Human migration to Europe due to Hot weather >1.5 millions of years ago.

Zee news
The himans existed for millions of years ago and per research study done by Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA)  hominins, distant human ancestors, moved to Europe from Africa secondary to  warming climate 1.4 million years ago.
It is based on the analysis of the Barranco León site in the Guadix-Baza Basin in southeast Spain, where stone tools were linked to the earliest known hominins.
Pleistocene era (the era lasted from 2.59 million to 11,700 years ago) was characterised by colder and drier weather. "This possibly impeded the settlement of this region by the early hominin population from the southern Caucasus,"per study.
The study was led by Jordi Agusti from ICREA and its findings were published in the Journal of Human Evolution.
Read more Ancient origins

290 million year old footprint was found in New Mexico

Conventional History is all wrong regarding mankind.That humans lived on Earth much sooner that science originally thought so? Many recent discoveries that are being made baffles mainstream scholars as they do not accept because history book would need to be rewritten? This footprint is at first looks like ordinary footprints found allover world but not this discovery of the 290 million year old footprint that was made in New Mexico by paleontologist Jerry MacDonald in 1987. In the vicinity of this mysterious footprint there are fossilized impressions of birds and other animals. The discovery of the human impression will change what you have learned so far . How this modern footprint could have been located in the Permian strata, which according to scholars dates from 290 to 248 million years, a time period which occurred long before man or even birds and dinosaurs existed on this planet, per present thinking.















similar footprint dating back millions of years, the only difference is that this footprint is gigantic and located in Africa.

A quaint village in central India has ancient foot prints and an engraved image of a mysterious flying object.  In Piska Nagri village, on the outskirts of Ranchi City in Jharkahnd State, geologist Nitish Priyadarshi has been studying large footprints that, according to local lore, may signify the presence of gods from the sky landing on site.  

The footprints are on a rock and look like they were of those wearing wooden sandals commonly worn thousands of years ago in the region. One set of footprints measures 11 inches in length and 5 inches in width, and another set in the same area measures 10 inches by 4.5 inches. God-kings of Indian mythology Lord Rama and Lord Lakshmana are believed to have spent time in the area in search of Rama’s wife, Sita.  

Ancient footpeint found in England also.Archaeologists announced Friday that they have discovered human footprints in England that are between 800,000 and 1 million years old — the most ancient found outside Africa, and the earliest evidence of human life in northern Europe.

Lepakshi.The place is renowned for being one of the best repository of mural paintings (see below) of the Vijayanagar Kings.
Source:
utaot
Ivan Petricevic
theepochtimes
huffingtonpost
unexplained mysteries
openminds
google book
Footprints found around world
ancient code

