Ramayana - 12: Why Ramayana shows the same Month- Season as it is now?

After the death of Vaali, Rama retired to a cave in Mt. Prasavana and stayed there for four months when the rainy season was on. It was the month of Shravana when it rains even in the current times. Rama described the rainy season in the 28th sarga of Kishkindha Kanda and the Sharad season (autumn that followed the rainy season) in the 30th sarga of the same Kanda. 

The description of rainy season by Rama gives important revelations on the month-season of those times. Those who use western astronomy simulator for dating Ramayana have turned the zodiac halfway. According to them the month of Caitra occurred in Sharad season because the simulator shows so, but Ramayana says in many verses that Caitra was associated with spring (Vasanta) season only. Similarly, the rainy season started in Shravana only.

Rama, after killing Vaali did not start the search operation to find out Sita. He told Sugreeva,

पूर्वो अयम् वार्षिको मासः श्रावणः सलिल आगमः |

प्रवृत्ताः सौम्य चत्वारो मासा वार्षिक संज्ञिताः || ४-२६-१४

Meaning: “The four-month period specified for rainy season has commenced, oh gentle Sugreeva, and this is Shravana, the first month of rainy season that brings many showers.” (VR: 4-26-14)

He also asked him to wait till Karthika month when the rainy season would be over (VR: 4-26-17, 18a)

Saying this, Rama went to a cave on the mountain of Prasavana which was high on the west and slopy on north and east and thus avoided the entry of the monsoonal rains inside the cave! (VR: 4-27-12).

This will prevent rainfall entering the cave from the south west. Even today, the monsoon rains are realized from Southwest monsoon in Shravana in Karnataka where Kishkindha is situated.

The Catur Masya Vrata followed by the Vedic people is also mentioned by Rama. This vrata covers the period of rainy season starting from Ashadha Shukla Ekadasi and ending on Karthika Shukla Ekadasi. In this period, Bhagawan Vishnu is said to be sleeping (Yogic sleep). Vishnu is said to start His sleep on Ashadha Shukla Ekadasi which is recognized as “Vishnu Shayana Ekadasi” even today. Rama refers to this in his description of the rainy season.

निद्रा शनैः केशवम् अभ्युपैति

“These days sleep is slowly getting closer to Vishnu (Kesava), rivers are rapidly getting closer to oceans, cranes are gleefully getting closer to clouds, and women are passionately getting closer to their beloveds.”  (VR: 3-28-25)

In the month of Bhadrapada in the rainy season, Saama Vedic people perform upakrama even today. The same is said by Rama.

मासि प्रौष्ठपदे ब्रह्म ब्राह्मणानाम् विवक्षताम् |

अयम् अध्याय समयः सामगानाम् उपस्थितः || ३-२८-५४

Meaning: “The month of Bhaadrapada, is the time for learning the singing of Sama Veda, and this is the time that has come for those Brahmans who concern themselves for learning the singing of Sama Veda.” (VR: 3-28-54)

This verse enables us to date this event because Saama Upakarma is performed on Hasta nakshatra in the month of Bhadrapada.

              Date of Saama Upakarma in the 14^th year of exile

Rama was speaking about Saama Upakarma in the 14^th year of his exile (5077 BCE) while he was waiting for the rainy season to end. The year was Subhanu. Hasta nakshatra in that month occurred on 15^th May, when it was Shukla Panchami.

This occurs on Shukla Caturthi in some years when we celebrate Ganesh Caturthi. (Ganesh Caturthi was initiated during Krishna’s period after he was absolved of the blame for the loss of Syamanthaka gem.)

In the very next verse Rama mentioned that Bharata must have undertaken the Catur Masya Vrata on the Full Moon day of Ashadha (VR: 3-28-55)

Analysis of the verses of the 30th  chapter shows that sharad season (autumn) had started. This season has Aswayuja and Karthika months. The eulogy of the Sharad season by Rama must have taken place in Aswayuja month because later we find Angada stating that the Vanaras started the search for Sita in Aswayuja month. In this sarga Rama talked about the stoppage of rains and the bright moon illuminating the sky. His description of the shining moon rising at twilight confirms that it was the Full moon in Aswayuja month.  The date is decipherable as follows:

Rama’s talk on Aswayuja Full Moon

The date was 23^rd June, 5077 BCE, Subhanu, Aswayuja Pournami. 

Rama grew impatient as there was no sign of Sugreeva taking steps to search for Sita.

