The Vedic Wave of Scientific Thought

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF

SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT
THE VEDIC WAVE OF
SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

Bhagvan E. Ananthacharya

Master E.K. Book Trust


VISAKHAPATNAM – 530051
THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

European scholarship took to the study of


Sanskrit in the middle of the nineteenth
century mainly led by the enthusiasm of
German scholars. Very soon they had begun
to grow familiar with the beauties of Sanskrit
literature as an art in its manifold aspects and
beauties of art, of linguism, of meters, of the
psychological values, of thoughts and of
poetry, prose and drama with the values of
singing of music, as well as of thoughts and
feelings, as well as emotions and also their
mutual contributions of the values of a great
culture. But generally they were not quick to
cognise the value of Vedic Sanskrit as
suggestive of subtle findings of deep truths of
the positive sciences and their (overt and
covert) explications and implications of deeper
studies.
This fact appears to be due to the general
impression of the Europeans that the East is
not proficient and even aware of the practical
appreciations, methods of applying their
general knowledge to the utilitarian values of
making practical life more and more easy and
happy. This may be due to their impression
that the East is most familiar with its
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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

philosophic attitude alone on life. This is the


common attitude of the general trend of the
philosophy of the middle ages but not of the
Vedic thoughts and their practical content of
actual life.
This fact is clearly evident in the language
of Vedic Sanskrit, which is teeming with the
diffusion of the novel ideas of Yajna as a co-
ordinated team work of a group of powers of
Devas, Rishis and human beings, all living
together in consonance in the constitution of
Prajapathi in lending their works and powers
to the common Yajna organism of cosmic
society as the individual offering of each one
of the Devas, on his own part to the common
purpose as Dana and realising the value of it
with all the intense understanding of it as
Tapas, which means looking into or Alochana
besides entering into the common cosmic
organisation of the great Yajna of heroic co-
operation and co-ordination with the entire
existence. Their general impression is that the
East is not proficient in the practical side of
arts and sciences that such an attitude was
alien to the philosophically minded East. Even
the accounts of space travels in the air found
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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

in the great Puranas and classical literature


did not impress or strike seriously on the
minds of the Western scholars, though they
had admiration for the depths and marvels of
the practical sciences of medicines, surgery
and of war etc. in early ages, with vivid
descriptions of the creation and usage of the
implements and machines of fire, energy and
electricity known commonly to the Vedas as
Rubhu, Vibhava and Vaaja occurring in
cosmic depth as the engineering powers or
Devas and their war implements of Vimanas,
moving in the airy paths of space for travel. एते
पन्थाः सविताः पु र्व्था सो अरे णिाः सु कृतथ अन्तररक्षे
पविविर्दे ियथनाः । Thus even the puranic accounts
of air travels and Vimanas and aeroplanes
were not seriously attended to. Pusha is
clearly said in the Vedas to have laid definite
paths in the atmospheric middle region and
the celestial region of the planetary and the
higher starry regions. There are clear and
definite descriptions of them in the Vedas in
addition to their clear descriptions of the
creative skill of Visvakarma functioning from
his central Atman through the cogent parts of
its organisms as Devas or Powers. This
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appears clearly due to an attitude of


unwillingness to admit India’s name in
practical sciences. Even when Western
Scientists were compelled by the compulsion
of their scientific thoughts in the west too, to
break the atom into its constituents, they did
not seriously think or admit the fact that matter
and energy are interchangeably working until
Dr. Einstein definitely stretched and pushed
the idea strongly on to the minds of the
scientists with the advent of the Atomic Bomb
and that of the continued chain action of
successful breaking of the atoms. These facts
were clearly shown in the Vedas to show that
they were not mere abstract philosophers,
who eschewed all phenomena as mere
illusion. They knew quite clearly and distinctly
that the phenomenal world has the soul of the
noumena, which would give the clue to the
explanation and presence of the noumenal
power of the heart of existence.
The Upanishad named Isavasya is the
last chapter of Sukla Yajurveda. Its
philosophic thoughts do not belong to the
upanishadic thoughts in general for it suggests
clear and distinct ideas of the world as co-
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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

ordinated system of various movements co-


working as “Jagatyam Jagat” which means the
movement in the heart of a system of
movements. The word “Jagat” is a movement
and the expression “Jagatyam Jagat” means
the central movement of all kinds of central
movements. This movement, which is the
centre of all movements is pragnant with the
supreme spiritual conscient power which is
said to be the soul of all coordination of infinite
movements guiding and urging all movements
as the master-power of consciousness called
Isa, the Supreme Power, who is the residing
centre and guide of all movements. Instead of
trying to understanding this wealthy and
healthy statement as the motive power, the
expression “Jagat” as world is taken merely as
the dead, immobile and inactive power without
consciousness and guiding and controlling
capacities. When this power moves into every
corner through the pulsations of life as prana
in man, it is called Chaitanya, which spurs the
pranas into expression as the flood of
cognisant Sarasvati, the all-flowing flood of
knowledge, what is called speech coming from
prana in man through voice, is also present in

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the depths as even inorganic, conscient


substances, as inevitable power seated
working in the heart of even things as the
ruling and guiding queen of Devas or powers
in the centre of the deeper Mandra
consciousness of Devas.

