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Vimal, R. L. P., & Pandey-Vimal, M.-U. C. (2007). Ancient Historical Scripture and Color Vision. Color Research and Application, 32(4), 332-333. Published Online:
June 21, 2007. See also < http://www.geocities.com/das2000m/AncientHistScriptColVis.pdf > and <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphene>.

Ancient Historical Scripture and

Color Vision

Ram Lakhan Pandey Vimal,1,2,3,4*

Manju-Uma Chaturvedi Pandey-Vimal1,2,3,4
1
Vision Research Institute, 428 Great Road, Suite 11, Acton, MA 01720, USA

2
Dristi Anusandhana Sansthana, A-60 Umed Park, Sola Road, Ahmedabad-61, Gujarat, India

3
Dristi Anusandhana Sansthana, Sai Niwas, East of Hanuman Mandir, Betiahata, Gorakhpur, UP 273001, India

4
Dristi Anusandhana Sansthana, c/o NiceTech Computer Education Institute Pendra, Bilaspur, C.G. 495119, India

Received 12 November 2006; revised 7 December 2006; accepted 13 December 2006

Abstract: Current information on the ancient historical
research in color vision is not complete. We found scrip-
tural evidence for (a) Rig-Vedic yogis having subjective
experience of color during meditation with eyes closed,
which was accentuated by hallucinogenic drug ‘‘soma’’
and ‘‘Indra’’ and sleep deprivation, (b) eye-balls being
pressed to induce color, and (c) rainbow-colors. Rig-Vedic
period was about 4000 B.C.–2000 B.C. as verified by
archaeologists during the excavation in Indus-Sarasvati
cities like Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, where depictions
engraved on soapstone seals were found that strongly
resemble yogi-like figures. We conclude that ancient his-
torical research in color vision should be revised based
on Rig-Veda. Ó 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 00,
000 – 000, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.
interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20323
Key words: color vision; history; psychophysics; Rig-
Veda; pressure-induced retinal color phosphenes; medita-
tion-induced cortical color phosphenes; hallucinogenic
drug ‘‘soma’’ and ‘‘Indra’’; sleep deprivation; Indus-Sar-
asvati cities, Mohenjo Daro and Harappa
Ancient historical research in color vision is missing. We
found scriptural evidence that yogis in Rig-Vedic period
had subjective experience of color (cortical color phos-
phenes) during meditation with eyes closed, which was
accentuated by hallucnogenic drug ‘‘soma’’ and ‘‘Indra’’
and sleep deprivation.1–4 Cortical phosephenes were gen-
erated by yogic meditation. In Rig-Veda,1 yoga is referred
in 1.12.3 (mandal 1, sukta or hymn 12, mantra 3), 1.19.2,
1.31.18, 1.48.4, 1.48.5, 1.112.24, 1.117.10, 1.162.20,
2.41.17, 3.55.18, 3.59.8, 4.24.4., 4.48.4, 4.58.3, 5.81.1,
and 5.81.4. Rig-Vedic period was about 4000 B.C.–
2000 B.C.; this was verified by archaeologists during the
excavation in Indus-Sarasvati cities like Mohenjo Daro
and Harappa, where depictions engraved on soapstone seals
were found that strongly resemble yogi-like figures.1–6
Furthermore, yogis employed another technique, in
which eyeballs of subjects were pressed hard to generate
retinal color phosphenes by pressure with eyes closed:y
subjects saw central circular area filled with yellow color
that was surrounded by patches of many colors as if
whole retina glowed. Still today, yogis can generate both
pressure-induced retinal and meditation-induced cortical
phosphenes; the first author has experienced them.
Both color-effects (retinal and cortical phosphenes) sug-
gest that colors they observe were not external phenom-
enon because eyes were closed. Colors were also
observed in nights (with eyes closed) during meditation.
Therefore, both effects were generated internally. Thus,
color vision due to these color phosphenes must have
been considered as an internal phenomenon. This is con-
sistent with modern color vision theory.
Furthermore, using rainbow as an example, Rig-Vedic
seers described seven color components (red, orange,

Competing financial interests: declared none.

*Correspondence to: Ram Lakhan Pandey Vimal (e-mail: rlpvimal@ y
The technique of pressing eyeballs generates high intraocular pres-
yahoo.co.in). sure. Therefore, only qualified experienced yogis should perform this
C 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
V technique.

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yellow, green, cyan, blue, and violet) of sunrays using a
metaphor of seven colored horses of the chariot of sun
god; white and black colors were also used in metaphor
of ‘‘devas’’ (angels) and ‘‘rakshas’’ (demons). One could
argue that these color names stand for color categories
and the naming the dominant colors as usual, and hence it
was not astonishing. Alternatively, one could also argue
that these color names are not inconsistent with the essen-
tial colors (red-green and yellow-blue) of modern color
theory.7–9 Furthermore, the Rig-Vedic color vision
research related to cortical phosphenes was before Chi-
nese color research that was about 2100 B.C.10 and long
before Greeks (about 500 B.C.).7 We conclude that (a)
‘‘subjective experience of color is an internal phenom-
enon’’ was known in Rig-Vedic period (4000 B.C.–
2000 B.C.) of India, and (b) the ancient historical research
in color vision should be revised based on Rio-Veda.1–6
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Authors are thankful to anonymous reviewers, Ellen C.
Carter, Vivek N. P. Vimal, Shalini P. Vimal, and Love P.
Vimal for their critical comments. MUCPV would like to
thank Dr. Harbans Singh for being her Ph.D. thesis advi-
sor. Research was partly supported by Vision Research
2 COLOR research and application
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Stage: I Page: 2
Institute and was presented at the National Conference
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wavidyalaya, Indore, M.P., India, 2006.
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10. Wright WD. Talking about color. . . Color Res Appl 1989;14:282–283.