Is there anything similar to black holes in scriptures?

that when the hydrogen atoms collide they no longer bounce off each other, but instead coalesce to form helium. The heat release in this reaction, which is like a controlled hydrogen bomb explosion, is what makes the star shine. This additional heat also increases the pressure of the gas until it is sufficient to balance the gravitational attraction, and the gas stops contracting. It is bit like a balloon-there is balance between the pressure of the air inside, which is trying to make the balloon expand, and the tension in the rubber, which is trying to make the balloon smaller. Stars will remain stable like this for a long time, with heat from the nuclear reactions balancing the gravitational attraction. Eventually, however, the star will run out of its hydrogen and other nuclear fuels. When a star runs out of fuel, it starts to cool off and so to contract. It is evident that with contraction of the star, its density will increase. Consequently, as we have already seen the gravitational force of the star at the surface will also go on increasing in proportion with the increase in its density. Thus increasing, it becomes so great that it will be difficult for any object (even light) to escape from its surface. Ultimately, its density (and hence, its gratitational force) will become so great that even the subtle object like a photon (light particle) will not be able to flee out from it. Not only this, but any other object which comes within its field of gravitation, will also be attracted by the star towards itself. According to the theory of relativity, nothing can travel faster than light. Thus, if light can not escape, neither can anything else; everything is dragged back by the gravitational field. So one has a set of events, a region of space-time, for which it is not possible to escape to reach a distant observer. This region is what we now call a black hole. As the black hole is so much black, it cannot be seen by any means or equipment. Still its gravitational force can be experienced. The black hole, which is surrounded on all sides by the shining objects like stars etc., is like a pit (hole) in which, if any object falls, it can not come out. Thus, the name black hole is quite significant. According to the scientific speculation, the number of such black holes in the universe is very great. One of such black holes is in our galaxy which is called "Sygnus X". Comparison of Black Streaks with Black Holes From the above description, it becomes clear that new black holes are created in the universe, whereas from the description of tamaskāya and kṛṣṇarāji, it appears that they are, in a way, eternal objects; they are not created anew. It means that although there are similarities in the kṛṣṇarāji and the black holes, both are not one and the same. From the above description, it also becomes clear that both tamaskaya and Page #443 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Bhagavai 6:5:70-119 - 419 : krsnarāji are said to be black, with black appearance, grave, causing horripilation, terrifying and pitch dark in colour, on one hand; while in scientific concept, on the other hand, any stellar object or light cannot pass near the black hole. If it passes, it would fall into the pit and become absorbed in it. The shape of krsnarāji is triangular, quadrangular or hexagonal; the tamaskāya in the beginning is a linear extension like a row of one pradeśa width and rising up it takes the shape of a cage of a cook, which means that it becomes quadrangular. From the figure given in the Vrtti, this can be inferred. According to the scientific belief, after becoming steady, the shape of the black hole is spherical. See-the figure of tamaskāya and krsnarāji in the appendix no. 5. For more information about tamaskāya, see, Bhagavai 14.25-27. 