The Hindu Genesis (Origin of Life), S. K. Balasubramanian
(Genesis is the first book of the Old Testament. It describes the creation of the Universe, the solar system and the living beings in the course of six days by God. The Hindu view of Genesis is more detailed and is explained here. In a highly condensed form Hindu genesis is represented by the icon, Padmanabha. It tallies with the experimental conclusions of science. How did our ancients arrive at such startling conclusions? Was it by intuition? We are not in a position to give an answer to it.)
A few years ago, Americans sent a space craft into outer space carrying a cryptic message to intelligent beings over there. It consisted of a plaque inscribed with the figures of a man and a woman, the solar system and the Bohr -Rutherford model of the Hydrogen atom. If they had been knowledgeable about Hindu mythology, they would have included the Devanagari OM and the Padmanabha Icon. They would have been right on the target.
Hindu mythology presents quintessential science as imaginative fiction. Behind the seemingly absurd symbols lurk meanings only a twentieth century person can understand and appreciate.
OM Tat Sat, the Hindus say, meaning that OM is the reality. It is the complete description of the four dimensional Universe and the “noise” pervading it. The three limbs of the Devanagari OM stand for the curved three-dimensional space or the material part of the Universe. The crescent represents the time component of the space time continuum. It is a continuum and not a continuity because the relationship between the components is not obvious. The dot is the humming “noise” corresponding to few degrees Kelvin experimentally observed to permeate outer space. It is an energy dimension not yet understood It had been predicted as consequence of the big bang theory of the origin of the Universe but is not dependent upon the theory since it is an independent experimental observation.
Thus OM represents all the observed attributes of the manifest Universe. The three dimensions of space, the time and the humming “noise”. The Universe may be visualized as five dimensional: space-time-energy. (A recent report in the New Scientist, dated 18 December 1999, quoting Raman Sundaram, Physical Review letters Vol 83, p4690, confirms this deduction.)
“The vast Universe” says Krishna in the Gita, (XIV,3) “is my womb. I inseminate the same, whereby all Beings arise.” The Taittiriya Upanishad echoes the sentiment: The Brahman “desired ‘May I Procreate the many.’ He performed penance and created everything, every thing whatsoever . Having created them He entered them. Having entered He became” pairs of opposites. Purusha Sukta looks upon creation in more prosaic terms as a Yagna or ritual sacrifice by the Gods.
From out of the five dimensional Being came the four dimensional one or the Space -Time. This was a lower order of Reality represented by Brahma, the four headed Progenitor or the Prajapati. His four heads represent the four dimensions of Space -Time.
Vishnu is still lower in the scale. He is the tribhuvanavapusha, the celestial Being with three worlds as his body. The three worlds are the three dimensions of space or the x, y, z, axes of co-ordinate geometry. He is colored blue black combining the blueness of the terrestrial sky with the blackness of the outer space. He represents the regal authority of the Divinity with magisterial powers on earth and regulates the evolution of life on earth.
The story of Vamana Avataar is the demonstration of Vishnu’s three dimensionality contrasted to the two dimensionality of the asura regions.
Vishnu lives in the milky ocean which is the star studded milky way. He lies on the coiled five headed snake Anantha literally meaning endless. Endless are the forms of Anantha.
The coiled snake stands for the helical form of the DNA and the protein builder RNA, the two templates of life. Though the molecules have several billion repetitive units they are made up of five organic bases three of which are common to both DNA and RNA and one is exclusive to each. The five heads of Anantha stand for the five bases.
The Padmanabha icon gives the whole picture. Vishnu reclining on the bed formed by the coiled snake Anantha stands for the DNA-RNA template based Life floating in three dimensional space. The lotus rising from his navel is the umbilical connection life on earth has to the Universal reality. The Lotus stands for the three dimensional space which according to Einstein’s ideas is curved like a saddle due to gravity. The Lotus petal is the equivalent of the saddle. The Brahma on the lotus is the anthropomorphic formalization of the ultimate.
The Chaturbhuja (four armed) Vishnu with six limbs and a human form is the fusion of the two dominant forms of life on earth, the vertebrate and the invertebrate. The former are four limbed whist the latter have a multiplicity of limbs. The most common invertebrates, like the ant and the cockroach are six-limbed.
The ardhanareeswara image is the intermediate stage in evolution from the asexual
organism to the sexual bifurcation for rapid dissemination of the evolutionarily desirable mutations.
The Genesis according to the Hindus may be summed up as follows: Life originates in deep Space-Time represented anthropomorphically as the four headed Brahma and develops as the fetus Vishnu representing the three dimensional Space (supported by the DNA-RNA templates shown as the coiled snake Anantha) and the living beings therein. It evolves through the intermediacy of the bisexual Ardhanreeswara into the glorious form of Chaturbhuja Vishnu representing the fusion of the vertebrate and the invertebrate forms of life.
