The Glory of Ancient India

Niranjan Babu Bangalore

Niranjan Babu Bangalore

Dr. B.V. RAMAN THE VARAHAMIHIRA of Modern Times strode the world of Jyotisha as a
colossus for over six decades spreading the great wisdom of not only Jyotisha but also other
aspects of our culture across the globe through his writings in the world renowned magazine
of ours - The Astrological Magazine, through his global lectures, through his books and
through the ICAS which he established all over India.

Dr. B. V. Raman had great admiration for the achievements of the ancient Indians and would
invariably speak of this at important forums. I dedicate this article to

Ancient masters of wisdom, when they spoke of Jyotisha, Vastu, Yoga, Vedanta,
Ayurveda and other disciplines were speaking as men of great scientific eminence
and not as hair-splitting philosophers.
Ancient masters of wisdom, when they spoke of Jyotisha, Vastu, Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda
and other disciplines were speaking as men of great scientific eminence and not as hair-
splitting philosophers. India occupies the foremost place in global history. Murray in his
history of India tells us that India occupies one of the most remarkable regions on the
surface of the earth. One historian says that Nature in India is multifaceted with glowing and
her snow-covered Himalayas vie with the deserts in their beauty and serenity. Our ancients
were masters in every activity of human life science, philosophy, medicine, yoga,
architecture, astrology, business and politics. The excellence of the ancient civilization of
India is even today unmatched being the earliest civilization of the world. It is said that 3000
years BC, the ancients had attained a high degree of astronomical and geometrical learning.
It only goes to say that Indian culture dates back many centuries earlier. Count Bjornstjerna
says: "No nation on earth can vie with India in respect of antiquity of their civilization". While
the rest of the world was still sleeping India was busy producing great thinkers in every field
of science and art, great astronomers and great mathematicians.

A dispassionate study of ancient literature bearing on astronomy, architecture and allied

subjects will reveal that the vision of the ancient masters were deeply based correlated to
the realities and values of life.
The governance of ancient India is said to have been so good that the doors of homes were
never shut and India knew of no thieves. Ancient India had people of the highest ethical and
spiritual development and was never over-governed by the rulers. In this sense we can say
that the best governed people are the least governed people whose foundations are built on
moral and ethical values. The ancient Indians had the best social system and classified the
people on the principle of Varnashrama that divides people into two kinds 1) the Aryas and
2) the Dasyus civilized and savage.

The Aryas were sub divided into four sections who contributed to the society variously.

The Brahmana who contributed to the society with his learning and wisdom of the
liberal arts and sciences.
The Kshatriya who contributed to the society by defending the city, state and nation
and was the executive of the Government.
The Vaishya who contributed to society with trade and financial wisdom and
The Sudra who contributed food to the society by agriculture and hard work

The Varnashrama of the ancients was never the caste system of modern India. Viswamitra
was born a Kshatriya but rose to become a great sage and gave the powerful Gayatri
Mantra to the world. Valmiki was born a Sudra and became a rishi who gave Ramayana to
the world.

Sankara Digvijaya tells us:

Janmana Jaayathe Shudraha |
Samskaradvija Uchyate ||
Vedapaatee Bhavedvipraha |
Brahma Janaathi Braahmanaha ||

By birth all are Sudras

By actions become Dwija or Twice born
By reading the Vedas one becomes a Vipra
By knowing God, one becomes a Brahmana.

The people of ancient India were known for their generosity, simplicity, honesty, truthfulness,
courage, refinements and chivalry. Hioven - Thsang, the noted Chinese traveler said that the
Indians are distinguished by their straight forwardness and honesty of their character.

Sir John Malcolm in History of India says their truth is as remarkable as their courage. Most
western historians speak highly of the ancient Indians - their character and courage, their
knowledge of sciences and arts, their humility and their physical agility. The wisdom of the
ancient Indians is reflected in the universally popular game of chess called Chaduranga in
Sanskrit and owes its origins to India. The ancient Indians were also known for their love of
motherland and for their valor too.

The Ancient Indians with their brilliant national character and achievements in poetry and
philosophy, arts and sciences had covered the entire globe and even today this culture still
flows as an undercurrent in countless institutions of the world.

In the epic Mahabharatha we have the Romans coming to King Yuddhistira for the Rajasuya
Yagna with precious gifts. The Greek King Seleucus is said to have given his daughter to
King Chandragupta. The Greeks were referred to as Yavanas by the ancients. In the
southern state of India it is said roman soldiers were employed by the Pandyan Kings.

