VALLALAR’S VISION OF NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND NERVOUS SYSTEM

[barney]

VALLALAR’S

VISION OF

NUCLEAR PHYSICS

AND

NERVOUS SYSTEM

T.R. THULASIRAM

GENERAL EDITOR

DR. N. MAHALINGAM

FOREWORD

The insights of our saints and seers are unerring products of a direct vision boon of the concentrated powers of the soul. They are not inferred conclusions from logical premises. The latter are mediate, deductive and utmost probable. Direct

intuitions do not function through links of arguments and premises but are a leap into the very nucleus of truth and reality. This is what is signified by what the Gita calls the Divine Eye (divya-caksus).

Saint Ramalinga Vallalar is a standing monumental proof of the possibility of these intimations of not only a spiritual science, but also the secrets of the physical universe. As he himself declares, he is the descendent of the continuous line of seers and sages (±Ï™˜ª¥ À̽).

The Upanishads declare that the Supreme Reality is the smallest of the small and the greatest of the great (anoraniyan mahatomahiyan). They also reveal to us how the space within the heart (daharakasa) is the same as universal akasa only to thrust home the truth that one reality is comprehensively present everywhere.

The Sankhya and the Vaisesika systems have given a profound analysis of the cosmology reducing the plurality of the elements of reality and experience to more and more inclusive generic forms. The Vedantas of Sankara and of Ramanuja have incorporated all the elements of existence in one primordial cause namely Brahman.

Thus, in Indian thought, we have the idea of creation of the world from the atomic elements (Vaisesika) or the evolution of the world out of one homogeneous matter (Prakrti) mechanically (according to later Sankhya) or by the bidding

of God (Advaita and Visistadvaita) either really (Visistadvaita, Saiva Siddhanta) at illusorily (Advaita).

To Saint Ramalingam, as for the Upanishadic tradition or Siddhanta tradition, the world is spiritual through and through. Every physical element owes its being and function to an ultimate intelligence; and the soul and its ingredients too

are no less the function of a principle set in motion by a superior spiritual power.

In this thesis entitled "Vallalar's Vision of Nuclear Physics and Nervous System'', Sri T. R. Thulasiram has expounded Vallalar in a lucid and with much depth of understanding. The pre-occupation with the spiritual in our land sometimes makes us forget the physical forces, which should be understood for a healthy life here on earth. It is time that the balance is restored.

Sri Thulasiram has drawn many a concept from Sri Aurobindo in presenting his essay. A psycho - physical analysis of our being as to arrive a complete and correct concept of man attempted in the essay with an effective look into Kundalini Yoga has fulfilled a long felt need in this area.

"Know thyself" is the dictum of all spiritual masters from time immemorial. Sri Thulasiram has to be congratulated on his brave attempt. The world of earnest scholars in religion and philosophy do certainly feel a debt of gratitude to Dr. Sri

N. Mahalingam out of whose initiative and active imagination, books such as this one are finding their light of the day.

P. K. Sundaram

Retd. Prof. of Philosophy.

University of Madras.

April1987

 

The Five Elements

In dealing with bhuta tatva, the physical matter, which is first tatva under the chapter "Tatva Lokas" (dealing with 103 tatvas) Swami Ramalingam mentions its first three main aspects among a total of 34 as rupa, swarupa and swabhava, but contrary to the usage of the terms rupa and swarupa to mean the form (i.e. outer form) and essential form (i.e. the inner form) of a thing or principle, the Swami uses them to mean the essential form or the inner form by the term rupa, and form or outer form by the word swarupa. Possibly the Swami considers the outer physicality of matter as the first basis of approach or the starting point from the evolutionary side of nature. He uses the two terms in the said significances also in regard to other tatvas or principles, particularly in the said book on Tatva Lokas. Each tatva similarly refers to its respective 34 aspects.

We give below the text and the rendering in regard to the physical matter in general. See the full text of the Bhuta tatva at the end of this chapter.

"Sukshma antara sneha anutva savikalpa sadhya

vicitra bhuta rupa shakti; sthula bahya sneha

anutva savikalpa sadhya sadhya vicitra bhuta swarupa

shakti; Sukshma sthula bahya antara kriya sneha

anutva savikalpha karma sadhya sadhaka vicitra

bhuta swabhava shakti."

1. "The varied essential form (rupa) of the physical matter (i.e. the five elements in general) is a force of essential

form which is constituted by the subtle and inner atoms (or atomic particles) which are attracted into a binding

(friendly) relationship in the objective phenomenal creation of nature. The varied form (swarupa) of the physical

matter is a force of form which is constituted by the gross and outer atoms (or atomic particles) which are

attracted into binding (friendly) relationship in the objective phenomenal creation of nature. The varied essential

nature (swabhava) of the physical matter is a force of action in the created and creative phenomenal nature in

order to perform works of a subtle and inner kind as well as of a gross and outer kind by the atoms of matter (or

atomic particles) which are mutually attracted into binding relationship."

