The
Beginning
According to Theory of
Relativity, Time and Space are relative depending on the speed of motion of
the observer. They are inextricably linked together. It is impossible to
separate one from the other. It proved useful in dealing particularly with
objects of astronomically huge dimensions. Quantum Physics, on the other hand, deals eminently with infinitesimal spaces like constituents of
an atom where principles of classical physics are not valid. It is impossible to simultaneously measure the speed and position of a particle
accurately at any given time. Quantum physics express itself only
in terms of statistical probability. Besides, ‘cause & effect’ which is the ‘corner stone’ of classical
physics cannot be applied to microscopic spaces.
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| B.M.Kamath - "Glocal Play"- water colour on paper |
The classical physicists
believed that Man is free and delinked from Nature and hence the process of
‘observation’ is entirely objective. In reality, there is no such ‘observation’
possible in micro-level. The process of observation seems somehow to alter the
results. It may sometimes show the characteristics of
a wave and, at other times, the characteristics of a particle. Strangely enough, the so-called characteristic is fully dependent
on the way in which we look at the particle. That is, the characteristic is
dependent on the ‘observer’. Both Relativity Theory and Quantum Physics confirm
this inference. The ‘observer’ is an integral part of the ‘observed’. Quantum
Physics further states that the very act of ‘observing’ itself changes the
truth about the ‘observed’.
Matter is not confined to a
form! Its just invisible vibrations of energy in the Quantum field! Well, this
is equivalent to saying that there is no fundamental difference between matter
and ‘void’. Rather, ‘void’ is so full of ‘quantum activity’ where virtual
particles are generated and degenerated. The ’Super String Theory’ tried to
connect Time, Space and Matter. According to the ‘Theory of Chaos’, matter is
capable of self-organising. In other words, Matter is not just a ‘dead entity’ without ‘life’
as the old guard from Aristotle to Newton thought of, but it is “full of
activity” and creative enough to organizing itself. In fact, sub-atomic
particles are not Matter, they can be better expressed in relationships. There
is no existence for a single sub-atomic particle. It cannot be understood such
a way. We have got to observe the interaction between them. It is the ‘Whole’
that decides. This is not Rig Veda, but Quantum Physics.
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| V.Ramesh - "Be Still" - oil on canvas (2011) |
Of course, Rig Veda has
very many mantras expressing similar content. See how it interprets the beginning….
There wasn’t any Sat (the
feeling of self), nor Asat
No air and no Akaasa
No death, No immortality
No signs of day and night
Tat Ekam….. (It was just
One)
Without any demarcation
marks, like water
Covered with silence,
Transformed into Sat due to
its own intrinsic worth
Into this Sat, the first
trace of kama (desire) crept in
Thus the first beeja
evolved from Mind.
Both Modern Physics and
Vedanta don’t envisage an external power as the creator of the Universe. There
is no such thing in static state according to both. Everything is dynamic and
subjected to change. Jagat, the synonym in Sanskrit for Brahmanda, i.e., the
consortium of planets, stars and its various life-forms, mean “always changing”
literally.
Modern Cosmology states
that the Universe has got starting and end-points. It is expanding as well.
Sir.Bernard Lowell first formulated this model which he called ”the oscillating
Universe”. According to this view, the Universe
started expanding about 1400 billion years ago and when it reaches a certain
stage, it changes into reverse gear and starts contracting! To put differently,
starting as well as end-points of the Universe are the same! Only the names are
different. The first one is called the “Big Bang Singularity” and the other is
“Big Crunch Singularity”. (British Mathematician Dr. Roger Penrose researched
in Theory of Relativity and arrived at “Big Crunch Singularity”). Time &
Space occurred with Big-Bang and the Universe started evolving in it. However, the current indications are that the universe keeps expanding at an ever increasing
rate without ending in a Big Crunch. But one can’t be sure!
At the point of “Big Bang
Singularity”, all forces were unified with the result that the forces acting on
matter (and matter itself) could not be separated from one another. Later on,
the forces split into four, namely, gravitational force, electro-magnetic force,
weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. Physicists have been so far successful in
integrating two of them, i.e. weak and strong nuclear forces. (Dr. Steven
Weinberg, Dr. Glashow and Dr. Abdusalaam). Physicists believe that the Universe
can be explained if they become successful in integrating all the four forces.
Vedanta calls it just
“Prapancha Leela”. Take a balloon. Mark two dots on it with ink. Start
inflating it. The dots evidently move apart. When the balloon is full, you open
its mouth. After some time, the balloon reaches its original size. What is
actually happening? Are the dots are moving apart or falling together? What is the
ultimate idea of inflation / deflation? How is it getting inflated / deflated ?
Let us keep our fingers
crossed for the long awaited theory of the Scientists, “The Theory of
Everything”.
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| V.Ramesh -"Myanmar Musings"-oil on canvas (66 x 64") |