Indian Puranas, History and The Epics are not fairy tales.
They are facts.
I have been verifying statements events mentioned in these texts with the help of Astronomy, etymology of word used,archeological evidence,Anthropology,Geology and tools like Carbon Dating, Atomic verification,Infra red evaluation.
I have published posts on many events narrated in the Indian Texts.
Now I am posting information on the appearance of the sky during,
The Rig Vedic Period,
Rama’s Birth,
Krishna’s Birth.
These maps have been arrived at running the references found in these instances through a Software designed to arrive at star positions and period..
Rig Vedic Period Sky Map.
There are 53 references in Rigveda as prayers offered to Aswinis at dawn. The description clearly points to the observation of the pair of stars in the Aries constellation (referred to as Aashvin or Asvini) just before sunrise as a ritual to mark the year beginning. Using Planetarium software, we find that the Winter Solstice occurred on 19 December, 7000 BC at 0735 hrs as shown in Figure 1. This is the earliest reference to Vedic calendar with year beginning at Winter Solstice, found in Rigveda (5-77-1/2; 1-46-14; 7-69-3/2). Heliacal rising of Ashwini Nakshatra (Aries) can be seen to occur on 5th January, 7000 BC, marking the year beginning (Fig. 1).
Skymap during Ri Vedic Period.Fig. 1
Pre Dawn Sky during Rig Vedic Times.
A thousand years later, Winter Solstice no longer occurred near Aries (Asvini) due to precession. As a result, Ashwinis were no longer rising heliacally as before. They were still below the horizon at sunrise around Winter Solstice time. The Winter Solstice had moved to Revati by 6000 BC. Thus the precession of Equinoxes and Solistices was being observed by Rigvedic Scholars.
The Sky of 19th December, 6000 BC at sunrise on the Winter Solstice day shows that Ashvini gave way to bright star Chitra (α Vir) on opposite side (Western horizon). A full Moon in Chitra Nakshatra provided a new time marker in the sky and heralded the lunar month naming system-Chaitra, Vaisakha etc. (Rigveda: 5-74-1,2 and Tait Samh. 7-4-8). See Fig. 2 –
Fig.2 .The Sky of 19th December, 6000 BC at sunrise on the Winter Solstice day shows that Ashvini gave way to bright star Chitra (α Vir) on opposite side (Western horizon). A full Moon in Chitra Nakshatra provided a new time marker in the sky and heralded the lunar month naming system-Chaitra, Vaisakha etc. (Rigveda: 5-74-1,2 and Tait Samh. 7-4-8).
Please check my post on Agstya star, Canopus Validates Sanatana Dharma.
Rama’s Birth, Sky Map.
Rama was born on the Navami tithi of Shukla Paksha of Chaitra masa(9th day of the increasing phase of the moon in the lunar month of Chaitra).At that time, the nakshatra was Punarvasu, and Sun, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus were in Aries, Capricorn, Libra, Cancer and Pisces respectively. Lagna was Cancer and Jupiter & Moon were shining together. — Ramayana 1.18.8,9.
1. Sun in Aries
2. Saturn in Libra
3. Jupiter in Cancer
4. Venus in Pisces
5. Mars in Capricorn
6. Lunar month of Chaitra
7. 9th day after New Moon
(Navami Tithi, Shukla Paksh)
8. Moon near Punarvasu Nakshatra
(Pollux star in Gemini constellation)
9. Cancer as Lagna
(Cancer constellation rising in the east)
10. Jupiter above the horizon
The observations on the left, when entered into Planetarium software gives us the above Sky Chart, which in turns gives forth the below mentioned date.
Sri Rama Navami – 10th January 5114 BCE – Birth Day of Rama
Observation at 12.30 p.m.
Skymap During Krishna’s Birth.
Lord Krishna was born around midnight. That night was the eight phase of the moon known as Ashtami Tithi. The moon was near Vrshabha, the bull, i.e the Taurus constellation that houses the star Rohini. The star Rohini is known as Aldeberan in modern astronomy. The month was Shravana, one of the 12 months in the Indian calendar.
