Vymaanika Sastra

05/05/08

India's Vedic Sastra-s contained invaluable info re the scientific achievements of its ancient times. One of them is ' Vymaanika Sastra'. An ancient manuscript on this (Science of Aeronautics) written in Devanagari script by Maharshi Bharadwaja had been discovered by the International Academy of Sanskrit Research in Mysore, over half-a-century back. Diagrams of three types of aeroplanes - Sundara, Shakuna, and Rukma - had also been discovered. The manuscripts contained eight chaters and 500 Sutra-s. Production of various types of aircraft were described therein. As per them, the aeroplane contained 31 parts. Metals which absorb light and heat, and hence suitable, were mentioned as belonging to 16 kinds.



The Vymaanika Sastra purports to impart the ancient's knowledge of manufacturing aeroplanes, far in advance of present day achievements. At the very outset, it refers to manufacture of aeroplanes that 'will not break, cannot be cut, will not catch fire,  and cannot be destroyed'. The book contained 8 chapters and was handwritten on paper in Devanagari script , and its translation in English was given. Following are some of the
heading translations of the original text:



The secret of making of planes motionless; secret of making planes invisible; secret of hearing conversations and other sounds in enemy planes; secret of receiving photos of the interior of enemy planes; secret of receiving and ascertaining the direction of enemy plane's approach; secret of making persons in enemy planes lose consciousness,and the secret of destroying enemy planes.  Another chapter dealt with the three varieties of  food to be given to pilots, varying with the seasons of the year, as per Kalpa Sastra.  25 kinds of poisons which arise in the seasons, are destroyed by above changes in diet. Food was of five forms: cooked grain, gruel, paste, bread and essence. All of them were wholesome and body-building.



Metals suitable for aeroplanes, light-and-heat absorbing, were of 16 kinds according to Sownaka.  Great Sages had declared that those 16 metals alone were the best for aeroplane construction.  The Director of the Institute believed that details of great worth were contained in those manuscripts. Well, that was somethng about our ancient Vedic Sastra-s.  Next week this topic will be continued, to know more about our ancient's  achievements. However, that should not make the present generation complacent with mere past pride, but should inspire them towards greater achievemets.