Branthachalam cave inscription

(Dr Suvarna Nalapat's Blog.Diagrams are not given in this Blog.)

Reading Branthachalam cave inscription sent by Manoj Chakiar from Perinthalmanna
(Orkut Community Indian History )

I read the inscription sent by Manoj Chakiar as an important find in the link between Indus valley people and Kerala carpenters/sthapatyaveda .




Fig 1 (Manoj Chakiar)






1 ½ 1/4

This is a geometric progression or a division of a scale according to geometric sequencing.The indication is that the sthapathy who wanted to build the cave structure was very learned in the Indus valley use of measurement systems and was giving instructions of how the vasthu has to be built and how he measured it by his Kol or measurement rod for his assistants or helpers to follow and learn.
Below see his shape of measuring instrument which we can reconstruct from the above figure.







Fig 2 (Dr Suvarna Nalapat)The first divisions of a Muzhakol /measuring scale for a vasthu by a carpenter.The division above the central line are dhana(+) and Aarohana,and below are Rina (negative or avarohana) .Used both in music and astronomical calculations alike.

100:50:25
Or 1 ½ ¼ 1/8 1/16 1/32 1/64 and so on.
The second is 1/3rd .That is 2,6,18,54,162,486 and so on
The scale of Arohana and Avarohana .(musical)
The + is above and --- is below the horizontal line .Smaller divisions /fractions in geometric progression series..
When it is avarohana scale the geometric progression is getting into smaller and smaller numbers but does not reach zero .Example is 5,1,1/5,1/25,1/125,1/625 and thus a cosmic scale which is larger ,gets smaller at terrestrial level measured .That is ,what is larger in the cosmic and solar sphere will be smaller at terrestrial and human body level.
But the geometric progression rules are same.The ratio remains the same.

If we run a race of 100 meters .At halfway you have only 50 meters to cover .Then after running halfway of that 50 only 25 remain.That is the distance from one point to another decrease as 100,50,25,12.5,6.25,3.125 and so on but will never reach zero .The cosmos shrinks but never to total destruction.It will ever continue to decrease in smaller fractions and then a balancing force appears and sets it wellbalanced.This is the law which the Indus valley people followed in their weight and measure system which was very accurate.
Western science knew about this law only very recently .That is the importance of this inscription on rock.Kerala being a mathematical and astronomical center and a place for the Aswalayana sakha of scholars and saamavedins this measurement has importance.It also gives some clue to how the early sthapathy(mentioned in yajurveda) designed the cave architecture which we see sprinkled all over India.

Then the Naama sign or U with a central line which is symbol of Indus valley people/Vaishnavites.
Below ,the same with the Y nama is also shown in a reverse pattern.


Fig 3 (Dr suvarna Nalapat)

The three doors each divided into 4 equal compartments to make up 12 is the Rasimaana or the total measurement of the cosmic/vasthu scale unit.
In musical parameters the Naama sign with a U and a central line is the Laghu Mathra .In Arohana and the same in inverse pattern show its avarohana.In the case of a cave the portion below and above ground level is the avarohana and arohana scales..
The seven notes (with three udatha,anudatha,swaritha) and the 12 swarasthana are also represented in this Indus valley script.The occurrence of this in Branthachala is therefore important.
The Sthapathy /Sthapathyaveda of the region is well represented by the measuring scale of the carpenter/Sthapathy .In the vedic language sthapathy is a important component of society well respected .The presence of cave dwellings first and then dwellings on level ground is a characteristic feature of human habitation and presence of measurement scale on a cave is therefore important as far as human habitations and development of consciousness of measurement is concerned and the Indus valley people were able and expert mathematicians and their weights and measures were of world renown.(from archeological evidence)
See the U shape with divisions to form the ratios of a musical instrument of a cave painting below.The people are early men catching rats from holes and they have the early sign of U and the first sign of a man and woman building a home together.
Just like a rat (Mooshaka)lives in a hole in ground ,a human being in earliest period started to dwell in natural caves called Mada in regional language which later became the Mutts of sanyasins.Even in Australia the oldest cave dweling of prehistoric men are called Mutts.









