Mahabharata Quiz - 33

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Question - 33

Any clues in the Mahabharata to deduce the last date of the 13-year exile period of the Pandavas? If yes, what was that date? In other words, when did the Pandava-s reveal themselves? 

Answer:

There are date clues in the Mahabharata for the last day of the exile period. This is deduced from a series of events that happened forcing Arjuna to reveal his identity.

·       On a Krishna Saptami, Susarma, the king of Trigarta started seizing the cattle of the Matsya country where the Pandavas were living in disguise. The month name is not given.

The Matsya troops headed by the Matsya King and the Pandava brothers except Arjuna started chasing the Trigartas after the sun crossed the meridian. The fight ended on the night of Krishna Saptami by the Matsya army defeating the Trigartas. Messengers were sent to the city gate to give the victory news by the next morning.

·       While the Matsya troops were away, the Kauravas started seizing the cattle of the Matsya country on the morning of Krishna Ashtami.  This happened before the victory news reached the palace.

At that time Uttara (named Bhuminjaya), the Matsya prince, was in the capital. Arjuna in the guise of Vrihannala accompanied Uttara as his charioteer to challenge the Kauravas. This happened on the same day.

Arjuna revealed his true identity to Uttara on the same day, that is, on Krishna Ashtami! He also told him that he had completed one year of vrata in his (Matsya) kingdom. So according to Pandava’s time keeping, they had completed one year period of incognito by Krishna Ashtami.

Arjuna didn’t conceal his identity in the fight with the Kauravas. He hoisted his banner (dhvaja) on the chariot while fighting. This created a flutter among the Kauravas raising doubts about the exact number of days completed by the Pandava-s in exile and it was clarified by Bhishma (explained in Question -15).

Arjuna (Vrihannala), with Uttara as the charioteer successfully chased away the Kaurava-s and restored the cattle. The two returned to the palace on the same day, i.e., Krishna Ashtami.

When they entered the royal court, the king was already seated, but Arjuna didn’t reveal his identity.

·       On the 3^rd day after that, all the Pandava-s revealed themselves openly. It is written “tatas tṛtīye divase” (MB: 4-65-1). This can be taken as the third day counted from Ashtami. (tatas = thence, thereupon, after that)

That is the day of Krishna Dasami!

The name of the month or the ayana is not given. However the running season at that time is revealed in the words of Karna that their troops had come to an unknown place possessed by enemies and in the mighty forest in the hot Greeshma season (MB: 4-42-22)

Greeshma has two solar months, Mithuna and Kataka and the corresponding lunar months, Jyeṣtha and Ashadha. If the date Arjuna revealed himself was Jyeshtha Krishna Ashtami, it was in the first half of the season when the sun was at mid-Mithuna. Since exhaustion of the troops is hinted in the verse for having travelled a long way in the Greeshma season, it is deduced that it was peak Greeshma. This matches with the second half of the season when Ashadha was running.

This is further corroborated by a verse in the Mahabharata on a grand festival in honor of Brahma that was conducted on the fourth month after the Pandava-s started their incognito living in the Matsya country (MB: 4.12.12). This festival participated by Bheema to show his athletic prowess continues till date by the name “Pushkar Festival” in the month of Kartika. This month being the fourth month after Ashadha, it confirms the beginning of the incognito period in the Ashadha month, which means the Pandava-s began their exile in Ashadha Krishna Dasami and ended in Ashadha Krishna Dasami. 

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Mahabharata Quiz - 32

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Question - 32

Any clues from astronomy or date features found in the Mahabharata to identify the day the Pandava-s set out for exile? 

Answer:

Sufficient date features for the day of ending the exile is found in the Mahabharata. Based on that the beginning day can be deduced. 

For example, the month and tithi of the day they ended the exile are decipherable from the text of the Mahabharata. From that we understand that they started on the same month and tithi 13 years  ago. So without a discussion on the ending day features, we cannot talk about the date features of the beginning day. 

This is very important, because only one hint is found for the beginning day which needs extra inputs to decipher the date. It is said in the text that on that day,

“Meteors fell from the sky, and Rahu by swallowing the Sun unseasonably alarmed the people terribly” (MB: 2-72-21).

Rahu swallowing the Sun in this verse is interpreted by other scholars as indicative of solar eclipse on the fateful day Draupadi was humiliated and the Pandava-s were made to go on exile. 

