Cosmology

Question 1

Prakriti

Answer 1

The world is made up of spirit, which cannot be seen or touched, and matter, known as prakriti, which can be seen and touched.
Some Hindus think these two realities exist separately and that spirit must conquer matter. Other Hindus think that spirit and matter are needed together for the universe to be complete and creation fulfilled.

Question 2

Triguna

Answer 2

Matter goes through three stages: creation, maintenance and destruction. These three stages called the tribune, are seen in human life as passion, goodness and ignorance
Together, the tribune are said to explain the way humans behave. They are often linked to the three primary colours, red, yellow and blue, which provide the complete spectrum. Therefore, a persons actions can be explained by the balance of guns in their personality. A balanced person will show serenity, commitment, knowledge, honesty, generosity and self-control. The balance is upset by desire, ambition and wanting to control; qualities such as laziness, hopelessness, thoughtlessness and intoxication can seriously damage a person.

Question 3

The four ages

Answer 3

Hindus think there are four long res, or epochs, called Yugas, which continuously rotate
Bhagavad Gita 8.17
‘One day of Brahma lasts a thousand cycles of the four ages and his night also extends for the same span of time. The wise who know this understand the reality about day and night’

Question 4

Where do deities supposedly live?

Answer 4

Hindus think of deities living in spiritual worlds called Vaikuntha
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.15.16-23 -
SB3.15.16
‘In those vaikuntha planets there are many forests which are very auspicious. Inthose forests the trees are desire trees, and in all seasons they are filled with flowers and fruits because everything in the vaikuntha planets is spiritual and personal’