In a special function on May 30 at the Press Club of India, authors Jyotish Visharad Shastri Shivshankar Sharma and Bharaat Vyas launched their book The Link Hinduism and Modern Science. The authors conducted a survey among people who practice Hinduism to discover how much knowledge they had about the in-depth concepts of the faith, and found that a large number of people who regularly visit temples and participate in festivals and rituals have little or no clue about the facts behind their religious practices. The book fills this gap. Most people are not aware that the precepts of their religion are not mere mythology, blind faith, superstition or ancient tales, but based on solid empirical facts verifiable by modern scientific methods, with many facts still being studied by scientists.
The book is an attempt to reveal the practical aspects of the religion, whose original name is Sanatan Dharma The Eternal Way and many beliefs are understandable in modern scientific terms.
While Sanatan Dharma, now known as Hinduism, (the words Hindu and Hinduism were coined by the Greeks who came with Alexander the Great in 350 BC and referred to the inhabitants of the Sindh river valley. The Supreme Court of India has categorically stated that Hinduism is a way of life and not a religion) advises that one needs a guru to gain true spiritual knowledge, and advised respect and obedience for the guru. However, at no stage in any scripture, does it suggest blind faith or total surrender.
The book The Link Hinduism and Modern Science explains in a lucid and readily assailable manner, the simple truth, that Hinduism is in fact a Sanatan Dharma, an eternal way of life, founded on profound scientific facts, observed in nature by sages of ancient India, over 10000 years ago. Scriptures of Hinduism do not justify caste based on birth, blind obedience to Gurus, or superstition in any form. Shivshankar Sharma stated this at the launch in Mumbai to a well-attended gathering of Media persons. Lalita Anant Pai, wife of late Uncle Anant Pai, founder of Amar Chitra Katha, released the book.
The co-author, Bharaat Vyas said that Hinduism is more a way of life than a religion, a view that has been voiced by even the Supreme Court of India. Manik Munde, poet, author and joint commissioner sales tax, Mumbai, said that every aspect of Hinduism, as mentioned in the book, is based on principles, which can be verified by modern science.
The book is available online through pothi.com, and is a self-published initiative in public interest.
