Lunar eclipse and Indian astronomy - Aryabhata

Yesterday night June 16, 2011 early morning Indian Standard Time, was the longest of the lunar eclipses. It was also a central lunar eclipse, meaning that the center of the earth's shadow passed through the moon's circle.

The concept of eclipse is today explained scientifically and is not a matter of mystery anymore. There were times when it was mysterious as well as scary. Specially the solar ones. One should be a bit cautious of the solar ones even today, for looking directly in the sun can damage the eyes.

Nothing like that for the lunar eclipse though. See as much as you want. Though I could not take any pictures on my own due to clouds in Bangalore, some early photos can be seen here.

It is interesting to note that India had taken some great astronomical leaps long, long ago! I am not talking about identifying the pole star and Ursa Major etc. Even more specific.

Aryabhata आर्यभट/ आर्यभट्ट (476–550 CE) mentions the reasons for eclipse in no unclear terms.

चन्द्रो जलमर्कोऽग्निर्मृद्भूश्छायापि या तमस्तद्धि |

छादयति शशी सूर्यं शशिनं महती  च भूच्छाया || 

[आर्यभाटीय, गोलपादः 37]

chandro jalam_arko'gnir_mRid_bhUsh_chhAyApi yA tamas_taddhi |

chhAdayati shashI sUryam shashinam mahatI cha bhUch_chAyA ||

[i.e. chandraH jalam, arkaH agni, mRit bhUH, chAyA api yA tamaH tat hi
chAdayati shahI suryam, shashinam mahatI cha, bhUH chAyA ]

[AryabhAtIya, Gola-pAdaH 37]

"moon is of water, sun is of fire, earth is of soil, and its shadow is of darkness.

the moon covers the sun, and the great shadow of the earth covers the moon." 

[The book of Aryabhata, Sphere section, #37]

He then discusses in detail, how to calculate the size of Earth's shadow and the size of the eclipsed part. These computations were improved by later astronomers a bit. His calculations were so accurate that 18th century scientist Guillaume Le Gentil, during a visit to Pondicherry, India, found the Indian computations of the duration of the lunar eclipse of 30 August 1765 to be short by 41 seconds, whereas his charts were long by 68 seconds. (Wikipedia)

Considered in modern English units of time, Aryabhata calculated the sidereal rotation (the rotation of the earth referencing the fixed stars) as 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.1 seconds; the modern value is 23:56:4.091. Similarly, his value for the length of the sidereal year at 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds (365.25858 days) is an error of 3 minutes and 20 seconds over the length of a year (365.25636 days).

He even gave the times for Jupiter's revolution, distance of Sun and earth, earth circumference. He also pioneered in trigonometry and trigonometric calculations. Tables of sine and cosine of angles were calculated that are even today precise to 3-4 places of decimal point.

Some of his statements on astronomy, in AryabhAtIya golapAda chapter, worth noting are:
1. Sun illuminates half of the earth, moon and planets, the other half remains dark. [5]
2. Heavenly bodies seem to move westward at equator, similar to parallax by which the forest seems to move from a moving boat. [9]
3. Sri Lanka 90 degrees from pole, Ujjain 22.5 degree north of Lanka. [14]
4. Cause of eclipses due to shadow of moon and earth and many calculations around it. [37]
5. Color of moon at different parts of total eclipse! [46]
6. At poles, Sun visible for 6 months, on moon, sun visible for half a lunar month! [17]

He did a lot more in mathematics including calculating the value of Pi correct up to 4 decimal places and knowing that it was indeterminate. Adding sequence of squares and cubes, and finding solutions to what is now called as Diophantine equations (Ax + By = C, A, B, C are integer, find integer solutions for x and y)

His work was translated early on in Arab and led to the advance of astronomy in Arab and Europe. More details, click here.

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.

bear - भल्लूकः

ऋक्ष = RikSha = one who moves about (in the forest?)
the black bear was a common forest beast in India. see http://blog.practicalsanskrit.com/2011/06/antrix-what-is-common-to-space-ursa.html

दीर्घकेश = dIrgha-kesha = [one with] long (diRgha) hair (kesha)

दीर्घरोमन् = dIrgha-roman= [one with] long (diRgha) skin-hair (roman)

दीर्घदर्शी = dIrgha-darshI= one who sees (darshI) long (dIrgha)

पृष्ठचक्षुस् = pRiShTha-chakShus = [one with] eye (chakShus) in the back (pRiShTha) [of the head]

भल्लः = bhallaH = (onomatopoeia) one who makes noise (bhalla) like a demon
भल्लक /भल्लुक /भाल्लुक = variations of bhallaH

वृकधूर्तक = vRika-dhUrtaka = one who deceives (dhUrtaka) the wolf (vRika)

सशल्य = sa-shalya = one with sharp tool (shalya), i.e. its teeth (shalya = a sharp pointed/cutting instrument like a lance, spear, dart, javelin, arrow tip, surgical knife. surgery is called shalya-chikitsA


check out - Book of Sanskrit Maxims interpreted for modern times.

