Ayanamsa Proposed by Chandra Hari as per Surya Sidhanta Ayanamsa Proposed by Chandra Hari as per Surya Sidhanta
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Introduction Introduction Sri Chandrahari
Sri Chandrahari has written has written three books three books on Ayanamsa. on Ayanamsa. 1) A s1) A small book mall book in Ein E nglish
nglish True AyanamsaTrue Ayanamsa was was published published around around 1994. 1994. 2) 2) The The bookbook RasichakramRasichakram in Malayalain Malayala m was
m was published published in 199in 1996. 6. 3) A 3) A detailed detailed bookbook Hindu Zodiac and Ancient AstronomyHindu Zodiac and Ancient Astronomy inin English
English was publwas published in ished in 2003. 2003. While While in hisin his RasichakramRasichakram, he advocated the Zero A, he advocated the Zero A yanamsa year as 238 A.D., with Ayanamsa of 46
yanamsa year as 238 A.D., with Ayanamsa of 46 minutes more than that of Lahiri,minutes more than that of Lahiri, he refined it in his
he refined it in his Hindu Zodiac and Ancient Astronomy,Hindu Zodiac and Ancient Astronomy, to the 231 A.D., as zeroto the 231 A.D., as zero Ayanamsa year with the value 44 minutes, more than that
Ayanamsa year with the value 44 minutes, more than that of the Ayanamsa of Lahirof the Ayanamsa of Lahir i.
i.
The aim of this article is
The aim of this article is to compile the ideas of Sri Chandrahari as giveto compile the ideas of Sri Chandrahari as give n in his Malayalam book
n in his Malayalam book RasichakramRasichakram in a systematic manner, keeping the continuityin a systematic manner, keeping the continuity of his m
of his mathematical conceathematical concepts and pts and thoughts. thoughts. While describWhile describing the ing the mathematical mmathematical m odels of Sri Chandrahari on the Ayanamsa, ingrained in Surya Sidhantha, an attem odels of Sri Chandrahari on the Ayanamsa, ingrained in Surya Sidhantha, an attem pt has been made in this
pt has been made in this article to comprehend his insights into the Rasichakraarticle to comprehend his insights into the Rasichakra division. In
division. In Rasichakram,Rasichakram, he proposes a Zero Ayanamsa Year 238 A.D., and he proposes a Zero Ayanamsa Year 238 A.D., and this plathis pla ces his Ayanamsa value at a level exceeding that
ces his Ayanamsa value at a level exceeding that of Lahiri by 46 minutes.of Lahiri by 46 minutes. Basic Rationale 1:
Basic Rationale 1:
The zodiac was conceptualized considering the revolution of the nodal poin The zodiac was conceptualized considering the revolution of the nodal poin ts
ts Rahu Rahu and and Sikhi. Sikhi. Thus, Thus, the the RasichakraRasichakra is in factis in fact Ra-Si chakraRa-Si chakra or Rahu-Sikhi Chaor Rahu-Sikhi Cha kra.
kra. He holds that He holds that rotation of throtation of these nodes is ese nodes is in rhythm with in rhythm with the movement of the movement of eqeq uinox, if only we care to consider the
uinox, if only we care to consider the duration required for precession of 360 dduration required for precession of 360 d egrees.
egrees. [25758 years [25758 years means 1385 means 1385 Nirayana revoNirayana revolutions of lutions of Rahu-Sikhi. i.Rahu-Sikhi. i.e. Nirayae. Niraya na revolution period of Rahu = 6792.977 days]
na revolution period of Rahu = 6792.977 days]
Theoretically or by intuition, the author gives the following mathematical Theoretically or by intuition, the author gives the following mathematical concept.
concept. Rate of precessRate of precession of equinox ion of equinox per year = per year = 360 degrees/25758 360 degrees/25758 = 120 degr= 120 degr ees/8586 = 50
ees/8586 = 50.31446541 seconds .31446541 seconds of arc. of arc. He says that, He says that, the importance of the importance of these nuthese nu mbers can also be proved, considering the modern values of Nirayana and
mbers can also be proved, considering the modern values of Nirayana and Sayana ySayana y ears.
ears. For For example:example: Nirayana
Nirayana Year Year = = 365.2563625 365.2563625 (Modern (Modern value)value) Sayana
Sayana Year Year = = 365.24219 365.24219 (Modern (Modern value)value)
The difference between 8586 Sayana and Nirayana years will be -121.684 day The difference between 8586 Sayana and Nirayana years will be -121.684 day s.
