Mythology and science

The claims of advanced science and technology in the ancient world are based on references in ancient scripts (Editorial, Jan.6). In his The Discovery of India , Jawaharlal Nehru had said: “If people believed in factual contents of these stories, the whole thing was absurd and ridiculous. But as soon as one ceased believing in them, they appeared in a new light, a new beauty, a wonderful flowering of a richly endowed imagination, full of human lessons.” So, let us leave our wonderful mythologies as they are and enjoy their beauty.

K.V. Ravindran,Payyanur, Kerala

There appears to be a disproportionate reaction to the discussions on Indian mythology. I wish to point out that mythology is itself science.

Carl Jung, a student of Sigmund Freud — regarded as one of the greatest men of the last millennium in the scientific exploration of the brain and in turn, the mind — has proved the eternal presence of types including the visionary one in the human consciousness. Mythological themes, characters and situations signify all the possible combinations and patterns of human actions in the present and also in the future. The past, the present and the future can be perceived in the patterns of archetypes as seen in Greek, Roman, Indian, Scandinavian (Norse) and Chinese mythologies. Mythology often unravels the mystery of the human mind to some extent.

M. Vathapureeswaran,Erode

Belief is a different thing and it cannot be tested by modern science. Our mythology cannot be described by science, which has its own limitations. Even before modern science evolved, ancient Indians constructed huge structural marvels such as the Big Temple in Thanjavur. There are many such outstanding examples. We invented the concept of zero, and mythology abounds in various interesting discoveries such as the

pushpaka vimana . Ayurveda has been vividly described in our scriptures. Brushing them aside shows our disinclination to know more about them. There must be an attempt to go deep into them and find out the truth, instead of disowning our great heritage. Our ancestors were not fools and their intellect is showcased in many literary works. Let us be proud of our past and carry out a thorough research, which is bound to bring up many interesting facts.

G. Ramachandran,Thiruvananthapuram