‘
Shravana vada ashtami, Rohini Nakshtra, uditam Lagnam
( Srimad Bhagavatham, Skanda 10, Chapter 3.)
Sky During Krishna’s Birth.
Date of Krishna’s Birth By Gregorain Calendar.
27th July, 3112 BCE .
Couple of Points.
1.Astronomical events repeat themselves at regular intervals.hence fixing one date is difficult.
We are taking the last event for calculation.
As time is Eternal and Cyclic, the events repeat themselves.
Please read my posts on Time Non Linear for more information.
You may check my posts under Astrophysics on Astrodating and dating of Events.
Knowledge , in my opinion, is, jumping from one uncertainty to another.
The consoling factor is that the latest information is less uncertain than the earlier one.
( Hindu Texts say Knowledge is nothing but removal of ignorance, by stages)
Planetary Alignment At The Time of Rama’s Birth.
Lord Rama’s Date has been determined by various tools.
Please read my posts on Dating Tools of Ramayana, Mahabharata.
Image,Work in progress on the four-tusked elephant Stegotetrabelodon syrticus.
Some of them are,
Literary, both Indian and Foreign.
Etymology from Sanskrit and Tamil.
Cultural behaviour.
Archeology.
Astronomy.
Each one of these has its strength and weaknesses.
When we speak of archeology, it has to be borne in mind that when one digs he hits the top available layer of the site.
If the events had taken place over thousands of years, then the layers one finds may not reflect them as we would have it the first layer available, because the deposits of the earth would have covered the earlier ones.
In the case of Astronomy, by far the best tool, which none can tamper-with, has its peculiar problem.
Planetary Alignment at the Time of Rama’s Birth.
When one dates with the help of Astronomy, one must remember that astronomical events repeat themselves at regular intervals.
Which one has to be taken into account ?
The issue is very much relevant in dating the Indian Puranas and Ithihasa.
They cover vast stretches of Time.
Lord Rama Has been dated at 5114 BC.
Please read my Post.
But the event verified by planetary positions indicate, as I observed earlier, that there have been similar Planetary configurations.
So to determine the date, one has to seek the help of the other tools.
In this case, it is Valmiki’s Ramayana.
”
In the Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara-Kanda (or Book 5), Chapter 4, verse 27, [Gita Press, Gorakhpur, India] it explains that when Hanuman first approached Ravana’s palace, he saw the doorways surrounded by horses and chariots, palanquins and aerial cars, beautiful horses and elephants, nay, with four-tusked elephants decked with jewels resembling masses of white clouds.
Elsewhere in the Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara-Kanda (or Book 5), Chapter 27, verses12, an ogress named Trijata has a dream of Lord Rama, which she describes to the other demoniac ogresses upon awakening. In that dream she sees Rama, scion of Raghu, united again with Sita. Sri Rama was mounted on a huge elephant, closely resembling a hill, with four tusks.
(The question is how could there be a mention of the elephants with four tusks unless Valmiki and the people of his era were familiar with such creatures? A quick search on the Encarta Encyclopedia will let us know that these four-tusked elephants were known as Mastodontoidea, which are said to have evolved around 38 million years ago and became extinct about 15 million years ago when the shaggy and two tusked Mastodons increased in population.”)
Valmiki does not lie.
His facts check out in Geographical descriptions and astronomical events.
Wherever he has used Hyperbole, it is easily distinguishable.
Those who know Sanskrit know how to identify them.
26,27,28.. mahaakapiH= The great Hanuma; aavivesha= entered; guptam= secretly; raakshasaadhipateeH= Ravana’s inner city; trivishhTapaHnibham= (which was like a) paradise; divyam= best one; vaajighoshhitasangushhTam= resonating with neighing of horses; tadhaa= and; naaditam= made noisy; bhuushhanaiH= with ornaments; radhaiH= by chariots; yaanaiH= by vehicles; vimaanaishca= and by aerial-cars; tadhaa= and; bhuushhitam= decorated by;; subhaiHhayagajaiH= by auspicious horses and elephants; swetaabranicayopamaiH= equalling a group of white clouds; vaaraNaishca= by great elephants; caturdantaiH= with four tusks; mR^igapakshibhiH= by animals and birds; mattaiH= in heat; ruciradvaaram= with a beautiful entrance; rakshitam= protected; yaatudhaanaiH= by raksasas; sumahaaviiraiH= with great strength; shahasrasheH= in thousands.
