Indian Astronomy History

 Astronomy During the Vedic and Vedang Periods

Everyone would have looked up in the sky with awe and wonder at the glory of the heavenly bodies, the Sun, the Moon and the stars. An inquisitive observer would have noticed their movement across the sky and that such a movement was periodic.

 The observer utilised their rhythmic movement to reckon time. Thus began the study of astronomy by mankind. This observation happened at several places on the Earth, independently of each other and at different times. Authentic records of such observations are difficult to obtain as of now. 

India, one of the oldest civilisations, has evidence of such observations in the verses of Rig Vedas, the antiquity of which is assumed to be around 4000-4500 BCE.

Mr Shankar Balkrishna Dikshit, a Professor in Sanskrit and keen astronomer wrote a treatise on the "भारतीय ज्योतिषशास्त्राचा प्राचीन आणि अर्वाचीन इतिहास – भाग -१– २, History of  Astronomy during the Vedic and Vedang periods", in 1896. 

The book was written in Marathi. The book was later translated into English and published in 1968 by India Metrological Department. Mr LS Mathur, then director IMD states that this is the only book recording the history of Indian Astronomy from Ancient to Modern times.

The translation was done by Prof, RV Vaidya, MA, BT, Superintendent of Jiwaji Observatory Ujjain. The translation was checked and edited by Prof PC Sen Gupta, Prof of Hindu Astronomy, Kolkatta University. along with Sh NC Lahiri.

This treatise was used by the calendar reforms committee.

The book is voluminous and technical in nature. My effort is to give out some extracts of the book to highlight the level of expertise ancient Hindus had in the field of astronomy. 

Greeks, Egyptians, Iranians, and Chinese are considered pioneers in astronomical knowledge.

It is surprising to know that, with the advent of Vedang Jyotish, around 1300-1400 BCE, Hindus developed a lunisolar calendar, which was in use till 3 CE. 

My posts will give out interesting facts, along with the original Vedic verses.

Decisions and Destiny

 After a lot of thought and a detailed SMD ,with self, and decision matrix in my mind. I arrived at a date and time for my surgery. All went off well as per plan. Surgery done ,sitting with closed eyes ,with mandatory shades, and feeling pleased with myself. 

Two weeks later received a small bit of news, this triggered a series of ripples in the calm state of mind.

This set my mind thinking and wandering. “Did I take the correct decision to get operated now? Was my timing correct?”Why this ambiguity, now? This bit of news was the least expected , of all the possibilities considered . Nature has a mind of its own. No wonder they say “ Strange are the ways of Nature”.

My wandering mind looked back in my life . “Did the outcome of all the decisions I took, were correct?” A KBC question , with infinite options. I could not answer myself, because how do I define “ A correct decision ?” My mind was Getting philosophical and complex ! I just closed that window . 

It dawned on me , "What I am today , is because of the decisions I took from time to time”. The decisions could be categorised as Voluntary, forced , organisational , circumstantial , spontaneous , behavioural pattern ,and quite a few more. But the big question was still unanswered “ Why did I take those decisions?” My mind got into search mode, but the search engines could not come up with a satisfactory answer. 

The soothsayer ,in me ,prompted me to look up my horoscope. The horoscope has the key to the events in life. Event , its type , good or bad, when where what circumstances, and what that event will lead your life to. Truly in the colloquial sense “ a  horror scope “. 

In the course of my search I found that some basic expected events , like education , career, marriage , children , etc, were promised but  at a pre determined time . Within the events it self , a lot of upheavals had happened due to the decisions taken. These decisions led from one event another, like a course corrector. As if I am being directed to lead a pre determined path? A lot of questions popped up again , like pop up window, in spite of pop up blockers !

To confirm my findings I browsed all the horoscopes I had, friends , relatives, colleagues et all. The conclusion was startling. To put in the graphical way , X axis representing the life time , starting from birth, and Y axis the progress/achievement/satisfaction, on a scale 0 to 10.  Every horoscope ( in fact the individual ) had two limit lines drawn . One lower and the other upper line. Like the Fibonacci number series (for a given graph and its trend ). The whole life vibrates within these two limit lines.  Eureka moment ??  As for individual events , the same analogy is applicable.

