'From Genome To Om': A Dharmic Discussion On Science From A Place Of Self-Confidence

From Genome To Om: Evolving Journey Of Modern Science To Meta-Science. Bhushan Patwardhan and Indu Ramchandani. BluOne Ink. Pages 495. Rs 480. 

For those who grew up in the 1980s with television, Carl Sagan's Cosmos likely holds a cherished place in their childhood memories.

While Sagan eloquently explored the intersection of science, culture, and humanity's future, his message resonated primarily within a Christian, or broadly Abrahamic, worldview. Even the bestselling book version, though consciously aiming to transcend Western-centric biases, largely addressed this same audience.

Today, Hindus stand at a pivotal moment in their civilizational history. Having long struggled for survival, they now hold the reins of power, charting their own course. A crucial factor in this journey will be their engagement with science, both as a lens through which to understand the universe and as a force shaping their future. They need their own Cosmos—a guidebook informed by both scientific understanding and Hindu Dharma.

Bhushan Patwardhan and Indu Ramchandani's Genome to Om (BluOne Ink, 2024) makes a vital first step in this direction. Regardless of one's personal views on the authors' metaphysical and spiritual content, this book deserves the attention of every Hindu Swami and thought leader.

It provides a clear understanding of the evolution of modern physical sciences and the shifting dynamic philosophical context in which they developed. This is essential for Indian spiritual leaders, helping them avoid simplistic and uninformed characterizations of modern science (often, and somewhat inaccurately, labelled ‘Western science’).

Furthermore, the book offers a valuable overview of where Hindu Darshanic and spiritual systems stand in relation to this scientific trajectory.

Right in the prologue, the authors provide the reader with a glimpse of an overarching framework of the book. Genome in the book title maps to ‘the study of material, empirical reality’ which includes ‘the sciences, mathematics, the arts, and literature... that engage with the tangible, external world.’

This is the ‘lower’ knowledge the authors assert, perhaps the ‘apara vidya’ that the Isavasya Upanishad talks about. Then there is ‘Om’ which maps to ‘the highest form of knowledge—meta-science.’ The book explores how both can harmonise their development and expression for the collective evolution of humanity and also the spiritual realisation of the individual.

Before entering the book the following key will help the reader understand and navigate through the rich confluence of data from seemingly varied fields in each chapter.

In each chapter, the problem is presented. The dominant (usually Western) perspective is given. Then the state of scientific inquiry is provided. The gaps are pointed out. The spiritual perspective of the problem is given from various traditions and then the Vedic framework is given. This is the general approach used in almost every chapter.

The first chapter deals with the evolution and marvels of science and technology. However, the emphasis seems to be more on technology than on science itself. Swami Ranganathananda (1908-2005) in his famous 1976 lecture at Bangalore University on science and religion, distinguished between pure science (science as lucifera) and technology (science as fructifera).

The distinction is blurred in the first chapter. Emphasis seems to be more on technological developments and the way they are transforming human society. The important takeaway of the chapter is the following statement it makes:

The second chapter deals with what the authors call ‘the perils of misuses’ of science and technology. Here the authors at the very outset delineate a principle. It is very casually stated among the sentences that one may even miss its significance.

They say that a technology that may be ‘ethically unviable, ... is very likely to have an adverse impact, both economically and socially’ (p.49). This is what is the unrta of technology.

The authors give a lot of examples from the history and pharmaceutical industry including the notorious Thalidomide disaster which resulted in thousands of miscarriages and deformed child-births. The authors show the dark side of genetically modified crops, CRISPR technology, cloning, etc. They point out the important factor that now ‘the total mass of all human-produced materials, has now surpassed all living biomass on Earth’ (p. 63).

The book uses a layered approach in its depiction of the problems, proposing 'a recalibration towards a holistic approach' based on 'just, ethical, and sufficient profit' symbolised by 'Shubh-Labh' (p.88).

Coincidentally the present reviewer has pointed out this symbolism in his 2019 article in this magazine: ‘Lakshmi symbolizes the wealth that is holistic: it is wealth that puts welfare (Shub) before profit (Laabh).’

The next chapter deals with the origin question. How did the universe and life originate? The authors give a bird’s eye view of the knowledge evolution of astronomy both in the West and in India. Then as the reader is led into modern cosmology, the book reveals some philosophical parallels between the worldview implications of science and Vedic worldview:

At the same time, the authors take due diligence to avoid sensational and even attractive superficial similarities.

