A Mahabharata reference to Sidereal system

Saturday, 19 September 2009 - Sreenadh OG

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Many argue that there is no reference to Signs in MBh, Yanjnavalkya Smriti etc. But the
truth is that not only inherent references to Signs, but also details astrological expositions
are present in them.
The surfers cannot find the pearls, but only the divers, ready to dive deep and search
patiently. But it is the surfers who make a lot of noise and entertain the public. Those
surfers are like the sarcastic journalists, or a radio jockey who shines in lime light for a
small amount of time, but remains unimportant in the long run, or like the daily news
paper which gets importance for a single day, and then goes into the trash can. This writeup is not for the surfers but for the potential divers a sample pearl, uncovered to stir-up
you enthusiasm to search for the pearls in the sea of knowledge and information provided
by MBh a marvel in literary history.
The quote discussed here is very simple, but is a telescope towards the astronomical and
astrological understanding of MBh period. Let me quote
Parvani dwigunam danam, Rito dasagunam bhavet
Ayane vishuve chaiva shadaseeti mukheshu cha
Chandrasuryoparage cha dattam akshayam uchyate
(Mahabharata Vanaparva ch. 200-124,125)
[The donation given on (the day of) join of months is twice auspicious (than the donation
given in normal days); donation given on (the day of) beginning of (any of the six)
seasons 10 times auspicious; donation given on (the day of) starting of Uttarayana or

Dakshinayana or on Vishuvam day (Equinox day the day on which Sun is over
equatorial line and the day and night are equal) or on Shad-Asiti-Mukha (days of 6 major
Sankrantis of the sun while traveling through Signs i.e. entry into Mesha, Mithuna,
Simha, Tula, Dhanu and Kumbha) or on the day of (solar or lunar) eclipse are
enormously auspicious]
The whole quote is about Sankrantis (Exit/Entices) or Sankramas such as Parva
Sankrama, Ritu Sankrama, Ayana Sankrama, Vishuva Sankrama, Shad-Asiti-Mukha
Sankrama and Grahana (movement of shadows access Sun or Moon). Let us first tabulate
the statements given in the above quote. As per the above quote, the donations given on
the first day of the following are more and more auspicious. i.e. The donation given on
the beginning day of 1
2
3
4
5
6

Parva
Ritu
Ayana
Vishuva
Shad-Asiti-Mukha
Chndrasuryoparaga

2 times auspicious
10 times auspicious
enormously auspicious
enormously auspicious
enormously auspicious
enormously auspicious

Let us understand these words better.

Parva is the day of join of months. Which months solar, lunar or lunisolar?
Please note that all the 6 items mentioned in the above quote are related to the Sun
itself. So the statement Parva should refer to Solar or luni solar months, and not to
lunar months. The most popular month reckoning system prevalent during
Mahabharata period was Chaitra, Vaisakha etc luni solar months. So most
possibly here the reference is to the day on which the luni-solar month changes.
(Since luni solar year is adjusted with the sidereal solar year with the inclusion of
an extra month we can see that the above itself points to the existence of both
sidereal solar year and sidereal solar months. Further it is also well known that the
months like Madhu, Madhava etc are sidereal solar months). Let us note that the

whole quote is on Muhurta selection i.e. the selection of an auspicious moment

for giving donation. A better muhurta, i.e. a Muhurta found by considering more
time divisions, and even difficult to calculate time divisions is more auspicious.
Thus selecting the Parva day for donation is said to be twice auspicious because
it is a better Muhurta, than compared to the donation given on a normal day for
which no muhurta consideration is done. As per the ancient advice an act should
be done considering time (kala), environment (dasa) and people involved (patra).
For determining the quality of time Muhurta considerations are always useful.
Calculating Parva day is not that difficult, since the next full moon day
(Pournamanta system) or no moon day (Amanta system) will indicate the Parva
day. It is due to this lack of difficulty in calculating Parva it is said that selecting
proper Parva is only twice auspicious. Thus a reference to Parva indicates
knowledge about
o

Year and Months

Lunar and Solar year and about Luni-solar months such as Chaitra,
Vaisakaha etc

Sidereal solar year and sidereal solar months such as Madhu, Madhava etc

Muhurta system

Well developed philosophical foundation that is well in tune with normal

social life

Knowledge of Astronomy that was well in tune with astrology and much
more.

