Prabhupada

Although the Allies were apparently victorious, at least on paper, actually neither of them were victorious

SB 7.1.8       The Supreme Lord Is Equal to Everyone  
According to this statement of the Bhagavata-sandarbha, the Supreme Lord, being always transcendental to the material qualities, is never affected by the influence of these qualities. This same characteristic is also present in the living being, but because he is conditioned by material nature, even the pleasure potency of the Lord is manifested in the conditioned soul as troublesome. In the material world the pleasure enjoyed by the conditioned soul is followed by many painful conditions. For instance, we have seen that in the two great wars, which were conducted by the rajo-guna (passion) and tamo-guna (ignorance), both parties were actually ruined. The German people declared war against the English to ruin them, but the result was that both parties were ruined. Although the Allies were apparently victorious, at least on paper, actually neither of them were victorious. Therefore it should be concluded that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is not partial to anyone. Everyone works under the influence of various modes of material nature, and when the various modes are prominent, the demigods or demons appear victorious under the influence of these modes.

There is a declaration of war between the two parties, the illusory energy and the devotee

SB 3.10.5 P          Divisions of the Creation  

The material world is called illusory because it is a place of forgetfulness of the transcendental service of the Lord. Thus one engaged in the the Lord's devotional service in the material world may sometimes be very much disturbed by awkward circumstances. There is a declaration of war between the two parties, the illusory energy and the devotee, and sometimes the weak devotees fall victim to the onslaught of the powerful illusory energy. Lord Brahma, however, was sufficiently strong, by the causeless mercy of the Lord, and he could not be victimized by the material energy, although it gave him cause for anxiety when it managed to totter the existence of his position.

Americans are now regretting the wholesale criminality of American society and are wondering how America has become so lawless

SB 6.7.12 P Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brhaspati.
We are now actually seeing this in America. The entire American nation has tried to advance in material opulence without striving to produce ideal human beings. The result is that Americans are now regretting the wholesale criminality of American society and are wondering how America has become so lawless and unmanageable. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.31), na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum: persons who are unenlightened do not know the aim of life, which is to return home, back to Godhead. Therefore, both individually and collectively, they try to enjoy so-called material comforts, and they become addicted to wine and women. The men produced in such a society are less than fourth class. They are the unwanted population known as varna-sankara, and as stated in Bhagavad-gita, an increase of varna-sankara population creates a hellish society. This is the society in which Americans now find themselves.
   Fortunately, however, the Hare Krsna movement has come to America, and many fortunate young men are giving serious attention to this movement, which is creating ideal men of first-class character, men who completely refrain from meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling. If the American people are serious about curbing the degraded criminal life of their nation, they must take to the Krsna consciousness movement and try to create the kind of human society advised in Bhagavad-gita (catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah). They must divide their society into first-class men, second-class men, third-class men and fourth-class men. Since they are now creating only men who are less than fourth class, how can they avoid the dangers of a criminal society? Long, long ago, Lord Indra regretted his disrespect to his spiritual master, Brhaspati. Similarly, it is advised that the American people regret their mistaken advancement in civilization. They should take advice from the spiritual master, the representative of Krsna. If they do so, they will be happy, and theirs will be an ideal nation to lead the entire world.

Even if people are meeting these necessities in this age, they are always anxious about war

RV 1             Raja-Vidya: The King of Knowledge
Practically speaking, this process is not very easy in this age of Kali. In Srimad-Bhagavatam a description is given of the people of this age. Their duration of life is said to be very short, they tend to be phlegmatic and slow and to sleep a great deal, and when they're not sleeping, they are busy earning money. At the most they only have two hours a day for spiritual activities, so what is the hope for spiritual understanding? It is also stated that even if one is anxious to make spiritual progress, there are many pseudo-spiritual societies to take advantage of him. People are also characterized in this age as being unfortunate. They have a great deal of difficulty meeting the primary demands of life--eating, defending, mating, and sleeping--necessities which are met even by the animals. Even if people are meeting these necessities in this age, they are always anxious about war, either defending themselves from aggressors or having to go to war themselves. In addition to this, there are always disturbing diseases and economic problems in Kali-yuga. Therefore Lord Sri Krsna considered that in this age it is impossible for people to come to the perfectional stage of liberation by following the prescribed rules and regulations.

When there is disobedience of the established rules enacted by the Lord, there is war between men and nations

731203SB.LA                  Lectures
Prabhupada: Now read the purport also.
Pradyumna: "According to the anthropologists, there is nature's law of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest. But they do not know that behind the law of nature, there is the supreme direction of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gita it is confirmed that the law of nature is executed under the direction of the Lord. Whenever therefore there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the good will of the Lord, and whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord. Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is disobedience of the established rules enacted by the Lord, there is war between men and nations. The surest way to the path of peace is, therefore, dovetailing everything to the established rule of the Lord. The established rule is that whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we sacrifice, whatever we give in charity, must be done to the full satisfaction of the Lord. No one should do anything, eat anything, sacrifice anything, or give anything in charity against the will of the Lord. Discretion is the better part of valor, and one must learn how to discriminate between actions which may be pleasing to the Lord and those which may not be pleasing to the Lord. An action is thus judged by the Lord's pleasure or displeasure. There is no room for personal whims. We must always be guided by the pleasure of the Lord. Such action is called yoga-karmasu kausalam, or actions performed which are linked with the Supreme Lord. That is the art of doing a thing perfectly."