One critic, B. Dixit, had said the picture of creation presented above is “hilarious.” He had said the DNA structure was deduced in the early 1950s and I am comparing it with “faith” based concepts. The answer is simple. I had not drawn the Padmanabha icon. It had been there for a long time. I had just drawn attention to the similarity of Hindu icon to the conclusion of science. I see no contradiction in this.
The snake as a genetic compulsion is also found in the Jewish Bible. So in some way not understood by us the ancients had an intuitive idea. The Hindu concept predates the Jewish idea by a few millennia.
Dr. S.K. Balasubramanian completed his Ph.D. from IIS Bangalore. He went to business in Pune manufacturing fine chemicals. You can contact him at smanian@sancharnet.in.
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May 2nd, 2008 15:45
Most Hindus today do not know Scriptures, and many have also lost the sense of shame for their ignorance. This article is proof that the uneducated are coming forward to teach us.
May 22nd, 2008 06:26
I am surprised at why did you have to call it ” The Hindu Genesis”. We come from an era much before Genesis was even produced. Comparing our philosophy to Genesis is virtually degrading its importance, unintentionally as it might be.
September 18th, 2008 14:53
Excellent decoding effort!
October 3rd, 2008 07:12
Good effort. But the whole matter can be simplified to indicate that the ocean of milk is the milky way, our galaxy.
The snake, Anantha, the un-ending, is the same as the Greek symbol which is an 8, turned 90 degrees, showing a loop, which is what infinity is.
I may have differences with your opinions, but I commend your effort, for it will initiate a discussion, throwing more light on most of the symbols which most Hindus know very little about.
November 10th, 2008 13:56
Wow, it is amazingly sad to see that the THEORY of evolution has infiltrated and is even supported by the Hindu faith. I believe that you were wonderfully and fearfully made and that you did not evolve from nothing. There is a god, but not many as you believe and His name is Yahweh. He knew you when you were in your mothers womb. I believe that you are unique in all creation and not just an animal as evolution would have you believe. One life, one death, and one ressurection of the dead to eternal life or eternal seperation from Yahweh. This is not determined by how “good” a person is because our most righteous deeds are as filthy rags to Yahweh. This is a gift to be received with thanksgiving and joy because a way has already been made and its not based on what you can do or say. Yes we must sactify our lives in such a way that has been given to us through the ancient scriptures of the bible, but it is through grace that we are saved and not by works lest any man should boast. We war not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities of the spiritual realm. There is a plan for mankind, we don’t just go in cirles of life and death for nothing. One birth, one death, one ressurection. A sacrifice has already been made for you in Jesus, all you have to do is receive the gift of eternal life its that easy. Ask Jesus for His gift today and you will receive eternal life. He has gone ahead to make a place for us and wishes to lose no one. Jesus is returning in His second coming to take away the believers in these last days when the persecution of the believers begins in earnest as it has even now. Through prophecy the bible explains how these last days will come to pass. It will involve Russia, China, Iran, and others as they come against the tiny nation of Israel to wipe it off the face of the planet, but they will fail. For those of you
January 21st, 2009 19:47
wow, brilliant piece. thank you so much. I’m doing a project on Hindu paintings and this article has helped me so much I got full marks, so thanks again.
November 17th, 2009 12:19
I am now more inclined than ever to verify this for my satisfaction. I believe that the Hindu Mythology is the story of the universe, and have made it a point to verify it as much as possible.
April 4th, 2010 18:57
This involves more of wishful thinking than anything else. It is ridiculous to compare DNA, RNA with anantha(adisesha). The whole point is that you are relating all of these to the material world which is utterly unacceptable to anyone who has learnt from a bonafide guru. This ksheerabdhi is a world beyond the earth and connecting arbitrary things is all a figment of imagination.
It is an unnecessary attempt tp link everything in scripture with science. Also, not all theories current in the scientific community are correct and hence saying that these were all present before might even lead to embarrasing situations later on when these so called “facts” are disproved by fresh research. Moreover, there is no way God can be proven or disproven by science. So, it is better to stop with things which have a clear parallel in science and religion instead of spinning stories to fit in everything everywhere.
June 1st, 2010 03:56
I agree with Jyothikar and Anand. This article is nothing but a tenuous stretch at best. In this day and age, where scientific (eastern/western) is encouraged, to come up with baseless suppositions and mere co-incidences is a strange behaviour. This behaviour leads to development of sects!
On the upside, I commend the author on pointing out the validity of some of the symbolism/icongraphy and that is to be admired and appreciated. Finally, I suppose, there is always a possibility that I didn’t comprehend the article but meh, I am a human and prone to err!
