THE WONDER WORLD OF PHYSICS

Contents

.  Introduction

.  Vedic Period

.  The Nyaya-Vaiseshika Sutras

.  Kanada

.  Physics of Light

.  Wave Mechanics

.  Concept of Space and Time

.   Spectroscopy

.   Quotes

.  Conclusion

Introduction

India’s contribution in the field of Physics has been legendary. The exponents of these ideas were not Scientists in the real sense of the term but were philosophers and their ideas of physical reality were integrated with theology and philosophy. There was no formal separation of subjects and no conscious attempt to study science independently of theory and practical innovations and technologies. Most of the discoveries took place through trial or by experience without knowledge of any scientific principles underlying it. Focus was mainly on utilitarian aspects and on practical efficacy and not much on how or why something worked or did not work. Also unlike in Astronomy where involvement was intense due to its connection with religion and astrology which consequently also led to mathematics, in the field of pure Science such an imperative and exclusive need was not felt as such. Later Kings also patronised fine arts, astronomy, astrology for need of rainfall mapping, accurate monsoon prediction, auspicious time for battle etc due to which Science was not given the boost it required. The need for Science and Technology was felt only when it came to improving tools of war. The growing influence of religion also created a sharp divide between the physical and mental processes and the orthodoxy prevented scientists from active theorising and quantification.

Vedic Period

From Vedic times around 3000 BC to 1000 BC, the material world had been classified by the Indians into five elements or the Pancha Maha Bhootas  Earth, air, fire, water and ether with their senses of perception like Earth with smell, air with feeling, fire with vision, water with taste and ether with sound.

All the elements except for ether are said to be composed of discreet and distinct indivisible particles called Parmanus, Param meaning beyond and Anu meaning atom. Thus at an abstract level Indian philosophers conceived the possibility of splitting an atom, which is the source of atomic energy as we know today.

The main schools of the Vedas were Nyaya(logic), Vaiseshika(Physics), Yoga(metaphysics) and Sankhya(philosophy). Each school of thought had its own rules or formulae, Sutras or aphorisms. They were self contained texts on their discipline, containing commentaries and explanations by several teachers. They also had a first teacher who systematised the knowledge of the Vedic teachers into Sutras. This can be traced far back to the Sathya/Krita Yuga more than 5000 years ago.

Due to their common rational approach the Nyaya and Vaiseshika schools merged into one. Rishi Gautama and Kanada founded the Nyaya Vaiseshika Sutra and it consists of 12 chapters and 373 sutras.

The Nyaya-Vaiseshika Sutras

The main postulates in these Sutras were that the universe was made of elements and except ether all the elements were made of Paramanus or atoms. The physical universe exists in a Space-Time frame. Mass and energy are equivalent and there are seven categories of experience ie activity, particularity, generality, substance, quality, non existence and inherence. They stated that the nature of the human eyes caused colour recognition.

These Sutras dealt with the theory of space and time and the investigation, mechanics and observation of the universe and the elements. They included waves, thermodynamics, gravitation, laws of motion, magnetism, hydrostatics etc.

Examples of some of these Vaiseshika Sutras are-

. That which displaces, moves things apart or holds together is called Force - V.S 1.1.20

. A particle of matter experiences no change in the absence of a force

-V.S 1.1.6

. Action is opposed by an equivalent opposite reaction-V.S 1.1.13

. Gravity exists in the absence of all other forces- V.S 5.1.13

. Due to conglomeration of the constituent particles solids occupy space and assume form- V.S 4.1.8

. For combination and breakup of molecules Forces are necessary- V.S 1.1.25

There are also a number of Sutras on types of forces, mass, energy and its kinds, motion etc.

Kanada was the first Indian philosopher who lived in the 6^th century BC who formulated ideas about the atom in a systematic manner. Another philosopher Pakudha Katyayana who was a contemporary of Gautam Buddha and also lived in the 6^th century BC also propounded ideas about the atom. The atom was considered by them to be eternal as it was indestructible. The theories about atom were greatly abstract and based on logic and not on experimentation or personal experience. Thus they lacked an empirical base.

