Yantra Shastra

Machines and Mechanics of

ancient India
By
Dr. A.S. Nene
nene_ashok@yahoo.com
Retired Professor of Civil Engineering,
VNIT Nagpur (India)

Definition of common
terms
used in Shilpashtra

1. Shilpa - The word is derived from a root

Sheel samadhau and literally means any
thing that pleases your mind. Sage Bhrugu
has defined
materials

Shilpa as creation of different

with the help of machines ,

techniques and arts.

2. Shilpa Shastra - The science

related to a particular subject
comprising
different
techniques skills or arts.
3. Shilpa Samhita
A
compilation
of
rules
and
procedure
related
to
a
particular science.
4.Vidya A techniques related
to creation or execution of a
Shilpa.
5.Kala - An art or skill acquired

Sage Bhrugu
Devided entire Shilpashtra
into
Subjects - 51
Volumes -

Sciences -

10

Techniques -32
Arts 64

..

Three volumes of
Shilpashastra
Khanda-Part
A.Dhatu Khand -Resurces Part
B. Sadhan Khand-Transportation Part
C. Vastu Khand-Habitation Part

A-Dhatu Khand - Resources Part

1-Krushi Shastra -Biological resources.

2-Jala Shastra - Water resources.
3-Khani Shastra -.Mining resources.

B- Sadhan Khand -Transportation Part

4-Nauka Shastra- -Water Transport

5-Ratha Shastra-Surface Transport
6-Viman

Shastra-Air

Space

Transport

C- Vastu Khand - Habitation Part

7-Vastu Shastra Dwelling

8-Prakar Shastra-Forts & Castles
9-Nagar Rachana Shastra-Town
Planning
Common to all 9 Shastras
10-Yantra Shastra-Machines &
Mechanism

Yantra Shashtra is the tenth Shashtra

Common

to

all

other

nine

Shashtra(s).

Does not contain any technique or

Skill (Vidya or Kala).

Very

few

ancient

references

available on this subject.

are

Definition of Yantra (Machine)

Earth (Pruthwi) is naturally inert
and has no tendency of motion.
Samarangan Sutradhar gives a
definition of a Yantra (Machine).

Five basic elements: Yantra is

contrivance
consisting
of
five
elements.
These
mechanical
contrivances also have a sequence
suited to the five elements as under,

1-Danda (Lever)
Lever (Danda) is especially useful for Uchhatan or breaking or
stirring of the ground (Pruthwi).
To use lever (rod) there must be a strong support. The
force is applied at the end of lever.
Bhu-yantras- (related to earth) are of four types
Rhuju Bhagna (Straight Bent): a crow bar is straight
but pick axe is bent.
Yugma-Ayugma (pair or single): Nut cracker, nose-pliers
scissors etc consist of pair of levers joined at the end or
at middle. Handles of many appliances or a walking stick
contain a single (Ayugma) liver.
Sama-Vishama (Equal-Unequal): some balances such as
compound balance the levers are not of same length.

2. Pulley (Chakra)
Pulley
(Chakra)
is
specially
designed
for
controlling
(Vashikaran) the motion of water
(Aap).

3. Danta (Geared wheel /Gear)

Gear (Danta) - toothed wheel is particularly
useful for sthambhan-stopping of air (Vayu).
Such wheels work in pairs. The diameters of
these wheels may be same or different. In
some machines the gears are connected with
chain.

4.Inclined plane (SaraNi)

Sarani is a device in which one part goes
upward and another part goes down by same
distance. In ancient water lifting device water
bucket was attached to a rope pulled by oxen
moving on a sloping ground to reduce the
load. Same principle is used in rope and pulley
system in which load is lifted by inclined rope
moving around a pulley.

5.Jaran of light (tej)

Jaran is a device to control or
concentrate
light
such
as
lenses,binoculars,
telescope
etc.

6-Bramani Screw
Screw (BhramaN) mainly useful for killing
or annihilation (mAraN) of time space
(Aakash). In such device load is applied by
a plate attached to a screw to move the
plate towards or away from objects. The
common examples of Bramani are screw
jack , screw press used by book binder or
table vice used in a workshop.

Jala-yantras- related to water

Aritra (Oar) - for navigation of a boat. Number of
oars may be 1 to 100 (boats used in boat race).
Matsya-danda (Fishing rod/line) for catching fish
Lat (cranes) used on ships for loading or unloading
cargo.
Tari (Rafts) - used for water transport.
All the above jalayantras are base on lever principle.

Chakra (wheel): A wheel rotates about an axis at

centre or away from centre. Wheels were grouped
under three heads;
I. Chala-Achala (Moving-stationary)- two wheels
of flour grinding wheels are the examples of
these types.
II. Sama-Visham (Equal-unequal) Sama wheel
rotates around its concentric axis but Vishama
wheel rotates around its non-centric axis.
III. Abheda-Putabheda (Plainer-Non-plainer)
Abheda wheels rotates in a single plane but
Putabhedana wheels rotate in two different planes.
Lime grinding mill is a good example of
Putabhedan wheels.

