Science and spirituality are often seen as incompatible or even antagonistic in the Western world. The history of science in Europe is marked by conflicts and persecutions between the scientific community and the religious authorities, especially the Catholic Church. Many scientists who challenged the established doctrines of the Church faced censorship, condemnation, or even death for their discoveries and theories.

One of the most famous examples of this clash is the case of Galileo Galilei, who was tried by the Inquisition in 1633 for defending the heliocentric model of the solar system, which placed the Sun at the center instead of the Earth. This contradicted the literal interpretation of the Bible, which stated that the Earth was immovable and created by God. Galileo was forced to recant his views and spent the rest of his life under house arrest.

Another example is Nicolaus Copernicus, who first proposed the heliocentric theory in his book On the Revolutions of Heavenly Bodies, published in 1543. Although he died shortly after its publication, his book was later banned by the Church and placed on the Index of Prohibited Books.
These are just two of the many scientists who were persecuted by the Church for their scientific inquiries. Others include Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake in 1600 for his cosmological views and heretical beliefs; Michael Servetus, who was executed in 1553 for his studies on human anatomy and blood circulation; and Girolamo Fracastoro, who was excommunicated in 1546 for his theory on contagious diseases.

In contrast to this hostile attitude towards science, Sanatan Dharma, or Hinduism, has always embraced science as a part of spirituality. Sanatan Dharma is not a dogmatic religion, but a way of life that seeks to understand the ultimate reality through various paths, such as Bhakti, Yoga, Dhyan(meditation), Karma and Knowledge/Inquiry(Vichara).
Science is seen as a means to explore and appreciate the wonders of creation, and to enhance human well-being and happiness. There are broadly two type of knowledge –
Apara Vidhya– knowledge about the physical nature of the universe. largely our modern science deals with this type of knowledge system.
Para Vidhya– Knowledge about the source, fundamental substratum or the ultimate reality. this is to understand and appreciate what is ‘really’ “real”. while the Para Vidhya is considered to be the highest wisdom, Apara Vidhya was also considered significantly important to learn and prosper the worldly(samsarik) life. In fact, three of the four Purusharthas of sanatan dharma deals with the Apara Vidhya (Dharma, Artha, Kama), while the fourth ‘Moksha’ is achieved through Para Vidhya.  

Sanatan Dharma has a rich and ancient tradition of scientific knowledge and innovation, dating back to thousands of years. Some of the fields that Hindu sages, seers, and scientists contributed to include:

Physics: The concept of atomism was developed by the ancient Indian philosophers Kanada and Pakudha Katyayana, who proposed that all matter is composed of indivisible, indestructible units called paramanu (atoms). The Nyaya school of logic also developed a theory of inference and deduction based on the syllogism. The Vaisheshika school of philosophy formulated a system of natural philosophy that explained the nature and behavior of matter, force, space, time, motion, and causation. The Samkhya school of philosophy proposed a dualistic ontology of purusha (consciousness) and prakriti (matter), and explained the evolution of the universe from the primordial state of equilibrium.

Chemistry: The science of alchemy and metallurgy was advanced by the Indian chemists Nagarjuna and Nityanatha, who discovered many methods of extracting metals, alloys, salts, and minerals from ores and plants. They also wrote treatises on the preparation of mercury, sulfur, and arsenic compounds. The Rasashastra branch of Ayurveda dealt with the medicinal use of metals, minerals, gems, and herbs, and developed techniques for purification, calcination, sublimation, distillation, and amalgamation. The Agastya Samhita is an ancient text that contains instructions for making an electric battery using a clay pot, copper plate, iron rod, and lemon juice.

Cosmology: The Vedas and the Puranas contain cosmological theories that describe the origin, structure, and cycles of the universe. The Surya Siddhanta and the Aryabhatiya are astronomical texts that present accurate calculations of planetary motions, eclipses, and the size and shape of the earth. The Siddhanta Shiromani is a comprehensive treatise on astronomy that covers topics such as planetary orbits, heliocentrism, gravity, tides, lunar phases, solar and lunar eclipses, comets, and stars. The Nasadiya Sukta is a hymn in the Rig Veda that expresses a philosophical speculation on the creation of the universe from nothingness.