Kanada

Kanada (who was earlier called Kashyapa) was the son of Ulka, a philosopher. It is said that once when he was accompanying his father on a pilgrimage to Prayag he found pilgrims throwing grains of rice as offerings and he began to collect each grain one by one. This was observed by a well known sage, Muni Someshwara who heard derogatory remarks from passersby but when Kashyapa explained the importance of each and every grain in the universe, the learned sage realised his wisdom and greatness and renamed him Kanada, Kana meaning grain. His theory on atom was said to be far more advanced than the ones the Greek philosophers Democritus and Leucippus formulated later.

According to Kanada, the universe was made up of matter which when divided and subdivided reached a stage beyond which no further division was possible, this indivisible element was called Paramanu. It could not be sensed through any human organ. The five elements were made up of different types of Paramanus. Depending on the substance to which it belongs, each paramanu has a peculiar property. He propounded that as the density of atoms in water is more than in air, an object appears to be heavy under water. Thus he foreshadowed Archimedes theory in a very elementary but important way. He said that one Parmanu combined with another due to an inherent urge. When two Parmanus belonging to the same class of a substance combined, a Dwinuka or binary molecule resulted which had similar properties to the Parent Paramanu. Thus a variety of Dwinuka gave rise to a variety of substances in the universe.

Kanada also formulated the idea of chemical changes taking place in substances due to variation in temperature eg-ripening of fruit, blackening of a new earthern pot etc.

Physics of Light

Vedic Indians had calculated the speed of light. They had understood magnetism, heat and electricity to be forms of energy. They also delved into material obstructions and their role in reflection, refraction and absorption of energy. The various schools of Vedas give proof of this understanding.

Mimamsa School-Light particles in constant motion make up a flame and diffusing away from the wick forms a radiation.

Ayurveda(Medicine)-Varahamihira  stated that reflection of light is caused by’ Kirannavighatana Murchhana’ ie-light particles arriving on an object and then scattering back. Vatsyayana referred to this as ‘rasmiparavartana’ explaining it as opacity and the casting of shadows. Vachaspati explained light and the refraction process and Uddyotakara stated about fluids moving through objects which were porous.

Maharishi Bharadwaja in his Amsu Bodhini mentions light spectroscopy which shows a high level of understanding of light and its principles.

Wave Mechanics

Concepts of wave mechanics originated in Vedas much before Galileo as Vedic Physics believed everything in the universe were “Vibrations’’.

Mimamsa School-Condensation and rarefaction of air molecules led to sound and its travel.

Nyaya Vaiseshika Sutras-Sound is of two types, Musical and Vocal. Sound was defined as waves and these waves could be transverse or longitudinal. These are clearly explained in ancient Indian literature on music about Svaras, Srutis etc.

Concept of Space and Time

Nyaya-Vaiseshika Sutra- It gave postulates on the equivalence of matter and energy and the particle-wave duality. A frame in which matter exists is defined as space. Thus space is a form of energy and not a void and the constituent particles are in a constant state of flux.

Shrimad Bhagavat Puran- According to it, the time factor is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everyone enjoys or suffers the result of his own actions within the jurisdiction of the time element. All time cycles are measured in terms of Brahma where one day of Brahma is equal to 4.32 billion years and one life of Brahma is 133 trillion years.

Spectroscopy

Maharishi Bharadwaja’s Amsu Bodhini consists of Yantra Saraswana (all about machines). It is a highly technical and credible text which has been used as reference material by all Indian scientists. They constructed an ancient spectrometer/monochrometer with its aid. In the Yantra Saraswana, there are 109 different machines composed of 32 different components. One of the components is the infra red glass, resistant to moisture and the refraction of light are in Vedic units where 1 kakshay =104 radian.

Some examples from the text Yantra Saraswana

Directions on building the device:

Note: The units that are used are angula (finger) and karmac. Estimate it as 1 finger = 2cm and 1 karmac = 1mm.

·         First and foremost. Make a 120 * 120 finger elipse from a mirror like glass of 106 karmac(mm) which will form the base. In the centre draw lines like a a 24 hour clock and two circles on both sides of it and making sections on it like a dial.         

