Was the Speed of Light Accurately Calculated from the Rig Veda?
This is a popular and intriguing claim, but it is not historically or scientifically accurate. Let's break down the claim, its origin, and why it doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
The Origin of the Claim
The claim originates from a 1985 paper by S. S. De and P. V. Vartak and was later popularized by Indian spiritual leaders. The argument is based on a specific verse from the Rig Veda (I.50.4).
The "Calculation" Method
Proponents of the claim use a very creative and non-standard interpretation:
Step 1: A Non-Standard Translation
They reinterpret the verse as: "The sun traverses 2,202 yojanas in half a nimesha." It is critical to note that the numbers 2,202 and the units "yojana" and "nimesha" do not appear in the original Sanskrit text.
Step 2: The Units
Yojana: An ancient Indian unit of distance. Its exact length varied historically from about 8 to 13 km.
Nimesha: A unit of time, often calculated as 16/75 of a second.
Step 3: Performing the Calculation
They calculate the speed as: (2,202 yojanas) / (0.5 nimesha).
Step 4: The Crucial, Arbitrary Step
To make the final number match the modern speed of light, they use a specific value for the yojana of approximately 9.1 miles (about 14.5 km). This value is cherry-picked and is not the most commonly accepted one.
Why This Claim is Not Scientifically Valid
The Translation is Forced and Incorrect
The standard, scholarly translation of the verse is a hymn of praise to the Sun god, Surya. It has nothing to do with a numerical measurement of speed. The numbers and units are inserted based on a highly speculative interpretation.
Circular Reasoning and Arbitrary Units
The entire calculation relies on cherry-picking a specific value for the "yojana" to force the result to match the known speed of light. Using more commonly accepted values yields a number that is wildly incorrect.
Anachronism
The concept of a universal, constant speed of light is a product of 17th- and 18th-century European physics. Attributing this modern scientific constant to the Vedic seers is an anachronism.
Lack of Corroboration
There is no mention of this calculation or the constant speed of light in any subsequent Indian astronomical or philosophical text by brilliant mathematicians like Aryabhata or Bhaskara.
Conclusion
While it's a fascinating story, the claim that the speed of light was calculated from the Rig Veda is a modern myth.
It is based on a creative and inaccurate translation, uses arbitrary values to force a desired result, and imposes a modern scientific concept onto an ancient text.
The Rig Veda is a monumental work of human culture, poetry, and early philosophy. Its value lies in its spiritual and literary insights, not in containing hidden codes for modern physics.
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