Ramayana -a Forerunner of Today's Sci-fi and Warfare?
The asuras, especially after sunset, had gained immense magical properties. They could appear at one place, fire at the opponent, disappear in seconds and appear in another location and open fire again. Does this remind us of "warp zone" we see in computer games. Perhaps, they had known the mysteries surrounding our space and utilized it fully. We can ponder on this for some time (may be for years) before we too can find out existence of such warp zones.
Now for the weapons. Though Epic mentioned Bows and Arrows, do they remind us of hand-held or shoulder fired missiles? Perhaps, yes. The Epic narrates arrows that could chase, change path and direction and always close in on the enemy. The modern weapons are aiming precisely at this. A reminder of heat-tracing missiles?
We can now compare some of the weapons (mentioned as "Astras" in the Epic) and the equivalent or near equivalent modern weapons.
Naga Paanam (Naga meaning snake and Paanam meaning weapon) which could kill a person if remedial course is not administered immediately. We are now reminded of some of the chemical weapons used now.
Paasa Paanam (Passa meaning that which could tie and Paanam meaning weapon). These were used to immobilize people temporarily. Immediately our mind goes to stun grenades.
The ultimate weapon which could be used only by exceptionally few persons was the Brahmastra. This was described as one which could vaporize and kill everybody in the opponent battle field. Are we now talking of a much sophisticated nuclear kind of weapon used within a restricted area?
My God! My mind goes spinning just by thinking the endless possibilities that the Epic Ramayana throws.
Believe me, I am not an atheist. Indeed I am a Hindu and believe in Lord Sri Rama sincerely and offer my prayers to Him every day. Sure, people will appreciate that this is not heresy but a profane thought propelled by scientific imagination.
Published by Krishnan Sundararajan
Marketing professional, travelled widely across India and come across people from varied regional heritage (both Indians and foreign nationals) View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentThanks for your comments. Some of the modern engineering and scientific works which have progressed at an exponential pace in the last century, reminded me of the Epic Ramayana. As I stated in the article, it was purely imagination on my part while comparing the present vs past and who knows what tomorrow's world will bring out! We should accept our ancestors had better understanding that was unfortunately handed down to the next generation or lost during the process of time. This is not specific to India or Hindus or the Mayans, etc.
Some old myths can be tenuously compared to modern-day weaponry? Big deal. Did those myths make the world better? Any ancient soldier who's fired an arrow in anger at a moving target could imagine -if only!- an arrow or spear that tracks its quarry. Or imagine harnessing the lethality of a snake. The imagination of these ancient Hindus in their story-telling is immense. That doesn't make it true. Or make them technologically sophisticated- simply imaginative. It's silly pedestal-setting to say the ancients were more advanced than us. Our medicine, technology and food supply are way ahead. Would you rather live then or now? It was modern engineering and science that allowed us to actually make heat-seeking missiles and thermonuclear devices, more's the pity.
I think they were far more advanced than we are now. They had flying saucers and we do not. They had real spiritual knowledge and we do not.
I know this comes in very very late. Nevertheless.. I agree with what Naresh had pointed out. Anyone with stretched creativity can "think" of some stuff, which MIGHT come to fruition sometime in the future. This does not go on to prove those concepts were necessarily implemented. What can actually prove those weapons in Ramayana are predecessors of today's, would be some findings of artifacts from that period.
Trying to draw a loose parallel here. No one would have believed some guy who arbitrarily wrote about giant reptiles, evolving from amphibians,ruling the world. But its the findings of fossils that support and prove the theory of evolution.
What can be said however, is there has been some drawing of ideas from ancient texts. But then again, everyone from the Greeks to Hindus have written about some form of weapons in the battle against "evil", it can't be concluded that man now uses concepts from the Ramayana or Mahabharatha.
Dear Venkat
Your points noted. The one I wrote was just the start of topic and see where it heads to. Nothing more. ETs could be a plausible explanation. But I will start offering my points as we go on.
It is easy to imagine all these and put a bit of what current "knowledge" is and be amazed at all the forethought that our forefathers had. But is that it or is there more to it?
It will be foolish to either look at all the "stories" in amazement or to brush these as just the product of a fertile brain.
But if you are going to be just throwing the bits and pieces of Ramayana, Mahabharatha and tell us that those guys have been far more advanced then it is silly.
What about the puranas and the Koorma avatar where the world is sinking and Vishnu brings it back on "track".
A more plausible explanation is that of Extra Terrestials and their influence on the early men. I suggest you read the book "The chariots of Fire" which talks more about it. The concept (of futuristic weapons of early Indians) that you have outlined becomes believable when you apply this theory. Further the book talks about the timelines of human development and argues that the timeline deduced by the scien