The Science Behind Hinduism: Ancient Indian Traditions, Texts and Thinkers

As a Hindu, this festive season - with celebrations like Ganesh Chaturthi, Navaratri, Dusshera and Diwali - has got me thinking about the deep connection between Hinduism and science. As I've started to learn more about Hindu traditions over the past few years, I've been deeply fascinated by how ancient Indian traditions weren't just spiritual, but often had strong scientific foundations. This festive season has inspired me to research more, and I thought that it would be the perfect time to explore how Hindu beliefs, practices, and discoveries have shaped scientific thought for thousands of years. In this post, I want to focus on 3 major parts of how Hinduism links with science - common Hindu rituals and traditions, Ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, and Hindu scholars whose discoveries are often forgotten.

The Science in Everyday Traditions

Many Hindu rituals that we see today actually have scientific reasoning behind them, so I wanted to research some of these ways of living that supported health, mindfulness and balance long before modern science could explain them.

Namaste

When Hindus greet each other with 'Namaste' we join our palms together in front of our chest. Spiritually, Namaste essentially means 'the divine in me bows to the divine in you' which I think is a beautiful way of showing that Hindus believe there is 'God' in everyone. But this gesture is more than just a form of greeting. It activates 'energy points' related to several key sensory organs such as the eyes, ears and brain. When pressed together, these points activate some neurological pathways which can make people more focused, alert, and mentally clear.

Bindi

The bindi placed between the eyebrows isn't just decorative. As a Hindu, I used to wear bindi just for festivals and celebrations, but after finding out the reason that HIndus wear bindis, I started to wear it every day. This point is known as the ajna chakra, or the 'third eye'. This doesn't mean that you literally have a third eye to see from, but it is actually linked to concentration and intuition. Applying a bindi was traditionally believed to help conserve energy and improve focus, which aligns with what we now know with modern science about acupressure points and the role of the frontal lobe in attention and emotion.

Shankha (Conch Shell)

The shankha, a shell often blown during rituals, creates a deep resonant sound that purifies the surroundings and is said to awaken positive energy. I learnt to play the shankha (which is more difficult than it looks!) and when playing it, I found the sound that it made to be really calming. Scientifically, the vibration frequency of the conch's sound can stimulate a nerve called the 'vagus nerve' which promotes calmness and better breathing. 

Ancient Hindu Texts

Long before modern laboratories and microscopes, ancient India already had an incredible curiosity for understanding the world. The Vedas and Upanishads, some of the world's oldest philosophical texts, show that Hindu Scholars saw no divide between science and spirituality

The Rig Veda speaks about the origin of the universe and the idea of rta, a cosmic order that keeps the universe in balance, from the movement of the sun and moon to the changing of seasons. This almost feels like an early way of understanding natural laws.

The Atharva Veda is full of references to herbs and healing and medicine. It is so amazing to think that thousands of years ago, people in ancient India were already studying how different plants could treat illnesses, a bit like an ancient pharmacology. In fact, Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest systems of medicine, and it grew out of the ideas in the Atharva Veda. It focuses on the balance within the body and mind, using herbs, diet and lifestyle to maintain health rather than just treat the disease and move on. What is really fascinating to me is that some Ayurvedic principles, like how digestion affects overall wellbeing, are now being explored in modern medical research too.

And then, there are the Upanishads which dive deeper into the nature of matter and energy. They mention anu (meaning atom) as the tiny building block of everything, showing how ancient thinkers were already trying to understand the physical world at a microscopic level. To think that they had this knowledge without the modern science, such as microscopes, which we have today is absolutely amazing. The Upanishads also explore the idea of eka eva (from which I got my name) which is the idea that everything in the universe is ultimately one. While this is a spiritual concept, it reminded me of the way that modern physics describes the universe as a network of interconnected energy and matter.

The Great Scholars of Ancient India

The legacy of scientific discovery in ancient India doesn't stop with the scriptures. Many brilliant Hindu scholars laid the groundwork for modern science and mathematics, and their work truly amazes me.

One of the first ancient Indian scholars I learnt about was Aryabhata (476 - 550 CE). He was one of the first to propose the idea that the Earth rotates on its axis. He also made remarkably accurate calculations of pi and the length of the solar year. His work on astronomy and mathematics was centuries ahead of its time, and influenced not only Indian scholars but later Islamic and European scholars too.

Another brilliant scholar was Brahmagupta (198 - 668 CE), who was a mathematician who introduced rules for zero and negative numbers, laid the foundations of algebra, and explored methods for solving quadratic equations. His insights shaped how we understand numbers today - concepts so fundemental that they underpin much of modern maths.

Sushruta (6th century BCE), often called the 'Father of Surgery', descibed detailed surgical instruments and procedures, including cataract operations and reconstructive surgery. His careful observations and techniques show a level of precision and understanding that was centuries ahead of many other cultures.

Charaka (2nd Century BCE) compiled the Charaka Samhita, one of the earliest texts on medicine. He emphasised the balance of bodily systems, diet and preventive healthcare. His holistic approach to health laid the foundations of Ayurveda and it continues to influence medical practice today.

And finally, Bhaskara II - known as Bhaskaracharya (1114 - 1185CE) was a mathematician and astronomer who made major contributions to calculus, algebra and number systems long before those concepts were developed in Europe. He accurately calculated the motion of planets and eclipses, and he wrote the influential work Siddhanta Shiromani which combined mathematical theory with practical astronomy.

Growing up in the UK, I've always been taught about great scholars like Newton and Darwin - and of course they are incredible and they have done so much amazing work. But I have never once been taught about Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, Sushruta, Charaka, Bhaskara, Ramanujan, or any ancient Indian scholars in school despite being taught about European and Islamic scholars. As an Indian and a Hindu, I know about these people and the monumental contributions they made, and yet it upsets me to think that so many others don't. It is striking and shocking to me that these pioneers aren't more widely recognised in the western world, even though their discoveries shaped the world we live in today.

Looking at Hindu traditions, texts and scholars together, it is clear that curiosity, observation and a drive to understand the universe have been central to Hindu thought for thousands of years - and long before modern science formalised these methods.

As a Hindu, it fills me with pride to learn about these incredible thinkers and traditions. I truly hope that more people, especially in the western world, come to recognise and celebrate the scientific legacy of ancient India.