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The hoax called Vedic Rashichakra and Vedic astrology!
Almost everybody is surprised as to why there are no Rashis (astrological signs)
in the Vedas. It is really an interesting (even an intriguing!) question as to why our
Rishis did not actually “discover” or “invent” a Rashichakra --- either sayana or so called
nirayana! This question has vast ramifications especially since “Vedic astrology” is being
proposed to be introduced in Indian universities as a core subject and any predictive
astrology, whether “Vedic” or “non-Vedic” (even “anti-Vedic”!) is meaningless and
useless without Rashis (astrological signs)! We must therefore analyse this vexatious
question thoroughly.
Let us put it this way. There are innumerable references to “nakshatras” i.e.
constellations (and not asterisms) in the Vedas. We also find the names of Madhu etc.
months starting with the Vernal Equinox (Vishuvan) in the Vedas. There are, however,
no “Rashis” (“signs”) like Mesha, Vrisha etc.---whether sayana or so called nirayana--- in
them.
So why did the Rishis not name those months as Mesha etc. rashis
simultaneously as is done these days, at least by Western astronomers, who follow a
seasonal year/calendar, just like the Vedic Rishis did, and name those months as Aries,
Taurus etc.?
Believe me, however, our Rishis were geniuses not to have “invented” or
“discovered” a Rashichakra - either Sayana or so-called nirayana!
And there is
absolutely no reason to be ashamed about their being geniuses, whatever our “Vedic
Jyotishis” may say ! Let me explain it in a detailed manner and with examples:
First of all, we must put the records straight here. No real astronomer the world
over indicates any names of Rashis like Aries (Mesha) etc. If you take any ephemeris or
almanac published by any observatory of the globe, you will not find the names of Rashis
therein. Longitudes of planets etc. are given in Right Ascension and Declination or in
degrees, minutes and seconds of arc, ranging from zero to 360 degrees in all the
ephemeredes of international observatories including the Indian Astronomical Ephemeris
published by Positional Astronomy Centre, Calcutta. Therefore, it is only astrologers who
are “affixing” the names like Mesha etc. to the so-called Rashis. Thus, at least on this
count, our Vedic Rishis were on an equal--if not a higher-- pedestal with today’s
astronomers!
As per Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s ORION, a solar year is said to have started in the
early (Rig-)Vedic period from Uttarayana—Winter Solstice. It was also the start of the
Vedic month Tapah. Now let us suppose that the Vedic Rishis had superimposed any
Rashi on that Tapah month, the question arises as to what type of a Rashichakra it could
have been i.e. what could have been the nomenclature of those Rashis and what could
be their “characteristics”. Let us presume them to be Mesha, Vrishaba etc. as are
prevalent these days. But then we have to understand the real meaning of these Rashis
first. In fact, they are just Sanskrit equivalents of the Greek names of constellations like
Aries, Taurus etc. Therefore, another set of questions arises as to whether those Rashis
should have been related to the constellations of similar names in any way or not.
Uttarayana vis-à-vis Makar Sankranti and the Precession of Equinoxes:
To solve the mystery of the “missing Rashis in the Vedas”, we have to understand
the phenomenon of Precession of Equinoxes first. We shall therefore try to explain it in
as non-technical a manner as possible.
We know that the “Mother Earth” has an equator---an imaginary line equidistant
from its north and south poles thus dividing the earth into two equal hemispheres. We
calculate terrestrial latitudes of places North or South from the same. When we project
this very equator to heavens, it becomes a Great Circle called Celestial Equator. It can
also be said thus that the Celestial Equator is parallel to the terrestrial Equator. Instead
of geographical latitudes, we measure declinations of planets etc. from that equator.
There is also another Great Circle known as ecliptic, the actual path of revolution of the
earth and planets around the sun. From it are measured the latitudes North or South of
planets. As the Earth/Sun keep on always travelling via the “centre” of the Ecliptic that
is why the earth’s latitude is always zero for all practical purposes.
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These two “circles”, the Celestial Equator and Ecliptic, are neither concentric nor
at right angles to one another. On the other hand, Ecliptic is inclined to the Equator at
an angle of about 23°.5. This is known as Obliquity of the Ecliptic. It is directly
responsible for the declination of planets since as we know by now, declination is another
name of distance of planets or luminaries etc. north or south from the equator. For the
earth/sun, whose latitude is zero, it cannot exceed the maximum obliquity of the Ecliptic.
For other planets, with latitudes (distance above or below the ecliptic) more or less than
zero, declinations can be more than the maximum obliquity of the ecliptic.
The Celestial Equator cuts the Ecliptic at two points and every year the sun
(actually the earth) joins this point on two occasions. They are known as Vernal and
Autumn Equinoxes --- when the days and nights are equal throughout the world. The
earth is not a complete sphere but a spheroid with the polar axis being shorter than the
equatorial axis by about 43 kms. (27 miles). Therefore, because of the gravitational
effects of the sun and planets, especially the Moon, on the earth, which keep on pulling
on its equatorial bulge, earth has a “different” equator every year. Since it is that very
equator that becomes celestial equator when projected to the heavens, we can say that
it is actually a “different” Equator that cuts the ecliptic at a different point every year.
The “movement” of the ecliptic is very slow – about 47 arc-seconds a century. Thus
every year there is a new “Vernal” and “Autumnal” Equinox. The best way to understand
Precession is to explain it with a diagram:
Ecliptic
OE
Eq 2
V1
V2
Eq1
In the above diagram, the circle Eq1 is the equator on the first of January 1,
2003. Let us say it cut the ecliptic, when the sun (actually the earth) also joined it, on
the point V1. The date was March 22, 2003. The sun had then a longitude of zero
degrees, latitude of zero degrees and declination as well Right Ascension of zero
degrees. It was thus the Vernal Equinox of 2003. This is also known as the First point of
Aries. From this point the longitudes and Right Ascension of planets etc. are measured.
At the end of the year, however, the Equator Eq1 will have undergone a
“metamorphosis” because of the gravitational effects and it then becomes Eq.2, the “new
equator”. It will cut the ecliptic at a different point and when the sun (actually the
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earth) also joins that point it will be the Vernal Equinox of 2004, around March 21, 2004,
named V2. We can thus say that Equinox V1 has precessed to the position V2 during
one year. This is what is meant by Precession of Equinoxes. It has to be noted here
that all the observatories the world over will measure the longitudes and Right Ascension
of planets for the year 2004 from this new Vernal Equinox i.e. the First Point of Aries.
Similarly, declinations North or South for 2004 will be measured from the new Equator
i.e. V2.
Precession and Solstices: We know that there are two more cardinal points in the
phenomenon of seasons. They are formed when the sun (the earth) during its sojourn
through the Ecliptic reaches a point which is at the maximum distance of north from the
Equator. The sun has the maximum declination of North (whereas the earth has the
maximum declination of South) then and it starts “coming down” and “turning” to south
(and the earth towards North). That is why it is known as Dakshinayana viz. Summer
Solstice when the day is the longest in northern hemisphere---around June 22 these
days. Similarly, when the sun reaches the point on the ecliptic which has the maximum
southern distance from the Equator (and the earth the maximum Northern Declination),
it comes as if to a “halt” momentarily and starts going to North (and the earth towards
South). it is known as Uttarayana --- Winter Solstice, when the day is the shortest--December 22 this year. When we say the Equinoxes are precessing, it is actually as if
the whole Equator is precessing and therefore, even the Winter and Summer Solstices
also are precessing. Our Vedic Rishis had made the month of Madhav start from Vernal
Equinox and the month of Tapah from the Winter Solstice and so on since they had
linked the months to seasons. We can thus say that the months Madhu, Madhava etc.
also are precessing since all of them are linked to the four cardinal points viz. the two
equinoxes and solstices.
The rate of precession in 2000 BC was about 49”.31, in 1 AD it was about 49”.84
and presently it is about 50”.28 per year. Thus the point V1 will have precessed to V2
by about 50.28 seconds of arc between 2003 and 2004. As we can judge from the
diagram, when the sun (actually the earth) reaches V2, it will have to travel a distance
of about 50”.28 less than if the VE1 had remained “fixed”, like a “Fixed Star”. The sun
travels about one degree (3600 seconds of arc) in a day i.e. 24X60 = 1440 minutes. It
means the distance of the precession of 50.28 seconds of arc will be covered in a lesser
time of about (1440/3600)X50.28 = 20.11 minutes approximately than the “fixed”
equinox. That is why we say that the tropical year – distance covered by the sun/earth
from one Vernal Equinox to another Vernal Equinox – is shorter than the sidereal year –
distance covered by the sun from a Fixed Star to the same star again---by about 20
minutes.
A simple mathematical calculation tells us that at the present rate of
precession, it will be about 71.6 years when one degree of precession will be the
difference whereas in 2000 BC it would have taken about 72.89 years for a degree of
precession. We can thus safely say that on an average, during the last few thousand
years, the Equinoxes and solstices etc. precessed at an average rate of about 1 degree
every 72 years.
Constellations vis-à-vis Precession:
The precession of equinoxes/solstices is always vis-à-vis the constellational belt,
i.e. against the background of a particular constellation at a particular point of time. For
example, when we want to find out the position of the Vernal Equinox or Winter Solstice
etc. say at the time of Shatapatha Brahmana, which was about 3000 BC, we cannot just
pin it against a void! We must have some “area”-–some canvas---where and against
which we can position/locate it! e.g., when we want to “find” Delhi, we have to say, “It
is in India, which is a part of Asia”! Similarly, to find the position of the Vernal Equinox
etc. astronomers have taken the background Constellations as the canvass. Thus when
Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak said in his “Orion” that in 3000 BC the Vernal Equinox
was in the Constellation of Krittikas, he was talking of those very Constellations.
Constellations as per modern astronomy:
There are actually about 88 Constellations as per modern astronomy out of which
thirteen (fourteen including Ceti i.e. Cetus meaning a “Whale”) are the major ones of the
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zodiac i.e. the constellational belt “hovering” around the ecliptic. These constellations
were given their names because of their resemblance to some particular figure e.g. when
Lokamanya Tilak referred to ORION as the “Hunter” it was only because it had
resembled that figure in the hoary past and does so even today to some extent.
Similarly, Aries resembled a ram; Taurus a bull and so on. Though these days most of
these “Bulls” and “Rams” have lost their resemblance with their original nomenclatures,
however, they are still known by those very names. And that is absurd, to say the least!
Out of the 13/14 prominent constellations, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo,
Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces are the twelve constellations
that comprised the zodiac initially as per the Chaldean, later Greek and still later
Western astrologers. They called them “signs”. Hindu astrologers know these very
“signs” by the names of twelve Rashis viz. Mesha, Vrishab, Mithun, Karkat, Simha,
Kanya, Tula, Vrischik, Dhanu, Makar, Kumbha and Mina respectively in that order. In
fact, “Hindu” names of Rashis are just the equivalents of their Chaldean/Greek names.
There is also a thirteenth constellation of the zodiac by the name of Ophiuchus and a
fourteenth by the name of Cetus, but these are neither recognized by Western nor by
Eastern astrologers.
We must have some “coordinates” to measure the “distances” or “longitudes” of
these constellations as well. There are no starting or ending demarcation lines described
in the Vedas for these constellations. e.g. they do not tell us as to when “Apbharni” ends
and “Krittikas” start or vice-versa. However, International Astronomical Union has given
the boundaries of these constellations in Right Ascension and Declination etc. as per the
Vernal Equinox of 1930, which are naturally slightly different from the ones given earlier
as per 1875 equinox. These revised boundaries, when translated to the Vernal Equinox
of 2004 AD, lead to their longitudes as given in the last but one column of the below
table.
Indian Institute of Astrophysics has this to say in its website about the IAU list of
constellations, “The definitive list of 88 constellations was established in 1930, under the
authority of the International Astronomical Union. Its rectilinear constellation boundaries
preserve the traditional arrangements of naked eye stars. The standard boundaries
define an unambiguous constellation for each star.
‘Nevertheless, it has to be admitted that the constellations that we have today,
are neither logical nor convenient. The largest constellation Hydra covers 1303 square
degrees of the sky; the smallest, Cruz, only 68 square degrees. Centaurus includes 49
stars above the fifth magnitude, while Mensa does not have even one. However, the
patterns are now well established that it is unlikely that they will be altered.”
A Brief History of Constellations
unambiguous constellation for each star.
Constellations of the Ecliptic / Signs of the Zodiac
constellation deg Time (Days) enter
astrological Vernal Eq.
Aries
24.6 25
18 Apr
21 Mar
1865 BC
Taurus
36.8 37
14 May
20 Apr
4539 BC
Orion (1)
Gemini
18-20 Jun
27.7 28
Solstice
21 Jun
21 May
21 Jun
Cancer
20.1 20
20 Jul
22 Jun
Leo
35.7 36
10 Aug
23 Jul
Sextans (2)
Virgo
3 Sep
44.1 45
equinox
Libra
16 Sep
23 Aug
22 Sep
23.1 23
31 Oct
23 Sep
4
Scorpio
6.4 6
23 Nov
Ophiuchus
18.9 19
29 Nov
Sagittarius
33.4 34
17 Dec
24 Oct
9876 AD
8598 AD
22 Nov
6271 AD
solstice
21 Dec
Capricornus 28.1 29
19 Jan
22 Dec
4312 AD
Aquarius
23.8 24
16 Feb
20 Jan
2597 AD
Pisces
37.2 38
12 Mar
19 Feb
68 BC
equinox
20 Mar
Cetus (3)
27 Mar
Table showing the starting dates of Vedic months vis-à-vis Surya Siddhnta, Lahiri, Raman,
Cyril Fagan, Grahalaghava, Revati & “O. C. Ayanmsha” as compared to actual constellations
S.
N.
Vedic
month
Season
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Madhav
Shukra
Shuchi
Nabhah
Nabhas
Isha
Urja
Sahas
Vasant
Mesh
Arie
Grishm
Vrish
Tau
Grishm
Mithu
Ge
Varsha
Karka
Can
Varsha
Simha
Leo
Sharat
Kanya
Vir
Sharat
Tula
Libr
Hemant
Vrisch Sco
Ophiuchus (Serpent Bearer)
Hemant
Dhanu Sagi
Shishir
Makar
Cap
Shishir
Kumb
Aqu
Vasant
Mina
Pis
Sahasy
Tapah
Tapas
Madhu
Sankranti
Eng
nam
Vedic/
S.Sidh
Lahiri
date
Raman
date
Fagan
date
Graha
Lagh
Mar 21 Apr 14 Apr 12 Apr 15 Apr 15
Apr 20 May 15 May 13 May16
May 16
May 21 Jun 15 Jun 14 Jun 16 Jun 16
Jun 22 Jul 17
July 15 Jul 18
Jul 17
July 23 Aug 17 Aug 15 Aug18 Aug18
Aug 23 Sep 17 Sep 15 Sep 18 Sep18
Sep 23 Oct 17
Oct 16
Oct 18
Oct 18
Oct 24
Nov 16 Nov 15 Nov17
Nov17
It has not been accounted for in any Rashichakra
Nov 22 Dec 16 Dec15
Dec 17 Dec 17
Dec 22 Jan 14 Jan 13 Jan 15 Jan 15
Jan 20 Feb 13 Feb 11 Feb 14 Feb 14
Feb 19 Mar 15 Mar 13 Mar 15 Mar 15
Tilak/
Revti
OC-Ay.
Date
Constellational
Longitude Date
Apr10
May11
Jun 11
Jul 12
Aug13
Sep13
Oct13
Nov12
Apr 19
May 20
Jun 21
Jul 22
Aug 22
Sep 22
Oct 23
Nov 22
Dec 12
Jan 10
Feb 9
Mar 11
Dec 21
Jan 19
Feb 18
Mar 20
31.0
53.5
90.0
117.5
136.5
172.0
217.5
239.5
248.0
266.5
299.0
326.0
357.5
(We have not included Cetus deliberately since it is not very prominent yet!)
Even a cursory glance at the above table shows that the constellations are of
irregular dimensions instead of being of say 30 or 40 degrees each. But then we must
not forget that these constellations are “line of sight effects” --- they are not of the
actual shape of a ram or bull! They are just like clouds assuming the shapes of a bull or
a ram etc. instead of actually becoming a bull or ram etc.! The only difference is that the
clouds assuming those shapes are transitory phenomena whereas the constellations look
like those resemblances for a long time. Even if the constellations had been in actual
shapes of “rams” and “bulls” and “crabs” and “scales” etc., it would have been “unwise”
for us to presume that they would have been of equal size! As we know, “a pitcher
(Aquarius)” cannot be equal in size (nor in weight, for that matter!) to a “bull” (Taurus),
nor can a “Crab” (Cancer) be equal to a “Virgin” (Virgo), least of all can a “Scorpion”
(Scorpio) be equal to an “Archer” (Sagittarius) and so on. Similarly, to say that “Scales”
(Libra) are equal to “Crocodile/Goat” (Capricorn) would be “silly” on our part, and I am
sure that is the last “adjective” anyone would like to reserve for himself/herself! In fact,
Mother Nature does not like symmetry at all since may be that is a sign of “stagnation”.
E.g. years – whether tropical or sidereal or anomalistic or Eclipse or synodic are never a
whole number of days – nay even hours--- they are always in fractions!
