Origin of life: Clues obtained from Objective Science and Indian Philosophy

Abstract

The quest for knowledge began right from the beginning of the human civilization. While harnessing science to solve the problems of his everyday life, man started observing the nature with curiosity and also sought to understand the relation between nature and living beings. Human curiosity to find out the origin of living beings led to the queries on the first appearance of life on this planet. However, starting from the Vedic period to the present age, the question remains unsolved despite astonishing progress in the state of knowledge in various branches of science witnessed during the past few decades. In this presentation, attempt has been made to summarize the various postulations made on the origin of life starting from Vedic period to the modern science. It reveals that the idea of an entity called “Supreme Cognizant Being (Bhagavān)” always being present in the universe dealt with in the Vedānta is still relevant. This idea provides a rational explanation to the first appearance of a living entity on earth.