It has been a long time coming for a new post and I apologize for my absence caused by the severe diversion of all my free time towards the book I was working on which is finally out in the market. However, now that things have settled down a little, I did manage to come up with a new post on a hitherto untouched topic and am more than glad to share it with you :)
My effort in the blog has always been to pick up a new topic in every post and try to relate it with a different branch of science and this time we would talk about the Art of Warfare. Mythological tales especially in India, have immense importance, so much so, that they still continue to shape and reshape values that we hold dear. For precisely this reason, the clash between forces of good and evil that forms such an important part of mythology, also offers the opportunity for an interesting scientific analysis.
With numerous gods, anti-gods, heroes and anti-heroes, the scriptures are full of epic battles of massive proportions. These could be in the form of younger gods replacing the older decadent ones viz Titanomachy between Greek Olympians and Titans or may take the form of a clash between two civilizations such as the Deva-Asura conflicts mentioned in the Vedas. Sometimes, members of the same family might indulge in a battle of supremacy such as the fraternal rivalry between Pandavs and Kauravs of the Mahabharat and the Theomachy among the Olympians.
My effort in the blog has always been to pick up a new topic in every post and try to relate it with a different branch of science and this time we would talk about the Art of Warfare. Mythological tales especially in India, have immense importance, so much so, that they still continue to shape and reshape values that we hold dear. For precisely this reason, the clash between forces of good and evil that forms such an important part of mythology, also offers the opportunity for an interesting scientific analysis.
With numerous gods, anti-gods, heroes and anti-heroes, the scriptures are full of epic battles of massive proportions. These could be in the form of younger gods replacing the older decadent ones viz Titanomachy between Greek Olympians and Titans or may take the form of a clash between two civilizations such as the Deva-Asura conflicts mentioned in the Vedas. Sometimes, members of the same family might indulge in a battle of supremacy such as the fraternal rivalry between Pandavs and Kauravs of the Mahabharat and the Theomachy among the Olympians.
Since these wars involve beings with superhuman powers, they also speak of weapons with unparalleled potential to cause devastation. The descriptions of celestial weapons that can crack thunder and consume entire cities with their power, bring to mind modern weapons of mass destruction or WMDs. It comes as no surprise that Robert J. Oppenheimer, the father of the Atomic bomb, thought of the now famous quote from the Bhagavad Geeta on witnessing its first successful detonation - kālo'smi lokakṣayakṛtpravṛddho lokānsamāhartumiha pravṛttaḥ [B.G. XI, 32]
According to ancient Hindu scriptures, it is indeed the greatest Kshatriya desire to possess a magical
weapon of the gods and it was considered feasible as well since the gods themselves
were willing to support one side or the other most of the times. Warriors would undertake pilgrimages and perform strict penance to fulfill this desire and Arjun,
the hero of Mahabharat does much the same.
Divya
Astras in Mahabharat
When the
Pandavs are thrown out of their kingdom through cheating in the game of dice, Rishi
Ved Vyas advises Arjun to utilize this
time and procure Divine WMDs from the gods for they would surely need them at
the end of the exile.
Accordingly, Arjun walks away from the group reaching
Indrakeel (modern day Sikkim) and manages to please Lord Shiv gaining access to
his fabled Pashupat Astra followed
by the weapons of Ashta-digpals or guardian
gods. The entire episode is mentioned in Vanaparva as the Kirātārjunīyam episode of the third
book and you can read the details here: {http://sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03038.htm}
In Mahabharat 5.166, Pitamah Bhishma
describes to Duryodhan the might of Arjun and enumerates the weapons he has
gained access to –
‘Arjuna’s
again, is that celestial bow called Gandiv,
he owneth those steeds fleet as the wind; his coat of mail is
impenetrable and of celestial make; his two large quivers are inexhaustible;
his arms have been obtained from the great Indra, Rudra, Kuver, Yama and Varun;
and upon his car, again, are those maces of frightful mien, and diverse other
great weapons having the thunderbolt amongst them!’
Pitamah Bhishma announces the beginning of Mahabharat
{Image courtesy - 18 Days}
Anyone who has read or watched the Mahabharat on television would remember the power of Arjun’s
legendary bow Gandiv. Arjun faced and defeated huge number of enemies alone
with it and even dared to face Lord Shiv in a case of mistaken identity that I
would share later. But was this precious Gandiv just a bow or something more advanced?
Book
9 Section 16 also mentions another weapon in possession of the
eldest Pandav –
‘King
Yudhishthir the just, took up a dart whose handle was adorned with gold and
gems and whose effulgence was as bright as that of gold. The illustrious chief
of the Kurus then hurled with great force at the king of Madra that blazing
dart of beautiful and fierce handle and effulgent with gems and corals. All the
Kauravs beheld that blazing dart emitting sparks of fire as it coursed through
the welkin after having been hurled with great force, even like a large meteor
falling from the skies at the end of the Yuga.
So what do we make of this? Poetic license or ancient science-fiction or maybe... just maybe... pointer to a scientifically more advanced civilization?
Divya Astras in Ramayan
Valmiki Ramayan contains what is perhaps the oldest description of Divya Astras in world mythology. When Brahma-rishi Vishwamitra takes the young princes of Ayodhya to the jungle to help him get rid of the Asuras disturbing his penance, he shares his own knowledge of Divine weapons with the two sons of King Dashrath that help them destroy many demons in their sojourn. I myself have used this description in Adhyaye 19 of my book where Vishwamitra first comes in possession of these weapons (Check out here - Vishwamitra - The Man who dared to challenge the Gods) .
It was actually in the course of researching for my book that I came across these descriptions and thought of putting them down in a detailed article. These include weapons such as the Narayan-Astra, Agneyastra, Brahmashira, Vayavastra, Tejprabha, Shishira, Shiteshu, Varshana etc. that were variously capable of setting inexhaustible fire to everything, reducing cities to rubble, creating cyclones, freezing the enemy, drowning it in torrential rain and other such calamities. Shri Raam ultimately applies this knowledge learnt from Vishwamitra to get rid of the demon Ravan.
Shri Raam destroys the arrogant Ravan using Divya Astras
While Chapter 27 of the Baal Kand lists out these missiles while the next one gives an account of some counter-attack missiles, called Upasamhara astras that could nullify the enemy’s missiles much like our very own Prithvi and Ashwin that are a part of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defense System!
Even
though there is a mention of many such weapons in mythology, what is lacking in
the descriptions is objective precision since these
are, by definition, weapons of a bygone era. Yet, just picturing these with our
own modest knowledge of science today, can help understand them better and perhaps
even inspire the invention of ultra-modern weaponry. Let us delve deeper into
this world of ancient weaponry and get introduced to some fascinating designs
of primordial artillery.
Some popular Divya Astras
Let
us see how some of these celestial weapons could look if we compare it with
today’s technology:
1. Agneyastra –
set fire to everything in front of it. Perhaps the simplest of the celestial
weapons that contained the essence of the Fire-god and could set fire to the
target immediately; could be similar to current gun-powder based artillery
which may be as powerful as the bazookas of today.
