Draft:Modern science and Hinduism

Not to be confused with Vedic Science.

Hinduism is one of the oldest religion in the world with so much contribution towards modern science. Hinduism, one of the oldest belief systems in the world, has many ideas that seem to align with modern science. Ancient texts like the Vedas and Upanishads discuss concepts about the universe, time, and life that are surprisingly similar to today’s scientific discoveries. For example, the idea of time moving in cycles, as described in the Yugas, is similar to the scientific theory of the universe expanding and contracting in cycles. Hindu sages like Kanada talked about atoms and how the world is made of tiny particles, which sounds a lot like what we know about atoms and quantum physics today. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, focuses on natural remedies and holistic health, which are gaining popularity in modern healthcare. Hinduism also contributed to math, with ideas like the invention of zero, the decimal system, and even early forms of calculus. These have been crucial for the development of science and technology. Concepts like Brahman, which describe a universal consciousness, can be linked to modern discussions about the nature of reality and the universe. This shows that science and spirituality don’t have to be separate. Hinduism provides a good example of how the two can come together to help us understand the world and our place in it.

Introduction

Hinduism has a long history of scientific and technological advancements that still influence contemporary thinking. Long before the invention of contemporary labs, India contributed important contributions to science and technology, according to research. Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas are the main pillar or foundation of science in Hinduism. It teaches range of subjects like Cosmology, Mathematics, Science, Astronomy and Medicine.

The roots of modern science has been laid from various concepts created by ancient Indians. The similarities between Hindu philosophy and contemporary science are profound and fascinating, ranging from the cyclical nature of the cosmos as represented in quantum physics to the healing concepts of Ayurveda incorporated into holistic medicine.

Many of the advances in the sciences that we consider today to have been made in Europe were made in India centuries ago. - James Grant Duff (British Historian)

The creation song, which examines naturalism, disbelief, and atheism as potential responses to the query, "How did all this begin?" represents the early Vedic mindset, which is best described as pluralism.

There was neither non-existence nor existence then; there was neither the realm of space nor the sky which is beyond. What stirred? Where? In whose protection? Was there water, bottomless deep? There was neither death nor immortality then. There was no distinguishing sign of night nor of day. That one breathed, windless, by its own impulse. Other than that there was nothing beyond.…Who really knows? Who will here proclaim it? Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation? The gods came afterwards, with the creation of the universe. Who then knows whence it has arisen? Whence this creation has arisen – perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not – the one who looks down on it, in the highest heaven, only he knows – or perhaps he does not know. - Rigveda (10.129)

This passage explores the origins of the universe and is taken from the Nasadiya Sukta, (Hymn of Creation) in the Rigveda. Before creation, it depicts a primordial condition in which ideas like space, time, death, and immortality did not exist and existence or non-existence predominated. The song raises important issues regarding the nature and origin of creation, including what impulse or force started it and which authority or protection it was under. It implies that the beginning of creation is beyond divine comprehension because it admits that even the gods, who are regarded as creators, existed after the cosmos began. By acknowledging that even the ultimate cosmic overseer—often regarded as a supreme deity or universal consciousness—might not fully understand the origins of creation, the passage ends doubt.

In the West, the scientific revolution emerged through the rejection of Divine order, marking a break from religious tradition. In contrast, ancient India witnessed no such divide; science flourished with faith and reason. The Vedic tradition, while respected, was never questioned. Its interpretations and authority were constantly scrutinized both from within and by contemporary critics. This intellectual environment created a culture where faith, reason, and science coexisted. The pluralism and synergy between faith and reason during Vedic times played a vital role in cherish scientific pursuits.

Examples from ancient Hinduism illustrate how early sciences were inspired by Vedic testimony. Linguistics, for instance, emerged due to the importance of understanding and preserving Vedic texts. Other sciences, such as mathematics, geometry, and logic, developed as abstract disciplines, while empirical sciences like medicine and astronomy advanced through observations of phenomena visible to the naked eye. Despite the limitations in tools for investigation, ancient Hindu scholars achieved significant heights by combining investigation with the spiritual and philosophical imperatives of their time.

Science in ancient India

Medical science

Sushruta

Sage Sushruta, known as the "Father of Surgery," was a pioneer in ancient medicine. He invented and performed rhinoplasty (nose surgery), amputations, cataract surgeries, and even delivered babies. He created 125 surgical tools like scalpels and needles and was the first to study human anatomy through autopsies. His book, Sushruta Samhita, describes over 1,100 diseases, methods to preserve dead bodies for study, and advanced surgical techniques. Sushruta’s work laid the foundation for surgery and medicine in ancient India.

