Rishi Agastya was a profound genius among all the sages, especially when it came to science. It is not exaggerating to say that many of the science theories were propounded by our great Rishis even before the world knew about it. When it came to the knowledge of divine weapons, or engineering skills or building skills, our ancient science was always way ahead of time and very progressive.
Electricity was one of the major science discoveries which transformed the world’s science progress. But it is a factor of pride that the generation of Electricity was first told by none other than Rishi Agastya right during the Vedic times itself.
Rishi Agastya is regarded as the father of science among our traditional seers. He authored Agastya Samhita, a treatise which mentions the usage of many chemical compounds in different combinations. He also mentions various solutions as cures for health issues like fever, brain, eye and bone problems. In the usage with various chemicals and its components, he mentions the method of generation of electricity for the welfare of mankind. It is indeed remarkable and true that our sages were annals ahead of time in propagating and discovering theories of science necessary for the betterment mankind.
Rishi Agastya mentions the generation of portable electricity in his Agastya Samhita wherein he mentions how can a modern battery cell works. In the Shloka, he propagates,
संस्थाप्यमण्मयेपात्रे ताम्रपत्रं सुसंस्कृकम् ।
छादयेच्छछखिग्रीवन चादााभि: काष्ठापांसभुि :॥
दस्तालोष्टो ननधात्वय: पारदाछछाददतस्तत:।
संयोगाज्जायते तेजो भमत्रावरुणसंज्ञितम॥
(Agastya Samhita)
The simple method in which Rishi Agastya had mentioned the generation of electricity was by using an earthen pot, copper plate, copper sulphate, wet saw dust and zinc amalgamation. He then states that the combination of all the chemicals in an earthen pot would generate electricity due to their respective chemical nature. Rishi Agastya further mentioned that such electricity generated through one hundred such pots when thrown into water, divides itself into Hydrogen and Oxygen. The Hydrogen thus formed can also be used in flying aircrafts thus, revealing the technique of aerodynamics right in the Vedic time itself.
The Agastya Samhita has been an inspiration later on to many western scientists and they took many of the principles mentioned in it to develop discoveries of science. It is indeed a wonderful factor that our land has been the centre of many modern science theories were evolved and explained. It makes us take pride that we are not only born in a land of culture and traditions, but a land of great science discoveries which helped humans grow in all
aspects of life not only in our country but in the whole world. Rishi Agastya proved that ancient does not mean old, but a way to discover new means of life.