Mahabharata Quiz - 23

 Click here for the previous question

Question – 23

Since 18th February, 3102 BCE is the Julian date equivalent of the Gregorian date 23rd January, 3101 BCE, what is wrong in using it to express the Kali yuga?

Answer:

This can be replied in two ways.

1.     The Julian year is not equal to the Gregorian year, and both these are NOT equal to the sidereal year* used by Indians for computing the Kali year. Let us compare the length of all these three types of years.

The length of the Vedic sidereal year = 365.2586806 days

Gregorian (Tropical) year =   365.24219878 days

Julian (Tropical) year = 365.24999971days (longer than Gregorian year by 11 minutes 14 seconds)

Since Julian year is used in the astronomy simulators, let us compare the Julain with the Vedic sidereal year.

Vedic Sidereal – Julian Tropical = 0.00868089 days.

The Vedic year is longer by 0.00868089 days than the Julian Tropical year.

In how many years, this difference would become 1 day?

115.1955077   Years =1 day

So, every 115 to 116 years one Julian day is lagging the Vedic year.

Calculate the number of days drifted in this way for 3067 BCE (in 5087 years from the year 2020) suggested by Dr. Narahari Achar and promoted by Dr. Manish Pandit as the year of the Mahabharata war.

5087 Years =44.157971 days

The Julian days in the astronomy simulator would be behind the Vedic sidereal day by little more than 44 days for the date 3067 BCE promoted as the date of Mahabharata.

The drift is higher than this for Mr. Nikesh Oak’s date, 5561 BCE, that is publicized as scientific. Thus any year derived from the astronomy simulator suffers from the defect of drifting Julian days.

What I have shown is simple arithmetic. Only experts can do the conversion accurately by considering the noon and mid night beginning of the Julian day and the sunrise time of the Vedic sidereal day.

2.     The planetary locations will be different for Julian and Vedic sidereal days. The converter between Julian and Gregorian helps in picking out dates in respective calendars having the same planetary combinations. For example, the conversion shown below for today will have the same planetary combinations in the dates shown for Julian and Gregorian.

The planetary combinations on 8^th August (today) will appear for 26^th July in Julian date in the simulator.

But there is no conversion table available between the Vedic sidereal and Julian calendar. Since there is a loss of 1 Julian day every 115 / 116 Vedic sidereal days the planetary combinations will not be the same in both. For an antiquated date like the Mahabharata, nearly 45 Julian days will be less than the Vedic Sideral days. That means, the planetary combinations shown by the simulator will be way behind the actual by 45 days.

In the case of Kali Yuga date suggested by Burgess, 18^th, February, 3102 BCE which has not included zero year, the planetary locations will be certainly different from 23^rd January, 3101 BCE. Some people think that by deducting one year, they can get the planetary positions right. How? Only the number of the year will be reduced in that case, but planetary position will be different.

The date 23^rd January, 3101 BCE is just the year number for the Kali years (3179 before CE 78 of Shalivahana Shaka). On the other hand, 17^th February, 3102 BCE will be 3180 years before CE 78. It violates the Kali Yuga calculation.

 * Sidereal year is the time taken by the sun to complete its travel around the zodiac starting from Ashwini. By the time it re-enters Ashwini, it completes one sidereal year. In reality is the movement of the earth detected by the movement of the sun around the zodiac. As such a sidereal day is defined as the time taken by the earth to complete one rotation around its axis with reference to a fixed star of the zodiac. 

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz -22

 Click here for the previous question

Question – 22

Presently 18^th February, 3102 BCE is quoted by many as the beginning of Kali Maha Yuga; but you present another date 23^rd January, 3101 BCE. What is the reason for the difference in dates? Justify your date (3101 BCE).

Answer:

Until the Gregorian calendar was introduced in India, the Indians were using the Shaka era, which is Shalivahana Shaka (which is the current Shaka). In Gregorian years, it started in 78 CE. All the civil, legal, and religious works were mentioned in this Shaka era only. Since Kali yuga was nearing 4000 years at the time of this Shaka, people thought it is easy to express the year in Shaka years and if needed one can convert the Shaka year into Kali year. To convert the Shaka year to Kali year, one must just add 3179. This is found mentioned in the guidebooks to Panchanga and Siddhanta-s. This is because Kali Yuga began 3179 years before the Shalivahana Shaka.

