THE SIX SEASONS - PART ONE

byFreedom

ColeDecember, 2015

Author's Note:This begins a three part article giving insight into the traditional six Vedic seasons. In my previous article about
the zodiac, I compared its seasonal and stellar correspondences. Here, we explore the seasons to understand the tropical
zodiac, before later going into the stars. Here, we aim to get a deep felt-connection to the seasons on a physical, emotional and
astronomical level.

Chakra Wheel of the Seasons

Rtu Chakra Wheel of the Seasons by Freedom Cole

InCharaka Sahit 1, the year is divided into two halves, each divided into three portions of two months.
The solar half of the year is from winter solstice to summer solstice. It is called the northward course (uttaryana 2)
where the days of the Sun lengthen.
The lunar half of the year is from summer solstice to winter solstice, and is called the southward course
(dakinyana) where the nights of the Moon lengthen.
Charaka divides each half-year into three seasons, making the six traditional Indian seasons. 3Each of these
seasons is divided into two seasonal months.

Two Halves of the Year

The two halves of the year can easily be described as being divided by the two solstices. In this context,uttarameans north (or
upwards) andayanameans roadway, or course.Dakiameans south (or rightside). The two halves are called the southern and
northern course of the Sun respectively.
In the image below,4the Sun rises at 30 southeast on the winter solstice. At the equinox it rises at directly 90 east. On the
summer solstice it rises at 60 northeast. On each day of the northerly course (Uttaryana), it rises more and more towards the
north. After the summer solstice, the Sun begins to rise more towards the south each day, which creates the southerly course
(Dakiyana). The movement of the Sun in these two directions creates two astronomical halves of the year.5

Uttaryanais also the Suns movement from its lowest point in the sky (closest to Earth) at the winter solstice, towards its highest
point in the sky at the summer solstice.Dakiyanais the opposite motion, where the Sun becomes lower and lower in the sky.
InUttaryana, shadows get shorter as the Sun gets higher in the sky. InDakiyana, shadows get longer as the Sun gets lower
and has more of an angle to create shadows. The shadow length can be observed on a sundial, and indicates the day of the
month. As the shadow shortens, our outward nature grows. As the shadow lengthens, the internal - emotional world grows. This
cycle relates to the breath of the year.Uttaryanais the exhalation, whileDakiyanais the inhalation. The exhalation takes us
outward and the inhalation brings us within. The solstices are the points in between the in and out breaths.

Seasons (tu)
Uttaryana

Sun(Agneya)

iira: Cold Season

Maruts

Vasanta: Spring

Vasus

Grma: Summer

Rudra

Dakiyana

Moon(Saumya)

Vara: Rainy Season 6

dityas

arad: Autumn

Vivadevas

Hemanta: Winter

Maruts

Each half-year is divided into three seasons (tu). Half the seasons are solar, and half are lunar. These seasons are particular to
Southeast Asia, but the way of looking at them can deepen the way we look at seasons anywhere. Spring (vasanta) marks the
head of the year and lasts approximately 60 days. It is followed by Summer (grma), which is extremely hot in Asia. After this
come the warm rains in the Rainy Season (vara). This is followed by the Autumn (arad), which is a time of harvest. Then comes
the first phase of Winter, calledhemanta, followed by the second phase callediira. These two phases together are often called
Winter, and the Cold, or Cool, Season.
In the Vedic period, deities ruled each of the seasons, and they were called on during prayers. Spring is ruled by theVasus(the
shining ones); Summer by theRudras(destruction gods); and the Rainy Season by thedityas(creative potency of the forms of
the Sun). Autumn is ruled by theVivadevas(universal principles), and the Winter seasons are ruled by theMaruts(wind
gods).7In theAtharvaveda, the deities of the seasons were invoked in prayer, while later the seasons themselves were invoked.
After the invocation of the seasons in theTaittirya Sahit(VII.1.18.1-2), the worshipper says:

Holy order have I placed upon truth; truth have I placed upon holy order.8
The seasons (tu) are seen to be the force of the Natural or Divine Order (ta). There is law that is made by mankind, and then
there is that which is natural to the Universe: the way things are ta. The seasons cyclically unfold in their natural order. They
are the external manifestation of the Natural Order of the Universe. By aligning ourselves with the seasons in ritual and lifestyle, we
are aligning with the Divine Order.
There are certain Vedic rites performed with the fruits or grains of the particular season.9The
Spring was offered the life-sap/juice (rasa); >the Summer given barley (yava); and the Rains were
given the healing medicine (auadhi). The Autumn was given rice (vrh); the Winter was given
pulses (ma); and the Cool Season was given sesame seeds (tila).10 It is said that the seasons
made Prajapati sacrifice in this way, and then Prajapati made Indra sacrifice accordingly. The
Vedic texts often performed seasonal rituals as part of their sacrificial practices. The hope was to
propitiate the season so that it would yield good results. For example, by ritually making the Rainy
Season happy, the rains would come on time and release in the proper amount (no late rains that
kill the planted seedlings, or excess rain that washes them away).
Tntrikliterature divided the day into six portions of four hours, and mapped the different seasons
onto the day. This is used to ensure that specific rituals are performed at the time that correlates
to the desired effects. The seasons can also be found overlain on the breath.Uttaryanais the
exhalation, andDakiyanais the inhalation. As each half of the year is divided into three parts, so the breath is divided into three
natural parts.

