Flying Machines in Ancient Indian Scriptures

[VitalOne]

Flying Machines in the Ancient World

There are an innumerable amount of references to Vimanas or flying machines in Hindu Literature. It's not rare or unusual to find references to people taking vimanas to fly to other planets.

The Vymaanika Shastra (Science of Aeronautics) can be found here - http://sacred-texts.com/ufo/vs/index.htm

In the Srimad Bhagavatam, the only authentic Purana that I actually have, I've found many many references to Vimanas of which cannot be dismissed as metaphoric or symbolic:

A Translation of the Srimad Bhagavatam - http://vedabase.net/sb/

"At the time of the final devastation of the complete universe [the end of the duration of Brahma's
life], a flame of fire emanates from the mouth of Ananta [from the bottom of the universe]. The yogi sees
all the planets of the universe burning to ashes, and thus he leaves for Satyaloka by airplanes used by
the great purified souls. The duration of life in Satyaloka is calculated to be 15,480,000,000,000 years." (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.26)

"In the Vaikuntha planets the inhabitants fly in their airplanes, accompanied by their wives and
consorts, and eternally sing of the character and activities of the Lord, which are always devoid of all
inauspicious qualities. While singing the glories of the Lord, they deride even the presence of the
blossoming madhavi flowers, which are fragrant and laden with honey." (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.17)

"The inhabitants of Vaikuntha travel in their airplanes made of lapis lazuli, emerald and gold." - (3.15.20)

"The home and household paraphernalia of Kardama, who was one of the Prajapatis, was
developed in such a way, by dint of his mystic powers of austerity and yoga, that his opulence was
sometimes envied by those who travel in outer space in airplanes." (33.15)

"In the capital city there were many palaces, city gates and surrounding walls, which were already
very, very beautiful, and on this occasion all of them were decorated with golden ornaments. The
domes of the city palaces glittered, as did the domes of the beautiful airplanes which hovered over the
city." (9.56)

"As soon as the symptoms of his liberation were manifest, he saw a very beautiful airplane coming
down from the sky, as if the brilliant full moon were coming down, illuminating all the ten directions." (4.12.19)

"When Dhruva Maharaja was attempting to get on the transcendental plane, he saw death
personified approach him. Not caring for death, however, he took advantage of the opportunity to put
his feet on the head of death, and thus he got up on the airplane, which was as big as a house." (4.12.30)

"Dhruva was seated in the transcendental airplane, which was just about to start, when he
remembered his poor mother, Suniti. He thought to himself, "How shall I go alone to the Vaikuntha
planet and leave behind my poor mother?" (4.12.32)

"While Dhruva Maharaja was passing through space, he gradually saw all the planets of the solar
system, and on the path he saw all the demigods in their airplanes showering flowers upon him like rain." (4.12.34)

"Dhruva Maharaja thus surpassed the seven planetary systems of the great sages who are known
as saptarsi. Beyond that region, he achieved the transcendental situation of permanent life in the planet
where Lord Visnu lives." (4.12.35)

"Accompanied by the order carriers of Lord Visnu, Ajamila boarded an airplane made of gold.
Passing through the airways, he went directly to the abode of Lord Visnu, the husband of the goddess
of fortune."* (6.3.44)

"One time while King Citraketu was traveling in outer space on a brilliantly effulgent airplane given to
him by Lord Visnu, he saw Lord Siva, surrounded by Siddhas and Caranas. Lord Siva was sitting in an
assembly of great saintly persons and embracing Parvati on his lap with his arm. Citraketu laughed
loudly and spoke, within the hearing of Parvati." (6.17.4)

"For that battle the most celebrated commander in chief, Maharaja Bali, son of Virocana, was
seated on a wonderful airplane named Vaihayasa. O King, this beautifully decorated airplane had been
manufactured by the demon Maya and was equipped with weapons for all types of combat. It was
inconceivable and indescribable. Indeed, it was sometimes visible and sometimes not. Seated in this
airplane under a beautiful protective umbrella and being fanned by the best of camaras, Maharaja Bali,
surrounded by his captains and commanders, appeared just like the moon rising in the evening,
illuminating all directions." (7.10.16)

"The yogi who desires to enjoy in the pleasure gardens of the demigods should meditate on the
purified mode of goodness, which is situated within Me, and then the heavenly women, generated from
the mode of goodness, will approach him in airplanes." (11.15.25)

The Hindu Scriptures seem to clearly state that the Devas and Devis (Gods and Goddesses) live on higher planetary systems. But the Gods seem to have come before the humans, and are not considered to be "aliens" like how we think of them.