Egypt is said to have been a colony of Indians originally. One historian Heeren is astonished
at the physical similarity in color of the ancient Egyptians and Indians. He also points that
the striking similarity between the manners and customs of the two people. Persians are
said to have migrated from India and it is said that the Zorastrian language has great
similarity to Sanskrit.

Scandinavians are said to be descendants of Indians and the word owes its origin to the
Sanskrit word Skanda Nabhi. Germans are said to be Brahmanas from India with the word
being the corrupted form of Sharma. Sharma to Jarma to German. In Sanskrit Sh, j and a
are convertible to one another. Man of English is Mann of Germans which is Manu or
Manush of Sanskrit. Buddha and Buddhism again owe their origin to India. Buddha is said to
be the tenth avatara of Lord Visnu. Buddhism is the religion of China. In a way Indian culture
was globally accepted. Col. Todd tells us that the ancient Indians were highly civilized and
produced great thinkers in every field of Science and arts, great astronomers and great
mathematicians. He says: Where can we look for sages like those whose systems of
philosophy were prototypes of those of Greece; to whose works Plato, Thales and
Pythagoras were disciples. Where shall we find astronomers whose knowledge of the
planetary system yet excites?

The Angkor Wat of Siam is said to be a great Indian Temple - a colossally stupendous as
well as one of the most architecturally beautiful structures. The building is said to be
between two to three miles in circumference and contains a multitude of courts. (the ancient
temple prakaras?) and chambers with walls and portals covered with sculpture. The
exteriors of the temples are said to be covered with the scenes of Ramayana.

It is said that a highly civilized race existed in America before the modern civilization of
Europe entered its shores. The ancestors of Peruvians were Indians and ancient American
architecture resembles the Indian style of Architecture. Temples of South India have great
exactness to the structures of Central America of ancient times.

The early Americans worshipped earth as a deity just as we Indians pray to Mother Earth as
Dharti Mata. They used to worship the footprints of their heroes and deities on rocks and
hills as is done by us here in India even today.

Mexicans worshipped a deity with the trunk of a human and head of an elephant. Here in
India he is worshipped as Lord Ganesha. Serpent worship was common in India, Egypt,
Syria, Greece, China, Scandinavia and America. The serpent is the emblem of wisdom,
power, duration, life and eternity.

Dress codes of the ancient American women were more or less like the traditional Indian
Saree. Arjuna goes to Patala Desa (the other side of India is America) and marries a fair
skinned princess Uloopi. The Americans worshipped Rama and Sita in their original names.
The festival of Peruvians is named Rama - Sitva thereby indicating that Indians had
migrated to South America too.

The Indians traveled far and wide and made settlements in different parts of the
world.
The Indians traveled far and wide and made settlements in different parts of the world. That
the ancient Indians knew of Steamers and Aeroplanes is made clear by this sloka from the
Yajur Veda. (Adhyaya 6)

Samudrangaccha Swaha Antaringachha Swaha

Devam Savitaarangaccha Swaha

Chapter 326 of (Shanti Parva) Mahabharata talks about the journey of Rishi Sukhadeva
travelling to America and Europe with Sage Vyasa. Before the Great War, Pandavas are
said to have undertaken trips to Burma, Siam, China, Tibet, Mongolia and Persia and
returned via Hirat, Kabul, Kandahar and Baluchistan.

The Kings of India have married princesses belonging to foreign nations. Dhritarashtra
married the daughter of the King of Afghanistan (Gandhari). Arjuna married Uloopi, daughter
of the King of Amercia, Kuru Raja. Aniruddha, grandson of Sri Krishna married princess
Ookha, daughter of Ban, King of Shonit, belonging to Egypt. King Chandragupta married the
daughter of Seleucus, King of Babylon.

India has also excelled in literature. Speaking of Sanskrit Literature WC Taylor describes it
as "more purely intellectual as any of those of which we had before any conception, and
systems of Science whose antiquity baffled all power of astronomical calculation".

He continues "Its philosophy has touched upon every metaphysical difficulty". Speaking of
the extensive knowledge of ancient Indians in physical sciences, Captain Cunningham says:
Mathematical science was so perfect and astronomical observations so complete that the
paths of the sun and moon were actually measured.
Rev Ward says "The variety of subjects upon which the Indians wrote prove that almost
every science was cultivated among them. The more their philosophical works and law
books are studied, the more will one be convinced of the depth of their wisdom".

