
Pancharatna Kirtanas are sung only in specified Ragas, each one of the Mantra is chanted in
a particular chandas and this is recalled before the main Mantra. The Devata of a Mantra is
one whose power is expressed through the Mantra through whom the student can inculcate
as much power as feasible, proportionate to his capacity, concentration etc.

Thus, we chant in Gayatri aavahanam:


“aayaatviti anuvakasya
Vamadeva Rushihi
Anustup chandaha
Gayatree Devata”

And, before the Gayatri Mahamantra

“ Savitryaa Rushi Viswamitraha


Nruchut Gayatri Chandaha
Savita devata” etc and so on.

Why Vaamadeva Rushi and ViswamitraRushi? Sage Vaamadeva was ordained specifically
by Sage Vasishta to help guide Kaushika ( the earlier name of Viswamitra) to raise him from
his Rajoguna dominant personality to satwaguna dominance. In that process,Viswamitra (
Earth dominant) married Menaka (etherial Apsara, a devakanya) and produced a child
Shakuntala ( Immortal classic of Kalidasa), who married Dushyanta and produced Bharata.
Bharata was the founder of the Lunar dynasty (Chandravamsa) and brought the whole
country under one empire for the first time and hence the country is known as Bharata
Kanda. Lord Krishna and the Pandavas are the famous descendants of the Chandravamsa.
An union between a celestial nymph and a human, resulting in a baby is very rare and such
places are called DHYAVA PRITHVI. Dhyava prithvi is a temple in archaeological ruin today
in the waste lands of Kutch.

Viswamitra, together with the two Aswini devas and Vamadeva are probably the first Space
Scientists on record. They knew that a body has to be made lighter by removal of the earth
and water elements to make it fly and this has to be at a speed greater than the gravitational
pull of the earth. To get into earth’s orbit. Viswamitra, ably assisted by the Aswini devathas
and others, prepared Trishanku for the flight and sent him successfully up towards Swarga.
Unfortunately, he did not know the procedure to penetrate into the gravitational field of
Swarga, whatever that planet or satellite was, nor did he know the technique to bring the
object back into the earth. Thus, Trishanku is still orbiting the earth! These were efforts when
his Rajoguna was still remnant with him and hence his lack of patience and strong passion to
achieve.

When Viswamitra was to be declared a “Brahmarushi”, it was done in an assembly presided


over by Bhagwati Gargi, a scholar of unparalleled knowledge, strictness and straight
forwardness.

When, as Brahmarushi, Vasishta requested Viswamitra, with the help of Agastya, to devise a
means by which, whoever wants to become a Brahmana, should be enabled to achieve
Brahmanya easily, . it was Lopamudra, wife of Agastya, who logically suggested to him as
follows. ”Dhyana Yoga is not possible for all. Dhyana flows as a stream in some people but it
does not in some others. Karma Yoga will also be of no avail because a certain Karma
performed by those who are not entitled to do it, will not yield any results. Upasana Marga
(Worship) will please Gods but it does not do Jeevanasamskara (Refinement of life and living)
and the body does not become Brahmana. Unless the body becomes Brahmana, Brahmanya
cannot be attained. The only choice left, therefore, is MANTRA YOGA.”

Brahmanaspati appeared before Viswamitra during his Dhyana and declared that the”
Parishat presided over by Sage Gargi had sought through him Gayatri Mantra. That Mantra
will confer Brahmanya on one who does its Anushtana. Who is Brahmana? At present, all
human beings are Agneyas, which means that the physical body always needs food and
drinks. Besides Soma and Ghandharvas reside in the human body. The Ghandharvas
provoke and sustain Kama ( desire) while Soma encourages conservation ( Sangraha,
Savings). Thus, the human body is built up of Agni, Soma and Ghandharva. He, who is
capable of going beyond these three by conquering them, is a Brahmana. The condition
imposed for this is that the person should practice self control, observe Brahmacharya ( self
restraint and abstinence) and do the Anushtana of the Mantra. Such a person achieves
Atmoddhara ( upliftment of self)”

Then, the Devaguru directs Viswamitra to meditate upon Pushan by whose Anugraha, all his
nadichakras will be cleansed and will be able to bear the Pranashakti, going to be created as
a result of the Dhyana. Pushan explains to him what is Savitru and the role of Savitru. He
explains that, in the sun,between the outer red layer disc (Agnimandala) and the blue colour
of the Somamandala, there is the subtle yellowish region, which is the Savitru mandala. As
soon as a person faces that Savitru mandala, a ray is beamed at him. That ray is Savitru.
That Savitru is the soul and spirit of all Sthavara and Jhangama ( movable and immovable)
objects and that Tejas actually causes the fertilisation of the egg in the womb. This generating
power of Savitru in the sun manifests itself at dawn, noon and at dusk. Thus, he who collects
this energy from the sun, with the help of this Gayatri Mantra and stores it, is Brahmana.