If this is true, then there must have been Amavasya running then. This can be cross checked only from the last day features of the exile. It should also be an Amavasya. If not this reference to Rahu swallowing the Sun is only figurative and not true. 

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Mahabharata Quiz - 31

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Question - 31

When did the Pandava-s begin their exile? Is it possible to find out the exact year of the beginning of their exile? 

Answer:

Yes, it is possible to decipher the beginning year of exile from the year of the war already deciphered in Question 28

The Mahabharata war was started immediately after the 13-year exile period got over. 

That year being 3136 BCE corresponding to the year Krodhi, we can get the beginning of exile, 13 years before that. 

It was year Khara, in 3149 BCE. 

Counted from then, thirteen years got over by Krodhi in 3136 BCE. 

In between these years, Adhika Maasa occurred 5 times, according to Bhishma.

Those years were as follows:

1. Vaishakha in  the year Vijaya, 3147 BCE 

2. Aswayuja in the year Manmatha, 3145 BCE

3. Shravana in the year Vilambi, 3142 BCE

4. Jyeshtha in the year Plava, 3139 BCE

5. Caitra in the year Krodhi, 3136 BCE

These dates offer a valuable clue namely, there was an Adhika Maasa in the first month of the last year of their exile. 

Since Adhika Maasa occurs only once in two to two and a half years, there should not be any other Adhika Maasa in the year Krodhi after they completed their exile. This statement is vital in understanding events that have taken place after the exile was over. 

(For details of the exile period, refer my book 'Mahabharata 3136 BCE')

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My talk in English on Kashi Vishvanatha and Gyanvapi (Chanakya TV)

Abridged version of my interview on the antiquity of Kashi Vishwanatha and the demolition of the temple in different periods ending with Aurangzeb building the current structure on top of it.

The narration is in English.

Mahabharata Quiz - 30

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Question - 30

Is there any rationale behind the numbers 12 or 13? On what basis the exile period for the Pandava-s was determined to be 12 years with an additional year added? 

Answer:

The number 12 seems to indicate a full term. Rama was in the womb for 12 months - the total number of months in a year. The Sun covers the same number of signs in a year. Vasishtha's daughter-in-law, Adrishyanti claimed that her child was reciting the Vedas in her womb for 12 years! In the context of Vedic recitation, Jupiter (Brihaspati) being the signifactor, she could have referred to the time taken by Jupiter to complete one round around the zodiac which is roughly equal to 12 years. 

In the case of retribution for certain offences, the punishment is for 12 years according Manu Smriti (11-102). For stealing the wealth of a Brahmin or for slaying a Brahmin, the punishment was banishment from the country and living in the forest like an ascetic for 12 years.

In Valmiki Ramayana, when Bharata was informed of Rama's exile, his immediate reaction was to know whether he stole the property of any Brahmin or harmed any virtuous person or desired another man's wife. His queries indicate that these acts invited exile to the forest for 12 and more years. In Rama's case it was 14 years. 

Applying the rationale of these stipulations followed in the olden days to the exile of Pandava-s, they didn't steal the property of the Brahmins or virtuous persons, nor slayed any Brahmin, but in the case of woman there is a subtle issue of Dharma which Draupadi herself raised when she was humiliated in the Kaurava-sabha. 

Her status as the wife of five brothers was against the norm of the day as known from frequent derisions thrown at her. Notwithstanding that her status was approved by her mother in law, it remains questionable if it was approved by the ethics of the then society. Since the tenets of Dharma are very subtle for us to understand, I am left with pointing out what could be her status as the wife of the other four if she is accepted as being won in the dice game as a property of the eldest Pandava. By the way everyone accepted the 12 year exile period, her status as the wife of 5 men seems to have been one of thorns which however was not outwardly expressed. 

From another angle, Pandu relinquished the throne in favour of his elder brother Dritharashtra and left to the forest where his five sons were born. On their return to the country troubles had started.  What would be the stance of the Kaurava-s who had legally inherited the kingdom from their father that was legally given by the father of the Pandava-s?

