THE HETEROGENOUS UNIVERSE

Trying to unravel the mysteries of the Universe has produced two fields of Science, one of which relates to the non-living part of the Universe and the other relates to the living part of the Universe.
The field that explores the non-living Universe is called Physical Science and comprises a wide range of subjects that have grown in complexity and depth with time. They include Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Technology, Astronomy, and an ever widening field of what has come to be known as Material Sciences. The concurrent development of technology has contributed to deeper specializations and ever newer areas for research and experimentation. Two developments that have fascinated contemporary students are the study of Particle Physics and Astro-physics.
The field that explores the living Universe is called Life Science and includes an ever widening number of topics such as Botany, Zoology, Biology and Physiology that has further exploded into the field of Medicine. Much knowledge has been gained into the complex and wonderful design of the human body and the way it works.
However, so far, science has not been able to find the key to the principle of life itself. What is the difference between a non-living system and a living system? While it is possible to diagnose and confirm that a human body is alive and differentiate it from a dead body, the nature of the life principle itself stands undetermined.
To a great extent, it is the struggle to find the answer to the question ‘What is life?’ that has produced a third stream of research and scientific analysis called ‘Philosophy’. This field covers a wide array of topics such as Mathematics, History, Art, Language, Psychology, and Philosophy.
In recent years, it has become apparent that these various streams of thought and knowledge are closely interconnected and it can be greatly beneficial to understanding if they are looked at together rather than in separate compartments. Mathematics can greatly benefit Physical analysis. Electrical technology can aid in understanding of the human nervous system. Chemistry helps in unraveling the mysteries of the human digestive system.
So it has become generally accepted that the extent of knowledge has become so vast that it is not possible for one human individual to comprehend, let alone be competent in, more than one or at the most a few related fields of knowledge. However, it has also come to be accepted that one cannot proceed in depth in any field without an appreciation of other related fields. There is so much to be gained by such ‘cross- cultural’ knowledge. This sort of approach is called ‘Holistic’ and takes an overall view of the subject rather than a specialized or narrow view of one aspect alone to the exclusion of others.
In recent times, this approach is gaining in strength as the close interconnection between the so called living and non-living parts of the Universe become apparent.
Philosophy acts as the means of interconnecting the two streams of thought and trying to work out a commonality and a common theme.
This concept is reflected in the Sanskrit term ‘charAchara’. This word is a combination of two terms, ‘chara’ meaning mobile or animate, and ‘achara’ meaning immobile or inanimate. The manifest Universe is considered in Indian thought to be a closely interlinked and interconnected combination of living and non -living, animate and inanimate, mobile and immobile.

This month of February is considered auspicious because on the day of Mahasivarathri , which this year falls on February 12, it is considered very possible for the human being to establish contact with the underlying foundation of the Universe. This is because the effect of the Moon on the Earth and so on the human mind is minimal on that night. Many people keep vigil on this sacred night and either meditate or sing sacred hymns and try to reach out to the Basis, the Ground and the Foundation of the Universe. That Basis is called ‘Shiva’ He is often depicted as ‘Nataraja’, rhythmically dancing His way into our hearts.
May this Mahasivarathri take us closer to the understanding of the Truth of our underlying unity.