The date of Maha Bharata War and The Kali Yuagadhi

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THE DATE OF THE MAHA

BHARATA WAR AND THE KALI YUGADHl

Ki SRINIVASA RAGHAVAN

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The Date of the Maha Bharata War and

The Kali Yugadhi

Prof. K. Srinivasa Raghavan, B.A. (Hons,) Math., Dip. in Ceog., Dip. in P.Ed.

The Date of the Maha Bharata War and

The Kali Yugadhi

Prof. K« Srlnlvasa Raghavan, 6*A. (Hons.) Math., Dip. In Geog., Dip. In P.Ed,

SRINIVASANAGAR, TAMBARAM Saka 1891

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Srinivasa Gandhi Nilayam, Srigam Printers, Madras- 18.

PREFACE With the name of the Lord of Kurukshetra on my lips and my head at his feet, I humbly present this to the earnest reader.

Sriman Vidwan Melma Narasimha Thathacharya Swamigal and Prof. R. S. Chakravarthy, M.A. advised me and guided me in the presentation of the subject matter. Sri. N. Subba Narayanan, B.A.

has kindly borne the entire

cost of the publication of this book.

I must thank

them

for their affection and their unstinted help.

I

must thank the press for their kind co-operation.

Saka 1891, Sowmya ^ Sarad Ruthu, 1st Isa month I Badra Sukla Dwadaii > Prof. K. Sravishta Nakshatra | Tuesday, 23 Sep. 1969 J

SRINIVASARAGHAVAN

Determination of

THE DATE OF THE MAHA BHARATA WAR

INTRODUCTION I

have gone carefully through

all

the essays of the

occidental and oriental scholars in determining the date of Those scholars have variously fixed the Maha Bharata War. the date ranging from 1919 B.C. to 315 B.C. Most of their ideas are empirical and not a few of them are the product of fanciful

imagination or pre-conceived notions.

It

is

now

possible dispassionately to determine the correct date with

a

high degree of accuracy, and this is based on astronomical data and the internal evidence of the Maha Bharata alone.

We may in fact justly and properly style the date of the Maha Bharata war, which the science of astronomy has now in

controvertibly fixed on

22 Nov.

3067 B.C., as the true

anchor sheet of Indian chronology and history, as every date indicated by Indian astronomy and supported by Ancient "^ Indian Puranic history depends on iti

c-

step

rr?.

1.

In fixing the date of the Maha Bharata war, the

is

to determine the date of birth of Sri Krishna, as his

first

horoscope is well known. 2.

the Sun,

Since Maha Rishi Veda Vyasa gives the positions of

Moon, Rahu,

Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Venus at

the time of the Maha Bharata war, also the positions of the

Sun and Moon and the winter

solstice at the time of Bheeshma's death, a few days after the M. B. war, the exact date of the beginning of the M. B. war is next determined.

2 3.

Sri Krishna left the world 35 years after

the

Since the positions of the sun and moon at that

war.

M. B, time

are known, the date of his death is fixed. 4. Rajasuya was performed 15 years before the M. B. war, and the positions of the Sun and Moon on that day are

given.

Therefore the date of the Rajasuya is fixed.

The

Yudhishtira Era began the next day on Margasira Sukla Prathama. Therefore its date is fixed. 5.

In the course of the paper

it

is

proposed to show

that all the astronomical data given by Sri Veda Vyasa are

completely consistent. 6. During the days of the Maha Bharata war, the Vedanga Jyotisha alone was in vogue. The Zodiac was divided by the nakshatra segments, and Sravishta was the The months were luni solar. Five sidereal first Nakshatra. years consituted a yuga of 62 lunations. The Yuga began with the Sun and Moon at Sravishta i.e Magha Sukla Prathama. One month was added at the end of the third year and another at the end of the fifth year of the Yuga. The tropical year was divided into six Ruthus = Twelve The twelve months beginning with Sarad solar months. Ruthu were Isa, Urja, Sahas, Sahasya, Tapas, Tapasya, Madhu, Madhava, Sucra, Suchi, Nabhas, Nabhasya. The presiding dieties of the months are Kesava, Narayana, Madhava, Govinda, Vishnu, Madhusudana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Hrishikesa, Padmanabha, and Damodara. The first month began with the Sarad Ruthu i.e Autumnal Equinox, which was therefore the beginning of the year. During S^i Krishna's time, Margasira was the first month of the year, and the year began with the Durga Puja and Sarada Navarathri at the beginning of the Sarad Ruthu. The twelve Rasis and the related twelve months were then unknown.

They were introduced

into the

Hindu Astronomy by the Apparently they

Siddhanta Astronomers of the A. D. years. got it from the Yavanas of Western Asia.

The present standard Zodiac of the Govt, of India

7.

in 1956 A. D. Spica or Chitra Nakshatra is at the 1800 th degree of this Zodiac. This is different from the

was

fixed

The difference is 1° 46* i.e longitude on the Vedanga Jyotisha Zodiac,

Zodiac of the Vedanga Jyotisha.

to obtain the 46* should be added to the longitude of the zodiac of the

r

Govt, of India.

Moreover the Vedic Rishis used only Polar longitudes, and not the celestial longitude, which is given nowadays in all the Indian Panchangs (Almanacs), and this is evidently not the correct one to determine the positions of the planets. 8.

The metod adopted by me to determine the longitude

of the planets on any given date, is a slightly modified and improved one of that given by Sri L. Narayana Rao in his Perpetual Ephemeris.

A similar method is given by Dewan

Bahadur Swami Kannu Pillai in This

is

his

" Indian Ephemeris ".

also used for verifying the results.

The longitudes and not the

given are the visible longitudes at Kurukshetra,

mean

longitudes.

The time of day

Kurukshetra (or Ujjain).

is

from sunrise at

CHAPTER I The Date of birth of Sri Krishna According to accepted tradition, Sri Krishna was born Bhadrapada month, Krishna Ashtami, Rohini Nakshatra, at about midnight, when five planets were in exaltation and the other two in their own houses. in

the

The chart of the horoscope is as follows

:

L Rahu

Moon Jup

Rasi

Mars

Sun

Venus Sat

Mer

European scholars who could not imagine of the hoary tradition of Bharat, searched for this combination

of plane-

tary positions from 1000 B.C. to 500 A.D. V^hen they found that they could not fix the date, the only other alternative for

them was to say that Sri Krishna is a mythical person, and Poor scholars They should have

the puranas false stories.

!

searched for his date of birth near the beginning of the Kali Yuga Era i.e about 3100B.C. Then they would have found out that he

was born

at

11.40 P.M. on Friday 27th July 3112

B.C., when the planets were disposed as follows :

Lagna and Moon 52° 15' Rohini (4)

(i)

Jupiter 9r 16' Punarvasu (4) Sun 148° 15' uthara Phalguni (I)

(ii) (iii)

'^^ '

..?

Mercury 172° 33' Hasta (4) (v) Venus 180° 15' Cliiira (3)

(tv*)

(vii)

Saturn 209'^ 57' Visakha (3) Mars 270° 1' uthara Ashada (2)

(viii)

Rahu 16° 1' Bhaiani (I)

(vi)

A close look at the positions of the planets reveals that Jupiter, Venus,

and Mars just rushed into their positions for

sake of Lord Krishna, while the Moon, Sun, Mercury and Saturn lingered a little longer to be there at the time of the

the birth

of the Lord

Most wonderful

!

Rahu in the 12th.

place made him an invincible warrior.

For adopted *'

fixing the is

that

position of the planets,

Perpetual Hphemeris ", and by

Kannu

the

method

given by Sri L. Narayana Rao M.A in his

Dewan Bahadur Swami

in his Indian Ephemeins.

But I have slightly improved the technique, and I use the sidereal periods of the planets as accepted by modern astronomers. (i)

Pillai

Sun and Moon.

On Saturday, 10th Jan. 3104 B.C, at 5 P.M. the sun and the moon were together at 312.61.

92 lunations = 2716.814 days

^|\

7 Sidereal years =-2556.798

Difference =160.0 16

days =157°. 826 of the Zodiac,

New Moon occurred 7 years 160.016 days before 5 P.M. on 10th Jan. 3104 B.C., and at New Moon the sun and Moon were at 312°.61 - 157^826= 154°78. i.e

Therefore the previous Krishna Sapthami ended at

or ie

or

- 7.74 = 147.041 ^ - 8.10 = 146.68 J ^^'^S® (a) 2716.814 + 7.872 = 2724.686 days \p,„_ (b) 2716.814 + 8.21 = 2725.024 days J^^^S®

(a) 154.78 (b) 154.78

before 5 P.M. on 10th Jan. 3104 B. C.

The corresponding Julian Day reckoned from sunrise at Kurukshetra is (a)

or

587691.46 - 2724.686 = 584972.774 days - 2725.024=584972.436 days J ^^°^®

\^__

(b) 587691.46

The position of the Moon at that time was (a)

147.04

(b) 146.68

- 96 = 51.05) ^ , - 96 = 50.68/ Range -Last quarter ,

,

.

of

Rohini.

Converting to the Zodiac of Vedanga Jyotisha, by adding 1° 15', the sun was at 148° 15' and the

Hence

Moon at 52° 15'.

was just at 1 1.40 P.M. on Friday, 584973rd Bhadrapada month, Krishna Ashtami, Rohini Nakshatra, Lord Krishna was born, with the sun at 148° 15* and the Moon at 52°15\ The corresponding date is Friday, 27th July 3112 B.C. it

Tulian day,

(ii) Positioii of Rahu

(iii)

= 230^ 22' + 144« 24' + 1M5* = 376^01' = 160 or

Saturn : 170 cycles of saturn - 1829067.37 days 5008 cycles of sun = 1829206.55 days oo Saturn is ahead of sun by 4*^ 39'. The corresponding Kali Day is 1829206.55 - 3493 = 1825713.55 = 11 Sep 1897 A. D. ••.

Position of Saturn= 213^21' -4° 39'

+ lo \y:=.209^57'

(iv) Jupiter :

41 2 cycles of Jupiter

= 1815353.0396 days

=181 5326.74 days 4970 cycles of sun The corresponding /. Jupiter is behind sun by 2° 15'. Kali Day = 1815326.74- 3493 = 1811833.74- 11 Sep 1859 A.

D

Position of Jupiter

.•.

() Mars

= 87^ 46' +2° l5' + r 15' =-9/'' 16'

:

2643 cycles of Mars = 181568^.2017 days 4971 cycles of Sun = 1815691.5528 days .*. Mars is ahead of sun by 2° 16'. The corresponding = 1812198.5528 = 10th Sep 1860 A. D. Kali Day /. Position of Mars = 271« 02'-2°16' + lM5'=276*>0r

Venus :

(vi)

8074 cycles of Venus = 1814242.219 days = 1814230.5256 days 4969 cycles of sun V Venus is behind the sun byl8<>45'. The corresponding Kali Day = 1810738 = 10 Sep 1856 A. D. Position of Venus= 160015' + 18'»45' + in5' = 750»;5' .-.

Mercury

(vii)

:

20628 cycles of Mercury = 1814595.8587 days = 1814596.2713 days 4968 cycles of sun •*. Mercury is ahead of sun by 1° 35'. The corresponding Kali Day = 1811103.27 = 11 Sep 1857 A. D. .-. Position of Mercury = 172023' - lo35' + 1^15' =

172^ 3y

Note

:

The positions obtained by referring to Swami Kannu

Pillai's "Indian Ephemeris"

208 o 59'.

