2.6 Science and Spirituality
Complete textbook exercise solutions — Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Grade 10 English.
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| 'A' | 'B' |
|---|---|
| (i) Science and faith | (c) Betterment of humanity |
| (ii) Science | (e) Solves questions, discovers truth, conceives inventions |
| (iii) Better Planet | (a) Created by fact and faith |
| (iv) Creations and Discoveries | (b) Success of societies |
| (v) Conflict | (d) Believers of science and religions |
- (a) The Space Research set up facility was planned at Allapi, Kerala. — Disagree (It was planned at Thumba).
- (b) The person who could help and can be contacted was the Bishop. — Agree
- (c) It was quite easy to relocate so many people and destroy religious institutions for space-research centre. — Disagree
- (d) Dr. Kalam joined ISRO in 1970. — Disagree (He joined in 1960).
- (e) Science and spirituality seeks prosperity of the human life. — Agree
- (a) The essence of a happy life and a peaceful society lies in one sentence — What can I give?
- (b) To keep this planet liveable and the human race thriving, we have to replace this attitude of 'what can I take' with the goodness of 'what can I give'.
- (c) Mahaswamiji's greatest contribution is the establishment of a free residential education system for more than nine thousand children in the ashram.
- (d) We can remove the impurities obscuring our souls by living pure and ethical lives, and by serving humanity.
- (e) The narrator, Srijan, realised that through Dr. Kalam's words of wisdom he was getting to learn from countless great minds.
- (f) Mahaswamiji possesses powers that kept him so strong were his munificence (generosity) and the spirit of 'What can I give'.
- (A) Dr. Kalam's father was an (d) imam.
- (B) Dr. Kalam's friends discussed on (d) community's problems and solutions.
- (C) According to Dr. Kalam, the need that is felt more than ever is (c) a dialogue among cultures, religions and civilizations.
- (D) Dr. Kalam's father was a symbol of (b) simplicity and divinity.
- (E) Spirituality takes care of (c) confusion, misery or failure.
- (F) How can academic brilliance diminish? (c) by a coating of dust.
- (G) What was most astonishing about 102 year old Swamiji? (d) He looked as steady and alert as any other youngster.
- (H) What Dr. Kalam gathered while swimming in silence at the shores of Mahapragyaji? (c) sands of conscience.
- His father (a boatman and imam)
- P.L. Shastrigal
- Father Bodal
- Prof. Vikram Sarabhai
- Rev. Peter Bernard Pereira
- Prof. Satish Dhawan
- Dr Sri Sri Shivakumara Mahaswamiji
- Pramukh Swamiji
- Mahapragyaji
- Prof. Brahma Prakash
- Swami Sivananda
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| 1960 | Dr Kalam joined ISRO when it was just a fledgling organization. |
| 1970 | Dr Kalam made his first unsuccessful launch under Prof. Satish Dhawan. |
| 1980 | Dr Kalam made a successful launch under Prof. Satish Dhawan. |
| 2009 | The narrator (Srijan) graduated from IIMA and met Dr Kalam; Dr Kalam also attended the 102nd birthday of Mahaswamiji. |
| 2012 | The narrator and Dr Kalam discussed his Ph.Ds, and the 'What Can I Give' movement became a reality. |
- (a) "Can we give up God's abode for such a great scientific mission?"
Reverend Father Pereira said this to the people in his church on a Sunday morning when Dr Sarabhai and Dr Kalam visited to request the land for the space centre. - (b) "And then God will shine through us."
Professor Satish Dhawan said this to Dr Kalam when Dr Kalam asked him how one can become so academically accomplished. - (c) "I wonder what power Mahaswamiji possesses, that keeps him so strong."
The narrator (Srijan Pal Singh) said this to Dr Kalam a couple of days after they attended the 102nd birthday party of Mahaswamiji.
(a) What makes Dr Kalam a humble personality?
Despite rising from modest beginnings to become the President of India and a renowned scientist, Dr Kalam never abandoned his core values of simplicity and divinity, which he inherited from his father. His belief in spiritual living kept him grounded and humble.
(b) How were different virtues inculcated in Dr Kalam?
Dr Kalam absorbed virtues from a diverse array of spiritual and scientific leaders. He learned simplicity from his father, religious harmony from the interactions of the three local priests, selflessness from Rev. Pereira and Dr Sarabhai, ethical purity from Prof. Dhawan and Prof. Brahma Prakash, and the joy of giving from Mahaswamiji.
(c) How did the Reverend relate and compare the work that he and Dr Sarabhai did for people?
The Reverend explained that science (Dr Sarabhai's work) developed devices for human comfort and treated patients physically, while he as a preacher prayed for the people's peace and well-being. He beautifully concluded that both were essentially doing the same job — seeking the Almighty's blessings for the prosperity of the human mind and body.
(d) What was so remarkable about Dr Sri Sri Shivakumar Mahaswamiji?
What was truly remarkable was that at the grand old age of 102, he was able to stand on his feet without support for half an hour, deliver a wise discourse, and feed thousands of children, looking as steady and alert as any youngster.
(e) Why is there an urgent need to replace 'What can I take' with 'What can I give'?
