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    Aviation Science in Ancient India

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    Ashok Nene
    The document discusses the debate around whether ancient India had an aviation science or if references to flying machines in ancient texts are mythological. It summarizes several ancient texts that reference aircraft-like vessels called vimanas. However, most of these texts are modern publications and no authentic ancient texts on vimana shastra are available. While some puranas describe space transport, they provide no details. The document concludes that descriptions of vimanas were likely poetic rather than claims of actual aviation technology, but could have inspired modern inventions.

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    Aviation Science in Ancient India

    Uploaded by

    Ashok Nene
    290 views3 pages
    The document discusses the debate around whether ancient India had an aviation science or if references to flying machines in ancient texts are mythological. It summarizes several ancient texts that reference aircraft-like vessels called vimanas. However, most of these texts are modern publications and no authentic ancient texts on vimana shastra are available. While some puranas describe space transport, they provide no details. The document concludes that descriptions of vimanas were likely poetic rather than claims of actual aviation technology, but could have inspired modern inventions.

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    deals with Viman Shastra

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    Aviation Science in ancient India

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    The document discusses the debate around whether ancient India had an aviation science or if references to flying machines in ancient texts are mythological. It summarizes several ancient texts that reference aircraft-like vessels called vimanas. However, most of these texts are modern publications and no authentic ancient texts on vimana shastra are available. While some puranas describe space transport, they provide no details. The document concludes that descriptions of vimanas were likely poetic rather than claims of actual aviation technology, but could have inspired modern inventions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    290 views3 pages

    Aviation Science in Ancient India

    Uploaded by

    Ashok Nene
    The document discusses the debate around whether ancient India had an aviation science or if references to flying machines in ancient texts are mythological. It summarizes several ancient texts that reference aircraft-like vessels called vimanas. However, most of these texts are modern publications and no authentic ancient texts on vimana shastra are available. While some puranas describe space transport, they provide no details. The document concludes that descriptions of vimanas were likely poetic rather than claims of actual aviation technology, but could have inspired modern inventions.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 3

    Aviation Science in Ancient Indian– A Science or Myth?

    Author -Dr.A.S.Nene

    Email – [email protected]

    The educated class in India can be grouped into two classes. One group
    strongly believes that India’s contribution towards the modern Science and
    Technology is zero(0) and only zero. While the other group strongly believes
    that all knowledge related to Science and Technology is already depicted in
    our Vedic literature. But as advised by Kautilya, its necessary to review our
    ancient knowledge with modern perspective. This is the aim of this article.

    Ancient Indian text “Matsya PooraN” mentions names 18 Shilpashastra


    Preachers and the first name of the list is Sage Bhrugu. But surprisingly the
    text by Sage Bhrugu is not available. Late K.V.Vaze of Nashik found an
    incomplete manuscript at Ujjain in 1920. Based on this text he prepared a
    chart of Shilpashastra(Science and Technology of ancient India). As per Vaze
    Sage Bhrugu classified the Shilpashastra into ten Sciences, 32 Techniques
    and 64 skills. Aviation Science (Vimana Shastra ) is the 6th science containing
    two Techniques viz. Training of birds for transportation and Gold plating using
    dry cell.

    Scanty references on ancient Aero-planes are found in Ramayana and


    Mahabharata. But no authentic ancient text on Viman Shastra is available.
    Only four modern texts (worth consideration), published after 1929 are
    available today. These are enlisted below.

    • Rigveda Bhashya Bhumika (1929) by Swami Dayanand , Pub.


    Vedic Press , Ajmer (R.S.), India.
    • Bruhad Viman Shastra by Swami Bramha Muni, Parivajrak, Pub.
    Dayanand House ,Delhi.
    • Vaimanis Shastra by G.R. Joyser,,Pub. Astronomical Society of
    Sanskrit Research. Mysore (K.S.)
    • SamarangaN Sutradhar, by King Bhoja

    All texts clearly admit that Sage Bharadwaj was the founder of Viman
    Shastra. But any authentic Text by Sage Bharadwaj is not available.

    Few important references on Ancient Indian Aviation Science are given


    below.(Authors name is given I bracket)

    1. Vaimanik PrakaraN ( Bhaaradwaj)


    2. Viman Chandrika (Swami NarayaN)
    3. Vyomayaan (Shaunak)
    4. Kalpayantra (Garg )
    5. YaanBindu (Vachaspati)
    6. Khetyan (Pradeep)
    7. Vyomatanark Prakaash (Dhundeenath)
    8. Rahasya Lahari (Lallacharya)
    9. Rahasyaarth Vivechan (Siddhanath)

    Except first ,no other text is available today. Vedic literature does not
    contain any reference about aero-planes. PuraNas mention space transport
    but no details are given. Kausalya’s Arthashashastra contains detailed
    information about water transport but nothing about aero-planes. Agastya
    Samhita mentions only construction of dry cell to be used for electroplating.
    An ancient text “Viman Vidya” deals with construction of roof (Viman) of
    temples.

    Mr. Joyser in the introduction part of his book mentioned above, has
    narrated a very interesting story about Pandit Subbrayya Shastri. It is as
    below.
    Pandit Subbrayya Shastri had some mystic power and he used to recite
    Sanskrit verses related to Viman shastra. His disciple Shri Venkatachal Shastri
    used to note down word by word all these verses and compiled these into a
    manuscript on Viman shastra. The meter of the poetic form is “Anustoop
    Chanda ” used by modern poets.

    No pictures were included but Mr. Joyser got it drawn and included in his
    book. It can be seen from the dimensions of aero-planes these are
    unproportionate. Further materials and uses of such huge aero-planes are not
    discussed.

    Modern Aviation Science is an interdisciplinary subject, which includes


    Aerodynamics , Propulsion Devices, Aeronautical Structure design, Metallurgy
    Material Science etc. All such aspects are missing in the references mentioned
    above.

    Concluding Remarks- Almost all Aeronautical scientists in India consider


    that “Viman Shastra” is a poetic description, same as Sanjaya narrates
    Mahabharata War to blind king Dhrutarashtra. By same logic it can be claimed
    that India had TV in those days. Such poetic ideas might has inspired the
    western scientist to invent TV, Hovercraft , rockets etc. The spacecrafts shown
    in an English TV serial “Star treck” , 30 years ago, become reality in today’s
    warfare. Who knows the ancient Indian myths may turn into new Invention
    idias. Chanakya has rightly advised that “Review the past with modern
    perspective”

    ***.***

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