FReeper Canteen ~ Part IX of War in Ancient India ~ September 7, 2004

A Tribute to Hinduism ^ | September 7, 2004 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

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ANCIENT WARFARE





Part IX: War in Ancient India

Aerial Warfare

No question can be more interesting in the present circumstances of the world than India’s contribution to the science of aeronautics. There are numerous illustration in our vast Puranic and epic literature to show how well and wonderfully the ancient Indians conquered the air. To glibly characterize everything found in this literature as imaginary and summarily dismiss it as unreal has been the practice of both Western and Eastern scholars until very recently. The very idea indeed was ridiculed and people went so far to assert that it was physically impossible for man to use flying machines. But today what with balloons, airplanes…..” 

Turning to Vedic literature, in one of the Brahmanas occurs the concept of a ship that sails heavenwards. The ship is the Agnihotra of which the Ahavaniya and Garhapatya fires represent the two sides bound heavenward, and the steersman is the Agnihotrin who offers milk to the three Agnis. Again in the still earlier Rg Veda Samhita we read that the Asvins conveyed the rescued Bhujya safely by means of winged ships. The latter may refer to the aerial navigation in the earliest times.  

In the recently published Samarangana Sutradhara of Bhoja, a whole chapter of about 230 stanzas is devoted to the principles of construction underlying the various flying machines and other engines used for military and other purposes. 

The various advantages of using machines, especially flying ones, are given elaborately. Special mention is made of their use at one’s will and pleasure, of their uninterrupted movements, of their strength and durability, in short of their capability to do in the air all that is done on earth. Three movements are usually ascribed to these machines, - ascending, cruising thousands of miles in different directions in the atmosphere and lastly descending. It is said that in an aerial car one can mount up to Suryamandala, ‘solar region’ and the Naksatra mandala (stellar region) and also travel throughout the regions of air above the sea and the earth. These cars are said to move so fast as to make a noise that could be heard faintly from the ground. The evidence in its favor is overwhelming. 

An aerial car is made of light, wood looking like a great bird with a durable and well-formed body having mercury inside and fire at the bottom. It had two resplendent wings, and is propelled by air. It flies in the atmospheric regions for a great distance and carries several persons along with it. The inside construction resembles heaven created by Brahma himself. Iron, copper, lead and other metals are also used for these machines. All these show how far art and science was developed in ancient India in this direction. Such elaborate description ought to meet the criticism that the vimanas and similar aerial vehicles mentioned in ancient Indian literature should be relegated to the region of myth. 

The ancient writers could certainly make a distinction between the mythical which they designated as daiva and the actual aerial wars designated as manusa. 

After the great victory of Rama over Lanka, Vibhisana presented him with the Puspaka vimana which was furnished with windows, apartments, and excellent seats. It was capable of accommodating all the vanaras besides Rama, Sita and Lakshman. Again in the Vikramaurvaisya, we are told that king Puraravas rode in an aerial car to rescue Urvasi in pursuit of the Danava who was carrying her away. Similarly in the Uttararamacarita in the flight between Lava and Candraketu (Act VI) a number of aerial cars are mentioned as bearing celestial spectators. There is a statement in the Harsacarita of Yavanas being acquainted with aerial machines. The Tamil work Jivakacintamani refers to Jivaka flying through the air.   

Kathasaritsagara refers to highly talented woodworkers called Rajyadhara and Pranadhara. The former was so skilled in mechanical contrivances that he could make ocean crossing chariots. And the latter manufactured a flying chariot to carry a thousand passengers in the air. These chariots were stated to be as fast as thought itself. 

(source: India Through The Ages: History, Art Culture and Religion - By G. Kuppuram p. 532-533).

(for more information on vimanas please refer to chapter on Vimanas

Next Tuesday, Part X of War in Ancient India

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Thanks Tonk! Have a great night! Smooch!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Hi Radix! Good stuff there!

[shield]

bmp

[Kathy in Alaska]

The new computer is teetering on the edge of being thrown out the window. Windows 2000 Professional, factory installed. Hook up monitor, turn it on, add the key code numbers, and go! Work for a few minutes, and reboot all by itself. Do that several times, then reboot and come back on to a black screen that says registry error, reboot all by yourself, black screen with more registry error messages. Now it's a continuous loop. Finally turn it off using power button. Hook laptop back up and FReep again.

I'm hoping my computer guru can fix it over the phone.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sept. 5: A Mercury-Redstone rocket lies in the grass after being toppled by Hurricane Frances in Titusville, Fla.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sept. 5: Boats litter the shoreline under the intercoastal bridge in Palm Beach County, Fla.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sept. 4: Waves churned up by the storm pound the Royal Poinciana Bridge

[Diva Betsy Ross]

HI MA!!!

[Diva Betsy Ross]

HI MA!!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sept. 4: Sailboat is battered along the coast of the Indian River.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

MINE?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sept. 4: A boy uses a sheet to capture the wind of Hurricane Frances.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sept. 4: Surf pounds mobile home park sitting at Jensen Beach, Fla.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Petty Officer 3rd class Matthew Randolph kisses his wife on the brow of the USS Russell (DDG 59) shortly after returning to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, from a four-month western Pacific deployment on Sept. 2, 2004. The crew of the Arleigh Burke Class destroyer participated in the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training series of exercises in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st class William R. Goodwin, U.S. Navy. (Released)

[Old Sarge]

BETSY!!!

Your're back again!

[Old Sarge]

Oh, those poor boats - and their poor skippers!

I had my boat lashed hard down when Erin hit in '95 - even popped her mast off and lashed it on the deck - she came thru just fine.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Have the hurricanes affected your new place of habitation? Have you had a chance to relax and catch your breath?

[Kathy in Alaska]

I must say I'm surprised to see so many masts still up, especially on the smaller boats. I would have thought that some would be taken down. It does make ones heart heavy to see them so battered. I saw one picture a couple days ago of one hard up against a bridge. So sad.

[Kathy in Alaska]

OK, who broke Fotki?? GRRRRRRRR!!

[Soaring Feather]

Oh not me Ma, I just got home.

It was down last night, too.