Janamejaya Inscription (Part 12 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In the 12th part of the Mahabharata Series, the Janamejaya inscription is discussed. It is a primary source of evidence and shabda pramāna. Janamejaya, Arjuna's great-grandson and Abhimanyu's grandson, was present when Mahābhārata was first recited with author Veda Vyāsa. Grants he gave to rishis of Vrikodara Kshetra remain valid, as the place has been continuously occupied by rishis for 5000 years.

The man-made bridge across Tungabhadra river led to the name Bhima Setu; archaeologists should examine its boulders to verify the age and match it with the grant's date. This grant uniquely mentions the Pandavas – Janamejaya refers to his great-grandfathers. The inscription's age and continuous ascetic occupation make it the world's oldest surviving. Why do Mahābhārata researchers overlook this, yet focus on 7th-century Aihole? Is it because it doesn't fit their astronomy simulations?

Please watch the video and share your thoughts. Share the video widely.

Panchanga Pramana for Kali Yuga (Part 11 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In Part 11 of the Mahabharata Series, I focused on the Panchanga Pramana for the Kali Yuga, starting at 3101 BCE, stating the years elapsed since then. Where is the Pramana from 3067 BCE researchers for the years elapsed since "Kali Yugam Prāptaṃ Viddhi"?

I cited Shabda Pramana from Siddhanta Shorimani and north Indian Panchangas. I quoted Madhva Panchangas too, as Madhvacharya's work was referenced by 3067 researchers. Even those panchangas reference to 3101 BCE only.

The rationale for 3101 BCE is explained, contrasting with the Julian construct of 3102 BCE, which yields incorrect inferences. I've also shown how native astrologers write horoscopes with Kali Yuga dates, serving as living Pramana for the Kali era date. Please watch and share this widely to remove the misconceptions planted by other Mahabharata researchers.

Did Kali Yuga arrive at Krishna's exit? (Part 10 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In the 10th  part of the Mahabharata series, I am addressing doubts around the start of Kali Yuga and its link to Krishna's exit. This is crucial to derive the Mahabharata date as discussed in Part 9.

Some researchers claim Kali Yuga began when Bhima struck Duryodhana, citing Krishna's "Kali Yugam Praptam Viddhi" statement. But why focus on this verse alone when other instances in the Mahabharata mention Kali Yuga's start? Vidura, Hanuman, and Yudhishthira also reference Kali Yuga. Why not consider these contexts? I challenge those advocating the 3067 BCE date to provide the number of Kali days elapsed since then, with evidence (pramana). I'll share the elapsed days per Shabda Pramana in the next part. Watch this video and share widely.

Mahabharata date given by Vyasa (Part 9 of the Mahabharata Series)

In the 9th part of the Mahabharata series, I'm revealing the identity of the person in the sample case from the previous part. This shows that planetary combinations alone can't determine the year - the year must be known first. Vyasa provided four hints in the text to find the war date.

These verses discuss a 35-year gap between the war and Krishna's departure. Knowing Krishna left in 3101 BCE (Kali Yuga's start), the 36th year prior was 3136 BCE.

I'm also sharing 10 dates from Mahabharata researchers for viewers to decide. Please share this video widely.

Why different MB dates for the same set of planetary references? (Part 8 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In Part 8 of the Mahābhārata series, I address a common doubt: why researchers arrive at different war years despite using the same planetary references. I start with a sample case, asking you to find an unnamed person's birth year based on three planetary combinations similar to Mahābhārata's. Then, I analyze how 3067 BCE, 5661 BCE, and 3162 BCE were arrived at. Can the researchers of these years find the sample person's year using the same "pick and fit" method they used for Mahābhārata dates? 

This part aims to spark thought; please share widely.

Aihole inscription refers to Kali Yuga and not Mahabharata war date

The Aihole inscription, found in a Jain temple in Karnataka, praises Chālukya king Pulakeśin II and provides key evidence for Kali Yuga's date. However, a single reference to Bhārata has sparked controversy, with two interpretations: it refers to either Kali Yuga's start or the Mahābhārata war's start.

Two researchers used the Aihole inscription to date the Mahābhārata: one (Chandru Ramesh) linked Kali Yuga's date to the war, placing it at 3101 BCE (Kali Yuga's actual start), and another (Vedveer Arya) interpreted it as the war's date, placing it at 3162 BCE. Both are incorrect. This article clarifies the inscription's meaning through word-by-word analysis and allied inputs.

Two verses of this inscription, numbered 33 and 34 give the date of the Jain temple built by Ravikīrti. The importance of the verse is that it gives the time in both Kali years and the Śaka years. The date related part of the inscription as given in Indian Antiquary is shown in Fig.1.^[i]

Fig.1. Date of the Aihole inscription

The underlined word in Fig.1, “Bhāratādāhāvāditah”, is disputed. What does this mean? From the time of Mahābhārata war?  Or from some other event of the Bhārata?