Fig 4 Cavemen



Below see an Indus valley picture of Squirrel with measurements on the tail,which seems to be a musical instrument.





Fig 5 (Thanks to Dr Asko Parpola,The Finnish Researcher .)


Fig 6 (Dr Asko Parpola) Indus seal.

Note musical percussion instrument,5 swasthiks in a row ,the U sign with modifications and astronomical geodesics /mathematical knowledge with two superimposed circles.The two intersecting circles are worth noting for the astronomical knowledge.
Swasthika for the Townplanning and the Cosmic Ckakra/mandala and the spread of soundwaves in space .


Fig 7 (Dr Asko Parpola)


Look at the divisions of the railing and also of the leaf blades .See that Harappans were worshipping nature /trees and protecting the trees with proper railings .This shows their ecofriendly nature and concept about nature .The plants/trees/oushadi vanaspathy are dwelling places of celestial beings who are great musicians (Apsara/Gandharva and fertility devathas) and healers through the solar energy and lunar water flowing through them to all living things as annam (food).Therefore all people worship them as celestial parents .


Fig 8 (Dr Asko Parpola)

This habit of treeworship is imitated even in Budhist sculptures showing a continuity of tradition.Look at the division of the base ,the leafs and of the staff in the hands of the attendant below.Also see the inverted Y shaped stand on which the entire structure stands and the same figure on the staff of the attendant.It denotes the Urdwamoolam adhasakham(root up and branches below)concept of the vedic Aswatha tree.

Fig 9 (Dr Asko Parpola)

Note the base ,the designs on it,the swasthik ,ashtadala ,measuring jars and other astronomical signs in this recent picture of Worship of Sun(Gayathri)and the fig tree.Note continuity of same practice from Indus valley /Harappan days till date.This is a living tradition still .

Fig 10 (Dr Asko Parpola)

See the first letter with a Y naama and a line between the two limbs.The headwear shows twigs/tree showing that she is the Goddess of life .


Fig 11 (Dr Asko Parpola)

Here also see the headgear and its resemblance to the U naama .The Rishabha is a term for such a yogic person.(The Rishabha or Rishi).Note the divisions on the central part of the headwear.Then you will be able to appreciate the inverted V and Y in center with two outer divisions altogether making 8 points and 7 spaces in between and on the two curved horns on either side one can see the measuring scale .An elephant with a Mahout walking along shows domesticated elephant.And the first sign here is a man using a plough with an Ox and an instrument with U shape and a handle just as we find in the cave people drawing .(Note that in this yogic picture there is no serpent shown .)

Recently a scholar from Adyar library,Sri Sankaranarayanan(Director of the Library), asked me whom do you think that yogin picture seen in Indus valley seal is ? I said:-Everyone,including Dr Asko Parpola say that it is Shiva/Pasupathy.
The elderly scholar asked:-Is not Vishnu a yogin? He is always in Samadhi.And Is he not also a pasupathy/Gopala? So what is the difference?
Any Yogin can be depicted in a yogic pause.And the signs of shiva and Vishnu including the serpent (Vasuki/Ananta) are signs of Pragnaparamitha in later Budhist scholar’s works. Seeing a serpent hood historians immeadiately come to the conclusion that this site is Budhist/Jainist .Whoever started this mistake first ,This mistake is often perpetuated in academic circles.The question of Sri Sankaranarayanan , is therefore very relevant.Asking questions by oneself is inherent part of science.


Fig 12 (Dr Asko Parpola) Note the U and the Y signs in this fish tablet on either side.




Fig 13 This tablet from Sumeria

This show the altar of a sacrifice as in Somayaga.The 7 dishna or fire altars and the Yupa(represent the tree)in front of the Aswa denotes the Asawmedha yagna.The Aswa in Greek is Hippos.So this is a Hippos or Aswin who has gone through the oceanic routes(see fish sign ) and measured the entire universe (see measuring jar)and the urns for containers of things and wealth and has brought the entire universe under one umbrella of God as servant of God (Ekachatra ) as seen by the umbrella drawing. This must be the practice adopted from India since Indians had trade relations with Sumerians .Somayaga is not a tradition in Sumeria as we know now.But is a tradition in India and if we see that sign in Sumeria ,we have to assume that the sign had been planted there by an Indian living there,probably for trade relations.


