Hindu customs-Mysteries Explored:

Mysteries Explored: 

Shocking science behind Hindu traditions: Indian Customs Vs Scientific Reasons Traditions in Hinduism were considered mainly as superstitions, but with the advent of science, it is becoming evident that these traditions are based on some scientific knowledge and moved from generations to generations as traditions. Though the common people did not know science in it, they were following it very faithfully over the years. This blog is an attempt to bring forward the science involved in these traditions and rituals...

1. Throwing Coins into a River: The general reasoning given for this act is that it brings Good Luck. However, scientifically speaking, in the ancient times, most of the currency used was made of copper unlike the stainless steel coins of today. Copper is a vital metal very useful to the human body. Throwing coins in the river was one way our fore-fathers ensured we intake sufficient copper as part of the water as rivers were the only source of drinking water. Making it a custom ensured that all of us follow the practice. 


2. Joining Both Palms together to Greet: In Hindu culture, people greet each other by joining their palms - termed as “Namaskar.” The general reason behind this tradition is that greeting by joining both the palms means respect. However, scientifically speaking, joining both hands ensures joining the tips of all the fingers together; which are denoted to the pressure points of eyes, ears, and mind. Pressing them together is said to activate the pressure points which helps us remember that person for a long time. And, no germs since we don’t make any physical contact!

3. Why do Indian Women wear Toe Ring: Wearing toe rings is not just the significance of married women but there is science behind it. Normally toe rings are worn on the second toe. A particular nerve from the second toe connects the uterus and passes to heart. Wearing toe ring on this finger strengthens the uterus. It will keep it healthy by regulating the blood flow to it and menstrual cycle will be regularized. As Silver is a good conductor, it also absorbs polar energies from the earth and passes it to the body.

4. Applying Tilak on the Forehead: On the forehead, between the two eyebrows, is a spot that is considered as a major nerve point in human body since ancient times. The Tilak is believed to prevent the loss of "energy", the red 'kumkum' between the eyebrows is said to retain energy in the human body and control the various levels of concentration. While applying kumkum the points on the mid-brow region and Adnya-chakra are automatically pressed. This also facilitates the blood supply to the face muscles.

5. Why do Temples have Bells: People who are visiting the temple should and will Ring the bell before entering the inner sanctum (Garbhagudi or Garbha Gruha or womb-chamber) where the main idol is placed. According to Agama Sastra, the bell is used to give sound for keeping evil forces away and the ring of the bell is pleasant to God. However, the scientific reason behind bells is that their ring clears our mind and helps us stay sharp and keep our full concentration on devotional purpose. These bells are made in such a way that when they produce a sound it creates a unity in the Left and Right parts of our brains. The moment we ring the bell, it produces a sharp and enduring sound which lasts for minimum of 7 seconds in echo mode. The duration of echo is good enough to activate all the seven healing centres in our body. This results in emptying our brain from all negative thoughts.

6. Why do we have Navratras: Our living style has drastically changed if we compare it to the society hundreds & thousands of years ago. The traditions which we follow in present are not establishments of today but of the past. Ever thought, why do we have Navratras twice a year unlike other festivals like Deepawali or Holi? Well, both these months are the months of changing seasons and the eating habits of both the seasons are quite different from each other. Navratras give enough time to the body to adjust and prepare itself for to the changing season. These nine days were marked as a period when people would clean their body system by keeping fasts by avoiding excessive salt and sugar, meditate, gain a lot of positive energy, gain a lot of self confidence & increase the self determination power (fasts are a medium to improve our will power and self determination) and finally get ready for the challenges of the changed season.

7. Why do we worship Tulsi Plant: Hindu religion has bestowed ‘Tulsi’, with the status of mother. Also known as ‘Sacred or Holy Basil’, Tulsi, has been recognized as a religious and spiritual devout in many parts of the world. The vedic sages knew the benefits of Tulsi and that is why they personified it as a Goddess and gave a clear message to the entire community that it needs to be taken care of by the people, literate or illiterate. We try to protect it because it is like Sanjeevani for the mankind. Tulsi has great medicinal properties. It is a remarkable antibiotic. Taking Tulsi everyday in tea or otherwise increases immunity and help the drinker prevent diseases, stabilize his or her health condition, balance his or her body system and most important of all, prolong his or her life. Keeping Tulsi plant at home prevents insects and mosquitoes from entering the house. It is said that snakes do not dare to go near a Tulsi plant. Maybe that is why ancient people would grow lots of Tulsi near their houses.

8. Why do we worship Peepal Tree: ‘Peepal’ tree is almost useless for an ordinary person, except for its shadow. ‘Peepal’ does not a have a delicious fruit, its wood is not strong enough for any purpose then why should a common villager or person worship it or even care for it? Our ancestors knew that ‘Peepal’ is one of the very few trees (or probably the only tree) which produces oxygen even at night. So in order to save this tree because of its unique property they related it to God/religion.

9. Start with Spice & End with Sweet: Our ancestors have stressed on the fact that our meals should be started off with something spicy and sweet dishes should be taken towards the end. The significance of this eating practice is that while spicy things activate the digestive juices and acids and ensure that the digestion process goes on smoothly and efficiently, sweets or carbohydrates pulls down the digestive process. Hence, sweets were always recommended to be taken as a last item.

10. Choti on the Male Head: Sushrut rishi, the foremost surgeon of Ayurveda, describes the master sensitive spot on the head as Adhipati Marma, where there is a nexus of all nerves. The shikha protects this spot. Below, in the brain, occurs the Brahmarandhra, where the sushumnã (nerve) arrives from the lower part of the body. In Yog, Brahmarandhra is the highest, seventh chakra, with the thousand-petalled lotus. It is the centre of wisdom. The knotted shikhã helps boost this centre and conserve its subtle energy known as ojas.

11. Applying Mehendi/Henna on the Hand: Besides lending color to the hands, mehndi is a very powerful medicinal herb. Weddings are stressful, and often, the stress causes headaches and fevers. As the wedding day approaches, the excitement mixed with nervous anticipation can take its toll on the bride and groom. Application of mehndi can prevent too much stress because it cools the body and keeps the nerves from becoming tense. This is the reason why mehndi is applied on the hands and feet, which house nerve endings in the body.

12. Celebration & Cleaning During Diwali: Diwali usually falls in October or November which marks the start of winter season and end of rainy season. Rainy season wasn't a good time for everyone back then; many homes needed repair and renovation after a heavy fall. That is why time before diwali was considered the period during which everyone can indulge in cleaning and beautification of their home. And also take out their winter clothes and pack the summer ones.

13. Sitting on the Floor & Eating: This tradition is not just about sitting on floor and eating, it is regarding sitting in the “Sukhasan” position and then eating. Sukhasan is the position we normally use for Yoga asanas. Sitting in this position while eating helps in improving digestion as the circulatory system can focus solely upon digestion and not on our legs dangling from a chair or supporting us while we are standing.

14. Why not to sleep with Your Head towards North: Myth is that it invites ghost or death but science says that it is because human body has its own magnetic field (Also known as hearts magnetic field, because the flow of blood) and Earth is a giant magnet. When we sleep with head towards north, our body's magnetic field become completely asymmetrical to the Earth's Magnetic field. That cause problems related to blood pressure and our heart needs to work harder in order to overcome this asymmetry of Magnetic fields. Apart from this another reason is that Our body have significant amount of iron in our blood. When we sleep in this position, iron from the whole body starts to congregate in brain. This can cause headache, Alzheimer’s Disease, Cognitive Decline, Parkinson disease and brain degeneration.

15. Surya Namaskar: Hindus have a tradition of paying regards to Sun God early in the morning by their water offering ritual. It was mainly because looking at Sun rays through water or directly at that time of the day is good for eyes and also by waking up to follow this routine, we become prone to a morning lifestyle and mornings are proven to be the most effective part of the day.

