Vimanas King Ravana

Ancient Flying Matchiens (VI)

Flying machines in old Indian Sanskrit texts
By Professor Dr. Dileep Kumar Kanjilal gave a brilliant lecture with this title to the
Sixth Congress of the Ancient Astronaut Society in unich in !"#". Kanjilal is a
professor at the Calcutta Sans$rit College an% therefore a lea%ing scholar in Sans$rit.
&source' Pathways To The Gods: The Stones of Kiribati - By rich !on
"aniken p. !#"(!)#*.
But if we follow the history of i%olatry in +n%ia we come across two important wor$s,
the Ka#sitaki an% the Sata$atha Brahmana, %ating from before -.. B.C. an%
telling us about images of the go%s. /ext an% illustration show forcefully that the
go%s were originally corporeal beings. But how, an% this 0uestion must be face%, %i%
these go%s reach the earth through the atmosphere1
/he %#&#r'eda 0uite clearly tells of a flying
machine, which was use% by the Asvins &two
heavenly twins*. /he 2imana is simply a
synonym for flying machine. +t occurs in the
3ajurve%a, the 4amayana, the ahabharata, the
Bhagavata Purana, as well as in classical +n%ian
literature.
At least 5. passages in the (ig'eda &!.5)
hymns to the go%s* refer exclusively to the
flying vehicle of the Asvins. /his flying machine
is represente% as three(storeye%, triangular an%
three 6wheele%. +t coul% carry at least three
passengers. Accor%ing to tra%ition the machine
was ma%e of gol%, silver an% iron, an% ha% two
wings. 7ith this flying machine the Asvins save% King Bhujyu who was in %istress at
sea.
8very scholar $nows the !aimanika Shastra, a collection of s$etches the core of
which is attribute% to Bharat'a& the )ise aroun% the 9
th
century B.C. /he writings
in the 2aimani$a Shastra were re%iscovere% in !)#-. /he text %eals with the si:e an%
the most important parts of the various flying machines. 7e learn how they steere%,
what special precautions ha% to be ta$en on long flights, how the machines coul% be
protecte% against violent storms an% lightning, how to ma$e a force% lan%ing an%
even how to switch the %rive to solar energy to ma$e the fuel go further. Bharatvaj
refers to no fewer than #. authorities an% ten experts of +n%ian air travel in
anti0uity;
/he %escription of these machines in ol% +n%ian texts are ama:ingly precise. /he
%ifficulty we are face% with to%ay is basically that the texts mention various metals
an% alloys which we cannot translate. 7e %o not $now what our ancestors
un%erstoo% by them. +n the *marangas#tradhara five flying machines were
originally built for the go%s Brahma, 2ishnu, 3ama, Kuvera an% +n%ra. <ater there
were some a%%itions. =our main types of flying 2imanas are %escribe%' 4u$ma,
Sun%ara, /ripura an% Sa$una. /he 4u$ma were conical in shape an% %ye% gol%,
whereas the Sun%ata were li$e roc$ets an% ha% a silver sheen. /he /ripura were
three(storeye% an% the Sa$una loo$e% li$e bir%s. /here were !!> sub%ivisions of
these four main types that %iffere% only in minor %etails. /he position an% functioning
of the solar energy collectors are %escribe% in the 2aimani$a Shastra. +t says that
eight tubes ha% to be ma%e of special glass absorbing the sun?s ray. A whole series of
%etails are liste%, some of which we %o not un%erstan%. /he
*maranganas#tradhara even explains the %rive, the controls an% the fuel for the
flying machine. +t says that 0uic$silver an% @4asa? were use%. Anfortunately we %o
not yet $now what B4asa? was. /en sections %eal with uncannily topical themes such
as pilot training, flight paths, the in%ivi%ual parts of flying machines, as well as
clothing for pilots an% passengers, an% the foo% recommen%e% for long flights. /here
was much technical %etail' the metals use%, heat(absorbing metals an% their melting
point, the propulsion units an% various types of flying machines. /he information
about metals use% in construction name three sorts, somala, soun%aali$a an%
mourthwi$a. +f they were mixe% in the right proportions, the result was !C $in%s of
heat(absorbing metals with names li$e ushnambhara, ushnapaa, raajaamlatrit, etc.
which cannot be translate% into 8nglish. /he texts also explaine% how to clean
metals, the aci%s such as lemon or apple to be use% an% the correct mixture, the
right oils to wor$ with an% the correct temperature for them. Seven types of engine
are %escribe% with the special functions for which they are suite% an% the altitu%es at
which they wor$ best. /he catalogue is not short of %ata about the si:e of the
machines, which ha% storeys, nor of their suitability for various purposes.
/his text is recommen%e% to all who %oubt the existence of flying machines in
anti0uity. /he min%less cry that there were no such things woul% have to fall silent in
shame.
The r#ined sites of Parhas$#r
ha'e been the scene of +di'ine,
air battles- Pyramids reminiscent
of the .ayan $yramids in the
/entral *merican &#ngles in the
center of Parhas$#r0
+n !"#" a boo$ by Davi% 7.
Davenport, an 8nglishman born in
+n%ia, was publishe% in +taly. +ts title
was 1222 */ "i3tr#3ione *tomica4
*tomic "estr#ction 12220 B/.
Davenport claime% to have proof that
ohenjo Daro, one of the ol%est
cities in the history of human
civili:ation, ha% been %estroye% by an atomic bomb. Davenport shows that the
ruine% site $nown as the place of %eath by archaeologists was not forme% by gra%ual
%ecay.