India was also noted for its language - Devanagiri or Sanskrit. Western Scholars referred to
Sanskrit as "the language of languages". Greek language is said to be a derivative of
Sanskrit which Mr. Bopp in Edinburg Review Vol. XXXIII, says was spoken all over the
world. The Vedas or knowledge books of the Ancient Indians can be called the fountain
head of all knowledge and the parent of all literature and science. They are the most
important of all Sanskrit writings. The Age of Vedas is unknown, they being referred to as
Apourusheya. No country except India and no language except Sanskrit can boast of a
possession so ancient and venerable. The Vedas stand alone in their solitary splendor as a
beacon of light to humanity.

Science
Rig Veda, 7th stanza of 2nd Sukta speaks about water being formed by a combination of
two substances.
Mitram Huve Pootham Dakshan
Varunaancha Rishaadasam
Dhiyam Gritachim Saadantaa

Mitra (Hydrogen) and Varuna (Oxygen) are the two substances. (Mitra is synonymous with
Udana that is characterized by its lightness).

Rishadah means eating away - rusts all base metals and purifies blood by oxidizing it.
Puta Daksham: Puta is Pure, free from impurities and Daksham means energy
Puta Daksham is a substance, pure and possessed of kinetic energy.

Meaning of the sloka taken as a whole is:

Let one who is desirous to form water by the combination of two substances, take pure
hydrogen gas highly heated and oxygen gas possessed of the properties risadah, and let
him combine them to form water.

This single sloka very clearly highlights the astounding and marvelous intelligence and
scientific knowledge of the ancients.

Grammar
The great grammarian Panini and his work Ashtadyayi is ranked as "supreme among the
grammars of the world for its precision of statement and its thorough analysis of the roots of
the language" by Sri W.W. Hunter.
Prof. Monier Williams remarks
"The grammar of Panini is one of the most remarkable literary works that the world has ever
seen and no other country can produce any grammatical system at all comparable to it,
either for originality of plan or subtlety of analysis".

The Indians were also great poets. Prof. Max Duncker says: The treasures of poetry are
inexhaustible".

Epics of India
India has given the greatest epics to the world. - Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ramayana
of Sage Valmiki precedes the Mahabharata of Sage Vyasa. While Ramayana is said to
contain 48,000 lines, Mahabharata contains 2,20,000 lines.

Speaking about Ramayana Sir Monier Williams calls it one of the greatest treasures of
Sanskrit literature. Rama is portrayed nobly and is depicted both as human and godly. When
Queen Kaikeyi wants the king to banish him to forest, he cherishes no sense of wrong to his
step mother. Sita is portrayed as a paragon of virtue. Her steadfast devotion to Sri Rama
and her unbounded love are known to every Indian. When she seeks the permission of the
Lord to accompany him into forest, her nobility is at its peak. Mahabharata, Professor
Hereen says "is one of the richest compositions in Epic poetry". One American ethnologist
Jeremiah Curtin says : The Mahabharata opens the eyes of the world to the true character
and intellectual rank of Indians. It is a real mine of wealth of information of the highest import
to all men.

The New York Times of 4th March 1988 calls the Mahabharata one of the most wonderful
poems of which we have any record and is the oldest and most voluminous. Prof. R. C. Dutt
speaking of Kalidasa's Megha Duta says it is a lyrical gem and there is nothing equal to it in
Sanskrit or any other literature. Panchatantra is the best masterpiece in the whole literature
of the world and Hitopadesa is one of the more popular works of Sanskrit literature.

Philosophy
Vedanta is another branch of knowledge that the ancient India excelled in. India produced
the greatest philosophers and as Prof. Max Mueller says India was (and is) a nation of
Philosophers. Count Bjornstjerna says that the Egyptian derived their religion, mythology
and philosophy from the Indians. He also says that Greek Philosophy was indebted to Indian
Philosophy. It is said the greek philosopher Pythogoras came to India to learn philosophy.
The doctrine of transmigration of souls was learnt by him from Indians and later on was
brought into Greece by him. Col. Todd says: "where can we look for sages like those whose
systems of philosophy were prototypes of those of Greece, to whose works Plato, Thales
and Pythagoras were disciples". He continues.. "Where shall we find astronomers whose
knowledge of the planetary systems yet excites wonder in Europe. Where shall we find
musicians who can make the mind oscillate from joy to sorrow and from tears to smiles."
The principal schools of Indian Philosophy are known as Darshanas. They are six in
number; Nyaya, Vaiseshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva and Uttara Mimansas. Their supreme
knowledge covered medicine, mathematics, astronomy, astrology, military science, music,
architecture, arts like painting, weaving etc.