16. Ear Piercing in Children: Piercing the ears has a great importance in Indian ethos. Indian physicians and philosophers believe that piercing the ears helps in the development of intellect, power of thinking and decision making faculties. Talkativeness fritters away life energy. Ear piercing helps in speech-restraint. It helps to reduce impertinent behaviour and the ear-channels become free from disorders. This idea appeals to the Western world as well, and so they are getting their ears pierced to wear fancy earrings as a mark of fashion.

17. Application of Sindoor or Vermillion: It is interesting to note that that the application of sindoor by married women carries a physiological significance. This is so because Sindoor is prepared by mixing turmeric-lime and the metal mercury. Due to its intrinsic properties, mercury, besides controlling blood pressure also activates sexual drive. This also explains why Sindoor is prohibited for the widows. For best results, Sindoor should be applied right upto the pituitary gland where all our feelings are centered. Mercury is also known for removing stress and strain.

18. The scientific explanation of ouching Feet(charan sparsh): Usually, the person of whose feet you are touching is either old or pious. When they accept your respect which came from your reduced ego (and is called your shraddha) their hearts emit positive thoughts and energy (which is called their karuna) which reaches you through their hands and toes. In essence, the completed circuit enables flow of energy and increases cosmic energy, switching on a quick connect between two minds and hearts. To an extent, the same is achieved through handshakes and hugs. The nerves that start from our brain spread across all your body. These nerves or wires end in the fingertips of your hand and feet. When you join the fingertips of your hand to those of their opposite feet, a circuit is immediately formed and the energies of two bodies are connected. Your fingers and palms become the ‘receptor’ of energy and the feet of other person become the ‘giver’ of energy.

19. Why do we Fast: The underlying principle behind fasting is to be found in Ayurveda. This ancient Indian medical system sees the basic cause of many diseases as the accumulation of toxic materials in the digestive system. Regular cleansing of toxic materials keeps one healthy. By fasting, the digestive organs get rest and all body mechanisms are cleansed and corrected. A complete fast is good for heath, and the occasional intake of warm lemon juice during the period of fasting prevents the flatulence. Since the human body, as explained by Ayurveda, is composed of 80% liquid and 20% solid, like the earth, the gravitational force of the moon affects the fluid contents of the body. It causes emotional imbalances in the body, making some people tense, irritable and violent. Fasting acts as antidote, for it lowers the acid content in the body which helps people to retain their sanity. Research suggests there are major health benefits to caloric restriction like reduced risks of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, immune disorders etc.

20. Why Idol Worship: Hinduism propagates idol worship more than any other religion. Researchers say that this was initiated for the purpose of increasing concentration during prayers. According to psychiatrists, a man will shape his thoughts as per what he sees. If you have 3 different objects in front of you, your thinking will change according to the object you are viewing. Similarly, in ancient India, idol worship was established so that when people view idols it is easy for them to concentrate to gain spiritual energy and meditate without mental diversion.

21. Why do Indian Women wear Bangles: Normally the wrist portion is in constant activation on any human. Also the pulse beat in this portion is mostly checked for all sorts of ailments. The Bangles used by women are normally in the wrist part of ones hand and its constant friction increases the blood circulation level. Further more the electricity passing out through outer skin is again reverted to one's own body because of the ring shaped bangles, which has no ends to pass the energy outside but to send it back to the body. 

Madhavacharya and Trignometry

The Madhava Trignometric series 

The Madhava Trignometric series is one of a series in a collection of infinite series expressions discovered by Madhava of Sangramagrama ( 1350-1425 ACE ), the founder of the Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics. These are the infinite series expansions of the Sine, Cosine and the ArcTangent functions and Pi. The power series expansions of sine and cosine functions are called the Madhava sine series and the Madhava cosine series.

The power series expansion of the arctangent function is called the Madhava- Gregory series.

The power series are collectively called as Madhava Taylor series. The formula for Pi is called the Madhava Newton series.

One of his disciples, Sankara Variar had translated his verse in his Yuktideepika commentary on Tantrasamgraha-vyakhya, in verses 2.440 and 2.441

Multiply the arc by the square of the arc, and take the result of repeating that (any number of times). Divide (each of the above numerators) by the squares of the successive even numbers increased by that number and multiplied by the square of the radius. Place the arc and the successive results so obtained one below the other, and subtract each from the one above. These together give the jiva, as collected together in the verse beginning with "vidvan" etc.

Rendering in modern notations

Let r denote the radius of the circle and s the arc-length.

The following numerators are formed first:

s.s^2,
s.s^2.s^2
s.s^2.s^2.s^2

These are then divided by quantities specified in the verse.

1)s.s^2/(2^2+2)r^2,
2)s. s^2/(2^2+2)r^2. s^2/4^2+4)r^2
3)s.s^2/(2^2+2)r^2.s^2/(4^2+4)r^2. s^2/(6^2+6)r^2

Place the arc and the successive results so obtained one below the other, and subtract each from the one above to get jiva:

Jiva = s-(1-2-3)

When we transform it to the current notation

If x is the angle subtended by the arc s at the center of the Circle, then s = rx and jiva = r sin x.

Sin x = x - x^3/3! + x^5/5! - x^7/7!...., which is the infinite power series of the sine function.

By courtesy www.wikipedia.org and we thank Wikipedia for publishing this on their site.

By means of the same argument, the circumference can be computed in another way too. That is as (follows): The first result should by the square root of the square of the diameter multiplied by twelve. From then on, the result should be divided by three (in) each successive (case). When these are divided in order by the odd numbers, beginning with 1, and when one has subtracted the (even) results from the sum of the odd, (that) should be the circumference. ( Yukti deepika commentary )

This quoted text specifies another formula for the computation of the circumference c of a circle having diameter d. This is as follows.

c = SQRT(12 d^2 - SQRT(12 d^2/3.3 + sqrt(12 d^2)/3^2.5 - sqrt(12d^2)/3^3.7 +.......

As c = Pi d , this equation can be rewritten as

Pi = Sqrt(12( 1 - 1/3.3 + 1/3^2.5 -1/3^3.7 +......

This is obtained by substituting z = Pi/ 6 in the power series expansion for arctan (z).

Pi/4 = 1 - 1/3 +1/5 -1/7+.....

This is Madhava's formula for Pi, and this was discovered in the West by Gregory and Liebniz.

Source :

http://www.astrognosis.com/html/madhavatrignometricseries.asp

Vedic time

THE WORLD KEEPS VEDIC TIME

The uniform worldwide tradition of time-management and the Sanskrit terminology associated with it, is yet another emphatic proof of the prevalence of a uniform , unitary Vedic culture throughout the world from time immemorial. The Hindu alias Vedic almanac is the ancient most because it adheres to the Srushti-Samvat i.e, the time -computation from the creation of the cosmos. Nothing can be more ancient.

What is more, anybody undertaking any Vedic ritual at any time in any part of the world has to recall and repeat the entire computation of the aeons, eras, years and days that have passed from the moment of the creation to the day of the ritual. Thus a continual, up-to-date, day -to -day computation uttered through billions of months down the ages, day -in and day –out, all over the world has ensured an unerring tally of eternal time, A quick review of the cosmic time tally is part of the Sankalpa uttered at Vedic rituals.

It is that Vedic tradition which has been keeping a continuous tally or the time-dimension of' the cosmos namely of the time that has elapsed and the period that lies ahead before the next cataclysmic end or worldly life. Of the current Kali era 5097 years have elapsed . Even or that stretch of time present-day scholars know a bare, dented outline of history only or the last about 2000 years. Of the balance 3097 anterior years they know next to nothing.

It was during that remote antiquity that the world had a unitary administration of Kshatriyas trained to govem the world under the Vedic socio-political system.

People retaining the Vedic tradition are currently identified as Hindus. And since Vedic-tradition has been a world-heritage every human being is, in a way, a Hindu, in Modern paralance.

It was during that long stretch of universal administration that a uniform time-calculation system and terminology was introduced. The world still sticks to it and yet very few seem to be aware of it.

The word Time itself is a corruption of the Sanskrit word ‘Samay’. That was pronounced as ‘Tamay’ and later as ‘Time.’

Take the word ‘calendar’ itself. That is the Sanskrit word ‘Kalantar’ (कालांतर) which signifies a chart detailing the divisions of time (namely the day, week, month and year.