Kaliyug and prediction

Symptoms of kaliyug:
In the last canto of the Bhagavata Purana there is a list of predictions and prophecies about the dark times for the present age of Kali Yuga. The following 15 predictions, written 5,000 years ago by sage Vedavyasa, are amazing because they appear so accurate. Despite the negative tone of these prophecies, there is still one bright spot for all of us, which is mentioned at the end.
Prediction 1:
Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day because of the powerful influence of the age of Kali.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.1
sri-suka uvaca
tatas canu-dinam dharmah
satyam saucam ksama daya
kalena balina rajan
nanksyaty ayur balam smrtih
Prediction 2:
In Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man's good birth, proper behaviour and fine qualities. And law and justice will be applied only on the basis of one's power.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.2
vittam eva kalau nṝṇāḿ
janmācāra-guṇodayaḥ
dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāḿ
kāraṇaḿ balam eva hi
Prediction 3:
Men and women will live together merely because of superficial attraction, women will not respect her in laws and men will also be inclined to their in laws and be subservient to wives.success in business will depend on deceit. Womanliness and manliness will be judged according to one's expertise in Physical gratification, and a man will be known as a brahmana just by his wearing a thread.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.3
dāmpatye 'bhirucir hetur
māyaiva vyāvahārike
strītve puḿstve ca hi ratir
vipratve sūtram eva hi
Prediction 4:
A person's spiritual position will be ascertained merely according to external symbols, and on that same basis people will change from one spiritual order to the next. A person's propriety will be seriously questioned if he does not earn a good living. And one who is very clever at juggling words will be considered a learned scholar.
Prediction 5:
A person will be judged unholy if he does not have money, and hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue. Marriage will be arranged simply by verbal agreement, and a person will think he is fit to appear in public if he has merely taken a bath.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.5
anāḍhyataivāsādhutve
sādhutve dambha eva tu
svīkāra eva codvāhe
snānam eva prasādhanam
Prediction 6:
A sacred place will be taken to consist of no more than a reservoir of water located at a distance, and beauty of women will depend on one's hairstyle only.Filling the belly will become the goal of life, and one who is audacious will be accepted as truthful. He who can maintain a family will be regarded as an expert man, and the principles of religion will be observed only for the sake of reputation.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.6
dūre vāry-ayanaḿ tīrthaḿ
lāvaṇyaḿ keśa-dhāraṇam
udaraḿ-bharatā svārthaḥ
satyatve dhārṣṭyam eva hi
dākṣyaḿ kuṭumba-bharaṇaḿ
yaśo 'rthe dharma-sevanam
Prediction 7:
As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of their social classes shows himself to be the strongest will gain political power.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.7
evaḿ prajābhir duṣṭābhir
ākīrṇe kṣiti-maṇḍale
brahma-viṭ-kṣatra-śūdrāṇāḿ
yo balī bhavitā nṛpaḥ
Prediction 8:
Harassed by famine and excessive taxes, people will resort to eating leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, fruits, flowers and seeds. Struck by drought, they will become completely ruined.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.9
śāka-mūlāmiṣa-kṣaudra-
phala-puṣpāṣṭi-bhojanāḥ
anāvṛṣṭyā vinańkṣyanti
durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ
Prediction 9:
The citizens will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst, disease and severe anxiety and depression.
The maximum duration of life for human beings in Kali-yuga will become fifty years.
SB 12.2.12-16
ksiyamanesu dehesu
dehinam kali-dosatah
varnasramavatam dharme
naste veda-pathe nrnam
pasanda-pracure dharme
dasyu-prayesu rajasu
cauryanrta-vrtha-himsa-
nana-vrttisu vai nrsu
sudra-prayesu varnesu
cchaga-prayasu dhenusu
grha-prayesv asramesu
yauna-prayesu bandhusu
anu-prayasv osadhisu
sami-prayesu sthasnusu
vidyut-prayesu meghesu
sunya-prayesu sadmasu
ittham kalau gata-praye
janesu khara-dharmisu
dharma-tranaya sattvena
bhagavan avatarisyati
SYNONYMS
ksiyamanesu—having become smaller; dehesu—the bodies; dehinam—of all living entities; kali-dosatah—by the contamination of the age of Kali; varna-asrama-vatam—of the members of varnasrama society; dharme—when their religious principles; naste—have been destroyed; veda-pathe—the path of the Vedas; nrnam—for all men; pasanda-pracure—mostly atheism; dharme—religion; dasyu-prayesu—mostly thieves; rajasu—the kings; caurya—banditry; anrta—lying; vrtha-himsa—useless slaughter; nana—various; vrttisu—their occupations; vai—indeed; nrsu—when men; sudra-prayesu—mostly low-class sudras; varnesu—the so-called social orders; chaga-prayasu—no better than goats; dhenusu—the cows; grha-prayesu—just like materialistic homes; asramesu—the spiritual hermitages; yauna-prayesu—extending no further than marriage; bandhusu—family ties; anu-prayasu—mostly very small; osadhisu—plants and herbs; sami-prayesu—just like sami trees; sthasnusu—all the trees; vidyut-prayesu—always manifesting lightning; meghesu—the clouds; sunya-prayesu—devoid of religious life; sadmasu—the homes; ittham—thus; kalau—when the age of Kali; gata-praye—is almost finished; janesu—the people; khara-dharmisu—when they have assumed the characteristics of asses; dharma-tranaya—for the deliverance of religion; sattvena—in the pure mode of goodness; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avatarisyati—will descend.
TRANSLATION
By the time the age of Kali ends, the bodies of all creatures will be greatly reduced in size, and the religious principles of followers of varnasrama will be ruined. The path of the Vedas will be completely forgotten in human society, and so-called religion will be mostly atheistic. The kings will mostly be thieves, the occupations of men will be stealing, lying and needless violence, and all the social classes will be reduced to the lowest level of sudras. Cows will be like goats, spiritual hermitages will be no different from mundane houses, and family ties will extend no further than the immediate bonds of marriage. Most plants and herbs will be tiny, and all trees will appear like dwarf sami trees. Clouds will be full of lightning, homes will be devoid of piety, and all human beings will have become like asses. At that time, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear on the earth. Acting with the power of pure spiritual goodness, He will rescue eternal religion.
PURPORT
Significantly, these verses point out that most so-called religions in this age will be atheistic (pasanda-pracure dharme). In confirmation of the Bhagavatam’s prediction, the United States Supreme Court has recently ruled that to be considered a religion a system of belief need not recognize a supreme being. Also, many atheistic, voidistic belief systems, often imported from the Orient, have attracted the attention of modern atheistic scientists, who expound on the similarities between Eastern and Western voidism in fashionable, esoteric books.
These verses vividly describe many unsavory symptoms of the age of Kali. Ultimately, at the end of this age, Lord Krsna will descend as Kalki and remove the thoroughly demonic persons from the face of the earth.
SB 12.2.17
caracara-guror visnor
isvarasyakhilatmanah
dharma-tranaya sadhunam
janma karmapanuttaye
SYNONYMS
cara-acara—of all moving and nonmoving living beings; guroh—of the spiritual master; visnoh—the Supreme Lord, Visnu; isvarasya—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akhila—of all; atmanah—of the Supreme Soul; dharma-tranaya—for the protection of religion; sadhunam—of saintly men; janma—the birth; karma—of their fruitive activities; apanuttaye—for the cessation.
TRANSLATION
Lord Visnu—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master of all moving and nonmoving living beings, and the Supreme Soul of all—takes birth to protect the principles of religion and to relieve His saintly devotees from the reactions of material work.
SB 12.2.18
sambhala-grama-mukhyasya
brahmanasya mahatmanah
bhavane visnuyasasah
kalkih pradurbhavisyati
SYNONYMS
sambhala-grama—in the village Sambhala; mukhyasya—of the chief citizen; brahmanasya—of the brahmana; maha-atmanah—the great soul; bhavane—in the home; visnuyasasah—of Visnuyasa; kalkih—Lord Kalki; pradurbhavisyati—will appear.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brahmana of Sambhala village, the great soul Visnuyasa.
SB 12.2.19-20
asvam asu-gam aruhya
devadattam jagat-patih
asinasadhu-damanam
astaisvarya-gunanvitah
vicarann asuna ksaunyam
hayenapratima-dyutih
nrpa-linga-cchado dasyun
kotiso nihanisyati
SYNONYMS
asvam—His horse; asu-gam—swift-traveling; aruhya—mounting; devadattam—named Devadatta; jagat-patih—the Lord of the universe; asina—with His sword; asadhu-damanam—(the horse who) subdues the unholy; asta—with eight; aisvarya—mystic opulences; guna—and transcendental qualities of the Personality of Godhead; anvitah—endowed; vicaran—traveling about; asuna—swift; ksaunyam—upon the earth; hayena—by His horse; apratima—unrivaled; dyutih—whose effulgence; nrpa-linga—with the dress of kings; chadah—disguising themselves; dasyun—thieves; kotisah—by the millions; nihanisyati—He will slaughter.
TRANSLATION
Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift horse Devadatta and, sword in hand, travel over the earth exhibiting His eight mystic opulences and eight special qualities of Godhead. Displaying His unequaled effulgence and riding with great speed, He will kill by the millions those thieves who have dared dress as kings.
PURPORT
These verses describe the thrilling pastimes of Lord Kalki. Anyone would be attracted by the sight of a powerful, beautiful man riding on a wonderful horse at lightning speed, chastising and devastating cruel, demonic people with the sword in His hand.
Of course, fanatical materialists may argue that this picture of Lord Kalki is a mere anthropomorphic creation of the human mind—a mythological deity created by people who need to believe in some superior being. But this argument is not logical, nor does it prove anything. It is merely the opinion of certain people. We need water, but that does not mean man creates water. We also need food, oxygen and many other things that we do not create. Since our general experience is that our needs correspond to available objects existing in the external world, that we appear to need a Supreme Lord would tend to indicate that in fact there is a Supreme Lord. In other words, nature endows us with a sense of need for things that actually exist and that are in fact necessary for our well-being. Similarly, we experience a need for God because we are in fact part of God and cannot live without Him. At the end of Kali-yuga this same God will appear as the mighty Kalki avatara and beat the pollution out of the demons.
SB 12.2.21
atha tesam bhavisyanti
manamsi visadani vai
vasudevanga-ragati-
punya-gandhanila-sprsam
paura-janapadanam vai
hatesv akhila-dasyusu
SYNONYMS
atha—then; tesam—of them; bhavisyanti—will become; manamsi—the minds; visadani—clear; vai—indeed; vasudeva—of Lord Vasudeva; anga—of the body; raga—from the cosmetic decorations; ati-punya—most sacred; gandha—having the fragrance; anila—by the wind; sprsam—of those who have been touched; paura—of the city-dwellers; jana-padanam—and the residents of the smaller towns and villages; vai—indeed; hatesu—when they have been killed; akhila—all; dasyusu—the rascal kings.
TRANSLATION
After all the impostor kings have been killed, the residents of the cities and towns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and other decorations of Lord Vasudeva, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure.
PURPORT
Nothing can surpass the sublime experience of being dramatically rescued by a great hero who happens to be the Supreme Lord. The death of the demons at the end of Kali-yuga is accompanied by fragrant spiritual breezes, and thus the atmosphere becomes most enchanting.
SB 12.2.22
tesam praja-visargas ca
sthavisthah sambhavisyati
vasudeve bhagavati
sattva-murtau hrdi sthite
SYNONYMS
tesam—of them; praja—of progeny; visargah—the creation; ca—and; sthavisthah—abundant; sambhavisyati—will be; vasudeve—Lord Vasudeva; bhagavati—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sattva-murtau—in His transcendental form of pure goodness; hrdi—in their hearts; sthite—when He is situated.
TRANSLATION
When Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodness, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth.
SB 12.2.23
yadavatirno bhagavan
kalkir dharma-patir harih
krtam bhavisyati tada
praja-sutis ca sattviki
SYNONYMS
yada—when; avatirnah—incarnates; bhagavan—the Supreme Lord; kalkih—Kalki; dharma-patih—the master of religion; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; krtam—Satya-yuga; bhavisyati—will begin; tada—then; praja-sutih—the creation of progeny; ca—and; sattviki—in the mode of goodness.
TRANSLATION
When the Supreme Lord has appeared on earth as Kalki, the maintainer of religion, Satya-yuga will begin, and human society will bring forth progeny in the mode of goodness.
SB 12.2.24
yada candras ca suryas ca
tatha tisya-brhaspati
eka-rasau samesyanti
bhavisyati tada krtam
SYNONYMS
yada—when; candrah—the moon; ca—and; suryah—the sun; ca—and; tatha—also; tisya—the asterism Tisya (more commonly known as Pusya, extending from 3° 20´ to 16° 40´ Cancer); brhaspati—and the planet Jupiter; eka-rasau—in the same constellation (Cancer); samesyanti—will enter simultaneously; bhavisyati—will be; tada—then; krtam—Satya-yuga.
TRANSLATION
When the moon, the sun and Brhaspati are together in the constellation Karkata, and all three enter simultaneously into the lunar mansion Pusya—at that exact moment the age of Satya, or Krta, will begin.

