The City of Dwarka had existed from 32,000 to 9,000 BC??

The modern city of Dwaraka is to be found in Saurashtra and is a great pilgrim centre since our scriptures declare it to be the seat of the Yadava clan and Lord Krishna’s capital. However according to the stories mentioned in many of the Puranas like, the Mahabharata, Harivamsa, Vishnu Purana etc. that fabled city of Dwaraka had been washed away into the sea. Soon after the Lord left his mortal body, the city was washed away as he had predicted, the scene of which has been graphically described above. 

In 1983 some excavations were done outside the modern city of Dwaraka, which revealed the existence of a glorious city of ancient times. They found seven temples one on top of the other. The bottom most one was the most interesting since it showed many pottery shards and seals which clearly pointed to the existence of a fantastic city at about the time mentioned in the Mahabharata. These findings encouraged the Marine archaeology centre of the National Institute of Oceanography, to take up a serious work along the coast of the island known as Bet Dwaraka. 

The strongest archaeological support for the existence for the legendary city of Dwaraka, comes from the structures discovered in the late 1980s under the seabed off the coast of modern Dwaraka in Gujarat by a team of archaeologists and divers led by Dr S.R. Rao, one of India's most respected archaeologists. An emeritus scientist at the marine archaeology unit of the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, Rao has excavated a large number of Harappan sites, including the port city of Lothal in Gujarat.

In his book “The Lost City of Dwaraka”, published in 1999, he writes about his undersea findings: “The discovery is an important landmark in the history of India. It has set to rest the doubts expressed by historians about the historicity of the Mahabharata and the very existence of the city of Dwaraka.”

Conducting 12 expeditions during 1983-1990, Rao identified two underwater settlements, one near the present-day Dwaraka and the other off the nearby island of Bet Dwaraka. This tallies with the two Dwarakas mentioned in the epic. These underwater expeditions won Rao the first World Ship Trust Award for Individual Achievement.

Another important find by the divers was a conch seal that established the submerged township's connection with the Dwaraka of the Mahabharata. The seal corroborates the reference made in the ancient text, the Harivamsa that every citizen of Dwaraka had to carry such a seal for purposes of identification. Krishna had declared that only one who carried such a seal could enter the city. A similar seal has been found onshore.

From 1998 to 2001 many underwater explorations were set about which pointed out to a highly civilised city which must have existed at that site, which had great maritime connections with many other countries and which must have been washed away by something like a tsunami or some such hurricane. Dwaraka was a large well- fortified city with an excellent drainage system, massive gates and a wall stretching about hundred eighty miles. It was a sprawling city with gardens and orchards and bastions, with a population of about 10 thousand people. There are many clues which point out to the fact that it must also have been a bustling port. Many ancient anchor stones give ample evidence of this. 

All these findings have suddenly roused a lot of interest amongst all Hindus both in India and abroad since it is solid proof of the existence of one of the favourite gods in the Hindu pantheon, namely Lord Krishna. 

Around the same time archaeologists from other countries were also busy. Along the coast of the Bay of Cambay and off the coast of modern Dwaraka, they found evidence of a settlement deep under the sea. In seventy feet of water, they found sandstone walls and cobbled streets. Looking up the descriptions of the city of Dwaraka as found in the ancient Hindu scriptures they realised that this must be the remains of the legendary city of Dwaraka ruled by the great God King, Krishna. Wood and pottery chards were found that can be dated back to 32,000 years again proving that the time limits set in ancient Hindu scriptures might be true even though most westerners dismissed it as being absurd. But now with these findings they cannot help but believe, if they want to believe. For many years now western Indologists have shut their eyes to the glory that was ancient India. The city had existed from 32,000 to 9,000 BC. This discovery proves that the life of Krishna is not mere mythology but it is a true, historical record of a towering personality who had lived on this holy land of India. 

How many of you know about Yantras : mechanical productions

Maharshi Bharadwaja is an august name in the pantheon of Hindu Sages who recorded Indian civilization, in the spiritual, intellectual, and scientific fields in the hoary past. The rishis transmitted knowledge from mouth to mouth and from ear to ear, for long eras. Written transmission through birch-backs or palm leaves or home made paper, are from this side of a thousand years. The word “yantra” is derived from the root yam, to control, and has been freely used in ancient India for any contrivance. Mechanical skills had produced in ancient India many accessories for scientific activities, such as surgical instruments in medicine, the pakayantras or laboratory equipment in medicine, Rasayana, and the astronomical yantras described in Jyotisa works. These belong to a different category. In the Mahabharata we hear of the Matsya-yantra or the revolving wheel with a fish which Arjuna had to shoot in order to win Draupadi in the svayamvara.