(ii)

are as follows

Jupiter 90° 23'

(iii)

:

—

Venus 180® 14' (v) Mercury 171 « 04' The two results are practically the same. (iv)

(i)

Saturn

Mars 271° 36'

CHAPTER II Determination of the birth days of the Pandavas (from the astronomical data supplied by Maha Rishi Veda Vyasa in the Adi Parvan of the

Maha Bharata.) (i) Yudhishtira was born on Sukla Panchami, Jyeshta Nakshatra Day in the Abijit Muhurta— (8th Muhuna of the day 1 Muhurta = 48 minutes) Adi Parvan— 7 Sambava Parva—ch 129— si 21. ;

:

Almost a year

(ii)

later

Bheemasena was

born

on

Krishna Trayodasi, Magha Nakshatra Day, in the Pitiryam or Rohini Muhurta (9th of the day), chap. 130—si. 66.

Arjuna was born on the day with Poorva and His fourteenth birthday was on the first day of the month of Madhava, Sri Krishna was born in the third month after Arjuna Ch. 132 17 and Ch. 134—9. (iii)

uthara Phalguni Nakshtras.

—

—

(iv)

Ch. 133

— 24: —The children were born

at

one per

year, like the 5 years of a Yuga.

— —

Ch. 134 9 Krishna was junior to Bala Rama by one year and 3 months. (v)

(vi)

:

These

data,

together with the date of birth of

Sri Krishna, fix the birth days of the

us consider Arjuna

first.

three Pandavas.

Let

Since Sri Krishna was born in the

month of Suchi, he was born in the month of Madhava [months in order are Madhu, Madhava, Sucra, Suchi, Nabhas, Nabhasya,...]. On the new moon day following

—

Sri Krishna's birth

before,

the

the sun

was

at

154.8.

Two lunations

new moon was with the sun at 96.8.

3f days

later the sun was at 100.6, and the moon

146.8 i.c

at

Sukla

Chathunhi, Uthara Phalguni Nakshatra. The corresponding Julian

Day

is

584927,

Monday.

This

again verified by

is

the next statement regarding the 14th Birth day. 13 years

later the

the sun at 96.5

corresponding

New Moon was with

- 22.0 =- 74.5.

3f days later the sun was at 78.3.

Note:

The month of Madhu was from 48® to 78° and was from 79 to 109 etc. Hence it is seen that the 14th birth day of Arjuna fell on the first day of the month of Madhava the month of Madhava

!

I

24 lunations before Sri Krishna's birth, i.e 708.9

(vii)

days before, the new moon was with the sun at days later,

176.1.

4.5

the sun was at 180.6, and the moon at 236.1 i.e

Sukla Panchami, Jyeshta Nakshatra. This is the birth day of Yudhishtira, Julian Day, 584277,

Tuesday

[3114 B.C.]. 354.43 days after Yudhishtira's

12 lunations or

(viii)

New Moon was with the sun at 165.4. Three days before the sun was at 162.4, and the Moon was at 125.4 i.e birth, the

Magha Nakshatra. This is the birth day of Bheemasena, Julian Day 584624, Saturday [31 13 B.C.]. Krishna Trayodasi,

(ix)

Bala

Rama was younger then

older than Bheemasena. his birth.

There fore

and

The sun was at Rohini (47 ® ) at was 229 days younger than

he

Yudhishtira— Julian Day 584506, Sunday. 2

Yudhishtira

'

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CHAPTER III Bheeshma's death 1. Udhishtira celebrated the Raja Suya on the Amavasya day with Jyeshta and Moola Nakshatras. Hence 15 years later at the time of the Mahabharata War, the Amavasya was at the beginning of Jyeshta ie with the sun at

224.75.

In the Udyoga Parva ch 1 42, Sri Krishna tells Kama,

2.

just before

Amavasya comes on' Amavasya was with the sun at

leaving Hastinapura, that

Jyeshta Day.

Hence

this

224.°75. 3.

Santi

It is stated

Parva ch. 46, Anusasani Parva ch. 272-274.

that Bheeshma died at

Midday on Magha Sukla^

Ashtami, Rohini Nakshatra. Therefore the position of the sun on that day was 224°.75 + 87^3 (3 lunations) + 6^8o'

Ashtami = 318°.85. 4.

Again it is stated that Bheeshma died as soon as

sun's chariot turned north.

the;

Therefore utharayana or winter,

solstice was with the sun at 317°.

>

5. It is also stated that Bheeshma died on Sukla Ashtami Day i.e when the Moon was 90° from the sun i.e at. 49°. This is in complete agreement with the statement that it was Rohini Nakshatra. ^

6.

Because winter solstice was with the sun at 317°, the

Vernal Equinox was with the sun at 47°. 7.

By the law of the precession of the equinoxes,

it is

well known that in 3100 B.C., the Vernal Equinox (r) was at 47°.

The time of Bheeshma's death and the Maha Bharata

War was about 3100 B.C.

CHAPTER IV Date of the Mahabharata War Introduction

The date of the Mahabharata is quite important to The whole of Indian History entirely depends upon the date of the Maha Bharata war, for the dates of accassion of kings of the various Hindu dynasties are Indian History.

invariably calculated in all our Puranas and other works of

authoritry from the time of Mahabharata War.

—T. If

S. Narayana Sastri, b.a.b.l

we wish

classification civilisation

to adopt the three fold chronological of history in relation to the progress of

and of human events

in India also,

the date of

the Mahabharata war acquires a characteristic importance.

A comprehensive view of Indian civilisation as unfolded by Indian Literature shows distinctly that what may be called the Ancient History of India was really at an end by the time

of this war which was thus chronologically coincident with the commencement of the Mediaeval History of India.

—Prof. M. Rangacharya, m.a. Section.

1.

Let us

now

consider

the

references

Maha Bharata War, the Yudhishtira Era,

to

the

Kali Era, and

Saptha Rishi Era. (i)

Varaha Mihira— Brihat Samhita XIII-3.

The sages

(Saptha Rishis) were in Magha in Yudhishtira's time. (ii)

Magha.

Garga quoted by Bhattotpala— At the Dwapara and Kali, the Saptha Rishis were in

Vriddha

Junction of

•If3

(iii)

Vishnu, Bagavata etc. Puranas state that Kali Yuga

began in the 75th year of Magha. (iv) When 35 years were over after the Mahabharata War at the time indicated by the curse of Gandhari, the

Yadavas saw bad Mousala Parva.

omens portending

their

destruction—

(v) Yudhishtira ruled for 36 years after the Maha Bharata

War and

then

left

the

world

— Mahabharata, Swarga

Rohana Parva. The Yudhishtira Era was started 25 years after i.e with the beginning of the Poorva Phalguni cycle Era Kali Rishi Era— Sri V. Thiru Venkatacharya-Popular Saptha the of Astronomy. (vi)

Inscription in the temple of Hanuman at Rajaputana states that the Commencement of Yudhishtira Era was from the coronation of Yudhishtira at

The

(vii)

Jaisalmer,

Indraprasta.

—

(viii) Maha Bharata Adi Parva 7 Sambava Parva, ch76 (Kumbakonam Edition) and ch 137 [Calcutta Edition]

"Vyasa told his mother 2 months after Pandu's death, that '*Dharma is dying and Adharma is getting powerful." He then took her away from Hastinapura." (ix)

Vana Parva chap 151. Hanuman Says **Kali Yuga

has already come." (x) Salya

Parva— ch. 61— Krishna states that the unfair

fight was due to Kali's influence. (xi)

Udyoga Parva

(xii)

,

—ch 142-Krishna during

tion with Kama stated repeatedly that Kali

Mousala Parva

— ch.l.

r

his conversa-

Yuga had come.

'

14

" Though Kali has come, it was like Krita Yuga because of Sri Krishna" (xiii)

Mousala Parva

—ch. 3

Sahadeva tells Udhishtira that **Kali has come because of the departure of Sri Krishna." Immediately they prepare for

Maha Prasthana. (xiv)

Arya Bhatiya— Gitika 5.

Kali began from the Maha Prasthana of the Panda vas. (xv) Vishnu, Bagavata and other Puranas—

Kali Yuga began on the day Sri Krishna left the world. (xvi)

Bagavata Purana—

Udhishtira states that "even after seven months Arjuna has not returned

from Dwaraka."

for Maha Prasthana on Arjuna's

Then

his

preparation

return, shows that it was 7

months after the Yadava slaughter, Yudhishtira gave up his kingdom, and went away after crowning Parikshit.

More over it is usual for Vanaprasthas and Sanyasins to Dridharashtra left move out after the rainy season. Hastinapura for the forest in the month of Margasira, and so did Udhishtira- on the Vijaya Dasami Day. Hence the conclusion is that Kali Yuga bsgan during time of Sri Krishna, and it was there at the time of the Maha Bharata War. But reckoning started after the Pandavas left on Maha Prasthana, and Parikshit began to the

rule,

life

i.e.

exactly

Bharatha War.

36 years after the beginning of the Maha

15 Section 2.

The Maha Bharata is teeming with plenty of astronomical information regarding its own age.

them

in

It is proposed to

arrange

order and determine the exact date of the Maha

Bharata war. This paper is based entirely on the many Astronomical data supplied by Sri Veda Vyasa, which are all consistent.

(A) The following statements are seen in the Bharata

— Udyoga Parvan

Maha

:

(i) Sri Krishna left Upaplaviya for Hastinapura on the mission of peace in the Maithra Muhurta (3rd muhurta of on Sukla the morning from 7.36 A.M. to 8.24 A.M.)

Dwadasi, Revati Day, in the month of Krithika.

En route

he halted for a day at a town called Vrikasthala— Chap.

82,

83, 85. (ii)

He reached Hastinapura on Bharani Day ch. 89.

(iii)

He met various persons to discuss the conditions

for averting a War.

The meetings went on up

to

Pushya

day—ch. 90 and 91.

On Pushya Day

(Krishna Panchami), Duryodana finally refused all conditions for peace, and ordered his men (iv)

to prepare the battlefield of Kurukshetra

—ch. 180.

Hastinapura on Uthara Phalguni Their conversation is very Sri Krishna told Kama that interesting and illuminating. the seventh day from then, Jyeshta Day, was Amavasya, and asked him to advise Duryodana to begin the war prepara(y) Sri

Krishna

left

Day with Kama in his chariot.

tions on that Day

—ch. 142.

16 (vi)

He

days later

i.e

returns to Upaplaviya on

on Anuradha Day,

Chitra day.

Sri Bala

Three

Rama comes to

Upaplaviya to know the result of Sri Krishna's mission, and coming to know of its failure, he decides to go on a pilgrimage, and leaves the place for Dwaraka with Pradyumna and others ch. 157.

—

(vii)

On the following Pushya Day, Sri Krishna with

the Pandavas moved towards Kurukshetra the Salya Parva—ch. 35).

(stated

twice in

(viii) 17 days after his return from Upaplaviya, on Punarvasu day, Balarama started on his pilgrimage from

Prabhasa, at the mouth of the River Saraswathy— Salya Parva ch. 34. A number of chapters following ch. 34, discribe the pilgrimage of Bala Rama along the course of the River Saraswathy, dotted with many holy Rishi Ashramas. 42 days after starting on his pilgrimage i.e on Sravana Day, he comes to Kurukshetra, on the evening of the 1 8th Day of the Maha Bharata War. The 19th morning, when Duryodana died was Krishna Paksha Chathurdasi, Sravana Nakshatra i.e 59th day from the Jyeshta Amavasya. (ix) 2 days after Bala Rama left Upaplaviya i.e on Moola day, Rukmi, the great warrior and brother of Rukmini came to the Pandava camp and offered his help. Udyoga Parva chap. 158. It was refused and he went away This disproves the conjecture of many scholars who state that the Maha Bliarata war began on Jyeshta Amavasya

—

day.

(B> (i)

Udyoga Parva

142 and 143 give the following

ch.

information (astronomical). (a)

The day was Uthara Phalguni day, when Sri Krishna left

Hastinapura

mission.

after

the

failure

of his peace

17 (b) Seven days later, it was Jyeshta Amavasya day. (c)

Saturn was Nakshatra.

very

bright

and

was

with

(d)

Rahu was approaching the sun

(e)

The moon was approaching the Amavasya.

