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By
Pidaparty Purna Satya
Hariprasad, India
A
Hariprasad
Courtesy: www.shiftoftheage.com
These Vishuvaths or Equinoxes keep moving. This movement is known as Precession.
This topic became a centre of controversy for a variety of reasons and it is still a hot topic for
discussion among the traditional scholars who are concerned about the subject. Eight
questions that confound their minds may be as follows:
Was the concept of Precession of Equinoxes known to ancient Indian Astronomers? If yes, since
when it was known?
Is the precession due to movement / trepidation of Equator or Ecliptic? What are the
contributory factors for the trepidation?
What were the rates of precession as estimated or known to different Indian Astronomers from
time to time?
What is/was the effect of precession on the duration of a year or vice-versa?
Is the rate of precession per year constant? What were the different rates of precession, as were
known to the community?
Is the precession or movement of equinoxes circular or pendular?
When was the zero point (of Ayana-amsa) for precession of equinoxes?
What is the current status? Is it possible to verify the accuracy of the current status?
A serious attempt is made to collect and place in this paper, all the material known to the
author of this paper and known to the author to be available.
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here is enough evidence to show in ancient Indian scriptures that the concept was
known to Indian Astronomers since Vedic times and that Ecliptic was fixed
resulting in no movement. In reality it is the trepidation of the Equator which
results in Precession of Equinoxes. Gravitational forces acting on the earths rotation cause
trepidation of Earths axis and therefore Equator.
Iyanah krishne dasabhih sahasraih avathamindrah
- 8-96-13 Rigveda
Meaning: Indra (Vishuvath) moves 15 x 10 x 1000 = 150,000 times in one Kalpa
(4,320,000,000 years). i.e. in one Mahayuga (4,320,000 years) vishuvath revolves 150 times.
Kalpa is equal to 1000 Mahayugas.
[Many Western Astronomers, such as Whitney, were of the opinion that Kalpa and
Mahayuga was a creation by Indian Astronomers of recent origin, such as Aryabhata, in the
5th and 6th centuries A.D. They were possibly ignorant of this quote from Rigveda.]
Thrinsath-kruthyo yuge bhaanam chakram praak parilambathe
- Sloka 9, Thriprasna-adhikara, (3rd adhyaya) Surya Sidhantha
Meaning: There form 30 x 20 = 600 right angles. i.e. Vishuvath makes a full circle by
moving backwards 150 times in one Mahayuga. The word Praak means backwards. This
gives us 28,800 years to complete one revolution. Duration of terrestrial year may thus be
obtained as 365.2422 mean solar days. Duration of sidereal year may be obtained as 365.2564
mean solar days.
In Vedas, accepted and respected interpretations confirm the following synonyms:
Vasanta vishuvath = Agni
Sarath Vishuvath = Indra
Suns entry (Ravi sankramana) into Karkataka (Cancer) = Mitra,
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nce again, there is enough evidence to show in ancient Indian scriptures that the
Ecliptic is fixed resulting in no movement. In reality it is the trepidation of the
Equator which results in Precession of Equinoxes. Gravitational forces acting on
the earths rotation cause the wobbling of Earths axis and therefore trepidation of Equator.
Sathapatha Brahmana (2.1.2) reading:
"Ekam dve threeni chatwariti vaa anyaani
nakshatranyathaita eva bhuyishtha yat krittikaa
Etaa ha vai praachyai diso na chyavante
sarvaani ha vaa anyaani nakshatraani
prachyaih disaschyavante"
confirms that there is no movement in the group of stars called Krithika from the East. This
implies that the Ecliptic is not moving and is static. It is therefore the trepidation in
Equator.
Nakshatreshti (an ancient book) confirms that Krithika star is the first star and Bharani star is
the last star.
In Vayupurana and Matsyapurana it was mentioned that Vishuvath Punyakala occurred when
Ravi (Sun) was in Krithika star and Moon was in Visakha star.
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There are other sources such as Mahabharatha referring to Bheeshmas choice of date for his
death, Garga Mahamunis statements, Varahamihira in Brihatsamhitha (in III-1) etc.
It is the trepidation in the Equator but not in the Ecliptic, which is responsible for Ayanaamsa or Precession of Equinoxes.
Then the next question is what are the factors contributing to the trepidation? Some of the
factors attributed to trepidation are:
The Earth is not round.
Inclination of axis of the Earth
Gravitational forces acting on the Earth, the Sun and the Moon
Text
Vedanga Jyotisha
Days
Hours
Minutes
-----
------
365
6
Romaka Sidhantha*
365
Paulisa Sidhantha*
365
Brahmagupta Sidhantha
365
Brahmasphuta Sidhantha
365
Aryabhateeyam
365
Dwiteeya Arya Sidhantha
365
Prathama Arya Sidhantha
365
Surya Sidhantha*
365
6
Paitamaha Sidhantha*
365
V B Ketkars Jyotirganitham
365
Calendar Reform Committee
365
5
6
6
6
6
6
6
55.2
12.0
12.148
12.148
12.50
12.508
12.56
12.6
8
6
5
34.28
9.16
48.768
What is this duration of the year? This is the time taken by the Sun to travel from the time it
leaves one Vishuvath, say Vasantha Vishuvath or Vernal Equinox, to the time it reaches the
same Vishuvath or Equinox located at a slightly different location due to precession. This is
known as 'Terrestrial year or Savana year. Presently it is estimated at 365.242199 days or 365
days, 5 hours, 48 minutes 45.9936 seconds.
Equinox moves in a direction opposite to the direction of Suns movement on the Ecliptic.
Therefore, Rate of annual precession of equinoxes and the duration of the year are inversely
proportional to each other.
5. Is the rate of precession per year constant? What were the rates of precession
known to the community?
nnual Rate of Precession is not constant year after year. Changes noticed by
modern scientists are as given below:
50.279 per year
50.256 per year
49.835 per year
49.391 per year
in 2000 A.D.
in 1900 A.D.
in 0000 A.D.
in 2000 B.C.
Verse 9:
7. When was the zero point (of ayanaamsa) for precession of equinoxes?
Some of the guestimates are given below:
388 B.C. - Cheiro
317 B.C. - D Davidson
255 B.C. - G Massey
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I believe it is possible to verify and establish the accuracy through the Satellites and NASA.
Conclusions:
1. Ancient Indian Astronomers were well aware of the Precession of Equinoxes.
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Rig-veda
Vedanga Jyotisham
Surya Sidhantha
Surya Sidhantha Asiatic Society, Kolkata
Vishnupurana
Nakshatramulu
Sathapatha Brahmana
Nakshatreshti
Vayupurana
Matsyapurana
Mahabharatha
Brihat-samhitha Varahamihira
Proceedings of 2nd Karnataka Astronomical Conference 1934
Report of Calendar Reform Committee
V B Ketkars Jyotirganitham
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