Bhagvad Gita Rahasya or Karmayoga Shastra VOL 02

SR No.: 011090
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bhalchandra S Sukhtankar
Publisher: R B Tilak Puna
Publication Year: 1936
Total Pages: 767
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 74 MB

Page 206

776
GITA-RAHASYA OR KARMA-YOGA
wwwann w
142
www.v
wwwwwww www
case, there is no doubt about the fact that the state of the Udagayana mentioned in the Maitryupanisad is earlier in point of time than that mentioned in the Vedänga-Jyotisa. Therefore, it must be said that the Udagayana at the date of the VedangaJyotisa was about half a constellation behind the Udagayana at the date of the Maitryupanisad. It is proved by astronomical calculations that the state of the Udagayana mentioned in the Vedanga-Jyotisa existed about 1200 to 1400 years before Christ;* and in as much as the Udagayana takes about 480 years to recede by half a constellation, it follows by mathematical calculation that the Maitryupanisad must have been written somewhere between 1880 to 1680 years before Christ. At any rate, there is no doubt that this Upanisad was previous in point of time than the Vedanga-Jyotisa. It need not, therefore, be said that the Chandogya and other Upanisads, from which quotations have been taken into the Maitryupanisad, are still earlier in point of time. The date of the Rg-Veda being in this way fixed at 4500 years before Christ, that of the Brahmanas, dealing with sacrificial ritual, being fixed at about 2500 years before Christ, and that of the Chandogya and other Upanisads dealing with Spiritual Knowledge being fixed at about 1600 years before Christ, the reason for which Western scholars bring forward the date of the Bhagavata religion ceases to exist, and there is no more any difficulty in the way of Sri Krsna and the Bhāgavata religion being tied together by the cord of synchrony, like a cow and a calf; and then, this date also becomes consistent with the state of things mentioned in Buddhistic treatises, or established by other historical evidence. The Vedic age comes to an end, and the Sütras and the Smṛtis begin, at about this time.
The above-mentioned calculation of time proves beyond doubt that the Bhagavata religion came into existence about
*I have discussed the date of the Vedanga-Jyotiṣa in my work Orion in English; the late Shankara Balkrishna Diksit has also done so in his book called 'Historical Survey of the BharatiyaJyotiḥ astra (pp. 87 to 94 and 127 to 139). The date of Vedic treatises according to the Udagayans, has been considered in the same place.