Charak

Charak, known as the "Father of Ayurveda," was a pioneer of the "prevention is better than cure" philosophy. He emphasized the importance of understanding a patient fully before treatment, stating, "A physician who does not enter a patient’s body with the lamp of knowledge and understanding will never be able to treat diseases." He advised considering all factors, including the patient's surroundings, before prescribing medicine. His book, Charak Samhita, is a remarkable work that describes numerous diseases, their causes, and methods of treatment.

Cloning In Ancient India

The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia defines a clone as “a group of organisms descended from a single individual through asexual reproduction.” There are several references suggesting that ancient people were aware of cloning. In the Ramayana, Kusha, the son of Sita, is described as a clone of Lava, created by the sage Valmiki from withered grass (kusha in Sanskrit). Similarly, in the Mahabharata, it is mentioned that the Kauravas were created by dividing a single embryo into 100 parts, each grown in its own container. Ancient Indians not only understood the concepts of cloning and embryo splitting, but they also possessed knowledge of growing human fetuses outside a woman’s body—something modern science has yet to achieve.

Mathematics in ancient India

Indian Mathematician Aryabhatta invented 'zero/0' which is very important in mathematics and binary. Indian mathematicians also made remarkable contributions towards algebra, trigonometry, arithmetic, infinity and study of negative numbers. The decimal number system was also made by them. Without these contributions we cannot imagine this progress in mathematics, science and technology.

The Number Zero

The number zero was first invented in India around third or fourth century. It is said that Indian Mathematician Aryabhatta invented zero.

Binary Number System

Binary numbers are a set of two numbers, 1 and 0. They are key to the development of programming languages and computers. Pingala wrote about bits in Chandahstra. Binary numbers were denoted by Pingala using short and long syllables, a writing style similar to Morse code.

Value of Pi and Negative Numbers

Indian mathematician Baudhayan was the first to compute the value of pi, which is helpful in determining a circle's area and circumference. Additionally, Baudhayan's Sulva Sutra, which was published many years before Pythagoras's time, contains the theorem that is now known as the Pythagoras theorem.

In mathematics, Brahmagupta was the first to use negative integers and the operation of zero as a number. He discovered new theorems while working extensively with geometry and trigonometry. Additionally, he demonstrated how to locate square roots, cubes, cube roots, and square areas. In 'Brahm Sputa Siddantika,' he presented Indian mathematical theory to the Arabs.

Chemistry in Ancient India

Ancient Indian Ayurveda, which made use of a range of minerals, had a significant impact on the advancement of chemistry. All of the main fields of human knowledge and ambition were included in science and technology in ancient and medieval India. From the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, metallurgy has been a fundamental aspect of all succeeding civilizations, regardless of how early they were. India has proficiency in metallurgy since ancient times. India had the highest degree of metallurgical competence in the world.

Indus Valley Civilization

One of the earliest civilizations in the world and the first urban civilization in India was the Indus Valley Civilization, also known as the Harappan Culture. With public baths, roads, granaries, temples, baked brick homes, mass pottery manufacture, and even their own script telling the history of early chemistry, archaeologists found a well-developed urban framework. The Indus Valley may have been a source of semiprecious stones, and its inhabitants had access to gold and copper mining. This is evident from the jewelry found nearby.

The Vedic Age

Ancient Vedic literature contains numerous assertions and materials that align with modern scientific findings, showcasing highly advanced scientific knowledge. The Puranas and Upanishads shed light on the chemical practices of the time, including methods for creating various types of cement used in temples and other structures. Indian alchemists excelled in metal casting, smelting, and extracting metals from ores. References to chemically coated arrowheads in the Ramayana and Mahabharata further demonstrate their expertise in alchemy.

The enduring legacy of Indian metallurgy is evident in structures like the 4th-century Iron Pillar in Mehrauli, Delhi, which has resisted rusting for over 1700 years, and the 90-ton iron pillar of the Konark Temple, built in the 13th century, which also shows no corrosion. Additionally, in the 6th century BCE, the sage Kanad proposed the first atomic theory, stating that all matter is composed of tiny, indivisible particles called atoms—a groundbreaking concept far ahead of its time.