This information was used by the colonial British, particularly Ebenezer Burgess, a US Missionary to Western India to derive the date in their calendar. He used the Julian days furnished by the US Nautical Almanac Office, to convert the total number of Kali Days until then, into Julian days. This gave him the date 18^th February, 3102 BCE.

This was picked up by Indians too, without realizing two defects in this.

1.     The Julian day is not the same as the sidereal day used by the Indians. Also, the Julian year was longer than the Gregorian year. It accumulated 12.7 days by 1582 CE when the Gregorian year was introduced. The gap was more 5000 years ago when Kali Yuga began.  Julian day continues to be in use in astronomy for certain advantages, though it is not reflective of the exact duration of the day or year. A conversion table between Julian and Gregorian days is now available. For the Kali year given by Burgess, which was 18th February, 3102 BCE, the conversion into Gregorian shows the date was 23^rd January, 3102 BCE. 

The Gregorian equivalent was one year longer than the Kali Year, I deduced in the previous answer.

2.     The Julian calendar does not have 0 year between CE and BCE. The difference of one year as shown above is due to this reason. In the Kali Yuga, years are continuous, giving 3101 as the year when 78 CE is deducted from 3179 years. Nowadays, zero year is incorporated in simulators, by which we get the year 3101 BCE, but the date is Julian.

Since we follow the Gregorian year, it is better to express it in the Gregorian date, with zero year incorporated. The date will then be what I gave, which is 23^rd January, 3101 BCE.

 Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz -21

 Click here for the previous question

Question - 21

Some people talk about 'Astronomical Kali Yuga' and 'Historical Kali Yuga'. What are they? Do they really exist?

Answer:

The concept of Astronomical Kali Yuga was mooted by the colonial Indologists in the 19th century when they came to know about the Indian Time scale of Kali Yuga. Since Indians were keeping track of Kali Yuga in terms of number of days elapsed, these foreigners found it easy to convert the Kali Yuga days into Julian days which formed the 'Astronomical Unit' for measuring distances in space. The result was 18th February 3102 BCE. They termed it as "Astronomical Kali Yuga". 

This is supposed to be the equivalent of Kali Yuga which started 3179 years before the beginning of Shalivahana Shaka in 78 CE, but it is not the true date. 

However, this is based on the Kali Yuga feature that it started at the entry of the Sun into Mesha rasi, but it doesn't match with the conjunction of all the planets (except Rahu) at the beginning of Mesha (sidereal Aries). 

Prof Srinivasa Raghavan proposed a 'Astronomical Kali Yuga' of his own starting on Magha Shukla Prathamai. The year was 11th January, 3104 BCE. He proposed the conjunction of five planets at Dhanishta in Kumbha Rasi which was the location of Uttarayana in the 5-year Yuga of Lagadha (not Mahabharata). He apparently got confused with the beginning of the 5-year Yuga which runs for just a 5-year period with Kali Maha Yuga. He too used the Julian days to measure the days to arrive at this year. 

There are others too who created the Astronomical Kali Yuga of their own, based on astronomy simulations. So, basically the yuga computation done by using Astronomy simulations and Julian days to pick out a date for planetary conjunction, came to be known as Astronomical Kali Yuga.

Historical Kali Yuga is the original Kali Yuga which is connected with the history of Bharat - of Krishna leaving the world, Pandavas relinquishing the throne and Pariskhit ascending the throne. That year began at a super conjunction of all planets except Rahu at the beginning of Aries. That year was 23rd January, 3101 BCE. All the Panchanga cycles (Star, tithi, solar month, yoga and Karana) started together on that day. The weekday was Friday. Kali Yuga started on a Friday as per all Panchanga calculations of Time. 

The first day of Kali Yuga

This date remained elusive to all the scholars for nearly two centuries. This is historical and as such true. This is astronomical too as it obeys the rule of super conjunction. This year is proven in my book 'Mahabharata 3136 BCE: Validation of the Traditional Date"

Unable to produce this date, each one started sticking to the year they could get through their work and promote it as the Astronomical year. For them historical year is mythical. Prof Srinivasa Raghavan went a step higher and proposed 'Ritualistic Kali Yuga' based on the old but now redundant Tamil adage "Kettai, Moottai Sevvai kizhamai". 