2. Varunastra –
counters the Agneyastra and releases torrential rains hence could be used in
two ways – one, to drown the enemy army and second, to extinguish the wide
fires set alight by Agneyastra. Sounds somewhat similar to artificial
rain-creation methods or cloud-seeding done in drought situations which is done
using planes or ground generators.
The most common chemicals used for cloud seeding
include silver iodide, potassium iodide and dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) and
it is most likely that this particular Astra used some such material to
induce rains though it has to be shot to a high level using rockets and has
been done by many countries including China, US and UAE. Needless
to say, this weapon would not be a simple arrow but a massive rocket or ion
launcher that could do the job effectively and am sharing the image of a
Chinese cloud-splitter to give the idea.
3. Vayu-Astra –
Harnessing the power of wind, it would bring about a gale capable of lifting
armies off the ground. This would have to be something similar to our
storm-troopers above. Most of us know
that tornadoes are unpredictable, uncontrollable, and dangerous but what if we
could actually generate one at will?
Scientists believe we can harness a lot of electricity from such artificially generated storms and turn it into an alternative source of power for our planet and a Canadian electrical engineer Louis Michaud, is developing what he has branded the Atmospheric Vortex Engine (AVE), that promises to be literally a tornado in a bottle with the top uncorked.
Michaud has built a prototype of what he calls a vortex engine--a plywood contraption just 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide that is capable of whipping up tiny vortexes and scaled up versions of these would enable creation of bigger tornadoes! {http://www.21stcentech.com/energy-update-artificial-tornado-to-generate-electricity/}
4. Parvatastra - Would cause a Parvata/mountain to fall on the target from the skies which sound so sci-fi that just reading the description makes me think of movies like Armageddon! I assume such a weapon would cause a rain of meteors or asteroids or remotely triggering an object stationed high in the atmosphere (not necessarily a satellite) to drop heavy duty load on the head of the enemy. Man I could use some of this stuff on certain people I know ;o)
5. Manavastra – The weapon created by Manu, the first man which could overcome supernatural protections and carry the target hundreds of miles away. It was used by Shri Raam with the help of Brahma-rishi Vishwamitra to tackle Ravan’s uncle Mareech who was thrown thousands of kilometres away into the sea like a projectile.
The Shaurya missile we have today is a canister launched surface-to-surface ballistic missile used by the Indian Army. Capable of hypersonic speeds, it has a range of 600 km and is capable of carrying a payload of one-tonne conventional or nuclear warhead and I assume that would be somewhat equivalent to the weight of a giant Asura! The Agni Missiles can also do the job quite well and take the target further ahead and I am sharing the range of different versions here.
Thunder and lightning may occur without rain, but they
never occur without each other and significantly both of them are associated
with Indra. Scientifically, a Van De Graaf generator is capable of generating up to two million
volts of potential between two metal spheres. This results in an arc up to
about 15 feet long between the two spheres. Such a generator is on display at
the Museum of Science in Boston. Check this image out and you will see why a Vajra is described as a club!
11. Narayan Astra – This astra fires a powerful tirade of millions of deadly missiles simultaneously and the intensity of the shower increases with resistance. It is considered one of the most dangerous weapons of Mahabharat and was used by Ashwatthama to wipe out an entire section of Pandav Army when he learn that his father Dronacharya had been killed by Dhristadyumna [Narayanastramokshaparvan MBh.7.166.44].
It is said that the Eleven Rudras (gods of destruction) appear when this weapon is launched implying that it wreaks havoc on the enemy and is most likely to be a thermonuclear weapon. In the Bhagvat Puraan it is mentioned that Dhruv Maharaj had used it against the Yakshas who had killed his brother and the astra multiplied from 1 to 2 to 4 to 8 to 16 etc just like a nuclear fission reaction!
Valmiki
has described the strong vibration created from the tightened string tied to
the bow of Ram, causing great fear and disturbance among living and non
livings, in these words:
What is most interesting is that just like modern nuclear weaponry, each of these required a specific code for activation in the form of a Mantra! Each weapon was used with its specific mantra which in turn had a definite set of frequencies for recitation that produced the intended effect. Those mantras were never written for the sake that they never get into wrong hands. The mantras were just passed on orally from a teacher to a student.
Scientists believe we can harness a lot of electricity from such artificially generated storms and turn it into an alternative source of power for our planet and a Canadian electrical engineer Louis Michaud, is developing what he has branded the Atmospheric Vortex Engine (AVE), that promises to be literally a tornado in a bottle with the top uncorked.
Michaud has built a prototype of what he calls a vortex engine--a plywood contraption just 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide that is capable of whipping up tiny vortexes and scaled up versions of these would enable creation of bigger tornadoes! {http://www.21stcentech.com/energy-update-artificial-tornado-to-generate-electricity/}
4. Parvatastra - Would cause a Parvata/mountain to fall on the target from the skies which sound so sci-fi that just reading the description makes me think of movies like Armageddon! I assume such a weapon would cause a rain of meteors or asteroids or remotely triggering an object stationed high in the atmosphere (not necessarily a satellite) to drop heavy duty load on the head of the enemy. Man I could use some of this stuff on certain people I know ;o)
5. Manavastra – The weapon created by Manu, the first man which could overcome supernatural protections and carry the target hundreds of miles away. It was used by Shri Raam with the help of Brahma-rishi Vishwamitra to tackle Ravan’s uncle Mareech who was thrown thousands of kilometres away into the sea like a projectile.
The Shaurya missile we have today is a canister launched surface-to-surface ballistic missile used by the Indian Army. Capable of hypersonic speeds, it has a range of 600 km and is capable of carrying a payload of one-tonne conventional or nuclear warhead and I assume that would be somewhat equivalent to the weight of a giant Asura! The Agni Missiles can also do the job quite well and take the target further ahead and I am sharing the range of different versions here.
Sadly none of the modern weapons possess
the ability to keep the target alive since they focus more on destroying rather
than preserving - says something about the current state of Manavta or Humanity!
6. Naagastra/Naagpash –
binds the victim like a serpent and releases slow poison into his system. I
don’t see any modern weapon of combat come close to this ingenious device for
it immobilizes the quarry and makes them sitting ducks while you go about
having your way with them! It was used in the Mahabharat by Arjun to bind an entire division of
Kaurav army to disastrous effects and even used by Ravan’s son Meghnaad to bind Shri Raam and
Lakshman.
7. Garudastra – counter to
the Naag pash and could dissolve or release the bonds. It was probably named so
because of the historical enmity that Garud, the avian vehicle of Lord Vishnu
had with the serpents whose mother Kadru had enslaved his mother Vinta. But
that’s a story for another time!
8. Vajra – Equivalent to
Thor’s hammer or Zeus’ thunderbolt, it is one of the most powerful weapons
known to the demigods. Made of Rishi Dadhichi’s bones and shaped like a double
ended mace, it was supposed to have been made by the divine architect Tvaṣṭar
or Vishwakarma for Indra to fight the dragon Vṛitra.
