Ancient sages freely moved from Earth to far-off planets like Brahma loka, which had different time speeds than Earth, writes Dr Asha Goswami
This study relates to the well-known theory of Astrophysics regarding space travel, ‘that among twins, one brother who stays on earth grows older and the other who is on space travel remains of the same age’ [vide Hawking, A Brief History of Time]. This is not a new notion, in fact the same phenomena of Astrophysics were even known to our ancient sages, the Puranakaras long back in the Puranic age, about 5,000 years ago. They were not only aware of space journeys, but also of the existence of other planets besides the earth which they knew as Pitriloka, Devaloka, Indraloka, Brahmaloka, so on and so forth. Not only this but, they also freely moved from earth to other far-off planets like Brahma loka which had different time speeds than Earth. They were also equipped with knowledge such as that gravity can bend time in space.
As, clue to their awareness of such a theory of the Astrophysics be derived from a chronicle as described in the Bhagavatapurana IX 3.29-36 and the Vishnupurana IV 1.20-39, which refers to a similar state of affairs during the Treta Yuga. The chronicle recounts that in the Treta Yuga, the oldest son of Revata, who was named as Kakudmi undertook space travel to reach another Planet Brahmaloka to take advice from Brahma, the sole ruler and king of that Planet with regard to the suitable match for his daughter Revati who was also accompanying him. After arriving there they had to wait for a ‘moment’ as King Brahma was busy with other guests and couldn’t attend to them immediately. Once the guests were gone, Brahma apprised Kakudmi with the above cited phenomena of Astrophysics ‘that a moment spent in his loka was equal to twenty-seven Tetra-Yugas or approximately about 216 years on earth; and a moment of wait thus spent by them at the Brahmalokawas also equal to twenty-seven Tetra Yugas on earth. Hence, from the time the king and the daughter had left the Earth, round about 216 years had passed in between. With the result at that time those suitable grooms for his daughter which he then had in his mind had also died; and the only option of suitable match for his daughter at that time could be the best of Yadus, who was Krishna’s brother Baladeva. Hence, he should go to earth and marry his daughter to Baldeva only. King Kakudmi then returned to Earth and discovered to his surprise that his whole clan had lost. In such a situation he got his daughter married to Baladeva who was of different clan than him and also much shorter in stature than his daughter Revati, whom they were also able to make of the same short stature with some medical device available to them those days.
This Puranic chronicle furnishes significant hints as regards the knowledge in the field of Astrophysics which was available to the ancient Indians those days; a) In space, there exist some Planets with different solar system and time speed worth living for the human beings like the Brahma loka which is governed by different solar system and is presided over by Brahma, its sole sovereign, and is 26 light years away from earth. b) A moment spent on such Planet like the Brahmaloka is equal to about 216 years on earth. c) Time passes with different speeds on the different Planets. d) life gets extended with space Travelling. Thus, on the basis of this the above cited revelations of the Puranic chronicle, there is no exaggeration ascertaining that our ancient sages were well conversant with these phenomena’s of Astrophysics.
Since, the hints to ancient Indians’ knowledge of Astrophysics and related issues are also derived from the Upanishadic statements with regard to the five stages of vital spirit known Prana which are latent in man without which he cannot survive. They are known as Prana,Apana, Samana, Vyana and Udana. While discussing about the five-fold functions of these five vital forces or ‘panchapraanas’, the Prashnopanishad specifically mentions ‘that the gravitation or gurutvaakarshana of the earth serves as in-support of man’s apana, the downward breathing’. Which implies that the Vital Air known as Apana when made active by the connection with gravitation of Earth, directs the ageing process of a being. On the contrary, the same vital spirit when loses contact with the gravitation of Earth, stops the deterioration of a person and helps elongation of his life. This makes apparently clear that according to the Upanishadic statement, the fivefold vital force Prana, which is the very life-aayuh of a person within its two parts as Prana and Apana, representing the upward breathing and downward breathing together exhilarate the life of a person by partaking and consuming the food. Since among them, the Prana represents the spirit that intakes the food, and the Apana is capable of forcing down food and also the life of the person. While, the Samana is responsible for prompting the digestive system; the Vyana helps the blood circulation; and the Udana prompts the thinking faculty of the person.
Thus, the Upanishadic sages make it clear that the attractive force of Earth called as ‘gravitation’ along with these five vital air forces or the Pranas latent in all the beings on earth bring about their ageing process and their ultimate deterioration. On the contrary, during space journeys when the human body loses contact with Earth’s gravitation, his vital force stops its function of deterioration of the human body. As a result, the life of that person gets extended, or remains stable. The same fact is sufficiently evidenced from the chronicle of the Puranas showing that the king Kakudmi and his daughter retaining their same age which they had long back 216 years ago. This also proves the notion of astrophysics correct ‘that life could be extended with the device of space travelling’. Finally, it may be maintained in all fairness ‘that the ancient Indians’ knowledge of other Planets in space besides the earth with different time speeds, and of the notion that life gets extended during space journeys which they used to call ‘Vibhu-gamanam’ proves prelude to the modern-day discoveries made by the Astro-physicists; and also that our ancient sages amply gave vent to their scientific trends while presenting their revelations of the ultimate, the eternal element as Praana Brahma whom they felt always present within themselves as the vital force’.
The writer is a noted Indologist and authority on Krishnaite Studies