यद्वथग्वर्दन्त्यविचे तनथवन रथष्ट्री र्दे िथनथां वनषसथर्द मन्द्रथ।


Like a milk–cow it is yielding knowledge
through four streams as the languages of
Para, Pasyanti, Madhayama and Vaikhari, or
ordinary syntactical language. Man must grow
deeper and higher into the heart of the heights
with the aid of his grown up consciousness in
order to be able to hear the messages of
consciousness from even inconscient objects.
It is, therefore wonderfully said that the ancient
patriarchs have found out the light that lies
hidden under the cover of darkness and with
their true thoughts and efforts they have
produced the dawn of Light as their adorable
Dawn of Light in the mother of illumination.

गूढां ज्योवतस्तमसाः वपतरोऽन्वविन्दन् ।


सत्यमन्त्रथऽजनयन्नुषथसम् ॥

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If one is content with seeing the darkness


alone, he would have led the world into
darkness alone.

अन्धां तमाः प्रविशन्तन्त ये विद्यथमुपथसते ।


ततो िू य इि ते तमो ।
य उ विद्यथयथां रतथाः । विद्यथविद्ये चोिे िेवर्दतर्व्े ॥
Therefore both the science religious and
secular have to be understood. One gives
protection from danger and the other gives
freedom and safety in all life. It is very clear
that abstract theoretical knowledge based on
intuitive effort is to be gained by thoughts of
spiritual light on Agni as knowledge of the
tangible light of the Sun by thoughts based on
the observation and of the phenomena of the
light of the Sun.
अविम्च्छथ र्दे ियतथां मनथां वस चक्षूां सीि सां चरन्तन्त ।

Definite guidance in the actual path of life


and living is possible with the co-operation of
the two kinds of knowledge when they are
complementary and directed towards integral
wisdom of light. That there was light behind

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the shades of darkness was clearly known to


the Vedic Seers and with their sure thoughts
they worked out into the dawn of lift and light
with active and full blown.

गूढां ज्योवतस्तमसाः वपतरोऽन्वविन्दन् ।


सत्यमन्त्रथऽजनयन्नुषथसम् ॥

Their emblem was the emergence of the


Aditya in the midst of the lap of the Mother
Aditi, the splendid glow of the rising Sun. The
twilight holds the uniting reins of the White and
Dark galloping horses of the lights of the day
and of the night, the twin powers of the day
and of night.

The dawn therefore gives us the birth of


the light of the form the dark womb of the night.
Night and Light are complementary to help
birth and progress in knowledge and of its
application in all kinds of activities. The dawn
is, therefore, said to furnish us with new life.

एषथ नर्व्मथयु र्दाधथनाः गुढ्िीतमो ज्योवतषथ अबोवध।

Veda is distinctly clear that here is a


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universal warmth of the Fire of Agni in the


heart of the universe as the source of the
source of the life of all existence of even the
solar energy and radiation under three
concentric covers, and sustaining the three
regions of existence and all their
multiplications and manifesting apartments.

धमथा समन्तथत् वििृतां र्व्थपतुाः ....

The early states of the fully developing


nature into many manifestations is also aware
of the warmth, of this Fire of Life, while passing
through the embryonic stages in the pregnant
mother,

तयोजुावषृां मथतररश्वथ जगथम।

The early states of the full developing


deeper functioning of nature not only in the
many manifestations, is also aware of this
spiritual life, or of Fire of Life, while working in
the embryonic stages of functions of deep
developments within the pregnant mother.

तसथां वनवचक्ुाः क्कयो वनद्वथनां ।


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The deep-seeing seers alone are


cognisant of this truth which is indicated in the
deepest levels of Yajna constitution and
operation through their manifestation in the
manifesting stages of the central Fire, the
secret of which the deep seers alone are
aware.

परे षु यथ गु ह्येषु व्रते षु।

The workings of this Fire of creation is


expressed through three attending manifest
powers of “Treta” Agni

वतस्रो र्दे ष्ट्रथय वनरृतीरुतथसते ।

for the preservation of the developing Fire


of Life into an individual and warding off of the
death of the developing life in the mother and
the universe and their presence and
functioning in cognised only by the deep
seeing and sharp-knowing seers, that have
their places in the constitution of the creating
Yajna. They are Mitra, Varuna and Aryama.
From the Fire of the primal Agni, his Chaitanya

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is revealed in the form of knowledge of


Brahma which flows into the fourfold moulds
as flowing floods of knowledge as Sarasvati,
the youthful beauty of a young lady as the
resident mother of sciences with the four brads
of her hair with the softness of ghee.