Indra riding the Airavat with Vajra in his right hand
Closeup of the Vajra
Van de Graaf lightning generator
That
the modern scientific instrument to create lightning bolts is also shaped like
a club or rather two clubs, I am inclined to believe that the description of
Vajra in Hindu scriptures could be more accurate than the zigzag bolts of
lightning shown in the hands of Zeus!
9. Vasavi
Shakti
– Infallible dart of Indra that once fired would come back only after seeking
its target sort of like a laser-guided missile but the flip side was that it
could be used only once. The same was used by Karna to dispose of Ghatotkach in
the battle of Mahabharat.
{Image courtesy - 18 Days}
Supposed to be
shaped like a spear or javelin, it resounds very well with the modern weapons
of similar nature. Even the Indian Army uses the indigenously developed Sudarshan laser-guided bomb today.
10. Paashupat
Astra
– is the much-guarded favorite weapon of Shiva which could destroy target
completely, irrespective of target's nature. It had to be obtained from Shiva
directly. Infallible, though can be nullified only by any other astra of Lord
Shiva or by an astra of Lord Vishnu.
In Mahabharat 3.41.7–10, Arjun requests
Shiva to grant him the weapon thus –
“O illustrious god having the bull for
thy sign, if thou wilt grant me my desire, I ask of thee, lord that fierce celestial weapon wielded by
thee – that weapon of terrible prowess which destroyeth, at the end of the Yuga the entire universe – that
weapon by the help of which, O god of gods, I may under thy grace, obtain
victory in the terrible conflict which shall take place – that weapon by which
I may consume in battle Danavs and Rakshasas and evil spirits and Pishachs and
Gandharvs and Naags – that weapon which when hurled with Mantras produceth darts by thousands
and fierce-looking maces and arrows like snakes of virulent poison.”
From the above
fragment it is evident that Pāśupat is not an ordinary weapon, but one that
could cause catastrophic effects much like the planet killer Death Star from Star Wars or the Tessaract
or Cube from Comic lore. Scientifically, I would assume it corresponds to a
Hydrogen bomb which is perfectly capable
of destroying a fairly large chunk of area!
The U.S. tested
a Hydrogen bomb on November 1st, 1952 in
the Bikini Atoll and all people had to be evacuated 40 miles away. The explosion
produced an equivalent of 10.4 million tons of TNT, vaporized the island of Elugelab and a .5 mile deep
crater which was 2 miles wide was left in its' place!
11. Narayan Astra – This astra fires a powerful tirade of millions of deadly missiles simultaneously and the intensity of the shower increases with resistance. It is considered one of the most dangerous weapons of Mahabharat and was used by Ashwatthama to wipe out an entire section of Pandav Army when he learn that his father Dronacharya had been killed by Dhristadyumna [Narayanastramokshaparvan MBh.7.166.44].
It is said that the Eleven Rudras (gods of destruction) appear when this weapon is launched implying that it wreaks havoc on the enemy and is most likely to be a thermonuclear weapon. In the Bhagvat Puraan it is mentioned that Dhruv Maharaj had used it against the Yakshas who had killed his brother and the astra multiplied from 1 to 2 to 4 to 8 to 16 etc just like a nuclear fission reaction!
Pandavs
were able to withstand it only because of the presence of Krishna who Himself
is a Vishnu Tattva.
12. Brahmastra –
One of the most potent Divine WMDs that could also counter most other astras.
In the Mahabharat, it is said that the weapon manifest with the single head of
Lord Brahma as its tip and is the only weapon capable of piercing the Brahma
Kavach (invincible armour of Lord Brahma) which suggests that even the
strongest of defenses could be breached by this particular missile!
In
Ramayan, Atikaya, one of Ravan's sons possessed the invincible armour of Lord
Brahma that could only be pierced by a Brahmastra and hence was killed by Lakshman
using the same. It is said that when a Brahmastra is discharged, there
is neither a counter attack nor a defense that may stop it and it is believed
that this missile never misses its mark and must be used with very specific
intent since the target will face definite and complete annihilation!
{Image courtesy - 18 Days}
‘When Ram could not find any means to make a path
through the ocean to reach to Lanka with his whole army, he decided to do so by
drying the ocean. In order to do this ‘he fixed Brahmadand charged with
Brahmastra on the string of his great bow and stretched it with full force for
its final operation. This created so much fear all over that heaven and earth
started shaking with its mountains and rivers. Lakes and rivers agitated. Sun
and moon changed their way. The ocean, with the mass of its water and waves
surged beyond its confines to the extent of about eight miles. Finally on the
request of the ocean he turned the direction of his arrow and released it,
causing a huge part of ocean turned into a desert.’
If this isn't the classic description of the power of an Atomic weapon I don't know what is!
{Image courtesy - Ramayana 3392 A.D.}
13. Brahmashira - It
is thought that the Brahmashira is the evolution of the Brahmastra and is 4 times
stronger than Brahmastra. Consequently, it manifests with the four heads of Lord Brahma as its tip. Brahmaśiras and Brahmāstra were both given to Agastya by Lord Shiv. Later Agastya gave it to
Agnivesh who passed it to Droṇacharya who finally handed it to Arjun and his own son Ashvatthama instructing them about its use (MBh 1.128.18).
Both Brahmastra and Brhamshira contain the essence of Brahma
{Image courtesy - Molee Art}
You got missiles, but how do you launch them?
Now
that we have seen some of the missiles, let us also look at some of their
launching technologies.
Pinaka/Pinaak –
Also called as Shiva Dhanush, was the bow of Lord Shiva, which he used to
launch all these missiles and killed countless Asuras in battle. The same had
been passed down to King Janak, the father of Devi Sita, and was later broken
by Lord Ram in her Swayamvar.
Could any bow in reality be that heavy that it would
require 5000 able-bodied men to move it from its place as described in the
Ramayan that too on an eight-wheeled carriage? {http://www.valmikiramayan.net/bala/sarga67/bala_67_prose.htm}. Isn't it more likely that it was a mobile
weapon-launcher for many of these missiles we have read about above?
Not surprisingly, in today’s day, our naval forces
use the term Dhanush to denote a system
consisting of a stabilization platform (Bow) and the Missile (Arrow). It is
intended for the Indian Navy, to be fired from ships against other ships or
land targets and can fire modified versions of Prithvi-II or Prithvi-III.
{Image courtesy - 18 Days}
Vijaya -
was another bow of Lord Shiv and scriptures say that its string could not be
broken by any kind of astra (weapon) or divya astra (divine weapon) probably
implying that it was well-armored and it was supposed to be so heavy that a
normal person in any yuga cannot not lift it. It was passed on from Lord Shiv
to Parshuraam and from him to Karna who used it to counter Arjun’s Gandiv in
the Mahabharat War. Every
time an arrow is released from this bow, it created a terrible twang, which is
said to be loud as thunder causing terrible fear in enemies and produced flashes of light as brilliant as lightning, which blinded the enemy.
If this is
not the description of a rocket or missile launcher pray tell me what it is!!
