Scientists reconstruct Dante's face

Suggested by RYK, via email on Jan. 13, 07.

Is India heading the right way? by Francois Gautier (Auroville).

Inside the Spirit Matrix: A contextualization of contemporary physics, presented at Approaches to Mind Sciences Emanating from Indian Culture, conference organized by the Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, India, January 27-29, 2007.

UNSTRUNG

In string theory, beauty is truth, truth beauty. Is that really all we need to know?

by JIM HOLT

Hi yatanti,

Welcome to SCIY, and thanks for your article suggestion. You're right, that's a great article, so much so that we had already posted it on SCIY. But we gave it a different title that you wouldn't have been able to easily recognize: "The Trouble with Physics: Has physics gone postmodern?", which you can see here. We used that title as sort of an in-group reference to an ongoing discussion we'd been having on SCIY re postmodernism.

Anyway, let us know re any other articles you'd like to see posted, and feel free to get involved is some of our comment discussions if you'd like.

All best,

Ron Anastasia (rjon)
SCIY Founding Editor

http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/25/stories/2007022500041400.htm

http://esnips.com/_t_/sri+aurobindo

This is a site where many of Sri Aurobindo's book in pdf format are available.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=okTFzbsSFGs

Mercy to animals is an organisation that has exposed cruelity to animals in farms and slaughtering houses.

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2007/gb20070321_338626.htm?campaign_id=rss_daily

Why the U.S still Drives Asia's economy

Water

Homeopathy

http://www.pr.com/press-release/34593

Ron, I have been reading a book by David Korten, The Great Turning. The book masterfully traces the concept of Empire from pre-history to the present and states that the current world situtation has been shaped by the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of the few. The motivating actions of governments are to preserve their control over the forces of money and power. The democracies of the Western world are not true democracies as they maintain their control over the many by giving privilege to the few. Korten goes on to relate various paradigms that our culture buys into and which perpetuate the rule of Empire. One of these views is related in the "Imperial Secular Meaning Story."
"Matter is the only reality. the whole of the cosmos is a product of the orderly playing out of physical forces amenable to description and prediction by mathematical equations. Life is the accidental outcome of material complexity. Consciousness and free will are illusions, nothing more. Because life has no intrinsic meaning, the only rational couse of the intelligent individual is to seek material gratification through the accumulation of wealth and power.
The evolution of the living species occurs through a competitive struggle in which the fittest survive and the less fit perish. Mammalian species, naturally organize themselves into heirarchies of dominance for mutual protection and breeding success.
Human progress likewise depends on competitive struggle in which the most fit triumph and those of second rank serrve the most fit. the winners prove their superior worth and therby their contribution to the betterment of the whole by virute of their victory. They have a natural right to the rewards of their victory as their just due. Their is no reason for guilt or for concern for those whom the struggle destroys or leaves behind, as their loss is itself proof that they are the less fit. For the betterment of the whole, we must all accept that this is their proper fate."
What makes the Great Turning a landmark book is that it exposes these myths for what they are-propaganda for maintaining control with power and wealth. The actions of governments rather than being for the well being of the people they are supposed to serve are for the maintaining of the myths which concentrate power and wealth in the hands of the few. Korten goes on to forge the strategy for removal of these myths and replacing them with the reality of a sustainable Earth Community.
The human and Divine potential of the sage, writer, artist, scientist cannot be fully realized without the move away from Empire to Earth Community. The Bodhisattva's vow, while at the threshold of enlightenment, takes on new meaning for all of us to work out our daily lives in harmony with the movement toward an Earth Community.
See: http://www.davidkorten.org/

Thought Relics by Tagore

Satprem [30-10-1923 — 09-04-2007]

I am not completely sure of this .. But from what I vaguely remember Satprem persevered the work for cataleptic trance .. a state of suspended animation . From the article, "Conquering the habit of body and habit of death ".... I feel this was his aim .

"He is the Spirit that can never die. The spirit will conquer death and let others conquer death, in the Way led by The Light and The Force."... is the crux of what I feel anybody should comprehend after reading his books .