चतु ष्कपर्दथा यु िवतस्सु पेशथ घृ तप्रतीकथ ियु नथवन िस्ते ।

The wise Suparnas remain within her


womb and are born of her. The primal Agni
first releases her wisdom and remains
unmanifest in them. He releases two powers
first from himself as Mitra and Varuna and
Aryama further on and even as Bhaga at the
doorway of the Dawn into the highest regions.
It is Mitra and Varuna that bring down the
forms of air, gases and vapours, and their
showers into the manifest ocean of the
universe. They are, therefore, known as the
seed giving Vrishabhas or as Lords of such
shower, on the humans on the earth and all
their activities thereon. सम्रथजथ िृ षिथ वर्दिस्पती
पृविर्व्थाः वमिथ िरुण विचषा णी ।

They are next only to Agni, who thereafter


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draw their powers from the waters as her twin


children and are being nursed by the waters
themselves for further creation and many
other controlling powers as their longest reins
(िूररपथशथाः). It is they that create the
Brahmanda, the undivided Aditi, the mother of
the Gods in the creative waters as the one
Aditi, the primal wise mother and Daksha as
the intelligence of the waters that created the
Anda. The waters are therefore known as the
parents of Daksha and Aditi for vast creation
(र्दक्ष वपतर:). Wise Suparnas remain within the
flood of the wise waters as the mother of
wisdom as Sarasvati तस्थां सु पणथा िृ षणथ वनषेर्दतु :
One great Suparna remains extended in the
wise waters first emerges from the Anda of the
creative waters of mother Sarasvati एकस्सु पणा ाः
स समु द्रमथवििे श स इर्दां विश्वां िु िनां विचष्ट्े । Him the
mother of wisdom addressed and he
addressed the mother. तां मथतथरे व़ि स उ रे व़ि
मथतरम् । The wise waters are therefore said to
be the source of all creation including Aditi and
Daksha. The waters were originally created by
un-manifest Agni himself. The great Suparna
is the manifest of Agni himself, manifest from

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his entire extension in his own wise waters.


The waters therefore are also known as the
parents of Daksha and Aditi. The waters are
wise independent creative powers. They are
generally known as the female mothers of
creation, न्तियस्सतीाः but they are also known to
contain the masculine powers तथ उपुां स आहाः
The great truth of the statement of the two
ideas of the masculine and the feminine
powers as consistent unity is understandable
only to the thoughtful visionary of the seers of
wisdom. If mother is the basis of creation,
father is also the source of creation as the
seed supplier. The father and the mother co-
exist in the wisdom of the original waters of
cosmic intelligence. The seer alone can
cognise the truth of this statement which is the
truth of showing the water alone as the secret
source of all creation.

Therefore it is equally wise to say that


Aditi came from the intelligence of Daksha or
Daksha came from Aditi, the mother of
creation. र्दक्षथद्वथऽवर्दवताः अवर्दते िथा र्दक्षाः the first
manifestation of the great Suparna from the
primal Agni is through the extensive wisdom of
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the oceanic waters of wisdom and all other


subsequent emanations of creation are from
the one Aditi, the great mother. The one
Suparna is capable of the entire knowledge
and is ever present in every one and all
quarters of existence, for, with his powerful
wings he has known all regions and is fit to
declare the truth of all regions of Diva,
Antariksha as well as of Prithvi to give good
life and knowledge of all and is therefore
known as the leader of all and giver of their life
विसु पणो अन्तररक्षथण्यख्यद्गिी रिे पथ असु राः सु नीिाः ।

The blessing of Vedic seer has therefore


the urge for all to sing out the song of the life
of the highest consciousness concealed in the
most harmonious and benevolent poetry and
song of music of the Rigveda as Samaveda
which happily lends itself to be most
delightfully sung out into the elaborate
extensions of bliss and peace of the psalms of
Samaveda.

इमथां कल्यथणी ां िथचमविविश्वे गृ णन्त।

Let all humanity ever sing out into music

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the sense, light, delight and harmony of this


informing instruction of Vedic wisdom,
learning and music of the culture of life of the
Mandra tunes of consciousness as well as of
the utmost utterances into the highest tones of
the loftiest stages of Udgidha from the depths
of the Pranas into the ultimate Rhythm. Veda
is the knowledge of the science of Life of which
the person of man is the concrete composite
representation of the Purusha presents the
three states of the Kshara, Akshara and
Uttama Pursha whose entire and full stature
and status is represented by the concept of the
Veda Purusha i.e., the revelation of dedicated
study, knowledge and enjoyment of the
highest stature of being and becoming.
Sometimes the individual splendour of the
band of Adityas, may take us away from each
other of them or from the bounds of their own
regions into the next expanses of space
allowing more and more places for our grasp
and the scope of freedom of the regions
themselves. Indra and Vishnu increase their
spheres thus and supply more scope and
freedom

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इन्द्रथविष्णू अकृणुतमन्तररक्षां िरीयाः।

and provide greater scope and provision for


freedom, improvement and increase
opportunity for comfortable and best life and
living.

जीिसे नो रजथां वस।

They thus increase the scope of life and


their regions for the sake of the extension of
creation, sustenance, law and development of
ordered life in discipline amidst their constant
work of improving and perfecting the Yajna of
existence and extension, providing for the
dawn of greater life with space, the light of a
greater Sun and the great splendour of the
ever creating Agni.

उरू यज्ञथय चक्रधु रू लोकां जनयन्तथ सू यामुषथसमविम् ।

They increase the space of their regions


for their beings to reside happily well and to
improve to the full, in the new extension of
creation into a novel of the universe.

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The Rubhus named Rubhu, Vibhava and


Vaaja are the three offsprings and offshoots of
the self-centred circle of the universe named
as the sons of the excellent vault of the
heaven, Sudhanva. They provide the
requirements of the gods, the Devas, with the
implements of life and dress as also the arms
needed for the wars of their cosmic region
against the possible encroachments of the
powers of chaos that surround the Devas
immensely. For such purposes the Rubhus
supply war implements of weapons as well as
chariots with visors and helmets for Indra etc.