Gandiv – The most famous bow of Mahabharat is actually
extra-terrestrial in origin! The scripture mentions that in olden times Brahma
carried it for one thousand years and then for five hundred and thee years it
was with Prajapati. Indra kept it for eighty-five years, and after him it was
with the moon-god Chandra for five hundred years. Lord-of-water, Varun carried
it for one hundred years before he gifted it to Arjun on Agni’s recommendation.
It was coupled with two quivers that would never get
empty and according to Mahabharat,
Viraatparva: Chapter 43, Verse 5-6 it also needed special chariot to carry in the war-
field which had also been gifted by the benevolent demigod. Needless to say the descriptions
turn more and more towards a specialized missile launcher than a simple wooden
longbow!
What is most interesting is that just like modern nuclear weaponry, each of these required a specific code for activation in the form of a Mantra! Each weapon was used with its specific mantra which in turn had a definite set of frequencies for recitation that produced the intended effect. Those mantras were never written for the sake that they never get into wrong hands. The mantras were just passed on orally from a teacher to a student.
Activation Codes for Divine WMDs
So it was a culmination of the
mental powers along with the art of Spiritual warfare that decided who would be
the winner in the end. Jarrod Whitaker in his paper titled Divine Weapons and Tejas in the Two Indian Epics (Indo-Iranian Journal 43: 87–113, 2000) talks about the differences between Mahatejas and Alpatejas vs. Brahmatejas against Kshatriyatejas each being different spiritual advancement levels of an individual but we wont get into its details here.
What we should remember though is that the person endowed with the responsibility of bearing these weapons had an obligation NOT to use them indiscriminately and was required to remember both the Activation as well as Deactivation codes for these otherwise the entire
creation could be in jeopardy. A paper titled ‘The glimpses of
chemistry and technology in Vedic literature’ was presented in the National
Conference on Emerging trends in Nuclear and Chemical technology in 2012 by Mr
K.V. Murali Krishna, chemistry lecturer at Silver Jubilee Govt. College, Kurnool in which he mentions -
“Though it
is evident that a knowledge in nuclear science existed in ancient India,
people should also realise that their use was bound by high values of ethics.
(It) calls for only ‘favourable’ and ‘protectional’ use of such extreme
energy,” [Source - Deccan Chronicle, April 4, 2012]
This point is abundantly evident from the tale of Ashwatthama, the son of
Dronacharya who had hurled the Brahmashira at the unborn fetus in the womb
of Abhimanyu’s widow. He was unable to recall the weapon once it was discharged
and it could ultimately be stopped only by the intervention of Krishna who cursed him for this reckless act to wander on the earth for all eternity covered in boils
and sores.
This
incident from an ancient epic, shows that even for those bygone generations,
these weapons were not meant to be used lightly - a lesson our modern day
decision makers would do well to remember!! Hope you liked my latest offering covering yet another aspect of mythology from a scientific perspective and let us hope that drawing from the vast mythologies of the world, contemporary scientists find inspiration not only for the conduct, purpose, and carriage of their wars but also the quest for peace.
Aum Shanti: Shanti: Shanti:
..
.
Fascinating Stuff.
ReplyDeleteAnother mind blowing article! Extremely informative and crisp to the core. Keep up the awesome work Vineet! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful comeback with yet another amazing article bro :) !!!
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Mind blowing, actually! WMDs and all! Well written! But i liked the last line best: Aum Shanti: Shanti: Shanti:
ReplyDeleteCheers to peace and love!
Oh yes, Kamdev's arrows have wrecked havoc too! ākarṣaṇa (attraction), mādana (crazing), vaśīkaraṇa (subjugation), etc. Then there are the "black magic" rituals and spells that are found in the Tantra, namely māraṇa (killing), mohana (enchanting), vaśīkaraṇa, stambhana and uccāṭana. How powerful thoughts, words and deeds can be!
Yet, may peace and love prevail! Peace and Love! Amen!
Thanks a lot the anonymous person, Nirjhar, Shruti and Avimanyu :)
ReplyDeleteYou always end up your article by leaving behind a thought among your readers as to how mythology can be applied in life to broaden one's mind.I think that is the best part of your amazing articles :)
ReplyDeleteWell that is indeed my intention Gitarthy :)
DeleteThanx again for ur kind words!
:) :)
DeleteIt's a praiseworthy pursuit of your steady research and interlinking the realms of Mythology, the past, reality and many other concepts, that too being liberal to every sphere. Even if the article is about empowering our perceptions of our own civilisation, you have never belittled any other.
ReplyDeleteIf we read a certain number of sagas of Indian, Norse, Greek..and the artillery of the generation, generation and future concepts ; we cannot imagine but believe that all the info linked like a colony of different webs string by string; are just information filtered from a GIGANTIC data and too many sources. Validating each information aside, which itself takes a lot more of sweat and tired but relentless eyes
Guilty that this is just a summary of a lot more of what we could appreciate. But it's not just the information, the person undertaking this distinctive research must know atleast in a summary, that its.. Marvellous
Thanks a lot Amit :)
DeleteA good Comparative study of mythology, with excellent juxtaposition of past and present, well analyzed scientifically. May there be Light and Peace! Keep writing.
ReplyDeleteThanx a lot Arati
DeleteJust finished your Vishvamitra... was an excellent read!! Add me as your new fan
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words Samit :)
DeleteVery nice and informative article..i have read many of your articles and you have mentioned srimad bhagvatam in them so i wanted to ask you that whose commentary on srimad bhagvatam have you read because im also interested in reading it too!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :) I have read the translation by Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON but i have my own take on things
DeleteWow awsome... Thanks for all d information... The efforts u made inorder to write all these is very great.u might hav done lots of homewrk... It shows ur thirst ... Thanks a Lot for sharin such a spellboundin description... Is it indrakeel in sikkim where Arjuna prayed Shiva.Not sure abt it.There is a place in Andhra Pradesh called Vijayawada,where the indrakeeladri is present as people say.
DeleteYeah the scriptures mention it as being in the Himalayas and Sikkim has traditionally been known by that name.. thanks a lot for reading and your appreciation :)
DeleteI am from Germany and host a non-commercial website on hindumyths in German language. Your blog is a gem! I would like to translate your topics into German language an publish on my website. May I kindly ask you to get in contact with me on christa2555@web.de
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Hi Christa.. well as long as you mention the origin of the content i have no objection :)
DeleteThank you Vineet!
DeleteAwesome post, very well researched and written! Have yet to read it all, will do so slowly to let it all sink in! Thanks for the insight :)
ReplyDeleteCame across an article on Mohenjodaro, and its destruction by nuclear explosion! The link is:
http://www.sanskritimagazine.com/india/ancient-nuclear-blasts-and-levitating-stones-of-shivapur/
Also the battle of Sri Krishna at Dwarka with the UFOs of the danava Salva!
http://www.atlantisquest.com/Salva.html
Continue to research and write, Sir! Salute!
Thank you so much :) Yes have read about those before..
