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Ancient India probably knew the speed of light before modern Science: A Thread 
Speed of Light: 3×10^8 ms-¹ (round off)
Approx Speed: 299792458 minutes/second
Which is 186000 miles/second
i.e. 300 million meters/second
Speed of Light: 3×10^8 ms-¹ (round off)
Approx Speed: 299792458 minutes/second
Which is 186000 miles/second
i.e. 300 million meters/second
Shloka:
तथा च स्मर्यत योजनानां सहस्रम् द्वे द्वे शते द्वे च योजने ।
एकेन निमिषार्धेन क्रममाण नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
tatha cha smaryata yojanAnAm sahasram dve dve shate dve cha yojane
ekena nimiShArdhena kramamANa namo astu te
तथा च स्मर्यत योजनानां सहस्रम् द्वे द्वे शते द्वे च योजने ।
एकेन निमिषार्धेन क्रममाण नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
tatha cha smaryata yojanAnAm sahasram dve dve shate dve cha yojane
ekena nimiShArdhena kramamANa namo astu te
Meaning:
It is remembered, [O Sun] bow to you, you who traverse 2,202 "yojanas" in half a "nimesha".
Number: 2,202
Distance: Yojanas
Time: Nimisha
It is remembered, [O Sun] bow to you, you who traverse 2,202 "yojanas" in half a "nimesha".
Number: 2,202
Distance: Yojanas
Time: Nimisha
In Sanskrit ‘Nimisha’ means ‘blink of an eye’ and 'Nimisharda' implies within the blink of an eye.
This phrase is commonly used to refer to instantaneous events. The one that happens before we even get to realise.
This phrase is commonly used to refer to instantaneous events. The one that happens before we even get to realise.
According to ancient studies:
15 Nimisha = 1 Kastha (second)
30 Kashta = 1 Kala (minute)
30.3 Kala = 1 Muhurta (hour)
30 Muhurtas = 1 Diva-Ratri (Day-Night)
We know Day-Night is 24 hours
So we get 24 hours = 30 x 30.3 x 30 x 15 nimisha
in other words 409050 nimisha
15 Nimisha = 1 Kastha (second)
30 Kashta = 1 Kala (minute)
30.3 Kala = 1 Muhurta (hour)
30 Muhurtas = 1 Diva-Ratri (Day-Night)
We know Day-Night is 24 hours
So we get 24 hours = 30 x 30.3 x 30 x 15 nimisha
in other words 409050 nimisha
Breaking down the time taken for the blink of an eye
1 hour = 60 x 60 = 3600 secs
24 hours = 24 x 3600 secs = 409050 nimisha
409050 nimesa = 86,400 secs
1 nimesa = 0.2112 secs (This is a recursive decimal)
So, blink of an eye = .2112 secs
1/2 nimesa = 0.1056 secs.
1 hour = 60 x 60 = 3600 secs
24 hours = 24 x 3600 secs = 409050 nimisha
409050 nimesa = 86,400 secs
1 nimesa = 0.2112 secs (This is a recursive decimal)
So, blink of an eye = .2112 secs
1/2 nimesa = 0.1056 secs.
Yojana meaning multiples of miles.
1 Yojana = 9.09 miles (approx)
1 Yojana = 9.09 miles (approx)
Now we can calculate what is the value of the speed of light in modern units based on the value given as 2202 yojanas in 1/2 nimesa
= 2202 x 9.09 miles per 0.1056 second
= 20016.18 miles per 0.1056 second
= 189547 miles per second
= 2202 x 9.09 miles per 0.1056 second
= 20016.18 miles per 0.1056 second
= 189547 miles per second
As per the modern science speed of light
is 186000 miles/s
186000 (miles/second) = 6.17428913 × 1010 kms
Matching with modern science:
The speed of light in a vacuum is 186,282 miles/second (299,792 kms/sec), and in theory, nothing can travel faster than light.
is 186000 miles/s
186000 (miles/second) = 6.17428913 × 1010 kms
Matching with modern science:
The speed of light in a vacuum is 186,282 miles/second (299,792 kms/sec), and in theory, nothing can travel faster than light.
The shloka also says:
travelling in half a "nimisha":
meaning half of a blink of an eye
Do we know anything/action faster than the blink of an eye?
travelling in half a "nimisha":
meaning half of a blink of an eye
Do we know anything/action faster than the blink of an eye?
Ref and if you would like to read more on this: https://arxiv.org/pdf/physics/9804020.pdf by @subhash_kak 
. @khurshed I am sure you will love this one :)
