Research Article written by London swaminathan

 

Date: 8 June 2016

 

Post No. 2879

 

Time uploaded in London :–  18-58

 

( Thanks for the Pictures)

 

DON’T REBLOG IT AT LEAST FOR A WEEK!  DON’T USE THE PICTURES; THEY ARE COPYRIGHTED BY SOMEONE.

 

(for old articles go to tamilandvedas.com OR swamiindology.blogspot.com

 

 

15 names for cloud in Sanskrit

Amarakosa, world’s first thesaurus, gives fifteen names for clouds. They are:–

Abram, Meghah ,Vaarivaahah, Stanayitnuh, Bhalaahakah, Dhaaraadharah, Jaladharah, Thadithwaan, Vaaaridah,Ambhubrth, Ganah, Jiimutah,Mudirah, Jalamuga, Dhuumayonih

Seven types of Rains

Following seven types of clouds bring sven types of rains:

Samvartam-  Rain of gems

Avartam- water (we experience it)

Pushkalaavartam- gold (kanakadhara Stotram)

Sangaaritam –flower (Devas)

Dronam- sand (Sahara desert sand storm)

Kalamukhi- stone (hailstorm, meteorite shower)

Neelavarnam- fire (volcanoes, Tsunami)

 

We have some evidence for the six types of rains in the above list.

Rain that pours down water from the sky is known to everyone.

Rain of fire is seen by people living nearby volcanoes. Tsunami waves and worst storms also produce electricity over waves and cause fire accidents. Hindu scriptures describe the Great floods and Armageddon fire.

Rain of stone is caused by meteorite belt, when the earth crosses it every year; but the atmosphere burns most of the meteorites. Yet some areas on earth experience rain of stones. Hailstorms are also described as rain of stones.

Rain of gold: This happened in the life of the greatest of the Indian philosophers Adi Sankara. When he went begging for food (as was the custom for ascetics), a poor lady did not have anything except a gooseberry in her pickle bottle. When she placed it in his begging bowl, he shed tears and prayed wholeheartedly to Goddess to shower wealth on her. And there was a shower of golden gooseberries! Hindus even today sing that hymn Kanagadara Stotra meaning hymn of golden rain.

Sand rain

Sand rain is very common in the Middle East and North African countries. Very often flights are cancelled due to sand storms. Weather is also affected by the dust from the Sahara desert. Two Tamil cities were destroyed by sand rain according to legends authenticated by Tamil literature.

 

Please read my earlier article in this blog:-

Sand Storms destroyed Two Tamil Towns! (7-12-2013)

 

Hindu scriptures describe the rain of flowers by angels in hundreds of places. Whether it is true or not, Indian politicians very often experience rain of flowers from their supporters. During weddings, Hindus shower flowers on the couples. Brahmin priests recite a flower mantra (Yo paam pushpam vedaa) in all the Pujas and shower flowers on the statues. So rain of flowers is a common sight in India.

Rain of gems is known in the heaven.

 

How rain is produced –

Kalidas and other ancient poets knew that water from the sea and other water sources on earth gets evaporated into steam and form rainy clouds. Kalidas has used it in his similes.

Names for Thick Clouds:- Megamaalaa, Kadambhini

Ten words for Lightning:–Sampaa, Satahrtaa, Hraadini, Airavatii, Kshanaprabaa,Thadith, Saudaaminii, Vidyut,Sanchalaa,Sapalaa

 

Seven types of Atmospheric Layers

Sakuntala drama of Kalidasa has a reference to the different pathways in the heaven (Act 7-5); commentators explain all the seven paths as follows:

“According to Hindu mythology, the heavenly region is divided into Seven Paths, with a particular Vayu/wind is assigned for each.

 

The first of these Vayupathas or vayu margas is identical with the bhuvar loha., or atmospheric region, extending from earth to sun. The wind assigned to this area is AVAHA.

 

The other six make up the Swar loka or heavenly region with which Swarga (paradise) is often identified in the following order:-

The second marga/path is that of the sun; and its wind called PRAVAHA, causes the sun to revolve.

Third path is that of moon and its wind is SAMVAHA impels the moon

Fourth is that of the stars or lunar constellations and its wind is known as UDVAGA; this causes the stars to revolve.

Fifth path is that of the planets and its wind is VIVAHA

Sixth is that of the Saptarishi or Greta Bear Constellation and the Milky Way; its wind PARIVAHA bears along these luminaries.

And the last- seventh- is that of the Dhruva or Pole Star; the pivot or axis of the whole planetary system; its wind is PARAVAHA, causing the revolution of the Pole Star (Dhruva Star).

 

Scientific Facts

These divisions may not correlate with the modern divisions; but yet it shows the scientific bent of mind of our forefathers; dividing them into different types or categories, assigning them different roles – show their keen observation and deep study. What they said about ‘winds’ may be different rays, pulses and waves from the sky.

 

Rain plays a key role in Hindu scriptures. They worship water and its God Varuna from the Vedic days. Tamil books also give at least ten names for clouds and a prayer to Rain (god).

–subham–