If you want to be fortunate, then do these three things

750716SB.SF                  Lectures
Everyone is trying to become fortunate. Now, Canakya Pandita gives three things, formula, "If you want to be fortunate, then do these three things." What is that? Murkha yatra na pujyante: "Do not give any credit to the rascal." That is first qualification. Don't be carried away by the rascal. Murkha yatra na pujyante. If you worship a rascal, then your life is spoiled. You must worship a really learned representative of God. That is very good. And dhanyam yatra susancitam: "Food grains, they are properly stocked." Not that for your foodstuff, getting your food grain or earning your livelihood, you have to go hundred miles, fifty miles. No. At home, you produce your food grain and stock it. In India still, they work for three months during this rainy season, and they get their food grains for the whole year. You can save time so nicely. So these things are required for happy home. There must be food grains. You cannot be happy without eating. That is not possible. Annad bhavanti. Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. If you have got sufficient anna, eatables, foodstuff, then you become happy.

three things you should not neglect. What is that? Fire and debts and disease.

680912SB.SF                  Lectures  
It is said in the Canakya Pandita sloka that three things you should not neglect. What is that? Fire and debts and disease. Suppose you are sitting here, and there is small fire in the corner, some cigarette butts or something like that. You should not neglect it. Never think, "Oh, it is small fire. It will extinguish automatically." No. It may take a very, I mean to say, blazing shape at any moment. So one should not neglect fire. Similarly, debts also. If somebody thinks, "Oh, I have got this hundred, thousand dollars I am indebted. All right I shall see to it." After some years it may increase to five thousand dollars. So similarly, disease also. Suppose you are thinking that "Oh, this is nothing. It will cure out of itself." No. That is the instruction. So we should not neglect.

If you feel pains and pleasure by something, you could not afflict the pains to others

730721BG.LON                 Lectures
This is education. Matrvat para-daresu. Canakya Pandita, the great politician, has given the definition of a learned scholar. Who is learned scholar? He has given the definition. What is this? Matrvat para-daresu. To see every woman except his wife as mother. This is education. This is education, perfection of education, when you can see all women except your wife as mother. This is education. Matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat. And others' property? Just like garbage in the street. Nobody is interested in the garbage. You throw. That is education. And atmavat sarva-bhutesu. And thinking all living entities as your own self. If you feel pains and pleasure by something, you could not afflict the pains to others. If your throat is cut, if your head is cut, you feel so much pain, how you can cut the head of another animal? This is education. Samah sarvesu-bhutesu. This is education, three things. This is the test of education.

                       matrvat para-daresu
                     para-dravyesu lostravat
                      atmavat sarva-bhutesu
                     yah pasyati sa panditah

Where is? Where is that pandita? There is no such thing now.
   So this problem, attachment for this material world, gradually we have to cut it. That is the Vedic civilization. If you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then at the same time, if you remain attached to this material world, so-called society, friendship and love, then it is not possible. So long you will have a pinch of attraction with this material world, there is no possibility of being transferred to the spiritual world. This is the position. Therefore by training, by education, we have to become detached. Detached, this society, friendship and love. We have to understand the falsity of this so-called society, friendship and love. It is just like... Because we are being carried away by the waves of maya. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, mayar bose, jaccho bhese, khaccho habudubu bhai. Just like we see sometimes in rainy season, so many plants and creepers and vegetables and so many other things are floating in the river, going. Similarly, we also, all floating in the waves of maya. Mayar bose, jaccho bhese, khaccho habudubu. Sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface, sometimes on the other shore, sometimes on this shore. This is going on. So long we are in this material world, we are being tossed by different currents, and sometimes I am here as the master of some kingdom, and sometimes I am dog of somebody else. This is my position. The same thing. Very good example, that we are being carried away by the waves of maya. Sometimes we are gathering together. So many straws and vegetables, they gather together. And sometimes the same vegetables and straws are thrown asunder. One is there, one is here. So here also, we assemble here as society, friendship and love exactly like that. In the waves of maya. Then nobody is your father, nobody is your mother, nobody is your sister, nobody. It is simply mayic, illusory combination. Illusory combination, temporary combination. And we are so much attached to this combination that we are refusing to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our position.
   Therefore we have to meet them in the battlefield of Kuruksetra, and if required, we have to kill them and execute the order of Krsna. This is our position. If we are thinking that "In this material existence I shall be safe, assisted by my society, friendship, love, country, and politics and sociology," "No, no, sir, it is not possible." It is not possible. You have to take care of yourself. Your so-called society, friendship, love, country, nation, and this, never will be able to help you. Because you are under the clutches of maya. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya.

                       prakrteh kriyamanani
                     gunaih karmani sarvasah
                       ahankara-vimudhatma
                       kartaham iti manyate

You are under the clutches of maya. you have no independence. Neither anyone has got any independence to save you. That is not possible. The same example as I gave sometimes, that you learn how to drive aeroplane. So you go high in the sky. But if you are in danger, no other aeroplane can help you. You are finished. Therefore you must be a very careful pilot to take care of yourself. Similarly, in this material world everyone individually has to take care of himself. How he can be saved from the clutches of maya. That is Krsna consciousness movement. A teacher can give you hints. The acarya can give you hints that "You can be saved in this way." But the execution of the duties, that is in your hand. If you perform the spiritual duties rightly, then you are saved. Otherwise, even acarya gives you instruction, if you don't follow, so how he can save you? He can save you by instruction, by his mercy, as much as possible. But you have to take it in your hands seriously.
   So this problem is... Arjuna is facing now this problem. That is general problem. Dehapatya-kalatradisu. Dehapatya. Deha means this body. Apatya means children. Kalatra means wife. Dehapatya-kalatradisv atma-sainyesv asatsv api. We are thinking that "We shall be protected by my these soldiers. I have got my sons, grandsons, my grandfather, my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, my so many society, friendship and love." Everyone is thinking like that. "My nation, my community, my philosophy, my politics. No. Nothing can save you. Dehapatya-kalatradisu asatsu api. They are all temporary. They come and go. Asatsu api. Pramatto tasya nidhanam pasyann api na pasyati. One who is too much attached to this society, friendship and love, he is pramatta. Pramatta means crazy, madman. Pasyann api na, tasya nidhanam. He does not see. Although he is seeing that "My father has died. When I was a child, my father was giving me protection. Now my father has gone away. Who is giving me protection? Is my father alive to give me protection? Who is giving me protection? My mother was giving me protection. Now who is giving me protection? I was in family, my sons, my daughters, my wife, but I left them. Now who is giving me protection?" And actually Krsna gives you protection always. Not your society, friendship and love. They will be finished. As your father is finished, as your grandfather is finished, similarly, your sons, grandsons, will be finished. None of them will be able to give you protection. Only Krsna will be giving you protection. Therefore you surrender to Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksa... "I shall give you protection." Kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: "My devotee is never vanquished." So the best thing is to take to Krsna consciousness, fully surrender unto Him, and you will be protected. Otherwise, there is no other way of being protected. We'll be carried away by the waves of maya. This is the position.
   Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

