SUN.doc

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Dear Sarat,

This article is from Goelji. Please include

in the current Jyotish News. I think we have sufficient material to ahead with

the publication .  If we receive other

articles, these can be included in the next issue.

Hare Krishna,

 

Sanjay

 

 

 

SUN-RISE AND DAY

By Sri G K Goel

 

All

our activities in human life are related with time (KALA) and direction. It is

not possible to take even one smallest step without correct idea of these two

essential elements around which, all activities of life revolves. In SHRI-MAD-BHAGVAT

GITA, Lord Krishna says, “KALA (Time) is all pervading and powerful”.

 

The

occurrence of SUNRISE and SUNSET every day are very important phenomenon in

life of all living being on the Planet Earth. All our activities are related

with break of the day on SUNRISE. This provides us specific idea about the

direction simultaneously. The main constituents of any Calendar- year, Month,

Fortnight, Week, are based on the Day. Thus SUNRISE and Calendar are dependent

on each other and in fact are two sides of the same coin.

 

Since

ancient times, our Vedic Rishis including the present day astronomers had given

lot of attention to all organs of Time (KALANGA).

 

In

view of the importance of SUNRISE, SUNSET and the DAY, it is natural to give a

thought on following questions:

 

(1)        What are “SUNRISE AND SUNSET”?

(2)        How are these measured and defined?

(3)        What is a Day?

(4)        Have these got different meaning and

purpose, in the parlance of Astrology?

(5)        What are their signification and role in

the civil and religious life of the society as a      whole?

 

 

1.0       SUN-RISE AND SUN-SET

 

            The Duration of the time period

proceeding SUNRISE or after SUNSET is divided in six parts with a view to

understand this phenomenon fully.

 

            These rules are not fully applicable

on higher latitude say over 60 deg. As the circumference of the Earth starts

becoming shorter and shorter, the Twilight is visible most of the time during

the night. Even, the day and night becomes of six month duration on both South

and North Poles respectively, due to obliquity of the ecliptic, which is 23 deg

26’ at present, and the circumference of the Earth tends to become a point.

 

1.1            ASTRONOMICAL TWILIGHT (18 Deg.)

 

The

Twilight timings relate to the instant when the center of the SUN is 18 deg.

below the horizon both in the morning and evening. In our Vedas and Puranas,

these timings relate to the morning Twilight.

 

1.2            Nautical Twilight (12 Deg.)

 

            The timings relate to the instant

when the center of the SUN is 12 deg. Below horizon and is called Nautical

Twilight both in the morning and the evening. This is mainly used for

navigational purposes as the brightness in the sky is further increased.

 

1.3       Civil Twilight (6 deg.)

 

            The timings relate to the instant

when the center of SUN is 6 deg. below horizon and is called Civil Twilight.

The brightness in the sky is sufficient to commence activities without the help

of artificial light by all living beings in the open space.

 

1.4       SUN RISE - Visibility of the upper Limb

 

            This relates to the visibility of

the upper limb of the SUN on the Horizon or the visibility of first rays of the

SUN in the Horizon. This is also called Daybreak for civil purposes. The

commencement of the Savan day is also related to this instant. Acharya Varaha

Mihira also mentioned in Suryasidhanta that the SUN RISE is related with the

visibility of the upper limb of the SUN on Horizon. Similarly the disappearance

of last rays of SUN on Horizon is called SUN SET.

 

We

shall discuss the importance and utility of this SUNRISE and SUNSET while

discussing various type of the DAY (S)

 

1.5

SUN - RISE - Coincidence of UPPER- Limb with horizon

 

            This relates to the coincidence of

the upper limb with the horizon and occurs about 1½ minute later than the

visibility of first of rays of the SUN on horizon on account of atmospheric

refraction. Some Dharm Shastras and Acharyas do not seem to agree with Acharya

Varaha Mihira.

 

Both

the above SUN - RISE (S) have similar and specific application and may be

adopted according to the sanction of their respective  school of thought and perception (Parampara

and Sampradaya)

 

 

 

1.6

Astronomical (ASTROLOGICAL) SUN-RISE

 

            The timings relate to the instant

when the center of SUN coincides with the horizon and is called Astronomical

SUNRISE in the morning and SUNSET in the evening.

 

            This is the most important instant

from astrological standpoint on account of following reasons:

 

(a)            Duration of Day (Dinman) and Night

(Ratriman) relates to this SUNRISE and SUNSET. Dinman and Ratriman become equal

on the day of Vernal Equinox. Ratriman and Dinman become shortest or longest on

the day of occurrence of winter and summer solstice.

 

(b)        Modern Ephemeris and Panchangs provides

Geocentric longitudes, latitudes and declinations. These longitudes etc. also

relate to center of Earth, SUN, Moon, and planets.

 

©            Longitude of Ascendant and other

houses, which are calculated either by modern or traditional Indian Method, are

based on the longitude of the center of the SUN.