रिां ये चक्रुर्ा री।

They created the eating bowls for the seers


or the Chamasa Patra around which they keep
their watch for opportunities of food. They
supplied the eating vessel for the seers of
Rishis, and Pana patram, the drinking vessel
for Indra. They also renew the lives of the fore-
fathers into regenerations with the help of light
rays; atmospheric waves etc. And thus helped
the regeneration of Devas, Rishis etc.

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शत्यथ कता वपतरथ इिथनथ:।

Ribhu is closely associated with Indra


and his work. Vibhava is in close contact and
relationship with the requirements of Varuna
and Vaaja is concerned with helping the work
of all the Devas. Strictly understood, Ribhu is
the intelligence for light, Vibhava is Vidhyut or
electrical energy and Vaaja is the power of
energy, pure and simple. In a similar way the
Maruths and Vayus are the general Powers of
the Rodasi, the middle atmospheric region,
bounded by the two regions of the earth and
heaven on either hand. They are generally
used and commanded by all prominent
governors and commanding Devas like Indra,
Rudra, Varuna etc. The powers of the Prithvi
are the Vasus forming the wealth of (the
physical) existence (of Nature) while the
powers of Diva are called Adityas born of Aditi,
the mother of light, and the powers of the
Rodasi or Antiariksha are called the bands of
Rudra to make the terrestrial and celestial
powers meet and mix up in the Antariksha and
thus influence the pranas of all creatures of the
universe into all expansive developments. The

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rudras in the constituted beings are eleven in


number and they correspond to the pranas of
man and are called the eleven Rudras, i.e., the
five pranas of the five sense organs, and the
five pranas of the organs of work, with the one
prana of the mind as their internal common
plan behind all the ten physical and sense
organs and mind. They work out the functions
of all the important powers that have a wide
range of activities over the entire regions of the
cosmos and of the microcosm. As Visve
Devas, they take part in the common work of
all the regions of existence. All the Vasus,
Rudras and Adityas take their combined parts
in producing the vak or speech which is known
as the milk, and the cow is also known as the
mother of the Rudras, daughter of the Vasus,
and sister of Adityas and thus she takes part
on behalf of all the Devas and serves them as
their milk-cow of speech:

मथतथ रुद्रथणथां र्दु वर्तथ िसू नथां स्वथसथ आवर्दत्यथनथम् . . . ।

Let none hurt this innocent and direct


supplies of milk with their petty-minded
consideration

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गथमनपगथां मथ िवधष्ट् र्दभ्रचेतथाः।

The great primal Agni works on the


universe in its three main regions as the
Pavaka, the purifying Fire among Vasus, as
the Sankara in the Antariksha among the
fighting Rudras of all enemies of life in the
middle region and as the all-enveloping
Vishnu among the Adityas. The powers
therefore are classified as Vasus, Rudras and
Adityas.

Just as Pavaka is the leader of Vasus, and


Sankara of Rudras, Vishnu is the leader of the
Adityas. But he is not only the leader of
Adityas of Diva but also of the region of Prithvi
and of the Rodasi or of Antriskha. He is
therefore called Trivikrama moving and ruling
over three regions. He is therefore known as
increasing beyond all measure.

परो मथियथ तन्वथ िृ धथन:।

No being in the past nor in the present


could conceive of the vastness of his great

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power of extension:

न ते विष्णो जथयमथनो न जथतो र्दे िमवर्न्माः परमन्तमथप ।

For the entire and proper functioning of


the coordinated teamwork of the powers of
Yajna, he has increased the extent of the
universe and set up Agni, the dawn and the
sun for the purpose of helping the beings:

उरु यज्ञथय चक्रिुाः।

Let your increase be effected by the voice


(and word) of invocation (िधा न्तु त्वथ सुष्टु तयो वगरोां
मे) May you be pleased. Oh! Vishnu, Improve
our well-being:

यूयम् पथत स्वन्तस्तविस्सर्दथ नाः। िषट् ते विष्णिथस


आकृणोवम तन्मे जु षस्व I am making a place of
residence for your stay.

वशवपविष्ट् र्र्व्म्।

Vishnu moves quickest in the wide


regions, the outermost ‘Uru’ and is therefore

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

known as the quickest wanderer ‘Urugayaha’.


Light itself is the very name of this most
ancient one:

त्वेषं वर् अस् स्िविरस् नथम।

His rays of light are extensive, longest


sharp-pointed and very penetrating. It is in his
three great regions that all the parts of the
universe remain extensive, and extending.