Varshadevi - Rainy Season

After the lungs have been completely filled, the exhalation quickly comes out (iira) and then it
balances its force (Spring) and exasperates itself at the end of the exhalation (Summer). The
Rainy Season is the beginning of the inhalation, gasping to fill with breath; while the Autumn is the
balanced, even exhalation, and the Winter is the final slow filling of the inhalation. The middle of
the breath is naturally more balanced, and this is the location of the equinoxes. The goal of the
yogin is to slow the beginning of the breath and extend the end of the breath, so that the entire
inhalation and exhalation have an even force.11

Coming to ivas Wedding

The seasons can be anthropomorphized as living beings. They come to the sacrifice in the Vedic
Vasantadevi - Spring
literature to partake in theSoma. In theTaittirya Brmaa(III.10.4.1) they are seen as parts of a
bird, with Spring as the head, the Winter months as the body, Summer and Autumn the wings, and the Rainy Season as the tail. In
thePurua Skta, when the gods performed the cosmic sacrifice, the Cosmic Person (Purua) was the offering, Spring was the
ghee, the Summer was the fuel, [the Rains were the purificatory water], and Autumn was the offering food.12
The seasons come as beautiful women dancing to iva and Parvats wedding in thePuras.13 They are each wearing the
elements of their season. Spring has anklets made of bees as she walks upon the lotuses of the forest. She holds a mango branch
with fresh sprouts. Everything sprouts, grows, and flowers where she walks. iva and Parvat relate to the Sun and Moon; and the
seasons dancing at their wedding is an archetypal image of the Natural Order.

Footnotes:

1. Charaka Sahit, Strasthna VI (Tasyhita)

2. Charaka actually uses the termdityasyodagayana- the Sun moving northward.Uttaryanais the more common terminology, which complements the next verse
usingdakinyanafor the southern course of the Sun.
3. Charaka Sahit, Strasthna VI.4. In different texts and different time periods and different Kingdoms of ancient India, there were other divisions of three, four or five seasons.
The oldest texts use three seasons of four months (hence the cturmsya sacrifices and the three-axled wheel ingvedaI.164.2 and I.164.48). TheTaittirya
SahitVII.1.10.3-4 (and VII.3.8) mentions the five nights of sacrifice station one in the five seasons of the year. We see a standard five-season system (correlating to the
five-savatsaracycle as indicated inTaittiriya SahitI.4.14 when mentioned with the intercalarysavatsara) wherein the winter (hemanta) and the cool season (iira) are
consciously merged (as noted by the dual form of the nomenclature inTaittirya SahitI.6.2.3; I delight in the winter-cool seasons; delighted maythey twodelight
me;hemantaiiravtnm prmi tau mprtau prtm). In this way, thegvedaprimarily uses five seasons, while theYajurvedaandBrhmaasare using six.Taittirya
SahitVI.5.3.2 utilizes six seasons, so both systems are present in the same text.
4. Map for Sacramento, the capital of California, which is 38 north: about the northernmost tip of Jammu and Kashmir. This image has accurate angles and each dot on the
Suns path relates to an hour of time.
5. Modern texts books only discuss the seasons from a heliocentric view, which does not educate a person from their embodied geocentric standpoint of living on Earth. The
change of season is created by the Earths movement around the Sun, but it isobservedand calculated from our standpoint on Earth as the Sun moving its position.
6. I use the termVaraand its English translation ofrainsorrainyinstead of Monsoon which is the Portuguese and Dutch variation of the Arabic word mausim.
7. In theTaittiriyarayaka(I.3-4) Spring is ruled by theVasus; Summer byRudra-gaa; the Rainy Season by thedityas; Autumn bybhus(skilled artisan gods); and Winter
seasons are ruled by theMaruts. InTaittirya Sahit(VII.1.18) Spring is associated with theVasusandGytrmeter; Summer is associated withRudraandTriubhmeter;
the Rainy season is associated with thedityasandJagatmeter; theVivadevasare associated with the Autumn andAnuubhmeter; and the Winter seasons are associated
withPaktimeter and the gods of theAngiras. They are also delineated inTaittiriyaBrhmaaII.6.19. The deities of each of the seasons are invoked in prayers in
theAtharvavedaIII.10.9, V.28.13, XI.6.17, and XIX.37.4.
8. ha dkm aruham tasya patn gyatrea chandas brahma carta satyedh satyam tedhm
Taittirya SahitVII.1.18.1-2. Translation above by Arthur Keith.
9. Dr Raghavan,tuin Sanskrit Literature, p.6.
10. Taittiriya SahitVII.2.10.1-2
11. There is much more detail relative to the three-partyaugikbreath and the location of the lungs that each part fills to be learned directly from a skilled teacher.
12. gvedaX.90.6
13. Brahma Pura36.7. The seasons appear as beautiful women, each made of the elements of their season.