Based on a dialogue in the Mahabharata between Krishna and Karna in which Krishna said that Duryodhana was going to start the war activities on Jyeshta Amavasya - which however didn't happen because Amavasya occurred earlier than Jyeshta - Prof Raghavan proposed that the war did start on that day and that day Kali Yuga began. 

His justification for this is a Tamil phrase “Kettai Moottai Sevvai Kizhamai” – a reference to “Gandanta” or conjunction of the stars Jyeshta – Moola happening on a Tuesday. Astrologically it is disruptive for starting any work. But he assumed it to be referring to the birth of Kali Yuga and named it as "Ritualistic Kali Yuga". 

In reality, there is no Astronomical Kali Yuga based on Astronomical Unit and no Ritualistic Kali Yuga. There was only a Historical Kali Yuga which started on 23rd January, 3101 BCE and continues to be in use. 

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz - 20

 Click here for the previous question

Question -20 

Different people propose different dates for Kali Yuga. What is the exact date of Kali Yuga?

Answer: 

There is only one functional date of Kali yuga which is used for all purposes - civil, religious, legal and so on. This yuga is computational, starting from the exit of Krishna from his mortal coils. This year marks 3 events namely,

1. The exit of Krishna from the earth 

2. Yudhishthira stepping down from the throne

3. Parikshit, the only surviving progeny of the Pandava-s becoming the king.

Kali Yuga's first king was Pariskhit. 

All the above three events occurred in the year 3101 BCE, in the year Pramathi. 

From then onwards the present time scale came to be known as Kali Maha yuga whose total duration is 4,32,000 years. 

This date is computational, because it is determined by the conjunction of all the planets (except one of the nodes) at the beginning of sidereal Aries. It will take 4,32,000 years for the same planetary combination to repeat in the same point of Aries. 

Due to its non-repeatability for such long scales, this scale is used as the Era of Time for all purposes. Inscriptions found anywhere in India are aligned to this date and not to any other date. For all economic transactions and religious activities, only this time scale is used. 

For the question why there are other dates floating, the only answer is that they happened to be individual derivations as against the universally accepted date of 3101 BCE followed by kings and religious people. 

That date was the day when Krishna left this world. It was the last day of Caitra, an Amavasya day which coincided with the Sun entering the sidereal sign of Mesha (Aswini star) when all the planets except Rahu congregated near Aswini. No other date except 3101 BCE match with these details. This date fulfils another stipulation that it must be 3139 years before the Shalivahana Shaka started. 

The date of Super-conjunction at the time Krishna left. 

The next day Kali Yuga computation started. 

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz - 19

 Click here for the previous question

Question – 19

What is ‘Pushya Yuga’? Is it part of the Catur Maha yuga or 5-year Yuga?

Answer:

Pushya Yuga appears as the name of Kali Yuga in Valmiki Ramayana and Mahabharata.

In Valmiki Ramayana, Mālyavān, the maternal grandfather of Ravana while advising Ravana to send back Sita tells him that when Dharma swallows Adharma, there is Krita Yuga, when Adharma swallows Dharma there is Tishya Yuga referring to Kali Yuga. (6-35-14)

Tishya refers to Pushya, the star which signifies nourishment, growth etc.

The same view of expressing Pushya in the place of Kali is found in the Mahabharata.

When Sanjaya explained the geography of the world and classification of Time to king Dhritarashtra, he uses the name Pushya instead of Kali. (Mahabharata: 6-11-7) The age of Kali was yet to come. Kali means quarrel, darkness etc. That era was due to appear after the time of Mahabharata. Perhaps not wishing to say the age of darkness is going come, Sanjaya could have picked out the word Pushya.

Another reason is that the Rishi-s had said that the new age of Kali would appear in Pushya.

In a dialogue between Sauti and Saunaka in Mahabharata on a discussion between Brahman and Devas in times of yore, there is the mention of a new era in Pushya. It starts as follows.