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.

Coconut island people - न हि नारिकेल-द्वीप-वासिनः

COCONUT-ISLAND PEOPLE

na hi nārikéla-dvīpa-vāsinaḥ
न हि नारिकेल-द्वीप-वासिनः

“The people of Coconut Island get no understanding (or visions) of the hump when they hear the unfamiliar word cow.”

A tourist had wandered off into a remote village. There he found he had run out of money. He asked someone for an ATM machine. No one knew. He said, ‘Debit card, you know, to get cash?’ And no one was any wiser. Mentioning further strange words related to an ATM did not add anything to the knowledge base of the villagers.

When one has no idea of a thing, mentioning of one aspect does not give any more information on other aspects. Hint to the wise is enough. But that too works when something is of common, familiar or known background.

In his memoirs from his India visit around 630 CE, the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang refers to some islanders north of Sumātrā island, maybe the Anḍamān and Nicobār Islands, who lived only on coconuts. The reference seems to be to these island people. Prashastapāda mentions them in Vaishéṣhika-bhāṣhya and says that the people of southern India are as unaware of camels as these islanders of cows.

Be on the same page with your audience, team and people. Take them from the known to the unknown. Else, you can keep babbling about the unknown and they will wonder where you lost your marbles.

>> Communicate effectively.

Read more such sayings in the book of Sanskrit Maxims (print) or e-book on Kindle

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---

And now the language aspects  -

Language notes:
न हि नारिकेल-द्वीप-वासिनः अप्रसिद्ध-गो-श्रवणात्ककुदादिमदर्थ-प्रतिपत्तिर्भवति
= na hi nārikéla-dvīpa-vāsinaḥ aprasiddha-go-shravaṇāt-kakuda-ādi_mat-artha-pratipattiḥ bhavati |

na = not.
hi = surely.
nārikéla = coconut.
dvīpa-vāsinaḥ = island-dwellers.
aprasiddha = not famous.
go = cow.
shravaṇāt = upon hearing.
kakudādimat = of awareness (mat) about bovine hump (kakuda) etc. (ādi).
artha = meaning.
pratipattiḥ = acquiring, gaining, knowledge.
bhavati = happens.


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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
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Cannot escape the fruits of your deeds - एकः प्रजायते

एकः प्रजायते जन्तुरेक एव प्रलीयते |
एकोऽनुभुङ्क्ते सुकृतमेक एव च दुष्कृतम् ||

ékaḥ prajāyaté janturéka éva pralīyaté |
éko’nubhuṅkté sukṛitaméka éva cha duṣhkṛitam || (IAST)

ekaH prajAyate jantur_eka eva pralIyate |
eko'nubhu~Nkte sukRitam_eka eva cha duShkRitam || (ITRANS)

One is born alone, one dies alone.
One bears the fruits of good and bad deeds, oneself. (4:240)

[ And, The relatives discard the dead body like a wooden log or lump of clay (burn or bury in earth) and go back, only dharma follows you in the other world. (4:241) ]
--

This shloka from manusmRiti मनुस्मृति 4:240 comes towards the very end of the chapter. It is in conclusion of the entire chapter, which deals with advice to the student (brahmacharya ब्रह्मचर्य ) and householder (gRihastha गृहस्थ) stages of life.

The chapter has advice, a much more elaborate than Miss Manners articles on etiquette. Only a careful, compassionate study and keeping in mind the times it was written in, will show the deep caring, and consideration on part of the creators of manusmRiti.

How should a student behave, what are his duties, how and why to control the senses, conduct in the guru's Ashram; as a householder what are the duties, respect for women, roles and responsibilities, charity etc. are covered in detail for the times. Many modern questions about social practices are answered here. With time these practices should and could have changed properly. For that to happen, it is important that people understand the reason for and ethos of the practices in the first place. This is a longer topic some other time.

So, after the whole chapter of how the householder should be in the society, and advice of "being good" and "doing good", comes this one liner! (well, two liner) answering a simple question -

Why should you do good?