DeleteCould some WMDs mentioned in the post, be made of the basic elements (such as ashtadhatu, gold, iron, mercury etc) and others also of subtler matter like thought and intent? Surely Arjuna could hurl the Pashupata with mind, eye, words and bow. Somehow it seems to me the weapon itself was made of potent energy, capable of destroying the universe, and was Energy, beyond physical "matter". Could it be so? Lord Shiva shared the activation and deactivation mantra with Arjuna, and thus "handed over" the weapon to him. Did one need divine vision to behold such weapons? :) Just asking :)
ReplyDeleteWhy not.. anything is possible since there was more control over matter and energy at that time than we can even dream about today!
DeleteI have read two of your articles..now.. I would like to say you are really devoted to wrote these... And I would request you to write about how ancient varna system was the best and how it turned into a disaster as caste system and how mughals and Britains corrupted it to their advantage. Thank you..
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot.. i am writing about it in my upcoming book :)
DeleteIt's simply awesome!! Keep writting.. We are hungry for more..
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for the appreciation Srini :)
DeleteI finished your Book yesterday and indeed it was a good read. I knew the story from my childhood days, but when I saw the book in Amazon I dint think twice buying it. It was worth buying. And when I was glancing through the book I found out about this blog. It is a very effort! I really like the pics:).
ReplyDeleteFrom childhood I have a question. Being the creator, why would there be a weapon in the name of Lord Brahma? He is the reason for bringing life, not ending it. It's always Lord Vishnu or Lord Shiva who fight against Asuras, Rakshasas, not Lord Brahma. But why there is an Astra in his name?
Thanks a lot for reading the book and liking it Prashant :)
DeleteAs i understand, Brahma has been given the role of the creator but he is not devoid of destructive powers as well.. there have been instances when he has cursed his own sons including Narad! The Brahma-astra and Brahma-shira are therefore most deadly since they contain the power of the Creator himself.
Greek myth is a soup form of Puranas, guranteed.
ReplyDeleteHaha well put :)
DeleteSacrifice of Purusha to create the world. In Rigveda, Purusha was described as a being, who becomes a sacrificial victim of gods, and whose sacrifice creates all life forms including human beings.
ReplyDeleteVishnu is often identified with Purusha. As far as the identity of the gods who did the sacrifice, Rig Veda states no one knows.
The legs of the god Vishnu as the Cosmic Man depict earth and the seven realms of Patala. The feet rest on Shesha.
The ceremonies during the sacrifice is eerily similar to the crucifixation of Christ. Vishnu is often identified as the same as Krishna. See ...
Yup you are right.. its history repeating itself :)
DeleteKalki will come with a blazing sword after four hundred thousand something years. Light saber laser sword mmm.
ReplyDeleteInteresting yeah :)
DeleteAwesome post . But I always have these things in my mind that how they brought such metals to create such arrows but it is very fitting that they borrowed from Gods, after all they have all elements which is not even their in our Periodic Table ..
ReplyDeleteyeah if there is a post you can do about solar and lunar dynasty how it was formed and whole history behind it ?
Hey there.. thanx a lot for ur appreciation! Yeah i planned to write on those but realized that the information is already available on many sites so dropped d idea.. you can check the online srimadbhagavatm.org for the details :)
DeleteCan u explain what are curses,boons, spiritual powers of pathivrathas..etc etc..
ReplyDeleteWell am not really too much into the mystical aspects of things but what i gather from my readings is that people when they practice austerities and follow their Dharma develop a store of spiritual merit tat can take them to a higher level. If the same store of merit is instead used on a curse it can still be potent but he person loses all merit henceforth and has to begin again.
DeleteOutstanding research!.....Well in one of your posts of 'Shiva's dance' you have mentioned about Shiva and Vishnu union thus creating balance in the universe....Couldn't that be a symbolic allegory for collision of matter and antimatter..? it fits the matter-antimatter collision theory resulting in big bang..
ReplyDeleteYes quite possible indeed :) Thanks for ur appreciation!
DeleteMantra to use astras actually codes????? That's an interesting thought.
ReplyDeleteNice angle. U have me hooked☺
:) Am glad
DeleteAwesome post, in-depth research, interesting style of writing! Found your blog 2 days ago when I Googled for a related topic an ended up reading all your posts by today (even used up my working hours to read :-P).. Keep up the good work... Cannot wait for your next post...:)
ReplyDeleteThanx a lot Preeti! I wish I could do a new post every month but have got caught up with a lot of work and of course the work for my second book.. will still find time to do a new post soon :)
DeleteFound your blog a few days ago while looking for something else. Your posts are excellent and very interesting. Wish to read more posts.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the appreciation Vidyalakshmi ji :)
DeleteBhandasura used Maha Rogastra which spreads diseases and suffering. Biological weapon ? You can edit your post if you want and include this :-)
ReplyDeleteThanx for sharing :)
DeleteCould this be the Garbodhaka ocean ?
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/07/110726-most-massive-water-cloud-quasar-black-hole-space-science/
Sounds interesting! Definitely proves though that such large quantities of water exist in the Universe outside of Earth!
DeleteShukra was the teacher of Asura. He had one eye. He was the son of Bhrigu and grandson of Brahma. His weapon is a magic stick or spear. Brahma was the creator or first among beings.
ReplyDeleteOdin is the father of Aesir. He had one eye. He was the son of Burr and grandson of Buri. His main weapon was spear. Buri was the first god in Norse myth.
Interesting :)
ReplyDeleteWhen banasura came to know that he will be defeated by the enormous powers of Lord Krishna he asked Lord Shiva to come in battlefield and help him.So unwillingly Shiva helped Banasura by spreading fever causing bacteria in the army of Krishna, which made his army unable to fight. Krishna in turn created anti-bacteria (probably anti-biotics or bacteriophages) to kill bacteria spread by Shiva. All soldiers of Krishna’s army got healed and became ready to fight. A mild biological attack by Shiva ?
ReplyDeleteThat's an intriguing thought :)
DeleteVineet even i m working on it ,but if understand the real meaning of geeta [yatharth] un can easily decode many facts
ReplyDeleteEvery[character] name is code and their vahan [eg: garud of narayan] represent their source
I Can help u ???email me aakashsh933@gmail.com
Thank you for articles ;)
ReplyDeleteShukra, Lord of Venus. Don't like Vishnu. Resurrects people. Vishnu is the supreme god of Vaishnavas. Shukra means brigtness, pureness etc. If you make a new mythology from this with a god and his nemesis, you can make Vishnu god and Shukra Lucifer.
ReplyDeleteDaksha, son of Brahma, has a goat head, started sexual reproduction. Don't like Shiva. Shiva is the supreme god of Shaivites. Daksha means bright one. If you make a new mythology out of this with god and his nemesis, Shiva becomes god and Daksha becomes Satan. :-)
Interesting stuff :)
DeleteHi Vineet ji,
ReplyDeletefirst of all, my best wishes for your released work and for other future endeavors. Your book is creating buzz and i pray it reaches to every deserving reader.
I have recently completed my book-series on Ramayan and samples been send to publishers[let's pray it happens soon ;) ]
Meanwhile, I invite you to review my blog-posts @ srirom.blogspot.in
Looking forward to your feedback.
Thanx Rohit and wish you all the best for your book :)
DeleteShiva speaks from pillar of fire, Lingam and that form is called Lingodhbava. Shiva destroyed the 3 sin cities Tripura. Stories of Shiva + Indra is the god of old testament lool.
