Even Einstein referred to a force as God, former ISRO chairman says, justifying temple visits by scientists

Amid the debate in social media over ISRO scientists visiting temples in connection with the launch of Chandrayaan-3, Former ISRO Chariman G Madhavan Nair said there was nothing wrong with it. Throwing his weight behind ISRO chairman S Somanath, Nair said he agreed fully with him on his take on religious beliefs vis-à-vis scientific temper.

“It is basically a question of searching for the fundamental truth. One looks at the external world, trying to understand what it is. Another is looking internally and trying to understand what is self and where it merges,” Nair said.

He justified praying and visiting places of worship as a method to relieve oneself of tension.

“Prayers are for getting mental satisfaction. Whenever we are following a complex scientific mission, there are a lot of hurdles and problems and things can go wrong at any time.

“So to have a calm mind and then observe what is happening in real time, so that your decision-making can be accurate and timely, prayers and worship and all those things help,” he said. Nair said such prayers and beliefs are not restricted to any particular religion, and one can follow his or her own ways of worshipping.

“Each one in the country, every citizen, has his own right to pursue his line of thinking, the philosophical thinking about the mind, and also the self-satisfaction that one derives out of pursuing a particular philosophy,” Nair added.

Speaking about the controversy behind naming the Moon landing spot ‘Shiv Shakti’, Nair said the controversy was completely based on misinterpretation.

He said ‘shakti’ refers to the force that is behind the creation of this universe.

Source: Indianexpress