Jain Journal 1979 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 15

JANUARY, 1979
astronomical developments of the post-Vedanga pre-Siddhantic period. For example, the Vedanga Jyotisa Dhanisthadi" system of nakṣatras was changed into Sravanadi system as found in Mahābharata before the Jaina's Abhijitadi system' was held in esteeem.
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In the context of these arguments, suffice it to say that Mahābhārata contains much that belongs to the intermediate period when the Jaina astronomical system was gaining over Vedanga Jyotisa. There has been a tradition15 in ancient India that astronomical computations were based on the sidereal system over many centuries before any rectification was made for the error into the calculated and observed phenomena. On the basis of Dhanisthadi system of nakṣatras, Vedanga Jyotisa is generally ascribed to about 14th century B.C.1 Whereas Jaina texts contain much that belongs to about 5th/6th century B.C.19 when the Jaina School of astronomy has gained a vigorous momentum under the celebrity of Lord Mahavira. Therefore the notion of Sravanadi system may be assigned an intermediate period of about first millenium B.C. The date of the painted greyware as also of the discovery of Iron, both associated with the Aryans, have been put around 1000 B.C. by archaeologists2. K.L. Daftary on analysing the astronomical data as found in Mahabharata has given its date to be about 1200 B.C.14 Of course, there is always a possibility of difference of 200 or 300 years in such astronomical calculations, whereas the general precession takes about a thousand years to cross over the zodiacal stretch of a nakṣatra. However astronomical evidences are quite dependable as they are confirmable in the mathematical texture in relation to one another. However a similar difference of a few hundred years also creeps into the method of carbon dating of an event2.
Besides, the fact that nakṣatras are chiefly given to be 27 in number in Mahabharata, except a passing reference to the 28th nakṣatra1 whereas Jainas astronomical computations are solely dependable on the system of 28 nakṣatras. Obviously Mahābhārata should be assigned a period in between Vedanga Jyotisa and Jaina astronomy, but attention may be called upon the fact that there is a legend (Maitreyiya Brāhmaṇa iii, 230.11) that the 28th nakṣatra, Abhijit, dropped out but Taittiriya Brāhmaṇa (1.5.2.3) marks it as a new comer. Abhijit is mentioned as a fallen star in Mahabharata (iii.232.2) also1. It therefore suggests that Mahabharata belongs to the Brahmanic period as also Jaina system of 28 nakṣatras does. However it cannot be ascertained as to how far the Jaina school of astronomy had been independently flourishing parallel to Vedanga Jyotisa till it gained over the latter in the post-Vedanga pre-Siddhantic period. The possibility of such a tradition is, of course, evident from the