astronomical dating of rigveda - draupadi dream trust con/rigveda/ashok k... · rig-veda samhita,...
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Astronomical Dating of Rigveda
Ashok K. BhatnagarFormer Director, Positional Astronomy Centre
Former Additional DG, India Meteorological Department
Email: [email protected]
"The Indus-Sarasvati (Harappan) Civilization vis-a-vis The Rigveda“,
Draupadi Trust, New Delhi, 26-28 March, 2015
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The science of Astronomy is as old as
human civilization.
It has resulted from thousands of years of
human observation and thought
Natural cycles that affect human life most :
alternation of daylight and night
recurrence of the phases of the moon and
recurrence of the seasons
Astronomy
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Dating of Astronomical References
Frequent references to these cycles in
ancient scriptures pointing to development of
a reliable calendar for prediction of :
seasons and
moon’s phases
It is possible to simulate the described
phenomena by applying modern
astronomical knowledge and tools; thereby
determine the period of these texts.
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Sunrise PointSUMMER SOLSTICE
JUNE VERNAL EQUINOX
MARCH WINTER SOLSTICE
DECEMBER
ΔA ΔANorth SouthE
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Sunrise Point and seasonal cycle
Amplitude:
ΔA = cos-1 (sin δ / cos φ) - 90º
Because the changing
Declination δ of the Sun
causes the seasons,
azimuth variation can
be used to mark them
Such variation was observed
in the Megalithic.
In India, we have plenty of
evidence of such observations
that take us to 9000 years
BP, almost to the start of the
Holocene.
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Astronomical References In Rig-Veda
• Rig-Veda is considered as the most ancient Sanskrit text in India
{The Rig Veda, Translator Ralph T.H. Griffith, (1896),
Shriram Sharma Acharya. Rig-Veda Samhita, Hindi translation, Haridwar 2002 }
• Astronomical phenomena described in Rig-Veda hold clues to the time of composition of the respective verses
• Pioneering work was done by
S. B. Dikshit, „Bharatiya Jyotisa Sastra’ (1896), (Marathi).
K. D. Abhyankar (Bull. Astron. Soc. of India,26, 61-66, 1998)
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Early Astronomical References
यददवा यतयो यथा भवनानयपिनवत |
अतरा समदरआगळ हमा सययमजभतयन || When, O ye Gods, like Yatis,
ye caused all existing things to grow,
Then ye brought Sūrya forward
who was lying hidden in the sea. Rig Veda 10.72.7
उत सय न उपिजामरववया कपवरपहिः िणोत बधनयोहवीमपन| सयायमासा पवचरनता
ददपवपिता पधया िमीनहषी असय बोधतम ||And may he too give ear, the Sage, from far away, the Dragon of
the Deep, to this our yearning call.
Ye Sun and Moon who dwell in heaven and move in turn,
and with your thought, O Earth and Sky, observe this well. Rig Veda
10.92.12एक एवापिबयहधा सपमदध एकिः सयो पवशवमन परभतिः |
एकवोषािः सवयपमद पव भातयक वा इदपव बभव सवयम ||
Only one sun is the lord of the universe;
one dawn gives light to the universe.Rig Veda 8.58.2
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The Lunar cycle
नवो-नवो भवपत जायमानो.अहना कतरषसामतयगर | भाग दवभयो पव दधातयायन िर चनदरमापसतरतदीरयमयिः ||
He, born afresh, is new and new for ever
Ensign (flag or mark) of days he goes before the Mornings
Coming, he orders for the Gods their portion.
The Moon prolongs the days of our existence. Rig Veda 10.85.19
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Rules for Early Calendar
सतयनोततपभता भपमिः सयणोततपभता दयिः|
ऋतनाददतयापसतषठपनत ददपव सोमो अपध पितिः||Truth is the base that bears the earth;
by Sūrya are the heavens sustained.By Law the Ādityas (constellations/sun‟s path) stand secure,
and Soma (Moon‟s path?) holds his place in heaven.Rig Veda 10.85.1
यत तवा दव परपिबपनत तत आ पयायस िनिः |
वायिःसोमसय रपिता समाना मास आकपतिः ||
When they begin to drink thee then, O God, thou swellest out again.