यंत्रस्थद्वादशांगस्यपूर्वभागेस्थितेक्रमात्।
चतुस्श्रेयथाशास्त्रंवर्तुलंभारवर्जितम्।
वितसस्तिदशकायामंसुदृढंचसुसूक्ष्मकम्।।
छायापकर्षणादर्शषडुत्तरशतात्मकम्।
शास्त्रोक्तविधिनासम्यक्स्थापयेत्सुदृढंत्तथा।।
पश्चाच्छायापकर्षणदर्पणे शास्त्र:क्रमात् -
शंकुस्थानाद्दक्षवामपार्श्वयोरुभयोरपि।
त्रिंशत्त्रिंशल्लिखेद्रेखादर्पणान्तावधिक्रमात्।।
अह:प्रमाणघटिकान्दक्षरेखास्तयो:क्रमात्।
रात्रिप्रमाणघटिकान्वामरेखस्तस्थैवहि।।
प्रदर्शयन्तिसंख्यात:तथाविघटिकान्क्रमात्।
तेषुदर्शयितुंरेखाश्चतुष्षष्ठिर्विलेखयेत्।।
सर्वत्र रेखान्त्यभागेबिन्दुनेकसमन्वितान्।
स्फुटंविलेखयेत्तद्वत्तदन्तस्सूक्ष्मतस्तथा।।

·         After that, with a stony glass, make a 4 finger radius and 72 finger height pole and place it in the center of the base. Then from the start of the pole to the end, at 1212 finger distance apart make three holes, so that they will correspond to the electrical wiring to the sides. This is also called the principal pillar.

 चतुरंगुलमायामषड्वितस्त्युन्नतंतथा।
इतरांगैस्समाहृतविद्युत्तत्र्यादिभिर्युतम्।।
स्वमध्यादन्तपर्यन्तंवितस्तैकान्तरंयथा।
रंध्रात्रयेणसंयुक्तंशिलाकाचविनिर्मितम्।।
मेरुस्तंभाख्यशंकुंतन्मध्येसंस्थापयेद्दृढम्।

·         After that, make three holes on both sides and from principal pillar at 1010 finger distance, make a 60(4) finger height pole(from the same stony glass) so that it corresponds to the first hole. Then make an 88 distance from that at 50(5) finger height and finally at 66 distance make a 40 finger height pole(6). Fix these tightly. Then do the same with the right side, except make them slightly longer. The top of all the poles will have a chain and axle-mechanism.                                                         

दृढंदशांगुलायामंक्रमात्यष्ट्यंगुलोन्नतम्।
पश्चातृतीयरंध्रस्यपार्श्वयोरुभयोरपि।।
तथाद्वितीयरंध्रस्यपार्श्वयोरुभयोरपि।
शास्त्रोक्तविधिनादंडमेकंसंधारयेद्दृढम्।।
दण्डंसंधारयेतद्वत्सुदृढंकाचनिर्मितम्।
क्रमादष्टाङ्गुलायामंपंचाशदंगुलोन्नतम्।।
चत्वारिंशत्यंगुलोन्नतमायामेषडंगुलम्।
एवंप्रथमरंध्रस्यपार्श्वयोरुभयोरपि।।
दंडप्रमाणमुभयोस्समानमपिपार्श्वयो:।
दंडंसंयोजयेत्पूर्ववद्दृढंकाचनिर्मितम्।।
तथासंधारयेत्तेषुदंडानित्रीण्ययथाक्रमम्।
किंचिदूर्ध्वभवेद्दक्षेवामेथस्थात्स्थितिर्यथा।।
दंडानांमूलदेशेसंधारयेत्पार्श्वयो: क्रमात्।
पूर्वोक्ततंत्रिभिर्युक्तचक्रकीलान्यथाविधि।।

·         After that, 3030 lines on both sides make a 50 finger radius circular glass plate. On this, a 80 Surya Prism will be placed (a collminating lens) put in the third hole on the right(top) in such a manner, the corresponding pole on the right can turn it at 3 revolutions per cycle. 