1. The information given here about black holes is based on A Brief History of Time by Stephen W. Hawking, 1988 2. There exists a force of attraction between any two objects of the world; this is known as "gravitational force". The heavier object will attract the lighter object towards it, if the difference in their masses is very big. This is why the earth attracts the objects existing on the earth towards it. For example, when anything is dropped from above, it falls down on the earth. Text 6.119 sevam bhamte! sevam bhamte! tti. That is so, O Lord! That is so, O Lord! -000 Page #444 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ Chattho Uddeso Section-6 Text Neraiyādīnam āvāsa-padam 6.120 kati nam bhamte! pudhavio pannattāo? goyamā! satta pudhavio pannattão, tam jahā--rayanappabhā jāva ahesattamā. rayanappabhāinam āvāsā bhāniyavvā jāva ahesattamāe. evam jattiyā āvāsā te bhāniyavvā jāvaThe Topic of the Abodes of the Infernals etc. How many lands (of the Infernals), O Lord! have been propounded? Gautama! seven lands have been propounded, viz., Ratnaprabhā ...... up to at the bottom,

oneness of "samavaya," all inherents would be considered one, which would create a difficulty. If the inherents are considered many, then "samavaya" would also be many. In Vaisheshika philosophy, "samavaya" is accepted as a relation. Relation is dualistic, existing in two. Therefore, due to the difference between a stick and the one holding the stick, the substances that are its basis are considered to be mutually dependent and not independent. When a mat is created from long grass, the form of the grass is destroyed and the form of the mat is produced. This is similar to the transformation of milk into curd. Thus, the arrangement of substances accepted by Vaisheshika philosophy is not properly established. Now, the principles of Sankhya philosophy are presented. According to Sankhya philosophy, creation arises from the union of prakriti (nature) and atma (soul) or purusha (consciousness). The state of equilibrium of sattva guna (quality of goodness), rajo guna (quality of passion), and tamo guna (quality of darkness) is called prakriti. From prakriti, mahat (intellect) is produced. From mahat, ahamkara (ego) is produced, and from ahamkara, eleven senses and five tanmatras (subtle elements) are produced. From the five tanmatras, five mahabhutas (gross elements) are produced. The nature of purusha-atma is consciousness. It is not an agent, it is devoid of qualities, and it is the experiencer. According to Jain philosophy, sattva and other qualities, which are mutually contradictory, are inherent in prakriti and cannot exist together without a regulating quality. Just as black and white colors cannot exist together without a regulator, similarly, mahat and other modifications cannot be produced from prakriti without a cause for the production of heterogeneity. Therefore, in Sankhya philosophy, there is no cause for the production of heterogeneity in prakriti. Hence, nothing other than itself can be produced from prakriti, and heterogeneity cannot arise. Due to the non-agency of the soul, it is incapable of doing anything. If it is assumed that there is inherent heterogeneity in prakriti, then it would be without a cause. In such a situation, sattva- substance would either be eternal or non-eternal. It is said that if heterogeneity is accepted to arise in prakriti without any other cause, then all substances would be either real or unreal because substances are real or unreal depending on the cause. Mahat and ahamkara are not different from sensation because the knowledge "I am happy," "I am unhappy" is the same as intellect, determination, or ego. Intellect and ego are attributes of the soul because they are like holes. They are not modifications of inert prakriti. (540) ====================== | Romanization (original text) | ====================== zrI sUtrakRtAGga sUtram eka padArtha kI anya padArthoM se vyAvRtti-alaga pahacAna prApta hotI hai / usa saMbaMdha meM vicAra karate haiM-una vizeSoM meM jo vizeSAtmaka buddhi hotI hai vaha kyA kisI anya vizeSa