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Question - 15
How did Bhishma calculate that Pandava-s spent extra time on exile?
Answer:
When Kaurava-s claimed that Pandava-s revealed themselves before the conclusion of 13 years, Bhishma said that they spent additional 5 months and 12 nights in the 13 year period.
As per Vedaṅga Jyotisha, in ten years, 4 lunar
months increase and in the next 3 years, 1 month and some days increase. Overall, there will be an addition of 5
months and some days. The days are given as “dvādaśa ca kṣapāḥ” in which kṣapāḥ
is variously interpreted while the number of days is known as twelve.
Using
the aphorisms found in Vedaṅga Jyotisha for the 5-year Yuga, we are able to
decode Bhishma’s calculation.
No of solar days in a year = 366
In 5 years (Yuga)
= 366 x 5 = 1830
In 13 years = 366
x 13 = 4758 solar days.
No of lunar days
in 5 years (Yuga) = 1830 + 62 = 1892
In
13 years = (1892 x 13) divided by 5 = 4919.2 lunar days.
The
lunar days had far exceeded the solar days. Subtracting the solar days from the
lunar days we get the excess days spent by the Pandava-s in exile.
Lunar
days – Solar days = (4919.2) – (4758) = 161.2
The
Pandava-s spent an excess of 161.2 days in exile.
Now
conversion into months, days and muhurta-s.
Excess of days = 161
In months = 161
divided by 30 = 5 months and 11 days.
Excess
of 0.2 day can be taken to mean one fifth of a day.
Or
it can be calculated in muhurtas where 30 muhurta-s make 1 solar day.
1
day = 30 muhurta-s; 0.2 day = 6 muhurta-s
In
13 years, the Pandava-s have spent extra duration of 5 lunar months, 11 days
and 6 muhurta-s.
