Connections Between Thermodynamics and Vishnu Tattva

(written on June 8, 2019)

(References: SB 1.2.30, 1.9.21)

What are the Laws of Thermodynamics?

#1: Law of Conservation

• Energy is neither created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed

• Therefore, energy is eternal

• The change in internal energy is equal to the change in work plus the change in heat

• Internal energy: the amount of kinetic and potential energy in an object (basically the total energy of an object/system)

• This basically proves the law of conservation

#2: The Second Law

• Heat will spontaneously flow from something hotter to something colder, but it won’t flow from something colder to something hotter

• Because of entropy

• Entropy: the inherent disorder of a system, the more disordered the higher the entropy

• Entropy in a system and entropy in the universe have an inverse relation

• When there is a decrease in entropy, the environment has to compensate for that

• For example, when you place water in the freezer, it’s entropy decreases because the water freezes into a solid, leaving less space for molecules to move

• Because of this, the heat that the freezer exudes increases the entropy of the kitchen

What is evidence from the Vedas?

#1: SB 1.2.30

• States that in the beginning of material creation the Absolute Personality of Godhead in his transcendental position created the energies of cause and effect by his own internal energy

• This verse states that everything in this material creation was created by Krishna’s energy

• This means that since it is Krishna’s energy, we cannot create or destroy it because we are only the marginal energies of the Lord

• We have limited free will but by using this we can only

The first law of thermodynamics is explained by Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.30. In this verse it is stated that “in the beginning of material creation the Absolute Personality of Godhead in his transcendental position created the energies of cause and effect by his own internal energy.” In science, the term internal energy means that total energy of an object or the amount of kinetic and potential energy. So, Krishna created the material world with his external energy. As the marginal energies of Krishna, we only have limited control over His energies in the material creation. We cannot create or destroy the material energy, we can only transform it in a limited fashion. Hence, from this verse of the Srimad Bhagavatam, the first law of thermodynamics is explained. The First Law, or the Law of Conservation of Energy, states that matter cannot be destroyed or created; it can only change form. However, due to the atheist mindset, scientists have conveniently forgotten the fact that energy is eternal. Because the material world is created by Krishna’s energy, and Krishna’s energy is no different from him, the material energy is eternal.

The second law of thermodynamics is explained by Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.21. In this verse, it is stated that “being the Absolute Personality of Godhead, He is present in everyone’s heart. He is equally kind to everyone, and He is free from the false ego of differentiation. Therefore whatever He does is free from material inebriety. He is equi balanced.” This last part of the translation is important. It says that the Lord is equi balanced. This is tied to the concept of entropy which is the second law of thermodynamics. Just like the Lord is equally present everywhere, the material energy seeks balance. Entropy is the amount of disorder in an object. For example, if you take a cup of water and a cup of ice cubes, the cup of water is of higher entropy because of the amount of space that atoms in the water have, to spread. Objects of higher entropy achieve equilibrium with the objects of lower entropy because the law states that heat moves to cold, causing the universe to increase overall entropy. This is what it means for the material energy to be equi balanced. However, according to the Vedas, the entropy of living entities is actually decreased, or constant. This is because the material concept of entropy applies to only the material energy, it cannot apply to the soul. The reason why the baby in the womb decreases its entropy while being formed is because of the presence of the soul in the body. Scientists have failed to understand this key concept of the spiritual entropy because of their atheistic concepts. Wherever there is the soul and Paramatma, the material energy is under the control of the Soul, hence babies are able to be formed in the womb of the mother from matter. As stated in the purport, “He is equally kind to everyone, and He is free from false ego of differentiation.” Since Krishna is above the material energy, living entities are able to permeate the materials laws of entropy while decreasing their entropy.