Somrus,Soma of Rigveda is decoded.

Multiple meanings of Soma

"SOMRAS IS NOT ALCOHOL " PEOPLE USE LAME EXCUSES WITHOUT SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT AND WHY GOD USE SOMRAS.
In the Vedas, the drink, and the plant refer to the same entity. Drinking Soma produces immortality (Amrita, Rigveda 8.48.3). Indra and Agni are portrayed as consuming Soma in copious quantities. The consumption of Soma by human beings is well attested in Vedic ritual.
The Rigveda (8.48.3) says:
a ápāma sómam amŕtā abhūmâganma jyótir ávidāma devân
c kíṃ nūnám asmân kṛṇavad árātiḥ kím u dhūrtír amṛta mártyasya
Swami Dayanand Saraswati translates it as:
Som (good fruit containing food not any intoxicating drink) apama (we drink you)
amŕtā abhūmâ (you are elixir of life) jyótir âganma (achieve physical strength or light of god)
ávidāma devân (achieve control over senses);
kíṃ nūnám asmân kṛṇavad árātiḥ (in this situation, what our internal enemy can do to me)
kím u dhūrtír amṛta mártyasya (god, what even violent people can do to me)
The Ninth Mandala of the Rigveda is known as the Soma Mandala. It consists entirely of hymns addressed to Soma Pavamana ("purified Soma"). The drink Soma was kept and distributed by the Gandharvas. The Rigveda associates the Sushoma, Arjikiya and other regions with Soma (e.g. 8.7.29; 8.64.10-11). Sharyanavat was possibly the name of a pond or lake on the banks of which Soma could be found. It is described as "green-tinted" and "bright-shining" in the RigVeda. (R.V., 9.42.1 and 9.61.17)
The plant is often described as growing in the mountains (giristha, cf. Orestes), notably Mount Mūjavant. It has long stalks, and is of yellow or tawny (hari) colour. The drink is prepared by priests pounding the plants with stones. The juice so gathered is filtered through lamb's wool, and mixed with other ingredients (including cow milk) before it is drunk. It is said to "roar". It is said to be the bringer of the gods.Soma has multiple meanings. However the core essence is that Soma refers to something that produces happiness, peace, relaxation and enthusiasm. Probably that is why in later era, its usage as synonym of alcohol or intoxicant got popular. After all, a hungry dog sees only meat in every body! Same goes for perverted beings.
Let us now review some alternate meanings of Soma:
– Soma refers to Moon because moonlight provides peace. That is why Mo(o)nday is Somvaar. Now is Moon a wine-shop that it is so called (assuming that Soma means alcohol or narcotic)?
– A peaceful and amicable person is called Saumya. Now if Soma means an intoxicant, then why people across different parts of India name their children Saumya? One is invited to read any dictionary to know what Saumya (सौम्य) means. Refer dictionaries of Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam etc and you would find scores of words derived from Soma that mean friendliness.
– The famous temple of Gujarat (that was plundered by a butcher called Mahmud Ghazni) is called Somnath. If Soma means intoxicant, then perhaps the temple should have allowed it! But as referred earlier, it means a gentle lord or lord of the moon.
– Soma also refers to certain medicines that promote longevity and act as relaxant. For example, Giloya which is very useful in heart diseases and provides a cooling effect on body.
Primary meaning of Soma in Vedas
In Vedas however, in most places, Soma refers to God or Ishwar focusing on those qualities of Ishwar that provides us with peace, bliss, satisfaction and global vision. In few places esp in Atharvaveda, it has come to mean certain medicines. But nowhere can it be termed to mean a mundane intoxicant.
Thus, Rigveda 1.91.22 states that:
“O Soma, You alone create the medicines that heal us. You alone create the water that quenches our thirst. You alone create all moving objects, sense organs and living beings and also give us this life. You have provided expanse to this universe and you alone enlighten the world to eradicate darkness.”
Now only a fool would claim that Soma refers to any intoxicant or alcohol when Soma is said to be creator of universe, stars, life, objects etc. Very clearly Soma refers to the Supreme Lord – the Ishwar or God.
And hence, Soma intoxication implies entrenching oneself completely in devotion to that Supreme Lord. To see Him everywhere and guide oneself solely by His inspiration is Soma intoxication. To follow only the inner voice that communicates with us every moment and rejecting all worldly and sensory pressures is Soma intoxication. To rise completely above the old habits, past tendencies and false ego is Soma intoxication. To surrender totally to Him is Soma intoxication.
A rough analogy would be with Superconductivity. Once a material is taken below a certain threshold temperature, suddenly resistance becomes zero. Similarly when we have practiced following our inner voice sufficiently, suddenly the world seems to different – so enlightening, so refreshing, so blissful and so blessed by Him everywhere. This stage of heightened association with Ishwar is the stage of Soma intoixcation that Vedas describe in detail.
And yes, it is only when Rishis have reached this stage that they get Vedic inspirations and are able to comprehend meaning of Vedic mantras. It is then that the Rishis ‘see’ the Vedic mantras through the eyes of intellect. In fact, one is called Rishi only after she or he has reached this enlightening stage of Soma intoxication.
Ayurveda very clearly defines what an intoxicant is:
Sharngadhar 4.21: A substance that destroys intellect is called an intoxicant.
To understand Soma better and see why it cannot refer to any material/mundane chemical even closely related to alcohol, intoxication or narcotics, let us review a few more mantras on Soma.
Rigveda 9.24.7:
Soma is not only pure in itself but also purifies everything else. Some is extremely sweet and promotes noble qualities. It destroys sinful tendencies.
Even a dumb person that understand that Soma refers to something intellectual and spiritual and not something as disgusting as alcohol or narcotics
Rigveda 9.37.36:
O Soma, purify us from everywhere. Enter us with excitement and strengthen our speech. Inculcate a sharp intellect within us.
Thus while alcohol or narcotics is taking to dumb the mind, Rishis yearn for Soma because it sharpens the mind and gears them into noble actions.
Rigveda 9.108.3:
O Soma, You purify everything. You are the best source of enlightenment. You lead us towards immortality.
Should we say more!
Atharvaveda 14.1.3:
Ordinary people consider that as Soma which is used as medicine. But the enlightened ones seek the Soma of intellect which materialistic minds cannot even comprehend!
If we review the Pavamana Parva of Samaveda Purvarchika, we can get a wider glimpse of the Vedic Soma.
It is described as something that brings enthusiasm, tolerance and valor.
1.2: O Soma, purify me.
1.3: O Soma, you are source of vitality and bliss.
1.4: O Soma, your intoxication is worth imbibing.
6.5: O Soma, you give birth to our intellect.
6.8: Use Soma to produce intellect.
9.2: Soma provides us with intelligence.
7.12: Intelligence seeks Soma.
9.6: Soma enhances intellect.
Thus while Soma produces intoxication, this intoxication actually strengthens our intellect and reduces dumbness.
2.5 of Pavamana Parva describes Soma as Chetan or living. Thus Soma is not something inert. It is a living force that enhances intellect. It is the Supreme Lord!
How can thus a sensible person relate it with a mundane narcotic?
This Parva of Samaveda provides some more adjectives of Soma:
3.2: One who sees everything actively (Vicharshani)
5.9: Extremely intelligent (Vipra)
5.9: Best of the scholars (Angirastamah)
9.1: Expert (Vichakshanah)
8.4: Knows self (Swarvidah)
2.10: Sees everything clearly (Kavi)
3.6: Knows his duties perfectly (Kratuvit)
11.1: An intoxication that inspires us to perform duties perfectly (Kratuvittamo Madah)
8.4: One who knows the path clearly (Gatuvittamah)
1.7: Adept (Daksha)
1.8: Source of adeptness (Dakshasadhana)
4.2: Adeptness that provides happiness (Daksham Mayobhuvam)
5.11: Provides strength (Vajasatam)
6.7: Protector of world (Bhuvanasya Gopaa)
