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Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v1.c6.s3.t2: Configuration of the Universe

Bhāratīya Jyotiḥśāstra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v1.c6.s3.t2

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Configuration of the Universe

v1.c6.s3.t2.1

In many places, where a reference is to be made to the world, terms like *Rodasī*, *Dyāvāpṛthivī* or their equivalents, denoting a combination of the heaven and the earth have been used, which in turn shows that the world was supposed to be divided into heaven and earth as its two parts. In some places the heavens are described as being three in number. Three heavens have been indicated at several places in the Rigveda. In some places the heaven is described as the highest part of the sky or the surface of the sky. But in many other places the Universe is supposed to be divided into *Dyu* (sky), *Antarikṣa* (space) and *Pṛthivī* (earth) as the three parts ; of these, the *antarikṣa* lies in an intermediate position between the heaven and the earth and is the abode of the winds, clouds and lightning and the birds fly in it. These three parts are described in clear words in the following well-known lines of the *Puruṣa-Sukta* :—

v1.c6.s3.t2.2

नाभ्या आसीदन्तरिक्षं शीर्ष्णो द्यौः समवर्तत ॥ पद्भ्यां भूमिः

v1.c6.s3.t2.3

and corresponding to their high and low positions they are believed to have been created respectively from the head, the navel, and the feet of the ‘Supreme Being’.

v1.c6.s3.t2.4

The following verses may further be noted :—

v1.c6.s3.t2.5

यः पृथिवीं व्यथमानामहंहः पर्वतान् प्रकुपितां अरम्णात् ॥
यो अन्तरिक्षं विममे वरीयो यो द्यामरतभ्नात्स जनास इंद्रः ॥
ऋ. सं. २. १२. १.

v1.c6.s3.t2.6

“Oh people ! He is the same god Indra who kept the shaking earth in firm position . . . . . who adjusted the expansive space and who supported the heaven.”

v1.c6.s3.t2.7

त्रीणि अश्विना दिव्यानि भेषजा त्रिः पार्थिवानि त्रिः रदत्तमभ्यः ॥
ऋ. सं. १. ३४. ६.

v1.c6.s3.t2.8

“Oh Aśvins ! May you give us heavenly medicines thrice from heavens, thrice from the earth and thrice from space.”

v1.c6.s3.t2.9

The interpretation of the word *Adbhyaḥ* in the original text is “from the place where water-laden clouds dwell”, meaning the sky (*antarikṣa*); many proofs could be given in support of this interpretation and therefore it is clear that the word *antarikṣa* stands for that space in which water-laden clouds, move.

v1.c6.s3.t2.10

यमहीं रजसो विदुर्विश्वेवासो अद्रुहः । मरुद्भिरग्र आगहि ॥

v1.c6.s3.t2.11

“Oh *Agni* (fire), please come here along with all those *Maruts* (gods) who dwell in the expansive space”.

v1.c6.s3.t2.12

These lines show that the space is the abode of ‘*Maruts*’ i.e. wind.

v1.c6.s3.t2.13

वेदा यो वीनांपदंतरिक्षेण पत्तां॥ ऋ. सं. १. २५. ७.

v1.c6.s3.t2.14

meaning “(Varuṇa) who knows the path of the birds flying through the space” shows that ‘*antarikṣa*’ is the space in which the birds fly.

v1.c6.s3.t2.15

It is clear from the following lines from *Aitareya Brāhmaṇa* (11-6) that ‘*antarikṣa*’ is that space which lies between the heavens and the earth.

v1.c6.s3.t2.16

द्यौरंतरिक्षे प्रतिष्ठांतरिक्षं पृथिव्यां॥ ऐ. ब्रा. ११. ६.

v1.c6.s3.t2.17

That the sun is moving through the highest region of the heavens is described in many places. The following lines may be seen for this:—

v1.c6.s3.t2.18

उद्यन्तं मित्रमह आरोहल्लुत्तरां दिवं॥ हृद्रोगं मम सूर्य हरिमाणं च नाशय॥ ऋ. सं. १. ५०. ११.

v1.c6.s3.t2.19

“Oh Sun-god with agreeable lustre! Cure the disease of my heart after ascending the highest point in the heavens.”—*Ṛk Saṃhitā*.

v1.c6.s3.t2.20

The idea that the sun shines at a very great distance from the earth can be seen from some of the following lines:—

v1.c6.s3.t2.21

यथाग्निः पृथिव्या समनमदेव मह्यं भद्राः सन्ततयः सन्नमंतु वायवे समनमदंतरिक्षाय समनमद् यथा वायुरंतरिक्षेण सूर्याय समनमद् दिवे समनमद् यथा सूर्यो दिवा चंद्रमासे समनमन्नक्षत्रेभ्यः समनमद् यथा चंद्रमा नक्षत्रैवरुणाय समनमत्॥ तै. सं. ७. ५. २३.

