China revives Ramayana’s Pushpak Viman

वाल्मिकि रामायण में रावण के पुष्पक विमान का वर्णन स प्रकार हैः-

…मनोजनं कामगमं कामरूपमं विहंगमम्।

मणिकाञ्चसोपानं तप्तकाञ्चवेदिकम् ।।…

….उस का (पुष्पक विमान) मन के समान तीव्र था। वह अपने ऊपर बैठे हुऐ लोगों को इच्छा के अनुसार सब जगह जा सकता था तथा चालक जैसा चाहे वैसा छोटा या बडा रूप धारण कर लेता था। उस आकाशचारी विमान में मणि, और सुवर्ण की सीढियाँ तथा तपाये हुऐ सोने की वेदियाँ बनीं थीं…

Please Read the following news from Times of India, Page 15 – Monday, September 3, 2012

“A copter that is controlled by thought 

London: Researchers have created a ‘quad copter’ that can be controlled by thought alone and has the potential to give people with impaired motor abilities a new avenue for interaction.

Researchers from Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China developed the copter with a system that relies on the commercially available Emotive electroencephalography (EEG) headset to interpret brain activity as commands for the ‘quad copter’, New Scientist reported.

The headset uses Blue tooth to connect to a laptop, which then transmits the instructions onward to the helicopter. A user can move the flyer forward by thinking ‘right’, fly up by thinking ‘push’ and turn clockwise by thinking ‘left’. Clenched teeth and blinking both produce a brain signal that EEG can read, which can tell the helicopter to take a picture or even stream video back to a laptop. Users can capture a still by blinking four times. The system is due to be presented next month at the Ubiquitous Computing Conference in Pittsburgh.”

यह अंग्रेजी की रात दिन वकालत करने वालों पर है कि उन्हें को भारत की प्राचीन उपलब्द्धियों पर गर्व होगा या उन्हें नकारने के लिये शर्म आये गी। लेकिन चीन की आधुनिक तकनीक ने ऐक प्राचीन भारतीय आस्था को साकार कर दिया है।

काश हम अपनी तकनीक को भी इस ओर केन्द्रित करें।

Chand K Sharma 

आज ज़रूरत है भगवान परशुराम की

भगवान परशुराम जयन्ती केवल एक जातीय पर्व बन कर रह गया है क्यों कि सिर्फ ब्राह्मण समाज ही हर वर्ष भगवान परशुराम जी के जन्म – दिवस को औपचारिक रूप से समस्त भारत में मनाता है और फिर अगले वर्ष तक उन्हें भूल भी जाता है। उन के चरित्र का सही मूल्यांकन तथा प्रदर्शन आम जनता और विशेषकर युवा वर्ग के सामने नहीं किया गया है।

भगवान परशुराम ऐसे युग पुरूष हैं जो त्रैता युग (रामायण-काल) से दुआपर युग (महाभारत काल) तक उल्लेखनीय रहे हैं, लेकिन उन को एक महा क्रोधी के रूप में ही प्रस्तुत किया जाता है। अकसर राम लीलाओं में ऐक सनकी किस्म के पात्र के रूप में दर्शक लक्षमण परशुराम संवाद की नोंक झोंक का आनन्द ले लेते हैं। सत्यता यह है कि वालमीकि रचित रामायण में ऐसा कोई दृष्य चर्तित नहीं है, परन्तु गोस्वामि तुलसीदास रचित राम चरित मानस में लक्षमण परशुराम संवाद दिया गया है। लगता है उसी को आधार बना कर नाट्यकारों ने मसालेदार संवाद और जोड दिये होंगे जिस के कारण भगवान परशुराम जैसे प्राकर्मी एवम् सदाचारी युग पुरूष का व्यकि्तत्व केवल ऐक भ्रामित रूप में सिमट कर रह गया।  

कहा जाता है परशुराम जी ने अपने पिता ऋषि जमदग्नि की मृत्यु का बदला लेने के लिये इक्कीस बार पृथ्वी को क्षत्रिय विहीन कर दिया था। परन्तु यदि इस बात को सत्य माना जाय तो फिर रघुकुल के महाराज दशरथ और मिथिला के महाराज जनक कैसे उन के क्रोध से बच गये ? परशुराम जी क्षत्रिय राजकुमार राम के आगे क्यों नत्-मस्तक हो गये?

यह भी कहा जाता है कि परशुराम जी ने क्षत्रियों को शस्त्र विद्या ना सिखाने का प्रण भी लिया था जिस के कारण कर्ण को ब्राह्मण बन कर उन से छल कर के ब्रह्मास्त्र प्राप्त करना पड़ा था और भेद खुल जाने पर कर्ण को शाप ग्रस्त भी होना पड़ा था। परन्तु यदि उन्हों ने कोई ऐसा प्रण लिया होता तो वह क्षत्रिय महारथी भीष्म को अपना शिष्य स्वीकार कर के शस्त्र विद्या कभी ना सिखाते।

वास्तव में परशुराम जी ने पथ भ्रष्ट शासक वर्ग के अन्याय और दुष्चरित्र का दमन किया और कुछ क्षत्रियों को उन के अधर्म और अत्याचार के कारण दँडित किया था। वह क्रोधी नहीं थे, अपितु संवेदनशील हो कर उन्हों ने अम्बालिका के साथ हुये अन्याय का प्रतिकार लेने के लिये भीष्म पितामाह जैसे महारथी से युध भी किया था। उन्हों ने ही सर्वप्रथम संत-सिपाही का कीर्तिमान स्थापित किया। बाद में अंग्रेज़ी साहित्य में भी इसाई धर्म की परम्पराओं और इसाई अबलाओं की रक्षा के लिये नाईट्स उल्लेखनीय पात्रों के रूप में चर्चित हुये। सिख गुरू जनों ने भी पीरी और मीरी की परम्परा अपनायी।

भ्रान्तिवश आज केवल जन्म के आधार पर ही जातीय वर्गीकरण किया जाता है और कर्म तथा शैक्षिक योग्यता को अनदेखा कर दिया जाता है। केवल जन्म के आधार पर अपने आप को ब्राह्मण कहने वालों में से कई व्यक्ति दुराचर्ण भी करते हैं, शैक्षिक योग्यता से ब्राह्मण कहलाने वाले दुष्कर्म होते देख कर उसे अनदेखा कर देने में ही अपनी सुरक्षा और भलाई समझते हैं। क्या इस प्रकार के ब्राह्मणों को भगवान परशुराम का वंशज कहलाना शोभा देता है? अतः आज के संदर्भ में शिक्षत वर्ग के लोगों को अपने सामाजिक उत्तरदाइत्व का मूल्यांकन करने की अति अधिक आवशक्ता है।

आवशक्ता है कि सही मायनों में देश के शिक्षित वर्ग के लोग सामाजिक अन्याय, अपराध और पथभ्रष्ट शासक वर्ग के विरुध भगवान परशुराम की दिखाई हुई राह पर चल कर दिखायें। संवेदनशील बनें, सामाजिक बुराईयां देख कर भी निष्क्रिय ना रहें, हताश होने के बजाये क्रियावन्त हो कर उन्हें नष्ट करने के लिये अग्रसर हों। आज भारत को फिर से ज़रूरत है भगवान परशुराम के सच्चे वंशजों की ।

अगर आज के युग में भगवान परशुराम होते तो वह भ्रष्ट नेताओं और काँग्रेस के धर्मनिर्पेक्ष नेताओं का संहार अवशय करते जिन्हों ने देश और धर्म को अपनी आचार हीनता से क्षतिग्रस्त कर छोडा है। आज भारत को स्वामी रामदेव और अन्ना हजारे के साथ भगवान परशुराम की भी सख्त ज़रूरत है।

चाँद शर्मा

Hindus can contribute to Halloween Festivity

Halloween is an annual festival observed in USA where a large Hindu community also resides. The time coincides with Dussera festival of Hindus. It is celebrated on October 31 each year and comes after Deepawali.

The festivity includes several interesting activities such as trick of treating, attending costume parties and visiting haunted attractions. The technological displays provide grounds for experimentation to attract visitors. The festival generates a lot of business also as many items are on sale in Malls to attract children, youths and adults. It has almost turned out to be a global festival cutting across faiths and nationalities. Hindu community also enjoys decoration and display of items associated with Halloween.

Its thematic origins are linked to the Roman feast of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and seeds. It is also linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain.