Sage Visvamitra is credited to have extracted the nectar out of the three Vedas and reduced
them to eight BHIJA AKSHARAS or Mahamantras, from each one of the three Vedas ( 24
letters in all ), set them in a particular metre, and also devoted them to a particular God .This
condensed form of all the three Vedas is known as SAVITRI MANTRA:

TAT SA VI TUR VA RE NI YAM ( 8 words, Rig Veda )


BHAR GAH DE VAS YA DI MA HI ( 8 words, Yajur Veda )
DHI YAH YAH NAH PRA CHO DA YAT ( 8 words, Sama Veda )
The literal meaning of the words is “We meditate on that light “SAVITA”, which motivates our
inner conscience, the creator of this world, the Paramatma who is personification of eternal
happiness, one who removes the ignorance and leading one aspiring to attain Moksha or
Liberation towards that eternal bliss “. Sage Agasthya further simplified this meaning as “ We
worship the God of Light, known as SAVITA, who kindles and guides our intellect towards
God and righteous path “

Generally, the word Savita means the Sun, the centre of the Solar System . The Yogic and
Occult researches by the Rushies have shown that the Sun is not only the centre and source
of all physical life but also of life in all its aspects, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual..
There are many references to Savita in scriptures but Yagnavalkya Samhita and
Isavasyopanishad give an idea of the magnificient concept of Savita.

“The spiritual light which is hidden within the Sun is the most excellent light. It is shining
through the hearts of all living creatures in the form of Consciousness.” Yagnavalkya
samhita.

“ O Lord, be pleased to remove from me, who follows the path of truth, the brilliant outer disc
of the sun, withdraw the rays of your external light so that I may be able to see your real
nature, the reality that you are the same as I am.” Isavasyopanishad.

Thus, the physical Sun that we see and science has studied, is merely an outer cover of a
glorious Reality, which pervades and energises the entire Solar System. And, this Reality is
the same as the Reality hidden in the conscience of every human being. What a great
philosophy expressed in such a simple manner! You remove the veil (burqua) and the truth is
seen, whether it is bigger than the biggest (Viswam) or smaller than the smallest(Vishnum).
This spiritual Sun of conscience is Savita, Whom Gayatri Mantra is meant to reveal in stages,
by removing the veils we have covered ourselves with, in the form of various egos, vasanas.

What is this Bhargah or Light of Savita? Just as the physical sun is an orb of incandescent
gas but surrounded by an aura of light of decreasing intensity, in the same way, the spiritual
consciousness is stepped down from the ultimate Reality, which is the Core. For example, we
can get the reflection of the sun in a tub of water or through a powerful telescope. The form is
a faint image in water, while the later is so bright that you can not look at it. The sun’s
brilliance remains unaffected in either case. Similarly, the different kinds of consciousness
that we contact are really the reflections of different grades, depending upon the state of mind
at that time.
Why is the light called Vareniyam? The Sanskrit word Vareniyam means “most excellent”.
After understanding Savita and Bhargah, the particular light we need to concentrate on, it may
be easier to perceive that this not only leads to vistas of unlimited knowledge but , perhaps, is
the only means to release ourselves from the great illusions of our egos or vasanas, and
hence these rays are “ most excellent”.

“Dimahi” means, we meditate upon or may we meditate upon? A point to be noted is “Dimahi”
is in plural form. One would normally expect the prayer to be in singular. But the Gayatri
Mantra, by its very nature, is on behalf of all human beings and the intention is that the influx
of spiritual forces must benefit all human beings collectively.

The third part of the Gayatri Mantra involves a complete reversal of the attitude from the
second part. Here , he surrenders himself to the Divine completely with all his egos and
vasanas wiped out.

The word Dhiyah means Buddhi , again in plural form.

