Monday, October 17, 2011

Can religion have a scientific explaination? (Part - 1)

I have always wondered if there was a scientific explanation for all the religious creations (gods, tradition, customs, etc.). This is my first blog on this area on which I have been thinking for a long time.

I know about Hinduism better than rest of the religions. Hence most of my questions and explanations have come in the same area. I believe that Hinduism has cryptic messages and symbolism in the way gods are described and their mythical stories

Disclaimer - Before reading the contents below, understand that this is only my interpretation and feel free to disagree with me (I would be happy to have healthy debates).


Trimurti - The Holy trinity of Hinduism

Trimurtis, the holy trinity, are the three deities who are considered to be the most important gods of Hinduism. Following is my interpretation of the Trimurtis.



Brahma
 Brahma - The creator


According to Hinduism, the Universe was conceptualized and created by Brahma.
My interpretation is that he is the abstracted form of every creator, designer, the prime-movers of the earth (as put by Ayn Rand), and thinkers. To create something, one needs to think, needs a wealth of knowledge. The knowledge drives creation. It is so apt that his wife is Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. My interpretation of Hinduism makes me say that Hinduism believes that women always were the drive force and male were the acting force. Evolution is the best example for the same. Two factors which were primarily responsible were to survive and to impress the female species. The female species drove male species to evolve, but the male species changed, over a period of time, evolved. Even if Brahma is a much respected god, it is hard to find temples for Brahma (I know of just one dedicated temple for Brahma - at Pushkar, Rajasthan). Lord Brahma is conceptualized with four heads (powerful thinker), white beard (wisdom), seated on a lotus and travel on a swan (Hamsa). The swan is symbolized to be living on nectar from the blooming lotus of knowledge. I relate Lord Brahma to the people of mind, who create, invent, innovate, etc., who do not enjoy the status of a businessman or a warrior, however, is regarded with a great respect.


Vishnu with his wife Lakshmi 
Vishnu - The Preserver


Vishnu is looked upon as the god of sustenance, the one who took many forms (avatars) to save the world when needed. I see the power of Vishnu in every person who help people in trouble, save people, people who run business (needed for business to survive), in good leaders. To sustain or to preserve, one needs good leadership skills. Also, wealth is a driving force for survival. Wealth here is not just money, but also spiritual wealth, health, courage, luck, etc. It is apt that Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of Wealth (8 forms of Lakshmi for different forms of wealth), is his wife. Since, Vishnu is the Preserver; there is a huge amount of people who worship Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is conceptualized to wear beautiful attire, sleep on a lake of milk, on top of a 5 headed snake(Aadi-seshan). I read a blog of a friend of mine which linked the 10 avatars (dasavatar) to evolution of humans. Found the idea to be very interesting.



 
Shiv with his wife Shakti
Shiv - The Destroyer


Everything that is created needs to live and then eventually come to an end once its purpose of existence ceases to exist. It is like letting a program to loop even when what is supposed to achieve in the loop is done, or, saving your clothes even after you grow out of them, or, keeping the remains of what was food after everything is juiced out of it by our body. Everything created, needs to be destroyed eventually, gracefully, timely and ONLY when its purpose ceases to exist. This is the job of Lord Shiv. I see Shiv in anyone who does the above function. To destroy, one needs power. Hence, Shakti, the goddess of power is his wife. Lord Shiv is conceptualized to wear attire made of dead animal skin, cover body with ashes which are obtained by cremation of the dead, covered by snakes all over the body and use a bull (Nandi) as his vehicle. Since human fear death the most, Shiv is one of the most worshipped god in Hinduism.

(end of Part - 1)

23 comments:

  1. Wonderful post! I firmly believe religious beliefs, as well as customs and traditions, all have a reason behind them. There might be a scientific explanation (fasting in Eastern Orthodox Christianity- consisting of a vegan diet - before Christmas
    serves to cleanse the body and let it cope with the Christmas festivities) or a social explantation - religion provides a society with a value system and a feeling of unity, and it can provide a ruler with legitimacy (think of the Egyptian pharaos). But does religion have a role to play in modern society, other than as cultural heritage?