June 1st, 2010 08:19
I got a recent comment notification and read briefly this article here. It sounds even more ridiculous than before. Totally unrelated stuff just thrown about all over the article. I cannot even understand whether the author is sane when he talks about vertibrates, invertibrates, evolution, ardhanareeshwara, ksheerabdhi vishnu as a connected symbolism. I think the Paramatma should save sanathana dharma from such unmindful, unnecessary and harmful comparisons.
If you say that the Nasadiya suktam has the same brief idea as the big bang theory then it is acceptable. Vimanas are one more eg. but what is being written here is just gibberish.
August 20th, 2010 17:35
“Hindu mythology presents quintessential science as imaginative fiction. Behind the seemingly absurd symbols lurk meanings only a twentieth century person can understand and appreciate.”
Such arrogance. This is when I realized this whole article is going to be bad. I didn’t read any further. The ancient generations MADE those symbols. What’s so special about being “a 20th century person”?
December 1st, 2010 14:00
http://io9.com/5702433/is-nasa-about-to-announce-the-discovery-of-extraterrestrial-life
What do u think about that…if true?…will be announced on 02/11/2010.anyway..lets see
Supposing it true…do u think genesis occurred twice?…if at all some form bacterial life is discovered there and has a different form/shape of DNA…will u then search in the scriptures for an appropriate shape and declare Hindu genesis proved it much earlier than science…????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 12th, 2011 20:52
Brilliant piece of work. I agree.
February 1st, 2011 16:22
superb really marvellous u have explored true BRAHMA u r really great sceintist
April 23rd, 2011 02:36
Its purely co-incidencial that chaturvuja has four face and there four space-time dimension. But the syllable om seems great. U may find that the bigbang theory becomes comprehensible when compared to om. Read sleep cycle and compare with vedic meaning of om and u will be surprised. I think much of hindu mythology will work better in explaining quantum mechanics. Try urself. This is an opinion, no scientific evidence cited may mean uselessness. But hinduism is not different from modern science, yet all modern science may nt fit in hindu mind.
May 9th, 2011 17:58
Totally unnecessary. Why do you combine religion with science? Our Hindus have understood greater metaphysics than others, but not science. The Hindus have not cared for material things so much ever.
May 10th, 2011 06:48
@Krishnagopal Why not combine religion and science?!?!, the whole article above uses various examples from science and tries to explain genesis(bible or hindu). Why be hypocritical?
When religious people can easily compare science and say, “ooh that one, yeah.. we knew it aaall along…”, it shows a lack of understanding of how science works. Its a pity!! You prove that when you say “..Our Hindus have understood greater metaphysics than others, but not science…”. Its a real pity.Don’t you realize that metaphysics is a part of pseudoscience, words like that are not even entertained in normal Science. Metaphysics, quantum mysticism, connected with 3 dimensions, 5 dimensions and other words stolen from science, adding citations and references from science journals does not make it true. It may sound very scientific but as Micheal Shermer said all these words are “Quantum Quackery”, referring to Deepak Chopra, who is an expert in quantum quackery of words. For me all in all this article sounds very dishonest in accepting the truth and disrespects Science and how it works.
The message mainly I get from the above article is, science is no big deal, and religious people knew that all along.All this article simply portrays is, one religion comparing to other, who got it first, an ego trip, like two kindergarten kids saying to each other whose Dad is better and whose Dad got it right!!!…
Again its a pity.Sorry if I offended any one…..
June 19th, 2011 02:50
Radhasoami Faith View of Modus Operandi of Creation of Universe
Part - I
There is cosmological evidence for God and the Universe existed before
Big Bang please.
Stephen Hawking writes in The Grand Design, “It is not necessary to
invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the Universe going.”
Hawking said the Big Bang was merely the consequence of the law of
gravity. In A Brief History of Time, Hawking had suggested that the
idea of God or a divine being was not necessarily incompatible with a
scientific understanding of the Universe.
Although Hawking is very close to Truth yet he is not perfect in his
views while discarding the role of divine being. I consider the role
of eternal gravity uppermost but I strongly differ with Hawking on the
role of divine being. I consider Divine Ordainment is the cause of
Creation of Universe.
Now I give Radhasoami Faith view of Creation Theory. In Sar Bachan
(Poetry) composed by His Holiness Soamiji Maharaj the August Founder
of Radhasoami Faith the details of creation and dissolution has been
described very scientifically. It is written in Jeth Mahina (name of
Hindi moth) in this Holy Book: Only He Himself (Supreme Father)and
none else was there. There issued forth a great current of
spirituality, love and grace (In scientific terminology we may call
this current as gravitational wave). This is called His Mauj (Divine
Ordainment). This was the first manifestation of Supreme Being. This
Divine Ordainment brought into being three regions, viz., Agam, Alakh,
and Satnam of eternal bliss. Then a current emerged with a powerful
sound (this was the first Big Bang). It brought forth the creation of
seven Surats or currents of various shades and colours (in scientific
terminology we may call it electromagnetic waves). Here the true Jaman
or coagulant was given (in scientific terminology this coagulant may
be called as weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force). Surats,
among themselves, brought the creation into being.
