Gravity and Inertia in the Vethathirian Model of Universe

G.Alagar Ramanujam
Chairman
Center for Vethathiri Philosophy and World Peace
Chennai, India
gravity2003@gmail.com
www.shastrass.org

Uma Fitzcharles
Vethathiri International Academy
Chennai, India
umaspace@gmail.com
Introduction

Gravity was the first discovered force, but remains least understood. A careful reexamination
of Newton’s and Einstein’s concepts of gravity reveals that mass remains undefined in both.
It is precisely for this reason that gravity is still not fully and properly understood. Our
approach is to define mass in terms of its causative (kinematic) factors and thereby we reach
a deeper understanding of gravity.

This work is based on axioms originally given by Shri Vethathiri Maharishi and is therefore
called the “Vethathirian Model of the Universe”.

Basic Axioms of the Model

The Newtonian mechanics is well-known to be based on four independent entities – space,

time, matter and energy. In Einstein’s theory space and time were unified by the Lorentz
transformation and energy and matter were unified by the famous relation E = Mc2. Thus
while Newton worked with four independents, Einstein worked with two independents
(space-time and matter-energy). Following this trend, in the present work complete
unification is achieved by identifying space as the unitary entity with the following
properties, expressed as the Basic Axioms of the Model [1,2,3,4].

1. Space is the all-pervading substance inherent with all-potential energy and

consciousness; it has the property of self-compression and surrounding pressure.
2. Self-compression results in the formation of spinning quanta of space termed
“formative dust”. Due to the spin, every dust (or group of dust formed by surrounding
pressure) is a source of repulsion.

The first statement above describes the built-in mechanism of space to transform into the
fundamental particles of which further structures are made. This built-in mechanism is
postulated here as the self-compressive nature of space.

The second statement deals with the nature of the repulsive forces operating between any two
systems.

Concept of Inertia in Vethathirian Model

The essential feature of the Vethathirian Model is that it defines matter, energy and
time as the manifestations of the space itself. The entire universe is of, by and in
space.

Let us briefly discuss the interpretation of inertia by Galileo, Newton and Mach.
Galileo interpreted inertia of matter as the resistance that a body would give to a
force applied on it. Following Galileo, Newton obtained the inertia of a body as a
constant of proportionality between a force applied on it and acceleration thus
produced. Hence, Newton considered the mass of a body to be absolute. Mach
challenged the absoluteness of inertia of the body and argued that inertia of the
body is a measure of its interaction with ambient matter and hence depends on the
configuration of matter surrounding the body.
Vethathirian Model modifies the Mach principle to become as follows:

The inertia of a body is due to the effect on it by the self-compressive nature of

space, and also due to its interaction with surrounding matter.

Let us consider first the effect of the compressive force on a given particle ‘A’, in
the absence of any other surrounding matter.

If ‘C’ is the constant compressive force exerted on the particle ‘A’, and ‘R’
represents the repulsive force of the particle due to its spin, then

( C - R ) = UIA (1)

represents the net gripping force acting on the particle. The greater the value of UIA,
the greater would be the difficulty for an applied force to move the particle. This
difficulty is interpreted classically as the inertia of the particle. We call the inertia UIA
the intrinsic inertia of the particle A.

Further, there is an effect of surrounding matter on the inertia of the above particle
A. The surrounding matter is a collection of spinning particles. Of them, let us
consider the effect of a single particle B on A. Considering A and B as a system,
the compressive nature of space acting on the system as a whole tends to minimize
the distance between A and B. The mutual repulsion between A and B, due to their
spins, tends to increase the distance between them. This gives an interaction
between A and B, resulting in a kind of dynamic equilibrium. Due to this interaction let
f(C,R) represent the effect of B on A. The effect of f(C,R) gives an inertia to A
which we call the extrinsic inertia of A due to B.