Driginally ohenjo Daro, which is more than -... years ol%, lay on two islan%s in the
+n%us. 7ithin a ra%ius of !.- $m Davenport %emonstrates three %ifferent %egrees of
%evastation which sprea% from the center outwar%s. 8normous heat unleashe% total
%estruction at the center. /housan%s of lumps, christene% @blac$ stones? by
archaeologists, turne% out to be fragments of clay vessels which ha% melte% into
each other in the extreme heat. /he possibility of a volcanic eruption is exclu%e%
because there is no har%ene% lava or volcanic ash in or near ohenjo Daro.
Davenport assume% that the brief intensive heat reache% 5... %egree C. +t ma%e the
ceramic vessels melt.
Ee further says that in the suburbs of ohenjo Daro s$eletons of people lying flat on
the groun%, often han% in han% were foun%, as if the living ha% been su%%enly
overcome by an unexpecte% catastrophe.
+n spite of the inter%isciplinary possibilities, archaeology wor$s solely by tra%itional
metho%s in ohenjo Daro. /hey ought to use the former, for it woul% pro%uce
results. +f flying machines an% a nuclear explosion as the cause of the ruins are
exclu%e% out of han%, there can be no research by enlarge% teams with physicists,
chemists, metallurgists, etc. *s the iron c#rtain so often falls on sites that are
im$ortant in the history of mankind4 I cannot hel$ feeling that s#r$rising
facts endangering existing ways of thinking might and sho#ld be
disco'ered0 * n#clear ex$losion 5222 years ago does not fit into the
scenario-
=or more refer to chapter on Sacred *ngkor
To$ of Page
/hariots of The Gods
rich !on "aniken author of the +nternational Bestseller boo$, /hariots of The
Gods, writes'
F =or example, how %i% the chronicler of the ahabharata $now that a weapon
capable of punishing a country with a twelve yearsG %rought coul% exist1 An%
powerful enough to $ill the unborn in their mothers womb1 /his ancient +n%ian epic,
the ahabharata, is more comprehensive than the Bible, an% even at a conservative
estimate its original core is at least -,... years ol%. +t is well worth rea%ing this epic
in the light of the present %ay $nowle%ge.
7e shall not be surprise% when we learn
in the (amayana that 2imanas, i.e.
flying machines, navigate% at great
heights with the ai% of 0uic$silver an% a
great propulsive win%. the 2imanas coul%
cover vast, %istances an% coul% travel
forwar%, upwar% an% %ownwar%. 8nviably
maneuverable space vehicles;.
/his 0uotation comes from the translation
by 60 "#tt in !)"!' FAt 4amaGs behest
the magnificent chariot rose up to a
mountain of clou% with a tremen%ous
%in..F 7e cannot help noticing that not
only is a flying object mentione% again
but also that the chronicler tal$s of a
tremen%ous %in.
Eere is another passage from the
ahabharata' FBhisma flew with his
2imana on an enormous ray which was as
brilliant as the sun an% ma%e a noise li$e
the thun%er of a storm.F & C.4oy !)""*.
8ven imagination nee%s something to start off. Eow can the chronicler give
%escriptions that presuppose at least some i%ea of roc$ets an% the $nowle%ge that
such a vehicle can ri%e on a ray an% cause a terrifying thun%er1
Certain numerical %ata in the ahabharata are so precise that one gets the
impression that the author was writing from first(han% $nowle%ge. =ull of repulsion,
he %escribes a weapon that coul% $ill all warriors who wore metal on their bo%ies. +f
the warriors learne% about the effect of this weapon in time, they tore off all the
metal e0uipment they were wearing, jumpe% into a river, an% washe% everything
they were wearing, an% everything they ha% come in contact with very thoroughly.
Hot without reason, as the author explains, for the wea$ons made the hair and
nails fall o#t0 8verything living, he bemoane%, became pale an% wea$.
The .ahabharata says: 7Time is the seed of the 8ni'erse07
+n the Samarangana S#tradhara whole
chapters are %evote% to %escribing
airships whose tails spout fire an%
0uic$silver.
A passage from the .ahabharata is
boun% to ma$e us thin$'
F+t was as if the elements ha% been
unleashe%. /he sun spun roun%.
Scorche% by the incan%escent heat of the
weapon, the worl% reele% in fever.
8lephants were set on fire by the heat
an% ran to an% fro in a fren:y to see$ protection from the terrible violence. /he water
boile%, the animals %ie%, the enemy was mown %own an% the raging of the bla:e
ma%e the trees collapse in rows as in a forest fire. /he elephants ma%e a fearful
trumpeting an% san$ %ea% to the groun% over a vast area. Eorses an% war chariots
were burnt up an% the scene loo$e% li$e the aftermath of a conflagration. /housan%s
of chariots were %estroye%, then %eep silence %escen%e% on the sea. /he win%s,
began to blow an% the earth grew bright. +t was a terrible sight to see. /he corpses
of the fallen were mutilate% by the terrible heat so that they no longer loo$e% li$e
human beings. Hever before have we seen such a ghastly weapon an% never before
have we hear% of such a weapon. &C. 4oy !))"*.
&source' /hariots of The Gods - By rich !on "aniken p. -C ( C.*. =or more on
.ahabharata, refer to chapter on 9ind# Scri$#tres4 )ar in *ncient India an%
%antras*.
