QUESTION & ANSWER WITH GURUDEV
POSTED ON: THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026
Q: Gurudev, is there a difference between the Vedic
Tradition and Science?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar:
See, our ancestors gave a lot of prime importance to
the intellect. Our most important mantra is the Gayatri Mantra which is
unparalleled. In the Gayatri Mantra it is said “Dhiyo yonaha prachodayaat”,
which means, “May our intellect be illumined and inspired by the Divine”. It
does not pray for just one person’s intellect, the mantra prays for everyone’s
minds and intellect to be illumined and inspired by the Divine light. So, by
the Gayatri Mantra, we pray that all our minds together are nurtured by the
Divine, and may all our intellects blossom. This is the prayer we make through
the Gayatri Mantra.
Science also gives importance to the intellect, to
logic and rationality. Anything that does not agree with the intellect, or is
not aligned with intelligence - cannot be called as Science. When you see
things from this perspective, then you realize that both Science and
Spirituality work along the same lines. Spirituality just goes one step further
than Science and asserts that not only must we inquire “What is this?”, but
also go deeper and inquire “Who am I?” This inquiry too is within the scope and
boundaries of Science. Here it is not only the scenery that is important;
rather the observer or the Seer is also equally important. The Seer too has a
very prominent role here, and Spirituality, or Vedic tradition makes this
aspect (of the Seer) more evident and clear.
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
