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From the Beginning of Time : Modern Science and the Puranic Universe
The Puranas, as suggested by their name, describe events deep in the earth’s past. Finding a complete cosmology in the ancient Puranic texts that is mostly aligned to the view of cutting-edge science is almost incredible. This book attempts to do so – through an exploratory analysis. The narrative is pieced together by exploring familiar stories from the Puranas in great depth. In the well-known story of the Descent of Ganga, the extra-terrestrial origin of Earth’s waters has been described in amazing detail. The story of the birth of the Sun God Martanda bears a striking resemblance to the origin of the sun. The Churning of the Milk Ocean recounts the re-appearance of the Moon. The book delves into many such stories along with external evidence to come up with a compelling chronicle of our Universe. The book shows the Puranic texts in a fascinating new light. It also serves as a primer to the general interest reader by tackling some of the questions that modern science is grappling with in its study of the cosmos.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2020
34 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Ganesh Swaminathan
9 books3 followersGanesh is an engineer from IIT Delhi. He has had an interest in space science ever since he was in school. After completing his MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, he spent most of his professional life in a multinational organization in the field of technology.
About eight years ago, Ganesh developed an interest in the Puranas. He was fascinated by the insights the ancient text offered, particularly the parallels to space science. He has researched most of the Mahapuranas, besides other texts, in preparation for writing this book.
Ganesh currently lives in Singapore with his wife and daughter.
About eight years ago, Ganesh developed an interest in the Puranas. He was fascinated by the insights the ancient text offered, particularly the parallels to space science. He has researched most of the Mahapuranas, besides other texts, in preparation for writing this book.
Ganesh currently lives in Singapore with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 11, 2021
Some books are made for jaw-dropping only. This is such type of book. Author put Herculean effort to show compatibility with several important Puranas like Bhagavat, Brahma, Kalika, Brahmavaivarta etc. with actual geological and astronomical events.
How profound scientific phenomenon can be transformed into simple story and kept alive generation after generation, so that someone can decipher these truths for e.g. origin of moon, great flood, cosmic egg, history of earth etc.
Readers will be amazed how these scientific facts can be discovered without any cutting-edge telescope, observatory, satellite 2000 years ago.
How profound scientific phenomenon can be transformed into simple story and kept alive generation after generation, so that someone can decipher these truths for e.g. origin of moon, great flood, cosmic egg, history of earth etc.
Readers will be amazed how these scientific facts can be discovered without any cutting-edge telescope, observatory, satellite 2000 years ago.
July 2, 2024
A great book to understand Cosmology the Indian way, detailed review here - https://www.anuradhagoyal.com/from-th...
June 15, 2021
If one is inquisitive and has a scientific-bent, if one likes to ask questions and dig deeper, if one would like to connect the dots between our rich scriptures and the modern science, this is one of the books to start with.
The author, Ganesh Swaminathan, has done a wonderful job in studying the Puranas and understanding the deeper meaning of the seemingly Dharmic stories. He then explored the science behind the stories and how strong they stand when tested against the accepted scientific theories and facts. He goes on to show that our Rishis and Scholars had so much knowledge about our cosmos and the universe; and how they worked on disseminating it in common language to the masses.
The author, Ganesh Swaminathan, has done a wonderful job in studying the Puranas and understanding the deeper meaning of the seemingly Dharmic stories. He then explored the science behind the stories and how strong they stand when tested against the accepted scientific theories and facts. He goes on to show that our Rishis and Scholars had so much knowledge about our cosmos and the universe; and how they worked on disseminating it in common language to the masses.
July 31, 2021
From the Beginning of Time: Modern Science and the Puranic Universe
As the Title The Book is about explaining the topics present in Puranas with Modern Science View.
First I would like to Appreciate the author for the magnificent research which has been done while writing this book.
The Book has been well written with all possible explanations and also a balanced approach while explaining the link between our ancient puranas and modern science.
Major possible topics of Purana where we can link it up with Science have been covered and they are Sun, The Unit of Measure, Earth, The Cosmic Egg, The Moon, The Great flood, Puranic universe and Maharishi Vyasa.
Book Starts with the explanation of the Birth of Surya and what important roles he plays in Hinduism is explained with great details and how Sun came to be is described beautifully with both the puranic references and Astrological references.