A little elaboration here may be relevant. All Nature, of which man is a part, is composed of
three fundamental qualities (Gunas), namely, Satwa, Raja and Tama. Satwa denotes purity or
goodness, Rajas denotes bristling activity and strong passions of likes and dislikes and
Tamas denotes dullness, ignorance and sloth. All these Gunas are present in different ratios
in each man. Depending upon the dominance of one over the other two, a man’s external
manifestation of qualities are evident. The various mantras and yogas aim at manipulating the
24 Tatwas or principles in such a way that the man sheds more and more of the Tamas and
Rajas in him and acquires more and more of the Satwaguna. The 24 Tatwas of which the
gross human body is made are:

The 5 basic elements or the pancha bootas ( Prithvi or earth, Ap or water, Vayu or air, Tejas
or fire and Akasa or ether
The 5 Gnana Indriyas ( ears, skin, eyes, nose and tongue ),
The 5 Karma Indriyas ( organ of speech, hands, legs, anus and the genital organ ),
The 5 Pranas ( Prana or perception,Apana or excretion, Vyana or digestion, Samana or
circulation and Udhana or thinking of thoughts ). These varying names are given to the one
and the same vital energy of life, only bcause of their various functions in different parts of the
body and the change in relative functions as one advances in age.

The remaining four are the 4 inner Instruments or Antah karanas. These inner organs are
called, according to their functions, as Mind, Intellect, Ego and Chitta.
Mind-----When the thoughts are in a state of chaos and agitation, doubts and despair, they
constitute the mind.

Intellect….When the mind has determined its perception with reference to the memories of
the past and reached a condition of relative quietitude, this condition is called intellect.

Ego…..The vanity of the individual which arrogates to itself both the doubts and decisions as
its own analytical capability, is called ego.

Chitta…When we are fully aware of our doubts and decisions and the analysis ( the mind,
intellect and ego ), this awareness is called Chitta .It is pure state, unconditioned by these
three, the chitta becomes the pure consciousness, the infinite, constantly illuminating the
personality.

Each one of these 24 Tatwas is ruled by a devata. The five elements composing the human
body are described as first created in their subtle form. These subtle particles are called
Tanmatras. Sound is the Tanmatra of ether (Akasha), Touch (Sparsha) is the Tanmatra of Air
(Vayu), Form (Rupa) is the Tanmatra of Fire (Agni), Smell is the Tanmatra of Earth (Prithvi),
and Taste is the Tanmatra of Water (Ap). There are five distinct tanmatras each for the five
great elements and each one of them divide and reunite with the other elements in different
proportions in five different stages to produce the physical form of the tanmatras. This
process of self division and recombination is called Pancheekarana. It is the Tanmatras that
give birth to Pranas, which, in turn, by proper control of their circulation and internal burning,
enables each one of the five elements of the body become active and alive. This science is
known as Agnividya (Rahasya ) and one who has mastered this technique is called a Vipra
(Brahmana).

Prachodayat means “ May He unfold? ( our Buddhi ). Thus, the Gayatri Mantra leads us to
meditate upon the Supreme Light of the Divine Savita, beyond the outer disc of the Sun, who
unfolds our Buddhis to concentrate the mind in Japam on the Light of Divine Consciousness
hidden within each of our heart to understand the Reality.

These 24 letters were further meditated upon by various Rishis. In CHANDOKYA


UPANISHAD, it is mentioned as follows: “Prajapati “ (Brahma) meditated upon the
constituents of the Universe and extracted the essences AGNI ( Fire )from the Physical world,
VAYU ( Air ) from Antariksha or Astral world and ADITYA ( Sun ) from Swarga or Mental
world. He further meditated on the three Devatas, Agni, Vayu and Aditya and extracted the
essences Rig Veda from Agni, Yajur Veda from Vayu, and Sama Veda from Aditya. He
further meditated on the three Vedas and extracted the essences, the three Mahamantras,
known as MAHA VYAHRITI, BHUH from Rig Veda, BHUVAH from Yajur Veda, and SUVAH
from Sama Veda.

He then reflected on these three Mahavyahrities themselves and out of this reflection was
born the PRANAV Mantra OM (A U M ). The peculiar humming sound produced by this well
known one lettered syllable AUM hastens the process of Self Realisation through its Mantra
Sakthi, which is inherent in the peculiar combination of sounds. Its power is the most
comprehensive and fundamental among all the Mantras. Here we transcend from Mantra to
Yoga. There are various schools of yoga teachers like Jaggi Vasudev, who teach us how
exactly to chant AUM from the naval to the throat through the heart region and what benefits
we attain, both physical and mental. The whole of Manduka Upanishad is a commentary on
the nature and significance of Pranava Mantra AUM. Thus, The Pranavama Mantra and the
three Mahavyahrities—Bhuh, Bhuvah, and Suvah constitute the first part of the Gayatri
Japam. This, together with the three sentences of 24 words mentioned earlier as Savitri,
constitute the Gayatri Maha Mantra Japam, which finds its place in the 36th chapter of Yajur
Veda. This Gayatri Japam has to be obtained as Upadesam or teaching from a Guru, usually
through parents, who fully explain the significance and the way the Mantra is derived by great
Rishis.

