h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Great Indian Scientists of the Ancient and Medieval Period - A87806389
Author: BENGAL TIGER (Kaushik) - U10873021

This entry is on great Indian scientists from the ancient and medieval period. I'm yet to finish this entry. Hopefully I'd finish it today, if not, definitely by the weekend. Looking forward to your valuable inputs.
Happy New Year

Welcome Bengal Tiger

Its about time we had an entry of this type

I feel the introduction is a little basic and there is more you could say, howerer its very good so far.

I look forward to reading the finished entry

However I wonder if this could be of interest to you.
In my entry A17451047
The History of English Black Powder and Gunpowder

I quoted the following.

"There is an old Sanskrit manuscript called A Code of Gentoo Laws, or Ordinations of the Pundits which is so old it was translated by the Persians. Nathaniel Brassey Halhed's 1776 English translation of A Code of Gentoo Laws, or Ordinations of the Pundits states in its introduction":

"It will no doubt strike the reader with wonder to find a prohibition of firearms in records of such unfathomable antiquity; and he will probably from hence renew the suspicion which has long been deemed absurd, that Alexander the Great did absolutely meet with some weapons of that kind in India".

Francis Bacon 1561 - 1626, had read this document as he mentioned it in his writings and he states that the Oxydracae in 327 BC, had black powder weapons and had established a prohibition order in law. Alexander penetrated India as far the Indus valley so the Oxydracae lived between here and the Himalayas. So did the Indians invent black powder and the handgun? European history records that handguns were in use before the Battle of Agincourt, fired from the walls of Sterling Castle in 1304."

Perhaps this could be followed up as it showes that India has been overlooked for far to long.

Well done

Thank you Bobstafford

Your entry does provide valuable insights as well. Though I've not discussed much about general scientific inventions in ancient India here, and have focussed mainly on individual contributions, I still have thoughts in my mind to add these things too.
It's not very unlikely that Alexander met army using blackpowder, because much before his advent to Asia, King Shuddhodana, father of the Lord Buddha, is said to have used black-powder in battles he fought, against Ayodhya and other states.
Thanks again ...


Bengal Tiger_Kaushik

Hi Bengal Tiger.

I've enjoyed your entries in the past, and have sub-edited three of them.

This one looks like an interesting subject. Did you intend to talk about these people in chronological order, starting with the longest ago, and working up to modern times? Because it jumps around a bit at the moment - there's a guy from the 10th century AD followed by someone from the 3rd century BC.

Hello Gnomon
It's been great to hear from you after a long time.
Wish you a very Happy New Year.
Yes, I intend to write this in chronological order. I've made some changes. Hopefully I'd be able to finish this by the weekend.
Looking forward to your valuable inputs.

BT

The observation -
It's not very unlikely that Alexander met army using blackpowder, because much before his advent to Asia, King Shuddhodana, father of the Lord Buddha, is said to have used black-powder in battles he fought, against Ayodhya and other states.

This would make an interesting discussion on another thread, Why did India not become the first super power?

Most Indian emperors and kings never aspired for conquests outside Asia, many just contained within the Indian subcontinent. Then again, after the advent of Buddhism and Jainism thus the spread of non-violence, most Indian kingdoms used to build-up a strong army just to defend themselves in case attacked by enemies. Moreover, unity amoing different Indain kingdoms was absent. Big kingdoms like Magadha, Kaushala, Vaishali, Shakyas, Chalukyas, Pandyas, Gandhara or Takshashila (Taxila) were hardly in good terms with each other. Though there were few kingdoms like Guptas or Mauryas or Porus who used to fight bravely against all odds, there were many who used to find it more wise to stoop down to s tronger enemy rather than stand up and fight. With all due respects to Alexander, the Great, it would not have been so easy for him to conquer India if he had not got the aid of kings like Ambhi of Taksashila.
These might be the reasons for which India could never have emerged as a super-power, and have many times been conquered by external conquerors.

Now that is interesting and perhaps worthy of making an entry in its own right.

Hi All
I've finished this entry. Just beed to add some links, Can any body help me how to submit this for Peer Review now? I see it's in Edited
guide Writing Workshop now, there's no option for me to trnasfer it to Peer Review.

Regards,

BT

You need to remove it from edited guide workshop. Then you will be able to submit it to peer review. When I get to my computer I can give you detailed instructions if you need them.

Nice work note the very British understatment Have a look at this thresd http://www.h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/brunel/F57153?thread=8307042&show=20&skip=0#pi4 It might interest you

1. Read these instructions.

2. Click on this link: http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/brunel/RF2

3. Find your entry in the list.

4. Click on the little x beside it.

That should remove it from the Edited Guide Workshop. Then you can submit it to Peer Review.

Thank you so much Gnomon and all of you,

The information was really helpful.

I've submitted it to Peer Review.

BT

See: F48874?thread=8307064

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