Cosmos- Revelations of Ancient Indian Rishis (As Found in Indian Scriptures)

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About the Author Shantha N. Nair, MA, Ph.D, retired as Reader and Head, Department of Economics, SPW College, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh and settled in Tirupathi. A woman of many languages, she knows Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil. English & Hindi. She completed her Ph.D in 1985 on "A Study in Urbanization of Tirupathi" (A Socio-economic Study) from SV University, Tirupathi. She did M.A. in Economics in 1961 from SV University College, Tirupathi. She completed a course on Creative Intelligence from Maharishi College of Natural Law, Tirupathi from 1984-85. She also went through a Computer Awareness Programme conducted by SV University (sponsored by UGC.), Tirupathi in 1997.

She has risen through many designations to become the Chair Person, Board of Studies in Economics of SV University from March, 1996 to November, 1998. She started with being a Lecturer in Economics from 1965 to 1993, and then becoming the Head of Department of Economics from 1975 onwards at the SPW College, Tirupathi. From 1993 onwards, she was became a Reader as well.

She also has experience teaching English at St. Mary's College, Trichur, Kerala between 1961-63 and at SPW College, Tirupathi from 1963-65.

During different periods between 1979 and 1987, she gained experience being Deputy Warden, Warden-in-Charge, besides tutoring English.

She also did work as a Course Writer for the SV University Correspondence Course for B.A. Economics. She has acted as Chief Superintendent for the SV University Degree Examinations, A.P. Intermediate Board Examinations. A.P. Service Commission Examinations and others at SPW College.

She also has experience as Subject Coordinator for the Refresher Course for Degree College Lectures in Economics, conducted by A.P. State Council of Higher Education and University Grants Commission at SPW College.

Preface This book deals with the Science of the Cosmos or Universe as perceived by the ancient seers of India. A study of the Universe is so vast that it includes almost all aspects under the Sun that are both material as well as spiritual. This book mainly deals with certain aspects of the Cosmos namely, the evolution and dissolution of the universe, its astronomy, and the geography of the earth and so on as revealed by the ancient Rishis or seers of India that are found in their ancient Indian scriptures. Although there are innumerable Indian scriptures that reveal the ancient wisdom of the Rishis about the Cosmos only a few most ancient scriptures are included in this book -namely the four Vedas (the Samhitas of the four Vedas) and their Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharatha that are the Ithihasas or Epics, and the eighteen major Puranas.

There are seven chapters in this book. The first chapter introduces the readers to the contents of this book. The second chapter gives a glimpse of the four Vedas namely the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas and their Upanishads that are considered as 'Sruthi' that means what is heard or revealed and more importantly what they reveal about the Universe. The Vedic view of the Universe is dealt here by taking into account the hymns of the Sambitas that form the main text of the Vedas. As the Vedic hymns are very subtle and hence very difficult to interpret only a few hymns that could be understood are given here. The third chapter similarly deals with Ithihasas or Epics that are termed as "Smrithi', that means the recollections of the mystic experiences of the ancient Vedic Rishis. This chapter gives the views about the Universe as found in the Adi Kavya namely Ramayana and the biggest Epic of the world namely Mahabharata. The fourth chapter describes the views on Universe as presented in the Smrithis, the Maha Puranas. The Ithihasas and Puranas interpret the knowledge contained in the Vedas through stories highlighting devotion or Bhakthi towards Saguna Brahman that is, the Absolute with form that is suitable to those who cannot understand the lofty abstract truths that are contained in the hymns of the Vedas and Upanishads. So the knowledge about Universe also that is there in the Vedas is found both in the Ithihasas as well as in the Puranas in simple language. It is to be noted here that almost all Puranas explain the process of creation, the Yugas, the nature of Yugas, the measurement of time and about the geography of Earth and so on. However the repetitions found in the Puranas are avoided as far as possible. The fifth chapter is about the contribution of Bhagavatha Purana in understanding the Universe and its creation. This chapter is an extension of the previous chapter that deals with Puranas because Srimad Bhagavatham is also one among the major Puranas. As this Purana gives a very detailed description about everything that is related to the Universe, particularly about Astronomy, it is dealt with in a separate chapter. The sixth chapter gives a very brief outline (Since this book is about the ancient Indian views on Universe and not about the scientific discoveries of the Universe) of what science has to say about Cosmology that is about the origin, evolution and future of the Universe and its structure and Astronomy. The final chapter is all about the greatness of the ancient Indian wisdom, mainly regarding the Universe, that the people of India had inherited since time immemorial and that has made India the stronghold of spiritual wisdom. This chapter includes some astronomical knowledge contained in the writings that emerged after the Vedas, Ithihasas and Puranas that are based upon the knowledge contained in the Vedas.

