Lahiri Ayanamsa - A Reality check - Part 2

Before we discuss further, let me explain the difference between celestial and polar longitudes in simple language for the benefit of all. Celestial longitudes are measured on ecliptic w.r.t. a pole, situated 90 degrees to the ecliptic plane; whereas polar longitudes are also measured on ecliptic but w.r.t. the North Pole.

Coming back to the calendar report, we find the relevant information further in Appendix 5-B, titled “The Zero-point of Hindu zodiac”. The reason behind detailing this information in the appendix might be linked to firstly the aim of the report, which was centred on the calendar recommendation, and secondly to the final recommendations of the report that were in favour of sayana, the tropical. I am not discussing here the calendar part and its pitfalls since that would be discussed separately.

The Appendix 5-B lists the chosen stars’ positions based on the yogtara (junction stars) positions for different nakshatras as specified in chapter 8 of Surya Siddhanta. Here, it is recognized that the positions specified in siddhanta are polar longitudes. So, it is not that the calendar committee was unaware of this fact. All the polar longitudes are converted to celestial longitudes using the specified formulae rightly. After conversion, the 180 degree polar of Spica for Chitra nakshatra becomes 180 degree 48 minutes in celestial, clearly calculated in the given table.

The calendar committee discarded 11 nakshatras whose junction stars’ positions are either 2 degrees away from the reality in terms of latitudes or who are not near the group mean in terms of longitudes. It then sorts the remaining 16 nakshatras into three groups, with first group (comprising Bharani, Pushya, Ashlesha, Chitra) having ayanamsha mean at 22 degree 33 minutes, second group (comprising Ashvini, Krittika, Rohini, Magha, U. Phalguni, U. Ashada, Satabdishaka) having mean at 20 degree 48 minutes, and third group (comprising Punarvasu, Jyeshtha, P. Ashada, Sravan, Revati) having mean at 19 degree 9 minute in the specified year. Spica, representing Chitra, figures in group I with the value at 22 degree 21 minutes in celestial longitude. Thus, they deduced that the positions of the yogtaras specified in the surya siddhanta were observed at different epochs.

Let me produce here the relevant part of the respective statement from this appendix:

“The epochs (of the three groups as explained above) come out to be 340 AD, 500 AD and 560 AD respectively. The first epoch is nearly 200 years from the time of Ptolemy, and if it is assumed that Hindu astronomers assumed Chitra to occupy the first point of Libra, the epoch comes out to be 285 AD.”

The first question,

What was the need of providing analysis of SS based positions at all if they had assumed and already made up their mind for Spica at the middle of Chitra for basing their zero point?

Secondly, if they deduced that the star positions of each group were taken at different epochs, why neglect other 11 junction stars since they might also have been observed at different epochs.

Thirdly, their earlier logic of aligning Dhanishtha, Magha and Chitra by choosing Spica (as per chapter on calendric astronomy) too fails since the two junction stars for Magha and Chitra fall in different groups i.e. different epochs as per their own understanding and statement, while third star for Dhanishtha does not appear in any of the three groups.

Had they based it on Surya Siddhanta, it would have demanded them to take epoch around their first calculated epoch i.e. 340 AD instead of 285 AD by considering Spica position at 180d 48m celestial as calculated by them, but they rather remained stuck with their earlier assumption of Spica at the middle of Chitra basing it loosely on the hollow support that some schools followed it. Which schools? Why did they not specify their names?

I would also like to mention that even with their stumbling assumption of taking Spica at the middle of the zodiac, why did not they consider its proper motion of 1 minute when their choice for nirayana circle rested solely on a star? When it is Spica, it has to be the Spica position as observed.

The fact is that the basis of the zodiac in the siddhantic era lay in the revolution circle itself as defined in the beginning of each siddhanta.

The purpose of this article is to create awareness and make one intellectually do a reality check of a popular setup. If one is looking for details, one may refer to my book “The Unanswered” where I’ve discussed the subject exhaustively.

Click here to go back to Part I

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