To$ of Page
!ymaanika Shaastra *erona#tics of .aharshi Bharadwaa&a - By G0 (0 :osyer
&excerpts*
(ahasyagnyodhikaaree - S#tra 10
F/he pilot is one who $nows the secretsF
Bo%haana%a' Scientists say that there are >5 secrets of the wor$ing of the 2imaana.
A pilot shoul% ac0uaint himself thoroughly with them before he can be %eeme%
competent to han%le the aeroplane. Ee must $now the structure of the aeroplane,
$now the means of its ta$e off an% ascent to the s$y, $now how to %rive it an% how
to halt it when necessary, how to maneuver it an% ma$e it perform spectacular feats
in the s$y without crashing. /hose secrets are given in 7(ahashya ;ahari7 an%
other wor$s by <alla an% other masters, are are %escribe% thus'
F/he pilot shoul% have ha% training in maantrica an% taantrica, $rita$a an%
antaraala$a, goo%ha or hi%%en, %rishya an% a%rishya or seen an% unseen, paro$sha
an% aparo$sha, contraction an% expansion, changing shape, loo$ frightening, loo$
pleasing, become luminous or envelope% in %ar$ness, %eluge or pralaya, vimu$ha,
taara, stun by thun%erstorm %in, jump, move :ig(:ag li$e serpent, chaapala, face all
si%es, hear %istant soun%s, ta$e pictures, $now enemy maneuver, $now %irection of
enemy approach, stab%ha$a or paralyse, an% $arshana or exercise magnetic pull.
/hese >5 secrets the pilot shoul% learn from competent preceptors an% only such a
person is fit to be entruste% with an aeroplane, an% not others.
Some of these secrets are'
!. Ioo%ha' As explaine% in
G2aayutatva(Pra$aranaG, by
harnessing the powers, 3aasaa,
2iyaasaa, Prayaasaa in the )th
atmospheric layer covering the
earth, to attract the %ar$ content of
the solar ray, an% use it to hi%e the
2imana from the enemy.
5. Drishya' By collision of the
electric power an% win% power in
the atmosphere, a glow is create%,
whose reflection is to be caught in
the 2ishwa(Kriya(%rapana or mirror
at the front of the 2imana, an% by
its manipulation pro%uce a aaya(
2imana or camouflage% 2imana.
>. 2imu$ha' As mentione% in F4ig(
hri%ayaF, by projecting the force of
Kubera, 2imu$ha an% 2yshawaanara
poison pow%er through the thir%
tube of the rou%ree mirror an%
turning the switch of the air
mechanism, pro%uce wholesale
insensibility an% coma.
9. 4oopaa$arshana' By means of the photographic yantra in the 2imana to obtain a
television view of things insi%e an enemyGs plane.
-. Stab%ha$' By projecting apasmaara poison fume smo$e through the tube on the
north si%e on the 2imana, an% %ischarging it with stambhana yantra, people in
enemy planes will be ma%e unconscious.
C. Chaapla' Dn sighting an enemy plane, by turning the switch in the force center in
the mi%%le section of the 2imana, a 9.)# revolutions an hour atmospheric wave
spee% will be generate%, an% sha$e up the enemy plane.
#. Parashab%a Iraaha$a' As explaine% in the FSow%aaminee Kalaa' or science of
electronics, by means of the soun% capturing yantra in the 2imana, to hear the tal$s
an% soun% in enemy planes flying in the s$y.
JJJJ
Accor%ing to Showna$a, the regions of the s$y are -, name%, 4e$haapathaha,
an%ala, Ka$shaya, sha$ti an% Ken%ra. +n these - atmospheric regions, ther are
-,!",).. air ways traverse% by 2imanas of the Seven <o$as or worl%s, $nown as
Bhoolo$a, Bhuvarlo$a, Suvarlo$a, aholo$a, Kanolo$a, /apolo$a an% Satyalo$a.
Dhun%inaatha an% F2alalmee$i IanitaF state that 4e$ha has #,.>,..,).. air routes.
an%ala has 5.,.),..5.. air routes, Ka$shya has 5,.",..,>.. air routes, Sha$ti has
!.,.!,>.. air routes, an% Ken%ra has >.,.),5.. air routes.
+t %iscusses what $in% of foo% to eat, clothing to wear, metals for vimanas,
purification of metals, %eals with mirrors an% lenses which are re0uire% to be
installe% in the vimaanas, mechanical contrivances or yantras an% protecting an%
%ifferent types of vimaanas.
&source' !ymaanika Shaastra *erona#tics of .aharshi Bharadwaa&a - By G0
(0 :osyer International *cademy of Sanskrit (esearch <=>?@0
Also 4efer to !ymanika Shashtra - *erona#tical Society of India0
To$ of Page
Stealth bomber from shastra
A glass(li$e material base% on technology foun% in an ancient Sans$rit text that coul%
ultimately be use% in a stealth bomber &the material cannot be %etecte% by ra%ar*
has been %evelope% by a research scholar of Benaras Ein%u Aniversity.
Prof A <a$shmithathachar, Director of the *cademy of Sanskrit (esearch in
el$ote, near an%ya, tol% Deccan Eeral% that tests con%ucte% with the material
showe% ra%ars coul% not %etect it. B/he uni0ue material cannot be trace% by ra%ar
an% so a plane coate% with it cannot be %etecte% using ra%ar,L he sai%.
/he aca%emy ha% been commissione% by the Aeronautical 4esearch Development
Boar%, Hew Delhi, to ta$e up a one(year stu%y, @Hon(conventional approach to
Aeronautics,? on the basis of an ol% text, !aimanika Shastra4 a#thored by
Bharadwa&0
/hough the perio% to which Bhara%waj belonge% to is not very clear, Prof
<a$shmithathachar note%, the manuscripts might be more !,... years ol%.