In this connection I am reminded of a joke. An excellent sportsman was to be recruited by an


office. At the same time, the office has to follow its own procedures for recruitment, like
interview etc. therefore, they asked the sportsman to write an essay on coffee, since he was
being recruited for the coffee board. He said it was beyond him. Then they asked him to write
one sentence on coffee. He said “ sorry” once again. They asked him to write “Coffee” without
mistake. He said he was not confident of that. The board discussed among themselves and
came to the conclusion that he was anyway to be recruited and therefore he should be given
a still simpler test. They asked to write at least one syllable in Coffee correctly and then they
would select him. Now he said he would try and wrote KAUPHY—not even one letter
correct! Well, the Rishis have simplified to such an extent of single syllable, the entire Vedas
and even then if we do not follow it, who is to blamed for it? The intention to uplift us under
the slightest pretext is always there!!

GAYATRI is an invocation to God SAVITA for more light, for enlightenment of the highest
kind. Who is this Savita, the Devata of the Gayatri Mantra? Generally, Savita, as already
mentioned, refers to Sun, the centre of the Solar System. The sun is the source of all
energies needed for life and survival. But Sun is merely a huge ball of fire, whose energy is
being maintained by conversion of Hydrogen into Helium, the thermonuclear reaction
underlying the production of Hydrogen bomb. This mighty centre of Physical energy is pouring
out continuously without diminishing all kinds of Vibrations and Energies, which are essential
for sustaining life in this planet. We now know that Sound vibrations through the atmosphere
from one place to another can be heard by the Radio and light vibrations by Television.We
now know that a man can cross the international date line and reach a place one day before
he started, in time. We are able to appreciate these things because we have realised them
through Science, There are, however, many other phenomena, which the ancient Rishies
have achieved by their meditation, which we are still unable to understand. For instance, a
mere charioteer, Sanjay,could see, sitting in a far away place from the battle field, what was
happening in the battle field in MAHABHARATA and gave a running commentary of the same
to his blind king Dridurashtra. This Divyadrushti or the Power of Perception is still not
understood. There were many great saints, who could leave their physical form and enter into
the body of another dead person or creature, achieve certain things and then return back to
their own body and continue their lives. Adi Sankara has performed this. It is believed that
whatever we have achieved is from the understanding of the highly filtered sun’s rays ( light ),
filtered through the ozone layer, atmosphere etc. If we aim at a reversal of this process, attain
the power by meditation to see what is happening beyond the outermost layer of the sun, in
the inner layers and core, we may understand many things yet unravelled and not yet
understood. The Gayatri Mantra is a song praising this light, the SAVITA in the earlier part
and an abject surrender to Savita to enlighten us on the various mysteries, in the later part.
Many of the scientific achievements of the ancient days, which are now lost and forgotten, are
written with descriptive passages in the great book called BRIHAT SAMHITA by
VARAHAMIHIRA, many centuries back.

The Mantras are inseparably interwoven with various Tantric rights, reflected often in the form
of Yoga and rituals. PRANAYAMA is one such Yoga. In this, we invoke seven Vyahrities,
including the three Mahavyahrities already explained and the Gayatri Mantra. In the Yogic
part, we inhale a deep breath ( known as Poorakam ) through the left nostril, retain it in the
left lungs ( known as Kumbakam ) and exale it ( Known as Rechakam ) through the right
nostril in a certain proportion of time of 1:2:2. Normally, when one breaths, one can observe
the exalation, sometimes through the right and sometimes through the left nostril. It is
considered good and healthy for the body if one exhales more through the right than the left
nostril. And that is why, when one does Pranayama, you inhale through the left nostril (
closing the right ) and exhale through the right nostril. There are many Yoga centres like
Vivekananda Kendra, which teach the correct way of doing Pranayama.

A proper combination of Mantra and Yogic rights, chanting AUM a number of times with
proper intonation, performance of Pranayama giving Arkyam and performance of Japam of
Gayatri Mantra, all constitute an integral part of SANDHYAVANDANAM. Take the simple
case of Achamaneeyam. The three words, Achyuta, Ananta and Govinda are credited to cure
a person from any incurable disease. And the Angavandanam is nothing but an Acupressure
tchnique for the Karma Indriyas and the principal Sushmanadi to enable them to function
properly. Yet, how many of us understand this and do it sincerely or properly, though they are
repeated so many times in the Sandhyavandanam.