Next is the Unit of Measurement -- Pramana , where it explains modern equals of Puranic Pramanas Yojana,Kalpa and all. The author has made sure to present the discrepancy that is present in the puranas when they explain Pramanas.
The Cosmic Egg and the explanation of the various mandals, Sagaras and Lokas gave me goosebumps while reading and made me awe in places with detailed explanations of the environments and its soil and Water characters.
The Moon importance and its birth has been explained with 3 different stories available in the puranas and also there is brief information of the Churn of Kshira Sagara present.
The Great flood and the boat has been explained in this chapter including the narrations available in Abrahamic and Egyptian mythologies , it's a very good chapter and was very much interested on how Earth itself is considered as a Boat and Matya avatara and Manu’s Role as a protagonist has been explained here with the details and also of the boat and animals and seeds and landing point of the boat after the flood stops and guiding light of Sapta Rishis .
At last the brief information of Maharishi Vyasa life is present which is a good tribute to the author of Mahabharata .
There are various Conversations between Gods,Sages and Kings which are very interesting to know.
I have written a very brief review of the book and don’t want to spoil the interest of people who want to read the book with detailed information , This is a Must read book for the Millennial Hindu generation who questions what is there in the Puranas and everyone who is interested in our Sanatana Dharma should read this book.
Note: I received this Book as part of 1000 Review Club of Indic Book Club.
My Rating: 5/5 , Highly Recommend to buy the book and read it.
As the Title The Book is about explaining the topics present in Puranas with Modern Science View.
First I would like to Appreciate the author for the magnificent research which has been done while writing this book.
The Book has been well written with all possible explanations and also a balanced approach while explaining the link between our ancient puranas and modern science.
Major possible topics of Purana where we can link it up with Science have been covered and they are Sun, The Unit of Measure, Earth, The Cosmic Egg, The Moon, The Great flood, Puranic universe and Maharishi Vyasa.
Book Starts with the explanation of the Birth of Surya and what important roles he plays in Hinduism is explained with great details and how Sun came to be is described beautifully with both the puranic references and Astrological references.
Next is the Unit of Measurement -- Pramana , where it explains modern equals of Puranic Pramanas Yojana,Kalpa and all. The author has made sure to present the discrepancy that is present in the puranas when they explain Pramanas.
The Cosmic Egg and the explanation of the various mandals, Sagaras and Lokas gave me goosebumps while reading and made me awe in places with detailed explanations of the environments and its soil and Water characters.
The Moon importance and its birth has been explained with 3 different stories available in the puranas and also there is brief information of the Churn of Kshira Sagara present.
The Great flood and the boat has been explained in this chapter including the narrations available in Abrahamic and Egyptian mythologies , it's a very good chapter and was very much interested on how Earth itself is considered as a Boat and Matya avatara and Manu’s Role as a protagonist has been explained here with the details and also of the boat and animals and seeds and landing point of the boat after the flood stops and guiding light of Sapta Rishis .
At last the brief information of Maharishi Vyasa life is present which is a good tribute to the author of Mahabharata .
There are various Conversations between Gods,Sages and Kings which are very interesting to know.
I have written a very brief review of the book and don’t want to spoil the interest of people who want to read the book with detailed information , This is a Must read book for the Millennial Hindu generation who questions what is there in the Puranas and everyone who is interested in our Sanatana Dharma should read this book.
Note: I received this Book as part of 1000 Review Club of Indic Book Club.
My Rating: 5/5 , Highly Recommend to buy the book and read it.
November 24, 2021
This was a truly captivating book. Divided into ten chapters, it recaps and discusses cosmogony according to our Puranas. These chapters are~
1. The Puranas;
2. The Sun;
3. Units of Measure;
4. The Planet Earth;
5. The History of the Earth;
6. The Cosmic Egg;
7. The Moon;
8. The Great Flood;
9. The Puranic Universe;
10. Maharishi Vyasa.
While the recap of various stories are very interesting as well as thought-provoking, the author misses one major point altogether. The thinkers and poets conjuring these verses and images were philosophers of very high calibre. They had been able to conjure macro from micro and mega from macro. From tangible models of common things, they had sought to capture the sublime beauty of cosmos in words. Unfortunately, the author seems determined to show as if those writers had knowledge of modern physics, instead of metaphysics. This plays right into the hands of those who wish to spread lies and falsehoods in the name of religion in our country, today. If the author had allowed us to investigate the possible sources of such metaphysical visions, it would have been more enriching as well as more historically accurate.
