- Swami Vivekananda on science and Indian
Sages on Evolution.
Science has played a major role in the development of the world, and in providing comforts and improving the life of human beings. The discoveries of Science are of two types—one is through experimentation and the other by intuition. For example, the discovery of relativity by Albert Einstein was through intuition.
Swami Vivekananda was one such
scientist. He was a monk, no doubt, who taught the world about divinity within
man and revolutionised the world. However, he also had a scientific and
inquiring mind. We know of his scientific temper through different incidents in
his life, his lectures and discussions with disciples.
Finding Truth
This incident happened during his
childhood. The event demonstrates his desire to discover any truth by inquiry.
If someone said something, he would not believe it until he tested it. This is
the scientific bent of mind that every scientist must have.
When Narendra and his friends were
playing under a tree, an old man asked them to leave, saying a ghost that lived
in the tree would kill them. The other boys fled in fear but Narendra stayed
there and found that the old man had lied to frighten them. His probing nature
made him question the existence of God. He even tested Sri Ramakrishna before
accepting him as his guru.
Jnana yoga is the main component of Swamiji’s lectures. He explains the secrets of nature in jnana yoga. And he had wonderful discussions with scientists like Nicola Tesla and Kelvin during his visit to the West.
First
published in Journal of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
While explaining the real nature of man, Swamiji had spoken about the evolution of living organisms. He said, “Every evolution presupposes an involution.”
If man evolved from a unicellular
organism, the energy or power that will make man human, is already present in
the involved form. When conditions are favourable, the energy kick-starts the
process of evolution.
For example, if one organism is changing
into another, the material or energy which is used to change into another
organism, will be present in the involved state. According to external
conditions it will change into different forms. Modern science also accepts
that changes in the gennetic material cause evolution.
Swamiji explained Darwin’s theory of evolution once. He said, “Darwin wrote about the struggle for existence, survival of the fittest and natural selection. But Darwin’s theory is not applicable to humans as it is applicable to animals. Because in the animal kingdom, the animal which kills ten other animals, will be considered as strong; and it survives. But in humans, a person who kills ten people won’t be considered as a great person. Instead, one who serves, one who sacrifices and one who helps others to live, will be considered as the greatest person.”
Structure of the Body at the Atomic Level
According to cell biology, the bodies of
all living organisms including plants, animals, and human beings are made up of
cells. Those cells are made up of biomolecules and biomolecules are made up of
chemicals. Swamiji talks of the force which combines these chemicals into
biomolecules, biomolecules into cells, and cells into forming a body.
Let us take the example of a unicellular
organism. Around 3.5 billion years ago, the first life was formed on the earth
by the process of chemical evolution. This theory is proposed by Oparin and
Haldane. Modern science made the molecules in the laboratory (Stanley-Miller
experiment) but it could not discover the process by which the molecules were
combined. Even today research is continuing on the origin of life. However,
Swamiji discussed this 125 years before Oparin and Haldane.
How was the Universe
Formed?
For many years, humans have been trying
to answer this question. First, the steady state theory was proposed and afterwards
the more popular Big Bang Theory. But still there are so many unanswered
questions. How did the first atom come into existence? How did it explode? How
can something be produced out of nothing? (This can be applicable to life too).
Swamiji explained in macrocosm about this. For instance, a plant comes from seed, it grows and after sometime it dies. Then the plant produces seeds again. The seed again forms into a plant and the cycle goes on. If this is applied to the universe — it can be said that it originated from the atom and returns to atomic form from whence it is formed into a vast universe once more. These cycles are known as ‘kalpas’.
Cause —> effect—> new cause It can be applied to evolution.
Origin of the Universe is an evolved state and the atomic state is the involved state of the Universe. This can be applied to life also—a plant is born because of a seed, thus a plant is an example of an evolved state, and the seed is an example of an involved state. If it is applied to animals, the organism is an example of the evolved state. But what is necessary to make that organism is already present in the sperm and ovum in the involved state. That energy is called DNA or genetic material. The living organism is an example of an evolved state and the sperm and ovum are examples of an involved state.
Seed –> (soil)—>new plant — -> grown up plant —> plant dies –> new seed —->….
Concepts from Mythology
and Upanishads
Vedas and Upanishads are the treasure of
knowledge and wisdom of the sages. Many sages like Patanjali, Kanaada, Vyasa
and others proposed theories about the external world.
Sages on Evolution
Patanjali discovered yoga for the benefit of the world, and gave it in the form of Yoga Sutras in which he expounded about evolution of living organisms. “Jatyantara parinama prakrutya purath”
This is the line in Patanjali Yoga
Sutras, which means the cause of evolution from one organism to another
organism is its internal nature. Even back then our sages knew about the
process and classification of living organisms: krimi, pashu, pakshi, janthu.
2. Vishnu
Puranam, one of the 18 Puranas mentioned about classification of living
organisms in a shloka. Sristya purani
vividhanya jayathma vrikshan Sarisripan pashun khagadamsha mathsyam Thasyayi athusta
hridaya purusham vidaya Brahmavalokadhishanam mudam maamadeva
All living organisms are divided into
different forms such as vriksha (plants), sarisripan (reptiles) pashu
(animals) khaga (birds) matsya (fishes) and this external world
is the reflection of God.
In Padma
Purana, which was written by Sage Parashara, not only is it said that
there are 8.4 million different species on Earth, but it also goes a step
further and categorises or classifies them as follows:
Jalaja
(water based life forms) 0.9 million.
Sthavara
(immobile implying plants and trees) 2.0 million
Krimayo
(reptiles) 1.1 million.
Pakshinam
(birds) 1.0 million
Pashavah
(terrestrial animals) 3.0 million
Manavah
(human like animals) 0.4 million 8.4 million in all!
Sage Parashara
explained about the anatomy and physiology (processes like photosynthesis) in
Vrikshayurveda.
Sage Maitreya,
a great sage, told Vidura about atoms. A hexatom is actually made up of 6
(specifically 3 groups of 2) atomic particles: Anur dvau paramanu syat Trasarenus trayah smrath Jalakara rasmy
avagathah Kham evanupatann agat
Two atoms make one double atom, three
double atoms make one hexatom; this hexatom is visible in the sunlight which
enters through a window and one can see it clearly, when the hexatom goes up
towards the sky.
Charaka and Sushrutha were the
scientists who discovered treatments and surgical methods for different
diseases. In Yoga Vasistha, there was a discussion of Vishuchika, which means
viruses which affect us.
These are some examples of the
scientific principles mentioned in different parts of the scriptures by great
sages and by Swamiji in his lectures and discussions.
More examples are available in his
lectures. In his talks, Swamiji often mentioned about the necessity of
scientific thinking. However, he emphasised that scientific and spiritual
knowledge should work together to answer the big questions about the origin of
the Universe.
To use scientific knowledge we must have
discrimination (Viveka) and that is only possible through spiritual knowledge.
This article was first published in the Bhavan’s Journal, 15 May, 2023 issue. This article is courtesy and copyright Bhavan’s Journal, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai-400007. eSamskriti has obtained permission from Bhavan’s Journal to share. Do subscribe to the Bhavan’s Journal – it is very good.