INDIAN CONTRIBUTION TO

THE WORLD OF SCIENCE

Vedic Science Research Centre

Plot No:32, C.V.Kovil Street, R.K.Nagar, Alwarthirunagar, Chennai-87,
Phone:+ 91-44-24862832 e-mail:[email protected]
 Mathematics
 Mathematics has its roots in Vedic
literature which is nearly 4000 years
old.
 Between 1000 B.C. and 1000 A.D.
various treatises on mathematics
were authored by Indian
mathematicians in which were set
forth for the first time, the concept of
zero, the techniques of algebra,
square root and cube root.
 Geometry is called Rekha-Ganita
This method of graduated
 Even the technique of calculation, calculation was documented in
called algorithm, which is today
widely used in designing soft ware the Pancha-Siddhantika (Five
programs (instructions) for Principles) in the 5th Century
computers was also derived from But the technique is said to be
Indian mathematics. dating from Vedic times circa
2000 B.C.
 ALGEBRA
 Inancient India conventional mathematics
termed Ganitam was known before the
development of algebra. This is borne out by
the name - Bijaganitam, which was given to
the algebraic form of computation.
Bijaganitam means 'the other mathematics'
(Bija means 'another' or 'second' and Ganitam
means mathematics).
 GEOMETRY
 In the area of Geometry, Indian
mathematicians had their
contribution. There was an area
of mathematical applications
called Rekha Ganita (Line
Computation). The Sulva Sutras,
which literally mean 'Rule of the
Chord' give geometrical Many motifs in Hindu temples and
methods of constructing altars Palaces display a mix of floral and
and temples. The temples Geometric patterns.
layouts were called Mandalas. The Buddhist
Some of important works in this
Pagodas borrowed
field are by Apastamba,
Baudhayana, Hiranyakesin, their plan of
Manava, Varaha and Vadhula. construction from
the geometric grid
of the Mandala used

for constructing
temples in India
(A majestic Pagoda at Bangkok)
 Zero

 In ancient India the terms used to

describe zero included Pujyam,
Shunyam, Bindu the concept of a
void or blank was termed as Shukla
and Shubra. The Arabs refer to the
zero as Siphra or Sifr from which we
have the English terms Cipher or
Cypher. In English the term Cipher
connotes zero or any Arabic
numeral. Thus it is evident that the (Ornate Entrance of a
term Cipher is derived from the Buddhist temple in Laos)
Arabic Sifr which in turn is quite The concept of Shunyata, influenced
close to the Sanskrit term Shubra. South-east asian culture through the
Buddhist concept of Nirvana 'attaining
salvation by merging into the void of
 The Vedas contain 16 sutras (formulae) and 13
sub sutras (corollaries)
 Solving equations, Factorization, Highest
common factor, quadratic equations, bi -
quadratic equations, multiple simultaneous
equations, partial fractions, calculus,
Apollonius theorem, Analytical conics etc are
some of the striking examples of our
mathematical wisdom.
 The Hindus Several Centuries before pythogorous
knew the theorem, which postulates that the sum of
the square of two sides of a right angled triangle will
be equal to the square of the hypotenuse of the right-
angled triangle.
 Aryabhatta related the diameter of a circle to the
circumference and the area by a constant value
3.142857143
 r sin is known as ajya during those times. A sin table
for various angles is available and they're used for
calculations in Astronomy. This shows the Hindu
knowledge on trigonometry.
 Astronomy