Extending this principle, due to every other particle of the surrounding matter there
is an effect on the inertia of A. The sum of these effects on A, i.e. Σf( C,R) = UEA ,
is the extrinsic inertia of A due to the entire surrounding matter. Hence the total
inertia of the particle A is given as:

UTA = UIA + UEA

UTA = (C-R) + Σf( C,R) (2)

UTA of the body corresponds to its inertial mass.

Vethathirian Law of Gravity

The law of gravitation: F = GMm/r2 is a great gift of Newton to the world; it has had
tremendous impact on our culture and civilization. This profound formula has certain
limitations too: for example, Newton assumes “action at a distance” which in turn implies
infinite velocity. Later, it was contradicted by special relativity, which puts a limit on the
speed of communication.

A deep look into the formula F = GMm/r2 reveals that it is deduced from Kepler’s
empirical laws but not derived from basic axioms, as admitted by Newton himself. The
derivation of Newton’s formula from basic axioms remains a great challenge over the past
350 years, and here we have addressed that challenge.
As an application of our basic axioms, we study the interaction between the sun and the
planets. This study leads to a formula which we call “Vethathirian Law of Gravity”, and after
a suitable approximation the same reduces to Newton’s law of gravity.

We consider a test particle (p) of unit area at a distance ‘r’ from the sun with an orbital
velocity ‘v’. The compressive force acting on every unit area of the imaginary sphere of
the radius r is converging toward the centre of the sun. As r decreases, the surface area over
which the compressive force acts decreases and hence the compressive pressure due to
space increases. Let Cs represent the compressive pressure on the surface of the sun. Then
the compressive pressure on the test particle at a distance r is given by

4πR2Cs/4π r2 or R2Cs/ r2 , where R is the radius of the sun.

Let Rs be the outward flux per unit area of the surface of the sun. The total outward repulsive
flux from the sun spreading radially outward is 4πR2 Rs. As r increases, the repulsive flux per
unit area decreases and is given by

4πR2 Rs/4πr2 or R2 Rs/r2.

Due to the net compressive force ( Cs – Rs)R2/r2 , the column of the free particle medium
between the unit area of the test particle p and the sun’s surface gets compressed. Due to this
compression, the column (comprising the mutually repulsing free particles) manifests a
reaction which acts on p, pushing it away from the sun. Let K be the mean reactive repulsive
force on the particle due to the mutually repelling free particles present per unit length of r.
Then Kr gives an effective repulsive force on the particle.

Hence, the magnitude of the net centripetal force (F) on the particle is given by,

F = R2 Cs/r2 – R2 Rs/r2 – Kr (3)

=( Cs – Rs ) R2 / r2 – Kr

Since ( Cs – Rs ) is the net gripping force per unit area of the surface of the sun, the total net
gripping force on the sun is 4πR2 (Cs – Rs).

This total net gripping force is the cause for the resistance that any applied force on the sun
meets with, and this resistance is taken as the inertia of the sun.
In the case of Sun, if M is its mass

M = β 4πR2(Cs – Rs) (4)

Combining eq (4) and (5) we have

F= ( 1/ β 4π ) M/ r2 – Kr

Denoting the constant ( 1/ β 4π ) as G, we have

F(r) = GM/r2 – Kr (5)

Eq.(5) is called the Vethathirian law of Gravity.

The first term on the right hand side of eq. (5) is the Newtonian law of Gravity asserting that
the centripetal force on p is directly proportional to the mass of the sun and inversely
proportional to the square of the distance r of p from the sun and the second term is an
additional one that our approach gives. For events at the terrestrial level the term Kr is
negligible, and when it is thus neglected we get back Newton’s law of Gravity.

Newton’s Law of Gravity Derived

A derivation of a well known formula by a fresh set of axioms has great significance: it
demonstrates not only the relative validity of the past but also the enlarged validity of the
present. It is gratifying to note that we are able to get back Newton’s law of Gravity as a
component of our expression for gravitational force.

