History Of Science &

Technology
The wonder that was India
Indias glorious past is embedded with a
rich Scientific and Technological Heritage
from the Vedic age and is an inspiration to
create a scientifically advanced and
spiritually enlightened human society in
which peace, prosperity and happiness
together create a haven on earth

The wonder that was India
Peace loving people, people with scientific
bent of mind having a profound
understanding of the purpose and meaning
of life, able to decode the secrete of creation
and serve the creator through service of man
and nature is what, the wonder that was
India which glittered like gold and spread
its enlightenment all around the world

The wonder that was India
Prosperous India The Golden eagle of the world
Enlightened India Its wisdom glowed the world
over
Scientifically Advanced India Spreading a
culture of Science and Technology to create a
happy and healthy living in harmony with nature
Mighty India Making no invasion, harming no
one yet influencing the whole world by its
scientific traditions and spiritual wisdom
Indias Ancient Scientists
Atreya, Agnivesa and Shushruta Medical
Scientists 800 BC.
Aryabhatta (BC.476550),
Bhaskaracharya, Varahmihir, Bodhayan
Ancient astronomers and mathematicians
Kanva, Panini, Gargi,
Great Indian Mathematicians
Yajnavalkya, the author of the altar mathematics of the
Shatapatha Brahmana.
Lagadha - Author of a 1350 BC text on Vedic astronomy
Baudhayana, 800 BC
Manava, 750 BC
Apastamba, 700 BC
Aksapada Gautama, 550 BC, Logician
Katyayana, 400 BC
Panini, 400 BC, Algebraic grammarian
Pingala, 5th century BC
Bharata Muni, 4th century BC, combinatorics in music

Great Indian Mathematicians
Aryabhata - Astronomer who gave accurate calculations for astronomical constants,
476-520
Varahamihira
Bhaskara I, 620
Brahmagupta - Helped bring the concept of zero into arithmetic
Matanga Muni - Combinatorics in music
Virahanka (8th century) - Described the Fibonacci series.
Shridhara (between 650-850) - Gave a good rule for finding the volume of a sphere.
Lalla, 720-790
Govindsvamin (9th century)
Virasena
Mahavira (9th century)
Jayadeva (9th century)
Prithudaka, 9th century
Halayudha, 10th century
Aryabhata II, 920-1000
Vateshvara (10th century)
Manjula, 930
Some Facts
The law of gravitation discovered by
Brahmagupta 598 A.D. anticipated after 1400
years by Newton declaring "all things fall to the
earth by law of nature; for it is the nature of the
earth to attract and keep things."
Pingala (3rd C AD), author of Chandasutra
explored the relationship between combinatorics
and musical theory anticipating Mersenne (1588-
1648) author of a classic on musical theory

Some Facts
The 'Pythagoras theorem' which stated in Sulva
Sutras by Baudhayana's (6th century BC): "The
diagonal of a rectangle produces both areas, which
its length and breadth produce separately."
Arya Bhatta discovered the method of finding out
the areas of a triangle, a trapezium and a circle.
The approximate value of an 'irrational number'
i.e. 2 (dvikarani) (1.143256) and 3 (1.7320513)
can be obtained, Baudhayana and Apastamba.

Some Facts
In the geometry of the circle, "Arybhatta- I" gave
a value for pi (tyajya) which is correct to the four
decimal places in a sloka (Sankara Varman's
treatise on astronomy, Sadratnamala) theorems
and their deductions:"Lemma of Brahmagupta for
integral solution or the indeterminate equation of
second degree. John Pell (1611-1685) discovered
this in the 17th century. Indians discovered it a
1,000 years earlier
Some Facts
Zero, the most modest and most valuable of all
numerals is one of the subtle gifts of India to
mankind. The earliest use of the zero symbol, so
far discovered, is in one of the scriptural books
dated about 200 B.C. The zero, called shunya or
nothing, was originally a dot and later it became a
small circle. It was considered as a number like
any other. Professor G. B. Halsted, in his book '
Mathematics for the Million' (London 1942) thus
emphasizes the vital significance of this invention.

Indias Decimal System
The decimal system was known to
Aryabhatta and Brahmagupta long before
its appearance in the writings of the Arabs
and the Syrians; it was adopted by China
from Buddhist missionaries; and
Muhammad Ibn Musa al-Khwarazni, the
greatest mathematician of his age (ca 850
A.D.), seems to have introduced it into
Baghdad

Indias Decimal System
Indias system of Decimal
counting goes back to the
days of Ramayana (around
5000 BC) and Mahabharata
(3067 BC)
In Ramayana, the Ramas
army was described by
Ravanas missionary as
having 18x10
18
( 18
Padams, 10
12
millions )
Indias Decimal System
In Mahabharata, in the
Shanti Parva the
Bhishmas passing away
is described in true
decimal system - 10 Days
of Mahabharata war and
their after 58 nights till the
sun of thousands rays
turned to Uttarayana