Even a child like Sarasvati, she can preach

770125rc.pur                                         Conversations

Prabhupada: He is also... He becomes recognized by the master. "Oh, he is trying for this, what I want." Naturally he becomes immediately recognized, although he has no qualification. If he tries. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa: "You become guru. No qualification required. Simply you repeat what Krsna has said." Just see how simplified. Don't talk anything nonsense. Yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'--bas. So who cannot do it? Anyone can do it, even a child. (laughs) Our Syamasundara's daughter. She was preaching, "Do you know Krsna?" They said, "No I have got no..." "The Supreme Personality." This is preaching, simply if you say that "Krsna is the Supreme Personality, supreme controller. Just be obedient to Him." Where is the difficulty? Anyone can preach. Chant Hare Krsna. Bas. Three words: Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; surrender unto Him; and chant Hare Krsna. Your life will be successful. What is the difficulty in preaching these three words? Hm? Is there any difficulty? Even a child like Sarasvati, she can preach. Then what to speak of others? Those who are educated, grown-up, advanced, they can put the matter more nicely, more convincingly, more philosophically. That is another thing. But these three words, that "Krsna is the Supreme Lord; you are servant; and chant Hare Krsna"--bas, preaching complete. Very simple thing and the sublime instruction. Everyone can become guru by simply teaching these three words. Not sophisticated, but he must also understand not blindly. Bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara, janma sarthaka kari'. He must also understand these three words perfectly. Then wherever he speaks, he'll be successful. Not that "For you I am speaking. I can do everything independently." No. I am also servant of Krsna. Realized. This is realization.

We require to understand three things only

720908BG.PIT                 Lectures
So to become Krsna conscious, we require to understand three things only:

                     bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
                      sarva-loka-mahesvaram
                      suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
                    jnatva mam santim rcchati

Every one of us is trying to be happy, satisfied. That is the struggle for existence. But if we understand these three principles, that God is the supreme father, God is the supreme proprietor, God is the supreme friend, these three things, if you understand, then you become peaceful immediately. Immediately. You are seeking friends to get help, so many. But if we simply accept God, Krsna, as my friend, supreme friend, your friendship problem is solved. Similarly, if we accept God as the supreme proprietor, then our other problem is solved. Because we are falsely claiming proprietorship of things which belong to God. By falsely claiming that "This land, this land of America, belongs to the Americans; the land of Africa belongs to the Africans." No. Every land belongs to God. We are different sons of God in different dresses. We have got right to enjoy the property of father, God, without infringing others' right. Just like in family, we live, so many brothers. So whatever father, mother gives us to eat we eat. We don't encroach upon others' plate. That is not civilized family. Similarly, if we become God conscious, Krsna conscious, then the whole problems of the world--sociolog y, religion, economic development, politics--everything will be solved. That's a fact.
   Therefore we are trying to spread this Krsna consciousness movement for total benefit of the human society. We request the intelligent persons, especially the student community, to join this movement, to try to understand scientifically what is this movement. We have got many books, at least two dozen books, big, big, voluminous. So you can read them, you can try to understand this movement, and join with us.
   Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.

This is education, three things. This is the test of education.

730721BG.LON                 Lectures
This is education. Matrvat para-daresu. Canakya Pandita, the great politician, has given the definition of a learned scholar. Who is learned scholar? He has given the definition. What is this? Matrvat para-daresu. To see every woman except his wife as mother. This is education. This is education, perfection of education, when you can see all women except your wife as mother. This is education. Matrvat para-daresu para-dravyesu lostravat. And others' property? Just like garbage in the street. Nobody is interested in the garbage. You throw. That is education. And atmavat sarva-bhutesu. And thinking all living entities as your own self. If you feel pains and pleasure by something, you could not afflict the pains to others. If your throat is cut, if your head is cut, you feel so much pain, how you can cut the head of another animal? This is education. Samah sarvesu-bhutesu. This is education, three things. This is the test of education.

Explore the Big Bang, the birth of our universe, to the birth of our sun!

Vedic Perpective

71-12-06.Moh        Prabhupada  Letter to Mohanananda  
Regarding your question on the creation, Mahavisnu is lying in the causal ocean and while He is breathing the universes are coming out like small seeds. And when they come into contact with the causal ocean they develop. Then the same Mahavisnu enters into each universe and again he lies down in the Garbha Ocean within each universe. From this Garbha ocean lying down, a lotus stem grows from His navel and Lord Brahma is born. Brahma creates all other things. Lord Siva is born from Brahma and He is reserved for dissolving everything. These things are all described in the 2nd Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
   To answer your other question, after Brahma was born He created some sons to increase the population. They were all created by Brahma and distributed. Prajapata means generator, Sambhu is Siva, Durga is the material energy.