Beyond the Central Dogma of Physics by Ulrich Mohrhoff

Humankind could have only four years of life left

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-emissions21jun21,0,107286.story?coll=la-home-center

China may lead in greenhouse gases

TED : IDEAS WORTH SPREADING

Inspired talks by the world's greatest thinkers and doers

A document as important as it is moving. It would be very useful for many if someone would translate this from the French original. Luc was Satprem's closest associate for many years (besides Sujata, of course).

http://www.lesyeuxouverts.net/

Smart disposal: A prescription for a healthy planet

I wanted to post some guidelines for disposal of medications for environmental safety. I am copying the text from the magazine " Pharmacy today"

What to tell the patients

1. Check for state or local medication collection or take-back
programs.
2. Check with hazardous waste facilities for disposal programs.
3. DO NOT FLUSH, unless the medication label specifically says to do so.
4. Crush unused solild medications and dissolve liquid ones.
5. Mix with cat litter, coffee grounds, or other solid waste.
6. Place in plastic bag and seal to avoid the risk of poisoning children or pets.
7. Revove all identifying personal information from medication can.
8. Place in garbage can.
9. Proper disposal of medications will prevent them from being diverted and used illegally.

http://www.paramuspost.com/article.php/2007060916594261

Nearly 80 percent of India lives on half dollar a day

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSDEL21889420070810?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

Dear Ron,

The work Science on the main page is camoflauged by the back ground. You should either change the background picture or the colour of the lettering.

Hi Rakesh,

The problem may be because of the size of the window you're using. SCIY's Main Page is designed to be viewed at a standard size, which you can see by:

1) Opening SCIY's Main Page and scrolling to the top so you can see the four images used in our heading.

2) Play with the width of your viewing window.

3) Confirm that the size of your window does not duplicate the four images. It should show only a small margin of the dark blue background to the left and right of the set of 4 images.

4) At this size, the words "Science, Culture and Integral Yoga" should show up clearly against the background of the left two darker images.

5) Note that if you then increase the width of your viewing window the four images will begin to duplicate. It's true that at some of these wider widths, the word "Science" doesn't show up well against the lighter image of the model of Auroville.

Please let me know if this adjustment works for you.

~ ronjon

Sam Harris talking sense!

Steve Job's speech at Stanford video

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA">

Culture of Peace

http://www.frontlineonnet.com/stories/20080912251806500.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/science/11collider.html?hp

Dear Sir,I have to suggest the following subject.The text herein is my article published in a local special issue of "savitri Veda Vignyan (Adhyayan and Anusandhan Parishad)"magazine Published in November 2008,by Pandit Nagesh Chandra Sharma ,7,Konark Court lane-2 ,Deccan College Road,Yeravada,Pune-411006.belonging to Arya Samaj organisation.India .

Swami Dayananda and the Spirituality in the Vedas
-------By Shri. Yeshwant Sane


Swami Dayananda’s most important contribution to the world is to restore faith in the Vedas, that it is in fact ‘a Shruti’, i.e. the absolute truth and knowledge, as narrated by the God in a language of His own breath. The Language here in is a means of communication instrument, between The God the Creator and the Human being; and between the other life forms, all under active cosmic evolution in the Prakriti on this Earth.

But, in contrast with Swami Dayananda’s own belief ,what was the actual status of the Vedas in the minds of the Western scholars and the Rulers ?What was the status even in the understanding of the new Indian literates and intellectuals regimented by the British systems of culture and Education and vitally influenced ,regimented in the pseudo materialistic science paradigm?

I would like to quote in the very words of Sri Aurobindo :-,

”This everlasting rock of the Veda, many assert, has no existence, there is nothing there but the commonest mud and sand; it is only a hymnal of primitive barbarians, only a rude worship of the personified natural phenomena or even less than half liturgy of ceremonial sacrifice, half religion, half Magic, by which superstitious animal man of yore hoped to get themselves gold and food and cattle, slaughter pitilessly their enemies, protect themselves from disease, calamity and demoniac influences and enjoy the coarse pleasures of a material paradise.