Same
is
the case with lunar months whether sidereal or synodic or anomalistic—they also have a
fraction of days---nay even hours! For that matter, hardly two days in a year have
actual 24 mean solar hours---when the days and nights are equal---since all other days
are either less or more than 24 hours! Similarly, no season has complete 60 or 90 days
– some have more and others less. Even the mean daily motion of none of the planets,
least of all the Moon, is a whole number of degrees, nay even seconds of arc! It is in
fractions of arc-seconds!
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Apr 21
May 15
Jun 22
July 21
Aug 10
Sep 15
Oct 30
Nov 22
Dec 1
Dec 19
Jan 20
Feb 15
Mar 18
So naturally, Nature does not believe in making exceptions --- at least in the case
of making constellations of equal size! Even if she had obliged us by doing so, then the
constellations of the zodiac would have to be divided into at least twenty eight parts as
that is the number of asterisms/nakshatras that can be said to have been “recognized”
by the Vedas---and their actual longitudes are much different from the “nakshatras” that
we are aware of. Similarly, even for “astrological purposes” there are at least thirteen--instead of twelve--- prominent “constellations” (Rashis) since they include Ophiuchus
also (It has been translated as “Nagadhari” --- Serpent Bearer---in India! Thus the
zodiac---including the 360° ecliptic---would have to be divided into at least thirteen
equal parts and not twelve!
It is therefore clear that astrologers have divided the
zodiac into twelve (instead of thirteen, by excluding Ophiuchus) equal divisions for their
computational ease just as “Hindu astrologers” divided it into 27 (instead of 28, by
excluding Abhijit) nakshatra divisions of equal lengths! It makes no difference to Mother
Nature as to what nomenclature we give to those twelve equal divisions i.e., Rashis
(Signs) or 27 divisions of nakshatras---whether they are the same as given to
constellations or different, because those divisions are man-made!
The average rate of Precession:
Astronomically, Vernal Equinox is actually the earth’s node, just as we have got
nodes of all the other planets. We are however more familiar only with the Lunar nodes,
known as Rahu (North Node) and Kethu (South Node) in Indian astrology/astronomy.
These nodes have always a retrograde motion and that is why we find them entering a
Rashi which is previous to the one from which they exit. Same is the case with
Equinoxes etc. They regress into previous constellations instead of advancing into the
next one.
Astronomical calculations tell us that the Vernal Equinox (First Point of Aries) is
these days taking place about 29°.5 away from the rim of the Constellation Aries. As an
alternative we can say that Aries Constellation --- the starting point ---is 29°.5 away
from the Vernal Equinox of today---it means virtually the same thing. It ranges from
29°.5 to 53°.5. We know that the rate of precession is about 1° per 72 years. Hence it
would have taken 72X29.5 =2124 years for the Vernal Equinox to have regressed from
the Constellation Aries to the present position. The current year 2003 minus 2124=-121.
It means that the VE left the Constellation Aries in about 122 BC. Since the rate of
precession does not remain constant and since the Ecliptic also undergoes some
digression, the actual date of conjunction of Vernal Equinox with the First Point of Aries
has been worked out by astronomers to be 68 BC. (Jean Meeus – Morsels of Astronomy,
published by Willman-Bell, USA. Page No.304) It was the last year when the VE was
conjunct Aries constellation---hence its name as the First Point of Aries and it entered
Pisces then. It should have been changed ages back, but somehow it has not been!
We know (from the above Table) that the constellation Aries ranges between
29.°5 and 53°.5. Thus if we want to find out as to when the Vernal Equinox had entered
that constellation, we can say that it was 53°.5X72=3852 years earlier from today i.e.
2003 minus 3852 = -1849 i.e. 1850 BC. Jean Meeus has given the actual date of that
entry as 1865 BC.
When did the “Vedic” and “Anti-Vedic” zodiacs coincide? And what is the “only
correct (OC)” Ayanamsha?
We often hear “Vedic astrologers” talking about the “two zodiacs” “having
coincided some time in the past”. As we have seen in our other articles and as is evident
from the present discussion, it is clear that there is but one zodiac. What these
astrologers are actually trying to say is that they want to find out as to when the First
Point of Aries was actually conjunct the first point of Constellation Aries. It was thus
actually neither 285 AD (Lahiri), nor 390 AD (Raman) nor 444 Shaka (Grahalaghava) nor
496 Shaka (Revati Paksha/Tilak Panchang) etc but 68 BC. As these “Vedic astrologers”
call the so called nirayana zodiac as the “Vedic zodiac” it means all other zodiacs are
“non-Vedic i.e. anti-Vedic”. They can thus claim that the “two zodiacs i.e. Vedic and anti
Vedic zodiacs coincided in 68 BC”.
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Precession since then till January 1, 2000 AD has been 29° 0’ 13”.2. As it is this
very precession of “the First Point of Aries” viz. Vernal Equinox from the “Aries”
Constellation that these “Vedic Astrologers” call Ayanamsha, they must adopt this as the
only Correct Ayanamsha (OC) --- though actually there is no Ayanamsha whatsoever!
Surprisingly, a cursory glance at the table will also reveal that the seasonal i.e.
Vedic months are behind by almost exactly one month from even the so called sidereal
zodiac months if we take the actual astronomical so called ayanamsha of the First Point
of Aries!
Solstices vis-à-vis Constellations:
Since the Winter Solstice is always behind the VE by 90°, we can say that it
(WS) was then (in 68 BC) taking place in 29.5 minus 90 =-60°.5 i.e. 299°.5.
The
constellation of Sagittarius ends i.e. starts in the reverse order from 300°. It would have
thus taken about 36 years prior to 68 BC for the WS to have entered that constellation.
It should have remained in Capricorn till about 68+36=104 BC. It (WS) had actually left
that constellation in 131 BC when it entered Sagittarius. It will remain there for about
(300 minus 267 = 33 X72=) 2376 years from 131 BC., that is till about 2245 AD.
Actually, it will leave Sagittarius constellation in 2269 AD, when it will enter Ophiuchus, a
constellation without any equivalent in astrology!
“Fortuitous circumstances” of matching of constellations with signs!
Autumn (September) Equinox is always 180 degrees ahead (or behind!) of Vernal
Equinox. In 68 BC it was therefore in 29°.5+180°=209°.5. Libra ranges from 174°.5 to
218°. It had left that Constellation in 730 BC and entered Virgo where it will remain till
about 2439 AD when it will enter Leo. Similarly Summer Solstice was then (in 68 BC)
having a longitude of (29°.5 + 90°=) 119°.5 and was in Cancer and almost on the verge
of entering Gemini, which it did in 11 BC. It is thus clear that in about first century
BC/AD, both the solstices and the Vernal equinox were fortuitously in the constellations
of respective signs. That is why Jean Meeus has said on page 303 of his “Mathematical
Astronomy Morsels”, “Two thousand years ago the constellations and signs did match
approximately, but in fact exact coincidence can never occur. The reason is obvious.
While by definition each sign is 30 degrees long, the actual constellations occupy
different lengths along the ecliptic….Thus it is clear that no exact instant can be quoted
when signs and constellations would have coincided”.
When will the “Aquarian Age” start? We hear a lot these days about Aquarian Age
being just to start. What does it actually mean? We know the Vernal Equinox is passing
through Pisces constellation from 68 BC. Pisces Constellation ranges from 350°.5 to
29°.5. It will remain in that constellation for (29°.5 minus 350.5=-321 which is equal to
360 minus 321 i.e. 39X72=) 2808 years from 68 BC or 2741 AD. However, as per
precise astronomical calculations, the Vernal Equinox will enter the constellation of
Aquarius in 2597 AD. (Jean Meeus Mathematical Morsels of Astronomy page 304). That
is exactly when the Aquarian Age will begin.
Rashis, Nakshatras and constellations:
Subhash Kak, in his article “Babylonian and Indian Astronomy --- Early
Connections” has said on page 5 “nakshatras stand for stars, asterisms and segments of
ecliptic”. Further, he has listed on page 6 of the same article, twenty-eight Vedic
nakshatras (including Abhijit) starting from Krittika and ending at Apabharni. On the
same page he says, ”…each nakshatra corresponding to 13 1/3°”. Let us analyse the
veracity of all these statements in the light of other asseverations made by Subhash Kak
himself in that very article.
According to him, “Krittika is the Pleiades”. As we know, Pleiades is actually a
“cluster” of the Greek constellation Taurus known as Vrishab Rashi in India. As we have
seen in the above Table and also in our article on nakshatras, this (Taurus) constellation
itself ranges from 53°.5 to 91° which means it has a span of 37°.5. In spite of the same,
Pleiades cluster has an apparent dimension of 110 arc-minutes -- less than 2 degrees!
7
So how can Krittika nakshatra have a span of 13° 20’ if it is just another name of
Pleiades! On the same page he says Alpha Orionis is the star of Ardra nakshatra but
whether nirayana or sayana, this star does not fall in that nakshtra at all as we have
seen in our article on “nakshatras”. He has listed Alpha and Beta Geminorum as the
stars of the next nakshatra viz. Punarvasu but the distance of these stars and Alpha
Orionis is more than 24° instead of 13°-20’!
To make the confusion worst confounded he has himself associated just one star
with Jyeshtha but as many as six stars in Magha!
It is going to be a really
overpopulated affair with so many stars in one nakshatra of 13°-20’ and very sparse
population of another nakshatra which is populated by just one star!
Some “important stars” of the equal division listed by Subhash Kak are also
“unequal”! We give below the details of stars listed by him as “mileposts” of the
nakshatra divisions. Surprisingly, very few, if any, of these stars “fit” into the respective
nakshatra division.
It has also to be noted that all the star-names given by Subhahs Kak have Greek
alphabets since there is no Star Catalogue of Indian origin of yore!
Positions of Stars vis-à-vis nakshatra divisions as on July 2, 1985
No Nakshatras with
Junction Star
Star name
Star name
Star name
their longitudes and also Sayana & Lahiri Sayana
&
Lahiri Sayana / Lahiri Sayana /Lahiri
their respective Rashis
longitude
longitude
longitude
longitude
1
Krittika (26-40 to 40-00
Eta Tauri 59-56
Though Subhash Kak has listed the entire cluster of
Pleaides in Krittikas, its dimension is less than tw degrees.
Mesha 26-40 to Vri 10-00
36-08
2
Rohini (40-0 to 53-20
Alpha Tau 69-44
Vrisha 10-00 to 23-20
45-56
3
Mrig. (53-20 to 66-40
Lam.Orion 83-39
Vrisha 23-30 to Mith 6-40
59-51
4
Ardra (66-40 to 80-00
Al.Orion 88-42
The distance between Alpha Orionis and the next star
Alpha Geminorium is 22°!
Mithuna 6-40 to 20-00
(Mrig.) 64-54
5
Punarvasu (80-0 to 93-20
Al. Gemi 110-11
Be. Gem 113-09
Mithu 20-00 to Kark 3-00
86-23
89-22
6
Pushya(93-20 to106-40
Beta Can 124-12
Ga Cancr 127-29
DelCan128-40
Al Can133-35
Karkat 3-00 to 16-40
100-24
103-41
104-52
109-47
7
Ashle(106-40 to 120-00
Ep.Hydra 132-17
Zeta Hy. 134-39
DeltaHy138-15
Karka 16-40 to Simha 0-0
108-30
110-51
114-27
8
Magha (120-0 to133-20
Ep.Leon140-39
Zeta Leo.147-30
EtaLeo 147-51
Al.Leon149-46
Simha 00-00 to 13-20
Ashl/Karka116-51
123-43
124-03
125-58
9
P.Phal (133-20 to 146-40
De.Leonis161-15
Theta Leo163-22
Simh13-20 to 26-40
137-28
139-34
10 U.Phal(146-40 to160-0
93Leoni168-55
Be.Leonis171-33
Simha26-40to Kanya10-0
(P.Phal)145-07
147-46
11 Hasta (160-0 to173-20
Ga. Corvi 190-40
Ep.Corvi 191-36
De.Cor 193-23
BeCor197-18
Kanya 10-0 to 23-20
166-52
167-49
169-36
(Chitra) 173-31
12 Chitra (173-20 to186-40
Al.Virgi.203-47
Ironically, the main pillar of Chitrawallas has regressed to Kanya from Tula!
Whatatragedyforthem!
Kanya 23-20 to Tula 6-40
179-59
13 Swati (186-40 to200-0
Al.Booti204-10
Tula 6-40 to 20-00
(Chitra)180-23
14 Visha(200-0to213-20
Al.Librae 225-01
Beta Lib 229-19
SigmaLi230-37
Tula 20-0 to Vrischik 3-20
201-14
205-31
206-49
15 Anura(213-20 to226-40
De Scorp 242-31
Pi Scorpii 242-53
Beta Sc243-08
Vrischik 3-20 to 16-40
218-43
219-05
219-20
16 Jyeshth(226-40 to240-0
Alp Sco 249-42
Vrisc. 16-40 to Dhanu 0-0
(Anuradha)225-54
17 Mula (240-0 to253-20
Ep. Scorpii255-16
Nu.Scorpi263-57
La.Scor264-31
Dhanu 00-00 to 13-20
(Vri/Jyesh)231-29
240-09
240-44
18 P Ash(253-20 to266-40
De.Sagi.274-31
Ep. Sagit 275-01
Dhanu 13-20 to 26-40
(Mula) 250-43
251-13
19 U Ash(266-40 to280-0
Sigma Sa. 282-19
Zeta Sag.i.283-23
No star in
U.Ashada
Dhan 26-40 to Makar10-0
(P.Ashada)258-32
(P.Ashada)259-36
8
AA
Abhijit(Vega/Alpha Lyrae)
20
Shrona(280-0 to 293-20
Makar 10-00 to 23-20
Shravi(293-20 to 306-40)
Makar23-20to Kumb 6-40
Shatabih(306-40to320-0
Kumba 6-40 to 20-00
Proshtha.(320-0to 333-20
Kumba 20-0 to Mina 3-20
U.Prosh (333-20to346-40
Mina 3-20 to 16-40
Revati(346-40to360-00
Mina 16-40 to Mesha 0-0
Ashvayujau (0-0 to 13-20
Mesha 00-00 to 13-20
Bharani (13-20 to26-40
Mesha 13-20 to 26-40
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Al. Lyrae 285-15
(P.Ashada)261-28
Al.Aquillae301-43
(U. Ashada)277-55
Be.Delphini 316-17
(Shrona) 292-29
Lam.Aqua341-31
317-43
Al.Pegasi 353-25
329-38
Gama Pegasi 9-6
345-18
Eta Piscium 26-46
(Ashvini) 2-58
BetaArietis33-54
10-07
35 Arietis 46-52
23-05
Ironically, Subhash Kak says “This (Abhijit) name refers to a satisfactory
completionofthesystemofnakshatras”!
GamaAqu. 300-53
BetaAqu.302-22
No star in
Shrona
(U.Ashada) 277-05
(U.Asha)278-34
Alpha Del317-19
Delt Del 318-3
Ga Del.319-18
293-31
294-16
295-31
The distance between Beta Delphini and Lambda Aquarii is
more than 25 degrees!
Beta Pegasi359-18
(Shatabish) 335-31
Alpha Andromda 014-14
Revati 350-27
Kak has also shown Alpha Piscium instead of Zeta Piscium as a star of Revati
but itisnotlistedin Indian Astro.Ephem.
Alpha Arietis 37-36
(Bharani) 13-48
41 Arietis 48-08
Subhash Kak has also listed 39
Arieitis that is not in IAO
24-21
Abhijit nakshatra cannot be wished away:
To crown it all, Subhash Kak has clubbed Abhijit with Uttara Ashadha, though he
has said it in the same commentary, “The star (of Abhijit) is Vega, the brilliant Alpha
Lyrae. This is the star that does not occur in the lists which have only 27 nakshatras in
it”. However, the star of Uttara Ashadha has been listed as Alpha Sagittarii. These two
stars fall in two different so called nakshatra divisions of 13° - 20’ each whether Sayana
or so called nirayana!
It is also clear that just to fit in the nakshatras into only twenty-seven divisions,
he is simply trying to wish away the inconvenient twenty-eighth division, though he has
said on page 10 of the same article, “Maitrayani and Kathaka Samhitas and Atharvaveda
contain lists with the 28 nakshatras”. And these are certainly Vedic texts! So we have
in fact twenty-eight Vedic nakshatras instead of twenty-seven, however hard we try to
obliterate Abhijit from our memory!
“Suryaprajnyapti” – the main astronomical work for making Jainese calendars, is
a work of about 3rd century BC, and follows the same system of five year yuga as the
Vedanga Jyotisha. However, this work also gives 28 nakshatras none equal with the
other and the nakshatra-division started with Abhijit, unlike Krittika as in the Vedanga
Jyotisha.
All the Sidhantas list twenty-eight nakshatra divisions:
Surya Sidhanta VIII/2-4 lists twenty-eight nakshatras including Abhijit; so does
Brahmasphuta Sidhanta, Lallatantra and even the world famous Sidhanta Shiromani of
Bhaskaracharya of 12th century AD lists twenty-eight nakshatras as per XVI/1-6. Our
“neither-so-good nor-so-old” rather the worst culprit for spreading the “nirayana
mayhem”, viz. Grahalaghava as per XI/1-2 also lists twenty-eight nakshatras!
