[I originally wrote this article in the summer of 2020 but it got lost in my annoyance with the translation. Trimmed.]
Vimanas are ancient flying machines. I’ve recently read a translation of the Vymaanika Shastra or Science of Aeronautics by Maharishi Bharadwaaja.
The book mentions the Yantra Sarvasva as a lost encyclopedia of Vedic technology of which this was a part. This would have been from the last Treta Yuga (silver age).
Vimana means measured out or traversing, although the work itself opens by saying the name comes from the speed of birds.
The author, Bharadwaja was one of the Saptarishi or 7 primary Vedic seers and contributed to the Rig Veda. He also brought out works on science. He’s visited by Rama during the Ramayana, placing him in the Treta Yuga at a time when knowledge was passed on orally.
The text itself has less reliable origins. Like many of the old texts, it’s written in sutra form, just main points. This primary knowledge in mantra form is like a seed used to open doors into collective wisdom. They did not require the details. Sutras also make it easier to memorize so it can be maintained and passed on.
Also common, there is a much later commentary that appears to be secondhand. The commentator cites other texts extensively, listing details, but doesn’t seem to have direct knowledge of the topic. Many of the terms are untranslated.
Many of the Purana stories were recorded after the fact by remote seers. However, knowledge sutras are usually recorded by the seer themselves, then passed down orally.
This text, though, was lost and was more recently “channelled.” It has serious flaws, even structurally, that are not typical of such works. For example, the last chapter is like another book with a completely different context and a distinct set of categories for the vimanas.
The describing was clearly heavily influenced by the time of the channeller (prior to modern air flight) and doesn’t reflect their actuality. The technology isn’t understood by either the channeller or the translator, leading to some very odd interpretation.
The artist’s depictions take it a step further into nonsense, making them look like massive flying birthday cakes. They’re not even aerodynamic.
All in all, I would not consider this a reliable source. However, I did find some points worth discussing.
Details
The sutras describe the primary metal used and clearly indicate there are standard classifications of metals, glass, crystals, tools, and techniques. While tantalizing, little is defined and few terms are translated, leading to a lot of dead-ends.
The text also has “recipes” but they’re typically just a list of ingredients like the above, with few translated terms. The terms that are are clearly misleading, like “eagles’ skin.” This is likely a material name out of context, like Bluetooth.
Or “mirrors” that allow the pilot to see out any side of the craft. This sounds more akin to the screen in a modern automobile that can view any of the navigation cameras. The descriptions of the energy collectors would fit well in a steam-punk fantasy film.
The first chapter talks about the hazards the pilot needs to know about and what they should wear and eat. The book later mentions 7 power sources. This includes collection through yantras or geometric pasterns. It also mentions building a device to tap into 5 types of power that, when combined, create a super-power that creates a “halo” around the craft.
I suspect the “halo” is a coherent magnetic field. Consider a light bulb compared to a laser, coherent light. You probably have several in your home and car. A coherent magnetic field has recently been created in labs, but we have not yet realized its significance. Think of it like creating an independent gravitational field. A Back To The Future hover board on steroids.
It would require considerable research to assemble the mentioned categories and to try to define it all. There is distortion by the original receiver, the commentator, and the English translation. Most serious, Vedic texts are usually very well organized. This one is not.
However, I see some validity because I have some past-life memories of these devices. In one life, I was involved in designing them. However, most of what I remember is the qualities of the experience, not the content of the mind. (As the Yoga Sutra (4v21) puts it “If the mind were to be seen by another mind, there would be an unending series of intellect viewing intellect, and confusion of memory.” Think of it like a mirror reflecting in a mirror, an unending series of reflections. As such, we can remember how we felt, but not the content of the mind.)
The last chapter doesn’t fit the book well but illustrates fascinating points about the Yugas or ages. This is perhaps the best part of the work. Here are some points along with general features of the ages and what arose through the last descending cycle.
Sat Yuga – golden age
All 4 legs of dharma supported.
