Achievements of the Ancients

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                        Achievements of the Ancients
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                  (Courtesy: Dr.P.V. Vartak, Pune, India)
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Medical Sciences
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Knowledge                          Ancient Reference      Modern Reference
---------                          -----------------      ----------------
Plastic Surgery (Repair of nose    Sushruta               A German Surgeon
by the skin flap on forehead)      (4000 - 2000 B.C.E)    (1968 A.D.)

Artificial Limb                    RigVed (1-116-15)      20th Century

Chromosomes                        Cunavidhi(Mahabharat)  1860-1910 A.D.
                                   (5500 BCE)

Number of Chromosomes (23)         Mahabharat-5500 BCE    1890 A.D.

Combination of Male and Female     Shrimad Bhagwat        20th Century
chromosomes in zygote              (4000 B.C.E)

Analysis of Ears                   RigVed                 Labyrinth-McNally
                                   Eitereya Upanishad     1925
                                   (6000 BCE)

Beginning of the Foetal Heart      Eitereya Up.           Robinson, 1972
in the second month of pregnancy   Shrimad Bhagwat

Parthenogenesis                    Mahabharat             20th Century

Test Tube Babies
  a) from the ovum only            Mahabharat             Not possible yet
  b) from the sperm only           Mahabharat             Not possible yet
  c) from both ovum and sperm      Mahabharat             Steptoe, 1979

Elongation of Life in              Shrimad Bhagwat        Not yet confirmed
Space Travel

Cell Division (in 3 layers)        Shrimad Bhagwat        20th Century

Embryology                         Eitereya Upanishad     19th Century
                                   (6000 BCE)

Micro-organisms                    Mahabharat             18th Century

A material producing a disease     S-Bhagwat (1-5-33)     Haneman, 18th Cent.
can prevent or cure the disease
in minute quantity

Developing Embyro in Vitro.        Mahabharat             20th Century

Life in trees and plants           Mahabharat             Bose, 19th cent.

16 Functions of the Brain          Eitereya Upanishad     19-20th Cent.

Definition of Sleep                Prashna-Upanishad      20th Century
                                   Patanjali Yogsootra

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Physical Sciences
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Knowledge                     Ancient Reference         Modern Reference
---------                     -----------------         ----------------
Velocity of Light             RigVed                    19th Century
                              Sayan Bhashya (1400 A.D)

Trans-Saturnean Planets       Mahabharat (5500 B.C)     17-19th Century

Space Travel to another       Shrimad Bhagwat           Under Trials
solar system                  (4000 B.C)

Gravitational Force           Prashnopanishad           17th Century
                              (6000 B.C)
                              Shankaracharya
                              (500 B.C)

Ultravoilet Band              Sudhumravarna             ---
                              (Mundakopanishad - M.U)

Infra-red Band                Sulohita (M.U)            ---

Tachyons faster than light    Manojava (M.U)            Sudarshan, 1968

Nuclear Energy                Spullingini (M.U)         20th Cent.

Black Holes                   Vishvaruchi (M.U)         20th Century

Monsoon at Summer Solstice    RigVed (23720 B.C)        ---

Entry in South America by     Valmiki Ramayan           ---
Aeroplanes                    (7300 B.C)

Phosphorescent Trident at     V.Ramayan                 1960 A.D.
the Bay of Pisco, Peru,
S.America

Aeroplanes                    RigVed                    ---
                              Ramayan
                              Samarangan Sutradhara
                              (1050 A.D.)

Robot                         Samarangan Sootradhara    ---

Atom (Divisible)              Shrimad Bhagwat           Dalton (Indivisible)
                              (4000 B.C.)               1800 A.D.

Subatomic Particles (Electr,  Shrimad Bhagwat(4000 BC)  Thomas, Rutherford
Proton,Neutron and other)     (Param-Mahan)            Chadwick (20th Cent.)

Genesis of Universe           RigVed (>10000 B.C.)      Gamaow, et.al (1950)
                              (Nasadeeya Sootra)

Atom Bomb                     Mahabharat (5500 B.C)     1945 A.D.
                              (Brahm-Astra)

Sound Energy used to powder   Mahabharat (Vajrastra)    Gavreau, 1964
materials

Mercury as energy source for  Samrangan Sutradhara      Indian Express,
aeroplanes                                              20-10-1979 A.D

North Pole                    Valmiki Ramayan           Piery, 1909 A.D

Antartica                     Valmiki Ramayan           Piery, 1950 A.D

Premordial matter from        RigVed (>10000 B.C.)      20th Century
which the universe emanated   (Ambha)

Formations of premordial      RigVed (>10000 B.C)       Gammow, 1950
matter                        (Ambha-Nasadeeya)

Natural Cycle of Water        RigVed (>10000 B.C)       19th Cent.
                              Valmiki Ramayan
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Physical Sciences
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Electricity (DC)              Mitra/Varuna-Teja/Agasti  18th Cent.

Water Analysis by             Agasti (Prana+Udana)      19th Cent.
electricity (H2 + O)

Electroplating                Agasti                    19th Cent.

Vega becoming Pole Star       Mahabharat (Vanaparva)    ---

Seven Colors in sunrays       RigVed (8-72-16)          ---

Black Spots on the Sun        Valmiki Ramayan           ---

Temporary Bridge on Sea       Valmiki Ramayan           ---

Equinox's and Solstice's      RigVed (10-18-1)          ---

Meteors                       "Ulka" AtharvaVed (19-9)  ---

Pythagorus Theorm             Sulbha Sootra (800 BC)    Pythagorus, 500 BC

Comet (at Mula)               Valmiki Ramayan           ---

Mars in Aldebaren             V.Ramayan                 not occured in last
"Breathing" of a Star         RigVed (Nasadeeya)        Gamov, 1950

Gravity and Heat Production   RigVed (Nasadeeya)        Gamov, 1950
in a Star

Order of origin of space,     RigVed, Upanishads        ---
gases, heat, water and earth

Life on Earth                 Mahabharat, Puranas       Salem, Jogesh 1980
                              1.7 X 10^10 years         Pati-10^10 years

Layers of Atmosphere accor-   V.Ramayan (Kish.8)        ---
ding to specific gravity

Microscope                    Mahabharat (5500 BC)      16th Century
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