“idaṃ kṛtayugaṃ nāma kālaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ pravartate” (Mahabharata: 12- 327 -73)

From Idam Krita Yugam it is known that the discussion had happened in Krita Yuga. Whatever is referenced here can be taken as the earliest. The description of the Yugas ends with Kali Yuga as follows: (Mahabharata: 12- 327 – 76)

“tatas tiṣye 'tha saṃprāpte yuge kalipuraskṛte

     ekapādasthito dharmo yatra tatra bhaviṣyati”

Ganguli’s translation: “(Upon the expiration of Dvapara) the Yuga that will set in will be called Kali yuga which will come under the influence of Tisya constellation. Dharma will lose full three quarters. Only a quarter thereof will exist in all places.”

The reference to one part of Dharma in this verse is a clear indicator of the Dharma Yuga cycle.

Therefore, the Pushya Yuga refers to the beginning of Kali Dharma Yuga in Pushya star. This date was 575 BCE as per Srimad Bhagavatam. However the name 'Pushya' was no longer used may be because there is no 'pushya' in this period but only 'kali'. 

The rishis of yore have known the Kali nature of this period and preferred to call it 'Pushya' perhaps to infuse positivity. 

On another note, time changed forever after the fall of a comet on Pushya star before the Mahabharata war. This change could have been perceived by ancient rishis through their yogic powers and they referred to it in their prophesies. In reality it was 'kali' all the way which Vyasa recorded in Srimad Bhagavadam at the fall of Krishna. In the final analysis it is found the reference to Pushya Yuga ceased to exist. But the context where it appears is about Kali Yuga dharma and not computational Kali Yuga of lakhs of years.

The Pushya Yuga based on amount of Dharma is not used for calendar purpose. Only the computational Kali Yuga that started at the exit of Krishna is used for calendars and in the inscriptions.

This is not part of 5-year Yuga. When the 5-year Yuga was in use, this yuga did not start at all.

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz -18

 Click here for the previous question

Question - 18

If the 4-Yuga concept used in the Mahabharata period was determined in terms of Dharma, what is the measure for Dharma? Is there any evidence for the existence of such computation of Yuga on Dharmic scale available? 

Answer:

The Yuga classification based on Dharma is narrated in Vayu and Brahmanda Purana. The measurement of Dharma is expressed in many ways. Let me cite just two here:

Dominance of a Guna determines a Yuga.

Sattva Guna is dominant in Kṛta yuga in this scale.

Rajasa Guna is dominant in Treta yuga.

A mix of Rajasa and Tamasa in Dwapara yuga.

Only Tamasa Guna prevails in Kali yuga.

The second way to express these Yugas is by means of food-procurement.

In Krita yuga, people ate what was available in nature. No efforts needed to get food. 

In Treta yuga they sprinkled seeds on the ground and the land produced crops. So, some efforts were needed to make food. 

In Dwapara yuga, the land was ploughed to grow plants for food. More efforts were needed to prepare food.

In Kali yuga, even if strenuous efforts were made, the produce is less. 

The course of this kind of food (plant) production started only after the ice Age ended and Holocene started. The Purana-s state that only after the first arrival of rains in Bharatavarsha, Treta yuga started. Before that Krita yuga was prevailing. In that period Vaivasvata Manu was pushed by the first flood in the Arabian sea coming from south at the end of Ice age. Manu and his people were pushed into River Saraswati, by which they could settle down in upper reaches of Saraswati and Drishadvati. The region between the two rivers was known as Brahmavarta. 

As per studies, there was no rain during the Ice age before 12,000 years. There was  no monsoon and no peninsular rivers were running then. River Ganga also was not yet born then because the Himalayas was heavily glaciated. 

The onset of first monsoon rains from South West Monsoon was recorded 11,500 years ago as per studies. This coincided with the increase in solar heat with the onset of the current age of Holocene. At a time monsoon became regular, the Himalayan glaciers also broke away causing the flow of Ganga. Treta Yuga ended with that. 

This was followed by Dwapara yuga which had seen ploughing activities and increase in Tamasa. It's sandhi period (overlapping period with Kali yuga) had seen the war of the Mahabharata.

As per Vyasa in Srimad Bhagavatam, this sandhi period extended till the time of Nanda Dynasty coming to power. A date also has been given (check my book for derivations) and it was 575 BCE. Since then Kali Dharma (adharma) is on the increase. 

