Scientific Brilliance in Ancient Tradition

Introduction

One of the false impressions that create a disbelief in the customs that are followed from the very old days is that the present day educated community is advanced in knowledge than our forefathers.

The perception of things not from the usual standpoint is always a speculation. For an instance, the earth revolves around the sun is a speculation for us and this is what is perceived from an inertial frame of reference inside the Milky-Way galaxy. The same might not be true as seen from outside of our galaxy which itself is in motion.

Before the world was introduced with the Special Theory of Relativity by Einstein, the educated community was unaware of the fact that the laws of science change relative to reference frames. The advent of this theory surprised them and shook the very basis of their understanding of behaviours of entities. One very simple inference out of this theory is that, things not only look different but they really behave different when perceived from different reference frames.

This dependency to the perspective of observation is very important. All our scriptures have recorded observations from our point of view which is the most relevant one. But this is now very easily taken to be accounting for the ignorance of our ancestors.

Moreover, Vedas and Upangas to them gave us a philosophy of life and the accessories that help living a meaningful life based on this philosophy. The sophistications that we enjoy now off the technologies cannot help for such a living, rather they would act against it.

With the blessings of the all pervading supreme Lord, I am intending to make a series of postings listing some references from the scriptures bringing out the scientific thought in them.

Dhaasan

Being good is a yoga!

The word 'yoga' comes from the word 'yuj' which means 'to join'. Yoga then should mean the act of being united with something.

Yoga is one of the most famous Sanskrit words. It is also one which is quoted to express varied meanings. One among these is 'aasanam' which actually is an 'angam' of the 'ashtaanga-yoga'

Ashtaangams form a way to attain the sate of mind where in one will be uninterruptedly united with the object of meditation. But the big question here is "why one should be united at all to an object?" The answer to this is so obvious that we are tempted to easily overcome it. Love, anger, sorrow, fear, etc. are all product of we being wanting to be united with things, either sensually or mentally.

'yoga-shaastram' or 'bhagavath-geetha' is the sole reference for the philosophy of yoga. While it stresses on the need to pursue yoga, it also gives us many easier ways to do it. One among them is being steadfast in performing what that is ordained to a person. The dos and the don'ts. And this is nothing but being good.

We need not have to be following the rigorous practises prescribed in the ashtaanga-yoga. We could still be yogis!

SriKrishnaaya ParaBrahmane Namaha