Yantras

05/12/08

This is the second and final part of last week's topic of Vedic Sastra-s.

Narada Silpa Sastra:

Another manuscript said to relate to Narada Silpa Sastra (Science of Architecture) contains 83 items including introduction. Among the topics mentioned are:  Ten kinds of villages: Nature of village, Agrahara grama, Maha grama, Brahmapatha grama etc. Next, 14 kinds of towns and cities: Dronaka. Prastara. Nigama etc.  5 kinds of fortresses: Forest fort. Hill fort. Water fort etc. Next. Town residences: typs and measurements, construction of Palaces, Foundations, Walls, Basements, pillars, Jointing, Domes and Pinnacles, Torana, Temple etc.

Some Yantra-s :

The said Academy is also said to have discovered manuscripts dealing with Manufacture of Artificial Diamonds titled "Ratna Pradeepika" and also manufacture of various kinds of Yantra-s with the methods of running them. Maharshi Bharadwaja who is said to have written the Yantra sastra, is also said to have described methods of getting artificial rain. Another  Mss gives stanzas related to 65 Yantra-s (Machines) some of which are given here. They give detailed descriptions of method of manufacture, some of their secret qualities and other details.

    Yantra-s which cannot be destroyed by fire, air, water, electricity, cannon, gunpowder etc., which could be used during times of war.

    Yantra modelled after a tiger with wings, weighing 64 'ratals', capable of travelling by air, expanding its wings with elctric power but contracting them with steam power.

    Wyraji Yantram: this machine made of glasses of 'abraka' or mica, with 16 doors, weighws 3 ratals, carries 5 ratals, appears like a sparkling light, such that none can know it is a machine! Should anyone go near it, the sparkling light produced by turning an inner key, will kill him. It can travel on water at 12 koshas per hour, and can be used for journeys in war and also for sending money.

    Sourambhaka Yantra:  This has three storeys with secret seats for 400 people to sit in each of the 3 storeys. the seats are not ordinarily visible, but only the storeys can be perceived. It travels with the help of electricity or steam, and is capable of going at 32 koshas per hour.

    Well, that is something fantastic, dreamy and incredible. We may believe it or not. It does not matter. These manuscripts were discovered with the above facts. Could be there were times when these were perhaps in vogue, and subsequently perished. Well, that's it !