***

Regarding the 2nd question on evidence, check the Tiruvalangadu inscriptions HERE

This Chola inscription which traces the lineage from Manu and Ikshvaku, gives certain cut-off dates for the yugas. 

Refer Verse 23 - Krita yuga ended with Chandrajit who came after the popular kings such as Muchukunda and Prithulaksha.

Refer Verse 38 - Treta yuga ended with Narendrapati, few generations before whom Bhagirata brought River Ganga. River Kaviri also was brought before the end of this yuga. There are several cross references in Tamil texts and Valmiki Ramayana that sage Agastya brought Kaviri to Pumpukar and Rama lived during this period. Just before him Parashurama annihilated the kshatriyas in Samantapanchaka in Treta - Dwapara Sandhi (Question - 16).

Refer Verse 40 - Dvapara yuga ended quickly after the end of Treta yuga indicating a short span for Dvapara yuga. Visvajit was born then.

Following verse 40, the kings were from Kali yuga. The name Perunarkilli appears first in this period, followed by Karikaal Chola who lived only 2000 years ago. 

***

The chronology of Dharma Yuga cycle derived from the Rainfall features is given in a nutshell.

The flood at the time of  Vaivasvata Manu 

Krita Yuga - Until 9,500 BCE

Treta Yuga (Beginning of rainfall) - Started around 9,500 BCE 

Dandaka Forest formation - From 8000 BCE onwards.

Rain-fed rivers - from 8000 BCE onwards.

Birth of River Ganga - Between 8,000 and 7,500 BCE

End of Treta Yuga Sandhya and Sandhyamsa - 6th millennium BCE

Dvapara Yuga started - Early 5th millennium BCE

Dvapara Sandhya - Late 4th millennium BCE

Kali Maha Yuga Started - 3101 BCE (Dvapara Sandhi in Dharma Yuga) (to be discussed in another question)

Dvapara Sandhyamsa - Till 575 BCE 

Kali Yuga - 575 BCE onwards 

Whenever we come across Yuga Dharma in a passage, we must assess the context to decide if it is about Dharma based Yuga. In the Dharma based Yuga, the Sandhya and Sandhyamsa offer hints on the extent of the degradation of virtue to gauge the probable onset of the next Yuga.

For related reading check these links:

Sandhi, Sandhyamsa of the yuga-s

Arrival of rainfall signaled the start of Treta yuga

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz - 17

 Click here for the previous question

Question - 17

There is also a notion that a Yuga has 12,000 years, classified into Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali. How is it justified?

Answer:

The yuga duration running into lakhs of years (refer Question -16) is also expressed in small numbers pertaining to the year of the 'Deva-s' having 12,000 Divya years which are equal to 43,20,000 human years. 

A human year = 1 solar year

1 solar year = 1 day of the Deva-s.

360 solar years = 360 days of the Deva-s = 1 year of the Deva-s.

Applying this equation to the four yugas explained earlier,

Kali yuga = 4,32,000 / 360 = 1200 Deva years

Dwapara yuga = 8,64,000 / 360 = 2400 Deva years

Treta yuga = 12,96,000 / 360 = 3600 Deva years

Kṛta Yuga = 17,28,000 / 360 = 4800 Deva years

The equation is, 43,20,000 solar years (applicable to human life) = 12,000 Deva years.

A thousand of 12,000 Deva years constitute a day of Brahma. 

= 12,000 x 1000 = 1,20,00,000 Deva years

Equating it with the solar years followed by us,

432,00,00,000 solar years = 1,20,00,000 Deva years.

This is the duration of a Kalpa which means a day or night of Creator God, the Four-faced Brahma. 

To express the time period in Deva Years, the 12,000 Divya year classification was given. 

The Deva year duration given in many texts is mis-construed as solar years applicable to human life on earth, such that we often come across people wrongly promoting the Deva year duration of 12,000 in a Catur Maha yuga to the yuga classification for human life. Readers must be cautious in not making that mistake.

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz - 16

Click here for the previous question

Question - 16

It is said that Mahabharata occurred in Dwapara yuga. If the 5-year yuga was the time scale of the Mahabharata, how does it fit with Dwapara yuga? 