When they were not willing to and not bound to part with any part of the kingdom, the ceding away of a territory to the Pandava-s however barren it may be, under coercion and persuasion by the elders would be seen by them as injustice meted out to them. From this angle, the Kaurava-side contention will be that of losing their wealth for no fault of theirs. On that basis too, they can ask for the exile of the Pandava-s for 12 years (Manu Smriti). We should remember that no one including the all-knowing Bhishma could speak against the Kaurava-s for their desire to retain the entire property. 

When the Kaurava-s could not subdue the Pandava-s by other means, they must have felt justified in the 12 year exile demand in the dice game, as legal heirs to the kingdom. The way the elders had kept quiet through all these goes to show that the elders were not able to take contrary stance with reference to this clause on exile.  

The extra year (13th year incognito living) was sought as a buffer to enable the Kaurava-s to pick them out and push them back to another round of exile.

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Mahabharata Quiz - 29

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Question - 29

Gandhari cursed Krishna that he would perish in wilderness on the 36th year. Is there any specific reason for Gandhari to pick out the 36th year? 

Answer:

The number 36 has a special relevance for the welfare of one’s progeny. A 36-year sacrifice (sattra) was in vogue during Mahabharata times. It is known from Pancavimsa Brahmana that the descendants of Sakti had conducted 36 year sattra.  Sakti is identified as the father of Parasara whose son was Vyasa. It is further said in the Brahmana text that the one who performs this sattra gets rulership and also ten strong sons.  Without doubt this sattra must have been popular with the Kaurava-s, the Pandava-s and the Vrishini-s. 

As biological descendants of Vyasa, the Kuru kings could have performed the sattra. Perhaps the Kaurava-s could not complete the 36 year long sattra or else they could have won the war, retained rulership and children. It is doubtful the Pandava-s had completed the sattra in view of the exile they had to undertake. Only the Vrishini-s had survived the war and were expected to prosper more in the years after the war. The Vrishni-s headed by Krishna were very clever in having chosen to support both the warring sides. Whichever side wins the war, the Vrishni-s would bring home the advantages of the winner.

Gandhari’s anger naturally turned towards Krishna who she accused as not having worked enough to avert the slaughter of the Kuru-s. The Kaurava-s lost their progeny, so did the Pandava-s by the time the war ended, but only the Vrishni-s survived! The Vrishni-s were already known for wealth creation and didn’t mind relocating to newer terrains (Dvaraka) to safeguard their wealth, works and resources.  Their clan continued to be intact after the war, unlike the Kuru clan which suffered heavy losses. Gandhari’s anger was such that the new 36 year sattra that was likely to be initiated by the Vrishni-s after the war was over should collapse at the penultimate hour, thereby wiping out their progeny and rulership.

This gives rise to the presumption that the Kaurava-s failed to complete the 36 year sattra and lost in the last year of the Sattra. This caused Gandhari to cast a similar doom on Vrishni-s whom she thought would initiate the Sattra for their welfare. It is not known if the sattra was done by the Vrishni-s, but their end came in the 36th year just before the Sun entered Aries with all the planets gathered around it.

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Mahabharata Quiz - 28

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Question - 28

In what way Kali Yuga date is important for deducing the Mahabharata date? How is the year of the Mahabharata war derived from the beginning year of Kali Yuga? 

Answer:

Kali Yuga marks the time of departure of Krishna from this physical world. Mahabharata war had taken place 35 years before that.

It is said at four places in the Mahabharata, that the Vrishni clan would die on the 36th year after the war. Along with them Krishna also shed his mortal coils. That day marked the beginning of Kali Yuga.

1. On seeing the death of her children and all the relatives in the war, Gandhārī vented out her frustration at Kṛiṣhṇa, cursing him that he would perish in the wilderness after causing the slaughter of his kinsmen in the 36^th year (MB: 11.25.4). In the 36^th year, a huge carnage did take place wiping out the Krishna-clan.

2. When the 36^th year (after the war) arrived, Yudhishthira noticed many unusual omens (MB: 16.1.1)

3. Again, it is said in the Mahabharata that a great calamity overtook the Vṛiṣhṇī-s on the 36^th year (MB: 16.2.2).

4. On seeing the inauspicious omens, Kishṇa understood that the 36^th year had arrived when Gandhārī’s curse, given out of grief on losing her children, was about to happen (MB: 16.3. 18, 19).

