The making of machines for offense and defense to be used on the ground and in the air is described. Considering briefly some of the flying machines alone that find distinct mention in this work, we find that they were of different shapes like those of elephants, horses, monkeys, different kinds of birds, and chariots. Such vehicles were made usually of wood. We quote in this connection the following stanzas so as to give an idea of the materials and size, especially as we are in the days of rigid airships navigating the air for a very long time and at a long distance as well.
An aerial car is made of light wood looking like a great bird with a durable and well-formed body having mercury inside and fire at the bottom. It has two resplendent wings, and is propelled by air. It flies in the atmospheric regions for a great distance and carries several persons along with it. The inside construction resembles heaven created by Brahma himself. Iron, copper, lead and other metals are also used for these machines. All these show how far art was developed in ancient India in this direction. Such elaborate descriptions ought to meet the criticism that the vimanas and similar aerial vehicles mentioned in ancient Indian literature should be relegated to the region of myth.100
The ancient texts also made the important distinction that vimanas were real machines, while contact with the spirit world, angels or fairies was a different matter. Says Dikshitar:The ancient writers could certainly make a distinction between the mythical which they designated daiva and the actual aerial wars designated manusa. Some wars mentioned in ancient literature belong to the daiva form, as distinguished from the manusa. An example of the daiva form is the encounter between Sumbha and the goddess Durga. Sumbha was worsted and he fell headlong to the ground. Soon he recovered and flew up again and fought desperately until at last he fell dead on the ground. Again, in the famous battle between “the celestials” and the Asuras elaborately described in the Harivamsa, Maya flung stones, rocks and trees from above, though the main fight took place in the field below. The adoption of such tactics is also mentioned in the war between Arjuna and the Asura Nivatakavaca, and in that between Karna and the Raksasa in both of which, arrows, javelins, stones and other missiles were freely showered down from the aerial regions.
King Satrujit was presented by a Brahman Galava with a horse named Kuvalaya which had the power of conveying him to any place on the earth. If this had any basis in fact it must have been a flying horse. There are numerous references both in the Visnupurana and the Mahabharata where Krishna is said to have navigated the air on the Garuda. Thither the accounts are imaginary or they are a reference to an eagle-shaped machine flying in the air. Subrahmanya used a peacock as his vehicle and Brahma a swan. Further, the Asura, Maya by name, is said to have owned an animated golden car with four strong wheels and having a circumference of 12,000 cubits, which possessed the wonderful power of flying at will to any place. It was equipped with various weapons and bore huge standards. ...After the great victory of Rama over Lanka, Vibhisana presented him with the Puspaka vimana which was furnished with windows, apartments, and excellent seats. It was capable of accommodating all the Vanaras besides Rama, Sita and Laksmana. Rama flew to his capital Ayodhya pointing to Sita from above the places of encampment, the town of Kiskindha and others on the way. Again Valmiki beautifully compares the city of Ayodhya to an aerial car.
“This is an allusion to the use of flying machines as transport apart from their use in actual warfare. Again in the Vikramaurvasiya, we are told that king Puraravas rode in an aerial car to rescue Urvasi in pursuit of the Danava who was carrying her away. Similarly in the Uttararamacarita in the fight between Lava and Candraketu (Act VI) a number of aerial cars are mentioned as bearing celestial spectators. There is a statement in the Harsacarita of Yavanas being acquainted with aerial machines. The Tamil work Jivakacintamani refers to Jivaka flying through the air.”100
Mercury Engines and Vimana Texts
Perhaps the most valuable information that has been gotten from the VimaanikaShastraof Bhardwaj is the description of what are known today as mercury vortex engines.
