Science and technology in ancient India | Great Indian sages

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During the Vedic period India that is Bharat  was once the core center of science and technology . Indian scientists and their inventions in science aren’t new things for India . Great sages of India had the great ability of connecting with the cosmos .

When someone got connected with the cosmos it revealed the whole secret to the connected person  . The great enlightened Gurus in India had the mastery in it and that is the reason they were able to reveal the pure science to the common people . 

The universe is accelerating day by day which leads to changes in the physical world and cosmic world . This means that science also gets evolved  day by day but the basic concept of science will remain the same in all eras . 

After the beginning of the colonial era, science has gone through many changes . The big Institution or the big universities ,  emerging colleges ,Pharma Medicals were the part of the survey which defined or guidance of the science .

The sole aim of this  survey which happened in the Colonial era is to popularise it  in the whole world in the name of science. 

The most surprising thing is that the new science  and technology which were  popularised by the colonial era  were opposed vigorously by many eminent persons .

They tried to put Science and Technology ,  Christianity ,  economic exploitation and European conquerors into one package which certainly made them to manipulate the originality of science .

So we need to go back to the pre colonial era when our ancestors were as advanced in Science and Technology as we are today . This statement needs to be said on a concrete evidence and it should come in terms of artefacts surviving the ravages of time or through manuscript.

  Let us discuss some great ancient sages or Gurus who were great scientists either in the field of Medical Science , physics, chemistry ,biology or  astronomy . 

Indian scientists contribution in

  • Charak Samhita is the  most ancient knowledge  on medical science which is still studied extensively and universally  among eminent people . 
  • Dr. Royle in his book “  essay on the antiquity of Indian Medical Science ” has cited passages from the Latin translation of Avicenna, Rhazes, and Serapion in which Charaka is mentioned . 
  •  It is stated that a learned sage  named Bhardwaja received the sacred Ayurveda ( Science of life ) from Indra Dev  who had acquired it from Ashwin , from Prajapati , a son of self-created Brahman .Then another sage named Punarvasu of Atri’s race ( got it from Bharadwaja ) share it with 6 of his pupils ( Agnivesha ,  Bhela, Jatukarna , Parashara , Harita , Kharapani ) . Then Agnivesha’s treaties were edited by Charaka and after which it holds the name of “ Charaka Samhita “ . 
  • The work of charaka comprises with astounding aphorism about diseases and its causes as also about the way of avoiding diseases which certainly draw the attention of modern readers . Readers of today’s will find that some of the highest and latest discoveries of hygenic science were well known to the ancient medical authorities of India . 

To cure  a disease , Charak Samhita is still regarded to be of very high authority .Many Indians and people living outside India  used to practice according to Charaka Samhita .

Many person who have deeply studied and practice thoroughly  come to the conclusion that ,  without yielding to the prejudices fostered by Western culture , many diseases  which are  Peculiar to India can  be cured more effectively , With minimum use of money , and very quickly  by taking the  right guidance of well-learned  practitioner relying on Charaka than pursuing the western system to cure the diseases . 

Charak Samhita
Charak Samhita

Time has a very significant role in “ Charak Samhita “ . Time is of two kinds : First the different states and periods of life , like  childhood ,  youth ,  manhood ,  old age  and the second one is the “ the  Seasons of the Year “ .

When something is done or borne by a person  in a certain period of life or  specific season  of the Year , may not be suitable for him in another period of life or another  season of the Year . For example ,  certain foods which are healthy  to consume in winter may not be suitable to consume in summer also or vice-versa .

Apart from this again the relation whether its adverse or friendly have great impact on both time and the objects of the senses is another great cause of  diseases or a condition of health issue . 

Most of the time we ignore the fact  that mental illness finally causes physical  illness because this is how the Western Medical Science treats our body and we are told to be .  But now  the deep  research done by medical science has also recognised that how a person thinks has a great impact on their health .

In ancient India , in the treatment of  most of the diseases ,  therapeutic virtues of time have been recognised . This is the way the treatment has been done in  ancient India . 

Charak Samhita in itself is an ocean of knowledge which has all answers to your questions concerning medical science . The only thing which we need to do is to study it carefully and try to imbibe those words practically .

The father of atomic theoryScience and technology

The vaisesika sutra which is written by Maharshi Kannad is much older (around 2600 yrs older ) than Dalton’s theory ( 1766 – 1844 AD ) on atoms . This Sutra has awakened a  keen interest  in many to study and the propagation of the oldest Hindu philosophy .

The vaisesika  has been derived from the word “ Vishesha “ and this word has different meanings like  Species , Distinction ,  excellence ,  Superiority . There are many views going through this word but the most preferable one is for the kanad sutra has been called as vaisesika because of the theory of visesa inhering  in the ultimate atom .

Kanada’s atoms are Mathematical points ,  without parts ,and  possessing the same attributes and activity in their respective classes of  earth ,  fire ,  air , water , space . 

Kanada in his vaisesika Sutra  tells about atoms ( Parmanu ) which are non destructible and combination of atoms create molecules (anu ) . There are different kinds of Parmanu (atoms ) which carry specific properties with themselves . 

Sutra explain  how the universe came into existence and how the universe works . And great details about the mind , soul , time  ,space . and how these are related to atoms . 

Relation between Arab science with  ancient India

Many of the Indian tribes like Jats had settled down in Arabia even before the beginning of Islamic era . It  was the migration of Indian people to the Arabian countries . They were well versed in different branches of Indian traditional medicines .

Many of them ,  Such as tantric medicine , and where using these clinical  proficiency to cure the diseases of the patient . 

Even some Indians were said to be in the company of the Prophet . Most surprising thing is that the beloved wife of Prophet was cured by an Indian Jat physician of Medina .

It is  in in record that Harith Bin Kalada ,The trusted hakim of the prophet ,  studied in the medical school of Jundishapur ( in Khuzistan ,  in Southwest Iran )  where IndiansVaidyas and philosophers  also taught science as including medicine . 

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It’s also mentioned that Indian physician Birzantin Hindi had settled  down in Yemen from India during the period of Anusherwan in 530 AD- 580 AD . He had great Knowledge of Indian Medicine and specialisation in treating different kinds of diseases by introducing Indian herbs .  especially Hemp ( cannabis Indica linn ) . He was the person who was curing disease in that area using Hemp .  He became very famous in that period of time.

Zubayr in 1960 Said that Chinese Monarch sent a book to the first Ummayyad caliph in 660 – 680 AD .That book contained many secrets and wisdom of Indian Medicine ,  Alchemy and astronomy . 

Al – Mansur , the 2nd “ Abbasid Caliph “ Received embassies from Sindh which comprises of some Indian pandits or well versed learner of Vedic science . 

Kanka (Ganga ) was the person who was   specialised in healing art and drug sciences .He has the greatest authority in the astronomy of Ancient India . There were many ancient Indian  scientist which were mentioned by Ibn Nadim and Ibn abi . Some more Indian ancient scientist are mentioned below

  1. Saka
  2. Dahir
  3. Jankal
  4. Jabari
  5. Indi 
  6. Raha
  7. Bakhar
  8. Anku
  9. Manjhal

Charak Samhita was translated into Persian language by Manaka Hindi And then it was rendered into Arabic by Abdu Habin .  Shustra Samhita . 

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