When we say ABHIVADHAYEY etc, while performing namaskaram, we mention the names of
the Rishies, whose descendants we are. We also mention the name of the Rishi, who has laid
down the procedures ( Sutras ) for following the Vedic rites. A number of Rishies like
APASTHAMBAR, BODAYANA, VYKANASA, SATYASHTA, BHARADWAJA and AGNIVESA
have laid down procedures to be followed for KrishnaYajurveda. Of these, a large majority of
people follow the Sutra laid down by Apasthamba and we mention this also while performing
the namaskaram. These Rishis have perceived some supernatural things by virtue of their
penance and constant reciting of various Mantras. It is imperative for us to hold their tradition
and achievements. When a medicine or food is not used within the prescribed time limit, it
becomes useless and we throw it away. In order to cultivate it again, we follow the elaborate
process of sowing seeds and reaping the harvest. An alternate immediate way for using the
existing food is to preserve it by using the preservatives. Chanting of Gayatri Mantra is the
preservative, so that they do not become useless and we can understand and avail the
benefits of the mysteries of the Vedas when another great Rishi is born, capable of achieving
this.

If Sandhyavandanam is performed correctly following the Scriptures and with due devotion, it
is quite possible that at least one in a thousand or one in a million may attain the state of Self
enlightenment, revealing the yet undiscovered mysteries of Science. He may be another
Newton or Einstein. Who knows? It may be YOU.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL ..


CREDITS

1.Deivathin Kural, Part ii Compilation of Paramacharyal’s discourses by Ra. Ganapathy,


publishd by Vanathi Pathippagam.

2. Vivekachoodamani, Adisankara’s, Discourses by Swami Chinmayananda, published by


Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.

3. Bhagawat Geeta, Commentary by Swami Chhidbhavananda.

4.Bhagawat Geeta, commentary by Swami Chinmayananda.

5.Gayatri by L.K.Taimni, Theosophical Society Publishing House (1974), Adyar, Chennai.

6.The Glory of Gayathri by Devudu,Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan (2004), English Translation by


Nanjunda Sastri.

7.Sandhyavandanam, Discourses by Mahasannidhanam of Sringeri Sarada Peetam (1981).

8. Sandhyavandanam, Giri Trading Agency.

9. Upanayanam by ANNA, Ramakrishna Mutt.

And a host of other periodical and other references.


Superstring Theory
A CERN course project

Sami Laitinen, Mikko Marttila


Oulun Lyseon lukio
28.5.2009
Table of contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 3
Brief history of string theory ....................................................................................................................... 3
Theoretical physics behind string theory........................................................................................... 3

Superstring theory ...................................................................................................................................... 4


Theory of everything ........................................................................................................................ 4

A world of strings ............................................................................................................................. 4

Beyond string theory: M-theory ....................................................................................................... 5

Supersymmetry ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Particles come in pairs ...................................................................................................................... 6

Superstrings and other things ........................................................................................................... 6

Extra dimensions ......................................................................................................................................... 7


Wide or curled up ............................................................................................................................. 7

String theory and quantum gravity ............................................................................................................. 8


It's all about distances ...................................................................................................................... 8

Search for strings ........................................................................................................................................ 9


Research on superstring theory ........................................................................................................ 9

Where are they?............................................................................................................................. 10

The Large Hadron Collider .............................................................................................................. 11

List of sources ............................................................................................................................................12

2
Introduction

For decades or even centuries, physicists have struggled to discover a theory that could explain
everything. The most generally accepted candidate for this role is the superstring theory. Super-
string theory attempts to explain all particles and interactions, something modern physics has
failed to do. Superstring theory describes the universe as being composed of tiny one-dimensional
strings, whose different vibration frequencies make up the point-like elementary particles we
know and observe today. It combines string theory with supersymmetry, another revolutionary
idea, which, like string theory, has been failed to prove experimentally.

Brief history of string theory

Theoretical physics behind string theory

In 1921, Theodor Kaluza and Oskar Klein independently made the first discoveries that electro-
magnetism could be derived from gravity in a unified theory that includes four space dimensions
of which the fourth is wrapped into a tiny circle and is unobservable. This so called Kaluza-Klein
theory was later used to develop string theories. String theory itself is considered to be born in the
late 1960s, as Yoichiro Nambu, Holger Bech Nielsen and Leonard Susskind independently ruled out
that the dual theories of 1968 describing the particle spectrum also described quantum mechanics
of oscillating strings.