यस्ोरुषु विषु विक्रमणेषु अवधवक्षयन्तन्त िु िनथवन विश्वथ।

His three regions are fully nourished and


sweetly fed beyond all want and decay and are
fully fed and satisfied:

यस् िी पूणथा मधु नथ पर्दथवन अक्षीयमथणथ स्वधयथ मर्दन्तन्त।

It is there that his highest region shines in


his supreme splendour with his quickest
march:

अिथर् तर्दु रुगथयस्व िृ ष्णाः परमां पर्दमििथवत िूरर।

The great spring of the sweet waters of life


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is in the mighty region of Trivikrama:

विष्णोाः पर्दे परमे मध्व उत्स:।

It is from there that the great one is ever


ready to meet and fight any contingent danger
to the cosmic universe as a youthful fighter of
every nook and corner, with his great form
beyond all measure

बृ र्छरीरो विवममथन ऋक्ववियुा िथ कुमथर: प्रत्ये त्यथर्िम्।

The seer prays Vishnu to let the mind of


the seer be informed of any change effected in
the margins between the cosmos and chaos
as a result of his fight with the gigantic demons
of the chaos against their inroad over the
borders, without any hiding of the fact and
changes:

मथ िपो अस्मर्दपगूर् एतत् यर्दन्य रूप: सवमधे बिू ि ।

The universe is thus the unity of diverse


aspects, regions etc. unified and supplied
water by a common conscious spring of sweet
food of nourishing waters of the streams of life,
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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

wisdom through which he has released his


chaitanya and remained extended in the flood
of his waters of wisdom, keeping the flood
warm with the warmth of life; knowledge and
all necessary powers of immortality:

अप्स्स्वन्तरमृ तमप्सु िे षजम् अपथां प्रशस्तये र्दे िथ ििर्दथा ध


िथवजनाः।

A system of paths extending through the


regions of the vast regions is laid and watched
over with protection by the wise Pusha both in
the higher as well as the lower regions:

प्रपधे पिथमजवनष्ट् पू षथ प्रपधे पृविर्व्थ: प्रपिे वर्दिाः।

There is the outermost circle extending


along the outermost margins of Aditi with the
twelve divisions of the zodiac having Agni as
its centre and the seven hundred and twenty
radii of days and nights as the radiating
Rudras, the sons of the purfying Pavaka,
encircled by the outermost circumference of
space as Vishnu. A perfect unity exists amidst
all the regions with Agni as the central Pavaka,
Rudra and Vishnu as their leader of Vasus,
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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

Rudras and Aditays. The whole globe of the


universe of all dimensions has a unity in the
one Atma of the whole of existence, keeping
the unity of all in him as the centre and the
infinity of all as the perfect unity of all reality.
Agni is the first centre of this unity and Vishnu
as the all-embracing outermost
circumference. He can unfold himself into the
universe and infold the universe into the heart
of Agni, the Atma ever remaining in his
boundless and everlasting Chaitanya. The
Atma evolves into all and works out all
functions in all capacities and creates all अर्ां
रुद्रे विश्चरथवम, अर्मथवर्दत्य, अर्ां वमिथिरुणोिथ वििवमा ,
अर्वमन्द्रथिी अर्मवश्वनोिथ वििवमा।

The Atma of Reality can create whatever it


needs and controls them all, a terrific one or a
deep knowing seer:

यां यां कथमये तां तां उग्रां कृणोवम तमृवषं सु मेधथम्।

This unity of the Atma of all existence is


called Agni, who unfolds and infolds himself as
his will as the supreme controller, not by any
external urge in the conscious will of its power
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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

of unity of control:

आनीर्दिथत स्वधयथ तर्दे कां…

Beyond the range and control of that unity


of the universe, nothing could exist in isolation.

तस्मथर्दन्यन्नथपर: वकांचनथऽस।

The infinity of powers is contained in the


unending and abiding unity of infinite
Chaitanya of the Atma, the primal Agni. This
unity of existence is in the Ritam the harmony
of all states, stages, shades of facts in the
unific maturity of all Dharmas from one
Dharma as all the petals of the flower are from
the one heart of the bud of it. It is therefore
clearly stated to be moving between the
extreme points of the changes of directions of
an active pendulum. Ritam is an ever
expanding ocean at one extreme point, and
Satyam is the ever manifesting fact of
phenomena of light moving towards its
extreme noumena into the concrete shape of
the form of the active Sun at a single atom of
the ocean of harmony. Ritam and Satyam are

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

both true at the two extremes of movement


when reached.

ऋतमषान्तन्त वसन्धिाः – सत्यां ततथन सू या:।

The oceanic spheres of the regions are


ever expanding at one end of the wave and the
minute atomic particles are the culminations of
the phenomenal oceanic existences towards
their noumena into concrete particles. The
concepts of Ritam and Satyam are therefore
pointed out to be properly conceived and
cognised at the level of the summits of two
extremes of one wave of truth highly and
intently developed Tapas.

ऋतां च सत्यां चथिीद्धथत्तपसोऽध्यजथयत।

Below their level comes the concept of the


night as the great interval.

Thereafter comes the agitating ocean of


light, coming into manifestation. Only
afterwards come the Sun and the Moon as in
the previous periods of creation on a part with
the view of the creating form of Surya,

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

सूयथा चन्द्रमसौ धथतथ यिथपू िाू॒ मकल्पयत् –

in the one spiral development of the two


extreme levels. The warmth of life and
consciousness are represented at different
levels marked by the states of Akasa or the
expanse of space containing the elements of
sound, light air, vapours and finest particles
like dust, and as concrete condensed particles
of light in the form of the Sun. In the expanding
stages of abstract space the light of Akasa is
the most tangible state, while towards the
close of the continually manifesting and
concretising stage, is marked by the form of
the visible Sun. Really it is the same light
whether extended into the oceanic expanse of
the abstract extension of light into the form of
the Sun through the phenomena of the waves
of light. Therefore, it is stated in Rigveda that
Ritam and Satyam are the subject and most
vivid forms of Reality containing all the
contents of all the states of existence. The
oceans of water, air, light and space are
exhibiting the expansions of Ritam, and the
specific light is developing the form of the

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

tangible Sun.

