A Critical Study of the Work “Vymanika Shastra”
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A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE WORK “VYMANIKA SHASTRA” by H.S. MUKUNDA§, S.M. DESHPANDE§, H.R. NAGENDRA§§, A. PRABHU§, AND S.P. GOVINDARAJU§ Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore‐560012 (Karnataka) SUMMARY – A study of the work “Vymanika Shastra” is presented. First, the historical aspects and authenticity of the work are discussed. Subsequently, the work is critically reviewed in respect of its technical content. It appears that his work cannot be dated earlier than 1904 and contains details which, on the basis of our present knowledge, force us to conclude the non feasibility of heavier‐than craft of earlier times. Some peripheral questions concerning dimensions have also been touched upon. 1. Historical Aspects a fortieth) of “Yantra Sarvaswa” by §ÉrÉ: xMüqpÉÉxÉ: xMüÍpÉiÉÉxÉ AÉUpÉå sage Bharadwaja, which is devoted ̧ÉlÉ£ü rÉÉjÉÎx§ÉuÉï μÉlÉÉ ÌSuÉÉ || 5 || 1.1 ORIGIN to a summary of the work on G0 AwOû0 1 | A0 3 | uÉaÉïç 4 | A book titled “Brihad Vimana vimana vigyana by a number of Shastra” by Shri Bramhamuni other sages and is said to be for the qÉ0 2 || Parivrajaka was published in the benefit of all mankind. ….going from one island to year 1959 [1]. It contains verses in another with these crafts in three Sanskrit (describing aircraft) with 1.2 DATING OF THE WORK days and nights….and their Hindi translation. In his introduction to the Recently, another book titled “Brihad Vimana Shastra” (hereafter AÉ lÉÉå lÉÉuÉÉ qÉiÉÏlÉÉÇ rÉÉlÉçÇ mÉÉUÉrÉ “Vymanika Shastra” by Shri G.R. denoted as BVA) the translator has aÉliÉuÉå ........ || 9 || G0 AwOû0 1 | Josyer has appeared [2], which tried to hind at the Vedic origin of A0 3 | uÉ0 34 | qÉÇ0 2 || M×üwhÉÇ contains the same Sanskrit verses the text. In support of this he has ÌlÉrÉÉlÉÇ WûUrÉ: xÉÑmÉhÉÉï AÇmÉÉå uÉxÉÉlÉÉ ÌSuÉ with their English translation. One invoked Maharshi Dayananda qÉÑimÉiÉÎliÉ | iÉ AÉuÉuÉקÉlixÉSlÉ....||10|| notable feature of this English Saraswati’s work entitled version is that it contains drawings “Rigaveda Bhashya Bhumika” [3]. ²ÉSzÉ mÉëkÉrÉzcÉ¢üqÉåMü §ÉÏÍhÉ lÉqrÉÉÌlÉ Mü of some crafts too, something not Also, some quotations from EiÉΊMåüiÉ | iÉÎxqÉlixÉÉMü ̧ÉzÉiÉÉ lÉ to be found in the Hindi version. western scholars are given in zÉMüuÉÉå Å ÌmÉiÉÉ bÉÎwOûlÉÇ cÉsÉÉcÉsÉÉxÉ: Also, the English work by Josyer support of the clain for antiquity. || 11 || G0 AwOû0 2 | A0 3 | makes no mention whatsoever of According to Maharshi uÉ0 23 | qÉ0 1 | 2 || the earlier work in Hindi. Dayananda Saraswati’s Our main concern in this report commentary (first published in Just an intelligent people will be with the above two works. 1878 or earlier), there are constructed ships to cross These books contain verses references to aircraft in the Vedic oceans…..jumping into space which, according to their texts, are mantras: speedily with a craft using fire and supposed to form only part (about water…..containing 12 stamghas § Departmental of Aeronautical Engineering (pillars), one wheel, three §§ Department of Mechanical Engineering Scientific Opinion / 5 1974 machines, 300 pivots, and 60 However, we were able to and had them exhibited there. instruments. locate Shri G.V. Sharma and Shri Subsequently, the original These, however, are too vague, Venkatarama Shastry (adopted son manuscript and the drawings were scanty, and totally inadequate to of Pandit Subbaraya Shastry) with procured and retained by Shri date their (verses) content to the help from a retired scholor from Josyer. The drawings were not Vedic period. Further, we are afraid the Tirupati Sanskrit Library, Shri contained in the transcripts which we may be attributing meaning to Srinivasa Iyengar, who seems t reached the Baroda University shlokas based on what we know have played some part in Library. That perhaps is why BVS today. (More on this in Section transactions relating to the lacks the drawings. 1.5). transcripts in question. Discussions The manuscript from which BVS with both Shri Sharma and Shri 1.4 AUTHOR’S LIFE SKETCH was prepared as said to have been Venkatarama Shastry cleared up The authorship, as stated available a the Rajakiya Sanskrit many points concerning the history earlier, has been traced to Shastriji. Library, Baroda, in 1944. It is also of the documents. It may be worth recording some of stated in BVS that later another Shri G.V. Sharma was a close his life history to appreciate the transcript was found in Poona with associate of Pandit Subbaraya situation in a better perspective. a signature and dates aÉÉå uÉåÇMüOûÉcÉsÉ Shastry (Shastriji from hereon) Following is a brief life sketch of during his later years. It appears Shastriji summarized from zÉqÉÉï 9‐8‐1919 set on it. BVS has that Shastriji, who was supposedly reference [4]. It