Vimana

This article deals with the term Vimana in the context of Hindu mythology, for the South Indian temple type of the same name see Vimana (architecture) .

The word Vimana ( Sanskrit विमान, vimāna ) in ancient Indian texts (the Veda , the Mahabharata , and the Ramayana ) refers to vehicles with which the gods and heroes of Indian mythology move through the sky. However, the word has a wider range of meanings, which can change depending on the context of the text and does not always refer to a material object.

Representatives of pseudoscientific pre-astronautics and related theories interpret some passages in the text in which the word vimana is used as traditional descriptions of space technology.

Word meaning

The range of meanings of the word Vimana includes - depending on the context - objects as well as personal characteristics and abstract terms. The specialist literature gives the following meanings:

• a vehicle of the gods that can move by itself ( ratha )
• an air car
• South Indian temple with horizontally tiered temple tower (→ Vimana (architecture) )
• Throne, generally palace of the gods, later derived palace of the Hindu king
• Measure, proportion
• a person who has given up all pride and selfishness and ascends to heaven

The word Vimana in Indian myths and Hindu scriptures

Already in the oldest writings of the Hindus , the Vedas , as well as in the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana , some mythological heroes use flying chariots, which are called vimanas . In some depictions they are drawn by horses and used, among other things, to bring people to the homeland of the gods.

The Vedas

In Hinduism, the term Veda denotes the holy scriptures, in the center of which are the Shruti texts , which are said to have been revealed to mythical sages and seers, the Rishis , a long time ago . The Vedas include texts on ritualistics and sacrificial techniques, but also philosophical teachings. Originally the texts were only transmitted orally, the first written versions date from the 5th century AD. The oldest components of the Vedas are believed to be between 1200 and 900 BC. The most recent parts between 700 BC. BC and 500 BC Chr.

The Mahabharata

The Mahabharata is an Indian epic , which was also first transmitted orally. The oldest parts are believed to have been made between 400 BC. BC and 300 BC Written down in BC, but parts of the tradition could go back to around 1000 BC. Go back BC.

In addition to a framework story that deals with a war between two related princely families, there are numerous other stories and episodes in the Mahabharata . They deal with topics that are at the heart of Hinduism , including death and rebirth, karma and dharma , but also stories about the Indian gods and heroes.

A complete German translation of the Mahabharata has not yet existed, but some of the text parts in which Vimanas are mentioned were translated into German in the 19th century. In this story (the so-called Indralokâgamanam ), the deity Indra brings the hero Arjuna to heaven to equip him with divine weapons. There it says, for example:

" And with Matali [note: the divine charioteer] suddenly the chariot arrived in the shine of light, shooing darkness out of the air, and illuminating the clouds, filling the regions of the world with din, like thunder "

“ Then he climbed on the wagon [note: Arjuna] , shining like the master of the day. With the magical image he leads the sun-like chariot, the heavenly, up joyfully, the wise offspring from Kuru's trunk. As he now approached the district, invisible to mortals, earth-walking, Wagen, beautiful, saw him by the thousands. There the sun does not shine, the moon does not, there the fire does not shine, but there shines in its own splendor, strength through noble deeds, What is seen in the form of stars below on earth, Whether great distances are like lamps, although they are large bodies "

Similar passages can also be found in the Indian epic Ramayana , which deals with the fate of Prince Rama .

Vimanas in pre-astronautics

Some authors from the field of pre-astronautics take the legends of the Vimanas as evidence of a technologically advanced civilization in the past, sometimes a reference to Atlantis is made. This interpretation is based on similarities between the descriptions of the vimanas and modern space travel. However, there is no archaeological or historical evidence to support this claim that would stand up to critical scrutiny.

On the contrary, there is a study by the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore (Karnataka) from 1974. This study examined documents from 1904, which describe several flying machines (vimanas). The authors also investigated the claim that Dr. Shivkar Bapuji Talpade from Bombay in 1895 under the guidance of Pandit Subbaraya Shastry is said to have successfully built and tested a suitable flying machine. The scientists came to the conclusion that the proposed flight models, which are supposedly based on ancient Hindu texts, are not airworthy. The authors further concluded that the origin of the manuscripts was consciously or unconsciously obscured. It is not about ancient, but about modern texts, which were "recently" written. They also stated that their results show that the alleged flight attempts by Dr. Talpade (if it ever existed) were unsuccessful.

literature

• Franz Bopp : Indralokâgamanam. Arjuna's journey to Indra's heaven. Berlin 1824.
• Andre Kramer: Vimanas . Mysteria3000, 2005 (online publication, viewed Feb. 8, 2007).
• Markus Pezold: Vimanas at HP Blavatsky Mysteria3000, 2007 (online publication, viewed on Feb. 8, 2007).

Literature on Vimanas from the perspective of pre-astronautics

• David Hatcher Childress: Vimana Aircraft of Ancient India & Atlantis , Adventures Unlimited Press, US, 1992 ISBN 0-932-81312-7 (contains the translation of the Vimaanika Shastra in English)
• Lutz Gentes: The Reality of the Gods. Space travel in early India , Munich / Essen 1996 ISBN 3-776-67019-3
• Dileep Kumar Kanjilal : Vimana in Ancient India , 1985
• Eberhard Schneider: Those astounding Stupas - An Investigation Into The Fantastic , Bargteheide 1991

Footnotes

1. ↑ Martin Mittwede: Spiritual Dictionary Sanskrit-German . Dietzenbach 1999, p. 282
2. ^ Richard Waterstone: India . Cologne 2001, p. 56
3. ↑ Biren Roy: The Mahabharata . Munich 1998
4. ↑ Franz Bopp: Indralokâgamanam. Arjuna's journey to Indra's heaven . Berlin 1824
5. ↑ Andre Kramer: Vimanas . Mysteria3000, 2005 (online publication, viewed Feb. 8, 2007)
6. ↑ Franz Bopp: Indralokâgamanam. Arjuna's journey to Indra's heaven. Berlin 1824, p. 1; quoted from Andre Kramer: Vimanas . Mysteria 3000, 2005
7. ↑ Franz Bopp: Indralokâgamanam. Arjuna's journey to Indra's heaven. Berlin 1824, p. 3; quoted from Andre Kramer: Vimanas . Mysteria 3000, 2005
8. ↑ Andre Kramer: Vimanas . Mysteria 3000, 2005
9. ↑ z. B. David Hatcher Childress: Vimana Aircraft of Ancient India and Atlantis . Adventures Unlimited Press, 1992, ISBN 0932813127
10. ↑ cf. Andre Kramer: Vimanas . Mysteria 3000, 2005
11. ↑ HS Mukunda, SM Deshpande, HR Nagendra, A. Prabhu, SP Govindaraju: A critical study of the work “Vymanika Shastra”. In: Combustion Gasification and Propulsion Laboratory IIT Bangalore. Indian Institute of Science, 1974, accessed March 24, 2017 .