When a historian tells us that he got a coin with a chariot emblem, then there is no
need to search for extra evidence for a logical person to come to know that horses
where tamed, kingdom existed, king ruled, wars happened, metallurgy existed,
wheels already in use, travel and communication between moderately distant
places was not a difficulty and so on. If someone is not logical enough and
demands extra proof for all these, then he is either both simply illogical and
ignorant or purposefully intendeds to distort facts.

Ritu means season. Here it points to the beginning day of any of the 6 seasons.
Calculating the beginning day of a Ritu (2 solar months approx) is more difficult.
For this, one should know Ayana (half solar years starting from solstices) and then
decide whether what we speak about is equal division or unequal division of
seasons. He should also know that the Ritus (seasons) not only depends on the
movement of Sun through the ecliptic but also the Rekhamsa (longitude) and
Akshamsa (latitude) of the place under consideration. For example the date is
March 21 does not mean that it is spring season throughout the world (as some
seems to believe). Then once he understands the concept under consideration, he
should calculate the first day of the Ritu for all the 6 seasons such as Sisira
(deep winter), Vasanta (spring), Greeshma (hot season), Varsh (rainy season),
Sarat (autumn) and Hemanta (winter). But still the general understanding of Ritu
is simple and is mathematical division of Solar year in to 6 equal parts and
naming it; but still it demands much effort than locating the beginning day of a
luni-solar month and that is the very reason for the sage stating that finding out
the first day of the Ritu (and thus improving the quality of selected Muhurta) is 10
time more auspicious. If the first point refers to Luni-solar movements, the
reference to Ritu points to Tropical solar year and months definitely tropical
solar year and tropical solar months must have been in use during MBh period
(even though we dont know much about the month names they ascribed to the
tropical solar months they used).

Ayana means half year starting from one of the solstices. There are two Ayanas
Uttarayana (half year starting from winter solstice) and Dakshinayana (half year
starting from Summer solstice). In short Ayana points to the 180 degree
movement of Sun from one solstice to the other. Here the word Ayana points to
selecting the first day of Uttarayana or Dakshinayana as the auspicious Muhurta
for donation. First day of Uttarayana is the shortest day for those who live in
Northern hemisphere (longest day for those who live in Southern hemisphere) and
the first day of Dakshinayana is the longest day for those who live in Northern
hemisphere (shortest day for those who live in Southern hemisphere).
Continuously observing and achieving the ability to observe and calculate the first

day of Uttarayana or Dakshinayana is worthy intellectual ability that should be

appreciated. Understanding about first point of Uttarayana (winter solstice) and
first point of Dakshinayana (summer solstice), also indicate the knowledge about
both the equinoxes (vernal and autumnal equinoxes the dates on which day and
night are equal). Thus knowledge about Ayana i.e. knowledge about solstices,
equinoxes, precession of equinoxes and the moving wheel of time is invaluable.
Therefore selecting the first day of Ayana as muhurta for donation becomes
enormously auspicious, since it indicates that your knowledge and understanding
is very good and you have considered numerous inherent condition to choose
proper Muhurta for the act (here the act of donation). The word Ayana itself points
to the existence of a Tropical as well Sidereal zodiacs. Ayana means movement
movement not only of Sun through the ecliptic, but also the movement of cardinal
points through ecliptic path i.e. the precession of equinoxes. The movement of
something can be observed only using a fixed frame of reference. As we all know
the fixed frame of reference that was in use from the ancient past was the fixed
sidereal zodiac i.e. the Nakshatra Chakra. Since the cardinal points (solstices
and equinoxes) are mentioned and also the year beginning from cardinal points
are mentioned it is well evident that the moving Tropical zodiac was also well
known. Any reference to Ayana, points to the clear understanding about the use
and existence of both sidereal zodiac as well as tropical zodiac; of sidereal year
(with months such as Mesha, Vrishabha etc) and tropical year.