(ii)

Bheeshma

Parva

Rohini

—A

observations are given here.

number of astronomical They are considered seperately

in an appendix. (iii)

Mousala Parva chap. 3

:

"When Amavasya came on the 13th day, Sri Krishna Again Rahu has caused Poornima on Chathurdasi Such a thing happened at the approach of the Maha Bharata War. It has now come for our destruction .. "He then found it was the 36th year after the Maha Bharata War, and was reminded of the curse of Gandhari," Guruparampara and " Eedu " Sri Vaishnava

said,"

day.

(iv)

—

Commentary of Nammalwar's Thiruvoimozhi "Sri Krishna left the world in the beginning of Kali Yuga on Friday, Chaitra Sukla, Prathama, Utharaproshtapada Nakshatra, and Sri Satagopa was born 43 days later in the month of Vaisakha, on Friday, Sukla Chathurdasi day, Poornima Thithi and Visakha Nakshatra. (C) The might battle of Drona on the 14th night is very described by Maha Rishi Veda Vyasa [Drona

graphically

Parva ch. 185— 188]. At about midnight Gatothkacha was The fury of the battle was tremendous, killed by Kama. but the warriors on both sides were very tired. Just then, at about 1 A.M. Arjuna declared a short truce for one muhurta (48 minutes), //// moonrise. The moon rose at about 2 A.M. **when J of the night was still left". The description of the moonrise is excellent, and the battle that followed it was terrible. Drona became mad with fury and killed Virata and 3

18

Drupada at about 5 A.M. The sun rose on the 15th morning for both parties for Sandyopasana. Therefore it was Krishna Paksha Dasami on the 15 morning, and hence it was Krishna Chathurdasi on the 19th morning.

to give a short respite

(D) On Jyeshta Day both sides went to Kurukshetra which was still wet and slushy. The Pandavas chose the western side on the bank of the Hiranya Nadi, while Duryodana chose the eastern side (Udyoga Parva). They started cutting canals, building comfortable camps, houses and palaces, laid beautiful roads, etc. Duryodana's camp was like another Hastinapura, connecting it by well laid chariot roads. The camps were well provided with plenty of good water, food, medicines and armoury. There were plenty of doctors, nurses, attendants etc. All this took just only one month. The next amavasya (30 days after Jyeshta amavasya) came on Poorva Ashada Day. This was the first Amavasya of the month of Margasira [at the beginning of Sarad Ruthu, which began the year in Sri Krishna's time]. Hence Navarathri or Durga Pooja began the next day *[Just 2 years before on a similar holiday, Udhishtira performed Durga Pooja, and on the Vijaya Dasami day, he performed Ayudha Puja and then entered Virata Nagar]. On the 10th day i.e Vijayadasami day, Ayudhapuja was performed (U. Parva ch. 160 and 161).

This Navarathri is termed Sarada Navarathri in the Dharma Sastras. There is another called Vnsanta Navarathri celebrated at the begining of Vasanta Ruthu. Our present Navarathri is celebrated at the beginning of Sarad Ruthu.

That evening Duryodana sent Uluka, son of Sakuni, to His message and its delivery by Uluka are He told Sri Krishna and the very interesting reading. Pandavas that "Ayudha Puja is over today, Kurukshetra is now dry and there is no reason for furthur delay in starting the Pandavas

19

He demanded a straight reply from them. The Pandavas, on the advice of Sri Krishna, agreed to begin the war the next morning at sunrise. It was Sukla Ekadasi, Krittika Nakshatra of the month of Margasira, that the Bhagavad Gita was revealed by the Lord and Teacher of the three worlds, (on Friday). The War started at 6.30 Hence the 1 9th morning was Krishna Chathurdasi Thithi tOit with Sravana Nakshatra. I the War**.

AM.

(E) Bheeshma died at Midday on Magha Sukla Ashtami, Rohini Nakshatra. Reckoning from Jyeshta Amavasya, the number of days = 29.53x3 + 8 = 97. The number of days from Jyeshta Amavasya to the beginning of the M.B. War = 29.53+10 = 40 days. Therefore the number of days from the beginning of MB. War to Bheeshma's death both days This is referred to in the Santi Parva inclusive = 58 days. ch. 46 and the Anusasani Parva chap. 272.273 and 274, where in it is stated that "Bheeshma, who was in the bed of arrows, said, *I have not slept for 58 days'."

[as

translated

by Sriman Vidwan Melma Narasimha Thathacharya swamigal avl.] from the day he was made the General of the

Kaurava Army. (F)

(i)

// is seen from the positions of the planets that

the M,B. fVar was fought 38 years after the

Astronomical

Kali Era. (ii)

The positions of the planets Sun, Moon and Rahu

are now verified.

On the 10th Jan 3104 B.C. at about 5 P.M. the planets were as follows

:

Sun 312°37' Moon 312°37', Mercury 298°58' Venus 298° 16', Mars 299^25' Jupiter 299° 10' Saturn 299o5' and Rahu 230M3'

20 (iii)

Date

Julian Day

B.C.

Week day

Sun

Rahu

New Moon

15-10-3105

587608

M'1-87

225-27

235-25

Full Moon

28- 0-3105

587623

Tu2-64

239-83

234-45

New Moon

12-11 3105

587638

W 3-40

254-39

233-64

Moon

10- 1-3104

587697

S

6-46

312-61

230-22

iStt44

13 Oct 3105 B.C. wasAmavasya with Jyeshta Nakshatra,

on Tuesday

early morning. This is the then Ritualistic Kali Yugddhi Day^ the beginning of the civil year of those The combination of (Co «ilw)i_, (ipil«nL_, Qr&iea^iu times. i)ip«niD) Jyeshta, Amavasya on the early morning of Tuesday is considered

very

Kali Yuga began.

inauspicious,

and

it

was with this that

On the next Full Moon day there was part of the night.

5 A.M. on 10.1.3104 B. C. the Astronomical Kali

[At Yugadhi,

the five planets were

with

lunar

eclipse

visible

in the

seen

early

clustered

together

the

crescent Moon at Mid Shravishta] (iv) 38 years after the beginning of the Astronomical Kali Era, i.e at the time of the Maha Bharata War, the positions of the planets were as follows :

(a)

Saturn :

= 168 x 10759.2198= 1807642 days. 4949 cycles of sun = 4949x365.25 689 = 180'}656days. oo Saturn is behind sun by 0°.47. 168 cycles of Saturn

13th oct 3067 B. C. is 13023 Kaliday of L. N. Rao's Ephemeris (ie from 18-2-3102 B. C.)

The corresponding Kaliday = 1807656 + = 1820679 i.e Thurs 29 Nov 1883 A. D. •••

13023

(

r

21

Hence Position of Saturn = 44.4+0.5 -= 44.9 (Rohini) Since Saturn was in opposition, it was very bright. (b)

Sun and Moon

:

38 sidereal years = 38x 365.25689^13879.7584 days

470 lunations = 470x29. 5305= 13879 3764 days Difference = .382 day=0^377 ••• The position of Sun and 225.27 -0.377 = 22^°.59

Moon

at

New Moon was

The difference between the Zodiac of the Vedanga Indian Government ^1°46' = 1°.77. Therefore the correct position of the Amavasya was 226.66 i.e. the beginning point of Jyeshta Nakshatra and also of the Yoga Vara, Antares of Scorpio

Note

Jyotisha and that of the present

The corresponding week day was 1.87 plus 5.38 = 0.26 — Sunday.

The newmoon thithi extended from the midday of Saturday to the midday of Sunday. Confusion was caused as to which day is Amavasya. This is revealed in the traditional story, that Sri Krishna made Saturday, the Amavasya day, while Duryodana thought Sunday, as

Amavasya day. Many interesting religio

—social and astrono-

mical features are revealed by this story^ (c)

Rahu

:

Motion of Rahu in 38 years = 38 x 19.35548= /5».509 Therefore position of Rahu = 235r25-15«.51=2/9«. 74

On the day when Sri Krishna conversed with Kama, the Sun was at 218^,

Rahu

at 220*,

(approaching the sun)

and the Moon was coming from behind to overtake the Sun. Veda Vyasa's words are wonderfully true. It is also seen to be a solar eclipse day on Jyeshta Day. Again tradition is that this Amavasya was a long thithi and so the next Poornima was a short thithi. On that day

22 full

moon ended

at

0.25

three thithis that Sunday.

plus

14.74 = 0.99 i.e.

there

were

The day began with a Chaturdasi

and ended with Krishna Prathama. This is the full moon before the Maha Bharata war, referred to by Sri Krishna in the Mousala Parva. (d)

On the Jyeshta day mentioned by

his conversation with

Sri Krishna,

in

Kama, the sun and the moon were at

on the Uthara Phalguni Day, the day of the 2l8"and Rahu at 220'^ was approaching the sun, and the moon was approaching the sun from behind. 2250. So

conversation, the sun was at

Again during this time Mars was in Anuradha and Thus the cruel planets Saturn, Mars, and Rahu were aspecting the sun and the moon, indicating a great war Bheeshuna Parva. (e)

Jyeshta.

—

(f) Jupiter was at Rohini with Saturn

— Bheeshma Parva

(g) Solar eclipse is indicated on both the occasions just

Maha nharata War and before the Yadava civil war, 35 years after the M.B. war. It is stated that both amavasyas came on the 1 3th day. Again three thithis in a day is indicated by the words " Chathurdasi was made These conditions are satisfied on the dates Poornima." shown below This proves the correctness of the statements of Sri Veda Vyasa and the correct date of the M.B. War. before the

Da^e

Julian

^,,,^,y

Sun

Rahu

New Moon

13-10-3067 €01488

Sun 0-25

224-89 219-74

Full Moon

27-10 3067 601502

Sun 0-99

239-46 218-93

New Moon

lI-n-3057 601517

Monl-78

254-02 218-13

New Moon

11-12-3067 601547

Wed 3-31

283-15 216-52

23

The day following the Amavasya of 3067 B.C. is the first Sukla Prathama of the year, at the beginning of Margasira month and Sarad Ruthu [in Sri Krishna's time Margasira was the first month of the year]. Therefore Durga Pooja or Navarathri started on Tuesday 12th Nov. 3067 B.C. The tenth day was Vijaya Dasami Day i.e Ayudha Puja day. This is the day on which Duryodana sent Uluka to the Pandavas, asking them to start the war the next day. On the advice of Sri Krishna, the Pandavas agreed to it. Hence the Maha Bharata War was stir ted on Friday, Margasira month, Sukla Ekadasi Thithi, Krittika Nakshatra, 22 Nov. 3067 B. 601328 Julian Day, Ekadasi ending at Fri. 5.60 and the Moon at 37.74 or Krittika on Friday morning. This is in complete accord with Special Note :

11 Nov.

•

C—

tradition.

CHAPTER V The Date of the Rajasuya

and The Beginning of the Yudhishtira Era 1 The Maha Bharata states that the Raja Suya was completed on the New Moon day with Jyeshta and Moola Nakshatras Fifteen years before the M.B. War.

—

2.

The Kala

Bali or

Field Sacrificial offering on the

battle field of Kurukshetra was performed fifteen

years after

the Raja Suya. 3. The Field Sacrifice of the M. B. war was fixed on 13 Oct. 3067 B.C. Julian day 601488. Sunday. 25 New Moon Day with the sun at 224.89, But Sri Krishna had it done the previous midday.

4.

15 sidereal years

185 lunations Difference

= 5478.8520 days. - 5463.1610 days. = 15.69 days ^ 5'^ .47 1

Therefore the position of Sun and Moon on the Raja

Suya Day was 240®. 36.

The corresponding weekday = 7.25 — 3. 16 = 4.09. i

e.

Thursday, early morning.

The Julian Day = 60l4.88-5463.16 = 596024.84 ^596025 -Thursday. This day is Moola Margasira Sukla Prathama, Nakshatra, when the Yudhishtire Era was begun, i.e. 26 Oct. 3082 B.C. coronation was the day before i.e. on Nakshatras. with Jyeshta and Moola Wednesday, Julian Day 596024, 25 Oct. 3082 B.C. 5.