SIX SEASONS PART TWO BY FREEDOM COLE

byFreedom

ColeJanuary, 2016

Author's Note:This is a three part article giving insight into the traditional six Vedic seasons. In
aprevious articleabout the zodiac, I compared seasonal and stellar correspondences. This section aims
to give a felt-connection to the emotional nature of the seasons.

Rtu Chakra Wheel of the Seasons by Freedom Cole

Seasons as Vibhva

The season themselves can trigger emotions within us. [1] Indian culture has a complex science of emotion
from great antiquity. [2] Emotional experience is a complex process of multiple factors: triggers (vibhva),
affects (bhva), feelings (lambana), and emotions (rasa).[3]
In this context,bhvacorrelates to the scientific termaffect. Anaffectis a biological pattern that triggers
[4]
emotion and directs attention in a specific way. For example, the affect of fear is experienced as the
speeding up of the pulse and respiration; the face becomes cold, pale, sweaty, and immobile; there is a
gripping sensation in the chest; and the hairs stand. [5] That biological response is theaffectof fear.
Afeelingis the awareness of an affect. This awareness becomes anemotion(rasa). An emotion is the
subjective experience of an affect, or what is called the affect through the lens of our perception. An affect
and a feeling may last only a few seconds, but an emotion will last as long as the memory lasts.
There is a trigger (vibhva), or a condition that excites the affect. Thisvibhvais the cause (kraa) of the
affect (bhva). It is composed of the excitant (uddpana: that which inflames); and the supportive perception
(lambana [6]). The trigger (vibhva) can be a perception, a memory, an inner drive, a cognition; and
according to Vaidik and Tntrik perspectives, the season can also act as a trigger. The seasons triggers us
to feel a certain way, which evokes certain emotions and moods. (A mood is a persistent state of emotion
that remains for hours or days.) Even the imagery of a season can evoke a particular mode, or make us
feel something more deeply.
In the Sanskrit poetry (kvya) literature, nature and the seasons are described in vivid depth with the
[7]
intention of evoking an emotional response. Imagery about the weather and its associated colors,
temperature, and activities is utilized in stories to deepen the emotional expression and to bring emotional
life to the story. In theRmyana, Rma cries in sorrow during the Rainy Season as he is missing his
kidnapped wife; and the longing and despair are deepened through the imagery of the rain. Poetry about
the seasons needs no other reason in Sanskrit literature than to describe the seasons with beautiful
[8]
language.

Grisma Devi

In the Summer season (grma), people wear white to deal with the heat. Woman smear themselves with

sandalwood paste, spray themselves with water, and wear flowers that cool them. [9] Thin, wet, white clothing
is an erotic poets dream. Summer is the season of jasmine, and everyone enjoys the cooling moonlight,
[10]
which excites the passion. During the day, the heat is so unbearable. Even the shade hides under the
[11]
feet of the trees seeking shade when the summer Sun is on the meridian. People sleep during the
noontime. Everyone is bathing in the waters even people who you dont normally see. One is advised to
[12]
take fruits to counter the heat exhaustion, and to make love late in the night when it is cooler. yurveda
recommends increasing salt intake to increase water retention in the body when it is hot and dry. Wine is
not taken, or in very limited amounts, in the Summer (and enjoyed in the Winter months). Sugar-sweetened
[13]
buffalo milk cooled by the stars and moonlight is the magic drink.
In the Rainy Season (vara), the skies are filled with clouds, and the rains make the ground muddy. In
theMak Sktaof thegveda, the frogs celebrate the return of the rains after the hot Summer. It is said
they are like Brahmins who observe the seasons portioned from the twelve parts of the year, as ordained by
[14]
the gods (devahita). The frogs start to croak, just like the Vedic students who have started school and are
[15]
repeating after their teachers. The mountains are said to appear to be doing Vedic recitation (as so many
[16]
students are practicing during this time). Peacocks love the rainy season and dance, while umbrella-like
[17]
mushrooms show up like encampments of a royal army.
The religious texts describe the dark clouds that cover the brilliance of the Sun as being similar to the
[18]
external forms of God (Sagua Brahman). The poetry literature describes a swelling cloud, which is partly
[19]
light and dark at points, as resembling the darkening nipple of a pregnant woman. The religious texts
describe the overflowing gullies and unrestricted rivers as a person with uncontrolled senses after having
[20]
come into prosperity. The rivers are filled and rush towards the ocean like the senses of pseudo-yogis
[21]
whose hearts are filled with desires rushing towards their desired objects. The turbidity of the rivers
swelled by the rain is the disturbance of the mind by love and passion. The poets liken the swollen rivers
[22]
with impure waters, pulling down trees and breaking swales, to an unchaste woman. Bharthari says that
[23]
even bad rainy days become good days in the embrace of ones lover.

