A Page from History : Hinduism & Modern Science

By: CI Banerjee
This  hidden entity, responsible for the orderly knowledge of man, has been called “Hrishikesha”(Hrishika= Indriyas (senses); Isha=Master; thus, Hrishikesha= Master of Lord of all Indriyas) And HIM every Hindu salutes morning and evening.
Religion a Science
Religion is that science which tells about the Ultimate Reality and also directs and regulates man’s life in such a fashion as to enable him realize the ‘Paraman Padam’—the highest blissful state. Such a Religion is Hinduism.
World A Mental Hallucination
The  following story from an Upanishad will establish beyond any doubt that our ancient Rishis  knew all these long, long ago  and that nothing has yet surpassed them.
Story of Bhrigu
 Bhrigu was the son of a great Rishi named Varuna. He went to his father to learn Para Vidya’ (highest knowledge), knowing which everything else is known and man attains the final beatitude of life.  His father asked him  to go and do tapasya (which means self-restraint, annihilation of the body and mind and the keen quest of TRUTH) with the only hint that “Where from  this diverse world springs forth; and wherein, having sprung forth, this universe exists; and wherein it dissolves in the end”;—try to know THAT; THAT IS BRAHMAN THE ULTIMATE REALITY, knowing which man attains eternal bliss and happiness.

Bhrigu went away and after great tapasya found out that it is all “ Annam” (Matter) from which this world springs forth, exists and dissolves in the end. This was the first ‘Kosha’ or covering, called “Annamaya kosha” of the Atman, well known in the Vedas.
Having attained thus far, Bhrigu was neither confident nor satisfied because he could not explain away so many things by this knowledge, just as Pavlov’s theory of evolution or change could not explain away the free will in man and so many other manifestations of consciousness in all living beings. He, therefore, went again to his father who directed him  to proceed further on the same lines of tapasya. The second phase of Bhrigu’s knowledge was when he dissolved matter also into “Prana”, which means  the vital force or energy.
This  is also known  as the ‘Pranamaya Kosha” of Atman. This knowledge also could not give Bhrigu complete satisfaction and happiness, just as the modern physicist is dumb stricken when challenged with the question “wherefrom does this  energy emanate and where in does it act, if everything in this world is only force or energy”?  The  third stage of Bhrigu  was when he found out all this to be his MIND only. This  is the Manomaya Kosha of the Atman. Western scientists and thinkers have reached only thus far as we have already seen. Everything  in this world is man’s  MIND and MIND alone.
But India, represented by Bhrigu advance two steps  further.  He found out the “Vijnyanmaya Kosha” and the    “Anandamaya Kosha” of the  Atman. Knowing that, man arrives at the  final beatitude of life.