Ancient Indian Shastras

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Ancient Indian Shastras

1. Akshara-Laksha: This deals with the branches of mathematics namely arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and also physics and applied mathematics. Consisting of about 50 chapters, the book also deals with geography, air, electricity, mineralogy, etc.

2. Artha Shastra: Deals with more than 80 ways of earning wealth through means sanctioned by dharma.

3. Chitra Karma: The science of fine arts, consisting of a dozen chapters with more than 200 sketches. It is said that this book explains a method by which an artist can create the figure of a person after having seen only a portion of his or her body.

4. Dhatuvada: A treatise on dhatu or primary substances of matter, their reactions and combinations -- in other words, chemistry. The science of alchemy or the conversion of baser metals into gold is also dealt with herein.

5. Gaja Shastra: It deals with the behaviour and characteristics of elephants, and gives the methodology of how to categorise elephants on the basis of certain bodily marks.

6. Kaala Nirnaya: This deals with the concept of time, auspicious and inauspicious occasions, limitations of time and its measurements, and the presiding deities of various dates.

7. Lakshana Shastra: This deals with the determination of sex both in animate and inanimate creation. It also deals with the characteristics of a girl that can reveal her future, her family life, children, prosperity, chastity, etc.

8. Sakuna Shastra: There is a belief that when we set off towards a place, the person we meet coming from the opposite direction, or the sounds of birds and animals, provide indications of success or failure in our mission. Sage Garga has written an elaborate treatise on this.

9. Malinee Shastra: This deals in 16 chapters with everything about flowers and their arrangements, making garlands, bouquets, how women should adorn themselves with flowers, etc.

10. Malla Shastra: Attributed to Malla Muni, this deals with preservation of health, body-building, the science of gymnastics, athletic activities, wrestling, their principles and methods, etc.

11. Mahendra-Jala: The science of magic. This describes the art of creating illusions like levitation, walking on water, and all such things that are included in the performance of magic shows.

12. Parakaya Pravesh: This deals with various siddhis like anima, mahima, laghuma, garima, isitwa, vasitwa, prapti, and prakasya (the ashta siddhis) leading to parakayapravesh, the transference of one's soul at will to another body, as was done by Adi Shankara into the body of King Amaruka.

13. Ratna Pariksha and Kanaka Pariksha: The science of testing precious stones and gold for their genuineness. This deals with the 24 characteristics of precious stones and gems, their categorisation, and the 32 different ways of testing their quality and genuineness.

14. Sabda Shastra: This deals with various sounds, echoes, their categorisation and modifications. The mechanical reproduction of sounds, their pitch, frequency, velocity, etc., are also explained.

15. Samudrika Shastra: This deals with the various marks on the body which are said to indicate the type of person, his character, life and experiences. Palmistry is a branch of this science.

16. Shakti Tantra Shastra: Attributed to Sage Agastya, this deals with the various energies and powers in eight chapters. It deals with Maya, Prakriti, the 64 different kinds of energies in nature, the sun, moon and their shaktis (powers), as well as the practical applications and harnessing of such forces. The unlimited energy contained in the atom, fusion, fission, and nuclear science seem to have been well conceived in this work.

17. Shilpa Shastra: Dealing with sculptures, the construction of sacred images, temples, palaces, etc., this consists of 22,307 different categories of sculptures, and more than 100 types of images, their dimensions, proportionate sizes and other characteristics.

18. Supa Shastra: This deals with the science of cooking and is attributed to Sukesa, who is said to have perfected it to a science. Various kinds of preparations, more than a hundred in number -- pickles, condiments, sweets, puddings, cakes and a variety of different dishes to suit the tastes of people in different parts of the world -- are mentioned. In Sanskrit the word supa means "broth," and the word "soup" must have come from this.

19. Turanga Shastra: A treatise on everything about horses, their breeding, upbringing, pedigree, and points on how to select horses for various uses, including war.

20. Vatavarana Shastra: This is attributed to Sage Atri, and deals with clouds, their categorisation and characteristics, 12 different kinds of rains, lightning said to be of 64 kinds, and 33 types of thunder.

21. Visha Shastra: This is an exhaustive treatise on the science of poisons. All poisons have been divided into 32 categories, and their properties, preparation, applications, effects and antidotes have been elaborately dealt with.

22. Yantra Shastra: This deals with different types of vehicles for movement on land, vessels to be used on water for navigation, as well as different varieties of airships. This also deals with the possibility and methods of movement in space without the help of any vehicle, only by the application of mantras and diagrams or yantras.