The great Hanuma entered secretly Ravana’s inner city which was equal to paradise, rendered noisy by neighing of horses and tinkling of ornaments, by chariots, vehicles and aerial-cars and decorated by auspicious elephants and horses and great elephants with four tusks and by birds and animals in heat. It had beautiful entrances and was protected by thousands of rakshasas with great strength..
12. siitaa = Seetha; saMgataa = came together; raameNa = with Rama; prabhaa yathaa = like the light; bhaaskareNa = with the Sun; raamashcha = Rama also; mayaa dR^ishhTaH = was seen by me; aaruuDhaH = (to be) mounted; mahaagajam = on a great elephant; chaturdraShhTram = with four tusks; shailasaMkaasham = equalling a mountain; chachaara = (and) wandered; saha lakshmanaH = together with Lakshmana.
Seetha came together with Rama like the light with the Sun. Rama also was seen by me to be mounted on a great elephant with four tusks and equalling a mountain and Rama wandered together with Lakshmana.”
The great Hanuma entered secretly Ravana’s inner city which was equal to paradise, rendered noisy by neighing of horses and tinkling of ornaments, by chariots, vehicles and aerial-cars and decorated by auspicious elephants and horses and great elephants with four tusks and by birds and animals in heat. It had beautiful entrances and was protected by thousands of rakshasas with great strength.
Thereafter, Hanuma the glorious one neared and observed the best residence of Rakshasas and the house of Ravana, containing elephants with four tusks and also those with three tusks, those with two tusks and still not crowded. It was protected by soldiers bearing raised weapons.
(Sundara Kanda 9th Sarga 4 – 5 Slokas)
Here, Sage Valmiki describes elephants with four tusks and also those with three tusks and those with two tusks.
*Image of Gomophotheres set as featured Image at the top of this article.
Description and places where it lived,according to Modern Zoology.
Welded beast”
Height:
3 m (10 ft)
Weight:
4 tons
Time:
13,650,000-
3,600,000 B.C.
Location:
Bavaria, Germany; Nyanza and Rift Valley, Kenya; Södermanland, Sweden; Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, and Tennessee, United States
You find India missing!
Now History of Biology proves that,
“The Gomphotheriidae were a diverse taxonomic family of extinct elephant-like animals (proboscideans). Referred to as gomphotheres, they were widespread in North America during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, 12–1.6 million years ago. Some lived in parts of Eurasia,Beringia and, following the Great American Interchange, South America. Beginning about 5 million years ago, they were gradually replaced by modern elephants, but the last two South American species, in the genus Cuvieronius, did not finally become extinct until possibly as recently as 9,100 BP, and Stegomastodon remains have been dated as recently as 6,060 BP in the Valle del Magdalena, Colombia. Gomphotheres also survived in Mexico and Central America until the end of the Pleistocene
Ramayana took place in the Treta Yuga, according to Valmiki and other Puranas.
Treta Yuga was about ,
“The duration of the Tretā-yuga is 3,600 x 360, or 1,296,000 years. The duration of the Dvāpara-yuga is 2,400 x 360, or 864,000 years. And the last, the Kali-yuga, is 1,200 x 360, or 432,000 years in total.” (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.11.19) . These 4 yugas follow a timeline ratio of (4:3:2:1).
That’s about a Million Years ago.
(Please read my Post Million Year Old Tamil Quotes Vedas)
Hence the astronomical calculation being cited to date Rama at 5114 BC can be revised to the same astronomical Event around one Million ago.
