Bhagavad Gita Relevance for the 21St Century Nilesh Nilkanth Oak Institute of Advanced Science, Dartmouth, MA, USA Three Points

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Bhagavad Gita Relevance for the 21st Century Nilesh Nilkanth Oak Institute of Advanced Science, Dartmouth, MA, USA Three points

• The Mahabharata War occurred in 5561 BCE (>7500 years ago)

• 300+ internal astronomy evidence & 1000+ multidisciplinary evidence

• Insights from the Bhagavad Gita 1 प्रमेय (conjecture)

शद/उपमान (evidence) 2

logic of scientific method 4 3 अनुमान (inference/prediction) प्रयक्ष (objective testing)

5 आगम (background knowledge) Astronomy evidence‐ Epics Only discipline of science capable of estimating exact dates

Astronomy references 215+ 300+

3. वगीर्करण Astronomy references (classification) 300+ comet near Pushya chronology narrations (60+) AV observation calendrical constraints 60+ Bhishma nirvana planetary motions & positions (23+) (27+) seasons & position lunar & solar eclipses (6+) of Sun (30+) phases & positions of moon (30+) effects due to ‘precession’ effects due to ‘near earth phenomenon’ 5. अनुक्रम + 6. साहचयर् + 8 एकीकरण sequence + association + unification

5561 BCE Arundhati‐Vasishtha observation [11091 BCE – 4508 BCE] All astronomy observations of the epics are visual/factual/actual observations of the sky, of those times Arundhati‐Vasishtha (AV) observation pramana

logic of anumana scientific discovery pratyaksha (11091 BCE – 4508 BCE) astronomy calculations/simulations (agama) precession of equinoxes, proper motions, modern astronomy

130+ alternate claims Ancient Indian narratives Sanskrit 300+ astronomy ref. of Mahabharata Shad‐Darshanas

Philosophy of science Vijnana‐Buddhi Alternate interpretations 7. इंिद्रयप्रामाय objective testing Bhishma parva‐ Adhyaya 2:31

(Renowned and well respected Arundhati has gone ahead of Vasishtha) • Only 4 (out of 130+) researchers dare mention it. Two of them explained it away, one other went on a tangent. The remaining one attempted testing it and failed • All researchers claiming ‘astronomy theory’ mention 3 of 4 astronomy observations of Chapter 2 (Bhishma parva) but do not dare mention ‘AV observation’ which is right in the middle of other 3 observations Precession of the rotational axis of the earth’s axis

Polaris Polaris Brahmarashi/Abhijit Brahmarashi/Abhijit NCP 26,000 Years NCP

Year: 2016 CE Year: 11,000 BCE Polaris

2100 CE Kochab Thuban 2100 BCE 2800 BCE

Prominent North Pole Stars Deneb

16000 BCE 12000 BCE

Brahmarashi/Abhijit/Vega Polaris All the stars of the northern hemisphere appear to rotate around Polaris, in an anticlockwise direction

This star is walking

ahead of

this star Polaris Circle due to moving point of 2016 CE North celestial Pole (due to ‘precession of equinoxes’

C Vasishtha 4508 BCE A Arundhati 11091 BCE X X – 5561 BCE B • ACB –Vasishtha ahead of Arundhati • Points A & B –Vasishtha& Arundhati walking Vega (Abhijit) together, no one ahead & no one behind 12048 BCE • AXB – Arundhati ahead of Vasistha, (Epoch of Arundhati) Scenario‐1

Polaris 2016 CE

C Vasishtha A Arundhati X X – 5561 BCE B • ACB –Vasishtha ahead of Arundhati • Points A & B –Vasishtha& Arundhati walking together, no one ahead & no one behind • AXB – Arundhati ahead of Vasistha, (Epoch of Arundhati) AV observation Deductive reasoning based on empirical testing • Mahabharata war happened sometime before 4508 BCE but after 11091 BCE • AV observation instantaneously falsifies any claim for the Mahabharata war that falls after 4508 BCE or before 11091 BCE • ‘Shabda Pramana’ (words of Mahabharata war) are validated by ‘pratyaksha pramana’ (empirical proof) of modern astronomy Timeline of Hindu civilization (Rigveda, Ramayana, Mahabharata)

RigVeda th Post Mahabharata Veda‐Shakha 22,000+ BCE through 6 millennium BCE (5000 BCE – 2000 BCE)

‐ 20K ‐ 15K ‐ 10K ‐ 5K 0 TODAY

12209 BCE 5561 BCE European enlightenment* Ramayana Mahabharata *estimated (1637‐1789 CE)

1000+ empirical, objectively testable evidence from 12+ disciplines of Hard sciences Bhagavad Gita – Insight 1 Shad‐Darshanas are complimentary (Tattu Samanvayat) Mahabharata (Reverence + Intellect + Courage/heroic deeds = Truth) All relevant evidence Both (Logical) TRUE TRUE & FALSE

6+ 2+

(No) Evidence Testability (Yes) Metaphysical Scientific ∞ + 125+ Neither Arbitrary or Selective FALSE TRUE nor FALSE (Illogical) द्धावीयमर् ितसमािधप्रज्ञापृ ूवकर् इतरेषाम ् (पतजिल योगसूत्र, समािधपाद 20)

Samkhya = Yoga = Nyaya Samkhya

Yoga

BG 5:4‐5 Bhagavad Gita – Insight 2 Comprehension is not possible without qualification. BG 18:67

Tapa Bhakti (study, contemplation, observation) (reverence, conviction, trust)

Prerequisites

Shravana Buddhi (ardent desire for Vyapti‐Jnana) (non‐envious, non‐jealous) Gita does not discriminate: High vs Low (or Big vs Small) Gita does discriminate: ‘seeker of truth’ vs ‘dogmatic attachment to falsehood’ Bhagavad Gita – Insight 3 Evolution/activation of Consciousness Evolution of the Consciousness

Consenter Nourisher

Observer BG 13:22 Enjoyer

Pure Consciousness Shivoham Shivoham Evolution of the Comprehension What is Brahma?

Pranah Manah

Annam BG 13:22 Vijnana

Ananda Shivoham Shivoham Bhagavad Gita – Insight 4 BG is gold shop, Ancient Indian narratives are Goldmines

BG 18:14

Darshan (Tatva‐jnana) 1

Samavaya Samanvay 2 3 Individual & Society Atma & Sharir (vyakti & samaj) (Purush & Prakruti)

Dhammapad is a Neeti‐shastra. Where Dhammapad ends, Bhagavad Gita begins Karma‐yoga (Lokmanya Tilak) 1

What does Bhagavad Gita emphasize? 2 3 Jnana‐Yoga Bhakti‐Yoga (Adi Shankara) (Bhakti‐sampradaya)

Mahabharata, Shanti CE 290:104

यचेितहासेषु महसु टं; यचाथशात्रर् े नपिशटजृ ुटे | ज्ञानं चलोके यिदहाित िकं िच; साङ्ख्यागतं तच महमहामन ्|| मुिक्त

धम र्

गुण धम र्

मुिक्त कतयर्

कम र् अथ र् 1 theory

explanationShabda/upamana 2

logic of scientific method 4 3 inference/prediction anumana objective testing pratyaksha

5 background knowledge Flow

Flow Duty