Vāyu is Soma's guardian God. The Moon is that which shapes the years.
Rig Veda 10.85.5
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Rig-Vedic Calendar
वद मासो धतवरतो दवादि परजावतिः | वदा य उिजायत ||
Dhratavrata (Varuna) knows the twelve moons (months) with their progeny:
He knows the moon of later birth (intercalary month). Rig Veda 1.25. 8
दवादिार नपहतजजराय ववयरवत चकर िररदामतसय |
आ ितरा अि पमथनासो अतर सपत ितापन वविपतशच तसथिः ||
Formed with twelve spokes, by length of time, unweakened,
rolls round the heaven this wheel of during Order.
Herein established, joined in pairs together,
seven hundred Sons and twenty stand, O Agni. Rig Veda 1.164.11
दवादि परथयशचकरमक तरीपण नाभयापन क उतपतचकत |
तपसमनतसाक पतरिता न िङकवोSअरवितािः षपिनयचलाचलासिः ||
Twelve are the fellies, and the wheel is single; three are the naves.,
what man hath understood it?
Therein are set together spokes three hundred and sixty,
which in nowise can be loosened.
Rig Veda 1.164. 48
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Seasons Caused by Sun: the two half-years
दव त चकर सय बरहमाण ऋतथ पवदिः |
अथकचकर यदगहा तददधातय इद पवदिः ||
The Brahmans, by their seasons, know, O Sūrya,
those two wheels of thine:
One kept concealed, those only who are skilled
in highest truths have learned. Rig Veda 10.85.16 िवायिर चरतो माययतय पिि कळनतय िरर यतोधवरम |
पवशवानयनयो भवनापभचि ऋतनरनयोपवदधजजायत िनिः ||
By their own power these Twain in close succession
move; They go as playing children round the sacrifice.
One of the Pair beholdeth all existing things; the other ordereth seasons and is born again.
Rig Veda 10. 85.18
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Sun’s Motion, Seasons and Length of the Day
(Specific mention of Uttarayana or Udagayana and
Dakshinayana found only from Shat. Brah 2.1.3 and
Narayana Upanishad Anu. 80, but clearly defined from
Siddhanta Period as prevalent today).
तसमादाददतयिः षणमासो दपिणनपत िडततरण |
The sun moves towards the south for six months and
north for another six months. Taitr. Sam. 6.5.3
इपषरण त मनसा सतसय भिीमपह पितरयसयव रायिः |
सोम राजन परण आयपष तारीरहानीव सयो वासरापण ||
May we enjoy with an enlivened spirit
the juice thou givest, like ancestral riches. O Soma, King, prolong thou our existence as Sūrya makes the shining days grow longer.
Rig Veda 8.48.7
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Year- सवतसर and ऩररवतसर बराहमणासः सोममनो वाचमकरत बरहम कनवनतः पररवतसरीणम | अधवरयवो घममयणः मसषववदाना आववरयवषनत गहरा न क चचत || These Brahmans with the Soma juice, performing their
year-long rite, have lifted up their voices; And these Adhvaryus, sweating with their kettles,
come forth and show themselves, and none are hidden. Rig Veda 7 .103. 8
दवहहतत जगऩरदयवादशसर ऋत नरो न पर ममननतरत | सवतसर पराववरागतारा तपता घमाय अशनवत ववसगयम || They keep the twelve month's God-appointed order,
and never do the men neglect the season. Soon as the Rain-time in the year returneth,
these who were heated kettles gain their freedom. Rig Veda 7.103.9
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Cycle of Seasons as measure of time- Year
शत जीव शरदो वधयमानः शत हमनताञछतमवसनतान | शतममनराघनी सववता बहसऩततः शतारषाहववषम ऩनदयः ||
Live, waxing in thy strength, a hundred autumns, live through a hundred winters a hundred springs,. Through hundred-lived oblation Indra, Agni, Bṛhaspati, Savitar yield him for a hundred! Rig Veda 10. 161.4
Atirattra correction to Year
बराहमणासो अततरातर न सोम सरो न ऩणयममरतो वदनतः | सवतसरसर तदहः ऩररवठ रन मणडकाः परावषीण बरव ||
As Brahmans, sitting round the brimful vessel,
talk at the Soma-rite of Atiratra,
So, Frogs, ye gather round the pool to honour this day of
all the year first of Rain-time. Rig Veda 7.103. 7
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Year (Samvatsara): Seasonal- determined from
observation of position of rising sun and at noon
Year had 360 days and 720 day/night.
