The Krishna Key

by Ashwin Sanghi

The problem with the Big Bang model is that it explains the expansion of a single point into the universe as we know it, but doesn’t explain where the energy required for the Big Bang originally came from. This is where the Upanishads provide a wonderful framework.’ ‘What do the Upanishads say?’ asked Radhika. The answer came from Priya who had been listening to the conversation between Radhika and Saini. ‘According to Hindu scriptures, the universe never came into existence at any given point of time. It always existed, but remained in a state of perpetual flux,’ said Priya. ‘What we call the universe is simply the present universe. Each universe starts with a Big Bang, and expands to a point, before it starts shrinking. The universe eventually collapses back into the singularity from which it had emerged and a new expanding universe begins once again. This is the reason that 108 is considered sacred. One—represents the singularity from which the universe emerges, zero—the egg or anda of the present universe, and eight—infinity or the maximum extent of expansion in the eight directions from which contraction must happen.’