More interesting references are made by Valmiki to yantras on the field of battle, the continuity of which tradition we see later in the Arthasastra of Kautilya. The fortifications include equipment in the form of yantras. In Ayodhya 100.53, in the Kaccita-sarga, while enquiring about measures of defense, Rama asks Bharata whether the fort is equipped with yantras. Lanka, as a city built by Maya, is naturally more full of the yantras. The city, personified as a lady, is called yantra-agara-stani, informing us of a special chamber filled with yantras. (Sundara 3. 18). The Arthasastra of Kautilya is one of the books of culture which throws a flood of light on the particular epochs in which they arose. This work of 300 B.C.E. being a treatise on statecraft, speaks of yantras in connection mainly with battles, but also with architecture to some extent. An early work, a theoretical treatise and a text of great reputation, the Arthasastra forms our most valuable document on the subject of yantras.

And, as early as the Bhagavad Gita, the machine became an apt simile for man being a tool in the hands of the Almighty that sits in man's heart and by His mystic power makes man not only move but also delude himself into the notion of his being a free or competent agent.


The following machines are to be made of a metal called Veera. An alloy formed by melting and fusing the three metals Kshwinka, Arjunika and Kanta (magnet), in three, five and nine parts respectively, is called Veeraloha or a metal namely Veera. When it undergoes shastraic processes, it cannot be destroyed by fire, air, water, electricity, cannon, gun-powder or the like. It will then be very strong, light, and of golden color. The metal is specially meant for Machines. 

Panchamukha Yantra::

A machine of this name contains doors in east, south, west, north and top. Weighs 170 Ratals. Carries one thousand Ratals. By the help of electricity it can travel five Kroshas per hour. It is used as conveyance for men and in wars. Since the machine is conducted by the power of a spirit called Gaja it is named as Gajaakarshana Panchamukha Ratha. 

Mrugaakasrshana Yantra::

These are the machines drawn by such animals as oxen, asses, horses, camels, elephants and so on. 

Chaturmukha Ratha Yantra::

This machine has faces or openings on four sides. Weighs 120 Ratals. It can be conducted with any oil, preferably that of coconut shells, or with the help of electricity. Travels six Kroshas per hour. Used for traveling, wars, and transporting things. 

Trimukha Ratha Yantra::

This Machine weighs 116 Ratals. It has three doors, downwards, upwards and on one side. It can carry a weight of 600 Ratals. It is conducted with the help of oil extracted from knotted root of Simha-Krantha, and from that extracted out of the stalks of a kind of grass. If such oils are not available, electricity may be made use of. It is used for the purposes that the above machine, viz. Cahkra-mukha-Ratha Yantra is used. 

Dwimukha Yantra 

It weights 80 Ratals. Doors to east and west. Conducted by a wheel fitted with screws. Travels three Koshas per hour. Can carry a weight of three hundred Ratals. Used for the above purposes. 

Ekamukha Ratha Yantra 

This machine has only one door. Weighs 48 Ratals. Carries two hundred Ratals of weight. Travels with the help of oil extracted from the seeds of Kancha-Thoola or Sovlaalika or by electricity: speed 1 Keosha per hour. Used for the above purposes. 

Simhaasya Ratha Yantra 

This machine presents a front of a lion’s appearance. Possesses two doors. 75 Ratals in weight. Carries a weight of 50 Ratals. It can travel both on land and air. It has the quality of expanding and contracting. Used for the above purposes. 

Vyaaghraasya Ratha Yantra 

This is modeled after a tiger. Possesses wings. Weighs 64 Ratals. Carries 200 Ratals of weight. It travels in air expanding its wings with electric power, but contracting its wings with steam power. It is used for the above purposes. 



Source :: Diamonds, Mechanisms Weapons of War Yoga Sutras - By G. R. Josyer

Sanātana Dharma or Hinduism:: Basic concept of Sanatan Dharma:

The purpose of the following article is to address some fundamental concepts of Sanātana Dharma for both Hindus and non Hindus.


I. What is Hinduism?

Hinduism, more accurately referred to as Sanātana Dharma, is said to have originated in the Indian subcontinent over 5000 years ago. The term Hindu was a misnomer used for the people who lived beyond the Sindhu River, and eventually the term Hinduism was coined to denote the Hindu residents of the Indian subcontinent.


Sanātana literally means eternal, that which has no beginning or end. Therefore, by definition, it is beyond the constraints of time, and that is why it is said to be the oldest living religion in the world.


Dharma, translated as religion, righteousness or duty, is a word that is difficult to translate in English or any other language. It is all that and more.


Etymologically it is derived from the Sanskrit root dhṛ, which means to uphold. Dharma points to the essential Truth which supports life as we know it. At the same time, it is also shows us the path of righteousness to reach the goal. That is why Sanātana Dharma is referred to as “a way of life”.


In this article, the terms Sanātana Dharma and Hinduism/Hindu religion will be used interchangeably.

II. Who is the founder of Hindu religion?

As is evident from an understanding of the literal meaning of Sanātana Dharma, it is clear that it cannot be said to have a founder. That which is timeless cannot have a beginning or end. Over the ages there have been several teachers and scholars who have expounded on the timeless Truth in their own way, but none can be said to be the founder.