These currents descended down further and brought the whole
universe/multi verse into being i.e. black holes, galaxies etc. were
born.
I would like to add further that sound energy and gravitational force
current are non polar entity and electromagnetic force is bi-polar.
Hence spiritual polarization, if occurred, is occurred in the region
of Sat Lok and region below to it only.
Infinite expanse of gravitational force field is the region of dark energy.
In Bible it is written that in the beginning was the Word; the Word
was with God; and the Word was God.
According to Radhasoami Faith “Shabd (Word) is the beginning and end
of all. The three loks (worlds) and the fourth Lok, all have been
created by Shabd.” (Sar Bachan Poetry)
Part-II
Here the true Jaman (coagulant) was given. The spirituality coagulated
as it were, and Surats (spirit entities), among themselves, brought
the creation into being. Thereafter, another Jaman (coagulant) was
given. Regions from Agam Lok (Inaccessible Region) to Sat Lok (True
Region) were created during the first creational process. That
creation is true. That region is eternal. There is no trace of evil
and suffering. This was the creation for many Yugas and ages. Then
there appeared a dark coloured current
That current appeared like a dark coloured stone set in a white one
and was absorbed in the Darshan of True Being. Then there appeared two
Kalas i.e. currents (viz. Niranjan and Jyoti) and they together
evolved the creation of five Tattwas (elements) four Khans (species,
categories of life) and three Gunas (qualities). The three Gunas
(qualities) brought about the expansion and proliferation . They
created Rishis and Munis (sages and holy men), gods and godly human
beings and demons. Egotism then increased much. Niranjan separated
himself from the rest, putting the burden of looking after the
creation on them. Nobody could know of Niranjan. Even the Vedas
referred to Him as Neti Neti (Not this, Not this). They did not get
Darshan (Vision) of Niranjan. They made conjectures. Then how can
anybody have knowledge of Sat Purush (True Being), Source of Niranjan
and all that exists.
Scientifically here Jyoti represent three Fundamental Forces of
Quantum Mechanics i.e. electromagnetic force, weak nuclear force and
strong nuclear force. NIRANJAN is the fourth Fundamental Force i.e.
Gravitation Force. Scientific explanation follows in support of my
views.
Part-III
Einstein struggled and failed to formulate this theory, but it has
already been shown that at high enough energies electromagnetism and
the weak force are the same force known as the electroweak force. It
is theorized that if energies are increased even further and neutrinos
acquire mass, which has now been fully documented, all the known
forces will reduce to the same force thus providing the basis for the
Grand Unified Theory. This high energy level existed only during the
very early expansion of the Universe known as the Planck Epoch which
existed up to 10 to the negative 43rd seconds after the Big Bang where
the four fundamental forces – electromagnetism, weak nuclear force,
strong nuclear force and gravitation – all had the same strength.
After that point the energy level decreased and gravity separated from
the other 3 fundamental forces and with condensation of elementary
particles (quarks, leptons, and gauge bosons) into matter formed the
so-called Standard Model of today’s Universe. (Source: Comments by
William H. Depperman posted at blog http://factoidz.com/scientific...
It is well known that nothing or very little is known about
gravitational force till today. It is a mysterious force.
Anirudh Kumar Satsangi, Dayalbagh, Agra
June 19th, 2011 05:24
@Rangu Bhutanee:
Science and Faith will always clash, they are just emanations of the 2 forces churning the milkocean!
but genuine selfaquired wisdom will only be amused by the outings of the hotheads from eitherside of this game, they represent nothing else then the 2 most basic forms of this incredible creative power, whatever, whoever may name, label or call it, it is nameless, it can’t be labeled, it is very difficult to put into any form, cause in it’s real nature it’s beyond from, beyond concept, beyond formula, beyond all this material plane, where it is extremely difficult, for someone caught within there, to just explain it’s mechanism with a few words and still be understood…
June 25th, 2011 14:33
That is insane…. Tomorrow they will publish a new theory about something and this man will come up with one more comparison. At least one should think logically before writing such crap. How on earth ancient people would have known the way modern people would perceive theoretical physics in future? Well… I can catch hold of a few more images and compare with some modern scientific theories. That doesn’t mean ancient people knew about it. Moreover, it should be considered that if ancients really knew about all this science, they must have written it somewhere in normal language rather than just mysteriously putting all of it in some divine perception of a God.