Likewise the word clock is Sanskrit ‘Kala-ka’ (काल-क)i.e a recorder-cum-indicator of time.

Let us know start from the split-second to find out how the entire time computation around the world is all of the Vedic tradition.

The 60 second, 60 minute calculation is Vedic mathematics because according to the 60 vipalas make one ‘pala’ and 60 ‘palas’ make one ‘ghati’(i.e.24 minutes. The word ‘second’ itself is a malpronunciation of the Sanskrit word ‘Kshan’(क्षण). The word Minute is also corruption of sanskrit word ‘Mit’(मित).

The term ‘hour’ is a malpronunciation of the Sanskrit word (होरा)’hora’ (which is made up of 2 ½ ghatis). 60 Pal = 1 Ghati (24 Minutes) 2.5 Ghati = 1 Hora (=1 Hour)

Below in detail -
Krati =34,000th of a second Truti =300th of a second 2 Truti =1 Luv 2 Luv = 1 Kshana 30 Kshana =1 Vipal 60 Vipal = 1 Pal 60 Pal = 1 Ghati (24 Minutes) 2.5 Ghati = 1 Hora (=1 Hour) 24 Hora = 1 Divas (1 Day) 7 Divas = 1 Saptah (1 Week) 4 Saptah = 1 Maas (1 Month) 2 Maas = 1 Ritu (1 Season) 6 Ritu = 1 Varsha (1 Year) 100 Varsha = 1 Shatabda (1 Century) 10 Shatabda = 1 Sahasrabda 432 Sahasrabda = 1Yuga (Kali Yuga)) 2 Kali Yuga = 1 Dwaapar Yuga 3 Kali Yuga = 1 Treta Yuga 4 Kali Yuga = Kruta Yuga 10 Kali Yuga = 1 Maha Yuga (4,320,000) 1000 Maha Yuga = 1 Kalpa 1 Kalpa = 4.32 Billion Years

The word ‘day’ is the corrupt form of the Sanskrit word 'din’ (दिनम्).
All the days of the week too follow the order laid down by Vedic tradition wherein each day is named after the members of our solar system in a specified order. For Instance. Sunday (the day named after the Sun) follows Saturday (the day of Saturn). Monday (which is Moonday) follows Sunday and so on.

The whole world couldn’t have followed this system without the slightest egoistic or chauvinistic murmur from anywhere, had it not been subject to a common Vedic administration.

After the week comes the month. The division of the year into 12 Parts (each or which is known as month, corresponding to the twelve Zodiacal signs) is devised by the Vedic system and is unquestioningly followed all over the world.

Even the Sanskrit term ‘mas’ (मास) signifying a month is still used in Europe. The European terms Christmas and Michaelmas signify the months in which the celebrations concerning Christ (alias chrisn)and Michael are observed. Michael is Sanskrit Mukul.

The names September, October, November and December are the Sanskrit words (सप्तांबर)Saptambar, (अष्टांबर)Ashtambhar, (नवांबर)Navambar, (दशांबर)Dashambar where (अंबर)’ambar’ is the Sanskrit term for the Zodiac while the numbers (सप्ता) sapta, (अष्टा)ashta, (नवा) nava and (दशा) dasha, signify the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th months respectively.

If the remaining eight months are not easily identifiable as Sanskrit that is because history always leaves ruins in its wake for various reasons. It is like an old man whose teeth have wide gaps. The two rows of well-set teeth of his childhood do not remain intact as age advances. But the remaining teeth and dented gums do lead to the conclusion that once the man did have a full set of teeth.

The same may be said of the months. From the four months still clearly identifiable as Sanskrit. It can be safely deduced that the remaining eight months too had Sanskrit names.

Among the others a few more can still be identified as Sanskrit on a closer look. The name Januarius is the original name, of which January is an abbreviation. Here it may be recalled that in Latin the name of God Ganesh came to be spelled as Janus.So even the Januray beginning of the year is rooted in the Vedic tradition of Ganesh worship. Even the name Januarius misbelieved to be Latin in the Sanskrit term ‘gana-raya-eash’ (गणरायईश)signifying Lord Ganesh.

The name of the succeeding month February wag spelled by the Romans as Februarius. That is a malpronunciation of the Sanskrit word Pravaresh. From the Sanskrit word ‘Pitar’ changing to' father' in European pronunciation we know that European 'f’ replaces Sanskrit ‘P’ Consequently Februarius was (प्रवरेश)Pravaresh. (प्रवर) Pravar in Sanskrit signifies a sage. So the term Pravaresh alias Februarius signified God as the Lord of Sages.

The term March is from (मरीचि) ‘Marichi’ -one of the Sanskrit names of the Sun. Since that month marks the beginning of longer alias a kind of waxing of the sunlight hours it was named after the Sun. Another explanation is that March signifies a start i.e marching orders. Since in ancient practice the beginning of the year coincided with that period, the opening month was named March.

These clues should help scholars to trace the Vedic origin of the term April, May, June and July or either Sanskrit substitutes. It could be that May is named after Maya - i.e. illusion(in Sanskrit), the Holy Spirit which consorted with the Creator to create the cosmos.

It is commonly believed that the name July originates from Julius Caesar and Augustus from Augustus Caesar. These could be explanations concocted by latter-day scholars. Muslim and Christian histories bristle with such concoctions . By that token other Roman emperors too should have had the remaining ten months named after themselves. Were they less egoistic or ambitious?.

The term August and even the imperial name ‘Augustus’ derive from Sage Agastya (अगस्त्य) an ancient seer and Vedic scholar of world renown who was known for his impressive personality. The term ‘august personality’ and ‘august presence’ derive from that sage. The Agastya had a world impact is additional proof that the Vedas were revered and recited all over the world in ancient times.

Even the Sanskrit term 'mas' (मास) signifying a month is still used in Europe. The European terms Christmas and Michaelmas signify the months in which celebrations concerning Christ (alias Chrisn) and Michael are observed. Michael is Sanskrit Mukul. European scholars are so oblivious of the Sanskrit meaning of the term 'mas' (month ) that they equate Christmas with only one day i.e . December 25 and Michaelmas also only with one day, namely September 29.

Equating the term 'Christmas' with one day i.e. December 25, and also sometimes with a whole week (December 25 to 31) is a terminological and mathematical absurdity because the Sanskrit term (दशांबर) December signifies the entire tenth month. This is due to the present ignorance of the ancient worldwide prevalence of Vedic, Sanskrit traditions.
This is a graphic pointer to the enormously long period that has elapsed from the time the Europeans lost touch with their Vedic origins . Their proselytization as Christians pulled them further away from their Vedic roots. Whatever we say in this volume, about Christians applies equally to Mahomedans. They too were forcibly torn away from their Vedic moorings .
This brings us , incidentally , to the erudite compilers of the Oxford and Webster's dictionaries. Those dictionaries explain Christmas as Christ 's birthday. They seem to be blissfully unaware that even in their own language the suffix 'mas' does not signify a birthday . How then could Christmas mean Christ' s birthday ? Had the suffix 'mas' signified a birthday we should have seen everybody celebrating birthdays inviting his near and dear ones to attend his ‘mas.’

Could anyone imagine one Christian writing to another using the symbol ' X ' wherever he wishes to mention Jesus or swear in the name of Jesus Christ ? For instance could one write ' Jesus X ' to mean Jesus Christ ? Anybody reading such a letter would conclude that ' X ' represents some secret, missing, unmentionable word . In fact the term X 'mas could as well be written as Y ' mas or Z ' mas for all the Christians care or know . Because if Christ could be represented by the algebrical symbol ' X ' he could as well be represented by ' Y ' or ' Z. '

This illustration is a measure of the world 's ignorance about ancient history. Most people are content to swallow unquestioned all they are taught at school or college. It is only with the help of Sanskrit and Vedic tradition that we can unravel and rationally explain the terms Christmas and ' X ' mas. The Roman numeral 10 is written as ' X ' while the Sanskrit word ' mas ' signifies a ' month ' . Therefore the term X "mas signifies the 10th month. Correspondingly the term December also signifies the 10th month. Thus X 'mas is a brief expression in figure of the term December meaning the 10th month. The term Christmas (alias Chrisnmas) also signifies the entire month as symbolizing or commemorating Christ alias (Chrisn ).