Sharad Devi

In Autumn (arad), the water loses the turbidity it had in the rainy season, just as fallen Yogis are purified by
[24]
resorting to Yogic practice again. The i Parara has very spiritual expressions of the seasons, and
says that the sky is clear of clouds like the heart of the ascetic whose cares have been consumed by the
[25]
fire of devotion. And the receding of the water from the banks of the rivers is like the wise, who by
[26]

degrees shrink from the selfish attachment to wives and children. The poets look at the calming rivers and
[27]
see the tiny ripples on the water as the play of the brows of artful women.
In the fields, the grains are bending due to their ripeness, and the malaki fruit is ripening to blackness.
[28]
Platforms are built in the fields to protect the ripening grains from boars. Autumn is compared to a young
[29]
woman in the bloom of her youth, as the fields are ripe with crops ready to nourish and make men
wealthy. The season is seen as joyful, bountiful and playful. The earth is beautiful from the previous rains.
The flowers of the forest tree and the abundant bee-laden lotuses are like eyes eagerly appreciating each
[30]
others beauty.
In the Winter season (hemanta), one can no longer sleep in the open through the nights, which are cold and
[31]
[32]
long. There is no difference felt between liking the Moon or the Sun.
People go inside their homes and the focus is on entertaining, drinking, eating and relaxing. The monkeys
are shivering, the cattle languish, the dog gets into the kitchen and wont leave, and men draw their arms
[33]
inside their shirts. There is a silence from the animals outside, and the snakes move slowly, while the
[34]
jujube fruits ripen. The poets reference the low, southerly Sun as going in the direction ruled by Fire (Agni)
[35]
during the winter, as if afflicted by the snow. Even in southern India where there is no snow, they still use
the imagery of snow to create the mood of the Winter season. The poets say that being inside on the
[36]
Winter nights while snow is on the house makes lovers embrace each other tightly. The poets see the
[37]
long nights as good for amorous activity, and the intimacy brings more heat than the blankets. Even the
yurvedic texts talk of driving away the cold by the embrace of beautiful women with well-developed thighs,
[38]
breasts, and buttocks. Most important is staying inside where it is nice and warm.
[39]

In the Cool Season (iira), the cattle of the village and the wild animals become thin and shaggy. It is
called the Season of Blankets, as people pile them on to stay warm. The first part of Winter was fun, as the
harvest was finished and there was joyous sharing; but the Cold continues on and becomes dreary. They
[40]
advise taking bone-broth soup to stay healthy. Women smear their breasts, buttocks and roots of the
[41]
arms and thighs with saffron tea. It is a slow-moving time with the gradual ripening of the white mustard
[42]
plants.
[43]

The end of Cool Season is the time for agriculturalists (and particularly permaculturalists ) to do
earthworks. There is nothing growing in the fields and it is cool enough to do hard work outside. Treeplanting does not happen till the Rainy Season, but if one waits till the hot season to do earthworks, the
ground will be too hard to dig.

Vasanta Devi

The Spring season (vasanta), is personified as a goddess stepping into the barrenness, with sprouts issuing
[44]
forth from her presence. The fresh onset of Spring is compared to a newly married bride , excited to be
with her new husband and bringing joy into a new home. Spring can also be personified as a god of love
the best friend of Kma (Cupid), and determined to pierce our hearts. Spring makes the arrows for Kmas
[45]
bow with flowers. When everything is blooming, Kma can strike anywhere. Girls are wearing crowns
made of flowers, and children are invigorated and playing.