Artifacts and symbols associated with Halloween formed over time. The turnip has traditionally been used in Ireland and Scotland during Halloween. The imagery of Halloween is derived from many sources, including national customs, works of Gothic and horror literature such as Dracula, and classic horror films. Homes and surroundings are often decorated with horrifying  of symbols around Halloween.

Halloween imagery includes themes of death, evil, and mythical monsters. Black and orange are the holiday’s traditional colors.

It will be an idea worth consideration with an open mind to add a Hindu theme also to it by displaying some Ramayana icons. This will have some educational purpose also. Ramayana is the most ancient epic in the history of mankind and faiths. Thus by hanging caricatures of flying Hanuman ( Monkey God), Jambuvana, Nala and Neel ( Bears) and other monkeys can add some zest. Some humanized characters can also be added in their traditional way like Rama and Lakshmana shooting at the demons already at display. Light and sound effect can also be added and enactment of mythological scenes can be added. Since there is already dominance of Black and Orange color associated with Halloween, the same colors would fit well with Ravana’s demons and Rama’ army in exile .

It will provide an opportunity to Hindu community to involve local population to see through Hindu festivity in positive spirit. The trial runs could be conducted in the premises of Hindu temples.

It is just an individual suggestion.  More and better ideas can also be tried with open mind after deliberations within the Hindu community. Intentions are to foster harmony and not to injure any one’s feelings.

Chand K Sharma

Splashes – 51/72 – Revealing Mohenjo-Daro Excavations

The Indian History Books prescribed during British period start with Mauryan Dynasty as the first historical fact. History prior to that is un-authenticated for want of historical evidence. Unless we were told by Sir John Marshall, even our own McCauley brand Indian intellectuals would not have accepted that Indus Valley Civilization dated to five centuries BC.

According to Western Historians

Writing found at Mohenjo-Daro is still un-deciphered. When archaeologists excavated Mohenjo-Daro during last century, they found skeletons just lying in the streets, some of them were holding hands, as if some great doom had suddenly overtaken them. Those skeletons were among the most radioactive ever found, at par with those found at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There is no logical explanation with them for the nitrification of stone forts and cities, except from an atomic blast.

Originally Mohenjo-Daro is more than 5000 years old. The hamlet lay on two islands in the Indus. Within a radius of 1.5 km three different degrees of devastation had been noticed, which appeared to have spread from the center outwards. Thousands of lumps, called ‘black stones’ by archaeologists, turned out to be fragments of clay vessels which had melted into each other in the extreme heat.

The possibility of a volcanic eruption is excluded, because there is no hardened lava or volcanic ash in or near Mohenjo-Daro. It is assumed that the brief intensive heat reached 2000 degree C and made the ceramic vessels melt.

References in Epic Histories

Ancient names of the present continents have been described in Hindu texts as Atal, Vitul, Talatala, Rsatal, Sutal, Mahatal, and Pataal. Since Atal continent had submerged into sea, the water body came to be known as Atal – Antak (destroyer of Atal continent). This legend corroborates the incident of Noah’s Arc and first two Avtars of Indian mythology also. References like this one are not isolated. Battles, using a fantastic array of weapons and aerial vehicles were common in the entire epic in India:-

• An interesting example of a vimana is the flying machine which King Salva, had acquired from Maya Danav, an inhabitant of Talatala.
• There is another description of an atomic like war in Mahabharata. One even described a Vimana-Vailix battle on the surface of Moon. The above section very accurately described what an atomic explosion could look like and the effects of the radioactivity on the population. Jumping into water was the only respite.
• Also through Mahabharata, we learn that an individual named Asura Maya had a Viman measuring twelve cubits in circumference, with four strong wheels. The poem is a veritable gold mine of information relating to conflicts between gods who settled their differences apparently using weapons as lethal as the ones we are capable of deploying today.
• Apart from blazing missiles, the poem records the use of other deadly weapons, such as Indra’s Dart – Vajra – operated via a circular reflector. When switched on, it produced a ‘shaft of light’ which, when focused on any target, immediately ‘consumed it with its power’.
• In one particular exchange, the hero, Krishna, is pursuing his enemy, Salva, in the sky, when Salva’s Viman, the Saubha is made invisible in some way. Undeterred, Krishna immediately fired a special weapon: ‘quickly laid on an arrow, which killed by seeking out sound’.

UFO Enigma

Many researchers into the UFO enigma tend to overlook a very important fact. It is assumed that most flying saucers are either alien, or part of some clandestine Military operation. Another possible origin of UFOs could be ancient India and Atlantis. What we know about ancient Indian flying vehicles comes from ancient Indian sources; written texts that have come down to us through the centuries.

Facts wrapped in Fiction

Certainly the epic writers of Ramayana and Mahabharata were two different persons and were not professional soldiers of modern armies. The similarity of their description is a pointer to differentiate fact from fiction. There is no doubt that most of these texts are authentic; many are the well-known ancient Indian epics themselves.

The ancient Indians themselves wrote entire flight manuals on the care and control of various types of vimans. Would these texts exist (and they do) without there be something to actually write about? Surely this kind of literature is not out of the imagination of one ancient fiction writer.

Indian meteorological concepts date back to the age of the Rig Veda. A discussion regarding the existence of and the use of flying vehicles in ancient India naturally waits for an advanced state of knowledge in cosmogony. A close and careful study of the Vedic literature shows that it was not just a collection of primeval poetry but a varied literature of a powerful and dynamic society where the people had the knowledge of cloud and vapor, of the season and of the monsoon, of the different types of wind, of the expanse of the sky, of the strength of the wind blowing at high-speed and so on.

Conceptual Contribution of Rishies

Concept always precedes inventions. Concept is transformed into reality through technology. However technologies get outdated faster than concepts. At least we can conclusively say that ancient Hindu Rishies had conceptualized long ago that has been realized by the Western scientists in twentieth century. The ancient Indians, who manufactured these ships themselves, wrote entire flight manuals on the control of the various types of Vimans, many of which are still in existence, and some have even been translated in to English. If there were no airplanes why would they write such comprehensive manuals?

The manuscripts mention a planned trip to the Moon also. The Ramayana has a detailed account of a trip to the moon in a Viman. There is also an account of a battle on the moon with and Ashvin’ airship to suggest evidence of anti-gravity and aerospace technology thought of by Indians, when elsewhere the awakening was yet to dawn.

Till a year ago science made us believe that there was no water on Moon till India’s Chandrayaan belied that myth. There are more than billion galaxies discovered by NASA scientists. If ancient Indian sages had said through their scriptures that there were Koti Koti Brhamandas; then what is the difference between scriptures and modern Science? Truth is like Horizon, the closer we reach the farther it recedes. Today’s known truths could be replaced by new truths. This fundamental reality of Science was propounded long ago through Indian thought that except the Creator nothing is true in this universe. This is the strength of Hinduism.

With the passage of time the machines went out of use so that the secrets of its make-up and flying were equally lost. Methods for the large-scale production of metals like gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, lead and mercury and of alloys like brass, bronze, and those of gold and silver with baser materials were known to ancient Indians. Kautilya has described in detail the properties of mineral ores, gems, and precious stones.

With a highly developed state of civilization flourishing in art, culture, literature, history, medicine, alchemy, chemistry, physics, mathematics, astronomy, and astrology, geology, trade, commerce, shipbuilding, and agriculture it is natural to think that some sort of flying vehicles as attested by literary references were in all probability known.

Destruction of Unguarded Treasures

From the time of Panini up to the time of King Bhoja we come across references to the great universities of Takshshila, Valabhi, Dhar, Ujjain and Vishala. The annals of history inform us that the depredations of the foreign tribes began as early as the 2nd century AD. From two centuries later came succeeding waves of attacks of other foreign hordes like the Arabs, Turks and Afghans. All the well-known universities and other centers of learning like the temples, the Viharas and the libraries containing books and other priceless treasures of the Indian heritage had to stand the fire and fury of the marauders.

It is interesting to note, that the Nazis developed the first practical pulse jet engines for their V-8 rocket buzz bombs. Hitler and the Nazi staff were exceptionally interested in ancient India and Tibet and sent expeditions to both these places yearly, starting in the 30’s, in order to gather esoteric evidence that they did so, and perhaps it was from those people who the Nazis gained some of their scientific information.

Wright brothers had jumped atop a building with the help of artificial wings attached to their body to experiment flying and were hurt badly in the process. No such experiment took place in India. In contrast to those crude attempts, our scriptures have described infrastructures relevant to scientific knowledge.

