Scientific advancement - Sanatana Dharma contd

Metallurgy was at its peak. Most metals and their alloys were mass produced. The famous iron pillar at New Delhi is a sophisticated alloy. Scientists are still unable to find out it’s composition. The pillar has been exposed to the elements for hundreds of years and yet it has not corroded.

The Mahabharata, Ramayana and many of the Puranas describe  many sophisticated weapons. The Brahmastra is the modern day atom bomb. It was taught only to those students who could control it and to those who wouldn’t use it unless it was absolutely necessary. The aftereffects of a Brahmastra described in the Mahabharata chillingly resemble a modern day description of nuclear attack. The Mahabharata also describes weapons that could alter the weather to produce severe storms and tornadoes (see Saubha-Parva). Weapons that produced illusions which were used as to divert the attacking army.

The vasthu shastra deals in detail with architecture. Remnant of the Vedic architecture can still be seen in many temples especially in South India . There were multi story buildings. The cities were well planned as seen from the excavations of Mohenjadaro and Harappa . The Mahabharata mentions that many illusory tricks were incorporated while constructing the palace of the Pandavas. There were many floors that looked like ponds with blooming lotuses and lilies and actual ponds that looked like an ordinary floor.

To be continued