Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh c15.s1.t1: Vedic Astronomy

The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh c15.s1.t1

Language
English

Vedic Astronomy

c15.s1.t1.1

65. Vedic Astronomy is more poetical than exact, and it is of interest, apart from its poetic value, chiefly as a subject of controversy. Certain scholars, *e.g.*, Dikshit, Tilak, Jacobi and others, argue, from rather vague astronomical premises, partly based on the texts, an extreme antiquity for the Vedic writings; others do not accept their views.

c15.s1.t1.2

The Vedic year was 12 months of 30 days each, with an occasional intercalary month, "the thirteenth month fabricated of days and nights, having thirty members." (A.V. XIII, 3, 8.) There is no indication of any definite cycle. (The five-year cycle appears later.) The year was also divided into two equal courses or *ayanas*, a northern course or *Uttarāyana* beginning at the winter solstice, and a southern course or *Dakshiṇāyana* beginning at the summer solstice.

c15.s1.t1.3

In the Rig Veda two asterisms only are mentioned, Maghā and Phalguni; but in later Vedic texts (*e.g.*, A.V., XIX, 7, 1-5) a complete list of the 28 *nakshatras* or asterisms is given. This list is headed by *Krittikās* or the Pleiades, which marked, it is believed, the vernal equinox of the Vedic year; and this is a foundation, although not a very secure one, for Vedic chronology.¹

c15.s1.t1.4

¹ According to Albirūni (II, 8), in his time, the year was commenced with Chitra, Bhādrapadā, Krittikā, or Mrigaśiras, according to locality or predilection. See also Fleet J.R.A.S., 1916, p. 570.

c15.s1.t1.5

If the vernal equinox was marked by *Krittikās*, then the period of fixing this was about 2350 years B.C., when the vernal equinox was approximately of the same longitude as Alcyone (η Tauri), the brightest of the Pleiades. But the only evidence we have is the occurrence of the list of *nakshatras* with *Krittikās* at the head and, if the assumption made is true, the only legitimate conclusion is that this list must have been prepared at some time after 2350 B.C. It may have been an exotic list; or it possibly might be a genuine record of Hindu observation at some time or other. There is another difficulty in the fact that, according to the Hindu records, *Krittikās*, apparently, marked the vernal equinox for a very considerable period.

c15.s1.t1.6

Other parts of the Vedic texts have also been used for the purpose of establishing their great antiquity: *e.g.*, Jacobi attempted to prove that the Vedic year commenced with the summer solstice. His arguments are based on the following very doubtful rendering of a verse of the ‘Frog Hymn’:-

c15.s1.t1.7

"Those leaders of rites observe the institutes of the gods, and disregard not the season of [the twelfth month]:² as the year revolves and the rains return, then scorched and heated they obtain Freedom."

c15.s1.t1.8

² Other translations give "the twelve months."

c15.s1.t1.9

Dikshit,³ from a passage of the Brāhmaṇas (Ś.B. II, 1, 2⁴), fixes the age of its composition at 3000 B.C. The words "They (the *Krittikās*) do not move from the eastern quarter while the other asterisms do move from the eastern quarter" he takes to mean, definitely, that the asterism Kṛittikas (Pleiades), and no other asterism, was on the equator; and he writes "In my opinion the statement conclusively proves that the passage was composed not later than 3000 B.C." Many other similar interpretations have been strived after.

c15.s1.t1.10

³ Indian Antiquary, 1895, XXIV, p. 245.

c15.s1.t1.11

In Vedic texts no definite mention is made of the planets, although much ingenuity has been exercised in interpreting the texts otherwise. There are possible references to eclipses, which Ludwig, with some skill, has attempted to identify.

Cites (4)