December was observed as Chrisn-mas because Chrisn has mentioned in the Bhagwad Geeta that all months Margasheersh (i.e. December) represents him.

Chrisnmas (कृषणमास )has been so named in Vedic tradition also because that is the last month of long, dark nights and the word Krishna signifies darkness too.

In our own day September ranks as the ninth month though its Sanskrit name proclaims it to be the seventh month. What explains this anomaly?
September could be the seventh month only if March is counted as the first month. And actually all around the ancient world, in Rome, in England etc the year began only in March. It was only from 1752 A.D. that England formally switched on to January 1 as the New Year Day by an act of Parliament. Earlier its New Year Day used to be March 25. This provides a very good clue to detect when England actually broke away from Vedic tradition and permanently adopted March 25 as the New Year Day. One of those could be determined from other evidence as the year in which England last observed March 25 as the astronomical Vedic lunar New Year Day.
Likewise since Rome observed March 15, as the New Year Day it may be calculated as to which was the year (or years ) in which March 15 coincided with the vernal equinox i.e. the start of the Vedic lunar New Year Day. That will enable us to determine the year upto which Rome adhered to the Vedic lunar Year practice before switching on to the stiff March 15 as the New Year Day.

The importance of Ides of March in Roman tradition was due to the worship of the Vedic Goddess Annapooma (i .e. the Goddess of plentitude of food) at the start of the year. It was attended with feasting and rejoicing and public holiday and worship of the Goddess in tastefully decorated pandals . That Goddess now stands Christianized as Anna Perina.
The worldwide tradition of considering the year to begin in March as per Vedic practice is a clear indication of the prevalence of a unitary Vedic administration throughout the world in ancient times. Thus throughout the world time is computed even today from the split-second to the year according to the Vedic system as explained above. Likewise the terminology associated with it is also all still Sanskrit.

The European tradition of counting the hours of the day from the midnight hour originated in India after the Mahabharata War, taking the time of Krishna’s birth as its base since Krishna was revered throughout the world and Krishna’s birth symbolized the end of a dark period of tyranny.
Another explanation is that the Vedic administrative headquarters for Europe used to be in London in the British Isles. London meridian time is 5½ hours behind the Indian time. When the sun rises at 5.30 a.m. India changes the date as per vedic practice. At that time it is midnight hour in London. Therefore, the vedic administration there cultivated the tradition of reckoning the day from the midnight hour. Forgetting that, our own times Indian bureaucracy reckons its official date to commence from the midnight hour.

Even the terms a.m. and p.m. have a Sanskrit connotation and not English as is easily assumed. Even the terms a.m. and p.m have a Sanskrit connotation, and not English as is easily assumed. In English parlance the term a.m. means ’ante-meridian' and p.m. means 'post -meridian'. But the question remains who is ante-meridian and post -meridian ? That is to say the subject himself is missing .The 'Sun’ who is vital to the calculation remains un -mentioned . This is unthinkable and unjustifiable. That lacuna arises because it is not realized that the letters a.m. and p.m. are the initials of the hoary Sanskrit expressions (आरोहणम् मार्तडस्य्) Arohanam Martandasaya (i.e. the climbing of the sun) and (पतनम् मार्तडस्य्)Patanam Martandasaya (i.e. the falling of the sun).

London has been a very ancient Vedic capital. Its ancient Sanskrit name was Nondonium which is Sanskrit for a ‘Pleasing Habitation’. In Roman time, it was misspelled as Londonium. Later this was abbreviated to London. In European languages the letter ‘ L' has very often replaced the Sanskrit letter 'N’.' That is why the Sanskrit name Svetanana (the fair- faced ) is pronounced in Russia, as Svetlana.

Vedic Divisions of Time

The current trend of the academic world is to regard the Vedic era as the most primitive. Contrarily it was an era of almost divine excellence in every respect because of billions of years ago divinity itself provided the first proto-types of humanity. Those humans of that first generation had a calculating range which extended from the infinitesimal trillionth or a second to trillions or years. Hereunder is that split second scale of ancient Vedic calculation. Such a wide, minute to colossal, computation system also pre-supposes a highly developed base or scientific and technological excellence.

Hereunder' is that split-second scale or ancient Vedic calculation (mentioned in the 32nd chapter or the Marathi translation or the Yajurveda, by S.K. Devdhar, Prasaad Prakasban, Pune, India) :

1 Paramanu = 1/379675 Second, 2 Paramaanu= 1 Anu [sub-atomic particle, idivisible and cannot contain life] 3 Anu= 1 Trasarenu - 3 Trasarenu= 1 Truti – time the Sun takes to cross 3 Trasarenu is called Truti (8/13,500 parts of a second) 100 Truti= 1 Vedh (8/135 parts of a second) 3 Vedh= 1 Lav (8/45 parts of a second) 3 Lav= 1 Nimesh (8/15 parts of a second) 3 Nimesh= 1 Kshan, or Pal, or second (8/5 parts of a second) 5 Kshan= 1 Kaashthaa (8 seconds) 15 Kaashthaa= 1 Laghu (120 seconds or 2 minutes) 15 Laghu= 1 Naadikaa*, or 1 Dand, or 30 minutes
- From book - World Vedic Heritage by P.n. Oak.

Aryabhata about Earth and Eclipse

Aryabhatta is the first famous mathematician and astronomer of Ancient India. In his book Aryabhatteeyam, Aryabhatta clearly provides his birth data. In the 10th stanza, he says that when 60 x 6 = 360 years elapsed in this Kali Yuga, he was 23 years old. The stanza of the sloka starts with “Shastyabdanam Shadbhiryada vyateetastra yascha yuga padah.” “Shastyabdanam Shadbhi” means 60 x 6 = 360. While printing the manuscript, the word “Shadbhi” was altered to “Shasti”, which implies 60 x 60 = 3600 years after Kali Era. As a result of this intentional arbitrary change, Aryabhatta’s birth time was fixed as 476 A.D Since in every genuine manuscript, we find the word “Shadbhi” and not the altered “Shasti”, it is clear that Aryabhatta was 23 years old in 360 Kali Era or 2742 B.C. This implies that Aryabhatta was born in 337 Kali Era or 2765 B.C. and therefore could not have lived around 500 A.D., as manufactured by the Indologists to fit their invented framework.
Bhaskara I is the earliest known commentator of Aryabhatta’s works. His exact time is not known except that he was in between Aryabhatta (2765 B.C.) and Varahamihira (123 B.C.)." The implications are profound , if indeed this is the case.The zero is by then in widespread use and if he uses Classical Sanskrit then he ante dates Panini. Bhaskara mentions the names of Latadeva, Nisanku and Panduranga Svami as disciples of Aryabhatta.

Time to tell the world we dont believe in their theories !!!

DIAMONDS

Before the British attempted to colonize India, this was the land of enchantment and mystery. It was a land known for its rich resources, mineral and vegetable, as well as a deep spiritual heritage. Diamonds were plentiful in India prior to the 19th century, and they were found along the banks and rivers of this exotic locale even though today they are absent. Other deposits of diamonds had yet to be discovered and for that reason India became synonymous with diamonds and their magical and mystical lore.

The first diamonds came from India. And for centuries, India was the only place one could find these precious stones. In 600 B.C. the Mahajanapada Empire had its own units of currency, and it’s own units of measurement for diamonds.

The ancient Indians used a Tandula as a unit of measure instead of the carat, which was equivalent to the weight of a grain of rice. Their currency was called the Rupaka, and according to a price list written in Sanskrit in the Third century, a diamond that weighed 20 Tandulas was worth 200,000 Rupaka.

For the wealthy citizens of the Mahajanapada, diamonds served a purpose – by converting their wealth into diamonds it allowed them to easier store, keep, and transport their riches. They did not have banks as we know them, and had to keep all the money they had. Diamonds made that task simpler, and thus represents the first time diamonds were used as an investment.