Medicine and Surgery

Prof. Wilson says: The ancient Indians attained a thorough proficiency in medicine
and surgery as any people whose acquisitions are recorded.
Prof. Wilson says The ancient Indians attained a thorough proficiency in medicine and
surgery as any people whose acquisitions are recorded. Ayurveda is the knowledge of life in
the earliest system of medicine. The great physician Dhanwantri is said to have imparted
this knowledge to his pupil, Sushruta. Charaka was another great physician and their
celebrated works Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita are the treasures handed over to
the students of Ayurveda.

Ancient Indians had attained highest proficiency in Surgery too.

Mrs. Manning says The surgical instruments of the Indians were sufficiently sharp as to
divide a hair longitudinally.

Prof. Macdonald says that European surgery has borrowed the operation of rhinoplasty
(formation of artificial noses) from India. Sir W. W. Hunter tells us that the surgery of ancient
Indians was bold and skillful. They conducted amputations, arrested bleeding by pressure
bandage and boiling oil; performed operations in the abdomen and uterus, cured hernia,
fistula and piles, set broken bones and dislocations and deftly removed foreign substances
from the body. Sushruta is said to have advised dissection of a dead body to a student of
surgery and stressed the importance of knowledge gained from experiment and
observations.

The Indians were the first to establish hospitals and for centuries, they were the only people
to have maintained them. The Chinese traveler Fa Hein speaking of a hospital he visited in
Pataliputra says that poor and helpless patients that came there were taken excellent care
of. Food and medicine were provided according to needs and a doctor was in constant
attendance.

Mathematics
Prof. Wallace says that the simple geometry proposition that a square on the
hypotenuse of a right angled triangle is equal to the square on the sides containing
the right angle owes its origin to Indians.
The science of Mathematics had an irresistible fascination to the ancient Indian mind. The
extensive use of Jyothisha or astronomy in itself is proof of their high proficiency in
Mathematics. The Indians were the discoverers of the Decimal system. Prof. Monier
Williams says that the Arab world received not only their algebraic analysis but also the
numerical and decimal notations now current in Europe. Lilavati of Bhaskaracharya is an
outstanding book on arithmetic. The Surya Siddhanta contains a rational system of
trigonometry and dates back to at least 3000 years BC. If such a work as ancient as Surya
Siddhanta in which trigonometry is spoken of existed then, it conclusively speaks of the
mathematical knowledge being in India long before Surya Siddhanta was written. Prof.
Wallace says that the simple geometry proposition that a square on the hypotenuse of a
right angled triangle is equal to the square on the sides containing the right angle owes its
origin to Indians.

Aryabhatta, Bhaskaracharya, Brahmagupta, Maya and others were celebrated

mathematicians. Surya Siddhanta is a work on astronomy that ranks high in importance and
antiquity.

It says
Rahasyam Paramam Punyam
Jignasura Gnanamuthamam
Vedaanga Magnaya Makhilam
Jyotisham Gati Karanaam

Astronomy/Astrology
Jyotisha is the foremost anga or integral part of the Vedas - secret, supreme, pure and
exalted (as a science).

The constellations or nakshatras (27 of them) were not chosen at random but distinguished
as close to the Moon's track, either by its brightness or peculiarity of track. Thus these stars
are either on the elliptic or in its vicinity.

18 Siddhantas are traditionally mentioned but five of them were synthesized by

Varahamihira in his Pancha Siddhantika, they being Paulasa, Romaka, Vasishta, Saunaka
and Pitamaha. However Varahamihira is said to have preferred Surya Siddhanta which to
this day is a classic text. Other well known texts on astronomy are Aryabhattiya of
Aryabhatta, Siddhanta Sekhara by Sripati, Khandakhadyaya by Brahmagupta, Laghu
Manasa and Brihan Manasa by Manjula and Siddhantasiromani by the celebrated
Bhaskaracharya.

The Vedas are said to contain wealth of astronomical knowledge but the literal translations
of western scholars may not reveal the grand astronomical truths that the ancient scholars
intended to. It is interesting to note that the constellation Krittika is presided over by Agni
and the constellation Swati is presided over by Vayu.
Generally days when the Sun rises and sets with Krittika are the hottest and is therefore
assigned to Agni. On the other hand when Swati is in conjunction with the Sun we have
powerful winds and storms and hence the constellation Swati is assigned to Vayu.

The fact that earth is not stationary but moves round the Sun is attributed to Copernicus who
lived in the 16th Century. A thousand years before Copernicus, Aryabhatta unambiguously
declared that it was the earth that moved round its axis and round the Sun. Bhoutika Sutras
tell us that the Sun is fixed relatively to the earth's movements.