Now the essential form (rupa,) form (swarupa) and essential nature (swabhava) of each of the five elements are elaborated. Each aspect is spoken of as substance-energy or force of the element of matter.

2. "The rupa of Prithvi (the earthly gross solid matter) is by its heaviness and hardness and it is a force; the rupa of

liquid (of water) is by its liquidity and coolness and it is a force; the rupa of fire is by its heat and lightness of weight

and it is a force. The rupa of gas (vayu) is by its extra lightness and motion, and it is a force; the rupa of ether

(akasa) is by its extremely super-ultra lightness and by its permanence as the causal substance (nirantara

adhikarana parama atyati laghutva akasa rupa sakti) and it is a force. (i.e. ether of space is the permanent causal

substance or substratum for all physical substances)."

3. "The swarupa of the gross earthly solid matter is quadrangular and it is a force; the swarupa of liquid is bi-angular

and it is a force; the swarupa of fire (or heat) is triangular and it is a force; the swarupa of gas (or gaseous state of

vayu) is hexa-angular i.e having six angles and it is a force; the swarupa of ether (akasa) is circular or global and it

is a force kundalakara akasa swarupa sakti, i.e the outer form of ether or etherial space is its curvature)."

4. "The essential nature (swabhava) of the gross earthly solid matter is the force of heaviness of the atoms mutually

attracted into a binding relationship (gurutva sneha anutva) so as to effectuate a fixation (of place in space) by an

extraordinarily subtle form of work. (Gurutva sneha anutva sadhana asadharana suksma sthapana karmatva prithvi

swabhava sakthi). The essential nature of liquid is the force of fluidity of the atoms mutually attracted into a binding

relationship so as to effectuate the action or work of a spreading motion. The essential nature of fire or heat is the

force of heat of the atoms mutually attracted into a binding relationship so as to effectuate the action or work of an

upward spreading motion (ushna sneha anutva atilaghutva sadhana oordhva prasarana karmatva Teju swabhava

sakti). The essential nature of gas or gaseous state is the force of the upholding quality (i. e. containing by pressure)

of the atoms of super-ultra lightness mutually attracted into a binding relationship so as to effectuate the action or

work of a continuously expanding or prevading motion (alamba snehanutva atyati laghutva sadhana vyapaka

Upanu prasarana Karmatva vayu swabhava sakthi). The essential nature of ether (akasa, the etherial substance of

space) is the force of formlessness (i. e. form dissolving quality) of the atoms (or atomic particles) of extremely

super-ultra lightness mutually attracted into a binding relationship so as to effectuate a subtle causal action or work

of an infinite all-prevasiveness (of motion) - nirakara sneha anutva parama atyaty laghutva sukhsma sadhana

anusyuta karana karmatva akasa swabhava sakti."

Now we may give some explanations on the above, in the context of the discoveries of nuclear science. In regard to the outer forms of the five elements (swarupa), we have their bi-angular, triangular, quadrangular, hexa angular and lastly circular or spherical shapes or forms. They seem to correspond with the various shapes considered to be taken up by the distribution of electron density i.e. the three dimensional distribution of mass and charge of the electron (wave particle) within an atom, say, for example, the hydrogen atom which is the simplest. Thus there will be a spherical shape with one node, a square or cube with four nodes, a hexagon with six nodes and so on. "The electron cloud distribution" thus assumes different shapes within the space of atom according to its various energylevels of orbits consistent with the nature of the elements. The electron in its orbital movement around the nucleus of an atom acts as a charge oscillating from one end of its orbit to the other, and this creates electro magnetic radiation which it emits off in the form of visible light. Its mass and charge are spread out symmetrically throughout the space immediately surrounding the nucleus.

Now in the case of the outer form of ether of etherial space, which appears to us as a dome-like curvature of sky, it may possibly be due to the extremely subtlised form of orbital electron at the accelerated velocity close to or equal to that of light, that is to say, at the ultra high or maximum energy level when it gets transformed into the massless neutrino of the outer electron family. It annihilates in that process its known mass by releasing energy as photons of invisible light, But in contrast to the outer form of ether as a curvature of etherial space, the inner and essential nature of ether (swabhava) is spoken of as formless substance or a form dissolving form of substance supporting all motions and energies of action. Possibly the inner nature of ether is represented by the neutrino of the very nucleus (i.e. another variety as formed from out of a nuclear electron or directly as formed out of neutron) in the inner part of atom. Or it is identifiable with graviton, the gravitational field within atom and outside it.

Thus in regard to ether which is verily the substance of space, the Swami observes that it has an outer form (swarupa) which is global, i. e. with a curvature of space, and an inner form (rupa) which is the causal and permanent substratum for all the material substances, and an inner nature of force (swabhava) to dissolve form so as to make its substances all - pervasive and formless and thereby support all motions and actions in it at all energy levels.

