Wheeler coined the phrase “it from bit” to stress that whatever we know of the universe arises from our interrogating it in a manner that leads to yes-no answers and this makes information fundamental to reality. But each of our... more
Wheeler coined the phrase “it from bit” to stress that whatever we know of the universe arises from our interrogating it in a manner that leads to yes-no answers and this makes information fundamental to reality. But each of our interrogations occurs in a specific context and this view leaves out the matter of how the questioner acquires the capacity to obtain information or the manner in which this questioning is done. Given that the situation is more complicated than assumed by Wheeler, this note investigates the question of the agency of the observer arguing that rather than considering a bit, one must consider a nat, for it appears to include the observer. If information is fundamental then physical reality may be seen to be constructed out of this basic information, or we may assert “that from nat”.
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Classical reality is described in terms of objects and things and their mutual relationships. On the other hand, in the case of quantum reality, the collapse of the state in an interaction assigns a unique position to the observer. These... more
Classical reality is described in terms of objects and things and their mutual relationships. On the other hand, in the case of quantum reality, the collapse of the state in an interaction assigns a unique position to the observer. These two disparate views are based on different logics of representation, the history of which can be traced back to Greek and Indian thought. In this chapter, we first summarize the early evolution of these ideas and then go beyond the implicit dependence of the quantum theory framework on the mathematical apparatus of calculus and vector spaces, by delving one layer deeper to an information-theoretic understanding of symbol representation. We examine some epistemic implications of the fact that, mathematically, e-symbol representation is optimal and three symbols are more efficient than two symbols and this optimality leads to the idea that space itself is e-dimensional and not three-dimensional. We also discuss the principle of veiled non-locality as a way to understand the split between the observer and the physical process. By considering how information is obtained from a quantum system, we argue that consciousness is not computable, which means that it cannot be generated by machines.
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This paper presents a mathematical proof of the claim that machines will never be conscious. This means that consciousness is a transcendent phenomenon which is precisely the claim of Vedanta in both the classical or Kashmir Shaivism... more
This paper presents a mathematical proof of the claim that machines will never be conscious. This means that consciousness is a transcendent phenomenon which is precisely the claim of Vedanta in both the classical or Kashmir Shaivism version.
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It is known that biological systems are approximately scale invariant and self-similar like other natural systems. In the case of the brain, the scales relate to physical geometry as in the arborization of dendrites and axons at the... more
It is known that biological systems are approximately scale invariant and self-similar like other natural systems. In the case of the brain, the scales relate to physical geometry as in the arborization of dendrites and axons at the microscopic level, connectivity patterns of networks at the mesoscopic level, and the scale-free dynamics at the macroscopic level in the long-range, inter-area connecting fibers. The geometries of microscopic and macroscopic arboreal structures are reasonably well mapped out, but the mesoscopic connectivity of the fractal networks is yet to be deciphered. In this article, we argue that the noninteger dimensionality approach to biology can serve as the key to understanding the linkage between the three scales in the brain. The significance of epistemic factors in biological information is also summarized.
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A new science of consciousness is emerging in response to fundamental difficulties in the current science paradigm that sees living systems as governed by biological laws and chance and, consequently, lacking in agency.
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Hinduism describes the nature of the outer and inner realities and instructs on ways to obtain self-knowledge. The formal name of Hinduism is Sanātana Dharma (Eternal or Universal Law) and its oldest text is the Ṛgveda. It also has a huge... more
Hinduism describes the nature of the outer and inner realities and instructs on ways to obtain self-knowledge. The formal name of Hinduism is Sanātana Dharma (Eternal or Universal Law) and its oldest text is the Ṛgveda. It also has a huge amount of ancillary literature that covers a wide variety of subjects. Hinduism is also called the Ātma Vidyā (Science of Consciousness). Lived Hinduism is Yoga, in which one of the first steps is the practice of āsanas that has become well-known all over the world. Preceding this practice is ethical and moral preparation that makes one ready to delve into a deeper understanding of the tradition. There are many misconceptions about Hinduism both in academic writing and in the popular press. Some of these misconceptions are so ridiculous that to paraphrase the Roman scholar Cicero only academics and journalists would believe them.