Since diamonds could not be cut, shaped, or polished, and thus were not used for jewelry or ornamentation, then why did the ancient Indians consider them so valuable? Two reasons: it’s usefulness as a tool, and its metaphysical properties.

The Mahajanapada was a very spiritual culture, and the diamonds were considered a profound source of luck. The Hindu religious scripture called the Garuda Purana is considered to be the authoritative reference for ancient Indian gemology, and it says that the owner of a flawless diamond will be blessed with wealth, livestock, good harvests, a wife, and many children. Furthermore, the diamond will protect the owner from both fear and sorcery.

One of the world’s most infamous diamond is said to have possibly been cut from a much larger diamond that originated in India: the Blue Hope Diamond. This diamond was said to have been embedded in a religious idol as the eye and stolen later on. The diamond was then sold to Tavernier who sold it to Louis the XIV. The bad luck that followed the wearer of the Blue Hope Diamond gave rise to the legend that it had been cursed by the Indian priests to assure no one would own this religious object for long.

In the tradition of eastern medicine, diamonds also had many healing properties. They are said to transmit a color called indigo that is associated with cosmic energies. These energies help people with skin, lymph, reproductive, and bone problems. Even the shape of the diamond was said to be important, with some shapes being good for reproduction and other shapes being bad overall. For a diamond to be good for healing, it had to be without flaws or defects. Different colored diamonds also were said to aide people in different occupations. White diamonds enhanced intelligence and spirituality, while soldiers and administrators benefited from pink diamonds. Even the time of day one wore a diamond might have some significance. They were said to particularly good for people who had Venus rising in Pisces or Taurus in their astrological charts and were good to wear on Friday, Venus’s day.

For more practical-minded Indians, the diamond still had great value from being the hardest substance on earth. It could be used to carve, cut, and shape pearls and other gemstones, as well as in tool-making.

http://www.livescience.com/38864-diamonds-beneath-india.html

http://www.sanskritimagazine.com/history/ancient-india-the-frontier-of-diamond-discovery-mining-and-usage/

What is Shankh (Conch)?

What is Shankh (Conch)?

A Shankh (conch) is a natural cover/wrapper of an oceanic worm/creature that protects him from the out side attacks/dangers, and when the worm grows up he comes out from it and he throws it away forever.

Types of Shankh (Conch) ......

1. Dakshinavarti Shankha (दक्षिणावर्ती शंख): The Shankha that is open from right side is known as “Dakshinavarti Shankha” Shankha …..!! It is rare, white in color and contains a brownish line on it.
2. Vamavarti Shankha (वामावर्ती शंख): It opens from left side that’s why it is called Vamavarti; it is used in all the religious activities. Astrologers recommend this SHANKHA to remove the negative energy.
There are a lot of more types of SHANKHA but these two are the main types of SHANKHA.
SPIRITUAL IMPORTANCE :-
SHANKHA is one of the 14 gems (RATNA) received from churning sea (SAMUNDRA MANTHAN.)
SHANKHA’s sound is a symbol of victory in VEDAS
SHANKHA produces the sound of OM.
___________________________________________
श्रीमद् भगवद् गीता अध्याय-1 (15)
पाञ्चजन्यं हृषीकेशो देवदत्तं धनञ्जयः |
पौण्ड्रं दध्मौ महाशङ्खं भीमकर्मा वृकोदरः ||
श्रीकृष्ण महाराजने पाज्चजन्य नामक, अर्जुनने देवदत्त नामक और भीमसेनने पौण्ड्र नामक महाशंख बजाया ।
___________________________________________
SHANKHA is produced from SAMUNDRA-MANTHAN and Bhagwan Vishnu accepted SHANKA for his special adornment. So SHANKHA belongs to Bhagwan Vishnu

SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS:
1. According to Vedic science ….. As far as the SHANKHA’s sound goes, it destroys the harmful micro bacteria from the atmosphere or at least makes them unconscious. (Modern science and scientists also accepted the fact)
2. According to ASTROLOGY science, SHANKHA’s sound destroys the negative energy from the atmosphere.
3. Playing SHANKHA regularly is beneficial in respiratory diseases like
asthma and liver problems.
4. Playing SHANKHA is equal to doing PRANAYAM (yoga) that saves us from the most deadly diseases like heart attack, high blood pressure, respiratory diseases, lever related problems etc.
5. Offering water to sun by the Dakshinavarti Shankha protects one from the eye disorders.
6. Regular use of a SHANKHA removes deafness and impediments.
7. A SHANKHA contains plenty of calcium, brimstone and phosphorous in it, and when we put water in a SHANKHA for a while, water becomes fragrant and sterile. That’s why this water is used in religious rituals, prayers and also sprinkled over the people.
8. SHANKHA water is sprinkled over the people that protects them from the skin diseases.
9. Put GANGA WATER in SHANKHA for the whole night and next day in the morning give it to the heart patients and the patients of diabetes to rinse with it. It will surely help.
10. According to VASTU SHASTRA, having a SHANKHA at home removes all the VASTU DOSH (Architectural Defects) of building.
Famous Indian Scientist JAGDISH CHANDRA BOSE did a lot of experiments on SHANKHA and SHANKHA's sound and finally he reached the conclusion that SHANKHA's sound is special, through his experiments he proved many scientific and medical importance of SHANKHA.

Time Travel In Ancient India

Time Travel In Ancient India

There lived a king of the Solar dynasty by name Kakudmi and his beautiful daughter Revati. Not trusting the astrologers of his time, yet believing in the maxim 'Marriages are made in heaven', Kakudmi took his daughter to the world of Brahma (called Brahma-loka) -- in every satya-yuga such things are possible - in order to ask Brahma himself as to who would be the best marital match for his daughter. Kakudmi had himself somebody in mind. But Lord Brahma was not available immediately since he was watching a dance performance. Kakudmi noted that it was 11-09 hours in Brahma's clock and waited for about 20 minutes (of that world's time!) and then he had the opportunity to ask Brahma his question. 'My dear Kakudmi', replied the Lord, 'From the time you came here your earthly world has passed through 27 mahA-yugas and so none of whom you have in mind or their descendents are alive now. Right now people are enjoying the avatAra of Krishna there. Go back and marry your daughter to BalarAma, the elder brother of Krishna'. Thus it was that Kakudmi and Revati travelled back into the future (from the 1st mahA-yuga to the 28th mahA-yuga). Revati was married to BalarAma. Note that 1000 earthly mahA-yugas make one day of 12 'hours'of Brahma. This means
one mahA-yuga = 43.2 'seconds' for Brahma.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakudmi

http://www.krishnamurthys.com/profvk/gohitvip/41page5.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_travel

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/time-01b.html

Aryabhata,Zero, Bhaskara

Aryabhata wrote many books on mathematics, astronomy etc but most of them are lost today.His major work, Aryabhatiya, a compendium of mathematics and astronomy, was extensively referred to in the Indian mathematical literature and has survived to modern times. The mathematical part of the Aryabhatiya covers arithmetic, algebra, plane trigonometry, and spherical trigonometry. It also contains continued fractions, quadratic equations, sums-of-power series, and a table of sines.Arabic translation of Aryabhata’s work is Al ntf or Al-nanf and it claims that it is a translation of Aryabhatiya like other Ancient Indian texts -translated mostly by Persian scholars during golden age and advent of Islam.

Place Value System and ZERO
----------------------------------

The place-value system, first seen in the 3rd-century Bakhshali Manuscript, was clearly in place in his work. While he did not use a symbol for zero, the French mathematician Georges Ifrah explains that knowledge of zero was implicit in Aryabhata’s place-value system as a place holder for the powers of ten with null coefficients.However, Aryabhata did not use the Brahmi numerals. Continuing the Sanskritic tradition from Vedic times, he used letters of the alphabet to denote numbers, expressing quantities, such as the table of sines in a mnemonic form.