 In India the first references to

astronomy are to be found in the Rig
Veda
 In Indian languages, the science of
Astronomy is today called Khagola-
shastra.
 Khagola perhaps is derived from the
famous astronomical observatory at
the University of Nalanda which was
The Nalanda University once housed 9
called Khagola. It was at Khagola
million books. It was the center of
that the famous 5th century Indian
education for scholars from all over
Astronomer Aryabhatta studied and
Asia. Many Greek, Persian and Chinese
extended the subject.
students studied here. The university
was burnt down by pillaging invaders
who overran India in the 11th century
 The Calculation of Eclipses And The Earth's
Circumference
 Indian astronomers also propounded the
theory that the earth was a sphere.
Aryabhatta was the first one to have
propounded this theory in the 5th
century. Another Indian astronomer,
Brahmagupta estimated in the 7th
century that the circumference of the
earth was 5000 yojanas. A yojana is
around 7.2 kms. Calculating on this
basis we see that the estimate of 36,000
kms as the earth's circumference comes This facsimile is from the
quite close to the actual circumference Pancha-siddhantika (Five
known today Principles)dated around the 5th
century. This text graphically
shows how eclipses are to be
calculated. Thus this text
foreshadows what Western
Astronomers propounded nearly
one thousand years later
THE HELIOCENTERIC THEORY OF
GRAVITATION
 The Sanskrit term for gravity is Gurutvakarshan which is an amalgam of Guru-
tva-akarshan. Akarshan means to be attracted. Thus the fact that the character of
this force was of attraction was also recognised. This apart, it seems that the
function of attracting heavenly bodies was attributed to the sun.
 Many ancient Indian astronomers have also referred to the concept of
heliocentrism. Aryabhata has suggested it in his treatise Aryabhattiya.
Bhaskaracharya has also made references to it in his Magnum Opus Siddhanta-
Shiromani
The Sun is referred to as the 'centre of spheres'
alongwith the term Guru-tva-akarshan which
seemingly refers to the sun. The Vedas are dated
around 6500 B.C. Thus the heliocentric idea
could have existed in a rudimentary form in the
days of the Rig Veda and was refined further by
astronomers of a later age.

Brahmagupta, in the 7th century had said about

gravity that "Bodies fall towards the earth as it is
in the nature of the earth to attract bodies, just as
it is in the nature of water to flow".
 "Sarva Dishanaam, Suryaha, Suryaha,
Suryaha."
 This couplet means that there are suns in
all directions. This couplet which
describes the night sky as full of suns,
indicates that in ancient times Indian
astronomers had arrived at the important
discovery that the stars visible at night are
similar to the Sun visible during day time.
This temple was dedicated
to Surya - the sun god
Surya was referred to, in
Vedic literature as the
creator who himself
revolves causing
existence.
 MEDICAL SCIENCE
 Medical Science was one area
were surprising advances had
been made in ancient times in
India. Specifically these
advances were in the areas of
plastic surgery, extraction of
cataracts, dental surgery, etc.,
These are not just tall claims.
An artist's impression
There is documentary evidence of an operation being performed
to prove the existence of these in ancient India. In spite of
practices. the absence of anesthesia,
complex operations were performed
 SHASTRAKARMA-THE ART OF
SURGERY
 The practice of surgery has been recorded in India
around 800 B.C. This need not come as a surprise
because surgery (Shastrakarma) is one of the eight
branches of Ayurveda the ancient Indian system of
medicine. The oldest treatise dealing with surgery
is the Shushruta-Samahita (Shushruta's
compendium). Shusruta who lived in Kasi was one
of the many Indian medical practitioners who
included Atraya and Charaka.
 Shushruta was one of the first to study
the human anatomy. In the
ShusrutaSamahita he has described in
detail the study of anatomy with the
aid of a dead body. Shusruta's forte
was rhinoplasty (Plastic surgery) and
ophthalmialogy (ejection of cataracts).
Shushruta has described surgery under Shushruta -8th Century B.C.
eight heads Chedya (excision),
Lekhya (scarification), Vedhya
(puncturing), Esya (exploration),
Ahrya (extraction), Vsraya
(evacuation) and Sivya (Suturing).