All the animals of nature feel the love and passion of this time. The crane is constantly making love to his
mate; the parrots are together in the trees; the lions cuddle; the wolves are gleaming in their cave; the
rhinoceros are licking each other pleasurably; and monkeys, cats, rabbits, elephants, buffalo and deer are
[46]
all described in their fondness of their mates. Who would not become lovesick in the Spring when the
atmosphere is all around charged with the fragrance of tender mango leaves and flowers, and the bees are
[47]
intoxicated with sweet honey?

footnotes:

[1]BharatasNyastraVI.45 and VII.8 speaks ofvibhvafrom the seasons. Bharthari ingraataka(80) calls the seasons that which inflame love-passion.
[2]TheNtyastraof Bharata Muni (200 B.C.E.) lists eightrasa(emotional states). A ninth was added by
the Tntric scholar and aesthetic philosopher Abinavagupta. The list ofrasasare love/attraction, laughter,
anger, compassion/sorrow, disgust, fear/terror, courage/valor, wonder/surprise; and the ninth is
peacefulness. Western science has found that there are nine root-affects (though some scientists use only
six). The nine western affects are interest/excitement, enjoyment/joy, surprise/startlement, fear/terror,
distress/anguish, anger/rage, dissmell (disgust expressedviathe nose), disgust, and shame/humiliation.
[3]The following is Freedom Coles understanding of emotions based on an integrative approach
toVaidikandTntriktexts through modern affective science.
[4]The physical states were calledsttvika-bhvaand were believed to exist between the initial mental
experience (also called astyi-bhva), and the end-emotion (rasaoranubhva). For example, the anger
(krodha) would trigger the body to tremble (the physical state), and then this would become
therasa/anubhvaof rage (raudra). Modern research has varying opinions about whether the mental state
or the physical state comes first.
[5]Bharata describes eight variations considered to be indicative of an affect (bhva). These were described
as rigidity/paralysis (stambha), perspiration (sveda), hair follicle change (romca), deviation of voice (svaravikra), trembling (vepathu), change in skin tone (varavikra), shedding of tears (aru), and loss of sense
or consciousness (pralaya). Western science has taken these aspects of the bodys experience of affect to
a very deep level, and has also been studying micro-movements of the facial muscles. These physical traits
and facial movements have indicated how the multiplicity of emotions arises from the primary affects. Indian
science has developed these affects in the realm of drama and poetry. A poem or story will take a long time

elaborating the full experience of an affect/emotion.

[6]Western psychology puts much emphasis on the affect and emotions. yurvedic psychology (similar to
cognitive psychology) places more emphasis on the supportive perception (lambana).
[7]Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.11.
[8]Feller, Danielle.The Seasons in Mahkvya Literature, p.18.
[9]Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.119.
[10]Bhartharisgra-ataka, v.87
[11]Avantivarman, as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.116. This is an analogy to
the short shadows, when the Sun is high in the sky as it nears the summer solstice.
[12]Rjaekharas 18.60:Klavibhaga, translated by Danielle Feller,The Seasons in Mahkvya
Literature, p.52.
[13]Aga Hdaya, Strashna 3.32
[14]gvedaVII.103.9
[15]Bhagavata PuraX.20.8
[16]FromHaracaritaas sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.16.
[17]Bhagavata PuraX.20.12
[18]Bhagavata PuraX.20.4
[19]Kldsa,tusaharaII.2 as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.40.
[20]Bhagavata PuraX.20.11
[21]Bhagavata PuraX.20.14
[22]Kldsa,tusaharaII.7 as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.42.
[23]Bhartharigra-ataka, v.95

[24]Bhagavata PuraX.20.33
[25]Viu PuraV.10.12
[26]Viu Pura V.10.8
[27]Kldsa,tusaharaII.17 as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.44.
[28]atnanda, sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.117.
[29]Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.73.
[30]Bhai, Rvaavadha II.5 as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.77.
[31]Originally from KlidsasRmyaa. Sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.13.
[32]Rjaekharas 18.42:Klavibhaga, translated by Danielle Feller,The Seasons in Mahkvya
Literature, p.49
[33]Lakmdhara, sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.117.
[34]Rjaekharas 18.37:Klavibhaga, translated by Danielle Feller,The Seasons in Mahkvya
Literature, p.48
[35]Rjaekhara inBlarmyaaV.35 sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.89.
[36]BilhaasVikramkadeva-caritaIII.40 as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.175.
[37]Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.57.
[38]Aga Hdaya, Strasthna 3.15
[39]AitareyaBrmaaIV.4.26 [xix.4]
[40]Rjaekharas 18.36:Klavibhaga, translated by Danielle Feller,The Seasons in Mahkvya
Literature, p.48
[41]Rjaekharas 18.48:Klavibhaga, translated by Danielle Feller,The Seasons in Mahkvya
Literature, p.50.

[42]Rjaekharas 18.44:Klavibhaga, translated by Danielle Feller,The Seasons in Mahkvya

Literature, p.49
[43]The farmers built strong bunds (setu) to prevent the flow of water away from the fields, just as Yogis
restrain the flow of pra from senses towards objects.Bhagavata PuraX.20.41. The termsetuis often
translated asbridge, but here it means a ridge of earth, mound, bank, causeway, dike, dam, bridge, or any
raised piece of ground separating fields.
[44]Kldsa,tusaharaVI.19, as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.46.
[45]Kldsa,tusaharaVI.10, as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.57.
[46]Matsya Pura209.14-31
[47]Bhartharigra-ataka, v.86
Freedom Cole

THE SIX SEASONS: PART THREE

byFreedom

ColeFebruary, 2016

Author's Note:This is a three part article giving insight into the traditional six Vedic seasons.
In thefirst articleabout the zodiac, I compared seasonal and stellar correspondences.
In thesecond articleaims to give a felt-connection to the emotional nature of the seasons.