Supersymmetry was discovered at first in 1971. The first supergravity theory was suggested in
1976. Supergravity combines supersymmetry and general relativity and is nowadays related to
superstring theories. Superstring theory combines string theories and supersymmetry. The first
superstring theory was developed in 1980. By mid-1980s string theory was finally accepted by
mainstream physicists as a possible theory unifying quantum mechanics, particle physics and grav-
ity. In ten years, understanding of strings greatly improved, as study of stringy black holes in higher
dimensions led to assumptions how different string theories are related through duality transfor-
mations. Black holes have been a fruitful field of study for string theorists.

3
Superstring theory

Theory of everything

Superstring theory is an attempt to unify Einstein’s theory of general relativity and quantum me-
chanics into one theory, while at the same time including the quantum field theories of the weak
and strong nuclear forces and the electromagnetic force that form the standard model of physics
into the same unified theory. Simply put, superstring theory is an attempt to create a single theory
of everything that could be used to predict any given event in the entire universe. The existing
theories, general relativity and quantum mechanics, can already predict almost everything we can
think of, but both theories have their special areas of application: general relativity works for
large-scale and massive objects, while quantum mechanics is a theory for tiny and light particles.

General relativity accurately describes our everyday universe, but when observing small enough
scales its rules break down and the theory of quantum mechanics has to be used in order to make
accurate predictions. While this inconsistency can most of the time be ignored simply by utilising
the theory designed for the given scale, there are certain cases in which both theories ought to be
applied at the same time. An example of these cases would be the tiny-but-massive black hole, or
the conditions in the first picoseconds of the history of the universe, right after the Big Bang. Both
these cases feature extremely high mass concentrations in tiny volumes, which cannot be de-
scribed without a unified theory of quantum gravity.

A world of strings

The idea behind superstring theory is that the smallest structure of the universe is not a dimen-
sionless particle, as the standard model predicts, but an oscillating one-dimensional string (see fig.
2.1). The oscillation energy of the string determines its physical properties i.e. mass (Einstein’s
famous equation E=mc2), flavour, charge and spin. The length of these strings is measured in
Planck lengths (one Planck length ≈ 1.616 × 10−35 𝑚), which makes them way out of reach for
modern measuring equipment to observe. This is why, from a distance, the oscillating strings ap-
pear as the dimensionless particles that we observe on a daily basis.

4
Figure 2.1: Strings
oscillating at dif-
ferent energies.

It is important to understand that these elementary strings have only one dimension, their length.
They’re like extremely small versions of guitar strings, which are so thin that they are not thin –
they do not have a second dimension that would be their thickness. Also, it is not reasonable to
ask what these strings are made of; they aren’t made of anything, they’re the Greek atomos, undi-
vidable. The strings form all matter and energy, but they aren’t made of anything themselves.

One of the problems in the standard model of particle physics is thought to be the seemingly ran-
dom number (19) and value of the parameters required, which are only defined by measurements
made by experimental physicists. By presenting the smallest structure as a one-dimensional string
as opposed to a dimensionless particle, the number of parameters required for the theory is re-
duced from the 19 parameters of the standard model to just one parameter in superstring theory,
the tension of the given string.

Beyond string theory: M-theory

Recent findings seem to indicate that string theory is not the ultimate theory of everything: it is
only a part of a larger theory called the M-theory. In M-theory, strings are not the whole picture
when it comes to elementary particles. Instead, strings are just a part of a group called the p-
branes, where p indicates the number of dimensions in the object. This would mean that a 1-brane
is a string, a 2-brane is a surface of some sort, and so on, up to the 10-brane, which is an object
spreading in all the 10 space dimensions of the M-theory.

5
Supersymmetry

Particles come in pairs

One of the natural symmetries, supersymmetry states that all elementary particles must come in
pairs of two: the “normal” particle that we can observe and its superpartner, the spin value of
which differs by ½ from the first particle’s spin. This basically means that for each fermion – mat-
ter particle, whose spin is a fraction – there is a boson – force carrier particle, with an integer spin
– partner. Since so far no superpartners have been observed, it is assumed they are much more
massive than their counterparts – this assumption is also backed up by calculations. It is hoped
that the existence of superpartners can be observed in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva,
which is scheduled to start operating in late 2009 (as of May 2009).