Three things we must bear and bear alone.
1. Coming in this world
2. Consequences of our deeds in this world.
3. Going out of this world.

We come alone in this world. Empty handed. No prior friends or enemies. No one we know of. With a hope to find a home, caring one if possible.

We die alone. Empty handed. Whatever we got here, amassed here, at times even by usurping someone else's rights or by unfair means will also remain here. Whatever we earned through fair means will also remain here. Nothing will pass through. It is like the movie terminator, where they can send these machines in the past (our present) but they can't send any clothing with them. These killer machines came across time and worlds with no baggage or even clothing.

Even while living, the actual pain and joy is felt by us, alone. Think of it. If you get hurt, no one proxy bear it for you. If you eat sweet, no one else can proxy get the taste! When we die, no amount of love and caring can break that barrier. In Indian tradition where reincarnation is strongly believed in, even here, the great Manu is saying, that you die alone.

You alone bear the fruits of your good and bad deeds.
That is, you can't escape the consequences. No one can substitute to take away the consequences of your deeds. We are not talking about someone receiving your medal in proxy because you were sick to attend the ceremony! But if you work, you will get the salary. If you do the crime, you will have to do the time.

This does not mean, team work is useless or not good. It means that even within the team, we will get based on our deeds, how much we worked, what and how we worked etc. What we choose to work on (good, bad, large, small, ...), how we choose to work (team, alone, carefully, carelessly, ...) all these form part of our 'deed', and the results are accordingly.

So, when we alone will have to face the results of our deeds, why not do good deeds, so that we get good results. We remain free of guilt or crime.

When we die, the relatives cry for some time, they miss and all that, but at the end the body is burnt like a log or buried like a lump of clay. The material body is just that - matter. Useless. But what we did while in this world, its good and bad result will remain. Depending upon how good or bad the deeds were, people may remember us for long or short time. But, if not for our deeds, no one remembers us, we are a blip on the timescale. How many ants do we remember that have been born or died? Or how many water snakes, or salmons? Similarly, how many humans do we remember or have impacted us.

Towards the end, there is another wonderful sholka #258 that says, "And one should meditate alone everyday upon topics for good to self (hita-AtmanaH, i.e. of enlightenment, spiritual uplifting and awakening), because one who ponders alone (meditates in solitude) attains the path (of liberation)."

Alone we come, alone we die, and alone is the journey covered. You can't blame anyone else for your misfortune, misdeeds.

So, be good.
So, do good.
So, meditate, ponder, think.
So, lead an awakened life.

For "unawakened ignorants drown"; "majjantyavichetasaH" मज्जन्त्यविचेतसः = majjanti-avichetasaH (Rigveda 9.64.21)

You may also like to read my book "Attitude Shift - Sanskrit Maxims for Contemporary Life and Leadership"? Or try it on Kindle. Consider buying the book and help Practical Sanskrit.

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एकः = ekaH = one [alone, by oneself]

प्रजायते = prajAyate = takes birth

जन्तुरेक = jantureka
= jantuH + ekaH = living being + one

एव = only, by itself

प्रलीयते = pralIyate = dies
pralaya = dissolution of creation

एकोऽनुभुङ्क्ते = eko'nubhu~Nkte
= ekaH + anubhu~Nkte
= one [alone] consumes
anu- = follows
bhuk = to eat
anubhu~Nkte = eats subsequently (after the deeds' results come)

remember the ahi-bhuk maxim? ahibhuk_kaivarta nyAyaH (opium eater and the boatman)

सुकृतमेक = sukRitameka
= su_kRitam + ekaH
= good deeds + one [alone]

एव = eva = only
च = cha = and
दुष्कृतम् = duShkRitam
= duH + kRitam
= bad + deeds

(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
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Antrix? What is common to space, Ursa major and debt!

Today, there was a news worth feeling good about - India to launch 12 foreign satellites in next two years. The news item went on something like this:

India has bagged multi-million dollar contracts to launch 12 foreign satellites in the lower orbit from its spaceport over the next two years, a top space agency official said Wednesday.

"Through our commercial arm Antrix Corporation, we have received orders from Canada, Indonesia, Germany and other European countries to launch a dozen satellites in the sun-synchronous orbit during the next two years," state-run Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO) Chairman K. Radhakrishnan told reporters here.

Now, I had read about Antrix giving great competition to US agencies in satellite imaging, but that time I didn't have this blog. So I could not elaborate the thoughts.

