Blend science with spirituality: Panicker

CHANGANASSERY: A harmonious blend between science and spirituality is essential for the progress of world civilisation, NSS general secretary PK Narayana Panicker has said.

He was delivering the inaugural address at the seminar on ‘Science and Philosophy’ organised by the Department of Philosophy of the NSS Hindu College here.

Indology being the repository of scientific and spiritual knowledge could do a good deal in this regard. But the ignorance of the modern generation of Sanskrit language is a serious handicap which impedes their knowing the core of Indian heritage, he said.

The seminar witnessed an assemblage of scholars of repute in their respective fields including Babu Joseph, former Vice-Chancellor of CUSAT, and TR Somasekharan, Editor of Pragathi and state organising secretary of Bharathiya Vichara Kendram.

Babu Joseph said that though the theories of Albert Einstein and Max Plank proved a great breach with the world view offered by classical physics, they still lagged behind in helping humanity reach the ultimate goal, which is the realization of the idea of oneness.

In fact, science is standing on the threshold of the unknown which is beyond sensory perception. And this missing link can be filled only by spirituality, he opined.

Presenting his paper on ‘The Idea of Oneness in Science and Darsana’, TR Somasekharan elaborated on the transcendental unity of all phenomena as envisioned in the Vedas, which he said sprang from the seeker-sought unity.

All the ignorance comes from incoherence at the psychic and intellectual level. Coordination and coherence of thought and intellect helps one know the ultimate reality. The two-phased spiritual practice Dharana-Dhyana helps the seeker reach Samadhi, the balanced state of mind and intellect. Coherence or Dhyana is spiritual preparation, which is identified with Mangala or Siva or the highly auspicious.

Spirituality thus leads man from the point he is carried up to by science. It is spirituality alone which can sublimate and perfect science. The aim of both science and Darsana, he said, is the seeking of unity or oneness which helps humanity, know that the world is one family, Vasudhaiva kudumbakam

Hence there is need for sublime harmony between science and spirituality for a progressive world civilisation and the evolution of a perfect life, Somasekharan said.

In the paper ‘Science, Religion and Life’, Koshy Tharakan of the Department of Philosophy, University of Goa, emphasized the need of making philosophy an applied subject. “Philosophy should be a living subject of life rather than confining itself merely towards the teaching of a history of philosophy. The only means to make life worthy is to philosophize it”, he said in his paper.

Colleges principal P R Kesava Chandran chaired the inaugural session. Nirmala Devi, Reader of Gandhian Studies, MG University, and George Varghese of SB College offered felicitations. T Geetha, head of the Department of Philosophy, welcomed the gathering and Rajesh proposed a vote of thanks.