The Science behind Indian Traditions and Practices- by K.R.Sekar

Introduction

Very often people opine that Indian Culture and ancient Indian practices has no connections with science etc.  Recently I read a Tweet ( I don’t want to name) where a series of tweets by so called social thinkers derided Indian Culture, Indian Ancient History and came to their own conclusion that but for the Western Culture and Western world, India would be suffering in science etc. It was a belief shared by lot that Indian traditions, practices and system lack scientific reasoning etc and all science came to us from outside India.

I am not expert on science as i studied commerce and post qualification I took Taxation. I am also not an expert in Vedas or any of the Shastras etc. but due to my interest I saw few great temples which are architecture marvels, listened to few experts, and read few books. In this process I was amazed to know about our culture, our ancientness and how our culture is interlinked with science etc. Unfortunately lot of us are still living in ignorance and it is time that we wake up from the slumber and try to understand our rich ancient culture and tradition.

Indian ancient system have everything whether it is astronomy, architecture, Mathematics and Science etc. Many people are not aware that Panchang is an astronomy and a branch of science. Some of the experts do Panchang Sadas ( Group of Experts) where they discuss the planets position for a year and also delve into scientific aspect on the implications of such planet positions.  We get Panchang one year in advance explaining the positions of planets on day to day basis, predicting the full moon day, time of sun rise and sun set and moon rise and moon set. Even today the experts say time of Sunrise and Sun set in every place of India much in advance.  Many of us may be aware that sun rise and sun set timings may not be uniform in all places in India.  Vedic Pandits who are expert in Panchang indicate the time in advance on Sunrise and Sunset in different cities in India. Is it not a science?

I was privy to a conversation between a Vedic Scholar and a leading scientist where the discussion was how Panchang Sadas (means Group of Experts ) discuss various planets positions, distance between the planets etc. not for today or tomorrow but for the next few years.  Unfortunately due to our ignorance we consider planets as related to astrology and consult astrologers and we look at Panchang for auspicious time for Rahu Kalam /Yamagandam time etc.  Due to lack of knowledge and  ignorance we don’t consider Panchang as Science.  We need to blame our ignorance and not our ancient systems and ancient literature in the form of Vedas, Shastras etc.

Science and Temples

In our culture we have “Shilpa Shastra” which is a science related to construction of temples etc. Again I was a listener few months back at Andhra Pradesh where the intricacies of “Shilpa Shastra” was discussed by various Stapathies under the auspices of Kanhi Kamakoti Mutt. (Stapathies are one who are specialized in Temple Construction.). In that entire conversation I listened to conversations on how the stones are to be selected, how the temple needs to be constructed, procedures and methods on how a building other than temple to be constructed etc.  Some of them quoted verses from our Shilpa Sastra and explained it and explained the scientific side on construction of temples.

 Due to my limited knowledge I could follow only some and not all, but I could come to one conclusion that even before the B.Arch which is part of Engineering Cuuriculum, we had Architecture science in our tradition and culture.

I give three examples of great temple construction which are architecture marvel.

1. Brahadeeshwarar Temple at Tanjore constructed by Raja Raja Chola. The Shadow of Temple Tower will not fall on earth.  Shiv Linga is a tallest one. Even after many centuries the temple is absolute beauty. One can also look Madurai Meenakshi temple for its architecture beauty.

2. Lepakshi Temple near Bangalore. This Temple is constructed on Hanging Pillar and even today it is visible. Britishers did not believe it and they tried to shake the pillar and temple moved little bit. There are many more beautiful aspects on this temple but due to limited space I am not talking about it. If we don’t have architecture in our ancient culture and system we could not have constructed such a magnificent temples which stands for many centuries.

3. Third is absolute science. In Tamil Nadu at Tirunelveli district there are famous places called Nava Tirupati which means nine temples dedicated to Lord Balaji. One of the temple has a brilliant architecture and a small statue is engraved in the pillar. This is temple is one of the oldest temples. The beauty of the statute is that one can have live experience how Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) is connected. We believe ENT has come only after we started studying Medicine. But that statute will give guidance on ENT is connected in our body and this was oldest temple and explains ENT as a part of “Human Anatomy”.

Science and Traditions and Practices

Many of us remember Bhopal Gas Tragedy which happened in 1984. I was studying college at that time. I read a news item in “The Hindu” ( those days ”The Hindu” was really good and informative) and an article in one of the magazines that a “particular location” or “family” is not impacted by Bhopal Gas Tragedy as they do and practice agnihotra every day. Later when I did a google search for the news item, I found it https://twitter.com/2LiveHolistic/status/953441719369924608 . One can read the news item and may take a conclusion. ( Agnihotra is a form of offering to god through fire and the belief is that it purifies the atmosphere. Please note there is a process for lighting the fire by Agnihotries and they will not light the fire by normal Match Box or through lighter etc.  There is an exclusive stone and wood used for that).