Surgical tools used in ancient India

 AYURVEDA-THE SCIENCE OF
LONGEVITY
 This is the indigenous system of medicine in India.
Ayurveda literally means 'the science of living'
(longevity). Ayu means life and Veda means knowledge.
 The medical system of Ayurveda draws heavily from the
doctrines developed in the Charaka-Samahita. The
main quality which Ayurveda has borrowed
from Charaka is its aim of removing the cause
for illness and not just curing the disease
itself
 PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
 It would be surprising for many Indians today to know that the
concepts of atom (Anu, Parmanu) and relativity
(Sapekshavada) were explicitly stated by an Indian
philosopher nearly 600 years before the birth of Christ.
 The first Indian philosopher who formulated ideas about the
atom in a systematic manner was Kanada who lived in the 6th
century B.C. Another Indian philosopher, Pakudha Katyayana
who also lived in the 6th century B.C. and was a contemporary
of Gautama Buddha, had also propounded ideas about the
atomic constitution of the material world.
 CHEMISTRY
 Indian ideas about chemistry grew by
experimentation. The areas of application of the
principle of chemistry were the smelting of metals, the
distillation of perfumes and fragrant ointments, the
making of dyes and pigments, the extraction of sugar,
etc.
 In ancient India, chemistry was caled Rasayan Shastra,
Rasa-Vidya, Rasatantra and Rasakriya all of which
roughly mean 'Science of liquids'. There also existed
chemical laboratories and chemicals works, which
were called Rasakriya-nagaram and Rasakriya-shala
which literally mean 'School where liquids are
activated'.
A chemist was referred to as a Rasadnya and
Rasa-tantra-vid which mean 'Person having
knowledge about liquids. Apart from the term
Rasa which means liquid, another word,
Dravya which means slurry, was also used to
refer to chemicals. Thus, in ancient India,
chemistry was evidently developed to a
significant level.

Nagarjuna was one such practitioner of the

technique of combining various metals in order
to invent a superior metal
 This exquisite mirror work
is inlaid on a base of gold and brass.
This dates back to the 12th century.
The Makara (Spire) over Hindu temples
were always adorned with brass or gold
toppings (Kamandals).

This image of Nataraja the God of Dance is made of

five metals (Pancha-Dhatu) This technology of
mixing two or more metals is to derive superior
alloys
 The Iron Pillar at Delhi
 The Iron Pillar at Delhi is one such instance. This Pillar,
located near the Kutab Minar, is estimated to have been
cast in the Gupta period i.e. about 1500 years ago. The
Pillar is 7.32 meters in length, tapering from a diameter of
40 cms at the base to 30 cms, at the top and it weights
about 6 tonnes. It has been standing in open for more than
a millennium in the heat, dust and rain, but except for the
natural erosion it has not caught rust. This kind of a rust-
proof iron had not been smelted anywhere else in the
world, till we invented the stainless steel a few decades
ago.
 ARCHITECTURE AND CIVIL
ENGINEERING
 TheScience of Architecture and Civil
Construction was known in Ancient India as
Sthapatya-Shastra. The word Sthapatya is derived
from the root word Sthapana i.e. 'to establish'. The
technique of architecture was both a science and
an art, hence it is also known as Sthapatya-kala,
the word Kala means an art.
 Panel at Khajuraho created in
the 10th century in Madhya
Pradesh in Central India

Another panel from

Khajuraho Note the
intricate and fine outline
Boddhisattvas (huge of the figurines
Buddha Statues) at carved.The temples
Bamiyan in Afghanistan were completed over a
These statues were period of 200 years
carved out of this hillside
in the 1st Century under
the patronage of the
The Mandala was a Kushana emperor
blueprint for any Vastu Kanishka (These are the
(edifice) Vastu-Shastra was statues which the Taliban
an amalgam of architecture has blown up)
A finely sculpted panel from This pagoda complex at
Rajasthan Phnom Phnem in Cambodia
( Indian Pierced Marble work) displays Indian influences
in its central spires.

This magnificent Pagoda at Bongkok

has its own unique style which is an

amalgam of Indian and Chinese
styles
 The inter-locking dome of the Stupa
was to be the prototype for the
The majesty of this grand temple complex domes (over Mosques and
at Khajuraho has to be seen to be believed churches) that were built later by
Romans and Arabs
Panel at Borobudur in
Indonesia Note that the carving
looks exactly Indian.
Borobudur in Indonesia is
a temple complex devoted
to Buddha This complex
was built in the the 7th
CenturyBorobud means
"Big Buddha"
 SHIPBUILDING AND NAVIGATION
 Sanskrit and Pali literature has
innumerable references to the
maritime activity of Indians in
ancient times. There is also one
treatise in Sanskrit, named Yukti
Kalpa Taru
 The Yukti Kalpa Taru gives
sufficient information and date to
prove that in ancient times, Indian
shipbuilders had a good knowledge The depiction of a ship in the Ajanta
of the materials which were used in murals Sea-faring was respected
building ships. Apart from describing occupation in ancient times in India
the qualities of the different types of
wood and their suitability in A panel found
shipbuilding, the Yukti Kalpa Taru at Mohenjodaro,
also gives an elaborate classification
of ships based on their size depicting a
sailing craft.
 MACCHA-YANTRA - THE ANCIENT INDIAN
MARINER'S COMPASS

