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Yantra Shastra (यन्त्रशास्त्रम्) (view source)
Revision as of 21:50, 1 April 2020
, 21:50, 1 April 2020adding classification of yantras
== Etymology ==
== Etymology ==
The word yantra is derived from the dhatu यम् used in the sense "to control", and has been freely used in ancient India for any contrivance or machine. In Samarangana Sutradhara, Maharaja Bhojadeva defines Yantra as follows<blockquote>यदृच्छया प्रवृत्तानि भूतानि स्वेन वर्त्मना। नियम्यास्मिन् नयति यत्तद्यन्त्रमिति कीर्तितम् ॥३ (Sama. Sutra. 31.4)<ref>Raja Bhojadeva's Samarangana Sutradhara ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%99%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A5%A9%E0%A5%A7 Adhyaya 31])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>स्वरसेन प्रवृत्तानि भूतानि स्वमनीषया। कृतं यस्माद्यमयति तद्वा यन्त्रमिति स्मृतम् ॥४ (Sama. Sutra. 31.4)</blockquote>Dr. V.R. Raghavan in his article “Yantras or Mechanical Contrivances in Ancient India” describes that yantra is so called because it controls and directs according to a plan, the motions of things that act each according to its own nature.
The word yantra is derived from the dhatu यम् used in the sense "to control", and has been freely used in ancient India for any contrivance or machine. In Samarangana Sutradhara, Maharaja Bhojadeva defines Yantra as follows<blockquote>यदृच्छया प्रवृत्तानि भूतानि स्वेन वर्त्मना। नियम्यास्मिन् नयति यत्तद्यन्त्रमिति कीर्तितम् ॥३ (Sama. Sutra. 31.4)<ref>Raja Bhojadeva's Samarangana Sutradhara ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%99%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A5%A9%E0%A5%A7 Adhyaya 31])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>स्वरसेन प्रवृत्तानि भूतानि स्वमनीषया। कृतं यस्माद्यमयति तद्वा यन्त्रमिति स्मृतम् ॥४ (Sama. Sutra. 31.4)</blockquote>Dr. V.R. Raghavan in his article “Yantras or Mechanical Contrivances in Ancient India” describes that yantra is so called because it controls and directs according to a plan, the motions of things that act each according to its own nature.<ref name=":0" />
== Constituent elements of Yantra ==
According to Bhojadeva in his work Samarangana Sutradhara, Bija or Constituent elements of yantra are four in number. <blockquote>तस्य बीजं चतुर्धा स्यात् क्षितिरापोऽनलोऽनिलः। आश्रयत्वेन चैतेषां विजयदप्युपयुज्यते ॥५ (Sama. Sutr. 31.5)<ref>Samarangana Sutradhara ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%99%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0_%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A5%A9%E0%A5%A7 Adhyaya 31])</ref></blockquote>They are earth (क्षितिः), water (आपः), fire (अनलः) and air (अनिलः) with ether (विजयः) being the medium of action.
== Classification of Yantras ==
According to different texts we find various versions of the classification of yantras.
Bhojadeva classifies yantra mainly into three categories. They are:<blockquote>स्वयंवाहकमेकं स्यात्सकृत्प्रेर्यं तथापरम्। अन्यदन्तरितवाह्यं वाह्यमन्यत् त्वदूरतः ॥१० (Sama. Sutr. 31.10)</blockquote>स्वयंवाहकम् ॥ Svayamvahakam - That which is automatic and sakrt-prerakam (that which
अन्तरितवाह्यंम् ॥
दूरतःवाह्यम् ॥
Kautilya divides the yantras into stationary and mobile—Sthira and Chala yantras. The former class comprises :—
Sarvatobhadra : According to the commentary of Bhattasvamin0, this is a
sharp-edged wheel that is placed on a wall and rotated so as to fling big stones
all around; according to others, it is also called Siddhabhumirika-yantra and
scatters small stones.
Jamadagniya : Bhattasvamin explains it as a big Sara-yantra or mechanical
arrow-thrower. It is placed behind a wall and it shoots arrows through
crevices in the wall. But the name signifies a fire-arm. .
Bahumukha : This is an elevation and a mount for archers; it is leathercovered
and is as high as the wall to enable archers to shoot all round.
Visvasaghati : An iron bar placed across the path in the approaches to
the city, which, manipulated by a mechanical device, falls down and pounds a
man. It belongs to the class mentioned above for killing unwanted persons and
the yantra-torana mentioned in the Mudrardkshasa.
Sanghdti means " tied together "., It was made of wood and used to set
fire to enemy fortifications. It is called an Agni-yantra.
== Related Texts ==
== Related Texts ==
Samarangana Sutradhara by Bhojadeva is an eighty three chapter treatise which deals with town planning, house architecture, temple architecture, various sculptural subjects, canons of paintings, devotes a big chapter called Yantravidhanam (यन्त्रविधानम्) on art of mechanical contrivances, the yantras. Chapter thirty one of this book specializes in mechanical contrivances and yantras, including those with construction of vimanas or aerial cars.<ref>Shruti. K. R., and Dr. Rajani Jairam. ''Mechanical Contrivances and Daru Vimanas described in Samarangana Sutradhara of Bhojadeva,'' IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 20, Issue 12, Ver. V (Dec. 2015) PP 16-20
Samarangana Sutradhara by Bhojadeva is an eighty three chapter treatise which deals with town planning, house architecture, temple architecture, various sculptural subjects, canons of paintings, devotes a big chapter called Yantravidhanam (यन्त्रविधानम्) on art of mechanical contrivances, the yantras. Chapter thirty one of this book specializes in mechanical contrivances and yantras, including those with construction of vimanas or aerial cars.<ref name=":0">Shruti. K. R., and Dr. Rajani Jairam. ''Mechanical Contrivances and Daru Vimanas described in Samarangana Sutradhara of Bhojadeva,'' IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 20, Issue 12, Ver. V (Dec. 2015) PP 16-20
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