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

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Diva. How's it going?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Chieftain. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for your service to America.

[Aeronaut]

Hi Kathy. We had a good week-end, now it's time to tear down the Fair exhibit. I hope your week-end was great!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Meekie, for my cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Chilly nights are back, and fall is just about here.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Pretty quiet, but lots of little things got done. Happy tearing down.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Peggy, Luke's Mom.

Thank you, Luke, for your service to our country, and prayers
for your safety and success of mission.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, Billy, for your service to our country. Prayers for your safety and success of mission.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, Robert, for your service to our country.
Prayers for your safety and success of mission.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, Sgt, for your service to our country.
Prayers for your safety and success of mission.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Our National Anthem

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning fellow cubevillians!

[Chieftain]

Good morning to you, too, Kathy. No power at my office here in Jacksonville, Florida, lots of broken limbs and debris in our yard courtesy of Frances. This has not been a relaxing Labor Day weekend. Ivan is NOT welcome in Florida!

[beachn4fun]

Diva Betsy!! You're looking good girl. Glad to have you back.

[tomkow6]

 

SALUTE!

 

[Old Sarge]

Greetings, Canteeners, Troops,
and All the Ships at Sea!

And Tuesday is now Monday, in Sarge's neck o' the woods; so here we are, back in the cubes for another fun and exciting week. But with the passing of Labor Day, there is now just one big day coming up, and that's... HALLOWEEN!!!

Before the mission two years ago that took Sarge from work all those months, the workplace staged their annual day-long Halloween-workplace gig: employees do the whole day in costume, Trick-or-treat in the cubes, the whole deal. And Sarge not only got into costume, he got into Character. One friend here and Sarge, dressed up from the Lord of the Rings - she as Arwen, and Sarge as the Black Rider. Won best duet that year...

At any rate, several co-workers are already asking Sarge is he'll trot out the Nazgul again, and asking for tips and pointers on garbed costumes. Ah, popularity...

But, as good as Sarge gets, NO ONE does Halloween better than his Demented Sis, who does her house every year better than Universal Studios...

Well, the Home Detachment got cleaned up from the camping trip in record time, and the gear is all put away for the next trip - which should be soon, with the weather turning cooler. Sarge loves cooler weather, especially autumn.

On to a few Personals:

TONKIN/DIVA: Thanks once again, you two, for the Tuesday Thread, an always fascinating dip into history!

STAR/MS. B/BENTFEATHER/KATHY: Sorry about my rude departure last night, but when your head hits the monitor, it's time to go...

DARKWING/BEACH/MOJO: And any others of our coastal FReepers out there: Here's to hoping that Frances, and her boyfriend Ivan who's spinning up in the Atlantic, are causing you good folks no more trouble than you can handle!

Sarge will be in the area all day, so Let's Have Fun!

SARGE

[tomkow6]

Good morning, LaDiva! Good morning, Canteen Crew! Good morning, EVERYBODY!

GOOD  

MORNING

TROOPS!

Me for PREZ! VOTE !!!

[tomkow6]

 

Today's FEEBLE

YOKE :

One day, while walking to the store, I passed by a Nursing Home. On the front lawn were six old ladies lying naked on the grass. I thought this was a bit unusual, but continued on my way to the store. 

On my return trip, I passed the same Nursing Home and the same six old ladies lying naked on the lawn were still there . 

This time my curiosity got the best of me and I went inside to talk to the manager. 

"Do you know there are six ladies laying naked on your front lawn?" 

"Yes," he said. "They are retired prostitutes and they're having a yard sale."

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Old Sarge. How's it going?

[beachn4fun]

Good morning Everyone. A special HELLO to our AWESOME military and our allies.

Making a quick stop in to say hi before jumping into the workload.

Geez, what a crazy holiday weekend for Floridians. I seems there was little of Florida that was not affected by Frances.

Hey Hurricane Ivan.............

Ok, update on son and family. They are home. End of update. Nah, just kidding. I got a call yesterday afternoon telling me they were home. They of course have no power like most Floridians. He had a terrible cell connection and the wind was still blowing pretty good. So, we could not talk long. Their home did not appear to suffer any damage. However, their neighbor's house did get a little banged up, get this, on the side of the house that faces my son's house. Goes to show how things work in a storm! Also, the wife of this neighbor who was expecting any day, apparently went into labor yesterday while they were still in North Carolina. So, a very eventful weekend for them!

Anyway, son and family got a chance to visit a part of Georgia that they normally would not have.

Ok, that is the end of report. I need to take a few minutes to go browsing to see how some of our Florida FReepers have fared. Catch you later.