Lakshmana rebuked Sugreeva and Tara pacified Lakshmana.

Sugreeva apologized and started the search operations.

Though I planned to end this part here, I thought I need to do some explanation on the similarity of month-season in Rama’s time.

Vedic theory of to and fro oscillation of the equinoxes

Western science believes that the earth’s axis is precessing continuously. This is not so according to Vedic Thought which is expressed in many Siddhanta-s including Surya Siddhanta. Today, many  enthusiasts attempt to decipher the calculations given in Surya Siddhanta believing that they are applicable for all ages but conveniently ignore an important concept given in the Siddhanta-s that the equinox doesn’t precess forever; it moves forward and backward for a distance of 27° on each side of the midpoint of the zodiac which is the beginning of Aries.

It also says that the planetary positions are to be located with reference to the midpoint of the zodiac. Whenever the equinox moves backward as it does now – going to Pisces, the distance it travelled from the midpoint must be deducted from the current location of the equinoctial sun. Whenever the equinox is on the other side of the midpoint the difference from the midpoint must be added.

The difference known as ‘Ayanamsa’ is deducted even now for all utilities of planetary positions – be they for constructing horoscopes or fixing the ritual days. People easily call this deduction as ‘Nirayana’ and the western zodiac as ‘sayana’ (with ayanamsa because ayanamsa is not deducted) without realizing the implication of it or why we should do it. In a continuously precessing equinox, there is no need to deduct the difference (ayanamsa) because how long one will be deducting is a question. Western astronomy assumes that the equinox goes round for 360°; deducting the difference for all the period looks idiotic because at one time one will be deducting 360° !!

It is unfortunate that it is rare to come across an Indian to think why should we deduct the difference unless the movement is for limited duration.

The limited duration of 27° on either side of the midpoint of the zodiac results in less difference in the season. For example, the zodiac will appear as follows when the equinox is at the mid point.

                        The equinox at zero-degree Aries / midpoint (VE= Vernal equinox)

At this time, the month-seasons will be like this:

Caitra and Vaiśāka = Vasanta

Jyeṣṭha and Āṣāḍha = Grīṣma

Śrāvaṇa and Bhādrapada = Varṣa

Aśvina and Kārtika = Śarada

Mārgaśira and Puṣya = Hemanta

Māgha and Phālguna = Śiśira

 

When the equinox is at the western end as it is now:

                                              The equinox at 27° to the west of Aries

The month- season will be like this: There will be early spring starting in Pisces and cold season will be short such that there is no Shisira ritu

Phālguna and Caitra = Vasanta

Vaiśāka and Jyeṣṭha = Grīṣma

Āṣāḍha and Śrāvaṇa = Prāvṛiṣ

Bhādrapada and Aśvina = Varṣa

Kārtika and Mārgaśira = Śarada

Puṣya and Māgha = Hemanta

 

When the equinox is on the other side of the midpoint, the zodiac will look as follows:

                                            The equinox at 27° to the east of Aries

The month- season will be as follows then: Spring season will begin in Vaishakha and there will be extended winter with Hemanta and Shishira being cold months.

Vaiśāka and Jyeṣṭha = Vasanta

Āṣāḍha and Śrāvaṇa = Grīṣma

Bhādrapada and Aśvina = Varṣa

Kārtika and Mārgaśira = Śarada

Puṣya and Māgha = Hemanta

Phālguna and Caitra = Śiśira

 

So, the gradual change is from early spring as it is now to late spring in Vaishakha.

Of the three configurations, the middle illustration that is running now was also running in Rama’s time. It takes 3600 years for the equinoctial sun to reach from one end to another end. To come back to the same end it takes 7200 years.

7200 years ago Rama lived when the equinox was at the western most end of the equinoctial path.

Today we are in the same point as where Rama was. That is why we find the same seasonal months in the Ramayana.

We are seeing the same pole star as Rama saw.

Today we are seeing Polaris as the northern pole star.

Rama also had seen the same.

It was known as Dhruva nakshatra.

The three positions are shown in the following diagram.

Dhruva seen by us today was also seen by Rama which we will discuss in another part.

Meanwhile, request the readers to have clarity about the way equinoxes move and how the month-seasons do not change greatly. They did not change during Ramayana period because the sun and the earth were facing the same part of the sky then as they are now.

If anyone continues to say that Caitra was in Sharad season in the Ramayana, tell them the truth.

With this we are moving on to the next part in the search for Sita.

(Cont’d)