 

            As such Dinman, Ratriman, selection of

electional time, Time of Birth elapsed from Sunrise (ISTHA), Calculation of

longitude of Upgrahas like Gulika, Mandi etc. should be related to this

Astronomical SUNRISE and SUNSET.

 

This

SUN-RISE and SUN-SET should be adopted for all astrological and electional

purposes until and unless SUN-RISE and SUN-SET as mentioned in clauses 1.4 and

1.5 is specifically required to be adopted as per sanction of a Dharm- Shastra

or in astrology like commencement of Savan day and in Medhani astrology.

 

2.0       DAY

 

            The SUNRISE and SUNSET are directly

related with the day or they represent specific moment on the time scale of a

day.

 

The

days are of four-category (1) Solar day (2) Sidereal day (3) Savan day (4)

Civil Day.

 

 

 

2.1       Mean Solar Day

 

            The main duration of Solar Days is

24 hours (60 Ghatis), equivalent of the time the Earth completes a rotation of

360 deg. about its own axis. This is standard measurement of time on the Planet

Earth like yard like Meter for measurement of length and distance, Kilogram for

weight. This day can commence from any defined moment during the day. Some of

the practices, which are being followed now a day, are as follows:

 

2.1.1    Hindus count their day from SUNRISE to next

SUNRISE. Muslims count their day from SUNSET to next SUNSET. The duration of

this day is slightly less or more than 24 hours except on the occurrence of

V.E.DAY.

 

2.1.2    The duration of each Hindu and Muslim day is

of 30 Mahurt, each day has 15 Mahurt and each night has 15 Mahurt. The day is

further divided in five parts each of the duration of their Mahurt. These

Mahurt commencing from SUN-RISE and called

(1)

Prathkala (2) Sangav (3) Madhyam (4) Aparahan (5) Sayahm. Sandhya kala is

always of one Mahurt (1/15 part of the day) and occurs at SUNRISE and SUNSET.

It is obligatory to perform assigned rituals during both Sandhya Kalas for

Hindus. Our Muslims brethren pray to god on the Sandhis of all the above five

division of the day.

 

2.1.3    SUN-RISE and SUN-SET adopted for these

purpose according to local use, Sanction of Dharm-Shastras which are different

for different purposes.

 

2.1.4    15 days Mahurts of the day and night becomes

equal on the day of occurrence of V.E.DAY (Shloka 67 and 68, second Ansh

chapter 8 of Vishnu Purana). Thus according to the sanction of Vishnu Purana of

Sage Parasasr, Astrological SUNRISE should be adopted except where specifically

required.

 

2.1.5            Christians follow day commencing

from Mid-night to next Mid-night. The mean value of this day is 24 hours.

 

2.1.6    The day also commences from Mid-day to next

Mid-day for some Astronomical purposes. As a matter of fact the day can

commence from any moment during the day and duration of such day would always

be 24 hours from the moment of its commencement (except when day commences from

SUNRISE to next SUNRISE).

 

2.2

SIDEREAL DAY

 

            Sidereal day is shorter than the solar

day, because by the time the earth completes a rotation about its axis, the sun

slips nearly a degree to the Earth. In other words, this is the interval of

time between two successive passages of a star over a meridian. It duration is

23 hours 56 minutes 4.09053 seconds of mean solar day. This has a vide

application. The ascendant and M: C is calculated with the help of this

value.

 

 

 

2.3

SAVAN DAY   

 

            Savan day commences from the

coincidence of upper limb of the SUN with horizon or about 1.5 minutes earlier

i.e., relating to visibility of the first ray of the SUN. The Savan day is

basically used for following purposes:

 

2.3.1    As per sanction of Dharm-Shastras, Tantric

rituals, Penance(s), Yagnas etc are performed with the commencement of Savan

Day.

 

2.3.2    In Medhani Astrology, Savan day is

prominently used as various omens in the sky at the time of day break gives an

idea about the weather conditions of the day.

 

2.3.3    Due to this reason Savan year is a very

important calendar. The month of the calendar consist of 30 days each, and the

year is of 360 days. This year can start from any day, which is assigned for

commencement of any Yagna or Tantric Practice. There is no danger of loosing or

adding a day in this scheme. This calendar is used for limited duration only

during which exact count of the days is essentially required.

 

2.4

CIVIL DAY

 

            The mean solar day becomes the civil

day when reckoned from the hour fixed BY LAW.

 

            Presently, the civil day begins at

midnight at 180 deg. east or west from Greenwich. It then continues one hour

later with every 15 deg. Of the SUN’S westward travel.

 

Thus

when one passes this international date line (180 deg.) he begins a day that

will not end until 24 hours later, with the result that when it becomes Tuesday

to the west of the line, it has just become Monday to East thereof.

In

India, civil day begins with reference to 82.5 deg. Some countries also use

summer time, when their watches are advanced by one or two hours.

 

In

my subsequent article I shall deal solar -lunar calendar as per sanction of our

Puranas and I believe that this calendar will meet all our modern requirements

and would be based on sound astronomical principles.