Rtu Chakra Wheel of the Seasons by Freedom Cole

Twelve Months

The Season (tu)

Months (Syana msa)

Spring (Vasanta)

Madhu and Mdhava

Summer (Grma)

ukra and uchi

Rainy (Vara)

Nabhas and Nabhasya

Autumn (arad)

Ia and rja

Winter (Hemanta)

Sahas and Sahasya

Cool (iira)

Tapas and Tapasya

[1]

seasons made Prajapati (the creator) sacrifice with them, and because of that he prospered. This is the ancient reasoning behind
Vaidik seasonal rituals: because the seasons made the creator god do it, and it made him successful. But the deeper implication is
that the seasons are the Natural Order, and even the creator must follow this order even he must be in tune with the seasons.
[2]
Prajapati (as the Creator) is the year itself, consisting of twelve months.
[3]

Taittirya Sahitpraises the seasons, each composed of two months. The Spring is composed
ofMadhuandMdhava.Madhumeans sweet or pleasant, and is often used in Sanskrit literature as a synonym for the
[4]
springtime.Mdhavameans sweet and intoxicating, and relates to the joy of Spring. ukraanduchirelate to the brightness and
light of the Summer.NabhasandNabhasyarelate to the clouds and skies of the rainy months.Iaandrjarelate to the food and
nourishment of the harvest time.SahasandSahasyarelate to the strength of the enduring through the
cold.TapasandTapasyarelate to the austerity of the earth at this time.
In thegvedawe see the year divided into twelve parts, but in theTaittirya Sahit(aYajurvedatext) we see those twelve
[5]
months named. Past scholars have pointed to the Babylonians as first dividing the year into twelve months, but these texts are
comparable to, if not earlier than, the Babylonian references we have. These divisions in theTaittirya Sahitclearly have both
seasonal and astronomical implications.
[6]

Taittirya Sahit(VI.5.3) speaks of the gods attaining heaven by sacrifice; and realizing that man would follow, they blocked the
[7]
way to Heaven by the year. The sages (i) discerned through the season vessels (tu-ptra) the way to reveal the world of the
[8]
[9]
heavenly stars (svarga loka). The revealed knowledge is the division of the year into twelve months grouped into six
[10]
seasons. Through the seasons, the worshipper makes a bridge to heaven. This section of theTaittirya Sahitgoes on in
mythical Vaidik language to discuss Indra, Agni, Venus (ukra), Jupiter (Bhaspati) and the birth of the dityas, all deities relevant
to astrology.
When the seasons are confused, season-vessels (tu-ptra) are drawn for theMaruts(wind/storm gods) who reveal the
[11]
seasons. Marut-pathais known as a region of air or space, and the vessel of the Maruts (Marut-ptra) is similarly a region of
[12]
space created in the sky that allows the timing of the seasons to be clarified. TheSahitmentions different ways of calculating,
which goes back to the sidereal and tropical discussion. It may be referring to sidereal calculations that were regularly updated by
[13]
adjusting new sidereal information to tropical divisions.

In Jyotia texts we see the use of astrology to predict about the seasons. It is common to predict the years rainfall from
astrological indications. In yurveda, Charaka discusses how abnormalities in the stars (nakatra), Sun, Moon and planets indicate
[14]
that the coming season will have some abnormalities. InCharaka Sahit, Sage Punarvasu mentions the astrological
indications necessary to prepare the herbal medicine that will be needed for community epidemics.

Changing Seasons (tu-Sandhi)

Seasons last for approximately 60 days, composed of two 30-day months. The transition between seasons is calledtu[15]
sandhi. BharatasNya stracompares the transition between seasons to the common ground between two notes in an
[16]
octave calledsvara-sdhraa, an in-between note having the properties of both.
[17]

