A series that captures Q&As from satsang sessions with Shriman
Do extraterrestrial beings exist?
Now modern science has done interesting research on exoplanets. To Indians, this is nothing new. In fact, all the ancient civilisations have accepted life everywhere. All of this creation is considered Brahma’s body. But now we are very interested in finding out physical signals of extra- terrestrial life. So that’s where the concept of exoplanets comes in. Exoplanets are planets in distant solar systems and even other galactic systems where conditions are just like they are on earth. And hundreds and thousands of exoplanets are supposed to exist, even within the Milky Way. So there is a very likely possibility that life forms, just like us, exist in other solar systems within our very own galaxy itself, not to talk of other galaxies.
But this assumes that life can exist only in the way current science defines it (the bio-chemical basis). And that is how current scientific research is directed (to understand and evaluate other exoplanets based on our bio-chemical understanding of life). And, that is not wrong. Just that in Indian texts you will find expansive definitions of what life is. And also yogic ways by which you can encounter other life forms (for e.g. Yoga Vashishta mentions of yogic ways).
How come the Rajas of ancient India were able to live for 1000 years?
What those who know say is that, in Satya yuga, the average age was much higher than what it is now. So as per one definition, in Satya yuga, the average human age was 100,000 years. In Treta yuga, one zero was cut. In Dwapara yuga, two zeroes were cut.
In Kali yuga, you don’t know how many zeroes were cut! [Laughter] It has become variable! Even the retention of two zeroes is not sure. It is the age of confusion- “Should I do this action or not?” “Is this food good for me or not?” A person's whole life runs out in such confusions! So even those two zeroes are not fully retained. Even if those two zeroes are retained, it is mostly like a vegetative state. It is not exactly with veerya. The heart fails, but there is an external pump which is fixed, and the heart somehow keeps beating for sometime. One can say that there is some life present, but that’s all one can say.