Astronomy During the Vedic Period-3
In continuation of the history of Hindu astronomy (do read earlier blogs on the subject). Some mentions of astronomical aspects during the pre-Siddhantic/Vedic period are enumerated. But why were astronomical references found in the Vedas?
The importance of astronomy is stated in Yajurved Vedang Jyotish-3
वेद: हि यज्ञार्थं अभिप्रवृत्तः कलानुपूर्व्य विहिता च यज्ञः!
तसमद इदं कलाविधानशास्त्रम्
यो ज्योतिषं वेद स वेद यज्ञं
तसमद इदं कलाविधानशास्त्रम्
यो ज्योतिषं वेद स वेद यज्ञं
" The Vedas have indeed been revealed for the sake of performances of sacrifices. These sacrifices are dependent on the (various segments of)time. Only he who knows Jyotisha(time calculation)understands the performance of sacrifices"
Interpretation of Vedic texts
Vedic culture personified celestial objects and their actions. Hence the texts carry a background, that has to be deciphered to extract the archaic models of the visible sky. These texts use an allegorical approach to describe the celestial events.
Yaska records three types of interpretations of the Vedic hymns These are अधीयज्ञः(sacrificial), अध्यात्म:(philosophical) अधिदैवः(celestial/divine).
The use of metaphor is often misinterpreted. The word Soma as perअधिदैवः is Moon, as per अधीयज्ञः is a creeper and as per अध्यात्म:, is manas/mind.
A further difficulty arises, as the Hindu socioreligious pluralistic tradition, which is in constant flux, tends to attribute different meanings to the same word. Hence, some European scholars have termed Vedic texts as mythological or works of fiction.
Continuing with the astronomical references in the Vedic period
Divisions of the Day
The works of धर्म शास्त्र describe the system in which the day was divided into2,3,4,5 and 15 various parts. These are
2 Parts पूर्वाह्णे,formerhalf अपर्णः laterhalf.
3 partsपूर्वह्नः, माधयन:,अपर्णः,
4 parts पूर्वह्नः, माधयन:,अपर्णःसयह्नः each part also known as प्रहर,
5 Parts प्रतहःपूर्वह्नः, माधयन:,अपर्णःसयह्नः,
15 parts known as मुहूर्त.
Today we have divided our day into similar parts like Morning, evening, forenoon, afternoon, midday, late evening, early morning, ....etc, and 24 divisions known as hour.
The following lines denote a system of threefold division of the day.
ऋग्भिः पूर्वा दिवि देव ईयते ॥ यजुर्वेदे तिष्ठति मध्ये अहुः ।। सामवेदेनास्तमये महीयते ।॥ वेद रशून्यस्तिभिरेति सूर्यः \। त. ब्रा. २३. १२
पूर्वाह्लो वं देवानां मध्यंदिनो मनुष्याणामपराह्लः पिर्हृणां ।। शत. द्रा. २.४. २.८.
" The earlier part is controlled by Gods, the middle one by men , and the later part by Pitris"
Many verses in Taittriya Brahman, Rk Samhita and Atharva Samhita describe the system, of division of the day into various parts, depending upon usage.
There are verses which give out the names of 15 muhurtas. Interestingly some verses do describe the names of 15 muhurta for the night. That means the day and night were divided into 30 parts! (similar to the 24 parts we have today).
These were further divided into 15 sub-muhurtas, later known as 'nadis'
The following verse from Taittriya Brahaman 3.10.1, gives out the names of 15 मुहूर्त
चित्रः केतुः प्रभानाभास्त्संभान् ॥ ज्योतिष्मास्तिजस्वानातपंस्तपन्नमि तपन् ।
रोचनो रोचमानः शोभनः शोभमानः कल्याणः ॥। ते. बृा. ३. १०. १
The texts also give out the names for the 15 muhurtas of the day and 15 for the night in the light half of the month, a total of 30 names.
Similarly, the texts describe the names of 15 muhurtas for the day and 15 for the night in the dark half of the month.
Why did the Vedic culture divide a day into 30 parts? Is there any evidence in the Vedic texts that, suggests the Sexagesimal system was used during that time? Ptolemy did use this system. Al-Biruni, in his book, mentions this system was in use in the Vedic period. A day with 30 parts, counting is a sidereal day?