For instance, the famous cosmic background radiation which initially came to be discovered by radio astronomers as ‘inexplicable hum’ would naturally make a Hindu feel a connection with the 'Aum' or 'Om' — the Hindu symbol of the primordial sound of origin of all existence.

But the authors are also quick to point out that they ‘are not equating the hum with Aum, but trying to know what could have been the inspiration behind the symbolism of Om (p.64), though the present reviewer tends to agree with Indologist Koenraad Elst connecting the origin of Om more to the mooing of the cow for its calf than the hum from cosmic background radiation.

But this shows the care that has been taken by the authors not to fall into the fallacy of believers’ exaggeration. The chapter wades through the various cosmological models like the cyclic universes, oscillating universe, etc.

Here, as it is customary with this type of literature, both Carl Sagan and Fritjof Capra are quoted with respect to their resonance with the Vedic worldview. String theory and the multiverse model are also explained. Then authors come to the origin question as discussed in various civilizations: Abrahamic, Greek, Chinese, etc.

The Vedic view of creation as an open-ended question through Nasadiya Sukta is also given. Then the authors move to the question of the origin and evolution of life. From Oparin’s primordial soup to the Cambrian explosion to life as we know it today in all its diversity is narrated by the authors. They then draw a parallel:

Thus we move into a precise description of Darwinian evolution. There is no rhetorical or non-scientific demeaning of Darwinian evolution. In fact, they use the conventional mnemonic device of VISTA (Variation, Inheritance, Selection, Time, and Adaptation) to give a good description of the process and how scientifically valid it is. This is a part almost every Hindu intellectual and spiritual guru should read before they try to pass judgement on the science of evolution and natural selection process discovered by Darwin.

The book tries to contextualise the origin of life and evolution of self-awareness in the planet, an insignificant part of the entire universe, in the backdrop of the immensity of the universe with its unimaginably deep time stream (or perhaps time streams) and the vast canvas of space with its multiple dimensions and islands of matter and energy, not to mention the dark matter to add to the enigma:

With such questions strategically placed in almost the middle of the book we move to the next chapter that deals with the biological, social, and spiritual dimensions of this phenomenon called life.

Here we see a quick tour into the philosophical and scientific quest in the Western tradition to define life. From the Aristotelian attempt through the Darwinian perspective to Schroedinger defining life as an ‘aperiodic crystal’, the authors speak of the interplay of the physical and metaphysical. Here one should pause and ponder what actually Schroedinger said in the lecture delivered in 1943:

It was in the year 1944, when the lecture was published as a book that Oswald Avery, Colin MacLeod, and Maclyn McCarty performed experiments that demonstrated that DNA, not protein, was the substance responsible for heredity.

It is indeed quite astonishing how Schroedinger’s words seem to have a premonition of quantum biology that would become an important field later. Given Schroedinger’s shared feeling with Einstein of QM not being a complete vision of reality, his use of the term ‘the Lord’s quantum mechanics’ seems quite puzzling here. Which Lord? The Lord who does not play dice or does play dice as in the case of Siva?

The authors here bring in Shaligram, the ammonite fossil considered sacred by Hindus. This is one of the most profound lines among others that a reader can find in the book:

The book goes on to discuss the methodological problems in approaching life – the limits and usefulness of reductionism and the need for a holistic approach in the case of emergent phenomena which life is filled with and also the relation of subjective experience and natural consciousness and its relation to life. The authors argue that the science as it exists today may not be well equipped to understand all the dimensions of life. So they suggest a ‘meta-science’:

Then there is a deep dive into various vitalism-based philosophical and diverse civilizational approaches to the mystery of life. The authors explore Prana, elan vital of Henri Bergson and Qi of Chinese philosophy as well as Kundalini and the various siddhis. They even bring in the movie Lucy here. This is an interesting constant feature of the book to also refer to a movie that explores a concept. Previously they referred to ET and Star Trek.

The next chapter deals with the mind. The way the book distinguishes mind and brain with a neat conceptual diagram will be useful for the readers.

This chapter is an intense exploration of the various mazes of the study of the psyche. From Aristotle and other philosophers to William James who pioneered the study of consciousness and also Freud and Carl Jung, Piaget, and Noam Chomsky, the ‘hard problem’ of Chalmers, the Integrated Information Theory which proposes that consciousness arises from the integration of information across a network of neurons and the Global Workspace Theory which argues for the consciousness results from the interplay of various brain networks that integrate and process information.

The chapter is one roller-coaster ride through concepts and modern research. Then the gaps are visible. The authors then explore Vedic concepts — from the dimensions of consciousness to anubhava and anubhuti and how the Yogic framework of Patanjali views the mind and its components and consciousness.

