DRDO chief invokes Vedas to explain intel importance

Written by Vijaita Singh | New Delhi | Posted: December 24, 2014 2:19 am

Indian Express

The country’s scientist and DRDO chief Avinash Chander on Tuesday invoked mythology to explain the importance of intelligence network, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi cited Karna’s birth in Mahabharata to suggest “genetic science” existed in India even in ancient times.

Chander, the man behind the Agni series missiles, while addressing the Intelligence Bureau sleuths said “information gathering and intelligence have been emphasised even in Vedas and Puranas”, and invoked “Rig Veda and Atharva Veda” to send across his point that intelligence gathering had to be abreast with technology.

NSA Ajit Doval, new IB chief Dineshwar Sharma and outgoing IB chief Syed Asif Ibrahim were present on the dais when the DRDO chief addressed the function.

Delivering the 27th Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment Lecture, Chander, who is also the scientific advisor to the Defence Minister, said, “Information gathering and intelligence have been emphasised even in Vedas and Puranas. We find the invocations in Rig Veda and Atharva Veda, where it talks how the spies of Agni came down from the sky with thousands of eyes. The son of Brahaspati, teacher of gods, Kaccha was sent as a spy to Sukracharya to know the Sanjeevani mantra as explained in Mathsyapurana.” His term expired on December 1, but he was retained for two more years by the NDA government to head the post.

Chander, a IIT graduate, said, “In Sabhaparvam of Mahabharata ‘Lokapala Sabhakhayana Parva’ explains the importance of information gathering, establishing the spy network and related instrumentation in connection with the armed forces.”

To make his point, Chander said, “Arthashastra by Kautilya defines it as an integral part of court craft. The first of two chapters on establishing an intelligence system explain five kinds of spies for gathering internal intelligence.”

Comments 

c.r.panicker • 2 hours ago

Bhagavat Gita advises three courses of action (1) Gyana Yoga (2) Karma Yoga and (3) Bhakti Yoga. Before doing something, acquire complete of the situation, then create a fool proof plan of action and act with all resources to tackle the situation. You will then succeed in your operation. In this sense what is wrong in quoting puranas and scriptures. There is nothing which need hurt the sentiments of non-Hindus

RCA • 4 hours ago

Please don’t refer to Vedas as mythology. That was the terminology of the British Raj, which referred to Christian holy book as scripture, but Hindu holy books as mythology (i.e a myth, or something that is not correct). Its time to fix this wrong terminology.

Sai bhargavs • 5 hours ago

its not mythology

SacchaDesi • 11 hours ago

Nowadays everyone has to quote from Vedas to keep their job. DRDO has been among worst performing indian organisation. May be this explains why.

sk • 14 hours ago

Bad mentality of media and psuedo secularists. The top Scientists world over quote Veda/Upanishads/Advaita all the time and they will be quoted much more in coming times as can be seen by new physicists openly adopting yoga/meditation path, like John Hagelin (Harvard/Stanford/CERN trained Quantum Physicist or his senior in that field like Schrodinger, Neils Bohr or even people like Peter Russell), the whole world invokes Veda/Upanishads more than Indians, Indians hardly discuss Upanishads/Advaita, Indians discuss bollywood, hollywood or other such stupid stuff more.

Intelligent people are becoming more and more truthful and so they do not care about saying whatever is truth, Vedas/Upanishads/Advaita/Patanjali/Yoga/Meditation are the firstto give basic truth about reality and consciousness, this recognition will only increase not decrease because it is truth. Also, these people gave these ideas in remarkably humble/detached ways with amazing simplicity so when an intelligent mind reads Upanishads/Advaita, there is little chance to not to be impressed by those ideas.

guest • 14 hours ago

The Vedas aren’t mythology, the Mahabharat and the Ramayana are.

Hegelman • 19 hours ago

This is a major violation of secularism and our constitution. The Hindutva Brigade is getting out of control. Hindu right wing outfits are quoting Hindu scriptures and mythology.

It is time for the Secular Brigade to swing into action. Secular leftwing organisations – not outfits – should answer back by citing Christian and Muslim historical facts.

Hegelman • 19 hours ago

How can this be allowed in India? No one in India must cite Hindu scriptures or mythology. This is a secular land, and such actions violate our constitution.

jois • 19 hours ago

very nice explanation from scientist. what is the problem? we are proud to be Indian

Davinder Prasad • 19 hours ago

Outgoing Chief Mr Saye Asif Ibrahim must have been amused at this silly comment from the incoming Mr Avinash Chander. May Lord God help Mr Chand to think straight, he has responsibility for the whole nation.

SK tyagi • 20 hours ago

Well our vedas are full of all info needed by us

Devil • 21 hours ago

What is wrong if an accomplished Scientist Mr Chander is illustrating a point by invoking puranas or vedas. In west, people cite greek mythology, bible etc extensively to make points. Its only some of de-racinated Indians who are shameful of our heritage & culture and always trying to ape west. If Mr. Chander would have illustrate the same point invoking bible or greek mythology or sun tzu, he wouldn’t have raised any hackles. Shame on such deracinated Indians.

Katewal  Devil • 10 hours ago

Well said.

Mahalakshmi Iyer  Devil • 12 hours ago

First of all you should know the difference between mythology and philosophy.

Philosophy and mythology have nothing in common. Mythology belongs to the religious domain, it is religion explained in stories. Myths are passed down one generation to the next, and they belong to a specific culture.

Philosophy, on the other hand, belongs more to the scientific domain. It is the work of one man, or a series of men, as they sit down to think about the origin of the universe, the purpose of life and so on. Most philosophy has nothing to do with religion, and it can explain the world without superhuman figures.

