I picked up this book Scientific Basis of Hindu Beliefs, a few weeks back, from the recently launched Reliance Timeout bookstore. Probably because this was the first time I was able to see a few Hindi books in Bangalore. And was tempted to have them. The title of this book appeared interesting. I have always believed that all Hindu traditions are highly scientific in nature. But not many of them have been explained in the public domain. Trying to find a scientific reason behind unexplained superstitions has always been my area of interest.
I sincerely hope that one day I will be able to decipher and document them. So I had all the reasons to pick up and read this book.
Scientific Basis of Hindu Beliefs by Bhojraj Dwivedi
The book turned out to be a major disappointment. It has been written in a Question and Answer format, with the author positioned as an expert in any area. The questions are as randomly organized as they can be. Ranging from anywhere to anywhere, with no categorization and flow. The answers are even more disappointing. The only thing that the author tries is, to put down modern science and say that, what the Hindu mythology says is right. While I believe what he says, but then he is not able to explain even a single thing.
The only good pieces of information that I found in this book are the conversions of all the Hindu time units and their interrelations with each other.
Knowledge and Believe
This is a problem I have with all the so-called spiritual organizations and their propagators. More than talking about what they believe in and what they know, they are all out to compete with every other similar organization or rather the whole world. And are constantly trying to tell you “I am the best, my guru, my beliefs are the best”.
Everyone else is either a fool or is trying to fool you. The author of this book tries to promote himself as much as possible. I guess this is also one of those books that are written to promote your business and are filled with self-praise.
An excellent topic to which the author could have done some justice….
You may buy this book – Scientific Basis of Hindu Beliefs by Bhojraj Dwivedi at Amazon India.
Read more:
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- Our Heritage Revisited by Anuj Saha
- Yuganta The End of an Epoch by Irawati Karve
- Arjuna by Anuja Chandramouli
- Hidimba by Narendra Kohli
May be ur right but i would not completely agree with your statement,
Authers have there own prospective in there theories, Which one or other way provide relvance to the subject but infact the perciptions varies which comes in play with experience.
One might have different views on Hindu traditions, Traditions are outcomes of sprituality , Few clasify the sprituality as hindu , muslim ,cristian and many.. And some believe in sprituality as universal law.
Some might try finding the truth of sprituality but
At the end of the day..u will find
“Mind works only when its open
it will lead where it wanted u to be” See within you, you might have different visions, different missions,,,,These are outcome of the exercise of ur mind.
People confuse themself ..seeking reality, search for wisdom allover but The universe is within you, and the wisdom is inside u.
One would not find reason behind universal laws.
When a mind “The universe”,excercise on group..it would lead them to the pre-destined place where the “karma” decides there future…When certain set of people understand and follow certain set of “Karma Structure” The universe would lead them to a destiny where every one belongs,
This might lead to so called traditions..
The “vasudaiv kutambakam” is a thought which can integrate one with the self (universe).
All the best.
I found this via couch surfing discussions about books…
It’s an interesting idea – looking for scientific reasoning behind Hindu tradition. I hadn’t thought of faith and reason in that context – I know little of real-life Hindu belief. But it’s interesting that you’re trying to bridge the gap.
Are you thinking about how the traditions came to be? Or about what spiritual teachings might mean in a world that seems to follow scientific laws and principles? Or about how they might “work” in scientific terms?
As a Christian, I see some similar tensions – between people like Richard Dawkins at one extreme who claims that faith is just dangerous fantasy, or unthinking believers at the other extreme, who feel no need to think about what they have been taught – no place for reason in their faith.
I too think that my faith is “reasonable”, and does not necessarily conflict with scientific reality. It’s frustrating when (like in the book you mention) people don’t do justice to science and faith – or only take seriously one of these twin pillars of reality. And it doesn’t really matter which of them is being ignored.
Some people reject all signs of the supernatural from faith – but that seems to rather miss the point. A Christianity without a real God seems… broken somehow.
I’m interested in how faith can work in a scientific universe, without having to reject all signs of the supernatural.