Science is Wrong About the Age of the Universe
True students of the Vedas do not have any respect for modern science. Scientists use a faulty process for acquiring knowledge.
The “scientific” process of observation and experimentation is flawed because we are very limited in what we can observe. So we can not see very much. Srila Prabhupada gives the example of a frog in a well.
For a frog who has lived in a well for his entire life the well is his universe. He knows nothing outside his well. So he may be greatly learned. He may have studied his well very systematically. He may be able to predict certain things. For example he may have heard the rumbling of the farmers’ machines as he harvests his crops every year. So Dr. Frog can very accurately predict there will be rumblings in a certain month every year. But he can have no conception of what is causing those rumblings. He can come up with theories of course. But he has no conception of fields where grains are grown, he has no idea that the rumblings are caused by the machines the farmer is using to harvest grain. This conception does not exist in the universe of his well. It is beyond the Dr. Frog’s ability to conceive and beyond the ability of his senses to perceive.
Our scientists are just like Dr. Frog. They make many grand statements as if they know everything about everything, but in reality they know nothing about anything…
A good example of this is the age of the universe.
Scientists, pretending to know everything about everything boldly state: “In physical cosmology, the age of the universe is the time elapsed since the Big Bang. The current measurement of the age of the universe is 13.799±0.021 billion years ((13.799±0.021)×109 years) within the Lambda-CDM concordance model.[1][2][3] The uncertainty of 21 million years has been obtained by the agreement of a number of scientific research projects, such as microwave background radiation measurements by the Planck satellite, the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe and other probes. Measurements of the cosmic background radiation give the cooling time of the universe since the Big Bang,[4] and measurements of the expansion rate of the universe can be used to calculate its approximate age by extrapolating backwards in time.”
After much mumbling and stating many impressive sounding scientific words they have given us their figure: 13.8 x 109 = 1.5 trillion years.
How does that compare to the actual age of the universe?
Lord Brahma is about half-way through his life at present. And the universe is created by Lord Brahma with the ingredients and intelligence supplied to him by Lord Krishna. There will be a great dissolution of the universe at the time of the death of Lord Brahma. So how long does Lord Brahma live? That is given conclusively in Bhagavad-gita 8.17:
By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together is the duration of Brahma’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.
The duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahma, and one day of Brahma consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas or ages: Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Treta-yuga vice is introduced, and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvapara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga (the yuga we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years) there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the yuga the Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki avatara, vanquishes the demons, saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process is set rolling again.
These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise one day of Brahma, the creator god, and the same number comprise one night.
Brahma lives one hundred of such “years” and then dies. These “hundred years” by earth calculations total to 311 trillion and 40 million earth years. By these calculations the life of Brahma seems fantastic and interminable, but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash. In the causal ocean there are innumerable Brahmas rising and disappearing like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahma and his creation are all part of the material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux.
So the universe we are currently in will remain for some 311 trillion years. Already about half of this time has passed, that means there are still around 155 trillion years have passed since the creation of the universe.
Science has given their age of the universe at 1.5 trillion years. So the actual age of the universe is about one hundred times the incorrect guess of the scientists.
We know 155 trillion years is the correct age of the universe because we are hearing it from Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, under whose sanction everything is happening. Krishna is all-cogniscient. He knows everything about everything. So when we receive knowlege about the universe from Krishna we get the correct information.
Scientists are just like Dr. Frog. They can not see what is happening in the universe. They know only about their small well and have no experience of anything else.
These things are beyond the power of our senses to perceive and beyond the ability of our minds to imagine. The only way we can get true knoweldge about material things like the universe and also about spiritual subject matters is by hearing from someone who knows these things in fact.
In the material universe not even Brahma is free from the process of birth, old age, disease and death. Brahma, however, is directly engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord in the management of this universe–therefore at the end of his life he at once attains liberation.
Elevated sannyasis are promoted to Brahma’s particular planet, Brahmaloka, which is the highest planet in the material universe and which survives all the heavenly planets in the upper strata of the planetary system, but in due course Brahma and all inhabitants of Brahmaloka are subject to death, according to the law of material nature.