Approximation of π
------------------------

Aryabhata worked on the approximation for pi (π), and may have come to the conclusion that is irrational. In the second part of the Aryabhatiyam (gaṇitapāda 10), he writes :

caturadhikam śatamaṣṭaguṇam dvāṣaṣṭistathā sahasrāṇām
ayutadvayaviṣkambhasyāsanno vṛttapariṇāhaḥ.||

Translation : “Add four to 100, multiply by eight, and then add 62,000. By this rule the circumference of a circle with a diameter of 20,000 can be approached.”

This calculates to 3.1416 close to the actual value Pi (3.14159).Aryabhata used the word āsanna (approaching / approximating), to mean that not only is this an approximation but that the value is incommensurable (or irrational).This is quite a sophisticated insight, because the irrationality of pi(π) was proved only in 1761 by Johann Heinrich Lambert.After Aryabhatiya was translated into Arabic (during 820 CE) this approximation was mentioned in Al-Khwarizmi‘s book on algebra.

Contributions in Trigonometry

-------------------------------

In Ganitapada 6, Aryabhata gives the area of a triangle as :

tribhujasya phalashariram samadalakoti bhujardhasamvargah ||

Translation : “for a triangle, the result of a perpendicular with the half-side is the area.”

Aryabhata discussed the concept of sine in his work by the name of ardha-jya, which literally means “half-chord (half-wave)“. For simplicity, people started calling it jya.When Arabic writers translated his works from Sanskrit into Arabic, they referred it as "jiba".However, in Arabic writings, vowels are omitted, and it was abbreviated as jb.
Later writers substituted it with "jaib", meaning “pocket” or “fold (in a garment)“.Later in the 12th century, when Gherardo of Cremona translated these writings from Arabic into Latin, he replaced the Arabic "jaib" with its Latin counterpart, sinus, which means “cove” or “bay“; thence comes the English SINE.Alphabetic code has been used by him to define a set of increments. If we use Aryabhata’s table and calculate the value of sin(30) (corresponding to hasjha) which is 1719/3438 = 0.5; the value is correct. His alphabetic code is commonly known as the Aryabhata cipher

Cosmology of India and Tachyons

Mundakopanishad is associated with the Atharvaveda.It describes about Tachyons (particles that travel faster than light), Ultra-Violet band, Infra-Red band, Nuclear Energy and Black Holes in the space.

MundakopanishadMundakopanishad might have derived its name from ‘munda‘ (shaven head of a monk).It has three chapters and each chapter is divided into sub chapters which are called “Khanda“. In total this Upanishad has 64 Mantras.This Upanishad divides all knowledge into two categories. The knowledge that leads to Self Realization is called Para Vidya (Great or Divine Knowledge) and everything else is called Apara Vidya or Knowledge of Material world (wordly knowledge).Another important feature of this upanishad is its lauding of Sarva Karma Sannyasa or Renouncement of All Action. Thus encourages the opinion that monkhood is good way for attaining self-realization.

In 1st chapter, 2nd section, it has a mantra which describes seven flickering tongues of the fire(light/energy).Those are Kaali (black one), Karaali (terrific one), Manojava (swift as the mind), Sulohita (the deep red), Sudhumravarna (the smoke-coloured), Sphulligini (sparkling) and the Viswa-Rupi or the Viswaruchi (having all forms).Whoever performs his Karmas (Agnihotra etc.), when these flames are shining and in proper time, then these oblations lead him through the rays of the sun to where the one lord of the Deva dwells.

The properties described for Manojava are same as for Tachyon, which travels faster than light and its speed is equal to that of human mind.In modern science, Tachyon, (pron.: /ˈtæki.ɒn/) (term in use since 1967) is a hypothetical faster-than-light particle.In the 1967 paper that coined the term, Gerald Feinberg proposed that tachyonic particles could be quanta of a quantum field with negative squared mass.The descriptions of Sulohita is similar to Infra-red rays, of Sudhumravarna is similar to ultra-violet rays, Sphulligini same as nuclear energy and Viswaruchi same as Black Hole in space that can absorb everything.

Cosmos and Indian explanation

In Hinduism, the philosophy of dharma is extensively described in hundreds of scriptures and in the writing of our Jagadgurus and great Saints.

"The Cosmic wisdom contained in Bhagvat Gita is so universal in nature that the efficacy of it can never be denied by any Human Being... be one a follower of Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Jaina, Hindu or any other Faith. Albert Einstein in one of his memoirs expressed deep anguish of his inability to grasp in time the fundamental truths expressed in Bhagwad Gita Summary Live. By the time Albert Einstein came to understand the basics of Bhagvad Gita as a scientist of the highest order ... time had ripened for him to leave the mortal frame (Normally scientists do not tend to believe in anything which does not support itself by proofs).

Bhagvad Gita talks not of proofs but of absolute Faith in the system of God... like the smell of a flower which can only be felt but never seen. He carried with him the bitterness of having awakened towards bhagavat Gita a bit too late. He left a word for those who follow... the total scientific community of the World combined can never outright discard Bhagvad Gita as the foremost of all sacred Scriptures... as most Spiritual phenomenon do not offer proof but can be felt and experienced if logically followed to the end-click here

The Brihadaranyak Upanishad (2/4/10) states that the prime scriptures of the Hindu religion or Sanatan Dharma, which are the Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, Upanishads, along with the Sanskrit language and its vocabulary and grammar, plus all the scriptural verses or mantras - are all manifested by supreme God on this earth. They are apourushey, Divine, and not the product of a human mind.
A material human intellect doesn't have the capacity to decipher the deeper Divine meanings of these sacred writings. The Upanishads advise that if you are a seeker of God, the proper method of studying them is through a God realized Saint directly or through his writings.The Divine knowledge of Sanatan Dharma exists eternally, and has been on this earth since its inception.

Before I start something to say about hindu theory and modern science I would like to quote some beautiful lines from vedas which really have great and deep meaning-

“Truth can not be suppressed and always is the ultimate victor."
-the Yajur Veda

"When the family is ruined,
the timeless laws of family duty perish;
and when duty is lost,
Chaos overwhelms the family."
-Bhagavad-gita 1:40

"You must learn to endure fleeting things
they come and go!"
-Bhagavad-gita 2:14

"Life and death, joy and sorrow, gain and loss; These dualities cannot be avoided. Learn to accept what you cannot change."
-the Ramayana(book 2)

"Do not be led by others,
awaken your own mind,
amass your own experience,
and decide for yourself your own path."
-The Atharva Veda


“One should, perform karma with nonchalance
without expecting the benefits because
sooner of later one shall definitely gets the fruits. ”
-The Rig Veda


On this Earth do I stand,
Unvanquished, unslain, unhurt.
Set me, O Earth, amidst the nourishing strength
That emanates from thy body.
The Earth is my mother,
her child am I!
-the Atharva Veda

According to Vedic chronology, the earth is 155 trillion years old, we do not have technology or even theory to explain these scientific laws mentioned in VEDAS, even we do not have have the capacity to properly understand and grasp the Divinity in these scriptural writings.

World's first "ZERO" found

Search for the world's first zero leads to the home of Angkor Wat
The first recorded zero has been rediscovered on a stone tablet deep in the Cambodian jungle - a single dot chiseled into stone, hidden decades ago from the grasp of the Khmer Rouge. This is one of the only photos in existence of the priceless find.

zero inscribed in chaturbhuj temple Gwalior India 

US-based mathematician, Amir Aczel, made it his life’s work to find the world’s first zero. Having already discovered the first magic square inscribed on the doorway of a 10th-century Indian temple, this ‘mathematical archaeologist’ had come to know of K-127 - a stone stele first documented in 1931 that clearly held the inscription “605”. Dated to AD 683, it’s the oldest known representation of zero - a numeral that Aczel describes as the most significant of them all.

He writes at The Huffington Post:

"Zero is not only a concept of nothingness, which allows us to do arithmetic well and to algebraically define negative numbers, but it is also an important place-holding device. In that role, zero enables our base-10 number system to work, so that the same 10 numerals can be used over and over again, at different positions in a number. This is exactly what makes our number system so efficient and powerful. Without that little zero we would be stuck in the Middle Ages!"

