Aircrafts in Ancient India
Aircrafts in Ancient India
Aircraft in Ancient India
Author-Shri Parashuram Hari Thatte
Note-This article was first published in " Vedic Magazine and
Gurukul Samachar", Lahore, Vol. XXI, No.7, in December 1923.
Susequently it was published in Weekly Shilpa-Sansar, Vol.1, issue 16,
pages 246-250,23rd April 1955.
Introduction: Mitra (Positive electricity) and Varun (Negative
electricity), these two invisible things are produced in clean earthen pots
and are well known among Gods
सम्राजा या धृतयोनि मित्रश्चोभा वरुणश्च। देवा देवेषु
प्रशस्ताः। ऋग्वेद
नऋते श्रांतस्य सख्याय देवाः। ऋग्वेद
Fig. 1- Vedic references on electricity
Many people, who have not the remotest commercial interest in
aeroplanes, just out of curiosity read hand books on their construction
and if they have a mechanical turn of mind, theoretically they become
capable of constructing an aero plane. But of all kinds practical
education, the education of aeroplanes, unless it is put to the practical
purposes, is the least practical " (The Times of India, 2-7-1922).
History: we have written an illustrated work * in Marathi on the subject
of ancient and modern" Akash-yanas " or sky vehicles. In the supplement
to that work, we have given, an evidence about the existence of the said
vehicles in India, a description of the travels our hero, Rama, from Ceylon
to Ayodhya in the vanquished Ravana's Pushpaka Viman and alluded to
Shalva's attacks through Vimanas on our philosopher king Krishna's
capital Dwarka-facts noted in our well known epic Ramayana and Hari
Vansha. But that evidence all points to their outward shape; we are not
Aircraft in Ancient India Page 1
able to give an idea of evidence about their internal evidence about the
internal construction. To our great delight our friend Rao Saheb K.V.
Vaze, L.C.E. gave entirely new evidence as to their construction, from his
collection of Sanskrit engineering books. This gave us material to write a
new supplement to our book. This evidence is from Agastya Samhita, our
friend got it copied from an oblong manuscript copy of Mr. Joshi, a
Yajurvedi Brahmin at Ujjain, through Mr. N.V. Gadgil, Kaharwodi,
Jagannath's temple there. Ujjain, though now in ruined state on account
of earthquakes and foreign invasions, was once the seat of a university
where Emperor Ashoka received his education. It was the capital of our
learned king Vikramaditya and was once the most important centre of our
North-South trade. This important book therefore must be one of the
books kept in Secretariats of the ancient Rajas there, in charge of some
learned Pandit with a view to show them how to construct Aakashayanas
to get out of forts thereby when closely besieged by enemies, and to
manage an attack on them from outside in return.
The book is divided into two parts- (1) Abdhiyana treats navigation and
Agniyan treats of construction and management of aircrafts. The book
shows also how to produce hydrogen by electric Mitra-Varun required to
fill up balloons. The author of this book is Kumbhodbhava, Agastyamuni a
contemporary of our king Rama (B.C.5000) who killed Atipi and Vitipa,
brother demons, who are said to have played havoc in different Aryan
colonies in the Deccan by means of their kite like (Atipi) aeroplanes with
flags (Vaitapi). The real names of these brothers are unknown, they being
known only by their sky vehicles. In the well known H.H.the Gaikwad's
Sanskrit Library at Baroda there are some pages of Bharadwaja's
VimanadhikaraN an oblong manuscript which contains reference to the
following Sanskrit books on the subject
1. Swami Narayan's VimanChandrika
2. Shaunaka's Yomayantantra
3. Garg's Kalpatantra
4. Vachaspati's Yaanbindu
5. Chakrayana's Khetayanpradipak
6. Dhundinaths's Vyomayanarkprakash
None of these works is, we think, now available in India, and therefore
Agastya Samhita is not only the book but also perhaps the only copy of
book giving full description of the subject of air-craft, we have come
across up to this time. There are many words therein of historical
importance but we have no occasion here to make clear the implied
meaning of these terms.
With this introduction, we take liberty of submitting the following for the
consideration of readers.
Names-There are many names given to these Vimans in the Agastya
Samhita. Therefore it appears that the vehicles were not uncommon in
Agastya's days.
व्योमयानं विमानं स्यादग्नियानं तदेवहि- अगस्त्य संहिता ॥
व्योमयानं विमानोऽ स्त्री -अमरकोश
-Different names of aircrafts
Shape-The Shape of the vehicle was like that of ships.