All these internal evidences giving clinching evidence for a gap of 35 years between the war and Krishṇa’s exit, the year of the war can be deduced as Pre-Kali-35, in the same way that the inscriptions are dated from the Kali-begin date. That year was 3136 BCE, thirty-sixth year before 3101 BCE.

Pramāthi was the year of 3101 BCE when Krishna left. The 36th year before that was Krodhi.

Therefore the year of the Mahabharata war was Krodhi, corresponding to 3136 BCE. 

Thus the Kali Yuga date offers a crucial hint to derive the year of the Mahabharata war. 

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Re-installation of Lord Govindaraja in Chidambaram in the 16th century (Annexure to Ramanuja Itihasa)

The trigger for me to write the book, 'Ramanuja Itihasam' was the claim by a twitter handle by name @TrueIndology that the Moolavar Vigraha of Lord Govindaraja of Thiru Chithrakutam, known as Chidambaram, was not thrown into the sea by the then ruler of the Chola country. Citing the incident shown in the movie "Dasavatara", that person tweeted that it was a concocted story created by Vaishnavites to create an aura around Ramanuja that he safe-guarded the Utsava murti from damage. The person went on to cast aspersions on none other than Ramanujacharya in varied ways which I addressed in my book. 

In both the English and the Tamil version of my book, I have given a detailed rebuttal of this claim by the tweeple, besides providing the details of the regrettable event which was recorded at the behest of the same ruler by his court poet, Oddakootthar. Some devotees somehow managed to protect the Utsava Murti and secretly left for Tirupati where Ramanujacharya was camping. Ramanuja received the Murti and established Him within the premises of the Parthasarathy temple in Tirupati - in the foothills of Tirumala. I proved in my book that consecration of Sri. Govindaraja in Tirupati was done on 3rd March, 1130. 

In the Tamil edition of my book, I just made a mention that the Murti was re-consecrated in Chidambaram in the 16th century by one Achyuta Raya. In this blog I am producing the inscriptional evidence for the re-installation of the Utsava Murti, got back from Tirupati and also the installation of a new Moolavar. 

Two dates appear for the consecration. Let me produce the second date first as it contains more information. The source is Mackenzie manuscript. The name Chidambaram is not found in these records. It was Chithrakootam, the abode of Rama in the works of Azhwars who praised this God. In records, it appears by the names, Thillai, Vyagrapuram, Puliyur, Perumberra Puliyur, Chithrakootam etc. From the name of the sage Vyagrapada which is derivative of one having the feet of the tiger, this place got the name Puliyur. In the inscription produced below, Chidambaram is mentioned as Perumberra Puliyur in Rajaraja Valanaadu. 

(Click the above images to enlarge)

It says that in the year 1539, corresponding to Vikari (wrongly given as Vikriti), when the Sun was in Mithuna rasi and Moon in Anusha nakshatra at the time of Shukla Chaturdasi and Saadhya Yoga, the king Achyuta Deva Maharaya established Lord Govindaraja in the temple of Chidambaram.  

The date features given in the inscription remarkably match with the Yoga of the day.

The king Achyuta Raya also made arrangements for the daily worship of the deity by assigning the proceeds from four villages. To conduct Puja on all the 30 days of the month, he assigned different persons from different Gotras. 

For 8 days, a person by name Kuppaiyar of Kashyapa Gotra belonging to Thiruveethi, for the next 8 days, a person by name Nalla Perumal of Bharadwaja Gotra of Dindivanam, for the next 8 days, a person by name Deva Nayaka Bhattar of Kaushika Gotra from Thiruvaheendhipuram, for the next 2 days, a person by name Srinivasa Bhattar of Gautama Gotra from Taadalan Koil and for the remaining 4 days, a person by name Narasimha Iyengar of Bharadwaja Gotra of Taadalan Koil were assigned the duty of conducting the Puja for Lord Govindaraja.

The names of the persons and their locations look odd because the persons seemed to be from both Iyer and Iyengar sects and their locations were far away from Chidambaram. The Taadalan Koil should refer to Seerkazhi Trivikrama temple where the Utsava murti is known as Taadalan. The nearest was Seerkazhi which would take 4 hours by walk. The farthest was Dindivanam, which was approximately 100 km from Chidambaram. Why different persons were chosen from different locations to serve the deity? 