Superstrings and other things

The first string theory ever developed was the bosonic string theory. The bosonic string theory did
not include supersymmetry, and had some severe issues – there appeared to be a bosonic particle
called the tachyon, whose mass squared was negative. In addition to the tachyon problem, the
bosonic string theory did not include any fermion particles, and was thus unable to describe any
kind of matter. After the introduction of supersymmetry into the bosonic string theory, a new kind
of string theory was formed, free of the tachyon problem and including fermions, called the super-
symmetric string theory, or, the superstring theory.

After the original superstring theory, four other super-


string theories have been formulated. The five theories
are now called type I theory, type IIA theory, type IIB
theory, heterotic type O(32) theory and heterotic type
E8×E8 theory. The principle behind all the theories is the
same; the differences lay in the details. Unexpected
dualities have been found between these five theories
and a sixth theory, 11-dimensional supergravity. It is
believed that these six theories are all part of a more
complex theory called the M-theory (Fig. 3.1). Figure 3.1: M-theory?

6
Extra dimensions

In our daily life we move through all three of the dimensions we’re accustomed to – forward-
backward, left-right and up-down. In addition to these three spatial dimensions, there’s also a
fourth dimension, time (past-future). For example the speed of an object moving in space-time is
divided among all dimensions, including time – this was proven by Albert Einstein in his theory of
special relativity. It is believed that if an object’s location in all four of the dimensions is deter-
mined, its absolute location is known accurately. However, this may not be completely true.

Wide or curled up

Some theories, including superstring theory, predict that in addition to the three spatial dimen-
sions we observe there are more dimensions. In the case of most superstring theories, the number
of spatial dimensions is nine. Thus with the time dimension taken into account, most superstring
theories are in fact ten-dimensional theories. The idea of ten dimensions might seem ridiculous at
first, but after some thought it turns out that it wouldn’t be that absurd after all. For example,
consider the case of a rope. Viewed from a distance, it would appear that a mouse running on the
rope can only move in one dimension, back or forth. If you were to look closer, however, you
would notice that the mouse can also move in another dimension, around the rope; the surface of
the rope is in fact a two-dimensional space that only appears to be one-dimensional when viewed
from a distance.

Similar to the rope, our universe might just appear to be three-dimensional, but closer observation
might prove that there are more dimensions in the world. These extra dimensions would simply
have to be curled up like the circumference of the rope – and if the diameter of these other di-
mensions is small enough, for example something in the scale of the Planck length, there’s no way
we could prove or disprove their existence with modern measuring equipment. Small curled-up
dimensions could be the explanation for the seemingly weak gravitational force as opposed to the
other natural forces, as the gravitational force would have to spread among all the dimensions.
Regardless, the idea of the world consisting of more than three spatial dimensions is one of the
main reasons for the stance of the scientists that don’t believe in string theory.

7
String theory and quantum gravity

It’s all about distances

The underlying problem between general relativity only becomes apparent in sizes below the
Planck length, where violent quantum fluctuations tear apart the smooth surface of space-time
that general relativity, based on Riemannian geometry, relies on. From the viewpoint of the small-
est structure of the universe being a dimensionless point-like particle, it’s not possible to avoid
settings where the distances between two particles become less than Planck length, and thus
where quantum fluctuations become a problem when trying to present the situation in a quantum
theory. This is why in many modern theories of quantum gravity there is a set minimum length in
the universe. This minimum length is often the Planck length, which is also the case in string the-
ory, where the minimum length and diameter of a string is the very same Planck length.

One could ask why a string couldn’t just be shortened


until its diameter would become shorter than the
Planck length. At first, giving a string more energy does
shorten its length. However, when the energy reaches
the scale needed for less-than-Planck-length strings,
the string in fact stops diminishing and starts growing
in size. This means that it is in no way possible for us
to detect anything below the Planck length, since we
have nothing that we could “see” those sizes with –
nothing is smaller than strings, and strings are too big
to form a picture of sub-Planck-size space-time.

Given the fact that string theory avoids the conflicts of


quantum mechanics and general relativity and in-
cludes a string oscillation form equal to a graviton, it is
reasonable to assume that we are at least on the right
track on finding a theory of quantum gravity.
Figure 5.1: Quantum fluctuations in
space-time in distances less than
Planck length.

8
Search for strings

Research on superstring theory

Mathematics behind superstring theories is complicated, and has required new ideas to produce
an effective physical theory. Complicacy adds especially the high number of dimensions of space-
time that are used in most string theories. Branes are an interesting concept in string theory, and
have been studied extensively.

