Science and Spiritual Quest 2010, pp.

55-59

Concept of Relativity in Light of Vedic Scriptures

Suresh Bhalla *
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas,
New Delhi 110016 (India)

Rupali Suresh
Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi,
Benito Juarez Dhaula Kuan,New Delhi 110021 (India)

ABSTRACT
This paper aims to present the concept of relativity from the eyes of the Vedic
scriptures such as Bhagwat Gita and Srimad Bhagwatam. This concept, which
revolutionized the modern physics in the twentieth century, had already been the
part of the Vedic literature, which date back to time immemorial. In this paper, the
major instances of time dilation enshrined in Bhagwat Gita and Srimad
Bhagwatam are presented. The Vedic scriptures also contain explanation about
the origin of the Universe as well as why it is expanding. Modern science can find
answers to numerous unsolved puzzles through a study of the ancient Vedic
scriptures with a scientific temperament.

1. Introduction
In modern science, the concept of relativity made its appearance in 1905,
when Albert Einstein, then 26 years old, published his theory of special relativity.
However, in Vedic literatures, which date back to time immemorial, the concepts
of relativity find mention and detailed explanations at several places. This paper
makes an effort to point out those facts. The revealed Vedic scriptures carry
information which have only been recently confirmed by the modern science. A
number of facts covered in these literatures are yet to be confirmed by modern
science since they are beyond its the state of the art.
*

Corresponding Author : sbhalla@civil.iitd.ac.in

Bhalla/ Concept of relativity in Light of Vedic Scriptures

2. Modern Theory of Relativity

The modern theory of relativity came into being in 1905 when Albert
Einstein showed how the measurements of time and space are affected by motion
between an observer and what is being observed. This theory is termed as
special relativity, since it is applicable to inertial frames of reference only. The
most interesting feature of the theory is the so called time dilation, that is, a
moving clock ticks slower than a clock at rest. All processes associated with the
moving clock, including those of life (such as ageing) are expected to slow down.
There are two fundamental postulates of the theory of special relativity.
The first one is that the laws of physics are same in all inertial frames of
reference. The second postulate, based on the results of several experiments
(such as the widely celebrated experiment of Michelson and Morley in 1887), is
that the speed of light in free space is same in all inertial frames of reference.
The speed of light in free space has been determined to be equal to 2.998x108
m/s to four significant figures.
Time dilation can be mathematically expressed as [1]

(1)

where to is the time interval on a clock at rest with respect to an observer (also
called proper time), t is the corresponding time interval in the clock which is in
motion with a speed v and c is the speed of light in space.
Because the denominator in Eq.(1) is less than unity, t is always greater
than to. Hence, if an observer is travelling in a spacecraft at very high but constant
speed, his clock will appear to tick slower than the observer at rest on the earth.
The equation shows that exactly same analysis should hold for the measurements
of the clock on earth by the observer on the spacecraft, since relative to the
spacecraft, earth is moving in the opposite direction at speed v. Hence, by this
logic, the effect of time dilation should be reciprocal. The modern theory of
relativity is resting on the assumption that the ultimate speed limit for a body is the
speed of light c. Else, it will lead to contradictory deductions.
A corollary to the theory of special relativity is Doppler effect, that is the
apparent frequency of waves emitted by a moving source is different from that if it
were stationary. The apparent frequency is higher for a source moving towards an
observer and lesser for the one drifting away. All stars emit light of certain
characteristic frequencies called as the spectral lines. The spectral lines of the
distant galaxies are observed to be shifted towards the low frequency (red) end of

Bhalla/ Concept of relativity in Light of Vedic Scriptures

the spectrum. Such shifts indicate that the galaxies are receding away from one
another and from us, that is, the universe is expanding.

