How Sanskrit Invented Science First (But the West Took the Credit)

Throughout history, many groundbreaking discoveries in science have been made, some of which were centuries ahead of their time. Ancient Indian scholars, through their deep understanding of the natural world, documented these scientific advancements in texts written in Sanskrit. Though these discoveries were made long before they became known in the Western world, much of this knowledge was later rediscovered or acknowledged in different forms. This article delves into some of the most remarkable scientific discoveries documented in ancient India, backed by historical data and real-world examples, that predate modern scientific understanding by centuries.
The concept of zero was introduced in India around 458 CE in the Lokavibhāga and later perfected by Brahmagupta in the 7th century. Brahmagupta’s Brahmasphutasiddhanta (628 CE) is considered the first document to describe the rules for operating with zero, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Zero became a revolutionary placeholder in the numeral system, making complex calculations, record-keeping, and scientific work possible. It laid the foundation for advanced mathematics, transforming how humans understood numbers and their relationships.

Despite its profound impact, it wasn’t until much later that the world embraced zero, transforming it into the mathematical tool we use today.

In the Surya Siddhanta (circa 400–500 CE), ancient Indian scholars outlined concepts that resemble modern gravitational theories. They explained how celestial bodies are held in their orbits by an invisible force—the precursor to the idea of gravity. This text provided a model of the universe where planetary motion and attraction between objects were explained through force and motion, marking an early understanding of gravitational dynamics.

It wasn’t until 1687 that Isaac Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica solidified the concept of gravitational force in Western science. The Surya Siddhanta had already described similar principles nearly 1,200 years earlier.

In the 14th century, Sayana, a commentator on the Rigveda, calculated the speed of light. His calculations in the Rigveda Bhashya approximated the speed of light to be around 186,000 miles per second, remarkably close to modern measurements of the speed of light. Sayana used the unit of “yojana” to measure distance and “nimisha” to measure time, leading to an accurate calculation of the speed of light.

The first accurate measurement of the speed of light came in 1676, nearly 300 years after Sayana’s work.

Aryabhata, in his seminal work Aryabhatiya (499 CE), calculated the Earth's circumference at 39,968 km, which is incredibly close to the actual value of 40,075 km. He also proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis, a revolutionary idea that defied popular beliefs of the time. Aryabhata’s work laid the foundation for understanding the Earth’s movements, planetary orbits, and eclipses, making significant contributions to the field of astronomy.

The idea of a rotating Earth became widely accepted only after Copernicus’ theory of heliocentrism in the 16th century, almost 1,000 years after Aryabhata’s discoveries.

The Sushruta Samhita (6th century BCE) is a pioneering medical text that outlines over 300 surgical procedures, including cataract surgery, plastic surgery (rhinoplasty), and the use of anesthesia. Sushruta is credited with pioneering methods like nose reconstruction (rhinoplasty), which involved surgical grafting techniques still used in modern surgeries. His techniques were advanced for their time, utilizing surgical instruments made from materials like bronze and iron.

Rhinoplasty was revived in Europe during the 18th century, but the original practices documented in India were largely overlooked for centuries.

In the Vaisheshika Sutra (6th century BCE), Maharshi Kanada introduced the concept of the "anu" (atom), describing it as the smallest indivisible particle of matter. He theorized that all substances were composed of combinations of atoms. Kanada’s insights into atomic and molecular combinations were remarkably accurate and ahead of his time.

John Dalton formalized atomic theory in 1803, more than 2,000 years after Kanada's work.
The Iron Pillar of Delhi, built during the Gupta period (circa 400 CE), stands as a marvel of ancient Indian metallurgy. It has remained rust-free for over 1,600 years due to the unique composition of the iron and the high phosphorus content used in its creation. The ancient metallurgists mastered the alloying process to create a resistant and durable iron pillar, which remains corrosion-free despite harsh weather conditions.

Modern metallurgy only began developing similar corrosion-resistant techniques in the 19th century, and the methods used to create the Iron Pillar were not fully understood until much later.

The Sulbasutras (circa 800 BCE), ancient Indian texts that form the basis of Vedic geometry, documented the Pythagorean theorem—stating that the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other two sides. These geometric principles were applied in the construction of altars and sacred fire pits used in Vedic rituals. The concept, which became widely attributed to Pythagoras, was in practice long before his time.

The Pythagorean theorem was in use centuries before Pythagoras lived, as evidenced in the Sulbasutras.

Sanskrit texts like the Nada Bindu Upanishad and Samaveda explored the nature of sound, vibration, and resonance, understanding that sound waves could have physical and spiritual effects on the environment and the human body. The ancient understanding of vibrations and their influence on matter laid the groundwork for acoustics and the healing power of sound. These insights into the nature of sound and resonance, though often tied to spiritual beliefs, were deeply rooted in the understanding of physics and acoustics.

The formal study of acoustics and sound waves began in the 17th century, centuries after these ideas had been explored in ancient India.

The Brihat Samhita, an ancient Sanskrit text, provided detailed observations of weather patterns, including predictions of rainfall, seasonal changes, and other meteorological phenomena. Ancient scholars connected celestial movements to seasonal changes, improving agricultural practices and guiding cultural rituals.

Meteorology as a formal science emerged only in the 18th century, but the foundations were already being applied in India over a millennium earlier.
Sanskrit texts such as the Rasa Ratnakara and Rasa Kāmadhenu described advanced chemical processes for purifying metals and creating medicinal compounds, including mercury-based medicines. Alchemical processes detailed in Sanskrit texts involved transmutation and the use of minerals for health, providing the basis for modern chemistry.

Alchemy became a prominent field in Europe during the medieval period but borrowed heavily from Eastern practices, including Sanskrit's Rasa Shastra.


Water purification technologies became prominent in the 19th century during the industrial revolution, but ancient Indian texts had already documented these techniques.

From the concept of zero to the understanding of gravitational forces, ancient India’s contributions to science were far ahead of their time. The knowledge encoded in Sanskrit texts forms the backbone of many scientific disciplines, yet it has been largely overlooked in mainstream scientific history. By acknowledging these early breakthroughs, we honor the wisdom of the past and recognize the timeless legacy of India's intellectual achievements.

These discoveries not only shaped the course of science but also provide us with a deeper appreciation of the rich and diverse history of human innovation. The brilliance of ancient Indian scholars proves that the pursuit of knowledge is timeless, transcending time, place, and culture.