III. What is the aim of Hindu religion?

The aim of the Hindu religion is Self realization (Ātmajnāna) by each individual (jīva): to seek the Truth, to know the Truth, to be the Truth, to be a liberated soul (jīvanamukta) here and now.


IV. Who is a Hindu?

With over a billion Hindus worldwide, Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. While the majority of Hindus live in India, other countries with large Hindu populations include Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Guyana, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Myanmar, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.


From 1,700 people in 1900, the Hindu population in America grew to approximately 387,000 by 1980 and 1.1 million in 1997. Currently, the estimated U.S. population of Hindus of Indian origin is approximately 2 million (1.8 million Indian and 200,000 IndoCaribbean). Estimates are that there may also be as many as 1 million practicing American Hindus, not of Indian origin, in the U.S.



These are some of the fundamental beliefs that define a Hindu:


1. Hindus believe in the existence of a supreme allpervasive Being, who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.

2. Hindus accept the Vedas as the absolute scriptural authority.

3. Hindus believe in a code of ethics based on 4 pillars of righteous living as defined in Shrīmad Bhāgavatam: austerity (tapaḥ), purity (shaucham), compassion (dayā), and truthfulness (satyam).

4. Hindus believe in a prescribed method of living, with regard to its objectives, stages and milestones of life.

5. Hindus believe in specific tenets such as the law of cause and effect (karma), the theory of reincarnation (punarjanma), and the incarnation of the supreme Lord into the world (avatāra).

6. Hindus have prescribed methods of offering worship to the Lord.


1. What is the Hindu concept of God?

Before answering this question, it must be unequivocally clarified that for Hindus “God” is not a concept because a concept is a product of the intellect and God is beyond the limitations of the intellect. Having understood that, let us now try to understand who or what God is for the Hindus! From the absolute standpoint, God or the Supreme Being is beyond the plane of physical existence (transcendent), yet within it (immanent), simultaneously surpassing and pervading it.


In the ancient Vedic scriptures, the Supreme Being is referred to as Brahman, not to be confused with brāhmaṇa (knower of Brahman) or Brahmā (the Creator). This supreme, eternal, allpervading, allknowing, allpowerful, genderless, nameless, changeless substratum supports the entire world of relativity that is ever changing. He is the Creator, the process of creation and the created, without whom the multiplicity of the names and forms ceases to exist, but who exists independent of them. He is beyond the concepts of time and space. His attributes are absolute existence (sat), absolute knowledge (chit), and absolute bliss (ānanda).


With respect to creation, Hinduism also refers to the Supreme Being as Īshvara, the Trinity of Brahmā (the Creator), Vishṇu (the Sustainer), Shiva (the Dissolver). Besides these three, there are references to a multiplicity of other forms of God, which leads to the mistaken belief that Hindus worship many gods. It is important to note that Hindus are not polytheistic. The Supreme is “one without a second”, He can be worshipped as formless or in any form that the devotee’s heart desires. God is One, but His forms are infinite.


In the interest of simplicity, the masculine gender will be used to refer to the Supreme Being.


2. What is the Hindu code of ethics?

Hindus believe in a code of ethics based on 4 pillars of righteous living as defined in Shrīmad Bhāgavatam. These 4 pillars form the foundation of values that can be considered as “commandments”, if you will, for the Hindu way of righteous living:


Austerity (tapaḥ): Outer and inner selfcontrol of the sense organs, organs of action, the mind and intellect. 


Purity (shaucham): Outer cleanliness and purity of the inner equipment of the mind and intellect. 


Compassion (dayā): Love and show compassion and reverence to all life forms because they are the manifestation of the one Supreme Being. This is the basis for ahimsā, which is more than what is understood as physical nonviolence. It is not just abstaining from physical violence, but understanding that violence arises at the level of the mind before it can be expressed it words or deeds. It is not a passive “turning of the cheek”, but standing up for one’s beliefs without resorting to violence. 


Truthfulness (satyam): In one of the Upanishads there is a categorical statement, with no qualification that tells us to speak the truth (satyam vada). At the same time, speaking the truth must pass the twin gateways of being necessary and kind. 


Mahaṛshi Patanjali, the great exponent of Rāja Yoga, recommends that ten virtues should be practiced by all men. The first five can be considered as principles of selfrestraint (yama): nonviolence (ahimsā), truthfulness (satya), celibacy in thought, word and deed (brahmacharya), nonstealing (asteya), and noncovetousness (aparigṛaha). The other five virtues are religious observances (niyama): internal and external purity (shaucha) contentment (santosha), austerity (tapas), study of scriptures (svādhyāya) and surrender to the Lord (Īshvarapraṇidhāna).


The development of these values is indispensable for the spiritual seeker. Knowledge and practice of the truthful and righteous way of living, will lead to the purity and fearlessness that is a prerequisite to the absolute bliss of Selfrealization.


