The
Hindus and the Skies
BY C. R. PATTABHI RAMAN, B.A., B.L., Madras
It has been rightly observed that one has only to
look at the skies on a starry night to believe in God. Indians led the way and
excelled in study of Astronomy, the first of all sciences, centuries before
others. Curiously enough, very rarely are the Indian systems referred to or the
Indian legends concerning many stellar constellations mentioned by writers in
astronomical treatises.
The publication of the Krishnapuram, Narasapur and
Tiruvellore tables opened the eyes of the western world to the marvels of the
Indian calculations and ephemeris. It becomes clear, when the ancient
astronomical systems are compared with one another, that the ancient Indians,
Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Goths and many others spoke at
one time the same language and shared the same faith. The late Mr. Tilak’s
article in Vol. IX of the Prabudha Bharata on the “Arctic home of the
Aryans” deals in detail with these ancient origins. Throughout Asia and Europe
we see the days of the week presided over by the Sun, Moon and the Planets,
with one or two exceptions here and there owing to local influences.
Hindu astronomers many centuries ago were able to
fix accurately the positions and movements of the heavenly bodies and to
prepare time tables for them. Their mathematical calculations were amazingly
advanced and correct and they understood and provided for “precessions.” They
fixed the age of the Earth at a figure which is only now being understood appreciated
by modern scientists. The commencement of the Kali Yuga according to some, was
fixed at 3102 B.C. sometime in the middle of February, when the Sun, Moon and
the other Planets were more or less in conjunction. Similar conjunctions marked
other eras.
The twelve zodiacal constellations which housed the
Sun in turn during each month of the year are more or less common to the Aryan
tribes but the Hindus, improving upon this, have, in addition, another division
of the ecliptic into 27 parts. Each of these divisions was called a ‘Nakshatra
and in each Nakshatra the Moon stayed for a period slightly longer than a day.
The brightest star in the Nakshatra was called the Yoga Tara.
The Hindus were concerned more with the accurate
study of the motions of the Sun, Moon and the Planets than with a mere
cataloguing of the stars in the sky, with the result that only a few
conspicuous stars and their places outside the Nakshatras have been mentioned
by them. I shall now refer to a few of the stars and constellations catalogued
by modern astronomers which have been taken note of by Hindus, and in some
cases to the Hindu legends concerning them.
Among the Nakshatras, Krittika, called the Pleiades
in the constellation. Taurus (Vrishabham), are the goddesses that played their
part at the birth of Lord Subrahmanya. Rohini (Alpha Tauri Aldebaran), the
first magnitude star in Taurus, has inter alia the honour of calling
itself Lord Krishna’s birth-star. Mrigasira is the head of Orionis and Ardra is
famed in connection with Lord Nataraja, is Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis) the
bright red star and one of the largest known stars in the heaven Punarvasu,
famed in connection with Sree Rama’s birth, is Pollux (Beta Geminorum) in the
third constellation of the Twins (Mithunam) in the zodiac. Magha is Regulus
(Alpha Leonis) in the constellation Leo (Simha) and was considered by the
Persians to be one of the four royal stars guarding the heavens, the others
being Aldebaran, Antares and Fomalhaut. Chitra is Spica (Alpha Virginis) in Virgo
(Kanya) and Swati is Arcturus (Alpha Bootis), one of the most brilliant stars
in the northern hemisphere near the Saptarishis (Great Bear). Jyeshta in
Scorpio (Vrischikam) is Antares (Alpha Scorpii) and Sravana is Altair (Alpha
Aguilae) in Makara (Capricornus).
Outside the Nakshatras we have, first of all, in the northern sky Saptarishis (Great Bear). Near Vasishta in this constellation is seated tiny Arundhati, his wife. Dhruva (Stella Polaris) or the Pole Star, which is in a line with the first two stars in the Great Bear, and Arundhati in the Saptarishis are pointed out to the newly-wedded couple on their marriage in order that they may emulate the constancy of the one and the chastity of the other. The expression Arundhati Nyaya means the method by which a beginner is made to comprehend things gradually. The priest in Hindu marriages takes the married couple out into the open and asks them first to face north, then points out to them a particular branch of some tree or asks them to note the constellation to the right or left of the branch and after helping them to locate the group of stars, point out Arundhati. No better instance of this method can be cited than the way in which Lord Krishna takes Arjuna on hand and makes him understand the eternal verities in Gita. The next star of important is Lubdhka, the Hunter, or Sirius (Alpha Canis major), also called the Dog Star, the brightest in the skies. Agastya or Canopus (Alpha Argus) is the second brightest star in the sky south of Sirius. Agastya, the great seer, steers the ship Argha (Argo) for the Sun. Agni (Beta Tauri) in Vrishabham stands suitably enough for the hottest days of the year for the people living north of the equator. Prajapati is Delta Aurigae in the constellation Auriga, and Brahmahridaya, Capella in the same constellation. Trisankhu, whose downward fall from heavens was arrested by Vishwamitra, is dangling head downwards in southern horizon and a part of this constellation is called the Crux or the Southern Cross.