Vedic Physics [Paperback]

Recovering Science's Hidden History

"Vedic Physics: Scientific Origins of Hinduism" - Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ph.D.; Golden Egg Publishing (Toronto, Canada) 1999

Reviewed by William Courson

Raja R. Roy was born in India and studied at Indian Institute of Technology and Ohio State University, earning his doctorate in materials science and engineering and is a working research scientist. Professor Roy has penned a fascinating and very readable little volume (248 pages) on the scientific origins of Hinduism as reflected in the Rig Veda, in his view an allegorical work describing the origin, structure and function of the physical universe. Dr. Roy ably defends an idea that has always been known; namely, that the Rig Veda has two meanings: the apparent and the actual.

On its face, the Rig Veda seems to be a book about cows and horses, clouds and weather and crops - a collection of the songs of a pastoral people - without a hint of organization. Why would such a writing be considered by so many to be the source of all knowledge from time immemorial? The only rational explanation is that the songs and poetry of the Rig Veda encapsulate a hidden message, which it itself clearly states:

"The Vedic mantras are in the never-decaying remotest sky, wherein the gods reside. One who does not know that, what will he do with the Vedic mantras? one who knows that, the gods stay with him." (1.164.39)

One simple fact has obscured this obvious conclusion for a very long time; Vedic scholars have enjoyed little knowledge of contemporary science, and scientists have little knowledge of the Vedas. The Vedas are considered eternal, and logic demands that an eternal book cannot contain only stories about the mundane doings of human beings and their agricultural pursuits. There needs to be something more.

From a detailed and protracted study of Vedic literature, many have concluded that the sacred words are but a representation of the creation and unfolding of the universe, the process of cosmology. According to the author, the knowledge of cosmology, of physical processes and particles, of the creative-destructive interplay of matter and energy contained in the Vedas is very abstruse, and thus was and is still well beyond the comprehension of ordinary humans. Therefore, the Vedic sages coded their knowledge in a simple form in which the underlying principles and processes could be taught and understood.

The Rig Veda was composed about five thousand years ago and is likely to have existed as an unwritten source of knowledge ages before that. We know very little about the scientific achievements and less about the scientific ideas of our ancestors. The question necessarily arises: is it possible that there were highly advanced civilizations in past, whose technological achievements and their theoretical framework have been forgotten? In Professor Roy's view, the answer to that question is "yes," and there can now be objective verification of this because the Rig Veda has been so remarkably well preserved in that most scientifically exact of languages, Sanskrit. The scholars of ancient India went to heroic lengths to preserve every word of the Vedas, and they are in the same form today that they have been in for millenia. The question is why? Why did generations of Indians go to so much trouble to preserve the Vedas, while their apparent meaning seems to be so mundane, so inconsequential?

The reason the author affirms is that Vedas are coded, and once that code is understood, it has such a powerful message that it cannot help but transform one's perception of reality. This book describes the scientific meaning of the Vedas (focusing on the Rig Veda) and other Hindu scriptures and compares them with currently accepted scientific teaching. The nature of atomic and subatomic particles, gravity, electromagnetism, the cohesive forces of the universe, the wave function and entropy have all been anticipated and described in the words of the Rig Veda. The twentieth and twenty-first centuries have witnessed merely their rediscovery.

This is a delightfully written book, and one that is easily understood by the reader without a technical scientific background (although the latter is helpful). Professor Roy is superlatively skilled at conveying subtle points simply and effectively, and this volume is a worthy addition to the library of any student of science, history or religion.

The Book seemed to be a reflection of the "Cosmic Science" I had discussed with my parents & siblings since Childhood.. The Author is well versed in Physical science but sometimes mis-interprets the Vedic phrases leaving "mush to be desired"... For example, in the Purusha Surta, there is a verse saying the "Legless purusha Attained legs"; well the word for leg in sanskrit is "paada" meaning part. So the sentense would be, the undivided had divided itself... That would be close to a rational mind.

Also, the use of the term "God" is a no-no when explaining the RGveda. Purusha denotes the ABSOLUTE.

On the whole, I would call it a Very welcome step in explaining the Vedas. The forthcoming versions might see a lot of corrections :)

I've always been interested in this subject matter ever since I saw Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" miniseries (where he mentions Hinduism's approach to cosmology). Unfortunately we ordinary people overlook and thus miss out on deeper meanings in our own books. The Rg Veda is the heritage not only of Hinduism, but of all humanity. Roy's interpretations were, to say the least, mind-blowing. I was fascinated and read the book in a day. I can't wait to read it again. There are a lot of Sanskrit words, but the "glossary" at the end was a very helpful reference. Whether you agree with him or not, this book is written by a brilliant scholar and his research is very thorough. I have recommended this book to other friends and relatives of mine, so I can have someone to discuss it with! I urge you also to read it, esp. if you are from India, it will make you proud.