Answer:

The  4- yuga classification as Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali is generally understood to run into lakhs of years as follows:

Krita yuga - 17,28,000 years

Treat yuga -  12,96,000 years 

Dwapara yuga - 8,64,000 years

Kali Yuga - 4,32,000 years

This classification is based on the planetary revolutions with the basic unit as 4,32,000 years being the time taken by the 9 planets of Vedic astrology (Question -8 ) to meet together at the beginning of Aries in Ashwini star. This calculation is mathematical and used for measuring the age of Brahma, the creator god.

This classification is not found anywhere in the Mahabharata or Ramayana (the two Itihasas) or any human related life events. 

However, there is another classification of yugas with the same name, but expressed in terms of Dharma. 

Dharma will have 4 parts in Krita yuga

3 /4 parts in Treta yuga,

2/4 parts in Dwapara yuga and

1/4 part in Kali Yuga.

In this scale, the Mahabharata occured at the junction of Dwapara and Kali Yuga (Dwapara yuga sandhi).

Since this coincided with the period coming before the start of Kali Yuga of lakhs of years, people started believing that it was Dwapara yuga sandhi which itself ran into 64,000 years.

But this is not so, because in Mahabharata itself, in the context of the location of Samantapanchaka where the war took place, the narrator, Sauti said the war happened in Dwapara -kali yuga sandhi. He also said that in the same place, Parshurama annihilated the Kshatriyas in Treta- Dwapara sandhi!

If one uses the lakhs of years of Yuga classification, this Treta-Dwapara sandhi must have occurred 8,64,000 years before the Mahabharata. It is illogical to think that a location such as the Samanatapanchaka which got its name from 5 pools in Parashurama's period  could exist without any change for 8,64,000 years - not to speak of the retention of memory of the events that happened 8,64,000 years earlier. 

The yuga sandhi mentioned here was based on dharmic scale in existence then. The mention of two different yuga sandhi-s in the very beginning of the Mahabharata - one on Parashurama's time and another on Mahabharata time goes to prove that that yuga measurement was different and on scale of Dharma.

Therefore we can say that the Mahabharata occurred in Dwapara -kali yuga sandhi in the Dharmic scale of yuga.

The computation of time was by use of the 5-year yuga. As seen in the Rig Vedic verse on Dhirgatamas, who lived before Rama, one's life span was measured in terms of the 5 year yuga. Dhirgatamas died in the 10th yuga (RV: 1-158-6) - meaning, he died between 51 and 55 years of his age. 

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz -15

Click here for the previous question

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.

This exactly matches with Bhishma’s version of extra 5 months and “dvādaśa ca kṣapāḥ”, referring to less than 12 days as per the above calculation. Among the many meanings of ‘kṣapa’, ‘night’ was suggested by some. With the calculation coming to more than 11 days but less than 12 days, by having only 6 Muhurtas on the 12^th day, Bhishma meant the other meaning, i.e., “diminishing” for Kṣapa. This establishes that the Pandava-s spent an additional 5 months and less than 12 days in exile.

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz -14

Click here for the previous question

Question - 14

What kind of Calendar (Time scale) was used by the Mahabharata people? 

Answer:

The 5-year Yuga calendar was used by the Mahabharata people. 

This is the same as the Lagadha Jyothisha whereby the year started on the day of conjunction of the sun and the moon in the star of winter solstice (Uttarayana). Due to difference in the speed of these two grahas, the moon will complete one month and one day in every solar month (of 30 days). By 12 solar months, the moon completes 12 months (1 year) and 12 extra days. In 24 months (2 years), 2 lunar years and 24 days are covered by the moon. By two and a half years the moon completes 2  years and 30 days (1 lunar month). When this stage is reached this month is treated as Adhika Maasa and dropped from counting. 

In another 2 and a half years another Adhika maasa comes up, but by then, the sun and the moon come back to the same to star of Uttarayana as it was 5 years ago. 

Each of these 5 years are given a name such as Saṃvatsara, Parivatsara, Idāvatsara, Idvatsara and Vatsara. This sequence also appears as Saṃvatsara, Parivatsara, Idvatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara. Since the names Samvatsa and Vatsara are in common use today to denote a year, we must not take those names casually if found in the text of the Mahabharata. They could mean the 1st and the 5th year in the Mahabharata calendar. 