पंचाशदंगुलायामंविस्तीर्णतावदेवहि।
त्रिंशद्रेखांचितंपश्चादनुलोमविलोमत:।।
स्वरूपेभानुवद्भासमानंस्वकिरणैस्स्वत:।
प्रभाकरमणिं शुद्धमष्ठाशीत्यात्मकंलघु।।
धारयन्तंमध्यभागे आतपोष्णादिभिर्युतम्।
प्रभाकरादर्शचक्रंसूर्यप्रतिनिधिंदृढ़म्।।
मेरोस्तृतीयरंध्रस्थदण्डान्त्यकेन्द्रके।
त्रिचक्रकीलकैस्सम्यक्स्थापयेद्भ्राम्यतेयथा।।

·          Make a 24 finger radius glass wheel of 206 karmac, on which CAOH and phosphoric acid ray absorbing prism will be placed. Join this to the corresponding chain and axle mechanism on the left.  

पश्चाद्दिवाकरादर्शवद्रेखाबिन्दुभिर्युतम्।
सुधाद्रवशशोषादिद्रावकेश्चसुसंस्कृतम्।।
एतत्संस्कारतश्श्वेताभ्रवद्भास्वरमद्भुतम्।
आकारेणांशुभिश्चैवचन्द्रमण्डलवत्स्थितम्।।
भ्राजमानसप्तपंचाशदुत्तरशतात्मकम्।
किरणग्राहकमणिदधानमध्यकेन्द्रके।।
पंचचत्वारिंशदंगुलायामंवर्तुलंतथा।
षोडशोतरद्विशतसंख्याकसुद्ढंलघु।।
निशाकरादर्शचक्रचन्द्रपतिनिधिक्रमात्।
पूर्ववत्तृतीयरंध्रवामदण्डान्त्यकेन्द्रके।।
संधारयेत्कीलकाद्यैस्स्वतस्संचाल्यतेयथा।

·  After that, with the Ushmapakshika material made of Madhuvaran, make a circular plate of 6 finger less radius, inscribed with points and indicators, so that two cavaties form on both sides of the plate. In the first cavity place the 164 karmac infrared sensitive glass. Join this to the corresponding chain and axle mechanism on the right.

उष्णापकर्षकंनामलोहंस्यात्कृत्कंतत:।
तेनप्रकल्पिह्यतंभानुफलकंमधुवर्णकम्।।
निशाकरादर्शचक्रादपिन्यूनषडंगुलम्।
बिन्दुरेखांकनैर्युक्तं अवटद्वयसंयुतम्।।
प्रथमावटमध्यस्थपारदेसन्निवेशितम्।
चतुषष्ट्युत्तरशतसंख्याकंभारवर्जितम्।।
घर्मपहारकमणिंबिन्दुरेखांकनैर्युतम्।
दधानंसुदृढ़सूक्ष्ममेरोरूर्ध्वंयथाविधि।।
क्रमाद्द्वितीयरंध्रस्थदक्षदंडान्त्यकेन्द्रके।
त्रिचक्रकीलकैस्सम्यक्स्थापयेद्भ्राम्यतेयथा।।

·         After that, points, lines and indictators that have been made on a 173 karmac dhoom colour circular glass plate, on which is placed a 214 karmac lens suitable for ultraviolet radiation. Join this to the corresponding chain and axle mechanism on the left. When exposed to sun light, it will tell us about the ultraviolet radiation, according to the graduations.

 पश्चाच्चतुर्दशोत्तरद्विशतेनयथाविधि।
तमोगर्भाख्यमणिनायोजितंभारवर्जितम्।।
त्रिसप्तत्युत्तरशतात्मकंधूम्राकृतिंतत:।
छायामुखादर्शचक्रबिन्दुरेखांकनैर्युतम्।।
मेरोर्द्वितीयरंध्रस्थवामदण्डान्त्यकेन्द्रके।
निशाकरादर्शस्याधस्थात्स्थापयेदृढ़म्।।
एतत्सूर्यप्रकाशस्थतमछायाप्रकर्षणम्।
कृत्वाविनिश्चीयतेतत्प्रमाणंचांकनादिभि:।।

·         After that, a caliberated 96 karmac glass circular wheel will be joined by a 42 karmac prism. Join this to the corresponding chain and axle mechanis, on the right.

