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To get a grip on the oft-copied design of the ‘Tree of Life’, it is necessary to nail down some concepts of pre-modern philosophy, for this is exactly what the Tree of Life is: a symbolic depiction of concepts current for those who created it, which has become ossified through time and easy appropriation. I’ll be doing that by freely translating to and fro the mutually intelligible Hebrew & Greek or Christian traditions, so let the reader be warned.It is an unconscious given, to post-Scholastic Western thought, that relationships be viewed in terms of causality: a field of “equal” objects interacting with one another, with the subject→object relation as the motive force behind the world. Not so in medieval philosophy, where it is expression that serves the same role: a structure of “hierarchical” objects, each the purposeful statement of its own nature, move to fulfill their ends. The Greek concept that preceded causality was the lógos (λόγος), meaning ‘reason’ and ‘speech’ (or ‘the Word’, as it is usually translated in modern English). Every action has its lógos, and so does every visible object have its lógos in the Platonic world of Ideal Forms. Such concepts underlie the opening of the Gospel of John in the Christian Bible:In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.The same was in the beginning with God.All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.In him was life; and the life was the light of men.And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.“Life” and “light” and “darkness” all fall into the field of Platonic jargon, and also into the world of the Tree of Life, but remain outside the scope of this answer. Next we proceed to the medieval arithmetic that formed one of the seven branches of the liberal arts. A philosopher after Pythagoras was in agreement with the modern physicist that mathematics is the universal language: but rather than a practical process of describing phenomena by mathematics, the study of arithmetic revolved around numbers as significant statements, mostly via the study of music. The “music of the spheres”, the harmony underlying God’s Creation, was meant to be no poetic statement, but a more perfect mathematical substrate of existence mapped through musicology.^ God tuning the Pythagorean monochord (one-stringed instrument) of the universe, whose mathematical-musical harmony incorporates all celestial and mundane objects, the letters (or instruments of lógos) and the elements.Now we can address what the Tree of Life is at its simplest: a graph of the numbers 1–10 and the 22 links between them, identical with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Although many more layers of significance are inherent to the Tree, it all boils down to these - and though the Tree (in an earlier form) dates back to the 16th century Ottoman Levant, the groundwork for this letters-and-numbers map of the inner life of God goes back at least to the book Bahir, composed in the 11th c. and reflecting preoccupations going back to the Hellenistic age.The Tree of Life is more often described as the process of emanation (loosely, “coming out of”) everything out of the unknown God; not a jumble of collected letters, but the act of divine speech itself. This in terms of four stages or worlds (22 letters, 2+2, 4 worlds) drawn from the Book of Isaiah (43:7)…Every one that is called by My name and for My glory, I have created, I have formed, even I have made.…as emanation→creation→formation→manifestation, along the lines of the (Neo-)Platonist cosmos, One→Mind→Soul→Phenomena. The first three are each represented in the Tree of Life by a triangle of spheres (one upturned and two pointing downwards), with manifestation consisting of the solitary last sphere. But each of the four is conceived as containing an entire instance of the whole Tree in itself, so sometimes the Tree is “unfurled” with more than ten spheres showing, as below (the ‘worlds’ are coloured in, within and without the lines-and-spheres design, as light, space, colour and fire in descending order).We now turn to the ‘spheres’ or numbers themselves, the sefiroth (sing. sefirah), each of which is a name or attribute of God. They are ultimately non-equivalent, each having its own theological associations within and without Judaism. For instance, the 9th (from above, always) is Yesod, ‘Foundation’ or ‘Pillar’. This is associated with the rabbinical teaching,A single column spans from the earth to the heaven, and its name is Righteous—after the (human) righteous [Tsaddik]. When there are righteous (persons) upon earth, it (the column) is strengthened, and when there are not, it is weakened; and it bears the entire world, for it is said, ‘The righteous is the foundation of the world’ (Prov. 10:25). But if it is weak, it cannot sustain the world! Hence, even if there were only one righteous person on earth, he would maintain the world.Similar ideas of an Axis Mundi that runs through all worlds (such as the unitary Intellect) was common to medieval philosophy, e.g. in Averroism, and in both Jewish and gentile thought acted as the canal through which descending souls could climb on high.A description of the Sefiroth predating the Tree of Life as such is given in the book Zohar (13th c. Spain), the most well-known work of the Kabbalah:One, is the source of the sea. A current comes forth from it making a revolution which is yod (י, the first letter in the four-letter name). The source is one, and the current makes two. Then is formed the vast basin known as the sea, which is like a channel dug into the earth, and it is filled by the waters issuing from the source; and this sea is the third thing. This vast basin is divided up into seven channels, resembling that number of long tubes, and the waters go from the sea into the seven channels. Together, the source, the current, the sea, and the seven channels make the number ten. If the Creator who made these tubes should choose to break them, then would the waters return to their source, and only broken vessels would remain, dry, without water.Here is made a generally accepted distinction between the three attributes, or the world of emanation (which form the ‘great countenance’ of God), and the lower seven and their three worlds (which form the ‘small countenance’). Between these two is the apparent gulf dividing Creator and creature, knowledge and ignorance, and the separation of the