Direction, Space And Time

There are eight directions, of left-right, east-west, north-south and the intermediate directions, of up and down (zenith & nadir), are added to these. These 10 directions have been quoted in Shatpatha Brahmana.

Space denotes the area occupied by a material object. Following the conquest of space by mankind, the word ‘space’ has acquired a new, specific connotation. In this discussion, however, the word ‘space’ is being used in its older meaning of a continuous are or expanse. When we speak of space in relation to an object, we indicate its location.

The frontiers or limits of an object, we indicate its location. Directions – on one side is the east and on the other west, for example. Time is the period required for the existence, consumption or use of an object. The expression of a particular object existing within  specific boundaries and from one particular time onwards defines the interrelationship of time, space and direction.

When we see an object we become aware of the area it occupies and its form. Then we become aware of its properties, name, function and so on delineates the area of an object. But the sages tell us that this understanding has serious flaws. They assert that our eyes can never see the object we can touch and the object we see can never be touched by us. In other words, the visible universe is altogether different from the touchable universe.

We can see an object only if it remains at a certain distance away from our eyes. If the object were to touch our eyeballs, we would be unable to actually see it. At the other extreme, we know that when an object is taken too far away from our eyes, it becomes invisible to us. So an object can be seen only within the parameters of a given distance. Conversely, an object must be brought within the reach of our limbs for us to be able to touch it. Common sense tells us, therefore, that it should be possible to distinguish between visible and touchable objects.

Every object radiates a cluster of rays of supraphysical energy, or Prana (vital energy), in a kind of ‘case’ around the object. This ‘case’ causes the eyes to see the object. The cluster of vital energy emitted from the centre of heart of an object becomes smaller as we move away from this centre. This expains why an object looks smaller the further we travel away from it. This relative attribute of size merely confirms that the visible ‘case’  of an object is different from the mass of the object we touch.