Between the states of the ocean of Akasa


and of the concrete condensation of the form
of the Sun, there is only the same set of
contents of Reality in two states at the two
extremities of the one spiral extension.
Sometimes it is stated in the Upanishadic
language that the abstract spiritual is the
source of concrete existence, while at other
times, the concrete is the source of the
abstract as

सर्दे ि सोम्ये र्दमग्र आसीत् or असद्वथ इर्दमग्र आसीत्

where Sat and Asat point the relative states of


the greatest unity. Therefore, it has to be
reconciled and explained by the statement.

सत्यां चथनृ तां च सत्यमिित् ।

The state of the particles and of the


expanse of oceanic space of no particles
contain all the stages of light element of
Prakruti. They are all surcharged with the
power of consciousness of the natural, pure

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

and original Ego and the determination of the


power of the will with the clarity of the
intelligence of the mind.

To extend and to concise and maintain the


unity of their basic consciousness through all
stages of manifestation maintained by the
waters of Chaitanya which are released to
maintain in them all the powers of intelligence
and knowledge as the ocean of the revealing
flood of light

मर्ोऽणााः सरस्वती।

The waters are said to contain the powers


of immortality and even of rectitude-

अप्स्स्वन्तरमृ त मप्सु िे षजम्।

The powers, the Devas above, who are


bred and brought up in the waters themselves
are capable of knowing the full capacity of the
water -

अपथां प्रशस्तये र्दे िथ ििि िथवजनाः।

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

The blue waters of the surging oceans with


their ever continuing waves of life pulsations
on the earth, in the water, in the air, in floods
of light, Vidyuth, in clouds and vapour particles
in the vast space of the sky are the storages
of all powers in the all-pervading ethereal
floods of water which were at first released by
Agni from his own Chaitanya or
Consciousness. The concept of the waters,
their flow as Sarasvati, their role as the
medium of the flood of creation as Savitri, and
their song of voice as Gayatri, the hidden silent
music of harmony of Ritam, represent the
main powers of waters as the flood of life with
renovating and renewing ripples of Pranava
from the warmth of the flood of universal Agni,
inherent in the warm flood waters of blood
without any aid of extraneous fuel or other
source of heat-

अवनध्मो र्दीर्दयर्दप्स्स्वन्तयं विप्रथस ईर्दते ।

The wise seers worship and depend on the


warm waters themselves as their guide and
controller, and look upon the waters for their
guiding wisdom from Agni. Concepts like

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

these are quite clear and true notions based


on the facts of the sciences of radiation as the
foundations of their scientific knowledge.

Veda is thus a great system of scientific


thought both of concrete and of abstract facts
which once guided the life and culture of a
great section of mankind. We have therefore
to approach Veda with a broad view and liberal
attitude without pride or prejudice of an age or
race to make a survey and synthesis of its
findings of various truths of the earth,
atmosphere and heavenly regions of
existence, and to know how they utilised them
with their uproar inviting the human attention.

We must note that we have to collect,


select and ponder over facts from the maze of
concentrated literary forms of Rig Vedic
poetry, through the strange regions of prosody
and of music of praises and of ecstacy. It is
from the truths of this cultural Yajana of the
original Veda that the present Yajur Vedic
Samhitas were compiled for the assistance of
our Yajnic performances, and are explained
by their Brahmanas, Aryankas and

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

Upanishads which were composed and


guided by Kalpa Sutras, Brahma Sutras,
Dharma Sutras and the Smritis of Dharma
Sastras. The language itself of the sixth and
seventh mandalas of Rigveda in particular is
most ancient, archaic and very abstruse
belonging to the most ancient Rishis. We have
mainly to cull out facts from Rig Vedic
language and remarks and notices scientific
facts which may easily be considered quite
modern, suggesting and ancient parallel to the
trend of modern scientific developments. It is
a wonder why we have at present in our Indian
astronomy accounts and discussion of only
seven luminous planets while the Vedic
accounts are off ten important planets with
Uranus, Neptune including Pluto also,
corresponding to Indra, Varuna and Soma. It
is significant to note that the present
astronomical science has of late included
them in the modern planetary accounts and
inferences of their influence of radiation on the
particles of earth imparting to them powers of
varying radiations on the earth, atmosphere as
well as of the luminary skies. In their strange
movements of their coming nearer and going