Celestial Airplanes and Alien Moon Bases

Vedic Perspective

SB 5.17.4 P       The Descent of the River Ganges
                              TEXT 4

                               TEXT

tato 'neka-sahasra-koti-vimananika-sankula-deva-yanenavatar-antindu mandalam avarya brahma-sadane nipatati.

                             SYNONYMS

   tatah--after purifying the seven planets of the seven great sages; aneka--many; sahasra--thousands; koti--of millions; vimana-anika--with contingents of airplanes; sankula--congested; deva-yanena--by the spaceways of the demigods; avataranti--descending; indu-mandalam--the moon planet; avarya--inundated; brahma-sadane--to the abode of Lord Brahma atop Sumeru-parvata; nipatati--falls down.

                           TRANSLATION

   After purifying the seven planets near Dhruvaloka [the polestar], the Ganges water is carried through the spaceways of the demigods in billions of celestial airplanes. Then it inundates the moon [Candraloka] and finally reaches Lord Brahma's abode atop Mount Meru.

                             PURPORT

   We should always remember that the Ganges River comes from the Causal Ocean, beyond the covering of the universe. After the water of the Causal Ocean leaks through the hole created by Lord Vamanadeva, it flows down to Dhruvaloka (the polestar) and then to the seven planets beneath Dhruvaloka. Then it is carried to the moon by innumerable celestial airplanes, and then it falls to the top of Mount Meru, which is known as Sumeru-parvata. In this way, the water of the Ganges finally reaches the lower planets and the peaks of the Himalayas, and from there it flows through Hardwar and throughout the plains of India, purifying the entire land. How the Ganges water reaches the various planets from the top of the universe is explained herein. Celestial airplanes carry the water from the planets of the sages to other planets. So-called advanced scientists of the modern age are trying to go to the higher planets, but at the same time they are experiencing a power shortage on earth. If they were actually capable scientists, they could personally go by airplane to other planets, but this they are unable to do. Having now given up their moon excursions, they are attempting to go to other planets, but without success.

Universe could be football (soccerball) shaped

Finite cosmos may be smaller than we think. 9 October 2003 JOHN WHITFIELD The Universe could be shaped like a soccer ball, say mathematicians 1. The idea is prompted by data from NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite. This sees back to when the Universe was about 380,000 years old, and reveals the all-pervading radiation left over from the Big Bang - the cosmic microwave background. There are fluctuations in this background, like waves in the sea. They are the legacy of the small lumps in the early Universe that gave rise to stars and galaxies. An infinite Universe would contain waves of all sizes. The WMAP did not see any very large waves. This points to space being finite - for the same reasons that you don't see breakers in your bathtub. The best explanation for these observations is that the cosmos is a Poincaré dodecahedral space, says a team led by Jeffrey Weeks, an independent mathematician based in Canton, New York. Mathematical models of a spherical, solid Universe edged by 12 curved pentagons produce the patterns seen in the background radiation without any special fine-tuning. "It fits the data surprisingly well," says Weeks. The dodecahedron is "a nice solution", agrees cosmologist Janna Levin of the University of Cambridge, UK. But other geometries could produce similar patterns in the microwave background, she warns. "It's going to be a surprise if the Universe has chosen such a beautiful platonic form," she says. "And I'd be surprised if the Universe was so small." Most physicists assume that the Universe is infinite, explains Levin. But Einstein's theories actually say nothing about whether the Universe stops or not. Bouncing back A journey of 60 billion light years across a dodecahedral Universe would bring you right back to Earth. Like a circumnavigation of the globe, it would be a seamless ride: there would be no obvious point at which one 're-entered' the Universe. The most distant objects would be visible in opposite directions, although they would be seen at different ages. Trying to spot the same galaxy in two different places "would be like trying to recognize the same person viewed at age 50 face-on, and at the age of 7 from the top of their head, in a crowd of billions," says Weeks. There's a better chance that we might be able to recognize repetitive patterns in the microwave background. If background radiation had travelled far enough to meet itself, it would create circular patterns, like intersecting ripples on a pond. Astrophysicist Neil Cornish, of Montana State University in Bozeman, is one of a team that is looking for these circles. The researchers will present their latest results at a cosmology conference beginning on Friday in Cleveland, Ohio. So far, their search has drawn a blank. "There is a little room left for the small-Universe idea, but not much," Cornish says. Weeks remains optimistic, however. He thinks that the telltale circles might be hiding in parts of the WMAP data that have yet to be analysed.

References Luminet, J.-P. et al. Dodecahedral space topology as an explanation for weak wide-angle temperature in the cosmic microwave background. Nature, 425, 593 - 595, doi:10.1038/nature01944 (2003). |Article|

 

Vedic Perspective

Srimad Bhagavatam 2.5.33 P           The Cause of All Causes
                             TEXT 33

                               TEXT

                     tada samhatya canyonyam
                     bhagavac-chakti-coditah
                       sad-asattvam upadaya
                     cobhayam sasrjur hy adah

                             SYNONYMS

   tada--all those; samhatya--being assembled; ca--also; anyonyam--one another; bhagavat--by the Personality of Godhead; sakti--energy; coditah--being applied; sat-asattvam--primarily and secondarily; upadaya--accepting; ca--also; ubhayam--both; sasrjuh--came into existence; hi--certainly; adah--this universe.

                           TRANSLATION

   Thus when all these became assembled by force of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this universe certainly came into being by accepting both the primary and secondary causes of creation.