This chapter provides an overall introduction to the student of Indian spiritual traditions in the context of psychology to understand what has been done and in what direction research is going on in the West so that he or she can clearly understand where Indian framework can be applied to fill the gap and provide fresh new exploratory pathways.

The sixth chapter takes the question of identity ‘Who am I’ and views it through identity formation as defined in the conventional academic-social framework:

And juxtaposed to this is the five-kosha conceptualisation of the Upanishads. Then the search extends into a variety of selves that the digital revolution has created like the online avatars. Then again we wade through the maze to the light of non-dual understanding of the self – the true self within.

Of course, Ramana Maharishi whose query into the question ‘Who am I’ showed the world the real identity through whose power other identity persona we wear can be transmuted as tools of the psyche is also explained in detail.

The next chapter looks into why we are here. From a Darwinian perspective to self-actualisation in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs the authors explore various perspectives from different sciences.

The authors also show a short-sighted materialist approach in the society under Western influence and a nihilist tendency pervading the Western philosophical realm with respect to the purpose of life. Now increasingly eastern societies also fall into this influence, the book says.

Then the spiritual traditions are explored to understand the purpose of life. This includes Egyptian, Abrahamic, Japanese, Native American, etc. Then the authors provide the Vedic perspective.

In this case, the authors bring in the framework of Purusharthas, four Ashramas of life, the four Yogas namely Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Gyana Yoga. Then the various meditation movements including Transcendental Meditation are described towards the process of self-realisation.

The next chapter, the eighth deals with death and beyond. The chapter deals with cellular-level deaths, the science behind physical degeneration, the Ayurvedic concept of Kayakalpa, the technological quest towards immortality, etc. The book also explores the process of death, including the experience of Sri Ramana and the psychological perspective given by Carl Jung:

Then the book also explores how various cultures face death and what notions they have. With respect to Indian religions, there is the concept of rebirth which is receiving attention because of regression therapy in the West. The book says:

The studies into out-of-body experiences and near-death experiences as well as the Upanishadic Nachiketa’s encounter with death, all together weave a framework to study death, accept it, and go beyond. They root the approach to death in the understanding of consciousness.

In the next chapter, the book deals with unity in diversity. It is important to combine the approaches of science which though not entirely but in a dominant way gravitate towards reductionism and spirituality. The New Physics has already shown that such a churning is not at all impossible. But the authors rightly caution and make their position clear:

Here we go through the various existential challenges that our lifestyles and consumerist values have imposed upon us. But that happens because of the deep values that drive such consumerism. We need to make a U-turn now and move towards holistic values as enshrined in the vision of modern savants like Mahatma Gandhi and Gurudev Tagore, the authors say.

Then they provide a vision of meta-society. We should move from Anthropocene to ’Omcene’ which they see as ‘not a linear progression but a continuous evolution.’ This is both a collective planetary journey and individual Sadhana. The deep significance of Aum is explained and Ashtanaga Yoga is also brought in.

When one finishes the book one almost feels this is a Vedic manual and manifesto towards a sustainable planetary future as well as a personal guide for Sadhana for those who have a quest with a scientific bent of mind.

It is a confluence of modern science and spiritual tradition made complementary to each other and propelling each other towards a grand goal of truth, auspiciousness, and beauty.

A personal observation

Are there any shortcomings in the book? In a book of this coverage and this intensity, a book that should be considered as a combination of let us say, a Carl Sagan and a Swami Ranganathananda, finding shortcomings looks much petty to me.

With this note, I need to state a few things because this book is very important. When the book was given to me for review, as I glanced through it I saw two things that put me off. One is the mention of Graham Hancock another is the so-called dinosaur of Ankor-wat temple.

So actually I hesitated to review the book. What if the book was a complete 'Vedic Vimanas' type quackery though the endorsements have come from people far more intelligent than me? So it was with a half mind that I went through the book. Then the book gripped me and provided me with a vision.

This is a book I would have loved to write. As I read the book I understood that the authors are aware that ‘many scientists have discarded Hancock’s theory’, but still they find the ‘scientific evidence, combined with intriguing archaeological finds’ impressive enough to make us ‘at least reconsider the intellectual and technological capabilities of the ancient civilizations.’ (p.14)

The statement adds no real value to what the book discusses. It could have been avoided, and so are the mostly unfounded claims about Kasar Devi temple and of course the dinosaur. Am saying this because this book is too precious to get its value reduced or miss a potential reader because of these unwanted distractions.