Rajasuya

Amavasya Day, 6.

The Yudhishtira Era began on 26th Oct. 3082 B.C.

Date of exile and return of Pandavas

From a combined

study of Sabha

Parva and Virata

Parva, it is easy to determine the dates of exile and return of the Pandavas(i)

From

the Sabha Parva,

dice was played about one year

we learn that the game of The after the Rajasuya.

Pandavas were defeated, and sent out on condition that they should live in the forest for 12 years, and then in hiding for one more year. They accordingly left the place.

From the Virata, Parva chap 32, we learn that at the end of 13 years, in the month of Margasira (a) the Trigarta* attacked the city of Virata, from the north, on Krishna Ashtami day, and (b) the Kaurava army attacked the from the south on Krishna Navami day. It was on this day that Arjuna

revealed

city

himself to the

Immediately Duryodana, asked Bheeshma, if he had not come out earlier than the stipulated time, to which he replied that the Pandavas were in exile for 13 lunar years, five lunar months and 12 days ( = 4766.42 days) [13 sidereal years =4748.34 days, and so the Pandavas were in exile for 18 days more than the stipulated period]. Kauravas.

Now the Pandavas were in exile for 13 lunar years, five lunar months and

12 days.

Krishna Navami. Trayodasi day.

Therefore

Arjuna revealed himself on the exile began on Sukla

Let us now verify Veda Vyasa's reckoning of time. (i)

Rajasuya— Margasira Amavasya day with the sun at

241ojulian day 596024

4

26 (ii) Next year— date of exile—-Sukla Triyodasi day with the sun at 230+ 12 = 242«, and Julian day 596024 + 29.53 x

12+12 596 -=390.36 = 596391 (iii)

13 years later—

4766.42 days

Ma rgasira

Krishna Navami

with the sun at 260*^, Julian 596390.42+ 4766.42 = 601156.78 = 601157 later,

i.e.

Day =

The exile began with the sun at 242°. Therefore the Pandavas were in exile for 13 sidereal years +18 days. (iv)

One year later, at the beginning of the Maha Bharata i.e. 29.53 x 12+17

war, on Margasira Sukla Ekadasi day

days later = 371.36 days later, the sun was at 265°, and Julian day 60 11 56.78 + 37 1.36 = 60 1528.1 4 = 601528 th day

day already determined from other This is the independent data. Thus is revealed the truth of Veda Vyasa's astronomical data. Hence the date of exile was Julian day 596391 and the date of return = 60 11 57 and the total period of exile =» 4766 days = 1 3 sidereal years + 1 8 days

CHAPTER VII

-

,

A few important events given in the Maha Bharata See A.

Pandu died on the 14th birth day of Arjuna, ^_c Lrr I

1.

beginning of the month of Madhava.

at the

y.

2. Just after Drona's war with Drupada, Yudhishtira was crowned Yuva Raja.

One year after Drona's <var, Drowpathy was born.-

3.

The Pandavas went to Varanavatha in the month of They entered the waxen palace 10 days later. Exactly one year later, the palace was set fire to on Krishna Chathurdasi night. After the fire incident, the Pandavas lived in hiding for 6 months Then they lived in. in the Ashrama of Rishi Sali Hotra. 4.

Phalguna, Sukla Ashtami, Rohini Nakshatra.

Ekachakrapura

for

7 months.

Drowpathy's

marriage

follows.

A few months after the marriage, Yudhishtira was

5.

crowned

king

at

Hastinapura.

He

rebuilt

the city of

Indraprastha and made it his Capital.

Nine years later, Rajasuya was celebrated on the

6.

New Moon day with Jyeshta and Moola Nakshatras. Maha New Moon Day with

Fifteen years later, the Field Sacrifice of the

7.

Bharata war was performed on the Jyeshta Nakshatra.

During the first day's battle of the M. B. War it is the oldest warrior Bheeshma met the youngest warrior Abimanyu, who showed himself equal to the greatest 8.

stated

that

warriors.

28 (ii)

5 months after the

New Moon at 227.61 of this

year.

Date B. C. Julian Day

Week day

Sun

New Moon

15-10-3032

614274

Th 4-695

227-61

New Moon

12- 2-3031

614393

Th 4-215

344-13

New Moon

12- 3-3031

614422

F 5-345

13-26

Full Moon

27- 3-3C31

614437

Sa 6-115

27-83

(a) In the afternoon

of 13 Feb 3031 B.C.

Julian

Day

614394, Friday, Chaitra Sukla Prathama, Uthara Proshtapada

Nakshatra

Sri Krishna

ascended to Heaven.

The Yadava

destruction was on the previous day, Amavasya day. (b) The morning of 614436 Julian Day was Friday, 26 March 3031 B.C., Sukla Chathurdasi upto about 9 AM., and Poornima later. The moon was at Visakha (200° to 213J). Hence it was on this day that Sri Satagopa (Nammalwar)

was bom exactly the 43rd day after Sri Krishna's departure.

The month of Vaisakh began on Saturday, 13 March i.e. 614423 Julian Day. The month of Chaitra began on Friday 12 Feb 3031 B.C. i.e. 614394 Julian Day. Sri Satagopa was bom on Friday, 26 March 3031 B.C. i.e. 614436 Julian Day. i.e. he was born on the 43rd day of the Thus it is true to the )?ear, from Chaitra Sukla Prathama. of"Edu", the famous commentary of the 1000 statement (c)

3031 B.C.

verses of Sri Satagopa.

Thus

it is

seen that these events agree entirely with

traditional statements.

an

CHAPTER VI

Q

Determination of the date of the Yadava Civil

War, and the date of birth of Sri Satagopa : (i) 35 years after the MahaBharata time of the Yadava Civil War :—

War i,e,

at the

= 12783.988 days » 12786.645 days « 2,757 days - 2^ J\9 Difference Motion of Rahu = 35x19.35548-317.44 Position of Rahu = 219.74-317.44 + 360 =» 262o.3d 35 sidereal years

433 lunations

.'.

Date B.C.

JuHad Day

Week day

Sun

Rahu

New Moon

15-10-3032

614274

Th 4-695

227-61

262-3a

New Moon

14-11-3032

614304

Sa 6.225

256-74

260-69 |

Full Moon

29-11-3032

614319

Sa 6-995

271-31.

259-89

New Moon

13-12-3032

614333

Sun 0-765 {285-87 f285-87|

259-08

(a) Solar eclipse on 14 Nov 3032 B.C. (b)

Lunar eclipse on 29 Nov 3032 B.C., a day of three

thithis, mentioned by Sri Krishna.

(c)

N te the similarity in the two cases mentioned by

Sri Krishna.

the

Rahu makes a solar eclipse and long thithis at

New Moon. The following full moon is a short thithi

merged in between Sukla Chathurdasi and Krishna Prathama, on which day there are three thithis. The two phenomenon occurring together is a rare feature, and its repetition in in 35 years is again very rare.

30

Abimanya died just after completing

9.

his 16th

year.

His divine father Chandra, sent his son Varchas to be born as Abimanyu, with the express understanding that he

should

return on completing his 1 6th year. 10.

Note on Subhadra's marriage and the

Abimanyu

birth

of

:

In 3085 B.C. Arjuna had to go out on pilgrimage for

At the end of the period, when a few days were he went to Dwataka in the garb of a sanyasi and

12 months. left,

still

married Subhadra secretly with the help of Sri Krishna.

The Yadava chiefs were asked by Sri Krishna to go to the Island and perform pujas to propitiate the Nava Grahas. 3084 B.C. is one of those very very rare years, when the three planets Saturn, Jupiter and Mars are together and retrograde [203,

200 and 179°

Swami Kannu Pillai

resptly

with the sun at 41®]— Refer

—Indian Ephemeris for

this

particular

combination of planets in the year 3084 B.C.

Again the Gandharva Vivaha of Subhadra

—Arjuna took

place in the month of Vaisakha, Utharayana, Sukla Paksha r/in7/2etf>'a (

+ 10) Hasta Nakshatra, Bava Karana, Makara

This clearly shows that Arjuna married Subhadra in the month of Vaisakha of 3084 B.C. and Abimanyu was born On completing 16 in the month of Magha of 3083 B.C.

Lugna.

years he died in the month of Powshya (or Makara) year 3067 B.C. during the M.B. War.

in the

Section B.

Dates of a few important Events of the Maha Bharata Sri

Event

Krishna's

Date B.C.

Agp

Yrs—mth. 0-0 Birthday of Sri Krishna Era— Beginning of 2. Saplha Rishi 76th year of Magha Nakshatra and beginning of Kali Era 3. Ritualistic and Civil KaJi Era 4. Astronom'cal Kali Era 12-10} 5. Pandavas entered Hastinapura 6. Drona's War with Drupatha Yudhishtira's Yuva Rajyabishekam 18-3 20-8 7. Drowpathy's marriage 8. Yudhishtira's Rajyabishekam 21-3 Re-building Indraprastha 26-9 9. Arjuna's Theertha Yatra begins 10. Note: For SJ yeas from Nov. 3085 B.C., Arjuna conquered and 1.

27 July 3112

23 Dec.

July 3099

Nov. 3094 Ap. 3091

Nov. 3091

May 3085

annexed all the adjacent Kingdoms and expanded the Kingdom of Yudhishtira.

He earned the name

ol the greatest warrior of his times next to Sri Krishna.

Subhadra's marriage Burning of Gandava forest 13. Birth of Abimanyu 14. Beginning of Rajasuya 15. End of Rajasuya and the crowning of Yudhishtira as Samrat 16. Yudhishtira Era began 11.

12.

27-8 27-11 28-6 29-3 30-3

Ap. 3084 July 3084

Feb. 3083

Nov. 3083 Wed. 25 Oct. 3082

30-3

Thursday 26 Oct. 3082

Beginning of Vana Vasa 18. Maha Bharata War. 17.

19.

Yadava Civil War ends on New

Moon day,

Sri

Krishna went to

31-3

Nov. 3081

45-4

Friday 22 Nov. 3067

80-9

Friday 13 Ap. 3031

Heaven on Chaitra Sukla Prathama 20.

Maha Prasthana of Pandavas.

Nov. 3031

APPENDIX

DEWAN BAHADUR SWAMIKANNU PILLAT, M.A.,B.L. AND THE MAHABHARATA Mr. Pillai has made a number of unwarranted remarks about the Maha Bharata and Sri Veda Vyasa, with regard to the many astronomical references found in the MahaBharata. Herein I quote a few of them, and then show that Sri Veda Vyasa was perfectly correct in all his observations. (1) Indian Ephemeris Vol. 1 Part 1. by D. B. S. K. Pillai

"In this connection reference may be made to the 13 days does not occur except once in 1000 years. In the Maha Bharata, Bheeshma Parva (3 32), it is recounted by Vyasa in the course of his convesation with Dhritarashtra, that he has known of lunar fortnights consisting of 14, 15 or 16 days, but never of one consisting of 13 days, but since such a one is in prospect or has occurred, there will be a great slaughter of human beings. Other sastras quoted by Dr. Fleet in Indian Antiquary Vol XIV for March 1887, reiterate this omen, and it is stated in one of the quotations (commentary of Muhurta Ganapathi) that the phenomenon occurs only once in 1000 But it is not true that the phenomenon takes place years. only once in a 1000 years... comment is needless".

Page 8

:

hallucination that a lunar fortnight with only

—

Again referring to the same sloka, he makes the following remarks in page 483^" 2 eclipses one solar and the next lunar succeeding each other within a fortnight

an

is quite

ordinary phenomenon'*

The concerned verse is "Chaturdas'im,

panchadas'im,

bhuta

purvam

cha

shodas'im/Imamtu na bi janami amavasyam trayodasim".