Until fairly recently, anthropologists believed that the Western number system took hold as late as the 13th century, when Italian mathematician Leonardo of Pisa (or Fibonacci) had taken what he’s learned from Arab traders and introduced it to the Europeans. Before then, the zero-less Roman system had been the standard. "With the exception of the Mayan system, whose zero glyph never left the Americas, ours is the only one known to have a numeral for zero,” Aczel writes for the Smithsonian Magazine. "Babylonians had a mark for nothingness, say some accounts, but treated it primarily as punctuation. Romans and Egyptians had no such numeral either.”

It was thought that the Arabic nations had themselves borrowed that number system from ancient civilisations on the Indian subcontinent, because of the discovery of a 9th-century zero inscribed in the Chatur-bujha temple in the city of Gwalior in India.

But then in 1931, French archaeologist Georges Cœdès insisted that zero actually came from the east - quite possibly Cambodia - having discovered an even older representation of the numeral on artefact K-127, found in the ruins of a 7th-century temple in the Mekong region.

At The Huffington Post, Aczel states that Cœdès, an expert in the Old Khmer language, translated the first use of zero - "Chaka parigraha 605 pankami roc…” to mean “The Chaka era has reached 605 on the fifth day of the waning moon…”. The '6' here appears as an inverted '9', which is how six was written in Old Khmer.

During the 1960s and 70s, when Pol Pot’s violent Khmer Rouge army tore through Cambodia, destroying thousands of priceless and ancient artefacts along the way, K-127 disappeared from the Cambodian National Museum in Phnom Penh. After years of research in an effort to track it down, Aczel rediscovered it among thousands of artefacts in a large shed in Siem Reap - the location of Angkor Wat - that had been maintained by the Angkor Conservation group.

Having written about his discovery in the earliest zero in his forthcoming book, Finding Zero, Aczel reports that he’s now working with the Cambodian government to move K-127 to a museum in Phnom Penh, where the public will be able to see this significant piece of numeric history for themselves.

Sources: The Huffington Post, Smithsonian Magazine

http://www.sciencealert.com/search-for-the-world-s-first-zero-leads-to-the-home-of-angkor-wat

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amir-aczel/worlds-first-zero_b_3276709.html

Upanishads together with Vedanta and advaita philosophy

The Upanishads together with Vedanta and advaita philosophy can be viewed and understood from modern psychological and scientific points of view also. Such a view reveals the psychological and scientific content of the Upanishadic awareness. This view can be applied beneficially to the fields of mind-machine modeling, physiological psychology and natural language comprehension branch of artificial intelligence. .

The Upanishads propose the existence of Atman in individuals and the Upanishads are source books of Atma Jnana. Atma Jnana consists of the theory of the origin, structure, function, cessation and control of mind in the four conscious states or phases of mind in which it works and ceases to work. Atma Jnana also provides us with the details of the source of psychic or mental energy whose changes and transformations enable us to know, perceive, reason, intuit, understand/experience and be aware of all these processes.



a) PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC MEANINGS OF CHIEF UPANISHADIC MAHAVAKYAS

1. Aham Brahma Asmi I AM BRHMAN I AM SELF

The real identity of ‘I’ is Unoccupied Awareness. The state of SELF.

‘I’ is not a body, person, thought or not a sense. ‘I’ is pure consciousness.

‘I’ is the impersonal Seer which is the source of mental energy and guide of and witness to transformation of mental energy as mental functions but unaffected by them and transcending both mental functions and their cessation.



2. Tat Tvam Asi THAT IS YOU YOU ARE THE SELF

Self and Pure Consciousnesses are same in nature, content, structure, form (function) and presence. At a given moment either self-consciousness or pure consciousness will be present. Self-consciousness is super imposition over pure consciousness. Pure consciousness is continuous, self-consciousness is transient and transitory.



3. Ayam Atma Brahma THIS ATMAN IS BRAHMAN ATMAN= BRAHMAN=SELF

Atman is Brahman – Unoccupied Awareness — Energy Presence without transformation.



4. Prajnanam Brahma PRAJNANAM IS BRAHMAN PRAJNANAM IS SELF

Brahman- as Atman — Energy Presence – is Mental Time- Space and Continuous Awareness.

Prajnanam is Unoccupied (by cognitions, thoughts, cognition-related and created experiences, senses or their retrieval) Awareness in Pure Consciousness.



5 Raso vy Saha AWARENESS OF MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE/EXPERIENCED OF MEANING IS BRAHMA ALL SOUNDS &SENSES ORIGINATE & MERGE IN SELF

Experience of Essence of the meanings of all vakyas (sentences) – All Cognition-related experiences in the awareness of the Atman- Meaningful Experience. Silence. Peace. Bliss.. Experienced meaning. Purport.



6. Anando Brahma BLISS IS BRAHMAN STATE OF SELF IS STATE OF BLISS

Unoccupied Awareness is bliss.



7. Sarvam Khalu Idam Brahma ALL IDAM IS BRAHMAN ALL KNOWN/ PERCEIVED / EXPERIENCED/UNDERSTOOD WORLD IS PART AND PARCEL OF AND CONTAINED IN SELF; IS A SUPERIMPOSITION ON THE REAL I STATE

Idam, (prapancham or jagat ) ( all the world – the collection of cognitions sensed by sense organs through the medium of manas) – is composed in, made up of, sustained by, rests in and ceases to be because of and part and parcel of psychic energy pulse generator – Atman.

For morehttps://venetiaansell.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/the-upanishads-from-a-scientific-perspective-dr-varanasi-ramabrahmam/

Origin of Universe in Hindu Scriptures

Aitareya Upanishad- Origin Of The Universe & Man (Part-1)
By T.N.Sethumadhavan, October 2011 

Aitareya Upanishad is a common ground for philosophy and physics. It contains the mahavakya, the great aphorism “prajnanam brahma”, Consciousness is Brahman. Aitareya Upanishad identifies Consciousness as the First Cause of creation. This is forerunner of ‘Unified Field Theory’ or a ‘Theory of Everything’ which the modern physicists are trying to discover although the modern science does not recognize Consciousness as a factor in creation of the universe. 

One of the oldest pastimes of man is to run the search engine of his contemplative and analytical faculties to find out the final answer to the riddle of creation of the universe. This question is not merely academic but it also assumes the colors of religion, philosophy, science and poetry.

We have answers to this enigma in every religion. We have scientific theories throwing up endless ever changing conclusions, the most path-breaking of which is Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species” followed by Stephen Hawking and others. We have philosophers’ speculations and poetic imaginations. But the mystery of creation remains as much unfathomed and unsolved today as in the Vedic days. For a detailed analysis of the subject the reader may refer to my article entitled “Mystery of Creation - Some Vedantic Concepts” under the category ‘Vedanta’ available in this Website.

VEDIC PERSPECTIVE ON CREATION

Creation is interpreted in the Vedas as a developmental course rather than as bringing into being something not hitherto existent. It was considered as an ongoing-process and not an event. The Purusha Sukta of Rig Veda paints a picture of the ideal Primeval Being existing before any phenomenal existence. He is conceived as a cosmic person with a thousand heads, eyes and feet, who filled the whole universe and extended beyond it. The world form is only a fragment of this divine reality. The first principle which is called Purusha manifested as the whole world by his Tapas.

This view gets crystallized into the later Upanishadic doctrine that the spirit or Atman in man (at microcosm) is the same as the spirit which is the cause of the world which goes by the name Brahman or Paramatman (at macrocosm). These theories are discussed in elaborate details in the following Upanishads Viz., Prasna, Aitareya, Mundaka, Taittiriya, Katha, Chandogya, Svetasvatara, Brhadaranyaka, Maitri, Paingala Upanishads besides the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Vasishtha. Among the latter Acharyas the contributions made by Gaudapada, and Adi Sankara to these thoughts are colossal.

A brief quotation from the article “Cosmology in Vedanta” by Swami Tathagatananda published by Vedanta Society of New York given below brings out lucidly the perspectives of both Vedanta and modern science on this subject.