3. What are the main Hindu scriptures?



There is a vast and sometimes bewildering storehouse of Hindu scriptures available that can be classified into several categories. The 4 main ones are shruti (that which is heard), smṛti (that which is remembered), itihāsa (history), and purāṇa (the most ancient, yet evernew). Shruti and the smṛti are the two authoritative sources of Sanātana Dharma. It is important to note that the historical accounts given in Hindu scriptures are sometimes referred to as mythology. They are historical accounts of events that happened, not be classified or dismissed as mythology.


Shruti is comprised of the Vedas, which are eternal storehouse of knowledge revealed by the Lord Himself to the ancient seers (rishis). The subject matter of the Vedas is comprehensive, covering various rituals, forms of worship, and the knowledge of the supreme Truth. The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas. The teaching based on them is called Vedanta.


The smṛtis are based on the teachings of the Vedas. They lay down the laws which regulate Hindu national, social, family and individual obligations. There are eighteen main smṛtis, the most important are the ones given by Manu, Yājnavalkya and Parāshara.


Sage Vālmiki’s Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata composed by Sage Vedavyāsa are the two main epics that are inspirational sagas of India’s glorious history. Rāmāyaṇa deals with the life and times of Lord Rāma, at the same time providing us with perfect role models. The Mahābhārata is set in the time of Lord Krishna, and through the historical account of the familial war between the royal cousins (Pānḍavas and Kauravas) brings home the ultimate triumph of righteousness. The Bhagavad Gītā, the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield, is a poetic masterpiece that is a sublime combination of the essence of Vedic philosophy and the art of living it in our daily lives.


The purāṇas, also written by Sage Vedavyāsa, fall within the same class as the itihāsas. They have five characteristics: descriptions of primary creation, secondary creation, genealogy of sages and patriarchs, historical accounts of the reigns of all the Manus, and the genealogy and history of the solar and lunar dynasties. The purāṇas contain the essence of the Vedas. Their aim is to generate devotion to the Lord through concrete examples, lives o legendary saints, kings and great men, allegories and chronicles of great historical events. There are 18 main purāṇas: Shrīmad Bhāgavatam, Vishṇu Purāṇa and Linga Purāṇa to name only a few.


4. What is the “Hindu” way of life? 

Hindus believe that life has a distinct purpose with a definite structure. In order to achieve this purpose, a specific blueprint that covers the objectives, stages of life and milestones has been clearly defined.


i. Objectives of life:

Dharma (righteous living): Following the path of righteousness in all pursuits. Hinduism is not a religion to be practiced only on the weekend. The spiritual and the secular are not two separate paths. It is important to note that dharma is mentioned as the first objective because observance of dharma must guide all activities in the secular world also. 


Artha (material prosperity): Acquiring the material wealth for meeting our basic needs and security is recognized as a valid and legitimate pursuit as long as it is done within the boundaries of righteous living. 


Kāma (enjoyment): Fulfillment of desire and enjoyment of the Lord’s glorious creation should be done at the right place and the right time, within prescribed limits. 


Moksha (liberation): The ultimate goal of human life is to gain freedom from the misery caused by the cycle of pleasure and pain, birth and death. 


ii. Stages of life:

Brahmacharya āshrama (student life): In order to achieve the 4 objectives of life, each individual should spend the first 25 years of life as a student, honing the spiritual and secular skills necessary success in the later stages of life. The emphasis is on selfcontrol and learning the principles of dharma. 


Gṛhsta āshrama (family life): The student completes his education, and he settles down in both his family and professional life. This is the stage wherein one carries out one’s obligatory duties to the family, society and the nation. In order to do this, material prosperity and the enjoying the pleasures of family life within the framework of righteous living are to be achieved.


Vānaprastha āshrama (retirement): After leading a rich and fulfilling life in the world, it is now time to slow down, both personally and professionally. This is the third stage of life, traditionally spent in the forest (vana), a time to introspect, detach and prepare for the final stage and objective of life. 


Sannyāsa (liberation): The fourth and final stage of life, wherein the detachment should be complete and liberation from all the cycle of birth and death (moksha) is achieved by the individual. 


iii. Milestones:

Hindu scriptures prescribe 52 rites of passage (samskāras), of which 16 are considered more significant. They are meant to purify and sanctify the individual at every important milestone in his life from birth to death.


The first samskāra starts before conception and is performed after the wedding ceremony for the fulfillment of one’s parental obligations. At the nāmakaraṇa or the naming ceremony, the newborn child is given a name on the tenth, eleventh or twelfth day after birth. The celebration for the child being given solid food for the first time at the age of six months is call annaprāshana.


The most important ceremony which marks the beginning of the stage of youth is upanayana (investing of the sacred thread). The word upanayana literally means “bringing near”, and is considered the second or spiritual birth of the child.


Vivāha or marriage is another important milestone that marks the entry into the second stage of the householder’s life. Antyeshṭhi or the performance of the last rites is one of the final samskāras.


