Does the story of Ashwatthama and his brahmastra have a lesson for us regarding nuclear weapons today?

Question

Why Hinduism has descriptions of very advanced weapons, flying machines etc from ancient times!
Were the Hindus a very advanced race destroyed in a prehistoric nuclear war or something? How come their is no proof of such weapons now?

Has anyone tried to make the machines described in the Vimana Shastra?

Answer 1

At the time of Mahabharata, book writing was not an industry. There was nothing to gain by writing such a troublesome manuscripts on Bhurjapatra.

So, there was nothing to get by telling lies or writing fictions.

Logically, those verses are truthful and written in "adhbuth-ramya-kathanak" technique, which looks like myths.

Answer 2

When Ghatotkacha answers Abhimany's call through thought waves in a few nanosec's, when Krishna responds to Draupadi's call from far far away, when electronic warfare accounts for many lives in Wars in Ramayana and Mahabharatha (Lakshmana was nearly killed by Indrajit, but the advanced medical science, and Hanumanji's 'solo' flying skills and advanced techniques, saved Lakshmana's life!) -- you see evidence of a very sophisticated, advanced 'science age' in the remote past, as depicted in stories of Hindu Purana's! But then the greatest lesson of history, as we all know, is that Man never learns from history! Aswathama and his weapons are good stories for art forms like Kathakali and ballet dances and 'pravachan's' in temple festivals -- and, no more than recreational and entertainment devices for us today! Perhaps some research is going on in some 'pockets' quietly (Michael Creighton!), to look closely at these points and attempt to profit from the Purana illustrations, to bring back those times to the present time co-ordinates in the wonderful cycle of Times!

Answer 3

The Hindus are a people wise beyond their time. They were visionaries who unlike other old religions, were NOT chauvinists.
On top of all that, they don't go around trying to convert people. And don't anyone say anything about the Hare Krishnas. No one was forced to join the Hare Krishnas. Every member joined completely freely because they were tired of religions devoid of logic and full of hypocrisy.

Answer 4

Mythological and imaginary, that's the only explanation you need. Hindu myths have been retold, rewritten so many time and embelished time after time, there is very little to even consider that it might have any semblance to some historical event.

Answer 5

Jules Verne wrote some futuristic science fictions, some of his imaginations are coming true. It does not mean that he saw those things when writing.
Similarly Hindu mythology does not need to be true, or historical.
Hindu Philosophy is true and time tested.