The year name Samvatsara appears in a context which all the researchers treated merely as 'year', but it refers to the first year in the 5-year Yuga.

That crucial verse appears for the year of the Mahabharata war indicating that the war was fought on the 1st year of the 5-year Yuga. That means the Yuga and the year began at the exact location of Uttarayana of that day. In other years it will not be the exact Uttarayana star. 

saṃvatsarasthāyinau ca grahau prajvalitāv ubhau
viśākhayoḥ samīpasthau bṛhaspatiśanaiścarau  (6.3.25)

It says that the two planets Jupiter and Saturn staying in their own houses at the beginning of Samvatsara cast their aspects on Vishakha. Jupiter from its house in Pisces and Saturn from its house in Capricorn cast their respective aspect on Vishakha. 

This kind of observation is in tune with the year-long predictions made today from the New year (Mesha sankramana) chart. 

This Yuga seems to have been used for calculating one’s life. From a reference in Ṛig Veda on the sage Dīrghatamas that he grew old (or perished) in the 10^th Yuga, it is understood that one’s age was expressed in terms of this Yuga.

Dīrghatamas appearing before the Ramayana times, it is deduced that this 5-year Yuga was in vogue during Rama’s period. It continued to be in use in the Mahabharata period.

Based on this Yuga, Bhishma calculated that the Pandava-s had spent additional days in exile. So, the time calculations found in the Mahabharata pertain to the 5-year yuga system only.

This fact practically rules out any scope for the use of the astronomy simulators which are not developed to calculate the 5-year yuga with two adhika maasa in each cycle. 

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz - 13

 Click here for the previous question

Question - 13

Are the deities of star (the star lords) known to the Mahabharata people?

Answer:

Yes.

Each star of the 27 star group is governed by a deity. 

The mention of some of them in the Mahabharata goes to prove that the star-lords in vogue today were also the same in the Mahabharata period. 

Citing those instances:

(1) 

prajāpatye ca nakṣatre madhyam prāpte divākare (12-47-3)

Prajapati's star is Rohini. Instead of mentioning Rohini, it is given as Prajapati's star. The context is the final day of Bhishma on the earth.

(2)

prājāpatyaṃ hi nakṣatraṃ grahas (5.141.7)

The same as above. Rohini, lorded by Prajapati is indicated here.

(3)

Bhāgyaṃ nakṣatram (6.3.14a)

The star lorded by the deity, Bhaga is indicated here. That star is Purva Phalguni. 

(4)

maghā viṣayagaḥ somas tad dinaṃ (6.17.2)

The star Maghā is governed by Pirtus. Maghā vishaya refers to more entries into pitru-world - a reference to more deaths. 

(5)

maitre nakṣatrayoge sma sahitaḥ (9-34-12)

Balarama after meeting Krishna and Pandavas at Upaplavya to know the outcome of Krishna's peace mission left on 'maitri nakshtara'. Mitra is the deity of the star Anuradha. Instead of telling that Balarama left on the day of Anuradha, it is told by the name of the deity, Mitra. 

These instances show that the star lords as we know today were known to the people of the Mahabharata.

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz - 12

Click here for the previous question

Question -12

Are planetary lords of stars found mentioned in the Mahabharata?

Answer:

Yes.

Before answering, it must be conveyed that all 27 stars are lorded by 9 planets in Vedic astrology. Groups of three stars are given a planet as their lord. 

In the following table, the planetary lords are given in the last column. Each planet is associated with three stars in the row opposite to them.

Ashwini	Magha	Moola	Ketu
Bharani	Purva Phalguni	Purvashada	Venus
Krittika	Uttara Phalguni	Uttarashada	Sun
Rohini	Hasta	Shravana	Moon
Mrigashirsha	Chithra	Dhanishta	Mars
Arudra	Swati	Satabhishak	Rahu
Punarvasu	Vishaka	Purva Bhadrapada	Jupiter
Pushya	Anuradha	Uttara Bhadrapada	Saturn
Aslesha	Jyeshta	Revati	Mercury

This table is in use even today and is part of Vedic astrology. Giving pre-eminence to the Sun, the rows are rearranged in such a way the Sun occupies the top row. It will be found so in most Panchangas. 