5. What are some of the tenets believed by Hindus?



i. The Law of Cause and Effect (karma):

The Sanskrit word karma literally means action or deed, which covers the spectrum of action starting with the intent and ending with the physical manifestation in speech or action. The law of karma states that we are the creators of our own destiny, “as we sow, so shall we reap”. Our destiny, if you will, is a result of our past actions that were done by us in this birth or past births. If this was all, then we would all be in caught in a trap with no hope for escape. That is not so. Karma is causality, not destiny. We are not hopelessly and helplessly caught in the web of destiny. The conscious choices and resulting actions in the present contain the seeds for the future. This law gives rise to the highest form of individual responsibility.


ii. Reincarnation (punarjanma):

Reincarnation is the natural process of birth, death and rebirth. At death we drop off the physical body and continue evolving in the inner worlds in our subtle bodies, until we again take birth in a different physical body. We are not the body in which we live, but the immortal soul which inhabits many bodies in its evolutionary journey through the cycle of life.


Reincarnation is also tied to the concept of karma since the effects of karma can span many lives. This provides us with the only logical explanation of individual differences, without which it would be hard to explain why two children of the same parents are different – one is in perfect health and another is physically challenged.


The process of reincarnation ceases when all our actions have been resolved. This is the highest state of liberation or moksha.


iii. Incarnation (avatāra):

In Sanskrit, the word avatāra is derived from a word that literally means “coming down” and denotes the descent of the Supreme in any form into the world for a specific purpose. In Shrīmad Bhagavad Gītā, Lord Krishna assures us that He manifests Himself whenever there is a decline of righteousness for the destruction of evil and the protection of the good, and the reestablishment of the righteous way of living in the world.


It has been stated in Shrīmad Bhāgavatam that there have been countless incarnations of the Lord. Lord Rāma and Lord Krishna are two of the very well known incarnations of Lord Vishṇu It is also important to note that all the incarnations are worshipped as divine manifestations of the Supreme Lord.


6. What are the Hindu methods of worship?

There are many forms of worship in the Hindu religion, but regardless of the methods, the main purpose is inner purification. Worship can be performed at home or in the temple. Ideally it is to be performed daily. Most Hindus have a place set aside for the Lord in their home where they offer prayers and worship the Lord before starting their day. Temples have a place of great importance for Hindu families, especially on special festival days.


For the Hindu, worship (pūjā) is direct personal communication with the Lord of his heart (ishṭadeva) through a picture or an idol. There are specific steps involved, similar to inviting, greeting and taking care of the needs of an honored guest. The offerings to the Lord are made with the acknowledgement: “I dedicate to You O Lord, what is truly Yours”.


This would be an appropriate point to address a very important and integral concept of Hindu worship, which is misunderstood and negatively presented by nonHindus. Are Hindus idol worshippers? Yes, Hindus are idol worshippers. Idols are used and revered, but they are symbols. The Hindus worship the ideal behind the idol, the ideal being abstract and formless; the idol is something concrete that is used to help the mind to focus. When the mind becomes steady and subtle, it can go beyond the form to understand abstract ideas such as: “That thou art” (tattvamasi). As the spiritual seeker advances in meditation, the form melts in the formless and the duality between the forms and formless ceases to exist.


A havan is a sacred purifying ritual (yajna) that invokes the divinity within by lighting a sacrificial fire, and offering clarified butter (ghee) and various other objects in the fire. Havans are performed for inner and outer purification of the environment.


The Hindu calendar has numerous festivals that give the Hindus an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends throughout the year. There are colorful festivals like the Festival of Colors (Holī), the Festival of Lights (Dīpāvali), the festivals celebrating the birth of incarnations like Lord Rāma and Lord Krishna, the seasonal festivals such as Makar Sankrānti. All these festivals are meant to bring us closer to the Lord by celebrating different aspects of His divinity.


V. Why and What? A few common Qs regarding Hindus:





1. What is meant by the symbol (OM)?

Om represents the primordial and powerful sound symbol of the Supreme Being, present at the creation of the universe, the original sound that contains all other sounds, all words, all languages and all mantras (a series of sounds that can both protect and transform). It consists of 3 syllables: AUM. The mouth is open when we pronounce “A”, partially closed when we pronounce “U”, and totally closed when pronouncing “M”. So the 3 syllables AUM cover the whole spectrum of sound.


These 3 syllables represent the three states of experience: waking, dream, and deep sleep. Beyond these 3 states represented by these 3 syllables is the fourth state (turīya avasthā), which corresponds to the silence that follows after the chanting of AUM, which is the substratum of the other three states. It is called praṇava, a Sanskrit word which means both controller of life force (prāna) and lifegiver (infuser of prāna). It is chanted at the beginning of all prayers and rituals, and is an aid to concentration and contemplation.


Om is a vast and subtle subject. For further study, please refer to Mānđūkya Upanishad.