Introduction Since time immemorial man has been seeking answers for the questions who, when, how and why the Cosmos or the Universe and the animate and inanimate Beings were created? What does this Universe contain? What is its future? And so on. Mythology, religion and spirituality and science have tried to answer these questions. But even today, in spite of the tremendous technological advancement many of these questions about the Universe are yet to find a complete and final perfect answer. While the findings of the ancient seers or saints and mythology are final, because they are being already pronounced in the past and it is certain that no new additions or changes or modifications can take place in this, the scientific discoveries cannot be taken as the final one since they are disproved or modified after a certain period of time as they are still advancing. It is also a fact that for the question why the Universe was ever created, there is no answer yet, as it has remained a mystery for mankind till today and in all possibility it will remain so eternally. Carl Sagan in his book on cosmos said, the size and age of cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding, Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity is our tiny planetary home. The ancient prehistoric Rishis of India went further in stating, in all their humility (Rig Veda, the first document of the earth, (Book 10- CXXIX), "who really knows? Who will proclaim it? Whence was it created? The Gods came after wards, with the creation of this Universe, Who then knows whence it has arisen? -Perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not, the one who looks down on it in the highest Heaven .only He knows, or perhaps even He does not know". In Book 8 of Rig Veda it is stated, "Fain would not we learn to know thee (the creative principle or the creator) well, nor yet can we attain to thee". In Srimad Bhagavatham it is said (canto 2, chapter 4), that the transcendental activities of creation, sustenance and annihilation of the Universe by the Supreme Soul are all wonderful and they appear inconceivable because even great endeavours by many learned scholars have still proved insufficient for understanding them. Again in the same Canto, in chapter- 6 it is said, that even Brahma, the creator, in spite of being an expert in mystic powers is unable to understand Him, the Lord who is the very source of Brahma's birth. Even Brahma, the creator can only wonder about the illusory external energy of the Supreme Lord as all beings can see only His manifold cosmos according to one's own ability. He the Supreme cannot be known fully. Again in Canto-5 Chapter-16, in the same Purana it is said that this material universe is a transformation of the material qualities, yet no one can probably explain it perfectly even in a lifetime.

The ancient Indian religion, the Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism to which all Indians once belonged to, like the other religions of the world and Science has tried to explain, if not accurately, or for certain, how and when the universe got originated and evolved, about its Astronomy, Astrology, Geography and so on. The ancient Indian view is synonymous with ancient Hindu discoveries because the ancestors of all Indians were Hindus once. Only later the other religions came up in India in which the founders were either once Hindus themselves originally as in the case of Jainism, Buddhism or Sikhism for example or where the other religions that were found at a much later period as compared to Hinduism, like Christianity and Islam entered in to India from elsewhere making the present India a secular one. India, the ancient land of the Hindus absorbed all other religions that were either born in India later or that came from other places and that got merged with the Indian blood in course of time due to several factors. The nation as well as the people had no hesitation in that act because such was the universal vision of the Hindus. Even today it is not rare to find the pictures of Jesus or Allah or of any other Gods of any other religion or the scriptures of other religions in Hindu homes. The ancient seers of India had taught us, to respect and absorb all that are sacred and that resulted in good to humanity. As Sri Aurobindo has stated" From the time of Rig Veda till today, India has been the home of different religions and the Indian genius adopted a policy of live and let live towards them". Perhaps this is because, as Sri Aurobindo had remarked, "that which we call the Hindu religion is really the eternal religion because it embraces all others". This again is because the Indians knew that there are many paths towards God, the divine, Energy, and all of them are equally valid. This conviction led to infinite tolerance of the Indians even from the distant past and made them broadminded and royal at heart.

**Contents and Sample Pages**