What do you all think of this? Does this explain how some ancient monuments are built?

 

[SkinWalker]

There are an innumerable amount of references to Vimanas or flying machines in Hindu Literature. It's not rare or unusual to find references to people taking vimanas to fly to other planets.
[...]
he Vymaanika Shastra (Science of Aeronautics) can be found here
[...]
What do you all think of this? Does this explain how some ancient monuments are built?

It isn't even a real text. It was invented (I think the original author preferred the word "channeled") in the early 20th century. Indeed, Jules Vernes was writing similar fiction at around the same time.

As to the other mention of "flying machines" in other ancient Indian texts, the gods were of the heavens in most human cultures. Nothing extraordinary here. The gods need not touch the ground and were often depicted in mythology has having chariots that "flew."

With regard to explaining how some ancient monuments are built, why would we need explanations beyond those we already have? Current hypotheses are fit quite well. Which "ancient monuments" did you have in mind?

 

[Oxygen]

I remember all the "evidence" of ancient flying machines. Okay, so they mention strange craft that fly through the air. That doesn't mean they actually had them. We have our stories about spacecraft that fly through hyperspace, navigate wormholes, and plunge through black holes and come out the other side, all through the help of highly sophisticated sentient androids. It doesn't mean we actually have them.

Has it never dawned on anyone that we aren't the only generation to write sci-fi and fantasy stories? Maybe the authors set their stories against a historical background. We do that all the time. Heck, we've even made well-known people the principal actors in our tales. It didn't take long for the legend of George Washington vs. the Cherry Tree to become accepted by the public as fact.

 

[VitalOne]

I remember all the "evidence" of ancient flying machines. Okay, so they mention strange craft that fly through the air. That doesn't mean they actually had them. We have our stories about spacecraft that fly through hyperspace, navigate wormholes, and plunge through black holes and come out the other side, all through the help of highly sophisticated sentient androids. It doesn't mean we actually have them.

Has it never dawned on anyone that we aren't the only generation to write sci-fi and fantasy stories? Maybe the authors set their stories against a historical background. We do that all the time. Heck, we've even made well-known people the principal actors in our tales. It didn't take long for the legend of George Washington vs. the Cherry Tree to become accepted by the public as fact.

And what is Sci-Fi based on? Where did they get their ideas? How many of those sci-fi stories existed before we had technology that would allow that imagination? There are not many stories (if any) about hyperspace before Space Travel were there?

Did you read the scriptures I quoted, they talk about people seeing the planets as they travel in their airplanes (vimanas). And it says if the heavenly demigods (devas) approach you in airplanes (vimanas) then you will be able to participate in the sports of the demigods (devas). In one of the scriptures, it describes how the man got seated on the vimana, and while he waited for it to start he pondered whether he was ready to go to the planet. In the scripture when the man visits Vishnu, on his planet, he goes beyond the seven regions to the planet of Lord Vishnu. Is this all just a great coincidence?

In Ancient Greek mythology, the details of flying machines were not nearly as realistic, and only Gods could ride them.They were just like flying chariots and treated so. They did not talk about people seeing planets as they travel or their flying machines being made of gold (or anything similar), they referred to them just like flying horses or chariots.

In 326 BC Historians report that Alexander the Great's army encountered Flying fiery shields from India when they fought, is this just another coincidence?

What about this from Ancient Egypt?

Simply a coincidence right?

 

[SkinWalker]

Poppycock. The "scriptures" you quoted are fictions created in the 1920's at the earliest.

The spurious set of hieroglyphs you linked to above is clearly a palimpsest. Indeed, the photo looks a tad retouched. But I recognize several glyphs that are placed over old ones -a common practice among the Egyptians. A pharaoh had his scribe fill in a glph then carve a new one.

The glyph that looks like a marsh plant on the left is part of a grouping that is off the screen, but probably refers to a ruler of upper/lower egypt. Undoubtedly there is a cartouche to the left, off screen.