Not Mere fantasies

Unlike Arabian Nights and Fairy Tales, these accounts are by no way fantasies narrating someone crossing the ocean while sitting on Alladin’s magic carpet or Sindbad being carried across the mountains by an eagle. But all accounts in ancient Indian literature are backed by scientific possibilities that exist today. Many casual foreign tourists, who are accustomed to click their cameras on half-naked vagabonds displaying physical pranks at tourist sites to project India as a land of snake charmers, may not reconcile to the enigmatic military science possessed by Ancient Indians; but it cannot be denied that there has been continuous trivialization of Indian concepts and practices for centuries.

Recently newspapers carried the headline ‘Obama flies to India’, but after thousand years if that headline is interpreted that Obama flew to India like a bird, the technology cannot be doubted. Thus Indian intellectuals need to muster courage to assert themselves through investigative trials. It is now for the Hindus to take stock of their neglected treasures and retrieve whatever can be. If they also reject their treasures without glancing at them, they are similar to those half-naked being photographed by the tourists to degrade India.

Chand K Sharma

(Next: Splashes – 52/72 – Indian Achievements Under-rated)

Splashes– 50/72 – Aerial Warfare in Ancient India

The ancient Indian epics go into considerable detail about aerial warfare over 10,000 years ago. Aerial battles and chases are common in ancient Hindu literature. The functions of military planes that have been given in detail read like science fiction today, but factual possibility cannot be ruled out either.

The aerial vehicles described therein (vimana) fell into two categories:

• Airplanes that could fly in a mysterious manner and were generally not made by earthly human beings. Those are described in ancient works such as the Rig Veda, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas. They have many features reminiscent of UFOs.
• Man-made craft that resembled airplanes and flew with the aid of bird-like wings. The machines of this category are described mainly in medieval and secular Sanskrit works dealing with architecture.

Aeronautics in Ancient Literature

What we know about ancient Indian flying vehicles comes from written texts in Sanskrit that have come down to us through the centuries. There are literally hundreds of them and most of them have not even been translated into English. Some of the ancient texts are mentioned as follows:-

1. The Rig Veda: There are at least 20 passages in the Rig Veda that refer exclusively to the three-storied, triangular and three-wheeled flying machines of the scientists called Ashvins. The machines were made of gold, silver and iron, and had two wings. At least three passengers could be carried through them.

The Vedas described vimana of various shapes and sizes; such as the Ahnihotra-vimana with two engines, the ‘elephant-vimana’ with more engines, and other types named after the kingfisher and other animals.  The Rig Veda has references to the following modes of transportation:-

• Jalayan – designed to operate in air and water. (Rig Veda 6.58.3)
• Kaara – operated on ground and in water. (Rig Veda 9.14.1)
• Tritala – a vehicle consisting of three stories. (Rig Veda 3.14.1)
• Trichakra Ratha – a three-wheeled vehicle designed to operate in the air. (Rig Veda 4.36.1)
• Vaayu Ratha – a gas or wind-powered chariot. (Rig Veda 5.41.6)
• Vidyut Ratha – a vehicle that operated on Electric power. (Rig Veda 3.14.1).

2. The Yujur Veda: The Yujur Veda also described the movement a flying machine that was used by the Ashvins (two heavenly twins) to rescue King Bhujyu from distress at sea.
3. The Vaimanika Shastra: The Vaimanika Shastra, written by Rishi Bhardwaja, was rediscovered in 1875 from a temple in India. The text referred to about 97 previous works about Aeronautics out of which at least 20 works dealt with the mechanism of aerial Flying Machine. Of course none of the previous works are now traceable but the text of Vaimanika Shastra has been translated into English. It deals with the operation of Vimans:

• The text has eight chapters with diagrams; describing three types of aircraft, including apparatuses that would be fire-proof and un-breakable.
• It also mentions 31 essential parts of these vehicles and 16 materials from which they are constructed. As the recommended materials could absorb light and heat; they were considered suitable for the construction of vimana.
• It included information on precautions during long flights, such as steering, protection of the airships from storms and lightning, and how to switch the drive to solar energy from a free energy source that sounds like anti-gravity.
• The position and functioning of the solar energy collectors are described. It said that eight tubes had to be made of special glass capable of absorbing the Sun’s rays. Though the details are comprehensive but some of those are unintelligible.

4. Yantra Sarvasva: This work is also attributed to Sage Bhardwaja. It consists of as many as 40 sections of which the Vaimanika Prakarana dealing with aeronautics has 8 chapters. About hundred topics have been explained in 500 sutras.  Sage Bhardwaja classified airplanes (vimans) into three categories:-

• Domestic airplanes – that could travel from place to place;
• International airplanes – that could travel from one country to another;
• Interplanetary airplanes – that could travel between planets.

Of special concern among those were the military planes whose functions were delineated in some very considerable detail and which match to the science fiction of today. For instance, those aircrafts had the following capabilities:-

• Impregnable, unbreakable, non-combustible and indestructible. They were capable of coming to a dead stop in the twinkling of an eye;
• Invisible to enemies;
• Technically proficient to see and record things, persons, incidents and situations going on inside enemy planes;
• Know at every stage the direction of the movement of other aircraft in the vicinity;
• Capable of rendering the enemy crew into a state of suspended animation,
• Intellectual to recover from complete loss of consciousness;
• Capable of destruction;
• Manned by pilots and co-travelers who could adapt in accordance with the climate in which they moved;
• Temperature regulated from inside;

Constructed of very light and heat absorbing metals; provided with mechanisms that could enlarge or reduce images and enhance or diminish sounds.

Notwithstanding the fact that such contraption would resemble a cross between an American state-of-the-art Stealth Fighter and a flying saucer, it adequately points to the existence of concept that air and space travel were well-known to ancient Indians and airplanes flourished in India when the rest of the world was just learning the rudiments of agriculture.

5. The Samarangana Sutradhara: It is a scientific treatise dealing with every possible angle of air travel in a Vimana. There are 230 stanzas dealing with the construction, take-off, cruising at thousands of miles, normal and forced landings, and even possible collisions with birds.

In the Samarangana Sutradhara five flying machines were originally built for the gods such as Brahma, Vishnu, Yama, Kubera and Indra. More additions were made later. Four main types of flying Vimans are described:

• Rukma: The Rukma were conical in shape and dyed gold.
• Sundara: Sundara were like rockets and had a silver sheen.
• Tripura: The Tripura was three-storied.
• Sakuna: The Sakuna looked like birds.

Ten sections deal with uncannily topical themes such as pilot training, flight paths, the individual parts of flying machines, as well as clothing for pilots and passengers, and the food recommended for long flights.

The texts also explained how to clean metals, the acids such as lemon or apple to be used and the correct mixture, the right oils to work with and the correct temperature for them.

Seven types of engine are described with the special functions for which they are suited and the altitudes at which they work best. The catalogue is not short of data about the size neither of the machines, which had stories, nor of their suitability for various purposes.

The movements of the Vimana are such that it can vertically ascend, vertically descend, and move slanting forwards and backwards.

6. Katha Saritsagara: This work refers to highly talented woodworkers called Rajyadhara and Pranadhara. While Rajyadhara was so skilled in mechanical contrivances that he could make ocean crossing chariots, Pranadhara manufactured a flying chariot to carry a thousand passengers in the air. These chariots were stated to be as fast as thoughts.

The Arthasastra of Kautilya mentions amongst various tradesmen and technocrats, the Sauvikas as pilots to fly vehicles in the sky. Kautilya used another significant word ‘Akasa Yodhinah’, which has been translated as persons who are trained to fight from the sky.  The existence of aerial chariots, in whatever form it might be, was so well-known that it found a place among the royal edicts of the Emperor Ashoka which were executed during his reign from 256 BC – 237 BC.

In the Vedic texts the configuration of the machines has been broadly shown as triangular, but the description of these machines in old Indian texts is amazingly precise to specific details. However the difficulty is that the texts mention various metals and alloys, which have not been identified so far. The above texts cannot be dismissed as mere fantasies without going into critical evaluation since most of the possibilities are realities of our age today. 

Chand K Sharma

(Next: Splashes – 51/72 – Revealing Mohenjo-Daro Excavations)

Splashes– 48/72 – The Art of Warfare

Omnipresent, Omniscience and Omnipotent are the attributes of God. The Supreme Being is kind, merciful, and gracious but is most destructive as well. This aspect is pictorially well expressed through Hindu mythology.

