SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE JOURNEY

Our journey as humans began by looking at the Sun, and wondering about the light, energy, and power that sustain our existence. Original source of light and energy on earth is the Sun, and therefore in all traditions it is the Sun god which was worshipped for its blessings. Along with this arose the desire to overcome our physical limitations before natural forces that obliged us to seek immortality. Therefore, the fundamental issue for all socio-cultural and scientific enterprise had always been how to overcome the fear of Death.

From the beginning of the Vedic Age, all intellectual activities were focused on the problem of knowing natural forces , and the ways to face the powers that threaten our biological existence. This was the foundation on which sage scientists (Rishis) formulated paradigm of Unknown Divinity. That Force of Creation was, at that stage of knowledge, variously called: Invisible, Indefinable, Inexpressible, Infinite, Brahman and Almighty. It was the presiding deity of the Universe, and also Creator and Destroyer. It was, therefore, appear then reasonable to seek protection from the Almighty by offerings and prayers. That was the foundation of Faith and Religion from which evolved the Early Civilizations, mostly based on Fear of Death and seeking blessing from the Divine.

Overcoming the fear of Death yet remained with us as the fundamental issue of all socio-cultural and scientific knowledge enterprise. To overcome our physical limitations before natural forces, our Sage scientists sought immortality and that led to the paradigm of Nirvana, Mukti or Liberation. The Rishis poetically glorified the natural forces as manifestation of supreme creative prowess of Heavenly Father, beseeching His compassion for protection and well being here on Earth and also hereafter. The early philosophers, therefore, cried to be Liberated from the sneer of destructive Death of Life (Existence).

The Rishi had raised his arms in invocation of natural forces and sought protection from the five known elements: Water (Jal), Air ( Vayu), Fire ( Agni), Sun (Surya) and Space (akash). They ran to the Holy waters (of Ganga ) seeking nector (amritam) to face the natural forces that were in dynamic flux. But the Laws of Nature were yet to be discovered which provided us the power to overcome the fear. Rigvedic scientists (Rishis) of some 5000 years ago pronounced the first mantra “agnim ede purohitam” (Rigveda I.1.) Invocation to Fire (agni) that sustains life on planet Earth.

And the Vedic Rishi propitiates (spelling) Three Eyed diety as if from above (heavens) who could see us - the two eyed humans below on Earth :
“we invoke the Three Eyed One Deity (Spelling) with sweet smell ( incense) arising out of the Fire which gives us strength so that may we be released from the sneers of Death.” (Trayambakam yajamahe, sugandhim pushti vardhanam. urvarukam iva bandhanat, mrityor mukshiya ma-amritat..)

The Second Stage of development necessitated structuring social-philosophy which offered some systematic order to form community: man-women relations-that was fundamental to life and Death. Philosophy rose out of knowing, and reasoning about functioning of the natural forces. Some ethical explanation was necessary for the worldly affairs. At that stage of development, mysterious ways of Natural forces were not known. So emerged the idea of God’s Will accompanying with the Law of Karma. But unknown-invisible Karmic Law helped solve the problems of Birth, and Illness: physical deformities, pain, life span, and above all social location –status of individual in space and time –and finally the time of disintegration- called Death. And the philosophers reasoned that all the birth and death-events must be pre-determined by some rational being that must have good reasoning.

The Karmic doctrine, thus, provided a full proof system to explain the rationale behind social disorders. Nevertheless, some adjustment could be made with ritualistic appeasement to the gods. Prevailing Corruption in traditional societies might have its origin in this essential believe system that even the Lord can be bribed with offerings! Humans, fearful of invisible forces, succumbed to “faith-healing” by custodians of Divinity who had, through some mysterious ways, established direct-communication with Almighty. It was His (masculine) Will that Ruled the Earth as it was in Heavens! In this all pervading mysterious believe systems which governed every aspect of human endeavour by Priests (Pundits, Popes, Mullahs, Lamas,) Freedom of Human intellect was conditioned by Divine. Intellectual Freedom to Reason had ceased to question and investigate Natural Phenomena beyond the mystical “spiritual” all pervading Heavenly Father.

All earlier social systems were thus based on priestly governance. It was not kings and war-heroes who organized and structured society and provided agricultural and medicinal systems. It was the divine ordinance with the priests who sought and brought with god’s grace, rich harvest and quick recovery from illness and redemption. It was thus the priestly class/caste which ruled and governed with god’s authority and later on enforced civil orders through the king who was the Divine representative on Earth. Interestingly all incarnations of Divine had always been landed on earth through some princely parents.

Use of force and execution or killing of the other humans had been integral to human psychic. It appears very basic to humans but not common among animals. That even to propitiate gods, early societies and as late as the Islamic prophetic testaments, human/animal sacrifices had been sanctioned. Such vulgar and cruel ritualistic social ills were still prevalent in many secret cults in modern times, including Christian and Hindu sects. In post-modern times, however, we shall be able to know the gene code of God and human violence by 2050.

If earlier times, inequality and social injustice were justified on the Karmic reasoning. In modern times the doctrine of “survival of the fittest” justified monopolistic control and oppression of the weak by the powerful. “The weak shall inherit the earth” still remains a divine promise. Kings and Priests enjoyed monopolistic control over Knowledge and were invested with supernatural powers directly representing Divinity on Earth. Injustice and Ignorance prevailed in the name of Divine Faith, “dharma”, for thousands of years, till the Scientific Age arrived in the 17th Century.

Mathematical ability of human mind makes us ever self-corrective species – restless in reasoning, questioning, searching and investigating. Our Intellectual Journey is endless to Infinity. Because the Universe is Infinite and Nature is Boundless. Whatever we humans think (good or bad are relative in terms) or act, is within (Human) Nature. Human mind genetically fixed towards penetration of infinite Universe. Notwithstanding our creative efforts of Knowledge (Science), problems of life /survival, physical forces/ elements provide us with opportunities for both- creation and destruction. And here comes the question of human judgement and understanding of natural laws and scientifically seeking solutions of socio-technical difficulties. But in all historical crisis one question remains: How to continue balancing game of survival within the creative and destructive forces of Nature.