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It presents various numbers used in astronomy and religious practices in India
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This paper considers the matter of representation in Vedānta by examining key claims in the Ṛgveda and the Upaniṣads, which are some of its principal texts. Specifically, we consider the logic behind the paradoxical verses on creation and... more
This paper considers the matter of representation in Vedānta by examining key claims in the Ṛgveda and the Upaniṣads, which are some of its principal texts. Specifically, we consider the logic behind the paradoxical verses on creation and the conception of consciousness as the ground on which the physical universe exists. This also is the template that explains the logical structure underlying the principal affirmations of the Upaniṣads. The five elements and consciousness are taken to pervade each other, which explains how gross matter is taken to consist of all the four different kinds of atoms that get manifested in different states of the substance. The verses on creation are an example of the use of catuṣkoṭi in Indian philosophy prior to the use of it by Nāgārjuna in the Madhyamaka tradition. It also contrasts central ideas of Vedānta with the corresponding contemporary scientific ideas on consciousness.
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The significant conclusion to be drawn from this study is that Kuchean and Sanskrit are much more intimately related than has been assumed. This means that the question of the place of Kuchean in the larger family of Indo-European... more
The significant conclusion to be drawn from this study is that Kuchean and Sanskrit are much more intimately related than has been assumed. This means that the question of the place of Kuchean in the larger family of Indo-European languages needs to be reopened. We used common synonyms ignored by previous scholars who have stuck to the “standard” list rather mechanically. Thus why should the standard list contain hasta for “hand” and not kara; or puccha for “tail” rather than lūma, from which both Hindi and Saka duma are derived. Many Prakrit forms easily traced to Sanskrit texts, which are in popular usage in modern Indian languages, are closer to some Saka and Kuchean words than those in classical Sanskrit texts that linguists have used for guidance. We cannot afford to study languages of Uttarakuru (Tarim Basin) without a serious comparison with Sanskrit. The rigid adherence to historical word-lists for Sanskrit has been a mistake. If Uttarakuru languages have a Sanskrit substratum, as indicated by Vedic texts, this needs to be examined carefully.
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I argue why the Khotanese goddess Śśandrāmatā who is generally taken to be the Avestan Spəntā Ārmaiti, or the earth, is the same as Śrī.
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In view of the relationship between Indus and Brahmi that was revealed by a frequency analysis, other parallels in the records in these scripts are investigated. This includes the use of abbreviations and similarities in the numeral... more
In view of the relationship between Indus and Brahmi that was revealed by a frequency analysis, other parallels in the records in these scripts are investigated. This includes the use of abbreviations and similarities in the numeral signs. An identification for the sign for 10 in Indus has been made, and this turns out to be similar to the Brahmi sign for 10.
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Translation of seven hymns from the Ṛgveda, done around 2010. It is part of the essay "The Secret of the Veda".
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This essay summarizes recent arguments in favor of the view that consciousness cannot be derived from material ground, which may be seen as proof of the existence of God.
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This note presents Virahāṅka's original proof of the sequence associated with prosody that is now known variously as the Virahāṅka-Fibonacci sequence, Fibonacci sequence, or just the Virahāṅka sequence. This sequence is also seen as the... more
This note presents Virahāṅka's original proof of the sequence associated with prosody that is now known variously as the Virahāṅka-Fibonacci sequence, Fibonacci sequence, or just the Virahāṅka sequence. This sequence is also seen as the number of arrangements of beads in a necklace of a certain value, where each bead has the value of 1 or 2. This sequence was implicitly known as early as fourth to second century BCE in the work of Piṅgala, and was formally derived by Virahāṅka about 600 years before Fibonacci and, therefore, the last name is appropriate. The proof given here leads easily to the generalization of the Nārāyaṇa sequence.
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This article provides arguments in favor of Tilak's suggestion that Vedic Vena is Venus. We review the question of the knowledge of the planets in the third millennium BCE. It explains why Venus is called the son of Shiva.
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A translation with commentary
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The essay here addresses the origins of the term “shaman” and relates it to the logical framework within which the shaman operates. It also shows that certain concepts from the Vedic tradition related to symbolic death and the process of... more
The essay here addresses the origins of the term “shaman” and relates it to the logical framework within which the shaman operates. It also shows that certain concepts from the Vedic tradition related to symbolic death and the process of spiritual rebirth help us understand the rationale of the shaman’s healing.
