EXOPLANETS

Planet of the Rakashes

Sampoornand

English translation from Hindi by Deepankur John Njondimackal

 

A group of four friends had initiated a space journey across the Big Dipper Constellation. After seeing a wide variety of sights, the present excerpt takes place during the start of their return journey to Earth, where they meet aliens that call themselves Rakashes. 

 

While describing the Earth, the existence of weapons like guns was mentioned and it was of great surprise to both sides how there was so much convergence between this world and Earth, in this and other aspects. The common presence of water on both worlds was suggested as a factor.

 

The history of their rescuers' race was also of great interest. It was believed in their old tales that at the beginning of the creation there was a Goddess named Danu. A big egg emerged from her body, which cracked to reveal a male and a female, May and Maya. These aliens considered themselves the descendants of May and Maya, and called themselves the Rakashes.

 

The Rakashes made great progress over the ages. There were great scholars among them, who gave particular focus towards mathematics and science. From the very beginning, attention was paid towards the manufacture of yantra, machines. The effort was to make as many machines as possible so that the Rakashes could do the least amount of work. The development of knowledge took place in this direction. 

 

Great success was achieved. Machines farmed for them, cooked for them, even handled the drudgery of office paperwork. The only job left to the Rakashes was to deliver fuel for the hungry machines and to repair them in case of damage. 

 

Gradually, the machines began managing their own fuel and also started doing small repairs. A Mahayantra, a Great Machine, was eventually made to take care of everyone. Wires used to go from him to all the main powerhouses. He used to control them all. Just as there are thin nerves in the brain, in the same way there were thousands of fine wires in the machines, and especially in the Mahayantra, leaving no corner of the planet untouched. All the factories and all of the planetary civilization became the Great Machine’s senses and muscles.

 

And then something strange occured. Consciousness entered into the Mahayantra and other instruments. It could not be said that consciousness was created. It seems that consciousness, seeing a suitable body, made the machines its home. This was only fully understood many years later. 

 

Slowly the Rakashes saw that the machines now worked with determination, stopped and thought, and sometimes ignored their masters. The Mahayantra kept giving orders to them. After the emergence of this intellect, the machines came to know their design, the exact scientific principles according to which they operated.

 

They no longer needed masters. They became free.

 

Many Rakashes actually liked this situation very much. All the work was done by the machines. Rakashes were left with only enjoyment. It was a life without hard work. 

 

It was true that the machines had now changed from servant to master. Every one of their commands had to be obeyed, but the couch potatoes did not object to that. Study of science and other serious subjects stopped.

 

Thousands of novels and poetry books were churned out by the Mahayantra. That's all that was read. There was no work except dancing and singing day and night. War and conflict had ceased ages ago. 

 

It was the peace of a graveyard, but it was peace. In ancient times the Rakashes’ ancestors were worshipers of their sun, Pulastya, but now the idol of Mahayantra was installed in the temples.

 

Sampoornand, Journey from Earth to the Big Dipper: Planet of the Rakashes, Prasad parishad kashi, 1956.  

 

Original Hindi Text: 

Journey from Earth to the Big Dipper https://ia601603.us.archive.org/14/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.448272/2015.448272.Prithvi-se.pdf

Pages 69-72, 76-77

 

Sampoornand, Prithvi se saptrishi mandal: Planet of the Rakashes, Prasad parishad kashi, 1956.