Abstract: The goal of all kinds of human endeavors including scientific endeavor must be to know the Absolute Truth or God. Humility, which is an essential part of any seeker of spiritual knowledge should also be an integral element of any success scientific endeavor. Furthermore, today, there is a great need for introducing the science of God on a scientific basis in academic institutions around the world. Science must study the imperishable one, which is the eternal spirit soul. Religion is also a scientific endeavor for it is a scientific study of God. The leaders of human society including scientists cannot neglect this ancient spiritual science because they are directly or indirectly responsible for the conduct of a happy society.
Learned circles have positively concluded that the infallible purpose of the advancement of knowledge, namely austerities, study of the Vedas, sacrifice, chanting of hymns, and charity culminates in the transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.22)
Human intellect is developed for advancement of learning in art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology, economics, politics, etc. By culture of such knowledge the human society can attain perfection of life. This perfection of life culminates in the realization of the Supreme Being Vishnu [1]. The sruti [2] therefore directs that those who are actually advanced in learning should aspire for the service of Lord Visnu [3]. He (The Supreme Being) is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of this creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmaji [4], the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal [5].
When advancement of knowledge is applied in the service of the Lord, the whole process becomes absolute. The Personality of Godhead and His transcendental name, fame, glory, etc., are all non-different from Him. Therefore, all the sages and devotees of the Lord have recommended that the subject matter of art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology and all other branches of knowledge should be wholly and solely applied in the service of the Lord. Art, literature, poetry, painting, etc., may be used in glorifying the Lord. Fiction writers, poets and celebrated literature writers are generally engaged in writing of sensuous subjects, but if they turn towards the service of the Lord they can describe His transcendental pastimes. Valmiki [6] was a great poet, and similarly Vyasadeva [7] is a great writer, and both of them have absolutely engaged themselves in delineating the transcendental activities of the Lord and by doing so have become immortal.
Similarly, science and philosophy should also be applied in the service of the Lord. Advanced people are eager to understand the Absolute Truth through the medium of science, and therefore a great scientist should endeavor to prove the existence of the Lord on a scientific basis. Philosophical speculations should be utilized to establish the Supreme Truth as sentient and all-powerful. All other branches of knowledge should always be engaged in the service of the Lord. In the Bhagavad Gita[8] also the same is affirmed. Real utilization of advanced knowledge is to establish the glories of the Lord, and that is the real import. Scientific knowledge engaged in the service of the Lord and all similar activities are all factually harikirtana, or glorification of the Lord [9].
Scientific advancement should have a great goal to attain, and that great goal should be the Personality of Godhead.[10]… Just like Professor Einstein, he also said that as we are making advancement in science we find that there is a big brain behind this cosmic manifestation. That is acceptance of God.[11]…By scientific research he appreciated the wonderful cosmic manifestation and as a scientist he admitted that behind this there is a very great brain and that is God [12]. He says, “The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is a shower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, he who can no longer stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power which is revealed in the comprehensible universe forms my idea of God”[13].
If anyone wants to compete with God and at the same time make advancement in spiritual knowledge, he will be frustrated. It is clearly stated that without humility, understanding is not truly possible.The beginning of knowledge, therefore, is, amanitva, humility. One should be humble and know that he is subordinate to the Supreme Lord [14]. Just like the great scientist, Sir Isaac Newton used to say, “I have simply collected a few grains of sand in the ocean of knowledge.” That is humbleness. And actually, that is the fact. Everything is unlimited [15].
Religion also means science. People have wrongly taken religion to be faith. It is a science — the science of how to get release from birth and death [16]. Science must be based on logic and philosophy. And religion means sometimes sentiments. So religion without philosophy is sentiment, and philosophy without religion is mental speculation. Both must be combined. Then it is perfect. You cannot have religion without philosophy. That is sentiment, fanaticism. And if you simply take philosophy without religion, without sense of God, this is mental speculation. Religion is the science of sciences. Because you are trying to find out the original cause, and as soon as you come to the original cause, He is God. So, as soon as you come to God, then there is religion. So religion must be on the basis of science and logic. That is first-class religion. 17].
