Science, Math and Astronomy - a spec out of the ocean of wisdom in sanatana dharma

Yesterday late night I was asked by a senior member of the community to give a 10 minute talk next day on science, maths and astronomy in Sanatana Dharma. I am not an expert in any of these and may not even be qualified but when someone asks me to talk about anything I never say no because by saying yes I have the opportunity to learn about something.

Talking about Mathematics, Science and Astronomy in 10 or 15 minutes is like swimming across the Atlantic Ocean in 10 or 15 minutes. It will take more than 10 to 15 minutes just to start. It could take 10-15 minutes to just mention the names of the great aacharyaas who have made significant impact of not just the past but even the present. Sanatana dharma has not just touched but gone into the details of almost every aspect of science and engineering: biology, chemistry, metallurgy, botany, physiology, medicine, anatomy, surgery, astronomy, cosmology, holistic healthcare etc. etc. etc.

Have you heard of four-minute-mile? The four-minute mile is a term that refers to the feat of running a mile (1,609 meters) in under four minutes. This milestone in athletics was considered one of the greatest challenges in the history of sports, as it was thought to be beyond human capability until it was achieved. The first person to break the four-minute barrier was Roger Bannister, a British middle-distance runner, on May 6, 1954, in Oxford, England. He ran the mile in 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds. Bannister’s accomplishment inspired generations of athletes and has become a benchmark for elite middle-distance runners. While many greater feats have been accomplished since, Bannister’s accomplishment should always be remembered because it set the tone for the future of possibilities. Similar examples can be found in other areas – science, technology, mathematics and more.

Sanatana Dharma has broken many such four-minute-miles. We take it for granted now but the world owes it to bhArata. I can go on listing, some of which are:

Below are some notes I made using Google and ChatGPT.

-          Discovery of Zero: it can be attributed to Brahmagupta (500 CE) and Aryabhatta. The invention of zero revolutionized mathematics, enabling the development of algebra, calculus, and modern computing. The Indian innovation of zero is recognized as one of the most important contributions to global mathematics.

-          Decimal System: again, it is Brahmagupta and aryabhatta in the 5^th century that introduced the decimal system that changed how mathematics was done.

-          The discovery of “Pi”: the discovery of Pi by Aryabhatta helped advance several fields of sciences;

-          Concept of Infinity: when the world was struggling to comprehend large numbers, the BharatIya vijnAnIs had contemplated on the idea of infinity. Poornamadah poorNamidam poorNaath poorNam udiccate purNasya pUrNamadAya pUrNamEva avasishyate.

-          Yoga as a holistic health system: the science that combined mind, body and consciousness.  Pathanjali yoga sUtrAs have more influence today on the world than ever before when health is seen as the greatest wealth

-          Cosmology and Astronomy: the texts from Rigveda and other works presented early cosmological concepts, including the cyclic nature of the universe and the idea of multiple universes (Brahmandas). Varahamihira’s Brihat Samhita is considered an encyclopedic text. And, he discussed five key astronomical traditions, including the Surya Siddhanta, a classical Indian text on astronomy. He compared different astronomical models and refined them, leading to a better understanding of planetary positions and timekeeping systems. Varahamihra also discusses several other topics related to his astronomical topics such as gemology, agriculture and more.

-          Algebra: Brahmagupta wrote extensive treatises on solving linear and quadratic equations and gave systematic rules for solving problems involving both positive and negative numbers; Bhaskara I expanded upon Brahmagupta’s work, particularly in solving indeterminate equations (a form of algebra)

-          Trigonometry: Aryabhata developed the concept of sine (jya in Sanskrit) and cosine functions, and his sine table was the first of its kind in history and were pivotal in solving astronomical problems and calculating planetary positions

-          Aryabhata by himself deserves a point by himself for the various ways he influenced science, math and astronomy. He was able to provide very close approximations of astronomical calculations.

o   calculated the length of a sidereal year as 365.3586805 days, remarkably close to the modern value of 365.25636 days.

o   described the Earth as spherical and acknowledged its rotation; explained that the cycle of day and night is due to Earth's rotation, not the movement of the Sun around the Earth

o   provided an accurate explanation of solar and lunar eclipses

o   introduced mathematical models to calculate the positions of planets relative to their orbits around the Sun, laying the foundation for planetary motion studies. 

o   calculated approximate sizes of Earth, Moon and the Sun, and distances between each other using mathematical approximations

§   he estimated the diameter of the Earth to be 3,193 miles (5,120 km), not close to the current findings of approximately 7,918 miles (12,742 km) but it was a significant milestone to bring people into thinking

§  estimated the diameter of the Moon to be around 2,400 miles (3,860 km) which is close to the modern finding of ~2,159 miles (3,474 km)

o   his Heliocentrism and Earth's Rotation transformed the way world perceive the universe and cosmology; he proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis, the apparent movement of stars from east to west, a significant departure from the geocentric view of the cosmos prevalent at the time. This was at a time when world and other cultures thought earth was flat 😊

o   developed trigonometric functions (sine tables) to help model astronomical phenomena, crucial for calculating planetary positions and movements

-          Ayurveda: great works such as Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita established Ayurveda as one of the earliest holistic healthcare systems, emphasizing balance and well-being

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Panchanga is in itself a great demonstration of the application of Math, Science and Astronomy in Sanatana dharmis on a day-to-day basis. It is used to calculate exact times. Panch (five) and Anga (limbs), refers to the five key components that make up this calendar system:

Shubha thithau | shubha vAsaraH | shubha nakshatra | Shubha yOga | shubha karaNa |

1)      Tithi: represents the phases of the Moon relative to the Sun; there are 30 Tithis in a lunar month. Each moment has a specific energy and influence on us as is used to find right days and times for performing weddings, housewarming ceremonies, or religious observances.

2)      Vara: indicates the days of the week, governed by planets, and associated with deities

3)      Nakshatra: there are 27 (or 28 in some versions) lunar constellations; each Nakshatra has its own ruling deity, symbolism, and characteristics; critical for determining auspicious times for events

4)      Yoga (auspicious Time): refers to a specific combination of the positions of the Sun and Moon; there are 27 Yogas in total

5)      Karana (Half of a Tithi): subdivision of Tithi; each tithi is divided into two Karanas (totaling 60 Karanas); used for calculating the suitability of a particular time for activities like marriage, travel, and other significant events.