In chapter five of the Vimaanika Shastra, Bhardwaj describes from the ancient texts which are his reference, how to create a mercury vortex engine:Prepare a square or circular base of 9 inches width with wood and glass, mark its centre, and from about an inch and half thereof draw lines to edge in the 8 directions, fix 2 hinges in each of the lines in order to open shut. In the centre erect a 6 inch pivot and four tubes, made of vishvodara metal, equipped with hinges and bands of iron, copper, brass or lead, and attach to the pegs in the lines in the several directions. The whole is to be covered.
Prepare a mirror of perfect finish and fix it to the danda or pivot. At the base of the pivot an electric yantra should be fixed. Crystal and glass beads should be fixed at the base, middle, and end of the pivot or by its side. The circular or goblet shaped mirror for attracting solar rays should be fixed at the foot of the pivot. To the west of it the image-reflector should be placed. Its operation is as follows:
First the pivot or pole should be stretched by moving the keelee or switch. The observation mirror should be fixed at its base. A vessel with mercury should be fixed at its bottom. In it a crystal bead with hole should be placed. Through the hole in the chemically purified bead, sensitive wires should be passed and attached to the end beads in various directions. At the middle of the pole, a mustard cleaned solar mirror should be fixed. At the foot of the pole a vessel should be placed with liquid ruchaka salt. A crystal should be fixed in it with hinge and wiring. In the bottom centre should be placed a goblet-like circular mirror for attracting solar rays. To the west of it a reflecting mechanism should be placed. To the east of the liquid salt vessel, the electric generator should be placed and the wiring of the crystal attached to it. The current from both the yantras should be passed to the crystal in the liquid ruchaka salt vessel. Eight parts of sun-power in the solar reflector and 12 parts of electric power should be passed through the crystal into the mercury and on to the universal reflecting mirror. And the that mirror should be focused in the direction of the region which has to be photographed. The image which appears in the facing lens will then be reflected through the crystal in the liquid salt solution. The picture which will appear in the mirror will be true to life, and enable the pilot to realize the conditions of the concerned region, and he can take appropriate action to ward off danger and inflict damage on the enemy.33
Two paragraphs later Bhardwaj says:Two circular rods made of magnetic metal and copper should be fixed on the glass ball so as to cause friction when they revolve. To the west of it a globular ball made of vaatapaa glass with a wide open mouth should be fixed. Then a vessel made of shaktipaa glass, narrow at bottom, round in the middle, with narrow neck, and open mouth with 5 beaks should be fixed. Then a vessel made of shaktipaa glass, narrow at bottom, round in the middle, with narrow neck, and open mouth with 5 beaks should be fixed on the middle bolt. Similarly on the the end bolt should be paced a vessel sulfuric acid (bhraajaswad-draavada). On the pegs on southern side 3 interlocked wheels should be fixed. On the north side a liquefied mixture of load-stone, mercury, mica, and serpent-slough should be placed. And crystals should be placed at the requisite centres.
‘Maniratnaakara’ [here Bhardwaj is referring to an ancient authority, now lost—ed.] says that the shaktyaakarshana yantra should be equipped with 6 crystals known as Bhaaradwaaja, Sanjanika, Sourrya, Pingalaka, Shaktipanjaraka, and Pancha-jyotirgarbha.
The same work mentions where the crystals are to be located. The sourrya mani is to be placed in the vessel at the foot of the central pole. Bhaaradwaaja mani should be fixed at the foot of the central pole. Sanjanika mani should be fixed at the middle of the triangular wall. Pingalaka mani is to be fixed in the opening in the naala-danda. Pancha-jyotirgarbhamani should be fixed in the sulfuric acid vessel, and Shakti-panjarakamani should be placed in the mixture of magnet, mercury, mica, and serpent-slough. All the five crystals should be equipped with wires passing throu
gh glass tubes.