The mindset of 'taking' promotes greed, leading to environmental destruction, corruption, inequity, and ruined families. To ensure the survival of our planet and the peaceful thriving of the human race, it is urgent to adopt the selfless mindset of 'giving'.
(a) Rev. Peter Bernard Pereira: Reverend Pereira was the bishop of the Thumba region. His personality was marked by deep selflessness, immense wisdom, and an ability to bridge religion with scientific progress. When ISRO needed the church grounds for a space research centre, instead of blindly opposing it, he invited the scientists to the church and convinced his congregation that giving up God's physical abode for a scientific mission that would benefit humanity was a noble act.
(b) Dr Sri Sri Shivakumar Mahaswamiji: He was a highly revered spiritual leader who dedicated his life to serving humanity. His standout traits were his boundless generosity (munificence) and incredible inner strength. He ran a free residential education system for over nine thousand children. His spirit of "What Can I Give" was so strong that even at the age of 102, he actively stood, preached, and fed children without any physical support.
(c) Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: Dr Kalam was an eminent scientist and the former President of India. He was a perfect embodiment of academic brilliance mixed with profound humility and spirituality. Always eager to learn, he extracted wisdom from every person he met — from his humble boatman father to great scientists and spiritual gurus. He firmly believed that science and faith must coexist for the betterment of society, and actively promoted the philosophy of 'giving' over 'taking'.
- (a) Faith and fact can, together, create a better planet.
Scientific discoveries (facts) improve our living conditions, while morality (faith) ensures we don't misuse those discoveries. Together, they make the world better. - (b) Dr Kalam's own life was nourished by multiple faiths.
He didn't just stick to one belief system; he learned valuable life lessons from Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and the scientific community, all of which enriched his character. - (c) But there was a major roadblock.
There was a massive obstacle blocking their path (relocating a church and village for the space center). - (d) Only when the dust is removed, does the mirror shine and the reflection becomes clear.
Academic brilliance is useless if a person's soul is corrupted. Only when we remove our moral impurities (the dust) by living ethically, does our true brilliance and goodness shine forth. - (e) Through his (Kalam's) words of wisdom, I was getting to learn from countless great minds.
Dr Kalam had absorbed the teachings of many great people in his life. So, by listening to Dr Kalam, the narrator was indirectly receiving the wisdom of all those great minds. - (f) He gathered the sands of conscience to be our guide, our best friend.
He compiled all the ethical lessons and moral values he had learned throughout his life to form a strong inner voice (conscience) that would guide him and others correctly. - (g) 'What can I take?' is the thought which is responsible for all the wrong, seen around us.
Pure selfishness and the constant desire to grab things for oneself is the root cause of corruption, injustice, and environmental damage in the world.
- (a) increase the speed — accelerate
- (b) point of view — perspective
- (c) nearness in space — proximity
- (d) a place of residence — abode
- (e) eager to know everything — inquisitive
- (f) echoed loudly — reverberated
- (g) giving away much to the needy — munificence
- (h) without making a difference — indiscriminately
indiscriminately, indisputable, inequity, inquisitive, institutions, interactions, inventions.
- 1. combine — combination
- 2. solve — solution
- 3. simple — simplicity
- 4. divine — divinity
- 5. advance — advancement
- 6. tranquil — tranquility
- 7. liveable — life
- 8. strong — strength
| Word | Connector |
|---|---|
| 1. government | (k) officials |
| 2. betterment of | (m) humanity |
| 3. pure and ethical | (i) life |
| 4. community's | (l) problems |
| 5. religious (printed as religions) | (n) service |
| 6. astonishing | (h) aspect |
| 7. technological | (q) advancement |
| 8. frank | (e) dialogue |
| 9. social | (p) evils |
| 10. faith | (b) curbs |
| 11. inquisitive | (t) disciple (printed as discipline in options) |
| 12. academic | (r) brilliance |
| 13. environmental | (c) degradation |
| 14. pin-drop | (f) silence |
| 15. alternate | (s) accommodation |
| 16. remarkable | (a) person |
| 17. silent | (g) motivation |
| 18. famished | (o) bodies |
| 19. unsuccessful | (d) launch |
| 20. space-research | (j) centre |
Note: There are two minor misprints in the textbook options. "religions" (item 5) should map to "service" (religious service), and option (t) "discipline" is a typo for "disciple" (inquisitive disciple).
- (1) There was silence. — Complement
- (2) Alexander Bell invented the telephone. — Object
- (3) They have a holiday. — Object
- (4) The dancer danced gracefully. — Adverbial
- (5) The milkman comes daily. — Adverbial
- (6) The hostess served tea. — Object
- (7) The kite soared upwards. — Adverbial
- (1) Dinesh took a bus that stopped at Nanded railway station after crossing Somvar Peth.
- (2) Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was the past President of India. By the way, he was a great scientist, orator, and a humanitarian.
- (3) Nouns are of different types: common, proper, abstract, concrete, material.
- (4) "What a lot of noise you all make!" said the teacher. "Can't you keep quiet for a while?"
- (5) "Wow! How lovely that cake looks!" they said. "We can't wait to eat it."
Reading Dr Kalam's books, drafting a speech for the School Assembly, and debating are independent project activities to be performed by students in the classroom setting.