Thinking of this question, the only probable answer seems to lie with a conjecture that these people  must have helped in retrieving the deity for consecration in the 16th century or their ancestors were instrumental in safe-guarding the deity in the 12th century when Kulottunga-II demolished the shrine of Govindaraja. Somehow these five persons came to possess some right to serve the Lord. 

Yet another inscription found in the Govindaraja shrine gives a slightly different date, and it is also from the reign of Achyuta Raya. 

This gives the year name as Vilambi and the month name, Panguni. Vilambi was the preceding year of Vikari found in the previous inscription. Both refer to reconsecration by a gap of three months but the previous one with a latter date has details on who should conduct the puja and how to procure the earnings to run the temple. From these two records, we understand that this inscription on the north of the central shrine of Govindaraja marks the beginning of the work. The previous inscription was perhaps about the completion of the work or the actual date of consecration. 

The week day (Monday) matched only for Purva Phalguni and Shukla Chaturdasi. Some discrepancy is here in the recorded date features. But the overall date clearly shows that Achyuta Raya started the work in Panguni (March 1539) and ended the work in the following Mithuna (June 1539).

Differences with literary accounts

These two inscriptions attributed to Achyuta Raya giving the details of the re-consecration of Lord Govindaraja run contrary to literary records. There is a Guru Parampara record stating that the deity was reinstated by Sri Vedanta Desika, taking advantage of the internal commotion in Chidambaram to make Gopannaraya of Gingee to re-consecrate the deity in Chidambaram. His date coming in 13th / 14th century doesn't match with the dates of these inscriptions. The ruler also was different. Perhaps there was an attempt to re-install the deity in Vedanta Desika's time and it failed. 

The text Prapannamrutham attributes the efforts to Mahacharya or Doddacharya of Sholingar and the king was one Rama Raya of Chandragiri, a successor of Krishnadeva Raya. This record seems closer to the inscriptional evidence, but Achyuta Raya might have been mistakenly mentioned as Rama Raya. 

The common thread in both the accounts is that a Vaishnavite Acharya had taken efforts to re-consecrate the deity and sought the help of rulers. However there is no word on whether any efforts were made to retrieve the Moolavar from the sea. The Moolavar continues to be residing on the floor of the sea somewhere in the northern part of the Kaveri estuary. Will anyone try to locate Him using the modern techniques? 

My interview to Chanakya TV on history of Kashi Vishvanatha and Gyanvapi

 My interview to Mr. Arun in Chanakya TV covers 

* the antiquated history of Kashi

* the history of the Swayambhu lord Vishvanatha

*the oldest evidence for the temple in the Mahabharata

* the evidence from the life of Tulsidas who presented his Epic poem Ram Charit Manas to Lord Vishvanatha on whose temple now stands a mosque

* frequent destruction of the temple since the 11th century ending with the final destruction by Aurangzeb in the 17th century

and many more...

Watch here  

Mahabharata Quiz - 27

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Question- 27

With Kali Maha Yuga running for 4,32,000 years, are we doomed to suffer for so long?

Answer:

No. 

As told several times,  Dharma Yuga has no fixed beginning or end. The long duration of 4,32,000 years for Kali Yuga is only for Time computation purpose which is given the name Kali. This is not to be confused with the Dharmic measure of short of duration of Kali Yuga. 

In Dharmic scheme, almost all the four Yugas have run in the 12,000 period since Ice Age ended. In this scheme, Krita Dharma Yuga will begin anytime after Kali Adharma Yuga.

There is even a prophetic saying in Vishnu Purana (4-24) that when the sun, the moon and Jupiter join the star Pushya (in Kataka), Krita Yuga will begin. This is repeated by sage Markandeya in the Mahabharata. 

Vishnu Purana further states, 

“.. the minds of those who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed by virtue of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings, and shall give birth to a race who shall follow the laws of the Krita age, or age of purity.”

This explains the process of how Kali Sandhya will set in after a breaking point is reached in Kali Adharma. The Sandhya period will have 1/4th Kali Adharma which means a rise of Dharma by 3 parts. With rising Dharma, Kali Sandhyamsa will set in when there will be further lessening of Kali Adharma by 1/4th. By then the Adharma of Kali will be 1/4 x 1/4 = 1/16. This means a whooping Dharmic level of 15/16. That will be the state of Krita Dharma Yuga.  