This verse was analysed by Kota Venkatāchelam who suggested a correction of “shateshu” in verse 33 to “gateshu”. But he assumed that the verse refers to Mahābhārata time and deducted 37 years (not mentioned in the verse) to arrive at the Mahābhārata date as 3138 BCE which has been picked out by a few researchers.^[ii] There is no basis for the 37-year gap between Kali Yuga and the war, when the Mahābhārata has stated clearly about a gap of 35 years. Kali Yuga started on the 36^th year after the war.

Let us now examine the verse to know the time period given and keep the disputed “Bhāratādāhāvāditah” at the end of the decipherment.

Verse 33:

Trimśatsu = 30

trisahasreṣu = 3000

Bhāratāt dāha avādita = (to be translated at the end)

Sapta abda śatayukteṣu = 700

Gateṣu = gone

abdeṣu pancasu = 5 years

Verse 34:

Pancāśatsu = 50

Kalaukāle = in Kali’s Time (7th case)

ṣadsu = 6

pancaśatāsu = 500

Samāsu = putting together, aggregation, conjunction, combination, connection, union, totality. (Stem:  samāsa: masculine vocative singular)

samatitāsu = samatIta = gone or passed by

Śakānām = of the Śaka (6^th case)

Api – unto, on

bhubhujām = king (accusative)

Meaning:

Trimśatsu (30) trisahasreṣu (3000) Sapta abda śatayukteṣu (700) abdeṣu pancasu (5)

Gateṣu Kalaukāle (having gone in Kali Kaala) = 3735 years gone in Kali Kāla

Pancāśatsu (50) ṣadsu (6) pancaśatāsu (500) Samāsu samatitāsu Śakānāmapi = 556 years having gone in the Śaka era.

Kali years = 3735

Śaka years = 556

Kali years – Śaka years = 3735 – 556 = 3179

3179 are the elapsed years before the beginning of Śālivāhana Śaka! So, the Śaka mentioned in the inscription is Śālivāhana Śaka.

Deducting 78 CE when this Śaka began = 3179 – 78 = 3101 BCE = Kali Yuga begin date.

Thus, this inscription makes a clear statement on the elapsed Kali years and the elapsed years in Śālivāhana Śaka. The Kali age mentioned as “Bhāratādāhāvāditah” doesn’t refer to the end of the Mahābhārata war. Then what does it mean?

Let us split the word.

Bhāratāt = singular, masculine, 5^th case = from Bhārata, a reference to Yudhiṣṭhira, the foremost among the Bhārata-s.

Dāha = √dah, burning, combustion, internal heat. (Also means ‘place of cremation’. There is something called, “Dāha-bali” mentioned in Garuda Purāna, which is pinda offered to the deceased at the time of cremation. Dāha is associated with cremation agni.)

Fig 2: Sanskrit Dictionary meaning

Bhāratāt Dāha reminds us of the final fire deposited within the body of Yudhiṣṭhira at the Prājāpatyaṃ Yajna when he gave up everything. It doesn’t mean war.

The last word is vādita.

vādita = spoken or declared

The meaning is complete.

Bhāratāt Dah (√dah) vādita = from (the time) Bhārata declared that they consumed (reposited) the fire (within by Prājāpatyaṃ yajna).

This is a clear indication of the abdication of the throne by Yudhiṣṭhira that took place at the beginning of Kali Yuga.

How the Bhārata-s consumed Agni

Srimad Bhagavatam says that Yudhiṣṭhira conducted “prājāpatyāṁ” by which he placed Agni within himself![iii]

prājāpatyāṁ nirūpyeṣṭim

agnīn apibad īśvaraḥ

prājāpatyām — Prājāpatya sacrifice;

nirūpya — having performed;

iṣṭim — goal;

agnīn — fire;

apibat — placed in himself;

īśvaraḥ — capable.

Meaning: Yudhiṣṭhira performed a Prājāpatyam yajna and placed in himself the fire for quitting household life.

His brothers, on seeing Kali’s Adharma everywhere followed his footsteps by doing the same yajna.[iv]

Thus, all the Pandava-s (Bhārata-s) had done the Prājāpatyaṃ yajna to quit the householder dharma and become Sadhus.

A unique feature of Prājāpatyaṃ yajna as given in Yajur Veda and extoled by many luminaries such as sage Yajnavalkya and Bodhayana is that after relinquishing all the belongings, the doer of this yajna gives up his Agni too, but places it within himself.

As long as one is a householder, the sacrificial fire must be kept burning throughout life. Even when the Pāṇḍavas went to the forest, they took their Agni with them for daily Agnihotra. During their year of incognito living, their Agni was sent to Drupada's kingdom for maintenance. This Agni remains with oneself until death, when one's mortal remains are consumed by it.