Devils will always flock together to justify their baseless arguments.

Davinder Prasad  Devil • 19 hours ago

This is an equally silly comment, I am sorry to say. Being Hindu does not mean that you have to agree with every nonsense, I am saying this as a Hindu.

harsh baniya • a day ago

Anything wrong about that Indian Express? Don’t be so pathetic please.

harsh baniya • a day ago

So whats wrong in it …. ???? And btw Mahabharata is not mythology …. Foreign funded paid historians has termed it so

Ramesh Sharma • a day ago

He should have cited the relevant Vedic and Puranic sutras. Otherwise how can we verify his remarks? DRDO has grossly under performed given the resources at its command.

SC  Ramesh Sharma • 2 hours ago

Have you ever gone through Vedic or puranic literature? Had you studied you would not have raised this query.

Mahalakshmi Iyer • a day ago

How long are we going to talk science on the basis of mythology? No wonder we are no where near China in Science & Technology even after 62 years of independence.

We must understand Scientific temper is different from mythological temper. Our defense and space programmes should be based on Scientific innovations and not on mythological farts.

kyafarakpadtakounhai  Mahalakshmi Iyer • 14 hours ago

China followed the vedas and purana’s way before we did, all the technology in china has been spied and taken from the US and Europe, right from esculators, trains to their spaceship. What did china do on its own?

When a drone crashed in Iran, the Chinese were there even before US knew about the whereabouts of the Drone.

Even if it is Mythology, it has been conceived through experience.

In few centuries the atomic bomb and Einstein will also become Mythology.

Life on earth happens in cycles, if we are able to make the nuclear bomb, Bramha Astra must have been invented during the mythological times,

We have planes they have Pushpak Viman.

We have televisions they had Divya Dhristi.

The mantras are forumlas and proceedures to manufacture something.

We never believe in what we have at home, it is always bullshit, always things

outside our home look beautiful. The day we believe what we have is the day

when India will Surpass all other countries.

Bharani Komandur  Mahalakshmi Iyer • 20 hours ago

Why do we keep calling Mahabharata and Ramayana as “Mythology” and not “History”. Why are Hindus so ashamed of their History? Also, DRDO can accomplish a lot, if there is political will. Our politicians want to keep “buying” technology, so that their Swiss Banks accounts can be filled. That is the problem. In China, the punishment for Corruption is Death Sentence, and they do Execute them. In India, we Celebrate corruption. That is the problem. I am sure, if he had cited Bible or Quran, we “The Secular Hindus” would have applauded.

anonymous • a day ago

Tell me why aristotles poetics is taught in MA (English) even today. the same should be true for indian scriptures. what is all this debale about.

Arjun Narayanan • a day ago

Communal remarks! How dare he even think of Hindu scriptures in a secular country. Shall we start a twitter trend to protest this? At least a one hour discussion on News Hour should happen right?

DG1 • a day ago

DRDO chief has gone nuts. If he really was a student of Vedas then the moribund organization that he heads would not be as pathetic as it is, given the funds and resourced poured into it to come up with something worthwhile and original.

Bharani Komandur  DG1 • 20 hours ago

Please do not blame the DRDO. Do you really think that India can get to Mars, but cannot make a combat aircraft? Seriously? Politicians do not want the DRDO to make combat aircrafts or any high tech weapons. They want them to be “Imported only”, so that in those shady deals, their Bank Accounts in Switzerland and Mauritius can get filled.

LalaLajpatRai • a day ago

It is 100% true that several ancient texts talk about intelligence gathering though I differ with Avinash on his understanding of Rg Vedic texts. Instead of just quoting and claiming that we had all these before, it would have been useful if Avinash had really figured out what exactly we could use out of them in modern day context. Otherwise it is an empty useless talk.

sks  LalaLajpatRai • 18 hours ago

what u can use from it is them importance of intel gathering. That’s what the poor fellow emphasized. Now what technology was used may or may not be relevant for today hence he didnt go in that direction.

Sachi Mohanty • a day ago

All the nincompoops are coming out of the woodwork. Or, may be, this shows how technical education does not ‘teach’ rational thinking.

Gwen Stacy • a day ago

Why do you have problem with scientist stating some fact? There are verifiable . All you need is to roll your finger on internet online translation of Vedas .

Indian First • a day ago

Nice going…great future for this guy.

sishtla • a day ago

What is your problems if certain facts are told in the interest of nation to assist in intelligence gathering.Do the writer wants some other religious text to show his secular credentials.If the trend continues the news paper will have to close its publication.

MKRao • a day ago

I am shocked to see but it almost seems like talking anything that is related to Hinduism in India has become an unpardonable sin these!!! Why are we are becoming so intolerable towards Hinduism?!!! Why nobody talks of religions which are only turning a normal humans into perverts, psychopaths and subhumans?!!!! When the source of all religions were meant to be for betterment of Humanity?!!!!

Prabakar • a day ago

Excellent

Mohanlal Com • a day ago

Absolutely true! All Bharatiyas should be proud of these invaluable sayings and the nation must implement the principles.

Venkat • a day ago

Great though the author seems to be somewhat skeptical. Please read about Mahaperiyavaa to understand everything that we see today our so called new discoveries and inventions already find mention in the Vedas there is nothing new to discover.

anil • a day ago

For idiots, what DRDO chief said is a mythology, but for intelligents, it is history.

Sundara Pandiyan • a day ago

Good to know that our scientists are well-versed in our history and heritage.

1. Curry • a day ago

May the spies of Jesus, his servant Modi, come down from the sky with thousands of eyes for DRDO chief Avinash Chander. Amen.