Ancient engineering philosophy

Ancient Indian sage
five

physical

corelated the
element

(Panchamahabhootas) to machines
(Yantras).

Table: Yantras and their associations

Element

Earth

Water

Air

Light

Space

Property

Denseness

Fluidity

Unsteadiness

Heat

Incompressibility

Function

Expel /Extract

Control

Storage

Concentrate

Killing

Sage

Kashyapa

Agasyta

Vishvamitra

Bharadwaj

God

Indra

Vashishhta
Bhrugu
VaruN

Vayu

sun

Bramha

Technique

Animal

Fish

Bird

Men

Shani Yini

Sense

Feet

Hands

Wings

Eyes

Mind Brain

Vehicle

Lever

Wheel

Gear

Chain

Screw

Machine

Chariot

Boat

Aeroplane

Binocular

Knowledge

Mantra

Explosive

Attraction

Storage

Concentration

Expansion

Use

Mixing

Stirring

Rotation

Firing

Killing

Examples

Arches

Water cocks

Fans

Lenses

Inner Knowledge

Three parts of a machine

A mechanical contrivance Yantra consists of three
parts, viz
Prime mover or producer of motion (Beej).
Fulcrum or the pin joining power and work (Kilak).
Energy or the power for doing the work (Shakti).

The various kinds of motion are

classified as,
Tiryak or slant
Urdwa or upward
Adho downwards
Prushtha- Bacward
Purat- Forward
Parshwatha Sideways

These six are sorts are named as

1. Gaman motions backward or
forward
2.

Saran-

Motion

left

or

right

sideways
3.

Patan

downward

Motion

upward

or

20 Desirable
machine

qualities

of

Application for force suited to the work

and time
Proper contact
Smoothness
Requiring no attention
Continuous action
Lightness or requirement of as little force
as possible

 Silence
Loud sound when that is the object to
be gained
No looseness
No sticking fast or clogging
Proper attachments of all the parts
particularly bolts used for transmitting
motion
No intermittence or break in action

Perfect attachment of the desired object

Adjustment as to time in simultaneous
actions
Doing desired action exactly at
the
desired moment
Return to the normal condition at other
times
No peeling off
proper form and shape
Strength
Softness and elasticity
Long life

Ancient quotations related to Yantra

Shastra
"Rules of Vastushashtra cannot be applied to hydraulic
machines-Vastu Jyotishy
"A watermill rotates continuously as the sky moves
-Bhaskaracharya
"There are people with big tummies similar to watermills
Rajaratna
"Water fountains, watermills and artificial rains are the
wonders of water-RajagruhanirmaaN
"Pots of moving watermill are empty, partially filled or full,
similar as Destiny!--Nitishastra

Indias Contribution to Mankind

Mantra,Tantra and Yatra
All actions (or reactions) are of two types
namely Savitri or Srushti. The prime mover
of any action is termed as Savitri and the
work done by the prime mover is termed as
Srushti.

Mantra-

control

of

physical

elements (wind, water, fire etc) to

get the work done.
Tantra- The physical energy of all
living things (technique).
Yantra- mechanical contrivances to
get the work with less effort and in
less time. (machines)

Indian Myths turned into

invention of Yantras
Mahabharat
Sanjay describes war to Dhrutarashtra
Invention of TV
Yudhishiers Ratha moves above ground
Invention of Hovercraft
Description of weapons used in the war
Invention of missiles.
Ramayan
Description aircrafts used by Ravana & RamaInvention of Airplanes and Spacecrafts

Ancient References
SamaranganaSutradhar (Bhojdeo) chapter 31
YantrarNav
Yantrasarvasva
Yantra Chitamani

Modern References
Vaze, K.V. (1924),Pracin Hindi shilpshashtrasarMarathi, chapter 14-Yantrshashtra.
Vaze,
K.V.
(1924),Aryashilpa-Hindi
Yantrashastra-Marathi,pages 46, Published by
Balashshtri Kshirsagar, Kalika Prasd printing
press, Ganesh Peth,Pune,price 6 anna.
Vaze, K.V. (1923),Study of Mechanics from
Indian Engineering Books, Vedic Magazine Lahore,
Vaze, K.V. (1925),Physics in ancient India, Vedic
Magazine Lahore,
Vaze, K.V. (1955),Unpublished articles-parts
published in Shilpasansar magazine,19.
Nene,A.S.(2009) Hindi Shilpashastra, chapter 10

Wheel , the greatest contribution

of India to the world
Wheel was invented in India. This invention
led to invention of a Cart and modern
civilization

Acknowledgement
This presentation is based on
published and unpublished books and articles of
Late K.V. Vaze

and

Late G.G. Joshi

Review the Past with modern

perspective - Kautilya