The series so far:
The 6th part of the Indic Series focuses on establishing Skanda’s time by means of Tamil sources. In the earlier episodes it was established that Skanda lived during Younger Dryas following the end of Ice Age. The gradual increase in insolation came to an abrupt end when a comet smashed on the earth causing a temporary black out that resulted in drop in temperature resembling a mini Ice age. The time of the comet hit is speculated to be around 10,800 BCE or 12,800 BP (with 2000 CE as the base year).
Till now no one had thought that India was also
impacted by this comet. In the current episode evidence is produced from
Mahabharata (in Vasishtha’s narration) on cometary fragments falling on India also. This
appears in the oft repeated event of transference of Rudra’s Tejas or energy by
Agni Deva to Ganga which she could not bear. While the other sources such as
Valmiki Ramayana and Kumara Sambhavam had stopped with this, Vasishtha had
given extra information by which it is known that some of the fragments of the
comet had landed on India. Further discussion on where the fragments landed
will be done in in another episode.
The comet-hit had caused a sudden drop in temperature,
known as the period of Younger Dryas in science circles. It lasted for about thousand
years between 12 900 to 11 700 BP. Skanda had
lived within that span of time. This time period of Skanda is corroborated by
the inputs given in the Sangam age text by Nakkeeranaar.
There were three Sangam periods; the last one
presided by the Pandya King Ugra Peruvaɻuti. The
time period of this king is established by means of Jambai inscription of Adiyaman Neduman Anji,
a contemporary of Auvaiyyar who attended the
Rajasuya yajna conducted by the Chola King Perunarkilli
where she met Ugra Peruvaɻuti!
All these three being contemporaries – Adiyaman,
Auvaiyyar and Ugra Peruvaɻuti - we are able to derive the date of the last Sangam
by the date of Jambai inscription given as 2nd century BCE by the
epigraphists. Taking 100 BCE as the time of the last Sangam assembly, the dates
of previous two assemblages are derived based on Nakkeerar’s version.
It is found that the 3rd Sangam commenced around 2050 BCE
and the 2nd
Sangam around 5750 BCE. Both Ramayana and Mahabharata had occurred when
the 2nd Sangam was on. This places the upper limit of Ramayana at 5750 BCE.
The 1st Sangam had started around 10,190 BCE by which we
derive the date of Skanda at
12,190 BP with 2000 CE as the base year. This date falls within Younger
Dryas. This also establishes that the long duration of Tamil Sangam is not a fabricated
one but true to the core.
The Sangam details are proven by a cross reference
from Mahabharata where Krishna had stated that the king of the Bhoja-s had conquered the Pandyas by his learning (Vidya
Balam). This could only be about publishing his composition in the
Sangam Assembly. Krishna had accompanied this this king on that occasion is
what is understood from Nakkeerar’s version that Krishna attended an Assembly
of the 2nd Sangam.
More on Younger Dryas evidence in the next episode…
