Chapter (অধ্যায়): THE ETHER PAGE-286Page: 286 of 548

At the start the different sciences were thought to have no connection whatever with each other; but as more and more knowledge comes in__that is, the more and more we come nearer the centre__the radii are converging more and more, and it seems that they are on the eve of finding a common centre. Will they ever find it?

The study of the mind was, above all, the science to which the sages of India and Greece had directed their attention. All religions are the outcome of the study of the inner man. Here we find the attempt at finding the unity, and in the science of reli­gion, as taking its stand upon general and massive propositions, we find the boldest and the most vigorous manifestation of this tendency at finding the unity.

Some religions could not solve the problem beyond the finding of a duality of causes, one good, the other evil. Others went as far as finding an intelligent personal cause, a few went still further beyond intellect, beyond personality, and found an infinite being.

In those, and only those systems which dared to transcend beyond the personality of a limited human consciousness, we find also an attempt to resolve all physical phenomena into unity.

The result was the "Akâsha" of the Hindus and the "Ether" of the Greeks.

This "Akasha" was, after the mind, the first material mani­festation, said the Hindu sages, and out of this "Akasha" all this has been evolved.

History repeats itself; and again during the latter part of the nineteenth century, the same theory is coming with more vigour and fuller light.

It is being proved more clearly than ever that as there is a co‑relation of physical forces there is also a co‑relation of differ­ent [branches of] knowledge, and that behind all these general groups there is a unity of knowledge.

It was shown by Newton1 that if light consisted of material particles projected from luminous bodies, they must move faster



Foot Note:

1           Isaac Newton, 1642‑1727.