appears that the been written on the basis of the endowed with certain mystical autobiography was written to fulfil above two transcripts which are powers, used to spell out shlokas a promise made to Jagdish Chandra essentially the same. It may be (verses) whenever he got Bose (the well‐known scientist) by noted that in the introduction to inspiration. These used to be Shastriji, during one of the BVS gratitude has been expressed promptly taken down by Shri discussion meetings at Bombay. to Air Com. Goel who probably has Sharma. After the full text had Shastriji was born in a small something to do with the been so dedicated, copies were village in Hosur Taluk (Madras procurement of these documents. made which later found their way State) and got married at the age to several places, Most of this and of eight. His parents died a few 1.3 AUTHORSHIP other similar materials were kept in years later and he was forced to As already stated, the charge of Shri Venkatrama Shastry support the large family, including authorship of the work has been after the death of Shastriji in 1941. brothers and sisters, virtually by attributed to Maharshi The existence of the manuscript begging. Subsequently, he went to Bharadwaja. Whether this was known in some circles and that stay with his father‐in‐law, but Maharshi is the same as one of the probably is how Air Com. Goel soon had to leave with his brothers seven seers (Saptarshis) is by no came to know of it and had it and sisters, looking for alms at means substantiated. Thus the procured from the Baroda other towns. Thereafter, things got question of authorship remains as University Library sometime during worse. Sometime later, his sisters yet unanswered. It is possible, 1944. and one of his three brothers died however, to throw more light on Sometime during 1951, Shri of small‐pox. He himself got such a the situation. Josyer established an organization, severe attack that he no longer In his introductory remarks in called International Academy of could move or use his own hands. the book Vymanika Shastra (VS Sanskrit Research. An exhibition of His brothers perforce had to leave from hereon) Josyer states that rare manuscripts was held during him to himself and move away. He Pandit Subbaraya Shastry of Anekal the inaugural function. Shri M.C. had to live on grass and other dictated the verses to Shri G. Krishnaswamy Iyengar, another leaves, like and animal, for a period Venkatachala Sharma (G.V. Sharma associate of Shastriji, (who has of time. He then came to an area from hereon). No further details of published the English translation of near Kolar (Karnataka) in a most the process in which the work the autobiography of Shastriji [4]) pitiable state. It is stated that there came into existence have been took some of the manuscripts, he met a great saint, referred to as given in VS. including the “Vymanika Shastra”, Guruji Maharaj in the text. This Scientific Opinion / 6 1974 saint cured him of his terrible Dr. Talpade (of Bombay) tried to within the realm of science and is disease, initiated him into make models under the guidance beyond the scope of this paper. spirituality and revealed to him of Shastriji, but that he was not Thus it appears to us from secrets of many shastras like successful in making any of then internal and related evidence that Vimana Shastra, Bhautik Kala Nidhi, fly. the work VS is of recent origin. Jala Tantra, etc. in a cave. Despite these and other facts Later on, Shastriji came back to 1.5 DISCUSSION mentioned earlier Shri Josyer Anekal and settled down with his The dating of the work VS may states in the introduction to his wife to a quiet life. Circumstances be approached from other angles: book [2] that the work is several forced him to adopt Shri (a) The kind of Sanskrit used in the thousand years old; the book in Venkatarama Shastry as his son. text may indicate whether or not Hindi [1] tends to hint at the vedic Because of innate spirituality and the text is of Vedic origin. origin of the text. mysticism, he came to influence The text contains Shlokas set to What we feel unfortunate in many people, some wise, some AlÉÑwOÒûmÉ metre and its language is history is that some people tend rich, and some both. He then made quite simple and modern. Again, in to eulogise and glorify whatever several trips to Bombay and its introduction, BVS mentions that they can find about our past, even dictated Parts of Vimana Shastra a few words did have a structure without valid evidence. In the there. He had the drawings (of similar to that of the Vedic Sanskrit. absence of any evidence, efforts aircraft) made sometime between The number of such words being will be made to produce part of 1900 and 1919 by someone called very small, and their usage being the evidence in favour of Ellappa who was a draughtsman in incidental, it appears appropriate antiquity.