In the previous episode, we had witnessed the important purpose behind performing the “Sandhyavandana”, as narrated by Sage Paraashara. He had mentioned how the chariot from Bhagawan Soorya goes from one end to the other and how the Raakshasas by name “Mandegas’ ‘ keep attacking the chariot and prevent it from moving forward. It is with the “Argya-Pradhaana” that we do as part of the “Sandhyavandana” that keeps the Mandegas at bay everytime. We might easily ask a question here as to why do we repeatedly keep doing the “Sandhyavandanam” thrice every day. The problem with these Mandegas is that they’ve obtained a boon from Bhagawan Brahma that everytime they are attacked and defeated, they would again raise their head up once every six to twelve hours. Since this is a constant affair and a battle that keeps going on everytime, we need to keep performing our “Sandhyavandanam” every day to keep the Mandegas at bay, so that Bhagawan Soorya’s chariot is enabled to move forward smoothly without any hurdles. This is an important reason as to why we should perform our “Nitya-Karma” everyday without fail.
Thus, we have nine different paths through which Bhagawan Soorya traverses, which in turn corresponds to three “Nakshatras” (Stars) each. Thus, we have 27 “Nakshatras” in total. Now let us witness the arithmetic behind the “Raashis”. Many of us might know that there are 12 different “Raashis”, starting from “Mesha” to Meena”. We have “Mesha”, “Rishaba”, “Mithuna”, “Kataka”, “Simha”, “Kanya”, “Thula”, “Vrichika”, “Dhanush”, “Makhara”, Kumbha” and “Meena”. For each of these twelve Raashis, we’ve to calculate two and a quarter Nakshatras. Thus, if we multiply 2.25 and 12, we would get 27. Thus, each Raashi corresponds to around 2.25 Nakshatras. This is why we have 27 Nakshatras associated with the 12 Raashis. The way in which the Nakshatras are divided into 2.25 parts each, as per the Raashi, is referred to as “Paadam”. Each Nakshatra would have four “Paadams”, split into .25 each. Thus, we say that each Raashi would have 2.25 “Paadams”. For example, if we’ve to calculate the “Nakshatras” for Mesha Raashi, we say that the Nakshatras of Ashwini, Bharani and the quarter portion of Kaarthika would come under this Raashi. Thus we see that each Raashi has 2.25 Nakshatras associated with it. If for instance, someone is born on the day when the Ashwini or Bharani or Kaarthika (first quarter) falls, that person would be into the Mesha Raashi. Thus, we’ve to understand that the fundamental concept behind all of these calculations is the movement of Bhagawan Soorya’s chariot into each of these Raashis and Nakshatras. We can infer that Bhagawan Soorya stays in one Raashi for a month. Thus, we have twelve Raashis, and the movement of Bhagawan Soorya through the 12 Raashis constitute twelve different months of the year. All these arithmetics are quite simple for us to understand if we read through what Sage Paraashara is explaining here in the Vishnu Puraana.
This is exactly what our modern day astronomical sciences confirm too. For all those readers who have time, should definitely possess a book of Vishnu Puraana, read it through and learn it in detail. Of course, due to various limitations I’m unable to go into minute details of what Sage Paraashara has explained, but there is an extremely detailed accord on the calculations of Nakshatras, Raashis, etc. according to Bhagawan Soorya’s chariot movement. Thus, all the Nakshatras have the “Dhruva” Nakshatra as their hub and they keep revolving around it. With this discussion, along with the mention of the “Nava-Grahas” and their significance, we come officially to the end of the first “Amsa”. We might be thinking that we have completed the first “Amsa” before itself, but there is this extended discussion as part of the first “Amsa”, which we had covered now with this discussion of Astrology.
So for today, let us understand and recollect all these important points that Sage Paraashara has narrated in detail, and let us wait till the next episode to commence our discussion on the second “Amsa”. Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 