Wires should be passed from the centre in all directions. Then the triple wheels should be set in revolving motion, which will cause the two glass balls inside the glass case, to turn with increasing speed rubbing each other the resulting friction generating a 100 degree power...33
From the text of the VimaanikaShastrait is apparent that mercury, copper, magnets, electricity, crystals, gyros(?) and other pivots, plus antennas, are all part of at least one kind of vimana. The recent resurgence in the esoteric and scientific use of crystals is interesting in the context of the Vimaanika Shastra. Crystals (mani in Sanskrit), are apparently as integral a part of vimanas as they are today of a digital watch. It is interesting to note here that the familiar Tibetan prayer Om Mani Padme Hum, is an invocation to the “Crystal (or jewel) inside the Lotus (of the mind).”
While crystals are no doubt wondrous and important technological tools, it is mercury that concerns us here.
Mercury is an element and a metal. According to the Concise Columbia Encyclopedia, Mercury is a “metallic element, known to the ancient Chinese, Hindus, and Egyptians.” The chief source of Mercury is cinnabar HgS, a mineral. According to Van Nostrand‘sScientific Encyclopedia , Mercury was mined as early a 500 BC out of cinnabar crystals which are usually “small and often highly modified hexagonal crystals, usually of rhombohedral or tabular habit. Its name is supposed to be of Hindu origin.”
Mercury was most certainly mined and used earlier than 500 BC; scientific encyclopedias and such are usually overly conservative. The metal was named after the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology. It is a heavy, silver-white liquid with the symbol Hg. The symbol for Mercury is derived from the Greek word Hydrargos meaning water, silver or liquid gyro. It is a liquid at ordinary temperatures and expands and contracts evenly when heated or cooled.
The liquid metal mercury, when heated by any means, gives forth a hot vapor that is deadly. Mercury is generally confined to glass tubes or containers that are sealed, and therefore harmless to the user. Present day mercury vapor turbine engines use large quantities of mercury, but little is required for renewal because of its closed circuit systems. Mercury and its vapor conduct electricity; its vapor is also a source of heat for power usage. Mercury amplifies sound waves and doesn’t lose timbre in quality. Ultrasonics can be used for dispersing a metallic catalyst such as mercury in a reaction vessel or a boiler. High-frequency sound waves produce bubbles in liquid mercury. When the frequency of the bubbles grow to match that of the sound waves the bubbles implode, releasing a sudden burst of heat.
According to William Clendenon, well-known UFO investigator and the author of the book Mercury: UFO Messenger of the Gods,105 a mercury-filled flywheel can be used for stabilization and propulsion in discoid aircraft /spacecraft. Liquid mercury proton gyroscopes, according to Clendenon, can be used as direction-sensing gyros if placed 120 degrees apart on the rotating stabilizer flywheel of a discoid craft.
Liquid mercury proton gyroscopes have several advantages, says Clendenon. Firstly, the heavy protons found in mercury atoms are very stable. Secondly, such gyros do not require a warm-up period as mechanical gyros do. Thirdly, the gyro using stable mercury protons is not affected by vibrations and shock. Fourthly, the liquid mercury proton gyroscope has no moving parts and can run forever. And lastly, the mercury atom offers the most stable gyro device in nature and has the additional advantages of saving space and weight. This is particularly valuable on long distance flights where all space and weight must be very carefully calculated and conserved.105
Ivan T. Sanderson mentions mercury engines and quotes from Bhardwaj’s text: “Strong and durable must the body be made, like a great flying bird, of light material. Inside it one must place the mercury-engine with its iron heating apparatus beneath. By means of the power latent in the mercury which sets the driving whirlwindin motion, a man sitting inside may travel a great distance in the sky in a most marvelous manner.
“Similarly by using the prescribed processes one can build a vimana as large as the temple of the God-in-motion. Four strong mercury containers must be built into the interior structure. When these have been heated by controlled fire from iron containers, the vimana develops thunder-power through the mercury. And at once it becomes a pearl in the sky. Moreover, if this iron engine with properly welded joints be filled with mercury, and the fire be conducted to the upper part it develops power with the roar of a lion.”10
Sanderson then goes on to make the basic observation that a circular dish of mercury revolves in a contrary manner to a naked flame circulated below it, and that it gathers speed until it exceeds the speed of revolution of said flame. Sanderson’s observation of revolving mercury is one of the first references to what we now call mercury vortex engines.
