By: Seetha ‘Priya’
Heisenberg’s ‘Uncertainty Principle’ also called the ‘Indeterminacy Principle’, was proposed in 1927 by the German physicist Werner Heisenberg. It had a profound impact on classical physics as it questioned the very foundation of all scientific investigation and observation. Newtonian physics not only believed in the accuracy of measurement but also that all information could be defined and used to predict the future course of the particle.
Heisenberg cleared this misconception and made the bold proposition that there is a lower limit to this precision, making our knowledge of a particle inherently uncertain. This revolutionary insight is a realization that parameters that define the position and the velocity of an object cannot be measured exactly on our cognitive abilities.
Brahman Satyam, Jagat Mithya — ‘Jagat, the one which exists due to constant change, is based on or is being tended by Brahman, which is Satya, changeless existence.
Is Brahman that ‘hidden, real world ruled by causality’ alluded by Heisenberg, the backdrop of reality, on which the manifest universe and its inherent, illusory nature, uncertainty are founded? Brahman, the all-pervasive consciousness, is not restricted to the conditioned consciousness which manifests at the level of the brain.
The 26th shloka of Vishnu Sahasranama is –
Suprasada Prasannatma Viswadrig Viswavasuhu
Satkarta Satkritahs Sadhurjanh Narayano Naraha
Lord Vishnu the gracious (Suprasada) is delightful (Prasannatma), supports the cosmos (Viswadrig) and no doubt enjoys the multiform (Viswavasuhu). He has always done good (Satkarta) and worshipped (Satkrita) by the righteous (Sadhu), as he is the Disintegrator (Jahnu) and as the Abode of Atman (Narayana) happens to be the leader (Nara).
Sai Baba used to beg from five houses. He wanted to light a few oil lamps. He was not certain of getting oil from the shopkeepers. However, he tried Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle.
One evening villagers could not refrain from watching Baba who left the mosque to collect alms. It was quite an unusual time for Baba to beg! He had not done it before! He went to Nandu’s shop.
“What can I do for you, Baba?” Nandu politely asked.
“Oh! Give me a little oil! That is all!” Baba extended his tumbler.
“Oil? At this hour?” Nandu Marwadi hesitated! According to his custom, giving oil in the evening was considered inauspicious.
Baba assured him – “It is all right Nandu! Lakshmi will come to your doorstep! Believe me!”
Without any argument, Nandu Marwadi poured some oil into Baba’s tumbler. Baba left the shop without paying anything. This disturbed him as he expected Baba to pay him at least two paisas. He grieved that Lakshmi had not favored him at the auspicious hour.
“Nandu, there is a deal of two thousand rupees worth of supply of jaggery! Would you like to accept?” Nandu Marwadi was taken aback to hear his friend’s familiar voice. Raja Bhai, a merchant from Kopargaon had come to him. He explained, “I cannot accept the deal myself. My hands are tied up. This is a good deal, and I am sure you will make good money.”
“Oh, you Raja Bhai!” Nandu became excited. Jubilantly he said – “Who will lose this chance? Come, have some tea!” So, Lakshmi indeed had favored Nandu at this evening hour. As he lighted a lamp in his shop, Nandu’s mind made a quick calculation of how much profit he could make in the deal of jaggery, Raja Bhai offered. He thought – “The mad fakir’s words have indeed come true.”
Why does Baba need oil today? – all traders pondered. Baba had approached them all. There were four of them in Shirdi! However, they all gave a little oil willingly to Baba who played Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle.
So far only a single lamp was lighted in the mosque. Appa Jogale used to daily supply oil for it. Today he had gone out of the village. Even so, instead of one, Baba lit four! Four earthen lamps in four corners of the mosque!
It was the day of ‘Amavasya’ – the New Moon Day on which every Hindu lighted a special lamp in his house. Many had forgotten this tradition.
Baba continued getting oil from the shopkeepers and kept the wicks burning throughout. The grocers gladly gave oil to Baba. They did so because they did extremely well with this act of benevolence.
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