Brahmaguptas Rules
A debt minus zero is a debt.
A fortune minus zero is a fortune.
Zero (shunya) minus zero is nothing. (kha).
A debt subtracted from zero is a fortune.
So a fortune subtracted from zero is a debt.
The product of zero multiplied by a debt or fortune is zero.
The product of zero multiplied by itself is nothing.
The product or the quotient of two fortunes is one fortune.
The product or the quotient of two debts is one debt.
The product or the quotient of a debt multiplied by a
fortune is a debt.
The product or the quotient of a fortune multiplied by a
debt is a debt.
Metallurgy
Iron Pillar at Delhi - The Rust less Wonder and a Unique
Scientific Phenomenon from Ancient India, The pillar is
said to be over 2000 years old
As early as the second century B.C. Nagarjuna devoted an
entire volume to mercury
The Konasamudram region in Andhra Pradesh was famous
for producing the world renowned Wootz steel - the raw
material for King Saladin's fabled Damascus Sword. The
tempering of steel was brought in ancient India to a
perfection unknown in Europe till our own times. King
Porus is said to have selected, as special valuable gift for
Alexander, not gold or silver, but thirty pounds of steel.

Physics
Kanaada, 600 B. C the founder of the Vaisesika
system of philosophy, expounded that the entire
matter in this world consists of atoms as many in
kind as the various elements. He also claimed that
elements could not be destroyed
Artharveda says that there are seven types of sun's
rays, sapta surayasya rasmayah, signifying seven
colors of light
Umasvati, first century A.D. suggested that atoms
of opposite qualities alone combined and the
atoms attracted or repelled as they were
heterogeneous or homogenous

Shipbuilding and Navigation
The art of Navigation
was born in the river
Sindh 6000 years ago
There is overwhelming
evidence that Indian
civilization traded with
the Egyptians using
ships.
Rig Veda makes several
references to ships used
to cross the "Samudra."

History records that Indian ships traded with
countries as far as Java and Sumatra, they were
also trading with other countries in the Pacific and
Indian Oceans.
Chandragupta Maurya established an Admiralty
Division under a Superintendent of Ships as part
of his war office, with a charter including
responsibility for navigation on the seas, oceans,
lakes and rivers
Shipbuilding and Navigation
Shipbuilding and Navigation
King Hiram of Tyre (Phoenicia) in 975
B.C. traded with India through the port of
Ophir (Supara) near modern Bombay.
Harappan seals discovered at several
Mesopotamia sites have been dated to
about 2400 B.C.
Yukti Kalpa Taru, explains how to build
ships, ship types, sizes and materials,
including suitability of different types of
wood
Bhoja has advised the builders of the sea-
faring ships not to join the plants with
iron, as, in the case, the magnetic iron in
sea water could expose the ship to danger
Medical Science
Susruta Samhita, (600 B.C.) the Hindu
medical chronicle said about plastic
surgery in India
Caraka Samhita, (300 BC) Sutra
Sthana Nidan Sthana (8 chapters)
Viman Sthana (8 chapters)
Sharir Sthana (8 chapters)
Indriya Sthana (12 chapters)
Chikitsa Sthana (30 chapters)
Kalpa Sthana (12 chapters)
Siddhi Sthana (12 chapters)
Aviation
Acharya Bharadwaj (800BC) authored the
"Yantra Sarvasva" which includes
astonishing and outstanding discoveries in
aviation science, space science and flying
machines. He has described three
categories of flying machines:
1.) One that flies on earth from one place
to another.
2.) One that travels from one planet to
another.
3.) And One that travels from one universe
to another.

Aviation
Bharadwajs designs and descriptions are
Profound Secret: The technique to make a flying
machine invisible through the application of
sunlight and wind force.
Living Secret: The technique to make an invisible
space machine visible through the application of
electrical force.
Secret of Eavesdropping: The technique to listen
to a conversation in another plane.
Visual Secrets: The technique to see what's
happening inside another plane.
Through his innovative and brilliant discoveries,
Acharya Bharadwaj has been recognized as the
pioneer of aviation technology
Chemistry
In ancient India, chemistry was called Rasayan
Shastra, Rasa-Vidya, Rasatantra and Rasakriya
Chemistry being the basic Science of Nature was
pursued by ancient Inidas Scientists to create
Colours, Chemicals, Fertilizers, Warhead
materials, food preservatives, spices and above all
Gems and Crystals. Purification of Silver, Gold
and other precious metals.
Medicinal Chemistry of Plants and Herbs. Bio
Chemistry of Natural Fertilizers all point towards
a rich foundation of Chemistry in India from
ancient times
Chemistry in India
The Famous Indian ink to date is the testimony of
Indias profound knowledge of Chemistry
24 Ct Gold and Silver and Gold plated ornaments
so well exhibited in Indias images to date are the
basis for Chemistry of Metal processing
Cave paintings (Bhim Betika near Bhopal, Ajanta
in Maharastra) by Natural Colours and Colourful
textile and embroidery marks Indias mastery over
Chemistry
Chemistry in India
Colourful potteries, Gold Plated Potteries, Golden
and Silver Studded Carvings on Metals, Glass and
Textile further give the glimpses of Indias
profound knowledge of Chemistry
Use of Colours and Chemicals mostly Natural in
Indian Temple forts and Palaces further reinforce
the Indian Chemistry Knowledge.
Swarna Bhasma (Gold ash), Rajat Bhasma (Silver
Ash) and Shankha Bhasma (Bone Ash) are the
ultimate of Indian Chemistry.
Relevance to the Modern Age
We are returning to the nature, Natural
medicines, natural fertilizers, natural fuels (
Bio Fuels) , Natural food, natural
preservatives and natural water harvesting
and purification systems
We are today in a knowledge age where the
wisdom of antiquity can be synthesised with
the most modern science and technology
Relevance to the Modern Age
Ancient ( Vedic) mathematics to high speed
computing
Ancient astronomy and knowledge of the
universal system giving foundation for a larger
universal system beyond the solar system
Ancient chemistry leading to natural and
environmentally benign paints and chemicals,
Drugs and Fertilizers
Growth with sustainability and prosperity with
happiness
Dr. T. D. Singh
Director, Bhaktivedanta I nstitute
President, Vedanta and Science Educational
Research Foundation
Scientific and religious
paths are like two
streams of the creative
human mind. The
scientific path tries to
explain the nature of
reality within
rationality, whereas
the religious or
spiritual path does so
within and beyond
rationality.
(His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami)
Science, Technology and Spirituality all go together as
those who adore science and also have a spiritual bent
of mind would always be employing their fullest
capabilities and knowledge for the betterment of the
society while at the same time constantly engaging
themselves in search of truth through the service of
man, through the pursuit of the work activity with fullest
of devotion through their understanding of the world
around them.
Science without spirituality leads to prosperity
without happiness. Science and spirituality together
create prosperity with eternal happiness.