The English word religion is a little different from sanatana-dharma. Religion conveys the idea of faith, and faith may change. One may have faith in a particular process, and he may change this faith and adopt another, but sanatana-dharma refers to that activity which cannot be changed. For instance, liquidity cannot be taken from water, nor can heat be taken from fire. Similarly, the eternal function of the eternal living entity cannot be taken from the living entity. Sanatana-dharma is eternally integral with the living entity [18].
But if we go deep into the matter and take everything in the light of modern science, it will be possible for us to see sanatana-dharma as the business of all the people of the world, nay, all the living entities of the universe. Non-sanatana religious faith may have some beginning in the annals of the human society, but there cannot be any history of the sanatana-dharma because it continues to remain with the history of the living entities. So far as the living entities are concerned, we find it from the authority of the sastras [19] that living entities also have no birth or death. In the Bhagavad Gita it is clearly stated that the living entity is never born, nor does he ever die. He is eternal, indestructible, and continues to live after the destruction of his temporary material body. With reference to the above concept of sanatana-dharma we may try to understand the concept of religion from the Sanskrit root meaning of the word dharma. It means that which is constantly with the particular object. As we have already mentioned, when we speak of fire it is concluded at the same time that there is heat and light along with the fire. Without heat and light, there is no meaning of the word fire. Similarly, we must find out the essential part of a living being which is always companion with him. That part of constant companion of the living being is his eternal quality, and the eternal part of the living being’s quality is his eternal religion [20].
Although there are so many departments of knowledge, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, etc., the science of God is still to be introduced. When the scientist, philosopher and medical man will get the opportunity to study systematically what is God, what are His energies, what is his relationship, how to approach Him, then only there will be paradise[21]. As stated in the Bhagavad Gita 3.21,
yad yad acarati sresthas tad tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute lokas tad anuvartate
“Whatever action is performed by a great man, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues”[22].
Endnotes:
[1] A plenary expansion of the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, supervises the maintenance of the created universes.
[2] Knowledge received by hearing; the original Vedic scriptures given directly by the Supreme Lord.
[3] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 1, Chapter 5, Text 22, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai, 1987, p.268.
[4] Brahma – According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, he is the first created living being and secondary creator of the material universe. Directed by Lord Vishnu, he created all life forms in the universes. Twelve of his hours equal 4,320,000,000 earth years, and his life span is more than 311 trillion of our years.
[5]A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupäda, “Purport”, Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto I, Chapter 1, Text I, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai, 1987, p.44.
[6] The author of the original epic Ramayana.
[7] The literary incarnation of God, and the greatest philosopher of ancient times, and compiler of the original Vedic scriptures, including the eighteen Puranas, Vedantasutra, the Mahabharata, and the Upanishads.
[8] One of the principle scriptures of the Vedic tradition, a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna.
[9] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, “Purport”, Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto I, Chapter 5, Text 22, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai, 1987, pp.268-269.
[10] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, “Purport”, Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi Lila, Chapter 5, Text 51, Los Angeles, California, 1974, p.422.
[11] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Collected Lectures, Srimad Bhagavatam, Los Angeles, 1993, p.330.
[12] Letter to Balimardana, Los Angeles, April 19, 1970.
[13] Letter to Janardana, Los Angeles, March 2, 1969 & Lincoln Barnett, The universe and Dr. Einstein, 2nd edition, Tenth Printing, New York, 1957, pp.108-109.
[14] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, “Purport”, Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 13, Text 14, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai, 1999, p.654.
[15] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ‘The Lectures and Classes’, Bhagavad Gita As It Is 13.8-12, Bombay, October 3, 1973.
[16] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, The Science of Self Realization, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai, 1998, p.37.
[17] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Collected Lectures on Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Los Angeles, 1991, p.408.
[18] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad Gita As It Is, 1996, Mumbai, 1998, p. 18
[19] Translation: Scriptures.
[20] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, “Bhagavad Gita: An Introduction”, New York, February 19, 1966.
[21] Letter to Krsna dasa, Calcutta, October 6, 1970.
[22] A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Mumbai, 1996, pp.186-187.