ReplyDeleteIt is said that Hanuman will become next Brahma. Rise of the Planet of the ... :-)
ReplyDeleteYeah have read that somewhere :)
DeleteBig Dipper or Saptarishi constellation is a Swastika.
ReplyDeleteMahabalipuram. They will date it to some recent kings and swept it under the rub labelled hidden archeology. It is Maharaj Bali's capital.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nbcnews.com/id/7221921/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/tsunami-gives-little-back-one-indian-town/#.VgslVlb400Q
http://jayasreesaranathan.blogspot.ca/2008/09/vamana-avatara-connection-to.html
Hmm possible
DeleteLoki is probably Indra (Purandar/Shakra). Loki is a trickster. Purandar is notorious for various tricks and backhand tactics and the most criticized god in Indian mythology. Norse are pro Aeisr. Aesir is Asura. Norse believed Loki imprisoned their gods. There is mention of Vali, unfortunate son of Loki. Purandar's son is Vali who was cursed to become a Vanara and unfortunately died at the hands of Rama.
ReplyDeleteInteresting :)
DeleteGod Viracocha of Mayans. Virochana ? Virochana was Indra for some time, so was Vairochana Bali. Indra holds thunderbolts. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis post is extremely interesting. I can not help to believe these events actually happened, and may happen again. I am glad to see that you love this 'mythology' as much as me.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure completely :)
DeleteWatched a documentary where the Red Indians are talking about ant people and lizard people whom their ancestors lived with during a time when fire balls from the sky bombarded the earth. They also talked about recent sightings of flying disks emerging out of the caves and mountains. Atala, Sutala ...Patala are mentioned as fully developed worlds and they are capable of fighting devas. Perhaps the ant people and lizard people are Nagas and other beings in the Patala. :-)
ReplyDeleteWell for sure sounds possible :)
DeleteUloopi was a princess of UNDERWATER kingdom and dragged Arjuna down and requested him to marry her. Perhaps mermaids are Naga's, half human half reptile, not fish really. Reptilians and humans did marry ha ha.
ReplyDeleteDear Dr Vineet, I came across your blog only today and have read two posts - fantastic. I admire your passion on the subject. As many would have pointed out, you have a very good writing skill and make the articles rounded enough leaving some food for thought. I am also deeply interested in similar studies and have read quite a lot - and believe our ancient heritage needs lots of serious research which would hold a lot of the sercrets. Keep at it, all the best.
ReplyDeleteThanx a lot Raghavan.. It is indeed good to hear from like minded people :)
DeleteYantra-Tantra-Mantra. Yantra means machine. Tantra means technique.
ReplyDeleteMantra means design.
Astra-Shastra-Veda-Abhyas. Astra means weapon. Shastra means science.
Veda means knowledge. Abhyas means practice.
Right except that Shastra means a weapon used at close range and Astra is one thrown or fired from a distance :)
DeleteAmazing.Very well documented .
ReplyDeleteThanx a lot :)
Deletewhat is sathagni is look like cannons or rocket ...... ?what is features of this ? i want to draw mythological weapons so any idea? iam sure that if these weapons was real then these was not bow & arrow they will be different kind of artillery who launched by yantra {mechanical machines} but i have no idea how they look like .
Deletehow many races described in hindu epics like humans devata danav gandrva................
Delete@Warlandpaint there are many such races - Manavs, Devas, Asuras (includes Daityas, Danavs and some others like Nivatkavachs etc), Pitris, Vidyadhars, Siddhas, Charans, Kinnars, Kimpurushas, Gandharvs and Yakshas
Deletethank u for help 2nd help i needed {1}were i find these race info i mean in religious book or any site . many sits just showing the numbers of yoni only . your mentioned some race i never heard and when i search in google and open any sits they just mentioning manava asura yakshas gaduras .....gandharva only .i heard that in hindu epics many races described but where i find those races info
ReplyDeleteYou can't find a list as such mate one has to dig deeper into the Puranas and other ancient literature.. besides what I mentioned above there are of course others such as the Garudas, Nagas, Uragas, Praits, Pishachs, Vetals etc.
DeleteHello. I have a question about keeping time or calender in ancient times. How did Ram or Pandavs knew the years of their Banvas? Because india had no time keeping until around 500 BC or so. Thanks
ReplyDeleteErr who told you that?? Both Ramayan and Mahabharata are littered with astrological references that clearly show that people of those times not only kept time but could also perform complicated calculations and predict eclipses!
DeleteZastra or Shastra means science. In malayalam, science is called Shaastram. Astra is weapon or war head. Veda is knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAstra shastra veda abhyas. Knowledge of science of weaponry.
I Love Your Blog Mr.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lucky :)
DeleteI really like this blog post, Thanks for shared. Can Crusher
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure :)
DeleteThanks for giving the divine knowledge,Doctor!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure completely :)
DeleteGreat explanation sir on each of the astra and its related technology in current world.
ReplyDeleteI have a question on this, in modern era, we connect technology with country (like US has technology X, India has technology Y) but in Ramayan/ Mahabharat, an individual represents a technology. Like Arjuna having Pashupat astra, Ashwathama knowing Brahmastra.
Looks like ancient astras were different from modern shastras.
Thanks Sachin.. no an individual does not represent technology rather it was the domain of the gods. The ancient weapons were not available to human kind and were obtained only through the mercy of the gods. Even Arjuna had to please multiple gods to obtain all these weapons and Ashwatthama learnt them from his father Dronacharya who had received them from Lord Parshu-Raam.
DeleteThe Astras of course may differ in shape and size though my attempt in this article is to show how they could relate to today's weapons.
Interesting :)
ReplyDeleteHi I am Piyush. Wow great vineet !! I just imagine why there in no post about Hanuman Ji (One of the Chiranjeevees). I really liked all your post and just wish someday you will post about my favourite lord too.
ReplyDeleteHaha no specific reason for that.. I had thought of doing a post on Vanars but unfortunately that didn't happen.. maybe sometime in the future :)
DeleteAnd yes thanks for your kind words!
Dear Vineet,
ReplyDeleteI have gone through all your articles here and they are quite informative and interesting. I would appreciate if you could write in detail about the different kinds of living beings like Yakshas, Vidyadharas etc. Although they have been mentioned when your wrote about the formation and structure of the universe and mentioned different lokas and their inhabitants. Still a focused study would help here. It will be yet another interesting read from you. Will wait... whenever it comes from your pen. Stay blessed! Rajul
Hi Rajul,
DeleteThan you so much for your kind words.. yes it is an interesting topic for sure but let me see how it fits into the narrative of the blog. I have mentioned them in more detail in my book 'The Legend of Parshu-Raam' though :)
Namaste
ReplyDeleteWow your understanding and interpretation is really amazing.Stay Blessed.
