Chapter-1 - continued

About 15 years back I saw a Science documentary film on ‘space’ produced by NASA (National Aeronautical and Space Association of USA).  The film started with the visuals of the Space shuttle taking off and various visuals of the space.  But it was the starting commentary part which was very interesting and it was as follows:

“Where did we the man-kind come from? Where are we? and Where is our end?”

And subsequently it goes on to explain, that the philosophy of NASA spending billions of dollars is to find a satisfactory answer to these 3 questions.  Well it is true that these three, are indeed billion dollar questions. 

When I heard these 3 questions, I was reminded of the phrases from the Vedas, which I had been reciting since my young days.

यतो वा इमानि भूतनि जायन्ते । एन जातानि जीवन्ति । यत् प्रयत्यभिषंविषन्ति । तद् विजिज्ञासस्व ।  तद् ब्रह्मेति ।

yatO va imaani bhUtani jaayante. yEna jaatani jIvanti. yat prayantyabhisamvishanti. tad vijijgnaasasva. tad brahmEti.

Meaning of the verse:

“Seek to know, that from which all beings (entire Universe) here are born; having been born, by which they remain sustained; and into which, on departing, they enter.  That is Brahman.”

(Brahman here means the Supreme Godhead) (this Brahman is not to be mistaken for the four headed  demi-god Brahmadeva)

I was really surprised to see that these are the same 3 questions for which NASA and Scientific organisations the world over, are spending billions of dollars, to find an answer.

Come let us find out how much of answer do we know of these three questions. Join me in the journey from our earth to the edge of the whole universe.