The $ro&ect aims at deci$hering the Bharadwa&,s conce$ts in a'iation0
Eowever, Prof <a$shmithathachar was 0uic$ to a%% that a collaborative effort from
scholars of Sans$rit, physics, mathematics an% aeronautics is nee%e% to un%erstan%
Bhara%waj?s shastra.
/he country?s interest in aviation can be trace% bac$ over 5,... years to the
mythological era an% the epic 4amayana tells of a supersonic(type plane, the
P#sh$ak !imana4 which co#ld fly at the s$eed of tho#ght0

Nine planetary deities.
***
B/he shastra has interesting information on vimanas &airplanes*, %ifferent types of
metals an% alloys, a spectrometer an% even flying gear,L the professor sai%. /he
shastra also outlines the metallurgical metho% to prepare an alloy very light an%
strong which coul% withstan% high pressure.
Ee sai% Prof Dongre of BEA ha% brought out a research paper Amshubon%hini after
stu%ying 2aimani$a Shastra an% %evelope% the material. B/here have been spora%ic
efforts to %evelop aeronautics in the country?s history. /here has never been a
holistic approach to it. 2aimani$a Shastra throws up many interesting %etails that
can benefit +n%ian aviation programme,L the %irector a%%e%.
Prof <a$shmithathachar rubbishe% the ten%ency among certain scholars to %iscount
such ancient Sans$rit texts an% sai%, B7hy woul% our scholars want to cheat future
generations1 Anless it was important, nothing was written in the ol% %ays. /he fact
that there exists manuscripts in%icates the significance.L
/he aca%emy has also embar$e% on other projects inclu%ing @+n%ian concept of
Cosmology? with +n%ian Space 4esearch Drganisation, @+ron M Steel in Ancient +n%ia
N A Eistorical Perspective? with the Steel Authority of +n%ia <imite%, an% @/ools M
/echnology of Ancient +n%ia.?
&source' Stealth bomber from shastra ( deccan herald Hovember 5, .5*.
=or more refer to chapters on Sanskrit an% )ar in *ncient India0 Also 4efer to
!ymanika Shashtra - *erona#tical Society of India0
To$ of Page
*ncient n#clear blasts - By *lexander Pechersky
/he great ancient +n%ian epic, the .ahabharata, contains numerous legen%s about
the powerful force of a mysterious weapon.
/he archaeological expe%ition, which carrie% out excavations near the +n%ian
settlement of .ohen&o-"aro in the beginning of the !"..s, uncovere% the ruins of a
big ancient town. /he town belonge% to one of the most %evelope% civili:ations in the
worl%. /he ancient civili:ation existe% for two or three thousan% years. Eowever,
scientists were a lot more intereste% in the %eath of the town, rather than in its
prosperity. 4esearchers trie% to explain the reason of the townGs %estruction with
various theories. Eowever, scientists %i% not fin% any in%ications of a monstrous
floo%, s$eletons were not numerous, there were no fragments of weapons, or
anything else that coul% testify either to a natural %isaster or a war. Archaeologists
were perplexe%' accor%ing to their analysis the catastrophe in the town ha% occurre%
very unexpecte%ly an% it %i% not last long.
Scientists "a'ne$ort an% !incenti put forwar% an ama:ing theory. They stated
the ancient town had been r#ined with a n#clear blast0 /hey foun% big
stratums of clay an% green glass. Apparently, archaeologists suppose%, high
temperature melte% clay an% san% an% they har%ene% imme%iately afterwar%s.
Similar stratums of green glass can also foun% in Heva%a %eserts after every nuclear
explosion.
* h#ndred years ha'e $assed since the exca'ations in .ohen&o-"aro0 The
modern analysis showed4 the fragments of the ancient town had been
melted with extremely high tem$erat#re - not less than <4522 degrees
centigrade0 4esearchers also foun% the strictly outline% epicenter, where all houses
were levele%. Destructions lessene% towar%s the outs$irts. Do:ens of s$eletons were
foun% in the area of ohenjo(Daro ( their ra%ioactivity excee%e% the norm almost -.
times.
The great ancient Indian e$ic4 the .ahabharata4 contains n#mero#s legends
abo#t the $owerf#l force of a mysterio#s wea$on0 Ane of the cha$ters tells
of a shell4 which s$arkled like fire4 b#t had no smoke0 7)hen the shell hit
the gro#nd4 the darkness co'ered the sky4 twisters and storms le'eled the
towns0 * horrible blast b#rnt tho#sands of animals and $eo$le to ashes0
Peasants4 towns$eo$le and warriors di'ed in the ri'er to wash away the
$oisono#s d#st07
JJJ
o%ern people %ivi%e the %ay into 59 hours, the hour ( into C. minutes, the minute (
into C. secon%s. *ncient 9ind#s di'ided the day in B2 $eriods4 lasting 1C
min#tes each4 and so on and so forth0 The shortest time $eriod of ancient
9ind#s made #$ one-three-h#ndred-millionth of a second0
&source' *ncient n#clear blasts and le'itating stones of Shi'a$#r - By
*lexander Pechersky - $ra'da0r#0com*. =or more refer to chapter on *ryan
In'asion Theory an% *d'anced /once$ts an% 9ind# /osmology. Also 4efer to
!ymanika Shashtra - *erona#tical Society of India0
To$ of Page
"id .an (each The .oon Tho#sands Af %ears *go- - By :ohn )inston
+n%ications of the reality of ancient space travel %o come from wi%ely separate% parts
of the worl%. 7ritten an% oral tra%ition is wi%esprea% ( an%, it seems, reliable.