Physics in Ancient India

Physics, which is a part of natural sciences was first invented in Ancient India. Some of the contribution of Indians in physics are as follows:

Universe

Shrimad Bhagwat Gita describes about the elements that make up the universe. While demonstrating Gita to Arjuna, Shree Krishna talks about universe and our solar system (Viswarupa) and spoke about the existence of countless galaxies coexisting together. He further said, all galaxies contains uncountable number of stars. To prove this, Lord Krishna gave divine vision (Divya Drishti) to Arjuna because his material body was not capable to feeling, hearing, seeing and understanding the concept and teachings of Lord Krishna. He said that it is the part of subatomic particles. In the 1920s, Werner Heisenberg developed his renowned uncertainty principle, which states that when a physicist tries to observe a subatomic particle, the experimental apparatus inevitably alters the trajectory of the subatomic particle. This is because they are trying to observe something on the same scale. Before anybody else was aware of them, Indians venerated the nine planets (Navgreh) in solar system.

Distance between the Sun and Earth in Hanuman Chalisa

Tulsidas, an Indian sage and poet who wrote Hanuman Chalisa. In Hanuman Chalisa, there is a line "Yug Sahastra Yojan Par Bhanu" which makes it easier to calculate the distance between the Sun and Earth.

This means that Sun (Bhanu) is at the distance of Juug Sahastra Yojans (Yug Sahastra Yojan - A Distance Unite in Hindi).

According to Hindu Vedic literature,

• 1 Juug = 12000 years,
• 1 Sahastra = 1000,
• 1 Yojan = 8 miles,

Thus, the distance between the Sun and Earth is 12000 × 1000 × 8 = 96,000,000 miles ≈ 153,600,000 km (1 mile ≈ 1.6 km)

This is fairly close to the actual range of distances between the Sun and the Earth.

Newton VS Rishi Kanad (Law of Motion)

Newton's laws of motion are a set of three physical laws that, when taken as a whole, served as the cornerstone for the development of classical mechanics. They explain the relationship that exists between a body and the forces that are acting upon it, as well as the motion that the body exhibits as a direct result of those forces. Rishi Kanada‟s Sutras also called Vaisheshika Sutra written in Sanskrit text authored by Rishi Kanada in ancient India discuss about Laws of motion.

First Sutra: वेगः नननित्तनवशेषात किमणो जायते। [ Vegah Nimitta Visheshat Karmano Jayate].

Translation: Change of motion is due to impressed force. (The law states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.)

Second Sutra - वेगः नननित्तापेक्षात किमणो जायते ननयतनिक नियाप्र बन् धहेतु । [Vegah Nimitta Pekshat Karmano Jayate Niyatdik Kriya Prabandha Hetu].

Translation: Change of motion is proportional to the impressed force and is in the direction of the force.

Third Sutra - वेगः संयोगनवशेषनवरोधी। [Vegah Sanyog Vishesh Virodhi.]

Translation: Action and reaction are equal and opposite.

Conclusion

The profound scientific and technological contributions of ancient Hinduism reveal an advanced understanding of natural laws, mathematics, medicine, and cosmology that predated many modern discoveries. From the invention of zero by Aryabhatta to the surgical innovations of Sushruta and the mathematical insights of Baudhayan, Hindu scholars laid the foundation for significant progress in various fields. The philosophical and spiritual synergy between faith and reason in ancient India fostered an intellectual environment conducive to exploration and innovation.

Hindu texts such as the Vedas, Puranas, and Upanishads offer a wealth of scientific and philosophical knowledge, often aligning with or surpassing contemporary scientific understanding. For instance, references to cloning, atomic theory, and the distances in space demonstrate the advanced capabilities of ancient Indian thinkers. Structures like the rust-resistant Iron Pillar exemplify India's metallurgical prowess, while insights into the cosmos from texts like the Bhagavad Gita resonate with modern astrophysics.

In summary, the integration of spirituality, philosophy, and empirical observation in Hinduism has made a lasting impact on human knowledge and continues to inspire scientific inquiry and innovation today.

More Sources

• Ancient science, module VI, scientist of ancient India Ch-15.
• Chavvi Purwar, Significant contribution of chemistry in ancient Indian science and technology, International Journal of Development Research Vol. 06, Issue, 12, pp.10784-10788.
• AK Mandal, Physics in Ancient India: An Introspective Study, American Journal of Engineering Research Vol.9, Issue 9, Pg 1-6.
• AK Mandal, Origin of laws of motion (Newton’s Law): An Introspective Study, American Journal of Engineering Research Vol.9, Issue 7, Pg 87-92.
• Human Cloning in ancient India: Is it a reality?