God and the unique connection to the number “9”, from religious and scientific angles

Episode -9

God and the unique connection to the number “9”, from religious and scientific angles

Shukracharya:  Starts with a prayer

Aadityaya cha somaya mangalaya budhayacha

Guru shukra shani byascha raahave ketave namah

Chandra: Swami is this Guru Peyarchi special ?!?

Shukra: “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. You know what you are discussing”

Chandra: Swami, I for a moment was carried away; Apologies. Please tell me what is special you are going to talk about today.

Shukra: In the prayer I started with, what struck you?

Chandra: Nine planets, okay….. the number 9

Shukra: yes,that is what we are going to talk about.

Not only from the Hindu perspective, but also from the views of other religions, the number 9 had a unique position. No need to reemphasise, God is common to all of us; only the religions separate us

God is the destination and Religion is the road to reach God. Needless to say Road cannot be more important than God himself.

·         Navavidha Bhakti : Sravanam (hearing about God); Keerthanam (singing in praise of God); Smaranam (remembering God); Paada-sevanam (serving the lotus feet of God); Archanam (worshiping God); Vandanam (obeisance/salutations) Daasyam (serving for the cause of God); Sakhyam (Mythri; friendship with God) and Aatma Nivedanam (surrender to God)

·         Nava Randhras (Nava Dwaara): Birth and death are associated with the number 9. Child is in the womb for 9 months and 9 days. Human body has 9 holes and when the soul exits through one of these. Randhra means a hole.

·         Nava Varshas (regions) : Bhoomanda is divided in to nine and they are Bharatha Varsha; Ilaavrutha Varsha; Bhadraaswa Varsha; Hari Varsha; Kethumaala Varsha; Ramyaka Varsha; Hiranmaya Varsha; Uttara Kuru Varsha; and Kimpurusha Varsha

·         Nava Rasa (reactions): Srungaara (beauty/love); Haasya (mirth); Karuna (compassion); Roudra (anger); Veera (courage/heroism); Bhayaanaka (fearful); Adbhuta (astonishment); Bheebhatsa (disgust); Saantha (tranquility)

·         Nava Durga : Nine forms of Durga are Shailaputhri; Brahmacharini; Chandraghanta; Kooshmaanda; Skhandhamatha; Kaathyaayani; Kaalarathri; Maha Gouri; and Siddhidhaathri. 

·         Nava Naarasimha: Jwaala Naarasimha, Ahobila Naarasimha, Maalola Naarasimha, Krodha Naarasimha, Kaaranja Naarasimha, Bhaargava Naarasimha, Yogaananda Naarasimha, Chatravata Naarasimha, and Paavana Naarasimha.

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·         Nava Brahmas :Mareechi; Angeerasa; Pulastya; Pulaha; Krathu; Daksha; Brugu; Vasishta and Athri are the sons of Lord Brahma grouped as Nava Brahmas.

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·         Nava Naaga: Anantha; Vaasuki; Sesha and others

·         Nava Graha: Sun (Surya); Moon (Chandra); Mars (Kuja or Angaaraka); Mercury (Budha); Jupiter (Guru or Bruhaspathi); Venus (Sukra); Saturn (Shani); Rahu and Kethu together are called Nava Grahas.

·         Navarathnas: Diamond, Saphhire and others

·         Nava Dhaanya: Wheat, Paddy  and others

·         Navarathri

·         Christianity: Nailed on the cross, Jesus Christ expires at the ninth hour.

·         Jesus appears nine times to his disciples and apostles after his resurrection.

·         In Islam, there is a reference to 9 miracles of Prophet Moses

·         In the religion of Bahai, they use a 9 pointed star as their symbol

Chandra: That is remarkable. Though the numbers 7 and 3 are also important, nine is used most extensively. Any particular reason?

Shukra:  Can’t have a doubt at all . number 9 is intriguing to  the scientists and others. We will try to catch up a bit on that.

Have you heard of a binary computation and quantum computation.

Chandra: I may have but may not know linking names to these methods

Shukra: Quantum computation is the use of all numbers from 1-9  in all combinations and using the number 0 as  “stage marker”.  In real life we do only that.  We count numbers from 1-9 and then move on to the next stage 10, then go on to 11,12,….19. On reaching that stage we move to 20 and so on.

Binary computing is all about using numbers 1 and 0.  If you need to denote bigger numbers you will have to use these two numbers 1 and 0 in some form.

In  other words, in binary computing we use only two arguments YES and NO.

In quantum computing is free form and there are more arguments than YES and NO. You represent  all numbers, syllables, alphabets in to numbers between 1 and 9.

Can I tell you something shocking to you. The present day computers use only the Binary system; they only know two numbers 1 and 0.  Even the fastest computer in the world uses this archaic system

Chandra : Impossible.  You mean to say that even super computers work only on 1 and 0

Shukra: Sadly that is the truth. There are talks about Quantum computing, moving away from the binary computing but people say that research is in a state of infancy.

Who knows the BIG computer companies are waiting sell their stock of binary computers before they introduce Quantum computers.

And when they did, you can be sure your computers and devices will work with lightning speed.  You may be able to deliver a Vada or Idli over an email, who knows.

Let us go back to simple mathematics around the number 9

·         You add any number to number 9 and convert the end result in to a single digit, then the resultant number is your original number

·         Say :  8+9=17  converting this to a single digit you get 8

·         21+9=30 converting this to a single digit you get 3, which is the same as the sum of the two digits of 21 viz., 2+1=3

·         You multiply any number and convert that to a single digit you always get 9

o    Say 8X9=72 converted to single digit 7+2=9

o    121X 9= 1089 converted to a single digit 1+0+8+9= 18 and finally 1=8=9

There are innumerable puzzles around the number 9 but the above said two broad principles has a significance to God and temples.

Look at the 2-D picture of a typical hindu temple. There are four main directions North, East South & West and four hybrid directions North East, North West, South East & South West. Together they are able to contain the boundaries of the temple. The bottom portion of the temple is fixed to the temple and the upper portion of the temple is the only other available direction . In all they constitute nine directions. 1 to 8 marked in the above picture represent the eight directions and the 9 the representing God is marked above the Sanctum Sanctorum or Garbha Griha.

A person who goes around the temple once and let us represents with some number say 6. For every direction he crosses add one and once stops in front of the last direction (oordwa) add one. Once he goes around the temple (inner rectangle) once, the total comes to 15, which sums up to his original number 6.

In other words he has gone around the temple once and he is what he is but he has earned the good-will(or should I say God-will) of having seen God once.  This is equivalent  to ADDITION. This is similar to adding 9 to a number and the original character remains.

In the other case,  by multiplication to God (9) your value reduced to a single digit, becomes 9.  How you do you multiply yourself to God? Yes, that is by performing or striving to perform the deeds of God, viz., Selfless behaviour, helping others, compassion, and a host of other things.

In other words if you ceremonially go around the temple you  remain what you are but may have added some good will.

But by Godly behaviour you could turn to God. All your acts, like the multiplication to 9, becomes godly.

If you ask me is there a ready-reckoner to multiply yourself to God, atleast I donot have one.