However one may try he will neither breach either of the lines , upper or the lower. These lines are set by the destiny or what you are born with. And who keeps you within these lines ? The decisions ,one takes / is made to take ,channelises the individual to remain in them. Rags to riches and vice versa stories  can be explained with these limit lines. In these cases the gap in limit lines is fairly large , say from 02 to 08 ( On Y axis ). For an average individual the gap is about 3-5 units. 

 “ Nothing is sudden in life , there is no isolated incident , event will happen at the right time..…..”  a lot of popped up questions will be answered .

If that be so then one question still remains unanswered ? “ If every thing is pre determined, then why should one work for it?” Shammers genuine question . Ah! Lord Krishna is all smiles , reiterating what he told Arjun in Kurukshetra . “ Do your work/bit , leave the result to Me “. 

Therefore in doing your work you are taking calculated decisions , in response to the opportunities that come your way. The results , which are ,not necessarily, to your wish. Lord Krishna ensures you remain within your limits ( which he has set for you ) . Has the idiom ‘ To be within Limits ‘ come from here ? I don’t know, may be. You have to make effort to reach your upper limit line, but you cannot go past that line. 

That means the decisions are acting as triggers and course corrections , to remain in those two limit lines. Similar/same opportunities presented to different persons . The results are not same . The person with a large gap benefits and rises( relatively) as compared to the person with a narrow gap , remains stagnant ( within the limits ). And that is destiny , I thought.

So think and look back in your lives . Don’t curse yourself for decisions you have taken or had to take. 

Just , N’joi.

Orion Conclusion

  

The ORION

Or research onto

The Antiquity of the Vedas

Conclusion

 

Tilak summarises the logical conclusions, regarding the antiquity of the Vedic literature and hence the Aryans, arrived at by analysing the history / beginning of traditions and legends. He considers these legends across all of Aryans, Greeks and Iranians. The legends and traditions, of all these were similar and conveyed the same phenomena.

He claims that the best measurement of time for determining periods of antiquity is through reliable records of position of heavenly bodies in those days. Such records, when Hellenic, Iranians and Aryans lived together, were preserved in Rigveda. He states, as per passages in Taittiriya Samhita Brahmana’s there were two traditional year beginnings, which point to the remotest period of antiquity. Such a record is available, in very vague traditions, in Vedas. However the Greeks and Parsis have not preserved these.

Tilak explains that, as per sacrificial literature all sacrifices must commence and end with Aditi (Sun) who is also ruling deity of the nakshatra, Punarvasu. He explains the the nakshatra “Abhijit’ its importance and why it was dropped from the list of 27 Nakshatra.

He derives and suggests the following periods of Vedic literature, based on his analysis, and considers only what has been recorded in Vedic works, including, but not limited to, the astronomical allusions, references, facts and legends

1. Aditi or Pre-Orion Period- 6000-4000 BCE. The Greeks and Parsis have not retained any traditions of this period because they carried with them the calendar of the time when they left /migrated away from Aryans. Therefore you will not find any oldest Greek and Parsi traditions during this  Period.

2. Orion Period-4000-2500 BCE. The Greeks and Parsis leave common home with Aryans and move away.

3. Krittika Period-2500-1400 BCE. It appears that during this period the Chinese came in contact with Indians and borrowed the Nakshatra system

4. Old Sanskrit Literature Period-1400-500 BCE.  Pre -Buddhist period, or till birth and rise of Buddhism.

He comments that, the position of equinoxes which can safely be made the nuclei of different periods of antiquity, based on the Vedic records, as shown earlier. The literary/linguist method can now be used to supplement to determine the duration of each period. See results of comparative Philology / Mythology and notes by Max Muller.

He shows that the rate of precession of equinoxes (50”) was correctly determined by Hindus, by keeping a continuous record of different positions of equinoxes. Prof Whitney claims it was a lucky hit, and doubts the capability of Hindus.

