Mahabharata War And It’s Impact on Science and Technologies of Ancient Civilizations

 

Mahabharata War and It’s Impact on Science and Technologies of Ancient Civilizations

By Lalit Mishra, email : Mishra.lalit@gmail.com

Mahabharata has been the first recorded world war of ancient world ( Dated between, 1500 BCE - 3100 BC) in that, quite a  large number of armed forces ( 18 Akshauhani)  gathered from all across the world to fight the war for their lords, who they liked and got aligned to, The war left behind unimaginable casualties and loss of lives, enormous destruction with effectively end of an era called Dwapara and subsequent beginning of the dark age of Kali.

The war demolished the socio-economic system of Vedic Aryans along with extinction of a number of tribes and races like Rakshas, Asuras, Naga, Yakshas etc who lost their existence on planet earth, The war caused an end to all pervasive Vedic empire and it’s colonies across the globe such as Bactria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, South West Europe as well as from some parts of lower Russia and China. The war deserves serious studies  that unfortunately never happened.

The impact of war can be seen and realized  in lost history of many races, I strongly opine that it’s the Mahabharata war that’s responsible for decline of Indus Valley Civilization, not merely changes in the flow of Saraswati or it’s getting to dry or the subsequent prolonged famine could have devastated the valley, Even today Saraswati doesn’t flow but we have best green states of India thrive along the perceived flow stream of Saraswati, I w’d be writing separately on Indus Valley Civilization as found in Indian texts.

Obviously, Indian economy, science and technology got impacted to it’s worst and today we have only textual references left to know about human life of Mahabharata age.

In the prolonged discussion held on catastrophic weaponry used in Mahabharata war Francesco Brighenti, Jyoti Babu, Ram Varmha etc. who argued without caring to have serious self study of available sources, mostly under superstition that there was no science, not even the basic fundamentals of science with that people of Mahabharata age, however, could develop catastrophic weaponry, Jyothi Babu kept hurling demand to see Motor, Gear and Liver in texts, so be it !

Ignorance is no bliss, not a science either, the science begins with systematic study, unfortunately, some activists but half read scholars used science as a hoax, as a cover to hide their own state of not having read the scriptures. 

They are making fantastic false theories like Aryan Invasion, Aryan Migration to India and so many other wrong stuff that floats in the  cyber group.

Question is how without  a scientific approach to discover the unknown truth,  how some people justify their advocacy for science and technology.

I have been thinking for the long-long time to put a few textual references for the benefit of those who argue more but knows too less, Below is the part one, In the part two, I shall cover more dangerous weapons like Pashupata, Brahmastra,  Narayan Astra etc.

Ref 1 : Use of motor driven boat

In the epic of Mahabharata, we get reference to boat having a motor fitted into it, the evidence comes in epic’s Jatugriha Parva (148), the context is Pandava’s run for a safe place after the Lakshagraha in Varnavat was burnt, The verse lists three key attributes of the boat :

1.       Yantraukta i.e having a motor fitted into it.

2.       Sarvavat Saham i.e able to face air storms.

3.       High speediness.
 

In fact, we get reference to mechanical devices(Yantra)  right from Rigvedic mantras, people don’t study texts attentively and toss up with folly having a flag of science.

Ref 2 : Peculiar Tranquillizer gun
In my opinion, the greatest character of strength and feminine glory in epic is rebellious Amba who committed her life to kill Bhishma in revenge of injustice that Bhsihma caused to her, Bhishma had everything but the independent human values since he chose to get wedded to throne.

In Mahabharata, upon prayers of Amba, Parashuram waged war against Bhishma, neither of them were able to win the other, frustrated Bhishma prays to Asht Vasus and gets Prasvapan Astra, The Prasvapan Astra was a non-lethal weapon that was invented by Viswakarma with intention to get the targeted person tranquilized and subsequently captured. Exactly same that's in use in out times.
 

Ref 3 : Deployment of defense devices  with a hundred barrel Gun, The Cannon “Shatadhni”

Epic narrates the fortification and kind of security structure implemented for the security of the Viraat, the capital of Drupad, father of girl,  Krishna whose another name Draupadi is more popular, The narration is found in (Viduragaman parva, 199’th chapter) and it comes from Saumadatti who narrates attributes of Shataghni, the cannon with a hundred barrel gun, was deployed for the security and it's also said that adequate reserves for the wartime including fuel, food grain, machines and medicines was managed.

A Ghosh (1950) who carried out excavation at Rajgiri (Bihar)  has identified traces of similar fortifications with Cyclopean wall and signs on earth left by heavy chariots of Jarasandha’s time, to unearth the unknown history,  more researches should be conducted on such traces.

Ref 4 : The programmable telescopic devise, Chakshushi Vidya and Agneya Astra

In Chaitra-rtha parva (171’th chapter, Adiparva) Arjun’s encounter with one Yaksha who upon defeat gifts Chakshushi Vidya or knowledge of programmable telescopic device to Arjun, that has capability to provide view of the all three lokas, the devise was originally invented by Manu and given to Soma, Soma gave it to Visvavasu and lastly it's mentioned that it was Yaksha king, who got the devise.

Arjun also gifts a few fire arms ( Agneya Astra) to gandharva that he received from Drona and Drona  had received those fire arms from  Agnivesha and Agniveshya from Bhardwaj, So, you see a series of experts across generations is shown in the epic having knowledge of such fire arms, It should also be noted that Fire Arms or Aagneya Astra is different from Arrows, Firearms looks similar to small handy ballistic missiles.

Ref 5 : Advanced Chariot “Sodaryavaan Ratha”

Epic (24’th chapter, Jarasandha Parva) provides interesting details of an advanced high speed chariot named as “Sodaryavaan”, the chariots had champers for two warriors who can fight independently, This advanced chariot was originally used by Indra in his mission against ninety nine Danavas, the episode is mentioned at many places in RiIgveda.

Pandava - Bhima captured this chariot from Jarasandha and Jarasandha  got that chariot from Vasu and Vasu from Indra. This sequence shows chariot had quite mature and stable design that could have lasted for generations.

The importance of chariots can be understood with Bhishma classifying armies gathered for the war in five ways – Ardha Rathi, Rathi, Udar Rathi, Maharathi and Ati Rathi.