Art from Science -9

When I was reading Hindu religious books sometime back, I found a striking resemblance between description of God in those books & energy in Laws of  Conservation of Energy. In a world where there is clash between science & religion, I thought, there is one area that can bring harmony between the two. According to some religious books God is in the form of a very bright light-without a beginning or an end-filling the whole space in the universe. Goddess Adishakti (adi=beginning, shakti=energy) is one of the first formed Gods & Goddesses in this universe. It is said that Shakti is the power & energy with which the universe is created, preserved, destroyed & recreated by the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva. Science says there was only energy in the beginning.

 My painting starts with Adishakti- who was described as a female in the religious books. Then I  painted big bang- formation of the universe- transformation of energy into mass- birth of galaxies &  stars- transformation of mass & energy from one form (body) to another- Sun, one of the stars, and  the earth-& things that happen on earth-some of the energy and atomic cycles. 

 An atom (red dot in the painting) that is a part of you now can become a part of a plant or a tree in  your garden or your pet dog or a hill- while you are living or after your death. If it disappears from  here, it reappears somewhere else. Everything came from cosmic energy & mass & return to it in  the end. This universe runs on mass & energy cycles- where life &death are relative terms & words  like I & mine become meaningless. Here nothing-not even your body- is yours!

 A person who understands this philosophy prays to God, “Lord, whoever or whatever I come  across, I treat him, her or it as you & worship. Whoever you come across, treat him or her as me  & shower your kindness!” Which means there is no difference between one & the other, anybody or  anything in this universe. We are all one and the same! This universal philosophy is the theme of  my painting.

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AS 44
Sacred Life

One of my Western friends once asked me, “ Why do Hindus worship Gods in Animal and Plant forms?” “It’s because,” I told my friend, “Hindus believe God is OMNIPRESENT i.e., present everywhere & in everything. There is no place where you can’t find God. All plants & animals are as important to them as human beings & sacred too”.

“Agreed,” says science! All living beings on this planet are equal & play important roles in the complex systems they live in. Treating their roles in the complex webs with respect & protecting them is a must for the very survival of mankind. Because when there are no plants & animals on this planet even man cannot survive on earth.

Although there are several plant & animal forms that are worshipped by Hindus, I chose only the important ones for my painting. My painting shows Ganesha, the God with an elephant head. Blue Jay is considered in some parts of India as incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Nagaraja is the snake worshipped all over India. Hanuman is the monkey God. Tulasi (Oscimum) is a sacred plant & cow is a sacred animal for Hindus. Lord Vishnu’s ten incarnations include Varahavatara (varaha=pig, avatara=incarnation), Narasimhavatara (nara=man, simha=lion)-God with lion head, Koormavatara (koorma=tortoise) & Matsyavatara (matsya=fish). All these plant & animal forms are worshipped by Hindus as they are considered sacred by them

The double helix of DNA represents life – which is central – surrounded by a ring of chromosomes- to show that life in all its forms is sacred. Bringing science, religion & art together for the cause of conservation is my main aim in painting this picture.