Life’s bigger questions, such as, who created us, when and how did the earth come into existence, who were the first creatures on earth, etc., have always baffled mankind.
Scientists have tried to put forward theories like the Big Bang Theory and Black Holes in an attempt to explain our origins. Although some of these theories have been proven, others remain unexplained.
The Guru Granth Sahib sheds light on these questions some five hundred years ago and the insights presented by the Gurus match the findings of scientists today.
Through this missive we will try to look at these insightsby reflecting on the incredible wisdom enshrined in Gurbani on some scientific references.
About the state before creation
For a very, very long time, there was total darkness all around. There was neither the earth nor the sky. There was only the eternal law of infinity. The infinite creativity was in a state of nothingness and complete silence. Such was the state before creation. Everything was in nothingness.
ਅਰਬਦ ਨਰਬਦ ਧੁੰਧੂਕਾਰਾ॥ ਧਰਣਿ ਨ ਗਗਨਾ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਪਾਰਾ॥
For endless eons, there was utter darkness. There was no earth or sky, only the infinite hukam (order or law of the Creator). – GGS: 1035
About the Big Bang Theory – expansion of the universe
This vast expanse of creation came into being from a single command – something like the Big Bang Theory. And from this One Sound, millions of streams of consciousness came into existence. From One, a Singularity, emerged multiplicity. The whole phenomenon of the universe started to function from One Source.
ਕੀਤਾ ਪਸਾਉ ਏਕੋ ਕਵਾਉ॥ ਤਿਸ ਤੇ ਹੋਏ ਲਖ ਦਰੀਆਉ॥
(O Creator! You) delivered a command and there sprang forth the whole universe. By that command, millions of rivers (of consciousness, life forms) began to flow. – GGS: 3
It took less than an hour to make the atoms, a few hundred million years to make the stars and planets, but five billion years to make man! – George Gamow, physicist and cosmologist, 1904-1968
How the creation on the earth came into existence?
What came first, water or air?
Everything – space, time, energy and forces – expanded from the Eternity. Early space comprised mostly of gases. From air (from H2, O2) originated water (H2O), and oceans, lakes, and rivers streamed. The early atmosphere was formed. Electrons, quarks and gluons were created as building blocks for all atoms. The Eternal Singularity manifested through creation and permeated in everything.
ਸਾਚੇ ਤੇ ਪਵਨਾ ਭਇਆ ਪਵਨੈ ਤੇ ਜਲੁ ਹੋਇ॥ ਜਲ ਤੇ ਤਿ੍ਰਭਵਣੁ ਸਾਜਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮੋਇ॥
From the True One came air (gases) and from the air came water. From the water the entire world was created by infusing light (consciousness) into each and everything. – GGS: 19
The Divine reveals itself in the physical world. – Albert Einstein
Life pervades all – water, creatures, plants and grains
Every grain of food in the world has life within it. Nothing is without life. Water itself has life which sustains all greenery. Life pervades in all – from man to the amoeba and from the mustard seed to the oak tree – everywhere and in everything.
ਜੇਤੇ ਦਾਣੇ ਅੰਨ ਕੇ ਜੀਆ ਬਾਝੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ॥ ਪਹਿਲਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਜੀਉ ਹੈ ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿਆ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ॥
As many as are the grains of corn, none is without life. First there is life in the water, by which everything else is made green. – GGS: 472
When was the universe created?
We are a tiny part of this huge earth which itself is a small part of our solar system. There are many other solar systems which are part of our galaxy. And there are billions of galaxies which form the visible part of our universe. The invisible is yet unknown. This whole creation is so large that its size becomes unfathomable. The beginning of the whole universe is beyond comprehension. Only the One who created this creation knows it!
ਜਾ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਿਰਠੀ ਕਉ ਸਾਜੇ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਸੋਈ॥
Only the Creator who created the universe knows (the time of its creation). – GGS: 4
In summary, the beginning of the universe is shrouded in mystery and its vastness is difficult to comprehend.
The Guru Granth Sahib states that in the beginning there was nothing, only pitch darkness and silence. Then, by the Creator’s command, gases appeared. This in turn led to the formation of water wherein the first primitive life forms appeared.
These evolved into more complex creatures and ultimately migrated to live on land. Evolution of all living things continued over millions of years resulting in the present variety of plant, animal and human life.
The Creator is infused in the whole of creation. Everything in the universe functions according to laws, and at the end of life’s journey, everyone and everything merge back with the Creator. Creation is immeasurable and only the Creator knows when it was created. Man is left to marvel at this wonderful creation!
The article has been extracted from one of AWAT issues, Scientific References.
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