Fall.In this same wise has the Cause of causes derived the ten aspects of his Being which are known as sefiroth, and named the Crown the Source, which is a never-to-be-exhausted fountain of light, wherefrom he designates himself Eyn Sof, the Infinite. Neither shape nor form has he, and no vessel exists to contain him, nor any means to apprehend him. This is referred to in the words: “Refrain from searching after the things that are too hard for thee, and refrain from seeking for the thing which is hidden from thee.”Then He shaped a vessel diminutive as the letter yod, and filled it from him, and called it Wisdom-gushing Fountain, and called himself wise on its account. And after, he fashioned a large vessel named sea, and designated it Understanding and himself understanding, on its account. Both wise and understanding is he, in his own essence; whereas Wisdom in itself cannot claim that title, but only through him who is wise and has made it full from his fountain; and so Understanding in itself cannot claim that title, but only through him who filled it from his own essence, and it would be rendered into an aridity if he were to go from it. In this regard, it is written, “as the waters fail from the sea, and the river is drained dry” [Job 14:11]Crown, Wisdom & Understanding are the sefiroth of the ‘great countenance’.Finally, “He smites [the sea] into seven streams” [Isa. 11:15], that is, he directs it into seven precious vessels, the which he calls Greatness, Strength, Glory, Victory, Majesty, Foundation, Sovereignty; in each he designates himself thus: great in Greatness, strong in Strength, glorious in Glory, victorious in Victory, “the beauty of our Maker” in Majesty, righteous in Foundation. All things, all vessels, and all worlds does he uphold in Foundation.In the last, in Sovereignty, he calls himself King, and his is “the greatness, and the strength, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as head above all” [I Chron. 29:11]. In his power lie all things, be it that he chooses to reduce the number or vessels, or to increase the light issuing therefrom, or be it the contrary. But over him, there exists no deity with power to increase or reduce.Also, he made beings to serve these vessels: each a throne supported by four columns, with six steps to the throne; in all, ten. Altogether, the throne is like the cup of benediction about which ten statements are made [the Talmud], harmonious with the Torah which was given in Ten Words, and with the Ten Words by which the world was created.Here is a map of the “4 worlds” (actually 5, with one extra stage counted) outside the context of the Tree of Life, with the repeating series of sefiroth shown as diminishing concentric circles. The blank all around - from which descends the bright ray Kav (analogous to the letter yod in the previous narrative) is Eyn Sof.

The reputation of newer IITs will take some time to establish. But they have the same IIT brand associated with them as old IITs. These IITs are growing pretty fast.In times to come, the new IITs are bound to become the pillars of India’s technical progress and will make the dream of providing quality education to the future generation come true.IIT-Hyderabad: Rated No.1 among the eight new IITs, it has eleven engineering departments, three science departments, one liberal arts (humanities) department, one design department and three new proposed departments. IIT Hyderabad has great ongoing research, and its tie-up with Japan is certainly an added boon. The city, being an IT hub, provides an upper hand when it comes to placements. Who knows, you might just land up working for Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Amazon, IBM, Motorola or Hyundai!IIT-Indore : IIT Indore has unbeatably the best coding culture in the country. If you want an awesome on-board campus life, state-of-the-art infrastructure and the best hostels in the country, then choose IIT Indore without even giving a second thought to your choice.IIT-Gandhinagar : Founded in 2008, it is located in Palaj, Gandhinagar, Gujarat on the banks of the serene river Sabarmati. It offers awards not only for curricular and extra-curricular achievements but also for exemplary human qualities. More than 35% of students graduate with international experience of some sort.IIT-Ropar : It holds a fourth position in the rankings of new IITs in India. It offers courses in Electrical, Mechanical and Computer Engineering. The institute, apart from establishing a robust teaching environment, is keen to facilitate and support cutting-edge research in a variety of areas. It is committed to providing state-of-the-art technical education and facilitating transmission of knowledge by keeping in mind the latest developments in pedagogy.IIT-Patna : IIT Patna, which provides excellent placements with packages including a 1.8 crore job offer from Google, and a newly inaugurated campus. The institute is also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to provide students a quality education.IIT-Bhubaneswer : Situated at the foot of Barunei Hill, IIT Bhubaneswar is spreading over 936 acres of land. Offering a serene and pollution-free academic environment, and brings out academic brilliance by providing holistic education through various activities. What more can you expect? There is a mini shopping complex in, yoga and meditation activities, counseling services and a fitness centre.IIT-Mandi : IIT Mandi was established with the vision of being a leader in science and technology education, knowledge creation, and innovation. The main campus is eco-friendly and fast developing over an area of 538 acres, which is surrounded by mountains. IIT Mandi has now nearly completely shifted to its main campus at Kamand, except for some sections. In spite of being the youngest of all IITs, it has been successful in developing a firm foundation in the field of sports.IIT-Jodhpur : Currently operating from two sets of temporary campuses, IIT Jodhpur will shift to its sprawling state-of-the-art residential permanent campus on 852 acres of land in the forthcoming years. The new campus has been planned meticulously and envisioned to stand as a symbol of academics. Run under IIT Kanpur, the undergraduate courses taught here are Computers, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering. The endeavour at IIT Jodhpur is to live up to this brand image, with a renewed focus on producing world-class technology-driven graduates.