जलैनौकेवयानं यव्दिमानं व्योन्मिकीर्तित।
Shape of vehicle
Wood- The wood used in the construction of these vehicles used to be of
first class i.e. it was light, flexible and easy to dress: the lighter it was the
better.
लघुसुघटं काष्ठं कोमलं ब्रम्हजाति तद्।!
विमानो सर्वदाग्राह्यं लघुत्वादुत्तमं स्मृतम् ॥
Wood for aircraft
Balloon- The balloons must have the following five qualities like a ship; it
must be divided, flexible, high, balanced (level) and clean.
Aircraft in Ancient India
विशीर्णता कोमलता उच्चता समता तथा।
स्वच्छता चेति नौकेव विमाने गुणपम्चकम् ॥
Qualities of Balloons
Cloth -The cloth used for it was silken. It was broad and soft. It was
called Kausheya, because the silk requied for its thick warps and woofs
was got from Kosh or covering of the crystis of silk worms.
कृमीकोषसमुद्भूत् कौषेयमितिगद्यते।
सूक्ष्मा सूक्ष्मौ मृदुस्थूलौ ओतप्रोतौ यथाक्रम।
वैतानत्व च लघुता च कौषेयस्य गुणसंग्नहः।
-Cloth for balloons
Seat. If the seat of the astronaut was made of Palash wood, it was
thought to be good in appearance, if it was Venu or Sandal, it was
thought to give happiness, and if it was of Bakul wood it was thought to
bring good luck; and if it was made of jack fruit tree wood, it was
considered to float well.
पालाशो राजकः प्रोक्तचांदनः सुख उच्चते।
बाकुलस्तय शुभः प्रोक्तः पानसस्तारकः स्मृतः ॥
Seat for Astronaut
Umbrella- The umbrella in it was made of silk cloth. It was conical
inflatable in shape, it was fixed lengthwise and was double in
dimmensions than those of the balloons.
कौषेयछत्रं कर्तव्यं सारणसकुचनात्मकम्।
छन्नं विमानाव्दिगुणं आयामादौप्रतिष्ठितम् ॥
-Desription of Umbrella
Ropes-A sutra was made of nine threads, a Gun was made of nine
sutras, a Pash was made of nine Gunnas; a Rashmi was made of nine
pashas and a Rajju was made of 9, 8,7 or 6 Rashmis. Such ropes were
used in the construction of Indian balloons.
नवभिस्तंतुः सूत्रं सूत्रेस्तु नवभिर्गुणः।
गुणैस्तुयभिः पाशो रश्मिस्तैर्नवमिभवेत् ॥
नवाष्टसप्तषसंख्यै श्मिभीरज्जवः स्मृताः
- Description of Ropes
Air-tight cloth- In order to make the silk cloth air-proof it was thrice
soaked in the sap of trees like Fig, jack-fruit, Mango, Ashoka, Kadamb,
three Myrabolams (Trifala) and in the decoction of Mash pulse and
pressed down in the water of shell lime and sugar and was thrashed and
dried up.
क्षीरद्रुमकदंबाम्रा भयाक्षत्वग्जलैस्त्रिभी।
त्रिफलो दैस्ततस्तव्दन्पापयूषैस्ततस्ततः 1
स्यम्य शर्कराशुक्ति चूमिश्रित वारिणा।
सुरसं कुट्टनं कृत्वा वासांसि स्त्रवयेत्सुधोः ॥
| अगस्त्य संहिता
-Air-tight cloth
Electricity- Having put a piece of pure copper in an earthen pot, broad
mouthed,, water tight, clean, like one used for storing Ghee, they used
to put thereon pieces of Sulphate of copper Vitral, blue like the neck of a
peacock. Then they used to cover with wood dust and thereon used to put
a block of zinc besmeared with mercury, and they by this connection used
to produce electricity (Mitra). The light that was produced by connection
of copper and zinc was called Mitra. A battery of such hundred earthen
jars was very effective. It is needless to say that this Mitra was nothing
but electricity.