para TikI huI hai / yadi vaha apara vizeSakisI anya vizeSa para Azrita hai, aisA nahIM kahA jA sakatA kyoMki Age se Age yaha AzritatA kA prasaMga calatA rahegA jisase anavasthA doSa upasthita hogA / isaliye jaise anya vizeSoM ke binA bhI vizeSoM meM vizeSa buddhi hotI hai, usI prakAra dravyAdi meM bhI vizeSa buddhi mAnI jA sakatI hai / phira dravyAdi ke atirikta vizeSanAmaka pRthak padArtha kyoM mAnA jAya / dravyoM se avyatirikta-apRthak vizeSa to hama bhI svIkAra karate haiM, kyoMki sabhI padArtha sAmAnya vizeSAtmaka hai / vaizeSika jo yaha mAnate haiM ki vizeSa to nitya dravya vRtti hai-sadA dravya meM rahate haiM tathA antya hai- sabake aMta meM rahate haiM / nitya dravya cAra prakAra ke haiM-paramANu, muktAtmA aura muktamana / inameM vizeSa vidyamAna rahatA hai / yaha kathana niyuktika hai-yuktizUnya hai / apakarNayitva-azravaNIya hai aura kevala una dvArA kI gaI vyAkhyA hai / vaizeSika darzana meM samavAyanAmaka eka padArtha mAnA gayA hai / vahAM kahA jAtA hai ki ayuktasiddha-paraspara eka dUsare ke binA nahIM rahane vAle AdhAra AdheyabhUta jo padArtha hai, unameM jo pratIti kA hetu hai, unakI jo pratIti karAtA hai vaha samavAya hai / vaha nitya hai, eka hai / usako nitya mAnane se jitane samavAyI haiM ve sabhI nitya mAne jAyeMge / yadi samavAyiyoM ko anitya mAnA jAya to samavAya bhI anitya siddha hogA kyoMki samavAyI hI usakA AdhAra hai| samavAya ke ekatva ke kAraNa-samavAya eka hai / aisA mAnA jAne se sabhI samavAyI bhI eka mAne jAyeMge-yaha kaThinAI paidA hogI / yadi samavAyiyoM ko aneka kahA jAya to samavAya bhI aneka hoMge / vaizeSika darzana meM samavAya ko saMbaMdha svIkAra kiyA gayA hai / saMbaMdha dviSTha hotA hai-do meM rahatA hai| ataH daNDa aura daNDI-daNDadhArI kI taraha bhinna bhinna hone se usake AzrayabhUta padArthayuta siddha hote haiM- donoM milakara siddha hote haiM, ve ayuta siddha nahIM hote / vIraNoM se-lambe tRNa Adi se kaTa-caTAI kI utpatti hone para vIraNa rUpa ko nAza aura kaTa rUpa se utpAda hotA hai / dUdha aura dahI ke

taMjahA- saMkhejjavitthaDA ya asaMkhejjavitthaDA ya / tattha NaM je te saMkhejjavitthaDA te NaM saMkhejjAiM joyaNasahassAI AyAmavikkhameNaM saMkhejjAiM joyaNasahassAiM parikkheveNaM paNNattA / tattha NaM je te asaMkhejjavitthaDA te NaM asaMkhejjAI joyaNasahassAiM AyAma-vikkhaMbheNaM asaMkhejjAiM joyaNasahassAI parikkheveNaM paNNattA, evaM jAva tmaae| ahe sattamAe NaM bhaMte ! pucchA; goyamA ! duvihA paNNattA, taMjahA-saMkhejjavitthaDe ya, prasaMkhejjavitthaDA ya / tattha NaM je te saMkhejjavitthaDe se gaM ekkaM joyaNasahassaM AyAma-vikkhaMmeNaM tinni joyaNasahassAiM solasa sahassAI doni ya sattAvIse joyaNasae tinni kose ya aTThAvIsaM ca dhaNusayaM terasa ya aMgulAI addhaMgulayaM ca kiMci visesAhie parikkheveNaM paNNatA; tattha NaM je te asaMkhejjavitthaDA te gaM asaMkhejjAiM joyaNasahassAI AyAmavikkhaMbheNaM asaMkhejjAI jAva parikkheyeNaM pnnnntaa| [82-2] he bhagavan ! isa ratnaprabhApRthvI ke narakAvAsoM kI moTAI kitanI kahI gautama ! tIna hajAra yojana kI moTAI hai / ve nIce eka hajAra yojana taka ghana haiM, madhya meM eka hajAra yojana taka jhuSira (khAlI) haiM aura Upara eka hajAra yojana taka saMkucita haiN| isI prakAra saptama pRthvI taka kahanA caahie| bhagavan ! isa ratnaprabhA pRthvI ke narakAvAsoM kI lambAI-caur3AI tathA parikSepa (paridhi) kitanI hai ? gautama ! ve narakAvAsa do prakAra ke haiN| yathA1. saMkhyAta yojana ke vistAra vAle aura 2. asaMkhyAta yojana ke vistAra vaale| inameM jo saMkhyAta yojana vistAra vAle haiM, unakA AyAma-viSkaMbha saMkhyAta hajAra yojana hai aura paridhi bhI saMkhyAta hajAra yojana kI hai| unameM jo asaMkhyAta yojana vistAra vAle haiM, unakA AyAma-viSkabha asaMkhyAta hajAra yojana aura paridhi bhI asaMkhyAta hajAra yojana kI hai| isI taraha chaThI pRthvI taka kahanA cAhie / Page #271 (AI-GENERATED, RESEARCH USE ONLY): --------------------------- ## Third Chapter: Description of the Hells **227. O Bhagavan! What is the diameter and circumference of the hells on the seventh hell-earth?