History Of Science History Of Science & Technology& Technology

The wonder that was IndiaThe wonder that was India

India’s glorious past is embedded with a rich Scientific and Technological Heritage from the Vedic age and is an inspiration to create a scientifically advanced and spiritually enlightened human society in which peace, prosperity and happiness together create a haven on earth

The wonder that was IndiaThe wonder that was India

Peace loving people, people with scientific bent of mind having a profound understanding of the purpose and meaning of life, able to decode the secrete of creation and serve the creator through service of man and nature is what, the wonder that was India which glittered like gold and spread its enlightenment all around the world

The wonder that was IndiaThe wonder that was India

Prosperous India – The Golden eagle of the world Enlightened India – Its wisdom glowed the world

over Scientifically Advanced India – Spreading a

culture of Science and Technology to create a happy and healthy living in harmony with nature

Mighty India – Making no invasion, harming no one yet influencing the whole world by its scientific traditions and spiritual wisdom

India’s Ancient Scientists India’s Ancient Scientists

Atreya, Agnivesa and Shushruta– Medical Scientists 800 BC.

Aryabhatta (BC.476–550), Bhaskaracharya, Varahmihir, Bodhayan – Ancient astronomers and mathematicians

Kanva, Panini, Gargi,

Great Indian MathematiciansGreat Indian Mathematicians

Yajnavalkya, the author of the altar mathematics of the Shatapatha Brahmana.

Lagadha - Author of a 1350 BC text on Vedic astronomy Baudhayana, 800 BC Manava, 750 BC Apastamba, 700 BC Aksapada Gautama, 550 BC, Logician Katyayana, 400 BC Panini, 400 BC, Algebraic grammarian Pingala, 5th century BC Bharata Muni, 4th century BC, combinatorics in music

Great Indian MathematiciansGreat Indian Mathematicians

Aryabhata - Astronomer who gave accurate calculations for astronomical constants, 476-520 Varahamihira Bhaskara I, 620 Brahmagupta - Helped bring the concept of zero into arithmetic Matanga Muni - Combinatorics in music Virahanka (8th century) - Described the Fibonacci series. Shridhara (between 650-850) - Gave a good rule for finding the volume of a sphere. Lalla, 720-790 Govindsvamin (9th century) Virasena Mahavira (9th century) Jayadeva (9th century) Prithudaka, 9th century Halayudha, 10th century Aryabhata II, 920-1000 Vateshvara (10th century) Manjula, 930

Some FactsSome Facts

The law of gravitation discovered by Brahmagupta 598 A.D. anticipated after 1400 years by Newton declaring "all things fall to the earth by law of nature; for it is the nature of the earth to attract and keep things."

Pingala (3rd C AD), author of Chandasutra explored the relationship between combinatorics and musical theory anticipating Mersenne (1588-1648) author of a classic on musical theory

Some FactsSome Facts

The 'Pythagoras theorem' which stated in Sulva Sutras by Baudhayana's (6th century BC): "The diagonal of a rectangle produces both areas, which its length and breadth produce separately."

Arya Bhatta discovered the method of finding out the areas of a triangle, a trapezium and a circle. The approximate value of an 'irrational number' i.e. 2 (dvikarani) (1.143256) and 3 (1.7320513) can be obtained, Baudhayana and Apastamba.

Some FactsSome Facts

In the geometry of the circle, "Arybhatta- I" gave a value for pi (tyajya) which is correct to the four decimal places in a sloka (Sankara Varman's treatise on astronomy, Sadratnamala) theorems and their deductions:"Lemma of Brahmagupta for integral solution or the indeterminate equation of second degree. John Pell (1611-1685) discovered this in the 17th century. Indians discovered it a 1,000 years earlier

Some FactsSome Facts Zero, the most modest and most valuable of all

numerals is one of the subtle gifts of India to mankind. The earliest use of the zero symbol, so far discovered, is in one of the scriptural books dated about 200 B.C. The zero, called shunya or nothing, was originally a dot and later it became a small circle. It was considered as a number like any other. Professor G. B. Halsted, in his book ' Mathematics for the Million' (London 1942) thus emphasizes the vital significance of this invention.

India’s Decimal SystemIndia’s Decimal SystemThe decimal system was known to

Aryabhatta and Brahmagupta long before its appearance in the writings of the Arabs and the Syrians; it was adopted by China from Buddhist missionaries; and Muhammad Ibn Musa al-Khwarazni, the greatest mathematician of his age (ca 850 A.D.), seems to have introduced it into Baghdad

India’s Decimal System India’s Decimal System India’s system of Decimal

counting goes back to the days of Ramayana (around 5000 BC) and Mahabharata (3067 BC)

In Ramayana, the Rama’s army was described by Ravana’s missionary as having 18x1018 ( 18 Padams, 1012 millions )

India’s Decimal SystemIndia’s Decimal System

In Mahabharata, in the Shanti Parva the Bhishma’s passing away is described in true decimal system - 10 Days of Mahabharata war and their after 58 nights till the sun of thousands rays turned to Uttarayana

Brahmagupta’s RulesBrahmagupta’s Rules A debt minus zero is a debt.