The bit in the middle is an offer or presentation of nine items (the glyph that probably looks like a helicopter to you is a "determinative" glyph that means to offer or present. The one that probably looks like a spaceship to you is really three glyphs. They've been filled in and re-carved at least twice. The picture is photoshopped, howver. You can see it in some of the blurring in the middle and the right. A spurious creation of someone's fantasy.

It isn't coincidence, its the power of belief + ignorance = wild fantasy.

 

[VitalOne]

Poppycock. The "scriptures" you quoted are fictions created in the 1920's at the earliest.

The spurious set of hieroglyphs you linked to above is clearly a palimpsest. Indeed, the photo looks a tad retouched. But I recognize several glyphs that are placed over old ones -a common practice among the Egyptians. A pharaoh had his scribe fill in a glph then carve a new one.

The glyph that looks like a marsh plant on the left is part of a grouping that is off the screen, but probably refers to a ruler of upper/lower egypt. Undoubtedly there is a cartouche to the left, off screen.

The bit in the middle is an offer or presentation of nine items (the glyph that probably looks like a helicopter to you is a "determinative" glyph that means to offer or present. The one that probably looks like a spaceship to you is really three glyphs. They've been filled in and re-carved at least twice. The picture is photoshopped, howver. You can see it in some of the blurring in the middle and the right. A spurious creation of someone's fantasy.

It isn't coincidence, its the power of belief + ignorance = wild fantasy.

Actually , you're 100% wrong about the first thing. Those quotes aren't from the Vymaanika Shastra, they're from the Srimad Bhagavatam, the first Purana in Hinduism (http://vedabase.net/sb/). Sorry try again

Secondly, those pictures are photoshoped? Are you sure? That guy must be a real nice photoshop artist

Hahaha, clearly the photo is real, try again

 

[phlogistician]

Secondly, those pictures are photoshoped? Are you sure? That guy must be a real nice photoshop artist

The first image (the close up) does appear to have been photoshopped. Not entirely created, but it does appear to have had it's contrast enhanced.

I've taken pictures inside pyramids and temples. They are not well lit places, and flash photography is not allowed. Perhaps the blurring is not photoshop, but from a long exposure with a high zoom?

Zooming in on the second fuller mage you presented does not reveal the level of detail that the first contains, can you link to the full resolution version?

Anyway, those are Egyptian hieroglyhs, and the Egyptians were rather verbose about their antics, writing every achievement all over their temples. There are no stories about flying machines or helicopters, nor have such relics been found in burial caches, the only forms of transportation that have been found being chariots and boats.

If you can't read hieroglyphs, it's easy to misinterpret them. In fact, it was impossible to work out what they were telling us before the discovery of the Rosetta stone, proving how abstract the presentation of the information is.

I have a replica of an depiction of Anubis that I bought in a Nubian village;

On the top left, is that a UFO, surrounded by three smaller craft, beaming rays onto a boat? Is Anubis clenching a windsock between his buttocks? Or, is it really easy to misinterpret hieroglyphs ;-)

As to the ancient texts, do you believe everything that has been written? Literal truth of all religious texts?

 

[SkinWalker]

Actually , you're 100% wrong about the first thing. Those quotes aren't from the Vymaanika Shastra, they're from the Srimad Bhagavatam, the first Purana in Hinduism (http://vedabase.net/sb/). Sorry try again

Okay. I'll try again. It is from a spurious "translation" of a dubious source. Period. Show me the original manuscript. What's the original text, Bub? Therefore, we can discard it.

Secondly, those pictures are photoshoped? Are you sure? That guy must be a real nice photoshop artist

Photoshopped or not, the image you linked to is a palimpsest. That you believe it is some evidence of ancient space aliens and their ships is testament to your own ignorance. To anyone who is studied in Egyptology and hieroglyphs, it is obvious.

 

[VitalOne]

Okay. I'll try again. It is from a spurious "translation" of a dubious source. Period. Show me the original manuscript. What's the original text, Bub? Therefore, we can discard it.

I have no original manuscript, nor can I find one, so I guess we can discard it.

Photoshopped or not, the image you linked to is a palimpsest. That you believe it is some evidence of ancient space aliens and their ships is testament to your own ignorance. To anyone who is studied in Egyptology and hieroglyphs, it is obvious.

Actually, Egyptians were very good artists. When they drew a bird to as a hierogylph it looked like a bird. These images clearly look like flying machines. The one on the top clearly looks like a helicopter, the other one look like a blimp, and the last one I'm not sure about. So what are they depicting?