The Rainy SeasonAutumn transition is described as the kadamba trees still raining their flowers. Thetu-sandhimost discussed
is the WinterSpring (iira-vasanta). When the Cool Season is ending but Spring has not yet set in, the poets describe it as still
cold in the shade, and yet one sweats when the midday Sun comes out. It has also been described as Lady Spring holding a
[18]
sprouting mango branch, wanting to step into the flowering forests with the sound of the bees on the lotuses in the ponds.
The first week of the season is calledsandhi. The next period is its infancy (aiava) where the attributes of the season begin; and
then the mature phase (prauhi) gives the full nature of a season. The last phase of the season is the continual transition (anuvtti)
where the next season is beginning and the present season is ending. Officially, thetu-sandhiis the last week of the previous
season and first week of the next season, but the actualsandhiexperienced will change depending on the location. The farther
north, the longer the cold season lasts; and in the northern regions the cold comes sooner. The rains will also start in different parts
of India at different times as well.
Thetu-sandhiare known to cause disease. The human body has adapted to a particular environment, and then situations change.
This is why colds and flus are most common at the beginning of the Winter time. It is the transition to the cold, not particularly the
cold itself, that creates sickness. The majority of epidemics will break out during thesetu-sandhias well, since peoples immune
[19]
systems are weaker at this time. In yurveda, seasonal routines are very important in order to stay in balance during a season
and its transition. During the two weeks oftu-sandhi, one begins to change ones diet slowly. If the change happens too quickly
[20]
that can also disturb the bodys balance (astmya).

yurveda
In yurveda the goal is to protect health, and only when one has failed at this is disease being treated. The various rules and
regimes (carya) employed to stay in balance as the seasonal environment changes are calledtucharya. Most yurvedic texts
[21]
mention these practices in the first few chapters to highlight their fundamental importance. Charaka says that one who follows the
[22]
seasonal routines will have strength (bala) and good lustre (vara).
The environment is in continual motion (nityaga), which means there is a need for continual adaptation to change. The goal of
yurvedic seasonal routines is to help the body keep its equilibrium through the regular seasonal variations. The yurvedic texts list
details about foods, clothing, daily routines, massage, conduct, frequency of sex, sunlight,etc. The issue arises that the climate
varies all over the world the seasonal routine followed in Southeast Asia cannot be followed in Europe, Africa, or the Americas. In
the Indian Summer, vta accumulates because the heat is dehydrating; but on the east coast of the USA, the summer months are
hot and extremely humid. The rainy season in India is hot Summer rain, compared to the Winter rain of California. These
differences show up in the type of plants and vegetation that grow in a particular location.
When we understand the basic concept of how to keep equilibrium, it does not matter where we are, as we will be able to adjust
accordingly. Balancing is about eating easy-to-digest, hot foods when it is cold outside; and when it is hot, eating and drinking

cooling foods. When it is dry, one should make sure to moisten and oil the bodys tissues, and when it is moist be sure to avoid
congestive foods. yurvedic seasonal routines (tucary) seek to give knowledge of how to adjust to the seasons. This requires
both an awareness of the environment and awareness of ones own body. The path to having this awareness brings wholeness in
the body, mind and spirit. When we are connected and aware, then we are walking towards wholeness.
A wise person does not wait till they are sick to seek the knowledge of connected balanced living. It is important to make it part of a
healthy life and keep sickness away. Since seasonal routine is very individual to the location where one lives, I recommend taking
classes or seeing yourlocalyurvedic practitioner regularly until you have a grounded concept of how the environment affects
your bodys biology, and what can be done to stay in balance. A local practitioner will have a concept of the local climate to be able
to share the what and when of your local seasonal routines.

The Seasons as Teachers

The seasons can be calculated astronomically, or they can be felt by observation and awareness. Being aware of the temperature
and humidity and how it affects our body is connecting and aligning with our physical environment. By being aware of the emotional
shifts that we experience as the seasons change, and consciously working with them, we are aligning our mind and emotions to
the planetary mind. By being aware of the movement of the Sun and the length of the days, and adjusting our schedules
accordingly, we are aligning with the greater solar system surrounding us.
Living in a modern box with electricity and technology disconnects us from nature and the seasons. This disconnection gives the
false sense that we are autonomous from the environment that we live in. But we eat the environment, and are made of the
environment, and are impacted by its changes. We are made of these seasons, and they guide our feelings, emotions, and
activities.
I hope you have now connected to the seasons in a deeper way than you did before, and learned new ways to perceive them. May
this awareness continue to grow as the seasons themselves become your teacher.

References
Harold H. Bender. On the Naturalistic Background of the Frog-Hymn, Rig-Veda 7. 103Journal of the American Oriental
Society,Vol. 37 (1917), pp. 186-191. Published by: American Oriental Society
DOI: 10.2307/592920. Stable URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/592920
Thakkar, J., Chaudhari, S., & Sarkar, P. K. (2011).Ritucharya: Answer to the lifestyle disorders.Ayu,32(4), 466
471.http://doi.org/10.4103/0974-8520.96117
Dash, Bhagawan and Sharma R.K.Caraka Sahit: Text with English Translation and Critical Exposition Based on Cakrapi
Dattas yurveda Dpik. Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi (India), 1997.
Danielle Feller.The Seasons in Mahkvya Literature.Eastern Book Linkers, Delhi, India, 1995.
A.V. Gopalachariar.Bhartriharis Sringara Sataka and Vairagya Sataka: With Sanskrit Commentary, English Notes, Translation and
Introduction. V. Ramaswamy Sastrulu and Sons, Madras 1954. Accessed 25 November
2015.https://archive.org/details/BharthrihariSringaraSatakaVairagyaSatakam
Martin Haug.Aitareya Brahmanam of the Rigveda: Earliest Speculations of the Brahmans on the Meaning of the Sacrificial Prayers