He summarises the traditions recorded in the respective periods. He highlights how the year beginning was changed from time to time, due to receding Vernal equinox and the seasons accordingly. For example, recession of rainy season from Bhadrapada (Aug/ Sept) to Jyeshta (May/ June) months.

His conclusions are consistent with traditions regarding the antiquity of Zoraster and the Vedas

Please refer to the diagram given on top to understand recession of solstice/ equinoxes.

 

Orion Ch 7

 The ORION

Or research onto

The Antiquity of the Vedas

Chapter VII

Ribhus and Vrishakapi

Tilak explores various hymns of Rgved and interprets them to show the amount of astronomical knowledge Vedic people possessed. Names of nakshatras, planets, references to seasons, the intercalary months and other zodiac phenomena have been mentioned in Rgvedas, though not in the form we know them today. Tilak uses a hymn from Rigveda to show that an eclipse of the sun was observed. He shows with the help of the hymn that Vedic priests were tolerably well acquainted with elementary astronomical facts.

He thus claims that the Vedic rishis were not as ignorant of the broad astronomical facts as they are sometimes represented to be. Even, Prof Ludwig goes further and holds that the Rigveda mentions the inclination of ecliptic with the equator.

He explains in detail the verses which led to the legend of the dog that awakened the Ribhus, after 12 days of rest, (intercalary days) at the end of the year. He further states that Ribhus did not merely represent the rays of the sun but also the three seasons connected with them. But who is this dog? He claims that it is nothing but a constellation of Dog Star which is being referred to. The whole story of Ribhus, as recorded in Rigveda e establishes the fact that when this legend was formed the year commenced with the vernal equinox in Canis major/ dog star. If that be so, the winter solstice would fall on the full moon in Phalguna and then Margashiras would lead the list of nakshatra.

Tilak analyses the hymn of Vrishakapi in the 10th mandala of the Rigveda. He says it is difficult to determine the nature of the deity. Various conjectures have been made as to its character, personality, meaning and origin. Prof. Max Muller compares it with Erikapaeos, an Orphic name of Protogonos … of the Greek. Tilak claims that the identification of Vrishakapi with the Sun is accepted by native and European scholars.

Vrishakapi is a Mriga, and his appearance and disappearance mark the cessation and the recommencement of the sacrifices. The Indian tradition identifies him with the Sun in one form or another and comparison with Greek Erikapaeos points to the same conclusion.

He concludes that the hymn gives us not only a description of the constellation of Orion and Canis (verses 4 and 5), but clearly and expressly defines the position of the sun when he passed to the north of the equator in old times (verse 22), and joined with the legend of the Ribhus we have here unmistakeable and reliable internal evidence of the hymns of the Rigveda to ascertain the period when the traditions incorporated in these hymns were first framed and conceived.

 

 

Orion Ch 5

 The Orion

Or research onto

The Antiquity of Vedas

Chapter V

The Antelope’s Head

In the chapter the Antelope’s head , Tilak mentions that observing  zodiac, containing the nakshatras , planets and the milky way ,is the most attractive and interesting phenomena,(which still it is) which must have stirred the imagination of ancient poets/priests. The numerous legends, which exist in the entire Aryan race, is a proof stating that the ancient race did observe the heavens.

 He tries to decipher some of these legends which relate to this part of zodiac as a correct way to interpret the passages from the Brahmanas.

He starts with the Mrigashiras /Agrahayani nakshatra, which means “an antelope’s head”, suggests the figure of the asterism. He reasons out and establishes identification of Mrigashiras with the constellation of Orion. He confirms the theory of Plutach on the non-Egyptian origin of Orion (Greeks had given their own name to this constellation), Canis and Ursa constellations and safely concludes that they are of Aryan origin. He mentions that there are many passages in Rgved which presuppose the knowledge of stars and constellations. In short Margashiras is Orion constellation.