/here is a ten%ency in scientific circles nowa%ays to regar% ancient %ocuments an%
even mythology an% fol$lore ( as sources of history. Anthony 4oberts expresses it
this way' F<egen%s are li$e time(capsules that preserve their contents through ages
of ignorance.F +n regar% to some of the chronicles cite% hereafter, internal evi%ence
will carry its own proofs of authenticity. y first source is an ol% manuscript
%escribe% by Kames Churchwar%, the 8nglish scholar who wrote %eca%es before
people spo$e of artificial satellites an% spaceships.
! ( +HD+A' 2ehicles that coul% revolve aroun% the earth &i.e., satellites*' F/heir fuel is
%rawn from the air in a very simple an% cheap way. /he motor is something li$e a
mo%ern turbine' it wor$s from one chamber to another an% %oes not stop or stall
unless switche% off. +f nothing happens it continues to function. /he ship in which it
is built coul% revolve as long as it li$e% aroun% 8arth, only falling when the parts of
which it is ma%e were burnt up.
5 ( +HD+A' Philosophers an% scientists who orbite% the earth Fbelow the moon an%
above the clou%sF are spo$en of in the ancient S#rya Siddhanta0
Iiant satellites ma%e of shiny metal an% turning about an axis are %escribe% in %etail
in ancient Sans$rit texts, right %own to their %imensions an% interiors, as well as
smaller craft that fly between them an% the earth.
/he .ahabharata %escribes Ftwo storey s$y chariots with many win%ows, ejecting
re% flame, that race up into the s$y until they loo$ li$e comets . . . to the regions of
both the sun an% the stars.F
Dther references spea$ of'
J Pushan sailing in gol%en ships across the ocean of the s$y
J Iaru%a &a celestial bir%* carrying <or% 2ishnu in cosmic journeys
J Aerial flights Fthrough the region of the s$y firmament which is above the region of
the win%sF
J /he Ancients of Space Dimensions.
&source' "id .an (each The .oon Tho#sands Af %ears *go- - By :ohn
)inston - rense0com@0 =or more refer to chapter on 9ind# Scri$t#res an%
*d'anced /once$ts an% 9ind# /osmology. Also 4efer to !ymanika Shashtra -
*erona#tical Society of India0
To$ of Page
9igh-Tech !edic /#lt#re
;ike it or not4 the !edic cosmological treatises are loaded with references to
aircraft and de'astating wea$ons0 There is no way to ignore the $lain fact0
%et4 most Indology ex$erts ha'e managed to do &#st that0 9ow do yo#
o'erlook or tri'iali3e these inn#merable descri$tions- +t is impossible to
escape them unless your min% is alrea%y ma%e up to reject them. "iscard them
yo# m#st4 beca#se mainstream academia will not consider that h#mans in
remote antiD#ity co#ld ha'e been ad'anced E not to mention ex$ert E in a
technology far more s#btle than the cr#dities we are $ro#d of today0
(emember4 e'en a sim$le conce$t like intelligent life on other $lanets still
raises eyebrows at the academy0
2e%ic technology %oes not resemble our worl% of nuts an% bolts, or even microchips.
ystic power, especially manifest as sonic vibration plays a major role. /he right
soun% 6 vibrate% as a mantra, can launch terrible weapons, %irectly $ill, summon
beings from other realms, or even create exotic aircraft.
*ir !imana
Aircraft in the 2e%ic literature are generally referre% to as !imanas. 8specially
throughout the .ahabharata, Bhaga'ata P#rana, an% the (amayana, these
flying de'ices appear.
/he 2imanas %escribe% in the !edas are generally of four types'
Single or two(passenger aircraftO
Euge airships for interplanetary pleasure tripsO
Euge military aircraft for warfareO
Self(sufficient flying cities &@space stationsL* for in%efinite stay in space.
/he thir% canto of the Bhaga'ata P#rana presents a lengthy account of the yogi
Kardama .#ni,s aeronautical a%ventures. 7ith his mystic power, he pro%uce% an
aerial(mansion type of vimana an% too$ his wife Devahut on a pleasure tour of the
universe. Eis airship was virtually a flying palace, replete with every possible luxury.
BEe travele% in that way through the various planets, as the air passes uncontrolle%
in every %irection. Coursing through the air in that great an% splen%i% aerial
mansion, which coul% fly at his will, he surpasse% even the %emigo%s.L &Shrimad
Bhaga'atam >.5!.9!*.
/he 2e%ic epic of (amayan provi%es %etails of a majestic aerial mansion vimana.
9an#man saw in the mi%%le of that resi%ential 0uarter the great aerial(mansion
vehicle calle% P#sh$aka-'imana, %ecorate% with pearls an% %iamon%s, an%
feature% with artistic win%ows ma%e of refine% gol%.
It was a very big machine, almost like a big city, and it could fly so high and at such
a great speed that it was almost impossible to see
JJJ
F Hone coul% gauge its power nor effect its %estructionP.it was poise% in the
atmosphere without support. +t ha% the capacity to go anywhere. +t stoo% in the s$y
li$e a milestone in the path of the sun. +t coul% fly in any %irection that one wante%.