A look at our eq.(3) reveals that it contains the action at a distance concept of Newton
through the term C, and the travelling wave concept of Einstein through R. The term C is
rather indicative of ‘action at distance’ but with a more profound implication: as the
compressive force on p is due to space, such a force is ever-present on p no matter where the
particle p is located in space. Thus there is no “travel” involved for the compressive action; in
other words, gravity does not travel. The flux represented by R in eq.(3) emanates from the
sun and takes a certain time to travel and reach the particle p. It must be stressed here that
what is travelling is not compressive gravity but the repulsive flux.

Discussion

The significance of eq.(3) of this paper is that it expresses the centripetal force F in terms of
the contributing forces. This is in sharp contrast to the approach of Newton wherein he
expressed the force F in terms of the masses and to the approach of Einstein wherein he wrote
his field equations in terms of parameters of the curvature of space.

To begin from a basic unitary state and to identify that as the source of all physical
phenomena essentially represents a unified approach. The Vethathirian Model begins from
the radical Beginning – the single entity, space. Space itself transforms into the universe; by
self-compression space becomes particles. The spin of a particle produces in space a radially
outward repulsive flux which we call magnetic wave. By the interaction of the compressive
and the repulsive forces innumerable systems are formed.

As Newton believed space to be nothing but a passive, empty background, he had no option
but to attribute both the properties of inertia and gravity to the mass of the particle. He was
forced to introduce two masses for the same particle -- inertial mass and gravitational mass --
the first one as a measure of its resistance to an applied force and the second as its strength to
attract other particles. However, in our model (C – R) appears as inertial effect in eq.(2), and
the same appears in eq.(3) as the gravitational effect of the same particle. As
(C – R) changes, the inertial effect and the gravitational effect change correspondingly. This
is our version of the “principle of equivalence”, which Newton admired as a “God-given gift”
and which Einstein exploited to formulate his General Theory of Relativity.
Application of Vethathirian Law of Gravity in Cosmology

The factor Kr in Eqn. 5 has significant implications in cosmological studies. As already

mentioned, since K is extremely small at the terrestrial level the Kr term then becomes
negligible, but at cosmological distances the Kr term is effective.

We show below how Eqn.5 coupled with Hubble’s Law leads to the Friedmann cosmological
equation with cosmological constant (Λ). It is noteworthy that Newton’s law of gravity
cannot lead to the Friedmann equation with cosmological constant, and in Einstein’s theory
of gravity the cosmological constant Λ had to be introduced in an ad hoc way. Significantly,
in our theory, the Friedmann equation with cosmological constant is the natural consequence
of our axioms.

By Vethathirian Law of Gravity we have:

F = G M/r2 – Kr

Integrating the above equation we get an expression for the potential V (r) as:

V (r) = - 2 GM/r – Kr2/2

By the law of conservation of energy, we have

½ v2 - 2 GM/r – Kr2/2 = C (constant)

Introducing the velocity-distance law of Hubble, i.e. v = Hr, expressing M as 4/3π r3 ρ
and introducing the scale factor R, for distances at different epochs as r = r0 R, and
rearranging, we get:

H2 = 16 π G ρ/3 + K/2 + 2C/ r02 R2

This is the Friedmann cosmological equation with cosmological constant, expressed in
different notations.

Conclusion

In the Vethathirian Model we have derived an equation for the inertia of a body and derived
Newton’s law of gravity from our axioms. As mass remains still undefined in conventional
science, and Newton’s law of gravity still remains only deduced from Kepler’s law, our
derivation of an equation for mass and our derivation of Newton’s law of gravity without
using Kepler’s law, are both important contributions to the growth of science. It is again
highly significant that our axioms lead to the Friedmann cosmological equations with
cosmological constant and thereby give an explanation for the source of the so-called ‘dark
energy’.

