Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Mahabharata Quiz - 37

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Question – 37

From a single tithi, namely Krishna Saptami, you derived the dates of exile and the date of Kichaka-vadha. Does it mean that dating of Mahabharata is an astrological exercise than an astronomical endeavor?

Answer:

Any research on date depends on the kind of data available. Here the data is taken exclusively from the text itself. Only two types of data are available in the text of the Mahabharata.

One is about the Pancānga elements such as tithi, star etc., mentioned for the events. The Mahabharata does give these features for major events. These features are in use even today. These features continue endlessly such that it is possible to simulate the combination of these for a past date from the present combination. It just involves mathematical calculations which are incorporated in astrology simulators like Jhora.

The second set of data pertains to the planetary references in the Mahabharata. They might appear along with the Pancānga elements or stated as ‘nimitta-s’. The first problem is encountered by one while sifting through astronomy factors – are they true astronomy positions or nimitta-s?

For example, the reference to the star Arundhati appearing to have caused the star Vasistha trail behind, is a nimitta and not an astronomy feature. But this is taken as an astronomy feature by Mr. Nilesh Oak taking along with him a huge chunk of Indians into abysmal foolishness. Understanding the astronomy features itself requires a certain level of knowledge of astrological terminologies because both planetary positions and nimitta-s found in the Mahabharata are from the domain of astrology. Vyasa didn't possess the knowledge of modern astronomy such as Right ascension, Declination and visual magnitude.

In the case of the second set, namely, planetary combinations, we must be aware of the limitations of the simulators. They are not watertight like the Pancānga details. It is because there is an element of uncertainty in the planetary movement over long period. Those who follow planetary positions (as part of astrology) will be aware that the position of Saturn in Vaakhya system is not the same as in Drik system. It is lagging from what it is seen in Drik system.

Drik is what the NASA or Swiss ephemeris provide by way of current positions.  They are extrapolated to past by means of a set of calculations which are not valid for long periods such as the Mahabharata. More so with the position of the moon. The position of the moon can be checked from numerous inscriptions available in India, particularly South India, on eclipses giving the date, solar days, the star transited by the moon during eclipse etc. A random check done by this writer by picking out one eclipse every 100 years for 1000 years showed that none matched with the NASA date of the same eclipse. In some cases, the eclipse should not have been visible as per the NASA data whereas epigraphic evidence shows that people observed vrat, puja, daana etc. during such eclipses.

This gives the foremost lesson that moon data is unreliable astronomically. The discrepancies start appearing from 200 years backwards from now. There are other issues such as the equinoctial position of the sun which is unreliable right from 1800 CE backwards – which again can be cross checked with inscriptional data. Astronomers are aware of the limitations of equinoctial values, but simulator makers incorporate them for tens of thousands of years. Indologists believe the publicity gimmick of those simulator creators and fall an easy prey, by taking clueless masses into their blissful ignorance.

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