+t ha% chambers of remar$able beautyPKnowing the intentions of the master, it coul%
go anywhere at high spee%.L
+n both the ahabharata an% the Bhagavata Purana, we get an account of a h#ge
military aircraft belonging to a hostile enemy name% Shal'a. The $arallels with
modern 8FA re$orts are inesca$able0 Eere is a summary of the 2e%ic version'
FIt was a 'ery big machine4 almost like a big city4 and it co#ld fly so high
and at s#ch a great s$eed that it was almost im$ossible to seeG so there was
no D#estion of attacking it0 It a$$eared to be almost co'ered in darkness4
yet the $ilot co#ld fly it anywhere and e'erywhere0 Eaving ac0uire% such a
won%erful airplane, Shalva flew it to the city of "waraka, because his main purpose
in obtaining the airplane was to attac$ the city of the 3a%us, towar% whom he
maintaine% a constant feeling of animosity.
/he airplane occupie% by Shalva was very mysterious. +t was so extraor%inary that
sometimes many airplanes woul% appear to be in the s$y, an% sometimes there were
apparently none. Sometimes the plane was visible an% sometimes not visible, an%
the warriors of the 3a%u %ynasty were pu::le% about the whereabouts of the peculiar
airplane. Sometimes they woul% see the airplane on the groun%, sometimes flying in
the s$y, sometimes resting on the pea$ of a hill, an% sometimes floating on the
water. /he won%erful airplane flew in the s$y li$e a whirling firebran% 6 it was not
stea%y even for a moment.L
Page after page of mo%ern A=D reports put forwar% the same characteristics'
glowing luminescence, logic(%efying movements, as well as su%%en appearances an%
%isappearances.
Sanskritist :0 *0 B0 !an B#itenen also saw relevant parallels in Shalva account.
4enowne% in aca%emia for his scholarly notate% ren%ition of the ahabharata, van
Buitenen comments on the eventual %estruction of Shalva?s aircraft an% its personnel
by Krishna'
F9ere we ha'e an acco#nt of a hero who took these 'isiting astrona#ts for
what they were: intr#ders and enemies0 The aerial city is nothing b#t an
armed cam$H0no do#bt a s$aceshi$0 The name of the demons is also
re'ealing: they were 6i'ataka'acas4 Fclad in airtight armor4I which can
hardly be anything b#t s$aces#its0I
/he ahabharata also challenges us with the exploits of self(sufficient cities statione%
in outer space. Depen%ing on no other planet or physical locale for support, these
space stations, as we can call them, cruise% in space in%efinitely. Arjuna, the hero of
the ahabharata, attac$e% a space station name% Eiranyapura, people% by
%angerous entities of the malefic Daitya races.
8lu%ing Arjuna?s pursuit, the space city aban%one% its position in outer space an%
too$ shelter of 8arth. 4esembling the reporte% behavior of mo%ern A=D, the
besiege% flying city attempte% to escape un%erwater. +t also fle% un%ergroun%.
Arjuna was able to follow the Daitya space station wherever it trie% to escape on
8arth. /hen, as the city too$ off for outer space again, he blaste% it 6 brea$ing it
apart. 7hen %ebris an% bo%ies fell to the 8arth, the ahabharata %escribes that
Arjuna lan%e% to ma$e sure no survivors were hi%ing ami%st the wrec$age.
&source' Searching for !edic India E By "e'amrita Swami p. 9#> ( 9).*.
JJJ
"isdain and Fantasies- /laim Indologists
#rocentrism at its best
* ; Basham in his boo$, /he 7on%er that 7as +n%ia' B /he arms of ancient +n%ia
were not appreciably %ifferent from those of early civili:ations. 8fforts have been
ma%e by some scholars, not all of them +n%ian, to show that firearms an% even flying
machines were $nown, but this is certainly not the case. /he one clear reference to
firearms occurs in Su$ra, which is late me%ieval, an% the passage in 0uestion is
probably an inter$olation of ughal times. The mysterio#s and magical
wea$ons of the $ics4 slaying h#ndreds at a blow and dealing fire and death
all aro#nd them4 m#st be the $rod#ct of the $oet,s imagination0 F
&source' The )onder that )as India - By * ; Basham p. !>5 ( !>>*. =or more
refer to chapter on Sacred *ngkor
"are we admit that the ancient !edic $eo$le regarded flight as an ordinary
$art of their life- To an o$en mind4 the many references wo#ld seem to
&#stify that concl#sion0
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.ysteries from Forgotten )orlds
/harles Berlit3 &!"!9 ( 5..>* gran%son of the man who foun%e% the
famous Berlit: language schools an% author of several boo$s has written'
F/here is, however, another semi(historical in%ication of catastrophic %estruction
initiate% an% cause% by man or go%s acting li$e men, which is recor%e% in the
.ahabharata, sometimes calle% the +llia% of ancient +n%ia &but over eight times as
long as Eomer* an% therefore more comprehensive an% also explicit in %etail. /he
ahabharata is essentially a huge compen%ium of religious teachings, customs,
history an% legen%s concerning the go%s an% heroes of ancient +n%ia. /he Ein%u
classic preserves bits of information from an ol%er worl% that are not only
pictures0ue but sometimes rather alarming.
7hen western stu%ents first began to stu%y an% comment on the ahabharata
%uring the perio% of British r#le in India, certain %etaile% references to ancient air
ships &!imanas* inclu%ing even how to construct them an% how they were powere%,
mater of fact %escriptions of controlle% fire power in warfare, roc$ets, an% even the
Farrow of #nconscio#snessI Jmohanastra@ which ren%ere% armies helpless.