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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Science says size of universe is about 10^26miles while in bhagwatam it is 4 billion miles. What is the wrong done by science
Problem is scientists have no information to work on. They have no idea about the universe. All they can do is look in the sky and see some stars, planets, the sun, the moon, etc. But 99.9999% they can not see it. So they have no way of seeing it, comprehending it or understanding it. So they just speculate and imagine how it might be, what it might be. But actually they have no idea about anything in the universe. It is beyond the power of their minds to conceive and beyond the ability of their senses to perceive. So they just say something to bluff the innocent public, to try to convince the public that they have discovered everything and know everything about everything. But in reality they know nothing.
On the other hand the knowledge of the universe, as it is revealed in Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Vedic scriptures is given to us by people who actually know what the universe is and how it works. Narada Muni for example, the spiritual master of Srila Vyasadeva, the writer of the Vedas, is a transcendental spaceman who can and does travel everywhere at his will in both the material and spiritual worlds. So Narada Muni has practical experience of the universe, he has seen it from every angle of vision and he has traveled everywhere. So he knows exactly how everything in the universe is situated, how big it is, and how it is working.
So the description of the universe in the Vedas is correct, and the crazy ignorant speculations of the scientists are just rubbish. So the truth is our universe is a closed system within a sphere or egg shaped structure that is only 4 billion miles across. And we are more-or-less in the center. So from our point of view nothing in the universe is more than 2 billion miles away from us. This is the truth. The scientists have no idea, and no way of finding out the truth using observation and experimentation. The only way to understand the truth is to hear it from someone who knows the truth.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Dear Guruji,
The above information on the four Yuga cycles is truly invaluable,impeccable and resourceful for all human beings on this planet.The sufferings of all human beings is numerous and countless.Every human being is worshipping gods and goddesses according to astrology. My question is how to wash off ones KARMA and attain MOKSKA in this Kaliyuga. Looking forward to your humble advice.
Yours true devotee,
RajaseKharan
The advice is always the same. Chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. Do this and you will very easy wash off all the karma and attain much more than moksha.
How can scientists know the age of the universe because they were not there when it was created.
This confuse because others talk about 6000 years .
All these calculations of years I have always doubted them wrong.
How can he universe be millions, billions or trillions of years old but they say now the year is 2016 , two thousand and sixteen? And in this same earth we have different years according to religious beliefs.
Thanks for let us know the reality of creation.
Hare Krishna:: Found this article very much interesting. No comment however, but more on this is great to know.
Love this article, makes things very clear! Thank you! Hare krishna
As a scientist with 40 yrs of experience I now think the similar way. The ways of Lord Krishna are superscientific; see how he created biological, physical and chemical world. We are still millions of miles away from the truth of real superscience, the ways of Lord Krishna.
Harekrishna Madhuvisa dasa,
I am a fan of Santana Dharma, really appreciate Lord Krishna ‘s metaphysical point of view in every possible manner. Although I would love to follow them in true spirit and know the truth for myself, I haven’t seen the truth, so sorry we have to find a contemporary way to prove people that our universe is 155 millions years old. So, we can’t just claim by reading a book, it’s divine from our perspective but just a book for others. So, let’s meditate upon Lord Krishna and ask for guidance to prove it before people.
In India, now Lord krishna is a myth, so save your things, no one will believe a bit. So, we need to show some things, which current science can’t demonstrate, so as to prove we are right. Using a email to send your speech and calling scientist’s Dr. frog won’t cut it.
Sorry for being blunt and yes I will chant Harekrishna and hope Krishna, one day floods me with the truth.
kiran kumar das
Hare Krishna Kiran Kumar
Actually I think these days many of the scientists themselves are thinking they are no better than Dr. Frog. Science is broken. They have not been able to give us anything new now for decades. There modern physics and astronomy and the bizarre computer animations NASA is now trying to pass of as truth are just amazing. So at the moment we see science is self-destructing.
The point is they will openly admit they really don’t know how big the universe is. They have just made a guess based on some unproven and untested theory. And any honest scientist will admit that.
So the point I am trying to make in this article is we have the actual figure given to us by the Supreme Personality of Godhead who actually knows.
So our figure for the size of the universe is correct and no actual scientist would argue with it. The point is they can not give any figure themselves in any certainty. They have given a rough guess just so they can say something if someone asks the question. But no honest scientist will take this figure very seriously.