                             PURPORT

   In this verse it is clearly mentioned that the Supreme Personality of Godhead exerts His different energies in the creation; it is not that He Himself is transformed into material creations. He expands Himself by His different energies, as well as by His plenary portions. In a corner of the spiritual sky of brahmajyoti a spiritual cloud sometimes appears, and the covered portion is called the mahat-tattva. The Lord then, by His plenary portion as Maha-Visnu, lies down within the water of the mahat-tattva, and the water is called the Causal Ocean (Karana-jala). While Maha-Visnu sleeps within the Causal Ocean, innumerable universes are generated along with His breathing. These universes are floating, and they are scattered all over the Causal Ocean. They stay only during the breathing period of Maha-Visnu. In each and every universal globe, the same Maha-Visnu enters again as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and lies there on the serpentlike Sesa incarnation. From His navel sprouts a lotus stem, and on the lotus, Brahma, the lord of the universe, is born. Brahma creates all forms of living beings of different shapes in terms of different desires within the universe. He also creates the sun, moon and other demigods.
   Therefore the chief engineer of the material creation is the Lord Himself, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (9.10). It is He only who directs the material nature to produce all sorts of moving and nonmoving creations.
   There are two modes of material creation: the creation of the collective universes, as stated above, done by the Maha-Visnu, and the creation of the single universe. Both are done by the Lord, and thus the universal shape, as we can see, takes place.

Size Of The Universe

Vedic Perspective

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.5 P     The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami
                              TEXT 5

                               TEXT

                   atho vihayemam amum ca lokam
                   vimarsitau heyataya purastat
                  krsnanghri-sevam adhimanyamana
                  upavisat prayam amartya-nadyam

                             SYNONYMS

   atho--thus; vihaya--giving up; imam--this; amum--and the next; ca--also; lokam--planets; vimarsitau--all of them being judged; heyataya--because of inferiority; purastat--hereinbefore; krsna-anghri--the lotus feet of the Lord, Sri Krsna; sevam--transcendental loving service; adhimanyamanah--one who thinks of the greatest of all achievements; upavisat--sat down firmly; prayam--for fasting; amartya-nadyam--on the bank of the transcendental river (the Ganges or the Yamuna).

                           TRANSLATION

   Maharaja Pariksit sat down firmly on the banks of the Ganges to concentrate his mind in Krsna consciousness, rejecting all other practices of self-realization, because transcendental loving service to Krsna is the greatest achievement, superseding all other methods.

                             PURPORT

   For a devotee like Maharaja Pariksit, none of the material planets, even the topmost Brahmaloka, is as desirable as Goloka Vrndavana, the abode of Lord Sri Krsna, the primeval Lord and original Personality of Godhead. This earth is one of the innumerable material planets within the universe, and there are innumerable universes also within the compass of the mahat-tattva. The devotees are told by the Lord and His representatives, the spiritual masters or acaryas, that not one of the planets within all the innumerable universes is suitable for the residential purposes of a devotee. The devotee always desires to go back home, back to Godhead, just to become one of the associates of the Lord in the capacity of servitor, friend, parent or conjugal lover of the Lord, either in one of the innumerable Vaikuntha planets or in Goloka Vrndavana, the planet of Lord Sri Krsna. All these planets are eternally situated in the spiritual sky, the paravyoma, which is on the other side of the Causal Ocean within the mahat-tattva. Maharaja Pariksit was already aware of all this information due to his accumulated piety and birth in a high family of devotees, Vaisnavas, and thus he was not at all interested in the material planets. Modern scientists are very eager to reach the moon by material arrangements, but they cannot conceive of the highest planet of this universe. But a devotee like Maharaja Pariksit does not care a fig for the moon or, for that matter, any of the material planets. So when he was assured of his death on a fixed date, he became more determined in the transcendental loving service of Lord Krsna by complete fasting on the bank of the transcendental River Yamuna, which flows down by the capital of Hastinapura (in the Delhi state). Both the Ganges and the Yamuna are amartya (transcendental) rivers, and Yamuna is still more sanctified for the following reasons.

2012:DOOMSDAY?

Vedic Perspective

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.10.21 P    Departure of Lord Krsna for Dvaraka
                             TEXT 21

                               TEXT

                 sa vai kilayam purusah puratano
                    ya eka asid avisesa atmani
                 agre gunebhyo jagad-atmanisvare
                 nimilitatman nisi supta-saktisu

                             SYNONYMS

   sah--He (Krsna); vai--as I remember; kila--definitely; ayam--this; purusah--Personality of Godhead; puratanah--the original; yah--who; ekah--only one; asit--existed; avisesah--materially unmanifested; atmani--own self; agre--before creation; gunebhyah--of the modes of nature; jagat-atmani--unto the Supersoul; isvare--unto the Supreme Lord; nimilita--merged into; atman--the living entity; nisi supta--inactive at night; saktisu--of the energies.

                           TRANSLATION

   They said: Here He is, the original Personality of Godhead as we definitely remember Him. He alone existed before the manifested creation of the modes of nature, and in Him only, because He is the Supreme Lord, all living beings merge, as if sleeping at night, their energy suspended.