and on the Origin, Performance, and Sense of the Rites of the Vedic Religion.Government Central Book Depot, London 1863.
Accessed 24 November 2015http://www.wilbourhall.org/pdfs/vedas/aitereya/the_aitareya_brahmanam_of_the_rigveda__s.pdf
Berriedale Keith, Arthur.The Veda of The Black Yajus School: entitled Taittiriya Sanhita, part 2: Kas IV-VII. Motilal
Banardidass, Delhi. Originally published 1914, reprinted 1967.
Dr V. Raghavan.tu in Sanskrit Literature. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanakrit Vidyapeetha, New Delhi, 2009.
Subramania Sarma.Taittirya-Brhmaa. Chennai, 2005. Accessed on 24 November
2015.http://www.sanskritweb.net/yajurveda/tb-comb.pdf
Sharma, Prof. Priyavrat.Caraka-Sahit: Agniveas treatise refined and annotated by Caraka and redacted by Dhabala.
Jaikrishnadas Ayurveda Series 36. Chaukhamba Orientalia, Varanasi 2011. Vol.1, pp. 42-47.
Taittirya-Sahit: Searchable non-accented transliterated text. Accessed 23 November
2015.http://www.sanskritweb.net/yajurveda/ts-find.pdf
Swami Tapasyananda, trans.Srimad Bhagavata: The Holy Book of God. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, 1980.
Valiathan, M. S.The Legacy of Caraka. Orient Lonman: Hyderabad, 2007.

[1]Taittirya SahitVII.2.10.1
[2]Taittirya SahitVII.2.10.3-4 In the sacrifice of twelve days they are divided into four sets of three: in three the sacrificer
prepares for ceremony; in three he embraces the sacrifice; in three he cleanses the vessels; and in the last three he cleanses his
inner nature (tmnam antarata undhate).
[3]Taittirya Sahit(4.4.10) first lists the nakatras and their lords, then praises the seasons, each composed of these two
months (4.4.11). These months are also mentioned inTaittiriya SahitI.4.
[4]Interpretation of the meaning from by Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.5
[5]CharakaSahitjust mentions the twelve-fold division, butSuruta Sahit(Strasthna VI.6) clearly mentions the name of
the seasons and their corresponding seasonal months.
[6]The Vedic gods have their homes within the constellations of the stars (nakatra) which is known assvarga loka. Similar verses
are seen inAitareya BrmaaII.1.1 [ii.1] (how the gods attained svarga) and II.4.5 [ii.29] (seasonal cups), andKautaki
BrhmaaXIII.9 (seasonal cups).
[7]The year (savatsara) in Vedic literature is very commonly a symbol for the concept of time that which is constantly turning.
[8]This is a reference to the astronomical understanding of the interplay between the seasons and the movement of the stars.
[9]This is a reference to the tropical (seasonal) months as mentioned by previous agricultural data, as well as the mention of the
movement of the Sun in its southern and northern courses (Taittirya SahitVI.5.3.4). See twelve months of six seasons also
mentioned inKautaki BrhmaaXIII.9 and XIV.1.

[10]As the seasons are each composed of two months, they are said to have two faces:dvdaa ms savatsara,
savatsarasya prajntyai, saha prathamau ghyete sahottamau, tasmd dvaudvv t, ubhayatomukham tuptram bhavati, ka||
hi tad veda yata tnm mukham
[11]Taittiriya SahitVI.5.5
[12]This is a rich section filled with astronomical and astrological lore that has the potential for a huge depth of further
interpretation to be brought out from it, with possibly even discussion about the references to sidereal and tropical movement of the
year.
[13]Similar to the presentayanacalculations.
[14]Charaka Sahit, Vimnasthna III.4
[15]Ocassionally calledtvantare: the inner space between the two seasons.
[16]Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.172.
[17]Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.92.
[18]Bhravi, arad-varana inKirtrjunyaX.25 as sourced from Dr Raghavan,tu in Sanskrit Literature, p.75.
[19]Charaka Sahit, Vimnasthna 3; Suruta, Strasthna 6.17
[20]Aga Hdaya, Strasthna 3.58-59
[21]Suruta Sahit, Strasthna VI;Charaka Sahit, Strasthna VI;Aaga Hdaya, Strasthna 3
[22]Charaka Sahit, Strasthna VI.3