Perhaps the Indians will be the hardest to convince. Probably the Indians will never become Krishna conscious until the rest of the world does. But that does not matter.
The idea that there may be valid scientific information waiting to be discovered in the ancient Vedic texts of India is an idea that would be readily accepted by many Western scientists. So I think your Indian perspective, which may be valid in India, is overly pessimistic in regard to the rest of the world.
People outside of India are much more likely to take Krishna consciousness seriously than Indians at the moment, as you say, the Indians think Krishna is a myth, but outside India Krishna is very real…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
You are right Prabhu. In India most people are after sense gratification and they are after either demigods for that or bogus gurus or babas who pose themselves as God or one yogi involved in politics who poses himself as sanyasi. They have no interest in the scientific process of Krishna consciousness. Very few people are Krishna/Rama’s real devotees who have knowledge of this scientific process of Krishna consciousness.
Hare Krishna Prabhujiu,
Thank you very much for your wonderful eye opening article.
I have a small query about the inhabitants of Brahmaloka.
Are all peoples in Brahmaloka live the same life as Brahma does?
What sort of devotional services prevails there?
Thank you…..
With regards
Hare Krishna Devananda
Devotional service is the same everywhere. The same nine processes of bhakti — (sravanam,kirtanam…) hearing, chanting, remembering worshiping the lotus feet, worshiping the deity, offering prayers, serving, surrendering everything; are there in Brahmaloka.
As for the lifetimes of the people they will also be very long. I can not say exactly. You can go there and find out if you want to, but that would be a waste of time, better to go directly back home back to Godhead.
A wonderful treatise providing the basic reasonning of the descending method of acquiring spiritual knowledge, with example of the age of the universe.
Your fundamentals are thus enjoyed as correct, but the piece has not taken into consideration that times have changed; Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, and those of others also from the Eastern schools, have changed the perception of many in the scientific communities worldwide, such that God / Sri Krsna is no longer so far-fetched nor unimaginable to modern scientific discussion and inquiry.
Scientific process is not flawed so much as those who interpret the data, or who design the flawed experiment, or who are swayed in their reasonning by money. A maths equation is also a pure thing, but can be used for many purposes by those who wield it. Krsna-conscious science is here to stay; it is a method yoked to spiritual knowlwedge, such that the higher interpretation is quite possibly now the thing.
Still, yes, the main point is that the highest information required has already been ascertained in most part for us; by serving with determination the interests of Sri Krsna we can become recognized by pure spirtual Beings and be re-entered into spiritual realization in full. Chanting Hare Krsna is an essential part of that process of re-awakening. We need not worry that we are somehow missing something important, as the disciplic succession has brought us the cream.
Hare Krishna Tamohara
You have missed the point totally!!!
You say: “Scientific process is not flawed…”
Have you not read Srila Prabhupada’s books, or don’t you accept Srila Prabhupada as an authority?
“It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that our senses are imperfect, all of them. We cannot understand even the material world perfectly. You have seen so many planets and stars in the sky at night, but you do not know what they are. You do not even know what the moon planet is, though men have been trying for so many years to go there in sputniks. Even this one planet, Earth! We do not know what varieties there are even on this planet! If you go to the sea, to the sky, your perception is limited. Our knowledge is, therefore, always imperfect. On that we must agree. If we foolishly think that we have acquired all forms of knowledge and we have advanced in science, this is another foolishness. It is not possible….
“Experimental knowledge is always imperfect, because one experiments with imperfect senses. Therefore, scientific knowledge must be imperfect. Our source of knowledge is different. We do not depend on experimental knowledge….
“That is the tendency of modern… They do not accept that their senses are imperfect. They want to see something, distant place, with microscope… What is called? Telescope. Telescope. But the telescope is manufactured by you. It is imperfect….
“It is not scientific. It is all rascaldom. What you are giving, that is not science, that is rascaldom. Why shall I accept it is scientific? Because you have no full knowledge. What you are giving, it is simply rascaldom. Jaya….” Srila Prabhupada.
So you have not understood this very basic point that the scientific process is completely flawed. How could you have missed this simple point after so many years of reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. Maybe you have not read them? Or as I said before maybe you have rejected Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and think you know better yourself?