There is mention of kala and kastha in the Narayan Upanishad as a unit of time, however, there is no reference to their interrelationship as a unit of time during the Vedic period.
Though these units were used in the later period as subdivisionsof Muhurta.
The familiar words "Ghatika and Pala" as a division of the day are not mentioned in the Vedic/Pre-Siddhantic period. These were introduced during the post-Siddhantic period.
Some other astronomical references during this period are
Eclipses
The world witnessed a total solar eclipse on 08 April 2024 in the USA. It did create a lot of curiosity and awe about the celestial event. Also, a few precautionary directives were issued in the backdrop of the Solar eclipse. But does an occurrence of an eclipse create disturbances on Earth? There are coincidences, which confirm these speculations.
Rk Samhita describes the Solar eclipse as
यत्वा सूयं स्वर्भानुस्तमसाविष्यदासुरः ॥ अक्षेत्रविद्य थामुग्धो भुवनान्यदीधयुः ॥ ५॥
स्वर्भानोरधयौंदद्र मायाऽअवो दिवो वत्तं माना अवाहन् ॥ गृल्हं सूयं तमसापव्रतेन तुरीयंण ब्रह्मणाऽ विंददच्निः ।। ६॥,
मामामिमं तव संतमन्र इरस्या दरुग्धो भियसा निगारित् ।! | त्वं मित्रो असि सत्यराधास्ती मेहावतं वरुणस्च राजा ॥ ७॥
ग्राव्णो ह्या युयुजानः सपयंन् कोरिणा देवान्नमसोपशिक्षन् ।। अत्रिः सुयस्य दिवि चक्षुराधात. स्वभःनोरपमाथा श्रघक्षत् ॥ ८ ॥
यं वं सूयं स्वर्भानुस्तमसा विंध्य दासुरः । अत्रयस्तमन्व विंदब्रह्यऽन्ये अक्क्रवन ॥ ९ |
Description of these 5 verses can be summarised as
" Oh! God Sun, when Rahu engulfs you with darkness Lord Indra will destroy 'Sarvabhanu'(Rahu). Sage Atri can protect us by dispelling the illusions of Rahu and get Sun free of darkness, sage Atri is the only one who can do this"
This description of eclipse highlights that,
1. The description does not show any apprehension or panic. That means eclipses were a normal celestial event.
2. Sage Atri, alone knew, when the eclipse would begin and end
3. In one expression ' Rahu may nor devour the Sun', but engulfed with darkness. It appears, that, Rahu and darkness are two different aspects. The notion that Rahu/Sarvabhanu devours the Sun would have come at a later date.
4. Vedic people were aware of the eclipses and a few had the knowledge of its prediction.
Planets
Many references are found in the Vedic texts mentioning, the Sun, Moon, Rahu and Ketu ( though Rahu and Ketu are not planets) that leave 5 planets in the visible zodiac. Though there are no specific mentions of these planets. However one can infer that the mentions are, regarding these 5 planets. Like,
अमी ये पंचोक्षणो मध्यं तस्थुमंहो दिवः ॥
देवत्रा नु प्रवाच्यं सध्रीचीना नि वावुर्तुवत्तं मे अस्य रोदसी ॥
ऋ. स. १. १०५. १०.
"These mighty five are seen in the middle of the vast expanse of the sky. Even though they are seen coming together when I compose hymns in honour of gods, they have all gone away today...."
It is rare to witness all the 5 planets together at the same time.
However, they were visible from 17-27 April 2022.
Many inferences can be drawn from the above verse. The original Vedic gods are none other than the wonders of nature and those luminous objects in the sky. Nirukta explains the root meaning of the word 'Deva'
is to shine, today we understand this meaning as 'God'. Therefore each planet does represent one god. There are numerous legends, in all cultures, describing the planets, constellations, and celestial objects, with a godly status. Nakshatras are also called the abode of gods, meaning the planets are found amongst the nakshatras.
'Panchdeva' is also mentioned, but it refers to planets rather than gods. We know there are 33 gods,( 12 Aditiyas, 11 Rudras,8 Vasus, Indra and Prajapati). Therefore, this statement regarding the five planets, confirms that Vedic people had knowledge of planets.
