Upon hearing the word "Vedas," what do you think of? Mysticism? Outdated ritualism and bizarre practices? Or maybe, you associate the texts with profound philosophy and wisdom. It is after all the predecessor of the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita, texts whose universal messages are practical in a troubling, chaotic world. However, you may not instantly think of the Vedas as the source of science. Well, in my exploration of Vedic science, I was astounded to find out how much ancient rishis got right. For, "their sensitive minds received the refining flashes of wisdom and vision radiating from the self-illuminating universe. They saw Reality face to face. They perceived the whole universe as a living organism" (Verma). The degree of accuracy of numerical recordings in the Vedas and its derivatives is truly astonishing. The Surya Siddhanta provides measurements for the radius of the earth, perimeter of the earth, diameter of the sun, radius of the moon, radius of the earth's orbit and distance of our galaxy that are on the same magnitude of the measurements calculated using modern astrophysical tools.

                               The Vedas are thought to be divinely revealed.

Prior to the middle ages, the prevailing theory of the universe was the geocentric principle, in which all planetary bodies were believed to revolve around Earth. This belief made more sense than the heliocentric theory because to a casual observer on earth, all celestial bodies seem to move around a motionless Earth at the center of the universe. Also, in accord with the tenants of Christianity, human beings were given dominion of other creations of the universe and thus, our egoism and role as ‘caretakers' supports anthrocentricity and geocentricity. The battle between Copernicus, the astronomer known for revolutionizing our views of the universe, and Christianity is recorded in all history and science textbooks.

Long before Copernicus, the Vedas advocated the heliocentric theory. The Rig Veda states:

The shining beautiful atmospheric ocean which causes rain finds its places in the vast antariksha, the atmospheric region. The sun possessing prishnirasma, the matter responsible for solar electricity and colors got its position in the centre of heaven and it protects the whole world and demarcates the east and west directions of the interstellar space (Rg.5.47.3).

The Rig Veda contains boundless information on matter composing the sun, the solar system, gravitation, solar eclipses and the source of energy of the sun, pioneering the study of fusion of hydrogen nuclei. Today's environmental movement coupled with ongoing scientific investigations to explore features of the universe from the miniscule to the mammoth invokes an appreciation of elements of God's creation that may often seem unfathomable. It is intriguing that Vedic seers were able to discern the secrets of the universe and then use their intuition and revelation to promote awareness and spiritual upliftment. In upcoming posts, we will go back to these ancient texts to enhance of our understanding of our universe, our earth and ourselves.