The Conundrum.

Often Asked Questions. 

-----------------©------------------

Does Time not Exist?

Is the Universe Infinite?

From Where the Life came (on Earth)?

And the similar questions that the scientists, the Physicists and the Mathematicians often ask but don't bemuse or excite me anymore.

I can only see and say that all questions and questioning presupposes some idea.

And one who is very intelligent can sure see that the idea takes place in the brain.

But one thing could be pointed out with no doubt.

Idea is based on information. 

Information too is again an idea or a set of many interdependent ideas.

Even if you are devoid of all idea, and have no idea whatsoever, still you exist and you also know well this fact that you exist. 

The moment an idea happens to you, you at once define and limit yourself in terms of the information given to you. Only then you try and tend to define and explain the physical objects in terms of ideas only. 

You can never define yourself like a physical object, still you exist and also know without any effort on your part, that you exist.

This very existence and the knowing it is the foundation and substratum of the Whole.

A part of This Whole is known to and by you, during the state of the mind that we call the waking state. Another part of The Whole is known to and by you, during the state of the mind that we call the dream-state. And still another part of the Whole is known to and by you is that, which we call the deep dream-less sleep, when again we well know that we exist and we know also that we exist. This is the experience of all and everyone and no one is an exception. No one can deny this simple truth.

Various and varied ideas come up during the waking-state only and then we try to find out a pattern in them.

We ostensibly forget to see that what we call "Time" is not a scalar, nor a vector and not  even a quantity. Yet in our imagination and enthusiasm we end to define and quantify this thing "Time", we even try to "measure" it and then wonder if "Time" exists on not! 

We then ask to ourselves if "Time" exists or doesn't exist? We have derived This elusive thing / idea, that we call "Time", that keeps the intellect busy. But First of all, we need to understand what we mean by "duration". Could the "duration" be defined without the idea of "Time"?

Does Physics exist?

Does Science exist? 

Does Mathematics exist? 

Could we ask such questions about them? 

Physics, Science or Mathematics is but a set of principles that help us to some extent and the question whether they exist or don't exist simply doesn't apply to them.

Still we can transcend intellect and attain the intelligence or the wisdom that is altogether,  quite a different approach to understand the "Time", Life, Universe etc.

The three states of mind, namely the waking, the dream, and the dream-less state of mind during deep sleep should be explored into.

Because Whatever we really 'are' is the only  underlying principle / truth that could never be denied nor refuted but understood well, if we have a vision beyond intellect.

This Reality could never be described nor could be communicated through words. But with due attention and keen interest we can sure discover this truth within our own very heart.

This is not a kind of poetic description / form of expression, it is rather a sincere approach to Reality. 

From intellect we go on into further and furthermore into this quagmire only.

Ishavasya Upanishad exhorts us about this in plain words :

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते।।

ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ विद्यायां रताः।। ९।।

अन्यदाहुरविद्ययान्यदाहुरविद्यया ।।

इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे ।।१०।।

विद्यां चाविद्यां च यस्तद् वेदोभयं सह।। 

अविद्यया मृत्युं तीर्त्वा विद्ययामृतमश्नुते।।११।।

अन्धं तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽसम्भूतिमुपासते।।

ततो भूय इव ते तमो य उ सम्भूत्यां रताः।।१२।।

अन्यदेवाहुः सम्भवादन्यदाहुरसम्भवात्।। 

इति शुश्रुम धीराणां ये नस्तद्विचचक्षिरे।।१३।।

सम्भूतिं च विनाशं च यस्तद्वेदोभयं सह।।

विनाशेन  मृत्युं तीर्त्वा सम्भूत्यामृतमश्नुते।।१४।।

The next stanza however points out to the very predicament that we all intellectuals are caught into :

हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम्।।

तत्त्वं पूषनपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टैव।।१५।।

Truly, our eyes are blinded by the glare of the this day "Science". Though we can turn our attention inwards and discover the very being and find out the Reality residing there Timelessly, we would hardly think of that.

In the next stanza the Rishi (the author of this hymn / text) addresses / calls upon the Sun Who is the manifestation of the Reality, Life, Truth and declares :

योऽसावसौ पुरुषः सोऽहमस्मि।।

The One Principle,

That / Who You Are, 

I Am That, Indeed, 

Verily the same.

***