Guest guest Posted May 16, 2002 Report Share Posted May 16, 2002 In this age of ethnic self-assertion, many good things are happening, but not everything that is happening may be good. In any case, if some leaders in the Islamic world are striving to revert to their glory days of the eleventh century, it is chronologically appropriate, given that we have a much more ancient civilization, that some Hindu leaders would want to revert to our own glory days of the first century. The late Rajiv Gandhi once dream of bringing India to the 21st century. He did not realize that it is far more spiritually uplifting to go the past than confront the challenges of the future. V. V. Raman May 16, 2002 - "Michael Witzel" <witzel "Indology" <INDOLOGY; <INDOLOGY> Wednesday, May 15, 2002 8:29 AM [scS] Kautilya to the front! > BBC reports: Tuesday, 14 May, 2002, 11:13 GMT 12:13 UK > > India defence > looks to > ancient text > > The book includes a special diet for soldiers in combat > > > By Shaikh Azizur Rahman > in Bombay > > > > > Indian scientists are turning to an ancient > Hindu text in their search for the secrets of > effective stealth warfare. > > They believe the book, > the Arthashastra, > written more than > 2,300 years ago, will > give Indian troops the > edge on their enemies. > > India's Defence > Minister George Fernandes has approved > funding for the project, and told parliament > recently that experiments had begun. > > The research is being carried out by experts > from the Defence Research and > Development Organisation and scientists > from the University of Pune and National > Institute of Virology in western India. > > The book includes the recipe for a single > meal that will keep a soldier fighting for a > month, methods of inducing madness in the > enemy as well as advice on chemical and > biological warfare. > > Powders and remedies > > The book was written by military strategist > Kautilya, also known as Chanakya and > Vishnugupta, a prime minister in the court > of India's first emperor Chandragupta > Maurya, in the fourth century BC. > > "All of us are excited > about the > possibilities and do > not for a moment > think that the idea is > crazy," said Professor > SV Bhavasar, a space > scientist who has > spent many years > researching the > Arthashastra. > > "Decoding ancient > texts is not an easy > task but we are very hopeful of success," he > added. > > According to a Pune University report, the > book says that soldiers fed with a single > meal of special herbs, milk and clarified > butter can stay without food for an entire > month. > > Shoes made of camel skin smeared with a > serum made from the flesh of owls and > vultures can help soldiers walk hundreds of > miles during a war without feeling tired. > > A powder made from fireflies and the eyes > of wild boar can endow soldiers with night > vision. > > Chemical warfare > > Kautilya wrote in the Arthashastra that a > ruler could use any means to attain his goal, > and Book XIV touches on aspects of > chemical and biological warfare. > > The book says that > smoke from burning > a powder made from > the skin and excreta > of certain reptiles, > animals and birds can > cause madness and > blindness in the > enemy. > > The book also > provides the formula > to create a lethal > smoke by burning > certain species of > snakes, insects and plant seeds in makeshift > laboratories. > > "Our focus at present is on how humans > can control hunger for longer durations and > walk for longer period without experiencing > fatigue, > > Project leader Dr VS Ghole, head of the > environmental engineering department of > Pune university, said the team was now > focusing on the methods of controlling > hunger and increasing stamina. > > "Once we have made some headway we will > go into researching Kautilya's notes on > night vision and other fields," he said. > > Professor SV Bhavasar said the team also > had plans to research other ancient Hindu > texts. > > These include manuscripts which "claim to > provide secrets of manufacturing planes > which can not be destroyed by any external > force, could be motionless in the sky and > even invisible to enemy planes." > > > ======================================================== > Michael Witzel > Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University > 2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA > > ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages) > home page: http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm > > > > > ScholarlyServices > > > > Your use of is subject to > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.