The development of modern science began in
16th century. New discoveries about the world around us brought about a change
in human awareness. The blind faith which had been predominant began to
crumble. No institution or organization could prove these discoveries invalid,
with the result that thinking people started to examine everything from
scientific angle. No longer were people willing to believe something simply
because of tradition or Church doctrines. A new age, the Age of Reason, dawned
in Europe. Science presented an alternative why to understand the universe.
Through the scientific method of investigation, based on observation, analysis
and conclusion, a relationship was established between cause and effect.
This wave of scientific discoveries created doubts in people's minds in regard
to religion. However, as science advanced and research probed more deeply,
scientists themselves began to change their opinions. They began to talk about
certain factor which they called energy or power.
In the 20the century, Einstein brought about a fundamental change in scientific
thinking. His Theory of Relativity proved that what appears to be true is in
reality not so; what seems to be an absolute truth is actually only relatively
so. For example, when we travel in a train, it seems to us that trees and
buildings are moving, but in reality they are not. In much the same way, the
world and everything in it appears to be true, but actually it has no absolute
existence. Saints called this phenomenon "Maya".
Scientists have also proven that the universe is permeated by a force which is
never created nor destroyed. The principle which was formulated about this
phenomenon is called the Law of Conservation of Energy. However, scientists
have not yet been able to find out what this energy is.
In the scriptures it is called 'Soul', or, 'Sat. Chit, Anand', Which means '
Truth, Consciousness, Bliss'. Scientific research has revealed that the
ultimate form of matter is energy, When matter is broken down into its subtlest
from, only energy remains. Scientists are incapable at this point of studying
it further.
The Scriptures mention three fundamental phenomena-God (Brahm), the embodied
soul (Jiv) and Nature or the phenomenal universe (Prakriti). God is said to be
omnipresent, therefore, if a scientist probes deeply and precisely enough into
Nature, he should find God. however, science is itself unable to study that
phenomena which is paradoxically all-pervading yet aloof from Nature.
para-physical institutes have been established to examine those phenomena which
do not yield their secrets to ordinary scientific study.
In spite of this, it is incorrect to claim that science and spirituality are
mutually opposed. Scientific principles do not contradict spiritual principles,
but rather reinforce them. The truth of the matter is that where science ends,
spirituality begins. Science is attempting to discover the subtlest or ultimate
from Nature. This same investigation was called 'spirituality' by the sages of
old. In the real sense, spirituality could be called the complete science,
which throws the light of understanding on to all other scientific disciplines.
we perceive material existence through our senses. The entire creation seems to
be a combination of energy and insentient matter, fro which the scriptural
terms are Purush (Creator) and Prakriti (Nature). The universe has been created
from certain elements. Scientific research has discovered many elements which
are fundamentally essential for life. The Scriptures declare that everything is
created from five basic elements: water, fire, earth, air and ether and all the
elements which have been discovered scientifically are included therein.
Therefore, science is simply confirming the scriptural concepts of creation.
Indian scriptures say that Creation was a gradual evolutionary process, and the
evolutionary theories advanced by scientists tend to prove this. The scriptures
maintain that the universe is a combination of three creative attributes or
forces, called Satoguna, Rajoguna and Tamoguna, whose atomic equivalents ae
electron, proton and neutron. However, there is something else beyond these
forces which also cannot be perceived by senses, and that is 'Satchitanand'.
This is the omnipresent Energy.
The matter-energy phenomenon displays itself during and atomic explosion. The
transformation of the atom into energy indicates that the source of everything
is energy. The phenomenal world is totally dependent on the creative energy of
Satchitanand in the same way as planets originate from a sun and revolve around
it.
While the lite energy is active within us, we are what we are. The moment it
demanifests, we cease to live. Our body is a microcosmic representation of the
universe, and this is why it is said that, in order to understand the whole
(the universe), we have to study the part. In order to analyze the properties
of sea water, we examine a drop of it. Therefore the scriptures advise us to
become introvert rather than extrovert. To understand Creation, we should not
be content only to study Nature, rather we should study the Inner Self.