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  2. Thank you very much for your wonderful thought Zori!! Well said Zori, it is not just Christianity which has a lenting (fasting) period, Islam has a fasting month of Ramzan, Hindus have a fasting month of Shrardh in some parts. Lenting period is for the purpose of cleansing the body. Religion has originated in specific places and all of its customs hold true to that area. However, the basic rules of every religion is to make us better humans and not cause harm to one another. A true Hindu or a true Christian or a true Jew or a ture Sikh or a true Muslim will never cause harm to one another. So, certains aspects of every religion holds great value even today. Tradition gives us a wonderful foundation based on the conditions yesterday, it is up to us to evaluate them and use them wisely today. With change in lifestyle and habitat, ones own religion needs evaluation and adaptation. I would try and write my next blog on this area.

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  3. Hello God, first of all I am very impressed with the blog's layout. I am very happy with your idea of Vishnu and Lakshmi. Brahma looks a tad low researched in your thoughts as compared to Shiva and Brahma. But well here is where I want to add two more points... Shiva ears skulls as a garland...the skulls belong to each of the Brahmas who hold the post in the Kaal Chakra. This indicates that knowledge has to be reused and libraries are part of the divine creation. ( Who said only IT companies have a goal for reusability). When the Shiva passes on, one belief is that his skull becomes an addition to the garland of Kali, the eternal darkness... indicating that when srushti, stithi and laya are complete, they become part of the darkness that absorbs the light. Hope I made some additions.

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  4. I meant Shiva and Vishnu not Shiva and Brahma, also Shiva wears...not ears :)

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  5. @Sharma-ji,
    Thank you for your additional information. I am hearing this interpretation for the first time. I have not presented my research here, but rather a very simple observation and my interpretation of the same. The mythical tales vary from region to region based on their interpretation. My attempt is to present just my interpretation. I am always curious for more tales. Please add any other stories you know to the comments as well.
    - Chandramouli

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  6. Well this interpretation is available in Kalipuranam if I recollect well. Also lord Shiva is known to smear ash or vibuthi or smasana bhasma on his body... bhavateeti teethi ithi vibhooti... that which cannot be further destroyed and that in which all destruction results in and that which is the only permanent blessing from Shiva is what he puts on his body... meaning only in acceptance of nothingness and only in loving application of nothingness can absoluteness be achieved. And the science part is that even ash is the final form of carbon, meaning that all things living or non-living find the carbon form in the end.

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  7. Nice interpretation , i agree and well written

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  8. Thanks for sharing your wonderful thoughts Sharma-ji

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  9. But Sharma-ji,
    Doesn't burning just oxidise the material? It requires Carbon, or hydrocarbon to burn. Our body is a source of carbon and it gets oxidised while burning. So, the end result cannot be carbon. The carbon gets used in the burning creating Carbon di-oxide and/or Carbon mono-oxide. So ash is pretty much something which cannot be fuel for fire and hence the remain. The organic part burns and soot remains. Can this be carbon?

    Having said that, you have been brilliant with explaining the symbolism of the ash smeared on Shiv's body.

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  10. God, if I remember well and if my chemistry is right, ash is also a form of carbon...coke if I remember well.. let me verify and correct myself

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  11. http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=83381
    Found this link may be of use!!!

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  12. @Sharma-ji,
    I know for sure that coke is very different from Ash. Coke is formed when organic elements are subjected to high pressure and temp, just like fossil fuels, coal and diamonds. Ash mainly contains dry Calcium phosphates and salts of sodium and potassium.

    Please check this reliable link on Wiki for info:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cremation

    Thanks once again for presenting your points.

    - Chandramouli

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  13. God, I have changed my explanation on ash (acknowledging your facts...:) )
    Well this interpretation is available in Kalipuranam if I recollect well. Also lord Shiva is known to smear ash or vibuthi or smasana bhasma on his body... bhavateeti teethi ithi vibhooti... that which cannot be further destroyed and that in which all destruction results in and that which is the only permanent blessing from Shiva is what he puts on his body... meaning only in acceptance of nothingness and only in loving application of nothingness can absoluteness be achieved.

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  14. Actually i employ the concept in my everyday life, by which I can be with stable mind always. Like if we realize there is a end to everything, we wont repent similarly we should always be open to new things and thoughts.
    and coming to your blog, you could have related the concept of these three with real life examples, would have reached better :)

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  15. @Sai : Thank you very much for the feedback. I thought that I had given good examples. However, as you have pointed out, I realised I could have done better. Thank you very much for your suggestion.

    - Chandramouli

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