Hinduism and Science: A Bibliography
Hinduism and science
Recently, I came across a heated debate on Facebook, about the origin of the generation of electricity. A Facebook post was uploaded by Sanskriti on 03 March 2023 (please see the poster at the end of this write-up) and claimed that ‘the ancient text of Agastya Samhita describes the method of making an electric battery, and that water can be split into oxygen and hydrogen. dry electric cell. For Generating Electricity, Sage Agastya used the following material: 1. One Earthen pot 2. Copper Plate 3. Copper Sulphate 4. Wet Saw Dust 5.Zinc Amalgam’.
As expected, some joined the chorus while others opposed it. As of date, there were in all 107 comments which demonstrate the interest the Facebook users had in the topic. Interestingly, neither those opposing nor those supporting provided any evidence in support of their position — barring a few of those supporting the contention of Sanskriti.
I did join the Facebook debate and provided reference to a few books that those ridiculing the claim about Agatsya and ancient science in general need to have a look at. It triggered the idea that a bibliography on ancient India’s contribution to science and technology needs to be prepared and handy. I have done precisely this below.
2. Comments for and against
Let us first see the comments from both camps. These are representative of the total comments that Facebook generated, as indicated above, 107 (as of 9 March 2023, 1100 hrs AEST).
2.1 Comments against Sanskriti’s claim
Some representative comments that ridiculed the Sanskriti claim were as below:
“Maybe only in theory. Nothing was brought into practice. In practice, Indians could not bring out even small useful components like the valve tube of a bicycle.
‘I love India. I believe 2000 years ago Indians used 5g cellphones, television, cars, trucks, and airplanes which makes me happier.
‘It’s amazing how everything all of the sudden since after 2014 is actually invented by these unknown gurus in India a long time ago.’
‘Hope someone in India could have interpreted that and electrified India even after 1947!’
‘We had electric flights from Kolkata to Newyork 5000 years ago
Many comments were simply nonsensical as one would expect in social media.
2.2 Comments in support of Sanskriti’s claim
Some representative comments that supported the claim, besides me of course, included:
‘This book is available on the internet. https://archive.org/.../agastya-samhita.../page/180/mode/1up
The claim in the OP needs to be accompanied by the exact passage in the book.
ARCHIVE.ORG
Agastya Samhita — Sage Agastya, Bhavanath Jha: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive
Akhlesh, rightly notes that Sanskriti should have provided the exact reference to page number, slokas, etc. He asserted that without it the scholastic value of the claim would be in question. I agree with his observation. I too asked Sankriti if they could provide a full reference.
Interestingly, Praveen Mohan has cited the exact verses from Agastya Samhita for generating electricity and also demonstrated a procedure used by Agatsya Rishi. His YouTube video as below was cited by Sooraj Kumar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-7Y3UuejOs
Prakash Naique cited another Facebook post that included the below information:
EXCLUSIVE: Formula for Electric battery in Agastya Samhita by Ancient Indian
EXCLUSIVE & Mind Boggling: Formula for Electric battery in Agastya Samhita an Ancient Hindu text by The ancient text of Agastya Samhita describes the method of making an electric battery, and that water can be split into oxygen and hydrogen. Modern battery cell resembles Agastya’s method of generating electricity. For generating electricity, Sage Agastya used the following material: 1. One earthen pot 2.Copperplate 3. Copper sulfate 4. Wet sawdust 5. Zinc amalgam His text says: “Sansthapya Mrinmaya Patre Tamrapatram Susanskritam Chhadyechhikhigriven Chardrarbhih Kashthpamsubhih. Dastaloshto Nidhatavyah Pardachhaditastah Sanyogajjayte Tejo Mitravarunsangyitam” संस्थाप्य मृण्मये पात्रे ताम्रपत्रं सुसंस्कृतम्। छादयेच्छिखिग्रीवेन चार्दाभि: काष्ठापांसुभि:॥ दस्तालोष्टो निधात्वय: पारदाच्छादितस्तत:। संयोगाज्जायते तेजो मित्रावरुणसंज्ञितम्॥ Which means, “Place a well-cleaned copper plate in an earthenware vessel. Cover it first with copper sulfate and then with moist sawdust. After that, put a mercury-amalgamated zinc sheet on top of the sawdust to avoid polarization. The contact will produce an energy known by the twin name of Mitra-Varuna. Water will be split by this current into Pranavayu and Udanavayu. A chain of one hundred jars is said to give a very effective force. (p. 422)” When a cell was prepared according to Agastya Samhita and measured, it gives an open circuit voltage of 1.138 volts, and a short circuit current of 23 mA. Anen Jalbhangosti Prano Daneshu Vayushu Evam Shatanam Kumbhanamsanyogkaryakritsmritah. if we use the power of 100 earthen pots on water, then water will change its form into life-giving oxygen and floating hydrogen. Vayubandhakvastren Nibaddho Yanmastake Udanah Swalaghutve Bibhartyakashayanakam. If hydrogen is contained in an air-tight cloth, it can be used in aerodynamics, i.e. it will fly in the air. (Today’s Hydrogen Balloon) Process Of Electroplating by Maharshi Agastya in Agastya Sanhita: Excerpt from “Technology of the Gods: The Incredible Sciences of the Ancients” — By David Hatcher Childress “In the temple of Trivandrum, Travancore, the Reverend S. Mateer of the London Protestant Mission saw a great lamp which was lit over one hundred and twenty years ago’, in a deep well inside the temple. ……. On the background of the Agastya Samhita text’s giving precise directions for constructing electrical batteries, this speculation is not extravagant.”