Importance of Weapons

HE is always shown carrying flowers to indicate His power of blessing, conch shell to symbolize His warnings to the evil-doer, and weapons to destroy the evil. The Supreme Power is always portrayed in calm and composed disposition, without any signs of anger, revenge or hatred even when engaged in the destruction of evil. Every God and Goddess is also shown possessing weapons for the protection of Dharma – to restore natural law and order in the Universe.

Weapons were respected, ‘worshiped’ and sought after as blessings and boons from learned Rishies and superior deities through penance or other rituals. Though non-violence is regarded as supreme virtue, cowardice is considered as biggest sin. Heroic death is preferable over comfortable but inglorious life. Self-defense and protection of Dharma is a sacred duty for which sanction has been accorded in the scriptures as under:-

अहिंसा परमो धर्मः धर्म हिंसा त्थैवः चः

“Although nonviolence is ideal but violence for protection or restoration of Dharma is also the same”.

Scriptures cannot be defended without power and weapons. That is the reason the mother goddess Shakti is reverend in Hinduism. The Supreme Being has exemplified it on several occasions through His incarnations and has indicated His commitment to repeat the same from time to time.

The right of Self Defense 

Nature has equipped every living being with suitable tools for self-defense, such as teeth, claws, physical strength and evasive instincts to protect own life. Even the most docile animals and persons make use of the same. Since Dharma compressed in the concept of ‘live, and let live’, contemplation of planned and deliberate war is justified for the protection of ‘dharma’ in discharge of one’s duty.

Many often offensive action is the only and best form of defense. Hinduism justified and preferred war in protection of Dharma than submission to the evil forces of adharma. The great Mahabharata war was commended by Krishna for restoration of values in the society even against own kith and kin.

The Battlefield Environment

Ancient Hindu scriptures contain comprehensive instructions regarding the conduct of ‘Dharm yudh’ for protection and restoration of Dharma.  Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas make frequent mention of battlefield organizations, rank structure such as Rathi and Maha-rathies. Chaturangani Sena implied four elements under one field commander consisting of chariots (armored), horsemen, foot soldiers and services. Modern armies also have the same components.

Scripture mention about fortifications and there is exhaustive catalog of weaponry. A canon was called ‘Shataghni’. There were agni-astras, or weapons of fire, chemical astras (warheads) as well as biological warheads that could be shot or launched. The wars were fought on land, water, and air.

Principles of Warfare

Even if we assume for a moment those account to be fictional, yet the comprehension of all the principles of modern warfare and maneuvers have been depicted to present an advanced scenario of the battlefield. Unlike other epics of the globe, wars were not confined to one instance of cuddling few soldiers in a dummy horse to be dragged in to the rival camp, but Ramayana and Mahabharata battles were fought at the scale of world wars, simultaneously in different theaters spread over far off fronts for several days, but according to central command and control of the rival Commanders in Chief.

All the factors that influence modern war such as superiority of numerical strength and weaponry, aggressive action, tactics, personal chivalry, morale, planting of information, night attacks, raids, and suicidal missions have been amply illustrated to indicate the professionalism of Indian warriors and match all the standards of advanced armies of the present century also. By no stretch of imagination the Rishies could be equated to thriller writers or war correspondents of today.

Use of Battle insignia 

The origin and use of flags can be traced to the Rig Veda Samhita. The term dhvaja (flag) occurs in the Veda. Besides, dhvaja, there are good number of expressions for a banner in Vedic literature. These are Akra, Krtadhvaja, Ketu, Brhatketu, and Sahasraketu. Banners and drums were counted among the insignia of ancient Vedic kings. In the Mahabharata war, every commander had his own insignia to distinguish his army division from the other’s.

Missiles and Launchers 

Ancient Hindus knew the use of gunpowder. The Shukra Neeti is an ancient text that deals with the manufacture of arms such as rifles and guns. Its author Shukracharya was the Guru of demons and possessed equal capability to match the army of Devas.

Alexander mentioned in a letter to Aristotle that terrific flashes of flame were showered on his army in India. It was the fear of Military might of Emperor Ghana Nanda of the Magdha empire, that soldiers of Alexander did not dare to advance towards him and forced the world conqueror to return home.

Rockets were also Indian inventions and were used by native armies when Europeans first came into contact with them. Eliot tells us that the Arabs learnt the manufacture of gunpowder from India, and that before Indian connection they had used arrows of naphtha.

Codes of Military Honor

The ancient Hindus had evolved precepts on fair fighting which formed a chivalrous code of military honor. Wars were characterized by less violence and savagery than wars fought elsewhere. The indiscriminate slaughter of all men of adult age or the enslavement of women and children of the conquered state were hardly known. Nowhere in the history of ancient India would one trace even a single incident of rape or arson before or after the war.

It goes to the credit of Indian culture that ethical codes were also part of military tactics, Warriors were to refrain from attacking the unarmed and unaware opponents, females, non-participants, places of worship, hospitals, and residential complexes and the battle camps at night. These codes were the precursors of Geneva conventions today, that are violated by our adversaries.

Shipbuilding and Navigation

The Rig Veda makes several references to ships used to cross the Samudra (Ocean). India was a peninsula cut off from the Northern world by the Himalayas, and by vast expanses of water on the Eastern and Western side. India had to take to shipping, if she wanted to export her immense surplus goods.

The art of Navigation was born in the River Sindhu 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word Nav Gatih. The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit `Nou‘. The Rig Veda not only refer to River Saraswati as Hiranyavartani, (path of gold), and the Sindhu as Hiranmayi (possessing gold), it also makes a direct reference to panned-gold from the Saraswati riverbed.

Trade was also a big part of this civilization. Indians traded with the Egyptians, with the Sumerians acting as intermediaries using ships. In the third century, horses were exported from India to the Malay Peninsula and Indochina, by means of ships of considerable size.

History of Indian Navy

In Indian mythology, Varuna is the God of Seas and Rivers. The Devas and Danavas, who were the sons of Rishi Kashyapa by queens Aditi and Diti, churned the ocean, in order to obtain Amrut, the nectar of immortality and other treasures. Even today the invocation at the launching ceremony of a war-ship is addressed to ‘Aditi’.

The Rig Veda credits Varuna with knowledge of the ocean routes commonly used by ships, and describes naval expeditions using hundred-oared ships to subdue other kingdoms. There is a reference to Plava, the side wings of a vessel that give stability under storm conditions: perhaps the precursor of modern stabilizers. Similarly, the Atharva Veda mentions boats, which were spacious, well-constructed and comfortable.

The Rig Veda mentions the two oceans to the east and the west, (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) just as they mention ships and maritime trade. The picture of the Vedic people as sea-faring merchants meshes perfectly with the archaeological evidence of the Indus-Saraswati civilization. India’s maritime history predates the birth of western civilization. The world’s first tidal dock was built at Lothal around 2300 BC during the Harappan civilization, near the present day Mangrol harbor on the Gujarat coast.

The Sanskrit text, Yuktikalpataru, explains how to build ships, such as the one depicted in the Ajanta caves. It gives minute details about ship types, sizes and materials, including suitability of different types of wood. The treatise also elaborately explains how to decorate and furnish ships so they are comfortable for passengers. Yuktikalpataru gives a detailed classification of ships.

Two Indian astronomers of repute, Aryabhatta and Varahamihira, having accurately mapped the positions of celestial bodies, developed a method of computing a ship’s position from the stars. A forerunner of the modern magnetic compass called Matsya Yantra was used. It comprised an iron fish that floated in a vessel of oil and pointed towards North.

Emperor Chandragupta Maurya established an Admiralty Division under a Superintendent of Ships as part of his war office.  Charter of his responsibility included navigation on the seas, oceans, lakes and rivers. Indian ships traded with Java and Sumatra, and with countries in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Trade linkages also existed between Philippines and with the powerful Hindu empires in Java and Sumatra.

To the east, Indian mariners had gone as far as Borneo and flourishing Indian colonies had existed for over 1,200 years in Malaya, the islands of Indonesia, in Cambodia, Champa and other areas of the coast. Indian ships from Quilon, made regular journeys to the South China coast.

The Indian Ocean, including the entire coast of Africa, had been explored centuries ago by Indian navigators. Indian ships frequented the East African ports and certainly knew of Madagascar.