पश्चाद्द्विचत्वारिंशतिकप्रभामणिनायुतम्।
भागर्भादर्शवर्गस्थंषण्णवत्यात्मकंतत:।।
स्वच्छंप्रभामुखादर्शबिंदुर्रेखांकनैर्युतम्।
मेरुस्तंभप्रथमरंध्रदक्षदण्डान्त्यकेन्द्रके।।
त्रिचक्रकीलकैस्सम्यक्स्थापयेद्भ्राम्यतेयथा।
किरणोष्णप्रकाशांशंसूर्यस्येतत्स्वभावत:।।
पूर्वोक्तभानुफलकात्समाकृष्यस्वशक्तित:।
निश्चीयतेतत्प्रकाशप्रमाणस्वांकनादिभि:।।

· The above special lens that was made of 96 karmac on which graduations were made, on which a 9 karmac prism is seated. Join this to the first hole and corresponding rope axle mechanism. The reflective quality of the special lens will cause the rays of the light to be mapped.

एतद्भवेत्कृतकलोह:प्रकाशस्तंभनाभिद:।
तेनप्रकल्पितंचक्रंबिन्दुरेखांकनैर्युतम्।।
नवसंख्याकमणिनावल्लभाख्येनराजितम्।
प्रकाशस्तंभनाचक्रंपंचाशीत्यात्मकंलघु।।
मेरुस्तंभप्रथमकेन्द्रवामदण्डान्त्यकेन्द्रके।
त्रिचक्रकीलकैस्सम्यक्स्थापयेत्सुदृढ़ंयथा।।
भागर्भदर्पणस्थितकिरणोष्णप्रकाशकम्।
एतत्स्वशक्त्याबध्नात्यस्पंदनंस्याद्यथाक्रमम्।।

· After that, on the base an ultraviolet-visible differentiating glass display panel is made so that it can collect the projections on both sides of the wheels.           

छायाप्रभाविभाजकलौहस्यात्कृतकस्तत:।
तेनप्रकल्पितंछायाप्रभाविभाजकपट्टिकाम्।।
यावत्प्रमाणंचक्राणांषण्णामुभयपार्श्वयो:।
तावत्प्रमाणंसंक्लृप्तांपट्टिकांभारवर्जिताम्।।
मेरूस्तंभप्रथमरंध्राधोभागेयथाविधि।
पार्श्वद्वयस्थचक्राणांसंधिस्थानंन्यसेत्तत:।।

The mechanism of how it works:

When the rays of light enters the top wheel, on which is a collimation lens. By that, the rays coming from through the lens enter the conical prism on the wheel underneath and continues cascading downwards to component 2, which leaves a projection of a spectral ring, which can be measured technically on the dials on the base. A reference table is given in the Amdu Bodhina for various radiation types, with technical names and radiation spectral kakshaya count (kakshaya units are vedic angle units):

The Vyaamanika Shastra written by him also speaks about Darpana Yantras or lens devices which could be lasers, microscopes, solar cells, telescopes and hologram projectors.

The Amsu Bodini, being a cosmological text also deals with evolution of the universe by Maha Visphut(Big Bang) which was the cause of the Suns and the Solar system. This theory was also mentioned in the Rig Veda. Thus the continuous annihilation of particles and antiparticles constituted energy.

Shiva’s cosmic dance depicts this concept of the universe being in a state of perpetual annihilation.

Some of the scientists of Ancient India whose works in Ancient Physics are worth mentioning are Prasastapada, Sridhara, Bhaskaracharya, Varahamihira, Aryabhata, Yativrasabha, Vachaspati Mishra and a few others including Buddhist and Jain philosophers who in their various books studied and discovered many principles of Physics.

In recent times, the contributions of Indian physicists like C.V.Raman, S.Chandrashekhar, Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Bose and many others have been immense. They have garnered laurels throughout the world through their discoveries  and some of them have even been awarded the coveted Nobel Prize and brought fame and glory to the country.