All the real scholars also vouch for an unequal nakshatra division in the Vedas:
In his magnificent work on nakshatras vis-à-vis the Vedas, viz “The Orion – or
Researches into the Antiquity of the Vedas”, Lokamanya Tilak has this to say on page
26, “The Vedic observations could not again be such as need any minute or detailed
arithmetical operations. I shall therefore adopt for the present the simplest possible
method of calculation---a method which may be easily understood and followed by any
one, who can watch and observe the stars after the manner of the ancient priest. We
shall assume that the zodiac was divided into 27 parts, not by compass but by means of
the leading stars, which Prof. Max Muller rightly calls the milestones of the heavens. The
Vedic priest, who ascertained the motion of the sun by observing with his unaided eye
the nearest visible star, cannot be supposed to have followed a different method in
making other celestial observations; and if so, we cannot assume that he was capable of
9
recognizing and using for the purposes of observation any artificial divisions of the
ecliptic on a mathematical principle, such as those which would result from the division
of 360° of the zodiac into 27 equal parts, each part thus extending over 13° 20’ of the
ecliptic. …When we therefore find it stated in the Vedic works that the sun was in the
Krittika, it is more probable that the fixed asterism, and not the beginning of the artificial
portion of the zodiac, was intended.”
Similarly, the main “pillar” of nirayana confusion viz. late N. C. Lahiri is very
emphatic on page Xi of his Foreword to Popular Hindu Astronomy by Kali Nath Mukherji
(1969- Calcutta) when he says, “In India the ecliptic stars were divided into 28 divisions
even in the Vedic times. These are known as nakshatra divisions or lunar mansions. As
these clusters of stars do not cover equal lengths of the ecliptic the original divisions
were naturally of unequal length. We get a description of this unequal division in the
work of Bhaskaracharya, who has stated that it was introduced by early sages (those like
Garga)”.
Historical proofs also list twenty-eight and unequal nakshatra divisions
Besides, this is what Alberuni’s India says on page 89 of part II, “For
Brahmagupta says in the Uttara-Khandakhadyaka…’The measure of some stations
exceeds the measure of the mean daily motion of the moon by one half. Accordingly
their measure is 19° 45’ 52” 18”’. These are six stations, viz. Rohini, Punarvasu,
Uttaraphalguni, Visakha, Utarshadha, Uttarabhadrapada. These together occupy the
space of 118° 35’ 13” 48”’. Further six stations are short ones, each of them occupying
less than the mean daily motion of the moon by one half. Accordingly, their measure is
6° 35’ 17” 26”’. These are Bharni, Ardra, Ashlesha, Svati, Jyeshtha, Satabhishaj. They
together occupy the space of 39° 31’ 4” 36”’. Of the remaining fifteen stations, each
occupies as much as the mean daily motion. Accordingly, it occupies the space of 13°
10’ 34” 52”’. They together occupy the space of 197° 38’ 43”. These three groups of
stations together occupy the space of 355° 45’ 41” 24”’, the remainder of the complete
circle is 4° 14’ 18” 36”’, and this is the space of Abhijit, the falling Eagle”. Not
surprisingly, it is the same duration of nakshatras that has been given by N C Lahiri in
his Preface to “Popular Hindu Astronomy”
In fact, this is thus the measure that had been advocated by Garga etc. Rishis in
the hoary past and it had been reiterated by Bhaskaracharya as well. Here is the
genesis: As per the Surya Sidhanta etc. the daily mean motion of the Moon is 13° 10’
34” 52”’ i.e. 13° 10’ 34”.8666 which is almost equal to the daily mean motion of the
Moon as per modern astronomy. Thus our Vedic Rishis were more akin to modern real
astronomers than to today’s so called “Vedic astronomers” and like the real astronomers
of today, they also had therefore envisaged an unequal division of the
“constellations/lunar mansions”. It is only our overzealous “Vedic astrologers” who want
us to close our eyes to the real facts and just go by the jugglery they are keeping before
us!
Puranas also list an unequal division of 28 nakshatras:
There are legends galore in the Puranas that the Moon spent more time
with “Rohini” i.e. Alpha Tauri than with other “wives” i.e. constellations.
They
complained to their father Daksha Prajapati who tried to persuade the Moon to spend
equal time with all his wives. When the Moon did not pay heed to the admonishments of
his father-in-law, the latter cursed him to wane permanently. However, on the pleadings
of the other wives and the Moon promising to spend equal time with all the “wives”, the
Moon was given a reprieve and the curse was ameliorated to waxing and waning!
It means clearly that the earlier constellations – nakshatra/rashi – divisions were
of unequal length as otherwise there was absolutely no reason of the Moon “tarrying” in
one constellation longer than in others---but later all of them were “made” of an equal
length!
Vishnudharmottarapurana, which was held in great reverence in India as per
Alberuni for deciding proper muhurtas etc. for its activities, and which is like an “agama”
i.e. a “Veda” as per Bhaskaracharya, lists twenty eight nakshatras (including Abhijit) in
10
Part III- Adhyaya 68, Shloka 6 and then again in Adhyaya 104 Shloka 87 of the same
Part. There are other instances from other Puranas also.
So if someone is trying to “eliminate” the Abhijit constellation, he is just trying to
achieve the impossible, which “wise men” never do!
Even equal divisions would have given unequal durations of nakshatras:
Anyone knowing a bit of real astronomy (as compared to so called Vedic
astronomy, which is in fact pseudo-astronomy and therefore “Kaliyugi astronomy”!) will
be surprised on the eagerness of these “Vedic astrologers” and “Vedic astronomers” to
make each nakshatra division of 13°-20’, since even then the Moon would have to spend
unequal time in all those “equal divisions”. We have seen that the average mean motion
of Moon is 13.1763521472222 degrees which means it would cover 13° 20’ of each of
the 27 nakshatras in 24 hrs 17m 9.357 s if its True Motion also remained the same. (It
is to be noted here that even on the basis of daily mean motion, no nakshatra is covered
in exactly one day of 24hours – what a “tragedy” for these “equal divisions nirayana
Vedic scholars”!) However, as can be seen from any panchanga including the nirayana
bible viz. Lahiri Panchanga for any year, this is not the case. E.g. even the geocentric
Ardra nakshatra on June 2, 2003, ranged from 4-4 am to 6-6 am of June 3 i.e. 26 hrs 2
minutes but the same nakshatra prevailed from 14-29 on January 16 to 15-5 of January
17 i.e. 25hrs and 36 minutes only! Similar is the case with all the other nakshatras!
The reasons is simple. The mean motion of any planet is an imaginary one, whereas the
True motion is the actual one, which is almost always different from the Mean Motion
and which keeps on changing depending on its distance from the Earth/Sun. For the
information of these “Vedic astronomers” it must be mentioned here that the True
Motion of the Moon varies from 11° 46’ to 15° 23’! (Another “tragedy” for Kaliyugi
astrologers and astronomers, who would like everything to be “equal”!)
“Ineffective Stars” in spite of the “best efforts” of “Vedic astronomers and
astrlogers”! Because astronomically (whether Sidhantic or modern) and even
astrologically (whether sayana or so called nirayana) zodiac is a belt extending 9° on
either side of the ecliptic,
we have seen in our separate article on Nakshatras that
more than fifty per cent of these “prominent stars” known as “mileposts” have latitudes
more than nine degrees north or south. Evidently, all this exercise of “Subhash Kak,
Vamadeva, Parashara & Co.” is futile since if these stars are beyond the limits of zodiac
how can they affect the “zodiacal clients”!
To sum up, contrary to all the Vedas and sidhantas etc., even if we take only 27
nakshatra divisions into account, these are not equal to one another nor are their stars
equidistant either in longitude or latitude! Besides, most of these stars are of almost
insignificant magnitudes and at distances quite far away, and with latitudes beyond the
“range” of zodiac which means most of them could not have been seen by the naked
eye.
Fallacious theories of some scholars: Subhash Kak, on page 10 of his article
“Babylonian and Indian Astronomy” has said , “There were two kinds of year in use. In
one, the year was measured from one winter solstice to another; in the other, it was
measured from one vernal equinox to another. Obviously, these years were solar and
related to the seasons (tropical)”. However, he states further on the same page, “The
year was divided into 12 months which were defined with respect to the nakshatras, and
with respect to the movements of the moon.
“The Taittiriya Smhita (TS) (4.4.11) gives a list of solar months: Madhu, Madhava
(Vasanta, Spring), Shukra, Shuchi (Grishma, Summer), Nabha, Nabhasya (Varsha,
Rains), Isha and Urja (Sharad, autumn), Sahas and Sahasya (Hemanta , Winter) and
Tapa and Tapasya (Shishir, Deep Winter)”.
Evidently, these months also are seasonal.
In other words, Subhash Kak
confirms himself that both the solar year and the solar months in the Vedas are seasonal
and hence tropical! Further, on page 15 he has confirmed again that as per the Rigveda
1.25.8, Atharvaveda 1.3.3.8 and Taittriya Samhita 1.4.14 there are references to
11
intercalary months, that is excess (13) lunar months in comparison to a solar year of 12
months. He says further on the same page that these intercalary months were named
as samsarpa and amhaspati as per Taittiriya Samhita 1.4.14. Clearly, lunar months are
also related to the seasonal i.e. tropical year and months as per the Vedas!
Then on page 18 he also confirms that as per Kaushitaki Brahman 19.3, Winter
Solstice took place in the new moon of Magha (month), but as per Shatapatha Brahmana
2.1.2.3 it took place in the midpoint of Shravishtha (Danishtha) segment whereas the
Summer Solstice was at the beginning of Magha (nakshatra). But as per the Vedanga
(Yajur) Jyotisha 6-8, Winter Solstice was taking place in the beginning (and not
midpoint) of Shravishtha and the Summer Solstice was taking place in the midpoint of
Ashlesha (as against the beginning of Magha at the time of Maitrayani Brahmana
Upanishada)!
In fact, on page 9 of the same article Subhash Kak has himself given a beautiful
presentation of the different epochs when the Spring Equinox and Winter Solstice fell in
the midpoints of different “nakshatras” of the so called equal division, and these are:
No Nakshatras with their longitudes in Deity
W.Solsti
Spring Equi Vedic
Actual
Subhash
different Rashis (as per the so called
(so called (so called month of Vedic
Kak’s Lunar
sidereal zodiac of Subhash Kak
Makar
Mesha
V.Equi or lunar
month
besides “Vedic astrologers”)
Sankranti)
Sankranti)
W.Solsti
month
1
Krittika (Mesha 26-40 to Vris10
Agni
2000 BC
Madhav
Vaishak
Jyeshth
2
Rohini (Vrisha 10-0 to 23-20
Prajapati
3000 BC
Madhav
Vaishak
Jyeshth
3
Mrig. (Vrisha 23-20 to Mith 6-40
Soma
4000 BC
Madhav
Vaishak
Jyeshth
4
Ardra (Mithun 6-40 to 20-00
Rudra
5000 BC
Madhav
Vaishak
Ashadh
5
Punarvasu (Mi 20-0 to Kark 3-20
Aditi
6000 BC
Madhav
Vaishak
Ashadh
17 Mula (Dhanu 0-0 to 13-20
Pitarah
2000 AD
Tapas
Magha
Paush
18 Pu Asha (Dhanu13-20 to26-40
Apah
1000 AD
Tapas
Magha
Paush
19 Ut Asha (Dha26-40to Makar10-0
Vishvedev
0 AD
Tapas
Magha
Pau/Ma
20 Shrona (Makar10-0 to 23-20)
Vishnnu
1000 BC
Tapas
Magha
Magha
21 Shravishth(Ma23-20 to Kumb6-40
Vasavah
2000 BC
Tapas
Magha
Phalgun
22 Shatabihishak(Kumb 6-40 to 20-0
Indra
3000 BC
Tapas
Magha
Phalgun
23 Proshth.(Kumb 20-0 to Mina 3-20
Aja Ekpad
4000 BC
Tapas
Magha
Phalgun
24 Uttarashad (Mina 3-20 to 16-40
Ahirbudhn
5000 BC
2000 AD
Tap/Madh Mag/Vai
Chai /Jye
25 Revati (Min16-40 to Mesh 00-00
Pushan
6000 BC
1000 AD
Tap/ Madh Mag/Vai
Chai /Jye
26 Ashvayujau (Mesha 0-0 to 13-20
Ashvinau
7000 BC
0 AD
Tap/ Madh Mag/Vai
Vai/Vai
27 Apabharani (Mesha13-20to26-40
Yama
1000 BC
Madhav
Vaishak
Jyeshth
(I have given in brackets the names of Rashis and their degrees that these
nakshatras of equal division are supposed to cover these days. I have also added the
names of the Vedic months that coincide with the Spring Equinox and/or Winter Solstice.
The last column indicates the lunar months that would be prevailing as per Subhash Kak
besides “Vedic astrologers” as these months are being linked to so called sidereal
zodiac).
Uttarayana i.e. Winter Solstice (“Makar Sankranti”!) in Mesha Rashi, and
Chaitra in Magha! Vishuvan i.e. Vernal Equinox, (“Mesha Sankranti”) in Karka
Rashi and Ashadha in Vaishakha! Autumn Equinox (“Tula Sankranti”) in Makar
Rashi and Dakshinayana i.e. Summer Solstice (“Karka Sankranti)” in Tula
Rashi---madness without method!
Let us see the implications of all this “scholarly thesis”! Messrs “Subhash Kak,
Vamadeva, Parashara & Co.” want us to believe that as per our Vedic Rishis, in 2000 BC
“Mesha Sankranti” was taking place in Kritiika in Mesha Rashi but it was lunar Jyeshtha
instead of the actual lunar Vaishakha! Prior to that, in 3000 BC the same “Mesha
Sankranti” took place in Rohini in Mithuna Rashi but it was still the same lunar Jyeshtha
instead of the real lunar Vaishakha! In 4000 BC “Mesha Sankranti” was in Mrigashara in
Mithuna Rashi and still real Vaishakha was falling in Jyeshtha! Still earlier, in 5000 BC it
was in Ardra nakshatra in Mithuna Rashi but the actual lunar Vaishakha was then in
lunar Ashadha! To crown it all, thus, according to Kak himself, in 6000 BC “Mesha
Sankranti” took place in Punarvasu nakshatra in Karkat Rashi --- in other words, the
12
Spring Equinox coincided with the Summer Solstice – though in the meantime all these
months had been actually known as Madhava as per all the Vedas since they are
seasonal months! And as per all the shastras (besides, of course the real phenomenon of
seasons!) the real lunar month was Vaishakha but like “Vedic astrologers” Messrs
Subhash Kak & Company would be “enjoying” the “dog days” of Ashadha!!! Phew! What
a scholarly presumption! What is all the more surprising is that these days, according to
Subhash Kak himself, “Mesha Sankranti” is taking place in Uttarashada nakshatra in
Mina Rashi, but still the Vedic name of the month is “Madhav” and therefore Vaishakha!
Similarly, the Winter Solstice i.e. “Makar Sankranti” is taking place these days in Dhanu
Rashi, though it is still named “Tapah” as per all the Vedas!
We have also seen that though in the Vedic period (Shatapatha Brahmana) the
Vernal Equinox was located against the background of the Krittikas, the solar year began
with the month of Madhava. If the Vedic Rishis had “invented/discovered” some
nomenclature for this Rashchakra, it would have been Mesha rashi etc. since the months
were seasonal i.e. tropical. However, if they had also related those rashis to nakshatras,
it would have been Kritika, where the VE was located/starting then. In other words,
Mesha Rashi would have started with Krittika nakshatra if actual constellation/nakshatras
had to be taken into account. However, Subhash Kak wants us to believe that it was
also the start of the month of Vaishakha and the sun was at the end of Asvini though in
Vrishabha Rashi. His exact words on page 12 are, “The choice made in Figure 1, where
Vaishakha begins with the sun in the ending segment of Asvini and the moon at the mid
point of Svati is the most likely assignment as it bunches the Ashadhas and the
Phalgunis in the right months, with the Prosthapadas three fourths correct and Shrona
half-correct…..at worst we get a sequence of rashis which is out of step by one.”! In
fact, Subhash Kak is quite off the mark here also because in 6000 BC, his “sequence of
rashis is out of step” by three then instead of one. Thus he is prevaricating! Then on
page 13 in his commentary to Figure 1, he says, “The 27-fold division of the ecliptic.
The first rashi is Vrisha with the corresponding month of Vaishakha”.
As we have seen, Kak has himself confirmed that Vedic years are seasonal and
their months are named as Madhu, Madhava etc. starting with Vasanta Sampat or Vernal
Equinox (Madhav)! As per the Vedanga Jyotisha, Lunar New Year started with the New
Moon immediately after the Winter Solstice – and it was known as Magha (lunar month),
whereas the first New Moon after the Summer Solstice was known as Shravana (lunar
month)! That itself means that in the later years, if at all the Rashis had been
“invented” by our Vedic Rishis, when the year started with the VE instead of the Winter
Solstice, the first month was no doubt Vaishakha, but the sun would still have been in
Mesha and not Vrisha, though it was in Krittika constellation! The same mantra of Yajur
Jyotisha also confirms that the sun was in so called “Tula” though it was in “Shravishtha”
i.e. Dhanishtha! Simiarly, Subhash Kak has also confirmed that intercalary months were
related to seasonal months as per the Vedas! How come he has just “forgotten” all
these statements himself and made Vaishakha start with the sun in Krititka and
therefore Vrishabha! As he has shown it himself, Vernal Equinox was taking place in
Krittika, which means it was Mesha and not Vrisha Sankranti that was taking place in
Krittas, if at all our Vedic Rishis had “invented” or “discovered” astrological Rashis then!