                             PURPORT

   There are two types of dissolution of the manifested cosmos. At the end of every 4,320,000,000 solar years, when Brahma, the lord of one particular universe, goes to sleep, there is one annihilation. And at the end of Lord Brahma's life, which takes place at the end of Brahma's one hundred years of age, in our calculation at the end of 8,640,000,000 x 30 x 12 x 100 solar years, there is complete annihilation of the entire universe, and in both the periods both the material energy called the mahat-tattva and the marginal energy called jiva-tattva merge in the person of the Supreme Lord. The living beings remain asleep within the body of the Lord until there is another creation of the material world, and that is the way of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material manifestation.
   The material creation is effected by the interaction of the three modes of material nature set in action by the Lord, and therefore it is said here that the Lord existed before the modes of material nature were set in motion. In the Sruti-mantra it is said that only Visnu, the Supreme Lord, existed before the creation, and there was no Brahma, Siva or other demigods. Visnu means the Maha-Visnu, who is lying on the Causal Ocean. By His breathing only all the universes are generated in seeds and gradually develop into gigantic forms with innumerable planets within each and every universe. The seeds of universes develop into gigantic forms in the way seeds of a banyan tree develop into numberless banyan trees.
   This Maha-Visnu is the plenary portion of the Lord Sri Krsna, who is mentioned in the Brahma-samhita as follows:
   "Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, whose plenary portion is the Maha-Visnu. All the Brahmas, the heads of the universes, live only for the period of His exhaling, after the universes are generated from the pores of His transcendental body." (Brahma-samhita 5.58)
   Thus Govinda, or Lord Krsna, is the cause of Maha-Visnu also. The ladies talking about this Vedic truth must have heard it from authoritative sources. An authoritative source is the only means of knowing about transcendental subject matter definitely. There is no alternative.
   The merging of the living beings into the body of Maha-Visnu takes place automatically at the end of Brahma's one hundred years. But that does not mean that the individual living being loses his identity. The identity is there, and as soon as there is another creation by the supreme will of the Lord, all the sleeping, inactive living beings are again let loose to begin their activities in the continuation of past different spheres of life. It is called suptotthita naya, or awakening from sleep and again engaging in one's respective continuous duty. When a man is asleep at night, he forgets himself, what he is, what his duty is and everything of his waking state. But as soon as he awakens from slumber, he remembers all that he has to do and thus engages himself again in his prescribed activities. The living beings also remain merged in the body of Maha-Visnu during the period of annihilation, but as soon as there is another creation they arise to take up their unfinished work. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (8.18-20).
   The Lord existed before the creative energy was set in action. The Lord is not a product of the material energy. His body is completely spiritual, and there is no difference between His body and Himself. Before creation the Lord remained in His abode, which is absolute and one.

Evolution of the Universe: Structure and Galaxy Formation : A Vedic Perspective

Vedic Perspective

SB 1.3.2 P    Krsna Is the Source of All Incarnations
                              TEXT 2

                               TEXT

                      yasyambhasi sayanasya
                      yoga-nidram vitanvatah
                      nabhi-hradambujad asid
                     brahma visva-srjam patih

                             SYNONYMS

   yasya--whose; ambhasi--in the water; sayanasya--lying down; yoga-nidram--sleeping in meditation; vitanvatah--ministering; nabhi--navel; hrada--out of the lake; ambujat--from the lotus; asit--was manifested; brahma--the grandfather of the living beings; visva--the universe; srjam--the engineers; patih--master.

                           TRANSLATION

   A part of the purusa lies down within the water of the universe, from the navel lake of His body sprouts a lotus stem, and from the lotus flower atop this stem, Brahma, the master of all engineers in the universe, becomes manifest.

                             PURPORT

   The first purusa is the Karanodakasayi Visnu. From His skin holes innumerable universes have sprung up. In each and every universe, the purusa enters as the Garbhodakasayi Visnu. He is lying within the half of the universe which is full with the water of His body. And from the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu has sprung the stem of the lotus flower, the birthplace of Brahma, who is the father of all living beings and the master of all the demigod engineers engaged in the perfect design and working of the universal order. Within the stem of the lotus there are fourteen divisions of planetary systems, and the earthly planets are situated in the middle. Upwards there are other, better planetary systems, and the topmost system is called Brahmaloka or Satyaloka. Downwards from the earthly planetary system there are seven lower planetary systems inhabited by the asuras and similar other materialistic living beings.
   From Garbhodakasayi Visnu there is expansion of the Ksirodakasayi Visnu, who is the collective Paramatma of all living beings. He is called Hari, and from Him all incarnations within the universe are expanded.
   Therefore, the conclusion is that the purusa-avatara is manifested in three features -- first the Karanodakasayi who creates aggregate material ingredients in the mahat-tattva, second the Garbhodakasayi who enters in each and every universe, and third the Ksirodakasayi Visnu who is the Paramatma of every material object, organic or inorganic. One who knows these plenary features of the Personality of Godhead knows Godhead properly, and thus the knower becomes freed from the material conditions of birth, death, old age and disease, as it is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, In this sloka the subject matter of Maha-Visnu is summarized. The Maha-Visnu lies down in some part of the spiritual sky by His own free will. Thus He lies on the ocean of karana, from where He glances over His material nature, and the mahat-tattva is at once created. Thus electrified by the power of the Lord, the material nature at once creates innumerable universes, just as in due course a tree decorates itself with innumerable grown fruits. The seed of the tree is sown by the cultivator, and the tree or creeper in due course becomes manifested with so many fruits. Nothing can take place without a cause. The Karana Ocean is therefore called the Causal Ocean. Karana means "causal." We should not foolishly accept the atheistic theory of creation. The description of the atheists is given in the Bhagavad-gita. The atheist does not believe in the creator, but he cannot give a good theory to explain the creation. Material nature has no power to create without the power of the purusa, just as a prakrti, or woman, cannot produce a child without the connection of a purusa, or man. The purusa impregnates, and the prakrti delivers. We should not expect milk from the fleshy bags on the neck of a goat, although they look like breastly nipples. Similarly, we should not expect any creative power from the material ingredients; we must believe in the power of the purusa, who impregnates prakrti, or nature. Because the Lord wished to lie down in meditation, the material energy created innumerable universes at once, in each of them the Lord lay down, and thus all the planets and the different paraphernalia were created at once by the will of the Lord. The Lord has unlimited potencies, and thus He can act as He likes by perfect planning, although personally He has nothing to do. No one is greater than or equal to Him. That is the verdict of the Vedas.