Only human beings can do this. Only humans can engage in spiritual pursuits.
The desire to realize our true nature, to achieve Enlightenment, is inherent in
human beings. A person can still feel unfulfilled even though he has reached
the pinnacle of material success. When someone feels that he is lacking
something, he goes in search of that elusive thing, and until he finds it, his
thirst is never quenched. This can be also explained scientifically. The atom
has a natural tendency to achieve an inert state. That is why atoms undergo
chemical reactions with each other. Elements react with one another because
they all want to become inert or stable. Inert gases such as neon do not
combine with other gases.
All atoms wish to complete their outer shell. Even the minutest particle of
matter wants to achieve stability, so it is natural that human beings, who are
after all composed of billions of atoms, wish to achieve a state of total
stability and completeness. Everything we do is merely to achieve total
satisfaction, but unfortunately this cannot be found in material things,
because matter has limitations. A person can only have complete peace or
satisfaction when he or she has known something which is infinite and
limitless. Therefore, our instinctive tendency, our innate religion, is to seek
total satisfaction, and someone who does not proceed in accordance with this
instinct can never be happy, either in this world or the next.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna said to Arjuna, "Even if someone
studies many scriptures or worships many deities, his actions are useless until
he receives Spiritual Knowledge." The Hindu scriptures describe two kinds
of knowledge. 'Apara' knowledge is the study of Nature, or the phenomenal
world. The Gita says that the universe has been created from eight aspects of
nature: the five elements, mind, intellect and ego. All empirical scientific
disciplines go only as far as the analysis of matter, or , at the most, the
analysis of mind and intellect.
Freud and others have tried to analyze the mind. They talk about conscious,
unconscious, subconscious mind and ego. All this is included in Apara
knowledge. On the other hand, 'Para' knowledge is that which leads to the
direct experience and realization of God, or Truth-Consciousness-Bliss.
The vedas also talk about these two types of knowledge. The Upanishads mention
the sage Narad, who was unhappy in spite of having mastered fourteen different
kinds of knowledge. He complained to the saint Sanatkumar that even though he
was so learned, he had not found spiritual peace. Sanatkumar advised him to
receive Spiritual Knowledge.
Undoubtedly, progress in both types of knowledge is necessary for a balanced
and happy life. Material knowledge is in itself not sufficient, and until it is
supplemented with spiritual wisdom, we will not find lasting peace. Moreover,
it can become a tool of destruction.
That is why philosophers emphasized spiritual evolution (or, the transformation
of the concealed consciousness within us), together with the control of
material science by spirituality. Science unchecked by spirituality can prove
to be a curse to civilization. The two world wars are ample proof of this. If
mankind does not proceed towards a spiritual goal it is possible that our
civilization, which is based on scientific inventions and discoveries, will be
destroyed in a third world war. Henceforth, man may have to again start
fighting with stones or bows and arrows, as primitive man did. So it is
essential that everyone engage in spiritual and not just materialistic
activities. The direction we give to our lives will determine the outcome.
An aero plane flies in direction in which its compass is set. In the same way,
if we point mind in the direction of maya and materialism, we will always be
restless and our knowledge and wisdom will be incomplete, because infinite
bliss, which will satisfy us forever, is not found in matter. Bliss, which is
spiritual ecstasy or pure joy, is an attribute of God alone. Only God, the
Ultimate Power, is called Truth-Consciousness-Bliss. So if we unite the mind
with God alone, we will find that infinite peace, for which we are all
searching, whether we realize it or not.
A scientist can never find spiritual knowledge through science, nor can he
study it, because science has inherent limitations. Scientific study uses the
organs of perception, which are limited by space and time, as well as being
confined to the phenomenal. Something which is infinite and beyond space and
time can be realized only through spiritual practice. Empirical science
describes only the forms, qualities and deficiencies of matter and partly, at
that. However, that which is the root of all knowledge can be realized and understood
only through Spiritual.
Satpalji maharaj
