पुरातन भारतीय विज्ञानं
We shall start our further discussions on aeronautics after an understanding of some of the scientific concepts of ARyabhatta in his text of Aryabhateeyam.
Aryabhatta, bases all his suthras on a number system.One such number system ( something like an encryption system..) is what we have already seen ( Katapayathi sankhya) in earlier posts.
We will have to understand this number system (aryabhateeya sankhya ) to understand his calculations.
in this number system... Sanskrit alphabets are numbered in the following manner.
Ka- 1 Kha - 2 Ga - 3 Gha-4 Nga-5
Cha-6 Chcha-7 ....... So on and so forth with continuous numbering upto Ma-25
Ya-30 Ra-40 La-50 Va-60 Sa-70 Sha-80
E-100
U - 10,000
Ru-10,00,000
Aryabhatta says in one of his suthras " Bha upa kramo Grahaansha:"
Upa Kramo Grahamsha: makes sense as to the degree of tilting of earth....but Bha has no meaning per say.If we refer the numbering system, Bha is of the number 24.
Thus, the tilting of earth is 24 degrees according to aryabhatta ,while the mordern calculation is 23.5 degrees.
Now , we shall move onto our Vaimanika Shastra.
Dharpanaathikaranam : The Chapter of Mirrors !
Dharpanaascha [ Suthra 20.Vaimanika Shastra ]
The Mirrors !
This chapter Deals with Seven Different types of mirrors to be used in aeronautics.
- VishwaKriya Darpanam
- ShakthyaKArshana Darpanam
- Vyroopya Darpanam
- Kuntinee Darpanam
- Guhaagarbha Darpanam
- Rowdree Darpanam
1) Vishwakriya Darpanam :
Vishwakriyaa darpana is to be fixed on a revolving stand near the pilot so that he could observe whatever is happening outside on all sides.Its construction is also detailedly explained, the silvering and all technical processes are described, but the problem lies in deciphering the meaning of the sanskrit words of the ingredients.
2)ShakthyaKarshana Darpanam
As the vimaana flies through the regions of the sky, three classes of destructive forces tend to overcome it. This mirror is capable of neutralising and overcoming their effects.
The wind, solar rays, and fire are known as trivargas. Each of the three has evil effects on the plane's pilot. Those evil forces this mirror will absorb and nullify.
3)Vyroopya Darpana
When enemy planes with men intent on intercepting and destroying your vimaana attack you with all the means at their disposal, the viroopya-darpana will frighten them into retreat or render them unconscious and leave you free to destroy or rout them. The darpana, like a magician, will change the appearance of your vimaana into such frightening shapes that the attacker will be dismayed or paralysed. There are 27 such different shapes that are said to be possible. Sammohana-kriyaa-kaanda, or the work dealing with the methods causing insensibility, mentions 17 of them.
4)Kuntinee Darpanam
We now consider the Kuntinee mirror. The wise say that the mirror by the glare of whose rays people's minds get deranged is Kuntinee mirror. Paraankusha says that in the region of the solar electric heat waves of the sky, seven streams of poisonous whirl-winds derange the mind. the Kuntinee mirror acts as a protection against that evil effect.
5) Pinjula Darpana
The conflicting inter-action of the solar rays is called pinjulaa. It has deleterious effect on the black eye-balls of the pilots. The pinjulaa mirror, by intervening will prevent the eye-balls being blinded by the evil rays.
It is said in "Amsubodhinee", or the work on solar rays, "There are four directions, east, west, north and south, and four corner directions, south-east, south-west, north-east and north-west. The solar force of each direction has got its own intensity, owing to different fire-force, different seasonal force, the effect of the five winds, combined with the vaarunee or liquid force of the clouds, and the resulting tension gives rise to four evil forces, andha, andhakaara, pinjoosha, and taarapaa, whose glows, known as rakta, jaathara, taaraagra, and prabha, striking the eye-balls result in blindness of both eyes.
6) Guha GArbaDarapanam
The conflict between the electricity in the clouds, wind, and rays, generates forces harmful to pilots. The guhaa-garbha darpana, by attracting them and projecting them by electric force against enemy planes, renders the persons inside them physically disabled and incapable of figh.
7) Rowdree Darpana
This mirror captures solar rays and concentrates them to a targetted enemy to liquify the same.
By the mixing of roudree and solar rays an evil force called maarikaa is generated, and impelled by the solar electricity, it destroys the enemy planes."
We shall move onto the next Chapter, Electricity In our subsequent note !!