Aircraft in Ancient India
संस्थाप्य मृण्मये पात्रे तामपत्रं सुसंस्कृतम्।
छादयेच्छिखिग्रीवेन चार्दाभिष् काष्ठापांसुभिष् ||
दस्तालोष्टो निधात्वया पारदाच्छादितस्ततः
संयोगाज्जायते तेजो मित्रावरुणसंजितम ॥
अनेन जलभंगोस्ति प्राणो दानेषु वायुषु।
एवं शतानां कुंभानांसंयोगकार्यकृत्स्मृतः ॥
Electrical Battery
Note- For this inherent quality of producing electricity, the Sun is called
Mitra.
Electroplating- Gilding electricity covers copper with Gold or Silver when
in contact with acidulated water and solutions of metal salts i.e. contains
metal full of Yavakshara " copper covered with gold was called Shat
Kumbha". This gilding by means of Gold or Silver is called electroplating.
It is enumerated as one of the sixty-four arts described in
Shukraniti.
यवक्षारमयो धानौ सुशुक्तजलसन्धिौ।
आच्छादयति तत्तानं स्वर्णेनरजतेनवा ॥
सुवर्णलिप्तं तत्तानं शातकुंभमिति स्मृतम्। अगस्त्या संहिता
कृत्रिमस्वर्णरजतलेपः संस्कृतिरुच्चते।
लिप्तस्वर्णपुटेन ताम्ररजतं तत् शतकुंभंस्मृतम्। अगस्त्यमत
Electroplating
कृत्रिमस्वर्णरजतक्रिया लेपादि सत्क्रिया ॥ शुक्रनीति
Art of Electroplating
Note- Sage Agastya invented the art of guilding copper with either gold
or silver by means of batteries and therfore his contemporaries honoured
Aircraft in Ancient India
him with the title of " Kumbhodbhava- (Battery borne) Maitravarun (born
from or son of Electricity) etc.
Hydrogen-By the foregoing process of producing electricity the
acidulated water was divided into its constituents PraN (Oxygen) and
Udan (Hydrogen) gases.
Note -our old name for hydrogen is Udan Wayu. It is interesting to know
for what purpose it was used.
Flying-That hydrogen being light was poured up in the Varnished Silken
cloth bound fast to the top of the vehicle which was thus floated up in the
atmosphere.
वायुबंधकवस्त्रेण सुबध्दोयानमस्तके।
उदानस्यलघुत्वेन विभाकाशयानकम् ॥
Use of hydrogen gas
Note-From these facts the conclusion is forced upon us that Udan Wayu"
which was used for inflating our ancient balloons and hydrogen which is
now used for inflating modern ones, specially the German Zeppelins, is
one and the same. Driving. The balloon was generally called Viman.
People in those times used to yoke to it in the following birds such as
Eagle, Swan Vultures etc. for driving it. The science of training birds is
called Shakuntavidya.
गरुत्महसैः कंकालैरन्यैः पक्षिगणैरपि।
आकाशे वाहयेद्यानं विमानमिति संज्ञितम् ॥ अग्नियान
Use of birds as aircraft
From this evidence any one will agree with us in thinking that our
forefathers knew the construction and management of aircraft
theoretically and practically, both from Rama's time B.C.5000) if not from
Vedic time and as we do not see now any trace of indigenous art in India,
we have forgotten it in the downfall of our nation and thought it has
disappeared from India, it has struck roots in Germany and other
European countries like Christianity. We can make it revive if we make an
earnest attempt for its Indianization because the growth of things is
subject to the principles underlying the following sentences;
1. Theories and dogmas are all very well in their own way but they will
not carry you far if you reduce them to death .... Times of India.
2. The Science of Engineering is growing by actual operating
conditions rather than from the four walls of the lecture room or the
laboratories.
3. Indians will not consent to have a navy or air service from which
Indians were excluded- otherwise, this aircraft trade will naturally
be monopoly of foreigners like our shipping trade, as they as sure to
be the first in the field-Mr. Shastri (Bombay Chronicle 25-5-1921.
Conclusions-We, therefore, ardently hope, taking full advantage of
these facilities, we shall before long be able to construct and fly air-craft
inflating them with non-inflammable helium instead of inflammable
hydrogen (one penny per cubic foot) in our own country and in our air
service bearing in mind the two following principles;
1. States were made up of hearts and alter. Those men, when they
crossed the seas, would found hearts but would the find alter? Upon
the answer to that depended the greatness not only of the British
Empire but of humanity.
