#Thread on ‘traces of ELECTRICITY in Hindu scriptures’

Electricity, one of the most important resources of todays world. We cannot imagine our life without it. Many believe that Benjamin franklin discovered Electricity, but I believe that our rishis had a vision on this.

If you want a name, I’ll say maharishi agstya was the one who worked on the application of electrical power that too in TRETYA YUGA. His book agastya samhita carries the all the steps of making a working battery. For details check this out- https://twitter.com/hathyogi31/status/1241673827534303233

If there was a battery, there must be voltage, electric charge and current too. But unfortunately, I didn’t find any direct mention of ELECTRICITY in our scriptures. But traces are there. Lets dig them out-

Electricity in hindi is known as vidyut (विद्युत) or bijali (बिजली). Also thunder in hindi is known as bijali.

In Hinduism, Indra is considered to be the god of thunder, lightning and rain.

According to Brihadaranyaka Upanishad:

कतम इन्द्रः कतमः प्रजापतिरिति । स्तनयित्नुरेवेन्द्रो यज्ञः प्रजापतिरिति । कतमः स्तनयित्नुरित्यशनिरिति । कतमो यज्ञ इति । पशव इति ॥

Meaning- “Which is Indra and which is Prajapati?" asked Sakalya. "The THUNDERCLAP is Indra and the sacrifice is Prajapati."

In the book of Adi Shankaracharya Bhashya on Brihadaranyaka Upanishad by Gita press Gorakhpur, the Sanskrit word स्तनयित्नु is taken as विद्युत्

According to The Vayu Purana Chapter 29, Progeny of Agni- verse 3-

Pavamana is the fire which is obtained after churning (the Aram). Suci is remembered as the solar fire. Pavaka is the fire originating from the lightning. These are their (specific) abodes.

In hindi bhasya-

Hence, he too can be said to be connected with electricity.

You may counter, that god of thunder, or lightning and electricity that we use are two different things. For that let me take you to the famous experiment conducted by Benjamin franklin with the help of kite in 1852.

He flew the kite made up of silk into the storm clouds. A key was attached near to the bottom. When the kite was struck by lightning the string of the kite became erect and, when Franklin moved his hand towards the key, a spark jumped across and he felt a shock, proving that

lightning was electrical in nature.

Note- THERE ARE MANY OBLIGATIONS REGARDING THIS EXPERIMENT,MANY SAID ‘KITE WAS NEVER HIT BY THE LIGHTNING’ BUT, TODAY IT HAS BEEN PROVED THAT LIGHTNING IS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE.

Also if we look at the Atharva veda which is translated in English by many, including Swami Dayanand, have used the term ELECTRICITY and have described its properties as well as the characteristics of Indra
Have a look-

Atharva veda- 20.15.2, acknowledges that electricity does have the power of striking through any element. The portion about productive works depending on waters flowing with speed is an obvious reference to harnessing hydroelectric power.

Atharva veda- 20.15.3, acknowledges that electricity can be used for both the purpose constructive as well as destructive. Skilled electrical engineers can use to devise specific utilities.

Atharva veda- 20.15.6, acknowledges that electricity has two forces attractive and repulsive one, which is true in the modern era too.

There are many more such references to electrical energy in the Atharvaveda, rig veda and yajur veda however, one need to understand them with aspect to the electricity.

Agastya Samhita contains an account of using electricity for electroplating ages back when west were

struggling for their basic needs.

People says that process of electroplating, electricity and energy generation are explained in simplified manner, however, I’m unable to read it as only 11 chapters out 32 chapters of agastya samhita is available to me.

Forget all these things, lets talk about the father of Alternative current, Nikola Tesla.

“All perceptible matter comes from a primary substance, or tenuity beyond conception, filling all space, the akasha or luminiferous ether, which is acted upon by the life giving Prana or

creative force, calling into existence, in never-ending cycles all things and phenomena.”– Nikola Tesla, Man’s Greatest Achievement, 1907.

Tesla used sanskrit worlds like “akasha,” and “prana” to describe the force and matter that exists all around us, which means that he was

aware of our scriptures.

Swami Vivekananda wrote a letter to Tesla in the late 1800’s stating:

“Mr. Tesla thinks he can demonstrate mathematically that force & matter are reducible to potential energy. I am to go and see him next week to get this new mathematical demonstration.

In that case the Vedantic cosmology will be placed on the surest of foundations. I am working a good deal now upon the cosmology and eschatology of the Vedanta. I clearly see their perfect union with modern science,” – Swami Vivekananda (Complete Works, VOL. V, Fifth Edition

Apparently, Tesla was unable to show the identity of energy and matter.

Later Toby Grotz, President, Wireless Engineering stated:

“Swami Vivekananda was hopeful that Tesla would be able to show that what we call matter is simply potential energy because that would reconcile the

teachings of the Vedas with modern science. The Swami realized that in that case, the Vedantic cosmology (would) be placed on the surest of foundations. Tesla understood the Sanskrit terminology and philosophy and found that it was a good means to describe the physical mechanisms

of the universe as seen through his eyes. It would behoove those who would attempt to understand the science behind the inventions of Nikola Tesla to study Sanskrit and Vedic philosophy.”

It is clear that tesla was highly inspired by our scriptures and he was the one who gave us

modern electricity.

Swami Vivekananda said-

“All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.”

Special thanks to @sambhashan_in and @Anshulspiritual for helping me out with the vedic verses.