8arly scholars customarily consi%ere% these references, %eca%es before the invention
of airplanes or poison gas, as poetic hyperbole an% were accustome% in the wor%s of
! (amachandra "ikshitar, FHto glibly characteri3e e'erything in this
literat#re as imagination and s#mmarily dismiss it as #nrealHI
St#dents of the !ictorian era wo#ld4 of co#rse4 ha'e little #nderstanding or
feeling of coincidence in descri$tions of Ftwo story sky chariots with many
windowsI bla3ing with red flames Fthat race #$ into the sky #ntil they look
like comets4I or shi$s that Fsoared into the air to the regions of both the s#n
and the stars0I
Some of these %escriptions may have been enigmatical to scholars of the last century
who rea% an% translate% them but they are not especially mysterious or har% to
un%erstan% to almost anyone alive to%ay or who may still be alive in an uncertain
future. /he following excerpts from the ahabharata an% the 4amanyana are
startlingly familiar to us in spite of the thousan%s of intervening years, telling of'
7* single $ro&ectile charged with all the $ower of the 8ni'erse0 *n
incandescent col#mn of smoke and flame4 as bright as ten tho#sand S#ns4
arose in all its s$lendorH 7
Pit was un$nown weapon, an iron thun%erbolt, a gigantic messenger of %eath which
re%uce% to ashes the entire race of the 2rishnis an% the An%ha$as.
P/he corpses were so burne% as to be unrecogni:able. /heir hair an% nails fell outO
pottery bro$e without any apparent cause, an% the bir%s turne% white. After a few
hours, all foo%stuff were infecte%.
An% especially the following'
Pto escape from this fire the sol%iers threw themselves in streams to wash
themselves an% all their e0uipmentP.
/he %estruction of the enemy army by the Biron thun%erboltL &certainly a more
logical name than the B=at anL %roppe% on Hagasa$i* is %escribe% in the following
excerpt from the Samsa$taka-Badha Par'a of the Drona Parva in an effective an%
poetic manner'
P./he 2ayu &the presi%ing %eity of that mighty weapon* bore away crow%s of
Samsapta$as with stee%s an% elephants an% cars an% weapons, as if these were %ry
leaves of treesPBorne away by the win% D King, they loo$e% highly beautiful li$e
flying bir%sPflying away from treesP.L
An% again, in the 6aryamastra .okshana Parva &Drona Parva*, reference is ma%e
to the BAgneya 7eaponL incapable of being resiste% by the very go%s.
eteors flashe% %own from the firmamentPA thic$ gloom su%%enly shrou%e% the
host. All points of the compass were envelope% by that %ar$nessP+nauspicious win%s
began to blowPthe sun seeme% to turn roun%, the universe, scorche% with heat,
seeme% to be in a fever. /he elephants an% other creatures of the lan%, scorche% by
the energy of that weapon, ran in flightP./he very waters being heate%, the
creatures resi%ing in that element began to burn..hostile warriors fell %own li$e trees
burnt %own in a raging fire( huge elephants burnt by that weapon, fell %own on the
earthPuttering fierce cries Pothers &s* scorche% by the fire ran hither an% thither, as
in the mi%st of a forest conflagration, the stee%sPan% the cars &chariots* also burnt
by the energy of that weapon loo$e%Pli$e the tops of trees burnt in a forest firePL
The after effects to the earth4 one might infer4 noted by some ecologist of
$rehistory:
Pwin%s %ry an% strong an% showering gravel blew from every si%ePBir%s began to
wheel ma$ing circlesP/he hori:on on every si%e seeme% to be covere% with fog.
eteors 6 showering bla:ing coals fell on the earth from the s$yP/he Sun? %is$P
seeme% to be always covere% with %ustP=ierce circles of light were seen every %ay
aroun% both the sun an% the moonPA little while after the Kuru $ing, 3u%hishshira
hear% of the wholesale carnage of the 2rishnis in conse0uence of the iron boltP
&ausala Parva*.
8ven a prayer to the Creator has come %own to us, imploring %ivine intercession to
stop the effects of the BfinalL weapon'
BP.D illustrious one 6 let the threefol% universe 6 the future, the Past an% the
Present exist. =rom thy wrath a substance li$e fire has sprung into existenceO even
now blistering hills, trees an% rivers an% all $in%s of herbs an% grass in the mobile
an% immobile universe is being re%uce% to ashes; &*bhimany# Badha Par'a*.
A most unusual excerpt from the ausala Parva contains an o%%ly mo%ern remin%er
relative to limitation, %estruction an% %isposal of %ea%ly missiles'
BPan iron bolt through which all the in%ivi%uals in the race of the
2rishnis an% An%ha$as became consume% into ashesPa fierce iron bolt
that loo$e% li$e a gigantic messenger of %eathP+n great %istress of min%
the King cause% that iron bolt to be re%uce% into fine pow%er. en were
employe%, D King, to cast that pow%er into the seaPL
Scientific marvels or prophecies were simply note% an% recor%e% as
they foun% them, without any attempt at corroboration or thought that they might be
re(examine% in the light of actually having occurre% by future generations.
9istorical de&a '#-
An early Ein%u wor$s, the S#rya Siddhanta, %escribes the earth as a planet with
overtones of relativity'
FH'erywhere on the s$here men think their own $lace to be on to$0 B#t
since it is a s$here in the 'oid4 why sho#ld there be an abo'e and an
#nderneath-I
Ancient recor%s in +n%ia show a familiarity with most parts of the worl%, even
inclu%ing such exotic an% %istant places as +relan%.