2. Why are many Hindus vegetarian? 

In India, a large majority of all Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs are vegetarian because of their fundamental belief in nonviolence, or ahimsā. The idea that every living creature has a right to live, and there should be respect and compassion for all forms of life is a cornerstone of Hindu philosophy. If that is the case, then what about plants, which are also alive? Hindu scriptures tell us that one’s right to survive should be accomplished by doing the least amount of harm. Eating fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, and dairy products does not involve taking a life in the same manner as killing an animal.


An important concept in Hindu religion is that all matter, animate and inanimate, possesses 3 basic qualities, with a preponderance of one: pure and balanced (sāttvika), dynamism and activity (rājasika), inertia and inactivity (tāmasika). Vegetarian food is considered sāttvika. Eating nonvegetarian food is considered detrimental to both physical and spiritual health, whereas eating vegetarian food is considered uplifting, leading to positive qualities and beneficial to the body.


Modern western science is now coming up with many reasons for adopting a vegetarian diet, the main one being the vegetarian diets are healthier. According to some statistics, 95% of former meateaters report that a switch to a vegetarian diet increases their energy, vitality, and wellbeing.


3. What is the caste system and untouchability? 

What we consider today as the caste system is originally the ancient division of all human beings based on their aptitude. This was called varṇa, which literally means color. Based on the “color” of their skill set and talents, people were classified as workers, business people, rulers, law enforcers, lawmakers and priests. These classifications were not determined by birth, and allowed movement form one caste to the other.


For example, the Rāmāyaṇa was composed by Sage Vālmikī, who was once a lowcaste robber.


Originally, the socalled untouchables were not the shūdras or workers and artisans like the agricultural workers, service providers, cobblers etc. The untouchables were the criminals, who were guilty of committing heinous crimes against society. They were ostracized by society because of their actions not their birth.


As with any system, over time, the skills and aptitude based system, and exclusion of criminals became a rigid hereditary hierarchy. This distortion was a result of certain social practices and taboos gaining acceptance over time and countless invasions by foreign civilizations. It should be emphasized that there is no basis for a discriminatory caste system in ancient Hindu scriptures. Vedic and nonVedic scriptures advance the concept of equality of all mankind.


Modern India has outlawed caste discrimination, and there have been several Hindu spiritual leaders and organizations that have been actively engaged in eradicating caste based discrimination from Indian society.


4. What is the status of women in the Hindu religion? 

One of the most profound attributes of Hinduism is the recognition and worship of the Divine as both masculine and feminine. The Supreme Being is beyond gender, but the manifestations are worshipped as both male and female. The female principle is the energy (shakti) of the Lord: Lord Shiva is inseparable from Mother Pārvati, as is Mother Lakshmi from Lord Viṣhṇu. Our scriptures clearly tell us that the mother is to be worshipped (matṛa devo bhava) and divinity resides where women are worshipped (yatra nāryastu pūjyante ramante tatra devataḥ). Many of the sages to whom the Vedas were revealed were women (rishikās). It is unfortunate, however, that the gender equality of the Vedic period and that of the Hindu view of the Divine has been corrupted because of the thousands of years of slavery and foreign domination by the Moguls and the British.


In the name of protection, their freedom was curtailed, and injustices such as child marriage, dowry, covering the face and body as a symbol of subordination (purdā). The feminist movement has gathered momentum in India and today women in India now participate in all activities such as education, politics, media, art and culture, service sectors, science and technology, etc.


5. What is the significance of svāstika in the Hindu religion? 

The svāstika is a symbol of auspiciousness in the Hindu religion, not to be confused with the Nazi swastika which has different design and meaning. The word is derived from a Sanskrit word which literally means “wellbeing”. The four lines of the svāstika emanate from the center in the four cardinal directions, and represent the changing world supported on the substratum of an eternal, unchanging center.


6. What is meant by the traditional Hindu greeting: namaskāra or namaste?

The traditional Hindu greeting of namaskāram or namaste is done by reverently joining the palms at the chest and bowing the head. In Sanskrit, the word namaste means, “I bow to you”, acknowledging the presence of divinity in all beings.


7. What are the marks worn on the forehead by Hindus? 

The marks worn on the forehead by Hindu men and women are a mark of auspiciousness. The materials used are sandalwood paste, sacred ashes or a red turmeric powder called kumkuma. The different sects apply the sacred marks (tilaka) in different shapes with different materials, but the significance is the same. The application is done at a point between the eyebrows, where the spiritual eye of intuition is located. It is done as a reminder to the seeker of his ultimate goal of Selfrealization.


The application of tilaka is also done as a reminder of vows. The most popular is the red bindī applied by married Hindu women as a symbol of their wedding vows.

: SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE ANCIENT EAST ::

Big Bang Theory:

The Big Bang theory is mentioned as early as the Rig Veda, where, in Mandala X – the Cosmos and the ‘Golden Egg’ or the Sun, is born from the Cosmic Void – often called as Asat (Non-being) – also meaning ‘Non-wisdom’ or Chaos.