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

farther from their routine paths extending over


hundreds of miles, they may not have the
same radiating influences at all on the world,
when they go far away from their normal
orbits, and yet when they are nearest they
might have been actively influencing the world
of facts with their active radiator powers as at
present. They might require ages of time
before they approach their nearer paths from
their most distant deviations, after long periods
of aeons. It is possible that the ages
succeeding those of Vedic culture should not
have had the experiences of what are called
the new planets by modern astronomers,
Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, as they now do
i.e. of imparting powers of radiation to the
stellar and atmospheric regions. So those
ages that succeeded the Vedic aeons should
have left off their attention over these planets.
The Vedic accounts of the great Adityas of
Mitra, Varuna, Yama and Soma are replete
with the radiating influences of these planets.
The knowledge of the Vedic sciences and their
remarks of scientific facts of the earth, air,
oceans and the sky of the immediate planets
and of the distant feeble stars have been

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

explained not merely as parts of the nearer


Yajna of the immediate universe of facts but
they also include the distant nebulae and the
faint stars of the immediate and ultimate
regions into the unity of one mighty Yajna that
includes the “Krusanah” and surrounds both
the immediate and the ultimate sections of the
worlds into the greatest unity of the mightiest
Yajna of total reality as a great unit united by
golden sheen of chains.

अिीिृ तां कृशनविा श्वरूपां वर्रण्य शम्यां यजतो बृ र्न्तम्।

The creative Savita standing in a golden


universal chariot, drawn under the sheen of
golden horses with the golden reins controlling
the march of the horse powers of the light of
the day and of the night on either side into the
dawn of twilight as twin horses giving the
prospect of the brilliant glory of Vedic wisdom
-

आस्थद्रयां सवितथ वचििथनु : कृष्णथ रजथां वस तविषीां


र्दधथनाः।

Who can say in what region of the great


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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

universe the great Suparna is illuminating and


declaring to the world with the speediest flight
of his wings? Who can say with surety where
and in what region is the sun shining at a given
moment -

विसु पणोऽन्तररक्षथण्यख्यर्द् गिीरिे पथ असु राः सुनीि: ।


केर्दथनीां सू यााः कन्तिकेत कतमथां द्यां रन्तिरस्थततथन

When the Savita with his inevitable golden


sheen comes near and reigns over the
universe, surveying every region of it in his
daily march over all regions, with rare gems in
his hold for rewarding the presence of the
offerer with his gifts and blessings -

वर्रण्यथक्षाः सवितथ र्दे ि आगथत् र्दधद्रत्नथवन र्दथशु षे


िथयथा वण।

Returning from the dark regions and


introducing into it all the mortals and the
immortals, the creative Savita comes
surveying the whole universe and moves
through all regions, athwart, above and below,
drawn by his golden hued horse –

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

आकृष्णे न रजसथ िता मथनो वनिे शयन्नमृ तां मत्यं च।


वर्रण्मये न रिे न सवितथ र्दे िो यथवत िु िनथवन पश्यन् ।
यथवत र्दे ि: प्रितथ यथत्यु द्वतथ यथवत सु प्रथप्यां यजते
र्ररभ्यथम्।

It is really wonderful to note how the Vedic


people made use of their knowledge of the
world of all the tints, of all the planets to
contribute for the safe survival of their life and
of all mankind in all generations of humanity.
The fundamental conceptions of Veda, of life,
knowledge, of movements and progress into
space, time with their notions of the universe
of planets, their ideas of the quick march of
light as Asvins, the twin horses of the light of
the day and of the night, along with their
values, individually and relatedly, are all of
great comprehension and intimately
associated into a system of mutual relations in
the march of the universe and of the moving
man in the universe, as also the march of
pranas in the heart of the movements of man
as a miniature Yajna of life.

जगत्यथम् जगत्

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

In the midst of a system of relative


movements, all presided by the Supreme
presence and guidance-

ईशथिथश्यवमर्दां सिं यन्तकांवचज्जगत्यथां जगत् ।

The movements of time, light, energy and


power are of an immense scale. The concept
of the waters or Akasa is itself of a highly
scientific nature amidst many others. The
waters are brought about by the united
relationship of the twin powers, Mitra and
Varuna, at the time of Yama’s third firmament
of Adityas, along with the appearance of
thunders and lightening of vidyuth associated
with the formation of drops of water, their
collecting into clouds and their gliding or
‘skannam’ of droplets from above, and their fall
and flow as streams on the earth into the
rivers and oceans and entering the sky again
signifying the wise activities of the floods of
Sarasvati; representing the continuous flow of
Chaitanya as the eternal flow of
consciousness of the primal Agni as the centre
and source of the life of the universe. As the

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

creative mothers, the waters are made to


represent the flood of homogeneity into
multiple forms of facts and of phenomena.
These forms also Diti contain Agni as the
immanant, unmanifest, giving the Agni, the
manifestation of birth, as the divine waters
themselves, which contain immortality and
rectitude to all in whom it also spreads to give
and sustain life as Jeevanam, the maintainer
of life. Men are therefore said to have been
wealthy in having the ready accessibility to the
rich powers of the divine waters.