What is String Theory?

String Theory, sometimes called the Theory of Everything, is thought by some to be the unifying field theory Einstein sought before his death. String theory is the first mathematically sound theory that reconciles the world of the infinitesimally small, with the world we know at large. It unites Einstein’s Theory of Relativity with quantum physics and offers a potential explanation for the Big Bang.
Prior to string theory, subatomic particles were envisioned as tiny balls or points of energy. String theory works on the premise that the tiniest subatomic bits that make up the elements of atoms actually behave like vibrating strings. The strings of string theory are so small that physicist Brian Greene has analogized that if a single atom were enlarged to occupy the footprint of our solar system, a string would still be no larger than a tree.
Because these tiny vibrating strings are responsible for the properties of all matter, the cosmos has been likened to a cosmic symphony of superstrings. While poetically appealing, the strength of string theory is that it accounts for all four known forces in one elegant theory. These fundamental forces are gravity; the strong and weak nuclear forces; and electromagnetism.
One of the surprising elements of string theory is that it requires extra dimensions to be free of mathematical anomalies. Scientists added an extra six dimensions, initially, for a total of ten. The six dimensions were predicted to be contained in tiny curled up formations at every point within our three-dimensional space.
But there was a problem: string theorists came up with several theories that all seemed to be correct. Ultimately scientists found that adding an eleventh dimension mathematically explained all of the seemingly different string theories as different aspects of the same theory. The one theory to rule them all is known as M-theory.
The eleventh dimension of string theory predicts a new kind of string, stretched infinitely long to create what is termed a floating membrane, or brane. According to string theory, infinite branes exist that each supports a separate but parallel universe. In this wildly exotic neighborhood the “problematic” force of gravity was also explained.
While the Standard Model of physics had already united three of the known forces, gravity remained elusive. Part of the problem was that gravity was such a weak force relative to the others. String theory mathematically predicts that gravity is weak because it is only leaking here from a parallel universe. How is this possible?
String theorists explain that strings can be open or closed. Open-ended strings have one endpoint attached to the brane on which they reside, keeping matter contained within that brane. Our bodies are believed to be made from open-ended strings. This explains why we can’t reach into or interact with other dimensions. Close-ended strings, however, are like tiny rings, unattached to their brane, able to “leak” away from it; which brings us to gravity.
Gravity is thought to be transferred via massless, hypothetical particles called gravitons. If gravitons were made from close-ended strings, scientists theorized, gravity might be leaking off our brane. It sounded good but it didn’t work mathematically. However, the opposite hypothetical did work. Gravity appears, according to string theory, to be leaking to our brane from a parallel universe. Fantastically, this notion is mathematically sound.
Finally, string theory offers a possible explanation for the Big Bang. It had long bothered scientists that although they could plot the stages of the Big Bang backwards to the singularity, the initial cause for the event was without explanation. Now string theorists believe that two branes colliding could have caused the Big Bang event.
String theory’s biggest challenge is that much of it is not provable. Scientists can’t test other dimensions, study migrating gravitons, or peek between the curtains of floating branes to witness a Big Bang event. For this reason string theory has many detractors and critics. Some scientists believe that without the ability to prove the theory, it is not true science at all. Nevertheless, proponents of string theory seem confident that proof of various sorts will come with technological progress and time. As many string theorists have quipped, "Something this elegant can’t be wrong!"

Vedic Perspective

Prabhupada Letter to Hamsaduta  
Regarding your question: you are right when you write to say that everything about us, tables, chairs, bricks etc. is originally emanating from sound vibration. This is also admitted in the Christian Bible wherein it is said that God said, Let there be creation. And there was creation. So, "said" means it was sound vibration; but this sound vibration is not material sound vibration because before creation of material sky and sound, transcendental sound was there. So actually the transcendental sound is the cause of creation, but material sound is not transcendental sound. We have to receive transcendental sound through the transcendental channel, therefore, Vedas are called Sruti. That means transcendental sound can be received through the ear. And by hearing this transcendental sound through the ear our heart becomes spiritually purified, and we can realize at that stage the transcendental Name, transcendental Qualities, transcendental Form, transcendental Pastimes etc. That is the way of descending process.
   Because everything manifested is creation of the original transcendental Sound, therefore, factually everything is spiritual. But being covered by material cloud, we do not appreciate properly the spiritual nature of everything. The Krishna Consciousness Movement means gradually advancing towards that stage of spiritual realization. As such, the philosophy of acintya bhedabheda tattva is perfect. Everything is simultaneously one and different from the Supreme. One in quality because the original source is the Spiritual Whole, and different in quantity. This quantitative difference becomes more and more separate by increase of material consciousness.

sounds of the planets

Vedic Perspective

720901SB.NV                  Lectures
Prabhupada: So simply by vibration the atmosphere will be cleansed and purified. Just like when there is thundering sound in the sky, it does not require to understand by any particular language. That very vibration And the origin of creation is sound. The grosser elements are visible, but the creation takes place from finer elements. The sound is the symptom of the sky. By sound we can understand that there is sky, ether. Then, by sound vibration, there is circulation of air. And you have got practical experience. When there is very loud sound vibration, sometimes there is very strong wind also. So by sound vibration, the wind is started, and by strong wind electricity is produced. From electricity, water is produced, perspiration. And from water, earth is produced.
   So sound is the original element of creation. In Sanskrit language it is called sabda-brahma. Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is first appeared Absolute Truth becomes knowable by sound. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, the Lord says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh, sabdah khe. Sabda means sound. If we want to see God, so let us hear first of all the sound vibration, because that is the beginning. In the Bible also it is said, "The Lord said, 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." So "Let there be creation," this is sound, transcendental sound. So one who says this word, "Let there be creation," He is not within the creation. Because He, God, is speaking, "Let there be creation" means He is existing before creation.

