A controversial paper presented at the prestigious science conference, the 102nd Indian Science Congress in Mumbai, claims human aviation and advanced space flight was achieved and mastered by the ancient Indians, thousands of years before the Wright brothers in 1903.
The paper, presented by Captain Anand Bodas and Ameya Jadhav within a session titled Ancient Sciences through Sanskrit, details that in Vedic texts from 7,000 years ago, airplanes are described as being able to fly backwards and side-to-side. They could also shuttle between countries, continents and even planets.
Captain Anand J Bodas draws upon the ancient Vedas for evidence of aviation technology
“There is official history and unofficial history,” said Captain Bodas, according to TheNational. “Official history only noted that the Wright Brothers flew the first plane in 1903,” but the inventor of the airplane was really a sage named Bharadwaja, who lived around 7,000 years ago. “The ancient planes had 40 small engines.”
Painting of Bharadwaja, said to be one of the greatest Hindu sages. Public Domain
The Vedas are a large collection of Sanskrit texts originating in ancient India and constitute the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Some of the collection, such as the Samhitas, are known to date back to at least 1,700 B.C., although it is believed that many go back much further.
An illustration of the Shakuna Vimana that is supposed to fly like a bird with hinged wings and tail. Public Domain
The subject of ‘flying machines’ has been a popular subject among ancient astronaut theorists, who argue that some extracts are evidence of extra-terrestrial visitations:
“The Pushpaka (flowery vimana) chariot that resembles the Sun and belongs to my brother was brought by the powerful Ravana; that aerial and excellent chariot going everywhere at will… that chariot resembling a bright cloud in the sky... and the King (Rama) got in, and the excellent chariot at the command of the Raghira, rose up into the higher atmosphere.” (Ramayana)
However, Captain Bodas said that ancient Indians invented the technology and that it was later forgotten because of the passage of time, foreign rulers and things being stolen from the country.
The Times of India reports that the paper, presented at the conference which included six Nobel laureates and award winning academics and scientists in its roster, has been met with skepticism, claims of “pseudo-science,” and the argument that the theory undermines empirical evidence by citing ancient religious texts.
The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) is a premier scientific organization of India, with more than 30,000 scientist members. The ISCA’s mandate is to publish journals, hold conferences and advance and promote the cause of science.
Valedictory Session of the 100th Indian Science Congress in Kolkata (Wikimedia Commons)
NASA scientist Dr. Ram Prasad Gandhiraman started an online petition before the conference was held to oppose certain lectures which were thought to advance a mix of science, mythology and the politics of Hindu nationalists.
However others, such as an Indian scientist from the U.S. who attended the conference, seemed to find the examination of ancient testimony compelling, saying, “Knowledge always grows, its flow never stops. So if all this knowledge was available in the ancient days, I need to know where it stopped. Why did it fail to grow? Why was there no advancement? When did it stop? I am not aware of the chronology of events, but I am definitely willing to learn more and find out.”
Featured Image: A manuscript illustration of the Sky Battle of Kurukshetra, fought between the Kauravas and the Pandavas, recorded in the Mahabharata Epic (Wikimedia Commons)
By Liz Leafloor
Comments
Uncertainty
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In reply to while both arguements are by angeloftruth7777 (not verified)
"...especially when new discoveries are made daily, forcing us readjust our view of history and the world itself. i hope we all reserve the right to change our opinion in light of new information..."
Yes! I think this is critical to keep in mind whenever one is pursuing knowledge in any field of study. Science is an ongoing process, where current theory should be understood as a best-hypothesis based on known evidence, subject to change at any moment upon the discovery of new evidence. But a lot of people seem to want to treat current science as The Manual of Everything, Final Edition.
My favorite physicist, the late Dr. Richard Feynman, spoke and wrote at length on this subject, and summarized his thoughts by saying, "...whatever is not surrounded in uncertainty, cannot be the truth."
However, given the context of this discussion, perhaps another famous quote would be more apropos:
"Ipse se nihil scire id unum sciat"
....which can be translated as "I know one thing: that I know nothing," a quote attributed to Socrates by Plato, known as the Socratic Paradox.
As for India and the subject of Vimanas and prehistoric air or space flight, all I can say is, "Why not?" There is no evidence against the possibility--the period is called "prehistoric" for a reason, after all. And as you point out, there is the question of how an old text got so many things right on a subject they supposedly had no way of knowing anything about.
There is a family from India that lives in my small town, I often talk with them about India's Vedic past and the subject of Vimanas, of the Yuga cycle, and the implications of such things being true. They are always fascinating and fun discussions. The only disappointment came when I suggested we try and build a working Vimana based on the texts. They said it would be pointless, because such vehicles had been controlled with the Mind, which we could not do. Dream crushed.
while both arguements are
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In reply to First of all, there is by Ptolemy336VV
while both arguements are compelling, we still have yet to address the question of :how and who were able to describe,in minute detail,the workings and operastion of space flight at such an early time?fanciful it may be ,however there is still the existance of documents describing such technology and that deserves to be addressed.arguing over who was first is folly,espcially when new discoveries are made daily,forcing us readjust our view of history and the world itself. i hope we all reserve the right to change our opinion in light of new information...the goal is to enlighten and be enlightened not belittle ourselves or others...namaste
Yes.
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In reply to Arrogant replies Ptolemy, and by johnblack
Well said, sir. I could not agree more.
Arrogant replies Ptolemy, and
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In reply to First of all, there is by Ptolemy336VV
Arrogant replies Ptolemy, and the links you refer to in your comment are nonsense.
In regards to the conference, because one scientist started a campaign against the presentation, it doesn’t mean anything at all.
Diminishing the importance of the Indian culture is at least ignorant.
BTW, nobody tries to persuade you, there is no need for that … You are free to present your opinion here and have a civilized discussion, but it is not very nice of you to consider yourself right and everybody else is wrong – nobody will take your arguments seriously if you comment like this so what is the point ...
Game Over
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In reply to First of all, there is by Ptolemy336VV
Well. I thought what I was saying was pretty clear, but apparently not. You keep responding as though I am attacking Greece--which I am not--and as though I was advocating or proselytizing for India...which I was not.
In fact, that is what you were doing, only the other way 'round.....denigrating the Indian cu,lture, while preachin' Greek awesomeness.
I was simply trying to suggest you might should dial that back a bit. as there is neither need nor reason for such virtriol, which gets us nowhere and does not further understanding.
Your response has been only to dial it up, then carry on at length with it.
Way to go, me. Feedin' the trolls again.
EDIT: It should be pointed out that you are attacking India on the basis of its mythology; to the point where you are quoting passages for the sole purpose of sneering at them in contempt. So far, no one has had such bad taste or poor manners to do the same to the Ancient Greeks, who had just as rich, colorful, complex, and wonderfully weird a pantheon and parade of deities as India ever did.
Yes, but no one today is trying to claim all those Greek stories of gods and men were actually real, right?
Right. But ancient greeks clearly thougt they were real, just as ancient Indians thougt theirs were real . Expressing your contempt for one implies you should have the same contempt for the other. You want me to try and "explain" the idea of vimanas to you....perhaps you might care to explain the cyclopse, or the golden fleece? Defend the concept of Olympus? The Oracle of Delphi, the deeds of Heracles?