Quote--“A perceptive reader will find many striking similarities between the latest findings of Astrophysics and ancient Indian cosmological ideas, of which Swamiji (Vivekananda) says: " . . . you will find how wonderfully they are in accordance with the latest discoveries of modern science; and where there is disharmony, you will find that it is modern science which lacks and not they."

Einstein writes that "cosmic expansion may be simply a temporary condition which will be followed at some future epoch of cosmic time by a period of contraction. The universe in this picture is a pulsating balloon in which cycles of expansion and contraction succeed each other through eternity."

The modern astrophysicist, Stephen Hawking, writes: "At the big bang itself, the universe is thought to have had zero size, and so to have been infinitely hot . . . The whole history of science has been the gradual realization that events do not happen in an arbitrary manner, but they reflect a certain underlying order, which may or may not be divinely inspired."

The Vedas also state that creation is ongoing: what has been in the past is being repeated in the new cycle. Stephen Hawking writes, "Thus, when we see the universe, we are seeing it as it was in the past." He further writes, "But how did he [God] choose the initial state or configuration of the universe? One possible answer is to say that God chose the initial configuration of the universe for reasons that we cannot hope to know."

It is perhaps enough for the modern mind to know how great is the similarity. Vedanta does not support the "big bang" theory and its mechanistic materialism. We have merely cited certain common ideas to be found in both.

Brahman is the ultimate Reality. Brahman is impersonal-personal God. Impersonal God may be called the static aspect and personal God may be called the dynamic aspect of
Brahman. The static aspect Anid Avatam - as Rg-Veda puts it, "It existed without any movement." Brahman is truth, Consciousness and Infinitude. Knowledge, will and action are inherent in Brahman. God projects the universe by animating His prakriti (maya).

Astrophysics and Advaita Vedanta agree on certain points. Advaita Vedanta upholds the notion of the pulsating or oscillating universe. Creation is followed by dissolution and this process will continue ad infinitum. Science used the term "big bang" for the starting point of creation and "big crunch" for the dissolution of the universe.

The "cosmic egg” of Vedanta, which is like a point, is called singularity in astrophysics. The background material of the scientist cannot be accepted as the source of creation. That is the biggest difference between the two systems. Science is still exploring and remains inconclusive but Vedanta has given the final verdict, which is unassailable. Unless there is one changeless Reality, change cannot be perceived at all”.--Unquote

We will now attempt to study the Aitareya Upanishad in detail. (We have already covered in full the study of the Prasna and Svetasvatara Upanishads and briefly the Mundaka Upanishad in this website).

Introduction to the Aitareya Upanishad
The Aitareya Upanishad belongs to the Aitareya Aranyaka and is a part of the Rig Veda. This Upanishad consists of 3 chapters; the first chapter has 3 sections and the remaining two chapters do not have any sections. In the earlier portions of the Aranyaka rituals for the attainment of oneness with Saguna Brahman and their interpretations are dealt with. It is the purpose of the Upanishad to lead the mind of the ritualist away from the outer cermonials to their inner meaning. Sankara points out that there are three classes of men who wish to acquire wisdom. The highest consist of those who have turned away from the world, whose minds are freed and collected, who are eager for freedom. For such seekers this Upanishad is intended. (The other two classes of people are those who want to become free gradually and those who care only for worldly possessions).

The first chapter describes the creation. It provides an allegorical description of the creation of the universe - as also of man – from Consciousness. It uses the word ‘Brahman’ for universal Consciousness and ‘Atman’ for individual Consciousness. These two words embrace all possible concepts about God and all known names of God without any contradiction whatsoever.

Atman alone exists as the sole Reality prior to the creation of all names and forms of the phenomenal world and during their continuance and after their dissolution as well. It projects the created objects through its wondrous powers of maya. The creation is the spontaneous act of the Creator who is not impelled by any desire or necessity. It is the projection of creator’s thoughts.

The stages of creation are as follows: the different worlds, the Virat (representing the totality of the physical bodies) ► ►the deities or Devas (who control the various organs) ►►the elements►►the individual bodies►►and the food by which these bodies are sustained. After creation the Creator enters into the bodies as their living self. Thus is projected the universe of diversity. Next the Upanishad deals with the refutation (apavada) of this universe in order to arrive at the Knowledge of Atman.

Aitareya Upanishad- Origin Of The Universe & Man (Part-2)
By T.N.Sethumadhavan, October 2011 

atha aitareyopaniShadi prathamAdhyAye prathamaH khaNDaH
Chapter I - Section 1
The Creation of the Cosmic Person

PEACE INVOCATION

va~n me manasi pratishthita mano me vachi pratishthitamaviravirma edhi ..

vedasya ma anisthah shrutam me ma prahasiranenadhitenahoratran

sa.ndadhamyrita.n vadishyami satya.n vadishyami .. tanmamavatu

tadvaktaramavatvavatu mamavatu vaktaramavatu vaktaram.h ..

om shantih shantih shantih

May my speech be fixed in my mind, may my mind be fixed in my speech!
O self-luminous Brahman, reveal yourself to me.
O mind and speech enable me to grasp the truth which the scriptures teach.
Let me not forget what I learnt. Let me study day and night.
May I think truth? May I speak truth?
May truth protect me? May truth protect the teacher?
Protect me. Protect the teacher. Protect the teacher.
Aum. Peace! Peace! Peace!

Mantra 1

om atma va idameka evagra asinnanyatki.nchana mishat.h . sa ikshata

lokannu srija iti .. 1..

In the beginning all this verily was Atman (Absolute Self) only, one and without a second. There was nothing else that winked. He (Atman) willed Himself: "Let Me now create the worlds".

It is the common experience that change can take place only upon a changeless base. The moving waters of a river should have a motionless river-bed. The moving train must have a rigid ground to move upon. Similarly, the world around us is ever changing and the continuity of change gives us the illusion of permanency to it. For this phenomenon of continuous change, we must have a changeless, permanent factor and all our scriptures are an enquiry into the existence and nature of that permanent Absolute Factor. This Upanishad is one such enquiry. In this Mantra the master says that ‘in the beginning’ i.e., before the manifested creation came into existence ‘Self alone existed’. It is just like telling in a cloth shop that before all the varieties of fabrics came into being all those were nothing but cotton. In the same way we are told that before the manifested world got projected, it was all Consciousness alone, all pervading and eternal.

We must note here that the sage has deliberately used the word Atman and not Brahman. This can be explained by means of the example of foam. Prior to its manifestation foam was being called as water and after its manifestation it is called both as water and foam. The idea is that before the creation of the pluralistic world of objects, names and forms all that remained was the Self (Atman –individual Consciousness) which is nothing other than Brahman(Universal Consciousness) for there is no difference between pot space and universal outer space.

The Mantra adds that there was no other active principle or entity at that time in the Supreme. This means that the Supreme did not create the world of plurality out of some material cause that already existed like a potter making a pot out of clay that already existed. In the creation of the world the Supreme himself is the material and efficient cause. It also indicates that creation is a misinterpreted super-imposition upon the truth as the appearance of a snake on the rope is available to the disillusioned and confused person only. This is called adhyaropa in Vedanta.

How did the creation take place? He thought I shall indeed create the worlds. At the end of the cycle, the totality of beings living at that time remains in the form of vasanas or mental impressions. In the beginning of the next cycle, these vasanas are projected by the Supreme (who for this purpose is called Isvara) according to the quality of their past actions to seek out their fulfillment in the objective world to appear. The point to keep in mind is that although the creation is the will of Brahman, the resultant product is not based on His arbitrary whims and fancies but on the nature of past actions by the created persons.

Thus the story of creation in Aitareya Upanishad starts when there was nothing other than Consciousness, also called Atman, This One and Absolute Consiousness willed to create a world of multiplicity and relativity. Creation is a consequence of that Will Power, ‘Tapas’.

The philosophy of Atman is stated here in brevity in the form of a sutra. Later on, by the demonstration that names and forms are mere illusory superimpositions (adhyaropa) and then by their refutation (apavada) will be shown the unreal nature of phenomena and the sole reality of Atman.

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