Google Play-Infinite Game

Google recently inaugurated Ananta, one of its most prominent global offices, in Bengaluru. The name signifies limitless possibilities, infinite potential for innovation, continuous problem-solving, and an ever-expanding repository of the world’s knowledge. Steve Jobs, too, named the Apple campus in Cupertino, California, ‘1 Infinite Loop.’ In Indic philosophical and religious traditions, Ananta is more than a word that conveys infinite technical evolution; it is a key concept, also referred to as an attribute of the Divine. The Taittiriya Upanishad describes Brahmn, the foundation of all existence and beyond, as ‘Satyam, Jñanam, Anantam Brahmn’—Truth, Knowledge, and Infinity — ultimate reality that transcends sensory perception.

Etymologically, Ananta, in Sanskrit is derived from the prefix ‘a-’, meaning ‘without,’ and ‘anta,’ meaning ‘end’ or ‘limit.’ Simply put, it means ‘endless’ or ‘without limit.’ The eleventh chapter of the Bhagwad Gita describes Krishn in his full glory: “You are without beginning, middle, or end; your power has no limits. Your arms are infinite; the sun and the moon are like your eyes, and fire is like your mouth. I see you warming entire creation by your radiance.” In some Shakt traditions, Ananta is associated with infinite Shakti, boundless divine feminine energy that pervades existence. Imparting knowledge of infinity to Arjun, in Gita’s ninth chapter, Krishn reveals that Ananta, the permanent Infinite, beyond joys and sorrows, is universal consciousness, truth, that some call Ishwar, the ultimate cause of all creation.
In Buddhist tradition, all conditioned phenomena lack independent existence, they are Ananta in their interdependent arising — pratityasamutpada — their corporeality depends on several causes and conditions.
The concept of Anantattva, infinity in Jainism, emphasises that time, space, number of jivas, souls, and the universe itself, are infinite—they have neither beginning nor end.
Ananta encompasses akash, space, comprehended through knowledge, which gives the spiritual practitioner direct experience and wisdom, revealing the light within and without, enabling him to know anand, bliss.
Akash Tattva is among the panchmahabhutas believed to constitute all of existence, including the human body and universe; jada, matter and chetan, consciousness. The Ashtavakra Gita declares: “I am infinite space.” Yog Vasisht mentions three kinds of Akash, space — bhut akash: Physical space where four elements exist; the main or mother element is akash itself. Chit akash: Inner space of mind where thoughts and emotions come from. chid akash: Space of pure consciousness and energy, Shiv and Shakti, where no thoughts or emotions exist. Chid akash is Ananta (name of Google office), beyond mind. Our mind can reach up to a certain extent in space, chit akash; beyond that lies chid akash. Spiritualists are concerned only with the realm of consciousness and beyond, chid akash, leaving NASA, Bezos and Musk to play with physical and mental spaces.
Ananta akash is full of anand, bliss. Ramcharitmanas states: Hari anant/ Hari katha Ananta — Hari, Vishnu, is infinite, boundless, and beyond all limitations, and so are his tales. Traditional bhajans celebrate the Divine form as adi, beginning, primordial cause of all existence, and Ananta, boundless. Google’s employees and stakeholders, becoming aware of the rich meaning of Ananta, could embrace Ananta for infinite technological progress and innovation as well as get inspired to reach beyond, over and above these, and experience chid akash. Only then could we say that the sky’s the limit, for chid akash is the ultimate realm of pure consciousness and anand.
Authored by: Sonal Srivastava