To the awakened Western world, conquest of India was virtually the conquest over the world. Dream of World conquest remained unfulfilled for Alexander and he had to retreat without fighting the Indian Emperor. His successor Seleucus attacked India but he also had to beg peace from Chandragupta Maurya by offering his daughter in marriage. Such was the military might of India at the very beginning of our history.

Chand K Sharma

(Next: Splashes – 49/72 – Martial Arts of India)

Splashes– 47/72 – Hindus are a Nation

India was a land of plenty; therefore its inhabitants remained stuck to the land of their origin. The geography of the country then known as Jambu-Dweepa protected the inhabitants from intruders. Thus the spread and development of India’s civilization, culture and religion was smooth and peaceful. Santana Dharma had already established deep roots in the soil of India before upheavals started. The name of the land underwent changes like Aryavrata, Bharat-Khanda, Bharat, and Hindustan till the same got translated as India.

Evidence of Geographical Ownership

Those who shared same ancestors, religious beliefs, social customs, they established their racial identities, claimed the area under their control, and called it their own country. Identity of population remained based on racial or religious diversities. After intruding new areas invaders used to replace the customs and traditions that existed before, while refugees surrendered to the will of the new masters.

No such intrusions took place in India. The Vishnu Purana scripture of Santana Dharma narrates the boundary of India and identity of its inhabitants clearly in the following verse: –

उतरं यत् समुद्रस्य हिमेद्रश्चैव दक्षिण्म,

वर्ष तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र संतति

(In simple words it implied that the area bounded by Himalayas in the North and surrounded by the Sea in the South is called Bharat and the residents therein are Bharatiya).

Thus there is no ambiguity whatsoever, that the well-defined land of Bharata was owned by those who had been living there and followed Santana Dharma.

Struggle between Civilizations

Outsiders that entered India subsequently, also merged themselves voluntarily within the fold and culture of Santana Dharma and lived harmoniously with the locals, till Muslims invaded to spread a new and contrasted culture in India.

In spite of that Muslims too continued to call this land as Hindustan implying the land of Hindus. Besides Hindus, Muslims fought with other Muslims in India to establish the supremacy of their race.  Thus Khiljies replaced the rule of Slaves, Tughlaqs dethroned Lodhies, and Lodhies fought the Mughals and so on. Their fights were for more occupation, larger hold on the resources, and racial rivalry.

Despite their mutual rivalry, the common thread between Muslim chieftains was the commitment to their holy dictates to destroy Hinduism and spread Islam in lieu. All of them possessed India but did not accept the roots of original Indians. They continued behaving outsiders and conquerors. Their ancestral and cultural loyalties were always towards the land of Arabian Desert where Islam had originated. This continues to be the bone of contention between Hindus and Muslims till date.

Hoax of British Secularism

British indulged in colonization. They coined new terminology of Nationality and took more pride in their nationality as subjects of the King than Christianity or Anglo-Saxon race. To justify their hold over colonies, particularly in India, they advanced baseless and motivated theories of Aryan migration to authenticate subsequent migrations including theirs. Those were aimed to tell that India was no man’s land and everybody intruder had equal rights with original inhabitants. They did similar things everywhere they colonized. This nefarious proposition culminated in partition of India and is still at work to dislodge Hindus from their native land. They are misusing the doctrine of secularism to pass time till Hindus are out-numbered.

Determinants of Nationality 

It is noteworthy that Political thinkers from West define a nation as a population having:

1. Territory of geographical unity.
2. Common language and literature,
3. Common customs, and
4. Common consciousness of right and wrong,

For the sake of argument, if we accept the above yardsticks. The following facts stand out :-

Territory of Geographical Unity

No country on the globe is as clearly demarcated by geographical features as India. This aspect is unambiguously recorded in ancient Hindu texts as well. Synopsis of Ramayana covered the area of Eastern India, Western India (Mathura) Nepal, Central India, Southern Plataea, Rameshwaram, and Lanka, while the area of activity in  epic Mahabharata spreads from Western India to all the four corners of India from Himalayas to Assam and down South. All those who lived were Hindus including Ravana, who was a Brahmin, worshiped Trimurti and also performed yagyas. There is not a single event with reference to any of non-Hindu faiths that took place within the geographical limits of India.

Common Language and Literature

All Indian languages have their base in the unifying language Sanskrit. It is the common language of the Hindu Scriptures and ancient literature. Until 1100 AD Sanskrit was without interruption the official language of the whole of India. The wealth of Sanskrit literature of widely diverse genres includes everything that was known to mankind those days.

Sanskrit is not a dead language even today. There are at least a dozen periodicals published in Sanskrit, all-India radio news broadcasts in Sanskrit, television shows and feature-length movies produced in Sanskrit, one village of 3000 inhabitants who communicate through Sanskrit alone, not to mention countless smaller intellectual communities throughout India, schools, as well as families where Sanskrit is fostered.

The famous Gayatri Mantra and Maha Mrityunjay Mantra are on the lips of millions of Indians every morning. Sanskrit is not dead; Sanskrit is alive, expressive and effective as language for modern technology. In Hindu society all social rituals are performed with recitation of mantras in Sanskrit throughout India. Sanskrit binds all the Hindus together more than current National language Hindi could do. It is also the strongest link with our past. It is still having a strong potential to cope with the future technology dominant environment.

Common Customs

• It is customary to recall names of seven sacred Rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, Krishna, Kaveri, Godavari, Sindhu, Brahmputra, that flow all over India;  through a Mantra that is recited during sacred family rituals of Hindus.
• Since centuries, Hindus have been taking pilgrimage to various pilgrim centers that are scattered all over India. Temple such as at Mathura, Ayodhaya, Puri, Somnath, Kamakshi, Indore, Ujjain, Meenakkshipuram, and Rameshwaram not only attract nearby pilgrims but are being visited since the period when rail communications did not exist. Pilgrimage of Amarnath, Jagannath, Kedar Nath,  and Badrinath are cherished desires of all Hindus irrespective of his province.
• Somnath, Kailash, Mansarovar, Vaishno Devi, and Rameshwaram are regarded as life time mission for all Hindus. These places are located in most difficult areas, but Hindus undertake trekking under inhospitable weather conditions out of their faith and devotion.
• Despite hazardous distances and lack of facilities Hindus all over the length and breadth of the country flocked to take sacred bath during Kumbhaheld at Allahabad, Hardwar, Kashi, and Nashik. This voluntary activity was not a seasonal migration but prompted by the bonds of cultural unity.
• There are twelve Jyotirlingasthat are spread all over the country. This unified the common customs amongst Hindus. Devotees from far off places have been under taking long marches on foot to fetch water from Hardwar and to be taken to Kashi for bathing Lord Shiva on every Shivaratri. Nowhere in the world have similar common customs existed as can be viewed in India.
• Makra Sakranti, Shivaratri, Ramanavmi, Janamashtmi, Deepavaliand many more national festivals of Hindus are celebrated throughout India to project Hindus as one nation. Hindu festivals are related to climatic changes, events and personalities within India.

Common Consciousness of Right and Wrong

The areas of Common Customs and Common consciousness of right and wrong are not distinct, but overlap. All versions of Santana Dharma harmoniously co-exist. There is a free movement of individuals and no one persuaded others to convert. Hindus all over the world regard epical victory of Rama over Ravana as the victory of good over evil. Those who allege as Aryan victory over Dravidian culture should also reconcile to the fact that in Southern India no person accepted villainous names as Ravana, Kumbhakarana, and Mareecha.

Another aspect of remarkable Hindu unity is that all over India, Hindus cremate their dead and immerse the remains preferably at Hardwar by undertaking long journeys, or in some local river when that is impracticable. All Hindus believe in re-birth after death. To Hindus God can be identified with some icons as well as among Lords Shiva, Rama, Krishna, Gautama Buddha, Mahavira, and Guru Nanak. They are regarded as life models. Hindus did not indulge in the destruction of symbols of any other faith. They do not declare any holy war against non-believers either. Hindus treat whole world to be one family and they revere noble persons of other sects and faiths as saints.

Throughout India Hindus regard Tulsi, Peepal, Kadamb, Bunyan, and Beil as sacred plants. River Ganga in particular is regarded as a sacred river but all rivers are also respected. They associate Saffron color with wisdom, sagacity and spirituality. By and large Hindus practice monogamy and refrain from eating beef. Most pertinent aspect is that all Hindus are subjected to same civil code.

