The real Pongal-cum-imaginary-Makar-Sankranti-cum-Uttarayana vis-a-vis the Vedas and the seasons.

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

Namaskar!

Almost the entire Hindu

community is celebrating Pongal-cum-Makar-Sankranti-cum-Makaradi-snan etc.

today,  i.e. January

14, 2009, thanks to “Vedic astrologers” who are

actually anything but Vedic.  Some of the panchangas even call this day as “Uttarayana”. 

It is also said to be a seasonal festival.

Actually, it is an “almighty”

Lahiri festival that is being celebrated today, instead of the real seasonal

one or the dharmic one!  How? Let us see:

 

In Kashmir such a

Sankranti was known as Shishira Sankranti because, mercifully, when there was

no Vijayeshwara Jantri/panchanga--–based on the most monstrous astronomical

works like Grahalaghava and Makaranda or even the Rashtirya-cum-Lahiri-Panchanga

etc. ---- around, it was the real Uttarayana (Winter Solstice) that was the

starting day of solar Magha and Vedic Tapah of Shishira Ritu in the real Vedic

tradition in Kashmir, as in the rest of India.

 

There are Persian

equivalents of Tapah and Tapasya months current in Kashmir. 

These are known as Chilla kalan, Chilla Khurd and Chilla Bacha.  Even today, Chilla

Kalan starts exactly on the day of Uttarayana and lasts for thirty days, i.e.

the full month of Tapah.  Chilla means “to go into seclusion for

performing Tapah/penance” and “Kalan” means “the major

one”.  Thus the first thirty days of Shishira Ritu are known to be “most

suitable period for Chilla i.e. tapasya”.   Magha-snana is also famous

only because it is an extremely courageous task to have a bath in a river on

the day of Winter Solstice and continue that process for one full month in cold

climate of Kashmir, where temperatures go down

up to minus 30 degrees, especially in hilly regions!

After Chilla-kalan, the

next twenty days of Shishira Ritu are known as “Chilla-khurd” i.e. “the

minor period for seclusion/Tapasya”.  And the last ten days of Shishira

Ritu are known as Chilla-bacha i.e. “the infant period for Tapasya”

since people start coming out of seclusion then.

Thus the two Vedic months

of Tapah and Tapasya of Shishira Ritu, known as the real Magha and Phalguna,

are named so not because of “heat” but because they are the most

suitable for Tapah/Tapasya.

 

Now, let us suppose,

for the sake of argument, that our real Vamadevas and Parasharas of thousands

of years back, as against imported Vamadevas and fake Parasharas of today, also

were going by Grahalaghava/Lahiri/Rashtirya panchangas etc. As to what type of

a situation vis-à-vis the seasons etc. it would have given rise to will be

clear from the following excerpt from Rashi5.doc, which is already in the files

section.  Pl. go through this excerpt carefully and let me have your views.

With regards,

AKK

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Only “Rashtriya

Panchanga” and “Vedic Astrologers” can create such hilarious

situations!    It would have been a hilarious situation that

only our Rashtriya Panchanga and other Panchanga copyists of that ilk (besides,

of course “Vedic astrologers”!) can create! It has been explained

on page 84 of my “Shri Krishen Universal Ephemeris & Panchang”

for 2001, under the heading “How many times does the sun enter the same

‘Vedic’ sign?  In other words,  how many times can there be a solar

Sankranti (ingress of the sun) into the same Rashi in one month?” and I

quote, “While talking of Rashtriya Panchanga, let us take it for the year

2000-2001.  We find on the very first page of Chaitra ‘Vedic Madhav

(Mesha)” from March 21 since the sun had entered it on March 20, 2000

at 13hrs. 5mts.  It means that the details being given in that page are for the

month that is known as ‘Madhav’ in the Vedas.  As the word Mesha is

in brackets it also means that it is the month when the sun is in Mesha as per

the same Vedas (though actually there are no rashis in the Vedas!).  Then on

April 12 we find ‘Saura Vaishakha’ 26-31 which means that the sun

has entered Mesha then!  Then on April 13 we find ‘sun enters Mesha at

17-22’!  An interesting question arises here.  If the sun is in “Vedic

Mesha” at the very start of the Shaka new year viz. Chaitra then the

Sankranti of the sun into the same Vedic sign thrice in the same Shaka month is

just not possible.  It is clear that the other two are imaginary Sankrantis

then.  Since the other two are not Vedic, they are non-Vedic. In other words,

they are anti-Vedic and we are made to celebrate Kumbha Mela on the same

anti-Vedic Makar Sankrantis!