The concept of Ashwin's as gods could have emerged from the two luminaries, Venus and Jupiter, and Ashwinhood was conferred on them When both the planets were seen together. This conjunction is not rare but is not frequent either. Since Venus is always close to the Sun, Jupiter wandes in the sky. The verse from Rk Samhita 5.73.3 explains as
ईर्मान्यद पुषे वपुर्चक्रं रथस्य येमथुः । पयंन्या नाहुषा युगा मह्भा रर्जासि दीयथः ॥
ऋ. सं. ५. ७३. ३.
'Oh, Ashwins! you have kept one luminous wheel of your chariot near the Sun for adorning him and you revolve around the world by the second wheel"
The story clearly indicates the movement of Venus and Jupiter.
Jupiter
There are two verses which give out the discovery of Jupiter
बहस्पतिः प्रथम जायमानो महो ज्योतिषः परमे व्योमन् ॥ ऋ. सं ४. ५०. ४. अथ. सं २० . ४.
" Jupiter was first born in the highest heaven of the shining light"
बहस्पतिः प्रथमं जायमानः॥ तिष्य नक्षत्रमभिसंबभूव ॥ ` ते. ब्रा. ३. १. १.
" Jupiter when born was first visible near the star Tishya(Pushya/
γ,δ,θ Cancri)"
Jupiter can form close conjunction with only 6 nakshatras { Pushya, Magha(Regulus), Vishakha (α,β,γ & ι Librae), Anuradha(β,δ,π, Scorpionis), Shatabhisha (Gama Aquarii), Revati(Zeta Piscium)} and the closest conjunction is with Tishya/ Pushya.
This is because the maximum latitude of Jupiter is 1 degree 30'.
Since the ruling deity of Pushya is Jupiter, this conjunction is still considered auspicious. (Guru Pushya Yog).
Venus
Known as the morning or the evening star. It is one of the luminaries, which has incited many into poetry and prose, an awe-inspiring sight, even for the Vedic people, as mentioned in Rk Samhita 10.123
प्रय वेनश्चोदयत्पुदिनगर्भा ज्योतिजंराय् रजसोविमाने || ऋ.सं. १०. १२३.
This hymn, " this Vena has risen...." is sung in honour of the deity 'Vena', referring to as a bright celestial object. There is also a mention of Shukra(Venus) as a shining object. Vena and Venus are the same.
Shukra is called Venus in Latin, Kupros in Greek, also known as 'Kupris', a female deity. Thus Vena/Venus, Kupris or cypris are all equivalent and may resemble Vena(h) and Shukra.
It infers that the Vedic people had sufficient knowledge of the 5 planets.
Meteors and Comets
Comets, known as dhumketu, in all Indian languages, is mentioned in several places in the Vedic literature, RV and AV. Its literal meaning is 'smoke or dust banner'.
The Atharvaṇa Veda has a famous hymn in which dhūmaketu is mentioned along with the sun, moon and rāhu, indicating that in Vedic parlance too the word Ketu should have primarily referred to a visible celestial object. Is it a description of a comet being visible during an eclipse? Similar to the one on 08 April 2024 (Comet 12P-Pons-Brooks) was orbiting the Sun during the eclipse.
Maruts are well-known Vedic deities, taken to represent winds and thunderstorms inducing rain by traditionalists and modern scholars. However, their explicit relation with dhūmaketu provides a clue to their correct decipherment as meteoritic storms. Maruts are a
group of deities, usually known as the sons of Rudra and occasionally directly as Rudrāḥ.
A striking verse from Taittriya Brahman 3.9.22 says
एकं वा एतह् वानामहः ।! यत्संवत्सरः . ते त्रा. ३. ६. २२.
"The year is equivalent to a day of gods"
The notion is that the gods dwell in the Meru mountains at the north pole. We know, in the polar regions the day lasts for six months and the night for six months. Is it that this knowledge was available to the Vedic people? Yuga measure talks of 1 year of Earth equal to one day of Brahma.
........to be continued with Nakshatra नक्षत्र
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References
1. SB Dixit " Bhartiya Jyoti's Shastra" Part 1
2. William Brennand " Hindu Astronomy"
3. Ancient Indian Astronomy by RN Iyengar.
4. Ancient Astronomy by Prof TS Kuppanna Shastry
5. Paper on 'Vedang Jyotish of Lagdha' by KV Sarma