Mathematics: The Indian mathematicians made remarkable discoveries in the fields of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. Some of the notable mathematicians are Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, Bhaskara II, Mahavira, and Srinivasa Ramanujan.
They invented the decimal system, the concept of zero, negative numbers, fractions, quadratic equations, infinite series, and many more. They also developed methods for solving linear and quadratic indeterminate equations (Diophantine equations), finding integer solutions to Pell’s equation, computing square roots and cube roots (Shulba Sutras), finding trigonometric values (Sine table), approximating irrational numbers (Madhava series), calculating pi (Aryabhata’s method), finding areas and volumes (Bhaskara’s calculus), and discovering infinite series expansions for trigonometric functions (Madhava-Leibniz series) .

Medicine: The system of Ayurveda is one of the oldest and most comprehensive systems of medicine in the world. It is based on the principles of balance, harmony, and prevention. The Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita are two of the most important texts on Ayurveda that cover topics such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, surgery, pharmacology psychology, and gynecology.
Ayurveda believes that every person has a unique constitution (prakriti) that is determined by the combination of three life forces (doshas): vata (air and space), pitta (fire and water), and kapha (water and earth). The balance of these doshas affects the physical, mental, and emotional health of a person. Ayurveda also considers the influence of the environment, the seasons, the diet, the lifestyle, and the mind on the health of a person. 
These are some examples of how science and spirituality were not separate in Sanatan Dharma. Hinduism recognizes that both science and spirituality are essential for human development and harmony. Science helps us to understand the external world, while spirituality helps us to understand ourselves and our connection with the divine. Hinduism encourages scientific inquiry and innovation, as long as they are guided by principles (Dharma) and compassion. Hinduism also respects the diversity and pluralism of scientific and spiritual views, and does not impose any dogma or authority on them.

Hinduism believes that truth is one, but sages call it by various names.

Hari OM!!

We’ll have a tent during Veda Temple’s Maha Rudram event on Friday June 23rd from 6PM to 9PM, and Saturday June 24th from 12PM to 9PM. Come join us for story time and pop corn!

This blog was spurred by an insightful question my students asked me at VidhyaDeepam a few classes ago. Why are there no boys in the high school class?

This is purely empirical data – but over the last 12 years I have been associated with cultural and spiritual education I have seen that there is a very even mix of genders in the elementary through middle school grades. However, when the kids move to high school the boys tend to drop out, the drop out rates for boys seems to be greater than 90%.

Now I get to the more controversial part of this blog – my reasons as to why this is happening. I have no direct evidence of some of the theories that I am about to expound on, and I look forward to feedback especially from those who are parents of teenage boys.

I believe this is an extension of the Indian bias where boys are treated as special and are pampered as compared to our girls. When we leave India, this slips into the realms of “unconscious bias”. When we immigrate to the US, the societal pressures and boundaries that are placed on girls in India for most part do not apply – but this is where our unconscious bias kicks in. Our daughters need to be steeped in our culture, norms and even spirituality – it is essential for them to stay connected to our roots, but not so our sons.

If you look at the levels of commitment – our daughters take on the same number of extra-curriculars be it robotics, math classes, soccer or school clubs. They tend to continue classical music and/or dance – on top of which they show up at VidhyaDeepam for spiritual/cultural education. How come our sons, do not show this level of commitment? And why are they allowed to get away with it?

Do we not want our sons to grow up with the morals, ethics and spiritual strength to live a full, meaningful and successful lives?

We in VidhyaDeepam celebrate equality and point to our scriptures that have revered women for eons!

In the Rig Veda in Chapter 10 we have the Devi Suktam in which comes this declaration of the status of Devi (feminine power):

I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship.
Thus Gods have established me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in
Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them,-each man who sees, breathes, hears the word outspoken
They know it not, yet I reside in the essence of the Universe. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it..

In Manusmriti the status of women is clearly expounded “where women are revered, there the Gods rejoice; but where they are not, no sacred rite bears any fruit”

Let us educate our sons – let them understand their place in this world -live ethical and successful lives which they share in perfect equality with our daughters.