If this be not enough, the Parva also states Soma to be:
5.1: One seated on the home of immortality
6.3: One who inspires noble minds towards fundamental truth (Rita)
6.2: Speaks to us (Inner voice)
2.3: Destroys hatred
4.12: Inspires towards friendship and solidarity
4.14: Destroys meanness and violence
10.11: Destroys corrupt mindset
8.4: Devoid of sins
6.6: Provides whatever is worth obtaining
6.1: Greatest donor
7.4: Carrier of life force
4.3: Desired by non-violent minds
This is merely a small sampler from the copious references from Vedas that very clearly establish Soma as the pure blissful Ishwar and its intoxication as complete surrender to the Supreme Lord.
Vedas and intoxication
Almost every other mantra of Vedas yearn for enhancement of intellect/ health and repulsion towards all those tendencies and articles that destroy these. Be it the Gayatri Mantra or the Mrityunjaya, all exemplify this.
To conclude the discussions, let us provide a few references from Vedas that condemn intoxication.
Rigveda 10.5.6:
One becomes sinful if he or she crosses even one of the 7 restraints. Yaskacharya defines these 7 sins in his Nirukta as: Theft, Adultery, Murder of a noble person, Abortion, Dishonesty, Repeating misdeeds and consumption of alcohol.
Rigveda 8.2.12:
Those who consume intoxicants lose their intellect, talk rubbish, get naked and fight with each other.
Rigveda 7.86.6:
An action performed as per the inner voice does not lead to sins. Dumb arrogance against inner voice, however, is source of frustration and miseries in same manner as intoxication and gambling destroy us. Ishwar inspires those with noble elevated thoughts towards progress and propels down those who decide to think lowly. Lowly acts performed even in dreams cause decline.
Atharvaveda 6.70.1:
Weak minds are attracted towards meat, alcohol, sensuality and womanizing. But O non-violent mind, you focus your mind towards the world in same manner as a mother cares for her child.
In summary, intoxication is considered as recipe for weakness, failure and destruction!
Allegation:
Even Vivekananda has asserted that Vedas justified alcoholism. How do explain: “The old gods were found to be incongruous — these boisterous, fighting, drinking, beef-eating gods of the ancients — whose delight was in the smell of burning flesh and libations of strong liquor. Sometimes Indra drank so much that he fell upon the ground and talked unintelligibly. These gods could no longer be tolerated.” This is taken from http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/vivekananda/volume_2/jnana-yoga/maya_and_the_evolution_of_the_conception_of_god.htm
Answer
If this is indeed written by Swami Vivekananda, it only shows that he had not studied Vedas properly and his thoughts on Vedas were influenced by western indologists. It also shows that every human being, howsomuch great may have imperfections. So one should not accept anyone blindly and instead apply her own analytical faculty to discover the truth.
While we respect Swami Vivekananda as a charismatic personality, powerful orator and impressive writer on neo-Vedanta, he is not an authority for us in matters of Vedas. It seems that Swami Vivekananda due to his lack of study of Vedas coupled with bias towards meat made this statement, if at all he stated so.
We have provided with specific references from Vedas that beef and alcohol have no place in Vedic dharma. Instead of quoting personal views of Swami Vivekananda or any person for that matter, one should quote from Vedas to refute the stand that has been taken by us as well as all sages from inception of Vedas till date.
By the way, another interesting point to think about is that if indeed Vedas recommend beef and alcohol, why have been the traditional Vedic Brahmins farthest from these vices for ages? Just food (not beef or alcohol!) for thought.
Allegation:
Vedic scholars like Radhakrishnan and K M Munshi – founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan – have also stated that Vedic rishis used to drink alcohol and eat beef.
Answer
We are not sure about Dr Radhakrishnan, but we agree that K M Munshi held such views that he expressed in his novel Lopamudra. We would only say that many works of K M Munshi have been derogatory to our ancient heritage and role models as well as are completely baseless. Several of his novels are full of vulgarity. His series on Krishna was extremely offensive. Same goes for Lopamudra. He was a political person and it is unfortunate that he treaded into an area that he shouldn’t have unless he had the right competence. The works of Bharati Vidya Bhawan in this area have been most damaging and misleading. Please refer “Vedon ka Yatarth Swaroop” by Pt Dharmadeva which comprehensively addresses false allegations of Vedic Age, Lopamudra and other derogatory texts. You can obtain it from www.vedicbooks.com
But regardless of views of personalities howsomuch famous or influential – Dr Radhakrishnan, KM Munshi, Swami Vivekananda or whosoever – we would seek specific and logical references from Vedas instead of empty quotes.
Allegation:
If Soma means a medicinal plant that no one knows, then all the verses of Vedas that talk of Soma become useless today.
Answer
We have already shown earlier that Soma means bliss-providing Ishwar. But even if Soma means a medicine that no one knows today, that does not make Vedas irrelevant. That only imply that humanity should strive to explore such useful medicines. A book like modern Quran that demands blind acceptance without having even the time to understand it (there is only one life as per modern scholars of Quran!) has huge number of verses that are supposed to be Gaib or incomprehensible for humans. Then what is the problem with having a vast number of verses in Vedas that are not understood by dumb minds today? After all Vedas provide you with a long cycle of rebirths to finish your homework! It also does not demand that one should complete the course of Vedas or even believe in Vedas to achieve some Heaven and escape some permanent Hell.
Allegation:
If Vedas do not talk of alcohol or intoxication, why do we have words like Soma, Mada, Madhu in Vedas that relate to intoxication.
Answer:
This is most stupid argument.
1. Vedas offered the first words that depicted root essence. Based on that later vocabularies were built. For example, Soma means bliss giving. Intelligent people used it to depict friendly people etc. But for people on path of decline, even alcohol is apparently bliss giving. Same for other words.
2. Don’t we have similar examples in other languages? Gay means a happy person. But what it means today is known to all of us. Interestingly older dictionaries would not even have homosexual as a meaning for gay. Meat not only means flesh but also substance of a point. In fact almost all words have multiple meanings. Only dumb people would try to distort meaning of a sentence through wrong usage.
In conclusion, the only reasons why one would see alcohol in Vedas are either they have not studied Vedas or have an antipathy towards Vedas.
For rest of us, Vedas only encourage for enhancement of intellect and knowledge. And thus condemn anything that diminishes these.
The Soma Ras of Vedas is the divine devotion of the Supreme that elevates us from all miseries, all frustrations, all doubts, all sins and galvanizes us towards virtuous actions with unimaginable enthusiasm and ultimate bliss.
May we all work together to spread pursuit of this Soma in entire universe and pray for immortality of all.
The call of Soma is for the brave. The call of Soma is for the Yajna (noble selfless actions). The call of Soma is for those warriors who have glorified themselves through constant struggle and relentless efforts. O Soma seekers, destroy the dogs of lust and greed and listen to the most beautiful melody of Soma. (Rigveda 9.101.13)
References:
Works of Pt Chamupati, Prof Rajendra Jijnasu and Prof Dharmadeva Vidyamartanda

In the Vedas, the drink, and the plant refer to the same entity. Drinking Soma produces immortality (Amrita, Rigveda 8.48.3). Indra and Agni are portrayed as consuming Soma in copious quantities. The consumption of Soma by human beings is well attested in Vedic ritual.

