Written by London swaminathan

Research paper No.1799; Dated 14^th April 2015

Uploaded at London Time:21-59

Hindus of the Vedic period had big ships and went into the vast and deep ocean for trade and other purposes. Though it was known hundred years ago and lot of things were written about it, there were some counter arguments as well. But their arguments were weak because they argued on the basis of negative evidence, i.e. what is not in the Vedas regarding the ocean going ships. They deliberately forgot that the Vedas are not oceanography manual or marine engineering manual. Vedas are religious books.

After the discovery of Dwaraka under the sea which corroborated the information found in Vishnu Purana and Mahabharata, the counter arguments became weaker. Negative evidence never prove anything. Salt is not mentioned in the Rig Veda and men urinating is never mentioned in the Tamil literature. If one argues that because salt is not mentioned in the Rig Veda, they did not know sea, another stupid would argue Tamils never urinated in their lifetime!!If one wants to enjoy such stupid arguments, one must read Minor Gods in the Rig Veda, where each God has ten to fifteen different interpretations, all by foreign “Scholars”.

Dwaraka was founded on a sacred site where once Kushasthali existed. Krishna built it with copper according to Sangam Tamil literature (Puram verse 201 by Kapilar). Vishnu Purana also corroborated by saying that Dwaraka was defended by high ramparts. Vishnu Purana says, “On the day Krishna departed from the earth dark bodied Kali Age descended. The ocean rose and submerged Dwaraka. Kali Age began in 3102 BCE. It proved that Dwaraka is at least 5000 year old.

Tamil verse spoke about a copper fort at Dwaraka and migration of a particular king around 1000 BCE to Tamil Nadu. So the details given in Vishnu Purana, information given in Tamil verse Puram 201 and the latest discovery of submerged port in Dwaraka prove that there was a port 5000 years ago ( I have already written about Krishna’s Naval Attacks against Nivata Kavachas and Chaldeans in my post Hindu Gods’ Naval Attacks)

Sea Travel and Ship and the Rig Veda

Rig Veda is the oldest book in the world dated at least 1700 BCE. But Vedic scholars like Shrikant Talagheri says that it would have taken at least 500 years to compose such a huge volume of literature.

1.Samudra is frequently mentioned in the Rig Veda

2.Treasures of the ocean are mentioned (RV 1-47-6; 7-6-7; 9-97-44)

3.Pearls and other gains of the trade are found in RV 1-48-3, 1-56-2; 4-55-6

4.Bhujyu was rescued by the Asvins from mid sea after a shipwreck RV 1-116-5. A ship with hundred oars (sataritra) is mentioned.

5.In the Rig Veda (1-56-2; 4-55-6), there are clear references to trading in distant lands for profit (RV 1-48-3)

6.Nau is the word used for boat and ship. The word Navy is derived from this Sanskrit word. It is frequently mentioned in the RV and AV. The term nava is referring to a ship (RV 1-97-8)

7. Destruction of a kingdom where the Brahmins are harassed is compared to a shipwreck in the Atharva Veda (AV 5-19-8)

8.One passage refers to a well rigged ship in which Varuna and Vasisstha sailed to mid ocean (RV 7-8-3)

9.A prayer for prosperity in distant lands is also found in the Rig Veda(1-97-8)

10.Other words used for vessels and its parts:

Sairavati (sea worthy vessel) – (AB 6-29-5)

Dyumna =small boat- (RV 8-9-14)

Manda = rudder of a ship – SB 2-3-3-15)

Naumanda= deck of the ship – (JB 1-125)

Navaja = sailor or a boatman – (SB 2-3-3-5)

11.A Kind of vessel called plava is described in detail (1-24-35).It is said to be strongly constructed so that it can withstand storms.

12.Satapata Brahmana and Baudhayana Dharmasutra refers clearly to sea travel (SB 2-3-3-15; BD 1-2-4;2-2-2)

13.RV clearly mentions Sarasvati river reaching the sea. RV 10-136-5 also mentioned Dvausamudrava meaning two seas on either side.

14.The knowledge of high tide can be inferred from the RV(1-48—3)

15.The texts speak of inexhaustible sea(RV 5-16-7) and the earth encircled by the sea.

16.Varuna is praised as the God of Sea in the oldest Tamil book Tolkappiam and Rig Veda. Varuna is allocated the direction West and Indra, the East. West signifies sea travel from the Indus Ports and Dwaraka.

17.Two thousand year old Tamil literature called the coastal fishermen as Bharatavas. More research must be done to find the link between the Bharatas of RV and Bharatavas of Tamil Literature

18. RV mentioned at least 15 types of fishes and crabs though it is a religious book.

19.In many countries we see seas named after Rishis (seers) Caspian Sea= Kashyapa, Adriatic= Atri, Bering Sea=Brgu, Aegean Sea= Agastya. More research is needed in the field of place names.

20.Indus valley has links with the Middle East and Gulf countries justifying Varuna the Guardian of Western Direction and God of Sea.

21.Ancient Egyptians knew shipping; ancient Greeks knew shipping; ancient Middle East knew shipping; why not ancient Indians?

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