Vimanik - part I

Maha-Rishi Bharadwaja authored the text of Vaimanika Shastra- The ancient science of aircrafts and aeronautics. In this text, Vimanas and Rathas are described in Ramayana, Mahabharata, Vedas and various others such works. There is the Saubha Vimana used by Salva which Sri Krishna broke using the Sudarshan Chakra and the Pushpak Vimana used by Ravana which was gifted to him by Lord Shiva.

There is a mention of some modes of transport in Rig Veda too which is the oldest text in the human civilization.

1. Jalayan- a vehicle designed to operate in water;

2. Kaara- a vehicle designed to operate on ground and in water;

3. Tritala- a vehicle consisting of three upwards floors;

4. Trichakra Ratha– a Vimana with three (3) engines designed to operate in the air;

5. Vaayu Ratha- a wind-powered chariot;

6. Vidyut Ratha- a vehicle that operates on power

Yajur Veda refers to skilled Engineers who work on these Vimanas and Rathas.

Rajyadhara was a highly skilled engineer in mechanical contrivances and he could make cruises and ocean liners. And Pranadhara manufactured a flying chariot that could to carry a thousand passengers in the air. “These chariots were stated to be as fast as thought itself.” (Hindumediawiki.com, 2021)

In the Agastya Samhita, two types of planes called Agniyana (which operates by blasts of fire) and Vimanadvigunam (which operates both in air and water).

This text has 8 chapters, 100 sections, 500 principles and 3000 slokas.

The aircrafts were classified into 3 types;

Mantrika, Tantrika, Kritaka, Antaraala, Goodha, Drishya

During Krita Yuga, dharma was well established and hence people could travel to various places with the help of their ashtasiddhis (or eight-fold mystical powers). In Treta Yuga, Mantrika type of aircrafts where used where the pilots could fly the planes with the help of mantras or operated by sound. There were 25 such vimanas in Treta Yuga including the Pushpaka Vimana. The aircraft used in Dwaparayuga were called Tantrikavimana, flown by the power of tantras or fire. The aircraft used in Kaliyuga, the ongoing yuga, are called Kritakavimana, or artificial aircrafts flown by the power of fuel.

The antaraala Vimana is operated in the sky, in the regions where there is wind, by the clash of powerful currents at the atmospheric intersections. The Goodha Vimana is a stealth Vimana that operates by the power of sunrays. The Drishya Vimana is a Vimana operated by the electric force and the force of the wind, that is covered by mirrors. The Adrishya Vimana is a Vimana that operates by the power of the nuclei of solar rays, by which you attract the flow of the ethereal sky, and mix them with the force of the air to create an invisible Vimana.

More information about the types of Vimanas can be viewed online at https://haribhakt.com/vaimanika-shastra-worlds-first-aeronautical-engineering-guide-by-an-indian-sage/

Image Credit: www.abzu2.com

Copyright: KLP (May 05, 2022)