He explains the methods of interpreting the mythological legends related to the observation of stars/nakshatras/constellations (in particular the Orion). He explains how legends were built on Heaven and Hell, Devayana , Pitriyana. Gates of heaven,(line joining equinoxes) Dogs at these gates, Yama’s dogs and Kerberos guarding Chinvat Bridge( Parsi Legend), Prajapati and Rudra, Apollo (Greeks)  and various other stories relating to movement of soul to heaven/ hell. He compares and identifies the similarities of these legends and way of life as on today.

Souls of the deceased crossing river/stream/water body through the gates, which are guarded by dogs/other animals, is the gist of all the legends and beliefs. They all are denoting that Vernal equinox was in Orion and that, the Milky Way (Path of spirits, Road of the Souls celestial river) could be seen nearby at that time.

All the traditions and legends were generated out of this yearly phenomenon. The legends describing this event are those of, Vishnu and Rudra, Greek legend, Kerberos (Sharvara) and Orthros (Vritra). The legend of Namuchi alias Vritra, his decapitation, Indra , at the gates of heaven, where Orthros is stationed, is represented by the Antelopes head in the heavens , as the head of Orion. There is a strong resemblance of Indra’s foamy weapon with the stream of Milky Way in the heavens. As per Khurshed Yasht , this constellation is the weapon (Vazira) which is constantly aimed by Mithra at the head of Daevas.

 

Observing the coincidence between Aryan and Non Aryan legends, Tilak places a high probability that the figures of the constellations were conceived by Aryans. As also the chief characteristics of Aryan legends is to connect the idea of time.eg, the year and the seasons with beliefs. However no such thing is found in Non-Aryan legends.

He analyses various legends and concludes that the later Vedic traditions and those of Parsis, Greeks and others commenced their year, when Vernal equinox was in Orion.

Heliacal (yearly rising of a star in the East) rising of the constellation, Orion, at the beginning of the year marked the revival of the nature at the commencement of spring. Acronyal(rising of star in the East at Sunset), rising of Orion during autumnal equinox, marked the end of “Varsha season”.

In short this constellation became the harbinger of mild and terrible aspects of the Nature.

He claims, as proposed earlier that, Vernal equinox was in the constellation of
Orion and identifying Namuchi alias Vritra with the constellation of Mrigashiras or the Antelope’s head , situated just below the Milky Way.

The Hindu deity ‘Dattaraya’ with three heads a cow and two dogs, is the representation of the Orion, Canis major, canis minor, Mrigashiras constellations.

 

 

 

Orion Ch 6

  

The ORION

Or research onto

The Antiquity of the Vedas

Chapter VI

Orion and his Belt

 

In this chapter, Tilak analyses other legends, which show that the constellation of Orion was known and figured before the Greeks, the Parsis. The legends and the traditions , so preserved, including the name of the constellation point to the fact that Vernal equinox was then near Margashiras (Orion).

He carries out the etymological analysis of the word ‘Agrayana” and gives out various meanings and possible forms it could have been used for. He claims that it has been used to denote division of time. He infers form this reasoning that ‘Agrahayani’ was used to denote Orion (Margashirsh).

He discusses the Agrayana-ishtis (two half yearly sacrifices) sacrifices, which were performed every half year in Vasant and Sharad seasons. He says that every Ayana must have begun with some nakshatra, though there is no specific mention of this in Vedas, but other texts do corroborate this fact.

He explains Greek legends of Orion and their similarity with Vedic traditions. Like “Death of Orion, by arrow or bitten by a scorpion (the story primarily represents that with scorpion rises in East when Orion sets in West).

Some German traditions and festivities relate better and are more specific with Vedic traditions. In heathenish times, the supreme god of German nations, a wild hunter, who appears under the name of Woden or Goden. This God coincides, both in character and shape with the ancient Rudras of the Vedas.