For many of us who are aspirants on the path of self realization – Sanatana Dharma (aka Hinduism) can be confusing as it provides a ‘library of books’ (Swami Chinmayananda) and a multitude of paths as compared with other religions that have a single book and a prescribed single path.

We spend an entire lifetime listening to our Guru’s, puzzling over our choices – is Karma Yoga (the path of Action without worrying about the fruits of action) suitable for me? Should I be an adherent of Bhakti Yoga (the path of love and complete surrender to the Higher Spirit) – which certain sects claim is the ONLY path. Or since I am an intellectual – should I embark on the path of Jnana Yoga (self-realization through knowledge or reasoning). Or is it Hatha Yoga, or Kriya Yoga or the myriads of Yogas (89 or so – Swami Chinmayananda) available to us. Confusion ensues, we are frozen by doubt and just like Arjuna in the Mahabharata we do not act.

This blog is centered around a simple thought, rather than spending a lifetime wondering about which path to follow – try them all – a little bit of each and the path that is most suitable for you will become self-evident. Just do it!! Act!!

Don’t take it from me, here are the words from realized souls that will back up this idea. The central idea came from Swami Sarvapriyananda (a brilliant Swami of the Ramakrishna order) in his Youtube talk – fast forward to 7 mins 48 seconds for the start of the question (or 13:05 if you are impatient and only want the answer): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nrlQxDmK_4&t=3271s

In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita Adi Shankaracharya says (English translation):

But the truth is this: Devotion to action is a means to the end, not directly, but only as leading to devotion to knowledge

In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 Verse 3 – Arjuna asks Sri Krishna to tell him if the path of action (Karma Yoga) or the path of renunciation (Sanyasa Yoga) is better. Here is a wonderful explanation from Swami Chinmayananda who confirms the ideal expounded by Adi Sankara:

To consider the ‘Path of Action’ (Karma Yoga) and the ‘Path of Knowledge’ (Jnana Yoga) a competitive is to understand neither of them. They being complementary are to be practiced SERIALLY one after the other. Selfless activity gives a chance to the mind to exhaust many of its existing mental impressions. Thus purified, the mind gains such a flight and ethereal poise that it can steadily soar into the subtlest realms of meditation, and finally come to gain the experience of the transcendental Absolute.

So in closing, here is the prescription: Action! Meditate for a few minutes each day, join the Bhajans for a taste of Bhakti Yoga, take the Northwest Harvest seva opportunities for Karma Yoga, join the discussion class to add to your knowledge. Do it all – just do it!!

 

When the Covid-19 pandemic began in the spring of 2020, we knew we needed to make changes. We discussed the situation as an entire group. Then we made the decision to try online classes for one week to test out technology and get feedback from members. Online classes went more smoothly then we anticipated and when schools and business started to switch to work from home/school from home mode we were prepared. We have continued online classes and celebrations throughout the spring and into the fall.

Oct 12, 2019 3 to 6 Pm

Hari Om,  we come from a land with a rich history, and we can be tempted to live in the past when our culture, our religion and our land was a glorious beacon for the world. Here is what Swami Chinmayananda said about the past:  Once an incident has taken place, it cannot be undone. It is all in the past, so much water under the bridge. Life is not for us to sit and cry over what has happened in the past. We have to move forward. 

Further Swami Tejomayananda instructed: A beautiful verse in the Bhagavad Gita states the characteristics of a liberated soul and how he lives in freedom. Firstly, there is non-brooding over the past. Secondly, there is no worry or fear regarding the future. And thirdly, there is detached objectivity in the present.

We in the Vidhya Deepam family should strive to live in the present, we cannot right the wrongs that happened many millennia ago. Look forward! Be positive! Let our current actions give rise to a glorious tomorrow! (here is a fun Bollywood tune to that effect).

I will close off with the powerful words of Swami Vivekananda: All the strength and succor you want is within yourselves. Therefore make your own future. “Let the dead past bury its dead.” The infinite future is before you.

Navaratri- nine nights (and ten days) Hindu festival, celebrated in the autumn every year. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent.^[3][1] Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navratri. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navratri that is the most observed in the honor of the divine feminine Devi (Durga). The festival is celebrated in the bright half of the Hindu calendar month Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.

Navarathiri Deck