Saturday, June 21, 2025

Introduction to Astronomy in Ancient India

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The ancient Vedic sages (munis and rishis) of India, through meditation and yoga, inscribed their philosophies in the Vedas, Nakshatra Kalpa (astronomy texts), Puranas, and Shastras. They recorded the cosmic forces of the universe, such as sunrise and sunset, tides, gravitation, rotation, revolution, and motion, which predate the knowledge of Western scientists by a significant margin.

 

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When Western countries were submerged in the darkness of various misconceptions, ancient India was the sole reservoir of knowledge. The sages of ancient India wrote down their acquired wisdom in various texts. From the evidence left in these ancient Indian texts, it is clear that Indiaโ€™s civilization was far more advanced than the ancient civilizations of the West. However, due to various adverse conditions in modern India and a lack of cultural practice, much of that knowledge has been lost. As a result, India has fallen behind Western nations. These issues need rectification.

Scientific Explanation of a Solar Eclipse in the Vedas:

_โ€œYat tvaa surya svarbhanu stam abidhyat asurah | Aksetravit yatha mugdho bhuvanani adidhayuhโ€_

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โ€” Rigveda 05/40/05

Translation: O Sun, when you are eclipsed by the moon to which you have gifted your light, the Earth trembles in sudden darkness.

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The Vedas provide proof of the planetsโ€™ orbit around the Sun:  

_โ€œPanchare chakre parivartamane tasmim na tasthur bhuvanani vishvaโ€_

โ€” Rigveda 1/164/13

Translation: The Earth, along with all other planets, revolves around its axis and orbits the Sun.

The Vedas prove that the Earth is mobile:  

_โ€œAhasta yad apadi vardhat kshah shachibhih vedayanam | Shushnam pari pradakshini vishvayave ni shishthathahโ€_

โ€” Rigveda 10/22/14

Translation: Even though the Earth has no hands or feet, it moves due to the power of the atoms, revolving around the Sun.

The Vedas also provide evidence of the Sunโ€™s gravitational force:  

_โ€œSavita yantraih prithivim aramnad askambhane savita adrim ghat | Ashvam iva adhukshandhunam antarikshe aturte badhdham savita samudramโ€_

โ€” Rigveda 10/149/1

Translation: The Sun binds the Earth with a gravitational force, holding it and other planets securely in space with an unbreakable rope, like horses bound to a chariot.

 

_โ€œA krishnena rajasa vartamano niveshayannamritam martyam cha | Hiranyayena savita rathena devo yati bhuvanani pashyanโ€_

โ€” Rigveda 1/35/2

Translation: The Sun, with its gravitational force, holds together the mortal and the immortal, riding its chariot while watching over the entire universe.

 

_โ€œHiranyapanih savita vicharshanir ubhe dyavaprithivi antar iyate | Apaamibhang badhate vetti suryam abhikrishnena rajasa dyam rinotiโ€_

โ€” Rigveda 1/35/9

Translation: The Sun moves in its path and drives the Earth and other planets with its gravitational force in such a way that they do not collide with each other.

 

The Vedas provide proof that the Moon receives light from the Sun:  

_โ€œSomo badhuryur abhavat asvinas tam ubha bara | Suryam yatpatye shansantim manasa savita dadatโ€_

โ€” Rigveda, 10/85/9

Translation: This verse gives the metaphor of the Moon as a bride and the Sun as a groom, where Savita (the Sun) bestows light on the Moon, proving that the Moon receives its light from the Sun.

 

_โ€œAtra ah gor amanvata nama tvashtur apichyamat | Ittha chandramaso griheโ€_

โ€” Rigveda, 1/84/15

Translation: The wise know that sunlight resides within the fortress of the Moon.

 

_โ€œAdityoโ€™pi gaur uchyate | Utadah purushe gabi | Parvati bhashvati syou pamanyavah | Athapyasyaiko rashmish chandramasang prati dipyate tadeteno pekshitavyam | Adityihasya diptir bhavati iti | Sushumna suryarashmish chandrama gandharvo iti api nigamo bhavati | Sohโ€™pi gaur uchyate atra ah gor amanvata iti tad uparistaat vyakhyasyamah | Sarveโ€™pi rashmayah gav uchyanteโ€_

โ€” Nirukta 2/6

Translation: Aditya (the Sun) is also called โ€œGau.โ€ The rays of the Sun illuminate the Moon, and all rays are known as โ€œGau.โ€

 

Scientific Explanation of a Lunar Eclipse in the Shastra:

_โ€œChandro jalama kogni moodavyu chhayapi ya tamas tad dhi | Chadayati shashin surya shashinang mahati chabhuchchhayaโ€_

โ€” Aryabhatiya, Gola Chapter, Verse 37

Translation: The Moon is of water, the Sun of fire, the Earth of soil, and its shadow is darkness. The shadow of the Moon covers the Sun, and the vast shadow of the Earth eclipses the Moon.

 

The Vedas also mention the seven rays of the Sun:  

_โ€œTrimurdhanam sapta rashmim ghrinishi hanunam agnim pitroh upasthe | Nishattamasya charato dhruvasya vishva divo rochana aprivamsamโ€_

โ€” Rigveda, 1/146/1

Translation: O Agni, the light bearer with seven rays, spread across the three worlds, you travel everywhere, stable and brilliant.

 

_โ€œAyam dyavaprithivi vishkripayad ayam ratham ayunak sapta rashmim | Ayam goshushachya panchamantah somo dadhaara dashayantram utsamโ€_

โ€” Rigveda, 6/44/24

Translation: This divine power has established the heavens and the Earth. It has yoked the chariot with the Sunโ€™s seven rays and installed the fountain of milk within the cows.

 

Scientific Explanation for Day and Night on Earth:

Tam yad astam ititi manyante haiva tad astam itit atmanam viparyasyate ratrim eva avatam atha yah para tat atha yad enas pratar ud eti iti manyante ratrir eva avatam atha atmanam viparyasyate hara eva avatam atha yah para tat sa haiva na kadachana nimrochati na ha vai kadachana nimrochati etasya ha saayaโ€ฆโ€ โ€” Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 3.7.6

 

Translation: People believe the Sun sets, but this is not true. At sunset, the Sun is merely turning its rays away, creating night. When people think the Sun rises, itโ€™s only that the Sun has turned its rays back, creating day. The Sun never actually sets or rises; it is always shining. Only the direction of its rays changes.

 

This profound explanation from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad suggests that the phenomenon of day and night is not due to the Sunโ€™s movement but due to the Earthโ€™s rotation. The Upanishad conveys that the Sun remains fixed, and it is the Earthโ€™s rotation that creates the illusion of sunrise and sunset.

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