Was ancient India a united country or a just collection of princely states?

[shiv.somashekhar]

I am surprised you quote it with such certainty that everything has been found.

That was a question - because I am surprised that you would completely reject *all* the findings till date (which are quite extensive) in favor of awaiting pending discoveries which will corroborate Puranic stories. This means, you have already determined (without evidence) that these stories must be true and therefore, research is either incomplete or false until these stories are proven. If future research findings continues to prove that these stories are false, you will continue to reject them, because of your faith in the Puranas.

And what do we have left? A sudden transformation with an unexplainable giant leap to a unique philosophy, culture, language, living, beliefs - all mysteriously happened only in India only in the past 2000 years or so and was accepted immediately in all corners of India- the likes of which has not happened anywhere else.

This statement makes me wonder if you have spent the time to read history. The Vedic civilization started in the NW corner of India at least over 4000 years ago, spread to Eastern India and did not go South until much later. During this time, we had indigenous, non-vedic cultures all around India and there was a long process of assimilation. None of this happened overnight.

Not only me but everyone is bound to accept established scientific facts but not lame theories, opinions and speculations.

You are contradicting yourself as you have rejected *all* scientific findings till date and your earlier statements proves that you believe in the Puranic version of history out of faith (the reason why you would reject all research till date).

Not a long time but just a few decades ago.

Again, you appear to be disconnected. Dwaraka has always been in existence as can be proven easily enough. The Dwarakadeesh temple was built during the 16th century. One of the four Advaita Mathas - the Dwaraka Peetham - exists in Dwaraka and legend has it that it was opened by Shankara himself (1200 years ago). Even if this is not true, the Matha (and therefore, Dwaraka) has been around for much longer than just a few decades.

[jignyAsu]

That was a question - because I am surprised that you would completely reject *all* the findings till date (which are quite extensive) in favor of awaiting pending discoveries which will corroborate Puranic stories. This means, you have already determined (without evidence) that these stories must be true and therefore, research is either incomplete or false until these stories are proven. If future research findings continues to prove that these stories are false, you will continue to reject them, because of your faith in the Puranas.

Again, I reject only baseless theories and speculations.

This statement makes me wonder if you have spent the time to read history. The Vedic civilization started in the NW corner of India at least over 4000 years ago, spread to Eastern India and did not go South until much later. During this time, we had indigenous, non-vedic cultures all around India and there was a long process of assimilation. None of this happened overnight.

Few hundred years is overnight only, when you take into consideration thousands of years of history. Back then, the soil was filled with people well versed in sanskrit and Vedas. They grow up reading and memorizing all the scriptures. Apparently they all have been mysteriously united in turning a blind eye towards only certain scriptures.

In all the refutations and debates OP or not, it occurred to no one, pre British to reject a whole scripture as being cooked up and passed all across India.

Such speculations appeal only to the dull minded who have no clue as to what it takens for a work to shine in all corners of India.

You are contradicting yourself as you have rejected *all* scientific findings till date and your earlier statements proves that you believe in the Puranic version of history out of faith (the reason why you would reject all research till date).

My having rejected *all* scientific findings is purely your opinion. Ofcourse I am propelled by my faith in Puranas but I don't see why I should reject it based on any Tom, Dick and Harry's musings.

Again, you appear to be disconnected. Dwaraka has always been in existence as can be proven easily enough. The Dwarakadeesh temple was built during the 16th century. One of the four Advaita Mathas - the Dwaraka Peetham - exists in Dwaraka and legend has it that it was opened by Shankara himself (1200 years ago). Even if this is not true, the Matha (and therefore, Dwaraka) has been around for much longer than just a few decades.

I have no clue about what you are talking about here. I am talking about the excavations of the underwater city in the 80s. And that was a scientific finding only.


Tommorow if someone in HDF has a question on the soul, you would say: "It has been established clearly that life comes from matter only." as if labs out there have created life. Then you will accuse us of having rejected scientific evidences. But we repeat, only baseless theories are being challenged.

[shiv.somashekhar]

Again, I reject only baseless theories and speculations.

How do you determine what is baseless? What are your qualifications that make you accept or reject discoveries of qualified historians who are formally trained and are devoted to the subject fulltime?

Which part (if any) of academic history do you accept?

My having rejected *all* scientific findings is purely your opinion. Ofcourse I am propelled by my faith in Puranas but I don't see why I should reject it based on any Tom, Dick and Harry's musings.

This is exactly what I have been saying. You have chosen to reject science in favor of your faith in Puranic stories. The Tom, Dick and Harry you talk about are qualified historians, philologists and archaeologists who have worked hard to reconstruct our lost history. You just confirmed my statement that you will not accept any scientific findings that will not corroborate Puranic stories because in your mind these stories are true and therefore science has to be false for not agreeing.

I have no clue about what you are talking about here. I am talking about the excavations of the underwater city in the 80s. And that was a scientific finding only.

As I have already explained twice, Dwaraka is a real place in India and has been that way for a long time. It was not discovered a couple of decades ago, as you mistakenly believe. Please spend a few minutes looking it up on Wikipedia.

[jignyAsu]

As I have already explained twice, Dwaraka is a real place in India and has been that way for a long time. It was not discovered a couple of decades ago, as you mistakenly believe. Please spend a few minutes looking it up on Wikipedia.

Why don't you look up for one Dr. S. R. Rao in Wiki yourself? Its amazing how you have never ever heard (conveniently) of an underwater excavations at all! And you don't think they have worked hard?

You, sir, have only worked hard to construct your speculations and opinions.

[satay]

Admin Note

namaste,
Seeing that the OP hasn't commented on any of the posts on this thread after making a couple of posts, I am closing this thread.