Science progresses only through constant review and updating. The necessity to revise or
update a given theory may arise from new experimental results or from the demands of
aesthetic or philosophic logic. Instances of both of these are abundant in the history of
science. Vethathirian Model is another instance of the latter case. Vethathirian Model begins
from the radical Beginning itself, and hence has a philosophic base. Contemporary science
rather begins from the stage of fundamental particles without sufficient knowledge as to the
essential nature of these particles. The fact that the Vethathirian Model begins with and
consistently proceeds from the radical, primordial state -- the space -- is its strength and
gives us a holistic perspective. Only a holistic theory can be profound enough to reveal the
fundamental Truth and it is in this context that Vethathirian Model is significant and
valuable. It is not a superficial modification of Newton’s or Einstein’s concepts, but a
radically different theory which has finally brought monism into scientific thinking and
thereby Effect is seen as inherent and inseparable from its Cause.

It all began with Tycho de Brahe, a great experimentalist of the sixteenth century. His
lifelong rigorous observations of celestial objects produced an ocean of data. From these
heaps of numbers Kepler carved out a set of empirical laws known as Kepler’s laws of
planetary motion. Using these laws Newton deduced his law of gravity in terms of masses.
Then came Einstein: he was the first to attribute a role for space for understanding gravity.
He considered space as the transmitting agency of gravitational interaction between two
bodies. From Einstein, we now come to Vethathiri Maharishi who asserts that gravity is the
inherent property of the space itself. The journey of mankind to understand the source of
gravity reaches a decisive stage in the Vethathirian concept of space.

References

1. Vethathiri Maharishi, Unified Force, Vethathiri Publications, 1996

2. Vethathiri Maharishi, Gravity of Gravity, Vethathiri Publications, 2002
3. Proceedings of the Seminar on Vethathirian Concepts of Gravity and Cosmology,
Aliyar, India, Jan.,2003
4. G.Alagar Ramanujam, Uma Fitzcharles, K.Perumal; Wide Spectrum, Coimbatore,
2004
 About Sri Vethathiri Maharishi
1911-2006

Vethathiri was born in the village of Guduvancheri, 30 km south of Madras, India, into an
indigent weaver’s family. From his youth he was driven by the desire for knowledge, and in
particular strove to resolve three questions: “What is God?” “What is life?” and, “Why is
poverty in the world?” The search for these answers as well as to further his lot in life made
education his first priority and obliged him to take up a variety of jobs. Through unstinting
hard work and perseverance he ultimately established a large weaving and dyeing concern.
Although tightly engaged with family and business matters, he also devoted time in ardent
pursuit of self-realization and realization of Truth. Dedicated meditation and introspection
brought him full enlightenment at the age of thirty-five.

Through his industry he prospered financially, but by the age of 50 he was forced to close his
successful textile business due to unfavorable market trends. He then took the bold step of a
radical change in lifestyle and, known as Vethathiri Maharishi, dedicated the rest of his life to
serving humanity. He devoted his entire energy and time to conveying his understanding of
the nature of life, the origin of the universe and teaching techniques of exercise, meditation
and introspection to develop one’s fullest potential and live in health, happiness and harmony
with others. He traveled the globe many times over to impart his philosophy and spiritual
practices. He brought out 2000 poems to celebrate and convey his vision, and authored over
80 books in Tamil and English. His language and approach are globally-oriented,
contemporary, non-sectarian and non-dogmatic.

Vethathiri Maharishi’s mission was to reveal the existence and functions of the One Supreme
Being (Nature, God, or Truth); his aim was to enable each person to realize Truth and
develop real love and compassion towards all living beings. His noble aspiration was to help
bringing the individual, society and the world to peace, brotherhood and prosperity.

The base of Vethathirian Philosophy is his metaphysic: the entire cosmic manifestation is by,
of and in the one Supreme Power that we perceive as Space itself; it is the One Plenum,
inherent of gravity and all potential energy. This identification leads to a set of basic axioms
from which a universal mechanics results. The ‘Vethathirian Model of Universe’ is an
inclusive and integrated identification and description that starts from the origin of the
cosmos and ends with the observed natural laws and phenomena. Through this
comprehensive model science and religion arrive at a meeting ground that would be of
benefit for all.