Non-Hindus in India

Muslims and Christians have their life models, pilgrim places, holy books and value systems that are often in conflict with Hinduism and have their origins beyond India. These elements draw inspiration from foreign ideologies, role models, and groups and want to retain a separate ethnic identity which is detrimental to the unity of our country.

Superficial clock of Nationality

It was totally wrong on the part of Nehru to declare MK Gandhi as father of the nation in twentieth century. MK Gandhi was neither a Mahatma nor religious leader, but merely a leader of Congress party whom the British preferred for negotiation in granting independence to India. He was not a martyr for Hindus. He neutralized Hindu freedom by making Muslims as their equal partners in truncated India to satisfy his ego that was larger than his size. Nehru played a politician amongst historians and distorted history to support his Gandhian ideology.

Life without Dharma is Adharma (immoral). The kind of one-sided secularism being pursued in India is absurd. Discipline is the core of life. In India while minorities still discipline their folks through personal Dharma, it is the Hindu Dharma that has been sacrificed under secularism. Hindu literature, customs and civilization have being relegated officially under the clause of remaining secular.

Many persons settled in India out of compulsion, convenience, or some other motive, but have no love for the customs, beliefs and culture of Indian soil. There cannot be more humiliating situation for Hindus than to feel apologetic while defending their own cultural traditions and beliefs in their homeland. There are many countries on the globe where governments are patronizing the religion of the land only. There is no reason why Hindus had to turn secular to appease those minorities who actually are ever willing to destroy Hinduism from its roots.

We are Hindus first and last while our nationalities may change during life. India belonged to Hindus and Hindus belong to India. They are a Nation according to the thinking of the west also. Our Hindu Nationality is as old and distinct as Himalayas.

Chand K Sharma

(Next: Splashes – 48/72 – The Art of Warfare)

Splashes– 46/72 Origin of Political Thought

For the western world, the origin of political theory began with Greek philosophers, but Vedas show that the principle of representative government was in practice in India at least 1000 before the Greek philosophers were born. Political thinking had already been matured in India when Europeans started regrouping their tribes, and races in to tribal areas, societies and countries. Our Rishies had suggested idea for the ‘Government for the Universe’ even much earlier.

Written Form of Governance

The Vedas and Manusumriti were the foundation, upon which not only Indian, but the Egyptian, Persians, Grecians and the Roman codes of law were built later. The ancient Hindu works on law are a marvel of simplicity and wisdom. The articles of Hindu code are composed and arranged in natural and luminous order. They are numerous, comprehensive and had been investigated with minute attention.

Whoever examined the whole texts cannot deny the efficacy of ancient jurisprudence, and the fact that the same was creation of an enlightened, logical and far-sighted society. Whoever looked into any particular title will be surprised by its minuteness of detail that goes beyond the attention of European legislation even today. There were charters of duties for the rulers, ministers, other officials and subjects as well. Rules of succession were clear and there is no instance where untimely death of a ruler caused a war for succession to go on for decades as it often took place on other parts of the globe.

Raj Guru to oversee Kingship

Dharma was the essence of governance. As a true welfare state, the Prajapati (King) was responsible for providing protection, justice, education, and health care to all the subjects. King was also obliged to adhere to Dharma. The Raj Gurus (Spiritual Mentors) acted as Ombudsmen to pronounce violations of Dharma and no one could be out of their jurisdiction. There was no escape route even for people in high position.

Concept of welfare state

During the epic age the concept of welfare state was visualized with Ram Rajya, a perfect Utopian concept of state governance.  Reference exists in Ramayana regarding voluntary abdication of power by the kings to enable younger generation to succeed. Rama sent his brother Lakshmana to Ravana to learn the art of state-craft as soon as the latter fell on the battlefield. To set an example that of an ideal king, Rama banished even his beloved wife when public suspicion was caused against her. Although Caesar’s wife is now quoted to be above suspicion, but how many rulers have dared to emulate that example?

Democratic Form of Governance

India, and certainly NOT England, is the mother of democracy. In fact, there was a democratic deity called Samajnana to whom the last hymn of the Rig Veda makes salutation. Republics existed in India at least as early as the days of the Buddha (6th century before Christ); and continued for at least a thousand years thereafter.

Each Hindu township was, a ‘community-republic’ by itself. The whole of India was one vast federal congeries of such republics – like United States of America. Though evidence for non-monarchical government goes back to the Vedas, republican states were most common during the Buddhist period. There was a complex vocabulary in Pali, Sanskrit, Buddhist and Brahmanical literature to describe the different types of groups that ran their own affairs.

Local self-government

India had developed a style of local self-government that endured up to modern times. It had developed an amazingly modern system of town and village planning, and almost fool-proof economic and social structure. It kept the country and its culture stable through disturbances and invasions.

There is no other country, ancient or modern, where republics existed and continued for so long a period. That was possible due to the spirit of freedom and democracy, which manifested in many forms among the Indian people from the earliest ages. The benevolent nature of Hindu civilization is proved by the fact that the Hindu settlements colonies and dependencies also enjoyed their own Constitution. India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history.

There were many sovereign republics in India. It is pertinent from the Greek evidence, since the Greek writers spoke in a political language that is universally more familiar to the European world. Greek accounts of Alexander’s campaigns portray ‘free and independent’ Indian communities at every turn.

Nysa, a city on the border of modern Afghanistan and Pakistan was ruled by a president named Aculphis aided by a council of 300 persons.  Similar development is mentioned by Kautilya also, according to whom there were two kinds of Jana-padas (Republics), called Ayudhiya-praya; (Cantonments) made up mostly of soldiers; and shreni-praya, consisting of guilds of craftsmen, traders, and agriculturalists.  Furthermore, power in some republics was vested in a large number of individuals. In a well-known Jataka tale we are told that in Lichavi capital of Vaishali, there were 7707 kings, 7707 viceroys, 7707 generals, and 7707 treasurers!

Diplomacy and Espionage

The history of diplomacy in ancient India commences with the Rig Veda Samhita where the use of spies is sanctioned while pursuing some mission in general interest for the protection of Dharma.  There is also an interesting account of a successful espionage mission undertaken and executed by Brahspati’s son Kucha, on behalf of Indra to Demon kingdom in disguise to learn the science of Sanjeevani from Demon Guru Shukracharya. The love triangle between Kutch, Guru Shukracharya’s daughter Devyani and host princess Sharmishtha is the first recorded thrilling instance of knowledge espionage.

Apart from Vedas and Manusumriti, we also come across ‘Vidur Neeti’ during Mahabharata and Kautillya’s ‘Arathshastra’ that contain additional detail about the statecraft, diplomacy, spies, and related aspects of contemporary governance and administration.

The following corner stones of ancient diplomacy are very much relevant to our modern times also: –

• Sama– according reciprocal treatment,
• Dama – implying appeasement as tool to accomplish desired objectives.
• Danda-coercion as tool to enforce own dictates.
• Bheda– with-holding or revealing own intentions to serve own purpose.

Control over Corruption

Rig Veda contains comprehensive instructions for eradication of corruption. Spies (Spasah or Varuna) filled an important role in civil as well as military affairs of ancient India. In addition to their external duties, they were engaged to look after the home officials and those of the royal household.

Only men of wisdom and purity were employed on this errand. They were to be persons above the temptation of corruption. During Mauryan age, young females were brought up on snake poison and employed in assassination of rival chieftains through means of seduction.

Internal Secret Service

In the Ramayana, spies have been described as the ‘eyes of the king’. It may be surprising that In Valmiki Ramayana, when Sarupnakha went to Ravana with her bleeding nose, she chided him for being careless on his spy network, and asked him several questions, the substance of which would form a check list to conduct security audit of even our military installations.

Manusamriti also contains a full chapter on security and diplomacy during military campaigns. Kautilya’s Arthashastra is another comprehensive text-book on matters concerning diplomacy, internal security and intelligence network. The destruction of mighty Nanda Empire by Chankya and Chandragupta Maurya was a remarkable feat in history of sabotage, valor and wisdom.

In Mahabharata, it is stated that cows see by smell, priests by knowledge, kings by spies and others through eyes. Bhishama has listed seven essential qualifications in persons to be sent as ambassadors. They should come from noble heredity, belong to a high family, be skillful, eloquent in speech, true in delivering the mission, and have excellent memory. Mahabharata had galaxy of diplomats and statesmen out of whom Vidura, Krishna, Shalya and Shakuni were prominent.