The Rigveda (8.48.3) states,

a ápāma sómam amŕtā abhūmâganma jyótir ávidāma devân

c kíṃ nūnám asmân kṛṇavad árātiḥ kím u dhūrtír amṛta mártyasya

We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered.

Now what may foeman's malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal man's deception?

or

Som (good fruit containing food not any intoxicating drink) apama (we drink you)

amŕtā abhūmâ (you are elixir of life) jyótir âganma (achieve physical strength or light of god)

ávidāma devân (achieve control over senses);

kíṃ nūnám asmân kṛṇavad árātiḥ (in this situation, what our internal enemy can do to me)

kím u dhūrtír amṛta mártyasya (god, what even violent people can do to me)

"Heaven above does not equal one half of me.
Have I been drinking soma?
In my glory I have passed beyond earth and sky.
Have I been drinking soma?
I will pick up the earth and place it here or there.
Have I been drinking soma?"
Rig-Veda X:U9, 7-9

The Ninth Mandala of the Rigveda is known as the Soma Mandala. It consists entirely of hymns addressed to Soma Pavamana ("purified Soma").

There are several references in the RgVeda, associating Soma with the visionary seeing of Light e.g. RV 9.4, RV 9.5, RV 9.8, RV 9.10, RV 9.42.
RV 8.82.25 For thee, O Lord of Light, are shed these Soma-drops, and grass is strewn. Bring Indra to his worshippers. May Indra give thee skill, and lights of heaven, wealth to his votary. And priests who praise him: laud ye him.

Personal Interpretation:
1. Soma also means Moon or Moon God, In Vedic Astrology - Moon is representation of one's Mind and Moon is also responsible for vegetation of plants and trees. so in one sense somras is nector of mind but how? man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 9.34, 18.65) means Engage your mind always in thinking of Me or Always think of Me (Krsna)
Somras is juice of immortality how? BG 6.7: For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquillity. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same.
2. Lord Krishna or Balram Ji descend upon earth comes in Moon Dynasty.

To know more about Moon please read following link
http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/associates/demigods/chandra.htm
WWW.AGNIVEER.COM
Well, Somras itself have many meanings in scriptures according to place they are used, so when it is said Balram Ji used to drink somras it may not be taken in context of somesort of alcohol or intoxication.
Kindly show us reference where you read this....


For above article sources are
http://vedictruth.blogspot.com/2015/04/blog-post_10.html
http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070728234135AAH3OjN
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandra

First Aircraft Was Built by an Indian?

The First Aircraft Was Built by an Indian?
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, are acknowledged to have invented and built the world’s first successful airplane and made the first controlled, powered and sustained flight in 1903. However, in 1895, an Indian, Shivkar Talpade, a drawing teacher from JJ School of Art in Mumbai, is said to have flown an aircraft, Marutsakha, on Girgaon Chowpatty.
Shivkar Bapuji Talpade, an Indian scientist and a Sanskrit scholar along with his wife at chowpathy beach was found more excited and anxious that day. The people around found that something sensational are going to happen there. Some knew what it was, some did not. Some were putting their instinct to work. A huge mass of crowd has accumulated and among them was Shri Sayaji Rao Gaekwa, who was the Maharaja of Baroda during that time and the most influenced famous scholar justice Mahadeva Govin-da Ranade. Everyone there was waiting with anxiety and before that anxiety drowned that miracle happened. Yes! The world’s first unmanned aircraft named Marutsakhā was thrown into the space and it tarred the sky at a velocity of about 40,000 Km/hr. After reaching a height of more than 1500 feet it landed safely without any damage. Between the hustle, talpade was literally appreciated by Maharaja at that moment itself. It was Maharaja’s happiest moment for which he has been waiting for long period. The News was then published in the famous News Paper “Kesari”, the next day.
After the news release in the media, few years later Talpade and Sasthri were jailed by the British Government. Maharaja was warned literally. Few years later, after talpade returned home, his wife passed away and he withdrew his research. After his death in 1916, it is said that his relatives sold some of his important works to few German people. A model reconstruction of Marutsakhā was exhibited at an exhibition on aviation at Vile Parle, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has preserved documents relating to the experiment.
Shivkar Babuji Thapled from his childhood developed his dreams of flying and getting into space. He was a great Sanskrit scholar and started searching the possibilities of man flying in the space in ancient Indian scripts, Vedas. He thoroughly learned the ancient scripts containing Vimanika Sasthras (Aeronautics Theory). On that fine morning, Talpade was lucky enough to meet Shri Suparaaya Sasthri. Sasthri gave him a bundle of treasures which contained sutras (formulas) of making an aircraft, written by the great rishi Bharadwaja. After this incident Talpade continued his work more seriously than before. Maharaja provided the funds necessary for his project. It may be too hard to believe that modern day aircrafts and even most advanced one are discussed in Vedas which are written some 10,000 years ago. But, Talpade was fully dependent on Rig Veda and Vimanika Sashthra only.
Few years later, a scholar named Acharya mentioned that “Vaimanika Shastra deals about aeronautics including the design of aircraft the way they can be used for transportation and other applications in detail. The knowledge of aeronautics is described in Sanskrit in 100 sections, eight chapters, 500 principles and 3000 slokas including 32 techniques to fly an aircraft. In fact, depending on the classifications of eras or Yugas in modern Kaliyuga aircraft used are called Krithakavimana flown by the power of engines by absorbing solar energies!’ It is feared that only portions of Bharadwaja’s masterpiece Vaimanika Shas-tra survive today.”
Marutshakha was the first model to have an Ion Mercury Vortex Engine. The Vaimanika Shastra describes in detail, the construction of what is called, the mercury vortex engine the forerunner of the ion engines being made today by NASA. The information on the mercury engines can be found in the ancient Vedic text called Samaranga Sutradhara. This text also devotes 230 verses, to the use of these machines in peace and war.
the British bros got to discover airplane just within 9 years from Shivkar Talpade's discovery cannot be mere co-incidence !

It was that era when British empire was plundering India's riches in every possible manner. The wealth looted from India, and other Asian and African countries made industrial revolution and scientific revolution possible in west and today's high standard of living and development of west - especially Western European nations is result of that shameless loot. Not just wealth, but intellectual properties were also robbed !

Shivkar Bapuji Talpade's truth is epic example of what happens with enslaved nation. Those who are admiring British rule over today's politics now a days, 1st should study well how India was colonized and what were its long term effects, and then only make such baseless remarks!
The Mystery of India.com
Sources: Wikipedia, Times Of India,
Featured Image: Enrico Baccarini
Last image on the right: Bing.com

1400 Years Old sun clock of Chola Empire

1400 Years Old sun clock of Chola Empire
Kingdoms and kings are history, but certain devices bequeathed by them tell the story of their times. One such historical instrument is the 1,400-year-old sun clock mounted on the 35-feet-high inner wall of Sivayoginathar temple at Thiruvisanallur, some 12 km from the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu. It is the only ‘wall clock’ in Tamil Nadu in the real sense of the term.
The temple authorities have decided to refurbish the historic ...legacy which stands testimony to the infinite wisdom and scientific temper of the Chola kings.

The wall clock built during Parantaka Cholan‘s rule does not require battery or electricity. Carved out of granite and shaped like a semi-circle, all it has is a three inch-long brass needle permanently fixed at the centre of a horizontal line. As the sun casts its rays on the needle, the shadow of the needle indicates the right time. The people, mostly the devotees coming to the temple, deciphered the time of the day by watching the silhouette cast by the needle of the sun clock from six am to six pm, and perhaps planned their day accordingly.