“Makara Sankranti” in “Mesha Rashi”!
Now about Winter Solstice. As per the Vedanga Jyotisha, the lunar New Year
started with the first New Moon after Winter Solstice. We have just seen that the WS
has entered Sagittarius constellation in 131 BC. We can say that it had to cover 28° of
Capricorn Constellation, plus 24° of Aquarius Constellation plus 30° of Pisces
constellation (Total 82°) to have entered Sagittarius constellation since it left Aries
Constellation. Since the rate of Precession is about 1° per 72 years, it must have taken
it 82 X 72 = 5804 years prior to 131 BC to have left Aries constellation! It is thus
proved mathematically that instead of the Vernal Equinox it was the Winter solstice—
Uttarayana---the shortest day of the year----that was taking place in “Aries” or “Mesha”
Rashi in 6000 BC. This is what Subhash Kak has himself confirmed as per the above
Table. It means automatically that Tapah month also started in “Aries” then. Now if we
13
suppose that Vedic Rishis had superimposed any Rashi on that Tapah month, the same
question arises as to what type of a Rashichakra it was i.e. what was the nomenclature
of those Rashis and what were their “characteristics”. If we presume them to be Mesha,
Vrishaba etc.–the same names as are prevalent these days---then another set of
questions arises as to whether these were related to the constellations of similar names
in any way or not. If they were related to the constellations it could be nothing but an
anachronism since Uttarayana was then taking place in Aries! That means in about
exactly 6000 BC “Makar Sankranti” was taking place in “Mesha” Rashi and then we would
have to call Uttarayana not by the name of Makar Sankranti but Mesha Sankranti! As a
corollary to the same assumption, though it would have been Vedic Tapah and lunar
Magha then as per all the Vedas and Shastras, but Messrs “Subhash Kak, Vamadeva,
Parashara & Co”. would like us to have “enjoyed” Chaitra then! What an irony!
Similarly, by doing some back calculations, we have seen on page 115 of our
“Shri Krishen Universal Ephemeris & Panchazng” for 2001, Uttarayana was taking place
in Capricornus constellation from about 2500 BC to 131 BC!
The same “Makar
Sankranti” is taking place these days in Sagittarius Constellation! Thus if in spite of such
anachronisms the Vedic Seers had named Uttarayana as Makar Sankranti and linked it to
constellations, then we would have to say that in 6000 BC though “Makar Sankranti” was
linked to Aries even then our Vedic Rishis called it Makar i.e. Capricorn! Later on,
though, after a gap of about 3500 years, it was in “Capricorn” constellation for 2500
years it was still called “Makar Sankranti” and nowadays when “Makar Sankranti” falls in
Sagittarius, our Vedic Rishis still call it “Makar Sankranti”.
Similarly, Summer Solstice (Dakshinayana) is said to have passed from Leo into
Cancer in 1459 BC (Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, page 304). From that date till
6000 BC means 3541 years. At the rate of one degree per 71.5 years, it would have
covered 3541/71.5 = 50° (approximately). This accounts for 26° of Leo + (a part of
44° of Virgo) it would have to cover. Thus Karka Sankranti was taking place in 6000 BC
in Kanya Rashi and in about 7000 BC it would have been taking place in Tula Rashi! It
would thus have created a conundrum of impossible magnitude from which even our real
Vedic Rishis would not have been able to extricate us! Consequently, whatever jargon
we might have used, we could never have been able to link Makar Sankranti to any
Constellation permanently if our Vedic Rishis had linked it to Uttarayana.
“Rashis” (Astrological signs) not related to constellations!
If, on the other hand, we presume that though the Vedic Rishis did
“invent/discover” a Rashichakra but did not link it to the Constellations, then the
question arises as to what was it linked to. The next best alternative would have been to
link it to seasons. It means they would have named it something like Shishir Rashi
instead of Makara Rashi. But then that also is a fallacy since it would just be a synonym
of Tapah and that would make hardly any difference. There was no fun or need to name
it after some constellation like Makar Rashi if it was not to be linked to that constellation
permanently. We have therefore to delink “Makara Rashi” from Constellations as well as
seasons. But that is exactly what the “sidereal i.e. nirayana” trap is! As we have seen,
on the one hand, nirayana can never be linked to seasons since to say that nirayana
Makara Sankranti and Uttarayana took place simultaneously in 6000 BC will be the
greatest absurdity as Lahiri Ayanamsha in 6000 BC was about 86°! Thus though the real
Vedic “Makar Sankranti” would have taken place on February 4, 6000 BC (TDT) but the
“almighty” Lahiri “Makar Sankranti” would have taken place on November 10, 5999 BC
(TDT). These “Rashis” cannot be linked to constellations either since Constellations are
of unequal divisions of irregular dimensions! It would therefore have been tantamount
to making a still more gibberish mockery of the Rishis by saying something like: “(We
know that) Makara Sankranti is neither linked to any season nor to any constellation but
as our ‘Vedic Rishis had just gone honkers’ they named it as ‘Makara Sankranti’ though it
took place in ‘Mesha’ i.e. ‘Aries’ in 6000 BC, then in Pisces and Aquarius till about 2500
BC, then in Capricorn till 131 BC and is taking place in Sagittarius at present but still we
call it “Makar Sankranti”!!
14
Only “Rashtriya Panchanga” and “Vedic Astrologers” can create such hilarious
situations! It would have been a hilarious situation that only our Rashtriya Panchanga
and other Panchanga copyists of that ilk (besides, of course “Vedic astrologers”!) can
create! It has been explained on page 84 of my “Shri Krishen Universal Ephemeris &
Panchang” for 2001, under the heading “How many times does the sun enter the same
‘Vedic’ sign? In other words, how many times can there be a solar Sankranti (ingress of
the sun) into the same Rashi in one month?” and I quote, “While talking of Rashtriya
Panchanga, let us take it for the year 2000-2001. We find on the very first page of
Chaitra ‘Vedic Madhav (Mesha)” from March 21 since the sun had entered it on March
20, 2000 at 13hrs. 5mts. It means that the details being given in that page are for the
month that is known as ‘Madhav’ in the Vedas. As the word Mesha is in brackets it also
means that it is the month when the sun is in Mesha as per the same Vedas (though
actually there are no rashis in the Vedas!). Then on April 12 we find ‘Saura Vaishakha’
26-31 which means that the sun has entered Mesha then! Then on April 13 we find ‘sun
enters Mesha at 17-22’! An interesting question arises here. If the sun is in “Vedic
Mesha” at the very start of the Shaka new year viz. Chaitra then the Sankranti of the
sun into the same Vedic sign thrice in the same Shaka month is just not possible. It is
clear that the other two are imaginary Sankrantis then. Since the other two are not
Vedic, they are non-Vedic. In other words, they are anti-Vedic and we are made to
celebrate Kumbha Mela on the same anti-Vedic Makar Sankrantis!
Besides, as explained on page 108 of my ephemeris for 1999, Vernal Equinox in
6001 BC took place on May 10 and in 10001 BC it took place on June 10, which is just
earlier by ten days when the Summer Solstice is taking place these days! A simple
mathematical calculation tells us that Winter Solstice took place earlier by 90° i.e. about
92 days (or about 273 days later) i.e. around February 13 in 6001 BC and about March
13 in 10001/10000 BC!
“Rashtriya Panchanga” in 6300 BC:
Example is better than precept, is an old axiom! Let us therefore demonstrate
this “hilarious situation” with practical examples. Let us suppose that our “Calendar
Makers to the Nation” viz. the “great” India Meteorological Department, New Delhi, and
“greater still” The Positional Astronomy Centre, Calcutta, working under the “august”
Ministry of Science (sic!) and Technology, Govt. of India, were “publishing” a “Rashtriya
Panchanga” in 6300 BC also. Since the National Year is supposed to start from the day
of Vernal Equinox, it would have then started on May 13, 6304 BC (TDT), as that was
the day of Vernal Equinox then. They would thus have printed on the first page of their
most “scientific dissertation” viz Rashtriya Panchanga for that year “Shaka -6382, Month
of Vaishakha : 30 days; Vedic month Madhav, (Mesha); Vasanta Ritu: 2nd month;
Uttarayana; Uttara Gola; sun in Mina, enters Mesha at h26-28 on May 12, 6304 BC;
Ayanamsa on 1st Vaishakha +90° 0’ 0”. (The National Year is supposed to start from the
day of Vernal Equinox, which according to the same Rashtriya Panchanga is another
name of Madhava, and that month, according to all the Vedas and Puranas etc. is a
synonym of Vaishakha. However, as “Vedic scholars of extra-ordinary calibre”, our
“Calendar Makers to the Nation” call it Chaitra as that is the name given to this solar
month on every Vernal Equinox day in the Rashtriya Panchanga! But may be, out of
sheer “indulgence” to the real Vedic Rishis in 6300 BC, they would have named it
Vaishakha, as that is the real definition of the month of Madhava).
Then as usual in their “infinite wisdom” they would have repeated (like they are
doing every year these days!) in their “Indian Astronomical Ephemeris” on page 477
,”For the purpose of calculation of rasis and nakshatras, an initial point which occupies a
fixed position (sic!) on the ecliptic has been adopted as the origin for the measurement
of longitudes. The position of that initial point will coincide with the vernal equinoctial
point of vernal equinox day of 285 A.D. i.e. about 6584 years from today. For the
purpose of assigning a precise position to that (yet to be established) initial point, the
tropical longitude of that (future) fixed initial point for any day is known as ayanamsha.
The longitude of a celestial body measured from that “would be” initial point is known as
nirayana longitude”. Similarly, “almighty” Lahriwalas would have penned the following
15
“glorious legend” on page 3 of their “Vedic astrology bible” viz. Lahiri’s Indian
Epehemeris, “The ephemeris is based on nirayana or sidereal system of calculation. The
basis of the nirayana zodiac is the adoption of 285 AD or 207 Shaka as the zero
ayanamsa year. This value is (to be) adopted by “His most exalted Highness” N. C.
Lahiri in his Ephemeris from (the coming) 1948 issue i.e. about 8250 years from today.
The Calendar Reform Committee (to be) appointed by the Govt. of India in 1952 (will
then) recommend adoption of that very value of ayanamsa and later the Govt. of India
also (will) adopt this system of ayanamsa in 1953. In view of this, it (will be called) as
‘his most exalted highness’ Lahiri ayanamsa. This value of ayanamsa will then be used
in almost all the reformed (thus actually deformed!) panchangas and ephemeris in India
as well as in the Indian Astronomical Ephemeris and the Rashtriya Panchangs of the
Govt. of India. It is worth mentioning that the date of coincidence of the Sayana and
nirayana zodiacs (sic!) on the Vernal Equinox day of 285 AD based on the position of
the star Chitra (Alpha Virginis) that will be determined by the “would-be-born” “His most
exalted highness”, N. C. Lahiri during his life time. The value will be almost the same as
will be derived from the data (that will be then) available from the Astronomniches
Rechen Institut of Heidelberg, Germany”. Both these “magnificent” publications viz.
Lahiri Ephemeris and the Rashtriya Panchanga would have then published a legend, “All
the Vedic rishis are hereby admonished that they better follow this Lahiri Rashichakra
right from today that is May 13, 6300 BC as otherwise they will be discarded from all the
religious functions, since it will be declared by all the Kaliyugi Jyotishis as Vedic
Ayanamsha and if it is not adopted it will affect the sales of Lahiri as well as other
‘dharmic’ panchangas as and when they are published after about eight thousand years!”
As the Rashtriya Panchanga is supposed to have “maintained” a “permanent distance of
23° -15’- between the real Vernal Equinox and their own imaginary “Equinox” as on
Marhc 21, 1956, then after exactly about 24 days of that phenomenon, the Rashtriya
Panchanga would declare, in 6300 BC “Saura Vaishakha -- June 7, 6300 BC”. With the
“almighty” Lahiri Ayanamsha being exactly 90° on May 12, 6304 BC, it would have
further published under the same date i.e. May 12, 6304 BC, “sun enters Karkata Rashi
at hrs 26-26”. Obviously, the month of solar Shravana would have started immediately
(with the month of Vaishakha!), since it is supposed to start from the moment the sun
enters Karkata!
Similarly, on 13-8-6304 BC the “magnificent” Rashtriya Panchanga would have
printed on the top of the page, “Month of Shravana - Vedic month Nabhas (Karkata);
Varsha Ritu – 1st month; Dakshinayana: Uttara Gola. Sun in Mithuna, enters Karkata on
13th at hrs 19-47. Ayanamsha on 1st Ashadha: 89° 59’ 52”. Then on the same page
under the same date, it would have published, “sun enters Tula at hrs 19-50” which
means it would have been the beginning of the month of Kartika (simultaneously with
Shrvana!).
Then again on 8-11-6304 BC it would have printed, “Month of Kartika, Vedic
month: Urja (Tula); Sarat Ritu : 2nd month; Dakshinayana: Dakshina Gola. Sun in
Kanya, enters Tula at hrs 24-34.” Ayanamsha on 1st Kartika 89°59’ 41”. Then on the
same page, under the same date it would have printed “sun enters Makara at hrs 2437”. In their infinite wisdom it would have said, “Makaradi Snana, Pongal, Makara
Sankranti…etc. etc.”. It would have also been the start of the month of Magha
(simultaneously with the month of Kartika!)
Then further onwards, for the same year viz. Shaka -6382, but for 6303 BC, it
would have said on 7-2-6303 BC, “Month of Magha. Vedic month Taps (Makara);
Uttarayana: Dakshina Gola; Sun in Dhanus, enters Makara on 7 th at hrs. 20-33.
Ayanamsha on 1st Magha :89° 59’ 30”. Further under the same date viz. 7-2-6303 BC.,
it would have said, Uttarayana”. Then in the same line it would have published sun
enters Mesha at hrs 20-45. Then it would have been ‘Meshadi. Vaishakhi. Chadak Puja,
Chairoba” It would have also been the start of the month of Vaishakha, obviously (and
simultaneously with the start of Magha)!
I hope you have realized the hilarious (tragic!) situation our “Rashtriya
Panchanga” and their ilk like Lahiri Ephemeris besides all the Panchanakars of India,
apart from the “Vedic astrologers” like “Vamadeva” and “Parashara” and “Vedic
16
astronomers” like Messrs Subhash Kak and Company would have created then! Mesha
Sankranti and Karkata Sankranti falling on the same day - nay in the same hour!
Karkata Sankranti coinciding with Tula Sankranti! Tula Sankranti and Makara Sankranti
being celebrated simultaneously and Makara Sanranti coinciding exactly with Mesha
Sankanti! It would have also meant, “Madhava – the Vedic Vaishakha coinciding with
Shravana; Vedic Nabhas viz Shravana coinciding with Kartika; Vedic Urja also known as
Kartika coinciding with Magha; Vedic Tapas also known as Magha coinciding with
Vaishakha! It is not only these four cardinal “months” that would have got juxtaposed
with one another, but in fact all the months would have been coinciding with the months
that were supposed to fall after ninety days i.e. three months! And still Messrs “Subhas
Kak, Vamadev, Parashar & Co.” would like us to believe that at the most “it would be out
of step by one”. What a “sensible” statement! Only “Vedic astronomers” are bestowed
with such extraordinary “insight” into the real “Vedic Rashichakra”!
“Rashtriya Panchanga” in 6685 AD:
The above was the position of the Rashichakra with an “almighty” Lahiri
Ayanamsha of +90°. Now let us have a look at the position when the same ayanamsha
will be -90° i.e. in 6685 AD---less than five thousand years from today. For our “Vedic
astrologers” and “Vedic astronomers” It will be exactly the reverse of the above. Instead
of Lahiri Karkat coinciding with Vedic Mesha, as in 6303 BC, it will be Lahiri Makar that
will coincide with the Vedic Mesha on 20-3-6685 AD and instead of Lahiri Tula coinciding
with the Vedic Karkat as in 6303 BC, it will be Lahiri Mesha that will coincide with it
on18-6-6685. Then again instead of Lahiri Makar coinciding with the Vedic Tula as in
6303 BC, it will be Lahiri Karkat that will coincide with it on18-9-6685 and last of all,
instead of Lahiri Mesha coinciding with the Vedic Makar as in 6303 BC, it will be Lahiri
Tula that will coincide with it on 20-12-6685. Consequently, instead of Lahiri Shravana,
it will be Lahiri Magha that will coincide with Vaishakha! Instead of Lahiri Kartika Lahiri
Vaishakha will coincide with Vedic Shravana! In place of Lahiri Magha, Lahiri Shravana
will coincide with Vedic Kartika! And finally, not Lahiri Vaishakha but Lahiri Karitka will
coincide with the Vedic Magha!
“Fixed Ayanamsha of 23° 15’ 0” as on March 21, 1956!”
Then we must also bear in mind that our “Calendar Makers to the nation” i.e.