s. i.e. precessii.e. precession of equon of equinox in inox in 8586 years 8586 years will be will be 119º56119º56 120º120º [This also indicates that the year length used in
[This also indicates that the year length used in the old Suryasidhantha ithe old Suryasidhantha i s
s slightly slightly different. different. The The year year length length considered considered in in old old Suryasidhantha Suryasidhantha is is 365365 .25875
.25875 days. days. For For thethe whywhy of it refer Rationale 4]of it refer Rationale 4] Using the above method we can prove that,
Using the above method we can prove that, 25758 Nirayana years are equal t25758 Nirayana years are equal t o 25759 Sayana years.
o 25759 Sayana years. Basic Rationale 2: Basic Rationale 2:
The importance of Yuga numbers is that they can
The importance of Yuga numbers is that they can also be taken as precessioalso be taken as precessio nal seconds to form a pattern.
nal seconds to form a pattern. Kaliyuga = 432,000
Kaliyuga = 432,000 = 120 x 3600= 120 x 3600 = 120º= 120º We have already found that the time to
We have already found that the time to traverse the arc of 120º would be 858traverse the arc of 120º would be 858 6 Years
6 Years
This holds good if and only if,
This holds good if and only if, this period contains the complete revolutithis period contains the complete revoluti ons of the
ons of the 7 planets and 7 planets and the nodes Rahthe nodes Rahu-Sikhi. u-Sikhi. To prove it, To prove it, he gives the he gives the followfollow ing table and emphasizes the importance of the number 8586.
ing table and emphasizes the importance of the number 8586. Complete-revolution & Nirayana-revolution Period
Complete-revolution & Nirayana-revolution Period
--- ---Planet
(8586 years) 85860 years) (86546880 yrs) (Modern Value) ---Sun 8586 85860 86546880 365.2563624 365.2563624 365.2563624 365.2563624 ---Moon 114784 1147840 1157023263 27.32167486 27.32167486 27.32166204 27.3216615 (27d07h43m11.6s) (27d07h43m11.55s) ---Mars 4565 45650 46015614 686.9860082 686.9860082 686.9798274 686.97982 ---Mercury 35649 356498 359350528 87.97136 87.969389 87.9692559 87.969256 ---Jupiter 724 7238 7296284 4331.6175 4332.8144 4332.5888 4332.589 ---Saturn 291 2915 2938110 10776.94546 10758.46013 10759.22908 10759.23 ---Venus 13957 13567 140683961 224.6966488 224.7914787 224.7007998 224.70080 ---Rahu 461.5 4616 4653263 6795.430 6793.9582 6793.46934 6793.469 ---Vernal 120 deg 1200 deg
Equinox (0.333..) (3.333..) (3360)
432,000 432,000,0 432,000,0x1008 Revolutions Revolutions Revolutions
---We see that Yuga numbers could actually mean precession seconds. Therefor e, we can say,
Kaliyuga = 432,000 = 120 x 3600 = 120º = 8586 Years Dwaparayuga = 864,000 = 240º precessions = 17172 years Tretayuga = 1,296,000 = 360º precessions = 25758 years Kritayuga = 1,728,000 = 480º precessions = 34344 years
Mahayuga = 4,320,000 =1200ºprecessions = 85860 Nirayana years Manvantara = 86400º precessions
Kalpa = 3360º precessions
Theoretically, this means that, each Yuga-pada (8586 years) starts and end s on a new moon day and that at the start and end of each Yuga-Pada, a solar ecl ipse occurs. (However, it does not happen. The why of this is in rationale 4)
Basic Rationale 3:
Kaliyugadi Ayanamsa is 46º40
[The author depends on the story that the birth of Brahma was in Rohini Na kshatra. Rohini was also praised as Prajapathi, i.e., Brahma, in Vedas]
Vernal equinox at the beginning of Kaliyugadi = 46º40
Therefore, Zero Ayanamsa years (elapsed) = 46º40x (8586/120º) = 3339 years Here a striking similarity attracts our attention. to which the author dr aws our attention. 3339 is a Rigvedic number. Rigveda (3.9.9) says of 3339 Deva s who worship Agni. If Agni really means vernal equinox, then this could mean, Th e vernal equinox is 3339 years away from zero point.
After 3339 Kali years the Sayana and Nirayana zodiacs conjoin. Whether we depend on the above calculation or on the Rigvedic statement, we arrive at the
same conclusion.
Kaliyuga beginning + 3339 = Zero Ayanamsa Year 3102 BC = -3101 AD
i.e., - 3101 AD + 3339 = AD 238 i.e., Zero Ayanamsa Year = AD 238.