Thank you so much :)
DeleteDear Dr. Vineet ,
ReplyDeleteThe article are very much Comprehandable and Logically Supportive. I earlier already read the best Book VishwaMitra (which i like much) years back. But i found the Blog( This DecoHinduMythology) just some days back when i purchase second one fromAmazon The Legend of Parshu-Raam(Yet to complete). you are the second mythologist and your presentation (Blog and Books) very much researched , comparative, lucid and understandabe to normal commercial audience/ reader / Mythology Book Lover . Best of Luck for your endeavour. keep the passion Going On.Looking Forward . MissionMust Go On !!
Thank you so much Amrutlal ji for your kind words! Hope you like the second book as well :)
DeleteWell written and an informative post! I have a keen interest in this topic and have written several blogs on Hindu calendar and zodiac sign, as well. You can check them at mPhanchang.
ReplyDeleteDr Aggarwal your writings have made fall in love with my religion time and again , your style of bringing factual information about our own religion in very interesting . Thank you kindly . May God guide your KALAM ( pen ) for ever . Indira
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for those kind words :)
DeleteGreat Article. Would love to read more and educate the new generation regarding Hindu mythology. Please let us know how we can help market this work to a wider audience.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jaldeep! Well the easiest way is to share the link of any individual article or the entire blog with your friends who may be interested in reading more about their roots :)
DeleteNice article!! so what are your views on Sudarshan chakra,I think if this weapon is not included in article we miss the greatest mystery... Sudarshan chakra which comes back after cutting ....it can grow as big as galaxy and reduce to size of finger tip,,
ReplyDeleteSo is Sudarshan chakra a myth or fact...
Chakram was used by Sikhs ...but this weapon is not supernatural..
What scientific explanation can you give for Sudarshan chakra???
Were Celestial weapons of Mahabharata just exaggeration due to poetic language...
Pls reply...
Well that is one weapon I haven't really figured out yet. But clearly as evidenced by the other list shared in this post you can see these are not just poetic exaggerations but very realistic possibilities. Will update the post if I find something more substantial to share on the Chakra.
DeleteThanks for replying... one more question??we have heard that these celestial weapons used to manifest using mantra... today we know that to manifest say mass "M" we need energy=M×c×c... what was this mantra science...if we assume that during Mahabharat period people had
ReplyDeleteMissile launchers,fire arms,much like today's than natural question arises why chariots, elephants, horses were used in war,why couldn't they have invented engine.
Yes I have heard of vimanas...but these flying machines really existed during that era is very hard to believe,,,we can see sage vyas describing celestial weapons,but how these weapons were created there is no direct answer, example: pashupatra astra was given to Arjun by lord Shiva.
This is really mystic approach,as per Mahabharat text one has to worship a particular diety for specific astra,then if diety gets pleased he or she manifests then gives this supernatural weapon to devotee.
This is very hard to believe, isn't it???.or we can assume that we have lost this great science of mantras and devas ... pls reply
You article is great keep it up, thanks again for your reply....
IAM waiting for more information regarding Sudarshan chakra...
My pleasure completely. Yes these Mantras were perhaps like the codes we need today to launch the nuclear weapons. The weapons exists and so do the codes but unless you use the proper code for its corresponding weapon nothing will happen.
DeleteAs far as engine is concerned these run on fossil fuels and perhaps the reason they were not invented was nobody thought of using such a polluting way to run their vehicles!
About the weapons coming from gods it is not so hard to believe once you understand that the deities like Indra etc are perhaps advanced aliens who needed to be contacted to share their advanced technology with humans. Since they are munificent we think of them as gods and these exchanges could actually point us to a way to contact certain more advanced species for humanity's benefit.
Thanks a lot for replying...
ReplyDeleteSo what is your opinion on lord Krishna....
In bhagwat Gita lord teach that soul just changes body,ie birth & rebirth endless cycle...so what are your thoughts on soul???
If these dieties are considered as ancient aliens then what about God??? Puranas describe Tri Deva that is lord Brahma-creator of universe , Vishnu preserver,and Shiva - cosmis destroyer..
Rishi patanjali says infinite consciousness is lord & nature(had prakriti)is Maya..so how these philosophies arose???
Today we have made great scientific
Advancement in all fields but universe
Is still a mystery...we know about
Atoms,electrons, quarks,,super string theory still evolving...
Ancient sages in deep meditation got enlightend,they declared that all data received from senses is Maya,to know absolute truth awareness has to turned inside,and "MIND"itself is Maya....
So pls reply,,pls ignore if you think I am disturbing you lot.
Haha not at all I am happy to answer whatever I can. The various philosophies are a result of different thought processes since Hinduism allows people to find their own way instead of following just one strict path.
DeleteRegarding the 'Alien' concept I dont't think there is any contradiction in Devas or even Asuras being termed Aliens since both of them live on planets other than earth which BTW is the definition of an alien! God of course is the Origin of all species so He is above all these descriptions and the Trideva are His highest manifestation.
What is truth behind fantasies in bhagwat Gita & Mahabharat epic,, like lord Krishna lifting mountain on finger tip,, showing virat svaroopa,,,
ReplyDeleteOne interesting question got in my mind,, according to Hindu mythology
Lord Vishnu incarted as Rama & Krishna,,ok now if lord had Sudarshan chakra why it was not used to slay Ravana by rama, however it was used to kill only some evil persons,& it was also not used to kill kansa!! Which indicates that it was weapon which was invented afterward and perfected by lord Krishna,,, isn't it??? Or imagination of author!!!!
I wanted to know the truth of origin, universe,,,, even the highest of highest parbraman,so I read modern theories ,,big bang,, multiverse, parallel,,then religious views,,but my quest,my thirst....to know truth still remains!
Well IAM so happy to communicate with you,and for your fast response
Now stimulation theory is just another fascinating view,, similar to the puranas which states that universe what we experience is superconcious dream of lord mahavishnu!!!
I hope that you will definitely reply,, plz don't let me heartbroken,plz plz reply
Okay so the stimulation theory is just like the concept of Maya but I don't believe its all just a dream its real enough for usbut we are deluded into thinking this is all that is and that's Maya.
DeleteRama lived all his life as a human thats why there was never the mention of Chakra for him but Krishna was Lord Himself in His Sampoorna Avatar thats why he could use the Chakra. There also he just didnt conjure it out of thin air it came to him via Agni when he helped Arjun clear the Khandav forest to build Indraprastha.
Regarding his other leelas I dont think anything is small for the God Incarnate whether it is lifting a mountain or showing his Virat Roop to his best friend Arjun.
Wow that's a great reply ! !
ReplyDeletePersonally I think that celestial weapons were even more powerful than our modern weapons...
Why because these could anhiliate entire cosmos!!!! But how???
This could be understood only when one understands the mechanism of creation,,our modern analysis is only at quarks,boson...etc
But in reality there are minute reshamia(threads; which lord Krishna says as tatva)these are eternally vibrating ,most finest of these is producing "om" note. It is this which trigger s other thread s to form more complex notes...it is these complex mixtures of"notes" which see as UNIVERSE!!!!
Our ancient sages, masters knew this very well, that is why they call it supreme power,Brahman etc
So if we assume this theory is correct then how divya-astra is connected to it and supernatural powers..