Besides,

as explained on page 108 of my ephemeris for 1999, Vernal Equinox in 6001 BC

took place on May 10 and in 10001 BC it took place on June 10, which is just

earlier by ten days when the Summer Solstice is taking place these days!  A

simple mathematical calculation tells us that Winter Solstice took place

earlier by 90° i.e. about 92 days (or about 273 days later) i.e. around February

13 in 6001 BC and about March 13 in 10001/10000 BC!

 

“Rashtriya

Panchanga” in 6300 BC:

Example

is better than precept, is an old axiom!  Let us therefore demonstrate this

“hilarious situation” with practical examples. Let us suppose that

our “Calendar Makers to the Nation” viz. the “great”

India Meteorological Department, New Delhi, and “greater still” The

Positional Astronomy Centre, Calcutta, working under the “august” Ministry

of Science (sic!) and Technology, Govt. of India, were “publishing”

a “Rashtriya Panchanga” in 6300 BC also.  Since the National Year

is supposed to start from the day of Vernal Equinox, it would have then started

on May 13, 6304 BC

(TDT), as that was the day of Vernal Equinox then.  They would thus have

printed on the first page of their most “scientific dissertation” 

viz Rashtriya Panchanga for that year “Shaka -6382, Month of Vaishakha :

30 days; Vedic month Madhav, (Mesha); Vasanta Ritu: 2nd month;

Uttarayana; Uttara Gola; sun in Mina, enters Mesha at h26-28 on May 12, 6304 BC; Ayanamsa

on 1st Vaishakha +90° 0’ 0”.  (The National Year is

supposed to start from the day of Vernal Equinox, which according to the same

Rashtriya Panchanga is another name of Madhava, and  that month, according to

all the Vedas and Puranas etc. is a synonym of Vaishakha.  However, as

“Vedic scholars of extra-ordinary calibre”, our “Calendar

Makers to the Nation” call it Chaitra as that is the name given to this

solar month on every Vernal Equinox day in the Rashtriya Panchanga! But may be,

out of sheer “indulgence” to the real Vedic Rishis in 6300 BC, they

would have named it Vaishakha, as that is the real definition of the month of

Madhava).

Then

as usual in their “infinite wisdom” they would have repeated (like they

are doing every year these days!) in their “Indian Astronomical

Ephemeris”  on page 477 ,”For the purpose of calculation of rasis

and nakshatras, an initial point which occupies a fixed position (sic!) on the

ecliptic has been adopted as the origin for the measurement of longitudes.  The

position of that initial point will coincide with the vernal equinoctial point

of vernal equinox day of 285 A.D. i.e. about 6584 years from today.  For the

purpose of assigning a precise position to that (yet to be established) initial

point, the tropical longitude of that  (future) fixed initial point for any day

is known as ayanamsha.  The longitude of a celestial body measured from that

“would be” initial point is known as nirayana longitude”. 

Similarly, “almighty” Lahriwalas would have penned the following

“glorious legend” on page 3 of their “Vedic astrology

bible” viz. Lahiri’s Indian Ephemeris, “The ephemeris is based

on nirayana or sidereal system of calculation.  The basis of the nirayana

zodiac is the adoption of 285 AD or 207 Shaka as the zero ayanamsa year.  This

value is (to be) adopted by “His most exalted Highness”  N. C.

Lahiri in his Ephemeris from (the coming) 1948 issue i.e. about 8250 years from

today.  The Calendar Reform Committee (to be) appointed by the Govt. of India

in 1952 (will then) recommend adoption of that very value of ayanamsa and later

the Govt. of India also (will) adopt this system of ayanamsa in 1953.  In view

of this, it (will be called) as ‘his most exalted highness’  Lahiri

ayanamsa.  This value of ayanamsa will then be used in almost all the reformed

(thus actually deformed!) panchangas and ephemeris in India as well as in the Indian

Astronomical Ephemeris and the Rashtriya Panchangs of the Govt. of India.  It

is worth mentioning that the date of coincidence of the Sayana and nirayana

zodiacs (sic!) on the  Vernal Equinox day of 285 AD based on the position of

the star Chitra (Alpha Virginis) that will be determined by the

“would-be-born” “His most exalted highness”, N. C.

Lahiri during his life time.  The value will be almost the same as will be

derived from the data (that will be then) available from the Astronomniches

Rechen Institut of Heidelberg,

Germany”. 

