Written by Santhanam Nagarajan

Post  No.1802; Dated 16^th April 2015

Uploaded at London Time: 7–54 am

Baffling Questions and Beautiful Answers in Spirituality Part II

Here is a new Question – Answer series for the benefit of all.

From time to time we have baffling questions.  But there is nobody to answer them.

But here is an effort to compile the answers from the great scholars, sages and saints of India. This is in continuation of the earlier article.

03) Are there various forms of Matter?

Maharishi Aurobindo answers:

There are various forms of Matter.  What we know is the grossest form but there are other subtler ranges of Matter, and each form has its own properties.  There are seven earths mentioned in Indian mythology; also according to the Veda, there are three earths.  Kartavirya, the king, is reported to have conquered fourteen earths!

Source: Reminiscences and Anecdotes of Sri Aurobindo, compiled by M.P.Pandit

Page 103

Photo taken by Santhanam Srinivasan in Chicago

04) What is the true meaning of the statement that the Vedas are beginning less and eternal? 

Does it refer to the Vedic utterances or the statements contained in the Vedas?  If it refers to the truth involved in such statements, are not the sciences, such as Logic, Geometry, Chemistry, etc equally beginning less and eternal, for they contain an everlasting truth?

This question is reported in The Hindu, Madras, February, 1897 under the Heading, ‘An hour with the Swami Vivekananda at Madura.’

Swami Vivekananda answers:

There was a time when the Vedas themselves were considered eternal in the sense in which the divine truths contained therein were changeless and permanent, and were only revealed to man.  At a subsequent time, it appears that the utterance of the Vedic hymns with the knowledge of its meaning was important, and it was held that the hymns themselves must have had a divine origin.  At a still later period the meaning of the hymns showed that many of them could not be divine origin, because they inculcated upon mankind performance of various unholy acts, such as torturing animals, and we can also many ridiculous stories in the Vedas.  The correct meaning of the statement ‘The Vedas are beginning less and eternal’ is that the law or truth revealed by them to man is permanent and changeless.  Logic, Geometry, Chemistry, etc., reveal also a law or truth which is permanent and changeless, and in that sense they are also beginning less and eternal.  But no truth or law is absent from the Vedas, and I ask any one of you to point out to me any truth which is not treated of in them.

Source: The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume V Page 135

Summary

03) Are there various forms of Matter? Amharic Aurobindo answers.  04) What is the true meaning of the statement that the Vedas are beginning less and eternal?  Swami Vivekananda answers.