Thus, the definite formula for determining the Ayanamsa of any year would be
-Ayanamsa for the year (Y) = (Y-238) x (120 deg/8586) Degrees. = (Y-238)/71.55 degrees.
Here another striking similarity attracts our attention. The Number of hu man heartbeat per minute is 71 or 72. It might be possible that 71.55 is the ac tual value of the heartbeat for a human being. If so, we could also prove that the rhythm of the universe and the biological clock in humans are mutually relat ed. The biological clock, circadian rhythm etc., come into consideration. Thus the author points out.
Example for calculating Ayanamsa for any year:
-Hari Ayanamsa for 1995 = (1995 - 238)/71.55 = 24.55625437 = 24 deg 33 min 22. 52 sec
Chaitrapaksha
Lahiri Ayanamsa for 1995 = 23 deg 47 min 30 sec
Difference = Hari Ayanamsa minus Lahiri Ayanamsa = 46 minutes.
i.e., Hari Ayanamsa is 46 minutes more than that of Lahiri. If we subtrac t 46 minutes from the sputa arrived at by using Lahiri ephemeris, we can get the
sputa based on Hari Ayanamsa.
Sri Chandrahari does not stop here. He proves how the zodiac was divided into Rasis or Signs and Nakshatras or Stars, based on the fiducial star Moola (2
40º), 108 divisions of Nakshatras (3º20each) and the above-said actual position of ve rnal equinox at Kaliyugadi (46º40). For this, two new ideas are introduced and the
author dives deep into old Suryasidhantha to prove them. Basic Rationale 4:
(i) Zodiac is considered and presented as a mathematical model in old Sury asidhantha, trying to comprehend the perfect rhythm of the universe.
(ii) Even though the creator of Suryasidhantha (Mayan) knew about the actu
al vernal equinox at Kaliyugadi (46º40), Kaliyugadi Ayanamsa was considered as 60º (i n old Suryasidhantha), for the perfection of this mathematical model.
According to the precession considered in old Suryasidhantha: Precessional Cycle = 21600 years (instead of 25758 years) If we relate this to Yuga years
-432000 (Kaliyuga) = 21600 x 20 4,320,000 (Mahayuga) = 21600 x 200 Mahayuga = 200 x 360 deg = 72000 years
120º precession=432000/600=7200 years (instead of 8586 Years)
If we divide the number of revolution of planets in a Mahayuga by 600, we can get the number of revolutions of planets per 7200 years.
Thus we get -Sun = 4,320,000/ 600 = 7200.00 Mars = 296824/600 = 3828.04 Jupiter = 364200/600 = 607.033 Venus = 7022388/600 = 11703.98 Mercury = 17937000/600 = 29895.00 Rahu = 232226/600 = 387.0433
The results are very near to whole numbers. That means in 7200 years the mean values for planets complete, whole number of revolutions. If we consider l ittle bigger period, for example take, 7200 x 25 = 4320000/24 = 180000 years, we
The author says, As the old Surya Sidhantha takes all the revolution number s of planets in whole numbers and multiples of 24, in 180000 years, the mean pos itions of planets conjunct at zero-point. This is the basic concept of Vedic as tronomy. Suryasidhantha relates the imaginary mean positions of planets at the start of Yuga to the actual planetary positions occurring after 3600 years
As Suryasidhantha takes 4320000 as a Mahayuga, the precessional Cycle (for 360º) becomes 21600 years. Thus, it necessitates vernal equinox to be at 60 deg i n the beginning of Yuga (Instead of at 46 deg 40 min). In other words Kali-Yugadi Ayanamsa should be 60 deg (mathematically), instead of (the real) 46 deg 40 min. If we compare with the actual data, one may feel that it is an error. B ut in reality, the Precessional Cycle is a mathematical model put forward by the creator of Suryasidhantha. What was the need for such a model? All these math ematical exercises were done to relate the Yugadi Mesha-Sankranti with the new m oon day. For this, the Mesha Sankranti at the beginning of Yuga was considered
to happen, 9 days and 37 Ghatis ahead. (9º37) For that only Nirayana year with le ngth 365.25875 was chosen. It was not because that the author did not know the
actual Nirayana year length. The actual precession according to Suryasidhantha was 50.
How can we know that the year length used in Suryasidhantha was 365.2587 5 days? According to Old Suryasidhantha the average number of days in a Mahayug a was 1577917800 days.
One Mahayuga is 4,320,000 years.
