"Dharma comprises those divine values of life, by living which, we shall be manifesting more and more of the essential spiritual Being in us." Swami Chinmayananda        
 
 


India

   

Science Concepts
   
   

We Beat the World at Batteries

   

An interesting procedure, that gives proof for the usage and preparation of the battery cell is recorded in Agastya Samhita. The following lines illustrate the electrical cell.

Place copper plates in an earthern pot, cover it with copper sulphate and Moistened saw dust. Spread zinc powder and cover it with mercury. Due to Chemical reaction, +ve and –ve electricity is produced. He further says that this water is decomposed in to Oxygen and Hydrogen.

- Agastya Samhita

 

 

Interestingly the battery, in the procedure as explained, in the previous text is prepared and the same was tested and proved practical. When a cell was prepared according to Agastya Samhita and measured, it gives open circuit voltage as 1.138 volts, and short circuit current as 23 mA.

   
WE Suggested the Sphere…!!

   

Everyone on the earth feels that he is at the top of the earth. But this is not true. Earth is not flat instead it is spherical in shape.

This was discussed in the ancient astronomical text, Surya Siddhanta.

“As the earth is round every person considers himself at the top of the earth where he or she is standing. So downward direction is towards the center of the earth for everyone.
- ‘Bhugoladhyaya, Surya Siddhanta’

Aryabhatta was the first to deduce that the earth is round. It must be mentioned that western science accepted that earth is spherical only in the 14th century.

 

 

The globe of earth stands suspended
in space at the centre of a circular frame
that is at the centre of the Bhagola
surrounded by the orbits of the planets;
it is made of water, soil, fire and air
and is circular on all sides that is
spherical.

(Aryabhatiya-Chapter4, verse 6)

   
Also Aryabhatta was the first to postulate that it is the earth that rotates and the stars are stationary. This was about a 1000 year before Copernicus.
               
   
How Long is Your Day???

   

23Hour 56 Minute 4 Second .1 fractions

- Aryabhatta

 

    24 Hours !  
   

23 Hour 56 Minute 4 Second 0.091 fractions

- modern value

     
   
Period of one sidereal day: The period of one sidereal rotation (that is with reference to fixed stars in the sky) of the earth, as given by Aryabhatta I in 476 A.D, works out to be 23 Hour 56
 

Minute 4 Second 0.1 fractions. The
corresponding modern value is 23
Hour 56 Minute 4 Second 0.091
fractions. The accuracy of the value
given by Aryabhatta is truly remarkable!

 
   
We Found Right-How Fast is Light…!!!

   
The fourteenth century scholar Saayana (1315-1387 AD) mentions about the speed of the light in his commentary on Rig veda. Saayana was a minister in the court of King Bukka I of the
 
One yojana is equal to 9 miles, 110 yards=9.06625 miles and according to Mahaabharata, Shanti Parva-231, half nimisha equals 8/75 seconds. Using these values the velocity of light comes to 186,413.22 miles per second.
    186,413.22 miles/sec
186,300 miles/sec
   
Vijayanagar Empire in south India; he was also a great Vedic scholar who wrote extensive commentaries on several ancient texts.
 
This is astounding because it is in remarkable agreement with our current knowledge about the speed of light! The well accepted popular scientific figure is 186,300 miles per second.
   

Thus it is remembered: [O Sun,] bow to you, you who traverse 2,202 yojanas in half a nimisha.

- Sayanacharya (Commentry on 4th verse of the hymn of Rigveda 1.50)

     
   
We Knew What Pulled us Down…!!!!!

   

A definition to Gravity is discussed in ‘Navya Kandali’ as follows -
“Gravity is the cause for falling of liquids and solids. It is invisible and is inferred by the falling motion. Gravity acts not only on the body, but also equally on its finer constituents.”

 

While commenting on the Prashana Upanishad, Adi Shankaracharya also writes, “If the famous goddess of the earth would not hold on this body by supporting apaana this body would have floated anywhere in the space or fallen down”. This statement shows clearly that Adi Shankaracharya knew very well about gravitational force of the earth.

   
     
   

Ancient Indian scriptures mention the existence of gravitational force. We can note several references regarding this, but the modern world waited till Newton to know the existence of Gravitational force.

Last updated on - Friday, January 6, 2006
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