Theories on secret societies have always been popular and widely adapted in art and literature. Scientific occult societies are perhaps all the more fascinating because of the inherent nature of contradiction involved between science and myths. The most popular among the secret sects is perhaps the legend of the Nine Unknown men of India, at least till Dan Brown came up with The Da Vinci Code.
This particular society of the Nine Men is said to have been founded in 270 BCE by Emperor Asoka. In fact, the reason for its founding is a fascinating story in itself. According to legend a repentant and grieving Asoka after the great massacre of Kalinga decided to entrust advanced scientific knowledge of the time passed down from the Rama Empire, to nine men to be hidden for posterity. The emperor did not want a repeat of a conflagration and saw potential evil in the advancements of the age. Whether this is true or not scientists and historians in general agree that Asoka’s conversion to Buddhism delivered a strong blow to science and technology of the period and its subsequent development. These Nine Men were asked to guard a single book each and improve upon it. These books are believed to deal with potentially hazardous knowledge. Its now generally agreed that the nine fields were as follows:
· Physiology, includes the knowledge of “touch of death.” Judo is believed to be leaked from this book.
· Microbiology or Biotechnology.
· Alchemy, including the transmutation of metals.
· Communication, such as those with extraterrestrials.
· Gravitation (the Vaiminaka sastra), instructions necessary to build a Vimana.
· Cosmology, the capacity to travel at enormous speeds through space-time fabric, and time-travel; including intra- and inter-universal trips.
· Light, the capacity to increase and decrease the speed of light, to use it as a weapon by concentrating it in a certain direction etc.
· Sociology, including rules concerning the evolution of societies and how to predict their downfall.
These men are said to guard those secrets even today occasionally revealing themselves to outsiders in times of crisis or otherwise. Such instances include an alleged meeting with Pope Sylvester 2 who is said to have gained super natural powers and a robotic talking head. Pasteur is also said to have gained his knowledge of the cholera vaccine from a mysterious person in the city of Madras. Even more interesting is the theory that the waters of the Ganges are purified by a special herb in its upper reaches by the Nine Men, the reason it has excellent anti- microbial properties. Another story is that in times of famines temples in India received inexplicably large amounts of gold as donations from unknown sources. The nine wise men with their ability to transmute base metals into gold is said to be behind the offerings. However far fetched these ideas may sound the society has its supporters. Jagdish Chandra Bose is perhaps the most famous among Indian scientists who believed in the society. Many believe Bose and Ram were in contact with the nine men. Among its supporters it also counts theosophists who believe the organization to be real and to exist till this day.
That the ancient world was vastly scientifically ahead is a claim that we come across repeatedly in Indian texts such as the Mahabharata or Ramayana. The psychological warfare of Gatothkach, the Pushpak vimana and even the highly destructive missiles such as the Pasupata are common examples. Curiously though this is not limited to our nation. Plato expresses a similar idea in his writings on the lost continent of Atlantis. Despite any proper credence the story of the Nine Men makes a very fascinating read. However, for the believers the nine men are looked upon as symbols of idealism in science, as men who guard the word with care and restraint. Indifferent by large to suffering and triumph yet eternally present to come to the rescue of fellow beings in great times of distress.
Perhaps it’s the most powerful of all occult societies not only in terms of the knowledge it’s supposed to possess but also because it radiates hope as a paragon of human excellence and moral uprightness. Those who found this interesting may want to read Talbot Mundy’s ‘Nine Unknown Men’.