By devotion to dharma and tapas, many abilities arise, including the ability to fly. There was no need for flying craft.
Treta Yuga – silver age
We lost the dharma leg of Tapas or warming. Patanjali cognized the Yoga Sutra to help purify and culture abilities that no longer arose spontaneously.
The time of the Ramayana and Yoga Vasishtha, the Saptarishis, and when many of the texts were cognized and shared orally.
Devices were built and driven using used maantrika or sound, controlled by the voice and mind. Pushpakas were an example of this type.
People also passed on information orally, using specific mudras (hand positions) to demonstrate purity of truth (2 of the legs). They also built monolithic structures, some of which remain.
Dwapara – bronze or energy age
We lose the dharma legs of Tapas and Purity. Compassion and Truth remain.
The time of the Mahabharata with the Bhagavad Gita and Krishna.
Devices are Taantrika or energy controlled, like the Bhyrava.
People move to large cities, as now.
At the end, Veda Vyasa compiled the Vedas in writing so they wouldn’t be lost in the coming dark age.
Kali Yuga – Iron or dark age
Only the leg of Truth remains for dharma to stand on.
Kritaka or “artificial” means of power and flight are used, as now.
Some think we’re currently in the dark age. I think, because of the rising use of energy, compassion, and migration to cities, that we’re in the early part of Dwapara. And yet, in the short term, even truth is on shaky ground.
Still, we’re also in a period where dharma can be restored and we can rise to a Sat or golden age. We have lots to go yet, but I notice recent articles have been about rising purification, supporting the third leg. Also, so many people are waking up.
Davidya
Wonderful post, thank you so much. I’m wondering if there are indeed multiverses, could the other universes be in different ages than we are? If so, do we have access to them? I’m also wondering, based on a recurring experience, if there are what I experience as “tunnels of light” that connect highly evolved places on earth.
Hi Sharon
To the experience here, there are many distinct universes in our creation. And there are other creations with very different structures. So not a multiverse but distinct.
That said, I’ve seen a few examples when clearing a trauma cleared it in both the present and historically. That changed the behavior of prior lives, leading to a different history. (all time is actually in the present and it’s just flow, so easily changed) I suspect the burden of history will lift in a higher age.
Actually, the yugas relate to the precession of the equinoxes and the larger movement of our solar system and the rotation of our galaxy. So they’re more local than may be obvious. This is also why there is a progression of larger and larger cycles. Galactic cluster, Laniakea, etc. Our Universe itself has a lifespan.
We could say that the universes are created to have specific experiences, so each is tuned a bit differently, then within that in progressive layers, the experience is made more and more specific, until you come down to the specific being, time, and place. Even the Vedas are structured this way, which is why the seer, law of nature, and meter are named.
Of course, it’s all happening in teams. Groups of us in relationships, devata in groups, and the batches of experience in the cycles of time.
And yes, we have access to them because we can experience on the celestial/ causal level where they arise. Once that opens in awareness, it’s always available. However, we’re here mainly to experience here, so most of our attention should be here. There are sages who reside in the field of creation who manage their universe. For them, it’s their job to experience this all the time.
And yes, the tunnels of light are called nadis, which are founded on the nagas. Some are very ancient and maintain the subtle structures and relationships within the body, the planet, and so forth.
A classic example is people experiencing the tunnel of light when they die, as they rise up and out of the heart and up the nadi through the crown.
Big topics.
Ancient Aliens anyone?
Hi Warren
Right. In the West, we have a rather linear perceptive on time. We started as cavemen and gradually evolved to our pinnacle today. But time moves in cycles: days, seasons, years, ages. We’re actually a ways from the peak.
Because of that, we tend to attribute our own accomplishments to easier ideas, like aliens did it. However, we’ve had much fanicer technology and abilities in our own past.
That said, the universe is teaming with life on all levels. Not all planets are populated with physical beings. Most of it has little interest in other places, but there are some exceptions. Not something I’ve explored a lot though.