‘It is a classic example and proof of the slow incremental development of knowledge through the ages. The general knowledge that society shares now is not the giant leap of knowledge developed in the 20th century and now. (commonly believed by the person in the street), but a result of studies over the past several thousand years. I believe Access to education for the masses has served to accelerate the spread of knowledge and its benefits to the advantage of society as a whole. Pity, it was restricted by and for the few in power in times gone by.
‘Ancient Aliens: Vimana Model Aircraft Experiment (Season 12, Episode 11) | History. https://youtu.be/zpKIj4-bmt0
3. Science in Ancient India: A bibliography
Having examined some representative comments, I have prepared a bibliography of books and YouTube videos of relevance (see attachment 2) on ancient science in India that may be of interest to you as and when such discussion crops up. I will keep updating it as more sources come to my notice.
4. Conclusion
Generally, one finds the discussion on social media divided into two camps - those who acknowledge, admire, and support ancient India’s contribution in various fields and those who consider that ancient India has nothing to offer. It was a society of defeated people ruled for centuries by invaders. They assert that all claims made about ancient India’s advances in science and technology are false.
These are two extremes. As a researcher, I would not be comfortable accepting claims that are not supported by appropriate references. It will also be necessary to test these claims. In older times the tradition was to pass knowledge orally. At what time it started getting recorded we do not know. Yet, whatever has survived over 5,000 years or so is still amazing. It does provide glimpses into the wonder that was India (Basham 1963). Furthermore, Islamic marauders like Khilji burnt down Nalanda university which was a storehouse of knowledge (https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Nalanda. Consequently, we have necessarily to rely on available evidence and infer therefrom.
I suggest that those who make a claim must support it with necessary references (if you do not know how to provide references then check online https://library.unimelb.edu.au/recite/referencing-styles) In the academic world, a claim that is not properly referenced is easily dismissed as tenuous and demonstrates a lack of scholarship. Consequently, proper referencing is a must.
Those who simply dismiss a claim because it does not conform to their worldview also do a disservice to themselves and humanity. Scientific attitude requires that one examines a claim before dismissing it. Where enough evidence is not available to dismiss the claim one needs to say just that. Many comments under the Sanskriti FB post were just nonsensical. In a social media environment, one cannot avoid it.
People need to realize that Indian culture is the only riverine culture that has been in continuous existence for many thousand years. Accordingly, it has satisfied the most difficult of the tests — the test of time — while other riverine cultures across the world have perished. It would not have been possible for civilization to exist continually unless it had inherent strengths.
It also needs to be remembered that there are many marvels from India’s ancient past (please see Praveen Mohan’s videos in attachment 2) for which modern science has simply no clue!
Attachment 1
Attachment 2
Science in Ancient India: A bibliography
Agrawal, DP & Tiwari. L. N.d. Ancient Ship-Building & Maritime Trade. https://www.infinityfoundation.com/mandala/t_es/t_es_agraw_ships_frameset.htm
Basham, A.L. 1963. The wonder that was India, Orient Longmans, and Bombay.
Bose, D. M., S. N. Sen, and B. V. Subbarayappa. 1971. A concise History of Science in India, Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi
Dorman, E.R., 2011. Hinduism and science: the state of the South Asian science and religion discourse. Zygon®, 46(3), pp.593–619.
Hagler, Gina 2017. The technology of ancient India, New York, NY: Rosen Publishing. Available for free on the internet archive.
Kak Subhash 2022. Indian Foundations of Modern Science and its global significance. https://www.theaustraliatoday.com.au/indian-foundations.../
Kak, Subhash. 2018. Indian foundations of modern science. https://subhashkak.medium.com/indian-foundations-of-modern-science-72259046700f
McClellan, J. 2015. Science and technology in world history: an introduction, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Ch 8
Partha Srinivas History Of Science And Technology In Ancient India The Beginnings Debi Prasad Chattopadhyaya Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay
Ray, P and Sen, S (Ed) 2006 The Cultural Heritage of India Vol Vi Science and Technology, The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata. This 500-page volume has 32 articles contributed by professors in science faculties of various universities in different aspects such as Vedic mathematics, astronomy, physics and mechanics, chemistry, Ayurveda, etc.
Sarkar, BK. 1918. Hindu achievements in exact science. Longmans, Green & Co. London
Seal, B. 1915. The positive sciences of the ancient Hindus. Longmans Green & Company, London
Stewart, Melissa. 1999. Science in ancient India, F Watts. New York. This book contains a brief description of advances in maths, physics, surgery, and medicine in ancient India.’ Sushruta’s work also describes procedures for setting broken bones, amputating infected arms and legs, extracting the infected teeth… removing cataracts of the eye’ (Stewart,1999, p 28). There is a statue of Susruta in the Royal College of Surgeons in Melbourne.
Teresi, Dick 2003 Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science — from the Babylonians to the Maya, Simon & Schuster, New York
Yates, C. 2017. Five ways ancient India changed the world — with maths. The Conversation, September 21.
YouTube Videos of relevance
Praveen Mohan's YouTube video on how to generate electricity the Agastya Model https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-7Y3UuejOs
Many other videos of Praveen Mohan https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Praveen+Mohan
Ancient Aliens: Vimana Model Aircraft Experiment (Season 12, Episode 11) | History. https://youtu.be/zpKIj4-bmt0
Lalit Das Ancient Innovations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me9CVGPKf4E