Expectedly, time has taken its toll on the sun clock at the sixth-century temple. The clock will work as long as the sun shines because of its unique working principle. But due to brass discoloration, the needle is getting blurred on the granite surface. The numerals were added by British for their own convenience which still exists.
The clock will get is facelift when the temple managed by the Thanjavur Palace Devasthanam undergoes renovation at an estimated cost of Rs 46 lakh. “The time that the sun clock shows may not be expedient today, but its history is,” said Aru Ramanathan, the grandson of Devakottai ARM ALA Arunachala Chettiyar who did the first renovation after a long gap in time in 1931.
Interestingly, the temple has many a religious significance. The presiding deity Sivayoginathar does not sit with his consort Soundaryanayaki in the sanctum sanctorum as is the case in many temples. The Ambal’s Sannidhi (shrine) is separately situated facing the South where the Sun Clock is mounted. The legend has it that eight Siva Yogis merged with the lingam here after attaining salvation. Hence the name Sivayoginathar for Lord Siva. As Siva is in deep meditation inside, Ambal waits outside for him looking at the Sun Clock.
Source: Times Of India
Mystery of india

ARYABHATT - MASTER ASTRONOMER AND MATHEMATICIAN

ARYABHATT - MASTER ASTRONOMER AND MATHEMATICIAN

Born in 476 CE in Kusumpur ( Bihar ), Aryabhatt's intellectual brilliance remapped the boundaries of mathematics and astronomy. In 499 CE, at the age of 23, he wrote a text on astronomy and an unparallel treatise on mathematics called "Aryabhatiyam." He formulated the process of calculating the motion of planets and the time of eclipses. Aryabhatt was the first to proclaim that the earth is round, it rotates on its axis, orbits the sun and is suspended in space - 1000 years before Copernicus published his heliocentric theory. He is also acknowledged for calculating p (Pi) to four decimal places: 3.1416 and the sine table in trigonometry. Centuries later, in 825 CE, the Arab mathematician, Mohammed Ibna Musa credited the value of Pi to the Indians, "This value has been given by the Hindus." And above all, his most spectacular contribution was the concept of zero without which modern computer technology would have been non-existent. Aryabhatt was a colossus in the field of mathematics.

Ancient Indian Numerical system is as old as God Rama> 3 million years

These numbers have been described by Sugreev to Raam while giving the count of his military power. Some say about this that "Sugreev meant that innumerable monkeys were coming"; while others hold the view that ancient Hindu organized their military pattern in a particular nomenclature apart from the generalized numbers.
The present Indian system is taken from Indian astrology in which every number is increased by a multiplication of ten - 1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 etc. (This is called decimal system - originated from "deca" means 10). As said in verse:
Ekam dash shatam asmat sahastram ayutam tatah param laksham |
Prayutam kotim ath arbudam vrindey kharvam nikharvam cha ||
Tasmat mahaa sarojam shankum saritaam patim twat antam |
Madhyam paraadham aaryuhya ath uttaram dash gunam tathaa gyeyam ||
Leelaavatee mathematics also says:
ek dash sahastra aayut laksh prayut kotyah kramashah |
arbudam abdam kharv nikharvam mahaapadmam shankhvah tasmaat ||
nidhih cha antam madhyam parardham iti dash gunaa uttaram sangyaah |
sankhyaaya sthaanaanaam vyavahaar artham kritaah poorvaih iti ||
It means that,
one = 1
1 ten = 10;
10 ten = 1 hundred;
10 hundred = 1 thousand (Ayut)
10 thousand
100 thousand = 1 lakh
1 prayutam =10 lakh, = 1 million;
100 lakh = 1 koti =1 crore;
100 crore = 1 arbud (Arab) = 1 billion
100 arbud = 1 vrinda
100 vrinda = 1 kharv (Kharab)
100 kharv = 1 nikharv (Neel)
100 nikharv = 1 mahaa padm (Padm)
100 mahaa padm = 1 shanku (Shankh) = 1 lakh crore
100 shanku = 1 samudra
100 samudra = 1 antya
100 antya = 1 madhyam
100 madhyam = 1 paraardh
By this, the nomenclature of million, billion and trillion, was in ancient days. This may be observed by the names "Prayutam" ( a million); "arbud" ( a billion); "shanku" (a trillion) .

Real Jesus-Apollonius of Tyana. People worship wrong Jesus

Apollonius of Tyana

Born February 16, 2 AD in Tyana, Cappadoccia, Greece.

Original founder of true Essene Christianity, whose precepts originate in Buddhist India and China(Himalayas).

Replaced by Yeshai Beth Halachmee(pseudo-crucified Essene of 4 BC), Jehoshua Ben Pandira(the Jesus of 100 BC) and Christna(the avatar ) by the priests of Constantine at the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. The New Testament is a distorted account of his life and teachings.  He was the awe and wonder of his time - Apollonius of Tyana -the true Christ of the first century AD. Apolonius was born of wealthy parents in the Greek town of Tyana, Greece, and his birth was miraculously announced to his mother by an archangel. He was an attractive and precocious child and was sent to reside at the temple of Aescalupius in Tarsus at age twelve, where he was initiated by the priests and where he excelled in religious and philosophical learning and debate, and even performing healing miracles. At the age of sixteen he adopted the pythagorian philosophy and lifestyle of abstaining from animal food, wine, and women, living only on fruits and herbs, maintaining five years of silence, praying to the sun three times a day, dressing only in white linen(non-animal fabric), going barefoot, and never cutting his hair or beard. 

He believed in the immortality of the soul, in metempsychosis, and in a supreme deity ruling lesser deities. He also wrote books on astrology. Before starting his public mission he gave away his riches to his relatives with the aim of seeking only knowledge and wisdom. His mission began by going to Antioch where he taught certain disciples, as well as learning the mysteries of that city's temple, Apollo Daphne. He also traveled to India and Egypt, bringing back with him the doctrines of Krishna and Buddha, which then became the foundations of the Christian religion. As a Roman citizen, he travelled freely within the Roman empire acquiring the reputation of a social and political reformer. He was fearless and spoke out against the tyranny of Nero and Domititian for which he was jailed but later released. His most recounted incident was at the court before emperor Domitian, where he dissapeared into thin air before they could lay any kind of charge on him. Wherever he went he attracted large crowds and held them spellbound by his words and deeds. Kings, rulers, and common folk constantly sought him for advice and he gave freely. He travelled the world and always stood his ground and was regarded by many as a god in the flesh. He compiled the epistles, and retired to the isle of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation. Little is known about his death, but it is thought he lived past the the age of 100, and shortly thereafter ascended to the inner earth paradise. Temples and statues were built in his honor, and for the first three centuries AD he was regarded as a demi-god and saint. The popularity of Apollonius' teachings became a threat to the decaying Roman Empire, so in 325 AD, At the Council of Nicae, emperor Constantine and his bishops devised the New Christianity and New Testament which would turn attention away from Appolonius, to a Judean carpenter by the name of Jesus. All records of Apollonius and his Essene Christianity were destroyed and this meant burning the libraries, including the most famous one at Alexandria. The mobs who enforced the new changes met stiff resistance from the people, and some fifty million were eventually killed or martyred in the process.

Important changes in the biblical texts occurred ever since then, such as the removal of the doctrines of reincarnation, astrology, and vegetarianism; to be replaced by their opposites -a mortal soul, a hellfire for diviners, and permission for meat-eating and wine drinking.

Pagan demon. Here's the story of a meeting between a Pagan demon and the Pythagorean teacher-sage Apollonius of Tyana. Apollonius lived in the first century AD; after He died, He was worshiped as a God. This history about Him was written in the third century AD, from notes made by one of His disciples. Here we go...

