Concept of Relativity in Light of Vedic Scriptures

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1 Science and Spiritual Quest 2010, pp Concept of Relativity in Light of Vedic Scriptures Suresh Bhalla * Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi (India) Rupali Suresh 2 Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, Benito Juarez Dhaula Kuan,New Delhi (India) ABSTRACT This paper aims to present the concept of relativity from the eyes of the Vedic scriptures such as Bhagwat Gita and Srimad Bhagwatam. This concept, which revolutionized the modern physics in the twentieth century, had already been the part of the Vedic literature, which date back to time immemorial. In this paper, the major instances of time dilation enshrined in Bhagwat Gita and Srimad Bhagwatam are presented. The Vedic scriptures also contain explanation about the origin of the Universe as well as why it is expanding. Modern science can find answers to numerous unsolved puzzles through a study of the ancient Vedic scriptures with a scientific temperament. 1. Introduction In modern science, the concept of relativity made its appearance in 1905, when Albert Einstein, then 26 years old, published his theory of special relativity. However, in Vedic literatures, which date back to time immemorial, the concepts of relativity find mention and detailed explanations at several places. This paper makes an effort to point out those facts. The revealed Vedic scriptures carry information which have only been recently confirmed by the modern science. A number of facts covered in these literatures are yet to be confirmed by modern science since they are beyond its the state of the art. * Corresponding Author : sbhalla@civil.iitd.ac.in

2 2. Modern Theory of Relativity The modern theory of relativity came into being in 1905 when Albert Einstein showed how the measurements of time and space are affected by motion between an observer and what is being observed. This theory is termed as special relativity, since it is applicable to inertial frames of reference only. The most interesting feature of the theory is the so called time dilation, that is, a moving clock ticks slower than a clock at rest. All processes associated with the moving clock, including those of life (such as ageing) are expected to slow down. There are two fundamental postulates of the theory of special relativity. The first one is that the laws of physics are same in all inertial frames of reference. The second postulate, based on the results of several experiments (such as the widely celebrated experiment of Michelson and Morley in 1887), is that the speed of light in free space is same in all inertial frames of reference. The speed of light in free space has been determined to be equal to 2.998x10 8 m/s to four significant figures. Time dilation can be mathematically expressed as [1] (1) where t o is the time interval on a clock at rest with respect to an observer (also called proper time ), t is the corresponding time interval in the clock which is in motion with a speed v and c is the speed of light in space. Because the denominator in Eq.(1) is less than unity, t is always greater than t o. Hence, if an observer is travelling in a spacecraft at very high but constant speed, his clock will appear to tick slower than the observer at rest on the earth. The equation shows that exactly same analysis should hold for the measurements of the clock on earth by the observer on the spacecraft, since relative to the spacecraft, earth is moving in the opposite direction at speed v. Hence, by this logic, the effect of time dilation should be reciprocal. The modern theory of relativity is resting on the assumption that the ultimate speed limit for a body is the speed of light c. Else, it will lead to contradictory deductions. A corollary to the theory of special relativity is Doppler effect, that is the apparent frequency of waves emitted by a moving source is different from that if it were stationary. The apparent frequency is higher for a source moving towards an observer and lesser for the one drifting away. All stars emit light of certain characteristic frequencies called as the spectral lines. The spectral lines of the distant galaxies are observed to be shifted towards the low frequency (red) end of 5