Therefore Year Length = 1577917800/4320000 = 365.25875 days
[Really I am not able to figure out how he got that the actual precession co nsidered by Suryasidhantha as 50 sec. There might be a sufficient reason.]
This goes to clinch the first stellar division (first star) to Jyeshta tha t falls between the line joining the hypothetical Equinox line of old Suryasidha ntha (the line joining 60 deg Vernal equinox and 240 deg fiducial star Moola) an d the line joining the actual Equinox line at Yugadi (line joining 46 deg 40 min and 226 deg 40 min). The first rasi division (sign - Cancer) falls between the line joining the hypothetical Sayana Rahu-Sikhi (line joining 300º Sayana-Sikhi / planetary conjunction point and 120º Sayana Rahu) and the hypothetical Ecliptic ( line joining 330º and 150º) of Old Suryasidhantha. Thus, comes the Zodiac with star s 13º20 each and Signs with 30 degrees each.
It appears as if these facts led Sri Chandrahari to formulate the concepts such as Mooladhara Rahu-Sikhi-chakram and rhythm of the universe. (music of th e stars or biological clock - whatever be the name) Some other striking similar ities also have been found by him. Some of them are:
(i) Moola is the base of zodiac division - Mooladhara is the base point from where yoga starts.
(ii) Horoscope is also called Kundalini - In yoga Kundalini (serpent powe r) is important.
(iii) Rahu-Sikhi (Serpents-Kalasarpa) is the underlying factor of Rasichak ra - Kundalini in yoga is also symbolized as serpent.
(iv) Kalapurusha is a concept in astrology - Sankhya and Yoga also speak ab out Purusha.
(v) The universe is Rhythmic - The human body also functions in rhythm wit h the universe. [This needs further clarification. Prana means 4 seconds. Acco rding to Yoga and Upanishads, one day of a human means 21600 prana. 360º x 60 = 2 1600 We have to consider the importance of the number 71.55]
All these similarities must have prompted him to delve deep into the conce pts such as Tantra/Yoga and Circadian-rhythm/Biological-clock etc. We have to a ppreciate the efforts of Sri Chandrahari even though his concepts may be proved
correct or not. Conclusion:
In the view of Chandrahari
-(i) The Yuga concept is nothing but an innate theory of Ayanamsa. That is why it was given this much importance by Old Suryasidhantha (Includes in Panc hasidhanthika of Varahamihira). The yuga concept is included in the Panchasiddh antika of Varaahamihira, New Suryasidhantha of Aryabhatta I, the Epics and Puran as, and Dharma sasthras like Manusmrithi.
(ii) Rasichakram (Zodiac) is a mathematical model, put forward by Rishis, which postulates the existence of a Sidereal (Nirayana) Zero-point (Meshadi or Aswinyadi), as well as the conjunction of 8 planets at this zero-point in the be ginning of every Yuga.
(iii) The Sayana-Nirayana division is deep seated in Hindu mythology and t he Vedas have ample proof of this. Both the Sayana and Nirayana systems existed in Vedic period. (Mayan the creator of Suryasidhantha was only a genius compil er of the then prevailing knowledge)
At the end, let me mention one more point taken form the book Rasichakram. In the first hymn of purushasuktha, sahasra seersha purusha sahasraksha sahasra path..., a purusha with 1000 heads, 1000 eyes and 1000 legs gets a mention. As everybody knows, 1000 heads may need 2000 eyes and 2000 legs for a superhuman form. It is evident that the meaning of the word Sahasra as 1000, does not fit well. (One may escape the confusion by saying that Sahasra means many) Based on sathapatha Brahmana, some scholars say that Sahasra means circle. This is notewo rthy. Many astronomical terms are used in this hymn. The following elaboration
can clarify the point.
Seersha Circle (Sahasra seersha purusha) = Prime meridian Aksha Circle (Sahasraksha) = Celestial Equator
Patha Circle (Sahasrapath) = Nodal Circle Bhoomi Circle (Sa-Bhoomim) = Horizon
Viswa Circle (Viswatho vrithva) = Ecliptic
Now, if the interpretation of Sri Chandrahari is right, we may get ample p roof for the fact that Vedic Knowledge is really amazing.
Note: Sri Chandrahari, with true dedication towards astrological research, argues vigorously about the concepts he believes in. His ideas are stunning an d are capable of capturing the attention of those who are sincerely searching th e truth of astrology. The aim of this dissertation is not to advocate the views
of Chandra-Hari. It is an appreciation of his mathematical concepts. Sreenadh
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