So Lord Rama can be dated around One Million years ago, considering this evidence and the dates of Dwaraka(Dated 32 000 years ago), the earliest dwelling Tamil Site in Chennai which is a Million Years old.( and Tamil quotes Ramayana)
Philosophy and Hinduism are so intermingled with a Man’s life in India that it becomes difficult to separate Philosophy, Myths ,Legends,History and work of fiction.
Lord Rama worshipping at Rameswaram
How ever the evidence provided in the Ithihasas (meaning ‘it happened thus’) can not be wished away.
Normal to procedure to validate the authenticity of the work is to check both internal and external evidence.
Internal evidence is provided in the text we are studying ,while external evidence consists of references to the event in Contemporary and post -the work in discussion.
As for as The Ramayana goes, external evidence is provided in the Puranas(means ‘ very old’) , Eighteen in Number( in Sanskrit) and in regional Languages of India, be it Tamil,Telugu,Kannada, Malayalam,Hindi,Bengali,Oriya,other languages .
In addition Dialects of India have this spread through word of mouth.
Though the versions vary in embellishments, the basic fact that there was a King called Rama , he had been sent to forest with his wife called Sita by his father who wanted to appease his wife(not Rama’s mother),she was abducted by a Chieftain called Ravana of Sri Lanka and he was killed by Rama , never varies.(History of The Tamils by P.T.Srinivasa Iyengar)
Reference to the Ramayana has been made in Mahabharata, which is posterior to The Ramayana.
One of the characters in The Mahabharata is Lord Krishna, whose palace has been unearthed off Gujarat coast , India.(please see my blog filed under(‘Videos)
External evidence needs the corroboration of the internal evidence supplied by Valmiki in The Ramayana.
Based on this ,research has proved the Date of birth of Sri Rama, which is explained here below.
In addition the route taken by Lord Rama is traced at the beginning of the article.
Excerpts&(The following document is the ‘MOST’ authentic scientific work that does not need further scientific verification. )
The story of Shri Ram’s life was first narrated by Maharishi Valmiki in the Ramayana, which was written after Shri Ram was crowned as the king of Ayodhya. Maharishi Valmiki was a great astronomer as he has made sequential astronomical references on important dates related to the life of Shri Ram indicating the location of planets vis-a-vis zodiac constellations and the other stars (nakshatras) . Needless to add that similar position of planets and nakshatras is not repeated in thousands of years. By entering the precise details of the planetary configuration of the important events in the life of Shri Ram as given in the Valmiki Ramayan in the software named “Planetarium” corresponding exact dates of these events according to the English calendar can be known.
Mr Pushkar Bhatnagar of the Indian Revenue Service had acquired this software from the US.. It is used to predict the solar/lunar eclipses and distance and location of other planets from earth. He entered the relevant details about the planetary positions narrated by Maharishi Valmiki and obtained very interesting and convincing results, which almost determine the important dates starting from the birth of Shri Ram to the date of his coming back to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.
Maharishi Valmiki has recorded in Bal Kaand sarga 19 and shloka eight and nine (1/18/8,9) that Shri Ram was born on ninth tithi of Chaitra month when the position of different planets vis-a-vis zodiac constellations and nakshatras (visible stars) were: i) Sun in Aries; ii) Saturn in Libra; iii) Jupiter in Cancer; iv) Venus in Pisces; v) Mars in Capricorn; vi) Lunar month of Chaitra; vii) Ninth day after no moon; viii) Lagna as Cancer (cancer was rising in the east); ix) Moon on the Punarvasu (Gemini constellation & Pllux star); x) Day time (around noon).
This data was fed into the software. The results indicated that this was exactly the location of planets/stars in the noon of January 10, 5114 BC. Thus Shri Ram was born on January 10, 5114 BC (7123 years back). As per the Indian calendar it was the ninth day of Shukla Paksha in Chaitra month and the time was around 12 to 1 noontime. This is exactly the time and date when Ram Navmi is celebrated all over India.
Image,Work in progress on the four-tusked elephant Stegotetrabelodon syrticus.
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