Quotes

1)       Ages before Lamarck and Darwin it was held in India that man has passed through 84 lakhs (8,400,000) of birth as plants, animals, as an "inferior species of man" and then as the ancestor of the developed type existing to-day. The theory was not, like modern doctrine of evolution, based wholly on observation and a scientific enquiry into fact but was a rather (as some other matters) an act of brilliant intuition in which observation may also have had some part.

To the philosophers of India, however, Relativity is no new discovery, just as the concept of light years is no matter for astonishment to people used to thinking of time in millions of kalpas, (A kalpa is about 4,320,000 years). The fact that the wise men of India have not been concerned with technological applications of this knowledge arises from the circumstance that technology is but one of innumerable ways of applying it.

• Sir John Woodroffe, A Tribute to Hinduism, page 246
• The Indians came closest to modern ideas of atomism, quantum physics, and other current theories

Two thousand years before Pythagoras, philosophers in northern India had understood that gravitation held the solar system together, and that therefore the sun, the most massive object, had to be at its center." "Twenty-four centuries before Isaac Newton, the Hindu Rig-Veda asserted that gravitation held the universe together. The Sanskrit speaking Aryans subscribed to the idea of a spherical earth in an era when the Greeks believed in a flat one. The Indians of the fifth century A.D. calculated the age of the earth as 4.3 billion years; scientists in 19th century England were convinced it was 100 million years.

Dick Teresi, Lost Discoveries: The Ancient Roots of Modern Science

• 3) Modern physics has thus revealed that every subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of creation and destruction. The dance of Shiva is the dancing universe, the ceaseless flow of energy going through an infinite variety of patterns that melt into one another’’.For the modern physicists, then Shiva’s dance is the dance of subatomic matter. As in Hindu mythology, it is a continual dance of creation and destruction involving the whole cosmos; the basis of all existence and of all natural phenomenon. Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes. In our times, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance.
  • Fritjof Capra, A Tribute to Hinduism, page 298
• 4) India - the land of Vedas, the remarkable works contains not only religious ideas for a perfect life, but also facts which science has proved true. Electricity, radium, electronics, airship, all are known to the seers who founded the Vedas.
  • Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Human Resource Development and Ancient Sanskrit Literature, page 19
• 5) Long before it became a scientific aspiration to estimate the age of the earth, many elaborate systems of the world chronology had been devised by the sages of antiquity. The most remarkable of these occult time-scales is that of the ancient Hindus, whose astonishing concept of the Earth's duration has been traced back to Manusmriti, a sacred book.
  • Professor Arthur Holmes, Hinduism And Scientific Quest, page 20
• 6) While the West was still thinking, perhaps, of 6,000 years old universe – India was already envisioning ages and eons and galaxies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. The Universe so vast that modern astronomy slips into its folds without a ripple.
  • Huston Smith, A Tribute to Hinduism
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              7) Ancient Indian theories were brilliant imaginative explanations of the physical structure of the world, and in a large measure, agreed with the discoveries of modern physics. “

- A.L. Basham,
Australian Indologist

               8) “This life of yours which you are living is not merely a piece of this entire existence, but in a certain sense the whole; only this whole is not so constituted that it can be surveyed in one single glance. This, as we know, is what the Brahmins express in that sacred, mystic formula which is yet really so simple and so clear: [tat tvam asi], this is you.” –Edwin Schrodinger co founder of quantum theory and Nobel Prize winner for Physics.

Conclusion

Although Science is based on building blocks, many important scientific discoveries were revelations or inspirations which came to the scientists in dreams or as a flash proving that the logical mind was limited by preconceptions, beliefs, structure and rigid pattern but such inspiration comes directly from God who is the Mind of the Universe and the Source of Consciousness. This has been acknowledged by all great scientists and inventors.

The hallmark of ancient and medieval Science in India has been its intuitive approach, the ability to inform and educate through analogy and the conceptual elegance of earlier formulations. Undue theoretical complexities needs to be reduced and more practical demonstrations and experimentation with modern and high quality tools and apparatus are needed to demonstrate and quantify scientific phenomenon. Only this can lead to improvement in the quality of science education in our country.