Sthira Prasanga Suryasyaha

Bhoochalana Prasangaat

Laws of gravitation are said to be propounded by Newton. This is what is taught to the
children. Bhaskaracharya and the Bhoutika Sutras that preceded him by several centuries
are said to have spoken of gravitation.

Speaking about the dia of the Moon, Surya Siddhanta gives it as 480 Yojanas that equates
to 2400 miles. The modern figure being mentioned is 2162 miles!

The ancient Indians were very much aware that there were countless universes, as is
believed by moderners. They referred to God as Akhilanda Koti Brahmanda Nayaka.

Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira is an encyclopaedia of astrology, geography, architecture,

sculpture etc., and is unequalled by any other Sanskrit text.

War as an art and as a science was equally well understood by the ancient Indians. The
various array of forces or Vyuha mentioned in the Mahabharata is amazing and
distinguishes the ancients for their military skills.

The great archery feats of the Indians must excite universal admiration. Brahmastra is
repeatedly mentioned in the ancient works. The Astra Vidya presupposes the existence of
the science of dynamics, meteorology, geology, physics, chemistry and other sciences.

Music or Gandharva Veda was another branch of knowledge that the ancients excelled in.
Indian Music began in the higher emotions and lifted them to the spiritual sphere. The best
music did not touch the lower nature. As one listened to this music, one's mind was stilled
and found oneself raised to a purer and subtler region.

Architecture
Coming to architecture, India was a land that excelled in it. We should see the gigantic
temples hewn out of lofty rocks with the most incredible labour at the Elephanta and Ellora
caves. The temples and their shikaras built years ago stand testimony to the marvelous
engineering skill of the Indians. Mahabharatha indicates that our ancients had achieved
wonderful advancement in mechanics. Describing the Mayasabha, an American critic says ;
"Such indeed was the mechanism of the Mayasabha that accommodated thousands of men,
that it required only ten men to turn it and take it in whatever direction they liked".

That the ancients were aware of powerful telescopes is evident when Sanjaya witnesses the
battle at Kurukshetra.

Vimana Vidya or air navigation was another complete science known to the Indians. The
Pushpaka Vimana of Ramayana is an example of their great knowledge in this too.

What we need to understand is that ancient Indians made use of science to contribute to
everyday comfort and convenience of mankind at large. Their knowledge of magnetism and
electricity is evident in their application to normal sleeping directions too. When Garga Rishi
and Sage Markendeya said that one should lie down with head to the South for longevity
and to the east for learning, they were only saying that magnetic and thermal electricity were
very much in their knowledge.

If we look at the ancient temples we find that the tops have iron or copper rods. Mindulies
(metallic cells) made of gold, silver or iron were worn on the diseased parts of the body.
When praying, seats made of silk, wool, Kusa grass or deer & tiger skins were used. These
very clearly indicate that the ancients were very well acquainted with the principles of
electricity. The temple rods acted as grounding of electricity, the mindulies served the
purpose of electrical belts that are used for health purposes and the seats act as insulation
from the earth.

Architecture was at its peak in India. Mrs. Manning says; Ancient Indian architecture
is so amazing that the first European observers could not find terms sufficiently
intense to express their wonder and admiration.
Architecture was at its peak in India. Mrs. Manning says; Ancient Indian architecture is so
amazing that the first European observers could not find terms sufficiently intense to express
their wonder and admiration. Cave temples of India were also construction marvels. Mr.
Griffith says that during his long and careful study of cave temples, he has not been able to
detect a single instance of stone cutting.

Temples were built as a group of enclosures. The usual temple consisted of five enclosures
or Pancha Prakaras and some like the Srirangam Temple, contained seven enclosures. The
ancients were very much aware of the powers of the pyramid when they talked about
shikaras above the garbha gudi or sanctum sanctorum. We, Indians drew energy from the
cosmos through the shikaras to create divinity in the Sanctum Sanctorum while the
Egyptians used this cosmic energy through their pyramids to preserve the bodies of dead
Pharoah Kings, whom they considered divine.
The land trade of India extended to China, Turkistan, Persia, Babylon, Egypt, Greece and
Rome. Roads were constructed all over the country running from east to west and north to
south. They were planted with shade & flower giving trees on either sides. King Ashoka is
said to have planted banyan trees to give shade to man and beast, created mango groves
and wells dug evenly spaced out and rest houses erected for the comfort of traders and
travelers.

Concluding, let us research in astrology, vastu, yoga, ayurveda, vedanta and other treasures
handed over by our ancients. Let us probe new fields and not keep moving in stereotyped
grooves. As Swami Vivekananda said, let us Arise and Awake! Om Tat Sat

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