My parents used to insist on me washing my hands, legs when I come back to home from outside and after that only she will allow me to touch anything. Similarly when I return home from hospital or from any place (depending on the place) she used to insist on me having bath. I used to question it but during COVID time we relaised the importance of cleanliness. Similarly elders used to fast on particulars days in a month like Ekadasi/ Kritigai or Amavasya day or one day in a week and we never knew the reason as we believed it is a ritual or religious practices. Now people practice intermittent fasting for the purpose of better health.  In our every practice there was a science but we were completely ignorant.

Connect between Veda and Quantum Theory in Mathematics

There is another theory that India did not have science and India would have been scientifically under developed as we did not have roots. I was astounded when I read the following real time experience of a great mathematician with Kanchi Mahaperiya Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathy 68^th pontiff of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam.

I am reproducing the incident which I read and also the source. (Source: https://mahaperiyavaa.blog/2016/07/14/quantum-theory/- This incident has been vividly described by Shri Thiruvannamalai Gowrishankar Mama and translated by Sri Suresh P)

I once went to a place called Vaasangere in Karnataka to have His darshan. He was camping in the mines area which belonged to Sandur Maharaja. His Holiness Swamigal was a sitting on a tarpaulin along with the other devotees. Annathurai Iyengar of Veda Raksha Nidhi Trust was also there with a few students from his Veda Patashala. It was around 10.30 in the night.

The Sandur Maharaja, Maharani and their son were also there. His son was a Reader in the Department of Mathematics at Yale University in the US. He had a PhD degree in Maths. His parents were standing there respectfully before Him but he appeared to be quite casual. Swamigal conversed with the Maharaja and Maharani in Kannada for a while.

After a while He turned towards their son and asked, “Where do you live? What are you doing?”

“I am a Reader in Maths Dept at Yale University”, he replied.

“What have you studied, you have done your PhD in which branch of Maths”, He asked.

Their son did not answer for a minute, hesitating to reply as he was unsure if Swamigal could make sense of what he had studied. His father goaded him to reply.

“Quantum Theory.”, he said, matter-of-factly.

Swamigal drew a +ve sign on the mud and circled it; He also drew a -ve sign and circled it. Pointing to the two signs Swamigal asked him,

“Did you use the positive or the negative approach in your Quantum Theory PhD thesis study?”

Their son who was a bit indifferent until then, was startled to hear this from Him. He was trembling for words and suddenly became more respectful and replied, “Positive Approach.”

“Why did you not take the Negative Approach, will you do you it later”, He asked.

“It is difficult to use the Negative Approach”, he said.

Swamigal looked at Annathurai Iyengar and said, “He is saying it is difficult; can you ask the Veda students to recite this particular verse from Rig Veda?”,and prompts them with first two words.

The students recited that particular verse for 5 minutes. After this He turned to their son and said, “you must have obtained your PhD in your 24th or 25th year correct?”

“In my 25th year”, said he.

“Rig Veda, the verse which you heard now, talks both about the Positive and the Negative approaches”, He said.

The son was astonished and requested the students to recite the verse again.

“Are you now thinking that you need not have spent lakhs and lakhs of rupees for your 25 years of education and if only you had studied the Vedas you would have learnt this Truth in just 7 years?!”, replied His Holiness.

It is great to know our Vedas talked about quantum theory of Mathematics also. This story tells us that how science is interconnected with Vedas.

Connect between Chidambaram Nataraja Temple and Quantum Theorem in Physics

Few weeks back I received a Whatsapp video talk by a former Vice Chancellor of Annamalai University and he was explaining about connect between Science and Chidambaram Temple. ( Chidambaram Temple is a famous Natarajar Temple. Many of us may know that Chidambaram has a temple dedicated to Lord Natarajar. But many of us may not be aware that entire temple is based on Human Anatomy and we should spend time in that temple understanding the science behind the temple.)

After listening to the conversation I bought the book “ The Tao of Physics” An exploration of the parallels between Modern Physicals and Eastern Mysticism” by FRITZOF CAPRA.[1] ( He is a P.hd in Theoritcal Physics from University of Vienna).  In his chapter on Cosmic Dance[2] he drew parallel to Lord Shiva Dance in Chidambaram and Cosmic Dance. He drew parallel between Lord Shiva dance  and a dance of sub atomic matter. He explains the science behind Lord Shiva’s dance in page 270. “

The dance of Shiva symbolizes not only the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, but also the daily rhythm of birth and death which is seen in Indian mysticism as the basis of all existence”. In his book he explains about atomic dance and sub atomic in Physics and concludes that “ For the modern physicists, Shivas dance is a dance of subatomic matter”.

Who knows if we do research, the latest in computer science which is Generative Artificial Intelligence may have the roots to Vedas too. !

Conclusion

Our Indian Ancient Culture, Vedas have lot of science and we are ignorant due to various reasons. Our ignorance cannot be the basis for deriding our culture, values and science in vedas. As my living god and Jagatguru says Bharat- Punyabhoomi, Karmabhoomi, Dharmabhoomi, Yogabhoomi, Tapobhoomi, Devabhoomi and Dhanyabhhomi.  Let us first learn to respect our culture, traditions and our ancient systems which has everything.

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[1] https://www.fritjofcapra.net/about/ ( To know about him and his works)

[2] Chapter 15-Page 249 to 272