A fortune minus zero is a fortune.Zero (shunya) minus zero is nothing. (kha).A debt subtracted from zero is a fortune.So a fortune subtracted from zero is a debt.The product of zero multiplied by a debt or fortune is zero.The product of zero multiplied by itself is nothing.The product or the quotient of two fortunes is one fortune.The product or the quotient of two debts is one debt.The product or the quotient of a debt multiplied by a fortune is a debt.The product or the quotient of a fortune multiplied by a debt is a debt.

MetallurgyMetallurgy Iron Pillar at Delhi - The Rust less Wonder and a Unique

Scientific Phenomenon from Ancient India, The pillar is said to be over 2000 years old

As early as the second century B.C. Nagarjuna devoted an entire volume to mercury

The Konasamudram region in Andhra Pradesh was famous for producing the world renowned Wootz steel - the raw material for King Saladin's fabled Damascus Sword. The tempering of steel was brought in ancient India to a perfection unknown in Europe till our own times. King Porus is said to have selected, as special valuable gift for Alexander, not gold or silver, but thirty pounds of steel.

PhysicsPhysics Kanaada, 600 B. C the founder of the Vaisesika

system of philosophy, expounded that the entire matter in this world consists of atoms as many in kind as the various elements. He also claimed that elements could not be destroyed

Artharveda says that there are seven types of sun's rays, sapta surayasya rasmayah, signifying seven colors of light

Umasvati, first century A.D. suggested that atoms of opposite qualities alone combined and the atoms attracted or repelled as they were heterogeneous or homogenous

Shipbuilding and Navigation Shipbuilding and Navigation

The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago

There is overwhelming evidence that Indian civilization traded with the Egyptians using ships.

Rig Veda makes several references to ships used to cross the "Samudra."

History records that Indian ships traded with countries as far as Java and Sumatra, they were also trading with other countries in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Chandragupta Maurya established an Admiralty Division under a Superintendent of Ships as part of his war office, with a charter including responsibility for navigation on the seas, oceans, lakes and rivers

Shipbuilding and Navigation Shipbuilding and Navigation

Shipbuilding and NavigationShipbuilding and Navigation

King Hiram of Tyre (Phoenicia) in 975 B.C. traded with India through the port of Ophir (Supara) near modern Bombay. Harappan seals discovered at several Mesopotamia sites have been dated to about 2400 B.C. 

Yukti Kalpa Taru, explains how to build ships, ship types, sizes and materials, including suitability of different types of wood

Bhoja has advised the builders of the sea-faring ships not to join the plants with iron, as, in the case, the magnetic iron in sea water could expose the ship to danger

Medical ScienceMedical ScienceSusruta Samhita, (600 B.C.) the Hindu

medical chronicle said about plastic surgery in India

Caraka Samhita, (300 BC) Sutra Sthana Nidan Sthana (8 chapters) – Viman Sthana (8 chapters) – Sharir Sthana (8 chapters) – Indriya Sthana (12 chapters) – Chikitsa Sthana (30 chapters) – Kalpa Sthana (12 chapters) – Siddhi Sthana (12 chapters)

AviationAviation Acharya Bharadwaj (800BC) authored the

"Yantra Sarvasva" which includes astonishing and outstanding discoveries in aviation science, space science and flying machines. He has described three categories of flying machines:

1.) One that flies on earth from one place to another.

2.) One that travels from one planet to another.

3.) And One that travels from one universe to another.

AviationAviationBharadwaj’s designs and descriptions are Profound Secret: The technique to make a flying

machine invisible through the application of sunlight and wind force.

Living Secret: The technique to make an invisible space machine visible through the application of electrical force.

Secret of Eavesdropping: The technique to listen to a conversation in another plane.

Visual Secrets: The technique to see what's happening inside another plane.Through his innovative and brilliant discoveries, Acharya Bharadwaj has been recognized as the pioneer of aviation technology

Chemistry Chemistry In ancient India, chemistry was called Rasayan

Shastra, Rasa-Vidya, Rasatantra and Rasakriya Chemistry being the basic Science of Nature was

pursued by ancient Inida’s Scientists to create Colours, Chemicals, Fertilizers, Warhead materials, food preservatives, spices and above all Gems and Crystals. Purification of Silver, Gold and other precious metals.

Medicinal Chemistry of Plants and Herbs. Bio Chemistry of Natural Fertilizers all point towards a rich foundation of Chemistry in India from ancient times

Chemistry in IndiaChemistry in India

The Famous Indian ink to date is the testimony of India’s profound knowledge of Chemistry

24 Ct Gold and Silver and Gold plated ornaments so well exhibited in India’s images to date are the basis for Chemistry of Metal processing

Cave paintings (Bhim Betika near Bhopal, Ajanta in Maharastra) by Natural Colours and Colourful textile and embroidery marks India’s mastery over Chemistry

Chemistry in IndiaChemistry in India Colourful potteries, Gold Plated Potteries, Golden

and Silver Studded Carvings on Metals, Glass and Textile further give the glimpses of India’s profound knowledge of Chemistry

Use of Colours and Chemicals mostly Natural in Indian Temple forts and Palaces further reinforce the Indian Chemistry Knowledge.

