Ved Vigyan Alok (the book I am reading) starts by introducing a lot of concepts and talking about various topics to set a base for the Physics we’ll learn in the later chapters.
First and foremost, the definition of Vidya (knowledge) is explained. Vidya is to know the real form of matter around us so that we can use them for everyone’s benefits. 2 important things here:
Its not just about knowing about things. But to know the “real” sense of it. The word “real” is important. It is infact used at lot of places in the book, as “yathavat”. If we have incomplete or wrong information about things around us, the techniques we develop for our benefits will always harm us in the long run. For eg. if we don’t understand the true relation between the brain, health and waves, we might have successfully create mobile phones, microwaves etc for our luxury but we won’t understand the harm it will do in the long run to us. And only after years of unknown damage, we conclude that it has been harming us! Hence, its very important to have the “true” knowledge of things around us.
Knowledge is considered knowledge only when we can make practical use of it for the betterment of the society. Otherwise it is useless. In fact this has been suggested as the motive of everyone’s life - to gather true knowledge and use it for the betterment of one’s self and others.
Then a difference in the viewpoints of Modern science and Vedic science is highlighted. Modern science only considers knowledge about matter (jadh padarth vigyan) as science. Wherever there is a talk about consious, inner self, atma, god, life etc it becomes a subject of Dharma (religion for a lack of better word). Whereas Vedic science is a combination of 2 things: physical matter science (jadh padartha vigyan) & Dharma (chetna vigyan). Yes, Dharma is a science - science of consiousness, atma, life force, God. That means both are essential to understand the true meaning and purpose of life…and to answer the meta-physical questions like who are we, are there more like us, why are we born, where do we go after death, how was universe created, who created and more!
In fact a lot of well-known scientists have agreed to this. To quote a few:
Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind. - Albert Einstein
An equation for me has no meaning unless it expresses a thought of God -Srinivasa Ramanujan
Little science takes you away from God but more of it takes you to Him. - Louis Pasteur
If you study science deep enough and long enough, it will force you to believe in God. - Lord William Kelvin
These (and more) brilliant minds we know have said the same thing - the more you understand science, the more you’ll be attracted to God. This only means one thing - God & Science are one. Knowing God is science! If anything related to God and Dharma looks random to us, it is only our incomplete knowledge and inability to comprehend it that makes it look random. But nothing in the world is random, it all works according to fundamental rules defined for the universe.
And an important thing to note here is that Dharma alone too can’t take you to God, absolutely not! A well known figure depicted in the Vedic scriptures is Mahrishi Narad. He is often shown as a rishi, in orange clothes, along side gods, always speaking of Dharma. But few know that he was a very well expert of subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Farming, Economics, History, Mathematics, Geography, Engineering, Animal science, weapons, plant science, Ayurveda, weather science, astrology, Cosmic science and every other subject you can think of! Why did he study so much when he was with the Gods? It is because even Dharma alone isn’t enough to know the answer to the universe. Knowledge of physical Science is equally important to get your answers! So next time you see all these religious babas claiming that they know God and preach you ways to get to him, beware about their knowledge about Science. If they don’t understand Physics from electrons to stars, they are just fake!
All this excites me so much. I don’t believe in God. But if Science can take me near that supreme being, I am excited as hell!
See you in the next post!
Superrrrrr