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A brief essay on my mother with translation of five poems from her book Nagar and Vairagya
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The cult of the goddess with the lion was connected to certain conceptions about the cosmos as expressed through the orientation of the temple and the nature of the worship. Goddess Nanā was the presiding deity in temples and cities... more
The cult of the goddess with the lion was connected to certain conceptions about the cosmos as expressed through the orientation of the temple and the nature of the worship. Goddess Nanā was the presiding deity in temples and cities across Mesopotamia, Iran, and Central Asia from third millennium BCE onwards, and she was also the main goddess of the Kushan emperors in Bactria and Northwest India. Her cult, in which she takes many forms, is believed to have emerged in Mesopotamia and traveled eastward from there. In this article we provide reference from the Ṛgveda mentioning her name and present the Devīsūkta hymn of the Ṛgveda that includes qualities like that of the Mesopotamian Nanā, and we present evidence of the westward movement from India of the worship of the goddess both prior to the Kushans and thereafter, and this indubitable westward movement complicates the story of her origins. We also consider the astral aspect of the worship of Durgā, which is the union of the zodiac Leo sign with Virgo, and present evidence from the Ṛgveda that supports this conception; this evidence is consistent with the statement in Ṛgveda 1.164 that divides the ecliptic into twelve parts.
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This paper presents evidence supporting the Yazidi tradition that their religion predates the rise of Zoroastrianism.
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The orthodox schools of Indian views of reality are called ṣaḍdarśana, but this list is not as ancient as some schoolbooks suggest. It is important to note that these six systems or views are universal and are not connected with any... more
The orthodox schools of Indian views of reality are called ṣaḍdarśana, but this list is not as ancient as some schoolbooks suggest. It is important to note that these six systems or views are universal and are not connected with any devotional practice. But since they include the subject within the framework, they provide a discipline that helps the individual to further his or her understanding. Vidyāraṇya, the fourteenth century scholar, in Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha, lists sixteen darśanas (schools) ranging from materialism (Cārvāka) to the Vedānta of Śaṅkara. This paper deals with a set of nine darśanas.
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This article is to try to make sense of a puzzling statement of Aristotle (384-322 BCE) that links Jews with India. This statement is recalled in a fragment by Aristotle's pupil Clearchus who traveled widely and whose inscription on a... more
This article is to try to make sense of a puzzling statement of Aristotle (384-322 BCE) that links Jews with India. This statement is recalled in a fragment by Aristotle's pupil Clearchus who traveled widely and whose inscription on a tomb of a friend is preserved in the Afghan city of Ai-Khanoum. The Jewish scholar Flavius Josephus (37-100 CE) quotes from Clearchus's fragment in his Contra Apionem [Against Apion], which has Aristotle say: 1 "Jews are derived from the Indian philosophers; they are named by the Indians Calami, and by the Syrians Judaei, and took their name from the country they inhabit, which is called Judea." (Book I:22)
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The bizarre story of a fabrication in the history of Indian astronomy.
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The idea that space is three-dimensional is just a convention. This essay presents reasons related to optimality that require that it have dimensions slightly less than three. It is an introduction to the theory of noninteger... more
The idea that space is three-dimensional is just a convention. This essay presents reasons related to optimality that require that it have dimensions slightly less than three. It is an introduction to the theory of noninteger dimensionality of physical space together with the evidence in support of it.
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How the seven days of the week got their planetary names is not a settled question. Evidence is presented in support of the hypothesis that the names arose in India. The Sūrya Siddhānta (SS) explains the names by a construction that... more
How the seven days of the week got their planetary names is not a settled question. Evidence is presented in support of the hypothesis that the names arose in India. The Sūrya Siddhānta (SS) explains the names by a construction that divides the day into 12 parts. It is proposed that since the year was seen as the day of the devas and the division of the year into 12 parts goes to the naming of the Ādityas in the Ṛgveda as well as in RV 1.25.8 and RV 1.164.11, a corresponding division of the day into 12 parts served in addition to the better known division into 15 muhūrtas. Antecedents of the SS evidence in the Pañcaviṃśa-Brāhmaṇa are also reviewed.