The highest force in Hinduism from Vedic times is called as nothingness (neti neti – not this, nor that). It is also referred to as darkness and in Buddhism as sunyata (void). The concept of Zero came to us from the Hindus from this concept – as did their numeral system – which we still employ today over the cumbersome Roman system.

The Great Rig Vedic hymn (X.129), dating to before 3000BCE, states in the beginning of creation there was neither being nor non-being, only darkness and no sky, water etc. From the cosmic void was born heat, and from heat desire and from desire came the spirit. This was before even the Gods, and it is said the wise Seers seek to unite with the formless void beyond, as the primal reality (as mentioned above). This is also the basis of Buddhism and it’s atheistic tones.

Another hymn (X.72) states that the Lord of Hymns created the Gods and creation from a cosmic ‘blast’ and hence created existence from non-existence. From productive power were the regions born etc.

Advanced Medical Science:

Ayurveda is recognized as the World’s oldest and most complete medical system, dating back over 5,000 years.

In 700BCE or earlier, the great Indian doctor Sushruta describes over 120 surgical instruments and also 300 surgical procedures, including placing them in eight categories.

As early as the Rig Veda (c.5000BCE) India has mention of artificial limbs, and restoration of sight, through the Divine Physicians, known as the Ashwins (Horse-men). One such mention is artificial limbs, such as legs, made of gold.

Sushruta also performed Cosmetic surgery and re-constructed ears and noses, which were cut off in ancient times, due to punishment. The same procedure is used today, and interestingly, modern science got it (like our numerals and numerical system) from the Hindus.

Earlier than Sushruta was his teacher, Dhanvantri, who is mentioned as the Rig Vedic Seer Kakshivan, and dates no later than around 4500BCE. His own Guru was Bharadvaja – one of the oldest Rig Vedic seers, who taught under Krishna Atreya – who date back as early as 7,000BCE, showing a very ancient lineage.

Dhanurveda (Martial Arts) is also part of Ayurveda and includes branches as Hatha Yoga, or exercise and Pressure Points and Acupuncture (Suchi Karma) that originated with the Seer Rama Jamadagneyi (Parashurama) around 4000BCE. The science was transmitted to China under the Buddhist Monk, Bodhidharma from Southern India – where it is still strong.

Zen Buddhism in Japan arose from Ch’an Buddhism in China, which came from Bodhidharma’s ‘Dhyan’ (Meditation) system from India – which included Martial Arts and the Pressure Points. Hence the origin of later Karate, Judo etc. from India.

Ancient texts also mentioned Atomic warfare, as through Mahabharata and Ramayana, and use of guns. Some Indus cities dated 5,000 years ago, match the Mahabharata’s description of an Atomic War and symptoms – and the skeletons were found to be radioactive!

Yoga itself is a main aspect in Ayurvedic healing, as other methods as steam-therapy and hydro-therapy – mentioned even in Rig Veda, as well as, of course, herbs and Rasayanas, which were part of Soma-traditions and alchemical formulas from the Rig Veda. Atharvaveda around 2500BCE mentions Gold and it’s medicinal values, and other texts deal with astrology, gemstones and power of mantra (chants) in healing – such as Mahamrityunjaya and Gayatri, from Rig Veda.

Sound therapy is only just being realized today with its medicinal value, as also is Yoga. Age-old ‘Shaman ‘remedies have been found more effective than today’s artificial ones.

Ayurveda was also taught to Chinese, Greek, Roman and Persian students who studied at the great Indian Universities as Takshashila in Pakistan and Nalanda in India – as early as 700BCE. Buddhism was also taught here, and ruins of these still exist – testifying to its grandeur.

It is said to have had 2000 teachers and 10,000 students around 700AD. Remembering that India is home to Buddhism – it hence attracted students from Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, China, Korea and Mongolia and Tibet – as well as the West.

Many bronze and other sculptures still exist from this University, and the student accommodations, which included kitchens, bathrooms etc. – in ruins, also show the advancement in the East. It was many hundreds of years earlier than Alexandria in Egypt, and much, much larger.

In 300BCE, there were in fact already many Buddhist and Vedantic teachers (Brahmins) from India, noted by the Greeks, in the region of Alexandria, and also in Athens and Rome. Later these were followed by the Romani (Gypsy) – who still speak a dialect of Rajasthani and who’s influenced shaped medieval Europe with their eastern mysticism and culture.

In 900AD, the text Bhoja Prabhanda Samhita, states that Ayurvedic surgeons successfully practiced brain surgery.

It is known that the Arabs transmitted much from India and spread it into Rome – setting the foundations of Western Medicine and Science. It is hence no surprise that as these Indian Universities and teachings were burnt down and banned by Muslim Rulers in the 12th – 16th centuries, that science was lost.