India Meteorological Department and Positional Astronomy Centre, have a fixed
Ayanamsha as indicated above! And do you know the purpose of the same? Let us hear
their “most scientific” explanation of the same (page 477 of Indian Astronomical
Ephemeris), “The solar months recommended for the religious calendar such as Saura
Vaishakha, Saura Jyaishtha, etc. by the Calendar Reform Committee in 1955 have been
reckoned from the moments when the apparent longitude of the Sun equals 23° 15’, 53°
15’ and so on. The calculation for this purpose has thus been done not with a variable
ayanamsa as in the case of rasis and nakshatras but with a fixed ayanamsa of 23° 15’.
These months are shown for purpose of illustration only, but are not used in practice for
actual luni-solar adjustment”. If we interpret these “guidelines” in the light of the
position of “Rashtriya Panchanga” in 6300 BC and 6685 AD, we will have to start every
solar month three times every year --- once when the real Vedic ingress takes place;
then when the Lahiri ingress takes place and then in between the two when the “fixed
Ayanamsha” ingress takes place which must be after about 24 days of the real Vedic
ingress!
“Out of step by six” ----a complete “Shirshasana”!: Subhash Kak had said, “At
worst we get a sequence of rashis which is out of step by one”. But we have seen that if
in 6300 BC Lahiri Mesha Sankranti coincided with the real Vedic “Karkata Sankranti”, but
in 6685 AD Lahiri Tula Sankranti will coincide with the same “Vedic Karkata Sankranti”.
In 6300 BC it was “behind by three steps” and in 6685 AD it will be “ahead by three
steps”. That means Lahiri Sankrantis virtually turning on their head! These sankrantis
will be “out of step by six” from their own “ghosts” since six is the number of rashis
17
between Mesha and Tula Sankanti! In other words, it will be a complete “Shirshasana” -- headlong posture---from the postion that had obtained in 6300 BC!
I wonder why these “eminent Vedic astronomers” do not even do their spade
work properly!
Real Vedic Rishis were real geniuses:
Thus whichever way we look at it, it is best to let the “Rashis” remain conspicuous
by their absence in the Vedas as otherwise it will land us in such troubles from which
even our real Vamadeva and Parashara Rishis will not be able to pull us out since they
never talked about any “Rashis”. That is why I had summarized the situation on page
111 of my “Shri Krishen Universal Ephemeris & Panchang” for 2001 in the following
words:
“Our Vedic Rishis had a lot of common sense and love for Nature. They did not
qualify the month of Vernal Equinox by January or Mesha but Madhav. It was immaterial
for them as to when it took place - whether in March or June (supposing that somehow
these names did exist then!) They would call it Madhav because of its ‘honey like
qualities’. They were equally least bothered about whether it was the same Vernal
Equinox that was taking place year after year or whether it was a new (precesed) one --they could not care less since all their rituals were circumambulating around the seasons
and lunar phases! Thus when Maharshi Valmiki or Goswami Tulsidas say it was Chaitra
and Madhumas at Rama’s birth, as it had nothing to do with the zodiac, it was the real
Madhu and the month of Chaitra related to seasons, which can happen only if the
nakshatra (equal) division of 13° 20’ is linked to seasons and thus to Sayana Rashis!”
It boils down to the fact that Constellations are constellations and Rashis are
rashis --- the latter, whether sayana or so called nirayana, cannot be juxtaposed with
the former. It is this very constellational belt of irregular dimensions comprising thirteen
(and not twelve) prominent Constellations that is known as zodiac --- which is neither
nirayana nor Sayana---neither “sidereal” (sic!) nor “tropical”.
“Rashi” numbers in the Vedas: Subhash Kak, on page 14 of the same article, has
also gone to the length of “proving” that the names of Rashis are directly related to the
numbers of months in the Vedas by making fantastic statements like “the ninth month
relates to ‘Archer’ i.e. Sagitarius” and so on! Though we have already seen that there is
no ghost of Rashis in the Vedas, even presuming that some “Vedic astronomers” have
proved “astrological signs” therein, it is surprising as to how they can be related to the
numbers of months. E.g. Kak has himself said on page 13 , “Figure 1: …The first Rashi
is Vrisha with the corresponding month of Vaishakha” which means then that the 9th
Rashi should have been Capricorn and not Sagittarius. Further he has shown that in
about 3000 BC, VE took place in Kritikas and therefore Taurus. The ninth month then
would have been the “Goat” (Capricorn) and not the “Archer” (Sagittarius). By the same
logic in 6000 BC, as per Subhash Kak himself, since in 6000 BC Vernal Equinox was
falling in Punarvasu, it means that Rashichakra would have to be counted from Karka
Rashi and the ninth Rashi would have been then Mina and not the so called “Archer” as
Kak would like us to believe!
It is sad that a scholar like Subhash Kak should have
missed such contradistinctive quagmires.
“Vedic astrology” and “Vedic astrologers”: Subhash Kak has said on page 318 of
his work “Astronomy Across Cultures” published by Kluwer Academic Publishers, London,
“Although it is certain that the planets were studied by the Rigvedic people, we do not
find a single place in the texts where the names are listed together”. Obviously, the first
part of this statement is a surmise whereas the second part is a “Statement of facts”. I
would go to the length of stating further that let alone at one place, there is no mention
of Budha (Mercury), Mangal (Mars), Shani (Saturn) at all, even if we somehow believe
that by Vena planet Shukra (Venus) is meant in the Vedas! (We are here overlooking the
fact that Venus is not a Sanskrit name and Vena is a king as per the Puranas who lived
the life of a “debauchee” and had to meet with a premature death due to the curse of
Brahmins who later churned his body to bring forth a pious king named Prithu!).
18
Everybody knows that Vedic Rishis were not shy of declaring in unambiguous
terms what they perceived and if at all they had desired to “describe” planets they would
certainly have done so as they had done about the sun, moon and “Swarbhanu” – lunar
nodes. Even Brihaspati (Jupiter) is not referred to as a planet in any of the Vedas but
only as the preceptor of gods.
Longitudes of nakshatras in the Vedic times: Aitreya Brahmana, I, 1.2.1 says that
Krittikas are the “Mukham” i.e., “face” (or the “mouth”) of nakshatras. Suppose our
Vedic Rishis wanted to “measure” the position of this nakshatra. The question arises as
to wherefrom was this “face” or “mouth” to be measured! Subhash Kak also says by
Kritikas the Vedas meant Pleiades. There is no problem if it was to be measured from
the Vernal Equinox as is being done these days. As per the FK5 catalogue of Stars, the
actual longitude of Alcyone would then have been 350° 34’ 32” i.e. less by about 9.5
degrees/days from the date of Vernal Equinox as on January 1, 3000 BC. The longitude
of Alcyone these days is about 60° -2’. We can see from the above constellational Table
that the sun’s sojourn in Taurus constellation starts earlier by about seven degrees/days
of its conjunction with Alcyone these days. There being nothing to the contrary on
record, we can safely presume that the distance between the starting of Taurus
constellation and the Alcyone Star was the same even in 3000 BC. i.e. it was about
seven degrees. But then since the Pleiades cluster does not stretch over more than two
degrees, it means Krittikas would have included some other prominent cluster also
because Shatapatha Brahmana 2/1/2/2 is very clear that “Though other nakshatras have
just one, two or three or four nakshatras but these Kritikas have many”. We also see
Krittikas being listed as the first nakshatra right from the time of the Yajurveda through
Shatapatha Brahmana to Vedanga Jyotisha to Vishnu Purana---which means that right
from at least 3000 BC to about 500 BC the Vernal Equinox was falling in this “nakshatra”
as otherwise it would not have got such a place of pride. For about 2500 years the
precession would have been 2500/71.5=35 degrees whereas the total sweep of the
entire Taurus constellation is about 37.5 degrees as per IAU. Surprisingly, we do not
see any reference to the VE falling either in Rohini or Bharani in the Vedas, Brahmanas
or even the Puranas though these nakshatras also have been listed in the Vedas as well
as the Puranas. Besides, sidhantas refer to “Paushanantam to Bhaganam” i.e. Ashvini --the First Point of Aries. We know that that there are no first or second or even third
magnitude Stars in either the modern “Krittikas” i.e. Pleaides nor in Bharani group, nor
in Ashvini nakshatra, for that matter. But since all the Vedas eulogize Krittikas, the only
reason is that it must have included what is now known as “Rohini” in the equal division
because that is the only group which contains several Bright Stars. If we confine
ourselves to “Pleaides” only, the VE could not be around “Krittika nakhatra” then for
more than 71.5X13.3333=953.3333 i.e. at the most for about a thousand years. The
longitude of Krittika nakshatra even in the earlier unequal division of Garga etc. is equal
to the daily mean motion of 13° 10’ 35” but that of Rohini nakshatra is one and a half
times to that i.e. 19° 15’ 52”. Together these two “nakshatras” thus account for 32° 26’
27”. We give below the longitudes of all the prominent stars of “Rohini” as on January 1,
3000 B.C and 1300 BC together with their magnitudes etc.
No.
3000 BC
1300 BC
Mag
distan
Alcyone
Eta Tauri
Krittika
139 350° - 35’
14° - 15’
2.86
541
Aldebaran
Alpha Tauri
Rohini
168
0° - 37’
23° - 59’
0.85
68
BetaOrionis
Rigel
194
7° - 35’
31° - 0’
0.14
900
GamaOrionis
Bellatrix
201
11° - 40’
35° - 10’
1.64
360
Brahmahrid
AlphaAurigae
Capella
193
12° - 47’
36° - 6’
0.08
42
EpsilonOrionis
Anilam
210
14° - 7’
36° - 49’
1.71
1600
Thus the sun’s sojourn in Krittikas, if their starting point coincided with the starting point
of Taurus constellation, would have started earlier by about seven days if the Vernal
Equinox was to be taken to the starting point.. In other words, the Equinoctial point
would have started being in the constellation of Taurus by about 3000 BC minus (17X72
19
=) 1224 years which would be about 4200 BC. Subhash Kak says that VE was in Rohini
in 3000 BC, presumably on the basis of a so called equal division of nakshatras.
However, he has contradicted himself on page 18 by saying that the epoch where it is
stated that Krittika never swerve from the east correspond to 2950 BC. Let us see
whether it is astronomically feasible. The longitude of Aldebaran (Alpha Tauri) as on Jan
1, 3000 B.C was 0° 33’ 36”. Obviously the VE was almost conjunct that star. Now we
cannot have a cake and eat it as well -- either the VE is in Krittikas then or it was in
Rohini. The problem arises only when we opt for a so called equal division as otherwise
“Rohini” is actually in Taurus constellation!
Kritika (Pleiades) nakshatra does not have any star of such an extraordinary
magnitude from which it could be measured! Even Subhash Kak has not listed any
prominent star in this “nakshatra” though he has listed stars in Rohini, Ardra etc.
However, let us suppose that even our Vedic Rishis measured it from Alcyone, which is
the “brightest” star of Pleiades since its visual magnitude is 2.86 whereas all other stars
have a visual magnitude of more than 3.5. As we know the more the magnitude of a
Star, the more difficult it is to visualize it with the naked eye. So if the Vedic Rishis had
started the nakshatra charka from some “visible milepost” instead of the Vernal Equinox,
it would have been obviously Alcyone. Thus it would have been the zero point then. If
so, then Krittikas started in “Mesha” and not Vrisha! Even if for the sake of argument we
agree that the sun was in Vrisha at the time of VE, we cannot forget that in equal
division of nakshatras, Krittikas start in Mesha and not Vrisha! So even then the
Rashichakra would have started from Mesha, though from the fag end!
When to celebrate Sankrantis?
Coming back to the “Rashichakra” -- Western astrologers have de-linked the
Rashis from their namesake constellations and mercifully declared them openly to be
tropical and related to seasons. On the other hand, “Vedic astrologers” are deceiving the
entire Vedic Hindu community by insisting that Rashis were “invented/discovered” by
Vedic Rishis and these are linked to constellations/nakshatras!
Supposing for the sake of argument that there is any “Capricorn” i.e. Makara
Rashi in the Vedas, it has to be the constellation Capricornus. But then it has nothing to
do with the Rashi of that name whether sayana or nirayana. As explained in the above
table, this constellation actually ranges from 300° to 326°.5 as compared to today’s
Vernal Equinox and thus these days the sojourn of the sun starts in it from January 21
instead of December 21 (Sayana) or January 14 (Lahiri)! We have seen that Winter
Solstice actually regressed from “Capricornus” into Sagittarius in 131 BC. We have also
seen as to how it is impossible to link the actual constellations either to sayana or to
nirayana Rashis or Nakshatra-chakras. That is why our Vedic Rishis never tried to do the
impossible of linking either the Vishuva or the seasons like Vasanta etc. or the months
like Madhu, Madhava etc. to them, because they knew that it was an impossible task!
All they would say was, “We should get consecrated at the time of Kritikas because they
are the most visible and/or the first of the “nakshatras”” i.e. because the “Vishuva” i.e.
the Vernal Equinox was falling in that “nakshatra” then.
This is exactly the reasons for my saying that unfortunately, these days we are
celebrating our festivals neither as per the constellation belt nor as per the real Vedanga
Jyotish! E.g. if we want to correlate our Makar Sankranti these days to the constellation
of that name, then we have to celebrate it neither on December 21, 2002 (Uttarayana)
nor on January 14, 2003 (Lahiri) but on January 21 since it is on that date when the sun
will enter that constellation actually! That is why I have been crying hoarse that our
“Jyotishis” have denuded us of any sense of real astronomy whether Vedic or modern
and in the name of “Vedic astrology” our present “Varahamihiras”, “Vamadevas” and
“Parasharas” are cocking a snook on the real Vedic Vamadevas and Parasharas! You can
rest assured that they are doing it at their own peril now since the facts are being
brought to the notice of a common man and the day is not far off when they will be
caught “red-handed” while cheating on the real Vedic Rishis.
Puranas/Sidhantas and the Rashis:
20
You may ask me as to why I keep on repeating then that Makar Sankranti is
another name of Uttarayana! It is a very valid question but if you read my articles in my
ephemerides etc. carefully, I have not said anywhere that it is my opinion! I have
quoted the Surya Sidhanta and other sidhantas besides the Vishnu Purana, Shrmiad
Bhagavata etc. scriptures as saying that “Makar Sankranti and Uttarayana start
simultaneously” or “Makar Sankranti is another name of Uttarayana”! I have also
indicated it several times that our Puranas have juxtaposed Mesha etc. Rashis with
Madhava etc. names of Vedic months and thus blurred the distinction completely --which means that our sidhantas and Puranas went by only a seasonal Rashichakra --without bothering to link those Rashis with the constellations of similar names! But right
now we are concerned here with the “Vedas and the Rashis” and not “Puranas and the
Rashis” since Puranas are definitely of a later date.
Intercalation (Adhika/Kshyaya-masa) can be related only to seasonal and thus
tropical months: We have seen that Uttarayana took place on February 7, 6303 BC
and Lahiri Makar Sankranti was earlier by about three months i.e. on November 8, 6304
BC. Thus if lunar months were to be pegged to Lahiri Rashis it would have been a lunar
Magha and New Year on November 30, 5999 BC (TDT) though it would have been the
Vedic month of Urja then! The actual Magha and Lunar New Year as per the Vedanga
Jyotisha would have started on February 18, 6000 BC since that would have been the
day of the first New Moon after Uttarayana in the month of Tapah. Similarly, any
“adhika/kshyaya-masa” could be related only to the real Uttarayana etc. and not to
Lahiri or Ramana or Kharegat etc. dozens of (the unborn!) artificial Uttarayanas!
Vedic solar months vis-à-vis lunar months: Subhas Kak has listed on page 11 of his
article “Babylonian and Indian astronomy” 12 lunar months and given their presiding
deities but then he has started Vaishakha from Bharani nakshatra on page 12 saying
that first Rashi is Vrishabha corresponding to Vaishakha! I have given an avalanche of
proofs in my earlier ephemerides, especially the 1999 one quoting all the Vedas,
Upanishads, Puranas, Itihasas, Smritis and sidhantas that Sayana Mesha is the first solar
month and the lunar months are related to these very sayana i.e. seasonal months.