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The dichotomy of ātman versus anātman was declared false by the Buddha on his last day of life. He said: "The Self (ātman) is reality (tattva), the Self is permanent (nitya), the Self is virtue (guṇa), the Self is eternal (śāśvatā), the... more
The dichotomy of ātman versus anātman was declared false by the Buddha on his last day of life. He said: "The Self (ātman) is reality (tattva), the Self is permanent (nitya), the Self is virtue (guṇa), the Self is eternal (śāśvatā), the Self is stable (dhruva), and the Self is auspiciousness (śiva)." Other adjectives used by the Buddha for the Self are “sovereign” (aiśvarya), “unchanging” (avipariṇāma), and “true” (satya). These are precisely the “attributes” associated with the Self (ātman) in the Vedas. The attribute aiśvarya implies agency and brings to mind Īśvara, or Śiva. Īśvara is the free mind who has access to “transcendental knowing” or lokkottara-jñāna, which explains how Śiva-Maheśvara was integrated into worship in many parts of the Buddhist world.
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Quantum mechanics, the deepest theory of science, is a nonlocal theory but loophole-free evidence of nonlocality has not been observed. Although this may be due to the fact that sophisticated enough experiments to measure this have not... more
Quantum mechanics, the deepest theory of science, is a nonlocal theory but loophole-free evidence of nonlocality has not been observed. Although this may be due to the fact that sophisticated enough experiments to measure this have not yet been devised, we propose that an entirely different reason related to the nature of knowledge is at work. Our scientific theories build upon expectations concerning the structure of cognitions that takes reality to be local. We propose a principle of veiled nonlocality that directs not only logic and design of experiments but also the manner in which experimental data is analyzed by us. The principle explains the naïve classical view of the universe that is consistent with locally realistic models.
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It presents the key to understanding the Vedic suktas. A translation of seven short suktas is also included.
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This paper will examine possible connections between the Sanskritic and the Slavic worlds. The connections will be sketched based on new evidence from Sogdia regarding representations of Maheshvara and the Goddess for this region served... more
This paper will examine possible connections between the Sanskritic and the Slavic worlds. The connections will be sketched based on new evidence from Sogdia regarding representations of Maheshvara and the Goddess for this region served as the mediator between the two worlds. It will also consider the representation of Svetovid, the pan-Slavic god with four faces, that has interesting parallels with Maheshvara and Brahma with correspondence in the four colors of white, red, black, and green/gold.
Настоящая работа исследует возможные связи между санскритским и славянским мирами. Наличие возможной связей предполагается на основе новых свидетельств из Согда относительно представлений ох Махешваре. Богиня этой страны служила здесь посредником между двумя указанными мирами. Также рассмотрено представление о Световиде, общеславянском боге с четырьмя лицами, у которого есть интересные параллели с Махешварой и Брахмой, в том числе в рамках структуры, образованной четырьмя цветами: белым, красным, черным, и зеленым/золотым
Настоящая работа исследует возможные связи между санскритским и славянским мирами. Наличие возможной связей предполагается на основе новых свидетельств из Согда относительно представлений ох Махешваре. Богиня этой страны служила здесь посредником между двумя указанными мирами. Также рассмотрено представление о Световиде, общеславянском боге с четырьмя лицами, у которого есть интересные параллели с Махешварой и Брахмой, в том числе в рамках структуры, образованной четырьмя цветами: белым, красным, черным, и зеленым/золотым
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This essay uses Vedic and classical sources to present a synoptic vision of the universe in ancient India and shows its continuity across different periods. This vision was based on an assumed equivalence of the outer and the inner... more
This essay uses Vedic and classical sources to present a synoptic vision of the universe in ancient India and shows its continuity across different periods. This vision was based on an assumed equivalence of the outer and the inner cosmoses and it is embodied in architecture, music, and art. It provides an archaeoastronomical window on Indian monumental architecture.
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This note presents reasons why Mendeleev chose Sanskrit names (now superseded) for eight elements in the periodic table.
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This bibliography covers general subjects related to India for the period ending 2022.
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This paper is an overview of archaeoastronomy in ancient India. It describes the Vedic conception of the cosmos and the representation of the knowledge of the motions of the sun and the moon in the design of fire altars. Sites of... more
This paper is an overview of archaeoastronomy in ancient India. It describes the Vedic conception of the cosmos and the representation of the knowledge of the motions of the sun and the moon in the design of fire altars. Sites of archaeoastronomical interest described include Neolithic and Megalithic sites and the Sanchi Stupa.