Science, Technology and Spirituality

Prof. Charles Townes, the noble laureate in physics in
conversation with Swami Dr. T.D. Singh, Founder
Director of the Bhakti Vedanta Institute, Kolkatta, India
has opined that it is not practical to keep scientific and
spiritual cultures separate. The people who study
science are often at the same time thoughtful about the
meaning of life and values (Seven Nobel Laureates on
Science & Spirituality, Dr. T.D. Singh (Ed), 2004).
Science and spirituality both are to be practiced and
adored to create a civic society tuned to attaining the
destined goal of human existence living and working in
the company of God.
Science, Technology and Spirituality
The dream of a civic and just society, realizing the infinite
power of divinity, elevating man to the level of God head,
people living in perfect harmony with nature, fulfilling the
aim and realizing the meaning of life is achievable with the
progress of science in the realm of spirituality. The journey
on the pat of jyanam, the knowledge, associated and
enabled by vijanam, the science, would then lead us to the
horizons of Pragyanam, the horizon form where we are in
a position to proclaim as the Vedic scientists did several
thousand years ago, namely, Prajyanam Bhrama, that is
Prajyanam is visualizing and realizing our existence in
God.
In the knowledge age driven by the power of the mind
and propelled by the capabilities and maturity of
people, it has become absolutely essential that science,
technology and spirituality co-exist everywhere, more so
in the universities and in the institutions and
organizations cultivating knowledge, imparting
knowledge, using knowledge to create wealth and
prosperity while at the same time ensuring that the
journey of mankind on the path of prosperity and
happiness is assured by a firm commitment and resolve
to discover better and better ways of maintaining
harmony with nature and thus assuring continued
sustenance of human life on mother planet earth.
We need more and more of scientism to foster scientific
explorations into hitherto unexplored vistas of human endeavour.
We also need more and more people of scientific bent of mind
turning to spirituality to discover the rich wealth of science of
soul, the secret of the creation. In fact we need a new mantra for
the new knowledge age and this new mantra must prepare the
human society to rise to newer heights of glory in respect of
peace, prosperity and happiness with a firm commitment to
sustain a clean environment, maintain earths ecological balance
and serve God, the creator, through the service of man and
mother nature. This new mantra is based on the fusion of
science and spiritual values to build a new global order.
Vashdaev kutumbkam the concept of the world family would
then be truly nurtured by people around the globe adoring
Scientopirituality

The journey of mankind on the path of knowledge
shall then continue to the horizons of enlightenment
and shall lead to wisdom manifold. The man shall
then realize his fullest potentialities of eternal
strength and shall witness the meeting point of mortal
with the eternal, the natural destination of a
spirituality enlightened scientific civic society. A Vedic
seer of modern India has so beautifully put it in his
proclamation of the mankind of future :

May be the prophecy of this great Vedic seer of the modern age
is bound to come true in the near future given the accelerated
pace of science and interest in spirituality by the scientific world.
A developed prosperous India habited by peace loving people, a
society tuned to the objective of living in and working with and for
Divine, creating a haven on earth, realizing the purpose of life,
decoding the secret of life and death and together as a human
society attaining an existence with lord and on successful
culmination of life activity returning to Godhead is attainable only
if Science and Spirituality together are adored by the people of
the world in the new knowledge age. Prosperity and happiness
together then descend on the human society creating smiles in
plenty and fair prosperous days providing multifaceted peace.
We then enjoy the wisdom of the ancient in the modern times of
Science and Technology.


Let us pledge to create such a better
tomorrow and elevate man to the level of
God and create goodness in plenty around
the world.