v1.c6.s3.t2.22

“*Agni* (fire) had to stand in a lower position before wind and space on account of the earth. The wind stooped low before the Sun and the sky on account of space. Similarly, the sun had to stand low in position on account of the moon and the stars; and the moon had to ‘bend low’ before *Varuṇa* (god of rains) on account of stars”—*Taittirīya Saṃhitā*.

v1.c6.s3.t2.23

The description appears to imply that the fire rests on earth, the wind takes shelter in space, the sun traverses the sky and the moon moves through the zodiac. It appears from this that the moon was supposed to occupy a higher position than that of the sun.

v1.c6.s3.t2.24

लोकोसि स्वर्गोस॥ अनंतस्यपारोस॥ अक्षितोस्यक्षय्योसि॥ तपसः प्रतिष्ठा॥ *त्वयीदमतः॥ विश्वं यक्षं विश्वं भूतं विश्वं सुभूतं॥ विश्वस्य भर्ता विश्वस्य जनयित्रा॥ तत्वोपधधे कामदुध- मक्षितं॥ प्रजापतिस्त्वासादयतु॥ तया देवतयांगिरस्वध्रुवासीद॥ तपोस लोके श्रितं॥ तेजसः प्रतिष्ठा॥ त्वयीद...॥ तेजोसि तपसि श्रितं॥ समुद्रस्थ प्रतिष्ठा...॥ समुद्रोस तेजसि श्रितः॥ अपां प्रतिष्ठा॥...॥ आपः स्थ समुद्रे श्रिताः॥ पृथिव्याः प्रतिष्ठा युष्मासु॥...॥ पृथिव्यस्थप्सुश्रिता॥ अग्नेः प्रतिष्ठा॥...॥ अग्निरसि पृथिव्यां श्रितः॥ अंतरिक्षस्य प्रतिष्ठा॥...॥

v1.c6.s3.t2.25

¹ * Six sentences following this, have been given with the necessary change in the gender and number of each of the words *Teja* and *Samudra* (Sea) etc., in the original. They have not been repeated here.

v1.c6.s3.t2.26

अंतरिक्षमस्त्यनौ श्रितं ॥ वायोः प्रतिष्ठा ॥...॥ वायुरस्यंतरिक्षे श्रितः ॥ दिवः प्रतिष्ठा ॥...॥ द्यौरसि वायौ श्रिता ॥ आदित्यस्य प्रतिष्ठा ॥...॥ आदित्योसिवि श्रितः ॥ चंद्रमासः प्रतिष्ठा ॥...॥ चंद्रमा अस्यादित्ये श्रितः ॥ नक्षत्राणां प्रतिष्ठा ॥...॥ नक्षत्राणि स्थ चंद्रमसि श्रितानि ॥ संवत्सरस्य प्रतिष्ठा युष्मासु ॥...॥ संवत्सरोसिनक्षत्रेषु श्रितः ॥ ऋतूनां प्रतिष्ठा ॥...॥ ऋतवः स्थ संवत्सरे श्रिताः ॥ मासानां प्रतिष्ठा युष्मासु ॥...॥ मासाः स्थर्तुषु श्रिताः ॥ अर्धमासानां प्रतिष्ठा युष्मासु ॥ ... ॥ अर्धमासाः स्थ मासु श्रिताः ॥ अहोरात्रयोः प्रतिष्ठा युष्मासु ॥ ... ॥ अहोरात्रे स्थोर्धमासेषु श्रिते ॥ भूतस्य प्रतिष्ठे भव्यस्य प्रतिष्ठे ॥ पौर्णमास्यष्टकामावास्या ॥ अन्नादा स्थानदुधौ युष्मासु ॥ राडसि बृहती श्रीरसी द्रपत्नी-धर्मपत्नी ॥ ओजोसि सहोसि बलमसि आजोसि ॥ देवानां धामामृतं ॥ अमर्त्यस्तमोजाः ॥ ... ॥ तै. ब्रा. ३. ११. १.

v1.c6.s3.t2.27

The word *loka* occurring in the first three lines of the above passage refers to the Universe. It praises Him with the words "Thou art the world, thou the heaven; thou art Unending, Infinite, Eternal and Indestructible." It is needless to point out that the sequence occurring in these sentences does not necessarily imply a high-and-low lineage of created objects. In some places, the relation indicated is cause and effect; in some, the container and the contained, and in some others, the part and the whole. It, however, embodies in the sequence mentioned here before wherein, the heavens are above the space, and space above the earth, and also the idea that the sun is supported by the sky.

Cites (4)