Could The universe repeat itself over and over?

[mradam83]

Namaste.

A good few years ago before I even entertained the idea of any form of religion, I had a college lecturer mention in passing that he heard a theory on Deja Vu.

This theory had the notion that after we die, the earth/sun expires and ultimately the universe ends that it all begins again in exactly the same way and everything happens as it did before - essentially, the theory goes that the reason why we feel we've done something before is because we have billions of times over.

I've tried to find this and research it to see where the notion originated, however I can't at all.

However, it got me thinking a lot - and I suppose it's one of the seeds that was planted and very slowly grew over 7 years to the extent I'm now wondering if there's any truth to it and verifies Sanatana Dharm.

What's everybody else's thoughts on this? Could it be completely compatible with the cyclical nature of Shrishti, Anda etc?

If so, which of the traditional gods would be involved in this?

Thank you, and Namaste.

[wundermonk]

Could it be completely compatible with the cyclical nature of Shrishti, Anda etc?

One of the misconceptions about Hinduism (?) is that it believes in cycles and events that repeat. This is not the case.

The "cyclical" nature of time in Hinduism refers to the fact that Sristhi [manifestation], Sthithi [preservation] and Pralaya [dissolution] repeat endlessly. The time between stishthi and pralaya and the events inbetween do not repeat.

Time is linear but within this linear time, manifestation, preservation and dissolution happen endlessly.

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

I think it's pretty much broadly accepted in Hinduism and more and more by theoretical physicists and cosmologists that the uni- and multiverse(s) undergo a repeated cycle of birth and death from infinity and to infinity. To my way of thinking, universes are like soap bubbles... one universe spawns off another one, maybe from a singularity in a black hole.

As to the deja vu, in last night's episode Dr. Alex Filipenko posited that in the "many worlds" theory we do exist in multiple universes at the same time, making different decisions and performing different actions with different outcomes. There's probably no reason these universes can't overlap. In fact, Dr. Michio Kaku once posited that more than overlapping, we move from universe to universe. Have you ever thought to yourself "where did that person come from? there was no one there a second ago", or "am I wearing an invisible shield that no one can see me?". I certainly have.

As to the "how" in Hinduism, general belief is that a universe is created at the behest of Lord Vishnu, to Lord Brahma. At the end of the universe's life, Lord Shiva performs His tandava dance, the dance of cosmic destruction to remove the old and worn out, and pave the way for a new creation.

[mradam83]

Namaste.

I think it's pretty much broadly accepted in Hinduism and more and more by theoretical physicists and cosmologists that the uni- and multiverse(s) undergo a repeated cycle of birth and death from infinity and to infinity. To my way of thinking, universes are like soap bubbles... one universe spawns off another one, maybe from a singularity in a black hole.

As to the deja vu, in last night's episode Dr. Alex Filipenko posited that in the "many worlds" theory we do exist in multiple universes at the same time, making different decisions and performing different actions with different outcomes. There's probably no reason these universes can't overlap. In fact, Dr. Michio Kaku once posited that more than overlapping, we move from universe to universe. Have you ever thought to yourself "where did that person come from? there was no one there a second ago", or "am I wearing an invisible shield that no one can see me?". I certainly have.

As to the "how" in Hinduism, general belief is that a universe is created at the behest of Lord Vishnu, to Lord Brahma. At the end of the universe's life, Lord Shiva performs His tandava dance, the dance of cosmic destruction to remove the old and worn out, and pave the way for a new creation.

Namaste, thank you for the reply.

It makes you think doesn't it, about how many people are posting on this forum who are identical to you many times over throughout time - wouldn't it be great if you could converse with that other you?

I've read today on my usual Internet rounds that such concepts of String Theory, A Cyclical Universe and even the age of our universe has appeared in the scriptures long before the west and science got wind of it. Imagine if the world listened hundreds of years ago instead of furthering belief in our western religions?

It makes me wonder where we would be now.

[mradam83]

One of the misconceptions about Hinduism (?) is that it believes in cycles and events that repeat. This is not the case.

The "cyclical" nature of time in Hinduism refers to the fact that Sristhi [manifestation], Sthithi [preservation] and Pralaya [dissolution] repeat endlessly. The time between stishthi and pralaya and the events inbetween do not repeat.

Time is linear but within this linear time, manifestation, preservation and dissolution happen endlessly.

Namaste.

So time is linear in the here and now, but Destruction, Creation and existence of everything happens afresh? Makes a bit more sense - I imagined it as the same thing but technically I can see its actually all new but it does exactly what happened for itself after us.

I think lots may see it as a repeat, myself included initially, but technically it's all new and all happens for the first time in that existence.

Wow, Amazing stuff! Thank you again Wundermonk. :-)

[Jainarayan]

wouldn't it be great if you could converse with that other you?

No, I'd probably want to kick my butt.

I've read today on my usual Internet rounds that such concepts of String Theory, A Cyclical Universe and even the age of our universe has appeared in the scriptures long before the west and science got wind of it. Imagine if the world listened hundreds of years ago instead of furthering belief in our western religions?

It makes me wonder where we would be now.

I like to quote the Late Dr. Carl Sagan who pointed out that 5,000 years ago Hindu cosmology reckoned the age of the Earth very close to what geologists and cosmologists today say it is.

[mradam83]

I like to quote the Late Dr. Carl Sagan who pointed out that 5,000 years ago Hindu cosmology reckoned the age of the Earth very close to what geologists and cosmologists today say it is.

And also Didn't Oppenheimer quote the Baghavad Gita upon seeing the atomic bomb detonate?

[Jainarayan]

Yes, he said (paraphrasing): "I am reminded of a passage from the Hindu scripture, Bhagavad Gita: 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds'." B.G. 11.32

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


There is the notion of an osculating universe... One thing Being likes to do is create again and again. Bhāgavad gītā , chapter 9 , 8th śloka:

prakṛtim svām avastabhya
visrjami punaḥ punaḥ |
bhūta-grāmam imaṁ kṛtsnam
avaśaṁ prakṛter vaśāt ||

This says curving back (leaning, resting-upon or avaṣṭabhya) onto my SELF (svām) I create (visṛjāmi) again and again (punaḥ punaḥ).
All this (kṛtsnam) which exists ( manifestation and variety bhūta-grāmam) , that comes into creation (prakṛti) is done by my authority or command (vaśāt).

This suggests creation goes on all the time. Now if it is an ~exact~ repeat, I will assume the same laws of nature are involved
and hence simular structures can arise, yet to the fact the same individuals manifest again and again could be conjecture.

mradam83 writes,

If so, which of the traditional gods would be involved in this?

There is only One, yet people call It many...the souce of this position is the following: yājñavalkya, in the Bṛhadaraṇyaka Upaniṣad, Maitreyī Brāhmaṇa, 7th śloka, says to maitreyī,

This brāhmaṇa ( source of knowledge) this kṣatriya (source of power) all these worlds (lokaḥ or levels of creation) these gods (devaḥ), these veda-s, these beings, all this is ātma ( Brahman, paramātman).

praṇām

[mradam83]

Wow... I genuinely am rendered humbled. It's like something has clicked, maybe not quite my "aha" esque lightbulb moment but I think it's a realisation that I'm on to something extraordinary.

Thank you, and Namaste all.