Infinity concept

Infinity refers to something that has no end. Something without any limit. In mathematic terms, we can express infinity as a numberless number. It does not increase by adding anything or decrease by subtracting anything from it.

Infinity

Can anything guess what is Infinity+1 called? Or What is Infinity-1 called? The answer is also Infinity.

So lets now have a sneak peak on ancient Indian knowledge on Infinity. What does our vedas and Upanishads talk about infinity. What does ancient Indian masters and scholars tell about infinity.

The concept of infinity was known in vedic times. The Opening lines of Shukla Yajur veda says:

Om Purnamadah Purnamidham Purnaath  Purnamudachyate

Purnasya murnamaataya Purnamevavasishyate

We can interpret this sloka in 2 ways. One metaphysical and the other is mathematical.

Roughly we can translate this as “Infinity is born from Infinity and when we take infinity out of infinity, only infinity remains”. 

Here, it is very interesting to note the relationship between zero and infinity .Anything divided by zero is infinity. The first purnam relates to the infinity and the later one to zero which is a root for infinity.

Asmin vikara khahare na raasaavapi praveshteshvapi ni: srutheshu bahushvapi syaallaya srushtikaale_nanthe_ chyuthe bhoothaganeshu yaddhath -  Bramhmasputah siddhantha.

Nothing happens to the (huge number) infinity, when any number enters (added) or leaves (subtracted) the infinity.

This sloka uses this analogy to compare with the Bramhan or the ultimate being. It says, During pralaya many things get dissolved in Mahavishnu and after pralaya, during srushti all those things get out of him.

This happens without affecting the lord himself. Like that, whatever number is added to infinity or whatever is subtracted from it, the infinity remains unchanged.

In Taittariya Updanishad, Brahman has been described as "satyam gynanam anantam brahma", which means Brahman is truth, knowledge and infinity.

There are also various other references towards infinity and other large numbers used by ancient Indians. Watch out for those in the next post.