The Caduceus
The mythical god Mercury (Hermes to the Greeks) was a messenger of the Gods; he flew through the air rapidly bearing important tidings and official news from kings, gods, or sovereign powers. It was said that if the gods wanted to communicate, carry on commerce, to move things swiftly from one place to another over a long distance safely, they made use of Mercury to accomplish their goals.
Mercury wore winged sandals and a winged hat which bore him over land and sea with great speed. He carried with him his magic wand or “caduceus”—the winged staff with which he could perform many wondrous feats. In one form or another, the ancient symbol has appeared throughout the world, though its actual origin remains a mystery. The caduceus staff was a rod entwined by two serpents and topped with a winged sphere. Today the caduceus is used by the medical profession as its symbol, a practice that apparently stems from the Middle Ages. Probably, the use of the caduceus as a medical symbol stems from the symbolism of the wings for speedy medical attention and the entwined snakes as chemical or medical symbols.
Clendenon, in Mercury: Ufo Messenger of the Gods,105states that he believes that the caduceus is an ancient symbol of “electromagnetic flight and cosmic energy.” The entwined snakes are the vortex coils of the propellant, the rod the mercury boiler/starter/antenna, and the wings symbolic of flight.
Clendenon has done a great deal of experimentation with mercury vortex technology in the context of the ancient texts. His vimana, modeled after Adamski’s “scout ship,” consists of a circular air frame that is partly a powerful electromagnet though which is passed a rapidly pulsating direct current. It works basically like this:• The electromagnetic field coil which consists of the closed circuit heat exchanger/condenser coil circuit containing the liquid metal mercury and/ or its hot vapor, is placed with its core axis vertical to the craft.
• A ring conductor (directional gyro-armature) is placed around the field coil (heat exchanger) windings so that the core of the vertical heat exchanger coils protrudes through the center of the ring conductor.
• When the electromagnet (heat exchanger coils) is energized, the ring conductor is instantly shot into the air, taking the craft as a complete unit along with it.
• If the current is controlled by a computerized resistance (rheostat), the ring conductor armature and craft can be made to hover or float in the Earth’s atmosphere.
• The electromagnet hums and the armature ring (or torus) becomes quite hot. In fact, if the electrical current is high enough, the ring will glow dull red or rust orange with heat.
• The phenomenon (outward sign of a working law of nature) is brought about by an induced current effect identical with an ordinary transformer.
• As the repulsion between the electromagnet and the ring conductor is mutual, one can imagine the craft being affected and responding to the repulsion phenomenon as a complete unit.
• Lift or repulsion is generated because of close proximity of the field magnet to the ring conductor. Clendenon says that lift would always be vertically opposed to the gravitational pull of the planet Earth, but repulsion can be employed to cause fore and aft propulsion.
Clendenon thus interprets the Samaran Sutr
adhara quite differently than most scholars, and voila—“By means of the power latent in the mercury which sets the driving whirlwind in motion a man sitting inside may travel a great distance in the sky in a most marvelous manner.”105
Clendenon’s view of a great deal of discoid craft seen since 1947 is that many are vimanas, either of ancient manufacture, or modern manufacture. He believes that the famous scout ship observed by George Adamski (and later by other witnesses) is neither a hoax nor an interplanetary space craft. His mercury vortex engines are not capable of interplanetary flight, he says, but, like this version of a vimana, are for terrestrial flight only. He believes that a great number of UFO phenomena could be explained as effects of mercury vortex technology, and craft using it. He thought that some of these craft were ancient—flown by mysterious humans who lived for hundred of years—and that some of these craft were modern constructions, made by theAmericans, British, and Germans.
Technology of the Gods: The Incredible Sciences of the Ancients Page 16