Swarna Bhasma (Gold ash), Rajat Bhasma (Silver Ash) and Shankha Bhasma (Bone Ash) are the ultimate of Indian Chemistry.

Relevance to the Modern AgeRelevance to the Modern Age

We are returning to the nature, Natural medicines, natural fertilizers, natural fuels ( Bio Fuels) , Natural food, natural preservatives and natural water harvesting and purification systems

We are today in a knowledge age where the wisdom of antiquity can be synthesised with the most modern science and technology

Relevance to the Modern AgeRelevance to the Modern Age

Ancient ( Vedic) mathematics to high speed computing

Ancient astronomy and knowledge of the universal system giving foundation for a larger universal system beyond the solar system

Ancient chemistry leading to natural and environmentally benign paints and chemicals, Drugs and Fertilizers

Growth with sustainability and prosperity with happiness

Dr. T. D. Singh

Director, Bhaktivedanta InstitutePresident, Vedanta and Science Educational

Research Foundation

Scientific and religious paths are like two streams of the creative human mind. The scientific path tries to explain the nature of reality within rationality, whereas the religious or spiritual path does so within and beyond rationality.

(His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami)

Science, Technology and Spirituality all go together as those who adore science and also have a spiritual bent of mind would always be employing their fullest capabilities and knowledge for the betterment of the society while at the same time constantly engaging themselves in search of truth through the service of man, through the pursuit of the work activity with fullest of devotion through their understanding of the world around them. Science without spirituality leads to prosperity without happiness. Science and spirituality together create prosperity with eternal happiness.

Science, Technology and Spirituality

Prof. Charles Townes, the noble laureate in physics in conversation with Swami Dr. T.D. Singh, Founder Director of the Bhakti Vedanta Institute, Kolkatta, India has opined that “it is not practical to keep scientific and spiritual cultures separate. The people who study science are often at the same time thoughtful about the meaning of life and values” (Seven Nobel Laureates on Science & Spirituality, Dr. T.D. Singh (Ed), 2004). Science and spirituality both are to be practiced and adored to create a civic society tuned to attaining the destined goal of human existence living and working in the company of God.

Science, Technology and Spirituality

The dream of a civic and just society, realizing the infinite power of divinity, elevating man to the level of God head, people living in perfect harmony with nature, fulfilling the aim and realizing the meaning of life is achievable with the progress of science in the realm of spirituality. The journey on the pat of jyanam, the knowledge, associated and enabled by vijanam, the science, would then lead us to the horizons of Pragyanam, the horizon form where we are in a position to proclaim as the Vedic scientists did several thousand years ago, namely, Prajyanam Bhrama, that is Prajyanam is visualizing and realizing our existence in God.

In the knowledge age driven by the power of the mind and propelled by the capabilities and maturity of people, it has become absolutely essential that science, technology and spirituality co-exist everywhere, more so in the universities and in the institutions and organizations cultivating knowledge, imparting knowledge, using knowledge to create wealth and prosperity while at the same time ensuring that the journey of mankind on the path of prosperity and happiness is assured by a firm commitment and resolve to discover better and better ways of maintaining harmony with nature and thus assuring continued sustenance of human life on mother planet earth.

We need more and more of scientism to foster scientific explorations into hitherto unexplored vistas of human endeavour. We also need more and more people of scientific bent of mind turning to spirituality to discover the rich wealth of science of soul, the secret of the creation. In fact we need a new mantra for the new knowledge age and this new mantra must prepare the human society to rise to newer heights of glory in respect of peace, prosperity and happiness with a firm commitment to sustain a clean environment, maintain earths ecological balance and serve God, the creator, through the service of man and mother nature. This new mantra is based on the fusion of science and spiritual values to build a new global order. “Vashdaev kutumbkam” the concept of the world family would then be truly nurtured by people around the globe adoring “Scientopirituality”

The journey of mankind on the path of knowledge shall then continue to the horizons of enlightenment and shall lead to wisdom manifold. The man shall then realize his fullest potentialities of eternal strength and shall witness the meeting point of mortal with the eternal, the natural destination of a spirituality enlightened scientific civic society. A Vedic seer of modern India has so beautifully put it in his proclamation of the mankind of future :

May be the prophecy of this great Vedic seer of the modern age is bound to come true in the near future given the accelerated pace of science and interest in spirituality by the scientific world. A developed prosperous India habited by peace loving people, a society tuned to the objective of living in and working with and for Divine, creating a haven on earth, realizing the purpose of life, decoding the secret of life and death and together as a human society attaining an existence with lord and on successful culmination of life activity returning to Godhead is attainable only if Science and Spirituality together are adored by the people of the world in the new knowledge age. Prosperity and happiness together then descend on the human society creating smiles in plenty and fair prosperous days providing multifaceted peace. We then enjoy the wisdom of the ancient in the modern times of Science and Technology.

Let us pledge to create such a better tomorrow and elevate man

to the level of God and create goodness in plenty around the

world.