 The early Hindu astrologers are said

to have used the magnet, in fixing
the North and East, in laying
foundations, and other religious
ceremonies. The Hindu compass was
an iron fish that floated in a vessel of
oil and pointed to the North. The fact
of this older Hindu compass seems
placed beyond doubt by the Sanskrit
word Maccha Yantra, or fish
A model of how a ship constructed in
machine, which Molesworth gives as
ancient times could have looked.
a name for the mariner's compass". Some of the coins in the background
depict sea-faring vessels
 Space Science
 The samara sutradhara is a scientific treatise
dealing with every possible angle of air travel in a
vimana. There are 230 stanzas dealing with the
construction, take-off, cruising for thousands of
miles, normal and forced landings and even
possible collusion with birds.
 In 1875 the vimanika sastra, a fourth century B.C.
text written by Bharathvaja the wise, using even
older texts as his source, was rediscovered in a
temple in India.
 It dealt with the operation of vimanas and included
information on the steering, precautions for long flights,
protection of the air ships from storm and lightning and
how to switch the drive to solar energy from a free energy
source which sounds like anti gravity.
 The vimanika sastra has eight chapters with diagrams,
describing three types of aircrafts, including apparatuses
that could neither catch on fire nor break. It also mentions
31 essential parts of these vehicles and 16 materials from
which they are constructed, which absorb light and heat;
for which reasons they were considered suitable for the
construction of vimanas.
 THE FINE ARTS
 In the area of the fine arts too
the Indian psyche has proved
itself to be quite fertile. An
Indian is generally familiar with
the different classical dance
styles that today exist in India,
like Bharat Natyam, Kathak,
Manipuri, Odissi, Kuchipudi,
Mohini Attam apart from the These dancers from Bali
in Indonesia show clear
folk dance like karakam, Indian influences.
oyilattam, Bhangra and Garba.
 MUSIC
 Emphasis on recitation, correct pronunciation
lead to studies in phonetics and sound
manupulation. This was the birthplace of Indian
Musical Raga (metre) and Swaras (rhymes).
 The oldest text of the world “vedas” are
presented in a musical form
 Indian vocal music is broadly divided into two
schools viz. the Hindustani or north Indian
school and the Carnatic or South Indian school.
 The main Indian musical instruments are the An artiste with his
Sarod, the Veena, the Sarangi, the Tambora, the Tambora.
Harmonium, the Ghata, the Tabla, the Tanpura, The English word
the Satar, etc Tambour
is derived from the
term "Tambora".
 PAINTING
 The very first works of visual art
created in the Indian sub-continent
were primitive cave or rock paintings
 The largest number of discoveries are
in Central India, on sandstone rock
shelters within a hundred mile radius
around Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.
these paintings are dated at around
5500 B.C.
 paintings on stone surfaces found at This painting at Ajanta in
Ajanta and Ellora which are said to Western India, was done in
have been done in around 400 A.D the 5th Century It was
done using vegetable
colours and has survived
for 1,500 years.
 SPORTS AND GAMES
 In the area of recreation and sports India
had evolved a number of games. One
would be surprised to know today that
games like, Chess, Snakes and Ladders,
Playing Cards, Polo, the martial arts of
Judo and Karate had originated in India
and it was from here that these games Kalaripayat from
were transmitted to foreign countries, Kerala was
transmitted to China
where they were further developed by a sage named
Boddhidharmain the
5th century
 PHILOSOPHY
 "In religion, India is the only millionaire ....
The One land that all men desire to see and having
seen once, by even a glimpse,
would not give that glimpse for all the shows of all
the rest of the globe combined".
- Mark Twain
( American Author 1835-1910)
 "It is already becoming clearer that a chapter which has a
western beginning will have to have an Indian ending if it
is not to end in the self-destruction of the human race...
At this supremely dangerous moment in history the only
way of salvation for mankind is the Indian Way. "
- Dr. Arnold Toynbee
British Historian 1889-1975