Bheeshma Parva

—3— 32

33

"Chandra surya vubhau grasta vekahne hi trayodas'imH aparvani graha vetau praji samshaya yishyatah" Bheeshma Parva

Meaning

3—32

:

**A lunar fortnight has hitherto consisted of 14 days or 15 days or 16 days. Up to now I have not known of amavasya

coming on the 13 th day"— "But on the 1 3th day and in the course of the same month two eclipses have taken place, So there will be a great slaughter of human beings."

Now we easily understand what Sri Veda Vyasa said to we can see how Mr. Pillai has cut the are not rare, and 1 3 days fortnights true that It is

Dritarashtra and slokas.

and 2 eclipses in a fortnight are also not rare. But can any one point out a 13 day fortnight with 2 eclipses in a month.

Moreover a month means a lunar month, and amavasya last day of the month. Hence the eclipses must be lunar followed by solar, and not the other way as Mr. Pillai is

the

understands. therefore This one is an extra— ordinarily rare phenomenon. Such a one occurred in the month of Krittika* just before the Maha Bharata war with a lunar eclipse followed by a solar eclipse.

The language and tone of Mr. Pillai's expression show his arrogance and reveal a sense of scoffing at Veda Vyasa (2) Indian

Page 99

:

Ephemeris Vol I Part I by Sri S. K. Pillai

"When exactly the people of this country became

acquainted with the names of the other planets (for the sun and the moon are also planets in the Indian system) or began to observe their motions is a moot point. On the one hand 5

34 probable, from the intercourse of this it seems apriori country with the western nations from very ancient times, that Greek if not Phoenician, Chaldean, and Egyptian

astronomy and astrology must have found their way into It seems difficult to this country at a very early time. suppose that Chaldean astrology in particular, which was practised in the Grecian and Roman states for some centuries before A. D. 1., did not find its way into India in the wake of Alexander's conquest or of the Graeco-Bactrian civilisation. Indeed in an account of the life of ApoUonius of Tyana, who lived in the first century A. D. it is stated that he became acquainted with the names of the planets and of the weekdays from an Indian Prince whom he visited, but there is reason to believe that the extant semi-mythic accounts of the life of ApoUonius of Tyana were composed considerably later than the first century A. D. All the historical, as distingiushed from the presumptive evidence that has come down to us points to the probability of western influence on Indian planetary astronomy not having been anterior to the fourth or fifth century A.D. the great Greek

astronomer and astrologer Klaudios and his successors Paulus Akxandrinus and Firmicus Maternus were first introduced into this country during the Gupta Period. Some mention is made of planet names in the Puranas, but the date of composition of the

when

Ptolemy

puranas is itself a matter of critical speculation. On the whole it may be safe to presume that the Hindus in some way became acquainted with the names of the planets, and possibly of the planetary week days, a century or two before the christian era, but that they did not make any practical use of this knowledge until they were brought face to face with its results in Ptolemy's works in the fourth or fifth century A.D. It seems also exceedingly probable that the practice of calculating horoscopes

or the positions of the

35 planets at

given moments,

came

into

vogue

in

India, a

century or two after the fifth A.D,...*'

At the time of the Maha Bharata war, [whatever date the western scholars may fix for it) the Greeks were a wild nude tribe roaming the forests of Eastern Europe. The

many

accurate astronomical

references to

planets

in

Maha Bharata sb w the difference in stature between

the

these

wild tribes and the highly cultured Aryas of Bharat Varshathe Sun and Sundarakanda *'Graha, Nakshatra, Chandra, Arka, Tara gana" meaning "planets, lunar mansions, moon, sun, and constellations." There are many refsrences in the Rig Veda to this effect. Again Mr. Pillai assumes the names of the planets came to India in early A. D. years What about the innumerable references to planets in the M. B. Mr. Pillai seems to outwit even Max Muller

Mr. Pillai thinks that Hindus

classified

Moon as planets —what ignorance! Valmiki

(3) Indian Ephemeris Vol I Part 1. (!)

in

the

by Mr Pillai

Page 100, para 246 "The obvious inaccuracies M. B. references to planets will be commented on in :

an Appendix (Paper No. 5)" (ii) Pages 479 and 480:—" The popular impression con^ cerning these references is that the observations in question were made at the time of occurrence of the events described in the M. B., while the pious hope of even the well informed portion of readers and hearers of the M. B. is that it may be

possible by means of these references, 1o determine the date of those events or atleast ofthe composition of the poem There is absolutely no scientific or historic warrant for either the popular impression or the pious hope. The astronomical details given in the Maha Bharata differ in one respect from those in the Ramayana...; where as the Maha Bharata cannot

36 possibly yield a date because (i) they are mutually repugnant as has been stated already at

page 100 of the text, (ii) they are the evident result of interpolation by subsequent writers

and (iii) they seem to have been interpolated at different times and in different centuries A. D.

Page 481 :— " Some

of the Maha Bharata astronomy afford an even better illustration of reckless astrological statements made without due regard (iii)

references to

to astronomicalt possibilities

"

The author then continues to discuss the retrograde motion of Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. He suggests that Mars He then Jup. and Saturn were retrograde near Visakha. proceeds to give possible dates for this. How is this possible Margasira month, well known as the month of the

in

Mahabharata War ?

The above are the remarks of the anglicised outlook of an Indian Christian. It would have been better if he had confined himself to chronology, and not meddled with the sacred literature of the Hindus ego the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Guruparampara of the Alwars, ete.

The purpose of this paper

is

show

to

that

Sri.

Veda

Vyasa wrote down what he saw, and that all the astronomical references in the Maha Bharata are consistent and true, and the remarks of Sri. S. K. Pillai are unwarranted. Before reviewing Mr. Pillai's remarks on the Maha Bharata Verses, a few important points regarding Indian Jyotisha must be clearly understood. (i)

There are 3 sections in Jyotisha Sastra

(a)

Samhita

(b)

Hora

(a) In the Samhita, the celestial

detail.

phenomena on

(c)

effects

Ganita.

of planets

and other

countries and peoples are given in

37 (b) In the Hora, the effects on individuals is discussed, based on their time of birth. (c) In the Ganita is given the methods of calculation to fix the position of the planets cte.

Veda Vyasa and his father Maha Rishi Parasara arc considered very great scholars in Jyotisha, and so these three aspects aie indicated here, and Veda Vyasa gives his reading

of the planets, comets, ete.

Again according to Indian Jyotisha, there are many

(ii)

Ketus.

A reference to Brihat Samhita by Varaha Mihira

Therefore when Veda Vyasa mentions It should not be assumed that Ketu is the 180th degree position of Rahu. This kind of ketu is not at all mentioned by Veda Vyasa any where in the Maha Bharata. will clarify this point.

a Ketu, we should know what he refers to.

(iii) Mr. Pillai does not seem to understand the meaning of the words '*Peedyathe'* and **Vakra**. Thoughan Indian, he does not seem to understand what every Hindu knows.

When

an eclipse occurs in the Rohini Nakshatra, the

Panchang clearly states that Peeda Parihara (ceremonies to avert peeda) must be performed by those whose ^Kakshatras are Rohini, Hasta and Sravana, and the Nakshatras adjacent In the days of Maha Bharata the 1 Rasis were unknown. The 27 Naksliatras alone were in vogue. The Nakshatra s were grouped in threes eg Aswin, Magha, Moola ; Barani, Poorva Phalguni, Poorva Ashada; .. to these 3 Naksliatras.

A malefic planet or comet in any one of the Nakshatras is said to have malefic aspect on the other two of the triad, directly on one and retrogradely on the other. This retrograde

malefic aspect is named "Vakra Peedyathe" (iv)

On the Kala

3067 B.C.

The

Bali (Field sacrifice)

day i.e 13 Oct

planets were in the following positions :

38

Sun, Moon, Mars, Venus, Rahu and^'^ in Jyeshta, Jupiter, Saturn and r in Roh'mi.

Doomadhi Paneha Grahas— Dooman 358°20', Vyatheepathan—Vakra 1°40' Pari Vesham

1

8 1 °40' (Vakra)

Indra Dhanus 178°20'

J^Chitra and Swathi

Dooma Ketu 195° (v)

^

J

At the beginning oftheMaha Bharata War i.e on

22 Nov 3067 B.C., the planets were in the following positions:

Sun

:

Poorva Ashada.

Moon

:

Krittika.

Met

:

Jyeshta.

Venus

:

End of Anuradha

Mars

:

Moola.

Jupiter

:

Rohini.

:

Rohini.

Saturn

Rahu Jyeshta. y = Vernal Equinox :

:

Rohini

•^ =« Autumual Equinox (vi)

Mr.

Pillai

is

:

Jyeshta

assertive

when he

says that

interpolations have been made at different times.

many

But so far

as the astronomical details are concerned, they are consistent

and no one seems to have meddled with Veda Vyasa's verses. It is his unwillingness to understand them properly that is the cause of his statement. (vii) In the light of the above basic ideas, let us now study Mr. Pillai's translations and remarks on the Maha Bharata verses :

39 (4) Indian Ephemeris Vol I part

I

V page

Appendix

479 Astronomical references in the M.B. (1) Bheeshma Parva—ch.2 Verse 23 Kartikim Alakshe prabaya hinam paurnamasimcha Chandro bhudogni varnascha padme varnenabhastale

||

Even in the night of the Kartika full moon, the moon having lost all its splendour became invisible (or looked like fire), the sky looking like lotus. (2)

Bheeshma Parva ch.2. Verse 32

Rohanim pidayan-mesha sthito rajan Sanais'charah I Vyavrittam lakshma somasya bhavishyati mahabhayam ||

O

King, the planet Sani oppresses Rohini. The sign of the deer in the moon has shifted from its position. great evil is foreboded by all this. !

A

(3)

Bheeshma Parva chap 3, verse 12 grahastatha

Sveto

chitram samatikramya

abhavam hi viseshena Kurunam tatra pasyati

tishthati |

||

Ketu, the white planet stops on passing beyond the All this forebodes total destruction of

constellation chitra.

the Kurus. (4)

Bheeshma Parva chap.

Dhumaketuh tishthathi

!

maha

3

ghorah

Verse 13

pushyam

chakramya

senayorasivam ghoram karishyati maha ghorahahll

A fearful eomet is rising and is distressing Pushya

;

this

to

16.

great planet will cause great havoc to both armies.

parva— chap 3 verses (5) Bheeshma 14 Maghasvangarako vakkrah sravanecha brihaspatih

I

Bhagam nakshatra makramya suryaputrena pidyate Sukra proshta pada purve samaruhya virochate uttaretu parikramya sahitah samudikshyate

!|

I

||

Sveto grahah prajvalitah saduma iva pavakah

I

endram tejasvi nakshatram jyeshtam akramya tishtathi

\

40

and Brihaspathy in is retrograde in Magha, The sun's off spring Sani advances towards Bhaga and afiflicts The planet sukra rises towards Purva Bhadra K^ta blazing like smoky fire, stops (Dutt's translation)

Mars

Sravana.

I

(

and afflicts the effulgent constellation of Indra (6)

I

Bheeshme parva-ch 3 verse 1 prajvalitho ghoramapasaviyam pravartate

Dhruvah

Rohinim pidayantau tauabhau cha

Sasi bhaskrau

chitra svatyantare chaiva dhishthatah parusha grahah

The

I

li

1

Dhruva, fearfully blazing advances Both the sun and the moon distress Rohini. A terrible planet (Rahu) has taken up its position between Chitra and Swathi. consiellation

towards the

right.

—

ch 3-verse 18. (7) Bheeshma Parva Vakranuwakram Kritvacha Sravanam Pavaka prabhah brahma rasim samavritya lohitango vyavasthitah

l!

i|

The red bodied planet, effulgent like fire passing in a round and round way stops encircling Sravana over ridden by Brihaspathy ll

(8)

Bheeshma Parva— ch 3-verse 27.