To that we must add a third view, to Orthodox, or at least that which arises from Sayana’s commentary;…..”(A book of sacred scripture, for a liturgy (A rite or body of rites prescribed for public worship)”.

I could not avoid giving this verbatim expression of Sri Aurobindo, which is an apt description of the situation. Further, I don't think that that situation has changed a bit even now in spite of the struggle of Swami Dayananda in his lifetime and by his Sampradayic followers to this date.

Not very long ago, but, only about merely 700 years back, the Brahmins of ‘Paithan’ town in Maharastra in INDIA, they had proscribed recital of vedas by non-Brahmins and forbidden specifically even the Yogi and Hindu Brahmin Sant Jnyaneshwar from reciting Vedas, because he was a son of a Sanyasi and was not allowed to undergo Upanayan Sanskar. Why? Because, this was a retained monopoly of the Brahmin's.

Paradoxically, it was Sant Tukaram, a disciple of Sant Jnyaneshwar and Nath pantha Yogi, a non-Brahmin born of a lower cast, who sarcastically observed, ” Only we have truly understood Vedas and they carry merely the burden of its verbal recitals”

My only intention and purpose of quoting this incidence is to sit right, and become aware of the fact that the spiritual meanings of Vedas and the Yajna (Spiritual Atmic Kriya) systems have not been clear to the present society even at this age and times!!..

I must add that the Herculean efforts and researches, no doubt have been carried out mainly by the followers of Swami Dayananda, specially by such veterans such as Swami SatyaPrakash Sarasvati, Kusum Arya (purushasukta and Yajna contemplated therein), Dr. Ramanath Vedalankar many others.

In fact, I am aware that taking the inspiration from Swami Dayananda, Sri Aurobindo extended this research and approach of spiritual interpretation of Vedas in his own writing under his famous books such as 'Secrets in Vedas’ and ‘ Hymns to the mystic fire’ (Agni) etc. and that his disciple Kapila Shastriyar followed his foot steps in writing many treatises on vedic Spirituality. But, the world has not taken any serious note of this effort and largely remains ignorant.

Why this happens so? The reason is that even the scholars and the followers of today continue to live and practice in the materialist mind set and fail to understand and practice and imbibe this unique effort of Swami Dayananda, without any understanding of his true knowledge of God, Meditation, Yoga, Treta Vad (Structural Reality of the universe in 3 categories and levels as seen by him), the spiritual Shabda, the 7 Vedic Chhandas in which Rigvedian and other Richas are really realised, the spanda vehicles of Spiritual Knowledge, Yogic meanings of Shabda and Sanskrit words, Austerities and Nitya Sadhana etc. and its moral behaviour of life as mandatory requirements for acquiring the True vedic knowledge and Transformation of the Soul etc.

Therefore, mere reading of Vedic Samhita in the present understanding of language systems, it does not lead to its true realization and meaning (Atma Bodha).

This language is in fact a link between an Unmanifest and the Manifest World(Ayakta and Vyakta –vide Purushasukta).The Human being is a Purush ,Khara type, described by a word “Danshangule” –having 10 fingers-(Vide Purushasukta Thesis of Kusum Arya)

In what circumstances and opposition, this ‘Truth Perception’ was achieved single-handedly by Swami Dayananda, which can best be understood by reading the two articles written by Mahayogi Sri. Aurobindo in his small book entitled "Bankim- Tilak-Dayananda".

"In the matter of Vedic interpretation I am convinced
that whatever may be the final complete interpretation,
Dayananda will be honored as the first discoverer of the
right clues. Amidst the chaos and obscurity of old ignorance
and age-long misunderstanding his was the eye of
direct vision that pierced to the truth and fastened on that
which was essential. He has found the keys of the doors
that time had closed and rent asunder the seals of the
imprisoned fountains".-Aurobindo
[Page 60 Bankim - Tilak - Dayananda (Vedic Magazine, 1916)]

To the modern materialists of Science and post modernists ,he asserts positively that--

“The cosmic clement is not less conspicuous in the Veda;”--

"The cosmic element is not less conspicuous in the Veda;
the Rishis speak always of the worlds, the firm laws that
govern them. the divine workings in the cosmos. But
Dayananda goes farther: he affirms that the truths of
modern physical science are discoverable in the hymns.
Here we have the sole point of fundamental principle
about which there can be any Justifiable misgivings.