Scientific process is completely flawed because it is based on observation and experimentation. And that observation is done with our senses which are imperfect and flawed. So if you start with imperfect and flawed observations then from that point on everything you deduce from these imperfect observations will be flawed.
I do not know, perhaps you have not read it, but everyone has four defects:
– the tendency to cheat
– making mistakes
– being illusioned [believing something is a fact which is in reality false]
– and of course imperfect senses.
So every scientific theory is totally contaminated by these four faults. Every scientist cheats, every scientist makes mistakes, every scientist is illusioned and every scientist has imperfect senses. So there can not be any science which is not contaminated by these faults.
I have to smile when you write “the piece has not taken into consideration that times have changed…” So you are here saying that what is in Prabhupada’s books is no longer relevant because the times have changed now. Of course this is the rubbish that ISKCON preach. “We don’t have to bother with Prabhupada any more because the times have changed now…”
The times have not changed. The times do not change in the material world. There are always two types of people, the demons and the devotees, the suras and the asuras. And the asuras have only one business and that is they are envious of Krishna and the devotees of Krishna. This has not changed, what has changed is as Kali-yuga is progressing more and more there are now more demons. Because we do not preach.
What to speak of preaching. You are presenting yourself as a follower of Srila Prabhupada and preaching the opposite to what Srila Prabhupada teaches. This is the way in Kali-yuga.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
do you mean the sense perception of everyone is faulty? in that case, what about yours?
Yes. Everyone’s sense perception is faulty including mine.
So I do not use my senses to gain knowledge. That is the whole point. Our senses are faulty so we can not use them to get knowledge. Instead we have to accept the real knowledge descending from the spiritual authority. So my knowledge does not come from my senses. My knowledge comes from Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. I hear from Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita and repeat what Krishna has said. That is perfect knowledge and it is coming from Krishna, not from my sense perception.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
What is outside the Universe and outside what is there. Is there no end or beginning. This is difficult to comprehend.
Hare Krishna Visnu
You ask a very good question: “What is outside the universe?”
Try asking this to any scientist. They do not even know what is inside the universe. They have no ability to perceive anything of what is outside of the universe. It is beyond the ability of their senses to perceived and beyond the ability of their minds to conceive.
Here, with your question, “What is outside the universe,” it is very clear that the only way we can get an answer to this question is to find someone who has been outside the universe and who knows what is out there.
Of course Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and He knows everything and through His energies He has created everything. And Krishna has given us all the knowledge in the Vedas. So if you just read Srimad-Bhagavatam you get the perfect knowledge as to what is outside the universe. from reading the Bhagavatam we understand there are millions and millions of universes, each one like a bubble. And they are all clustered together in one corner of the spiritual sky. There is an ocean called the Causal Ocean and on that ocean Maha Visnu is lying on the bed of Sesa-naga and as He breathes out all the universes are coming out of the pores of his body. And when He breathes in all the universes again enter within His body. So this time which is just one breath of Maha Visnu is the entire lifetime of Lord Brahma. The lifetime of Lord Brahma is an unimaginable amount of time for us but it is just the time it takes Maha Visnu for one breath…
These things are impossible for the scientists to ever discover.
The only way we can get actual knowledge is to hear it from someone who knows it in truth. There is no other way.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna Pr
PAMHO, AGTSP, Dandavat
Thanks for the email, many secrets of universe are hidden in such mantras, what scientists are doing is destroying the original divine supreme knowledge and challenging the very existence of GOD and misguiding the human society just to establish their supremacy. It seems scientists and doctors are elevated soul – are near GOD and when they deny GOD existence and his powers, they fall down.
King Ravana was great scientist and even the devotee but when challenged the supreme and suppress brahminical activities by capturing all brahmins to do all fire sacrifices in his benefit and allowed killings of cows, started concentrating wealth in his kingdom – he was killed. Similarly King Duryodhan was killed along with all his associates and multiple army population when he wrongly challenged the Lord.
The irony is scientists the created are challenging the creator , like challenging the father and mother, and lastly HH Pope realized this and has to announce that it’s enough, we all and scientists especially should now accept GOD’s existence and his powers.