 

Both

these “magnificent” publications viz. Lahiri Ephemeris and the

Rashtriya Panchanga would have then published a legend, “All the Vedic

rishis are hereby admonished that they better follow this Lahiri Rashichakra

right from today that is May 13, 6300 BC as otherwise they will be discarded

from all the religious functions, since it will be declared by all the Kaliyugi

Jyotishis as Vedic Ayanamsha and if it is not adopted it will affect the sales

of Lahiri as well as other ‘dharmic’ panchangas as and when they

are published after about eight thousand years!” As the Rashtriya

Panchanga is supposed to have “maintained” a “permanent

distance of 23° -15’-   between the real Vernal Equinox and their own

imaginary “Equinox” as on Marhc 21, 1956, then after exactly about

24 days of that phenomenon, the Rashtriya Panchanga would declare, in 6300 BC

“Saura Vaishakha  -- June 7, 6300 BC”.  With the

“almighty” Lahiri Ayanamsha being exactly +90° on May 12, 6304 BC,

it would have further published under the same date i.e. May 12, 6304 BC, “sun enters

Karkata Rashi at hrs 26-26”. Obviously, the month of solar Shravana would

have started immediately (with the month of Vaishakha!), since it is supposed

to start from the moment the sun enters  Karkata!

Similarly,

on 13-8-6304 BC

the “magnificent” Rashtriya Panchanga would have printed on the top

of the page, “Month of Shravana - Vedic month Nabhas (Karkata); Varsha

Ritu – 1st month; Dakshinayana: Uttara Gola. Sun in Mithuna,

enters Karkata on 13th at hrs 19-47.  Ayanamsha on 1st

Ashadha: 89° 59’ 52”.  Then on the same page under the same date,

it would have published, “sun enters Tula at hrs 19-50” which means it would

have been the beginning of the month of  Kartika (simultaneously with Shrvana!).

Then

again on 8-11-6304

BC it would have printed, “Month of Kartika, Vedic month: Urja (Tula); Sarat Ritu : 2nd

month; Dakshinayana: Dakshina Gola.  Sun in Kanya, enters Tula at hrs 24-34.” Ayanamsha on 1st

Kartika  89°59’ 41”.  Then on the same page, under the same date it

would have printed “sun enters Makara

at hrs 24-37”.  In their infinite wisdom it would have said,

“Makaradi Snana, Pongal, Makara Sankranti…etc. etc.”.  It

would have also been the start of the month of Magha (simultaneously with the

month of Kartika!)

Then

further onwards, for the same year viz. Shaka -6382, but for 6303 BC, it would

have said on 7-2-6303

BC, “Month of Magha. Vedic month Tapas (Makara); Uttarayana: Dakshina

Gola; Sun in Dhanus, enters Makara on 7th at hrs. 20-33. Ayanamsha

on 1st Magha :89° 59’ 30”.  Further under the same date

viz. 7-2-6303 BC.,

it would have said, Uttarayana”. Then in the same line it would have

published sun enters Mesha at hrs

20-45.  Then it would have been ‘Meshadi. Vaishakhi. Chadak Puja,

Chairoba”  It would have also been the start of the month of Vaishakha,

obviously (and simultaneously with the start of Magha)!

I

hope you have realized the hilarious (tragic!) situation our “Rashtriya

Panchanga” and their ilk like Lahiri Ephemeris besides all the Panchanakars

of India, apart from the “Vedic astrologers” like

“Vamadeva”  and “Parashara” and  “Vedic

astronomers” like Messrs Subhash Kak and Company would have created then!

Mesha Sankranti and Karkata Sankranti falling on the same day  - nay in the

same hour!  Karkata Sankranti coinciding with Tula Sankranti! Tula Sankranti

and Makara Sankranti being celebrated simultaneously and  Makara Sanranti

coinciding exactly with Mesha Sankanti! It would have also meant,

“Madhava – the Vedic Vaishakha coinciding with Shravana; Vedic

Nabhas viz Shravana coinciding with Kartika; Vedic Urja also known as Kartika

coinciding with Magha; Vedic Tapas also known as Magha coinciding with

Vaishakha!  It is not only these four cardinal “months” that would

have got juxtaposed with one another, but in fact all the months would have

been coinciding with the months that were supposed to fall after ninety days

i.e. three months! And still Messrs “Subhas Kak, Vamadev, Parashar &

Co.” would like us to believe that at the most “it would be out of

step by one”.  What a “sensible” statement!  Only

“Vedic astronomers” are bestowed with such extraordinary

“insight” into the real “Vedic Rashichakra”!

 

“Rashtriya

Panchanga” in 6685 AD:

            The above was the

position of the Rashichakra with an “almighty” Lahiri Ayanamsha of

+90°.  Now let us have a look at the position when the same ayanamsha will be

-90° i.e. in 6685 AD---less than five thousand years from today.  For our

“Vedic astrologers” and “Vedic astronomers” It will be

exactly the reverse of the above.  Instead of Lahiri Karkat coinciding with

Vedic Mesha, as in 6303 BC, it will be Lahiri Makar that will coincide with the

Vedic Mesha on 20-3-6685 AD and instead of Lahiri Tula coinciding with the

Vedic Karkat as in 6303 BC, it will be Lahiri Mesha that will coincide with it

on18-6-6685. Then again instead of Lahiri Makar coinciding with the Vedic Tula

as in 6303 BC, it will be Lahiri Karkat  that will coincide with it on18-9-6685

and last of all, instead of Lahiri Mesha coinciding with the Vedic Makar as in 6303

BC, it will be Lahiri Tula that will coincide with it on 20-12-6685. 

