Chapter 3a - Yantras (mechanical contrivances): Introduction

Tantra and Yantra are familiar words in Sanskrit. In my opinion Tantra is science and Yantra is an art. The former a knowledge—a Śāstra, the latter a mechanical achievement, both are of hoary antiquity. While so many Tantras are available, the Yantras, as charts which stored up within their confines spiritual power, are also there in esoteric worship, but the Yantras—the mechanical contrivances are extinct altogether.

In the traditional list of sixty-four arts (vide commentary on Kāmasūtra by Yaśodhara) there is mentioned also a Kalā, called Yantra-mātrikā on which the commentary says:

“Sajīvānām nirjīvānām yantraṇam, Yānodaka-saṇgrāmārtham śāstram, Viśvakarma-proktam”.

Dr. Acharya (H. A. I. and A. page 15) says (cf. 53. Yantra-mātrikā):

“The art of making monograms, logographs and diagrams. Yaśodhara attributes this to Viśvakarmā and calls Ghaṭanā-śāstra (science of accidents)”.

With due respect to the learned Doctor, I may submit my interpretation: The Yantras admit the three principal classes—firstly, the Yāna-yantras, conveyances like Vimānas and chariots, secondly, the Udaka-yantra, water machines, pipes and showers technically called Vāri-yantra and Dhārā-yantra and thirdly, the machines of warfare (Saṅgrāmārtha). This interpretation fully fits with the broad categories of Yantras, the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra has described, as we shall presently see.

Yantra-vidyā was applied art of Dhanur-vidyā. Some of the weapons could not have been used without some mechanism attached to them. We know four classes of Śastras—Mukta, Amukta, Muktāmukta and Yantramukta. In the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra weapons such as Cāpas etc. Śataghnīs etc. Uṣṭragrīvas etc. are said to be operated upon by a Yantra only (Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra 31-108). The species of arrows like Nalikā and Bṛhannalikā were also used by some mechanism akin to that of the modern guns. The science of Archery is full of such details.

In the Mahābhārata there are clear and vivid descriptions of a good number of Yantras. e.g., Śastras (defending weapons), āstras (throwing weapons), bows and arrows equally terrible as the modern weapons e.g.:—

The Astras like:—

1. Āgneyāstra—(Fire-vomitter)
2. Indrāstra—(Anti-Āgneya—rain-produccr).
3. Varuṇāstra—(Producing terrible and violent storms),

And Śastras like Bhuṣuṇḍi, Śataghnī and Sahasraghnī, akin to the modern machine-guns, sten-guns and tanks, together with Yantras like Candramaṇi by the help of which water could be produced on the deserts—can not be under-estimated.

All this speaks of a great advancement in the science of warfare as well as the general advanced condition of the scientific knowledge in the times of Mahābhārata.

The mechanical achievements of the Mahābhārata, however, did shadow the Indians for a long time. There are innumerable references in the literature which speak of an unbroken chain of the mechanical skill in this country. All these references to the different and manifold varieties of Yantras have been ably worked out and presented in his ‘Yantras or Mechanical Contrivances in Ancient India’ by Dr. V. Raghavan.

When the recorded literature speaks of the glorious heritage of these secular achievements, it must have undoubtedly formed the subject matter of discourse and discussion as well as enunciation of the norms and guiding principles for the artisans. Hence the Śāstra and its Practice both must have been flourishing in those bygone days.

A good many works and the references thereof have been found and on their basis some hypothesis of glorious scientific heritage can be imagined. Moreover, some of the monuments, e.g., Iron Pillar of Aśoka near Kutub-Minar is a mystery even today. How without an aid, mechanical operation and device thereof, such a huge and weighty iron pillar could be made stand up and what was that mechanism in that simple age that even after more than two thousand years this has not contracted with rust.

Samarāṅgaṇa’s chapter on Yantra is remarkable, not only for its treatment, but also for the help it gives, in formulating some opinion about this branch of knowledge. It hints at the unbroken tradition of the Yantra-ghaṭanā—a traditional skill (cf. 31.87) and remarks that the traditional training of this art is a matter not of record, but of oral transmission from generation to generation through the unbroken chain of the masters and the disciples. Moreover, like the spiritual Yantras, these Yantras should also be kept secret and unfolded only to the real Jijñāsu, otherwise they do not bear fruition (31.79-80).