Skip to main content

Those blindly following rituals forget: Indian tradition has 'encouraged' scientific temper

By Rit Nanda*
In the Covid-19 pandemic raging around the world, two very contrasting news stories stood out in India. One was how a seller was exploiting the foolishness of masses those who were willing to pay for cow dung and cow urine. The other, much more uplifting, news story was of India sending Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to countries in need for researching viability.
Within a period of a single crisis, India was shown to be both foolishly hanging on to traditions and contributing to medical science.
But the question is what if Indian tradition is not anti-scientific? What if Indian tradition actively encourages following the path of spirituality while ignoring false rituals? We know from history about Aryabhatta and Sushruta. We know about Ayurveda too. But do Indian traditions support just science or do they support scientific temper?
We do a great disservice to millions of Indians when we frame India as a land of age old rituals, which was a caricature given to us by the West. Let us look at distinct periods in Indian history (Ancient History, Medieval History, and Modern History) and how Indian tradition was way ahead of many international counterparts when it came to rational belief – even as providing contemporary examples.
In Ancient History, going back to the times Before Christ, Indian philosophy had two main branches: Astika and Nastika. These are traditionally translated in English as Believers and Atheists for the lack of better words. But these translations could not be further from the truth.
Astika simply means those who believed the orthodoxy of the Vedas. Nastika meant those who did not believe in the supremacy of Vedas like Jainism and Buddhism which broke away from Hinduism.
The six schools of Astika are: Nyay, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta. None of these schools talk of believing rituals without question. In fact, Nyay says there are four proofs needed to gain knowledge: perception, inference, analogy and testimony. 
Vaisesika only accepts perception and inference and rejects the other two. Samkhya accepts perception, inference and analogy. Yoga’s spirituality is strongly related to Samkhya’s. Mimamsa takes all the four proofs of Nyay and adds circumstantial postulation to that. Vedanta takes the proofs up to six by adding cognitive proof to the five proofs in Mimamsa.
Six schools of Astika are Nyay, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, Vedanta. None of these believe in rituals without question
Hence, our ancient Vedic tradition asks us to believe in the six Pramana (proofs): Pratyakṣa (perception), Anumaṇa (inference), Upamaṇa (comparison and analogy), Arthapatti (postulation, derivation from circumstances), Anupalabdi (non-perception, negative/cognitive proof) and Sabda (scriptural testimony/verbal testimony of past or present reliable experts). All of these are supremely scientific approaches that are used even today in the modern world in fields ranging from science to law.
RSS pracharak Parameswaran, who 'opposed' BJP-RSS orthodoxy
Coming to the Medieval Ages, we may choose to turn our attention to Madhavacharya, the patron saint of the Vijaynagara Empire. His famous work Sarvadarsanasangraha’s first chapter focuses on Charvaka. Charvaka is a Nastika philosophy that deals with perception being the sole proof. It says that anything that is inferred must be subjected to doubt. This let Hinduism open to radical questioning at all times, without accepting anything as definitive. That such a materialistic and atheistic philosophy should lead the work of a Hindu saint shows how important scientific rigour was in our culture. It ought to be remembered that in these times, Europe was in the Dark Ages as it struggled to reconcile Biblical Gospel to perceived truths.
Thereafter in the Modern Era, where unfortunately we had fallen far behind Europe in terms of science leading to us being colonised, we had people like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Swami Vivekananda leading the way.
Ram Mohan Roy, given the title Raja i.e. King by a Mughal emperor no less, was the Father of Indian Renaissance. He fought against traditions like child marriage and Sati and today such practices are rightly considered barbaric. Ishwar Chandra, conferred the title Vidyasagar for being an ‘Ocean of Knowledge’, fought against opposition to widow remarriage. Swami Vivekananda believed firmly that scientific temperament was must and it was his meeting with Jamshedji Tata that led to the conceptualisation of the Indian Institute of Science.
And in these contemporary times, we had prominent RSS Pracharak Parameswaran, who opposed the ruling party BJP, which is aligned with RSS, and orthodoxy to promote gender equality in entry to Sabarimala.
Hence, it is eminently false that Indian tradition does not encourage scientific temper. In fact, those who ignore scientific methods and follow rituals blindly are the ones who most strongly violate the Indian tradition of Pramanas, Charvaka and Modern Renaissance. We must move forward in science and lead the world by returning to our true roots.
---
*M Sc energy, trade and finance, City University, London; supply chain and human resources supervisor and consultant

Comments

TRENDING

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

'Enough evidence' in Indian tradition to support legal basis for same-sex marriage

By Iyce Malhotra, Joseph Mathai, Sandeep Chachra*  The ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage provides space for much-needed conversations on issues that have hitherto remained “invisible” or engaged with patriarchal locker room humour. We must recognize that people with diverse sexualities and complex gender identities have faced discrimination, stigma and decades of oppression. Their issues have mainly remained buried in dominant social discourse, and many view them with deep insecurities.

Delhi HC rules in favour of retired Air Force officer 'overcharged' for Covid treatment

By Rosamma Thomas*  In a decision of May 22, 2023, the Delhi High Court ruled in favour of petitioner Group Captain Suresh Khanna who was under treatment at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, between April 28 and May 5, 2021, for a period of eight days, for Covid-19 pneumonia. The petitioner had to pay Rs 3,55,286 as treatment costs, but the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) only reimbursed him for Rs 1,83,748, on the basis of government-approved rates. 

Urgency for next pandemic? But Mr Health Secretary, you're barking up wrong tree

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD*  The Union Health Secretary, Mr Rajesh Bhushan addressing the Health Working Group of G20 India, at Hyderabad on 05 June 2023, cautioned that the next pandemic would not wait for us to make global treaties and called on countries to work together.

Religious divide 'kept alive' with low intensity communalism in Gujarat's cultural capital

By Rajiv Shah  A fact-finding report, prepared by the Mumbai-based non-profit, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism (CSSS), has cited the Vadodara Ram Navami violence of March 30 as yet another example of how, after the BJP consolidating its hold on political power in Gujarat post-2002 riots and at the Centre in 2014, the nature of communal riots has changed, underlining, as opposed to high-intensity violence earlier, now riots have become “more sub-radar and at a smaller scale, more localized”.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Why continued obsession with adding more 'water guzzling' coal, nuclear power plants?

By Shankar Sharma*  The true concerns over water inefficiency in coal power plants have been known and have been highlighted many times in the past. A highly relevant study report by Prayas Energy Group had highlighted this fast looming threat to our society many years ago. But our authorities have been acting as though there can be no issue with water supply, and that additional coal power plants can be added indefinitely; even without any true relevance to climate change.

Generative AI as 'potent weapon and shield' in battle of political misinformation

By Haziq Jeelani*  In the pulsating heart of the digital era, the political arena is ceaselessly molded by the swift and relentless flow of information. The line between fact and fiction often blurs, creating a nebulous landscape where truth and deceit intertwine. 

Kailash Satyarthi NGO rescues 12 child workers from high profile Gujarat private varsity

By Our Representative  In a rather grim reflection of the state of child labour in Gujarat, 12 child labourers, most of whom belong to Rajasthan tribal communities, have been rescued from the campus of a high profile private university in Rajkot by a team of the Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU), Labour Department, Centre for Labour Research and Action, and the Police.