Another irony is scientists consider GOD in material domain whereas GOD is normally in spiritual domain manifesting sometimes among us and he is beyond our material perception like we can’t see directly our intellect-mind-ego-consciousness. That is why to connect with and to practice in the spiritual domain we need the sastras and guidance from Lord as well as the devotional practices which purifies our intellect-mind-ego-consciousness.
The spiritual regime, it works at macro level , the domain that we can’t see with material senses.
Another secret I would like to share is , the formless and the form of GOD coexists, they serve to all creation in macro level by going formless – universal whereas take form to perform special tasks for special devotees and re-establish the true sanatan religion which humans can practice to go back to Godhead. I wonder why different religions should fight for only one side of coin.
The vedic stories tell us like the Ganges or Himalaya in universal form come in human form and speak to sages-to Brahma etc, in pure consciousness it is possible and especially in Satyayuga it was like that.
Sorry Pr, I took so long , my understanding is short of the absolute truth.
Hare Krsna
Raghvendu Das
In Hanuman Chalisa, it is said :
“Yug sahastra yojan per Bhanu!
Leelyo taahi madhur phal janu!!
As per ancient Indian maths;
1 Yug = 12000 years , 1 Sahastra = 1000 , 1 Yojan = 8 Miles
Yug x Sahastra x Yojan = par Bhanu
12000 x 1000 x 8 miles = 96000000 miles
1 mile = 1.6kms
96000000 miles = 96000000 x 1.6kms = 1536000000 kms to Sun
NASA has said that, it is the exact distance between Earth and Sun (Bhanu).
Which proves God Hanuman did jump to Planet Sun, thinking it as a sweet fruit (Madhur phal).
It is really interesting how accurate and meaningful our ancient scriptures are.Unfortunately barely it is recognized, interpreted accurately or realized by any saints.
The GAYATRI MANTRA” the most powerful hymn in the world
Dr.Howard Steingeril, an American scientist, collected Mantras, Hymns and invocations from all over the world and tested for their strength in his Physiology Laboratory &
Hindu’s Gayatri Mantra produced 110,000 sound waves /second…
This was the highest and was found to be the most powerful hymn in the world.
Through the combination of sound or sound waves of a particular frequency, this Mantra is claimed to be capable of developing specific spiritual potentialities.
The Hamburg university initiated research in
to the efficacy of the Gayatri Mantra both on the mental and physical plane of CREATION…
The GAYATRI MANTRA is broadcasted daily for 15 minutes from 7 P.M. onwards over Radio Paramaribo, Surinam, South America for the past two years, and in Amsterdam, Holland for the last six months.
“Om Bhoor Bhuwah Swah, Tat Savitur Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi, Dhiyo Yo Nah Pra-chodayaat !” ?
Oh God, the Protector, the basis of all life, Who is self-existent, Who is free from all pains and Whose contact frees the soul from all troubles, Who pervades the Universe and sustains all, the Creator and Energizer of the whole Universe, the Giver of happiness, Who is worthy of acceptance, the most excellent, Who is Pure and the Purifier of all, let us embrace that very God, so that He may direct our mental faculties in the right direction.
Hare Krishna Raghvendu
You are correct. Hardly anyone is seriously studying the Vedic texts to find out the immense treasure-house of scientific knowledge that is stored withing their pages.
One small point is we can not accept anything the scientists have said as fact and then try and match the scientists figures with the Vedas.
Everything the scientists say is flawed. So we can not accept there 93,000,000 mile distance from the earth to the sun. Although this may be correct, also it may not be correct. The scientists are certainly totally wrong about the movements of the sun and the earth. Scientists have the earth moving around the sun but in reality the sun is moving around the earth. Everything you look at the scientists have got it totally wrong. They say life comes from chemicals for example but we know life comes from life.
So we can not accept the authority of the scientists. So there is no point trying to match the scientists numbers with the Vedas because the scientists numbers are basically all wrong…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I agree senses are imperfect. In this case considering lord hanuman is perfect. He gave the exact distance. But scientists and the methods they use is imperfect. Then how did they get the same distance between sun and earth which was similar to that given by hanuman. So somewhere the methods they use is right and scientific. May be we r too obsessed in calling them imperfect…..hare krishna
Western scientists are not even equal to the dust of the feet of the vedic rishis.their knowledge is ignorance or avidya.