Since Subhash Kak has himself given the names of Vedic months as Madhu, Madhav etc.
and tried to quote Vishnupurana for Vrisha and not the Mesha Rashi as the first month
of Vaishakha, let us quote what we had said on pages 87 and 88 of our ephemeris for
1999,
“This is what Maharshi Prashara has to say in Shri Vishnupurana 2nd Amsha
Eighth Adhyaya (verses 27 to 89) Jhfo".kqiqjk.k
dqykypØi;ZUrkss
Hkzeés"k
fnokdj%A
djksR;gLrFkk
jkf=a
foeqapUesfnuha f}tAA27AA
v;uL;ksÙkjL;knkS edja ;kfr HkkLdj%A rr% dqEHka p ehua p jk'ks
jk';Urja f}tAA28AA
f="osrs"oFk Hkqäs"kq rrks oS"kqorha xfre~A iz;kfr lfork dqoZégksjk=a
rr% lee~AA29AA
rrks jkf=% {k;a ;kfr o)Zrs·uqfnua fnue~AA30AA
rr'p feFkquL;kUrs ijka dk"Bkeqikxr%A jkf”kaa ddZVda izkI; dq#rs
nf{k.kk;ue~AA31AA
lw;kZs
}kn'kfHk%
'kS?z;kUeqgwrSZnZf{k.kk;usA
=;ksn'kk)Ze`{kk.kkeg~uk rq pjfr f}tAA
eqgwrZSLrkon`{kkf.k uäe"Vkn'kS'pju~AA34AA
dqykypØe/;LFkks ;Fkk eUna izliZfrA rFkksnx;us lw;Z% liZrs
eUnfoØe%AA35AA
21
rLekíh?kZsu dkysu HkwfeeYika rq xPNfrA v"Vkn'keqgwrZa ;nqÙkjk;.k
if'pee~AA36AA
vgHkZofr rPpkfi pjrs eUnfoØe%AA37AA
eUnkg~fu ;fLeé;us 'kh?kzk uäa rnk xfr%A 'kh?kzk fuf'k ;nk pkL; rnk
eUnk fnok xfr%AA42AA
,dizek.kesoS"k ekxZa ;kfr fnokdj%A vgksjk=s.k ;ks Hkq³~äs leLrk jk'k;ks
f}tAA43AA
"kMso jk'khu~ ;ks Hkq³~äs jk=koU;k”p "kM~fnokAA44AA
jkf'kizek.k tfurk nh?kZgzLokRerk fnusAArFkk fu'kk;ka jk'kkhuka
izek.kSyZ?kqnh?kZrkAA45AA
fnuknsnhZ?kgzLoRoa rn~HkksxsuSo tk;rsAA mÙkjs izØes 'kh?kzk fuf'k
eUnk xfrfnZokAA46AA
nf{k.ks Ro;us pSo foijhrk fooLor%AA47AA
n'kiapeqgwrZa oS vgoZS"kqora Le`re~AA65AA
o)Zrs gzlrs pSokI;;us nf{k.kksÙkjsAAvgLrq xzlrs jkf=a jkf=xzZlfr
oklje~AA66AA
'kj}lUr;kseZ/;s fo"kqoa rq foHkkO;rsAA rqykes"kxrs HkkukS lejkf=fnua
rq rr~AA67AA
ddZVkofLFkrs HkkukS nf{k.kk;ueqP;rsAA mÙkjk;.keI;qäa edjLFks
fnokdjsAA68AA
f=a'kUeqgwrZa dfFkregksjk=a rq ;Ue;kAA rkfu iapn'k czãu~ ;}k
bR;fHk/kh;rsAA69AA
ekl% i{k};suksäks }kS eklkS pkdZtko`rq%AA_rq=;a pkI;;ua }s·;us
o"kZlafKrsAA70AA
laoRljkn;%
iap
prqekZl
fodfYirk%AA
fu'p;%
loZdkyL;
;qxfeR;fHk/kh;rsAA71AA
laoRljLrq
izFkeks
f}rh;%
ifjoRlj%AA
b}RljLr`rh;Lrq
prqFkZ'pkuqoRlj%AA
oRlj% iape'pk= dkyks·;a ;qx lafKr%AA72AA
;% “osrL;ksÙkj% 'kSy% J`³~xokfufr foJqr%AA =hf.k rL; rq J`³~xkfu
;Sj;a J`³~xokULe`r%AA73AA
nf{k.ka pksÙkja pSo e/;a oS"kqora rFkkAA 'kj}lar;kseZ/;s rn~Hkkuq%
izfri|rsAA
es"kknkS p rqyknkS p eS=ks; fo"kqofRLFkr%AA74AA
rnk rqY;egksjk=a djksfr frfejkig%AAn'kiapeqgwrZa oS rnsrnqHk;a
Le`re~AA75AA
izFkes
ÑfÙkdkHkkxs
;nk
HkkLokaLrnk
'k'khAAfo'kk[kkuka
prqFkZas·'ks equs fr"BR;la'k;e~AA76AA
fo'kk[kkuka
;nk
lw;Z'pjR;a'ka
r`rh;de~A
rnk
pUæa
fotkuh;kRÑfÙkdkf'kjfl fLFkre~AA77AA
rnSo fo"kqok[;ks·;a dky% iq.;ksfHk/kh;rsArnk nkukfu ns;kfu nsosH;%
iz;rkRefHk%AA78AA
22
czã.ksH;%
fir`H;'p
eq[kesrÙkq
nkuteAAnÙknkuLrq
ÑrÑR;ks·fHktk;rsAA79AA
riLriL;kS e/kqek/kokS p 'kqØ% 'kqfp'pk;ueqÙkja L;kr~AA
fo"kqos
uHkksuHkL;kS p b"kLrFkkstZLlg% lgL;kfofr nf{k.ka rr~AA81AA f}rh;
va] v0 8
”The whole second Chapter of Second Amsha of Shri Vishu Purana is in fact like a
commentary on the Mantras of the Vedas, Upanishads and Brahmana quoted above. It
is also a complete 'lesson' on the phenomenon of seasons. In the simplest of terms and
plain poetic language and meters it says, 'The sun enters Makara on the day of
Uttarayana which is the shortest day in the year and it goes on increasing during the
sun’s transit of Kumbha and Mina. Days and nights are equal on Vishuva day when the
sun enters Mesha Rashi. After that the duration of the days gets longer than that of the
nights and it becomes longest on the day of Dakshinayana when the sun enters Karkata
Rashi. Vishuv---Equinoxes----occur in the midst of the Sharad and Vasant Ritus and
the days and nights are then equal on the Mesha and Tula Sankranti days of thirty ghatis
each. Any charities given during the Ayana and Vishuva Sankrantis viz on the days of
transit of the sun into Makara, Mesha, Karkata and Tula yield thousand-fold results.
Dakshinayana takes place when the sun is in Karkata and Uttarayana when the sun is in
Makara.
A five year yuga starts after the Uttarayana in the following manner:
Samvatsarah, Parivatsarah, Idvatsarah, Anuvatsarah and Vatsarah. The Uttarayana
months of Makara to Mithuna (viz. Makara, Kumbha, Mina, Mesha, Vrisha and Mithuna)
are also known respectively as Tapah, Tapasya, Madhu, Madhava, Shukra and Shuchih
whereas the Dakshinayana months of Karkata to Dhanu (viz Karkata, Simha, Kanya,
Tula, Vrischik and Dhanu) are also known as Nabah, Nabhasya, Isha, Urja, Saha and
Sahasya respectively'.
"In verses 43 to 45, we find mention of the sun passing through twelve Rashis in
a day of sixty ghatis. It is clearly an explanation of the signs rising on the eastern
horizon as these verses mention clearly that the sun takes unequal time to cover these
Rashis of equal length i.e. 30º each. There is absolutely no doubt that even these are
Tropical and not any Lahiri or Ramana Lagnas!
“Obviously, there could hardly be a worse rebuke to and a better rebuttal of the
presumptions of these predictive astrologers (actually frauds) that Parashara Rishi was
following and advocating some Lahiri Rashichakra (One of the translators of the so called
Brihat Parashara has had the hardihood of making such foolish statements as 'Lahiri
Ayanamsha is the first best!').
“Verses 77 to 81 link Krittika Nakshatra to Mesha Rashi and Vernal Equinox and
Vishakha Nakshatra and Tula Rashi to Autumn Equinox. It means that the Nakshatra
division also was Sayana and strated with the Krittika nakshatra and Tropical sign Aries
(Mesha) In those days” just like that of the Surya Siddhanta!
Obvioulsy, the Vishnu Purana has more or less replicated the Surya Sidhanta
Rashichakra, with the names of Vedic months Madhu, Madhava also being clubbed with
those very Sayana rashis, as we shall see shortly!
“REAL VEDIC SEERS WERE CELEBERATING ALL THE FESTIVAL INCLUDING
MAHASHIVARATRI AND NAVARATRAS AS PER TROPICAL SOLAR AND SOLILUNAR MONTHS AND NOT AS PER SOME LAHIRI OR RAMANA SOLAR OR LUNAR
MONTHS:
“Vishnu Purana” says further in Eleventh Adhyaya of Second Amsha (verses 3 to 19):
/kkrk
ØrqLFkyk
pSo
iqyLR;ks
oklqfdLrFkkA
jFkHk`n~xzke.khgsZfrLrqEcq#'pSo lIre%AA3AA
,rs olfUr oS pS=s e/kqekls lnSo fgA eS=s; L;Unus Hkkuks% lIr
eklkf/kdkfj.k%AA4AA
v;Zek iqyg'pSo jFkkStk% iaqftdLFkykAA izgsfr% dPNohj'p ukjn'p jFks
jos%AA5AA
23
ek/kos fuolUR;srs 'kqfplaKs fucks/k esAA6AA
fe=ks·f=Lr{kdks j{k% ikS#"ks;ks·Fk esudkAA gkgk jFkLou'pSo eS=s;srs
olfUr oSAA7AA
o#.kks ofl"Bks ukx'p lgtU;k gwgw jFk%AA jFkfp=kLrFkk 'kqØs
olUR;k"kk<laKdsAA8AA
bUæks fo'okolq% lzksr ,ykiq=LrFkkf³~xjk%AAizEykspk p uHkL;srs
lfiZ'pkdssZ olfUr oSAA9AA
fooLokuqxzlsu'p Hk`xqjkiwj.kLrFkkAA vuqEykspk 'k³~[kikyks O;k?kzks
Hkkæins rFkkAA10AA
iw"kk olq#fpokZrks xkSreks·Fk /kuat;%AA lq"ks.kks·U;ks ?k`rkph p
olUR;k'o;qts jokSAA11AA
fo'okolqHkZj}kt% itZU;SjkorkS rFkkAAfo'okph lsuftPpki% dkfrZds p
olfUr oSAA12AA
va'kdk’;ir{;kZLrq
egkin~eLrFkksoZ'khAAfp=lsuLrFkk
fo|qUekxZ'kh"kZs·f/kdkfj.k%AA13AA
_rqHkZxLrFkks.kkZ;q%
LQwtZ%
ddksZVdLrFkkAA
vfj"Vusfe'pSokU;k iwoZfpfÙkoZjkIljk%AA14AA
ikS"kekls
olUR;srs
lIr
HkkLdje.MysAA
yksdizdk'kukFkkZ;
foizo;kZf/kdkfj.k%%AA15AA
Ro"Vk’p tenfXu'p dEcyks·Fk fryksÙkekAAczãksisrks·Fk _rftn~
/k`rjk"Vªks·Fk lIre%AA16AA
ek?kekls olUR;srs lIr eS=s; HkkLdjsAAJw;rka pkijs lw;sZ QkYxqus
fuolfUr ;sAA17AA
fo".kqj'orjks jEHkk lw;ZopkZ’p lR;ftr~AA fo'okfe=LrFkk j{kks ;Kksisrks
egkequsAA18AA
ekls"osrs"kq
eS=s;
olUR;srs
rq
lIrdk%AAlforqeZ.Mys
czãfUo".kq’kDR;qic`‘afgrk%AA19AAf}rh; va'k v0 11
“In the very first verse i.e. the third verse of the Adhyaya quoted above it has
been said “Dhata, Kratu, Pulastya, Vasuki, Rathabrid, Gramani and Tumburu—these
seven ‘officer-bearers’ reside always in the chariot of he Sun during the month of Madhu
ALSO KNOWN AS CHAITRA”. Then in verse No. 8, similarly, names of ‘office-bearers’
presiding over the month of Shukra have been given but here also its synonym ASHADA
has been listed simultaneously. In fact in all the above verses we find that ABSOLUTELY
NO DISTINCTION HAS BEEN MADE BETWEEN THE VEDIC NAMES OF SOLAR MONTHS
LIKE MADHU, MADHAVA ETC. AND THEIR LUNAR NAMES LIKE CHAITRA, VAISHAKHA
ETC”.
Let us give a running translation of verses 77 to 81 of the Tenth Adhyaya and
also see their implications with respect to the names of Lunar Months as per the verses
of Eleventh Adhyaya. It is “When the sun is in the first part of Krittika then (on the full
Moon day) the moon is definitely in the last part of Vishakha and when the Sun is in the
third quarter of Vishakha the Moon (on the full Moon day) has to be definitely in the first
part of Krittika. These are the days of Equinoxes without any doubt”.
We have already seen that as per verse 67 of Chapter 10,”It is Vishuva (Equinox)
when the sun is in Mesha or Tula and the days and nights are equal then throughout the
globe”. These two months after the equinoctial month have been named as Madhava
and Urja in verse number 81, leaving no body in doubt that these are the Vedic months
and therefore seasonal and therefore tropical instead of the so called Lahiri or Ramana.
Then in Adhyaya 11, verse 3, Madhu has been named as Chaitra. In other words, lunar
24
Chaitra starts immediately after Solar Mina Sankranti and therefore with the Spring
Equinox i.e. the month of Mahdava, when the sun is in Mesha, it is Vaishakha and so on
as per Vishnupurana. It is, therefore, surprising as to how Subhash Kak has clubbed
Vrishabha Sun with lunar Vaishakha on the shoulers of Vishnu Purana, when in an
unequivocal manner, Chaitra has been linked to the month of Mahdu and the sun in
Mina, and Vaishakha to sun in Mesha, as seen above.
CLEARLY, EVEN THE LUNAR MONTHS HAVE BEEN PEGGED TO SAYANA VEDIC
MONTHS IN THE PURANAS.
Now let us see what other Puranas have to say. We shall first of all take the
“Shrimad Bhagavata” of Maharshi Vyasa and see as to how we are being compelled by
these so called Vedic astrologers and Vedic astronomers to celebrate Janmashtami on
some imaginary Lahiri Shravana Krisha Ashtami (Fifth Skanda, adhyaya 21 and 22):
;Ue/;xrksHkxokaLrirkEifrLriu~
vkrisu
f=yksdha
izriR;oHkkl;R;kReHkklk
l
,"k
mnx;u
nf{k.kk;uoS"kqorlaKkfHkekZU|'kS?z;lekukfHkxZfrfHkjkjksg.kkojksg.kl
ekuLFkkus"kq ;FkklouefHki|ekuks edjkfn"kq jkf'k"ogksjk=kkf.k
nh?kZgzLolekukkfu fo/kÙksAA3AA
;nk es"krqy;ksoZrZrs rnkgksjk=kf.k lekukfu HkofUr ;nk o`"kHkkfn"kq
iaplq p jkf'k"kq pjfr rnkgkU;so o/kZUrs gzlfr p ekfl ekL;sdSdk ?kfVdk
jkf="kq AA4AA
;nk o`f'pdkfn"kq iaplq orZrs rnkgksjk=kkf.k foi;Z;kf.k HkofUrAA5AA
;koíf{k.kk;uegkfu o/kZUrs ;konqnx;ua jk=;%AA5AA iapaeLdU/k &
,dfoa'kksv/;k;%A
l ,"k Hkxokukfniq#"k ,o lk{kkékjk;.kks yksdkuka LoLr; vkRekua =;he;a
deZfo'kqf) fufeÙka _f"kfHkjfi p osnsu foftKkL;ekuks }k'k/kk foHkT;
"kV~lq olUrkfn"o`rq"kq ;Fkksitks"ke`rqx.kku~ fon/kfrAA3AA resrfeg
iq#"kL=;~;k
fo|;k
o.kkZJekpkjkuqiFkkmPpkopS%
deZfHkjkEukrS;kZsxforkuS'p J);k ;tUrks·atlk Js;% lef/kxPNfUrAA4AA
vFk l ,"k vkRek yksdkuka |koki`fFkO;ksjUrjs.k uHkksoy;L; dkypØxrks
}kn'keklkUHkq³~äs jkf'k laKku~ laoRljko;oku~ ekl% i{k};a fnok uäa psfr
likn{kZ};eqifn'kfUr ;kork "k"Bea'ka Hkaqthr l oS _rqfjR;qifn';rs
laoRljko;o%AA5AA iapeLdU/k & }kfoa'kksv/;k;%A
“Surya Bhagvan — the Sun god—energises the whole world by its slow or quick
movements vis-a-vis Uttarayana, Dakshinayana and Vishuvas.
The days are the
shortest on Makara Sankranti-cum-Uttarayana, equal with nights on Mesha Sankranticum-Vishuva, longest on Karkata Sankranti-cum-Dakshinayana and again equal with
nights on Tula Sankranti-cum-Vishuva. The self same Parmatma in the form of sun
divides Itself into twelve parts known as Rashis (which are) equal to six seasons of
Vasanta etc. of two months each. During the sojourn of one month, the sun covers two
and a quarter nakshatras. Each Ritu comprises two months which are one sixth of a
Samvatsara”.