Currently theoretical research on string theory is underway in


many universities across the world. One of the most popular
topics in its study is the anti-de-Sitter space/conformal field
theory correspondence, or the AdS/CFT correspondence (Fig.
6.1). This suggests that there is an equivalence between string
theory as defined in one space, and quantum field theory on
the boundary of this space in lower dimension. This idea origi-
nates from 1997. The idea of gauge-gravity duality is essential
to this as gauge-gravity duality simply means that all pheno-
mena and quantities in quantum theory of gravity have an ana-
logue in gauge theory in a lower dimension. Figure 6.1: AdS/CFT correspondence.

Other areas of interest for string theorists include holography, which could explain the black hole
information paradox. The holographic principle suggests that for a black hole, a description of
every objects that fall in it is contained in the event horizon, thus creating a some kind of holo-
gram. It is also worth considering that the principle works for the universe as a whole: the three
space dimensions may be thought as a 2D hologram on the cosmological horizon. This even more
adds complicacy to the dimension thinking of string theory. Furthermore, scientists focus on non-
perturbative formulations of string theory, tachyon condensation and string field theory.

String theory has also faced criticism. The most is against the idea of adding several dimensions
besides the traditional four. Also the impossibility of experimentally proving it as of now does not
convince many skeptics. Some do not trust the theory, because it suggests that there might be an
almost infinite number of parallel universes, which would be unobservable to us.

9
Where are they?

The central problem in accepting string theory as a theory of everything and as a proper physical
theory at all is that it has not been possible to prove it by experiments. The reason for this is often
cited as being the huge amounts of energy needed to observe the structures described by string
theory. This is also the case with supersymmetry, the concept closely related to string theory by
the superstring theory. If one of these could be proved false, logical conclusions could be made
about the existence of the other (Fig. 6.2).

Supersymmetry Superstring theory


true  strong evidence
true  true
false  false

Figure 6.2: The relationship between supersymmetry and superstring theory.

So, the existence of superparticles and thus supersymmetry would provide a strong evidence for
superstring theory, and if superstrings were discovered, supersymmetry would as well be certainly
true. Supersymmetry is a fundamental element in superstring theory, so if supersymmetry was
proven false, superstring theory could not function either.

Figure 6.3: The con-


trol room of the AT-
LAS experiment. If
some evidence sup-
porting string theory
is found by the LHC,
it will be done here.

10
The Large Hadron Collider

Huge energies would be needed to detect the strings predicted by superstring theory. We are not
anywhere near achieving this, but even in the next few years some kind of evidence supporting
may be obtained from the particle collision experiments in the LHC, currently the largest particle
accelerator of the world in CERN. Its ATLAS project aims to, for instance, find out whether extra
dimensions predicted by various string theories exist and can be observed, and discover other
signs of new physics. The LHC might also produce detectable superpartner particles, which would
prove supersymmetry. The LHC will possibly be restarted in September 2009.

Figure 6.4: Also Schrödinger’s cat consists of elementary strings.

11
List of sources

Brian Greene: Kätketyt ulottuvuudet. Supersäikeet, ajan halkeamat ja maailmanselityksen haaste, Tammi, 2000
Stephen Hawking: The Universe in a Nutshell, Bantam Press, 2001
Lee Smolin: Kvanttipainovoima, WSOY, 2002
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_theory (17.5.09)
http://hitoshi.berkeley.edu/public_html/susy/susy.html (19.5.09)
http://comet.lehman.cuny.edu/sormani/research/riemgeom.html (22.5.09)
http://www.superstringtheory.com/index.html (26.5.09)
http://ctp.lns.mit.edu/research-strings.html (26.5.09)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/oct/08/research.highereducation (27.5.09)
Figure 2.1: http://www-hep2.fzu.cz/ecfadesy/store/Popularizace/TeslaPhotos/Photo%20archive_files/string3.jpg, (17.5.09)
Figure 3.1: http://plus.maths.org/issue18/features/hawking/images/M-theory-Network.jpg (19.5.09)
Figure 5.1: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/physics/paolo.bonifacio/PHOTOS/quantum_spacetime.gif (22.5.09)
Figure 6.1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AdS_CFT.png (26.5.09)
Figure 6.2: © Sami Laitinen
Figure 6.3: © Sami Laitinen
Figure 6.4: http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/10/05/funny-pictures-schrodingers-cat-enters-wormhole/ (28.5.09)

12

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