This ancient God is said to hunt a stag and shoot at it, similar to Rudra shooting at Rishya and Rohit. The shot at that stag is to be compared with Rudra shooting Rishya=Prajapati. Close of the old year and the beginning of the new one, known as ‘Diezwolften’or the 12 days, the dwadashaha of the Indians. This time also coincides with the hottest seasons and so called the Dog Days! German traditions are the reminiscences of a time when the vernal equinox was in Orion, the hunter.

In Greek mythology Orion after his death, was placed among stars, where he appears as a giant with a girdle sword, a lion’s skin and a club.

The 26^th verse in Haoma Yasht, used as a prayer now, is the description of the belt of Orion.

Frd te Mazddo "barat paurvanim aivyaonghanem steher-paesanghem mainyu-tdstem vanghuhim-daendm Mdzdayasnim.

In Vedic works, a similar verse describes the Orion and his belt. The sacred thread may be derived from these verses on belt of Orion.

 The sacred thread of Parsis and the Brahmans seems to be symbolical representation of Prajapati’s girdle or Orion’s belt in all respects. Tilak explores the reasons for this ceremony and the dress code associated with it. The use of mekhala ajina and danda in the upayan ceremony, is probably the imitation of costume of the Orion or Prajapati , the first of Bhramans. There is also a strong coincidence, of the form of Orion as figured by Greeks to the above description.

 

Orion Ch 3 & 4

 Chapter III and IV

Kritikas

Agrahayana

Tilak in the Kritikas chapter tries to show, if the Vedic priests made any correction to calendars due to precession of equinoxes and corresponding shift in the cycle of seasons. He finds out the astronomical references in other puranic texts like Taittiriya Samhita, brahaman, surya siddhant etc. He reasons out the interpretations drawn by Bentley, Colebrooke,, Weber , Biot, Max Muller and others in placing the position of Vernal equinox in Revati ( Nakshatra).

He considers the most logical method, as considered by Vedic priests, is the method of observation. The position of Sun, Moon is observed wrt landmarks, ie, nakshatra/asterisms and not the zodiac signs. He states that the change in the position of vernal equinox necessitates the corresponding change in the position of winter solstice. To this he gives out the references to later vedic works wherein two possible explanations emerge that kritika nakshatra, either coincided with winter solstice or vernal equinox. He shows that a system existed when the year commenced in the winter solstice in the month of Magha and vernal equinox in the last quarter of Bharni/ beginning of Kritika.

He describes how the narration, in puranic texts, on the topic of nakshatra of Gods and those of Yama nomenclature automatically fixes the position of kritika at the beginning of devayana/vernal equinox at the time when the vedic works were compiled. His commentary on these passages gives the direct evidence of the coincidence of the Kritika with the vernal equinox in the days of Taittiriya Samhita.

He criticises Bentley’s views and arguments and places the antiquity of Taittiriya Samhita as 2350 BC. In doing so he says, Quote “I cannot also understand why scholars should hesitate to assign the Vedic works to the same period of antiquity which they allow to the Chinese and the Egyptians. “Unquote.

In the chapter Agrahayana, he gives out the arguments of scholars and their interpretation of the texts, regarding, what could be the beginning of the year, In particular those of Sayana( 14^th century) who based his arguments on the two-fold character of the seasons. He shows what should be the correct interpretation of the texts and discusses how etymological speculation coupled with lexicographer’s explanation of critical words leads to incorrect conclusions. Even some of native astronomers also misinterpreted the texts.

Tilak explains why Margashirsha could not have been the first month of the solstical year. He explains that by placing the year in Agrahayana/Margashirsha the other cardinal points in the zodiac (Two equinoxes and two solstices) must also correspond to the position of nakshatra mentioned in the texts. Thus, leading to, the theory of liberation of equinoxes. He claims by ordinary process of reductio ad absurdum one is compelled to discard the theory that full moon in Margashirsha once began the year at winter solstice.

He compares the Parsi calendar, Avesta, with ancient Hindu calendar and shows how some feasts related to pitri paksha and Fravashinam /month of manes in Avesta start at the same time. He concludes that if properly understood Margashirsha was the first in the cycle of nakshatra and showing that vernal equinox was near it.