Samvatsara sthayrnau cha grahau prajvalita vubhau [vis*akhayah sami pasthau] brihaspati s'anais-charau

I

||

The two burning planets Brihaspati and become fixed for a year. (9)

S'ani

have

Bheeshma Parva— ch 3-verse 29.

Krittikam pidayanstikshnaih nakshatram prithvipate abhikshnavata vayante dhumaketu mavasthitah

I

||

O

king Rahu of terrible deeds afflicts krittika. Rough winds, foreboding terrible danger, are continually blowing. !

41 (10) Bheeshna Parva

—ch 3-verse

32.

Chathurdasim panchadasim bhutapurvam cha shodasimf imamtu nabhi janami amavasyam trayodasim ||

—

Bheeshma Parva ch 3-verse 33. Chandras surya vubhau grastavekahne hi trayodasim f aparvani graha vetau praja samkshaya yishyatah (11)

||

A lunar fortnight has hitherto consisted of 14 days or 15 days or 16 days.

But on the l3th day and in the course of the same month two eclipses have taken place,

Udyoga Parva— chap 142-verse 18.

(12)

'

Saptamaccapi divasat amavasya bhavishy ati sangramo yujyatham tasyam tamahuh sakra devatam I

II

In seven days there will be full moon^ and on that day let us engage in fight, for that is the day favourite to Sakra.

Udyoga Parva— ch 14 3-verse 8.

(13)

Prajapatyam dyratih

I

hi nakshatram grahastikshmo maha Sanaischarah pidayati pidayan pranino adhika IJ

That active planet of great effulgence, Sani, troubles the star Prajapatya, indicating greater trouble to living creatures,

Udyoga Parva— ch. 143-

(14)

Krikva changarako vakram Jyeshthayam madusudana H anuradham prarthayate maitram sangamayanniva ||

The planet Angaraka travels retrograde to the constellation Jyeshta, 0! slayer of Madhu, and goes towards Anuradha as if seeking its friendship.

Nunam

(15)

samupasthi tham granah

mahad I

bhayam krishna Kurunam, Viseshena hi Varshneya chitram pidayate

||

Surely O K.rishna, a great calamity for the Kurus is at hand, especially as the planets go against Chitra. I

6

42 16.

Somasya lakshma vya vrittam Rahurarka mupaitichal

divas' cholkah patantyetah sanirghata sakampanah

Rahu comes

to

||

the sun which has covered the path of

the moon, and from the heavens fall down meteors with loud noise and making the earth shake. [first line is 1.

not translated]

Correct interpretation of the above verses:

This is a beautiful description of the lunar eclipse in the Immediately after the rains, the sky is

month of Krittika.

clear and usually the full moon is beautiful.

—

In the words

Kalidasa " Mahi shacha sarach chandra chandrika davalam dadhi" the moonlight is white and dense like

of

—

buffalo curd.

Mr. Pillai assumes

that the

lunar eclipse followed the It is not so.

solar eclipse in the month of Margasira.

The field sacrifice

at Kurukshetra was

on 13 Oct 3067

B.C. New Moon—601488 Julian day— Sunday 0.25, with the sun and moon at 224.89 and Rahu at 219.74, It was a solar eclipse day with the eclipse at Midday.

The previous full moon was on 28 Sep 3067 B.C. 601473 Julian day— Saturday 6.5/ with the sun at 210°. 32 and Moon It was a lunar eclipse day, at 30°. 32 and Rahu at 220°. 55.

with the eclipse immediately after sun set (moonrise).

Hence the description

is

that the

moon lost its usual

brilliance of a Krittika full moon and

became invisible and Maha Rishi Veda the evening sky looked like red lotus. Vyasa's words are not mere poetic fancy, but a fact of observation.

In the Udyoga Parva it is said that Sri Krishna left for on his peace mission on the Revati day

Hastinapura

Kartika month. full

moon

He was

Krittika day,

therefore in Hastinapura on the

and returned

to the

Pandavas on

Chitra Day. (2)

Saturn in Rohini : It is already shown that

Saturn was in Rohini at the Saturn in Rohini is considered very inauspicious for the whole country. This is seen in the Saneeswara sthothra of Emperor Dasaratha. It is no wonder (i)

time of the M.B. War.

that Veda Vyasa recalls this ancient tradition here.

The translation here is not correct. Even a layman of the Deer in the Moon is fixed. To assume that Veda Vyasa did not know this is nothing short (ii)

knows

that the sign

of nonsense.

"Lakshma" means **the special and characteristic beauty of the Moon's lustre" Vyavrittam" means "is not as it should be". Veda Vyasa does not give the reason for But in the 16th verse quoted by Mr. Pillai, the same line occurs again "Somasya lakshma vyavrittam". Here in Vyasa gives the reasons **The Sun and Rahu approach the Moon and there is a good meteoric shower" Is this not enough to prove the translation is incorrect ? The astrologi* In this sloka

this change.

—

—

cal reading is *'bhavishyati Maha bhayam".

(3) Here again the translation is wrong- "Sveto graha" can never mean "Ketu". In books of Astrology '*Ketu" is described as **dhumravarne" i.e smoky in colour. Again at the time of Veda Vyasa there was no planet "Ketu" as we

mean today. The South Indian reading reading is correct.

is

"Budho graha".

This

A reference to "Budha", the first parent

of the Lunar Race, changing his direct motion to retrograde and back again to direct motion while passing Chitra

44

Nakshatra is very interesting. Chitra Nakshatra is associated with the Lunar Race in a number of places in the Maha Bharata. This motion of Budha in Chitra foreboded the total destruction of the Kurus. (4)

"Dhuma Ketu maha gorah'*— Any one who saw the

comet in 1910, can easily recognise this '^maha gorah" can mean only the great Dhuma Ketu, Halley's Comet.

Halley's

It appeared in the

following years

(according to text

books of astronomy) 1066, 1145, 1301,1456,1531,1607, 1682, 1759, 1835 and 1910 A.D. Its period is 75 years 5 months. 66 revolutions before 1910 A.D. it was 3067 B. C. Hence at the time of the Maha Bharata war Halley's comet was in the sky. The appearance of this comet usually forebodes the death of a great king and a great war.

The Comet being close to the Sun (and slightly ahead of was in opposition to Pushya. [Sun at 267 and Comet at 275 to 285 was in opposition to Pushya 93°i to 106°f ]. Veda Vyasa's observation was correct. The Comet was shining it)

fiercely in the evening sky.

(5) Not understanding the correct meaning of the words "Vakra" and "Peedyathe", the entire verse was wrongly translated and has caused confusion in the mind of Mr. Pillai. Ihe verse is about the aspect called Vedhai [(^AiCV)^].

The correct meaning is as follows

:

—

Vakrah peedyathe Angaraka (i) Maghasvangarako (from Moola) malefically aspects Magha in the retrograde aspect. (ii) Sravanecha Brihaspathi, vakra peedyathe-^Jupitcr (from Rohini) malefically aspects Sravana in the retrograde

aspect.

45 (iii)

Bagham

nakshatra

makramya

peedyathe— Saturn (from Rohini) Phalguni.

directly

Surya

putrena

aspects

Uthara

—

Venus— was at the end of Anuradha. Hence (iv) Sukra was at its greatest elongation, and so shining brilliantly in From Anuradha it was the eastern sky before sunrise. afflicting Poova Proshtapada and moving to Jyeshta it was aspecting Uthara Proshtapada. it

(v) Sveto

graha— is Budha and not Ketu.

It

was in

Jyeshta, Indra's Nakshatra, which was shining brilliantly.

Both Venus and Mercury were shining brilliantly

(6)

in

the Eastern sky before sunrise and they were at Jyeshta with

Rahu.

The word "Dhruvah" meaning "stationary"

refers

to Mercury, the Sveto graha of the previous verse, which was

moving

in

the retrograde direction

(near the

stationary

and which was shining brilliantly because of its maximum elongation. The next line refers to Budha which was stationary between chitra and swathi (vide verse 3) a few months before. position)

—

was aspecting (7) The Red bodied planet— Saturn Sravana Nakshatra, retrograde aspect from Rohini. The same sravana was also aspected by Brihaspathy (Jupiter) from Rohini. (8) It is correct to say the Jupiter and Saturn would stay together (at Rohini) for a year. (9)

Krittka.

Rahu at 218° directly aspects 218—180 = 30° i.e. The effect of this is described as foreboding rough

winds (10) and (II) Mr. Pillai wastes his energy by pointing out But a number of years when a fortnight was of 13 days. He should not cut the sloka. Veda that is not the point.

Vyasa states that 2 eclipses have occurred at an interval of 13 days in the course of the same month. This is a very rare

46

phenomenon.

It

may be difficult to find

a parallel.— [Refer

essay on M.B. war) (12) Sri Krishna while leaving Hastinapura had a private conversation with Karna (on the Uthara phalguni day). Therein he states, "on the 7th day (Jyeshta) Amavasya is coming'*. This is discussed in detail in the main essay.

The translation full moon is wrong. (13) Saturn in Rohini— fully discussed earlier.

(14)

Angaraka at Moola aspects Jyeshta (in retorgrade).

This is the correct meaning, and has his malefic influence at

Anuradha. (15) When Kama made this statement, three of the five Doomadhi Pancha grahas were at Chitra as shown in 3) and Budha was stationary at chitra Sun 225. Dooman 358°20 :

Vyatheepatham (Vakra) r40' Pari Vesha (Vakra) at 181°40', Indra Danus 178''20'. Dooma Ketu 195°. the three last ones at Chitra and Swathi. (16) On the day mentioned by Sri Krishna, Rahu was moving towards the sun in front and the moon was moving towards the sun from behind. This is fully discussed in the main essay, (cf. si. 2. discussed already).

As the

earth was moving in the region of the meteoric

Radiant, there was a heavy downpour of meteois. Possibly at that time, it was the densest part of the Meteoric showers.

Determination of the date of the Astronomical Kali Yuga Era

A. From 1690 A.D. Bailey Bent ley. Burgess, Colebrooke, Cunningham. Davis, Delambre, Laplace, Playfair, Sewell, Thibaut, Wallis, Warren, Weber, Whyte and many western scholars took interest in the Indian system of Astronomy, and began to study them. Some of them ascribed great antiquity and originality to the Indian system, while others maintained it was all borrowed from the Greeks. This stalemate went on till 1800 A. D., when Bentley worked out the initial date of [Kali Yuga Era, the starting point

of

Indian

chronology.

Kali Yugadhi at 18 Feb 3102 B.C.

He fixed the date of He then worked out the

position of the planets on that day by modern astronomical methods. According to Indian Tradition Astronomical Kali Yuga began with the 5 planpts together^ at the initial point

of the Zodiac. But Bentley showed that they were disposed as follows: Sun 351°, Moon 355, Mercury 318° Venus 24° Mars 340° Jupiter 8° and Saturn 332° [the Zero point of the Zodiac is at 180° from Spica, Chitra Nakshatra]. He also showed that the error decreased from 3102 BC to 500 A.D. and then increased. He therefore concluded that Kali Yugadhi was only a myth and an extra polated date by Indian astronomers of 500 A.D. Immediately all the western scholars joined to condemn Indian tradition and the Indians in a " vulgar and vituperative language '*.

Thus on this slender evidence they concluded that Kali Yugadhi was a myth and Veda Vyasa, a mythical person, and that Indian astronomers borrowed everything from the Greeks after 300 B. C. Thereafter it was easy for them to write the history of India from their own distorted vision of Indian antiquity.