Some of the 2e%ic an% Bu%%hist texts of ancient +n%ia, moreover, contain
%escriptions of lin$ages of particles of entity, which we can now un%erstan% in terms
of the atomic theory an% molecular interrelation although before access or re(
access to this $nowle%ge these passages soun%e% li$e pure mystification.
/he +n%ian writer an% yogi, Paramahansa %ogananda &!)"> (!"-5* pointe% out in
!"9- &3ear ! of the Atomic 8ra* that a system of Ein%u Philosophy, the !aisesika4 is
%erive% from the Sans$rit wor% visesas, which can be translate% as Fatomic
indi'id#ality0I Accor%ing to preserve% recor%s in Sans$rit, an +n%ian name%
*#l#kya, in the )
th
century B.C was expoun%ing, in his own wor%s, what clearly
seems to be such unexpecte%ly mo%ern scientific theory as the atomic nature of
matter, the spatial expanses between atoms in their own systems, the relativity of
time an% space, the theory of cosmic rays, the $inetic nature of all energy, the law of
gravitation as inherent in BearthL atoms, heat being the cause of molecular change.
&source' .ysteries from forgotten worlds E /harles Berlit3 p. 9C ( 5!5 (
5!C*.
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Soaring Thro#gh *ncient Skies
/he writing of ancient +n%ia are perhaps the richest in
tales of aviation. The .ahabharata, an epic tells of an
Faerial chariotF, with the si%es of iron an% cla% with
wings,F
/he Ein%u Samara S#tradhara, a !!
th
century AD
collection of texts %ating bac$ to anti0uity hol%s a wealth
of information on flight, treating many aspects of aircraft
%esign an% even a%vising on the proper clothing an% %iet
for pilots.
F/he aircraft which can go by its own force li$e a bir% is
calle% a 2imana,F runs one passage. F/he bo%y must be
strong an% %urable an% built of light woo%, shape% li$e a
bir% in flight with wings outstretche%. 7ithin it must be
place% the mercury engine, with its heating apparatus
ma%e of iron un%erneath.F
/he text goes on to %escribe Fthe energy latent in
mercuryF at some lengthO unfortunately, though, it offers
little information on how that energy was utili:e%.
/he 4amayana, the great +n%ian epic %escribes a %ouble %ec$e% circular aircraft with
portholes an% a %ome 6 a configuration reminiscent of 5.
th
century flying saucer
reports. =uele% by a strange yellowish white li0ui%, the craft was sai% to travel at the
Fspee% of win%F attain heights that ma%e the ocean loo$ li$e Fa small pool of waterF
an% stop an% hover motionless in the s$y.
&source' Feats and )isdom of the *ncients - Time ;ife Books p.5"*.
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;arge Symbols ;ike Per#'ian Signs Fo#nd on G#&arat 9illside
2a%o%ara, Iujarat, +n%ia. August C, 5..C' Ieologists have %iscovere% a stri$ing
archaeological feature on a hilloc$ in the Kutch %istrict of the western +n%ian state of
Iujarat. /his feature is shape% li$e the 4oman numeral 2+. 8ach arm of this feature
is a trench that is about two meters wi%e, two meters %eep an% more than !..
meters long. /he feature has evo$e% the curiosity of archaeologists because such
signs have mostly been observe% so far in Peru. /he team, le% by Dr 42 Karanth, a
former professor of geology at the aharaja Sayajirao Aniversity in 2a%o%ara,
Iujarat, has been involve% in a palaeoseismological stu%y of the Kutch region for the
past !! years Palaeoseismology involves the stu%y of se%iments, lan%forms an%
other geological evi%ence of past earth0ua$es to unravel their history an% %etermine
the nature an% occurrence of present(%ay earth0ua$es. /his feature was %iscovere%
at a hilloc$ >$m from the sleepy oasis township of Khav%a, which is also $nown as
the gateway to the 4ann of Kutch, an extensive salt marsh of western +n%ia an%
southeast Pa$istan between the Iulf of Kutch an% the +n%us river %elta.
Dr. Karanth says such trenches have not been notice% elsewhere in the region.
Archaeologists, he says, can now pursue further research. Ieometric lines an%
animal shapes etche% into the %esert plain by people of the 6a3ca ci'ilisation &AD
!(#..* of Peru are well $nown. FBut such signs on hill(slopes have not been reporte%
from Peru,F says Dr. Karanth. Ee says that one of the prominent explanations given
for the Peruvian features is that they may have been constructe% to ma$e
astronomical observations an% calculations. 7The Tro$ic of /ancer $asses
thro#gh K#tch0 So if this str#ct#re is man-made4 it is likely that the slo$e of
the hillock was #tili3ed for making certain astronomical calc#lations in the
$ast47 explains the geologist. +nterestingly, there are numerous in%ications to
suggest that Earappans were well(verse% in astronomy. /he straight streets of that
time were oriente% in the car%inal %irections ( east, west, north an% south. <in$ages
between ancient Earappan scripts an% latter 2e%ic texts also suggest that Earappan
priest(astronomers trac$e% the progress of various planets an% mappe% the s$y. Dr.
Karanth has also %iscovere% ruins of a fort(wall, houses, storage tan$ an% a temple
on the hilltop.
&source' ;arge Symbols ;ike Per#'ian Signs Fo#nd on G#&arat 9illside -
bbcnews0co0#k@0 =or more refer to chapter on India on Pacific )a'es
Also refer to !edic India and the Primordial Tradition ( in chapter Glim$ses KIK
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