It has said further in Book 12 Chapter 11---verses 34 to 46:
v;Zek iqygk·FkkStk% izgsfr% iaqftdkLFkyhA ukjn% dPNuhj”p
u;UR;srs Le ek/koe~AA34AA
/kkrk ÑrLFkyh gsrqokZlqdh jFkÑUequsA iqyLR;LrqEcq#fjfr e/kqekla
u;UR;ehAA35AA
25
ofl"Bks o#.kks jEHkk lg tU;LrFkk gqgq%A 'kqØf'p=Lou'pSo 'kqfpekla
u;UR;ehAA36AA
bUæks fo’okolq% Jksrk ,yki=LrFkkf³~xjk%A izEykspk jk{klks o;kZs
uHkksekla u;UR;ehAA37AA
fooLokuqxzlsu'p O;k?kz vklkj.kks Hk`xq%A vuqEykspk 'k³~[kikyks
uHkL;k[;a u;UR;ehAA38AA
iw"kk /kuat;ks okr% lq"ks.k% lq#fpLrFkkA ?k`rkph xkSre'psfr riksekla
u;UR;ehAA39AA
ØrqoZpkZ Hkj}kt% itZU;% lsuftÙkrFkkA fo'o ,sjkor'pSo riLkk[;a
u;UR;ehAA40AA
vFkka’kq% d’;iLrk{;Za _+rlsuLrFkksoZ’khA fo|qPN=qeZgk’k³~[k%
lgksekla u;UR;ehAA41AA
Hkx% LQwtksZ·fj’Vusfe:.kZ vk;q”p iape%A ddksZVd% iwoZfpfÙk%
iq’;ekla u;UR;ehAA42AA
Ro’Vk _phd ru;% dEcy”p fryksÙkekA czãkisrks·Fk “krftn~ /k`rjk’Vª
b”kEHkjk%AA43AA
Fo’.kqj”orjks jEHkk lw;ZopkZ”p lR;ftr~A fo”okfe=ks e[kkisr ÅtZekla
u;UR;ehAA44AA
,rk Hkxorks fo’.kksjkfnR;L; foHkwr;%A Lejrka la/;;ksu¤.kka gjUR;agks
fnus fnusAA45AA
In these verses the names of deities presiding over various Vedic months like Madhu,
Madhava etc. together with other attendant paraphernalia have been listed in the same
manner as in the Vishnuprana. What is noteworthy here is that in the 42nd verse the
month after Saha is Pushya instead of Sahasya which has been referred to in verse No.
41. It is a clear indication that for Maharshi Vyasa also there was no difference between
Mina, Mesha and Madhu, Madhava or Chaitra and Vaishakha respectively. THUS SHRI
KRISHNA WAS BORN IN A LUNAR SHRAVANA LINKED TO THE VEDIC I.E. TROPICAL
SHUCHI i.e.. KARKA SANKRANTI AND NOT SOME IMAGINARY LAHIRI OR RAMANA
SHRVANA KRISHNA ASHTAMI . WHEN THESE “VEDIC ASTROLOGERS” PREPARE LORD
KRISHNA’S NATAL CHART ALSO ON THE BASIS OF LAHIR/RAMANA SHRAVANA KRISHNA
ASHTAMIS AND “DELINEATE THE RESULTS CORRECTLY”, THEY ARE ONLY MAKING A
LAUGHING STOCK OF THEMSELVES ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT THE
BIRTH PARTICULARS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THESE VERY PURANAS ETC. Similarly,
when “Vedic astronomers” like Subhash Kak interpret these Puranas also in an atrocious
manner and claim with pride, “At worst, we get a sequence of Rashis which is out of step
by one (page 12 of Babylonian and Indian Astronomy)” one has to take their statements
not with a “pinch” but “at least a kilogram” of salt!
Vishnudharmotarapurana has correlated categorically the solar Vedic i.e.
seasonal months to the lunar months and Mesha etc. Rashis:
“Alberuni’s India” says that in his time the Vishnudharmotarapurana was held in the
highest esteem for deciding festivals etc.
Even the “original” i.e. the AdiShankaracharya (8th Century AD) has quoted several verses from the same Purana while
writing a commentary on Vishnusahsranama Shloka 14 and other works. This Purana
has listed in part III, Adhyaya 9 all the twelve Vedic solar months viz Madhu etc. and
correlated them with the lunar months in the following manner: Madhu – Chaitra;
Madhava – Vaishakha; Shukrah – Jyeshtha; Shuchih – Ashadha; Nabhah – Shravana;
Nabhasya – Praushthapada; Isha – Ashvyuja; Urja – Kartika; Sahah – Margasheersha;
Sahasyah – Paushah; Maghah – Tapah; Phalgunah – Tapasya. In the next verse of the
same chapter, it says, “It is Vishuva when the sun is in Tula and Mesha. From the end of
26
Dhanu (i.e. from the start of Makara) to the end of Mithuna (i.e. the beginning of
Karkata) it is Dakshinayana”..and so on.
Rashis in the Ramayana are an interpolation of a much later date: There is a lot
of confusion about the birth date/time of Bhagwan Rama since He is said to have been
born in “Navmi tithi coincident with Punarvasu nakshatra with the Moon and Jupiter in
Karkata”. That can definitely happen but the problem arises when we posit the sun in
Aries (Mesha) simultaneously. Let us analyze this situation thoroughly.
As per the Valmiki Ramayana, Balakanda, Canto 18, verses 7 to 10, “Sri Rama
was born after six seasons had elapsed since the yagnya was over. It was the month of
Chaitra, Shukla Paksha Navmi tithi, and Punarvasu Nakshatra with five planets either
exalted or in their own Rashis. He was born in Karkata Lagna with the Moon and Jupiter
therein”. Maharshi Valmiki has not said it anywhere that the sun was in Mesha! As we
have seen already, Chaitra is also another name of the Vedic month Madhu, the first
month of Vasanta Ritu.
Goswami Tulsidas also says the same thing in Balakanda 191 “Navmi tithi
madhumas puneeta, shukal paksha abhijit hari preeta”---“It was Madhumasa and Navmi
tithi of Shuklapaksha, in Abhijit Muhurta”. He has not said anywhere that the sun was in
Mesha.
It is only in the Adhyatma Ramayana 1/3/14-15 that we read “Mesham Poohsani
samprapte, pushpavrishtirpapata hai” i.e when the sun was in Mesha….”. However, in
the 14th verse of the same chapter it says,
“madhumase site paksha navmyam karkate shubhe, punarvasu riksha sahite uchhasthe
grahpanchake” i.e. it was shukla paksha (bright lunar half) of the month of Madhu,
Karkata lagna, navmi tithi, Moon in punarvasu nakshatra, and five planets either exalted
or in their own rashis”.
It is actually an astronomical impossibility that has been created by Adhyatma
Ramayana. If the month is Madhu the sun cannot be in Mesha since it is the start of
Madhava! However, if we go by the statements of “Vedic astrologers” and presume the
Rashis to be so called nirayana, the confusion becomes worst confounded! According to
Dr. B. V Rama’s “Notable Horoscopes” Ayanamsha at the time of Shri Krishna’s birth as
on July 19, 3228 BC, was +50° 40’. It means that the so called nirayana sankrantis
were earlier by about 51 days than their sayana counterparts. Obviously, at the time of
Shri Rama’s birth it would have been at least +60° i.e. at the start of the month of Vedic
Madhu, the sun would have just entered so called nirayana Makara!
There are now two options: we either presume the entire Adhyatma Ramayana to
be a concoction of the worst order or presume the astrological rashis as a later
interpolation! Personally, I feel that it is better to choose the lesser of two evils since I
find Adhyatma Ramayana full of Vedantic truths that cannot be easily found in a work of
absolute fiction!
The Rama-Gita in Adhyatma Ramayana is the best example of
expounding the Vedanta philosophy. Therefore, such astrological verses are plain
interpolations included by some early “Vedic astrologers” just as there are interpolations
in the Surya Sidhanta about the verses of Ayanamsha!
Similarly, as yet no astrologer has found the solution to the riddle as to how it
could be Navmi tithi, with the moon in Cancer and Punarvasu nakshatra if the sun was in
Mesha! For navmi tithi the moon has to be “ahead” by at least 96° from the sun. If the
sun is really in Mesha, the moon will be in Karkata, no doubt, but as Punarvasu
nakshatra ends just at 3° 20’ of Cancer, it cannot be possible because if the sun is even
in zero degrees of Mesha, the moon will have to be in at least sixth degree of Karkata for
navmi tithi to start! On the other hand, if we take the sun in Mina such a problem gets
automatically resolved since with the moon in Karkata, say at two degrees, the sun
would have been earlier by 96° i.e. in 26th degree of Mina.
Was Shri Rama born with the sun in Karkata or the sun in Mesha?
The Valmiki Ramayana itself has created a lot of confusion further in verses 15
and 16 of the same canto (18) when it states, “Bharata was born in Pushya nakshatra
and Mina lagna whereas the twin sons of Sumitra were born in Ashlesha nakshatra when
the sun was in Kuleera i.e. Cancer (Karkata) Rashi”. If Shri Rama was born with the sun
27
in Mina (Madhu) or Mesha (exalted) Lakshmana and Shattrugana, who were younger
than Rama by just a day-or-two could not have been born with the sun in Karkata. The
planetary position, except for the Moon and lagna would virtually have remained the
same more or less as that of Shri Rama. E.g. the Moon is the only “planet” that could
have changed signs but as Bharata was born in Pushya and Lakshmana and Shatrugna in
Ashlesha, even that “fasterst moving planet” was in the same sign as that of Shri Rama
viz. Cancer i.e. Karkata because in “equal division of nakshtras”, Simha rashi starts with
the end of Ashlesha (and start of Magha) nakshatra! Irnoically, if the sun (besides the
Moon) also was in Cancer then it could not have been Shukla Paksha Navmi tithi for Shri
Rama but Krishna Paksha Trayodashi or Chatrudashi whereas Lakshmana and Shatrugna
must have been born in Krishna Chaturdashi/Amavasya! Besides, the month of Madhu
and the Sun in Cancer are just not compatible at all!
Do planets rule the divine incarnations or is it the other way round?
As a matter of fact, this astrological speculation about the number of “exalted
plantes in Shri Rama’s horoscope” is meaningless since our shastras are strictly against
astroloatory. No scripture has advised us to consult an astrologer for finding out as to
how we would fare in our lives. Besides, it may suit the evil designs of “Vedic
astrologers” to subjugate even the divine incarnations to planetary suzerainty, but it is
against the very grain and ethos of the real Vedic culture to believe in such nonsense. So
if there are any indications that planets lorded over the Omnipotent Lord also either in
the Ramayana or any Purana etc., they are certainly interpolations of later years.
Thus whichever way we look at it, it is safe to presume such “astrological
miracles”as interpolations of a much later date than having been inserted by Maharshi
Valmiki himself!
Therefore, the Ramanavmi that we are celebrating these days in the month of
Madhava is absolutely wrong since instead of Madhu, it is celebrated in Madhava, both
solar and lunar and that is against the letter and spirit of that very Ramayana by which
we swear! E.g. we will be asked to celebrate it on 18th of April in 2005, when the month
of Madhu will have ended on 21st of March and even that of Madhav will end just after
two days of that Ramanavmi!
Non existence of Rashis in the Mahabharata has a lot of significance: The
Mahabharata claims, and rightly so, that what is contained in that monumental work
may be found in other scriptures also but what is not there is impossible to be found
anywhere else! And we must rake our brains as to why there are no Rashis in the
Mahabharata when there are references to tithis and nakshatras etc. times without
number! Obviously, there were no Rashis prevailing in India at the time of the
Mahabharata!
Bhishma died in Magha immediately after Uttarayana! As per the same
Mahabharata, Shanti Parva 47/3, Anushasana Parva 167/5-6 and 27-28; Bhishma
Pitamaha was waiting for Uttarayana – and not Makara Sankranti! He is very emphatic
when he says, “It is now Magha and the sun has already turned towards north”. It could
not have been a Lahiri Magha (even Subhash Kak Magha!) since in about 2000 BC the
real Uttarayana wouild have taken place in Lahiri Phalguna if not earlier! It is only the
Vedanga Jyotisha Magha for which Bhishma was waiting. Obviously, the Bhishma
Ashtami we are celebrating is wrong. E.g. in 2005, we will be asked to celebrate this
festival on 16th of February when actually Uttarayana will take place on December 21,
2004 and the first Shukla Ashtami after that will be on January 17, 2005.
This is the type of respect we are showing for our “departed souls”---celebrating
even their shradhas on wrong days, thanks to these Kaliyugi Panchanga pandits!
“Sushruta Samhita” of 7th century BC also relates lunar months to seasons:
Sushruta, the famous ancient surgen, according to the article “History of Plastic Surgey
in India” by the Association of Plastic Surgeons of India, flourished around 6 th/7th century
BC. As per footnote on page 50 of “Orion” by B. G. Tilak, Suhsruta has said in Adhyaya 6
28
of his “Sutrasthana”, “There are twelve months starting with Magha and each season
comprising two months starting with Shishira ….”. Thus Tapah-cum-Magha was the first
month of the year after Uttarayana, on the Vedanga Jyotisha pattern in sixth century B C
also. Even Sushruta has not referred to any Rashis, which means they were conspicuous
by their absence even in his time!
Mahashivaratri and Magha: Obviously, the world famous Mahashivaratri will be the
first Krishna Trayodashi/Chaturdashi after that Magha Shukla Paksha which follows
Uttarayana immediately.
By the same logic, Utarayana in 2004 takes place on
December 21 and the Shukla Paksha after that starts on January 11, 2005 and Krishna
Paksha after that starts on January 26, 2005. Naturally, Magha (Phalguna in Northern
India) Krishna Trayodashi at Nishitha (midnight) will fall on February 6, 2005 and
Chaturdashi on February 7, 2005 but our “Kaliyugi Panchangamakers” advise us to
celebrate it on 7th/8th of March, 2005!
Real Vedic scholars (instead of today’s “pseudo scholars”) have related
intercalary (lunar) months to seasonal solar months: B. G. Tilak in his “Orion” has
made it clear that references to any intercalary months in the Vedas are on the basis of
a seasonal year and not some so called Lahiri or Ramana nirayana zodiac.
Same is the case with a Hindi translation of the Rigveda, published by L B Shastri
Sanskrit University, New Delhi. The Hindi translation as well as a Sanskrit commentary
have been written by Shivnath Ahitagni and Pt. Shankar Dutt Shastri. It was published
initially in 1904 i.e. exactly a century back.
There is a mantra 1/25/8 which reads as
Veda maso drit vrato dwadshaprajavatah, veda ya upajayate
It has been translated as “Varuna knows the twelve (solar) months and the (intercalary)
thirteenth month also”. The commentators have made it clear (exactly a century back)
that the thirteenth month is to be calculated as against a seasonal (tropica) year and not
the so called nirayana year!
Pt. Sudhakar Dwivedi has decried so called sideareal zodiac more than one and
a quarter century back:
A biography of the famous Hindi poet, Bharatendu
Harishchandra, by Babu Shivnandan Sahay has been published by Hindi Samiti,
Lucknow.
Pt. Sudhakar Dwivedi is well known as a Sanskrit commentator of
Panchasidhantika and Surya Sidhanta etc. He has prepared a horoscope of the said poet
in the same book. In his preface to that horoscope he has said on page 4, “There is no
doubt that planets were calculated on tropical basis in India during the last several
centuries and horoscopes also were prepared accordingly. It has been just out of sheer
lethargy on the part of our “jyotishis” that they stopped observing the actual longitudes
of the sun, moon etc. through gnomon etc. and resorted to some myth called
ayanamsha with the result that the so called nirayana rashichakra was invented”. He
had written this in 1883 AD, i.e. about 120 ears back!
Misinterpretation of Vedic Mantras: Some “Vedic astrologers” say that there are
references to “Shani” (Saturn) in the Vedas as there are Mantras like “Shan-nodevirabhishtay, Apo Bhavantu peetaye; Shamyorabhi sravantu-nah” (Shukla Yajurveda
36/12) becaue the word “Shan” is there. Nothing could be further from the truth since
the plain and simple meaning of this Mantra is “Let the gods bestow desired blissful
objects on us; Let the waters flowing in all directions shower ‘sham’ – peace on us”.
In the same vein, Sukta I, 154 of the Rigveda is interpreted by some astrologers
to mean that this mantra has reference to “fixed signs (Rashis) Taurus, Leo and
Aquarius”! What a fantastic statement!
The first Mantra of this Sukta refers to Vishnu’s three strides in which He
“measured” the entire universe. The second Mantra says, “Vishnu, residing in mountain
tops, like a ‘Mrigon Bhimah….” i.e. “like a terrible Mrigah”. This word (“Mrigah”) has
been defined by Sir Monier Williams in his “Sanskrit English Dictionary” page 828 as, “a
forest animal or a wild beast, game of any kind, (esp) a deer, fawn, gazelle, antelope,
stag, musk-deer, R.V., &c. &c”. Thus according to him it means anything but a lion!
Even in our day to day conversations, Mriga in Sanskrit or Hindi is known as a “deer”.
29
Kalidasa’s Abhigyan Shakuntalam has a legend attached to it, as king Dushyanta was
hunting a “lovely Mriga” (deer) of the Kanva Ashrama when he met Shakuntala! Pandit
Shankar Dutt Shastri and Shivnath Ahitagni also have translated it as “a terrible animal”
– they have not referred to it as a ‘lion’. However, Sayana Acharya has translated this
Mantra as a “….like a terrible lion residing in forests”. It must be noted here that it is a
similie with the lion rather than a reference to Vishnu the lion himself! We must also
know that lions do not live in mountains but in forests, since they cannot tolerate cold
weather on the mountains, especially of northern clime!
The third Mantra says, “Let this prayer/praise reach the highly extolled ‘Vrishna’
who resides on the mountains”. This word “Vrishna” has been translated by Sir William
Monier on page 1012 as “…drawn by stallions (as a chariot) RV.; …being among
stallions; possessing or bringing great wealth RV”. Shankar Dutt Shastri and Shivnath
Ahitagni have translated it as “nar-pashu i.e. half man and half animal” like a
“Narasimha”. Sayanacharya has translated it as “one who ‘rains’ –bestows--the desired
results”…something akin to Monier’s connotation as “possessing or bringing great
wealth”. This word does not have any connotation of a “bull”. Maybe “Vrishna” is being
confused with “Vrisha” or “Vrishabha”---a “Bull”. Even if it is agreed that Vishnu has
been compared with “Vrishna” which means the bull, it is also a moot point as to
whether bulls really reside on mountains rather than plains unless we are talking
especially of Nandi the “vehicle” of Lord Shiva!