Apart from Scriptures, it was the famous Indian strategist of the fourth-century BC, Kautilya, who gave the dictum: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” The Arthashastra predates Sun-Tzu and Christ by centuries. It dwelled at length on the importance of espionage and the creation of an effective spy network. Such details may indicate the high development of the science of diplomacy in ancient India.

Greek Ambassador Megasthenes has stated that Indians were neither engaged in wars with outsiders nor invaded by any foreign power”. There were friendly relations between Chandragupta Maurya and Seleucus Nikator. Their successors Bindusara and Antiochus also followed the same. Ashoka and Samadragupta also maintained diplomatic relations with Lanka.  Pulaski with Persians, and Harshavardhana established and maintained diplomatic friendly relations with Nepal and China. Certainly, that all had happened well before political awakening came elsewhere.

Chand K Sharma

(Next: Splashes – 47/72 – Hindus are a Nation)

Splashes – 44/72 – Ruins of Indian Architecture

The identity of every country reflects through the Language, Dress, Food and Architecture of its people. Despite being the oldest and richest civilization, Hindus in India have nothing left at their land to show younger generations that their ancestors had bridged the sea in Ramayana period, and built a house of wax in Mahabharata period, or had constructed grand Trunk Road from Patliputra in the East to Takshashila on North West frontier. Today India’s identity is only through Taj Mahal – a controversial tomb in marble housing the remains of Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. All our monuments have been destroyed while the few remains have disputed ownership with invaders.

Vaastu Shastra

Architecture is called Vaastu-Kala. Ancient text on this subject is Vaastu Shastra, a treatise attributed to Maya Danava, the father in law of demon King Ravana, who constructed the golden citadel of Lanka. On technical, aesthetic and scientific aspects Indian architecture has been greatly influenced by Vaastu Shastra’s instructions on planning layout of cities, buildings and locations.  Even today, Hindus spend a considerable amount to rectify non conformities of their buildings according to the suggestions made in Vaastu Shastra.

Several prosperous cities have been mentioned in Puranas centuries before the dawn of civilization on other part of the world. Just to mention the few those exist till date with names changed by invaders are Kashi (Varanasi), Prayag (Allahabad), Ayodhya (Faizabad), Mathura, Kashyapa-pur (Multan), Patliputra (Patna), Vaishali, Panchala (Ferozabad) and Indraprastha (Delhi). All of them were well planned and had centrally administered public utilities. Manusamruti contains an exclusive chapter on administration of public utilities.

Indus Valley Civilization

When people lived nomadic life, India was the first nation to have executed the science of Town Planning. Indian architecture has been traced to the Indus Valley civilization. Excavations carried at the sites have revealed remnants of unsurpassed in civil engineering. The towns had roads intersecting at right angles to one another. The major buildings in the citadel included a large granary and water tank or public bath.  There was elaborate drainage system of covered drains running the length of the main streets, connected by chutes most residences.

The great bath at Mohenjo-Daro, with a layer of bitumen as waterproofing, and adjoining well to supply water and an outlet to a large drain having finely built brick structure were available. Surrounding the bath were porticoes and set of rooms, while a stairway led to an upper level. An estimated 700 wells supplied Mohenjo-Daro residents with water and even the smallest house was connected to a drainage system. The impressive infrastructure of the Indus cities suggested an effective central authority.

Mauryan Period

The ruins of Mauryan period are great landmark in the history of Indian art. The Mauryan architecture was embalmed in timber. The art of polishing of wood had reached such perfection that master craftsmen used to make wood glisten like a mirror.  Emperor Chandra Gupta Maurya had got constructed a wooden fort 14.48 km long and 2.41km wide, along the River Ganga in Bihar that housed many buildings and palaces. However, only a couple of teak beams have survived from this fort.

The earliest reservoir dam for irrigation was built-in Saurashtra. Later a beautiful lake called ‘Sudarshana’ was constructed on the hills of Raivataka during Chandragupta Maurya’s time.

Ashoka (3rd century BC) was the first Mauryan Emperor who began to think in stone. The stone-work of his period was of highly diversified order and composed of lofty free-standing pillars, railings of the stupas, lion thrones and other colossal figures. Even small fragments of stone art were given a high lustrous polish resembling fine enamel.

Ashoka pillar at Sarnath is one of the finest pieces of sculpture. Ashoka’s palace near Patna was a masterpiece. Enclosed by a high brick wall, the highlight of the palace was an immense high pillared-hall having three stories. The Chinese traveler Fa-hien was so impressed that he stated that to have been ‘made by spirits’ and that its carvings were so elegantly executed which no human hands could accomplish. The Ashoka period marked the beginning of the Buddhist School of architecture in India.

Gupta Period

Gupta period was the golden age of India, during which the caves of Ellora and Ajanta were dug out and frescoes painted. The Mighty caves of Ellora were carved out of solid rock with the stupendous Kailasa temple in the center. The caves of Elephanta, with the powerful and subtle Trimurti, also belong to this period. At the Rock temple on Elephanta-Island is a pillared hall, housing a towering three-headed bust of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The entrance to the temple was through a very lofty gateway. The amount of earth and rock that had been gouged by hand and later carved with great delicacy with rudimentary tools stands to testify the devotion of the followers of the ancient faith.

The ruins of Temples 

Although Islamic invaders destroyed most of the grand temples yet few temples in ruins stand out to narrate and evidence of their destruction

Meenakshi Temple Madurai – Dedicated to Lord Shiva Meenakshi temple complex is one of the largest and ancient. According to legend Madurai was the actual site where the wedding of Shiva and Meenakshi took place. The temple is a geometrical marvel.  Everything here is larger than life. The soaring and exquisitely carved towers enclose the temple. There are four other entrances to the temple, under huge Gopuras in the four cardinal directions. The south gateway contains the twin temples of Shiva and Meenakshi about nine story high. The Mandapa is an impressive structure, with a hemispherical ceiling. The temple walls were studied with gold and precious stones. The 985 pillars produce musical sounds when struck. In 1310 AD Malik Kafur, a Hindu convert slave of Allauddin Khilji plundered and damaged the temple.

The Chain of Sun Temple

Sun has been regarded as the visible deity that provides life-sustaining energy and light for our solar system. There were several temples dedicated to Sun God such as Sun Temple at Multan (now in Pakistan), Martanda Temple (Kashmir), Katramal (Almora), Oshia (Rajasthan), Modhera (Gujarat) and Konark (Oddisha). All of them had impressive images of Sun God cast in pure gold but were ransacked by Islamic invaders. The impressive ruins of the following exist to narrate the destruction and plunder.

Konark – Konark Temple was one of the grandest temples of India for its architectural grandeur, the intricacy and profusion of sculptural work. The entire temple has been conceived as a chariot of the Sun god with 24 wheels, each about 10 feet in diameter, with a set of spokes and elaborate carvings. Seven horses drag the temple. Two lions guard the entrance, crushing elephants. A flight of steps lead to the main entrance. Around the base of the temple, and up the walls and roof, are carvings in the erotic style.

Modhera – This temple is situated along the banks of River Pashupati in Gujarat. It has been referred in Skanda Purana and Brahma Purana.  There are three images of the Sun God, positioned to catch the rays of the sun at dawn, noon and sunset. The temple was so designed that the first rays of the sun fell on the image of Surya. The Suryakund is finest example of geometry. The organization of stone into composition gives shape to a dazzling pattern of art. The entire temple is based on an inverted lotus-base plinth. It was designed such that the rays of the rising and setting sun on the day of equinox (when day and night is equal on 20 March and 21 September), fell on the bejeweled pure gold idol of Sun riding on his chariot driven by Saarthi Arun. The idol made of gold was plundered by Mahmud Gaznavi and finally destroyed by Allauddin Khilji.

Multan – Younger generations would hardly believe that a Sun Temple existed in Pakistan. Ancient name of Multan was Kashyapa Nagar and that was founded by Hiranyakashyupa where his sister Holika had attempted to put Prahlahd in a pier. During Mahabharata period, Kashyapa Nagar was the capital of Trigrataraja, who was defeated by Arjuna. Subsequently, the city was named Moola-sthana and Multan. In 324 BC the Macedonians under Alexander invaded Multan and, it was here that he was seriously wounded, which caused his death later.

Sun Mandir was situated on the old Fort Mound. It had an idol made of pure gold with two eyes made of bright red rubies. Mohammad Bin Qasim, ordered the idol to be removed. An underground chamber was also discovered, in which were found two hundred and thirty maunds (over quintal) of gold and forty huge jars filled with gold dust.

