The following article on “Age of Brahma & The age of the Universe” is a continuation from the previous article: “Age of Brahma & The age of the Universe | The first whisper of Consciousness – 103“. Prioritize reading the previous article before proceeding to this one. Let’s try to separate the contents presented in a table from the previous article into individual parts.
- 104.1 What Is Cosmology?
- 104.2 Origins, Structure, and Final Fate of the Universe
- 104.3 Indian Cosmology: A Timeless Vision of Eternal Recurrence
- 104.4 Greek Cosmological Beginnings: Logic Meets the Stars
- 104.5 Islamic Golden Age and the Preservation of Cosmic Knowledge
- 104.6 Key Concepts in Modern Scientific Cosmology
- 104.7 Cosmic Mysteries Still Awaiting Answers
104.1 What Is Cosmology?
Cosmology is the intellectual pursuit of understanding the totality of the universe — from its birth and evolution to its future possibilities. Whether we approach it through physics, philosophy, or mythology, cosmology attempts to explain the grandest questions of existence. This unit introduces students to cosmic theories ranging from ancient Vedic thought to contemporary astrophysics. Our journey reveals how modern cosmology evolved from deeply spiritual traditions and speculative metaphysics into a rigorous scientific field.
104.2 Origins, Structure, and Final Fate of the Universe
The term “cosmology” blends the Greek words kosmos (world or universe) and logos (study or discourse). Although the word entered philosophical use in the 18th century, the quest to decipher the universe’s mysteries dates back to humanity’s earliest days.
Contemporary physical cosmology uses astronomical observations and mathematical models to explain large-scale structures like galaxies, quasars, and cosmic radiation. A pivotal moment in this scientific narrative is the Big Bang, estimated to have occurred 13.8 billion years ago — an event that set the cosmic clock ticking.
In contrast, philosophical cosmology interprets the universe through reflection, metaphysics, and spiritual insight. Thinkers from Marcus Aurelius to medieval Indian sages viewed the cosmos as a reflection of human purpose and divine orchestration. This branch of cosmology grapples with questions that often transcend empirical proof, such as the ultimate reason for existence.
Religious cosmologies often integrate cosmogony (theory of creation) and eschatology (theory of end times), viewing the universe as a sacred narrative where humans occupy a meaningful role.
104.3 Indian Cosmology: A Timeless Vision of Eternal Recurrence
In Indian thought, science and spirituality are not at odds but interwoven paths toward ultimate truth. Vedic and Hindu cosmology conceptualize the universe as eternally cyclical — a rhythmic dance of creation, preservation, and dissolution.
At the core lies Maya (illusion), emphasizing that our perceptible reality is transient and deceptive. Liberation (Moksha) is attained by transcending time and space, returning to the timeless, formless Absolute.
The Hindu cosmic calendar is astoundingly precise and vast in scale. Each universal cycle (Kalpa) spans 4.32 billion human years — a single “day” in the life of Brahma, the creator deity. These cycles contain 14 ruling Manus, and each Manu governs a set of Chaturyugas (four ages):
- Satya Yuga – 1,728,000 years
- Treta Yuga – 1,296,000 years
- Dwapara Yuga – 864,000 years
- Kali Yuga – 432,000 years
We are currently in the Kali Yuga, believed to have begun in 3102 BCE after Lord Krishna’s departure. This is considered the age of decline, yet it also offers spiritual awakening through devotion and inner wisdom.
Ancient Vedic hymns like the Nasadiya Sukta describe the origins of existence through poetic mysticism. The cosmos, according to these hymns, emerged from the Hiranyagarbha (golden womb or cosmic egg), evolving under the creative impulse of Brahman, the supreme consciousness. The cycle is perpetuated by the Trimurti — Brahma (creation), Vishnu (preservation), and Shiva (destruction).
The Puranas reinforce this by stating that countless universes are born, perish, and are reborn in an infinite loop called Pralaya (dissolution). According to the Padma Purana, the universe hosts 8.4 million species, demonstrating the vastness and diversity of cosmic life.
Unlike the linear historical perception of time in the West, Hindu cosmology imagines time as a vast ocean — cyclical, infinite, and sacred.
104.4 Greek Cosmological Beginnings: Logic Meets the Stars
Greek philosophers pioneered the idea of a rational cosmos — a universe governed by discoverable laws rather than divine whim. Plato posited that celestial bodies moved in perfect circles, reflecting eternal truths. Aristotle expanded on this by envisioning a finite, geocentric universe composed of concentric spheres.
Aristotle believed that matter sought its “natural place,” with earth at the center of the universe. The heavens, composed of a perfect “fifth element” or aether, were immutable. These ideas influenced Western thought for nearly 2,000 years.
Claudius Ptolemy, in the 2nd century CE, synthesized Greek astronomical knowledge in his treatise Almagest. His geocentric model, while mathematically robust, would later be challenged by the heliocentric view. Yet, his emphasis on uniform circular motion and divine perfection in the cosmos remained influential across centuries.
104.5 Islamic Golden Age and the Preservation of Cosmic Knowledge
When classical Europe entered the Dark Ages, Islamic civilization became the torchbearer of astronomy and cosmology. Thinkers like Nasir al-Din al-Tusi advanced Ptolemaic models with sophisticated geometrical tools, such as the Tusi Couple, which anticipated later European breakthroughs.
Islamic scholars translated and preserved Greek cosmological texts, refined astronomical tools like the astrolabe, and integrated Indian numerals and zero into scientific computation. These innovations made possible the works of Copernicus and Newton in later centuries.
From Baghdad’s House of Wisdom to Maragha’s observatory, Islamic cosmology was both sacred and scientific, aiming to determine prayer times, direction to Mecca (qibla), and celestial motion with accuracy and reverence.
104.6 Key Concepts in Modern Scientific Cosmology
Modern cosmology blossomed in the 20th century through discoveries like:
- The Expanding Universe – Edwin Hubble observed galaxies moving away from each other, implying that the universe is expanding. This led to the Big Bang Theory, the dominant scientific model explaining the universe’s origin.
- Cosmic Microwave Background – In 1965, Penzias and Wilson detected faint cosmic radiation — the afterglow of the Big Bang — which confirmed the theory and disproved the older Steady State Theory.
- Space-Time and General Relativity – Einstein’s general relativity revolutionized our understanding of gravity as the curvature of space-time caused by mass and energy. This concept allows models of the universe’s shape: flat, open (saddle-like), or closed (spherical).
- Inflation Theory – The early universe likely underwent a rapid, exponential expansion called cosmic inflation, explaining its uniformity and flat geometry.
- Dark Matter and Dark Energy – Only 4% of the universe is visible matter. The rest is composed of dark matter (invisible mass affecting galaxy motion) and dark energy (a mysterious force accelerating the universe’s expansion). These components define today’s “Lambda-CDM model” — the standard model of cosmology.
104.7 Cosmic Mysteries Still Awaiting Answers
Despite profound discoveries, many questions remain unanswered:
- What sparked the Big Bang or the cosmic inflation?
- Is the universe finite or infinite in size?
- Does it wrap around itself in a closed topology?
- Why does matter dominate over antimatter?What exactly are dark matter and dark energy?
- Could the universe end in a Big Rip, Big Crunch, or through eternal expansion?
- Do other universes exist in a multiverse?
Solving these mysteries may require a breakthrough in quantum gravity — a unified theory reconciling general relativity and quantum mechanics.
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