The Sikhs, founder Guru Nanak Ji early stated in the Guru Granth Sahib some 500 years ago, much before any scientist dreamt of attempting to have confirmed so:
ਤਿਥੈ ਖੰਡ ਮੰਡਲ ਵਰਭੰਡ ॥ ਜੇ ਕੋ ਕਥੈ ਤ ਅੰਤ ਨ ਅੰਤ ॥
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"There are planets, solar systems and galaxies.
If one speaks of them, there is no limit and no end."
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in about 1499 found in the Sikh holy scripture called the Guru Granth Sahib
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The Living Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is referred as SGGS. The Sikh scriptures have said great many things about the Universe. However, although Gurbani has been in existence since about 1499 and the Guru Granth Sahib has been the Guru of the Sikh since 1708, the world has not been listening. It is clear that there is very little that the world has learnt from the important points mentioned in the Sikh holy text regarding the cosmos.
Carl Sagan (1934 – 1996) was an American astronomer, astrochemist, author, and highly successful popularizer of astronomy, astrophysics and other natural sciences. He was the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He was a consultant and adviser to NASA since the 1950's and briefed the Apollo astronauts before their flights to the Moon.
This is what Carl Sagan, wrote in his book the Pale Blue Dot:
"How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and concluded, 'This is better than we thought! The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said, grander, more subtle, more elegant'? Instead they say, 'No, no, no! My god is a little god, and I want him to stay that way.' A religion, old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the Universe as revealed by modern science might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths."
Well! The holy Granth of the Sikhs has said all these amazing things about the cosmos.
What Gurbani says?
Guru Granth Sahib Ji states that, “There are planets, solar systems and galaxies. If one speaks of them, there is no limit, no end. There are worlds upon worlds of His Creation. As He commands, so they exist. He watches over all, and contemplating the creation, He rejoices. Nanak says, to describe this is as hard as steel!” (SGGS p8).
Despite this fact being clearly stated in the Guru Granth Sahib some 500 years ago, most of humanity is not aware of these sayings. Guru Nanak was an exceptional visionary and was responsible for bring some amazing ideas to the world.
The Guru Granth Sahib say that the universe consists of many different bodies including planets, solar systems galaxies, stars, suns, skies, etc and that the scale and extent of these bodies is unknown and that there is no end to their number. It is clear from this that probable size of the universe is beyond an exact evaluation or calculation by the human mind.
The holy text continues to state: "The limits of the created universe cannot be perceived. Its limits here and beyond cannot be perceived. Many struggle to know His limits, but His limits cannot be found. No one can know these limits. The more you say about them, the more there still remains to be said." (SGGS p5).
"All are in the One, and the One is in all." (SGGS p907). So the Universe is a manifestation of the Lord; He is found within the Universe. So from this we can see the extent of God as portrait by Sikhism.
Furthermore, it is stated that God created the whole universe including the earth: “You Yourself created the earth, and the two lamps of the sun and the moon” (SGGS p83); "He creates planets, solar systems and galaxies;" (SGGS p1162).
very interesting read.
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