Rajput Period

The palaces of Datia are one of the most architecturally interesting buildings in India. It is also one of the most impressive. Conceived as a single unit, unlike the Moghul palaces, it towers above the little town of Datia like the work of an extinct race of giants. Each side is about 100 yards long rising from the bare rock so subtly that it is hard to tell where nature’s work ends and man’s begins. The impression is of immense strength, and only the skyline of flattened domes and cupolas gives any hint of the treasures within.

The temples of Dilwara and Khajuroho attract tourists all over the world to provide glimpses to remind us the rich spiritual heritage and aesthetic past India.

Though many of the finest temples and places were defaced and destroyed by Islamic invaders, Hindu Art in the Old Indian Colonies fortunately escaped to testify the magnificent achievement of Hindu architecture. There are some impressive monuments in South East Asia to testify the grandeur of India’s architectural past. Angkor Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in Thailand is one such monument. The Angkor Temple ranks as chief wonder of the world today.

Recently an enthusiastic in Delhi had privately chartered a helicopter to photograph Kutab Minar from the top. The monument looked exactly a fully blossomed lotus, a sacred Hindu motif. The photographs were sent to several websites by the individual.

Hindus had thought and implemented the idea of bridging the sea when rest of the world did not know all the four oceans on the globe. Rama Setu is known as Adam’s Bridge. While grand monuments of other civilizations were made to house the remains of dead Kings such as Pyramids of Egypt, the monuments of grandeur in India were for the use of public.

Chand K Sharma

(Next: Splashes – 45/72 – Melodiously mystifying Music)

Splashes – 42/72 – Etiquette and Social Norms

The social guidelines contained in Manusamriti are relevant till date. Precisely for a Hindu, Manusamriti suggested the guide line, Ramayana a sample, and Gita a user guide to solve unforeseen problems for living a contented life. Every practice in Hinduism is aimed to integrate all elements in the society to local environment.

Health and Hygiene

Instructions for maintaining cleanliness fall within commonsense and behavior desired in any civil society. Even today the same could be found scripted at public baths and eating places. It is commendable that thousands of centuries ago Hindu society had thought about the same in the public interest. Few illustrative examples from Manusamriti are summed up below:

• One should neither take nude bath, nor urinate in water, ploughed field, near a temple, in public place, or on ash, an item used for purification.
• Food should always be accepted with respect. There should be no criticism of food, and one must wash mouth after meals. Left over and stale food should not be served to anyone.

Respecting Relationships

Today excluding parents, every male is called ‘uncle’ and every female is addressed ‘aunty’. In contrast, it was the maturity of Hindu society that specific titles for all relationships had been evolved to precisely explain proximity between two persons. There were no legal relations, such as father in law, or mother in law, but all relations were extensions of natural blood relations.

Due consideration was given to the age of the person. Elders were accorded full respect, and in return, they were to showers affection on the younger. Elders were addressed by their relation and not by name. The elder had the privilege to call the younger by first name. It is disgusting to see convent educated TV anchors, addressing elders by using first name. This is nothing but a sign of arrogance and poor upbringing.

Social Behavior and Courtesies

Following are some samples of social behavior and courtesies since the time of Sage Manu. The implied meaning is summed up below each verse quoted here:-

यो न वेत्त्यभिवादस्य विप्रः प्रत्यभिवादनम्। नाभिवाद्यः स विदुषा यथा शूद्रस्तथैव सः ।।

(मनु स्मृति 2- 125-126)

• It is imperative that compliments should be returned without any exception of high or low. If a Brahmin ignored to respond, other Brahmins should treat him as uncivilized and must not reciprocate his compliments.
• For communicating with teachers and Brahmins, one is expected to get up if the superior is sitting, position himself in front of the superior, if the latter is standing, and run to the superior if the superior is walking. One should not sit on the seat of the superior while the latter is away. Also, one should never imitate mannerisms of the teachers and superiors.
• One should not talk to a person, who is sleeping, eating, or looking elsewhere.          

अप्रणोद्योSतिथिः सायं सूर्योढी गृहमेधिना।

काले प्राप्तास्त्वकाले वा नास्यानश्नगृहे वसेत्।। (मनु स्मृति 3- 105)

• Guests are treated like gods in houses. Even if a guest visited after sun set he should be welcomed fed, and looked after by the couple.

भुभवत्स्वथ विप्रेषु स्वेषु भ़त्येषु चैव हि। भुञ्जीयातां ततः पश्चादवशिष्ठं तु दम्पति।। (मनु स्मृति 3- 116)

• The couple should serve food to Brahmins first, and thereafter to servants before taking their own meal.
• There is no compulsion in Hindu religion on following any specific ritual. But it is obligatory to pay the priest if he was asked to perform any ritual.
• Truth must be spoken in a pleasant form. It should never be hurting.
• Old people, patients, load carriers, women, learned persons, kings and person riding a vehicle, are given the right of way.

These aspects show that Indian life codes were more civil than today in every sphere.

Crime Control and Punishments

The chapter on Crime Control and Punishments is most relevant to our contemporary environment, since this obligation is being overlooked or implemented half-heartedly by the rulers. Sage Manu has laid down that it is the fundamental duty of the ruler to punish criminals, because unpunished crime breeds more crime in the society. Those having contacts with criminals, or helping them with food and shelter, should also be punished.

Severe punishment was prescribed in Manusamriti, for those who polluted water sources, impeded entrances, or created road blocks. Only patients, children, women, old, infirm and those in distress could be exempted. Punishments were suggested to be inflicted in public view for the following offences:-

• Cow slaughter, cruelty to animals and killing them just for pleasure,
• Sedition against the king,
• Homicide and black magic,
• Adultery, seduction, prostitution,
• Selling one self, women and children, as well as neglecting parents, teachers, and children,
• Money laundering, selling of prohibited goods,
• Pilferage, misappropriation, stealing, and snatching the property of others,
• Defaulting on loan and contractual payments.

Undesirable Behavior in Society

Several moral breeches have also been listed, such as:

• Sleeping during day, finding faults with others, and over familiarity with stranger women,
• Drinking, dancing, and loitering in public,
• Causing public disturbance by noise,
• Exposing weakness of someone with evil intent,
• Showing off through evil deeds,
• Jealousy,
• Intemperate language.
• Sending garlands and perfumes to un-related persons of opposite sexes, joking, hugging, touching their ornaments, and sharing of seats are some of the acts that have been listed as undesirable and detrimental to harmony in the society.

Commercial aspects and public utilities

Manusamriti prescribed that the king should get wells and canals dug and temples built at the boundaries. For controlling undesirable activities, the king should keep public places under surveillance such as sweat shops, bars, cross roads, resting places, uninhabited houses, jungles, parks, markets, and brothels.

Comprehensive Rules were provided for:-

• Transportation and payment to boatmen as well as compensation in the event of accident or dis-service.
• Loans, sureties, and mortgaged items.
• Safe guards for the interests of lunatics and children.
• Maintain cleanliness at washing points.
• For controlling smuggling, tax evasion, adulteration, and quackery.
• Regulation of contracts, and
• Principles of inheritance.

System of taxation prescribed that ruler should tax the subjects to finance projects for the good of society. King should not exempt even the poorest person otherwise the poor will get used to seeking exemptions for ever. The King should periodically check implements used for weights and measures by traders.

Implementation and Regularity System

No legislation is complete without mechanism for its implementation, and a procedure for dealing with matters un-provided for. Manusamriti has made provision for this vital aspect also.

• Detailed instructions have been provided for convening disciplinary committee on the pattern of modern jury system.
• Matters un-provided for should be decided by common sense with regard to time place, environment, and intentions.
• It has also been settled that one learned person’s opinion is worth thousand illiterates.
• Any name sake Brahmin without knowledge has been declared worthless in this context.

Most of the social laws enunciated by Sage Manu have been codified, by present day governments. Unwritten laws have been amalgamated with traditions and customs of the societies. As legislation is considered to be the image of every society, the social laws framed by Sage Manu at a very early time, when most of the population on other part of the world was absolutely primitive, proves the point, that Hindu society was neither drenched in superstitions nor was a land of snake charmers. Ours was the only advanced civilization from the times immemorial.

Chand K Sharma

(Next: Splashes – 43/72 – Entertainment and Pastimes)