I confess my incompetence to advance any settled opinion
in the matter. But this much needs to be said that his idea
is increasingly supported by the recent trend of our knowledge
About the ancient world. The ancient civilisations did
possess secrets of science some of which modern knowledge
has recovered, extended and made more rich and
precise but others are even now not recovered. There is
then nothing fantastic in Dayananda's idea that Veda
contains truth of science as well as truth of religion. I will
even add my own conviction that Veda contains other
truths of a science the modem world does not at all
possess, and in that case Dayananda has rather under-
stated than overstated the depth and range of the Vedic
wisdom." (P57)(Sri Aurobindo 9Vedic magazine 1916)

Dr.Satya Prakash Sarasvati observes: --
“The Shruti provides us a basic language for the expression of all
Sciences and all philosophies. Dayananda in this sense says that the
Veda (i. e., the divine speech) is the scripture of all true knowledge.
It is only man that possesses language (a proper vocal and hearing organ
for this purpose), revealed for him at man’s earliest appearance, and therefore, he could become a scientist, a philosopher, a thinker.
It is through the language, that the Rg. the Yajuh and the Saman, the philosophy, the sciences, the applied technology, and the poetry and the lyrics are expressed.”

There are some critical observations on Swami Dayananda's works. One example I can quote is by Swami Satya Prakash Sarasvati, who further says: -

“Dayananda, while he drew his inspirations direct from the
Vedic subjects for philosophy, sociology, politics, education,
positive sciences, cosmogony, and rituals, he carefully ignored the
Vedic, the Brahmanic and the Upanisadic analogy in one important
aspect.

This I have called in my writings the Samhita -Tarka or the
Rupaka-Tarka or the argument of “collative parallelism.”

The old group of the Vedic Rishis was very fond of this type of logic,
Which has its origin in the Vedic texts. Perhaps, it was essential in
the Vedic texts on account of brevity, but there was a lack of rationalism,
apart from the fascinating analogy, and, therefore, prior
to Dayananda, to some extent it was also ignored by the authors
of the Sankhya. the Vaisesika, the Nyaya and the Vedanta.
I shall illustrate the logic from the Taitiriya-upanishad of five sets
of four items each (1.5.1-3).”

Sets:-. Vyahrti Adhiloka Adhijyautis Adhividya Adhyatma
1. Bhuh Earth Agni Rg Prajna
2. Bhuvah Midspace Vayu Yajuh Apana
3. Svah Dyau Aditya Soma Vyana
4. Maha Aditya Candrama Brahma Anna

I shall end this article for want of space, and observe that the work of revealing all the secret spiritual meanings of Vedas, which was undertaken and started by Swami Dyananda for the benefit of the posterity of the mankind, has remained incomplete.

We should resolve on this occasion to take an oath to work for this reason.

God bless us all!!

Sd/-
(Yeshwant Sane)
E-Mail: yrsane@eth.net
Res.land line Tel:022-25368450
Mobile: 9004051847

Mr.Yeshwant Ramchandra Sane,
B.E. (Civil), FIV, FIS, RICS (Lond)
Retd.Estate Manager Bombay Port Trust,
Visiting Faculty Member, Sardar Patel University, Gujrat, India
Ex-Trustee Granthali (Mumbai), and Trustee of Brahman Shikhan Mandal, Thane,
Vice President Thane Nagar Wachan Mandir Library (160 yrs Old),
President Spiritual Science Centre, Thane,

Res: Sonal Appt. Agiary Lane, near Saraswat Bank, PC 400601
Res Tel: -91-022-25368450 MBL: 9004051847