Ranking of New IITs in IndiaIIT Hyderabad: Rated No.1 among the eight new IITs, it has eleven engineering departments, three science departments, one liberal arts (humanities) department, one design department and three new proposed departments. Launched in 2008, IIT-Hyderabad was officially inaugurated by Sonia Gandhi on February 27, 2009. The campus is currently located in a quiet, residential colony on the Ordnance Factory Campus at Yeddumailram in Medak district, and is far away from civilization. IIT Hyderabad has great ongoing research, and its tie-up with Japan is certainly an added boon. The city, being an IT hub, provides an upper hand when it comes to placements. Who knows, you might just land up working for Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Amazon, IBM, Motorola or Hyundai!IIT Indore: IIT Indore has unbeatably the best coding culture in the country. If you want an awesome on-board campus life, state-of-the-art infrastructure and the best hostels in the country, then choose IIT Indore without even giving a second thought to your choice. The institution started functioning from 2009-10 in a temporary campus at Institute of Engineering and Technology of Devi Ahilyabai University under the mentorship of IIT Bombay. However, since February 2016, it has started functioning from its permanent campus spread over an area of around 510 acres at Simrol.IIT Gandhinagar: Founded in 2008, it is located in Palaj, Gandhinagar, Gujarat on the banks of the serene river Sabarmati. Laying emphasis on the liberal arts, project-oriented learning, compulsory courses in design and the life sciences, diversity and globalization, it is undoubtedly the city’s most prestigious academic and research institute. It offers awards not only for curricular and extra-curricular achievements but also for exemplary human qualities. More than 35% of students graduate with international experience of some sort. The faculty@Gandhinagar is liberal in its outlook, informal in its interactions and uncompromising on core values.IIT Ropar: Sometimes referred to as the Indian Institute of Technology Punjab (IIT Punjab), it holds a fourth position in the rankings of new IITs in India. It mainly offers courses in Electrical, Mechanical and Computer Engineering. The institute, apart from establishing a robust teaching environment, is keen to facilitate and support cutting-edge research in a variety of areas. It is committed to providing state-of-the-art technical education and facilitating transmission of knowledge by keeping in mind the latest developments in pedagogy. However, the shifting to a permanent campus has been delayed for a few years.IIT Patna: Patna has been home to some of the visionaries like Lord Gautam Buddha, Lord Mahavir, Guru Gobind Singh, the famous astronomer Aryabhatta and the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Living up to the high expectations is IIT Patna, which provides excellent placements with packages including a 1.8 crore job offer from Google, and a newly inaugurated campus. Located at Bihta, it already has six hundred seventy students enrolled in its B Tech programs, one hundred sixty-one M.Tech students and two hundred fifty-nine Ph.D. students. The institute is also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to provide students a quality education.IIT Bhubaneswar: Situated at the foot of Barunei Hill, which is famous for its rich history, IIT Bhubaneswar is spreading over 936 acres of land. Offering a serene and pollution-free academic environment, it has an academic area, residential area, training centres and a research park. The institute came into existence on July 22, 2008, and brings out academic brilliance by providing holistic education through various activities. What more can you expect? There is a mini shopping complex in, yoga and meditation activities, counseling services and a fitness centre.IIT Mandi: Nestled in the Shivalik Range of the Himalayas, away from the hustle bustle of the metropolis, IIT Mandi was established with the vision of being a leader in science and technology education, knowledge creation, and innovation. The main campus is eco-friendly and fast developing over an area of 538 acres, which is surrounded by mountains. IIT Mandi has now nearly completely shifted to its main campus at Kamand, except for some sections. In spite of being the youngest of all IITs, it has been successful in developing a firm foundation in the field of sports.IIT Jodhpur: Currently operating from two sets of temporary campuses, IIT Rajasthan will shift to its sprawling state-of-the-art residential permanent campus on 852 acres of land in the forthcoming years. The new campus has been planned meticulously and envisioned to stand as a symbol of academics. Run under IIT Kanpur, the undergraduate courses taught here are Computers, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, Biologically, Inspired Systems Science and System Sciencebesides other Postgraduate and Ph.D. programmes. The endeavour at IIT Jodhpur is to live up to this brand image, with a renewed focus on producing world-class technology-driven graduates.