The fifth Mantra says, “May I attain that abode of Vishnu where the god-loving
men enjoy, since He (Vishnu) alone is the real ‘bandhu’…”. This word “bandhu” means,
according to Monier Williams,(page 721) “relation i.e. relative, kindred, kinship (RV.)”.
In other words, it means anything but a “friend”. Shankar Dutt Shastri and Shivnath
Ahitagni have translated it as “bandhav”—a close relative. Sayanacharya has translated
it as “bandhubhuto hitakaro” which means “a well wisher like a very close relative”. In
our day to day prayers we repeat very often, “Tvam eva mata cha pita tvam eva, tvam
eva bandhuh cha sakha tvam eva” “O Almighty, You are my mother, my father, my
‘bandhu’ i.e. kindred and my ‘sakha’ i.e. a ‘friend’. In other words, Sanskrit language
differentiates between a “sakha” – a friend and a “bandhu” i.e. “(close) kin”. You can say
a “bandhu is a bandhu and a sakha is a sakha---a friend is a friend; a kindred is a
kindred”
Aurobindo, one of the greatest yogis of modern times, is said to have translated
these three words “Mrigah”, “Vrishnah” and “Bandhuh” as LION, BULL and FRIEND
respectively. Obviously, he must have given a running translation instead of a word for
word one, which the “rashi-linkers” are trying to do! Aurbodindo could never have even
imagined, in spite of his being a Yogi, that after his death his interpretation would be
linked to a non-existent, so called ”fixed Rashichakra” by his disciples.
Presuming for a moment that by “Bandhu” a friend is meant, but what does that
have to do with the astrological sign Aquarius that is supposed to mean a “pitcher”? One
can understand the connection between the lion and Simha rashi, or between the Bull
and Vrisha rashi but what on earth has a “friend” to do with a “pitcher” i.e. Kumbha
Rashi. It is worthwhile to indicate here that a “pitcher is a pitcher and a friend is a
friend”! Surprisingly, these three are supposed to refer to “fixed signs” but ironically
neither the “lion” nor the “bull” and least of all the “friend” are “fixed”. So they do not
have any “common characteristics” with the “fixed rashis” which they are supposed to
represent in the Vedas. Then even Aurobindo himself has not stated anywhere that the
“bull” and the “lion” and the “bandhu” were the three measuring “mileposts” for Vishnu!
On ther other hand all the translators and interpreters are unanimous that these are the
likenesses of Vishnu – a lion, a bull and a “bandhu”! So why misinterpret them to suit
some one’s fancy? That is not service but disservice to the Hindu community as a whole,
which has already been bogged down by so many misinterpretations about the so called
Rashichakra!
Tapasya and Rashichakra!
To say that some “seer” has visualized this interpretation of some astrological
signs (Rashis) during meditation is to give licence to every one to claim having visualized
his or her wishful thinking in meditation! In fact, charlatans claim that they have
30
intuition! I may equally claim that during “meditation I visualized that some people were
trying to play pranks with us by claiming to have visualized a link between the
“astrological rashis” and Vedic Mantras!
“Meditation” is a dangerous tool. There is a joke in Kashmiri. A thug went to the
son of a deceased rich man and claimed that his father had visited him (the thug) in the
dreams and asked him to claim some “munificence” from his son. The son informed him
that his father had visited him (the son) also in the dream and warned him that so-andso would claim to have visited him in a dream and stake a claim to some munificence!
The thug retorted, “Your father is a liar---he told me something in my dreams and has
told you exactly an opposite thing in your dreams”. So these “meditations” are like
“dreams”---even hallucinations and may inform someone exactly of the opposite
meaning to the reality! Better beware!
“Astrological Ages”:
When these astrologers say that they are waiting with a baited breath for the
Aquarian Age, what they mean is that the Vernal Equinox will regress into that
Constellation and not the “Rashi” of that name! It is actually an astronomical
phenomenon. It will take place exactly in the year 2597 AD. Similarly, when it is said
that the “First Point of Aries” regressed into Pisces, they mean the Constellation Pisces
and not the Rashi of a similar name – whether sayana or so called nirayana! Western
astrologers have delinked the Rashis from their namesake constellations and mercifully
declared them openly to be tropical and related to seasons. On the other hand, “Vedic
astrologers” are clinging to non existing myths.
Besides, astronomically, it is not only the Vernal Equinox that has to be
“explained/evaluated/co-related” then while precessing from one constellation to the
other but even the Autumn Equinox as well as both the Solstices. We cannot overlook
the fact that there was a time in hoary past when Winter Solstice was supposed to be
the beginning of the new solar year in India as per the Vedanga Jyotisha and even as per
Sushruta Samhita, as seen already. Equally important is the fact that Autumn Equinox is
the “Spring Equinox” and Summer Solstice the “Winter Solstice” of Southern regions.
The only thing we have to remember is that in such cases the actual divisions of
constellations, and not the artificial nakshatras or Rashichakras, are taken into accout by
astronomers. Instead of concentrating just on the VE, on the other hand, astronomers
try to integrate such precessional regressions of the four cardinal points over the last
several millennia with the evolutionary cycle.
The zodiac and the signs:
Links between the names of constellations and astrological signs:
Here also an interesting question arises as to why did astrologers “bestow” such
names of equal divisions to unequal constellations!
In this regard we quote the actual words verbatim from pages 192-194 of the
Report of the Calendar Reform Committee, under the heading The zodiac and the signs
“The early astronomers must have found that the sun’s path in the heavens was
almost fixed, while that of the moon, and of the planets, which acquired for astrological
reasons great importance from about 1200 BC, strayed some degrees to the north and
south of the ecliptic.
‘In case of the moon the deviation from the ecliptic was found to be not much
greater than 5 degrees, but some of the planets strayed much more; in the case of
Venus, her perpendicular distance from the ecliptic rises as high as 8 degrees. So a belt
was imagined straying about 9° north and 9° south of the ecliptic, in which the planets
would always remain in course of their movement. This belt came to be known as the
‘Zodiac’.
‘The complete cycle of this belt was divided into 12 equal sectors each of 30° and
each sector called a ‘Sign’. The signs started with one of the points of intersection of the
ecliptic and the equator, and the first sign was called ‘Aries’ after the constellation of
stars within it. The names of the succeeding signs are given in Table No.8 on the next
page, in which:
31
The first column gives the beginning and ending of the signs, the vernal
equinoctial point being taken as the origin.
The second column gives the international names which are in Latin with the
symbols used to denote the signs.
The third column gives their English equivalents.
The fourth column gives the Greek names. They are synonymous with the
international names.
The fifth column gives a set of alternative names for the signs given by
Varahamihira.
The sixth column gives the Indian names.
The seventh column gives the Babylonian names.
Table 8 --- Zodiacal Signs
1
Signs
from to
2
Latin
name
Different names of zodiacal signs
3
4
5
6
English
Greek
VarahaIndian
equival.
name
Mihira
name
7
Babylonian
names&meaning
0 - 30 Aries
Ram
Krios
Kriya
Mesha
Ku / Iku (Ram)
30 - 60 Taurus
Bull
Tauros
Taburi
Vrishabha Te-te (Bull)
60 - 90
Gemini
Twins
Didumoi
Jituma
Mithuna
Masmasu(Twins)
90 -120 Cancer
Crab
Karsinos
Kulira
Karkata
Nangaru (Crab)
120-150 Leo
Lion
Leon
Leya
Simha
Aru (Lion)
150-180 Virgo
Virgin
Parthenos Pathona
Kanya
Ki (Virgin)
180-210 Libra
Balance
Zugos
Juka
Tula
Nuru (Scales)
210-240 Scorpio
Scorpion Scorpios
Karupa
Vrischika
Akrabu(Scorpion
240-270 Sagittarius Archer
Tozeutes
Tauksika
Dhanuh
Pa (Archer)
270-300 Capricorn
Goat
Ligoxeros Akokara
Makara
Sahu (Goat)
300-330 Aquarius
WaterBearer Gdroxoos Hrdroga
Kumbha
Gu (Water carrier)
330-360 Pisces
Fish
Ichthues
Antyabhya Mina
Zib (Fish)
It can be easily inferred from the (above) Table that the names are of Babylonian
origin, but their exact significance is not always known. ….
It is seen that Varahamihira’s alternative names given in column (5) are simply
the Greek names corrupted in course of transmission and as adopted for Sanskrit; with
the exception of the name for Scorpion, which is given as ‘Kaurpa’. This has phonetic
analogy with the corresponding Babylonian sign names Akrabu for Scorpion. The purely
Sanskrit names given in column (6) are all translations of Greek names with the
exceptions of:
(3) Twin which become Mithuna or ‘Amorous Couple’.
(9) the Archer, which becomes the ‘Bow’,
(10) the Goat, which becomes the ‘Crocodile’
(11) Water bearer, which becomes the ‘Waterpot’.
Some of them appear to have been translations of Babylonian names.
The Babylonian names, as interpreted by F. K. Ginzel (in his book—published in
1906--Handbuch der Mathematischen und Technischen Chronologie, Bd. I. Leipzig) are
given in the seventh column, with their meanings.
It is thus seen that the names of the zodiacal signs are originally of Babylonian
origin. They were taken over almost without change by the Greeks, and subsequently
by the Romans, and the Hindus, from Graeco-Chaldean astrology…..
“These signs were taken up by almost all nations in the centuries before the
Christian era on account of the significance attached to them by astrologers. In Greece,
they were first supposed to have been introduced by the early Greek astronomer
Cleostratos, an astronomer who observed about 532 BC in the island of Tenedos off the
Hellespont who introduced the designation ‘Zodiac’ to describe the belt of stars about the
ecliptic. The twelve ‘Zodiacal Signs’ are not known in older ritualistic Indian literature
like the Brahmanas. They appear to have come to India in the wake of the Macedonian
Greeks or of nations like the Sakas who were intermediaries for transmission of Greek
culture to India…..
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“The hesitation of medieval astronomers in accepting precession can be easily
understood. Most of them earned their livelihood by practising the ‘Astrological Cult’
which was reared on the basis that the signs of the zodiac are fixed, and coincident with
certain star-groups; but this assumption crumbles to the ground if precession is
accepted.
But as historical records now show, though astronomers had clearly
recognised that the initial point should be the point of intersection of the equator and the
ecliptic, there was no unanimity even amongst ancient astronomers of different ages
regarding the locationof this point in the heavens because it was not occupied by any
prominent star at any epoch and the ancients were unaware of the importance of its
motion”
Rashichakra was imported into India from Babylon via the Greeks:
We have seen that the so called Mesha etc. Rashichakra cannot be linked to any so
called sidereal i.e. constellational zodiac. So the only alternative left for the Vedic Rishis
was to have “invented” or discovered” a Rashichakra linked to the seasonal months! Let
us try to understand as to how sheepish our Vedic Rishis would have looked today if they
had really done so! We know that the first month of the Vasanta Season is known as
Madhu and the month of Vernal Equinox as Madhav as per the Vedas. Let us suppose
that these months were also named Mina and Mesha by our Vedic Rishis! But then Mina
means a “Fish” and Mesha a “Ram” in Sanskrit and the question arises as to why they
would have named the months like that? Even our “extraordinarily intelligent Vedic
astronomers” cannot discern any resemblance between the Spring season and “Fishes”
or “Rams”!! Similarly, according to our “Vedic astronomers” like Subhas Kak they had
named Shukra as Vrisha (a Bull!) and Shuchi as Mithuna i.e. ”an amorous couple”! We
know that these two months are of “Grishma” i.e Summer --- hardly having any
resemblance to either a “Bull” or “an amorous couple”. By the same logic why should
they have named Summer Solstice --- Nabhah -- as Karkata since it does not at all look
like a “Crab” nor does the month of Nabhasya (rains) resemble at all a Simha - a
“Lion!”. Simlarly, the month of Isha of Sharad Ritu has no resemblance to a Kanya – ” a
Virgin”. The second month of Sharad Ritu viz. Urja---the Autumn Equinox--- is the only
month – rather the only day when it can be said to resemble a Tula -“Scales” since the
day and night are equal then throughout the globe! The month of Sahas of Hemant Ritu
has nothing to do with “Vrishchika” – “A Scorpion” unless it is to get a sting in our
hands by trying to erect a Rashichakra! The month of Sahasya is supposed to have been
named Dhanu – a bow or an Archer! The most ironic part of it is that the months of
Tapa and Tapasya – the latter also being the Winter Solstice – are supposed to resemble
“Makar” and Kumbha” “a goat”– when actually Makar means a Crocodile and Kumbha a
Pitcher! Unfortunately for these “Vedic astronomers” our Vedic Rishis did not invent any
such Racshichakra with such fantastic names, and that is what is bothering them and
that is why they are hell-bent to “prove” that they did do so -- which actually proves the
ignorance of these “Vedic astronomers” and of course, Kaliyugi Jyotishis” who call
themselves Vedic Jyotishis.
We have thus proved conclusively that the Vedic Rishis did not either “invent” or
“discover” a Rashichakra named Mesha etc. Rashis because they were not that
“illiterate” to have done so and make a fool of themselves. It is only our “modern Vedic
astronomers” besides “Vedic astrologers” who are ascribing a Rashichakra to our Vedic
Rishis!
It eludes one’s imagination as to why they are hell-bent to make a laughing
stock of our “Vedic Rishis” by way of ascribing to the Rishis an invention” which they
never did just to belittle the claim that the Rashichakra with the nomenclature of Mesha
(Ram) etc. rashis was invented by Babylonians! If we are the real followers of our Vedic
Rishis, even if they had “invented” such a Rashichakra, we should have tried to
undermine that “invention” since it brings hardly any credit to anyone to ascribe a
discovery to our exalted Rishis which would have made a mess of everything!
“Vedic astrologers/astronomers” in a Catch-22 situation: The real tragedy with
“Kaliyugi Jyotishis” is that they were already making a fool of the general public by
making “correct predictions” in the name of “Hindu astrology”. However, “under the
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guidance of” some avaricious “overseas Vamadevas” out of sheer greed to mint more
and more money they tried to ride the tiger of “Vedic astrology” with the pious hope that
they would be able to somehow befool the common man. They succeeded to a great
extent but unfortunately for them, they have been caught on the wrong foot ultimately.
Out of sheer frustration they are now trying to rope in some real scholars also to “prove”
that not only the so called nirayna Rashichakra (that is the actual meaning of sidereal
zodiac according to these Kaliyugi Jyotishis) but even predictive astrology and even the
Chaldean names of Mesha, Vrishabha etc. did exist in the Vedas!
Fie on such
“Vamadevas”, “Parasharas” and “Varahamihiras” who are a slur on the name of all those
whose namesakes they are trying to be. Also fie on those “scholars” who, Just out of
fear of losing their crumbs which these “Vamadevas” throw on them, try to wag their
tails like street-dogs by changing their stances just at the drop of hat!
“Vedic astrology” --- the greatest hoax being played on an unsuspecting
gullible Hindu majority: We have seen that there are not --- in fact there cannot be -- any Rashis – astrological signs --- in the Vedas. There are no planets like Mercury,
Mars and Saturn – much less Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in the Vedas. Obviously,
predictive astrology, whether “Vedic” or “anti-Vedic” -is based on these very
“cornerstones” viz. rashis and planets! And both are absent in the Vedas! So long live
“Vedic astrology” sans the Rashis and planets!
“Vedic astrology” has no legs to stand upon:
Now that we have seen that there are no “Rashis” – not even Sayana, not to
speak of so called Nirayana --- in the Vedas, obviously “Vedic Astrology” has no legs to
stand upon as no “Vedic Astrologer” has as yet claimed to be able to make successful
predictions without resorting to the Rashis in the birth chart or any other chart for that
matter! Therefore, if any “Vedic scholar” prophesises the existence of not only Rashis
and that also “Nirayana” besides “Astrology (Jyotish)” in the Vedas, he is either not a
Vedic scholar at all or he is just kowtowing the line of swarming “Vedic Astrologers” out
of ulterior motives. Fie on such scholars and their scholarship!
Rashis have to be Sayana: If at all we have to live with Mesha, Vrishabha etc. Rashis,
we must choose the lesser of two evils, viz. a Sayana Rashi-chakra and de-link it
completely from the constellational belt as is done by “Western astrologers”. It is better
to admit that it is a Chaldean “discovery/invention” and we are using it only because
everybody else is using it, instead of ascribing it to our Vedic Rishis. If at all we have to
link the so called nakshatra division of 27 nakshatras, it is better to link it to these very
seasonal rashis as was done in the time of Alberuni (Please see page 99 of my Shri
Krishen Universal Ephemeris for 2001). For that matter, even Vishnudharmotara has
done the same thing, i.e. linked the nakshatras to Sayana Rashis which have been made
inseparable from Ayanas and Vishuvas etc. Acharya Abhinavgupta has linked the Rashis
to seasons and cardinal points and his commentator Jayaratha has explicitly explained
the same thing vide his commentary on Tantraloka -Om Tat Sat Brahmarpanam Astu
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