Milky Way Galaxy. How was this name derived? It is attributed to Roman poet Ovid’s work, The Metamorphoses, in A.D. 8. Or it is traced back to ancient Greeks. 800 B.C. to 500 B.C. The origin of the name is unknown in Western literature. Majority of the galaxies do not possess a name. Yet, a name exists for the galaxy where our Sun is present. The name is not an accidental derivation. We view our name with reverence because someone valued our birth to name us. Name gave us an identity. It is a permanent link to our creators. Why should our galaxy have a name? Most of us cannot see, identify, and feel comforted with galactical objects. Galaxies, stars, planets, and many other cosmic objects have names. The only beneficiary from these names for distant objects is the human race. When we utter Milky Way, we are subliminally connecting our existence with larger, superior objects. It is a reminder to humanity that purpose for humankind is the nether regions we cannot see. It’s existence manifests through a name. The power of naming very large, and microscopic objects is for humanity to reverberate to a much larger phenomenon than our meager existence. Ksheera Saagaram is the root for the Milky Way Galaxy.
Whether Ovid, or Greek Mythology, had to have discovered Vedic, and Puranic scripts to name our galaxy as Milky Way. One can argue that Puranas borrowed from Ovid’s work, but the Samskrutham language does not have Western influenced words to make that a viable argument. Milky Way, or Ksheera Saagaram, does it make a difference in our existence whether we discover the source, or not? Undoubtedly, it would make a huge difference in our lives. Raavana stole Pushpaka Vimaanam from Kubera. He held it for a long duration. To whom does the Pushpaka Vimaanam belong? Whenever Pushpaka Vimaanam is mentioned, it is always attributed to Kubera. Only Raavana’s associates considered it as his. No one else in history considers it as belonging to Raavana. The power of the source is always eternal. We need not look so far back in history. The Kohinoor diamond adorning the British queen is attributed to India. It is a stolen property. Is this rule not applicable for names? Especially, when it belongs to our galactical back yard.
Milky Way is a name copied from Vedic sources. It is important for humanity to discover sources for knowledge. When the source is tainted, our existential truth will become contaminated. When knowledge is impure, our lives are enslaved. Enslaved, we do not trust the origins for knowledge. A cascading downfall is inevitable when we live with irreverence to the true source. The Milky Way is only one example. Astrological signs, planets, including Rahu, and Ketu (North and South Lunar Nodes), weekday names, numbering system, are few examples that we encounter on a daily basis. All are copied.
The Gregorian calendar is merely 2022 years old. Did humanity live without a calendar prior to the invention of the modern calendar? Check the calendar of September 1752. You will notice 11 days missing from the calendar when the Julian calendar merged with the Gregorian calendar. Celebration of the New Year shifted from March 25 to January 1. Modern calendar endured many changes when the two systems of calculation were in effect until 1752. The days in the months are arbitrary. Behavior of modernity is erratic, illogical, and catastrophic for humanity. Intelligence possesses the ability to both protect, and destroy an entity. It is sharp on both edges. Universe’s operational tenet. Creation, and destruction are best friends.
Raavana, antagonist of Sri Ramayana was a Vedic scholar. His command of the script was beyond ordinary. He could tell, instantly, how many times each letter of the alphabet appears in Vedam. He was peerless in intelligence. Yet, the same intelligence did not protect him. It destroyed him. He took millions of his followers with him in the end. Why would an intelligent person endure such a tragic end? The quality of intelligence he possessed was contaminated by arrogance, selfishness, and brutality. He possessed intelligence without heart. He instilled fear in public, instead of reverence. Each misdeed brought him closer and closer to demise. His intelligence was protected for as long as tolerable. For he lived a long life. His kingdom decimated in the end. He stole everything he possessed, including his kingdom. His intelligence stole his existence.
At least Raavana lives in infamy. Where do the fallen emperors of recent history survive in our collective memory? Babylonian, Ottoman, Mughals, Roman, Grecian, Dutch, British, French, and many others are forgotten by humanity. We owe it to our children, and future generations, to the true origins of knowledge. We will strengthen ourselves, family, society, nations, and nature when ancestral heritage is revered, and accepted. Else, we will live with human history of Neanderthals, cavemen, hominids, and transhumanism. Intelligence exists in a state of doubt. Our existence will mimic our intelligence.
Ancestors guarded intelligence with extreme care. It wasn’t divulged recklessly for the fear that it would unleash calamity on humanity. Indeed, it does. We are witnesses to it in modern times. Which advancement in modernity exists without subsequent problems. Problems will never be evident the moment intelligence is diverted for a selfish purpose. It will take time. Nature works in a deliberate, methodical way. It is demonstrated beautifully in Sri Ramayana. Raavana was defeated on the first day of the war. However, Sri Rama sent him back without killing him. Why should he send him back when Sri Rama had him cornered? He expected a change in him. Benevolent leadership. Opportunities are given many times for us to come to awareness. Nature’s benevolence that we have not been subjected to serious calamitous events is evident when we explore thoroughly our egregious errors. Finding microplastics in human blood is evidence that modernity’s existence is on a precipice. AI, cellular phones, computers, mechanization, and every modern advancement will bring existential problems.
Just as it behooves us to seek the origins of a simple galactic name for the sake of determining origins of the term, it is equally important to discover the true purpose, and intention of intelligence. Intelligence has never been the domain of a select few. All of us should have the curious mind to discover the truth of our existence. We may be superior race on Earth, but that does not guarantee that we are the sole owners of greatness. There must exist another entity beyond us. It is logical conclusion. For if we are the ultimate in this cosmos, we lead a sorry existence as the ultimate sole powerful race. Nature will be embarrassed by human race. We should be embarrassed too. Modernity will meet the same fate as Raavana when a new dawn rises in the near horizon as Post-Modern epoch. Journey with me tomorrow to discover who is responsible for our birth!
Fragrance of Humanity 
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