Science still trying to decipher consciousness: Vrajendrakumar Swami

Science has made impressive progress over the centuries but it is yet to decipher what consciousness is all about or when and how physical laws came into existence, His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Vrajendrakumar Swami, Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata, said on Tuesday.

“Physics is yet to explain the difference between non-living objects and humans with consciousness. The laws of Physics are incapable of explaining consciousness,” the Swami, an alumni of IIT, Kanpur, said while delivering a lecture on the subject ‘Physics and Spirituality’ at the SOA Deemed to be University here.

The question being asked is though Isaac Newton had discovered the laws of gravitation, the laws were already in existence. Then who made these laws? And how they work so precisely? he pondered.

His Holiness Bhaktisvarupa Vrajapati Swami, President of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, also delivered a lecture on ‘Sustainable Happiness.’ Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, presided over the program which was attended by students and faculty members.

Delving deep into the subject, Vrajendrakumar Swami said “no one is able to see about 80 per cent of science working, but it works”.

Citing examples, he compared a burning candle to a man saying in physical terms, both were combustion engines and had no difference. But the man has a free will and a soul. When an object is on a sliding motion on an incline, it comes to a stop as per laws of Physics. But a man who is running on a surface, comes to a stop only when he chooses to as it is dictated by his consciousness, he said adding this cannot be explained by science.

“Where man’s free will is coming from? It is the property of the soul and we have had no explanation for it for the past 500 years,” he said.

Quoting physicist and Nobel Laureate Charles H. Townes, the Swami said it is not a random universe and someone is behind it. There must be a supreme intelligence working in the background, he quoted the scientist as saying.

Vrajapati Swami, also an alumnus of IIT, Kanpur, said there were five levels of happiness linked to man’s sensual, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual consciousness, but the most gratifying happiness was derived from spiritual consciousness.

Prof. Nachieketa K. Sharma, SOA’s Director, International Relations and University Outreach Program introduced the speakers while Prof. V. Rama Rao, Additional Director, IR and UOP, proposed the vote of thanks.

Vrajendrakumar Swami and Vrajapati Swami also called on Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak, SOA’s Founder President and exchanged views.