1/n
Ravana was the villain of Ramayana, but he was an extremely learned Brahmana. Did you know he was considered a foremost expert on chemistry in ancient India? In Rasa Jala Nidhi, renowned Ayurvedic doctor, Bhudeb Mokkerjee elaborates on Ravana’s achievements in chemistry.
2/n
Ravana was the only one who could prepare an extremely rare formula for a famous aphrodisiac & tonic known as “Madanananda Modaka”. This concoction for enhancing fertility & stamina, contained over 50 rarest of the rare herbs combined with mercury, sulphur, and mica.
3/n
Ravana also invented medicines named “Pratapa Lankesvara,” “Lankesvara Rasa”, & “Lanka- dhipesvara Rasa”. These contained incinerated mercury, an extremely difficult ingredient to process, with mica, sulphur, orpiment etc., as an excellent remedy for leprosy & skin diseases
4/n
Ravana was the author of the renowned text “Arka-prakasha”. The Arka-Prakasha contained references to the treatment of syphillis which is called “Phiranga” disease. Some modern scholars discredited the Arka-Prakasha to be of modern origin because of this reference.
5/n
The word Phiranaga supposedly refers to the French foreigners (“Pheringees” - contraction of “French”) But clearly this assumption is false—the French were not the first Europeans to come to India. The word “Phirangaroga” is actually a corruption of “Priyanga roga”
6/n
“Priyanga” means the limb which is dear. “Priyanga-roga” therefore, means the disease pertaining to the dear limb, i.e., syphilis. Another name for this disease was Upadangsha—a name used in Charaka Samhita & other ancient treatises.
7/n
The epithet Pheringee (or Priyangi) was coined because the “Priyanga” disease was more prevalent amongst the promiscuous Europeans who came to India. An elaborate treatment of this disease is found in many Ayurvedic treatises composed long before the arrival of the Europeans.
8/n
The sheer scope of his knowledge in chemistry made Ravana or Lankeshvara one of the most famous scientists of ancient India. It is a testament to the scholarly integrity of ancient Hindus that Ravana was given his due fame & respect, despite his infamy as a villain.
9/n
In an earlier thread, I had also elaborated on Bhudeb Mukerjee's description of the achievements of Shree Ramachandra of Ayodhya or Dandakanatha who also wrote many books demonstrating his superlative knowledge in the field of chemical sciences.

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More from @MumukshuSavitri

26 May
1/n
Wendyputra Pattanaik giving gyan about the legend of Parashurama is like a blind earthworm trying to explain a supernova. The entire story of Parashurama beheading Devi Renuka is an allegory full of symbolic imagery in a narrative about self-realization. Image
2/n
First, as Sri Aurobindo says” "An Avatar is a descent of God into man, and not an ascent of man into God. He is the mould into which the seeking soul tries to cast itself, to grow towards God: so that what has been achieved by one may be repeated in the lives of others”
3/n
Avatars are not imperfect beings aspiring for enlightenment, but rather represent enlightened divine manifestations that descend to work within the constraints of a human birth. Their lives and actions are described in allegorical stories to illustrate profound truths.
Read 18 tweets
19 May
1/n
Its hard not to be depressed about the state of India when politicians play games with people’s lives & toolkits are made to damage the nation’s credibility. At such times Swami Vivekananda’s words on patriotism always bring clarity & purpose back to the mind.
2/n
“They talk of patriotism. I believe in patriotism, and I also have my own ideal of patriotism. Three things are necessary for great achievements :
First, feel from the heart. What is in the intellect or reason? It goes a few steps and there it stops.
3/n
But through the heart comes inspiration. Love opens the most impossible gates; Love is the gate to all the secrets in the universe. Feel, therefore, my would-be reformers, my would-be patriots! Do you feel?
Read 11 tweets
18 May
1/n
In a stunning research paper “A possible Harappan astronomical observatory at Dholavira”, authors M. Vahia & SM. Menon (2013) reveal the discovey of a full-fledged astronomical observatory at Dholavira, Gujarat - a Sarasvati-Sindhu site dating back to before 2500 BCE
2/n
Dholavira, situated on the Tropic of Cancer, was an important port city in 2500 BCE when sea levels were higher. Since the city was a hub of commerce & trade with West Asia , keeping track of time was crucial to the city. It was located on an island in today's Rann of Kutch.
3/n
Latest accelerator based radiocarbon dating suggests Dholavira was occupied from at least 3,500 BCE (pre Harappan). However, the settlement possibly started earlier since the oldest settlement level could not be dated due to lack of datable material.
Read 14 tweets
13 May
1/n
Veer Savarkar has been reviled and demonized to the extreme but a reading of his ideas reveal him as a modernist, rationalist & strong supporter of social reform. His opinion on movies in national life is particularly interesting. Movies can build the character of a nation.
2/n
“Films can be used to educate our youth. We see life reflected very well on screen. It is better to borrow a good thing rather than have nothing at all. But one should neither blindly copy the work of others."
3/n
“As in all other fields, it is essential that our people are nationalists in the field of cinema as well. Everything else comes after that. The film industry too should believe that it will do everything possible for the progress of the entire nation."
Read 5 tweets
11 May
1/n
I remember an incident during college, where big muscled mafia of the powerful Palestine students union took over the central auditorium of our university with huge protests against Israel. As loud anti-Jewish screams filled the air, the university police was nervous.
2/n Suddenly out of nowhere a skinny, short teenager freshman wearing spectacles and a Jewish cap stepped into the center of the auditorium. There was a gasp through the crowd & a ripple of tension. Everyone held their breaths at what would happen
3/n
Yet, this young man stood calm & fearlessly looking at the crowd, slowly raised a poster above his head that read ""Ma shelo horeg mekhashel" (What doesn't kill you, strengthens you). Then he cleared his throat and shouted "Long Live Israel" There was a pin drop silence.
Read 5 tweets
30 Apr
1/n
Dholavira, Gujarat (3000 BCE) is one of the most advanced sites of Saraswati Sindhu civilization. Finely carved polished pillars of banded limestone found here prove Indians were masters at architecture, as well as city planning & water management over 5000 years ago.
2/n
The pillars had a basal slab supporting a set of square blocks followed by a beautifully carved circular member with concave profile and flattened bottom and top surface. Some had a convex profile as well as tenon hole provision on either flat surface of each.
3/n
Amazingly, rectangular basal slabs with locking mechanisms that could support such pillars were also found. Entire pillars rested on such superstructures. They were used as a mounting point for side walls of chambers and to provide support to the roof structure.
Read 7 tweets

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