Friday, March 08, 2019

Maniccavasagar, the scientist pitched in divinity


 Maravanpulavu K. Sachithananthan
Tropical cyclones typically form over large bodies of relatively warm water. They are rapidly-rotating storm systems characterized by low-pressure centers.
The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as cyclogenesis. Cyclogenesis is the development strengthening of cyclonic circulations, or low-pressure areas, within the atmosphere.
Wind is initially accelerated from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. Strong winds are typical as a consequence. A spiral arrangement of thunder storms occur in this area.
Air clouds form when water vapor turns back into liquid water droplets. That is due to condensation. It happens in one of two ways: when the air cools enough, or when enough water vapor is added to the air.
Rainbows can be observed whenever there are water drops in the air and sunlight shining from behind at a low altitude angle.
Rainbow, lightning and thunder are directly related to rainfall. They usually precede rains.
What is described so far is in meteorological jargon. It is descriptive science.
Causative factors beyond the realm of science, coupled with descriptive explanations of the happenings around the formation of rain forms the essence of a hymn in poetic Tamil set to music.
முன்னிக் கடலைச் சுருக்கி யெழுந்துடையாள்
 என்னத் திகழ்ந்தெம்மை ஆளுடையாள் இட்டிடையின்
மின்னிப் பொலிந்தெம் பிராட்டி திருவடிமேற்
 பொன்னஞ் சிலம்பிற் சிலம்பித் திருப்புருவம்
என்னச் சிலைகுலவி நந்தம்மை ஆளுடையாள்
 தன்னிற் பிரிவிலா எங்கோமான் அன்பர்க்கு
முன்னி அவணமக்கு முன்சுரக்கும் இன்னருளே
 என்னப் பொழியாய் மழையேலோ ரெம்பாவாய். (திருமுறை 08107016)
Here the author spells out the sequences of rain formation in tropical situations, with low pressure areas in the sea, followed by lightning, thunderstorms, rainbow clouds with droplets of water and then the bountiful rain itself.
This hymn is one of the 1058 hymns left by this author, all of the devouring similar scientific concepts in simple poetic language.
The author is Maniccavasagar of the 11th century.
He was born to parents in a family entrenched in devotion to Siva. His native is the village Tiruvaathavuur, located northwest of the ancient city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India.
A child prodigy, his imbibed knowledge in basic sciences attracted teachers of intellectual fame to converge around him. He learnt management. At the age of 16 he was picked to the post of Prime Minister to the Paandiyan King.
While serving as Prime Minister to the King at Madurai, he was assigned to purchase stallions for cavalry squadrons of the Ministry of Defense of the kingdom. High performing horses from Persia, brought by Arab traders, were camping at a harbour east of Madurai. Maniccavasagar as Prime Minister set off to the harbour with all the paraphernalia attached to his office. Guarded treasure was part of the entourage.
That sojourn was the turning point in the life of Maniccavasagar. He was intercepted by the glow of intellect coupled with divinity. A person was sitting under a tree on the way. Disciples in large numbers were around this light of life. Maniccavasagar went near the tree not to turn back.
That was the beginning of his divine pitched scientific travel.
He wrote in simple Tamil, his cherished mother tongue which he claims all through his writings. Almost all his hymns (1058 of them) provide guidelines to scientific concepts, principles, theories touching on all areas of science viz. universe and its nature, cosmic dance of Siva, atomic to sub atomic particles and beyond, life and its evolution, futuristic emancipation of life, astronomical dimensions, metrological phenomenon and other realms of scientific wisdom not touched upon so seriously earlier.
Maniccavasagar remains unfathomable. His contributions to the cosmic dance of Siva led many to re discover the science behind the masterpiece of art, Nataraja, decorating the sanctum sanctorum at Chidamabaram, Tamil Nadu, India.
So much so today the 2 m. high statue of Nataraja, representing the cosmic dance is the only piece of art that welcomes at its entrance, tens of thousands of scientists, many of them Nobel Laureates, to CERN, at Geneva, Switzerland, the largest scientific laboratory on earth, exploring sub atomic particles.

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