(Rig Veda 1.164.11,48)
12 solar Months of 30 days each (Aruna,
Arunaraj etc -Tait. Samh. 3.10.1 and Madhu, Madhava
etc- Tait. Samh.1.4.14 )
Leap days (Atiratras)- 4, 5 or 6 days added in the
middle of the year of Samvatsarasatra around start of rains. (Rig Veda 7.103.7, Tait. Samh. 7.1.8)
Practice changed to having an intercalary month
of 30 days (after every 6 years) (Rig Veda 1-25-8)
Rig-Vedic Calendar
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How did they decide Year –Beginning?
Half years: Uttarayana begins at WS (as
also the year); Dakshinayana begins at SS
(Visuvadin).
Heliacal rising of certain stars (Asvini)
was used as Marker for year beginning.
There are 53 refs. in Rig-Veda eg. 5-77-
1/2; 1-46-14; 7-69-3/2 offering prayers to
Asvinis (Aries ) relating them to the Sun,
the Dawn and Season of agricultural
produce.
Star Observations
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रवोरषा अन पिर ऩररजमनोरऩाचरत | ऋता वनथो अकतमरः || O circumambient Aśvins, Dawn follows the brightness of
your way: Approve with beams our solemn rites.
Rig Veda1.46.14 रदषो रामस रानना स सरण रोचस | आ हारमषशवनो रथो वततयरायतत नऩायरम ||Thou, Dawn, approaching with thy light shinest together
with the Sun,
And to this man-protecting home the chariot of the Aśvins
comes.
Rig Veda 8.9.18
Asvins (Asvini) sighting as marker for Year Beginning
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Tropical or
Seasonal Year
365.24219 days
Sidereal Year
365.25636
days.
Longer than
tropical year
by about 20m
due to
Precession
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Precession- Vernal Equinox and Winter Solstice through ages
Equinoxes move westward along the ecliptic relative to
the fixed stars, at the rate of about 50.3 seconds of
arc per year. Past observations of Equinox/Solstice
can help determine their date using precession rate.
Winter Solstice
Today
Winter Solstice
9000 years ago
Spring Equinox
9000 years ago
Winter Solstice
Today
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Vernal Equinox 2011
Psc
Summer Solstice 2011
Tau
Winter Solstice 2010
Sgr
Tau
Vernal Equinox 8000 BC
Cnc
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Sky simulation softwares :
Utilise high precision data on positions of stars (HIPPARCOS)
Solar system ephemeris (DE200/HORIZONS of JPL, NASA,
USA and VSOP87 of France)
The time can be set to generate views of sky in future or past
Very high planetary accuracy of 0.1 - 1 s, over 2000 BC to 4000
AD. Beyond that accuracy falls. We need to match only naked
eye observations of remote past. Low accuracies will suffice.
The date of Vernal Equinox remains fixed around 21-23 March
in „Planetarium Gold‟ over millenia; it keeps drifting in
„Stellarium‟ from 21 March during 2011- 1582 to 2 May in 5000
BC and so on.
These can be used to simulate the phenomena described in
ancient texts to help determine their dates.
Sky Simulation for Rig-Veda events
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वव वा रथो वधवा रादमानोऽनताषनदवो बाधत वतयतनभराम |Rig-Veda 7-69-3/2
“Your cart on which your spouse is wont to travel
marks with its track the farthest ends of heaven”
This shows that the Ashvinis (Aries) represented the
southernmost point of the sun‟s amplitude on the
horizon-the Winter Solstice (WS).
This implies an ecliptic longitude of 270◦.