Vishuva means equinox. There are two equinoxes vernal equinox and
autumnal equinox. On both these dates the day and night would be equal. The
vernal equinox is on March 21 and the autumnal equinox is on Sep 22 now a
days. But due to precession of equinoxes this dates will change in due course. As
we all know the equinox takes around 25800 years approx to complete a circle
through the ecliptic. Calculating, locating and observing the Vishu day (date of
equal day and night) is equally difficult as finding the Ayana days (longest and
shortest days). This is the very reason for stating that selecting the proper muhurta
as correct as the Vishu day is enormously auspicious (just like the Ayana day).
May be this could be one of the first reference to equinoxes present in ancient

literature. This quote and the reference to different Ayana starting points (with
reference to Nakshtra chakra i.e. sidereal zodiac) points to the clear
understanding of precession of equinox during MBh period. Any reference to
equinox in ancient literature along with the reference to Nakshatra chakra and
Rasi chakra and the movement of cardinal points through Nakshatra chakra
(sidereal zodiac) could also mean that both Nakshatra chakra and Rasi chakra was
well in use (apart from the numerous lunar, solar and lunisolar month and year
systems in use).

Shahd-Asiti-Mukha means Suns entry into alternate sidereal months. How? Shad
means six, asiti means Sun, mukha means face. Shad-Asiti-Mukaha means Suns entry into six important transit points (that derived by dividing the solar
year in to six)). Here the reference is to Sidereal solar year. Shad-Asiti-Mukha
points to the Sankranti (exit/entry exist from previous sign and entry in to the
new sign) of Sun to various sidereal solar months/signs such as Mesha (Aries),
Mithuna (Gemini), Simha (Leo), Tula (Libra), Dhanu (Sagittarius), Kumbha
(Aquarius). Thus this word introduces the concept of Sidereal solar months. This
much understanding about the nature and quality of time and this much care in
selecting the auspicious muhurta should be appreciated, and this is the very reason
for stating that this muhurta is enormously auspicious.

Chndrasuryoparaga means Chandra-Surya-Uparaga i.e. Lunar and Solar eclipse.

Certainly eclipse calculation is not an easy thing to do. All the transit period
mentioned above such as Parva, Ritu, Ayana, Vishuva, Shahd-Asiti-Mukha are
uncertain periods and the results provided by them uncertain since they fall on the
border of two certain divisions done for result derivation purpose. So is the period
of the shadows (Rahu and Ketu) over Sun or Moon. All Sankrantis (Exit-Entry
periods) are fearful, since the result for the said period is uncertain, since the
quality of that time is uncertain. This is the very reason for suggesting that such
times are good for good deeds such as giving donation (or prayer) so that if the
results indicated by such periods are bad then they should get diminished. It is the
effort to diminish the bad results (if any) of the uncertain periods that is reflected
in suggesting acts such as giving donation in such uncertain times. As mentioned

earlier, exactly locating such uncertain changeover periods demands great

knowledge and understanding. It is said that to arrive at the exact eclipse position
more than 200 calculation steps are required (as per the ancient calculation
methods) and definitely if one is good at locating these uncertain moments
effectively then that muhurta is certainly enormously proper/auspicious for acts
such as donation (but inauspicious for any non-divine or household act due to
there inherent uncertainty regarding result indication)
So let us tabulate what that sloka says and understand it better in our improved
knowledge background.
The donation given on
Day of join of months

2 times auspicious (than the donation given

in normal days)
Day of beginning of seasons
10 times auspicious
Day of beginning suns northern or enormously auspicious
southern course of travel
Day of Equinox
Enormously auspicious
Day of Suns entry into alternate sidereal Enormously auspicious
months
Day of Eclipse

Enormously auspicious

This much for now

Note: The following quote of Yajnavalkya Smriti also speaks about Surya Sankrama
(Entry of Sun into solar sidereal signs such as Mesha, Vrishabha etc) and thus points to
the existence of signs such as Mesha during the period of Yajnavalkya smriti.
Amavasyashtaka vrishtiH krishnapaksho ayanadwayam
Dravyam brahmana sampattir vishuvat suryasankramaH
(Yajnavalkya Smriti)

-0-

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