Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v1.c2: Preface

Bhāratīya Jyotiḥśāstra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v1.c2

Language: English

Preface

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In the remote past, when man first appeared on this planet, he would have looked with awe and wonder at the glory of the heavenly bodies like the sun, the moon and the stars. He would not have failed to notice that these bodies kept moving across the sky. However, centuries must have rolled by before some inquisitive and careful observers could discover that there was some periodicity in the movement of these heavenly bodies and such a rhythmic movement could be utilised to reckon time and to keep a count of the days and the months in the year. This was the beginning of Astronomy, which is one of the earliest sciences ever to be discovered in the history of mankind. When and where exactly this occurred, or it occurred at several places independently of each other, it is difficult to say now, because the early man did not have with him any means of keeping a record of his thoughts and observations. In India, which is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, we get evidence of astronomical observations as early as 4000 B. C. in the verses of the Rig-Veda and in some developed form later in the Yajur-Veda. As early as 1300 B. C. the Hindus developed a luni-solar calendar known as the Vedanga Jyotisa Calendar. This was in vogue upto the third century A. D. Thereafter, astronomy in our country took a sharp turn and a new system based on scientific principles called the Siddhantic system came into prominence. This development which continued upto the 12th century A. D. came to a standstill due to continued foreign invasions thereafter. The great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, contain some astronomical knowledge in a rather rudimentary form. Puranas which are works of a later period contain astronomical knowledge in an improved form, apparently due to the influence of the Siddhantic system of Astronomy.

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For a country like India, with its culture and civilization dating back to many millenia, it is essential that the achievements of earlier generations in the various fields of knowledge should be carefully unearthed and fully recorded. This history of Astronomy of the ancient and medieval periods of India falls under this category and a thorough study in this field requires to be made. But the difficulties in undertaking such a comprehensive study are enormous in that the information has to be gathered from the vast store of Sanskrit literature extending from the Vedic period upto the present time, and in our literature, the astronomical observations are not recorded in a clear cut language but so to say have

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been shrouded in allegorical language and concealed in stories and anecdotes, the full significance of which it is difficult to surmise. One such comprehensive study, perhaps the only one of its kind, has been undertaken by Shri Sankar Balakrishna Dikshit in his treatise in Marathi "Bharatiya Jyotish Sastracha Prachin Ani Arvachin Itihas" in the year 1896 and this is perhaps the only book recording the history of the Indian Astronomy from the ancient to the modern times. Late Dr. M. N. Saha, F.R.S., while working as Chairman of the Calendar Reform Committee recommended that an English translation of this excellent treatise "Bharatiya Jyotish Sastra, a history of Indian Astronomy—ancient and modern" should be published by the Government in order to facilitate Indologists, both Indian and foreign, to carry on research on Indian Astronomy. The work of the translation of this treatise from Marathi to English was gladly undertaken by Prof. R. V. Vaidya, M.A., B.T., a Marathi scholar and Superintendent of Shree Jiwaji Observatory, Ujjain and who was also a member of the Calendar Reform Committee. This translation was examined and touched up here and there by Late Prof. P. C. Sen Gupta, M.A., a renowned Professor of Hindu Astronomy of the Calcutta University. With the transfer of the entire work of the Calendar Reform Committee to the India Meteorological Department, it decided to publish this work. The final editing of the book has been done under the supervision of Shri N. C. Lahiri, M.A., Officer-in-charge of the Nautical Almanac Unit at the Meteorological Office, Alipore, Calcutta.

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The book is rather voluminous and it would take considerable time to publish the whole book in one volume. Hence it has been decided to publish the book in three parts. The present volume which is Part I traces the history of Indian Astronomy in the Vedic and Vedanga period from the ancient times upto 1000 B.C. Attempts are being made to bring out the other two parts comprising of the Siddhantic period and the Modern period as early as possible.

Linked texts (5)

Ārcajyotiṣa — Lagadha, Sanskrit
Mahābhārata — Vyāsa, Sanskrit
Ṛgvedasaṃhitā — Sanskrit
Purāṇa — Sanskrit
Vālmīkirāmāyaṇa — Vālmīki, Sanskrit