So what is Antrix? I mean the word "Antrix"? Because on this blog, we are not going to discuss the intricacies of space technology, but of the words! Someone may guess 'Antrix' to be a character from the Asterix and Obelix comics, but nope. This is an Anglicised spelling of the very Sanskrit word "antarikSha" अन्तरिक्ष .

antarikSham/antarIkSham (अन्तरिक्षम् / अन्तरीक्षम्)
The encyclopedia expands it as "antar_madhye RikShANi, nakShatrANi yasya tat" अन्तर्मध्ये ऋक्षाणि, नक्षत्राणि यस्य तत् . The word is also written with longer vowel ee as antarIkSham अन्तरीक्षम्

This means that 'in between which are seen RikShANi / nakShatrANi, that is, constellations'. It is also said 'the space between earth and heavens'. But, what catches the attention is RikShANi ऋक्षाणि(constellations) from RikSh (ऋक्ष्).

RikSh ऋक्ष्
The most common meaning of this word is a bear, the Hindi word being rIchha (रीछ), the Ri ऋ becoming ri रि/री and kSha क्ष becoming chha छ, a very common transformation from Sanskrit to the regional languages. The first connection comes to mind between bear and constellation is the Ursa Major, which are called in Sanskrit, now hold your breath, sapta-RiShi सप्त-ऋषि (saptarShi after sandhi formation).

Space, constellation, bear, Ursa Major, RiShi-s ... where does it all lead to?

The verb 'Ri' ऋ means to go, (to go towards, to move upwards) as in 'saH Richchhati' सः ऋच्छति means he goes. The verb RiSh ऋष् means to flow, move up, like the stars that move up in the sky. RiShati ऋषति means to get, to obtain.

Another related word is RiShi ऋषि the seer! Where does it fit in this going and coming of stars and constellations? Like most words in Sanskrit that are definitions and short form for a phrase telling an attribute, RiShi is expanded as 'RiShati, prApnoti, sarvAn mantrAn GYaanena pashyati saMsAra-pAram iti' "ऋषति, प्राप्नोति, सर्वान् मन्त्रान् ज्ञानेन पश्यति संसारपारम् इति". That is, one who through knowledge obtains all mantra, secrets, keys, formulas [and] one who sees beyond/through this [material, unreal, illusionary] world. One who has unlocked the secret of the illusion of this world, through his/her vision, 'see'-ing of the 'see'-r. One who has gone beyond knowledge and the world - GYaana-saMsArayoH pAragantA ज्ञानसंसारयोः पारगन्ता

And what about words like Ritu ऋतु , RiNa ऋण ?
Ritu = season, is the time that comes and goes! Well, it only goes around, never comes back!
And RiNa = debt, is the money that goes around. And this too in bad economy, just goes around, never comes back!

And if you are interested in any of the products Antrix sells, you can surely check out their pricelist!


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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
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flower, puShpam पुष्पम्

पुष्पम् puShpam = flower, that which grows (vikasati).

the root word puSh means to nourish, and there are many similar words, as -
पोषण poShaNa (noun) = the act of nourishing;
पुष्ट puShTa (adj) = healthy, well-nourished;
पौष्टिक pauShTika (adj) = nutritious;
पूषा pUShA (n)= the nourisher, sun ("tat-tvam pUShaNa-apAvRiNu" from the upaniShad);
पुष्कर puShkara = nourisher, the famous lake in rAjathAna.

other words for flower:
प्रसूनम् prasUnam,
कुसुमम् kusumam,
सुमनसः sumanasaH,
सूनम् sUnam,
सुमनः sumanaH.

Photo taken in Coorg, Karnataka. On top of the flower, just behind you see a small face of local deity representing mother earth. The Coorg people, with many coffee plantations in the middle of jungle are very earth conscious people!


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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.

rest, relaxation - विश्राम

shram श्रम  (v)  [ shrAmyati श्राम्यति , first person present tense ]
1. to attempt, work, put effort into.
2. to control the senses with austerity and practice (tapas तपस्)
3. to get tired (due to hard work) [shrAnta श्रान्त]
4. to fall in hardship

shramaH श्रमः  (n) =
1. effort, attempt, physical work.
2. tiredness
3. hardship, pain/sorrow
4. physical exercise


pari-shrama परिश्रम = [n] very hard work. [v] to get very tired (due to hard work)

vishrAma विश्राम [n] = rest, relaxation, to stop or stay over.
shrama-jalam श्रम-जलम् = effort-water = sweat
shrama-sAdhya श्रम-साध्य = effort-accomplish-able = one that can be accomplished by hard work



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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.