The Yuga Purana of Vriddha Gargeeya Jyothisha lists out specific regions of India where Krita yuga will revive after the end of Kali Yuga. This is in terms of revival of Dharmic measures. North India will be totally suffering from Kali dharma. Only regions between Vindyas and River Krishna, the southern part of the Eastern Ghats of Orissa and the regions around River Kaviri will find revival of Krita Yuga.

Source: Yuga Purana page 75

 

Mahabharata Quiz -26

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Question - 26

Did Yudhishthira Shaka start from the time Yudhishthira started ruling? 

Answer:

No. Yudhishthira Shaka started only with the beginning of kali Yuga. 

Yudhishthira ruled in Dwapara Yuga. He ruled for 35 years. On the 36th year Krishna left his mortal coils. On coming to know that Krishna left the world, the Pandava-s lost interest in living. Yudhishthira stepped down from the throne and appointed Parikshit as the king. All the Pandavas along with Draupadi became ascetics and started wandering till death. 

But by then Yudhishthira established the rules of law to be the followed by all kings starting from Pariskhit. That is why the period starting from Pariskhit is known as Yudhishthira Shaka. 

In fact, the rishi-s of that time codified the entire Kali Yuga into 6 sub-periods called Shaka. They even assigned a specific term for each period and a king as the Shaka-karta for each sub period. The classification is shown in the table below: It shows that the total span of 4,32,000 years of Kali Yuga would be possible only if the 3044 years of the Yudhishthira Shaka is also added. Without knowing it many people including institutions count the Yudhishthira Shaka from the time of Yudhishthira's coronation after the war and fail to get the dates right.   

The Yudhishthira Shaka that started after Yudhishthira handed over the reign to Parikshit lasted for 3044 years. Towards the end of it, Kali Dharma Yuga started (575 BCE). Then followed Vikrama Shaka for 135 years. After that the present Shaka of Shalivahana Shaka started in 78 CE. This will go on for 18,000 years. 

The king who initiated this Shaka came to hold the name Shalivahana because the name Shalivahana was already decided by the rishi-s when they devised the Kali Yuga scheme soon after Krishna's departure. This king was Gautami Putra Shatakarni (for details refer my book 'Mahabharata 3136 BCE'). The king who subdued the Mlechchas could become the Shaka-kaaraka. An inference from this is that the country is not going to see any respite from Mlechcha-influence throughout the current Shalivahana Shaka. 

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Mahabharata Quiz - 25

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Question - 25

What is the basis for the Kali Dharma Yuga that started in 575 BCE? Isn't it confusing to have two different dates of Kali Yuga - one at the departure of Krishna on 3101 BCE and another at 575 BCE when Kali Dharma set in? 

Answer:

For all practical purposes we are using the Kali Maha Yuga that started in 3101 BCE. Vyasa repeatedly says that we must use that date only. That date is in use all these years for all purposes continuously without a break. The only difference is that now we use the sub period of it, namely Shalivahana Shaka. The official Indian Calendar also uses Shalivahana Shaka but without realizing that it is the 3rd sub period of Kali Yuga which started 5124 years ago. Due to this ignorance we have failed to claim our rightful place in the International Astronomical Calendar as having the longest surviving calendar in use. For example the date of Indian calendar found in this international record as on 2020 appears as follows: 

As per this calendar our computational time started only 1942 years ago! This must be corrected to Kali Yuga date that started 5124 years ago in 3101 BCE.

On the other hand, the yuga computation on the measure of Dharma is of shorter duration only. There is no fixed beginning or end date. In the past the sages decided this yuga by watching the deterioration in Dharma. The Dharma- Adharma proportion of the yugas was given as below:

Krita  -  1 part dharma - 0 adharma

Treta - 3/4 part dharma - 1/4 adharma

Dvapara - 1/2 dharma - 1/2 adharma

Kali - 1/4 dharma - 3/4 adharma

Towards the end of a Yuga, its Yuga Sandhi appears.

The Sandhyamsa comes up after the Sandhi period ends.

Then the next Yuga takes over.