2. " No risk no gain" and that too in numbers so great that some
Divankas (Sky-abode of god) of us shall have occasion to declare
with proud air that are born to live and die in the pure air of their
aircrafts in the sky like Navankas (abode of ship) of another
continent like nation viz. China, Siam and Burma who are known to
be born and brought up and to die in the pure air of their ships in
their seas, with an eye on their historical truth one of the
following words in Amara's couplet.
अमरा निर्जरा देवा त्रिदशा विबुधाःसुरा।
सुपर्वाणः सुमनसः त्रिदिवेशा दिवौकसः ॥
Amara's couplet.
Because every thing visible (Divoukas) or invisible (Navoukas) is like a
cyclically found subject to the rule of evolution and involution or in other
words birth, growth, death and rebirth etc.
वेदोमें विमाने
वेदोमें विमाने
वेदोंमें विमान
प्रवाह २, तरंग १]
वेदोम विमान
डा ० बालकृष्ण एम ० ए ०, पी-एच ० डा ०, एफ ० आर ० ई ० एस ०
(प्रिन्सिपल, राजाराम कालेज, कोल्हापुर)
यूरोपीय विद्वानों के मतानुसार वेदोंमें उच्च सभ्यताके " प्रखबुद्धि रैभवने ऐसे सुन्दर घूमनेवाले स्थका
नमूने नहीं हो सकते। विकास-वादके अनुसार वेद एक प्राचीन निर्माण किया, जो कभी गलती नहीं करता। हम इन्हें
और प्राथमिक मनुष्यों के गोत ही हो सकते हैं। वस्तुतः अपना सोम-रस पान करने के लिये आमन्त्रित करते हैं।"
विकास-वादके सिद्धान्तको सत्य मानकर ही वेद-विषयक (द्वितीय मन्त्र)
ऐसी अटकल लगायी जाती है। मेरे विचारसे तो वेद इनके " हे रेभव! तुम्हारी महत्ताका लोहा बुद्धिमानोंने मान
विकास-वादको सत्यतापर ही कुठाराघात करते हैं। इसका एक लिया है।" (तृतीय मन्त्र)
प्रमाण वेदमि विमानोंका वर्णन होना है। यदि वैदिक युगमें " जिस स्थका विभवनने निर्माण किया, तुम जिसकी
विमान बनाये जाते थे, तो उस कालकी सभ्यता अवश्यमेव रक्षा या प्यार करते हो, उस रथको मानव-समाजमें प्रशंसा
उच्च होनी चाहिये। निम्न प्रमाणोंसे पाठक स्वयं निश्चित कर है।" (पञ्चम मन्त्र)
सकते हैं कि, वेदमें " उड़नखटोलियों का वर्णन है, कवियोंकी अभुओं द्वारा निर्मित रथ एक ऐसा अभूतपूर्व आवि
कपोल-कल्पनाका चिन्न है अथवा सच्चे विमानों का वर्णन। कार था कि, उसको प्रशंसा जन-साधारण एवं विद्वान्, दोनों
ग्रिफिथने ऋग्वेदके चौथे मण्डलके ३३ वें सूक्तको इस द्वारा होती थो। इस स्थने संसारमें एक सनसनी फैला
बुरी तरह हत्या की है कि, वह बोधगम्य ही नहीं रहा है! दी थी।
यदि सायणके भाष्यसे काम लिया गया होता, तो इस इस वायुयानसे किसी प्रकारका शोर-गुल या आवाज
विवादग्रस्त प्रश्नपर अवश्य प्रकाश पड़ता। जो हो, इस नहीं होती थी। यह ठिकानेसे वायु-मण्डलमें विचरण करता
सक्तके निम्न लिखित मन्त्रों के मासे सरलता पूर्वक निर्धा. था और इधर-उधर न जाकर सीधे अपने गन्तव्य स्थानको
रित किया जा सकता है कि, जिस वायुयानके विश्यमें वर्णन जाता था। यह सूक्त इतना सीधा और साफ है कि, वायु