Nevertheless, it’s a gripping read that allows us to enjoy the splendour of ancient Indian thought. Hence, recommended.
1. The Puranas;
2. The Sun;
3. Units of Measure;
4. The Planet Earth;
5. The History of the Earth;
6. The Cosmic Egg;
7. The Moon;
8. The Great Flood;
9. The Puranic Universe;
10. Maharishi Vyasa.
While the recap of various stories are very interesting as well as thought-provoking, the author misses one major point altogether. The thinkers and poets conjuring these verses and images were philosophers of very high calibre. They had been able to conjure macro from micro and mega from macro. From tangible models of common things, they had sought to capture the sublime beauty of cosmos in words. Unfortunately, the author seems determined to show as if those writers had knowledge of modern physics, instead of metaphysics. This plays right into the hands of those who wish to spread lies and falsehoods in the name of religion in our country, today. If the author had allowed us to investigate the possible sources of such metaphysical visions, it would have been more enriching as well as more historically accurate.
Nevertheless, it’s a gripping read that allows us to enjoy the splendour of ancient Indian thought. Hence, recommended.
June 21, 2022
this book gave me exactly what I was searching for all these years - a link between stories in indian sacred texts with modern science. The amount of research that must have been required to put this together is immense and hats off to the author for doing that so painstakingly.
May 29, 2022
If we try to decode the puranas instead of ignoring them, science can explore the universe in a much focussed way. The book will give you a crystal clear understanding of various stories in puranas which were explaining the creation of our universe in a poetic way. You will understood science much better now thanks to the puranic poems and author’s splendid effort. Cheers to Mr.Ganesh Swaminatham (Author).
May 21, 2022
This book will blow your mind. Brilliantly written. A website with links to original verses will really help.
December 4, 2024
This is an audacious and inspiring book that conduits the breach between two apparently dissimilar ways of understanding the universe. Swaminathan’s work is a demonstration to the lasting relevance of ancient wisdom and its potential to resonate with modern scientific thought. While it may not placate the demands of academic thoroughness in either domain, it succeeds in igniting inquisitiveness and nurturing a dialogue between science and spirituality. For readers interested in cosmology, philosophy, and the connections of science and mythology, this book offers a delightful voyage into the universe's mysteries, both ancient and modern. The book is separated into well-organized chapters, each concentrating on a precise aspect of cosmology, from the origin of the universe to the nature of time, consciousness, and life. Swaminathan instigates by investigating into the Puranic accounts of creation, preservation, and destruction, elucidating them in rich detail. He then compares these accounts with modern scientific ideas, such as the cyclical model of the universe and multiverse theories, making compelling arguments about their conceptual similarities. For example, Swaminathan draws comparisons between the Hindu concept of yugas (cosmic ages) and modern cosmological time scales, suggesting that ancient sages may have intuited cosmic cycles through spiritual insight. The narrative on pralaya (cosmic dissolution) is predominantly captivating, as it is likened to theories about entropy and the eventual heat death of the universe. While the book is thought-provoking, some of its arguments can feel speculative, leaning heavily on interpretative analogies. For example, equating the Puranic concept of Brahmanda (cosmic egg) with the Big Bang is fascinating but raises questions about whether such parallels are coincidental or over-interpreted. Furthermore, the lack of thorough certifications for certain claims might leave scientifically-inclined readers wanting more severe allusions. At times, the narrative assumes a tuneful conjunction between science and spirituality, annotating over the epistemological variances between the two spheres.
May 26, 2022
An interesting read, however very full on and has a lot of information. Can’t be read like a normal book. Must be read slowly to be digested. An interesting correlation between the Puranas and modern science.
May 28, 2022
below expectations. Not much new information. Research in the Purans are not collabrated much, seems to be copied from some where as there is no reference to anything in sanskrit and the entire puran is in sanskrit. Too generic at times, missed many important correlations as well.
May 25, 2022
Strangely enough, I did not enjoy reading the book but found it exciting to contemplate over its contents
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews