Only one truth spread throughout the world. This has not only been proved by reason or argument or on intellectual level, but by actual perception attained by moving outside the periphery of country, time and reason with the help of meditation. This experience develops an integrated outlook, which thinks of the human being, society and nature as a whole and not in parts. They experienced that whatever we do, it influences the entire environment. Hence, development here was in coordination with society, environment and nature.
2. Since ancient times, it has been said that to acquire complete knowledge, knowledge of the world and of one who knows the world is required and in order to get complete knowledge on the basis of the world, both physical and spiritual knowledge is required. The same thing has been expressed in various books. In the Gita, it has been said that to acquire completeness, knowledge of the kshetra (that is the entire world) and kshetragya(that is one who knows that world) is necessary. It was expounded in this manner. The Upanishads said, one must have knowledge of para (that is the main element, of which all this has been born) and apara ( the extension of the main element that is this world). The Shankaraacharya called this as Vastu Tantra, i.e. entire universe and Drashta, i.e. the observer of this universe and said that knowledge about both of these should be acquired. Hence, according to Indian tradition, materialism is not in opposition or contrary to spiritualism but it is its broad manifestation.
3. Because of having one outlook towards the entire world, the activities of life, the thinking and behaviour has been one of coordination, cooperation and complementary, whose manifestation can be seen in ordinary life too.
4. Just as the vaidya in Ayurveda prays before plucking a herb for treatment saying that the plant has life but since it is required for the protection of a human life, therefore he is plucking it. Hence, he plucks only as much as is required.
Even an uneducated and illiterate grandmother stops her grandchild from shaking a tree in the evening saying that the tree is sleeping.
Everything in this world is godly or divine. Hence it should be used with restraint. This advice has come out of this vision of oneness.
In the Shantimantra(the chant for peace), prayers have been given for the welfare of all nature by saying that there should be peace in the dyao (heaven), antariksh (space), prithvi (earth), water, medicines, herbs and the gods of the world.
Because of maternal feelings towards nature, the cow, the river and the tree, etc. were all considered worthy of worship and materialistic development did not become the opponent of nature or creation.
While giving the various destructive powers, the person, his character and his nature were all taken into consideration.
Thus, the key for the amalgamation of science and spiritualism for humanity which is standing at the crossroads is with India and it has to play its role in the future. A few years ago, Arnold Toyanby, the Nobel Prize winner and famous scholar of history from England had, at the convocation of Edinburgh, said ?India will be the leader in the 21st century. India will make great progress in every field and what is more, will harmonise science and religion, the only country that could and would do it.?
Our responsibility
Scientists, thinkers, historians and wise men from all over the world are looking hopefully towards India. For the fulfillment of this task, it is necessary to take India once again to the height of glory. To build such an India, the development of science, technology and arts and crafts will have to be taken to great heights. Since Independence and till recent times, just a glimpse of it just a glimpse of it has been seen. When Jagdish Chandra Basu proved the oneness of the living and the non-living, when the world acknowledged the mathematical genius of Ramanujan, when, based on the behaviour of the photon particles and Satyendranath Bose? commentary on it, such particles were named ?Boson?, Einstein was so impressed by his research papers that he added his name to it and insisted that it be called Bose-Einstein Statistics and not Einstein-Bose Statistics. Acharya P.C. Rai laid the foundation for the chemical industry in India, Chandrashekhar Venkataraman was awarded the Nobel Prize for the Raman Effect related to light, the measurement of the life and death of stars carried out by Chandrashekhar, is known throughout the world as Chandrashekhar Limit, Homi Jahangir Bhabha did not only lay the foundation of atomic science, he also laid the foundation of the first nuclear reactor when America refused to co-operate with India in the setting up a nuclear reactor. The world was astonished at his imagination to make the sanlayan process which generates energy in the stars, possible on earth.
While Vikram Sarabhai laid the foundation of the space programme, Dr. Abdul Kalaam, the present President of India, strengthened the country'ssafety by making a series of missiles?Prithvi, Naag, Aakash, Trishul, Agni I and II. After America'srefusal to provide the technology, Vijay Bhatkar made the super computer with indigenous technology. Our scientists succeeded in making atomic energy for the Tarapur nuclear power station. They also succeeded in making the cryogenic engine with indigenous technology and sending up satellites at a distance of 36,000 kms with the help of our very own rocket, the GSLV. We are moving ahead in the manufacture of a super conductor too.
Even after all these achievements, a technique, which will make the progress or development of science concordant with nature, that will not pollute the environment and is for the welfare of the entire world, can be possible only with India'sintegrated scientific outlook. While keeping a sense of respect for the present scientists who are trying to develop such a technique, we will also have to develop a sense of pride in our ancestors and their achievements, their thoughts and knowledge, so that the present generation can take that ancient integrated scientific tradition forward, to be a guiding light for the entire world. This work is waiting for the manliness of present generation. As Sir Jagdish Chandra Basu, the great scientist of modern India wrote in the foreword of one of his books:
To my countrymen
Who will yet claim
The intellectual heritage
of their ancestors.
It is only with the valour of present generation that we will be able to take our country on the path to ultimate glory or all round progress and it will succeed in playing its role decided by destiny for the welfare of humanity. May God give us the determination, inspiration and capability for this great task.
(Concluded)
(This book is available with Ocean Books (P) Ltd., 4/19, Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi-110 002.)
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