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According to this meta post, asking for scientific explanations behind Hindu traditions or practices is off-topic.

But what about asking for direct references or shlokas that may contain scientific information? E.g., Are there any references to Gravity in Hindu Scriptures? Are such questions off-topic? If yes, why?

On a Q&A website about Hinduism, I feel that all topics covered in Hindu scripture should be on-topic.

Note: This is not the same as this generic question. My question specifically asks if science and scientific explanations present in Hindu scripture are on-topic. Without engaging in speculation, I think these questions can be answered using direct references.

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    Related or a duplicate of Is “What scriptures/XYZ say about …<my off topic query>?”, a freeway to convert a Qn to on-topic?. What do scriptures say about scientific and non Hinduism topics should be still off-topic. Because when someone asks a Q on this site, it means they're asking about Hinduism only. Remove that phrase reference and check the question, that should be a Hinduism question. If shlokas about science is allowed, there are 1000's of topics which are mentioned in Hindu texts and there would be no limit to such questions.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Nov 11, 2018 at 15:57
  • Then reference-request tag should be removed along with science. Because of only these two are allowing them. Introduce non-scientific-reference-request tag...
    – hanugm
    Nov 11, 2018 at 16:17
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    My argument is clear that either allow totally or disallow totally. I strongly believe to allow them. If more people are biased towards disallowing, then please make it formal instead of ambiguous.
    – hanugm
    Nov 11, 2018 at 16:22
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    Users often get confused by these two topics. Asking for something whether it is mentioned in scriptures (even such as Gravity, Time travelling) is fine but speculating or explaining something with scientific concepts is off-topic.
    – The Destroyer Mod
    Nov 11, 2018 at 16:56
  • @The Destroyer : yeah, this is what I actually want....
    – hanugm
    Nov 11, 2018 at 16:59
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    @TheDestroyer The reason why science is made off-topic is due to misleading answers and lack of expertise in that area. Another reason is having well established scientific sites. If allowing such questions with "Hindu scriptures say", we have to allow each and every question. "Mention for a book dealing with physics" or "ancient book on culinary art", dice game.. should this be on-topic according to you?
    – Sarvabhouma
    Nov 12, 2018 at 3:29
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    @Sarvabhouma What do you mean by "science is made off-topic"? Only Scientific speculation is off-topic. There are many questions on site which ask for science in scriptures.
    – The Destroyer Mod
    Nov 12, 2018 at 3:44
  • @TheDestroyer Asking for science in questions and answers is off-topic. The word speculation is added later in close reasons. When there were discussions, only science is the word. If someone explains accurately without any speculations and assumptions, do we allow it? No. It was originally science. See the linked faq in the question.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Nov 12, 2018 at 3:47
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    " Asking for science in questions and answers is off-topic" You have understood it wrong. Asking for Science in scriptures is valid. You can see questions such as Gravity, Science in Hindu scriptures, color of sky etc.. However, answers which try to explain concepts of Hinduism with help of (modern) Science are not allowed as this is pure guess work or understanding of a user.
    – The Destroyer Mod
    Nov 12, 2018 at 3:51
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    @TheDestroyer I haven't understood it wrong. Re read the answer to that faq again. Speculation is added later. If what you said is right, we should give up the close reason of scientific speculation probably closing questions. Add "According to scriptures" before every question and make it on-topic. Everything will be ok then.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Nov 12, 2018 at 5:14
  • @Sarvabhouma if such questions "according to scriptures...." are allowed, then what will be the issue? One who knows and understood properly will answer it.
    – hanugm
    Nov 12, 2018 at 5:57
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    @Sarvabhouma if the issue is that either a large number of questions may come or less research from OP side, then making them offtopic is good. Else this ambiguity will continue further....
    – hanugm
    Nov 12, 2018 at 6:02
  • @hanugm I said already. We will turn into quora.stackexchange.com. Nothing else. Questions of all topics under one roof. The motto of the stack exchange of focus on a single topic is defeated. This is a site about religion and that should be limited to religion only. You have other sites to know about a topic and you will get better and correct answers there. Simple example, if someone is looking for treatment of fever, they should go to doctor not a priest who knows remedies. If someone wants to mend a shoe, they should go to a cobbler not a doctor who knows to mend shoes.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Nov 12, 2018 at 6:03
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    @Sarvabhouma then a large part of Hindu texts will fall under off topic. Consider a question "how a child takes birth according to Sankaracharya". One needs to ask a doctor about this. But Sankaracharya bhasyam has some procedure, which will be offtopic then because of the reason that it has a scientific explanation right?
    – hanugm
    Nov 12, 2018 at 6:08
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    There is no generic question or specific question on meta. If a question contains the same content and answer has relevant details, a question can be closed as duplicate. Voting to close procedure in meta is different from main site. It is better if that difference is known before voting to reopen.
    – Sarvabhouma
    Aug 28, 2019 at 6:15

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