** **Gautama:** The hells on the seventh earth are of two types: (1) those with a diameter of a thousand yojanas, and (2) those with an immeasurable number of thousand yojanas. The ones with a diameter of a thousand yojanas have a diameter of one hundred thousand yojanas, and their circumference is three hundred sixteen thousand two hundred twenty-seven yojanas, three kosas, one hundred twenty-eight dhanus, and slightly more than thirteen and a half angulas. The ones with an immeasurable number of thousand yojanas have a diameter of an immeasurable number of thousand yojanas, and their circumference is also an immeasurable number of thousand yojanas. **Discussion:** This sutra describes the structure, diameter, and circumference of the hells. There are two types of hells: **pavalikapravisht** and **avalikabahya**. Those that are arranged in a series in all eight directions are called **avalikapravisht**. They are of three types: circular, triangular, and square. Those that are scattered like flowers are of various types. These various types are described in two collections of verses. There are hells shaped like an iron chest, a vessel for cooking dough to make liquor, a baker's oven, a griddle, a frying pan, a **sthali** (large pot), a **pitharak** (large vessel), a hermit's ashram, a **murj**, a **nandīmṛdanga**, a **praling** earthen drum, a **sughosha**, a **daddar** (a type of musical instrument), a **panav** (a drum made of vessels), a **patha** (a general drum), a **jhalar**, a **bheri**, a **kustumbak** (a type of musical instrument), and a **nadi** (a timepiece). The **mṛdanga** is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, while the **murj** is even at both the top and bottom. This description should be understood for the hell-earths from **Ratnaprabha** to **Tamaprabha**. The hells on the seventh earth are only **avalikapravisht**, not **pavalikabahya**. These **avalikapravisht** hells are five in number: four in the four directions and one in the middle. The central hell is round, and the remaining four are triangular. The **Ratnaprabha** hell has an outer diameter of three thousand yojanas. The lower part of one thousand yojanas is cubic, the middle part of one thousand yojanas is **jhushira**, and the upper part of one thousand yojanas is narrow. Similarly, the outer diameter of the hells on all seven earths is the same. The diameter and circumference are clear from the original text. **83. O Bhagavan! What is the color of the hells on the **Ratnaprabha** earth?** **Gautama:** The color of the hells on the **Ratnaprabha** earth is black, dark, deep, dark brown, fierce, and extremely dark. This is the same for all the hells up to the seventh. **1. What are the shapes of the hells?** They are shaped like a **pitupayanag** (a type of vessel), a **kandulohi** (a type of vessel), a **kadah** (a type of vessel), a **thali** (a type of vessel), a **pihadag** (a type of vessel), a **kinha** (a type of vessel), a **udae** (a type of vessel), a **mukhe** (a type of vessel), a

and flowers; almost every big city preserved one or more gardens Various kinds of creepers (laya : ralli) are mentioned ; the chief amongst them being pauma, nāga, asoga, campaga, oriya, rāranti, aimutlaya, kunda and samas Among flowers most important being navamälikā, korantaka, bandhupīraka, kaņcia, jāli, mogara, g'athika, mallıkā, vdsanti, mrgadantıkā, campaka, kunda and others.68 Among fruits mention may be made of mango, fig, plaintain, date, wood-apple, citron, bread-fruit, pomegranate, grapes, Cocoanut, and others + Mango-groves consisting of one thousand mango trees were also known.65 kottaka was a drying place for fruits, people used to gather fruits from jungles and store them at this place; they carried them in waggons, bundles etc. to cities for sale. Four methods of ripening fruits are mentioned. Some fruits such as mango etc. were ripened by covering them with husk or straw (indhana). Tinduka (a fruit of the ebony tree) and other fruits were ripened by