Now a reference to Indian Panchang (Almanac) 1. shows Kali Yugadhi marked on Magha Sukla Prathama day (the first day of the bright half of the lunar month, Magha). This is corroborated by the Vedanga Jyotisha verses, that state that the Vedic Yuga of 5 years should always begin with the year Samvatsara on Magha Sukla But western Prathama (Vide B. G. Tilak and others). chronologists took Meshadi as the beginning of the then Indian sidereal year, and therefore of Kali Yugadhi, not knowing that this was fixed by the Siddhanta Astronomers of the early A. D. years. This was the first error they committed. Again,

2.

the

first

year of the present Kali series

(beginning on 18.2. 3102 B. C.)

is

seen to be Anuvatsara,

the 4th year of the 5 year Yuga of Vedanga Jyotisha. There-

Yuga began

fore the

three years

earlier

with the Magha

Sukla Prathama on Sunday 23 Dec. 3106 B. C. This was the second error they committed. 3.

Moreover, it was at the next Magha Sukla Prathama, Kali Yuga began, on Sunday 11 Jan. 3104

the astronomical

B. C, (26 lunations before 18. 2. 3102 B. C), because at 5 P. M, on Saturday 10 Jan 3104 B.C^, the five planets Mercury Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn were at 300° t

(MidShravishta

— the

initial point of the Zodiac of Vedanga

Jyotisha), with the Sun and Moon at 314°,

8 Mr. Bentley who laboriously worked out the positions of the planets from 18.2. 3102 B. C. to 1800 A. D. to prove that Indian Tradition was false, failed to go back by 26 Had he done so, he would have recognised the lunations. truth and correctness of the Traditional statement.

Thus the theory of modem chronologists that Kali Yugadhi is a myth and an extrapolated date is disproved, and the great antiquity of Hindu Astronomy is established. I shall

now

enunciate a few

before discussing the subject

convenient

conventions

:

For fixing the position of celestial objects tropical But this is very misleading for purpose of comparison. Hence I propose to adopt a fixed Zodice. The present Indian Government Calendar was fixed on 2 1st March 1956 A. D. and the corresponding saka year =1878 (78+expired saka years = A. D. years). The beginning of the Indian year now follows the precessional motion of the Vernal Equinox. But the (i)

longitudes and latitudes are usually employed.

Zodiac is a fixed one, with Spica (chitra Nakshatra) at 180°. It is with reference to this zodiac, that I propose to give the position of the celestial objects. The Vedic Rishis adopted the same method and their fixed zodiac began with the midpoint of Shravishta. I have shown in another paper that the Govt, of India is in error by 1°46' as compared to Vedic Zodiac. (ii)

ingless

Since the

mean position of the planets

and misleading.

I

propose to give

is

mean-

their

actual

apparent positions. (iii) According to the Rishis, there are only five planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, The sun and

the

Moon are not classified with them as they have no

retrograde and lateral motion.

Ref. (a) Valmiki Ramayana Sundara Kanda Chap. 1 Verse 191. ** Graha, Nakshotra, Chandra^ Arka, Taragana nishevite. 27 (5 Planets,

Moon Sun and the many constellations), Vedic Samhita X 55-4" Indra, he filled the two worlds, and what is between in manifold ways. He looks at the 5 gods, with 34 fold lights of one colour but different laws", Vedic scholars Prof Hildebrandt, ProfLudwig and others have interpreted it as the sun, the moon the 5 planets and the 27 Nakshatras (c) R. S 1-105-10 (d) R. S. Ill 7-7, Nakshatras, (b) Rig

"Five Advaryus (planet) moving hither and thither in a (e) Taitriya Samhita- 'Trajapthy giving33 daughters Prof. Zimmerman interprets this as in marriage to Soma*' 5 planets, 27 Nakshatras and the divine being Surya.

Yagna"

—

—

(iv) The method used for calculating the positions of the

planets is that of Sri L. Narayana Rao m.a. given in his book

"Perpetual Ephemeris of the planetary cycles".

I

have

and improved it. It is a better method than the one given by Dewan Bahadur Swami Kannu Pillai in his "Indian Ephemeris" I give this method because it is I have verified the results by the easy to understand. difficult dynamical formula and the diffenence is not greater than 15'. The correctness of the method is also verified by calculating the positions of the planets on 21 st March 499 AD, 1st January 1800 A.D., 1st Jan, 1900 A.D. and 1st Jan. 1968 A. D. slightly altered

it

but (v) Calculations are made for midday position week days are reckoned from sunrise at Kurukshetra 30°N 77°E (i.e. 5 Hours 8' in advance of Greenwich). Ujjain (Avanti) is 23°N, 75rE (i.e. 5 Hours 3' in advance of ;

Greenwich).

'%

(i)

From the Vedic age up to the A.D. years, time was

reckoned

in

terms of the luni solar months, the luni solar

years and the yuga of 5 years defined by the Vedanga Jyotisha.

The 27 Nakshatras marked the divisions of the zodiac. It was only after the influence of the pure solar reckoning of Chaldeans and other western Asian cultures, the 12 Houses or Rasis of the zodiac were introduced. The Indian Nakshatra zodiac was a fixed one, beginning with MidSravishta, while the other had its initial point fixed by the vernal Equinox, and hence it was not a fixed zodiac. The Vedic Rishis had the 12 solar months differently named. Their civil year was based on the Ruthus or seasons, while their astronomical year was based on the fixed zodiac.

(ii)

The astronomical Kali Yugadhi of Veda Vyasa was

associated with

Hrathama,

the

Sravishta Nakshatra,

Magha Sukla

In fixing the date Varaha Mihira

used

the

Aharghana of Indian Astronomers i.e. the number of days expired from the beginning of Kali Yuga to his date. But in so doing, the length of the year taken by him was slightly in error, and consequently. The position of the sua and the moon on that day was slightly wrong. Bentlcy taking the same Aharghana fixed Kali Yugadhi with modern astronomical ^pnstants on Friday the 18th Feb. 3102 C., Dewaa Bahadur Swami Kannu Pillai, the Calender Reform Committe of the Government of India, and other scholars of Europe and India have adopted the same method. But they all disagree about the moment and position of Mesha Sukla Prathama on Friday i8th Feb. 3102 B. C. But they all agree about the Chaitra Sukla Prathama Thithi of Friday

%

18th Feb. 3102 B. C. The cause of the difiference is due to the different values of the sidereal year t^ken by them.

6

Note

:

Sravishta ranges from 293^^ to 306|«

Magha Sukla Prathama begins from the moment the sun and the moon have the same longitude in 315\ Mesha Sukla

the range 285° to

begins when the 15« to 15^

—

Prathama

New Moon ends in the range

+

Starting with the Vernal Equinox at 6 A. M. on 21st March 499 A.D. and the Aharghana of the day = 1 314932, they

used the following values for the length of the sidereal year 1.

Surya Siddhanta

2. 3.

Vakya Siddhanta Swami Kannu Pillai

4.

Lalande's Value used

by Bentley

—365 days 15g 26k —365 days 15g 31k 15^ V. K. —365.258756484 days

—365 days 6 hours 12' 9" —365 25636242 days

5.

Nautical Almanac

—365.25636242 days

6.

Newcomb

—365.2568984 days

Checking the error between Bentley and Varaha Mihira. Difference in the length of the sidereal year = .0023 182 days Dif. in 3600 years = 8o 23'.

This is Bentley's figure on the Varaha Mihira's Zodiac of 499 A.D. This is— 18° 21' on the Zodiac of 285 A.D. adopted by the Government of India. This error accumulates negatively

positively after 499 A.D.

before 499 A.D. and

It is about this that Bentley

made

a big fuss, and claimed it as a positive proof of Varaha Mihira borrowing everything from the Greeks. This error according to the Government of India is 9<^40' on the Zodiac of 499 A. D. or— 12« 38' on the zodiac of 285 A. D. This error according to S. K. Pillai is +2° 10' on the Zodiac

—

oi 499 A. D.

or—Oo 48' on the zodiac of 285 A. D.

One

more point to be noted is that these astronomers have taken the mean position of the sun and the moon and not the actual apparent positions.

Working

same problem from the moment of New (O Jan 1854 A.D. or O Jan. 1900 A.D. or)

the

Moon nearest to

O Jan 1968 A.D.

I have obtained the

correct value as

— 10*

37' on the Zodiac of 285 A. D.

Zodiac of 499 A. D.

Zodiac of 285 A. D,

Bentley

-8« 23'

-no 21'

Lahiri

-9^ 40'

-120 38'

S. K. Filial

+20 10'

- 00 48'

K. Sri

-70 39'

-100 37'

The following astronomical data are necessary for the calculation and verification of the detailed work given III

later.

(A)

Kaliday Christian Date

1

1968 A.D.

Jan.

1900 A.D. 1 Jan. 21 Mar. 499 A.D. .

22 Mar.

.

285 A.D.

18 Feb. 3102 B.C.

3104 B.C. 13 Dec. 3105 B.C. 23 Dec. 3106 B.C. 8581 B.C. 11 Jan.

Week Day

Julian

from

Day

18 2.3102 B. C.

2439857 2415021 1903397 1825235 588466

1851392 Monday 230 24' 29" 1826556 Monday 220 28' 2o 58' 1314932 Sunday 1236770 Sunday Qo O' O' 1 Friday -46o 34' 35'

587698 587669 587313

-768 Sunday -46o 36' 34' -797 Saturday -1153 Sunday -46° 38' Sunday -1203 28'

Ayanamsa

r

(B) Sidereal year = 365. 2563624248 (N. A,) days,

= 365. 2568984 (Newcomb) days. Lunation or the synodic period of the moon

= 29. 530587946 days. Note

:

Newcomb's value of the sidereal year gives correct

yalues for determining for

Magha Sukla Prathama,

calculated

over 10000 years, as shown in the 2 worked examples of

the book.

It also agress very well with 5476th year of

S.

R

Era Sidereal period of the Moon — 27. 3216615 days

Mercury = 87.967608 Venus =224.701786

„

Mars

=686*979645

„

Jupiter

=4332'58482

„

Saturn

=10759.219817 „

(c) Apparent position of the sun, moon, and planets at Greenwich on Monday O Jan. 1968 A. D. at midnight = 2439857 Julian day = 1851392 Kalic

Tiodiac

Sun

256* 12' 13"

Moon

267®

Mars

300° or 45"

Mercury

257® 59' 50"

Jupiter

132®

17' 00"

Venus

215®

27' 50"

Saturn

342® 4r 56"

Rahu

0® 35' 10"

Ayanamsa

23® 24' 29"

32'

18"

(D) Bentley and Lahiri have given the mean position, while the correct apparent positions at Kurukshetra are given here.

Position of the Sun and Moon at midnight on Thursday/

Friday 17/18 Feb. 3102 B.C., and the exact time of New

Moon on Thursday 17 Feb. 3102

B.C. and the then

position of the sun and moon are given below

Midnight Th/Fri

Moment of

Position of

17/18 Feb 3102 B.C.

New Moon

Sun and

Moon

on Th. 17

Moon at New Moon

Sun

Feb. 3102 B.C.

Lahiri

349° 10*08'* 348« 14-44'*

K.Sri

349031*01"

Bentley

:

3550 28* 15* 352° 12' 49' 351° 6'ir

Ilh35'31 A.M. 4h 11* 11 P.M. 12h 14' 24"

348° 39*34" 347

55' 29*'

349° 23* 24"

Midday (E) Ending moment of New Moon and the then position of the sun and moon on the following important days—

Date

Week days

Position of the

from Sunday

Sun and the Moon.

Sunrise 17 Feb. 3102

Th, 4.26

349°.39

Sat. 6.46

312'.61

^

Remarks

B.C. 10 Jan. 3104

26 lunations earlier

=767.80 days

B.C.

= 756°.78 11

Dec. 3105

Th.

4.93

283^52

1

lunation earlier

=29.53 days

B.C.

= 29°. 09 23 Dec. 3106

B.C.

Sun. 0.57

294®. 25

12 lunations earlier

=354.37 days

= 3490.27 2

10

special Note

:

Sat. 13 Dec. 3105 B. C. and Sunday 11

are both Sukla Prathama Thithi with the Sun

Jan. 3104 B. C.

Moon at

and

A number of friends pointed out that

283°. 52 and 312°.6l 1.