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This paper presents a general three-level framework to represent different states of consciousness. Although awareness, by itself, is an all-or-nothing phenomenon, the state of consciousness depends on the degree to which preconscious and... more
This paper presents a general three-level framework to represent different states of consciousness. Although awareness, by itself, is an all-or-nothing phenomenon, the state of consciousness depends on the degree to which preconscious and memory states are accessible to awareness. The relative ability to recruit these states and integrate distributed neural activity has a corresponding effect on the state of attention which can, therefore, be measured on a spectrum. Research in anesthesiology showing an uncoupling of perception from sensory inputs supports the idea of the disembodied consciousness state. We propose a three-level hierarchical model to explain these findings. The higher level nodes in this model are non-physical and they leave their trace in the non-local binding of activity across regions that are far apart. The activity across the brain can be quantified using an entropy-based metric and the non-physical nodes corresponding to consciousness states may be governed by quantum dynamics.
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This commentary reviews different scientific positions for and against consciousness being a computable property. The role that quantum mechanics may play in this question is also investigated. It is argued that the view which assigns... more
This commentary reviews different scientific positions for and against consciousness being a computable property. The role that quantum mechanics may play in this question is also investigated. It is argued that the view which assigns consciousness a separate category is consistent with both quantum mechanics and certain results in cognitive science. It is further argued that computability of consciousness implies the solution to the halting problem which is computationally impossible.
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This presents a summary of Indian logic.
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The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, from the Atharvaveda tradition, is the shortest Upaniṣad consisting of twelve verses that describe three states of consciousness. This is of enormous interest since consciousness is the frontier of science, for we... more
The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, from the Atharvaveda tradition, is the shortest Upaniṣad consisting of twelve verses that describe three states of consciousness. This is of enormous interest since consciousness is the frontier of science, for we would like to know if machines can become conscious.
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I was very young when I first read the Kaṭha Upaniṣad and it absolutely electrified me. It is not only a book of great philosophical insight; it is also an aesthetically brilliant literary masterpiece. The setting is dramatic where a boy,... more
I was very young when I first read the Kaṭha Upaniṣad and it absolutely electrified me. It is not only a book of great philosophical insight; it is also an aesthetically brilliant literary masterpiece. The setting is dramatic where a boy, Naciketā, disappointed in his father for giving away as gifts useless and old animals, mocks him and asks repeatedly, who will he be given to. The father ignores him first but at last in anger says that he is being given to Death. The son not wishing to make his father a liar sets out for his appointment. The two meet and the dialogue between them touches upon the deepest mysteries of reality.
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Think of the most puzzling questions of life: Who controls the mind and speech, and directs the eyes and the ears? And how do we know that we know, or if others know? These questions are posed most directly in the Kena Upaniṣad and it is... more
Think of the most puzzling questions of life: Who controls the mind and speech, and directs the eyes and the ears? And how do we know that we know, or if others know? These questions are posed most directly in the Kena Upaniṣad and it is explained that the Ātman is the light of the mind, the seer behind the eyes, the hearer behind the ears, and the witness that tells us if things are in accordance with the truth.
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This is a translation of the Īśāvāsya or Īśā Upaniṣad, which presents a summary of the central ideas of Ātma-vidyā (Science of Consciousness) of the Vedas.
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Twelve New Poems in English and Hindi
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An anthology of published papers and book chapters
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The Secrets of Ishbar: Poems on Kashmir and Other Landscapes
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Poetry collection by सुभाष काक
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Poetry collection
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कविता संग्रह. Collection of poems by सुभाष काक
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Hindi translation of "Path of Light and Shadow" by Avatans Kumar
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This book describes the Aśvamedha rite and its symbolism to explain distinctive aspects of the Vedic sacrifice system. Several questions related to the Aśvamedha are posed and answered in the context of Vedic epistemology. This rite has... more
This book describes the Aśvamedha rite and its symbolism to explain distinctive aspects of the Vedic sacrifice system. Several questions related to the Aśvamedha are posed and answered in the context of Vedic epistemology. This rite has three important functions: (i) it presents and equivalence of the naksatra year to the heaven, implying that it is rite that celebrates the rebirth of the Sun; (ii) it is symbolic of the conquest of Time by the king, in whose name the rite is performed; and (iii) it is celebration of social harmony achieved by the transcendence of the fundamental conflicts between various sources of power.