subjecting them to a hcating process. The process was that first a hollow was made in which the cow-dung fire was lit; around this other hollows were made which were filled with raw fruits. Those hollows were connected with the central hollow by means of holes and thus the fruits ripened by the heat of the fire (dhūma). Then cucumber (arbhata) and citron (bījapūra) etc. ripened by mixing them with ripe fruits (gandha) Lastly, thc fruits ripened in their natural way on trees (vaccha).07 . It is said that the people of Konkaņa were fond of fruits and flowers and they maintained themselves by selling them.68 Flower-houses were made during festu also Among the miscellancous products mention may be made of saffron (kumkuma), camphor (kappūra), cloves (laranga), lac, sandal," honey (mahu)" and others. Then we have waste lands which may be classificd into cremation or burial grounds, forests and pastures, mining and river tracts, See Bhag, Ti, 67, Raya Ti St., 1, p 5, Bek Bha l'r , 4, 4522; 1. 3170f; Smuci., p. 53 Nisa cũ , 8, p 494 Raya. Su, 3, p 18, Nart 1, p 10 Ponna, 1 23 23-5 for the flower and plants see Rāmāyana, II. 84. 8ff; also op. cul pp 1041, 206-7 Panna. i, 23 i 2-7, Acă II, 1 8 260 Uva 7, p. 47 for similar references in the Fatahas see S K Dag, op. cit.pl 20%.f. Bph Bhi | 872 1bid., 1. 8411 ibid. 1. 1230 Niyi, 8, pp. 93, 95, 103. ibid., 1, pp 8, 10 Thce varieties of honey are mentioned, viz macchiya, kutnya and bhimara (Andy cl, II, p. 319); also see Garaha. ch. 27, p. 796. Page #96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ________________ LIFE IN ANCIENT INDIA The pasture grounds (daviya)" were very useful where herds of cattle and goats were grazed. Davaggi is mentioned as a profession that dealt in burning grass and protecting the fields." The cowherds (goddlaka) and shepherds ( ardpala: chagalıya ) were employed, who led the herds to these grounds for grazing. We hear of a shepherd who was Very good at shooting and used to make holes in the leaves of a banvan tree with lus tiny bow (chanuhiyā).14 REARING OF LIVE STOCK AND DAIRY FARMING Cattle were a highly esteemed form of wealth in ancient India, and Cows, buffaloes, oxen and sheep were included among the precious possessions of a king. Vaya (uraja) also known as sangella', or a herd of cattle is mentioned; each vraja consisting of ten thousand cows 7 It is said that king Karakandu was very fond of the herds of cattlc (gokula) and possessed a number of herds of kinc." Breeding and rearing of cattle was an essential concern of the people. The Abhiras (mod. Ahir), who tended the cows, are mentioned. We are told of an Abhira woman of Mathura, who used to supply milk and curds to a perfumer. Once upon a time at the wedding of her son she invited the perfumer and his wife. The perfumer could not attend the ceremony in person but he sent various clothes and ornaments for the bride and the bridegroom as a gift. The Abhīras were much pleased at this and in return they presented two strong-bodied bull-calves to the perfumer 70 Cattle were supplied with necessary grass and water (tanapaniya) There were large cow-pens (gomandava) where the herds of cows, bulls and calves were kept. A cattle-lifter (kūdaggāha) is mentioned, who used to go to the cow-pen and rob the cattle at night.8o Quarrels among cowherds are frequently referred to. The cows of various colours such as black, blue, red, white, and brindled were known; cows were often attacked and devoured by lions and tigers in the jungle.81 Dairy farming was in an advanced state and the supply of milk and its four products (gorasa), viz., curds, butter-milk, butter and ghee, was abundant and so people could get highly nutritious food. The milk of cow, buffalo, camel, goat and sheep is mentioned.82 Khiraghara was known as a place where products of milk were available in plenty.83 The cattle 78 74 76 76 TT For the list of cattle see Panna 1 34 Act. II, 3. 2. 350. U , 1, p 11. Uttara. Ti. 5, p. 103. Oui Si., 6,