Formlessness here implies the. massless substance of an all-pervasive and all-permeating nature such as neutrino or graviton, though it is yet a substance having energy levels, in principle, all the energy levels from zero to the maximum. It is in a critical state of etherial space, that accelerated particles and anti-particles, for example electrons and positrons, at the high velocity of light collide and annihilate themselves as to mass and change into massless formless substances as neutrinos and anti-neutrinos. Of course, particles of matter having mass may take their birth in another state of etherial space possibly corresponding to the outer form of ether, the swarupa state, The critical state of ether, in which spontaneous or instant annihilation of mass of matter takes place, may correspond to its swabhava state.

In Joti Agaval poem, the Swami mentions three states or kinds of etherial physical space namely a causal seed-state, a formless state and a manifest state (—×äÇò Ï€Ò, Ï€Ò, ØÍ€Ò) which possibly correspond to swabhava, rupa and swarupa states of akasa described herein. Again, the etherial spaces are said to be many (ananta akasa bheda) according to the 'Book of Upadesba' and similarly manifold gaseous states arise. Therefore, it is implied that there should be many etherial substances forming their spaces in the physical universe. We have treated the neutrinos and gravitons as etherial substances and again according to modern discoveries of science, there are, broadly speaking, two kinds of neutrinos, the neutrinos of the electron family and those of the muon family. Possibly gravitons also may have their different grades according to the variations of gravitational force even within a given system of stellar (sun) and planetary bodies, material objects and elements, and atoms and nuclei. But Joti Agaval poem also points out that the space is one (i.e. The universal space) in which all, each and everything are manifested - the manifestations of material nature of atoms and particles, plantlife, animal life and the consciounsess of a mental human life (…ÇÍÆÖ, Ø´±ÆÖ, ´±ÆÖ) physical space, life space and mental space and spiritual space and implied in that one universal space and each space has its characteristic substance and energy. Thus, behind or within the many varieties of etherial space, there is an unifying or harmonising unitary space, which is the crowning summit (—×äÇò æ€Ò). The physical etherial space also serves in its own field as a summit for the material things and forces of matter because it happens to be the immanent core or seed - state of all matter (—×äÇò Ï€Ò).

The one universal space in its highest purity is Paramakasa, the supreme space or sky of the supreme Ether (i.e. the Supramental space formed by the pure spiritual substance inherent with its own being the Siva, and with pure force the shakti) - not the physical ether of the physical space which is only a derivative from the supreme Ether, through the intermediary skies or spaces of (1) overmind (with its substance of Pranava anu, an overmental sound-producing substance), (2) Mind and (3) Life (with their corresponding substances). The Physical ether of Physical space forms the more material atomic substances and elements of our physical world. The physical ether of the physical space is called bhuta karana anu or vinn anu or vibhu anu (vide : "Upadesha,' and the poem Tiruvadi Perumai, dealt with in the forthcoming chapters and pages).

Joti Agaval poem also points out that the physical etherial space (€Ò د °‘׳ —×äÇò ØÆò €Ò) which we see around and above us is filled with a characteristic sound (i. e. an etherial sound) – ( —×äÇïÖ ŠÓ €é ØÆò €Ò - þó‘± ×Ö 497). The physical space is a form of the substance of Siva, the supreme being (د €Ò ×´±ò ØÆò €Ò - þó‘± ×Ö 357). It is the last one among the four broad kinds of spaces, (Joti Agaval line 340 - د€Ò د«‘Ë °‘׳ دò €ÒÆ‘î د«‘Ë). The four spaces are the inmost, the inner (i.e. the middle), the inner - outer (i.e. as compared with the next, the outer this is larger or wider) and the outer, corresponding to (1) supramental (2) overmental (3) subliminal and (4) physical (دò …è د«‘Ë, دò µ¨Ø¯«‘Ë, دò …ìد«‘Ë - þó‘± ×Ö 338 - 340)

The inner-outer space which is the subliminal containing the mental and vital life spaces is much larger or wider than the physical space and hence called uru vinn. The physical space which is relatively the outer when considered among the said four broad kinds of spaces, has in itself an exterior form and interior formless physicality of space as we have seen in the foregoing pages.

Now the full text of the Bhuta tatva of the 'Tatva Lokas" is given hereunder. Each state of the bhuta tatva is spoken of as a loka or rather as a state of energy (shakti loka). After mentioning the 34 descriptive features or states of the physical matter in general, the text proceeds to give similar elaborations for each of the five kinds of physical matter, namely ether, air heat or fire, water and earth Finally the permuted combinations of the five elements are given. Next follows the details of the next talva namely Tanmantra Tatva which we have not given herein.