Below see the dishna from an excavated site from Kalibangan and a drawing of the Yagnavedi even now followed by all vedic sacrificers
(Fig 14 and 15 )






Fig 16.Apart from the U and Y signs and intersecting cycles and fig sign see the Vettaikku Orumakan /Ayyapan figure in a leopard attire which is a star cluster in Orion nebula.How this Rain and life(tree)is associated is seen from this.See that this is done on copper plate showing the knowledge of mettullurgy among Indus valley people .

Fig 17


Fig 18 This is an important seal.Here the 7 Godesses (swara)and their sister Saraswathi as Goddess of Tree is worshipped and a kamadhenu shown.the square ,fish sign and the headwear of the worshippers as well as the Godesses are to be noted for the same measurements and pattern .See the Saptharekhayanthra of Gargyaparasaravali.(A handwritten manuscript)
Fig 19 Saptarekhayanthra of Gargyaparasaravali.


Fig 20 and 21 show the U sign on forehead of people(Anthropological sign)and the Indus seal


Sri Manoj Chakiar has given me the approximate measurements of the fig 1 as below:-
The part above ground level (inscribed on the hillface ) and the inscriptions on the floor where we stand(that is on earthsurface)is demarcated very well by a limiting line.
The doors shown is about 8 ft in height on hillface .The height of the inscription is about 5 ft height and 7-8 ft in length.The U mark has 6-9 ft size.
That means the Sthapathy was marking out the exact site and size where his disciples or the associates should carve out a cave .It is a specific inscription to show how he had instructed the disciples to carve out the existing caves there ,and also how any one who wants to know the method can come and see and learn and go and try his new earned vidya elsewhere.Just like a lecture demonstration by an early teacher of silpasasthra.Such Sthapathy are venerated in Yajurveda as great people.Once in his former birth ,SriKrishna was born as Oja ,the son of Suthapas and Prisni .And Oja is considered as the one who organized Silpasasthra .In Chalukya inscriptions the sthapathy of the constructions are always named after this Oja showing the continuity of tradition and knowledge of it upto historic times.

In Gargaparasaravali the sapthaslakhayanthra shows how this figure can be reconstructed by us.
Below see the sapthaslakhayanthra Gargyaparasaravali reconstruction on to Branthachalam cave vasthu measures.Fig 22 (Manuscript page from Dr Suvarna Nalapat)




















It has 28 points on outer aspect(the 28 star clusters on cosmic scale)36 equal squares making up for the 360 degrees of a circle /the vritha of geodesic in a solar system and in universe,and 7 lines (swara,colours,days of week) make up the entire structure of microcosm and macrocosm at one scale.This is what both astronomy,vasthusasthra and ayurveda ,as well as musicology use in its scientific expositions.Yanthra means the machine or the basis of construction of a machine /scale for any purpose .Thanthra means a mechanism or method of construction of that and use of that(prayoga).The manthra is the laws which one has to understand and memorize for getting proficiency in that particular branch of knowledge.The problem with modern historians is that
1.Either they ignore entire knowledge system as myth
2.Or they propagate the existence of such ancient procedures to superstitions ,thereby promoting superstitions among common people.
Both these attitudes are not good for a developing society which should know its past for devising and planning a better future for generations to come.

We have to analyse them scientifically to know them properly and only then we can tell the people that Indian knowledge system is the Indian religion and spirituality and negating that is the greatest mistake that modern scholars are doing ,thereby equating Indianism(Hinduism)with semitic religions which are teachings/morals/ethics by a individual in a particular region.