3 the spectrum. Such shifts indicate that the galaxies are receding away from one another and from us, that is, the universe is expanding. 3. Concept of Relativity in Vedic Scriptures A careful study of the Vedic literature reveals that the concept of relativity, especially the time dilation, had been known before it was postulated by the modern physicists. For example, Text 8.17 of Bhagwat Gita [2] reads: By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahma s one day. And such also is the duration of his night. A day of Satyaloka (Lord Brahmsa s planet) called one kalpa, consists of 1000 cycles of the four Yugas, namely the Satya Yuga (1, 728, 000 years), Treta Yuga (1, 296, 000years), Dwapra Yuga (864, 000 years) and the Kali Yuga (432, 000 years), which add up to 4.3x10 9 years. Same is the duration of the night in the Satyaloka. During one day of Lord Brahma, it is stated that a total of 14 Manus appear on the earth. The total life of Lord Brahma is stated to be equal to hundred years formed by such days and nights together. By simple calculations, this works out to be equal to x10 9 years. The fact is further reinforced in the in Canto 9 of Srimad Bhagwatam [3], where the story of Revati (wife of Lord Balrama) is covered. It is stated that Kakudumi, Revati s father, once visited the Satyaloka along with his daughter to meet Lord Brahma. At that time, Lord Brahma was engaged in listening a consort. Hence, Kakudumi and Revati had to wait for few minutes. Later, when Lord Brahma became free, he informed Kakudumi and Revati that during this half an hour in Satyaloka, 27 cycles of the four Yugas have elapsed. From the data concerning one full day of Lord Brahma, for an observer on Satyaloka, t o = 1 day. For an observer on the earth, the corresponding time interval, t = 2x4.3x10 9 x365 days. use of Eq. (1) reveals v c, that is, the relative speed between earth and the Satyaloka would be nearly equal to the speed of light. Further, from the point of view of an observer on earth, t = 1 day, t o = t = 2x4.3x10 9 x365 days, which, in view of Eq. (1), predicts an imaginary value for the relative speed v. Hence, in this sense, the effect of time dilation seems far from reciprocal as advocated by the modern theory. Text of Bhagwat Gita [2] further state: At the beginning of Lord Brahma s day, all living entities become manifest from the unmanifested state, and thereafter, when the night falls, they are merged into the unmanifest again. Again and again, when Brahma s day arrives, all living entities come into being, and with the arrival of Brahma s night, they are helplessly annihilated.

4 The annihilation referred to here is partial annihilation after each day of Lord Brahma. Finally, after completion of Lord Brahma s life (100 years of Satyaloka), the living entities remain compact in the body of Lord Vishnu as Maha Tattva till Lord Brahma is born again in the new millennium. This annihilation is referred to as the total annihilation. According to Srimad Bhagwatam [4] (Canto 1, Chapter 3), during a new creation, the Maha Tattva is let loose. During this phase, the Supreme Lord appears as Karanodakshayi Vishnu and breathes out innumerable universes, go out during the exhale, stay for some time, and go into the body of the Lord during the inhale. This is the Vedic explanation to the fact that our universe is expanding, as confirmed by the observations related to Doppler effect pointed out in the previous section. Likewise, at some point of time, the universe will start contracting again, when the Lord will begin the process of inhale. Modern scientists try to explain the phenomenon of creation in terms of big bang. However, there is no effort to know the cause behind this big bang. 3. Conclusions This paper has presented facts about the concept of relativity in ancient Vedic scriptures. There are several references to time dilation in the Vedic literature. Relativity is only one of the examples of the scientific knowledge enshrined in these revealed scriptures. The entire spectrum of the Vedic literature like Bhagwat Gita, Srimad Bhagwatam, Upnishads and the Puranas are full of scientific and technical knowledge. The work of scientists will become easier if they also study the Vedic scriptures alongside their research. Modern science has to travel a lot more to arrive at the conclusions as well as the facts already covered in the Vedic scriptures. References [1.] Beiser, A. (2008), Concepts of Modern Physics, 6 th edition, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi. [2.] Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1972), Bhagwat Gita As It Is, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. [3.] Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1980), Srimad Bhagwatam, Ninth Canto, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. [4.] Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1980), Srimad Bhagwatam, First Canto, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. 5

About the Authors Dr. Suresh Bhalla is Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He received his M. Eng. and Ph. D. degrees from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in 2004 and 2001 respectively, and his B.

His main areas of research include smart materials and structures, structural health monitoring, tensegrity structures, bio-mechanics, green building materials and sustainable construction. Dr.

5 About the Authors Dr. Suresh Bhalla is Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He received his M. Eng. and Ph. D. degrees from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in 2004 and 2001 respectively, and his B. Tech. degree from IIT Delhi in His main areas of research include smart materials and structures, structural health monitoring, tensegrity structures, bio-mechanics, green building materials and sustainable construction. Dr. Bhalla has published over 50 papers in international journals and conference proceedings of repute. His publications have received over 250 citations in the web of Science. Dr. Rupali Suresh is Lecturer, Department of Physics, at Sri Venketeswara College, Delhi University. She received her Ph. D. degree from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in 2004 and MSc degree from IIT Delhi in Her main research interests include fibre optic (fibre-bragg grating) sensors and their applications to monitor engineering and biological systems. She has over 25 publications in international journals and conferences of repute.

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