By: Salil Gewali
A science student might know about CERN. At least now they do, after the shocking news about the existence of particles (neutrinos) that move faster than light was suddenly announced by CERN scientists in 2011. The whole science fraternity was caught in a whirlpool of confusion at that time, as such a discovery would have dealt a big blow to a long-held assumption and could have brought major upheavals in the theories expounded by James Maxwell, Albert Einstein, and the like. But with a big sigh of relief, the claim was later refuted by the same group of scientists. The discovery of the Higgs Boson was another bombshell this lab dropped—one met with scepticism from certain faiths.
Well, CERN stands for the ‘European Organisation for Nuclear Research’, situated in Geneva. This intellectual citadel, the world’s largest physics lab, is home to 2,500 full-time employees and 12,200 scientists and engineers representing 600 universities and research facilities from more than 70 countries. The Nobel laureate and co-founder of Quantum Physics, Werner Heisenberg, was also one of the co-founders of this particle research centre.
But believe it or not, this renowned international science institution houses a huge statue of Nataraja, the symbolic depiction of Lord Shiva, who performs his cosmic dance to destroy the worn-out universe, making way for Lord Brahma to restart the cycle of creation. The statue was a gift from the Indian government in 2004.
Isn’t it strange how a Hindu God found a place in the heart of a “science center,” a seat of rationalism and reasoning? An atheist may fume at the idea, for many tend to brush aside any religious symbols and rituals as a mere bundle of superstitions, regarding them as irritating hurdles to progression and liberalism in the modern, free-thinking world. But alas, their rational predecessors, men of letters and intellect, are now beginning to think differently! They are turning towards the wisdom of ancient India, striving to dig deeper into its archives. The unifying and continuous philosophy of Vedanta has opened up a new perspective on both the minutest particles and the cosmic web.
In 1975, an eminent American physicist Dr Fritjof Capra had come up with the most epoch-making book titled ‘The Tao of Physics’. Besides his four other international bestsellers, this book has now been published in 23 languages across the world. Dr Capra scientifically connects the rhythmic pulsation of a subatomic particle with the Cosmic dance of Lord Shiva. He asserts: “Every subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance but also ‘is an energy dance’; a pulsating process of creation and destruction, without end. For modern physicists, then Shiva’s dance is the dance of subatomic matter.”
As in Indian mythology, it is a continual dance of creation and destruction involving the whole cosmos; the basis of all existence and natural phenomena. He further adds “Modern physics pictures matter, not as passive and inert, but as continuously dancing and vibrating. This is very much like the Eastern mystics’ description of the world. Both emphasise that the universe has to be grasped dynamically. Its structures are not static, rigid ones, but should be seen in terms of dynamic equilibrium.”
The most astounding aspect of the book is that it corroborates the Eastern concept of “interconnection” between all objects in the universe, animate and inanimate alike. Capra writes: “The Eastern mystics see the universe as an inseparable web, whose interconnections are dynamic and not static. The cosmic web is alive; it moves and grows and changes continually. Modern physics, too, has come to conceive of the universe as such a web of relations and, like Eastern mysticism, has recognized that this web is intrinsically dynamic.”
Yes, today’s scientists are beginning to think along the same lines as the Rishis in India did, recording their insights in the Upanishads ages ago. Thus, the glorification of Nataraja by nuclear scientists at CERN is far from irrelevant. Rather, it is inspirational, providing fuel for further exploration. Science now concedes that the seers of the Indian subcontinent had grasped higher truths—the science of dimensions beyond ordinary perception and subtle realities.
These are the very realms in which the Nobel laureate, Erwin Schrödinger—whose Schrödinger equation is considered one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century—found refuge. His deep love for the Upanishads is evident in his world-famous work What is Life?, which Francis Crick later credited as a key inspiration for the revolutionary discovery of the DNA code. Schrödinger was so convinced about the depth of wisdom in Indian literature that he made a fervent proclamation:
Schrödinger was not alone. David Bohm, Eugene Wigner, Robert Oppenheimer, Brian Josephson, Carl Sagan, John Archibald Wheeler, Charles Townes, Jack Sarfatti, John Hagelin, and John Bell had already made attempts to plunge headlong into the cosmic ocean of Upanishadic Consciousness—seeking answers in the eternal pulsation of the universe. One of the men behind the concepts of the “Blak hole” and “Wormhole”, John Archibald Wheeler, became so awestruck with the knowledge of the East that he remarked: “One has the feeling that the thinkers of the East knew it all, and if we could only translate their answers into our language, we would have the answers to all our questions.” Finally, here comes the boldest assertion by the father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer: “What we shall find in modern physics is an exemplification, an encouragement, and a refinement of old Indian wisdom.”
It may sound quite staggering to the sceptical, but science has long been kneeling before Eastern wisdom. Beware, atheists! Science is returning to Hinduism—not the religion, but the all-pervasive consciousness and DIVINITY.
A writer and researcher based in Shillong, Salil Gewali is best known for his research-based work, Great Minds on India, which has earned worldwide appreciation. His book has been translated into fifteen languages and edited by a former NASA scientist, Dr. AV Murali of Houston, USA. Gewali is also a member of the International Human Rights Commission Zürich, Switzerland.
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