how life began on earth | how life formed on earth | how life started | Origin of LIfe | Vedanta

How Life Started? | Brihadaranyaka Upanishad | Shloka 1.2.5

| Part 1

#English Watch https://youtu.be/soFaeHuE0Uo
#Hindi Watch https://youtu.be/4ZW3FDQ7mcU
#Bangla Watch

Dear readers,

Welcome back to our blog! Today, we will explore the fifth shloka of the second Brahmana in the first chapter of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. In this session, we will delve into the profound meaning of this shloka and draw parallels between ancient wisdom and modern scientific understanding.

Let's begin by reading or reciting the shloka:

"स ऐक्षत यदि वा इममभिमस्ये कनीयोऽन्नं करिष्य इति। स तया वाचा तेनात्मनेद सर्वमसृजत यदिदं किंचर्चो यजूषि सामानि छन्दासि यज्ञान्प्रजाः पशून्। स यद्यदेवासृजत तत्तदत्तुमध्रियत। सर्वं वा अत्तीति तददितेरदितित्व सर्वस्येतसात्ता भवति सर्वमस्यान्नं भवति य एवमेतददितेरदितित्वं वेद॥ ||५||"

"sa aikṣata yadi vā imamabhimasye kanīyo'nnaṁ kariṣya iti | sa tayā vācā tenātmaneda sarvamasṛjata yadidaṁ kiṁcarco yajūṣi sāmāni chandāsi yajñānprajāḥ paśūn | sa yadyadevāsṛjata tattadattumadhriyata | sarvaṁ vā attīti tadaditeradititva sarvasyetasāttā bhavati sarvamasyānnaṁ bhavati ya evametadaditeradititvaṁ veda||"

English Translation:

He thought: "If perchance I kill this baby, I shall have but very little food." He therefore created through the union of that speech (the Vedas) and that mind, whatever there is: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur- Veda, the Sama-Veda, the metres, the sacrifices, men and animals. Whatever he created forth he resolved to consume. Verily, because he eats everything, he (Death) is called Aditi. He who knows why Aditi came to have this name becomes the eater of everything and everything becomes his food.

When I was a child, I used to play with my elder sister and her friends, creating a virtual world of dolls. We gave them homes, beds, chairs, tables, and even prepared food for them. In that world, a cycle of day and night existed, and the dolls would sleep at night and wake up in the morning. But once our play ended, those living dolls would become lifeless again, and our temporary world would cease to exist. Isn't this similar to our real world, which began at one point, with different characters appearing for a time and then disappearing forever?

Before we dive deeper, I recommend reading our previous articles on the formation of the universe, formation of the solar system, meditation on Viraj, the origin of the Universe, and an introduction to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. Also, explore our series on the Isha Upanishad to unveil the Secrets of Self. You can find the links to these articles at the bottom.

In this shloka, the Rishi addresses a fundamental question: "How did life begin on this planet?" If you recall the earlier shlokas, you’ll find a chronological account of the creation and evolution of the universe. From nothingness to Hiranyagarbha (the Cosmic Egg or scientific singularity), from Hiranyagarbha to Viraj (the early universe), and from Viraj to the solar system and Earth. Then, from the solar system came life on Earth—animals, humans, and other forms of life. Alongside these, the Vedas, the metres, and sacrifices were also created. However, nothing is permanent. All that has been created will eventually be consumed by Death, or Hiranyagarbha, and come to an end.

Let us now explore the shloka in depth, in four parts:

1. How life started?

2. Evolution of life

3. Evolution of human civilization

4. The permanence of death

1. How Life started - Based on scientific evidence such as fossils, isotopic, and molecular data, life on Earth likely began between 3.5 to 4 billion years ago. During this time, Earth's environment was vastly different from today’s. The atmosphere lacked oxygen and was likely composed of gases like methane, ammonia, and hydrogen. The surface was subjected to intense volcanic activity, frequent meteorite impacts, and harsh solar radiation, all of which may have contributed to the chemical processes that led to the emergence of life.

Though no single theory has been universally accepted as the definitive explanation for the origin of life, the RNA World Hypothesis and the Hydrothermal Vent Hypothesis hold significant support from experimental and observational evidence.

The RNA World Hypothesis proposes that life began with the formation of RNA molecules, which can both store genetic information and catalyze chemical reactions. These RNA molecules may have formed spontaneously in Earth’s early conditions, leading to the development of more complex molecules like DNA and proteins.

The Hydrothermal Vent Hypothesis suggests that life may have originated near hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. These vents release mineral-rich, hot water, providing the necessary conditions for organic molecules and early life forms to develop.

Simple single-celled organisms evolved over billions of years into the biodiversity we see today. In our next article, we will explore the evolution of life in more detail.

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