For one who had relinquished his householder Dharma and embraced Sanyasa Dharma by doing the Prājāpatyaṃ yajna, the Agni that is going to consume his mortal remains would be placed within oneself! It is like self- cremating and doing one’s last rites by oneself. All the Pandava brothers had done this by Prājāpatyaṃ Yajna as soon as Kali Yuga started.

This information is contained in Aihole inscription!

The Aihole inscription stands as a solid proof for linking the abdication with the beginning of Kali Yuga.

It must be noted that the Bhārata war year isn't stated in any inscription. Kali Yuga year is the anchor for Time, not the Mahābhārata war date. Researchers should correct this misinterpretation. Readers should learn the correct interpretations and facts about Kali Yuga's date.

---

[i] Indian Antiquary, Vol 5, p.70

[ii] Pandit Kota Venkatachelam, “The Age of the Mahabharata War” pp.55-56

[iii] Srimad Bhagavatam: 1-15 -39

[iv] Srimad Bhagavatam: 1-15-45

How Western Astronomy differs from Vedic Astronomy (Part 7 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In Part 7 of the Mahābhārata Series, I'll explain why Western astronomy isn't suitable for dating. It uses shifting rasi-s, altering Aries' starting point, causing 3067 BCE researchers to place Aries' start in Rohiṇī and 5561 BCE researchers in Mithuna. In contrast, Vedic astronomy's Aries position and to and fro computations are provided for comparison. Our horoscopes and festivals are based on this model. Please watch and share widely.

Moon-data not reliable in Astronomy simulators (Part 6 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In the 6th part of the Mahābhārata series, I'll present evidence on why astronomy simulators aren't suitable for dating epics. NASA's ephemeris moon data and eclipse data diverge from reality pre-1800 CE. Simulator makers themselves don't guarantee reliability due to earth's and moon's unpredictable movements. The error margin is 10% by 500 BCE. Just imagine the errors 5000 years ago!

Unfortunately, these commercial, hobbyist simulators are used for serious research in India, specifically for sensitive research like Mahābhārata dating. Please watch the video and share widely.

Epigraphic evidence to prove unsuitability of Astronomy Simulators (Part 5 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In the 5th part of the Mahabharata series, I'm presenting two inscriptions, one from 400 years ago and another from 1000 years ago, to demonstrate that they don't match with NASA data. I also prove through these inscriptions that the moon data is behind by 26 degrees even 400 years ago. By 1000 years ago, the moon rise timing itself varied from the ephemeris data. 

The reason was a simple extrapolation of the current data to past dates in the ephemeris, while the ayanamsa wasn't a standard one but changed from time to time. Ayanamsa being the crucial determinant of planetary position in Vedic astronomy, I'm highlighting the defect in the accusation against me for using Surya Siddhanta ayanamsa for Mahabharata time. Watch and share widely.

Unsuitability of Astronomy Simulators (Part 4 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In the 4th part of the Mahabharata series, I've highlighted why astronomy simulators are unsuitable for dating the Mahabharata. By comparing screenshots from simulators used by researchers who propose 3067 BCE, I've shown that the moon's position varies across simulators. The Vernal equinox also shifts significantly, contradicting Shabda Pramana.

I've also pointed out that these simulators don't use the sidereal year, which is used in our Vedic society. The sidereal year is longer than the Julian or Gregorian year used by these simulators. This means dates given by researchers using astronomy simulators fall short of the actual sidereal days used by Vyasa.

Methodology of Mahabharata Research (Part 3 of the Mahabharata Series)

 This is the 3rd part of the Mahabharata series, outlining the methodology used to determine the date of the Mahabharata war. Analysis reveals that astrology simulators, specifically Surya Siddhanta, are more reliable for dating the war than astronomy simulators. The choice of simulator is critical, and its reliability is tested through planetary conjunctions, such as the super conjunction at the start of Kali Yuga when Krishna departed. Surya Siddhanta's ayanamsa accurately simulates this event, making it the preferred choice. The next part will explain why astronomy simulators are unsuitable for dating the Mahabharata.

Method of Mahabharata research (Part 2 of the Mahabharata Series)

 In the 2nd part of the Mahabharata Series, the research methodology is discussed. It involves collecting data, applying relevant subject knowledge for analysis, and categorizing data into primary and secondary sources (as per Western methods) and into 6 Pramana-s (as per Vedic methods).

This rigorous approach differs from the 'pick-and-fit' unscientific method used by others. It enables the identification of relevant data and eliminates irrelevant factors, such as the Epoch of Arundhati, ensuring a more accurate understanding of the Mahabharata.

Ganesha Moment (Mahabharata Series -1)

I just started a video series on validating the year of the Mahabharata war as 3136 BCE. The first part is posted here which is about "Ganesha Moment". Why Lord Ganesha was made a scribe for writing the Mahabharata by Veda Vyasa and what it means to us are discussed in this part.

The question of whether there are interpolations in the Mahabharata is answered through the "Ganesha Moment". Please watch, download and share widely. Other parts will be posted one by one mostly on a daily basis.