Popular Science
About the Book
Indian civilization was one of the most advanced and sophisticated of all the early civilizations. Its dynamic and progressive impact had a major influence in the evolution of other civilizations. The book primarily deals with the impact of ancient Indian science, particularly in the field of physics and thereby presents evidence which shows that scientific concepts like Newton's Laws of Motion were already prevalent at that time in India. Moreover, the book brings to fore the systematic and scientific methodology followed by ancient Indian philosophers. Drawing mainly from available extant literature, particularly Vaisesika Darshan, one of the six well-known systems of Vedic philosophy propounded by Anulukya, more popularly known as Kanada, the book draws a parallel between the scientific temper of the past and today. The book may be of interest to students, scholars and general readers who are interested in the achievements of ancient Indian science.
About the Author-1
Dr N G Dongre (1939-2009), a noted scientist and professor of physics, was a pioneer in the field of ancient Indian science. Widely published, Dr Dongre is the author of many articles and research papers in the area of modern physics as well as in the field of ancient Indian scientific wisdom, in reputed research journals including Journal of History of Science (Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi). Dr Dongre participated in many science conferences and presented papers on Science and Technology in India.
About the Author-2
Dr Shankar Gopal Nene, Sahityacharya, Kavyatirtha, MA in Sanskrit, Hindi-Pali and Linguistics is proficient in many languages. Dr Nene has authored several books as well as translations in Hindi, Sanskrit and English including T. Burrow's famous work the Sanskrit Language into Hindi in collaboration with Late Bholashankar Vyas. For his Hindi translation of the book Lal Bahadur Shastri: Life of Truth in Politics, he has received a special mention from former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He has edited several volumes of research projects and presented papers in many workshops and seminars across India on Vedic studies. He was the chief editor of The Contacts, a monthly journal published from Frankfurt, and Deputy Secretary of Europa Indian Foundation, Germany. Dr Nene has authored critical editions of the manuscripts on various oriental subjects. He is a visiting scholar at the Centre of Advanced Studies in Sanskrit (CASS), Pune University and teaches Manuscriptology. He has made a significant contribution along with Dr N G Donge in the field of research connected with the opportunities and potentials of scientific investigations in ancient Indian knowledge systems.
Preface
It is my pleasure to put this thoroughly revised and updated edition of Physics in Ancient India in the hands of readers with the hope that this will also receive the same response and accolades from the scholars as the last edition.
In India, the study of Vedas and other ancient scriptures related to various philosophies and spiritual knowledge done till today through popular means has been more or less complete and exhaustive.
However, it has been observed that the studies of scriptures related to physical subjects such as astronomy, medicine, chemistry, engineering etc. have never been given due consideration and importance. At the same time, thorough research work, that some of the ancient scriptures related to above mentioned topics demand, has never been undertaken.
For example the treatise on 'Vaišeşika Darśana' by Maharşi Kaņāda, which is, more or less, a 'Book of Physics' has never been studied the way it should have been. As far as some of the scriptures related to philosophical knowledge in ancient Indian thoughts are concerned; a number of descriptions, notes, comments and critical studies are available to establish the principles and doctrines posited by these texts. However, in the last 2000 years, no effort has ever been made to establish such principles mathematically. It would have been possible to establish some principles by experimental studies using some equipment; but it is really quite strange to say that such efforts were never made. A Marathi Encyclopaedia compiled and edited by Ketkar and published in 1922, in its section 'History of Physics' especially mentions that it is an 'unwritten page'.
Acknowledgements
We owe our sincerest gratitude to the galaxy of ancient thinkers -Indians as well as westerners Rishis, Munis, sages, scholars in the tradition and scientists of contemporary era, whose works form basis for the perceptions and thought-processes deliberated in the present treatise.
The authors are very grateful for encouraging response and suggestions from the numerous scholars in the field. We are also grateful to the authors of several excellent books, papers and articles from which we have drawn substantially. We are grateful to the authorities of Bharat Kala Bhawan, Varanasi and Patna Museum, Patna for providing the necessary photographs and data which were used for the discussion on measurement of mass. Special thanks are due to Prof. A. Natarajan of Sidhidasam University for his valuable suggestions.
This work is the outcome of studies and investigations of nearly 35 years. During these years persistent debate has been an ongoing process. Deviation from accepted traditional thought systems, both in the field of ancient Indian knowledge disciplines and, to a certain extent, in the arena of modern scientific perceptions, kept us on our toes engaging in interactions, including harsh altercations at times, with traditional Sanskrit scholars and contemporary scientists and thinkers. From each of discussions, however, we were benefited and were that much wiser.
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