Ancient wisdom meets modern vision: Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji

Mysore/Mysuru: South India’s first-ever Indian-style Vedic Astronomical Observatory — Vedhashale — modelled on the historic Jantar Mantar observatories of Jaipur, Ujjain and New Delhi, was inaugurated this morning at Bhartiyogadhama, Uttanahalli, by Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji of Udupi Pejawar Adhokshaja Mutt.

The Observatory is being developed under the banner Jyotirdhama in three phases — Purva Pada, Madhya Pada and Pashchima Pada. A host of religious leaders were present for the inauguration of the Madhya Pada, while the remaining phases will be completed in the coming months.

More than a cultural landmark, the Vedhashale is positioned as a significant scientific initiative that aims to open new avenues in research, traditional mathematics, celestial studies and education.

Inaugurating the Madhya Pada, Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji said, Vedic science — rooted in one of the world’s oldest and most diverse traditions — continues to fascinate scholars for its vast contributions to human civilisation.

“Normally, we associate Rishis only with spiritual and Dharmic pursuits, forgetting that they were scientists too. From mathematics and astronomy to medicine and cosmology, Hindu sages nurtured intellectual traditions that predate many modern discoveries,” he said.

Scientists of Hinduism

“Thousands of years ago lived the Rishis — remarkable individuals revered as both scientists and spiritual guides. Known as the ‘Scientists of Hinduism,’ these sages were the scribes of the Vedas, developing Sanatana Dharma as a spiritual science to preserve and renew India’s cultural and intellectual heritage,” he noted.

“Our suppressed scientific heritage includes 64 extraordinary disciplines or Divya Vidyas, spanning metallurgy, astronomy and consciousness studies — fields that scholars argue anticipated Western discoveries by millennia,” he added.

The Seer said that despite invasions and historical disruptions, India’s indigenous knowledge systems remain vast and resilient. He lauded Bhartiyogadhama’s efforts in establishing the Astronomical Observatory and urged that ancient wisdom be passed on to future generations.

“Texts spanning philosophy, architecture, mathematics, sociology, polity, ethics, geography, military science, agriculture, trade, shipbuilding, medicine, Ayurveda, poetics, biology and veterinary sciences continue to survive, offering a glimpse into an intellectual tradition that shaped humanity’s understanding of the world,” he noted.

The event was presided over by Senior Scholar and Bhartiyogadhama Founder Dr. K.L. Shankaranarayana Jois.

Among those present were Sri Abhinava Shankarabharati Mahaswamiji of Kudli Sringeri Mutt, Sri Prakashanandendra Saraswati Swamiji of Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, Holenarasipur, Senior Advocate Ashok Haranahalli, Jyotirdhama Yogashala (Jaipur) Director Dr. Mukesh Sharma, retired Astrology Professor S. Srinivasa Adiga, Astrologer Vidwan Venkatesh Bhat, noted Ayurveda practitioner Dr. Giridhar Kaje and Srinivas Bhat from CFTRI.