The word Hindu stands for Indian .The pronounciation of Sindhu /Sapthasaindhava had become Haptahaindava among the Parsweekadesa(Parsi )people who speak a slightly regionalized dialect pronounciation and this later on became Hindu and India subsequently.So to say that our culture is myth and religion is to negate our entire history and existence.To be an Indian one has to know its culture ,past and ancient languages.To separate a nation is easy by means of several dualisms and that is what is happening to our academicians and politicosocial groups. And we as a nation are suffering from such separatist tendencies.To understand India one has to know its ancient culture and respect its history before any other influences from outside ever reached its soil and that takes us beyond all religions .Beyond all power politics.Just to human culture and consciousness .
Cant we ever see this truth is the question history asks us.History is not for perpetuating differences of opinions but to resolve them by proper use of human brain(Pragna) and Budhi(intelligence)and seeing and observing,analyzing and hearing again and then doing analysis or manana forever to enrich our wisdom .Wisdom is in peace,protection of biodiversity and uniting for such a noble cause.India has always been at the Gurusthana for that teaching from what we learn from its literary wealth,archeological evidence.
Every Indian ,if he/or she is having a mind to see truth can see this .This itself is the test for verifiability for all people.Verifiability by any person is the hallmark of science.But for it ,one has to have a systematic study of the discipline concerned.That is lacking for Indian historians who negate every Sanskrit literary source as myth /religion and who negate every new discovery by a subaltern individual as not peer-reviewed .To be peerreviewed first of all one should get a chance to speak out.If even that freedom of expression is denied to subaltern historians how are we reaching a point of metascience ?
Therefore ,I take this opportunity to see the material which Mr Chakiar had sent me ,in a different angle from the usual academic historians do .

I myself do my history research from a very subaltern point of view starting always from Kerala but it never ends there.It encompass entire humanity,entire living beings through a microscopic lens of Kerala and its culture.The microcosm always mirrors the macrocosm is what I have found.



May peace prevail on earth.May Satya and Ahimsa and Darma be the ultimate aim of human race so that all living things enjoy their share of freedom of life and expression on this planet earth.
Satyam Eva Jayathe!

From
Dr Suvarna Nalapat



















































This is the inscription in the cave Mr Chakiar has sent to me later .This shows three letters one above (in the central wall of central cave)and one each on right and left walls.
This is very interesting because it corroborates what I have already interpreted.

The letter on the right wall is read as n/na (pronounces as in Money , as the last anunasika of the Tavarga/not Thavarga )and the left hand side is read as Kai /ke/or even simple ei in Phoenician /Brahmi lipi.
The upper central lipi is a letter which can be read in different ways .It resembles (but with rotational changes) the Ta in Tamil albhabet,and also a modified A (pronounced in Tamil like that ),and a rotational changed pa and cha in Phoenician and Brahmi alphabets.
So we have different readings from this three letters.
1.Tanikai/Thanikai
2.Pan(i)kai
3.Chan(i)kai)
4.En(i)kai

If read in reverse order it can be
1 Kaithan(i)
2.Kaippan(i)
3.Kaichan(i)
4.Kaienn(i)

Pani/Phani /Enkai(ganitha),Kaiennal etc have definite correlation with the vasthu and its measurements.
Than or Thanikachala is the mountain which gives cool atmosphere and sama for the people who do meditation.In Valanchery ,there was a hill called Thaniyappan kunnu which was recently destroyed for construction purposes deserves mention.And nearby was another hill called Kottaram Kotakunnu showing it to be the old dwelling place and fort of an erstwhile dynasty (which also is no more thanks to destruction/construction work).
Chankai means shanku or conch which is a musical instrument used in temples and a symbol of Vishnu,well as Devi .The place is ideal for giving a sound message to the neighbouring places due to its location and height and hence used as a watchtower of metereological observation as well as for defence purposes to warn villagers around of a natural or artificial calamity approaching.
Kaithan is to show the Neerkaithankotta (oldest natural cave in the area of Parappanad to which history relates to Rama and his monkey army)where several beautifully carved structures are added by the sculptures.Probable relation to neer and kaitha (water availability and a built structure by the hand of a sthapathy for making it occupiable).