Super interesting – thanks. Your description of your past life memory reminded me of a line from Wordsworth, describing a memory of a glimpse of a higher state: ‘Remembering how I felt, but what I felt/Remembering not’. Intriguing to think we might be in Dwapara Yuga – doesn’t that mean we’d have to go all through Kali to get to Sat?
Hi Harriet
Ah, exactly.
There are cycles within cycles (like dashas and bhuktis). India has been using a Yuga model that is less relevant for us – the deva experience of time. If we correct the calculations, as Yogananda’s master Yukteswar did, they align with the natural cycles of our planet. By this calculation, the trough of Kali was in about 500 AD, what we called the dark ages. We’re now in rising Dwapara, the energy age. Electricity was discovered, then atomic power, energy healing, etc. We’re still in the subcycle of Kali though, so full Dwapara hasn’t yet blossomed.
https://davidya.ca/2022/03/02/the-yugas-discussed/
All that said, there’s a deeper movement of awakening taking place which is expected to prematurely rise the ages to Sat. Krishna’s prediction is happening. It’s not clear to me if this will be an overlay on the usual cycles, or if it will change them in this cycle.
There was a precipitous drop in consciousness during the descending cycle and it seems this is being balanced now with a precipitous rise.
Hi David
Some other people in the past also mentioned rising consciousness in the future within the bigger cycles of time.
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the founder of the original Theosophy, wrote a few articles about Aquarian age, related to astronomical cycle.
Also Meher Baba made a few predictions about “New Humanity” and higher spiritual Era of Peace and Love.
However none of them or others as well didn’t say anything about this faster then usual rise of consciousness. So i’m interested to know when have you discovered this unusual subcycle? Was it mentioned by Maharishi?
Thanks.
Oops. Bojan, missed responding to this.
The Aquarian age isn’t actual due for awhile yet. Western astrology uses a fixed zodiac that doesn’t reflect the actual sky.
I discovered it when the experience arose. Because of the precipitous drop, it acts a bit like a veil on the past. The trauma of that change has to be resolved to see into earlier, higher ages.
Maharishi didn’t mention this but did talk a lot about Krishna’s prediction of a golden age in the current time. Basically the same thing.
For what it’s worth, some of Maharishi’s animations seem to feature Vimanas – there are lotus-shaped flying devices with some very happy people seated in them in the Heaven is Descending animation.
Hi Jalal
Those seem to be a bit of blend – descriptions of vimanas in the Ramayana and of heavenly lokas. (because heaven on earth…)
Flying machines and advanced sound technology sounds great and all, but will the coming golden age also provide a cure for male pattern hair loss?
In a word, Yep. 🙂
The mechanism is already understood. We just need to learn how to address it. Ayurveda talks about a specialized cleanse that can apparently trigger a new set of teeth and restoring hair & hair colour. We shall see…
Wow that is interesting, I always had a feeling it would be possible as it’s just a case of the scalp receiving adequate nutrients and energy. Thanks .
Right, and slowing down the aging process that changes hair colour and tightens the skin on the scalp.
Simple question. Yes, more people seem to be awakening but since we now have over 8 billion people, is the proportion the same as it has always been or is the proportion of enlightened people actually growing.
Hi Lew
The scenario is quite different than just proportion. There was a significant shift in the ’06-’08 period, where a large wave woke up. I started this blog then and used to cross-comment with a batch of others who’d woken too. (Most since stopped blogging.)
However, it didn’t stop there. A number of those started shifting into higher stages, then into stages that have been rare for a long time. Maharishi brought out stages as they unfolded in the population but hadn’t even covered the higher ones. I’d never heard of stages that I now know a population of.
There are also major movements of purification in the collective, and a move toward higher collective clarity. Consciousness is the easiest to shift. But it takes time for that to move forward and be increasingly embodied. As that happens, society will transform considerably.
I can’t tell you the time frame though as that would mean being able to see all remaining shadows. But it’s clearly moving up. I’ve written articles on this.
https://davidya.ca/2020/10/28/end-times/
https://davidya.ca/2021/05/22/the-laundromat/