Apollonius was with some people, discussing a point of sacred ritual, when he was interrupted by a young man who was, I'll be blunt, an asshole. Always shouting at the wrong time. Being licentious. You know the type. Anyhow, Apollonius is talking and the young guy butts in, real loud like, with a coarse voice. And right away Apollonius, who has this divine power about Him, sees it's not the young lad who's the asshole, it's a demon [= daimon].	Now while he [Apollonius] was discussing the question libations, there chanced to be present in his audience a young dandy who bore so evil a reputation for licentiousness, that his conduct had long been the subject of coarse street-corner songs....[T]he youth burst out into loud and coarse laughter, and quite drowned his voice. Then Apollonius looked up at him and said : "It is not yourself that perpetrates this insult, but the demon, who drives you on without your knowing it."
And sure enough, the kid did have a demon in him. And it was the demon that made him laugh, and cry, and sing and generally act crazy. Don't that beat all!	And in fact the youth was, without knowing it, possessed by a devil [daimon] ; for he would laugh at things that no one else laughed at, and then he would fall to weeping for no reason at all, and he would talk and sing to himself. Now most people thought that it was the boisterous humor of youth which led him into such excesses ; but he was really the mouthpiece of a devil, though it only seemed a drunken frolic in which on that occasion he was indulging. Now when Apollonius gazed on him, the ghost in him began to utter cries of fear and rage, such as one hears from people who are being branded or racked ; and the ghost swore that he would leave the young man alone and never take possession of any man again.
And as soon as Apollonius spotted him, the demon knew it, and started to cry out, and talk with Apollonius and bargain with Him about leaving the young man.
But Apollonius, he didn't need to bargain. He just commanded that daimon to LEAVE! And the demon left, performing a little miracle on the way.	But Apollonius addressed him with anger, as a master might a shifty, rascally, and shameless slave and so on, and he ordered him to quit the young man and show by a visible sign that he had done so. " I will throw down yonder statue," said the devil [daimon], and pointed to one of the images which were in the king's portico, for there it was that the scene took place. But when the statue began by moving gently, and then fell down, it would defy anyone to describe [page 392] the hubbub which arose thereat and the way they clapped their hands with wonder.
After which the young man turned out to be a swell fellow. I never saw it coming. How about you? And the man who Apollonius fixed up, demon wise, becomes His follower.	But the young man rubbed his eyes as if he had just woke up, and he looked towards the rays of the sun, and assumed a modest aspect, as all had their attention concentrated on him ; for he no longer showed himself licentious, nor did he stare madly about, but he had returned to his own self, as thoroughly as if he had been treated with drugs ; and he gave up his dainty dress and summery garments and the rest of his sybaritic way of life, and he fell in love with the austerity of philosophers, and donned their cloak, and stripping off his old self modeled his life in future upon that of Apollonius.
	[Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 4.10 (217 AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 389- 91

Now here's a story about Jesus and a demon. Jesus lived in the first century AD; after He died, He was worshiped as a God. Whoever wrote this story didn't sign his name, and didn't say when he wrote it, so it's hard to be sure of its date. Our first evidence of this writing dates from about 150 AD, when it was offered up as part of a new sacred text—a new testament—by a gnostic heretic named Marcion. Here we go, from the Gospel of Luke...

So Jesus comes to town, and right away he meets this man who has demons inside him. The demons make the man go around with no clothes, and live out in the cemetery. They make him act crazy.	26 Then they arrived at the country of the Ger'asenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And as he [Jesus] stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes, and he lived not in a house but among the tombs.
Right away Jesus, who had this divine power about Him, knew about the demons. And the demons, who had this divine power about them, knew He knew. And as soon as Apollonius Jesus spotted him them, the demons knew it, and started to cry out, and talk with Apollonius Jesus and bargain with Him about leaving the young man.	28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me."
But Apollonius Jesus, He didn't need to bargain. He had already commanded those daimons to LEAVE! Chatting with demons. Bargaining.	29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.
And the demons left, performing a little miracle on the way. After which the man turns out to be a swell fellow. I never saw it coming. How about you?	32 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Ger'asenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned.
And the man who Apollonius Jesus fixed up, demon wise, asks to become His follower.	38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, 39 "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
	["Luke," the unknown author of the Gospel of Luke, 8:22-39, RSV]

Let's recap. You now know Pagans had demons. Pagan demons could live inside people, and make them crazy. Pagan demons could be spotted by divine men. Pagan demons could tell when they'd be spotted by a divine men. Pagan demons talked to divine men. Divine men commanded Pagan demons to leave the body of the people they inhabited. And the Pagan demons left. Performing a little miracle on the way out. You also know Pagans Christians had demons. Pagan Christian demons could live inside people, and make them crazy. Pagan Christian demons could be spotted by divine men. Pagan Christian demons could tell when they'd be spotted by a divine men. Pagan Christian demons talked to divine men. Divine men commanded Pagan Christian demons to leave the body of the people they inhabited. And the Pagan Christian demons left. Performing a little miracle on the way out. You also know putting a line through Pagan and writing "Christian" is very annoying. What's more, it's a mistake—another one of those times our ideas are way different from the ancient ideas. See, you and I think "Pagan" and "Christian" are different. I mean, totally different. Different Gods. Different theology. Different morality. Different everything. Them and Us. Now you're starting to see, it ain't so. In many many ways Christianity was not new, not unique. Christian ideas were Pagan ideas. And we're not talking simple, trivial ideas. We're talking ideas deep in the fabric of the bible, in the stories about who Jesus was and what he taught and did. Many biblical ideas are pagan ideas. Christian religion is not different from Pagan religion. Christianity is an ancient Pagan religion. Wow.

As demi-gods, demons were worshiped.

Apollonius of Tyana became divine, and was worshiped.

" And I," said Apollonius, " my good friend, understand all languages, though I never learnt a single one." The native of Ninevah was astonished at this answer, but the other replied: " You need not wonder at my knowing all human languages ; for, to tell you the truth, I also understand all the secrets of human silence." Thereupon the Assyrian worshipped him, when he heard this, and regarded him as a demon; and he stayed with him increasing in wisdom and committing to memory whatever he learnt. [Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 4.10 (217 AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 53]

The first century AD godman Apollonius gave Asclepius' incubators hints on how to get the best results.   >>	Having purged the Ephesians of the plague, and having had enough of the people of Ionia, he [Apollonius] started for Hellas. Having made his way then to Pergamum, and being pleased with the temple of Asclepius, he gave hints to the supplicants of the god, what to do in order to obtain favourable dreams; and having healed many of them he came to the land of Ilium.
	[Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 4.11 (2d century AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C.. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 367]

Dream messages from Gods were so much a part of the ancients' world view, the practice was institutionalized. Wow.

Lot's of writers included short passages explaining dreams. Here's one from Philostratus:  >>

And more than this, as a faculty of divination by means of dreams, which is the divinest and most god- like of human faculties, the soul detects the truth all the more easily when it is not muddied by wine, but accepts the message unstained and scans it carefully. Anyhow, the explainers of dreams and visions, those whom the poets call interpreters of dreams, will never undertake to explain any vision to anyone without having first asked the time when it was seen. For if it was at dawn and in the sleep of morningtide, they calculate its meaning on the assumption that the soul is then in a condition to divine soundly and healthily, because by then it has cleansed itself of the stains of wine. But if the vision was seen in the first sleep or at midnight, when the soul is still immersed in the lees of wine and muddied thereby, they decline to make any suggestions, and they are wise.

[Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 2.37 (2d century AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C. Philostratus I:The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 215]

How Dreams Worked Dream analysis wise, most people weren't as fancy as Aristotle. For most writers, dreams were simply and obviously messages sent from a God. they'd mention that fact in passing, as needed to push the story along. Here's a smattering...