Consequently, instead of Lahiri Shravana, it will be Lahiri Magha that will

coincide with Vaishakha! Instead of Lahiri Kartika Lahiri Vaishakha will

coincide with Vedic Shravana!  In place of Lahiri Magha, Lahiri Shravana will

coincide with Vedic Kartika! And finally, not Lahiri Vaishakha but Lahiri

Karitka will coincide with the Vedic Magha!

 

“Fixed

Ayanamsha of 23° 15’ 0” as on March

21, 1956!”

          Then we must

also bear in mind that our “Calendar Makers to the nation” i.e.

India Meteorological Department and Positional Astronomy Centre, have a fixed

Ayanamsha as indicated above!  And do you know the purpose of the same?  Let us

hear their “most scientific” explanation of the same (page 477 of

Indian Astronomical Ephemeris), “The solar months recommended for the

religious calendar such as Saura Vaishakha, Saura Jyaishtha, etc. by the

Calendar Reform Committee in 1955 have been reckoned from the moments when the

apparent longitude of the Sun equals 23° 15’, 53° 15’ and so on. 

The calculation for this purpose has thus been done not with a variable ayanamsa

as in the case of rasis and nakshatras but with a fixed ayanamsa of 23°

15’.  These months are shown for purpose of illustration only, but are

not used in practice for actual luni-solar adjustment”.  If we interpret

these “guidelines” in the light of the position of “Rashtriya

Panchanga” in 6300 BC and 6685 AD, we will have to start every solar

month three times every year  --- once when the real Vedic ingress takes place;

then when the Lahiri ingress takes place and then in between the two when the

“fixed  Ayanamsha” ingress takes place which must be after about 24

days of the real Vedic ingress!

 

“Out

of step by six” ----a complete “Shirshasana”!:  Subhash Kak had

said, “At worst we get a sequence of rashis which is out of step by

one”.  But we have seen that if in 6300 BC Lahiri Mesha Sankranti

coincided with the real Vedic “Karkata Sankranti”, but in 6685 AD

Lahiri Tula Sankranti will coincide with the same “Vedic Karkata

Sankranti”.  In 6300 BC it was “behind by three steps” and in

6685 AD it will be “ahead by three steps”.  That means Lahiri

Sankrantis virtually turning on their head!  These sankrantis will be

“out of step by six” from their own “ghosts” since six

is the number of rashis between Mesha and Tula Sankanti!  In other words, it

will be a complete “Shirshasana”  --- headlong posture---from the

position that had obtained in 6300 BC!

I

wonder why these “eminent Vedic astronomers” do not even do their

spade work properly!

 

Real

Vedic Rishis were real geniuses:

Thus

whichever way we look at it, it is best to let the “Rashis” remain

conspicuous by their absence in the Vedas as otherwise it will land us in such

troubles from which even our real Vamadeva and Parashara Rishis will not be

able to pull us out since they never talked about any “Rashis”. 

That is why I had summarized the situation on page 111 of my “Shri

Krishen Universal Ephemeris & Panchang” for 2001 in the following

words:

          “Our

Vedic Rishis had a lot of common sense and love for Nature.  They did not

qualify the month of Vernal Equinox by January or Mesha but Madhav.  It was

immaterial for them as to when it took place - whether in March or June (supposing

that somehow these names did exist then!) They would call it Madhav because of

its ‘honey like qualities’.  They were equally least bothered about

whether it was the same Vernal Equinox that was taking place year after year or

whether it was a new (precesed) one --- they could not care less since all

their rituals were circumnavigating around the seasons and lunar phases!  Thus

when Maharshi Valmiki or Goswami Tulsidas say it was Chaitra and Madhumas at

Rama’s birth, as it had nothing to do with the zodiac, it was the real

Madhu and the month of Chaitra related to seasons, which can happen only if the

rashis are removed from the Sanskrit lexicon, as otherwise there will be an

endless nirayana-syana confusion.

It

boils down to the fact that Constellations are constellations and Rashis are

rashis --- the latter, whether sayana or so called nirayana, cannot be

juxtaposed with the former. It is this very constellational belt of irregular

dimensions comprising thirteen (and not twelve) prominent Constellations that

is known as zodiac --- which is neither nirayana nor Sayana---neither

“sidereal” (sic!) nor “tropical”.

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