Also for people who have actually studied Egyptian Hieroglyphs, those do not appear to be any common ones that are used at all. They don't even seem to be any type of recognizable hieroglyph at all.

If Curiousity is ignorance, ok then I'm ignorant.

 

[Laika]

One of them quite clearly shows Thunderbird 2.

 

[VitalOne]

The spectacular thing is that they're all on one tablet,

Don't really know what this is....looks just like those reports of cigar-shaped UFOs...but I'm not sure at all

Hmm...what could this be...clearly a helicopter

This one looks just like a blimp or a thunderbird 2 (like Laika said)

 

[VitalOne]

Not sure what this one is either...not sure at all

Sorry about this extra post the board won't allow more than 3 images on one post

 

[Oxygen]

I've seen that glyph before. It's been proven to be several glyphs stamped over one another. And people talked about the possiblity of life on other planets long before we even imagined air travel was actually possible, let alone space travel.

 

[VitalOne]

I've seen that glyph before. It's been proven to be several glyphs stamped over one another.

Can I have a link? Thanks. If this is true...then I have no case...yet

 

[Laika]

VitalOne,

One of them looks like a helicopter, one looks sort of like an aeroplane.
But to say one looks like an unidentified flying object is just silly. It's inscribed on a rock. That means it's not flying. It would be far more accurate to say it looks like an unidentified object, which it surely is. You could even say it looks like a cigar. I'd say it looks more like a cucumber with a fork stuck in it.

 

[VitalOne]

VitalOne,

One of them looks like a helicopter, one looks sort of like an aeroplane.
But to say one looks like an unidentified flying object is just silly. It's inscribed on a rock. That means it's not flying. It would be far more accurate to say it looks like an unidentified object, which it surely is. You could even say it looks like a cigar. I'd say it looks more like a cucumber with a fork stuck in it.

Well I agree, that's why I said I'm not sure at all what it is. But the helicopter image looks exactly like a helicopter. The blimp one also looks exactly like a blimp or thunderbird 2.

Why is it that when something looks like a bird we immidiately say it looks like a bird but if it looks like a helicopter then it can't be

 

[Laika]

I don't know. I agree that it does look like a helicopter and I'm quite happy to say so. But I also defer to Skinwalker's knowledge of archaeology, which I'm sure is infinitely greater than my own.

 

[mars13]

leonardo di vinci invented flight,the only documented WORKING flying machines were built by him.

he invented the parachute,the hot air ballon,and the glider.


i havent seen ONE documented skematic or drawing of ANYTHING that looks like it MIGHT fly anywhere before da vinci.

all the ancients talk about flight,but seeing birds fly was there inspiration.

the rest was FICTION,or story telling.

without skematics,or drawings,or TECNICAL discriptions,words are just stories.[althou,noahs ark was described inthe bible in great detail,and when people make models of it ,it works very well as a boat and is VERY stable and sea worthy].

unless you can rebuild something throu the writing,then it probably wasnt real[althou noahs ark DID work,that doesnt mean it was REAL in the biblical 40 days flood,it just means someone described a good boat design].

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Secondly, those pictures are photoshoped? Are you sure? That guy must be a real nice photoshop artist

... em, not wanting to be entirely contentious, but the guy's a rank amateur.




Granted, the ten minutes I spent on the above isn't enough time to do anything like a proper job, but after downloading the image you posted and giving it a good looking over, y'can see the shadows on the "aircraft" glyphs don't match the colour and texture of the rest of the glyphs on the same beam. Shadowing doesn't account for it. A fine line where the aircraft glyphs were patched over whatever was originally there can be located between the aircraft glyphs and those proceeding it.

In Short, looks a bit like a cock and bull picture to me... or perhaps its a cigar shaped UFO and possibly an alien...

 

[Oxygen]

VitalOne- I'd love to post a link, except that I do most of my research in books. (I'm just strange that way). However, I will see what I can dredge up. When I first saw the glyphs I thought the same thing as everyone else at the time. "Holy shit! That's a helicopter!". The book that showed the overlapping carvings was out of the San Jose Public Library and looked at several long-standing accounts of "ancient high technology". It was a great book for the study. The author wasn't afraid to admit when something had him stumped, but he mostly focused on Van Daaniken (I think that's how it's spelled.) It'd be great to find that book again.