What we have today in the West is hence a lower level of scientific achievement that was surpassed in the ancient East, as we shall see.

Advanced Cities and Concepts:

The famous Iron Pillar at Delhi was constructed over 1,500 hundred years ago, and, exposed to the sun through heat and also rain and other weather – it has failed to rust or deteriorate, making it a scientific wonder of the modern – let alone ancient world!

It hence represents advanced engineering skills. The Vimana Shastra is also a text dating from around 400BC, but working from much older material, which describes the ‘Flying machines’ used in ancient India, of which many scientists and engineers, East and West, have scrutinized, and proven such machines did exist.

Drawings from 1923, based on this text, still survive. It is interesting that among types of Vimana mentioned are Shakuna (Bird-shape), Mandara (Mountain shape) and Mandala (Circlular-shape). Vimanas are also mentioned in Bhagavata Purana, Ramayana and Mahabharata – and have many amazing qualities and descriptions that fit those of the Vimana Shastra.

The text draws on much older material from Mayamata, ascribed to Maya Danava – the architect and artist of the demons, who is said to have created these flying machines for the Gods and Demons. Padma Purana mentions there are 400,000 types of ‘manusha-like’ or Human-like entities in the Cosmos – some on different dimensions with siddhis (mystical yogic powers) and can manifest.

Other physical evidence is the amazing Vedic-Saraswati or Indus cities in India and Pakistan. These date back over 5,000 years and their town planning is compared to modern NYC, as well as being drawn from the ancient Shilpa Shastra texts.

These cities had two and three story houses, each with separate bathrooms, living rooms and kitchens. They had their own wells and bathrooms had even a sit-down toilet like the Western style (sit-down toilets were continued in India up to the 16th Century and hence are an old Eastern idea) and baths – leading into an underground sewage system via drains going to a septic tank.

Dholavira, a city that is rather ornamental, has marble pillars and use of stone architecture for its palace and an Athenian-like Stadium, the World’s oldest signboard (dating to 2500BCE), and the Indus script – which is an alphabetic one.
It also boast’s a large water reservoir cut from rock.

Lothal in Gujerat boast’s the world’s earliest dockyard. These cities are also amazing as their predecessors as the ruins in the Gulf of Cambay and Mahabalipuram in S.India dating to around 7,500BCE, prove Vedic flood tales correct.

The sunken city of Krishna’s Dvaraka may also be one of the Indus cities, Dholavira or even the later Dvaraka around 1,500BCE, which was recently found and provides a link between Indus and Mauryan India, and continuous art and architecture.

How could the ancients have lived in houses like we did over 5,000 years ago with all of the comforts and also had flying machines, we may ask?

Co-existing racial types:

Today’s view of Race and Civilisation is largely incorrect. The ancient Aryans were not a Nordic-type race, since the earliest type is datable as early as 7500BCE and earlier in India and the rest of S. Asia in the Indus cities.

These cities yielded the Mediterranean Caucasoid, Alpine Caucasoid, Negrito, Australoid and Mongoloid types.

Southern Indians are also classified as the dark branch of the Mediterranean Caucasoid – which we find having dark features as olive to brown skin, black hair and brown eyes. These people created the World’s Oldest Civilisations – from Northern India, Rome, Greece and Northern Africa (Egypt) and dominated the Middle East.

The Himalayan Dardic or Pisacha tribes have Nordic characteristics, because of their association with cooler snowy climates. Lower in the Panjab, people have pale ro olive skin, lighter eyes and hair, and in Rajasthan darker Mediterranean types appear – until we reach the tones of dark brown and black in Southern India – of the Caucasoid branches.

The Dards, however, speaking a language somewhere between Dravidian and Sanskrit (Indo-European) – like Germanic tribes have always been more of a ‘Nomad’ tribal peoples until later times. Hence the term Pisacha (Ghost).

There are also Indo-European Nepalese people in the East, who are of Mongoloid stock – like the dominant racial type in the East, from Eastern India, into SE Asia and China, to Japan and across to Alaska and into the Americas. The Japanese who originate from the Ainu tribe – a Caucasoid Alpine race – speak tongues part of the Finno-Ugric branch, related to Dravidians, and perhaps Pisacha.

Thus, language and race does not denote superiority of culture – as all existed in ancient Sumeria and India – all racial types, as modern Western Nations do today – and in fact, it was the lighter-skinned Nordics that appeared as less advanced.

Britain’s Celts got their strains from the invasion of the Germanic peoples – who appeared to have been Finno-Ugric and ‘Aryanised’ by Celts. Even today we see Mediterranean swarthy features in many Welsh people – and the fact that the original people of Britain were a darker Mediterranean type noted incorrectly as ‘Iberians’ – when they were Celtic Druids – connected to the Romans, Greeks and other Aryan peoples of darker Eastern stock.


Source:: AMAZING SCIENCES OF THE EAST:The Wisdom of Ancient India ---By Rodney Lingham