3. Concept of Relativity in Vedic Scriptures

A careful study of the Vedic literature reveals that the concept of relativity,
especially the time dilation, had been known before it was postulated by the
modern physicists. For example, Text 8.17 of Bhagwat Gita [2] reads:
By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of
Brahmas one day. And such also is the duration of his night.
A day of Satyaloka (Lord Brahmsas planet) called one kalpa, consists of
1000 cycles of the four Yugas, namely the Satya Yuga (1, 728, 000 years), Treta
Yuga (1, 296, 000years), Dwapra Yuga (864, 000 years) and the Kali Yuga (432,
000 years), which add up to 4.3x109 years. Same is the duration of the night in
the Satyaloka. During one day of Lord Brahma, it is stated that a total of 14 Manus
appear on the earth. The total life of Lord Brahma is stated to be equal to hundred
years formed by such days and nights together. By simple calculations, this works
9
out to be equal to 311.40 x10 years.
The fact is further reinforced in the in Canto 9 of Srimad Bhagwatam [3],
where the story of Revati (wife of Lord Balrama) is covered. It is stated that
Kakudumi, Revatis father, once visited the Satyaloka along with his daughter to
meet Lord Brahma. At that time, Lord Brahma was engaged in listening a consort.
Hence, Kakudumi and Revati had to wait for few minutes. Later, when Lord
Brahma became free, he informed Kakudumi and Revati that during this half an
hour in Satyaloka, 27 cycles of the four Yugas have elapsed.
From the data concerning one full day of Lord Brahma, for an observer on
Satyaloka, to = 1 day. For an observer on the earth, the corresponding time
interval, t = 2x4.3x109x365 days. use of Eq. (1) reveals v c, that is, the relative
speed between earth and the Satyaloka would be nearly equal to the speed of
light. Further, from the point of view of an observer on earth, t = 1 day, to = t =
2x4.3x109x365 days, which, in view of Eq. (1), predicts an imaginary value for the
relative speed v. Hence, in this sense, the effect of time dilation seems far from
reciprocal as advocated by the modern theory.
Text 8.18-8.19 of Bhagwat Gita [2] further state:
At the beginning of Lord Brahmas day, all living entities become manifest from
the unmanifested state, and thereafter, when the night falls, they are merged into
the unmanifest again. Again and again, when Brahmas day arrives, all living
entities come into being, and with the arrival of Brahmas night, they are helplessly
annihilated.

Bhalla/ Concept of relativity in Light of Vedic Scriptures

The annihilation referred to here is partial annihilation after each day of Lord
Brahma. Finally, after completion of Lord Brahmas life (100 years of Satyaloka),
the living entities remain compact in the body of Lord Vishnu as Maha Tattva till
Lord Brahma is born again in the new millennium. This annihilation is referred to
as the total annihilation.
According to Srimad Bhagwatam [4] (Canto 1, Chapter 3), during a new creation,
the Maha Tattva is let loose. During this phase, the Supreme Lord appears as
Karanodakshayi Vishnu and breathes out innumerable universes, go out during
the exhale, stay for some time, and go into the body of the Lord during the inhale.
This is the Vedic explanation to the fact that our universe is expanding, as
confirmed by the observations related to Doppler effect pointed out in the previous
section. Likewise, at some point of time, the universe will start contracting again,
when the Lord will begin the process of inhale. Modern scientists try to explain the
phenomenon of creation in terms of big bang. However, there is no effort to
know the cause behind this big bang.

3. Conclusions
This paper has presented facts about the concept of relativity in ancient Vedic
scriptures. There are several references to time dilation in the Vedic literature.
Relativity is only one of the examples of the scientific knowledge enshrined in
these revealed scriptures. The entire spectrum of the Vedic literature like Bhagwat
Gita, Srimad Bhagwatam, Upnishads and the Puranas are full of scientific and
technical knowledge. The work of scientists will become easier if they also study
the Vedic scriptures alongside their research. Modern science has to travel a lot
more to arrive at the conclusions as well as the facts already covered in the Vedic
scriptures.

References

[1.] Beiser, A. (2008), Concepts of Modern Physics, 6th edition, Tata McGraw Hill
Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi.
[2.] Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1972), Bhagwat Gita As It Is, The
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
[3.] Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1980), Srimad Bhagwatam, Ninth
Canto, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
[4.] Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1980), Srimad Bhagwatam, First
Canto, The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

Bhalla/ Concept of relativity in Light of Vedic Scriptures

About the Authors

Dr. Suresh Bhalla is Assistant Professor, Department of Civil
Engineering, at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He
received his M. Eng. and Ph. D. degrees from Nanyang
Technological University, Singapore, in 2004 and 2001
respectively, and his B. Tech. degree from IIT Delhi in 1995.
His main areas of research include smart materials and
structures, structural health monitoring, tensegrity structures, bio-mechanics,
green building materials and sustainable construction. Dr. Bhalla has published
over 50 papers in international journals and conference proceedings of repute. His
publications have received over 250 citations in the web of Science.

Dr. Rupali Suresh is Lecturer, Department of Physics, at Sri

Venketeswara College, Delhi University. She received her Ph.
D. degree from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore,
in 2004 and MSc degree from IIT Delhi in 2000. Her main
research interests include fibre optic (fibre-Bragg grating)
sensors and their applications to monitor engineering and
biological systems. She has over 25 publications in international
journals and conferences of repute.