Asvini‟s (Alpha Arietis) longitude(1950) is about 33◦
Allowing for the change due to precession @ 50‟‟.3
per year, we arrive at a time about 9000 years
BP.
The sky simulated over Delhi shows WS in Aries
on 19 December, 7001 BC.
Earliest Vedic reference of Winter Solstice, 7000 BC
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Winter Solstice occurred in Aries (Asvini Nakshatra)
on 19 December, 7001 BC . Sky at 07:15 Hrs (RgVeda 5:77.2, 7:69.3)
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परातरायवाणा परथमा रजथव ऩरा गधरादररषः वऩबातः |परातहहय रजञमषशवना दधात परशसतत कवरः ऩवयराजः ||
Rgveda 5-77-1 & 2
“first worship those who come early in morning. Let the twain drink soma before others. The sages of old extol that the Ashvins claim the sacrifice at daybreak.”
The above line refers to „heliacal rising‟ of Ashvinis (Aries) at WS, i.e., the first sighting of Ashvinis on the eastern horizon after Winter Solstice, just before sunrise.
The event was used as marker for the year beginning as shown in the sky view over Delhi on 5 January, 7000 BC.
Earliest Vedic reference of Winter Solstice, 7000 BC
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Heliacal rising of Ashvini Nakshatra, marking the year beginning ; Jan 05, 7000 BC, 0649 hrs
Horizon
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कवठो दवावषञचनारदरा हदवो मनावस |
तचछरवथो वषणवस अतरतरवायमा वववासतत ||
कत तरा कह सशरता हदवी दवा नासतरा | Rig-Veda 5-74-1 & 2/2
“Where in the heaven are you today, Gods, Ashvins, rich
in consistency? Hear this, ye excellent bestowers:
Atri invites you to come. Where are they now? Where
are the Twain, the famed Nasatyas, gods in heaven”.
Precession had moved the WS to Revati by 6000
BC. Ashvinis were no longer rising before the Sun
at WS.
The second stage of Vedic Calendar- 6000 BC
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Bright star Chitra (Alpha Virginis) on
opposite side (Western horizon) began to be
used as a new marker for the year beginning.
Later, a full moon in Chitra heralded the
lunar month naming system - Chaitra,
Vaisakha etc of Luni-Solar Calendar ,which
finds explicit mention in :
चितरापणणमास दीकषरन मख वा एततसवतसरसय |Taitr. Samh 7.4.8.
“Chitra full moon is the mouth of the year”
Vedic Calendar- 6000 BC
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Chitra
(α Vir)
Winter
Solstice
Full moon in Chitra at Winter Solstice on 19 Dec 6000 BC
as the new time marker for the year beginning
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The year (Samvatsara/Parivatsara) in Rig-Vedic
time was solar tropical (based on seasons), had two
halves, 12 solar months of 30 days each, had 360
days with „Atiratra‟ correction of 4 to 6 days in the
middle of the year at the beginning of rains.
The earliest reference of year beginning at Winter
Solstice found in Rigveda corresponds to the date
19th December, 7001 BC and the „marker‟ for the
event- „heliacal rising‟ of Ashwini Nakshatra (Aries)
occurs on 5th January, 7000 BC.
Concluding Remarks
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In the second stage, when Aries had moved away
from WS due to precession, Chitra (Alpha Vir.)
opposite the Sun in Winter Solstice was used
from around 6000 BC as the new time marker
for the year beginning .
Concluding Remarks...
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Indian Nakshatras
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GENERAL PRECESSION
The combination of the gravitational effect of Sun, moon and planets on the orientation of the earth in space is called general precession
Equinoxes move westward along the ecliptic relative to the fixed stars, at the rate of about 50.3 seconds of arc per year, opposite to the motion of the Sun along the ecliptic
As a result of the precession, the apparent position of the Sun relative to the backdrop of the stars at some seasonally fixed time, say the vernal equinox, slowly regresses a full 360° through all twelve traditional constellations of the zodiac in 25,772 years, at the rate of about 50.3 seconds of arc per year or 1 degree every 71.6 years.
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PRECESSION OF EQUINOX-25,772 YEARS