Scientists cannot even explain what death is and why nucleic acids stop functioning or why the enzymic proteins stop working, leading to loss of energy generation and the resultant breakdown of cells’ structural proteins at the time of death.
Spirituality is the science of ‘purposeful life’, and the dimension of spirituality extends beyond this Universe to a realm beyond the manifest cosmos (Universe of universes). Though material or physical science could help understand the dimension of spirituality within this Universe, an understanding of the dimension of spirituality beyond the cosmos would need a bent of mind of spiritual science. No doubt, physics has moved from the world of molecules to atoms to sub-atomic and still subtler particles. It has also understood the many fundamental forces, all of which only help explain how matter gets formed.
Well, well, what are we now hearing? “The universe itself is conscious”? This view is all about a new scientific concept taking shape and is called “panpsychism”. The idea of panpsychism is the perception that the universe itself has some degree of consciousness. Is traditional material science going to take a somersault?
Material scientists allude stubbornly to the false idea of ‘primacy of matter’. So, they remain confounded and baffled by Consciousness. Questions such as ‘why we have it? & how we have it?’ have remained unanswered.
Our birth distorts our vision and, leads us on an errand path away from the ultimate supreme principle. `Sometime after we get conceived and when we are born, we have started our journey as a soul with our consciousness ensheathed within the causal, subtle and gross bodies.
Spirituality is the science of ‘purposeful life’, and the dimension of spirituality extends beyond this Universe to a realm beyond the manifest cosmos (Universe of universes). Though material or physical science could be of some aid in understanding the dimension of spirituality within this Universe, an understanding of the dimension of spirituality beyond the cosmos would need a bent of mind of spiritual science.
“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind” – Albert Einstein
Are Science and Spirituality mutually exclusive?
Navratri means nine nights. The number 9 has great significance as it is considered a divine number as it is accurate, complete, magical and mystical. It represents the manifestation of infinite cosmos from null or void. Number 9 is an imperishable and indomitable number representing the Cosmic spirit.
During the festival of nine nights (Navratri), devotional worship of goddesses (devis) is the tradition. Mythical mythologies (purans) depict such worship; however, these scriptures are of recent times (since about 5000 years) and are of worldly or of human origin.
There is a flood story myth in every world culture across time. We had reviewed the history of flood myth amongst the various world cultures in the first part of this series. The question is, are the myth stores about the flood real or merely myth only? Many of the tales are merely popular belief but false stories. What about the flood stories? Are the narrations of a flood mere myths or there was a flood?
Many cultures and religions have their own narration of an almost identical mythical flood. The episode of the flood is a highly recycled story over a while by different cultures/religions. Though the event is a common one cited by all, there are nevertheless, some differences in terms of narration, cause, and personnel involved.
Do all paths lead to the Ultimate Principle? Are all different religions or faiths/sects different paths to the same goal (God)? Did God make different religions as many consider? I don’t think that God has made any religion let alone motivated anyone to create a religion.
Every year people wait to celebrate Dipawali with a festive spirit by lighting lamps or decorating homes with colourful festoons of electric bulbs and by bursting crackers and with colourful fireworks. The celebration has been reduced to a mere festivity for colourful lightings, exchange of sweets and bursting crackers. Every year children wait for the fun time and elders make it an occasion for eating sweets and wearing new clothes.
Having understood that the spirits of dead people (so called ancestors) cannot return as, after discarding the present body, the soul gets cut off from all previous relations and starts off new relations entering into another body, the question is ‘how and why did the ritual of ancestral oblations (Shraadh) come into vogue.
As mentioned in the previous part, Sharaadh is essentially service of parents, elders, teachers and guests done with full devotion during their life time. This was the order of the day and was practiced probably in the olden times. In the modern times with increasing scientific and technological advancements and materialistic pursuits people have become more selfish, less considerate and self-centered.