Puzzles and paradoxes: University of Chicago lecture series unravels string theory

by Sarah K. Norris
April 09, 2009

String theory — the idea that all matter in the universe is composed of tiny, vibrating strings — may seem completely beyond the comprehension of all but the most advanced physicists.

But Nelia Mann, a post doctoral student at the University of Chicago, will bring her complicated area of study to the public through the Arthur H. Compton Lecture series, beginning on Friday.

“I think people like to try to wrap their brains around puzzles and paradoxes and confusing things," Mann, a McCormick fellow and researcher at the university, said. “It pleases the brain.”

She will deliver the first in a series of nine lectures on the topic of particle physics  at 11 a.m. Saturday. The lectures are given in conjunction with the Enrico Fermi Institute and have been ongoing since 1976, when they were conceived by former director John Simpson.

“The main idea of the lectures is to provide a glimpse of what we do here in the Institute for a more general audience,” Simon Swordy, the institute’s current director, said. “You have somebody giving a view of what the essence of the activity or the field is and there’s always lots of questions for the speakers.”

The lectures, which will be given at the Kersten Physics Teaching Center, 5720 S. Ellis Ave., help the institute fulfill a responsibility to the public, according to Swordy. “We sit here getting money from the government to think about very esoteric things,” he said.  “I mean, the least we can do is explain to people what it is we think we’re finding out.”

What Mann is finding out — or hoping to find out — is what she calls “ a question of the ultimate fundamental reality.”

Trying to understand this reality is what draws non-scientists to the subject of string theory, in addition to its inherent strangeness, Mann said.

“Some of it is weird and people are attracted to things that are weird and sound crazy,” she said. “You know there’s the Star Trek effect — where space is warping.”

Mann’s first three lectures will begin with the basics of 20th century physics, discussing the theories of physicist Albert Einstein and the basics of quantum mechanics — the behavior of tiny, subatomic particles like electrons.

“The middle three lectures are going to be creating the standard model, sort of the core of successful 20th century physics,” Mann said. In the last lecture of this set and the sixth lecture overall, Mann will discuss spontaneous symmetry breaking in particle physics, the area of study that won Fermi Professor Emeritus Yochiro Nambu, Nobel Prize in Physics last year.

The final three lectures in the series will explore the more speculative areas of particle physics, including Mann’s own work with string theory, a theory which tries to explain the smallest particle which composes all matter.

“Most particle physics through the 20th century assumed that the most fundamental objects were points — like an electron was a point in space, a zero dimensional object,” Mann said.

String theory counters this zero dimensional idea by assuming that the fundamental objects of matter are actually one dimensional — more like little strings than points in space.

“It’s a another way of getting at patterns,” Mann said.

As complicated as Mann’s area of study seems, Swordy says part of the point of the Compton Lectures is to push the boundaries of science understanding, both for the lecturer and the audience.

“Science is about trying to understand things but almost as important is trying to find out where you stop understanding things,” he said.

The ultimate goal of the lectures is to bring together the research frontiers of the Fermi Institute with the interests of the curious public.

“I think they get a very good explanation from the front line of what is going on in scientific research,” Swordy said.  “Much better than you  get from watching TV or reading scientific magazines.”

Vedic Perspective

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.26.32 Purport by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami 

Fundamental Principles of Material Nature  

It appears from this verse that all the objects of our sense gratification are the products of egoism in ignorance. It is understood from this verse that by agitation of the element of egoism in ignorance, the first thing produced was sound, which is the subtle form of ether. It is stated also in the Vedanta-sutra that sound is the origin of all objects of material possession and that by sound one can also dissolve this material existence. Anavrttih sabdat means "liberation by sound." The entire material manifestation began from sound, and sound can also end material entanglement, if it has a particular potency. The particular sound capable of doing this is the transcendental vibration Hare Krsna. Our entanglement in material affairs has begun from material sound. Now we must purify that sound in spiritual understanding. There is sound in the spiritual world also. If we approach that sound, then our spiritual life begins, and the other requirements for spiritual advancement can be supplied. We have to understand very clearly that sound is the beginning of the creation of all material objects for our sense gratification. Similarly, if sound is purified, our spiritual necessities also are produced from sound.
   Here it is said that from sound the ether became manifested and that the air became manifested from ether. How the ethereal sky comes from sound, how the air comes from sky and how fire comes from air will be explained later on. Sound is the cause of the sky, and sky is the cause of srotram, the ear. The ear is the first sense for receiving knowledge. One must give aural reception to any knowledge one wants to receive, either material or spiritual. Therefore srotram is very important. The Vedic knowledge is called sruti; knowledge has to be received by hearing. By hearing only can we have access to either material or spiritual enjoyment.
   In the material world, we manufacture many things for our material comfort simply by hearing. They are already there, but just by hearing, one can transform them. If we want to build a very high skyscraper, this does not mean that we have to create it. The materials for the skyscraper--wood, metal, earth, etc.--are already there, but we make our intimate relationship with those already created material elements by hearing how to utilize them. Modern economic advancement for creation is also a product of hearing, and similarly one can create a favorable field of spiritual activities by hearing from the right source. Arjuna was a gross materialist in the bodily conception of life and was suffering from the bodily concept very acutely. But simply by hearing, Arjuna became a spiritualized, Krsna conscious person. Hearing is very important, and that hearing is produced from the sky. By hearing only can we make proper use of that which already exists. The principle of hearing to properly utilize preconceived materials is applicable to spiritual paraphernalia as well. We must hear from the proper spiritual source.