मिलता है, वह काल्पनिक है या वास्तविक। मैंने सायणके यानके अस्तित्वमें सन्देह करने की कोई गुजाइश ही नहीं
अनुवादको ही अपनाया है।
" हे रैभव! तुमने जो रथ निर्माण किया, उसमें न रह जाती है।
तो अस्त्रोकी आवश्यकता है और न धुरीकी। यह तीन " यह स्य विना अवके संचालित होता था।"
पहियोंका प्रशंसनीय स्थ वायु-मण्डलमें विचरण करता है। (ऋ ० १२१२ और १०६२०११०) यह स्वर्णस्थ त्रिकोण
तुम्हारा यह आविष्कार महान् है। इसने तुम्हारी तेजोमयी एवं त्रिस्तम्भ था।
पत्तियोंको पूज्य बनाया है। तुमने इस कार्यमें स्वर्ग एवं सभुओंने एक ऐसे रथका निर्माण किया था, जो " सर्वत्र
मत्यलोक, दोनोंको दृढ़ एवं धनी बनाया है।" जा सकता था " (ऋ ० १२०/३; १०।३६।१२, १॥६२।२८ और
(४॥३६ का प्रथम मन्त्र) १२६४, ५३७५६३ और ७०/३, ८४२६; १ ९ ३४.१२ और ४०२;
[प्रवाह २. तरंग
२०४
१३४।२ ओर ११८६१-२ तथा १५७३ (अ ० ५।०७।३)। " अश्विनो! अपने त्रिकोण त्रिस्तम्भ
कुछ और मंत्र देखिये स्थके साथ आओ' (१०१।४७२)
है धनदाता अश्विनो! तुम्हारा गरुड़वत् वेगवान ऋग्वेदमें वायु तथा समुद्रवाले दोनों रथोंका साफ-साफ
दिव्य स्थ हमारे पास आवे। यह मानव बुद्धिसे भी तेज है। वर्णन है। (ऋ ० १।१८२॥५)।
इसमें तीन स्तम्भ लगे हैं, तो भी इसकी गति वायुवत " तुमने तुम-पुत्रों के लिये महासागर पार करने के निमित्त
है (ऋ ० ११४७२)" " तुम अपने त्रिवर्ण, त्रिकोण सुदृढ़ जीवनसंयुक्त उड़ते जहाजका निर्माण किया, जिसके द्वारा
रथपर मेरे पास आओ।" (ऋ ० १।१ ९ ८२) तुमने तुम-पुत्र भुज्युका उद्धार किया और आकाशसे उतरकर
" अश्विनो! तुम्हें तुम्हारा शीघ्रतासे घूमनेवाला विचरण- विशाल जल-शशिको पार करनेके हेतु रथ तैयार किया।"
शील यन्त्र-युक्त गरुड़वतू स्थ यहां ले आवे ” (१०१।११८/ ४) इसी प्रकार यजुर्वेदमें भी व्युयान-यात्राका बड़ा ही
यहाँ विल्सन तथा कुछ दूसरोंने अश्वों द्वारा संचालित मनोहर वर्णन है लिखा है
पतंग अर्थ किया है, विमान नहीं; किन्तु इन उदाहरणोंसे यह" आकाशके मध्य यह विमानकै समान विद्यमान है।
अर्थ नहीं निकलता है। कमसे कम यह तो साफ वर्णित है धुलोक, पृथिवी और अन्तरिक्ष, तीनों लोकोंमें इसकी
कि, अश्विनों का रथ यन्त्र कलासे निर्मित किया गया था बेरोक गति है। सम्पूर्ण विश्वमें गमन करनेवाला और
और उसे संचालनार्थ अश्व नहीं लगे थे (ऋ ० १६११२।१२ मेघोंके ऊपर भी चलनेवाला, वह विमानाधिपति इहलोक
और १।१२० १० देखिये) एक दूसरे स्थानमें सर्वत्र विचरण- तथा परलोकके मध्यमें सब ओरसे प्रकाश देखता है। "
शील सुन्दर स्थका वर्णन है (ऋ ० १२०३)। (वाजसनेय संहिता १७६)
" ऋभुओ! तुम उस रथसे आओ, जो बुद्धिसे भी ऋग्वेद और यजुर्ववेदके मंत्रोसे ही इस लेखमें विमा
तेज है, जिसे अश्विनोंने तुम्हारे लिये निर्माण किया है " नोंकी विधमानताके प्रमाण मैंने दिये हैं। अथर्ववेदमें भी
(ऋ ० १०।३।१२)। स्पष्ट प्रमाण मिलते हैं। परन्तु लेखके बढ़नेके भयसे वे यहाँ
" तुम्हारा स्थ स्वर्णाच्छादित है। इसमें सुन्दर रंग है। नहीं दिये गये। आशा है कि, वैदिक सभ्यता के इस नमूनेपर
यह बुद्धिसे भी तेज एवं वायुके समान वेगशाली है " पाठक विचार करेंगे।