Similarly light is a variety of this Agni and


contains many powers as aids to the celestial
Rubhus, the engineers for implementations
out of their light, electricity or Vidyuth, air,
vapour etc. for creative and manifesting
powers of implements, vehicles and arms.
The terms Aditi and connote the ideas of
cosmic and microcosmic unity and diversity of
existence. They are pointed out as closely
inter-related, while Aditi denotes the unity or
motherhood of creation. Daksha represents
the inherent intelligence and skill that is behind
the manifestations of creation, in other words,

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

Prakruti and Purusha. The journeys


mentioned in the Veda are not merely on land
and waters alone, but are also in the midst of
the air and light of the high skies, covering the
ultimate regions of pure space and of the
regions of particles of varied dust, and even
the interplanetary journey. Rubhu, Vibhava
and Vaaja are said to be light, electricity and
energy respectively which enter into the
process of the making and working of varied
creation of machinery and are the mobile
powers of all regions. The watery vapours in
the sky are said to be pregnant particles of
vapour and steam in the sky and also subtle
powers of attraction, repulsion, exhibiting
magnetic and electrical sources of even
radiation from the particles of fiery spark like
the Ulkas, lights of flame and flashes in the sky
in the fine water vapours moving in the high
unbound spaces of the sky are considered to
be moving about in whirls like pregnant dames
developing and carrying within them the
greatest of the forms of powers of Agni as the
forms of his prime powers of magnetic and
electrical energy

40
THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

उरौ मर्थन् अवनबथधे ििधथा पो अविां ।


तस् ज्येष्ट्ां मवर्मथनां िर्न्तीाः पररयन्तन्त िह्ीाः ।

The vast oceanic regions of the many


levels of space of the sky, of light, of air, of
vapours and clouds, as also small smoky
particles known as Rajas around the seven
planets called the Adityas, are also known as
the mighty seven oceans as mothers, the
planets being known as the seven sons of
seven oceanic spaces. All these regions have
to be comprehended and brought into one
assortment of the universe and its powers are
thus latent or potent showing out their
dynamism and activities. The counterparts of
all these cosmic aspects are also recognised
as having their parts in the framing of the
forms of inanimate as well as animate life by
their convergence into the cool dark-regions to
give rest and respite while the average starry
heavens and also the feeble shady sheen of
the groups of the nebulae called “Krusanaha”
at the end of their far groups. Savita is stated
to be as revealing and releasing the world from
the heart of light into the dusk of the night,

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

कृष्णो रजसथ द्यां िृणथवत ।

The ancient seers have understood long


ago that there is light in the heart of darkness
also and with their right knowledge and efforts
they revealed that the light has its home in the
heart of darkness and revealed the light hid in
the darkness –

गूढां ज्योवतस्तमसाः वपतरोऽन्वविन्दन् ।


सत्यमन्त्रथऽजनयन्नुषथसम् ॥

The influence of the movements of the


Sun and of the other planets and stars over the
terrestrial world and of the individual
constitutions were protective and directive as
mobile chariots for distant journeys in the
expansive regions of the Earth. Similarly in an
extended sense, the whole world is said to be
the vast and ever moving chariot of space as
the biggest Vimana, the great all-inclusive
vehicle in the airy and stellar regions of the
sky, amidst immense space, the greatest
ocean of reality itself with its graded waves of
differing lengths, ranges and speeds of light,
pranas and movements of life, light and of
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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

sound- अनथरां िणे तर्दिीरयेिथां अनथस्थने अग्रिणे


समु द्रे।

Amidst which the primal twin powers of


Agni called the Asvins, convey the fluent and
safely moving chariot of the Sun who works on
as the Sun of life in the vast ocean carrying
Bhujyu, the fiery consumer of food and even
of the consumed food itself in their vehicles in
the circulating waters to the entire constitution
of man and its constituents, even in the shape
and form of the corpuscles, in the oceans of
blood channels with their interlinked relations
of the nerve connections
यर्दवश्वनथ ऊर्िुाः िु ज्युां शतथररिां नथिमथ तररयिसथम्।

The pulsating twin waves of pranas i.e.


Nasathyas, the twin motor powers of pranas
functioning through the nose as breath
keeping up life movements, thoughts and their
functions through the nostrils to carry on the
lively son of life continuously even for days
and nights of life on end. The great vehicle of
the universe is working on the vast
coordinated Yajnas of life and existence with

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

the speed of infinite horse power. Each solar


system is a great working vehicle with one
manifest and incessant power of life, the Sun,
the real and endlessly working horse of the
power of life, the Sun the real incessantly
working horse with its seven names in the
seven regions of one chariot -

रिमे क चक्रांएको चक्रो िवर्त सप्तनथमथ।

The movements of Suparna, born of the


Brahmanda of knowledge with its fully
developed wings, move on through the
regions of Antariksha and of Diva, through all
the dhanvas or arcs or arched paths through
the regions of higher spaces (arches) moving
above, below and in the middle of the Rodasi
in the midst of Ulkas or Sparks, flares and
flashes of electricity in the regions of the sky
and among strange phenomena, along the
ranges of the polar nights.

Agni the origin of all intense activity is


silently and calmly functioning as the silent
mind peacefully brooding over the plan of his
working in the brain during the calm night like

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THE VEDIC WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT

the oldest unmanifest dame, Lopamudra, the


silent dark night as the ancient mother of
infinite dawns of the days called Samudra, the
manifest day of lights, slowly giving birth to the
dawn and the Sun as the son born of the dawn
in turn just as the dawn is born of the night.

Agni is the one source of the ocean of


existence and of the wisdom of the waters,
released at the dawn of creation with full
potencies of infinite values of existence
forming many channels and directions and
paths for their incessant flow, as the path of
the Adhwarakrit.

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