C

is the Real Magha Sukla Prathama. 11 Jan. 3104 B. I thank them for their suggestion. Hence Vyasa's Astronomical Kali Yuga began on Sunday 11 Jan. 3104 B,C,

F.

Position of the Planets at midnight Th/Fri, 17/18 Feb

C at Kurukshatra.

3102 B

Mean position according to

— Lahiri

Planet

Bentley

Mer

315°58'30"

Venus

Mars

Correct apparent position

— K.

314°58'37"

335°33

220 0'55*'

21M9'25"

20047'

337«42'30"

336o37'30"

345^37'

5038*32"

5oi4'2r'

3«43'

Jupiter

Sri

Saturn

3290

0M3"

328'^58'50"

324036'

Rahu

1940

X 0"

193o54'50"

189°40'

According to Bentley and Lahiri, Mercury is about 35°

from the Sun. This is not astronomically correct. This mistake is due to taking mean positions, which usually give very erroneous conclusions. The same is true of Venus and the other planets

G

Correct

apparent

posit ion

of

midnight of Sat/Sun, 10/11 Jan. 31C 298^58' Mercury

Venus Mars

298^16'

Saturn

2990 25' 2990 10' 2990 5»

Rahu

230^22'

Jupiter

the

planets on

the

at 5 A. M. on the 10th Jan. 3104 B.C. the planets were seen rising clustered together at Mid Srawishta, with the crescent Moon. (The difference in longitude between the planets and the sun is about 15° or one Hence Sunday, 11th Jan 3104 B, C. the hour). Magha Sukla Prathama of Veda Vyasa is the beginning of the astronomical Kali Yuga Era,

i.e.

Detailed method of the calculation of the positions

H.

of Rahu and the planets, /.

Rahu (i)

Position of

Rahu on 1st Kaliday i.e. at midnight of

Th/Fri, 17/18 Feb. 3102 B. C. (a) No. of Kalidays to 1st Jan. 1968 = 1851391 and position of Rahu on 1st Jan. 1968 = 0o 35'10" /. position of

Rahu on 1st Kaliday. ^^ ~ 6793.4664^ ^ = 189<5 4'59.» ^ 0O35' 10'' (b) = 1890 40' 09" = 189Q 40^ Aliter

*^

—

Re Perpetual Ephemeris— Epoch position of Rahu on 1809755 Kaliday - 47«0'39'' Motion in

:

1809755 days

= 360»

X-^^ = 142o 39'11"

/. Position

on Kaliday

= 189© 39'50"=. 189^40' (ii) Position of Rahu on— 768 Kaliday at midnight on 1st

Sunday 11th Jan 3104 B. C. Motion for 768 days = 40<5 4P 53" /. Position = 189® 40» 09" + 40«> 41' 53" = 230O22'02"=. 230^22'

12 // Saturn

b

(i)

Position of Saturn on 1st Kali day at midnight

17/18

Feb. 3102 B.C. 169 sidereal periods of Saturn = 1818308.149073 days

4978

= 1818248.838244 „ = 59.310829 days

Sun

Difference •

I.e.

c . u u- A.u u Saturn is behind the sun

by j

59.310839 .,^<, ^ ^^^ 0759 910817

= 1« 58'59" Key date for Perpetual Ephemeris = 1811248.84th Kaliday = Wednesday, 4th April 1877 A.D.

= 322« 36' 58"

Position of Saturn that day /.

Position on 1st Kali day = 3240 36'

s=

322o 36' 58"+ 1« 58,

59"

b

(ii)

Position of Saturn i.e.

at

midnight on-768 Kali day

Sunday 1 Ith Jan 3104 B.C.

Key date = 1818249 - 768 =

1817481

day

Kali

= Friday 26th Feb. 1875 A.D. Position of Saturn on that day = 297^ 5' 30" Hancje = 29705'30"

1

1th Jan 3104 B.C.

+ lo58'58"

= 299«5' /// Jupiter c

(i)

Position of Jupiter on the midnight of 17/19

Feb.

3102 B.C.

420 sidereal periods of jupiter= 1824017. 6248 days

4964 Difference

sun

= 75.3259 days

=--

1824092.9507

„

13 i.e.

Jupiter is in advance of the sun

Key date = 1824093 Kali day = Tuesday, 4th April 1893 A.D. Position of Jupiter that day = 9^ 58' 15' Position of Jupiter on

/.

15"-6o 15'32' = 3 c

(ii)

18

Feb 3102 B.C. = 9o 58' = 3^ 43*

4r 43"

Position of Jupiter on-768 Kali day i.e. 1 1 Jan 3104BC

Key date = 1824093 - 768 = 1823325 Kali day

= Thursday 26th Feb 1891 A.D. = 305^ 25' 26" 11 Jan 3104BC = 305o 25' 26" - 6o 15' 32'

Position of Jupiter on that day i.e

= 2990 09' 54" = 2993 10' iV Mars d

(i)

Position of Mars on 18 Feb. 3102 B.C.

2643 sidereal periods of Mars = 1815687.201735 days 4971

Sun

= 1815691.5528

= 4.3311 days

Difference

Mars is in advance of Sun by 4,3311 days

i.e.

= Zizlll

16' X 3600 _ z lo - 2o

686.979645^ ^^^

Key

date

=

1815691.55 Kali day =

Monday

4th

April 1870 A.D. Position of Mars that day /.

d

(ii)

« 347® 53*

on 18JFeb3102B.C. = 347°53' - 2° 16' = 345^37'

Position of Mars on 11 Jan 3104 B.C. Key date = 1815691.55-768 * 1814923.55 Kali day = Wednesday, 26th Feb. 1868 A.D.

14 Position of Mars on that day = 302® 41' 11th Jan 3104 B.C.

o%

=

= 302^41' - 2°16» = 299° 25'

300® ^25' -lofor correction

V Venus c

(i)

Position of Venus on 18 Feb. 3102 B.C.

8061 sidereal periods of Venus = 18ll321.096946days

4959

Sun

Difference

= 1811308.957082 „ = 12.1398 days 12 1 398

i.e.

Venus is behind the sun by^vT^TrrrTo^ X 360® "'224.701786

= 19® 27' Key

date = 1811309 Kali day

= Sunday, 4th April

1858 A.D. Position of Venus on that day = 1 ® 20' 6" 18 Feb 3102 B.C.

.•.

= 1®20' 6" + 19® 27'

= 20® 47' (ii)

Position of Venus on 11 Jan 3104 B.C.

Key date = 1811309-768 = 1810541 Kali day

= Tuesday, 26th Feb. 1856 A.D. Position of Venus on that day = 278® 49' 7" /. 1th Jan 3104 B.C. = 278® 49' + 19® 27' 6' 298^ = 1

1

VI Mercury g

(i)

Position of Mercury on 18 Feb 3102 B.C.

20628 sidereal periods of Mercury = 18 14595.8586days Sun= 1814596.2712512 days Dif =» .41256 days

4968

Mercury is ahead of the sun by 1 ® 35' Key date = 1814596.26 Kali day Friday 5th April 1867 A.D.

i.e.

15 Position of Mercury that day 18 Feb. 3102 B.C.

/.

= 337© T 33" «:3370 7' 33" -l® 35'

= 33 50 33' g

(11)

Position of Mercury on 11th Jan. 3104 B.C.

Key Date = 1814596.27-768 = 1813828.27 Kali day i.e.

Tuesday 26th Feb. 1865 A.D.

Position of Mercury that day 1 1th

/•

= 300® 33' 25"

Jan. 3104 B.C.= 300® 33'25"-1035'

- 298 o 58\ These results have been verified with "the Indian Ephemeris" method of Dewan Bahadur Swami Kannu Pillai*

Conclusion T

thank

all

those friends

who wrote

their

and suggestions regarding

congratu-

my

work. I hope this appendix wi 11 satisfy everyone of them, since it answers all the problems raised by them. I request the readers to go through the calculations and write to me if there are any further points to be clarified. lations,

opinions,

I The Kali Era (of the Vedanga Jyotlsha Saptha Rishi Era) began with the 5476th year of the S.R. Era, on the Magha Sukla Prathama day of the year "Samvatsara " on

Sunday (0.75) 23rd Dee 3106 B.C. with the Sun and Moon at 284.25 of the present Indian Zodiac. The two worked examples prove the correctness of the above result. Similar problens may be worked for the Magha Sukla Prathama of any Indian year.

16

II. The Ritualistic Kali Yuga began on 13th Oct. 3105 B.C. at the beginning of Sarad Ruthu and Margasira month,

with the Sun and Moon at Jyeshta Nakshatra (226°) on the morning of Tuesday, true to the old saying, (Kettai, Mootai Sevvai kizhamai) Jyeshta, Amava^ya, coupled with

early

the early morning of Tuesday.

The tradition

is that their

combination forebodes an evil epoch. III.

It was on the next

Magha Sukla Prathama, Sunday,

11th Jan 3104 BC, that the Astronomical Kali Era began.

It

was then, with the New Moon ending on Saturday (6.46) with the sun and Moon at 312.61 of the Zodiac, all the planets For a day or two earlier, at about were together at 299 ® .

5 A.M. all the planets were seen clustered together, with the

crescent

Moon.

Hence the statement that

at

Kali

Era

beginning the planets were together at (Midshravishta) the

Zero point of the then Zodiac.

Thus was Kali Yuga ushered in.

17

Extracts from a few letters 1. Your approach seems to be in the right direction, and perhaps you may be able to help in clarifying our ideas about our eras, epochs and chronology.

—Sri D. R. Mankad,

Prof, of Chronology and

Vice-Chanceller, Sowrashtra University-

2.

I must congratulate you

on your brilliant exposition

about traces of the first civilisation on this planet.

—Sri Vaidya Guru Dutt, m.m.sc, (New Delhi)

The equation with Sravishta is most brilliant. It 3. should become an accepted date for the beginning of Kali Era. It has removed many hurdles of our ancient history. Your reasoning of Kali beginning is convincing.

—Sri Bhagavad Datta, m.a. New Delhi. 4. On reading your thesis I find it of vital and fundamental importance to a study of Indian and world

history.

—Sri p. N. Oak, m.a., l.l.b.. President of the Institute for re-writing Indian History.

5. congratulate you for your marvellous finding I which will surely be a turning point in the history of Indian Chronology.

— Sri Radha Shyam Shastri,

b.a., l.l.b., Haryana.

The paper is very illuminating and is likely to throw 6. much light on the selection of the Kali Epoch.

—Sri N. C. Lahiri, m.a. Secretary, Calendar Reform Committee of the Govt, of India, Calcutta.

18 7.

The Indian nation

is

indebted to you for

your

services in establishing that Kali Yugadhi and Maha Bharata

are not myths, but real astronomical and chronological facts.

—

^Prof. V. Rajagopalan,

m a.. Professor of Sanskrit,

Vivekananda College, Madras.

You have correctly hit on the nail when you observe "it was an unholy day the European orientalists introduced the word Aryan race..." 1 have expressed this 8.

that

forcibly in my articles and lectures..."

— Dr. B. V. Raman, m.

Editor,

Litt.,

Astrological Magazine, Bangalore.

1.

Article on

" Kali Yugadhi"— was published

in the

Bhavan's Journal Vol. XIV No. 6 Oct. 1967 2.

Bulletin

Article on

of the

" Kali Yugadhi "—was published in the

Institute

of Traditional cultures,

Madras

University 1968 3.

Article on

" Cradle of Man " was published in the

Journal of the Indian Geographical Society, Special Numberre-International Geographical Congress held at Delhi in

Dec. 1968

1.

Cradle of Man and The First Almanac

2.

Date of the Maha Bharata War and the Kali Yugadhi

Rs, 2

...

Rs.

Copies can be had of Sri N.

Subba Narayanan,

119, Big Street, Tripliwai

Madr^

PK 36^1 Z9375

Srinivasa Raghavan, K. The date of the I^ha Bharata war and the Kali Yugadhi

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