Definitely yes, if I say that in deep meditation at higher levels of consciousness one can hear these notes(these are not simply audio sounds but celestial!!!) When one gains control over these "notes" he is only qualified for diva-astras.
Now picture is clear these celestial sounds give rise to even natural forces(gravity, magnetic, electrostatic,, possibly even more in multiverses) as well .. just like computer programs only combination of of 1&0 give rise to fastastic games..but what is ultimate truth of computer programs ?? It is 1 & 0 .
Lord himself in Gita give these secret principals but since we are in dark kalyuga,we following western ideas couldn't grasp it..
These celestial weapons were operated by single person (onwer) not like todays nuclear weapons which requires many people,, also modern weapons destroy everything around including the the target,but celestial will destroy only the target (thou it can be single person) others living or objects remains unharmed!!!
And these celestial weapons constitute notes so a suitable weapon could cancel notes of other celestial weapon... but modern weapons when collide will give double blow, certainly it can't be called canceling!!
What is your views on yogic powers, sages like viswamitra had supernatural powers, example he created heaven for trishanku.
ReplyDeleteTales of puranas are full of supernatural fantasies,, so what do you think of these tales?? Like churning of ocean for amurit,,
Now famous sloka of Gita : yda yda adharmasya glani bhavti....it seem like author sage vyas had desire to born again and again to maintain righteousness,,
Are puranas just fiction?? these tales are to attract readers, since Brahman is beyond mind and senses so do you think sages who orally passed these stories (actually who imagined these tales) did all to just draw attention for Hindu philosophy of Brahman..pls reply
Well the Astra Siddhi are quite well documented and are hardly magical. They are more related to the power of mind that lies untapped within us and can be harnessed through deep meditation. You find all these stories as fiction because you are limiting the ability of the gods as per what humans can do! They are advanced beings with much more physical and mental capabilities than what we can ever hope for. And BTW Vyas is a chiranjeevi (immortal) so he doesn't have to wish to be born again he's already here for a really long time!
DeleteNice! But why we can't perceive God (advance being) these days,if you believe alien theory why these ancient God's(advance being s) not contacting human now?? According to Hinduism chanting mantra of specific deity can invoke it,, because now though one can say it is kalyuga Gods have left earth, but now it is very much necessity of God's, his guidance is needed very much, though we are scientifically advance but we see dukham every where, money, materialism everywhere...so any method to contact advance beings??? plz reply
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for your reply...
The only method I am aware of is meditation and yogic concentration. As we prgoress in the path of spirituality we can begin to connect with god or at least his voice in our own minds.
DeleteAccording to patanjali yoga sutras,any human who practices yoga under perfect master,can attain liberation.. during his spiritual journey using dhyan dharna and samadhi on specific words (mantra) one can get sidhis (supernatural powers).. among these powers 8 are achieved when one has mastered yoga,,exp eshwar sidhi - one can control anything living or object,one can see future,past, present and even beyond it,, ordinarily man can understand past, present and future terms but understanding goes even beyond these realms!!! Another exp of sidhi --one can attain anything from nothing,,,so patanjali sage guides humans to become superhumans thru sutras..ie if we believe yoga sutras (Sankhya yoga darshan) so humans during Mahabharat period must be earthly and certainly not aliens, according to sutra's our image of God is clear,it is Brahman which manifest in the desired form in which we wish!!! So what are your views on sidhis,are these true powers or one becomes Super suggestable one hallucinate,even advance beings can't create anything from nothing..
ReplyDeleteSo what are these sidhis???pls pls pls reply
I believe its just the power of the subconscious mind that we are yet to tap into. We human beings mostly operate through our conscious mind but the subconscious is what gives us access to these powers.
DeleteYuganta: The End of an Epoch
ReplyDeleteBook by Irawati Karve
The author grapples with the complexity of Krishna the man and Krishna the Godhead. After much research and analysis, she concludes that the deifying of Krishna as a god only happened after the Mahabharata. The story of his naughty childhood, the dalliance with Gopis, et al could only have been a later addition. During the epic, he was very much human.He was intelligent, just, farsighted and brave, but no God, says the author. Later versions have parts inserted to reinforce the Godly status.
With scientific, anthropologic view
She removed all divine miracles of Mahabharat epic..
The author argues that at the time of epic Krishna was as human as everyone else, but he became God later. And all the romantic,devine stories associated with him are a later addition.
Abhiras who destroyed Dwarka, keepers of cows made God as cowherd,they elaborated stories it was this which led to blind bhakti movement..
Perhaps you may had read this book... so what is your opinion about her veiw that there were no divine miracles and Krishna was turned to God status???
Plz plz reply
Well everyone is free to have their interpretations :) I however don't subscribe to that view
DeleteHi,Dr vineet...sir since I have physics back ground(msc),I can very well understand quantum theory.
ReplyDeleteI myself very much interested to know what is our life about,how everything was created,sprituality,etc
Modern neuroscientist claim that mystics experience are just mental disorders,so I have few questions
1) Does brain creates consciousness or it is just receiver of consciousness?? What are your thoughts???
2) according to sage patanjali and Upanishads Brahman is the underpinning reality,by yoga meditation we develop spiritually...and at higher stages one can fully control nature even bend laws of physics ie. What is supernatural powers(siddihis) however one should not miss use it and one should only think of enlightenment..
So how you define Enlightenment???
So Celestial weapons of Mahabharata must be special siddihis is'nt it??
Or these divine weapons are just sage vyas imaginations??
If you are believer of ancient aliens theory than my question is why ancient aliens are not contacting modern Hindu people???
Hello Sam nice queries. Well I believe our brains can be attuned y meditation to perceive the knowledge that otherwise we wouldn't be able to just like there are radio waves around us but you need a receiver tuned into a particular frequency to be able to appreciate them. Enlightenment is the actual realization (not just theoretical) that our souls are eternal and a part of the super soul or paramatama. Nothing exists without Him and everything is but a part of the same whole.
ReplyDeleteAbout ancient aliens I believe our life time is too short for us to encounter these beings today. 6 months of humans is one day of the gods and their lifetime is too large for us to feature significantly in it.
Have written a separate post on the celestial weapons you can check it out on this blog by scrolling through the articles. Its titled - war of the worlds.
Deletenice
ReplyDeleteHlo. Sir
ReplyDeleteCan you make these scriptures or stories available in audiobook?
Not really possible for me right now perhaps in the future :)
DeleteHello Dr. Aggarwal. I'm delighted to stumble upon your blog which seems like a treasure chest of Indian mythology. Is there any particular chronological order in which these posts need to be read? Looking forward to diving in. Many thanks. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much.. there isn't a particular order for these articles I had written them as the thoughts arose in my mind feel free to dive in as you please. I have provided links of related topics though within the articles so that should be helpful.
Deleteyour knowledge sir🙏🏼🙏🏼 🙏🏼🥰💐
ReplyDeleteNeeded information sir :)
ReplyDeleteAn amazing blog.......big fan sir ....do share your review of brahmastra movie
ReplyDeleteExcellent read.....please publish more literature for us to understand and know Indian Mythology in depth.....
ReplyDelete