Here's Philostratus in his book about Apollonius.	1.23 And as he advanced into the Cissian country and was already close to Babylon, he was visited by a dream, and the god who revealed it to him fashioned its imagery as follows : there were fishes which had been cast up from the sea on to the land, and they were gasping, and uttering a lament almost human, and bewailing that they had quitted their element ; and they were begging a dolphin that was swimming past the shore to help them in their misery, just like human beings who are weeping in a foreign land. Apollonius was not in the least frightened by his dream, and proceeded to conjecture its meaning and drift ; but he was determined to give Damis [His disciple] a shock, for he found that he was the most nervous of men. So he related his vision to him, and feigned as if it foreboded evil. But Damis began to bellow as if he had seen the dream himself, and tried to dissuade Apollonius from going any further, "Lest," he said, "we also like the fishes get thrown out of our element and perish, and have to weep and wail in a foreign land. Nay, we may even be reduced to straits, and have to go down on our knees to some potentate or king, who will flout us as the dolphins did the fishes."
Dreams were messages from god...	Then Apollonius laughed and said: "You've not become a philosopher yet, if you are afraid of this sort of thing. But I will explain to you the real drift of the dream. For this land of Cissia is habited by the Eretrians, who were brought up here from Euboea by Darius five hundred years ago, and they are said to have been treated at their capture like the fishes that we saw in the dream; for they were netted in, so they say, and captured on and all. It would seem then that the gods are instructing me to visit them and tend their needs, supposing I can do anything for them. And perhaps also the souls of the Greeks whose lot was cast in this part of the world are enlisting my aid for their land. Let us then go on and diverge from the high road, and ask only about the well, hard by which their settlement is."
	[Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 1.23 (2d century AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 67-9]

Philostratus explaining the miraculous birth of Apollonius.	Now he is said to have been born in a meadow, hard by which there has been now erected a sumptuous temple to him ; and let us not pass by the manner of his birth. For just as the hour of his birth was approaching, his mother was warned in a dream to walk out into the meadow and pluck the flowers; and in due course she came there and her maids attended to the flowers, scattering themselves over the meadow, while she fell asleep lying on the grass. Thereupon the swans who fed in the meadow set up a dance around her as she slept, and lifting their wings, as they are wont to do, cried out aloud all at once, for there was somewhat of a breeze blowing in the meadow. She then leaped up at the sound of their song and bore her child, for any [page 14] sudden fright is apt to bring on a premature delivery.
	But the people of the country say that just at the moment of the birth, a thunderbolt seemed about to fall to earth and then rose up into the air and disappeared aloft; and the gods thereby indicated, I think, the great distinction to which the sage was to attain, and hinted in advance how he should transcend all things upon earth and approach the gods, and signified all the things that he would achieve.
	[Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 1.5 (2d century AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C. Philostratus I:The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 13- 4]

Not al legends were old. In the 2d century Philostratus wrote down the "history" of the 1st century godman Apollonius. Philostratus said he got his stuff from the writing of one of Apollonius disciples, but over and over what you get is clearly legend. In this story the Persian king has dream letting him know Apollonius is an OK guy.        >>

When these tidings were brought to the king, he happened to be sacrificing in company with the Magi, for religious rites are performed under their supervision. And he called one of them and said "The dream is come true, which I narrated to you to-day when you visited me in my bed." Now the dream which the king had dreamed was as follows: he thought that he was Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes, and that he had altered and assumed the latter's form; and he was very much afraid lest some change should come over the face of his affairs, for so he interpreted his change of appearance. But when he heard that it was a Hellene, and a wise man, that had come, he remembered about Themistocles of Athens, who had once come from Greece and had lived with Artaxerxes, and had not only derived great benefit from the king, but had conferred great benefit himself. So he held out his right hand and said: "Call him in, for it will make the best of beginnings, if he will join with me in my sacrifice and prayer."

Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 1.29 (2d century AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 85

In this story, Philostratus explains why Apollonius dreams are more often true: Apollonius sleeping in animal-free linen.         >>

8.5 Nor even is my mode of dress protected from their calumnies, for the accuser is ready to steal even that off my back, because it has such vast value for wizards. And yet apart from my contention about the use of living animals and lifeless things, according as he uses one or the other of which I regard a man as impure or pure, in what way is linen better than wool ? Was not the latter taken from the back of the gentlest of animals, of a creature beloved of the gods, who do not disdain themselves to be shepherds, and, by Zeus, once held the fleece to be worthy of a golden form, if it was really a god that did so, and if it be not a mere story ? On the other hand linen is grown and sown anywhere, and there is no talk of gold in connection with it. Nevertheless, because it is not plucked from the back of a living animal, the Indians regard it as pure, and so do the Egyptians, and I myself and Pythagoras on this account have adopted it as our garb when we are discoursing or praying or offering sacrifice. And it is a pure substance under which to sleep of a night, for to those who live as I do dreams bring the truest of their revelations.

[Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana,8.5(2d century AD), -- which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 307]

Apollonius of Tyana cures the lame, the blind, the paralysed.

3.39 There also arrived a man who was lame. He was already thirty years old and was a keen hunter of lions ; but a lion had sprung upon him and dislocated his hip so that he limped with one leg. However when they massaged with their hands his hip, the youth immediately recovered his upright gait. And another man had had his eyes put out, and he went away having recovered the sight of both of them. [page 318] Yet another man had his hand paralysed, but left their presence in full poscession of the limb. And a certain woman had suffered in labour already seven times, but was healed in the following way through the intercession of her husband. He bade the man, of whenever his wife should be about to bring forth her next child, to enter her chamber carrying in his bosom a live hare ; then he was to walk once round her and at the same moment to release the hare; for that the womb would be extruded together with the fetus, unless the hare was at once driven out. [Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 3.39 (217 AD),—which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C.. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 317- 8]

Apollonius of Tyana cures demon posession The nature of the demon described.

THIS discussion was interrupted by the appearance among the sages of the messenger bringing in certain Indians who were in want of succour. And he brought forward a poor woman who interceded in behalf of her child, who was, she said, a boy of sixteen years of age, but had been for two years possessed by a devil. Now the character of the devil was that of a mocker and a liar. Here one of the sages asked, why she said this, and she replied : "This child of mine is extremely good-looking, and therefore the devil is amorous of him and will not allow him to retain his reason, nor will he permit him to go to school, or to learn archery, nor even to remain at home, but drives him out into desert places. And the boy does not even retain his own voice, but speaks in a deep hollow tone, as men do ; and he looks at you with other eyes rather than wit11 his own. As for myself I weep over all this, and I tear my cheeks, and I rebuke my son so far as I well may ; but he does not know me. And I made up my mind to repair hither, indeed I planned to do so a year ago ; only the demon discovered himself, using my child as a mask, and what he told me was this, that he was the ghost of a man, who fell long ago in battle, but that at death he was passionately [page 316] attached to his wife. Now he had been dead for only three days when his wife insulted their union by marrying another man, and the consequence was that he had come to detest the love of women, and had transferred himself wholly into this boy. But he promised, if I would only not denounce him to yourselves, to endow the child with many noble blessings As for myself, I was influenced by these promises; but he has put me off and off' for such a long time now, that he has got sole control of my household, yet has no honest or true intentions." Here the sage asked afresh, if the boy was at hand ; and she said not, for, although she had done all she could to get him to come with her, the demon had threatened her with steep places and precipices and declared that he would kill her son, "in case," she added, " I haled him hither for trial." "Take courage," said the sage, '' for he will not slay him when he has read this." And so saying he drew a letter out of his bosom and gave it to the woman ; and the letter, it appears, was addressed to the ghost and contained threats of an alarming kind. [Philostratus, The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 3.38 (217 AD),—which you can find in: Conybeare, F. C.. Philostratus I: The Life of Apollonius of Tyana, Books I - V (Loeb Classical Library #16) (2000), pg. 315- 6] Add caption

Good Books for this section

The Life of Apollonius of Tyana by Philostratus (2d or 3d century AD) translated by Christopher Jones

What you'll find: Written by historian Philostratus in the late 2d or early 3d century, supposedly using notes written by Apollonius' own disciples Apollonius was a 1st century Pythagorean sage who gathered disciples, taught wisdom, cast out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead, and other familiar sounding stuff. After his death he was worshiped as a God.