Bharatvarsha Ji and Ramana Ji, I agree with you both.
I have never come across any authentic reference to shastras decreeing against voyage. On the contarary, Indians were pioneering voyagers up until 12th century. And as all of us would know, word "Navigate" itself may have been derived from sanskrit "Nau-gati" - "movement on sea". There are records that Chinese traders used to send their produce to India, and from the Indian ports, Indian navigators and traders used to distribute it all around the world along with the Indian produce. In Jain traditions, we can find various stories related to voyages too.
So I think, the restriction on voyage must have been introduced in middle ages, indeed due to somewhat dependence on Ashudh food or living. Also it may have been limited to only Brahmins.
ALSO, important to note. Indian Navy traders were - probably - among the first of Indians to have taken to Islam - (due to mixing with Arab traders?). It was through these neo-converted navigators that Islam spread in the Eastern Asia. Restriction on voyage was enforced as a result?
I have never come across any authentic reference to shastras decreeing against voyage. On the contarary, Indians were pioneering voyagers up until 12th century. And as all of us would know, word "Navigate" itself may have been derived from sanskrit "Nau-gati" - "movement on sea". There are records that Chinese traders used to send their produce to India, and from the Indian ports, Indian navigators and traders used to distribute it all around the world along with the Indian produce. In Jain traditions, we can find various stories related to voyages too.
So I think, the restriction on voyage must have been introduced in middle ages, indeed due to somewhat dependence on Ashudh food or living. Also it may have been limited to only Brahmins.
ALSO, important to note. Indian Navy traders were - probably - among the first of Indians to have taken to Islam - (due to mixing with Arab traders?). It was through these neo-converted navigators that Islam spread in the Eastern Asia. Restriction on voyage was enforced as a result?