The dharma of a Yuga dwindles by 3/4^th in the Sandhya of that Yuga. In other words, only 1/4of the Dharma of a Yuga prevails in the Sandhya period. The reduced Dharma of the Sandhya period gets further lessened by 3/4^th in the Sandhyamsa period. This remnant part of Dharma of the Sandhyamsa period becomes the Dharma of the next Yuga.

In this way, Vyasa referred to Dwapara Sandhya when the war took place. 

In Treta Sandhya, Parashurama killed the kshatriyas. 

Only perception of the nature of Dharma determined the Yuga, its sandhi and sandhaymsa. 

Only in this scale Rama was born in Treta Yuga sandhi - not lakhs of years ago as in computational Maha Yuga. 

With expected decline in Rishi-culture after Dwapara Sandhya, Veda Vyasa handed over a date for identifying the beginning of Kali Yuga in Dharma scale. He has written in Srimad Bhagavatham, that when Saptarishis pass through the star Magha, Kali yuga will set in. He further says that right from the time Nanda Dynasty started ruling, Kali Yuga will be in full swing. (12-2-31 and 32)

In the very next verse, he reiterates that Kali Maha Yuga started only from the time Krishna left this world. 

Thus he clearly makes a distinction between the two but proposes computational Kali Yuga that started on 3101 BCE.

For the onset of Kali (a)dharma with the Nanda dynasty, he gives a marker that the saptarishis will be crossing the Magha star. The same verse appears in Brihad Samhita by Varahamihira where a year number in Yudhishthira Shaka (first sub period of Kali Yuga) is mentioned. It was 2526 years, which is nothing but Kali year 2526. From this, the date is deduced as 575 BCE. That is when Nanda dynasty started ruling. 

That date was given by Vyasa to inform us when the Kali yuga dharma will begin. Unfortunately some scholars have taken this to mean the beginning of computational Kali yuga and messed up other dates such as Mahabharata. 

Let the readers be clear that 575 BCE is to convey the Kali adharma starting period. In the Tiruvalangadu inscriptions quoted earlier (Question 18 ) this date was mentioned after which Chola kings like Ko Chenganan and Karikala came into being.

Saptarishis take 100 years to cross 1 star in the 27 star zodiac. It takes 2,700 years for them to finish one round. They were in Magha 2597 years ago as on 2022. In 2025, they will once again enter Magha star. Only time will tell if Kali Adharma will increase further then or decline because in Kali Sandhya, only 1/4th of the Yuga dharma will prevail. It means that only one fourth of Kali Adharma will prevail which means reduction in adharma. Will it not be too much for the asking given the all round deterioration? 

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Mahabharata Quiz - 24

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Question - 24 

Kali Yuga began 3179 years before the beginning of Shalivahana Shaka in CE 78, which gave the year 3101 BCE. On what basis this year was determined as the beginning of Kali Yuga?  

Answer:

The beginning of Kali Yuga was determined by the time Krishna left his mortal coils. 

Purana-s such as Vishnu Purana, Brahma Purana, Matsya Purana and Bhagavata Purana have stated that Kali Yuga dawned at the moment Krishna left this world.  

Veda Vyasa also has stated in Bhagavata Purana that "Those who scientifically understand the past declare that on the very day that Lord Krishna departed for the spiritual world, the influence of the Kali Age began."

The last line “iti prāhuh purā-vidah” – thus say the experts of the past – conveys that the linking the departure of Krishna with the advent of Kali was not an arbitrary decision, but one that seemed to have been discussed and accepted unanimously.

At the time of his departure no one knew that Kali Yuga had begun because his departure came to be known to the outside world only after seven months. It sent shock waves such that the Pandava-s decided to relinquish their householder (grahasta) status and take up sanyasa. Meanwhile considerable discussion had taken place among the sages on the date of his departure and the planetary conditions they were tracking all the time. This is indicated by the term “purā-vidah” in the above verse by Vyasa. They had unanimously declared that both the events – Krishna leaving the earth and the congregation of all the planets marking the start of a Yuga – had occurred at the same time.

Thus, only months after the actual date of departure of Krishna which also coincided with a super conjunction of planets, the sages declared the date of Kali Yuga as having started.

Only two markers determined the Kali Yuga date:-

1.     Departure of Krishna

2.     Congregation of all planets (except Rahu) at the beginning of Aries.

Two other historical events occurred following this:

1.     The Pandava-s abdicating the throne.

2.     Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna becoming the King

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