Coming to the question of presence of this knowledge in the Mahabharata, there are two verses mentioning the planetary lord of the stars.

(1)

 One is mentioned by Vyasa as "Krittikasu Graha" which is the Sun (highlighted in the table).

"kṛttikāsu grahastīvro nakṣatreprathame jvalan

vapūṃṣy apaharan bhāsā dhūmaketur iva sthita" (6-3-26)

Krittikasu Graha is the 7th case implying the graha belonging to Kritika stars.

The meaning of the verse: 

"Krittikā’s graha, the sun at first blazing in Jyeṣṭha, the tīvro star, got sheared off and stayed appearing like a Dhūmaketu, a comet.”

Without knowing the presence of the age-old knowledge of planetary lords of stars, people keep looking for a planet near Krittika in their date of the Mahabharata.

The most ridiculous interpretation was given by Mr. Nilesh Oak who proposed Pluto as the planet near Krittika star because his simulator showed it for his date of the Mahabharata. As of today, Pluto is not even considered as a planet. It was not even part of Vedic astronomy / astrology. 

 (2) 

Another verse refers to the Moon as the planetary lord of Rohini. 

It says, (in the words of Karna), "prājāpatyaṃ hi nakṣatraṃ grahas"(5.141.7)

Prājāpatyaṃ hi nakṣatraṃ is Rohini (Prajapati is the deity of Rohini). Instead of saying Rohini, it is mentioned as Prajapati's star. Its graha is the moon. In the decipherment of the sky map it turns out to be true, matching with the other planetary features given in that context. 

Click here for the next question

Mahabharata Quiz -11

Click here for the previous question

Question - 11

By what names were the planets mentioned in the Mahabharata?

Answer:

Among the planets Mars is found with many names in the Mahabharata.

Mars = Angāraka, Lohita, Dhuma saha Pāvaka, Pāvaka. 

Of these Dhuma is the upagraha of Mars. Mars is recognised along with Dhuma. Pāvaka is fire.

Jupiter = Brahaspati

Mercury = Budha, Somasya putra, Yamasya putra

Based on the story of Budha (Mercury) born to Soma (Moon) and Tara, the wife of Brihaspati, Mercury came to be called as the son of both Moon and Jupiter. As per this story, both Moon (Soma) and Jupiter (Brihaspati) claimed Budha as their child. As a result Budha came to be regarded as Somasya Putra and Yamasya Putra as well.

Somasya Putra is understandable as the son of Soma.

What was the rationale to link Yama with Brihaspati, that Budha got the name Yamasya Putra?

As per Vedic astrology, Yamaghantaka is the son of Brihaspati. This name appears from as early as Parashara's time (of Mahabharata). The name signifies the bell of Yama (Ghanta of Yama) by which we deduce that Yama refers to Brihaspati. Brihaspati (Jupiter) stands for the Kaarakatva of Dharma. Yama is the lord of Dharma. That is how Brihaspati came to be regarded as Yama. 

Due to the specific context of Budha, getting accepted by Brihaspati who adhered to the Dharma of supporting his wife and the child born to her, Budha (Mercury) came to be identified as the son of Yama (Yamasya Putra).  

This word is specifically used for Mercury in the Mahabharata in the context of fall of Karna (8-68-47)

The description was such that when Karna fell on the 17th day of the war, the surrounding Nature was in a state of shock. The earth roared; there was smoke in all directions; the rivers stood still, the sun looked pale. In this context it is said that 'Yamasya Putra' crossed the sky silently in a slanting direction. The judgement of Yama Dharma having been delivered in the death of Karna, Jupiter, the Dharma planet is remembered as Yama by mentioning Mercury as the son of Yama,

Venus = Shukra, Shyama (Brihat Jataka, v: II-4: Shayama: Shukro)

Saturn = Shanaischara, Surya putra (Brihat Jataka, v: II-4: Bhaskari: krishnadeha: where Bhaskari refers to Saturn as offspring of the Sun).  

Also Parusha graha because it is said to have 'rough hairs' - parusha roma (Brihat Jataka, v: II-11) 

Sun and moon are known by their popular names such as Surya, Aditya, Bhaskara, Divakara,  Chandra, Soma etc. Different names of the Sun are given in the Mahabharata.

Click here for the next question